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Memoirs of the persecutions of Protestants in France
Memoirs of the persecutions of Protestants in France Author:John Martin Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: HENRY III. 1574—1589.. F the report of the death of Charles the ninth, did not reach Poland sooner than was expected, the return of his brother Henry, to t... more »ake possession of the tottering throne of France, was quicker than had been foreseen. He ascended the throne of this divided kingdom, at the age of twenty-three, And was crowned at Rheims, in 1575 On his first appearance in France, the queen, With the nobility, waited upon him, at Lyons, and were greatly disappointed. While only duke of Anjou, Henry had attracted their attention; but he now appeared weak, both in body and mind, and every way unpromising as a king. Immediately he abandoned himself to voluptuousness, giving very little attention to business. He no longer permitted the greatest lords to address him with the liberty and familiarity of former times; admitting only to such freedom, a few young men, who had neither experience nor merit. One historian says, He was so proud, that he set rails round his table, end affected the pomp of an eastern king: and so mean, that he often walked in procession with a beggarly brotherhood, with a string of beads in his i, and a whip at his girdle. The civil war between catholics and protestants recommenced; but it was soon found necessary to make a peace. By this peace, in 1575, all that calvinists demanded were granted; and particularly, liberty to profess their religion in all parts of the kingdom, without exception. This peace, that pacified the discontented, was provoking to many roman catholics; and gave them occasion to form what was called the Holy League. The pretence was to defend the church, the king, and the state. The chief promoter of this faction, was the duke of Guise, who had very different purposes tp accomplish than to manifest any just regard for the ...« less