Protestantism in France From Death of Henry IV to the Revolution - James Aitken Wylie
- No tags were found...
Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
aga<strong>in</strong>st <strong>the</strong>m at <strong>the</strong> head <strong>of</strong> his army, his Jesuit<br />
confessor, Arnoux, hav<strong>in</strong>g removed all moral<br />
impediments from his path. "The k<strong>in</strong>g's promises,"<br />
said his confessor, "are ei<strong>the</strong>r matters <strong>of</strong> conscience<br />
or matters <strong>of</strong> State. Those made <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> Huguenots<br />
are not promises <strong>of</strong> conscience, for <strong>the</strong>y are<br />
contrary <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> precepts <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Church; and if <strong>the</strong>y<br />
are promises <strong>of</strong> State <strong>the</strong>y ought <strong>to</strong> be referred <strong>to</strong><br />
<strong>the</strong> Privy Council, which is <strong>of</strong> op<strong>in</strong>ion <strong>the</strong>y ought<br />
not <strong>to</strong> be kept."[4] The Pope and card<strong>in</strong>als united <strong>to</strong><br />
smooth <strong>the</strong> k<strong>in</strong>g's way f<strong>in</strong>ancially, by contribut<strong>in</strong>g<br />
between <strong>the</strong>m 400,000 crowns, while <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r<br />
clergy <strong>of</strong>fered not less than a million <strong>of</strong> crowns <strong>to</strong><br />
defray <strong>the</strong> war expenses.<br />
The royal army crossed <strong>the</strong> Loire and opened<br />
<strong>the</strong> campaign, which <strong>the</strong>y prosecuted with various<br />
but, on <strong>the</strong> whole, successful fortune. Some places<br />
surrendered, o<strong>the</strong>rs were taken by siege, and <strong>the</strong><br />
<strong>in</strong>habitants, men and women, were <strong>of</strong>ten put <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
sword. The Castle <strong>of</strong> Saumur, <strong>of</strong> which Duplessis-<br />
Mornay was governor, and which he held as one <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>the</strong> cautionary fortresses granted by <strong>the</strong> edicts, was<br />
taken by perfidy. The k<strong>in</strong>g pledged his word that, if<br />
15