Page:A Biographical Dictionary of the Celebrated Women of Every Age and Country (1804).djvu/604

590 purpose. But, at the very time this artful princess was thus amusing the pope and king of Spain, with professions of attachment to the establishment, she carried on negociations with the protestant princes of Germany, urging them to enter into a league, which might enable them to oppose the sanguinary resolutions about to be adopted by the Council of Trent, which she represented as a conspiracy of all the catholic princes against the protestants. She well knew, she said, how odious the favour she had shewn to those who lived according to the purity of the gospel had made her appear to their barbarous persecutors; and that she must expect her refusal to join in their plots would draw their attacks upon herself.

About this time, the king of Spain wrought so on the mind of the credulous king of Navarre, as to engage him to forego the principles of the reformation; and, assisted by himself, procure the dismission of the Chatelans, whose places were to be filled by himself and good catholics. The queen-mother was very much displeased; but, being obliged to yield, gave leave of absence to Coligni, and his brother the chancellor, and the king soon invited the Guises to return to court. Condé was at Paris, which was filled with armed men of both parties. Catherine and the king had left that city, intending to put themselves under the protection of the Huguenots, who were to conduct them to Orleans. A considerable body of troops, attended by the king of Navarre, secured the king and his indignant mother, under pretence of rescuing them from the enterprises of the Huguenots; and they were reconducted to the capital. The reformed religion was forbidden there, and all the Huguenots fled to Orleans, where an association was formed, of which the prince of Condé was declared protector; they de- clared