DAUGHTER of Robert, duke of Burgundy, married Louis Hutin, king of France, in 1305. She was a beautiful but very licentious woman. Her lover was flayed alive, and she herself was strangled to death, in 1315. MARGARET OF SCOTLAND, THE first wife of Louis XI. of France, died in 1445, at the age of twenty-six, before her husband had ascended the throne. Margaret was devoted to literature, and, while she lived, patronised men of learning and genius. Her admiration for the poet Alain Chartier is said to have induced her to kiss his lips, as he sat asleep one day in a chair. Her attendants being astonished at this act of condescension, the princess replied that "she did not kiss the man, but the lips which had given utterance to so many exquisite thoughts." She excited in the gloomy and ferocious Louis XI. a taste for science and literature, which lasted long after her ,.death. She left no children. Her death is said to have been caused by the calumnies circulated against her; of which, however, she was proved innocent. MARGARET, DAUGHTER of Raymond Berenger, count of Provence, married St. Louis, king of France, in 1254, and attended him during his wars in the Holy Land with the Saracens; when, on his captivity, she behaved with heroic intrepidity in the defence of Damietta. She died at Paris in 1285, aged seventy-six. MARGARET, THE Semiramis of the North, third daughter of Waldemar, king of Denmark, was born in 1353. At the age of six she was contracted to Haguin, king of Norway; but the Swedes, of whom his father Magnus was king, insisted on his renouncing the alliance; and to oblige them, he consented to demand Elizabeth of Holstein in marriage, whom he espoused by proxy. But, on her voyage to Norway, a storm drove her off the coast of Denmark, where she was detained by Waldemar until his daughter was married to Haguin in 1366. Waldemar died in 1875, leaving only two daughters, of whom Margaret was the younger. Olaus, the son of Margaret, was at that time king of Norway; and as the grandson of Magnus, who had however been deposed, he had some claims on the crown of Sweden. The eldest daughter, Ingeburga, wife of Henry, duke of Mecklenburg, had also a son; but the right of succession was then confused and uncertain, and Margaret contrived that the election should be decided in favour of her son, then eleven years old, who was placed on the throne, under her guidance as regent. Haguin died soon after; and Olaus died in 1887, at the age of twenty-two; with him the male line was extinct, and custom had not yet authorized the election of a woman. Henry of Mecklenburg omitted nothing that could advance his pretensions; but Margaret's genius, and well-placed liberality, won over the bishops and clergy, which was in effect gaining the greater part of the people, and she was unanimously elected queen of Denmark. But her ambition grasped at the crown of Norway also; she sent deputies to solicit the states, gained over the chief people by money, and found means to render herself mistress of the army and garrisons; so that, had the nation been otherwise disposed, she would in the end have succeeded; but they readily yielded to her wishes. The Norwegians, perceiving that the succession was in danger of being extinct, entreated her to secure it by an advantageous marriage; but she received the proposal coldly. To satisfy, however, their desire, she consented to appoint a successor; but fixed on one so young that she would have full time to satisfy her ambition before he could be of age to take any share in the government; yet he was the true heir, and grandson of her sister. She recommended herself so strongly to the Swedes, who were oppressed by their king Albert, who had gone to war with her, that they renounced their allegiance to that prince, and made her a solemn offer of their crown, thinking that her good sense would set bounds to her ambition, and prevent any encroachment on their rights. She accepted the offer, marched to their assistance, defeated Albert, who was deposed, in 1388, after a war of seven years. She then imprisoned him another seven years, till he made a solemn renunciation of his crown, and retired to the dominions of his brother, the duke of Mecklenburg. Margaret then assumed the reins of government in Sweden, and was distinguished by the appellation of the Semiramis of the North. In 1395, she associated with her in the three elective kingdoms, her great-nephew Eric, duke of Pomerania. She governed with absolute authority; and when reminded of her oaths by the nobility, who added, "they had the records of them," she replied, "I advise you to keep them carefully; as I shall keep the castles and cities of my kingdom, and all the rights belonging to my dignity." At the treaty of Calmar, concluded in 1397, she endeavoured to make the union of the three kingdoms perpetual, and introduced Eric separately to all the deputies. She represented to them, with eloquence and address, the advantages that would accrue from the consolidation of the three nations into one kingdom; that it would put an end to the frequent wars which desolated them, and render them entirely masters of the commerce of the Baltic; keep in awe the Hanse-towns, grown powerful by the divisions