History of the United Netherlands, 1590-1599, Vol. III. Complete

of Farnese upon Phil

-Assembly of the Sta

s at the Louvre-Confer

ue and the "political"

s, theologians, and o

ct of the succession-P

f Guise be elected Kin

of Mayenne-Formal re

ope refuses to consen

onsecration with the

ure of the Spanish gar

Duke of Mayenne-He m

beth on receipt of t

an

e disgrace on which he was resolved. Meantime, Charles Mansfeld made a feeble attempt to lead an army from the Netherlands into France, to support the sinking fortunes of the League; but it was not for that general-of-artillery to attempt the well-graced part of the all-accomplished Farnese with much hope of success. A considerable force of

was absurd to doubt that on him devolved the work and the responsibility. Yet among his advisers were some who doubted whether the purchase of the grandees of France was really the most judicious course to pursue. There was a general and uneasy feeling that the grandees were making sport of the Spanish monarch, and that they would be inclined to remain his stipendiaries for an indefinite period, without doing their share of the work. A keen Jesuit, who had been much in France, often whispered to Philip that he was going astray. "Those who best understand the fit remedy for this unfortunate kingdom, and know the tastes and temper of the nation," said

c or atheist; the third and last is catholic. All these, although they differ in opinion, are the same thing in corruption of life and manners, so that there is no choice among them." He then proceeded to set forth how entirely, the salvation of France depended on the King of Spain. "Morally speaking," he said, "it is impossible for any Frenchman to apply the remedy. For this two things are wanting; intense zeal for the honour of God, and power. I ask now what Frenchma

ponder the career of these crowned conspirators, and sometimes consoling to find its conclusion different from the goal intended. So the Jesuit advised the king not to be throwing away his money upon particular individuals, but with the funds which they were so unprofitably consuming to form a jolly army ('gallardo egercito') of fifteen thousand foot, and five thousand-horse, all Spaniards, under

ing to his statement, were so profligate, and whose tenets were rejected by all but a small minority of the governing classes of the country. Certainly i

deavoured to soften the heart of Clement towards Henry. The pope lived in mortal fear of Spain, and the Duke of Sessa, Philip's ambassador to the holy see, denouncing all these attempts on the part of the heretic, and his friends, and urging

g for it but to meet Pisani and other agents of the same cause with a peremptory deni

ls, and burning of Chalons decrees by Paris hangmen, and edicts in favour of Protestants at Nantz and other places-measures the enactment, repeal, and reenactment of which were

himself obliged to confront the army of Spanish diplomatists, Roman prelates, and learned doctors, by whom it was proposed to exclude the Prince of Bearne from his pretended rights. But he did not, after all, deceive them as thoroughly as he imagined. The Spaniards shrewdly suspected the French tactics, and the whole business was but a round game of deception, in which no one was much deceived, who ever might be destined ultimately, to pocket the stakes: "I know from a very good source," said Fuentes, "that Mayenne, Guise, and the rest of them are struggling hard in order not to subm

in at that moment, for he had just claimed and received eighty-eight thousand-nine hundred dollars for back debts, together with one hundred and eighty, thousand dollars more to distribute among the deputies of the

ay in order to make arrangements to secure religion and peace, and to throw off the possible yoke of the heretic p

anifesto at the same time sustaining Maye

he opportunity to impress upon Henr

time to strike. Secretary of State Revol Gaspar de Schomberg, Jacques Auguste de Thou, the eminent histori

ay of salvation. I hate those who act against their conscience. I pardon all those who are inspired by truly religious motive

own, and assuring the assembly that the King of Spain desired nothing so much as the peace of France and of all the world, together with the supremacy of the Roman Church. Whether these objects could best be attained by the election of Philip or of his daughter, as sovereign, with the

yons, the cardinal-legate, Villars, Admiral of France and defender of Rouen, Belin, Governor of Paris, President Jea

ustrate or to support the mission of Pisani, and that the pope would, as ev

e had much respect for the holy father, but that popes had now, become the slaves and to

d and answered. All now depended on the pope, whom the League would always obey. If the pope would accep

delays, and for journeys by land and sea to Rome. The least obstruction might prove fatal to both p

that he could make no further ad

ent to the king and informed him th

ful Huguenots, sanguinary cardinal-legates, threatening world-monarchs-heralded by Spanish musketeers, Italian lancers, and German reiters-shrill screams of warning from the English queen, grim denunciations from Dutch Calvinists, scornful repulses from th

l Catholics and Protestants alik

ummoned an assembly at Mantes on the 15th July, of bishops, theologians, princes, lords, and cour

d, and then hung nine prisoners of war in full sight of the garrison as a punishment

mployed by the Leaguers in frantic and contradictory efforts to retrieve a game which the most sagac

erly against the abominable edicts rece

es of toleration, by excusing the king for having granted them for a temporary purpose, and by assertin

ge was held on the part of Henry to the English and Dut

the heretic should ever be heard of again as candidate for the throne, various propositions spasmodically made in full assembly by Feria, Ybarra, Tassis, the jurisconsul

