History. 
—o 
of 
Calvinism. 
Death of 
Henry. 
Francis I. 
A. D. 1559. 
570 
would possess no opportunity of compensating for 
en dnieation of this influence, by gaining military re- 
nown, and increasing their influence with the nation, 
arraigned the treaty in the most and indecent man- 
ner, as dishonourable and disadvantageous to France. 
But Henry attended not to their complaints ; he was 
too much occupied, either with the Duchess of Valen- 
tinois, who continued to countenance and support Mont- 
morency,,or with taking measures for the su i 
of heresy. Among the most illustrious proselytes to 
the doctrines of Calvin, was D’Andelot, the brother 
of Coligny, and the nephew of the Constable. So deep- 
ly impressed was he with the truth and im ce of 
the opinions that he had embraced, that he dared to 
avow them in the ce of his sovereign. He was 
immediately deprived of his post of general of French 
infantry, committed to close confinement, and restored 
to liberty only on submission, and through the entrea- 
ties of his uncle. So bigotted and blind was the zeal 
of this monarch, that he attempted a ition of the 
Duchess of Ferrara, daughter of Louis XII. who grant- 
ed an lum in her court to the literati, who were 
tin with heterodoxy ; ordered the judges to cause 
all to be arrested as heretics, who should solicit them in 
favour of those who were condemned to death on ac- 
count of their religious opinions; and denounced 
ee capital and the different provinces, his 
firm ination to root out heresy by the most severe 
and violent persecution. 
But these plans of Henry were happily interrupted 
by his death. The Duke of Savoy arrived at Paris 
to espouse the king’s sister. Jousts and tournaments 
were ordered on this occasion: in these dangerous ex- 
ercises Henry excelled. After having broken many 
lances with success, on the last day he was desirous of 
.breaking a lance with the Count de Montgomeri. The 
shock was rude on each side; but the count’s lance 
breaking against the helmet of the count, the latter at- 
tacked Henry with the stump, which entering his eye, 
the monarch fell senseless on the ground. He remained 
in a state of insensibility for eleven days, and then ex- 
pired, in the 16th year of his scien and 45th of his 
age. By his queen, Catharine of Medicis, he left four 
sons ; Francis, who had been married, a few years be- 
fore his father’s death, to Mary queen of Scotland ; 
Charles, Alexander, and Hercules. ThHe’names of the 
two last were afterwards changed to those of Henry 
and Francis. He also left three daughters; Elizabeth, 
queen of Spain; Claude, duchess of Lorraine; and 
Marguerette, who was first queen of Navarre, and after- 
w ueen of France. In some respects, the charac- 
ter of Henry resembled that of his father: like him, 
he was courteous, open, unsuspicious, and beneficent ; 
fond of pleasure ; handsome in his person, and accom- 
plished in the martial exercises of the age; but he 
sessed not either the capacity or the discernment which 
distinguished Francis; and he was naturally so tracta- 
ble and yielding, that he was almost constantly under 
the guidance of his favourites. 
Francis II. was only 16 years of age when he ascend- 
ed the throne of France. His mind and were 
alike feeble, so that he was completely under the influ- 
ence of those who oA him. Unfortunately 
there were about him persons not more remarkable for 
their talents, than from their intrigues, ambition, and 
Character of vices. His mother, Catherine of Medicis, was a wo- 
Catherine 
de Medicis. 
man, bold, enterprising, sagacious ; whose firmness and 
presence of mind were never awed or disconcerted by 
the most formidable or unexpected dangers. Her pes 
FRANCE. 
ed navel of ecdapiabootion taanloege 
i a 
Ponce hee cule Thus powerful in her mental 
endowments, she was not less distinguished by her 
manners, When her interest, or ic circum~ 
— tien cppentl Cigibtiiee and insinuating ; 
and she often aj to gai i 
those from cine shovenplcted pach seer ty: Roce 
when in fact they were the dupe of her superior arti- 
fice, or actually bent before her ing powers of 
mind. Heer disposition was magnificent, her profusion 
excessive ; but she was magnificent and profuse only to 
answer her own p , which, however, had fre- 
quently all the characteristics of greatness, 
tice. 
knowledge, that she most effectually accomplished her 
object. Even to men of learning, notwithstanding her 
political and religious bigotry, a was a pa- 
troness. In short, in her might clearly be traced many of 
those features, both of mind and manners, which cha- 
racterised the most distinguished branches of the fami-« 
ly from which she was sprung. But these grand, and 
even attractive qualities, were strangely intermixed and 
debased by her vices and prejudices. To i 
her views, she did not scruple to overleap the bounds 
of justice, truth, and humanity. She was cruel, ras 
pacious, and deceitful ; it would even seem, from some 
parts of her conduct, that her cruelty was so refined 
and disinterested (if that expression may be allowed), 
that it centered in itself, nor looked to any exterior ob« 
ject, as its own justification or excuse. In her morals, 
she displayed all the profligacy of her nation ; her am- 
bition was without bounds ; it did not even confine it~ 
self to objects grand and comprehensive in their na- 
ture, but could, at times, feed on what was compara- 
tively trifling and insignificant, Such a woman, even 
if she had not stood in the relation of mother to the 
young king, must have possessed t influence over 
is mind ; and even during the life of her husband, 
she had been preparing herself for the exercise of power. 
No person was more deeply sensible of the im 
of the maxim, of dividing in order to govern; and no 
person ever acted more systematieally on that maxim. © 
, She soon had occasion to act on this maxim; for the 
weakness of Francis afforded opportunity for intrigue, 
and opened the way to the rule of the om. e 
family of the Guises were bp tes to Catherine de 
Medicis, most distinguished at period for their ta- 
lents and ambition : there were five brothers of them, 
The Duke of Guise himself; the Cardinal of Lorraine ; 
the Duke of Aumale ; the Cardinal of Guise ; the Mar- 
quis of Elbeuf, and the Grand Prior ; they were all men 
of ambition, and who rey ee: the greatest mili- 
tary and political talents, in order to acquire the highest 
power in the state. As they were uncles to the Queen 
of Scotland, and had Rat oneness the marriage between 
her and Francis, they had easy access to his and 
influence over his mind and feelings: nor were 
without considerable influence with the mass of 
the nation. The Duke of Guise himself was 
formed, when he was led from Italy ; and if 
left any doubt respecting his military talents and skill, 
they were completely removed by the recollection of — 
his defence of Metz. But he trusted for his po — 
not merely to what he had atchieved as a scliier's or 
Of the arts and sciences, even emidse the hors 
regarded: Character 
as the saviour of France by the deeds which he had per- he ; 
History. 
-—o 
Duke 
of 
of 
