Page:A Biographical Dictionary of the Celebrated Women of Every Age and Country (1804).djvu/849

Rh Spain, which was the source of many evils to France. She had done this at the instance of the Cardinal of Lorrain, who, with the rest of the Guises, no sooner saw the event, than they leagued with the Queen Catherine de Medicis, to ruin Diana, if she would consent to the marriage of their niece, Mary, Queen of Scots, to the dauphin. This was done, and the duchess remained without support: but she lost not her firmness; and, on the return of the king, he promised to inform her of all the plots of her enemies. But he died of a wound received in a tournament, 1558, when he wore her colours, black and white, for it was then the custom for widows always to remain in mourning. Catherine sent her an order to deliver up the royal jewels, and retire to one of her castles. "Is the King dead?" said she, "No, madam, but he cannot live till night." "Well then," said she, "I have as yet no master. And when he shall be no more, I fear them not. Should I be so unfortunate as to survive him, for any length of time, I shall be too wretched, to be sensible of their malice." Catherine, however, was persuaded not to persecute the duchess, who in gratitude made her a present of a superb mansion, situated amidst the lands belonging to the queen's dowry; who, in return, gave her another. Diana retired to Anet, but was recalled, in 1561, by Catherine, to detach the constable from his nephews, the Chatillons; which service she performed, as she had the greatest influence over his mind. She was sixty years old at the time of her death. She was tall, had very black curling hair, and a white skin, beautiful teeth, a fine form, and a noble mien.

"Six months before her death," says Brantome, "I saw her so handsome, that no heart of adamant would have been insensible of her charms, though she had