of her people; and acquire for them all the advantages resulting from a perfect conformity of laws, customs, and interests. The majesty of her person, the strength of her arguments and her eloquence, gained over the deputies. They approved and established a fundamental law, which was received by the three nations, and solemnly confirmed by oath. This was the celebrated law called the union of Calmar, which only served to show how impotent are human wishes, though conceived with wisdom and forwarded by address. elevation of soul and mental resources, said that nature had been deceived in forming her, and instead of a woman had made a hero. MARGARET OF VALOIS, QUEEN of Navarre, and sister to Francis I. of France, was born at Angoulême, in 1492; being the daughter of Charles of Orleans, duke of Angoulême, and Louisa of Savoy. In 1509, she married Charles, the last duke of Alençon, who died at Lyons, after the battle of Pavia, in 1525. The widow went to Madrid, to attend her brother, who had been taken prisoner in that battle by the Spaniards, and was then ill. She was of the greatest service to her brother, obliging Charles and his ministers, by her firmness, to treat him as his rank required. His love equalled her merits, and he warmly promoted her marriage with Henry d'Albret, king of Navarre. The offspring of this union was Joan d'Albret, mother of Henry IV. Margaret filled the part of a queen with exemplary goodness, encouraging arts, learning, and agriculture, and everything that could contribute to the prosperity of the kingdom. She died in 1549, of a cold, caught while making observations on a comet. During her life, she inclined to the Protestant faith, but the Roman Catholics say that she was reconverted before she died. She wrote well in prose and verse, and was called the Tenth Muse; and the Margaret, or pearl, surpassing all the pearls of the East. Some of her works 66 are, Heptameron, or Novels of the Queen of Navarre;" "Les Marguerites de la Marguerite des Princesses," a collection of her productions, formed by John de la Haye, her valetde-chambre. A long poem was entitled, "The Triumph of the Lamb;" and another, "The Com MARGARET OF YORK, Margaret is charged with only one political error, that of suffering Olaus to grant the import-plaints of a Prisoner." ant duchy of Keswick to the house of Holstein, whose enmity they thus wished to do away, but which proved a thorn in her side till the death of the duke; when she, by her vigorous measures, forced his successors to hold their possessions as a fief from Denmark. Distinguished at the same time for moderation, solid judgment, enterprising and persevering ambition, Margaret receives different characters from Danish and Swedish historians. The latter were prejudiced against her, because she abridged the power of the nobles and favoured the clergy; but she was exceeded by none in prudence, policy, and true magnanimity. She died suddenly, in 1412, at the age of fifty-nine. Though merciful, she made the wisest regulations for strict justice, and to prevent offenders being screened from punishment. Private oppressions and abuses she did away, and decreed that assistance should be given to all who were shipwrecked on her coasts; for which acts of humanity she provided rewards by law. She exerted all her power to repress piracies; and by her regulations laid the foundations for future commerce. It was in her reign that we first meet with the mention of the copper mines of Sweden. In fact, she equalled the most famous politicians. Her father, perceiving while she was yet a child her surprising SISTER of Edward IV. of England, married Charles the Rash, duke of Burgundy. She rendered herself notorious by the opposition she made to the accession of Henry VII. to the throne of England, in 1485; and the impostures she supported to disturb his reign. MARGARET, DAUGHTER of Maximilian I., emperor of Germany, was betrothed to the dauphin of France, afterwards Charles VIII., but did not marry him. She married the infanta of Spain in 1497, who died the same year. In 1501, she married Philibert, duke of Savoy, who died in 1504. She was governess of the Netherlands, and displayed her religious zeal against the Lutherans. She died, December, 1530, aged fifty. MARGARETTA OF SAXONY Was born in the year 1416, and was the daughter of Ernst, Archduke of Austria, and Cimburgia, his wife. In 1431, she married Frederick the Mild, of Saxony, and brought to her husband a dower of 29,000 ducats, which was then considered so great a sum, that the chroniclers mention it as something very extraordinary. She was the mother of eight children, two of of whom, Ernst and Albert, are particularly mentioned, on account of an incident which nearly cost them their lives. Margaretta had proved herself so wise a counsellor in state affairs, that her husband not only accorded her the right (which she also exercised) of coining legal money, but also, to assist in governing the state. She contributed much, by her wise counsels, to put an end to the bloody wars between the brothers. After these wars were over, she drew upon herself and her husband the hatred of Kuntz von Kaufunger, a brave but wicked knight, who, thinking himself aggrieved, resolved