Effect of the death of Farnese upon Philip’s schemes—­Priestly flattery and counsel—­Assembly of the States-General of France—­ Meeting of the Leaguers at the Louvre—­Conference at Surene between the chiefs of the League and the “political” leaders—­Henry convokes an assembly of bishops, theologians, and others—­Strong feeling on all sides on the subject of the succession—­Philip commands that the Infanta and the Duke of Guise be elected King and Queen of France—­ Manifesto of the Duke of Mayenne—­Formal re-admission of Henry to the Roman faith—­The pope refuses to consent to his reconciliation with the Church—­His consecration with the sacred oil—­Entry of the king into Paris—­Departure of the Spanish garrison from the capital —­Dissimulation of the Duke of Mayenne—­He makes terms with Henry—­ Grief of Queen Elizabeth on receipt of the communications from France.

During the past quarter of a century there had been tragic scenes enough in France, but now the only man who could have conducted Philip’s schemes to a tragic if not a successful issue was gone.  Friendly death had been swifter than Philip, and had removed Alexander from the scene before his master had found fitting opportunity to inflict the disgrace on which he was resolved.  Meantime, Charles Mansfeld made a feeble attempt to lead an army from the Netherlands into France, to support the sinking fortunes of the League; but it was not for that general-of-artillery to attempt the well-graced part of the all-accomplished Farnese with much hope of success.  A considerable force of Spanish infantry, too, had been sent to Paris, where they had been received with much enthusiasm; a very violent and determined churchman, Sega, archbishop of Piacenza, and cardinal-legate, having arrived to check on the part of the holy father any attempt by the great wavering heretic to get himself readmitted into the fold of the faithful.

The King of Spain considered it his duty, as well as his unquestionable right, to interfere in the affairs of France, and to save the cause of religion, civilization and humanity, in the manner so dear to the civilization-savers, by reducing that distracted country—­utterly unable to govern itself—­under his sceptre.  To achieve this noble end no bribery was too wholesale, no violence too brutal, no intrigue too paltry.  It was his sacred and special mission to save France from herself.  If he should fail, he could at least carve her in pieces, and distribute her among himself and friends.  Frenchmen might assist him in either of these arrangements, but it was absurd to doubt that on him devolved the work and the responsibility.  Yet among his advisers were some who doubted whether the purchase of the grandees of France was really the most judicious course to pursue.  There was a general and uneasy feeling that the grandees were making sport of the Spanish monarch, and that they would be inclined to remain his stipendiaries for