AMBOISE,

FRANCES D', daughter of Louis d'Amboise, is celebrated for the improvement she introduced in the manners and sentiments of the Bretons. She was wife of Peter II., duke of Brittany, whose great inhumanity to her she bore with Christian resignation, and which she opposed with a gentleness and moderation that gradually gained his affections and confidence.

She rendered moderation and temperance fashionable, not only at court, but throughout the city of Rennes, where she resided; and when the duke, desirous of profiting by this economy, proposed laying a new impost upon the people, the duchess persuaded him against it. She used all her influence over her husband for the good of the public, and the advancement of religion.

When Peter was seized with his last illness, his disorder, not being understood by the physicians, was ascribed to magic, and it was proposed to seek a necromancer to counteract the spell under which he suffered; but the good sense of the duchess led her to reject this expedient. Her husband died October, 1457. His successor treated her with indignity, and her father wished her to marry the prince of Savoy, in order to obtain a protector. But the duchess determined to devote herself to the memory of her husband, and when M. d'Amboise attempted to force her to yield to his wishes, she took, refuge in the convent des Trois Maries, near Vannes, where she assumed the Carmelite habit. She died October 4th, 1485.

ANACOANA,

QUEEN of Xiragua in the island of St. Domingo, was cruelly put to death by Ovando, who owed her, agreeably to the promises of Bartholomew Columbus, both friendship and protection.

ANASTASIA,

A CHRISTIAN martyr at Rome, in the Dioclesian persecution. Her father, Prebextal, was a pagan, and her mother, Flausta, a Christian, who instructed her in the principles of her own religion. After the death of her mother, she was married to Publius Patricius, a Roman knight, who obtained a rich patrimony with her; but he no sooner discovered her to be a Christian, than he treated her harshly, confined her, and kept her almost in want of necessaries, while he spent her wealth in all kinds of extravagance. He died in the course of a few years, and Anastasia devoted herself to the study of the Scriptures and to works of charity, spending her whole fortune in the relief of the poor, and the Christians, by whom the prisons were then filled.

But she, and three of her female servants, sisters, were soon arrested as Christians, and commanded to sacrifice to idols. Refusing to do this, the three sisters were put to death on the spot, and Anastasia conducted to prison. She was then exiled to the island of Palmaria; but soon afterwards brought back to Rome and burned alive. Her remains were buried in a garden by Apollonia, a Christian woman, and a church afterwards

built on the spot. Anastasia suffered about A. D. 303.

ANASTASIA,

SAINT. Several eminently pious women are known by that name. The earliest and most famous among them lived at Corinth, about the time when St. Paul preached the gospel in that city. She heard the apostle, and was seized with a firm conviction that the doctrines inculcated by that eminent disciple of Christ were true. She joined the Christian church without the knowledge of her parents and relations. Although betrothed to a Corinthian whose interests made him hostile to the introduction of the new religion, she nevertheless suffered neither persuasion nor threats to shake her in her enthusiasm for the new faith. She prevailed even so far upon her lover as to make him resolve to become a Christian. Finally she was compelled, on account of persecution, to conceal herself in a vault. But her lover, to whom she had declared her intention of living the life of a virgin devoted to God, betrayed her retreat. Every attempt to make her recant proved fruitless. She suffered the death of a martyr; and her lover died soon afterwards, a victim to remorse and grief. Petrarch mentions her several times in his poems.

ANGELBERGA, or INGELBERGA,

EMPRESS of the West, wife of Louis II., emperor and king of Italy, is supposed to have been of illustrious birth, though that is uncertain.

She was a woman of courage and ability; but proud, unfeeling, and venal. The war in which her husband was involved with the king of Germany was rendered unfortunate by the pride and rapacity of Angelberga. In 874, Angelberga built, at Plaisance, a monastery which afterwards became one of the most famous in Italy. Louis II. died at Brescia in 875. After his death, Angelberga remained at the convent of St. Julia in Brescia, where her treasures were deposited. In 881, Charles the Fat, of France, caused Angelberga to be taken and carried prisoner into Germany; lest she should assist her daughter Hermengard, who had married Boron king of Provence, a connection of Charles, by her wealth and political knowledge: but the pope obtained her release. It is not known when she died. She had two daughters, Hermengard, who survived her, and Gisela, abbess of St. Julia, who died before her parents.