Cyprian, and St. Bernard, that it was easier for a leopard to change his spots or for a blackamoor to be washed white; than for a heretic to be converted, a

use all his influence to bring about Mayenne's election as king on condition that if

any election of a foreigner null and void, and sent deputies to

? How can he hope to conquer France? Pay no further heed to the legate, they said, who is laughing in his sleeve at the miseries and distractions of our country. So spake the deputies of the League-Parliament to the gr

at he would annul their decree. Parliament met his threats with dignity, a

promised Feria to support the election, and at once began to higgle for conditions. He stipulated that he should have for himself the governments of Champagne, Burgundy, and La Brie, and that they should be hereditary in his family: He furthermore demanded

ht it time to break with Philip. He issued a manifesto, in which he observed that the States-General of France had desired that Philip should be elected King of France, and carry out his design of a universal monarchy, as the only-means of ensuring the safety of the Catholic religion and the pacification of the world. It was feared, however, said Mayenne; that the king might come to the same misfortunes which befell his father, who, when it was supposed that he was inspired only by private ambition; and by the hope of placing a hereditary universal crown in his family, had excited the animosity of the princes of the empire. "If a mere

and England from taking possession of the richest of the Portuguese possessions, the islands and the Indies. He will find in France insuperable objections to his election as king, for he could in this case well reproach the Leaguers with having been changed from Frenchmen into Spaniards. He mu

liticians, and, assembling the estates at the Louvre on the 4th July, he r

end no more succours of men or money; for that the only effectual counter-poison to

s thought to catch the man who, as they now knew, was changi

ry to the Roman faith, fixed long before for-the 23rd

ed instruction. After six mortal hours had come to an end, the king rose from his knees, somewhat wearied, but entirely instructed and convinced. He thanked the bishops for having taught him that of which he was before quite ign

, rushed thither in immense crowds to witness the ceremony of the reconciliation of the king. Henry went to the church, clothed as became a freshly purified heretic, in white satin doublet and hose, white si

bishop of Bourges, seated in state, effulgent in mitre and chasubl

hat do you want?" s

, "and I demand to be received into t

sincerely?" as

all my heart,"

the crowd, and he was then led to the high altar, amid the acclamations of the people. Here he knelt devoutly and repeated his protestations. His unction and contrition were most impressive, and the people, of course, wept pite

essings, and with largess to the crowd, the king returned to the monastery of Saint Denis, where he dined amid a multitude of spectators, who thronged so thickly around him that his dinner-table was nearly overset

transports of adoration around the man so lately the object of their hate. Yet few could seriously believe that much change had been effected in the inner soul

t evening," he wrote to the beautiful Gabrielle, "and was importuned with 'God save you' till bed-time. In regard to the Leaguers I am of the order of St. Thomas. I am beginning to-morrow morning to talk to the bishops, besides those I told you about yesterday. At this

est Protestant in Europe shrank into himself for shame. But Clement, overawed by Philip and his ambassador, was deaf to all the representations of the French envoy. He protested that he would not believe in the sincerity of the Bearne's conversion unless an angel from Heaven should reveal it to him. So Nevers left Rome, highly exasperated, and professing that he would rather have lost a leg,

edeemed from its worship of the false gods, was spreading contagiously through the provinces; although all the white silk in Lyons had been cut into scarves and banners to celebrate the reconciliation of the candid king with mother Church; although that ancient city was ablaze with bonfires a

of Henry be performed? Five years before, the League had proposed in the estates of Blois to place among the fundamental laws of the kingdom that no king should be considered a legitimate sovereign whose head ha

ngel had straightway descended from heaven, and with a miraculous balsam had anointed the contusions of the saint, who next day felt no farther inconveniences from his fall. The balsam had ever since been preserved in the church of Marmoutier near Tours. Here, then, was the most potent of unguents brought directly from hea

bsence that no mishap should befal the sacred treasure. When the monks arrived at Chartres, four young barons of the first nobility were assigned to them as hostages for the safe restoration of the phial, which was then borne in triumph to the cathedral, the s

ssis Mornay, the devoted knight of the heretic Queen Elizabeth, the sworn ally of the stout Dutch Ca

nis and the consecration at Chartres were followed on the day

life, and the truncheon of marshal of France. Thus purchased, Brissac made his preparations with remarkable secrecy and skill. Envoy Ybarra, who had scented something suspicious in the air, had gone straight to the governor for information, but the keen Spaniard was thrown out by the go

