ing.]

[Sidenote: Charles's curiosity respecting the mass.]

The prospect was at this moment as dark to the papal party as it was
full of encouragement for the Huguenots and their sympathizers. Nothing
but a resort to violence could avert the speedy downfall of the
authority of the Roman pontiff in France. A few months more of peace,
and everything might be lost.[1215] If the young king continued under
the influences now surrounding him, he might become a Huguenot openly,
as it was pretty well understood, by those who had the opportunity of
seeing him daily and noting his words and actions, that he was already
half inclined to be one now. The Queen of Navarre, the Prince of Conde,
and the leading Protestants at court perceived this and could not hide
their delight. One day about this time, Jeanne D'Albret drew the English
ambassador apart from the courtiers waiting upon her, and, having seated
him by her side, related a conversation she had within the past few days
held with Charles. It is thus reported by Throkmorton in a despatch to
Queen Elizabeth: "Good aunt," said the king, "I pray you tell me what
doth this mean, that the king, my uncle, your husband, doth every day go
to mass, and you come not there, nor my cousin, your son, the Prince of
Navarre? I answered (quoth the queen), Sire, the king, my husband doth
so because you go thither, to wait upon you and obey your order and
commandment. Nay, aunt (quoth he), I do neither command nor desire him
to do so. But if it be naught (as I do hear say it is), he might well
enough forbear to be at it, and offend me nothing at all; for if I might
as well as he, and did believe of it as he doth, I would not be at it
myself. The queen said, Why, sir, what do you believe of it? The king
answered, The queen, my mother, Monsieur de Cipierre, and my
schoolmaster doth tell me, that it is very good, and that I do there
daily see God; but (said the king) I do hear by others that neither God
is there nor the thing very good. And surely, aunt, to be plain with
you, _I would not be there myself_. And therefore you may boldly
continue and do as you do, and so may the king, my uncle, your husband,
use the matter according to his conscience for any displeasure he shall
do unto me. _And, surely, aunt_ (quoth he), _when I shall be at my own
rule I mean to quit the matter!_ But I pray you (said the king), keep
this matter to yourself, and use it so that it come not to my mother's
ears."[1216