which hurried me to the grave. My husband, who was too much of my temper to love me, was very little concerned: In short, that filthy disease stifled me, a certain presage of the continual thirst I now suffer. But I once more beseech you, most holy father, to re-inforce your squadrons, to join them with the Most Christian King’s, and, with your holy benediction, give them strict orders to grant no quarters to the disciples of St. _Paul_. You will infinitely oblige by it both me and _Lucifer_, who is now as zealous a _Romanist_ as your _eldest son_, and who, like him, would not willingly suffer any but good Papists, the friends and pensioners of _Versailles_, those sworn enemies of liberty and property, in his dominions. I am so ill-natur’d, that my husband _Philip_ is as cautious of embracing me, as he was in the other world; but that’s no misfortune either to Earth or Hell, for we could produce nothing but a monster between us, which would be the terror of mankind, and horror of devils. _The_ POPE_’s Answer to Queen_ MARY I. You are too violent, dear madam, and men of my age and grandeur require more moderation. I am acquainted with your history, and know your zeal; by the same token, you need not waste your lungs to acquaint me with either the one or the other. To be free with you, I am not of the humour to espouse madly other peoples passions, tho’ I should leave the triple crown destitute of all pomp and greatness. But I will make the hereticks blot out of their writings, if possible, the names of _Antichrist_, _devouring Dragon_, _Wolf disguis’d in sheeps-skin_, and several others as abusive. Do you not believe people are weary of paying a blind obedience to the see of _Rome_? Imperious _France_ has made us sensible of it; and it is not the fault of the _eldest son of the Church_, if he does not dethrone his mother. Ecclesiastical censures are now out of fashion, and no more minded than pasquinades. We were scorn’d and ridicul’d in your father’s time; and tho’ you were as handsome as my _quondam_ mistress, _Donna Maria di S. Germano_, you would not oblige me to put up fresh affronts for your sake. Your husband is to blame to treat you with such indifference, and I think it very ill for an infected worm-eaten carcase to despise so devout a queen. But I cannot imagine why the popes, who live all under the same zone with you, suffer such coldness. Suppose your husband should, like a heretick, despise their exhortations, one of their decrees has power enough to divorce you; which in time, I hope, may advance your grandeur; for we hear _Pluto_ is in love with you for your zeal, and _Proserpine_ is given over by the physicians. Therefore take my advice, and drink as little water as you can; for being dropsical, the water of _Styx_ must needs be prejudicial to you, and the church would lose an admirable good friend. I offer you no indulgences, they are pure mountebank drugs, and were you