n in any Court, and
Nature seemed to have taken pleasure in lavishing her greatest graces
on the greatest persons. The Princess Elizabeth, since Queen of Spain,
began now to manifest an uncommon wit, and to display those beauties,
which proved afterwards so fatal to her. Mary Stuart, Queen of
Scotland, who had just married the Dauphin, and was called the
Queen-Dauphin, had all the perfections of mind and body; she had been
educated in the Court of France, and had imbibed all the politeness of
it; she was by nature so well formed to shine in everything that was
polite, that notwithstanding her youth, none surpassed her in the most
refined accomplishments. The Queen, her mother-in-law, and the King's
sister, were also extreme lovers of music, plays and poetry; for the
taste which Francis the First had for the Belles Lettres was not yet
extinguished in France; and as his son was addicted to exercises, no
kind of pleasure was wanting at Court. But what rendered this Court so
splendid, was the presence of so many great Princes, and persons of the
highest quality and merit: those I shall name, in their different
characters, were the admiration and ornament of their age.

The King of Navarre drew to himself the respect of all the world both
by the greatness of his birth, and by the dignity that appeared in his
person; he was remarkable for his skill and courage in war. The Duke
of Guise had also given proofs of extraordinary valour, and had, been
so successful, that there was not a general who did not look upon him
with envy; to his valour he added a most exquisite genius and
understanding, grandeur of mind, and a capacity equally turned for
military or civil affairs. His brother, the Cardinal of Loraine, was a
man of boundless ambition, and of extraordinary wit and eloquence, and
had besides acquired a vast variety of learning, which enabled him to
make himself very considerable by defending the Catholic religion,
which began to be attacked at that time. The Chevalier de Guise,
afterwards called Grand Prior, was a prince beloved by all the world,
of a comely person, full of wit and address, and distinguished through
all Europe for his valour. The Prince of Conde, though little indebted
to Nature in his person, had a noble soul, and the liveliness of his
wit made him amiable even in the eyes of the finest women. The Duke of
Nevers, distinguished by the high employments he had possessed, and by
the glory he had gained i