While these things were doing at Paris, Strozzi, who, as we have said, had the charge of the King's power at sea, hovering upon the coast of Rochelle, did now and then send of his captains and soldiers into the town, under colour of buying things necessary, and sometimes be came thither also himself. The like was done at the same time, in another part of France, by the horsemen of Gonzague, duke of Nivers, near to the town of la Charite, which hath a bridge over the river of Loyre, and remained, till that time, in the power of those of the religion, by reason of the great number of them there inhabiting. This troop was of those horsemen, which the King hath accustomed to keep in ordinary wages, in every country, whereof the most part were Italians, countrymen to their captain, Lewis Gonzague, to whom the Queen-mother had given the daughter and heir of the duke of Nivers in marriage. They requested of the townsmen, that they might make their musters within the town, saying, that they had received warrant from the King so to do, and shewed the king's letters therefore. At Lyons, the governor of the town commanded a view to be taken of all those, that professed the religion, and their names to be written in book, and brought unto him; which book shortly after, according to the success, was called, The bloody Book.

After the marriage, ended at Paris, which was the time, that the admiral had appointed to return to his own house, he moved the King, concerning his departure. But so great was the preparation of plays; so great was the magnificence of banquets and shews; and the King so earnestly bent to those matters; that he had no leisure, not only for weighty affairs, but also, not so much as to take his natural sleep. For, in the French court, dancings, maskings, and stage plays (wherein the King exceedingly delighteth) are commonly used in the night-time: and so the time, that is fittest for counsel and matters of governance, is, by reason of nightly riotous sitting up, of necessity consumed in sleep. So great also is the familiarity of men and women of the Queen-mother's train, and so great the liberty of sporting, entertainment, and talking together, as to foreign nations may seem incredible, and be thought, of all honest persons, a matter not very convenient for preservation of noble young ladies' chastity. Moreover, if there come any pander or bawd, out of Italy, or any schoolmaster of shameful and filthy lust, he winneth, in a short time, marvellous favour and credit. And such a multitude is there begun to be of Italians, commonly throughout all France, especially in the court, since the administration of the realm was committed to the Queen-mother, that many do commonly call it France Italian; and some term it a colony, and some, a common sink of Italy.

These madnesses of the court were the cause, that the admiral rould not have access to the King's speech, nor entrance to deal in weighty matters. But when they that were sent from the reformed churches, to complain of injuries commonly done to those of the religion, understood of the admiral's purpose to depart, they did, with all speed, deliver to him their books and petitions, and besought him, not to depart from the court, till he had dealed in the cause of the churches, and delivered their petitions to the King, and his coun

eil. For this cause, the admiral resolved to defer his going for a while, till he might treat with the King's council, concerning those requests; for the King had promised him, that he would shortly inquire into those matters, and be present with the council himself.

Besides this delay, there was another matter that stayed him. There were owing to the Rutters of Germany, which had served on the part of the religion in the last war, great sums of money, for their wages, in which matter the admiral travelled with incredible earnestness, and care.

Concerning all these affairs, the admiral, as he determined before, having access and opportunity for that purpose, moved the King's privy council, the twenty second day of August, which was the fifth day after the King of Navarre's marriage, and spent much time in that treaty. About noon, when he was returning home from the council, with a great company of noblemen and gentlemen, behold a harque buzier, out of a window of a house, near adjoining, shot the admiral, with two bullets of lead, through both the arms. When the admiral

felt himself wounded, nothing at all amazed, but with the same countenance, that he was accustomed, he said, through yonder window it was done: go, see who are in the house: what manner of treachery is this? Then, he sent a certain gentlemen of his company to the King, to declare it unto him. The King at that time was playing at tennis, with the Duke of Guise. Assoon as he heard of the admiral's hurt, he was marvellously moved, as it seemed, and threw away his racket, that he played with, on the ground, and, taking with him his brotherin-law, the King of Navarre, he retired into his castle.

The gentlemen that were with the admiral broke into the house, from whence he received his hurt. There they found only one woman, the keeper of the house, and shortly after, also a boy, his lacquey, that had done the deed; and, therewithal, they found the harquebuz lying upon the table, in that chamber, from whence the noise was heard; him that shot they found not; for he, in great haste, was run away out at the back gate, and getting on horseback, which he had waiting for him, ready saddled at the door, he rode a great pace to Saint Anthony's gate, where he had a fresh horse tarrying for him, if need were, and another at Marcelles gate. Then, by the King's commandment, a great number rode out in post into all parts, to pursue him; but, for that he was slipped into by-ways, and received into a certain castle, they could not overtake him.