to avenge himself upon his patrons. During the temporary absence of Frederick, Kuntz penetrated, with two companions, into the castle, and kidnapped the two princes. As soon as Margaretta discovered that her enemy had carried off her children, she ordered the alarm-bells to be rung throughout the country, and sent out armed men in pursuit of the robbers. They were discovered in a wood near Grunhair, and captured by a collier; who, when he was requested to name his reward, asked only permission to have the privilege to make as much charcoal, free of expense, as he and his family could attend to. When, in the year 1467, her husband died, she assumed the reins of government, and proved herself truly a mother to her subjects. She was the first sovereign who provided public rooms where the poor could have an opportunity to warm themselves, during the severe winter months. Margaretta died, February 12th, 1486, in her seventieth year, after she had lived a widow for more than twenty-two years. MARTIA, SURNAMED Proba, or the Just, was, according to Hollinshed, "the widow of Gutiline, king of the Britons, and was left protectress of the realm during the minority of her son. Perceiving much in the conduct of her subjects which needed reformation, she devised sundry wholesome laws, which the Britons, after her death, named the Martian statutes. Alfred caused the laws of this excellently-learned princess, whom all commended for her knowledge of the Greek tongue, to be esta blished in the realm." These laws, embracing trial by jury and the just descent of property. were afterwards collated and further improved by Edward the Confessor. Thus there are good reasons for believing that the remarkable code of laws, called the common law of England, usually attributed to Alfred, were by him derived from the laws first established by a British queen, a woman. MARY, THE mother of our Lord and Saviour, was the daughter of Eli, or Joachim, of the house of David. She dwelt in the city of Nazareth; and her personal history commences with the salutation of the angel, "Hail, highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women." It was the angel Gabriel that thus addressed her. What appearance this ministering spirit wore, we are not told; but it seems that she felt it was an angel, and was "troubled," as she could not comprehend the purport of the salutation. Then Gabriel went on to unfold the purpose of God towards her; that she was to be the blessed mother of the holy Messiah, the "Jesus; called the Son of the Highest." To be the mother of "Shiloh" had been, probably, the hope and prayer of many a pious mother in Israel, from the time of Jacob's prediction. But, though Isaiah had prophesied that "a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us," still it is not probable this was understood literally, or that any Jewish virgin had even hoped to be thus miraculously endowed with the privilege of motherhood. Mary of Nazareth was a young and humble maiden, betrothed to a poor man, a carpenter named Joseph. Could she, in her lowly estate, ever have dreamed of the glory awaiting her? She could not. She had, in all truth and humility, only been solicitous to perform, from her heart, every duty before her, in the fear and love of God; thus it was that she "found favour with God." When the angel had assured her she should be the blessed mother of the promised Messiah, and had answered her simple, child-like question, "How shall this be?" she instantly believed, and accepted the high mission. Zacharias did not believe the announcement made to him by Gabriel of the birth of John. The priest was righteous-as man is righteousbut the difference between the masculine and the feminine nature is most strikingly illustrated in these two examples; Zacharias was earthward in his doubts, his reason; Mary was heavenward in her faith, her feelings. He believed not the angel, and was struck dumb; she believed, and "the Holy Ghost overshadowed" her! Great, indeed, must have been her faith, when it wholly overcame all fear of man, all selfish considerations. She was betrothed, and therefore not only her reputation, but her life, would be placed in jeopardy if she were proven to have been unfaithful to her plighted husband. When assured that she should "bear a Son," who would not be Joseph's son, it would seem natural that some fears for her own safety might have clouded her faith. But no; her humble, trusting answer was, "Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word." Worthy was Mary to be the mother of our Saviour;-that the human nature, He who was very God took on himself, should be derived from her, the obedient woman! Thus is the high and holy mission of her sex indicated;-to receive the promises of God in humble faith, and transmute these, as it were, like living principles, into the souls of their sons. The next event in Mary's life was her visit to her cousin Elisabeth, who lived in the "Hill country." Elisabeth was old, but the angel had promised her a son, and had also told Mary of this event. The meeting between these two holy and happy women is one of the most beautiful and sublime exhibitions of piety and inspiration to be found in the world's history. Elisabeth, "filled with the Holy Ghost," poured out the blessing of heaven on the believing virgin mother, and predicted the fulfilment of every promise. Then Mary breathed forth that sweetest strain of triumphant faith, love, and thanksgiving, ever recorded as the production of a human mind.