603 Memoirs of Henry the Great. 



an invitation to dine at the legate's tahie, of which are still preserved in ilic cabi- 



when he subsequently passed through 

 that city. — (Abridgment of the Chro. 

 Hist, of Lyons.) Dead bodies rotted in 

 tiie open tields for want of burial, and 

 several streams became so infected with 

 the putrid corpses that were committed 

 to their currents, that those inhabiting 

 the banks of the rivers would not, during 

 a great length of time, drink of the 

 waters, nor partake of the fish where- 

 with they abounded. 



Marshal de Tavannes only calculates 

 those slaughtered at Paris at two 

 thousand ; but the testimony of one of 

 the principal authors of that horrid deed 

 is to be suspected : it appears certain, that 

 the number amounted to between six and 

 seven thousand, comprising llie Ca- 

 tholics, whom hatred, vengeance, or 

 mistakes, enumerated in the proscription 



nets of the curious: on one side is the 

 head of Gregory the Thirteenth, and on 

 the reverse the exterminating angel 

 striking the Huguenots, some of whom 

 are represented in the act of flight, 

 while others, thrown down, are trampled 

 beneath his feet: this medal bears for 

 inscription, Hugonotorum Strages, 1572. 



DEATH OF HENRY. 



Henry ordered the carriage, and 

 quitted the Louvre, followed by the 

 Dukes of Monthazon and Epcrnon, 

 Marshal de Lavardin, de Roqnelaure, 

 de la Force, de Mirabeau, and Lian- 

 eourt, iirst equerry. Malhieu the his- 

 torian affirms, that when Ravillac under- 

 stood tjje king had given orders for his 

 carriage, he with an air of exultation 

 muttered between his teeth: "■ I hold 

 thee fast: thou art lost.'" At that 



Several authors affirm that lliere perish- moment, says the Journal de I' Etoile, 



cd in all, at Paris and in the provinces, Vitry made his appearance ; when the 



about forty thousand souls. The Duke king said, " I neither require yon 7wr 



de Sully, so faithful in his recitals and your guards ; for these forty years past 



so impartial in his decisions, affirms that / have almost uniformly beeii the captain 



the number of victims extended to sixty of my own guards; I will nut have any 



thousand ; and there is little doubt but one to surround my carriage." The 



the fact was as he has slated. coachman then having inquired where 



The news of the admiral's death and he was to firive? Henry rejtiied in a 



the massacre were welcomed at Rome peevish tone, " Convey me from hence.'^ 



with the most lively transports of joy ; On passing before the hotel de Lon- 



tlie cannons were fired, and bonfires gueville, tiie driver repeated the former 



were illumined, as for an event of the 

 most important consequence. A solemn 

 mass, called an act of grace, was cele- 

 brated, at which Pope Gregory the 



question; when the king said, " 7 o 

 the Cross of Trahoir ;" and on arrJNing 

 at the spot, he observed in a bewildered 

 manner, " To the cemetery of the Saints- 



Thirleenthassistedjwith all the splendour Innocents." By a most nnfoitunalc 



that court is accustomed to bestow upon fatality, Henry, on a sudden, desiied 



ceremonies it is anxious to render that the curtains of tiie carriage might 



famous. The Cardinal of Lorraine gave be raised; for at that period there were 



a large reward to the courier; and in- no glasses to tlie vehicles, which were 



lerrogated him upon the subject in a closed in by leather curtains. Had 



manner that demonstrated he had been they been down, the assassin could not 



previously aware of the intended catas- have directed his aim, nor struck the 



trophe. Brantome tells us that the fatal blow ! 



sovereign pontiff shed tears when he was No unfortunate event had been wit- 

 made acquainted with the melanclioly nessed during the queen's c<)rf)tiation, 

 late of su(!h a multitude of unfortunate notwithstanding the opinion that had 

 fellow-creatures, "i weep," said the prevailed throughout the city that some 

 pope, "for the fate of so many in?wcf7it dreadful misfortune would occur. The 

 victims, who must dnuLthss have been day having passed happily, public dis- 

 confounded with the guilly ; but it is pas- quietude had in consfqneiice in a great 

 sible that the Almighty may have accorded measure subsided; and the populace, 

 repentance to many of them:" Hscui'unviit re-animated by the presence ot their 



of commiseration, sajs Anquctil, by no 

 means incompatible with those ojiposife 

 demonstrations that were excited by 

 policy, while pity claimed from the 

 bottom of the heart the rights of huma- 



(lored monarch, made the air ring with 

 their accustomed acclamations, as he 

 jiroceeded on his route. Henry, wliu 

 usually felt touched at lliesc demon- 

 strations of love, appeared insensible 



nity vvhicli had been so cruelly perverted, on this occasion ; neither did he direct 



Upon the occasion of the massacre, a a single glance of curiosity on the dc- 



niedal was stmck at K<.)mc, impressions curalions which were pre|)aring in the, 



streets 



