would have them undressed and slapped vigorously with the back of
the hand. Françoise of Rohan, cousin of Jeanne d'Albret, wrote the
following poem:

"Plus j'ai de toi souvent esté battue,
Plus mon amour s'efforce et s'évertue
De regretter ceste main qui me bat;
Car ce mal-là m'estait plaisant esbat.
Or, adieu done la main dont la rigueur
Je préferais à tout bien et honneur."

[The more often I have been struck by you, the more my love struggles
and strives to regret the hand that beats me; for that punishment
was a pleasant pastime for me. Now farewell to the hand whose rigor I
preferred to every fortune and honor.]

The following portrait and poetry, taken from M. Saint-Amand, does
the subject full justice: "Catherine de' Medici represented with a
sinister glance, deadly mien, mysterious and savage aspect—a spectre,
not a woman—is not true to nature. Her self-possession, cool cunning,
supreme elegance, imperturbable tranquillity, calmness, moderation,
noble serenity, and dignified poise, gave her an individuality such as
few women ever possessed. Gentle in crime and tragedy, polite like an
executioner toward his victim—this Machiavellianism which is equal
to every trial, which nothing alarms or surprises, and which
with tranquil dexterity makes sport of every law of morality and
humanity—this is the real character of Catherine de' Medici." The
following burlesque poetry was composed for her:

"La reine qui ci-git fut un diable et un ange,