—And Mary said, "My soul doth magnify the Lord. My Spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. For he that is mighty hath done me great things; graces always considered peculiarly feminine; qualities and graces his blessed mother had displayed and commended. From the birth of her first-born son, Mary seems to have been absorbed in his destiny. We only see her when ministering to him. That his nature and office were revealed to her, the Bible records; and that she was his first disciple is also indicated, as she first applies the term "my Saviour" to God. She kept all these divine revelations, "all these sayings in her heart." A woman's heart was the only human heart which then held the secret that the Saviour had come. And it was at the suggestion of a woman, of Mary, that the first miracle of the Saviour was performed. There seems to be a strange misapprehension in many minds respecting the circumstances attending this miracle-the changing of the water into wine-as if our Saviour spoke chidingly, or disrespectfully, to his mother. The word "Woman" is in reality a nobler and more beautiful appellation than Lady or Madam, or any other conventionalism or title. It is the Eden name of the female, and when our Saviour used it, was most honourable. It appears from the sacred narrative, that Mary, discovering there was no wine, and feeling assured in her own soul that the time was come for her divine Son to begin his mission of love, intimated this to him. His reply" Woman, what have I to do with thee? Mine hour is not yet come;" seems to have been in answer to her intuitive faith, he fearing she had anticipated the time of his " begin His mercy is on them that fear him from generation to ning." But the sequel shows she was right. And generation. He hath showed strength with his arm; He hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He hath put down the mighty from their seats. And exalted them of low degree. He hath filled the hungry with good things; In remembrance of his mercy. As he spake to our fathers, To Abraham and his seed forever." Though the mental endowments of woman will never atone for the lack of moral excellence, yet we are glad to find, as we do from these records of holy writ, that the mother of our Saviour possessed the highest order of genius, that which can comprehend the beautiful in the true and the good, and give fitting expression to these sublime ideas and holy feelings. She was then prepared by her natural gifts, to imbue the opening mind of her divine son with those lofty aspirations, those tender sympathies, which, as a man, he always exhibited. His human soul, derived from a woman, trained by a woman, was most truly womanly in its characteristics. Examine the doctrines he taught, the duties and virtues he enforced, the examples he set-where, in any of these, are the distinctive traits men vaunt as proofs of masculine greatness? Physical strength, earthly honours, riches, worldly wisdom, even the gifts of intellect and the pride of learning, our Saviour put all these down far, far beneath meekness, mercy, purity, patience, charity, humility; qualities and her perseverance was rewarded, when, having ordered the servants to do "whatsoever he saith unto you;"-and they had filled the water-pots with water-it "was made wine." What a triumph this to the power of maternal influence! to the gift of insight or harmony with heavenly things which the mind of a true, and pure, and pious woman possesses! Even the Son of God, when he came in the form of man to redeem the world, was to be subject to this influence; and only at his mother's persuasion begin his miracles! That, during the three eventful years which followed, Mary watched the ministry of her divine son, rejoicing in his wonderful deeds of love and mercy, and weeping with him in his sorrows, there can be no doubt. And she was beside him in his last agony. We see in this the immense power of her love; though he was condemned to die the bitter death of a felon; forsaken of all his followers save a few women; of all his chosen disciples save one-the faithful, gentle, loving, womanlike John; and though the dreadful scene would be "a sword to pierce through her own soul"-yet Mary the mother was near the cross of the Christ. And the last throb of human affection the Son of God manifested was for his mother. With his dying breath, he consigned her to the care of the beloved John. We have one last glimpse of this "highly favoured among women," as a meek and earnest follower of the faith the risen Saviour had established. In the "Acts of the Apostles" it is re corded that in an upper room at Jerusalem, where | Mary contemplative. Martha seems to have been the eleven apostles "abode"-"these all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus." Her history commences with the heavenly salutation, and ends, appropriately, with prayer. Her youth was distinguished by the favour of God; her