Messieurs de Guise, whose niece she was, had so far increased

their authority and reputation by this match, that their ambition

prompted them to aspire at an equality with the Princes of the blood,

and to share in power with the Constable Montmorency. The King

entrusted the Constable with the chief share in the administration of

the Government, and treated the Duke of Guise and the Mareschal de St.

Andre as his favourites; but whether favour or business admitted men to

his presence, they could not preserve that privilege without the

good-liking of the Duchess of Valentinois; for though she was no longer

in possession of either of youth or beauty, she yet reigned so

absolutely in his heart, that his person and state seemed entirely at

her disposal.

The King had such an affection for the Constable, that he was no sooner

possessed of the Government, but he recalled him from the banishment he

had been sent into by Francis the First: thus was the Court divided

between Messieurs de Guise, and the Constable, who was supported by the

Princes of the blood, and both parties made it their care to gain the

Duchess of Valentinois. The Duke d'Aumale, the Duke of Guise's

brother, had married one of her daughters, and the Constable aspired to

the fame alliance; he was not contented with having married his eldest

son with Madam Diana, the King's daughter by a Piemontese lady, who

turned nun as soon as she was brought to bed. This marriage had met

with a great many obstacles from the promises which Monsieur

Montmorency had made to Madam de Piennes, one of the maids of honour to

the Queen; and though the King had surmounted them with extreme

patience and goodness, the Constable did not think himself sufficiently

established, unless he secured Madam de Valentinois in his interest,

and separated her from Messieurs de Guise, whose greatness began to

give her uneasiness.

The Duchess had obstructed as much as she could

the marriage of the Dauphin with the Queen of Scotland; the beauty and

forward wit of that young Queen, and the credit which her marriage gave

to Messieurs de Guise, were insupportable to her; she in particular

hated the Cardinal of Loraine, who had spoken to her with severity, and

even with contempt; she was sensible he took the party of the Queen, so

that the Constable found her very well disposed to unite her interests

with his and to enter into alliance with him, by marrying her

granddaughter Madam de la Marke with Monsieur d'Anville, his second

son, who succeeded him in his employment under the reign of Charles the

Ninth.




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