redoubled the audacity of the king's enemies by refusing to absolve him for the murder of the cardinal, and by excommunicating him, in the public reading of the famous bull, in cœná Domini. On the point of being invested by Mayenne, in Tours, one resource only remained to Henry, to throw himself into the party of the Huguenots and the king of Navarre, whom he had so lately disinherited. The two monarchs met in the Chateau of Plessis-les-Tours. The frankness and honesty of the king of Navarre soon won the confidence, and touched the heart of Henry, whence they entered into the most cordial understanding. Their example was followed by the armies. Romanists and Huguenots forgot their injuries, and different nobles who were at variance, agreed to lay aside their disputes, and unite to serve the king.

By this opportune movement Henry soon found himself at the head of 40,000 men, Romanists and Protestants. Thus strengthened, he marched without opposition to Paris, invested it, and took up his quarters at St. Cloud. In his heart he decreed vengeance against the capital, but time and power both failed him for the accomplishment of his design. The monks, Jesuits, and curés, openly preached the doctrine of regicide in Paris; and a Dominican friar, named Jacques Clement, having obtained admission to the royal camp, under some delusive pretext, stabbed Henry in the belly, of which wound he died on the 2nd of August.

Such was the excitement of party, that Henry was lamented as a hero in the camp; while among the citizens of Paris, his murder was celebrated as the most glorious triumph. The duchess de Mont

pensier openly boasted that it was through her influence that the deed was committed, and spread the news in every part. The priesthood were enraptured at the deed; and Clement, who had been killed by the guards, was declared a saint, a martyr, a sort of deity. A statue was erected to him with this inscription: "St. Jacques Clement, pray for us sinners!" His mother also was revered, and blasphemously addressed with the scriptural salutation that was applied to the mother of our Lord. Even the pontiff himself joined in this impiety. He pronounced a public eulogium from "the chair of St. Peter" on St. Jacques Clement, and on his diabolical act, comparing it with the incarnation and resurrection of our Saviour. At the same time he declared Henry unworthy of Christian burial, and ordered a magnificent funeral service for the repose of the soul of the regicide. Such was the disgraceful policy of the church of Rome when its worldly interests were opposed.

Before Henry 111. died, he summoned Henry of Bourbon to his couch, and declared him his successor; but warned him that he would never reign over France unless he abandoned the Reformed religion.

With Henry III. the house of Valois became extinct, after having reigned 261 years, and given thirteen kings to France.

It is not difficult to determine the character of Henry. He alternately ruled by Machiavelian craft; by superstition; by the love of pleasure; and by the ambition of independence.

In early life he wanted neither talents nor courage; he was then prudent and active-magnanimous and beneficent. Afterwards he became

fickle and unstable. His very piety was accounted hypocrisy; his prudence, craftiness; his policy, meanness; his liberality, profusion; and his name became generally detested. One thing is certain : Henry held not the reins of government with the view of making his subjects happy, but only that he might be termed a king. Hence his reckless disregard of their lives and their comforts; especially of the Huguenots, whose bones, during his reign, bleached by the winds of heaven, whitened the soil of France. He was a wicked prince, and a curse to his unhappy land.

"Oh! how much

Do those kings err that play with life and death,
And nothing put into their serious states
But humour and their lusts! For which alone
Men long for kingdoms, whose huge counterpoise
In cares and dangers, could a fool comprise,
He would not be a king, but would be wise."

CHAPTER IX.

BRANCH OF VALOIS BOURBON.

A.D. 1589-1793.

Section I.

HENRY IV.

ALTHOUGH Henry iv. was declared king by his predecessor, he had considerable difficulties to surmount before he ascended the throne of France. The first act meditated by him was to take the guilty capital by assault. This measure was frustrated by dissensions in the camp. Many of the Popish noblemen protested against his being acknowledged king, from scruples of conscience, or sinister motives. At length, however, they acknowledged his title; but this act of acquiescence was accompanied with a request, that he would again adopt the Romish faith.

The religion of Henry was far from being fervent;

his former conduct and libertine principles prove that it sat but lightly on him. In his childhood he was a Papist; in his boyhood, a Protestant; in youth, a Papist again; and when he embraced the Reformed religion, on his escape from court, it may be supposed that he was influenced rather by resentment towards his enemies,

and gratitude towards his friends, than by any conviction of the purity of the Protestant faith. Notwithstanding, he boldly resented the compulsory adoption of the Romish faith in order to wear a crown. How," said he, "is my conversion attempted? With the dagger at my throat!" Under these circumstances, at the present moment, he rejected the demands of the royalists; and they, with Epernon at their head, abandoned the new monarch to his little band of Huguenots. This conduct of Henry was praiseworthy; for, although it is true that he sought not the change which the Scriptures teach as the only ground for hope of salvation, yet the principles he professed, in many respects, made him seek the good of his subjects, so as to become an estimable monarch.

On the separation of his forces, Henry issued his first edict, which promised every safety and support to his Romish subjects, and which summoned the states-general of the kingdom to meet at Tours in October. After this he retreated towards the sea-coast, resolving to await in the neighbourhood of Dieppe, the succours he had sent to request from Elizabeth of England.

As

In the mean time, the duke of Mayenne, whom the league had made their chief, caused the cardinal of Bourbon to be declared king by the return of Parliament, under the title of Charles x. the cardinal was prisoner at Tours, Mayenne, also, declared himself lieutenant-general of the kingdom; and, in order to signalise his new command, marched, at the head of upwards of 20,000 men, in pursuit of the Huguenots.

Henry had been compelled to send a detach