ΑΝΝΑ,

A JEWISH prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She had been early married, and had lived seven years with her husband. After his death, she devoted herself to the service of God, and while thus employed, finding the virgin Mary with her son in the temple, she joined with the venerable Simeon in thanking God for him, and bearing testimony to him as the promised Messiah.. It is worth remarking, that these two early testifiers of our Saviour's mission being both far advanced in life, could not be liable to the

The

most distant suspicion of collusion with Joseph and Mary in palming a false Messiah on their countrymen, as they had not the smallest probable chance of living to see him grow up to maturity, and fulfil their prophecies, and therefore could have no interest in declaring a falsehood. Thus we find the advent of our Lord was made known, spiritually, to woman as well as to man. good old Simeon had no clearer revelation than the aged devout Anna. Both were inspired servants of the Most High; but here the characteristic piety of the woman is shown to excel. Simeon dwelt in Jerusalem," probably engaged in secular pursuits; Anna "departed not from the temple, but served God with fasting and prayers night and day" See St. Luke, chap. ii.

ANNE

Or Bohemia, daughter of the emperor Charles IV., was born about 1367, and was married to Richard II. of England, when she was fifteen years of age. This was just after the insurrection of Wat Tyler; and the executions of the poor, oppressed people who had taken part with him, had been bloody and barbarous beyond all precedent, even in that bloody age. At the young queen's earnest request, a general pardon was granted by the king; this mediation obtained for Richard's bride the title of "the good queen Anne." Never did she forfeit the appellation, or lose the love of her subjects.

She was the first in that illustrious band of princesses who were "the nursing mothers of the Reformation;" and by her influence the life of Wickliffe was saved, when in great danger at the council at Lambeth, in 1382. Anne died 1394; she left no children; and from the time of her decease all good angels seem to have abandoned her always affectionate, but weak and unfortunate husband.

ANNE BOLEYN,

OR, more properly, BULLEN, was the daughter of Sir Thomas Bullen, the representative of an ancient and noble family in Norfolk. Anne was born in 1507, and in 1514 was carried to France by Mary, the sister of Henry VIII. of England,

when she went to marry Louis XII. After the death of Louis, Mary returned to England, but Anne remained in France, in the service of Claude, wife of Francis I.; and, after her death,, with the duchess of Alençon. The beauty and accomplishments of Anne, even at that early age, attracted great admiration in the French court.

She returned to England, and, about 1526, became maid of honour to Katharine of Arragon, wife of Henry VIII. Here she was receiving the addresses of Lord Percy, eldest son of the duke of Northumberland, when Henry fell violently in love with her. But Anne resolutely resisted his passion, either from principle or policy; and at length the king's impatience induced him to set on foot the divorce of Katharine, which was executed with great solemnity. The pope, however, would not consent to this proceeding; so Henry disowned his authority and threw off his yoke.

He married Anne privately, on the 14th of November, 1532. The marriage was made public on Easter-eve, 1533, and Anne was crowned the 1st of June. Her daughter Elizabeth, afterwards queen, was born on the 7th of the following September. Anne continued to be much beloved by the king, till 1536, when the disappointment caused by the birth of a still-born son, and the charms of one of her maids of honour, Jane Seymour, alienated his affections, and turned his love to hatred.

He caused her, on very slight grounds, to be indicted for high treason, in allowing her brother, the viscount of Rochford, and four other persons, to invade the king's conjugal rights, and she was taken to the Tower, from which she addressed the following touching letter to the king:

"SIR,

"Your grace's displeasure, and my imprisonment, are things so strange unto me, as what to write, or what to excuse, I am altogether ignorant. Whereas you send unto me, willing me to confess a truth, and so obtain your favour, by such an one whom I know to be mine ancient professed enemy, I no sooner received this message by him, than I rightly conceived your meaning; and if, as you say, confessing a truth indeed may procure my safety, I shall with all willingness and duty perform your command.

"But let not your grace ever imagine, that your poor wife will ever be brought to acknowledge a fault, when not so much as a thought thereof preceded. And, to speak a truth, never prince had wife more loyal in all duty, and in all true affection, than you have ever found in Anne Boleyn; with which name and place I could willingly have contented myself, if God and your grace's pleasure had been so pleased. Neither did I at any time so far forget myself in my exaltation or received queenship, but that I always looked for such an alteration as I now find; for the ground of my preferment being on no surer foundation than your grace's fancy, the least alteration I knew was fit and sufficient to draw that fancy to some other object. You have chosen me from a low estate to be your queen and companion, far beyond my de

Or Beaujeau, eldest daughter of Louis XI. of France, born in 1462, was early distinguished for genius, sagacity, and penetration, added to an aspiring temper. Louis, in the jealous policy which characterized him, married her to Pierre de Bourbon, sire de Beaujeu, a prince of slender fortune, moderate capacity, and a quiet, unambitious nature. The friends of Anne observed on these nuptials, that it was the union of a living with a dead body. Pierre, either through indolence, or from a discovery of the superior endowments of his wife, left her uncontrolled mistress of his household, passing, himself, the greatest part of his time in retirement, in the Beaujolais.

