P. 171.—“Ardres,” ārdr; “Francois,” frŏnˈswäˌ.
“St. Michael,” mīˈkāl. Jews, Mahomedans, and Romanists reverence St. Michael as their guardian angel. A favorite symbol of protection was an image of the saint, with drawn sword in hand, conquering the dragon.
P. 172.—“Duprat,” du-präˈ. A French minister of state, and a diplomat of ability.
“Louise of Savoy,” savˈoy or sa-voiˈ. Once a sovereign duchy, since a department of France, south of Switzerland, and west of Italy.
P. 173.—“Sieur de Fleuranges,” sēˈurˌ deh fluhˈrŏngˌ.
P. 174.—“Guisnes,” gheen. In France, not far from Ardres.
P. 175.—“Almoner.” An officer connected with religious houses, intrusted principally with the distribution of alms, and also serving as chaplain to the sick, or those condemned to die.
P. 181.—“Prebendary,” prebˈend-a-ry. A clergyman attached to a collegiate or cathedral church, who has his prebend or maintenance in consideration of his officiating at stated times in the church services.
“Caermarthen,” kar-marˈthen. The chief town in Caermarthenshire, South Wales, a beautifully situated parliamentary borough, on the river Towy, a few miles from the bay. Caermarthen was the scene of the final struggle for Welsh independence under Llewellyn, the last of the princes.
P. 187. “Babington conspiracy.” Anthony Babington, a gentleman of ancient and opulent family, when young became a leader of a band of zealous Catholics who were smarting under the persecutions to which the members of that communion were exposed in the days of Elizabeth. Their primary object was to promote the Catholic cause. When Mary, Queen of Scots, was forced to flee to England as a suppliant, Babington and his associates became interested in her. They conspired to rescue Mary and assassinate Elizabeth. The conspirators, when arrested, rather gloried in the undertaking; as to the fate intended for Elizabeth, Babington declared it no crime, in his estimation, to take the life of a sovereign “who had stript him and his brethren of all their political rights and reduced them to the condition of helots in the land of their fathers.” They were sentenced and executed.