The Huguenot Bartholomew Dupuy and his descendants

66 EISE AND PROGRESS OF HUGUENOTS.
introd . throne to him, often thought Henry ungrate-
1610. ful to his old friends and loyal supporters.
. with
The strife portended violence and civil war in
the Provinces, and the King of Spain, ever
intent on the destruction of the French
Reformed, sought in every way to excite discontent
between the Huguenots and the
government: at one time poisoning the ear of
the King and Court with false designs of the
Huguenots against the throne; at other times
alarming the Huguenots with false designs of
the Court to destroy them, and urging them
to revolt. Every means was used to cause a
clash between them and the government. But
through it all, the Huguenots bore themselves
patience, and won from the king the fol-
of admiration: "I
lowing strong expression
shall never forget that God made use of that
body to free me from the opposition of Spain,
to assist me in supporting my just rights, and
to save even my life from the fury of the
Leaguers. ^^ The King made himself especially
obnoxious to the Jesuits, and after frequent
attempts on his life, he was eventually assassinated
by one of them. The assassination
occurred during the ceremonies of the coronation
of his second wife, Mary de Medici, as
Queen Regent of the Kingdom, while he was
absent engaged in war. The ceremonies were
set for the eve of his departure; and while
in the midst of the rejoicings which followed
the coronation, as the King was riding in his
carriage through a narrow street. May 14,
1610, he was stabbed to the heart by Ravaillac.
aS?J-^^?^^ the carriage was delayed by a crowd of
ated. vehicles, the assassin sprung upon one of the
hinder wheels and plunged a knife into his
breast three times. The King fell into the