nd of her own free will
went to the Parliament in full state, accompanied by the cardinals,
princes, and princesses; and there, in the most impressive language,
she set forth the urgent state of affairs at the moment.... With so
much sentiment and eloquence that she touched the heart of everybody,
the queen then explained to the Parliament that the king had need of
three hundred thousand livres, twenty-five thousand to be paid every
two months; and she added that she would retire from the place of
session, so as not to interfere with the liberty of discussion;
accordingly, she retired to another room. A resolution to comply with
the wishes of her majesty was voted, and the queen, having resumed her
place, received a promise to that effect. A hundred nobles of the
city offered to give at once three thousand francs apiece. The queen
thanked them in the sweetest form of words, and thus terminated this
session of Parliament--with so much applause for her majesty and such
lively marks of satisfaction at her behavior, that no idea can be
given of them. Throughout the city, nothing was spoken of but the
queen's prudence and the happy manner in which she proceeded in this
enterprise" (Guizot). From this act dates Catherine's entrance into
political consideration.

During the reign of Francis II., Catherine de' Medici exercised no
influence at court, the king being completely under the dominion
of his wife and the Duke of Guise, who was not favorable to the
queen-mother's schemes and policies. Catherine, however, was plotting;
caring little about religion so long as it did not further her plans,
she connected herself with the Huguenots; her scheme was to bring the
Guises to destruction and to form a council of regency which, while
composed of the Huguenot leaders, was to be under her guidance. As
this plan failed, bringing ruin to many princes, she deserted the
Huguenots and allied herself with the Catholics.

She is next found attempting the assassination of the Duke of Conde,
but she failed to accomplish that crime because her son, the king,
refused his consent. Soon after, Francis II. died, it is said from
the effect of poison dropped into his ear while he was sleeping; it
is probable that this crime was committed at the instigation of the
mother, since by his death and the accession of Charles IX. she became
regent (1560). She was then all-powerful and in a position to exercise
her long dormant talents.

Her first plan w