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

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defeat, desertion, outlawry, and the bitter taunts<br />

and curses <strong>of</strong> his enemies, his magnanimity<br />

rema<strong>in</strong>ed unsubdued, and his confidence <strong>in</strong> God<br />

unshaken. A glorious triumph yet awaited the<br />

cause that was now so low. Perish it could not, and<br />

with it he knew would revive his now soretarnished<br />

name and fame.<br />

He s<strong>to</strong>od upon a rock, and the serenity <strong>of</strong> soul<br />

which he enjoyed, while these tempests were<br />

rag<strong>in</strong>g at his feet, is f<strong>in</strong>ely shown <strong>in</strong> the letters<br />

which at that time he addressed <strong>to</strong> his children for<br />

his wife, the heroic Charlotte Laval, was dead two<br />

years, and saw not the evil that came upon her<br />

house. "We must follow Jesus Christ," wrote<br />

Coligny (Oc<strong>to</strong>ber 16th, 1569), "our Capta<strong>in</strong>, who<br />

has marched before us. Men have stripped us <strong>of</strong> all<br />

they could; and if this is still the will <strong>of</strong> God, we<br />

shall be happy, and our condition good, see<strong>in</strong>g this<br />

loss has not happened through any <strong>in</strong>jury we have<br />

done <strong>to</strong> those who have <strong>in</strong>flicted it, but solely<br />

through the hatred they bear <strong>to</strong>ward me, because it<br />

has pleased God <strong>to</strong> make use <strong>of</strong> me <strong>to</strong> aid his<br />

Church. For the present, it suffices that I admonish<br />

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