576 FRANCE. 
History. massacre of Viessy as the cause of it, but declared, that, 
vr" with respect to it, he was completely innocent ; and he 
recommended to his eldest son, Henry, an inviolable 
conveniences of a siege, marched forth at the head of Battle of 
attachment to his so The 
Treaty with 
The command of the army before Orleans was given, 
the Pro on the death of the Duke, to the Marshal Brisac ; but 
Ces mares, 
A. D. 1564. 
Apprehen- 
sion of the 
Protestants. 
Catherine, at the same time, discovering a wish for 
peace, the terms were soon settled by the constable 
and the Prince of Condé. By this treaty, the free ex- 
ercise of their religion was ted to the Protestants, 
on condition that they laid down their arms, gave up 
the places which they occupied, and renounced their 
alliance with England. 
In 1564, Catherine having obliged the parliament of 
Paris to declare the regal authority at an end, though 
Charles had not yet completed his 14th year, made a 
progress through France, along with him, under the 
pees of ascertaining its state and resources. At 
yonne, they were met by the Queen of Spain, sister 
to Charles, and by the Duke of Alva. A long and mys- 
terious conference took place, which, it is said, was 
held at the solicitation of the Pope. Every thing was 
conducted in the most private manner ; but when the 
Protestants considered the character of the Duke of 
Alva, and of his master the King of Spain, both avow- 
ed and most bitter enemies to their religion, and the 
duplicity of Catherine, they were filled with alarm and 
suspicion. Their apprehension of impending danger 
was further increased, by the conduct of the Catholic 
istrates towards them, who, in direct and open vio- 
lation of the edict which had recently passed, securing 
them the free exercise of their religion, threw every 
obstacle in the way of their assemblies, and rather en- 
than restrained the populace in insulting 
them. In this state of apprehension, they had recourse 
to the Prince of Condé; but he, either from prudential 
motives, or because he still hoped to be appointed lieu- 
tenant-general of the kingdom, strongly advised them 
to suffer quietly. This they did for nearly two years, 
till the prince, perceiving that the court was not sin- 
cere in its conduct towards him, and that it was only 
waiting for a fit opportunity to crush effectually and for 
ever the Protestants, determined to have again recourse 
to arms. Catherine had hoped that her measures were 
so well concerted, and at the same time kept so secret, 
that the Protestants would not proceed to open violence, 
at least till she was fully prepared to resist and over- 
whelm them. She was therefore surprised and asto- 
nished, when she learnt that the ruin which she had 
plotted against them, was likely to fall on herself and 
on her party. The king, Catherine, and the ministers, 
— Fe _ thee at Monceau, when she was informed 
at the Prince of Condé was ring to march against 
that place, for the purpose’ of sizing the person of 
Charles, She therefore hastily retired with him into 
Meaux, and afterwards to Paris. On his way from 
Meaux to the cope, he was surrounded and protect- 
ed by a body of 6000 Swiss troops. Scarcely had. he 
proceeded two leagues, before the Prince of Condé ap- 
peared in sight at the head of 200 cavalry. The Con- 
stable Montmorency, upon this, sent the monarch for- 
ward by private roads to Paris, under the escort of a 
body of cavalry, and with the remainder of the troops 
succeeded in repulsing the Prince, Thus was a second 
eivil war begun. 
Second civil. Condé bemg thus deceived in his hope of seizing the 
wer. 
king, to St Denis, which he occupied, and 
thus cut off the supplies of the capital. Upon this, the 
constable, notwithstanding he was anxious cautiously 
three hours 
courageously such superior numbers, til 
were com 
by no means declined 
e@ was wi 
and at the advanced age of 75, fought with all the ar- 
dour of a youngman, | ; 
Condé was not dismayed by this defeat ; but, having 
collected his dispersed troops, and having received a 
strong reinforcement of German Protestants, he ai 
peared again in the field, at the head of a formidable 
army. He even again blocked up the capital, and at~ 
tempted to possess himself of the suburbs; but being 
foiled in this, he traversed the est part of the king~ 
dom, and at last laid siege to C a place of mu 
importance. While he was before this city, terms of 
accommodation were proposed by the court, and ac- 
cepted by Condé. They were similar to those former- 
ly granted, and produced rather a suspension of hosti- 
lities than a renewal of peace. 
The character of Charles now began to unfold itself ; Character 
and it was such as might have been anticipated from Charles. 
the principles in which he had been brought up,—the 
maxims which his mother had inculeated,—the exam- 
ple which she had set before them,—and the circum- 
stances of the kingdom, both political and religious, in 
which he had passed his youth. He was a thoro 
adept in the art of dissimulation, which indeed he car- 
vied to such an extent, that though his bi 
tred of the Protestants was extreme, he 
even those feelings, when it was 
conceal 
so to do, for 
the accomplishment of his wishes or purposes. He was * 
r after glory; but even this eagerness bore the 
prs of his bigotry ; for, instead of looking beyond his 
own kingdom for the acquisition of it, he contented 
himself with that glory which could be derived from 
overwhelming the Protestants: and, unlike aman whose 
love of glory excludes every thing that is mean or dis- 
honourable, he often preferred the gratification of his 
bigotted and persecuting spirit, to a fair and open com- 
petition with the Protestants in the field of battle. On 
the death of Mepimoreerss being a Pag to bestow 
the office of constable on his brother » he replied, 
«I want no person to carry my sword ; I will carry it 
myself:” by these words not only displaying his own 
character, but intimating that he thought the office of 
constable conferred too much power on the person who 
bore it. The treaty which had been concluded, was 
not likely to be of long duration: in fact, neither party 
were sincere. The Prince of Condé had acceded to it, 
because he was unable to satisfy the demands of his 
German auxiliaries ; and the court party, because they 
clwexe preferred intrigue and dissimulation to op: 
ity. In less than six months after it was conclu- 
and ha- 
ded, Catherine laid a plot for seizing the Prince of Plo 
Condé and Admiral Coli 
ir partisans to their assistance. To this place the 
Protestants resorted in great numbers; among the rest, 
Jane, Queen of Navarre, with her infant son, after, 
wards Henry IV. In vain did the Chancellor De I'Hos- 
pital endeavour to avert a civil war; his advice and 
remmonstrances were neglected ; he was dismissed from 
his office ; and the were given to the Bishop of 
. They received intelli. Condé 
ce of their danger, fled to Rochelle, and summoned ©°ligny-. 
