FOOTNOTES:
[109] Died 1631
[110] Died in 1619.
[111] Died 1649.
[112] Leicester's influence over Elizabeth appeared so unaccountable, that it was ascribed to magic, and to her evil stars.
[113] Spenser's Daphnaida.
Bélier, mon ami! Commencez par le commencement!
count hamilton.
[115] "La gentille Marguerite," the unhappy wife of Louis the Eleventh. Beautiful, accomplished, and in the very spring of life, she died a victim to the detestable character of her husband. When one of her attendants spoke of hope and life, the Queen, turning from her with an expression of deep disgust, exclaimed with a last effort, "Fi de la vie! ne m'en parlez plus!"—and expired.
[116] At Althorp, the seat of Lord Spenser, there is a most curious picture of Diana of Poictiers, once in the Crawford collection: it is a small half-length; the features are fair and regular; the hair is elaborately dressed with a profusion of jewels; but there is no drapery whatever, except a curtain behind: round the head is the legend from the forty-second Psalm,—"Comme le cerf braie après le décours des eaues, ainsi brait mon âme après toi, O Dieu!" which is certainly a most extraordinary and profane application. In the days of Diana of Poictiers, Marot had composed a version of the Psalms, then very popular. It was the fashion to sing them to dance and song tunes; and the courtiers and beauties had each their favourite psalm, which served as a kind of devise. This may explain the very singular inscription on this very singular picture.
[117] Ronsard was a native of the Vendomois, and Marie, of Anjou.
[118] Ben Jonson.
[119] V. Bayle Dictionnaire Historique.—Pierre de Ronsard was born in 1524, and died in 1585.