s choses qui touchent l'administration de leurs Estats, ni la
justice de leurs subiets, ainsi qu'il luy semble qu'ils doibvent [faire]
envers luy, _priant les dicts seigneurs des dicts cantons estre contans
de doresnavant ne se donner peine de ce qu'il fera et executera en son
royaulme, et moings au faict de la religion, qu'il veult et a delibere
d'observer et suivre, telle que ses predecesseurs et luy (comme roys
tres-chrestiens) ont faict par le passe, et contenir ses dicts subiects
en icelle, dont il n'a a rendre compte a aultre que a Dieu_, par l'aide,
bonte et protection duquel il s'asseure maintenir son dict royaulme en
estat, en la tranquillite et prosperite la ou il a este jusques icy."
Reponse du roi. The Swiss envoys were intrusted on their return with a
letter from the Cardinal of Lorraine to the magistrates of the
Protestant cantons, full as usual of honeyed words. It closed with these
words: "Priant Dieu, Messieurs, vous donner ce que plus desyrez. De
Sainct-Germain en Laye, le 6^e jour de novembre 1557. Vostre meilleur
voysin et amy, Cardinal de Lorraine." This was pretty fair dissembling
even for the smooth tongue of the arch-persecutor of the Huguenots. It
must be confessed, however, that the sheep's clothing never seemed to
fit him well; the wolfish foot or the bloodthirsty jaws had an
irresistible propensity to show themselves. The letter of the cantons,
the king's reply, and Lorraine's letter, from the MSS. in the archives
of Basle, are printed in the Bulletin de la Societe de l'hist. du prot.
francais, xvii. 164-167.]

[Footnote 646: Baum, Theodor Beza, i. 317; Heppe, Leben Theod. Beza,
52-58.]

[Footnote 647: "Ab eo tempore (Oct. 23d) audimus perlectis Palatini
literis datas aliquas judiciorum inducias." Beza's letter of Nov. 24th,
_ubi supra_. It is not improbable that the interference of Henry's
allies had some salutary effect, in spite of the rough answer they
received. Hist. eccles. des eglises ref., i. 84, which, however, says
nothing of the reply to the Swiss.]

[Footnote 648: Beza, letter of Nov. 24, 1557, _ubi supra_. See a letter
of Calvin to this noblewoman (Dec. 8, 1557), Lettres franc. (Bonnet),
ii. 159.]

[Footnote 649: Hist. eccles., i. 84.]

[Footnote 650: Calvin to Bullinger, Bonnet (Eng. tr.), iii. 411; Baum,
i. 317, 318.]

[Footnote 651: Histoire ecclesiastique des eglises reformees, i. 78.]

[Footnote 652: Cf. the anonymous letter to Henry the Second, inserted in
La Place