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

their alliance to the Huguenots. They meant to
make a beginning by expelling the swarm of
foreigners which Catherine had gathered round her.
Italians and Spaniards filled the offices at court,
and in return for their rich pensions rendered no
service but flattery, and taught no arts but those of
magic and assassination. The leaders of the Tiers
Parti hoped by the assistance of the Huguenots to
expel these creatures from the government which
they had monopolized, and to restore a national
regime, liberal and tolerant, and such as might heal
the deep wounds of their country, and recover for
France the place she had lost in Europe. The
existence of this party was known to Catberine, and
she had divined, too, the cleansing they meant to
make in the Augean stable of the Louvre. Such a
reformation not being at all to her taste, she began
again to draw toward the Huguenots. Thus
wonderfully were they shielded.
There followed a few years of dubious policy
on the part of Catherine, of fruitless schemes on the
part of the Politiques, and of uncertain prospects to
all parties. While matters were hanging thus in the
374