At the suit of the King of Navarre, and the prince of Conde and others, the King by and by gave commission for inquiry to be made of the matter, and committed the examining thereof to three chosen persons of the parliament of Paris, Thuan, Morsant, and Viol, a counsellor.

First it was found that the same house belonged to a priest, a canon of Saint Germain, whose name is Villemure, which had been the Duke of Guise's schoolmaster, in his youth, and still continued a retainer towards him. Then the woman which we said was found in the house, being taken and brought before them, confessed, that a few days before,th ere came to her one Challey, sometime a master d'Hostel

of the Duke of Guise's house, and now of the King's court, and commanded her to make much of the man that had done this deed, and to lodge him in the same bed and chamber where Villemure was wont to lie, for that he was his friend and very familiar acquaintance, and that Villemure would be very glad of it. The name of him that shot was very diligently kept secret. Soine say it was Manrevet, who, in the third civil war, traiterously slew his Captain Monsieur de Moovy, a most valiant and noble gentleman, and straightway fled into the enemies camp. Some say it was Bondot, one of the archers of the King's guard. When the woman's confession was brought to the King, he immediately called Monsieur de Nance, captain of his guard, and commanded him to apprehend Challey, and bring him to him. Challey, as soon as he heard the stroke of the piece, fled into the King's castle called the Louvre, and hid him in the Duke of Guise's chamber, from whence he conveyed himself away as soon as he had heard of the King's commandment. When de Nance was informed of his departure, he answered that Challey was a gentleman of good worship, and there was no doubt, but, when need were, he would appear before the King and the magistrates.

While these things were doing, and the admiral's wound dressing, Theligny went by his commandment to the King, and most humbly besought him in the name of his father-in-law, that his Majesty would vouchfase to come unto him, for that his life seemed to be in peril, and that he had certain things to say, greatly importing to the King's safety, which he well knew that none in this realm durst declare to his Majesty. The King courteously answered, that he would willingly go to him, and within a little while after he set forward. The Queenmother went with him, and the Duke of Anjou, the Duke of Monpensier, a most affectionate subject to the church of Rome; the Count de Rhetz, the Queen-mother's great familiar; Chavigny and Entragny, which afterwards were chief ringleaders in the butchery of Paris.

When the King had lovingly saluted the admiral as he was wont to do, and had gently asked him some questions concerning his hurt and the state of his health, and the admiral had answered with such a mild and quiet countenance, that all they that were present wondered at his temperance and patience, the King being much moved, as it seemed, said, The hurt, my admiral, is done to thee, but the dishonour to me: but by the death of God, said he, I swear I will so severely revenge both the hurt and the dishonour, that it shall never be forgotten. He asked him also how he liked of the judges that he had chosen, to whom he had given commission for examining the matter. The admiral answered, that he could not but very well like of those that his Majesty had allowed of, yet he besought him, if he thought it good, that Cavagnes might be called to counsel with them: albeit that it was no hard matter to find out, for it was no doubt, said he, that this good turn was done him by the duke of Guise, the revenge whereof he referred to God. This only he most heartily and humbly besought of his Royal Majesty, that the fact might be duly inquired into. The King answered that he woul take earnest care of it, and revenge that injury with no less severit than if it had been done to himself. Then, the King's brethren an

their mother withdrawing themselves a while, the admiral, as it was afterwards known by his own report, began to advise the king to have in memory those things that he had often told him, of the dangerous in tentions of certain persons: And he told him, that, though he himself had received a great wound, yet there was no less hanging over the King's head: And that long ago there was treason practising against his life, which, if he would do wisely, he should avoid betimes. Fur ther he said, that tho' as soon as God should take him to himself out of this life, he doubted not but that his fame should be brought into sundry slanders by envious persons, and such as sought him ill-will by reason of the late wars, nevertheless he had oftentimes disclosed unto the King the authors of the dissensions, and opened the causes thereof; and that God was his witness of his most faithful heart to the King and the com→ mon-wealth, and that he had never holden any thing dearer than his country and the publick safety.

