580 
ituery. throne, he resolved to unite himself to it, and was ac- 
—— ingly declared its head, and in the year 1577 he 
took field as the leader of the Catholics. This cir- 
cumstance was favourable to the —— 
tranquillity of the kingdom; for the dilatory, feeble; and 
indecisive character of the king, prevented the troops 
of the League from acting with vigour or success, and 
a new was brought about, which, though less fa- 
vourable than the former to the Protestants, was equally 
i ing to the leaders of the Catholics. The king, 
now suspected by both parties, retained little weight or 
influence ; while the Duke of Guise on one side, and 
the king of Navarre on the other, engaged by degrees 
the bulk of the nation to enlist themselves, either with 
the Protestants or Catholics. Foreign aid was also cal- 
led arm J both ; the Protestants ae and 
supplied with money by Queen Eli ; and Philip 
11. of Spain declaring himself Protector of the League, 
and entering into the closest correspondence with the 
Duke of Guise. 
In 1581, hostilities between the two parties com- 
menced, and the King of Navarre signalized himself 
at the siege of Cahors. About the same time, the Duke 
of Anjou, Henry’s brother, secretly retired from France, 
pe es AT Te eR pee as craerery 
against Philip II. ; but his caprice an disappoint- 
ed the P which he entertained and refi ebliged 
to return into France, where he soon afterwards died. 
This event completely unfolded the real -views of the 
members of the ; for as the king of Navarre, by 
the death of the Duke of Anjou; was presumptive ‘heir 
of the crown, they inflamed the people with the dread 
of an heretic sovereign, and avowed their resolution to 
woes the meer oo of the ‘Cardinal of Bourbon; 
u tothe King of Navarre, a zealous Papist, but in- 
capable, from age and weakness, of holding. the reins 
of government. Inthe proclamations ‘issued bythe 
League, the character of the» king: of France was not 
spared ; he was held up to this subjects asdebauched, 
—the mstrumentof unworthy favourites, and/especially 
as the secret friend of the King of Navarre, and the 
rotector of the sectaries of Geneva. The people were 
away by these representations, and filled with the 
most violent bigotry. 
In 1584, the Duke of Guise, as the general of the 
Civil war, 
A. D. 1581, 
League, took the field ; and: though: his army scarcely’ - 
exceeded 5000 men, he gained) ion of Verdun, 
but he was from Metz by the Duke D’Epernon. 
Peace, If H taken advantage of this, he might have 
A. D. 1584. re-established his power ; but he was no longer ca’ 
ble of any great or arduous enterprise, and he conclu- 
ded a peace on the most dishonourable terms ; agreeing 
to compel the Protestants to restore the cautionary 
towns, to annul all the edicts.in their favour; and ‘to’ 
The Duke join the League with all his forces, He thus virtually 
of Guise resi his sovereign authority into the hands of the 
inf the su. Duke of Guise, whonominated a council of 16 citizens 
preme for the government of the capital, and intimated to’ 
power. them his wish that they should take. measures for de- 
throning their sovereign, and ing the crown on 
himself. In pursuance of this desi e inhabitants 
of Paris presented a memorial, in which they 1 
the King to declare openly for the to revive’ 
the Council of Trent,—to establish the quisition, and 
oe we ay Mee low were the 
rmness of mi sunk, that he promised to’ 
take this memorial ienivcinasegniads : mt 
In 1588, the Duke of Guise had the audacity, con- 
trary to the express commands of his sovereign, to en- 
‘and the. 
FRANCE. 
ter the city of Paris amidst the loud and universal ac- History. 
clamations of the citizens, and demanded an audience 
of him. ‘To this, however, Henry would not consent ; 
his timid spirit was at length roused ; he declared that 
the death of the Duke of Guise should be the conse- 
quence of his forcing this interview. Catherine now Dispute 
interposed her authority, and even her tears; but in nape 
vain. Henry remained inflexible, till at length the yp" “°° 
Duke, afraid that he had passed even the limits of the " 
king’s pusillanimity, and sensible of his danger, endea- 
voured to disarm the royal rage by submission. He 
was permitted to retire ; but his soul breathed indign 
tion and revenge, and he instantly prepared for the 
most decisive and determined measures. Henry, at 
this juncture, had given orders for 6000 of the troops, 
on whose fidelity he could place the utmost reliance, to 
enter Paris: the citizens took the alarm; they were 
conscious of the punishment which they deserved for 
their insolent behaviour to their sovereign ; they flew te 
arms; the capital became the scene of the greatest cor’ 
fusion and ; the soldiers were surrounded and 
overcome. Catherine now saw, that if she did not ine 
terfere, the life of her son would probably be sacrificed ; 
she therefore entered into a private’ negociation with 
the Duke, while Henry quitted the palace, and effected 
his escape through the gardens of Thuilleries. Tt 
is said that when he was safe, turnin back to look at 
his capital, he declared that he would never enter it 
again except through a breach in its walls. koi 
From Paris the king retired to Chartres, whence he who retires 
appealed to the loyalty and duty of his et ataes * Chartees. 
appeals were answered by the manifestoes of the Duke 
of Guise; but, in the midst of these mutual accusa- 
tions; the efforts and. intrigues of Catherine were di- 
rected to an accommodation, which she could not ex- 
pect ‘would be sincere or lasting on either side, but 
fronr which she hoped to derive advantages to her own’ : 
cause. " A treaty was accordingly entered into between ™ Pay 1 
the King and his rebellious subjects, according to which puke re- 
the Duke of Guise was appointed lieutenant-general of conciled. 
the French armies; the Cardinal of Bourbon was de- 
clared first prince of the blood ; and the severest pe- 
nalties were denounced against those who had presum- 
ed to leave the ancient and established religion of the 
country. From these terms, it is ovi ‘that’ the 
Duke of Guise had obtained all he could wish, or had 
taken up arms for. He was confirmed in the chief 
command of the army, and the King of Navarre was - 
excluded from the throne. Henry was soon made sen- 
sible of the ignominious conditions to which, by the 
advice of his mother, he had consented ; and he breath- 
ed vengeance against the Duke, while he excluded Ca- 
therine from his councils. In this dilemma, he had re- &™"e! 
course to a most bold and unexpected measure, which “ 
indicated a greater portion of decision and policy 
it was he d. He assembled the states The King 
at Blois; and though the greatest number of those who ssezbles 
met were the partisans of the e, he boldly made ‘“* ““** 
his appeal to , dwelling in the most animated and 
forcible manner on the distress into which he had been 
brought by the seditious conduct of the house of Lor- 
raine. Had his future conduct cort ded with his 
behaviour before the states, he ly would have 
roused the latent loyalty of his nabjost ; but, on the 
remonstrances of the Duke of Guise, he softened the 
most obnoxious s of his address before it was 
cireulated through the kingdom. | _ ; 
Soon after this, having received intelligence that the. 
Duke had held a secret and treasonable correspondence 
: 
7 
he 