On the death-bed of Louis, his jealousy of his daughter, then only twenty-six, gave place to confidence in her talents: having constituted her husband lieutenant-general of the kingdom, he bequeathed the reins of empire, with the title of governess, to the lady of Beaujeu, during the minority of her brother, Charles VIII., a youth of fourteen. Anne fully justified, by her capacity, the choice of her father.

Two competitors disputed the will of the late monarch, and the pretensions of Anne; her husband's brother, John, duke de Bourbon, and Louis, duke of Orleans, presumptive heir to the crown; but Anne conducted herself with such admirable firmness and prudence, that she obtained the nomination of the states-general in her favour. By acts of popular justice, she conciliated the confidence of the nation; and she appeased the duke de Bourbon by bestowing on him the sword of the constable of France, which he had long been ambitious to obtain. But the duke of Orleans was not so easily satisfied. He, too, was her brotherin-law, having been married, against his own wishes, by Louis XI. to his younger daughter, Jeanne, who was somewhat deformed. Having offended Anne by some passionate expressions,

she ordered him to be arrested; but he fled to his castle on the Loire, where, being besieged by Anne, he was compelled to surrender, and seek shelter in Brittany, under the protection of Francis II.

The union of Brittany with the crown of France, had long been a favourite project of the lady of Beaujeu, and she at first attempted to obtain possession of it by force of arms. The duke of Orleans commanded the Bretons against the forces of Anne, but was taken prisoner and detained for more than two years. Philip de Comines, the celebrated historian, also suffered an imprisonment of three years, for carrying on a treasonable correspondence with the duke of Orleans. Peace with Brittany was at length concluded, and the province was annexed to the crown of France, by the marriage of the young duchess, Anne of Brittany, who had succeeded to her father's domain, to Charles VIII. of France.

The lustre thrown over the regency of Anne, by the acquisition of Brittany, received some diminution by the restoration of the counties of Roussillon and Cerdagne to the king of Spain. Anne became duchess of Bourbon in 1488, by the death of John, her husband's elder brother; and though, before this, Charles VIII. had assumed the government, she always retained a rank in the council of state. Charles VIII. dying without issue in 1498, was succeeded by the duke of Orleans; and Anne dreaded, and with reason, lest he should revenge himself for the severity she had exercised towards him; but, saying "That it became not a king of France to revenge the quarrels of the duke of Or leans," he continued to allow her a place in the council.

The duke de Bourbon died in 1503; and Anne survived him till November 14th, 1522. They left one child, Susanne, heiress to the vast possessions of the family of Bourbon, who married her cousin, the celebrated and unfortunate Charles de Montpensier, constable of Bourbon.

ANNE,

Or Bretagne, or Brittany, only daughter and heiress of Francis II., duke of Bretagne, was born at Nantz, Jan. 26th, 1476. She was carefully educated, and gave early indications of great beauty and intelligence. When only five years old, she was betrothed to Edward, prince of Wales, son of Edward IV., of England. But his tragical death, two years after, dissolved the contract. She was next demanded in marriage by Louis, duke of Orleans, presumptive heir to the throne of France, who had taken refuge in Bretagne, to avoid the displeasure of Anne of Beaujeu, governess of France; and Anne of Bretagne, though but fourteen, was supposed to favour his pretensions.

The death of her father, in 1490, which left her an unprotected orphan, and heiress of a spacious domain, at the time when the duke of Orleans was detained a prisoner by Anne of Beaujeu, forced her to seek some other protector; and she was married by proxy to Maximilian, emperor of Austria. But Anne of Beaujeu, determined to obtain possession of Bretagne, and despairing of conquer

ing it by her arms, resolved to accomplish her purpose by effecting a marriage between her young brother, Charles VIII., of France, and Anne of Bretagne. Charles VIII. had been affianced to Margaret, daughter of Maximilian, by a former marriage; the princess had been educated in France, and had assumed the title of queen, although, on account of her youth, the marriage had been delayed. But the lady of Beaujeu scrupled not to violate her engagements, and, sending back Margaret to her father, she surrounded Bretagne with the armies of France.