The King, after such answer made hereunto as he thought best, spoke aloud, and heartily intreated the admiral to suffer himself to be removed into his castle of the Louvre; for that he thought some peril, lest there should arise some sedition among the commons already in disorder, or any stir in that mad and troublesome city. Whereto this speech of the King tended could not then be understood. For, though the commonalty of Paris had ever been accounted the most foolish and mad of all others, yet is it ever most easily appeased, not only with the coming and presence of the King, but also with the very sound of his name. The admiral most humbly and largely thanked the King, and made his excuse upon the counsel of the physicans, who feared that shaking would increase his pain, and therefore had taken order that he should not be stirred out of his place. Then the Count de Rhetz, turning to certain gentlemen of the admiral's friends, said, I wish the admiral would follow the King's counsel; for it is to be feared that some such stir may arise in the town, as the King shall not easily be able to appease: Which speech being uttered, although no man did yet suspect whereto that advice tended, yet the admiral and his friends thought it good to request of the King to assign unto him certain of the soldiers of the guard for his safety. The King answered that he very well liked of that device, and that he was fully determined to provide as well for the admiral's safety as for his own; and that he would preserve the admiral as the ball of his eye; and that he had in admiration the constancy and fortitude of the man; and that he never before that time believed that there could be so great valiantness or courage in any mortal person.

Therewith, the Duke of Anjou, the King's brother, commanded Cossin captain of the King's guard, to place a certain band of soldiers to ward before the admiral's gate. There could hardly a man be found more hateful against the admiral's party, nor more affected to the Guisians, than this Cossin, which the success plainly proved, as hereafter shall appear. The Duke of Anjou further added that he thought it should be good for the admiral, if more of his friends and familiars, that lodged in the suburbs, did draw nearer about him; and forthwith he commanded the King's harbingers to warn those, to whom they had before assigned lodgings in that street, to remove from thence, and to place the

admiral's friends in their rooms: Which counsel was such, as none could possibly be devised more fit for those things that followed. For those, who might have by flight escaped out of the suburbs, were now held fast enough, being inclosed not only within the walls of the town, but also within the compass of one narrow street. The next day after the undermasters of the streets, commonly called Quartermen, surveyed all the victualling-houses and inns from house to house, and all the names of those of the religion, together with the place of every of their lodgings, they put in books, and with speed delivered over the same books to those of whom they had received that commandment.

After noon, the Queen mother led out the King, the Duke of Anjou, Gonzague, Tavaignes, and the Count de Rhetz called Gondin, into her garden called Tegliers. This place, because it was somewhat far from resort, she thought most fit for this their last consultation. There shè shewed them, how those, whom they had long been in wait for, were nów sure in hold, and the admiral lay in his bed maimed of both his arms and could not stir; the King of Navarre and Prince of Conde were fast lodged in the castle; the gates were kept shut all night, and watches placed, so as they were so snared that they could no way es cape; and, the captains thus taken, it was not to be feared that any of the religion would from thenceforth stir any more. Now was a notable opportunity, said she, offered to dispatch the matter. For all the chief captains were fast closed up in Paris, and the rest in other towns were all unarmed and unprepared, and that there were scarcely to be found ten enemies to a thousand Catholicks: That the Parisians were in armour, and were able to make threescore thousand chosen fighting men; and that, within the space of one hour, all the enemies may be slain, and the whole name and race of those wicked men be utterly rooted out, On the other side, saith she, if the King do not take the advantage of the fitness of this time, it is no doubt, but that, if the admiral recover his health, all France will shortly be on fire with the fourth civil war.

The Queen's opinion was allowed. Howbeit it was thought best, partly for his age, and partly for his affinity's sake, that the King of Navarre's life should be saved. As for the Prince of Conde, it was doubted, whether it were best to spare him for his age, or to put him to death for hatred of his father's name. But herein the opinion of Gonzague took place, that he should, with fear of death and torment, be drawn from the religion. So that council broke up, with appointment that the matter should be put in execution the next night early before day, and that the ordering and doing of all should be committed to the Duke of Guise.

The admiral, being informed of a stir and noise of armour, and threatenings heard every where throughout the town, and preparation of many things pertaining to tumult, sent word thereof to the King: Who answered, that there was no cause for the admiral to fear, for all was done by his commandment, and not every where, but in certain places; and that there were certain appointed by him to be in armour, lest the people should rise and make any stir in the town.

When the Duke of Guise thought all things ready enough, he called to him the abovesaid Marcell, and charged him that he should a little after midnight assemble together the masters of the streets, whom they