maturity by active piety and faithful discipleship; her age by fervent devotion and hallowed communion with the first church. Her birthplace, death, and burial, are not recorded; but the life is highest in honour whose records are of holy acts and heroic fidelity. What she said prophetically of herself has proved true-" All generations shall call me blessed." Can the like be said of any man? See St. Luke, chap. i., and St. John, chap. ii. and xix. MARY, THE wife of Cleophas, was mother of James, Jude, Joses, Simeon, and Salome. Cleophas and Joseph, the husband of the Virgin Mary, were probably brothers, which made these Marys sisters. Her children are therefore represented as the brothers of our Lord. She early believed on the Saviour, attended to his preaching, and ministered to his support. She witnessed his crucifixion, and prepared spices to embalm his body; and went, with Mary Magdalene and Salome, "early to the sepulchre." It was this Mary who, with Salome, saw the vision of the angel, and heard from him those cheering words, "Be not afraid; ye seek Jesus of Nazareth; he is risen," &c. MARY, MOTHER of Mark, the Evangelist. She had a house in Jerusalem, where it is thought that the apostles retired, after the ascension of our Lord, and where they received the Holy Ghost. After the imprisonment of Peter, the faithful assembled at this house, and were praying there, when Peter, delivered by the angel, knocked at the door. MARY AND MARTHA, SISTERS of Lazarus, whom Jesus raised from the dead, lived with their brother at Bethany, a village near Jerusalem. Jesus had a particular affection for this family, and often resorted to their house. One day Martha, preparing an entertainment for him, while Mary sat at his feet, listening to his words, wished her sister's assistance, and said to Jesus, "Do you not see, Lord, that my sister leaves me to minister alone? Bid her come to help me. But Jesus said, that "Mary had chosen the better part, that should not be taken from her." Six days before the passover, Jesus came to Bethany, and was at meat in the house of Simon. Martha attended, and Lazarus was one of the guests. Mary took a pound of spikenard, the most precious perfume of the kind, and poured it over the head and feet of Jesus. The sisters were of one mind in the reverence and love they bore him; yet the characters of the two are in striking contrast- Martha was active, a creature of impulse; Mary was slower of apprehension, and, of course, less sudden in her resolves and movements. Martha had the most fervent faith; Mary the most humble piety. "Jesus loved Martha and her sister, and Lazarus." What a beautiful illustration is here! showing that the sweet, pure affections of domestic life are sanctified by the best blessings of heaven. See St. John, chap. xi. MARY MAGDALENE SEEMS to have been an inhabitant of Magdala, otherwise called Dalmanutha. The city is supposed to have been situated somewhere on the eastern coast of the sea of Galilee. Wherever it was, it probably gave the surname of Magdalene to this Mary. It has been asserted by some writers, that she was a plaiter of hair to the women of her city; but all we certainly know of her, is contained in the New Testament. We are there taught, she had been a great sinner, that she repented, came to the feet of Jesus, while he "sat at meat in the Pharisee's house, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and Her anointed them with precious ointment." penitence and humility are graphically portrayed; and she has ever since that time been as a star of hope to the fallen sisterhood, proving, that from the lowest depths of degradation the true penitent may be raised, if she will, like Mary Magdalene, turn from her sins, and love the Lord Jesus Christ. From the moment when Mary Magdalene heard those sweet words from the Saviour, "Thy sins are forgiven," she seems to have devoted herself to his followers; and at the cross, and at the sepulchre, she proved that her faith was as firm and devoted, as her love was true and holy. According to the apostle St. John, Mary Magdalene was the first person who reached the sepulchre on the eventful morning, "when it was yet dark;" she first discovered that the stone was taken away from the sepulchre; and to her, the risen Saviour first made himself manifest. This female disciple was honoured above even the beloved John; for he and all the other disciples were taught by her that Jesus had risen from the tomb. MARY OF FRANCE Is one of the first of her sex who wrote French verses, and she holds a distinguished rank among the Anglo-Norman poets. Her learning, her enlightened opinions, and the courage she showed in speaking the truth to ears little accustomed to hear it, place her far in advance of her age. It is to be regretted that the writings of this celebrated woman have thrown no light on her private life, or the name and rank of her family. She was born in France, and probably in Normandy, in 1200. She went to England, where she composed all her works, and died about 1268. Her first productions are lays in French, relating the adventures of valiant knights. There are fourteen of them; she also wrote a hundred and three fables, which show a great penetration into cha |