Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 10.djvu/191

 1572.] THE MASSACRE OF ST BARTHOLOMEW. i?l believing in the resources of the English Catholics, he detested the atrocities committed by his mother and brother, that he wished to escape to England, and afterwards, with the Queen's assist- ance, to place himself at the head of the Huguenots ; when, by doing service to the good cause, he hoped to win his way to her hand. The following letter, which was ipparently one of a series, Avill ex- plain the principal points of the transaction. The original is among Burghley's papers at Hatfield. How it fell into English hands is unex- plained. Don Lucidor is the Due d'Alen^on, Madame de Lisle is Elizabeth : ' London, December, 1572. ' A Don Lucidor. last of my letters. You will see by it that after having carefully looked into the state of things here, I con- clude, as the sum and result of all that I have seen and heard since my arrival, that your best course will be to follow your first impulse and come over. I am confident that when you are once here, your affairs will go as you desire. You must understand in the first place that Madame de Lisle' s coldness arose from the distrust which'she had been taught to feel of myself. She could not wisely have promised anything in a matter of such consequence on the credit of a letter merely signed by your hand. Secondly, having seen their neighbour's house so lately on fire, they fear that the massacre may be a menace to all Europe, that there will be confusion and wars everywhere, and that those who wear the same livery as the late yictims should be on their guard against a similar fate. They are wise enough to see the advantage of your proposal. While you aue in this country you will be a centre round which all the French will be constrained to rally who would de- fend themselves against the enemies of the Gospel. Consider, then, whether they have not good cause to wish Don Lucidor here. They would give their lives and fortunes to keep you. from Madame de Lisle's words, there- is no prince in the world whom, i* she marry, she would prefer to your- self; and that she does intend tc marry I have already assured you. "When she spoke to me about you she said, with a vehemence of affec- tion, that there was nothing in her power which she would not do to help you. She would risk every- thing sooner than allow harm to be* fall one who might one day stand in so close a relation towards her. She would not use the precise words which you desire, but her eyes seemed to say to me, v Bid your friend come and despair of nothing. He, if any one, shall be my husband.' Do then as you proposed, and come. She desires to marry you, but no* thing will be done through Madame la Serpeute (the Queen-mother), you
 * M. Lucidor, This will be the
 * Moreover, so far as I can leart