Page:Memoirs of a Huguenot Family.djvu/461



Henry, by the Grace of God, King of France and Navarre.

To all that are and shall be, greeting:

The most signal and remarkable mercy, among the infinite ones which it has pleased God to vouchsafe to us, is the having given us virtue and firmness sufficient to prevent our granting any thing under the influence of the dreadful trouble, discord and confusion which prevailed at the period of our accession to the throne. The kingdom was divided into many parts and factions, so many that the orderly portion was, perhaps, one of the smallest. We have been supported so as to withstand this great storm, we have overcome it, and now at last have reached the haven of safety and repose. Wherefore, to God's holy name be all the glory, and to us thankfulness of heart, in that he has been pleased to make use of our efforts, as his instrument for accomplishing the good work. It is plainly to be seen, that in view of so desirable an end, we have gone beyond what duty required of us, and have exposed ourselves with a freedom that at another time would scarcely have been consistent with the dignity of our position.

In the conflicting claims for pre-eminence amongst the various important and perilous affairs which pressed upon us, and which could not all receive attention at once, we resolved upon the following course. In the first place to deal with such as required to be