cover for designs against their master. As for the announcement
of the admiral that he could bring fifty thousand names to his
petitions, which he construed as a personal threat, he angrily replied
that if that or a greater number of the Huguenot sect should present
themselves, the king would oppose them with a million men of his
own.[899] The question of religion he left to be discussed by others of
more learning; but well was he assured that not all the councils of the
world would detach him from the ancient faith. The assembling of the
States he referred to the king's discretion.[900]

[Sidenote: The Cardinal of Lorraine is more politic.]

The cardinal was more politic, and suppressed the manifestation of that
deadly hatred which, from this time forward, the brothers cherished
against Coligny. He declared, however, that, although the petitioners
laid claim to such loyalty, their true character was apparent from the
affair at Amboise, as well as from the daily issue of libellous
pamphlets and placards, of which he had not less than twenty-two on his
table directed against himself, which he carefully preserved as his best
eulogium and claim to immortality. He advocated the severe repression of
the seditious; yet, with a stretch of hypocrisy and mendacity uncommon
even with a Guise, he expressed himself as for his own part very sorry
that such "grievous executions" had been inflicted upon those who went
"without arms and from fear of being damned to hear preaching, or who
sang psalms, neglected the mass, or engaged in other observances of
theirs," and as being in favor of no longer inflicting such useless
punishments! Nay, he would that his life or death might be of some
service in bringing back the wanderers to the path of truth. He opposed
a council as unnecessary--it could not do otherwise than decide as its
predecessors--but consented to a convocation of the clergy for the
reformation of manners. The States General he thought might well be
gathered to see with what prudence the administration of public affairs
had been carried on.[901]

[Sidenote: Results of the Assembly of Fontainebleau.]

[Sidenote: The States General to be convened.]

With the Cardinal of Lorraine the discussion ended. All the knights of
the order of St. Michael acquiesced in his opinions, but indulged in no
farther remarks. On the twenty-sixth of August the decision was
announced. The States General were to convene on the tenth of December,