CHAPTER XVIII.

1572.

THE MASSACRE OF ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S DAY 426 The Huguenot Nobles reach Paris 426 The Betrothal of Henry of Navarre to Margaret of Valois 427 Entertainment in the Louvre 429 Coligny's Letter to his Wife 430 Festivities and Mock Combats 431 Huguenot Grievances to be redressed 432 Catharine and Anjou jealous of Coligny's Influence over the King 433 The Duchess of Nemours and Guise 434 Was the Massacre long premeditated? 435 Salviati's Testimony 435 Charles' Cordiality to Coligny 436 Coligny wounded 437 Agitation of the King 439 Coligny courageous 440 Visited by the King and his Mother 441 Catharine attempts to break up the Conference 443 Charles writes Letters expressing his Displeasure 444 The Vidame de Chartres advises the Huguenots to leave Paris 445 Catharine and Anjou come to a Final Decision 446 They ply Charles with Arguments 447 The King consents reluctantly 449 Few Victims first selected 450 Religious Hatred 452 Precautionary Measures 452 Orders issued to the Prevot des Marchands 454 The First Shot and the Bell of St. Germain l'Auxerrois 455 Murder of Admiral Coligny 456 His Character and Work 460 Murder of Huguenot Nobles in the Louvre 465 Navarre and Conde spared 468 The Massacre becomes general 470 La Rochefoucauld and Teligny fall 470 Self-defence of a few Nobles 471 Victims of Personal Hatred 472 Adventures of young La Force 472 Pitiless Butchery 474 Shamelessness of the Court Ladies 476 Anjou, Montpensier, and others encourage the Assassins 476 Wonderful Escapes 477 Death of the Philosopher Ramus 478 President Pierre de la Place 479 Regnier and Vezins 480 Escape of Chartres and Montgomery 481 Charles himself fires on them 482 The Massacre continues 484 Pillage of the Rich 485 Orders issued to lay down Arms 487 Little heeded 487 Miracle of the "Cimetiere des Innocents" 488 The King's First Letter to Mandelot 490 Guise throws the Responsibility on the King 491 Charles accepts it on Tuesday morning 492 The "Lit de Justice" 492 Servile Reply of Parliament 493 Christopher De Thou 493 Ineffectual Effort to inculpate Coligny 495 His Memory declared Infamous 496 Petty Indignities 496 A Jubilee Procession 498 Charles declares he will maintain his Edict of Pacification 498 Forced Conversion of Navarre and Conde 499