Denis, the Archbishop said to
him, "Who are you?" Henry replied, "I am the King." "What is your
request?" said the Archbishop. "To be received," said the King,
"into the pale of the Catholic, Apostolic, and Roman Church." "Do
you desire it?" added the prelate. "Yes, I do desire it," replied
the King. Then, kneeling, he said: "I protest and swear, in the
presence of Almighty God, to live and die in the Catholic,
Apostolic, and Roman religion; to protect and defend it against all
its enemies, at the hazard of my blood and life, renouncing all
heresies contrary to this Catholic, Apostolic, and Roman Church."
He afterward put this same confession in writing into the hands of
the Archbishop, who presented him his ring to kiss, giving him
absolution with a loud voice, during which _Te Deum_ was sung,
etc.
The ceremony of the King's abjuration was followed by a deputation of the
Duke of Nevers to Rome, who, together with the Cardinal de Gondy and the
Marquis de Pisany, was to offer the Pope the submission usual in such
cases. Although this change was a mortal blow for the League, yet the
Spaniards and the Duke of Mayenne still held out; they endeavored to
persuade their partisans that there still remained resources capable of
making it ineffectual; but they spoke at that time contrary to their own
opinion, and this feigned confidence was only designed to obtain greater
advantages from the King before he was securely fixed on the throne.
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