HENRY CATHARINE, a celebrated historian, was the youngest son of Antonio Davila, grand constable of Cyprus, who on the taking of that island by the Turks in 1570, had been obliged to retire into Spain, whence this family supposed they had derived their name and origin. From Spain Antonio repaired to the court of France, and settled his son Louis and two daughters under the patronage of Catherine of Medicis; whose name he afterwards gave to the young historian, born 1576, at an ancient castle in the territories of Padua, though generally called a native of Cyprus. The little Davila was brought early into France; and at the age of 18 he signalized himself in the military scenes of that country. His last exploit there was at the siege of Amiens, where he fought under Henry IV, and received a wound in the knee, as he relates himself in his history. After peace was established in France, he withdrew into Italy, and entered into the service of the Venetians. Davila, while he was at Venice, wrote his admirable history of the civil wars in France, which contains every thing worth notice that passed from the death of Henry II. in 1539, to the peace of Vervins in 1598. He continued to serve the republic of Venice with great reputation, till a most unfortunate adventure put an end to his life in 1631. Passing through Verona with his wife and family on his way to Crema, which he was appointed to defend, and demanding, according to the usual custom of persons in his station, a supply of horses and carriages for his retinue, a brutal Veronese, called Il Turco, entered the room where he and his family were at supper, and being mildly reprimanded for his intrusion by Davila, discharged a pistol at the historian, and shot him dead on the instant. His accomplices also killed the chaplain of Davila, and wounded most of his attendants. But his eldest son Antonio, a youth of 18, revenged the death of his father, by killing the murderer on the spot. All the confederates were secured next morning, and publicly executed at Verona. It is very remarkable, that Davila passed no censure on the massacre of St Bartholomew. Davila's character of the queen-mother has that partiality, which it was natural for him to show to the patroness of his family; but his general veracity is confirmed by the great authority of the first duke of Epernon, who (to use the words of Lord Bolingbroke) "had been an actor, and a principal actor too, in many of the scenes that Davila recites." Girard, secretary to the duke, and no contemptible biographer, relates that this history came down to the place where the old man resided in Gascony, a little before his death; that he read it to him; that the duke confirmed the truth of the narration of it; and seemed only surprised by what means the author could be so well informed of the most secret councils and measures of those times.