France, and the Catholic countries of Europe, over the
exaggerated accounts issued by Anjou of his victory; and it was
generally considered that the Huguenot cause was lost. However, out
of a hundred and twenty-eight troops of cavalry, only fifteen had
been engaged; and only six out of two hundred companies of
infantry.

The army retired to Cognac, where the brave Queen of Navarre at
once hurried, on hearing the intelligence, and herself addressed
the army; reminding them that though the Prince of Conde was dead,
the good cause was still alive, and that God would provide fresh
instruments for carrying on His work. She then hurried away to La
Rochelle, to make provision for the needs of the army.

The young Prince Henry was, at Conde's death, nominally placed in
command of the army as general-in-chief; and he was joined by his
cousin, the young Prince of Conde, a lad of about his own age.

D'Anjou, one of the most despicable of the princes of France, was
so intoxicated by the success that he had gained that, for a time,
he made no effort to follow up his advantage. He disgraced himself
by having the body of Conde stripped and carried on a donkey to
Jarnac, and there exposed for four days by the house where he
lodged; while he occupied himself in writing vainglorious
despatches to all the Catholic kings and princes.

At last he moved forward to the siege of Cognac. Seven thousand infantry,
for the most part new levies, had been placed here by Coligny; and these
received the royal army with great determination. Not only were the
assaults upon the walls repulsed, with heavy loss; but the garrison made
many sallies and, after wasting a month before the town, Anjou,
despairing of its capture, drew off the army, which had suffered heavier
losses here than it had done in the battle of Jarnac.

He then besieged Saint Jean d'Angely, where the garrison, commanded
by Count Montgomery, also repulsed all attacks. Angouleme was
attacked with an equal want of success; but Mucidan, a town to the
southwest of Perigueux, was captured. The attack upon it, however,
cost the life of De Brissac, one of his best officers--a loss which
Anjou avenged by the murder, in cold blood, of the garrison; which
surrendered on condition that life and property should be spared.

As a set off to the success of the Huguenots, they suffered a heavy
blow in the death of the gallant D'Andelot, the Admiral's
brother--an officer of the highest ability, wh