nipasuiTs to foiivnt 

 ndopleil t!ie resolution of assassinating: 

 him, whom lie logardcd as a tyrant that 

 on^lit to be ilestioypd ; in which iilcas 

 he had been strenglhened ))v tlie scimons 

 oftiie iutamons preachrrs of the League, 

 who ntiiforinly justified the, act of James 

 Clomrnt. Ravillae, when suhjected to 

 tiirtuie, uniformly niaintaiued that no 

 Frenchiuau or stranijcr had been instru- 

 mental in urc;in<i him to commit the 

 deed ; ihat the prhico had never injured 

 him; and ihat, if his death had remained 

 unpnnlslicd, it would have been pro- 

 ductive lit no benefit to himself. 



Immediately prior to the dissolution 

 of Ravillae, he most ardently craved 

 absolution of Do Fillesao and Ganiache, 

 two able doctors of the Sorbonne, who 

 attended ; when he was told that it 

 could not be granted uidesshe divulged 

 the names of his accomplices. " I have 

 none," said Ravillae; "but give me a 

 conditional absolution : condemn my 

 soul to Hell tlanies if I have accom- 

 plices ; and grant me absolution under 

 the proviso that I have uttered the 

 trutli." This was complied with, and 

 the wretch was absolved accordingly. 



CONSEQUENCES. 



At four o'clock on the evening of the 

 unfortunate day ti at terminated the 

 earthly career of this great prince, the 

 inhabitants of Par's, whoslill contimied 

 in suspense respecting his death, were 

 thrown into a general stale of ferment. 

 It was observed that all those who 

 issued I'roin their dwellings wandered 

 through the streets and public places, 

 having no other object in view but to 

 ascertain f<u" a cert.ninty the slate of 

 the king. One only idea occupied 

 every mind ; tiie ordinary routine of 

 business, and private engagements, 

 were wholly forgotten; or, to speak 

 nu)re properly, being otdy occupied in 

 thinking of the author of all public 

 felicity, each <'onceivcd that he was 

 dwelling upon his individual interest. 

 Every one approaciieil his neighbour to 

 niak*! the same inqniiies; strangers in- 

 terrogated one another as a matter of 

 course, whileeach ciiuntenanee bore \\\p 

 .stamp of the deep aftliction that reigned 

 within. During the wliide of this 

 momentous peiiod, the inhabitants of 

 the city C(jiidn(:ted themselves as 

 brothers ; the same sentiment predo- 

 iiiiuat((i over all hearts; the citizens 

 l>ccame as one family united by similar 

 troubles and corresponding enujtions. 

 At length, however, it was announced 

 that the king was no nujn; ! Tliis 



Manoirs oj Henry the Great. 605 



the Huguenots, dreadful confirmation of the greatest of 

 misfortunes paralysed with horror the 

 whole population of that vast city. 

 Men fell speechless in the streets ; and 

 many instances are upon record of in- 

 dividuals who suddenly expired on this 

 mournful occasion. Among others was 

 a most wealthy and respectable citizen 

 named Marchant, who had at his own 

 expense erected the briilgc of the 

 Change: this worthy citizen expired 

 from excess of grief on learning the 

 death of Henry the Fourth. The brave 

 and virtuous De Vic, some time after 

 chancing to pass tlnough the "-treet 

 Ferronnerie, where the fatal deed had 

 been perpetrated, was seized with such 

 horror at the recollection, that ho' 

 was conducted home to his hotel ami 

 died the following day ; and Pcrcfixe 

 states, that many females refused to take 

 sustenance, and became the victims of 

 their rooted grief. 



No sooner was the monarch's death 

 made public than the citizens paraded 

 through Paris, pressing one another by 

 the hands, and exclaiming. What will 

 become of vs? Others shut themselves 

 up in their dwellings to weep in privacy 

 for the dreadful calamity sustained. 

 Young people were prohibited from 

 indulging in their accustomed sports ; 

 and the aged addressed them in the 

 following terms: "Children, we have 

 lost our common father! he teas pre- 

 parinff for you days of felicity ; and, 

 ■now, who will ivatch over you ? " 

 Nothing was looked for in future but 

 storms and disquietude ; Henry had 

 borne with him to the tomb the felicity 

 and heartfelt security of the whole 

 French nation ; for the same regrets 

 and melancholy presages were reiterated 

 throughout the whole realm. The 

 aflliclion of theParisian^i, however, very 

 speedily assumed an alarming aspect: 

 this general consternation was suc- 

 ceeded by the fury of despair ; women 

 with dishevelled locks rushed through 

 the streets uttering the most frantic 

 exclamations j while the men, be- 

 wildered from the ellecis of poignant 

 anguish, talked of exemplary vengeance, 

 named imaginary accomplices, and 

 swore to sacrifice them to their 

 vengeance. The tumult in consequence 

 became so terrifying, that the queen was 

 compelled to issue orders for its sup- 

 pression ; she dircctetl the Duke 

 d'Epernon to proceed on horseback, 

 accompanied by all the noblemen of 

 the court who couhl be assembled ; and 

 in this maimer the eaval(tadc|)rnccedcd 

 througii 