Anne of Bretagne resisted for a time this rough courtship; but, vanquished by the persuasion of the duke of Orleans, who had been released from captivity on condition of pleading the suit of Charles, she yielded a reluctant consent, and the marriage was celebrated, Dec. 16th, 1491.

Anne soon became attached to her husband, who was an amiable though a weak prince, and on his death, in 1498, she abandoned herself to the deepest grief. She retired to her hereditary domains, where she affected the rights of an independent sovereign.

The

Louis, duke of Orleans, succeeded Charles VIII. under the title of Louis XII., and soon renewed his former suit to Anne, who had never entirely lost the preference she had once felt for him. first use Louis made of his regal power was to procure a divorce from the unfortunate Jeanne, daughter to Louis XI., who was personally deformed, and whom he had been forced to marry. Jeanne, with the sweetness and resignation that marked her whole life, submitted to the sentence, and retired to a convent. Soon after, Louis married Anne at Nantes.

Anne retained great influence over her husband throughout her whole life, by her beauty, amiability, and the purity of her manners. She was a liberal rewarder of merit, and patroness of learning and literary men. Her piety was fervent and sincere, though rather superstitious; but she was proud, her determination sometimes amounted to obstinacy, and, when she thought herself justly offended, she knew not how to forgive. She retained her attachment to Bretagne while queen of France, and sometimes exercised her influence over the king in a manner detrimental to the interests of her adopted country. Louis XII. was sensible that he frequently yielded too much to her, but her many noble and lovely qualities endeared her to him.

Anne died, January 9th, 1514, at the age of thirty-seven, and Louis mourned her loss with the most sincere sorrow.

ANNE,

Or Cleves, daughter of John III., duke of Cleves, was the fourth wife of Henry VIII., of England. He had fallen in love with her from her portrait painted by Holbein, but as the painter had flattered her, Henry soon became disgusted with her, and obtained a divorce from her. Anne yielded without a struggle, or without apparent concern. She passed nearly all the rest of her life in England as a private personage, and died 1557.

ANNE,

Or Cyprus, married, in 1431, Louis, duke of Savoy, and showed herself able, active, and discriminating, at the head of public affairs. She died in 1462.

ANNE,

Or Hungary, daughter of Ladislaus VI., married Ferdinand of Austria, and placed him on the throne of Bohemia. She died in 1547.

ANNE,

OF Russia, daughter of Jaraslaus, married Henry I., of France, in 1044; after his death, she married Raoul, who was allied to her first husband; in consequence of which she was excommunicated, and at last repudiated, when she returned to Russia.

ANNE,

DUCHESS of the Viennois, after the death of her brother, John I., defended her rights with great courage and success against the claims of Robert, duke of Burgundy. She died in 1296.

ANNE,

OF Warwick, was born at Warwick Castle, in 1454. She was almost entirely educated at Calais, though she was often brought to England with her older sister, Isabel, and seems to have been a favourite companion, from her childhood, of the duke of Gloucester, afterwards Richard III., who was two years older than herself. In August, 1470, Anne was married, at Angers, France, to Edward of Lancaster, son of Henry VI., and Margaret of Anjou, and rightful heir of the English throne. She was very much attached to him, and, when he was barbarously murdered after the fatal battle of Tewksbury, in 1471, she mourned him bitterly. She disguised herself as a cook-maid, in a mean house in London, to elude the search of Gloucester, who was much attached to her. She was, however, discovered by him, and, after a resolute resistance, forced to marry him in 1473. There are strong proofs that Anne never consented to this marriage. Her son Edward was born at Middleham Castle, 1474. By a series of crimes, Richard obtained the throne of England, and was crowned, with his consort, July 5th, 1483. In 1484, Anne's only son died, and from this time her health declined. There were rumours that the king intended to divorce her, but her death, in 1485, spared him that sin. She had suffered all her life from the crimes of others, and yet her sorrows and calamities seem to have been borne with great meekness, and till the death of her son, with fortitude.

ANTONINA,

THE infamous wife of Belisarius, the general of the emperor Justinian's army, and one of the greatest commanders of his age. She repeatedly dishonoured her husband by her infidelities, and persecuted Photius, her own son, with the utmost virulence, because he discovered her intrigues, and