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18 Defeat of Genlis.—Marriage of Navarre. [1575
to make the final arrangements for her son's marriage, died of pleurisj
after a short illness. A legend that she had been poisoned lonj
formed one of the stock charges against the Queen-Mother. There is as
little evidence for it as for most of the similar accusations brought in
those days. Pius V had died about a month before. His successor
Gregory XIII, though less rigidly severe, was not more favourable to the
match.
During this same month Montmorency went to England to earn
out the final formalities in regard to the treaty, the former envoy, Foix
accompanying him. He was received with extreme friendliness, and
took the opportunity of urging Alenc;on's suit with the Queen. The Ear
of Lincoln went from England on a similar errand; and with him Philip
Sidney. Coligny succeeded in raising a force for the relief of Mons
Alva was however kept duly informed of his movements, whether by tb
members of the King's Council who disapproved of the enterprise, or
according to one report, by Anthony Standen, an English refugee, said
to be the paramour of Barbara Blomberg, mother of Don John o
Austria. In any case, Genlis was on July 17 surprised at Quievrain, two
leagues from Mons, by Alva's son, Don Frederick of Toledo, his fore
was cut to pieces, and himself wounded and captured. A hundred o
his men succeeded in reaching Mons, which was closely invested. Th
reverse was a serious blow to Catharine's plan of operations, for sh
was not herself prepared for open war with Spain. It was said tha
compromising documents had been found on Genlis, proving the King 1
complicity in the raid. Catharine was however a woman of resource
The enterprise had been undertaken largely with a view, if one may si
say, to keeping the Admiral quiet. This method had failed; it was tim
to try another. She was certain of an ally; for in spite of a forma
reconciliation which had recently at the King's instance taken plac
between Coligny and the young Duke of Guise, the Duke and hi
mother at any rate had no idea of forgoing the vengeance to whicl
they conceived themselves entitled. There is little reason to suppos
that Catharine bore the Admiral any special resentment, or was jealou
of his influence over her son; nor would she have let her persona
likes and dislikes, if she had such, interfere with the aim of her policy
directed wholly, so far as one can perceive, to keeping France tranquil
and the House of Valois secure on its throne. At this moment there wa
every prospect that the dynasty would be continued to another generation
The marriage of Henry, now by his mother's death, King of Navarre
to Margaret took place on August 18. The next few days wer
devoted to festivities. On Friday the 22nd, in the forenoon, th
Admiral was, with a few friends, leaving the Louvre after an audience
As he walked along he read a letter. Before he reached his lodging
a shot was fired from a window of a house recognised as that of i
retainer of the Guises. The ball carried away a finger of one han