s related by Brantome, which have
generally been understood to apply to Cardinal _Charles_ of Lorraine,
really refer, as Ranke has observed,[548] to his uncle, the Cardinal
_John_; but the abbe, who was certainly not unfriendly to the Guises,
mingles praise and censure as equal ingredients in sketching the
character of the former. If he was "very religious," after Brantome's
idea of religion, he was also esteemed a "great hypocrite," with whom
religion served as a stepping-stone to greatness. If he was a "holy"
man, he was "not too conscientious." If gracious and affable at times,
it was only when something had gone wrong with him; for in prosperity no
one was more overbearing.[549]

Such, according to writers of his own religion, was the churchman of
whom, with Diana of Poitiers, the cabinet minister who knew both well
wrote: "It were to be desired that this woman and the cardinal had
never been born; for they two alone have been the spark that kindled our
misfortunes."[550] Pasquin well reflected the sentiments of the people
when he altered the motto that accompanied the device of the
cardinal--an ivy-clad pyramid--from "Te stante, virebo" to "Te virente,
peribo."[551]

[Sidenote: Rapacity of the new favorites.]

[Sidenote: Marshal Saint-Andre.]

[Sidenote: Servility toward Diana of Poitiers.]

With a weak-minded prince, averse to anything except the gratification
of his passions, and under the influence of such counsellors, France
became almost of necessity a scene of rapacity beyond all precedent. The
princes of the blood continued in their exclusion from official
positions. Each of the new favorites was not only eager to obtain wealth
for himself, but had a number of relations for whom provision must also
be made. To the more prominent courtiers above enumerated was added
Jacques d'Albon de Saint-Andre, son of Henry's tutor, who, from
accidental intimacy with the king in childhood, was led to aspire to
high dignities in the state, and was not long in obtaining a marshal's
baton.[552] Herself securing not only the rank of Duchess of
Valentinois, with the authority of a queen,[553] but the enormous
revenues derived from the customary confirmation of offices at the
beginning of a new reign, Diana permitted the constable, the Guises, and
Saint-Andre to partake to a less degree in the spoils of the kingdom. A
contemporary writer likens the brood of courtiers she gathered about her
to swallows in pursuit of flies o