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10 Peace of Longjumeau. [l568
The Huguenot army now abandoned its hold on the rivers and
moved eastward to meet a force of German mercenaries under the
Count Palatine John Casimir. An attempt to bring them to battle
near Chalons failed, owing, as some thought, to the reluctance of the
politique Marshal Cosse to push them too hard. The junction with
John Casimir was effected on January 11 near Pont-a-Mousson.
Encouraged by this reinforcement, the Huguenot leaders rejected a
proposal for peace on the lines of the Orleans pacification, influenced
mainly by their followers 1 distrust of the Guises. Their forces entered
Burgundy, and the royal army marched to Troyes; both making for
Paris, but the Huguenots keeping in view the necessity of relieving
Orleans. Meanwhile, Rochelle had opened its gates to the Huguenots,
giving them a port, the possibility of a fleet, and a door of communication
with their friends in England. The possession of this town, which became
the citadel of the Religion, was most important.
In the course of February Conde succeeded m raising the siege of
Orleans, and the Huguenot army, resolved to force the fighting which
the other side seemed inclined to protract, proceeded to invest Chartres.
The King had already sent to the Ernestine Duke John William of
Saxony for rciters; and the Duke, who, as a rigid Lutheran, was quite
ready to fight his Calvinistic brother-in-law, John Casimir, himself led
5000 horse as far as Rethel in Champagne. Before he arrived there,
however, negotiations had begun; and, much to his annoyance, he was
told that his services were not required. In fact, the presence of so many
foreigners on French soil had alarmed both sides; the war was assuming
a savage character, particularly in the south; the Huguenots were
willing to accept the very favourable terms offered them, containing
nearly all they asked; and peace was concluded at Longjumeau on
March 23. The Duke of Saxony agreed to withdraw; but John
Casimir at first declined; nor was it till the King undertook to guarantee
the pay due to him and his men, that he consented to go.
The Peace of Longjumeau was in the main a confirmation of the
edict of March, 1562. No one was really satisfied with it; Alva was
both surprised and displeased; and it was generally felt to be no more
than a truce. Fresh causes of quarrel arose at once. The King tried to
extract from the Huguenot leaders the repayment of the money advanced
by him to Casimir, forbidding them at the same time to levy it from
their party; no one but himself, he said, should tax his people. Rochelle
refused to admit a royal garrison, but fortified itself, and began to raise
a fleet. The summer was passed in mutual recriminations; and finally,
towards the end of August, a plan was formed of seizing Conde, and if
possible, the Admiral also, at Noyers in Burgundy. They got wind of
the scheme, it was said, through a hint dropped by Marshal Tavannes,
and fled, with only a small escort, through the hill and forest country
between the Loire and the Saone. Crossing the former at Roanne, they