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

Huguenotism was at his feet: his arm was raised to
crush it, when, in the words of Pasquier, his "horn
was lowered."
The death of the Duke of Guise threw the
government into the hands of Catherine de Medici.
It was now that this woman, whom death seemed
ever to serve, reached the summit of her wishes.
Her son, Charles IX, reigned, but the mother
governed. In presence of the duke's bier, Catherine
was not indisposed to peace with the Protestants,
but it was of her nature to work crookedly in all
that she undertook. She had the Prince of Conde in
the Louvre with her, and she set herself to weave
her toils around him. Taken prisoner on the battlefield,
as we have already said, "he was breathing,"
says Hezeray, "the soft air of the court," and the
Queen-mother made haste to conclude the
negotiations for peace before Coligny should
arrive, who might not be so pliant as Conde. The
prince had a conference with several of the
Protestant ministers, who were unanimously of
opinion that no peace could be satisfactory or
honorable unless it restored, without restriction or
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