She did this at the instigation of the Cardinal of Lorraine; but he, with the rest of the Guises, no sooner saw the result, than they leagued with Catharine de Medicis to ruin Diana, if she would consent to the marriage of their niece, Mary, Queen of Scotland, to the dauphin. This was done, and the duchess remained without support; but she did not lose her firmness; the king promised to inform her of all the plots of her enemies; but he died soon after of a wound he received in a tournament, where he had worn her colours, black and white, as usual.
Catharine sent her an order to deliver up the royal jewels, and retire to one of her castles. "Is the king dead?" asked she. "No, Madame," replied the messenger, "but he cannot live till night." "Then," said Diana, "I have as yet no master. When he shall be no more, should I be so unfortunate as to survive him long, I shall be too wretched to be sensible of their malice."
Catharine, however, was persuaded not to persecute the duchess, who, in return for being allowed to retain the superb gifts of the king, presented her with a magnificent palace. Diana retired to Anet, a palace built for her by Henry the Second; but was recalled in 1561, by Catharine, to detach the constable de Montmorency from his nephews, the Chatillons, which service her great influence over him enabled her to perform.
She died in 1566, at the age of sixty-six, retaining her beauty to the last.
POLLA ARGENTARIA,
Wife of Lucan, the Latin poet, who wrote a poem on her merits, which is now lost, but her name is immortalized by two other poets of that age. Martial and Statins. Lucan was condemned to death by Nero; but the tyrant allowed him to choose the way in which he would die. He chose the warm bath and an open artery; but entreated his wife to live, and transcribe his great poem, the "Pharsalia;" which she promised him to do. It is said that, after his mournful death, she shut herself up in a solitary retreat, with the bust of Lucan beside her, and there carefully revised the three first books of the "Pharsalia."
POLLEY, MARGARET,
Was one of those who suffered martyrdom for their religions opinions in the reign of Mary, Queen of England. She was burned at Tunbridge, July, 1555.
POMPEIA PLOTINA,
A Roman lady, who married Trajan while he was a private individual. She entered Rome in procession with her husband when he was saluted emperor, in the year 99, and distinguished herself by her affability, humanity, and kindness to the poor and friendless. It is recorded that on approaching the threshold of the palace raised by Nero, she gazed for a moment upon the vast and splendid monument of so many crimes, and polluted by so many vices; then turning to the people, and raising her hands and eyes heaven-ward, she exclaimed, "May the gods send me forth from this august palace, whenever I may be destined to leave it, even as I now enter it; and may the high destiny to which fortune now raises me, leave