pital a body of four thousand troopers and lansquenettes. Many torch-bearers

rode at last through the barriers which had so long kept him from his capital. "'Twas like enchantment," said Ybarra. The first Bourbon entered the city through the same gate out of which the last Valois had, five years before, so ignominiously fled. It was a midnight surprise, although not fully accomplished until near the dawn of day. It was not a triumphal entrance; nor did Henry come as the

of France. The youthful son of Antony Bourbon and Joan of Albret had then appeared as the champion and the idol of the Huguenots. In the same year had

rn supporter of the Council of Trent. Earnest

is name is for ever associated. It is by no means certain that permanent religious toleration might not have been the result of his mounting the throne, only when he could do so without renouncing the faith of his fathers. A day of civilization may come perhaps, sooner or later, when it will be of no earthly consequence to their fellow creatures to what creed, what Christian church, what religious dog

ous faith. The appearance of Henry the Huguenot as the champion of the Council of Trent was of itself too biting an epigram not to be extensively destructive. Whether for good or ill, r

urse. Even the Sorbonne declared in favour of the reclaimed heretic, and the decision of those sages had vast influence with less enlightened mortals. There was nothing left for the Duke of Feria but to take himself off

eback, with the Walloons marching near me. The Prince of Bearne"-it was a solace to the duke's heart, of which he never could be deprived, to call the king by that title-"was at a window over the gate of

another

and by the king's orders was courteously received by the Spanish authorities in the Netherlands. In the midst of the tempest now rapidly destroying all rational hopes, Philip still clung to Mayenne as to a spar in the shipwr

Was it to be expected that he would renounce his conquest of France, although the legitimate king had entered his capital, had reconciled himself to the Church, and was on the point of obtaining forgiv

powers was so prone to delude himself, it was difficult even for so accomplished an intriguer as

p in a large and energetic manner. Money and troops are what is wanted on a great scale for France. The king's agents are mightily discontented with Mayenne, and with reason; but they

dence in the man than did Feria or Ybarra. "Since the loss of Paris," said Ernest, "I have had a letter from Mayenne, in which, deeply affected by that event, he makes me great offers, even to the last drop of his blood, v

t with the money he had already received, so little had been accomplished, but he still affected a confidence which he was far from feeling, "because," said he, "it is known that Mayenne is already treating with Bearne. If he has not concluded those arrangements, it is because Bearne now offers him less money than before." The amount

catholicism, thoroughly self-seeking and vile, and as now most traitorous to the cause of the confederacy

s base tricks, I should go on till midni

scathing reply, addressed to Philip II., in which he denounced the Duke of Feria as "a dirty ignoramus, an impudent coward, an impostor, and a blind thief;" adding, after many other unsavoury epithets, "but I will do him an honour which he has not merited

e turned his back on Philip and his Spaniards, and concluded his bargain with the Prince of Bearne. He obtained good terms: the government of Burgundy, payment of his debts, and a hundred and twenty thousan

wiles;" and having got with much difficulty upon his knees, was allowed to kiss the royal hand. Henry then insisted upon walking about with him through the par

whispered the king to De Bethune, who was third in the party, "I s

lace with orders to solace himself with a couple of bottles of excellent wine of Arbois, expressly provided for him by the

people put such a high price on themselves," said one of Henry's diplomatists, "that one loses almost more than one gains in buying them. They strip and plunder us even in our nakedness, and we are

to save his country from dismemberment, to restore legitimate authority, and to resist the "holy confederacy" of domestic traitors, aided

ur memory the names of the men whom the sentiment of a common religion, association in the same perils and persecutions, a common joy in the same deliverance, and the long experience of so many faithful services, have engraved there with a pencil of diamond. The remembrance of these things pursues you and accompanies you everywhere; it interrupts your most

n nation and nation-debated the question most earnestly while it was yet doubtful. It was proposed to send a formal deputation to the king, in order to divert him, if possible, from the fatal step which he w

been handled in France, she determined to withdraw every English soldier from the support of Henry's cause. The unfortunate French ambassador in London was at his wits' ends. He vowed that he could not sleep of ni

ho would be sure to make the most of the occasion in order to precipitate the king into the abyss, to the border of which they had already brought him. He so dreaded the ire of the queen that he protested he was trembling all over merely to see the pen of his secretary wagging as he dictated his despatches. Nevertheless it was his terrible du

nd of Holland. But the queen, although no longer so violent, was less phlegmatic than the States-General, and refu

n you imagine that he permits you to walk alone in your utmost need? 'Tis bad to do evil that good may come of it. Meantime I shall not cease to put you in the first rank of my devotions, in order that the hands of Esau may not spoil the blessings of Jacob. As to your promises to me of friendship and fidelity, I confess to have dearly deserved them,

ITOR'S B

ow-worms

eve himself invinc

at table than the

as the champion of

ot necessarily

however, much stron

ous whole of which w

ity for pecuni

th all was suppos

he Present, and

tion, read the future

ever run beneath d

personage as he read