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