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ESSAYS ON LIBERTY

received assurances from the ambassador which satisfied. him. It was said at the time that he at first believed that Coligny was to be murdered, but that he soon found that there \vas no such praise\vorthy design. 1 In December the King knew that, when the moment came, the burghers of Paris would not fail him. Marcel, the Prévðt des Marchands, told him that the wealth was driven out of the country by the Huguenots: "The Catholics will bear it no longer. . . . Let your Majesty look to it. Your crown is at stake, Paris alone can save it." 2 By the month of February I 572 the plan had assumed a practical shape. The political idea before the mind of Charles was the sanIe by which Richelieu after\vards nlade France the first Power in the world; to repress the Protestants at home, and to encourage them abroad. No means of effectual repression was left but murder. But the idea of raising up enemies to Spain by means of Protestantism was thoroughly understood. The Huguenots were allowed to make an expedition to aid William of Orange. Had they gained some substantial success, the Government would have followed it up, and the s!:heme of Coligny would have becorne for the moment the policy of France. But the Huguenot commander Genlis was defeated and taken. Coligny had had his chance. He had played and lost. It \vas useless now to propose his great venture against the King of Spain. 8 Philip decisive.

II. perfectly understood that this event was When the news came from Hainaut, he sent to

1 Il Papa credeva che la pace fatta, e 1 'aver consentito i1 Rè che I' Ammiraglio venisse in corte, fusse con disegno di ammazzarlo; ma accortosi come passa il fatto, non ha creduto che nel Rè Nostro sia quella brava resoluzione (Letter of Nov. 28, 1571: Desjardins, iii. 732), Pour Ie regard de M, l'Admiral, je n'ay failly de luy faire entendre ce que je devois, suyvant ce qu'il a pleu à V. M, me commander, dont i1 est demeuré fort satisfaict (Ferralz to Charles IX" Dec, 25, 1571; Bib, Imp, F. Fr. 16,039: \Valsingham to Herbert, Oct. 10, 1571 : to Smith, N ov, 26, 1572 ; Digges, p. 290), 2 Þ.iarcel to Charles IX., December 20, 1571: Cabinet Historique, ii. 253, S Le Roy estoit d'intelligence, ayant permis à ceux de la Religion de l'assister, et, cas advenant que leurs entreprises succédassent, qu'il les favoriserait ouverte- ment ., . GenEs, mellant un secours dans Mons, fut défait par Ie due d'Alve, qui avoit comme investi la ville. La journée de Saint-Barthélemi se résolut (Bouillon, lIfém(}ires, p. 9).