Charles IX own Right was unquestionable, fince fhe was 1560. Mother to the King present and to his Brothers, Pope Pius IV. as Blanche of Caftile was Mother of St. Lewis, and fhe had no lefs Capacity to govern the Kingdom than that Princefs; that the many Faults he had committed, the many Defigns he had formed against the State rendred him incapable of governing it, and he ought to think of nothing elfe than to expiate his paft Errors by his prefent Submiffion to her, and to impart to her his good. and wholefome Advices, by which fhe might be enabled to restore Peace and Tranquillity in the Kingdom.

This

V.

Prince's

The 2d Thing fhe required of him was a fincere reconciliation with Meff. de Guifes, that he fhould renounce for ever all thofe Jealoufies he had entertained against them. That upon those Conditions fhe would give him in the Council the Place and Rank due to his Birth; and to convince him that he earnestly defired to gratify him, fhe would have him declared LieutenantGeneral of the Kingdom.

At that time, the fear of being facrificed with his Brother was the prevalent Paffion of the King of Navarr: of the temper he was of, the Government of the Kingdom would have been a load to him, and an occafion of Cares and Troubles from which he was naturally averfe; therefore he wavered not upon the first Propofition; he gave readily to the Queen his Renunciation to the Regency in writing.

The 2d Point ftuck more to his Heart, but at last he was prevailed upon by the Queen, and Reconcilia- like a good Man he confented to reconcile himtion with felf fincerely with thofe who had attempted four the Guifes or five times to murder him, or at leaft had con

trived his Death four or five times; and having mifcarried in the Attempt, had pepared for him

the

the Tower of Loches to be his perpetual Refidence for the remainder of his days, as foon as the Prince of Condé his Brother had fuffered the fhameful death he had been condemned to, by. their powerful influence over his Judges. As foon as he had confented to this reconciliation, Meffieurs De Guife were fent for immediately by the Queen, and the Ceremony was performed with all thofe demonftrations of Joy and Cordiality, which the Courtiers are used to put on to cover the refentments of the most implacable

hatred.

Charles IX 1560.

Pope Pius IV.

VI.

remove the

The Liberty of the Prince of Condé was the only thing wanting to the full fatisfaction of the The Queen's King of Navarr. But the Queen, whofe Intereft Artifices to it was to humble the Guifes, thought likewife Prince of that by the fame reafon fhe ought not to deftroy Condé from them. Therefore as fhe knew that the Temper Orleans. of the Prince of Condé was quite oppofite in many refpects to the King's his Brother, being quick and capable of a generous refentment for fuch Affronts as thofe which had been put upon him, and who would break all the meafures fhe had taken for obtaining the Regency; fhe diffembled fo well her real Sentiments, that while feemingly fhe fet the Prince at liberty, fhe kept him really a Prifoner, and out of Condition of obftructing her defigns. For that end fhe let him know that he had nothing to fear; that he might come out of his Confinement whenever he pleased, but that she thought it much more convenient for his Honour to remain under Cuftody, till he had been fully cleared of the Crimes laid to his charge, not only by a Decree of the Privy-Council, but likewife by one of the High Court of Parliament; becaufe, if he did otherwife, the Publick would think, that the Circumstances of the times, or Fayour rather than

Charles IX his Innocency had occafioned his Deliverance 1560. therefore her Opinion was, that he ought not to Pope Pius IV. come to Court, nor to the States-General, before he had been legally acquitted.

VII.

The State Prifoners fet at li

berty.

VIII.

The ConBable reinflated into his Of

fice.

The King of Navarr, the Prince of Condé, and their Friends real or pretended, not perceiving the Bait, fell into the Snare, and the Prince refused to be releafed out of his Confinement, before knowing who had been the Author of his Commitment; every one deny'd the Fact, and charged the deceased King with it: The Prince went to Han near Noyon, and from thence to La Fere, keeping always his Guards like a Prifo. ner, and remained in that Condition till the 12th of March 1561, when he, the Countess Dowager of Roye, the Vidame of Chartres, the Bailiff of Orleans, and other State-Prifoners were likewife releafed out of their feveral Confinements; but the Vidame of Chartres enjoyed not long his Liberty, he died a few days after.

