llowing memorable prayer as he was
just entering upon a great battle:

"O Lord, if thou meanest this day to punish me for my sins, I bow my
head to the stroke of thy justice. Spare not the guilty. But, Lord, by
thy holy mercy, have pity on this poor realm, and strike not the flock
for the fault of the shepherd."

"If God," said he at another time, "shall grant me the ordinary term
of human life, I hope to see France in such a condition that every
peasant shall be able to have a fowl in the pot on Sunday."

This memorable saying shows both the benevolence of the king and the
exceeding poverty, at that time, of the peasantry of France. Sully, in
speaking of the corruption which had prevailed and of the measures of
reform introduced, says,

"The revenue annually paid into the royal treasury was thirty
millions. It could not be, I thought, that such a sum could
reduce the kingdom of France so low. I resolved to enter upon
the immense investigation. To my horror, I found that for
these thirty millions given to his majesty there were
extorted from the purses of his subjects, I almost blush to
say, one hundred and fifty millions. After this I was no
longer ignorant whence the misery of the people proceeded. I
applied my cares to the authors of this oppression, who were
the governors and other officers of the army, who all, even
to the meanest, abused, in an enormous manner, their
authority over the people. I immediately caused a decree to
be issued, by which they were prohibited, under great
penalties, to exact any thing from the people, under any
title whatever, without a warrant in form."

The king co-operated cordially with his minister in these rigorous
acts of reform, and shielded him with all the power of the monarchy
from the storm of obloquy which these measures drew down upon him. The
proud Duke of Epernon, exasperated beyond control, grossly insulted
Sully. Henry immediately wrote to his minister, "If Epernon challenges
you, I will be your second."

The amiable, but sinning and consequently wretched Gabrielle was now
importunate for the divorce, that she might be lawfully married to the
king. But the children already born could not be legitimated, and
Sully so clearly unfolded to the king the confusion which would thus
be introduced, and the certainty that, in consequence of it, a
disputed succession would deluge France in blood, that the king,
arde