Page:A cyclopaedia of female biography.djvu/217

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CLO. COC.
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convert her husband, still a pagan, to the christian faith; and the other to revenge on her uncle Gondebaud, the deaths of her father, mother, and brothers. She at length succeeded in the first object, and Clovis was baptized in 496, together with his sister Albofiede and three thousand warriors, on the occassion of a victory he obtained through the intercession of the god of Clotilde, as he thought. Clovis next turned his arms against Gondebaud, and conquered him, but left him in possession of his kingdom. Clovis died in 511, and Clotilde retired to Tours, but used all her influence to induce her three sons to revenge her injuries still more effectually; and in a battle with the Burgundians her eldest and best-beloved son Chlodomir was slain. He left three young sons, of whom Clotilde took charge, intending to educate them, and put them in possession of their father's inheritance. She brought them with her to Paris, when her two remaining sons obtained possession of them, and sent to her to know whether they should place them in a monastery or put them to death. Overcome by distress, Clotilde exclaimed, "Let them perish by the sword rather than live ignominiously in a cloister." The two elder children were killed, but the younger one was saved and died a priest. After this catastrophe, Clotilde again retired to Tours, where she passed her time in acts of devotion. She died in 545. She was buried at Paris, by the side of her husband and St. Genevieve, and was canonized after her death.

CLOTILDE,

The unfortunate Queen of the Goths, was daughter of Clovis and Clotilde of France. She married Amalaric, who was an Arian, while she was a pious Catholic. She was so persecuted by her subjects for her faith, that her life was in danger, while her bigoted husband united with her foes in abusing her. She at last applied to her three brothers, who then governed the divided kingdom of the Franks, sending to Chilperic, King of Paris, her eldest brother a handkerchief saturated with the blood drawn from her by the blows of her barbarous husband. Her brothers took up arms to revenge her cause, and in this bloody war the cruel Amalaric was slain. Clotilde returned to her native France, and died soon after, about 535. She was a pious and amiable woman.

COCHRANE, GRIZEL,

Was the daughter of Sir John Cochrane, of Ochiltree, Scotland, second son of the first Earl of Dundonald. Her father being taken prisoner in July, 1685, and confined in the Tolbooth, at Edinburgh, was, in consequence of participating in the rebellion against James the Second, condemned to death for high treason, and his execution was only delayed till the death-warrant should arrive from London. In the mean time the Earl of Dundonald was making every exertion to obtain his pardon by interesting the king's confessor in his son's favour. But this required some time, and the death-warrant was daily expected. Grizel Cochrane, though only eighteen at the time, determined to prevent its arrival. Disguising herself as a servant-girl, and mounting her own horse, on whose speed she could rely, she, by riding two days, reached the abode of her nurse, who lived on the English side of the Tweed. Here attiring herself in her foster-brother's clothes, and arming herself