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

scattering around her prodigally, yet judiciously,
smiles, promises, and frowns; and who knew so
well as she when to be gracious, and when to affect
a stern displeasure? In those places where the
Protestants had avenged upon the stone images the
outrages which the Roman Catholics had
committed upon living men, Catherine took care to
intimate emphatically her disapproval. Her piety
was hurt at the sight of the demolition of objects
elevated to sacred uses.
She took special care that her son's attention
should be drawn to those affecting mementoes of
Huguenot iconoclast zeal. In some parts
monasteries demolished, crosses overturned,
images mutilated, offered a spectacle exceedingly
depressing to pious souls, and over which the
devout and tender-hearted daughter of the Medici
could scarcely refrain from shedding tears. How
detestable the nature of that religion--so was the
king taught to view the matter--which could
prompt to acts so atrocious and impious! He felt
that his kingdom had been polluted, and he
trembled-- not with a well-reigned terror like his
245