The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1888-01-21
FAMOUS SHREWS.
Women Who Have ScoIded Their
Way Into History.


Way Into History.
Louisville Courier ournal.
Some of the shrews have had as en-
during a record in history as have
some of the beauties, though owing
their fame to very opposite quality.
England and France supply the most
prominent specimens.
Royalty first, however. Mathilda,
Empress and claimant against King
Stephen for the crown of England, has
left a fair claim to masterfnl tenn
permanent. Queen Elizabeth, great as
she was, exhibits herself in some OF
her letters and actions, as when
she boxed Essex's ears, as q right
royal shrew. So was Catherine de
Medici. So, emphatically, was Chris
tina OF Sweden, who caused her
chamberlain, Monaldeschi, in the right
of her prerogative, to be strangled in
a palace of the King of France. So
was Catherine of Russia shrew, who
had absolute power to back up her
shrewishness.
In Henry Wills reign Lady More,
wife of the great and good Sir Thorn.
as, stands out as q very definite
shrew who ruled her husband and
children alike with much austerity.
But she does not, though she liked her
own way. appear. so far as we can see
in any way, to come up to Lady Coke,
in James rs reign. This lady drove
her husband, the terrible chief justice
(of whom James himself said: "Nay,
mon, if Coke sends for me must go"),
nearly frantic. The subject was their
daughters marriage. Lady Coke was
furious, indefatlgable, resolute, and
most accomplished scold.
Now for a French one little known
to English readers in general. She
was Nine. de Vervins, who in the sew
enteenth century was a fine specimen
of the species. She told her servants
to kill those of a lady, whom her
lackeys insulted for venturing
to defend their mistress. She
bullied her husband necessarily. and
on one occasion IN quarrel used her
riding whip as an argument. She ma.
bitually beat her servants violently.
She scolded her acquaintance for the
least difference ofopinion, unfavorable
criticism or most minute slight offer
ed to her or fancied by her, and plot
ted their assassination if they opposed
her imperious and arbitrary nature.
Another woman OF the same type,
who loved to play the shrewd in pub
lie, and especially at balls and par
ties. was Nine. d'Orgeval.- She lived
in the same time as Mime. d'Vervius.
Nine. d'Orgsval gave great entertain
ments, but she and her daughter, &C
cording to French memoirs, chiefly
loved doing insolent things in q polite
manner. On all occasions Mime. dor
geval's temper was furious if any lady
danced better or oftener than her
daughter. In one instance of this she
told the lady who offended her that if
she continued dancing she would stop
the ball. She bullied her guests with
vigor, and demanded her own way in
everything.
Returning to England, our gallery
OF portraits must not omit Sarah,
first Duchess of Marlborough, whose
violent temper made her generally
dreaded. She had the good quality
of loving her husband, the famous gen..
eral. and thinking him the foremost of
men. But to everyone else she could
be a shrew on occasion. Poor Queen
Anne was afraid of her. She bullied
her as if she was a nobody. And in
the MS. room of the British museum
much contemporary light is thrown
on this subject by a remarkable letter
to be seen there, written at the time,
and describing an order sent to the
duke and duchess to give up their in
sigma of Office without notice. and tell
ing the latter that she was not to
come to the Queen, who, no doubt,
was afraid of her. This was at the
time when her enemies intrigues lied
by her cousin, Miss Mashan, whom
she had placed at -court-in her inter-
est) we're successful.