The Huguenot Bartholomew Dupuy and his descendants

HUGUENOT STRUGGLES. 65
IV.
The Struggles of the Huguenots from the Edict of
Nantes to its Revocation, (1598-1685).
In the Edict of Nantes, Henry IV. made a introd.
distinction between the Huguenots as an
ecclesiastical body and a political bod,y. Their From
national political assemblies, which they liad^^^^^*°^
been accustomed to hold for the purpose of to its
defending their civil rights, he positively ^evocaforbade
in the Edict. To allay, however,
the discontent which arose among them on
account of that prohibition he promised
them verbally that such assemblies might
continue a series of years, as the means of
communication between the King and his
Huguenot subjects. This political privilege
they enjoyed till after his death, when it was
abolished. It became customary now to ask
the King's permission for the meetings of the
National Synod according to its adjournment,
and also for those of the Political Assembly.
With this exception their privileges remained
unchanged.
The civil wars were all over, but content had
not fully returned to the people. As soon as
the crown was settled on the head of Henry
rV., there arose to him a most exciting and
anno^dng strife for the acquisition of hereditary
estates, offices, and honors, from the
Leaguers, his opponents to the throne, the
Politiques, and Huguenots, which last two
parties felt they had binding claims on him.
These parties vied with each other, and sought
to injure the other's claims by all kinds of
means; and the Politiques and Huguenots,
who might well feel they had secured the