tinue all night with her in her chamber, and that they would by no means leave her.

The greatest part of the night was employed in holy advices, which these ministers gave to the lady one after another; besides which, she desired them to read to her some chapters of the Holy Scriptures, pertinent to her condition; and accordingly they read to her out of St. John's Gospel from the fourteenth to the end of the seventeenth chapter. After which they prayed with her. Prayer being ended, the Queen desired to take some rest; but it was not long before she bade them read again. Upon which, one of the ministers made choice of some particular psalms of David, full of ardent and affectionate prayers, suited to the Queen's present circumstances, and, for a conclusion, read the thirty-first psalm, in which the prophet, among other things, commends his spirit into the hands of God, because, saith he, "Thou hast redeemed me, O Lord God of truth!"

The Queen then signified her desire that they would pray with her again; and thus the greater part of the night was spent in these holy exercises, during all which time the ministers never discerned in her the least signs of impatience, notwithstanding the violence of her affliction. It was also worthy of observation, that whereas immediately before her sickness she had shewn how much she was concerned to provide most magnificently for the day her son's marriage, according as the nature grand an alliance required, yet that, as soon sickness had seized upon her, she seemed such a total neglect and forgetfulness of matters, that she never discovered so m thought about them.

The night being thus spent by this n who persevered in the expressions o affections and ardency of faith, the between eight and nine o'clock, she

life to take possession of a far better, sweetly yielding up her spirit into the hands of God, June 9, anno Christi 1572, and in the 44th year of her age.

She enjoyed her perfect speech and memory even to the hour of her death, shewing not only that staidness and soundness of judgment which she ever had in times past in the care about the salvation of her soul, but also in the proper settlement of her worldly affairs.

The King pretended he was greatly afflicted for her death, and went into mourning, in which also the whole court followed him, lest, as we may well suppose, by an apparent indifference about her death, their counsels and future desperate designs might be discovered and prevented.

The good Queen, though taken off by poison, yet seemed to be mercifully housed from the storm which burst upon the protestants on the 24th of August following, the day of the massacre of Paris, which began a general slaughter of them over the kingdom, in which the number taken off is computed at an hundred thousand. The horrors of that night are not to be conceived, much less expressed. The fatal signal being given by the tolling of the bell of St. Germain, the butchery began. Coligni, the Admiral of France, was murdered in his own house, his body thrown out of his window, and treated with the vilest indignities. The murderers ravaged the whole city of Paris, and butchered in three days above ten thousand lords, gentlemen, presidents, counsellors, advocates, lawyers, scholars, physicians, merchants, tradesmen, and others. Mothers, maidens, and children, were all involved in the destruction; and the gates and entrances of the king's palace all besmeared with their blood. And yet, as though this had been the most heroic transaction, and would shed immortal glory over the authors of it, medals were struck at Paris in honour of it, on the face of which was the French king sitting on a throne with

VIL I s excelent Queen With games You Bunny Bime*, which he tha Aime of Ferre had had a larger "jihkih, kik wee indent a perfect pattern. Nothing * kyk waggated to lessen her, but that which !! www bike true glory, her receiving the Reformation. "who both moved it, and brought her subjects to " She not only reformed her court, but her whole jomipodity to such a degree, that the golden age #bmit to have returned under her; or rather, Ploistianity appeared again with the purity and hot of its fist beginnings. Nor is there one stiche alustement to be made her. Only her prinModify was marrow. Her dominion was so little abbal, that, though she had the rank and fan of a queen yet it looked rather like the dotal than the wality of sovereignty; or rather y gay mature; though the colours pa me the smallest form.” But Werkes wattle alteraada pee and good Queen in her

this inscription, Virtus in rebelles, "Virtue against rebels;" and on the reverse, Pietas excitavit justitiam,

Piety hath roused justice." And when the news of this horrible massacre reached Rome, a jubilee was granted, and the people were commanded to go every where to church, and bless God for the success of the action; and it was decreed, the pope should march with his cardinals to the church of St. Mark, and in the most solemn manner give God thanks for so great a blessing conferred on the See of Rome, and on the Christian world.

We shall close our account of this excellent Queen with a passage from Bishop Burnet *, in which he says, that "if Jane of Navarre had had a larger "sphere, she was indeed a perfect pattern. Nothing was ever suggested to lessen her, but that which was her true glory, her receiving the Reformation. "She both received it, and brought her subjects to "it. She not only reformed her court, but her whole

principality to such a degree, that the golden age "seemed to have returned under her; or rather, "Christianity appeared again with the purity and "lustre of its first beginnings. Nor is there one "single abatement to be made her. Only her principality was narrow. Her dominion was so little "extended, that, though she had the rank and dignity of a queen, yet it looked rather like the "shadow than the reality of sovereignty; or rather "it was sovereignty in miniature; though the colours were bright, it was of the smallest form." But still may not Mr. Waller's lines, with a little alteration, be applied to this great and good Queen in her small domains?

66

Circles are prais'd, not that abound
In largeness, but th' exactly round:
Such praise they merit, who excel,
Not in wide spheres, but acting well.

* Essay on the Memory of Queen Mary, p. 29.