Page:A Biographical Dictionary of the Celebrated Women of Every Age and Country (1804).djvu/69

Rh the neighbouring villages to carry provisions there. Both parties were exasperated to the utmost, and declared open war. The prince of Conti put himself at the head of the Frondeurs, or exploders, as that faction was called, from having forced the royal family to leave the city.

The queen's party laid siege to Paris for two months, and then patched up a temporary peace. They entered the city amidst the general acclamations of the people; but the war de la Fronde soon broke out with greater violence than ever.

Anne was obliged to banish Mazarin, the object of their hatred; when her son became of age, to take into his own hands the reins of government, he recalled him; but the troubles were not appeased till 1660.

In 1663 Anne fell sick, from having observed Lent too rigidly; and the next summer, a little tumour appeared upon her breast, to which she at first paid no attention: but which afterwards, from the ignorance of her physicians, degenerated into an incurable cancer. The 27th of May, 1665, she was seized with a fever, followed by an erisipelas, which covered half her body. The abbe Montagu, an Englishman, and one of her confidents, announcing her approaching death. "You give me pleasure;" said she, "these are the most solid and the truest signs of friendship!" She then made her will; and growing still worse, called for the Viaticum and extreme unction, which she received with great devotion.

Her cancer was not the only evil which assailed her: an abscess had formed under one of her arms, which gave her excruciating pain. Her patience was exercised in many ways. Fastidiously nice in her person, and delicate in respect to odours, fine linen, and all the