The King being
fully convinced that, to stifle the seeds of schism in his kingdom, it
was necessary to give none of the different factions occasion to boast
that his power was at their disposal, and that to reduce all parties he
must be partial to none, he therefore steadily rejected these offers from
Spain, and those which the Duke of Mayenne made him to the same purpose,
but at that very time appeared willing to treat with any of the chiefs or
cities of the League which would surrender, and to reward them in
proportion to their readiness and services; and it was this prudent
medium that he was resolved to persist in.
Although he now professed the same religion as the League, yet his
aversion to the spirit which actuated that party, and to the maxims by
which they were governed, was not lessened; the very name only of the
League was sufficient to kindle his anger. The Catholic Leaguers,
supposing that his abjuration authorized them to abolish in those cities
which depended upon them the edicts that were favorable to the Huguenots,
the King caused them to be restored; and though in some places the
Leaguers had obtained the consent even of the Huguenots
themselves--determined to purchase peace at any price--for this purpose,
yet, the Protestant party murmuring at it, Henry cancelled all that had
been done to that effect,[5] and showed that it was his design to keep
the balance even.
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