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

Chapter 2
Henry II and his Persecutions
HENRY II walked in the ways of his father,
Francis, who first made France to sin by beginning
a policy of persecution. To the force of paternal
example was added, in the case of Henry, the
influence of the maxims continually poured into his
ear by Montmorency, Guise, and Diana of
Poictiers. These counselors inspired him with a
terror of Protestantism as pre-eminently the enemy
of monarchs and the source of all disorders in
States; and they assured him that should the
Huguenots prevail they would trample his throne
into the dust, and lay France at the feet of atheists
and revolutionista The first and most sacred of
duties, they said, was to uphold the old religion. To
cut off its enemies was the most acceptable
atonement a prince could make to Heaven. With
such schooling, is it any wonder that the deplorable
work of burning heretics, begun by Francis, went
on under Henry; and that the more the king
multiplied his profilgacies, the greater his zeal in
22