Page:A Biographical Dictionary of the Celebrated Women of Every Age and Country (1804).djvu/567

Rh heard of a plot of her husband and Henry her next brother, who was become duke of Anjou, to avenge the massacre, which she revealed to her mother, on condition that no executions should follow the prevention of the plot. The princes finding their designs discovered, put off the execution to another time; but they were seized, and imprisoned. The death of Charles IX. set them at liberty; but the hopes Margaret entertained of being of more consideration on the accession of Henry III. were disappointed, by means of the queen mother, and Dugast his favourite, who abused her to him as the tie of friendship between the king of Navarre and the duke of Anjou, as also of intrigues with one name Bidé; and the brave Bussi d'Amboise, who was, at least, passionately in love with her, and whom she evidently had great esteem for, from the high terms in which she mentions him; with respect to the first, she appears wholly justified.

The king of Navarre, whose heart was continually occupied by new beauties, cared little for the reputation of his wife; yet, when he stole from the court, recommended his interest to her care in a polite letter. She was, however, confined a prisoner in her apartment, her confidents were treated with the greatest severity; but the politic Catherine prevented the king from pushing matters to extremity with her, by whose means she brought about a short peace. Margaret demanded permission to retire to her husband in Guyenne; but Henry III. answered, that he would not permit his sister to live with a heretic. The Catholic league was soon concluded, of which he was declared chief, and an open war commenced against the protestants. Margaret withdrew into the Low Countries, to prepare the people in favour of the duke of Alençon, who meditated the con-