of charms and love-potions. The infatuation of the
monarch knew no bounds. He loaded her with gifts; he entrusted her with
the crown jewels;[525] he conferred upon her the dignity of a duchess of
Valentinois. In her apartments he spent hours daily, in company with his
most intimate courtiers. Through love for her he adopted her favorite
colors, and took for his device the crescent, with the words, "Totum
donec compleat orbem." The public edifices of his time, it is said,
still bear testimony to this dishonorable attachment, in the initials or
emblems of Henry and Diana sculptured together upon their facades; and
the Venetian Soranzo, at a later period in Henry's reign, magnifying her
influence upon every department of the administration, affirms, in
particular, that the dispensation of ecclesiastical offices was in her
hands.[526] It is not surprising that, being of an avaricious
character, she soon accumulated great wealth.

[Sidenote: Constable Anne de Montmorency.]

[Sidenote: His cruelty.]

Anne de Montmorency, one of the four marshals of France, grand-master of
the palace, and constable, was among the most notable personages of the
sixteenth century. Sprung from a family claiming descent from the first
Frank that followed the example of Clovis in renouncing paganism, and
bearing on its escutcheon the motto, "God defend the first Christian,"
he likewise arrogated the foremost rank in the nobility as the first
baron of the kingdom. From his youth he was accustomed to association
with royalty. Margaret of Navarre was his early friend, and at a later
period had occasion to complain of his ingratitude. He was at this time
fifty-five years of age, severe, stern, fond of arms, complaisant to
royalty, but harsh and overbearing in his relations with inferiors. Of
his personal valor there can be no doubt, and he was generally regarded
as the ablest general in France--an opinion, it is true, which his
subsequent ill-success contributed much to shake.[527] But his martial
glory was dimmed by his well-known avarice, his ignorance,[528] and a
cruelty that often approached ferocity. Of this last trait a signal
instance was afforded when Montmorency was sent, in the year after
Henry's accession, to suppress a formidable revolt which had broken out
in Guyenne, in consequence of a considerable increase of the already
burdensome impost upon salt. He haughtily refused to accept the keys of
the city of Bordeaux tendered to him by the