and kingdom, under His
own protection.[247] The Bishop of Riez wrote and published a highly
colored account of the duke's last words and actions, in the most approved
style of such posthumous records, and introduced edifying specimens of a
theological learning, which, until the moment of his wounding, Guise had
certainly never possessed, making him, of course, persist to the end in
protesting his innocence of the guilt of Vassy.[248] The Protestants,
while giving him credit for some compunctions of conscience for his
persecuting career, and willingly admitting that, but for his pernicious
brother, the Cardinal of Lorraine, he might have run a far different
course, were compelled to view his death as a great blessing to
France.[249]

[Sidenote: Renee de France at Montargis.]

A famous incident, illustrating the perils to which the Huguenots of the
central provinces were subjected during the siege, is too characteristic
to be passed over in silence. More than once, in the course of the war,
the town and castle of Montargis, the Duchess of Ferrara's residence, had
been threatened on account of the asylum it afforded to defenceless
Protestants flocking thither from all quarters. When the minds of the
Roman Catholics had become exasperated by nine or ten months of civil war,
they formed a settled determination to break up this "nest of Huguenots."
Accordingly the Baron de la Garde--Captain Poulain, of Merindol
memory--brought an order, in the king's name, from the Duke of Guise, at
that time before the walls of Orleans, commanding Renee to leave
Montargis, which had become important for military purposes, and to take
up her abode at Fontainebleau, St. Germain, or Vincennes. The duchess
replied that it was idle to say that so weak a place as Montargis could,
without extensive repairs, be of any military importance; and that to
remove to any place in the vicinity of Paris would be to expose herself to
assassination by the fanatical populace. She therefore sent Poulain back
to the king for further instructions. Meantime, Poulain was followed by
Malicorne, a creature of the duke's, at the head of some partisan troops.
This presumptuous officer had the impertinence to demand the immediate
surrender of the castle, and went so far as to threaten to turn some
cannon against it, in case of her refusal. But he little understood the
virile courage of the woman with whom he had to do. "Malicorne," she
answered him, "take care what you