ies of his house. Of these no one was more formidable than
D'Andelot, who had distinguished himself greatly in the war on the
Flemish borders. This young nobleman, the Bishop of Arras affirmed, had
been found, during the captivity from which he had recently escaped, to
be infected with the contagion of the "new doctrines." Since his return
to France, he had even ventured to send a heretical volume to console
his brother, the admiral, in prison. The cardinal, jealous of the houses
of Chatillon and Montmorency, promptly reported to the king the story of
D'Andelot's defection from the faith. His brother, the Duke of Guise,
loudly declared that, although he was ready to march to the siege of
Thionville, he could entertain no hope of success if D'Andelot were
suffered to accompany him, in command of the French infantry.[664]

[Sidenote: D'Andelot in Brittany.]

The sympathy of the younger Chatillon was daily becoming more openly
avowed. On a recent visit to Brittany (April, 1558), he had taken with
him Fleury and Loiseleur, Protestant ministers. For the first time, the
westernmost province of France heard the doctrines preached a generation
before in Meaux. The crowd of provincial nobles, flocking to pay their
respects to D'Andelot and his wife, Claude de Rieux, heiress of vast
estates in this region, were both surprised and gratified at enjoying
the opportunity of listening to preachers whose voice had penetrated to
almost every nook of France save this. So palpable were the effects,
that D'Andelot's brief tour in Brittany furnished additional grounds for
Henry's suspicions respecting the young nobleman's soundness in the
faith.[665]

[Sidenote: D'Andelot summoned to appear before the king.]

[Sidenote: His manly defence.]

D'Andelot was summoned to appear before the king and clear himself of
the charges preferred against him. Henry is said, indeed, to have sent
previously D'Andelot's brother, the Cardinal of Chatillon, and his
cousin, Marshal Montmorency, the constable's eldest son, to urge him to
make a submissive and satisfactory explanation. But their exertions were
futile. Henry began the conversation by reminding D'Andelot of the great
intimacy he had always allowed him and the love he bore him. He told him
that he had expected of him anything rather than a revolt from the
religion of his prince and an adherence to new doctrines. And he
announced as the principal points in his conduct which he condemned,
that he