An interview with the young monarch was
usually concluded by a separate audience with his mother, who probably
was still the directress of his councils.
After Catherine de' Medici had assured the Earl of Worcester of her
great affection for the Queen of England, and the King's strict
intention to preserve it, she took this opportunity of inquiring of the
Earl of Worcester the cause of the Queen his mistress' marked coolness
toward them. The narrative becomes now dramatic.
"On this, Walsingham, who always kept close by the side of the Count
[Earl of Worcester], here took on himself to answer, acknowledging that
the said Count had indeed been charged to speak on this head; and he
then addressed some words in English to Worcester. And afterward the
Count gave to my lady and mother to understand that the Queen his
mistress had been waiting for an answer on two articles; the one
concerning religion, and the other for an interview.
"In regard to what has occurred these latter days, that he must have
seen how it happened by the fault of the chiefs of those who remained
here; for when the late admiral was treacherously wounded at Notre Dame,
he knew the affliction it threw us into--fearful that it might have
occasioned great troubles in this kingdom--and the diligence we used to
verify judicially whence it proceeded; and the verification was nearly
finished, when they were so forgetful as to raise a conspiracy, to
attempt the lives of myself, my lady and mother, and my brothers, and
endanger the whole state; which was the cause that to avoid this I was
compelled, to my very great regret, to permit what had happened in
Paris; but as he had witnessed, I gave orders to stop, as soon as
possible, this fury of the people, and place everyone on repose.
Pages:
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253
254
255
256
257
258
259
260
261
262