Protestantism in France From Death of Francis I to Edict of Nantes - James Aitken Wylie

the terrible seenes which were being enacted in
front of the palace. The blood of those that fell by
the axe overflowed the scaffolds, filled the kennels,
and poured in rushing torrents to the Loire.[19]
That generous blood, now shed like water, would
in after-years have enriched France with chivalry
and virtue. Not fewer than 1,200 persons perished
at this time. Four dismal weeks these tragedies
were continued. At last the executioners grew
weary, and bethought them of a more summary
way of dispatching their victims. They tied their
hands and feet, and flung them into the Loire. The
stream went on its way with its ghastly freight, and
as it rolled past corn-field and vineyard, village and
city, it carried to Tours and Nantes, and other
towns, the first horrifying news of the awful
tragedies proceeding at Amboise. Castelnau and his
companions, despite the promise on which they
had surrendered, shared the fate of the other
prisoners. One of the gentlemen of his company,
before bowing his head to the axe, dipped his
hands in the blood of his already butchered
comrades, and holding them up to heaven,
exclaimed, "Lord, behold the blood of thy children
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