The death of Mary's mother took place in the
summer of 1560. The next December Mary
was destined to meet with a much heavier af-
fliction. Her husband. King Francis, in addi-
tion to other complaints, had been suffering for
some time from pain and disease in the ear
One day, when he was preparing to go out hunt
ing, he was suddenly seized with a fainting fit,
od was soon found to be in great danger. He
jontinued some days very ill. He was oon-
rinoed himself that he could not recover, and
oegan to make arrangements for his approach-
ing end. A» he drew near to the dose of hia
life, he wa9 more and more deeply impressed



i560.J Misfortunes 85

On lait mammtM and dmtia. ]faf7 ■ joong widow

with a sATise of Mary's kindness and love. He
nioumed very much his approaching separation
from her. He sent for his mother, Queen Cath-
aiine, to obme to his bedside, and begged thai
she wonld treat Mary kindly, for his sake, after
he was gone^

Mary wqs overwhelmed with grLof at the ap-
proaching death of her husband, ghe knew at
once what a great change it would make in her
conditiJnTV She would lose immediately her
rank ancT station. Queen Catharine would
again come into power, as queen regent, during
the minority of the next heir. All her friends
of the family of Guise, would be removed from
office, and she herself would become a mere
guest and stranger in the land of which she
had been the queen. But nothing could arrest
the progress of th^dise^^se under which her hus
band was sinkin^C'JHe' died^ le aving Mary a
disconsolate widow of seventefiiiA /s^

The hiistorians of those days say tl \at Qu een
Catharine was much pleased at the death of
Francis her son. It restored her to rank and
power. Mary was again beneath her, and in
some degree subject to her will. J All Mary't
friends were removed from theirmgh stations.
