Page:History of Freedom.djvu/181

 MASSACRE OF ST. BARTHOLOMEW 137

the Protestant world. 1 He requested that the Legate Inight be recalled; and the Pope was willing that there should be some delay. While Orsini tarried on his way, Gregory's reply to the announcement of the massacre arrived at Paris. I t was a great consolation to himself, he said, and an extraordinary grace vouchsafed to Christendom. But he desired, for the glory of God and the good of France, that the Huguenots should be extirpated utterly; and \vith that view he demanded the revocation of the edict. When Catherine knew that the Pope was not yet satisfied, and sought to direct the actions of the King, she could hardly restrain her rage. Salviati had never seen her so furious. The words had hardly passed his lips when she exclaimed that she wondered at such designs, and was resolved to tolerate no interference in the government of the kingdom. She and her son were Catholics from conviction, and not through fear or influence. Let the Pope content himself with that. 2 The Nuncio had at once foreseen that the court, after crushing the Huguenots, would not become more amenable to the counsels of Rome. He wrote, on the very day of St. Bartholomew, that the King would be very jealous of his authority, and would exact obedience from both sides alike. At this untoward juncture Orsini appeared at Court. To Charles, who had done so much, it seemed unreason- able that he should be asked for more. He represented to Orsini that it was impossible to eradicate all the remnants of a faction which had been so strong. He had put seventy thousand Huguenots to the sword; and, if he had shown compassion to the rest, it was in order that they might become good Catholics. 3

1 Mette in consideratione alIa Santità Sua che havendo deputato un Legato apostolico sÌ11a morte dell' ammiraglio, et altri capi U gonotti, ha fatti ammazzare a Parigi, saria per metterla in molto sospetto et diffidenza delli Principi Protes- tanti, et dell a Regina d' Inghilterra, ch' ella fosse d' accordo_con la sede Apostolica, et Principi Cattolici per farli guerra, i quali cerca d' acquettar con accertarli tutti, che non ha fatto ammazzar l' ammiraglio et suoi seguaci per conto della Religione (Cusano to the Emperor, Sept. 27)' 2 Salviati, Desp. Sept. 22, 157 2.
 * J Charles IX, to S. Goard, Oct. 5, 1572; Charrière, iii. 330. Ne poteva

esser bastante segno l' haver egli doppo la morte dell' Ammiraglio fatto un editla,