Page:The Queens of England.djvu/96

 ;8 THE QUEENS OF ENGLAND. whom he had, at his wife's instigation, transferred his alle- giance, the valiant Marcher found himself obliged to send his young son Hugh to sue for pardon from Louis, which was easily granted on very light conditions. But neither defeat nor forgiveness appear to have amended the spirit of Isabella. She, on the contrary, treasured up a secret feeling of revenge against the French monarch, and sub- orned some of her followers to attempt his life by poison. Doubts have been thrown, it is true, upon Isabella's partici- pation in this attempt ; but as she fled for sanctuary to the Abbey of Fontevfaud immediately after the arrest of the as- sassins, and as they accused her in confession, there is sufficient cause to suspect her guilt. In the meantime, while she re- mained in sanctuary, her husband and her son Hugh were both seized by direction of the French king, and ordered to be brought to trial for participation in the diabolical attempt. Lusignan repelled the charge, and demanded the duel, defying Alphonzo, his accuser, and vowing that he would prove the innocence of himself and family in the lists. Alphonzo, how- ever, declined putting the issue of his life and truth on such a venture, upon the plea that a traitor like the Count de la Marche was unfit to meet a true knight. Isabella's youthful son, Hugh, upon this evasion, also rebutted the charge, and offered himself as an antagonist. At first this second chal- lenge was accepted, but eventually declined, by Alphonzo, who stigmatized the young Marcher as infamous, in common with his whole family. These tidings, brought to Isabella at Fontevraud, seem to have broken her spirit. The remainder of her life was passed in penance and prayer ; and assuming the veil, she soon after- wards died. At her own request she was buried without pomp or ceremony in a lowly grave amongst the sisterhood of the abbey. Three years after her death the Count de la Marche was seen amongst those who followed the expedition of the French king to Damietta ; and according to Montfaucon, he fell fight- ing against the infidel in the same ranks with his old enemy, Alphonzo, Count of Poitou. Thus died Isabella of Angouleme and the Count de la Marche. Isabella left behind her a reputation for exceeding beauty and for great pride ; and from her having been the cause of the war of precedence — if it may be so called, — she