The Conftable Montmorency came to Orleans immediately after the King's death; and the Queen-Mother, judging him neceffary to her defigns, had reinftated him in the full Exercife of his Office and Dignity, which he executed at his first Arrival in that City, (that was more like a Camp than a trading Place) obliging the Soldiery with great Threatnings, to diflodge from their Stations. The Queen received him with great tokens of refpect, and of truft.

By the prudent and cunning management of that Princess, in regard to the Prince of Condé, The freed herself of the greateft obftacle, to the fatisfaction of her defires.

ix. Therefore every thing being fettfed as aboveThe Gene- faid, and the Tumults increafing every where, ral States the States-General were opened the 13th of Deopened. cember. The King, the Queen-Mother, the

Duke

Duke of Orleans, Margaret his Sifter, the King CharlesİX of Navarr, the Duchefs of Ferrare, the Cardinals 1560. Pope of Bourbon, Tournon, Lorrain, Chatillon and Pius IV. Guife, the Prince of La Roche-fur-Yon, the Duke of Guife, the Conftable Montmorency, the Chancellor De L'Hofpital, the Marfhals of St. Andrew and Brifac, the Admiral, and feveral other Knights and Members of the Privy-Council were prefent. The Chancellor opened this firft Seffion by the following Speech.

My LORDS and GENTLEMEN,

G

X.

The Chancellor's

NOD who prompted his late Majefty King Francis, to call together the States of the Kingdom in this Town of Orleans, has continued Speech. the fame defire in Charles his Brother, our Sovereign, and in the Queen-Mother; and though it feemed by the late King's death, that the Affembly of the States would have broken up, and that a new King would have caufed a great change, as it is often to be feen, and especially when Kings are minors; for then wicked Men take hold of that opportunity of doing mischief: This Change, however, has not only given no room to any new Troubles and Seditions, but has on the contrary quite fuppreffed thofe that were then fubfifting.

And as we fee in cloudy and foggy Weather, that the Sun no fooner appears but he breaks. through the Cloud, and makes the day clear and ferene; the Eyes of our young Monarch have in the fame manner pierced to the bottom of the hearts of the Princes of the Blood and other Lords, destroyed all their Sufpicions, Paffions, and Affections, have pacified and re-united them fo happily, that there is not to be feen in any private Family, Brethren obferving fuch Union and Concord among themselves, and fo obedient

to

Pius IV.

Charles IX to their Father, as are the faid Princes and 1560. Lords to the King their Sovereign. For they Pope make it the chief end of all their Endeavours to ferve and obey his Majefty, and the Queen his Mother. The King of Navarr's Virtue has been remarkable in giving, as firft Prince of the Blood, an Example of Obedience.

Several great Men were praised of old among the Greeks and Romans, for poftponing, after having been chofen Magiftrates and Governors in the Commonwealth, their Hatred and Enmity, till the year of their Magiftracy was over, left their Diffenfions fhould prejudice the State. But these illuftrious Perfons have conquered their Sufpicions and Paffions, not for a certain time, but for ever.

As Antigonus a great King, and one of Alexander's Succeffors, was conferring with the Embaffadors of a neighbouring King, of his Land and Sea-Forces, of his great Revenues and Treafures, and of the large Tract of Land he reigned over, as alfo of his great Alliances, his Son came in, kiffed his cheek, and fat down by him; then Antigonus faid to the Embaffadors, Gentlemen, befides the Forces I have mentioned, you may tell your King, that you have feen King Antigonus well-beloved and obeyed by his Son: hinting by that, that his greatest Strength confifted in that Union. But how much more car our King glorify himfelf in feeing his Mother, Brothers, fo many Princes of the Blood, Dukes, Counts, Barons, and other Lords, in fuch harmony among themfelves, and in regard to him? we ought certainly to return the Lord our Thanks for fo great a Bleffing. For was it not for his merciful kindnefs, how would fo many Millions of Men fubmit to one, the Mighty to the Weak, the Elderly to a Child, the Wife and Experienced