glius appeared on the part of Philip. England and Savoy
were also represented by their envoys. After preliminary discussions,
the conference adjourned, to meet in February of the succeeding year at
Cateau-Cambresis.[676] Here, on the third of April, 1559, was concluded
a treaty of peace that terminated the struggle for ascendancy in which
France and Spain had been engaged, with brief intermissions, ever since
the accession of Francis the First and Charles the Fifth.

So far as France was concerned, it was an inglorious close. By a single
stroke of the pen Henry gave up nearly two hundred places that had been
captured by the French from their enemies during the last thirty years.
In return he received Ham, St. Quentin, and three other strongholds held
by Philip on his northern frontier. All the fruits of many years of war
and an infinite loss of life and treasure[677] were surrendered in an
instant for a paltry price. The Duke of Savoy recovered states which had
long been incorporated in the French dominions. The jurisdictions of two
parliaments of France became foreign territory. The inhabitants of Turin
were left to forget the language they had begun to speak well. The King
of Spain could now come to the very gates of Lyons, which before the
peace had stood, as it were, in the middle of the kingdom, but was now
turned into a border city.[678]

[Sidenote: Sacrifice of French interests.]

Such were the concessions Henry was willing to make for the purpose of
obtaining peace abroad, that he might turn his arms against his own
subjects. Philip, if equally zealous, was certainly too prudent to
exhibit his eagerness so clearly to his opponent. The interests of
France had been sacrificed to the bigotry of her monarch and the
selfishness of his advisers. When the terms of the agreement were made
known, they awakened in every true Frenchman's breast a feeling of shame
and disgust.[679] Henry himself manifested embarrassment when
attempting to justify his course.[680] Abroad the improbable tidings
were received with incredulity.[681]

[Sidenote: Was there a secret treaty for the extermination of the
Protestants?]

The treaty of Cateau-Cambresis contained but one article on the subject
of religion--that which bound the monarchs of Spain and France to put
forth their united exertions for securing a "holy universal council."
But common report had it that the omission of more detailed reference to
the subject lying so near to t