CHAPTER XVIII.

1572.

THE MASSACRE OF ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S DAY 426

The Huguenot Nobles reach Paris 426

The Betrothal of Henry of Navarre to Margaret of Valois 427

Entertainment in the Louvre 429

Coligny's Letter to his Wife 430

Festivities and Mock Combats 431

Huguenot Grievances to be redressed 432

Catharine and Anjou jealous of Coligny's Influence over the King 433

The Duchess of Nemours and Guise 434

Was the Massacre long premeditated? 435

Salviati's Testimony 435

Charles' Cordiality to Coligny 436

Coligny wounded 437

Agitation of the King 439

Coligny courageous 440

Visited by the King and his Mother 441

Catharine attempts to break up the Conference 443

Charles writes Letters expressing his Displeasure 444

The Vidame de Chartres advises the Huguenots to leave Paris 445

Catharine and Anjou come to a Final Decision 446

They ply Charles with Arguments 447

The King consents reluctantly 449

Few Victims first selected 450

Religious Hatred 452

Precautionary Measures 452

Orders issued to the Prevot des Marchands 454

The First Shot and the Bell of St. Germain l'Auxerrois 455

Murder of Admiral Coligny 456

His Character and Work 460

Murder of Huguenot Nobles in the Louvre 465

Navarre and Conde spared 468

The Massacre becomes general 470

La Rochefoucauld and Teligny fall 470

Self-defence of a few Nobles 471

Victims of Personal Hatred 472

Adventures of young La Force 472

Pitiless Butchery 474

Shamelessness of the Court Ladies 476

Anjou, Montpensier, and others encourage the Assassins 476

Wonderful Escapes 477

Death of the Philosopher Ramus 478

President Pierre de la Place 479

Regnier and Vezins 480

Escape of Chartres and Montgomery 481

Charles himself fires on them 482

The Massacre continues 484

Pillage of the Rich 485

Orders issued to lay down Arms 487

Little heeded 487

Miracle of the "Cimetiere des Innocents" 488

The King's First Letter to Mandelot 490

Guise throws the Responsibility on the King 491

Charles accepts it on Tuesday morning 492

The "Lit de Justice" 492

Servile Reply of Parliament 493

Christopher De Thou 493

Ineffectual Effort to inculpate Coligny 495

His Memory declared Infamous 496

Petty Indignities 496

A Jubilee Procession 498

Charles declares he will maintain his Edict of Pacification 498

Forced Conversion of Navarre and Conde 499

History of the Rise of the Huguenots, Vol. 2 · 第 7 / 23 章