of justice that they had lost all traces of their former noble
independence. The sons of usurers sat in places which had been occupied
by the most distinguished jurisconsults of the kingdom, and so debased
the administration of law that, in the eye of a contemporary,
parliament had become a den of robbers.[752] Marshal de St. Andre made
proposals, which were accepted, to form an offensive and defensive
alliance with the Guises, promising to give his only daughter in
marriage to a member of that family, and to settle upon her the immense
property which he had accumulated during the last reign by extortion and
confiscations, retaining for himself only the life interest.[753] In
order to rid the court of the princes of the blood, Conde was sent on a
mission to Flanders, to confirm the peace, and the Prince of
La-Roche-sur-Yon and the Cardinal of Bourbon were deputed to accompany
Princess Elizabeth, Philip's bride, to the Spanish frontier.[754]

[Sidenote: Antoine of Bourbon, King of Navarre.]

[Sidenote: His remissness and pusillanimity.]

[Sidenote: His desire to be indemnified for Navarre.]

Meanwhile the eyes not only of the reformers, who had no more inveterate
enemies than the Guises, but also of the friends of order, whatever
their creed might be, were anxiously directed to Antoine, King of
Navarre. His younger brother, Conde, his cousin, La Roche-sur-Yon, and
other great nobles came to meet him at Vendome, and set forth the
disastrous consequences not only to them, but to their children and to
the entire kingdom, that would certainly follow the base surrender of
the government into the hands of foreigners.[755] Earnestly was he
reminded of his undeniable claim to the regency, and entreated to
dispossess the usurpers. Nor did the weak prince openly disregard the
prayers of the ministers and people, who begged him to view his
deliverance from so many perils as intended not merely to advance his
own personal interests, but to secure the welfare of those whose tenets
he had at heart espoused. But, where vigorous and instantaneous action
was requisite, he exhibited only supineness and delay. His manly body
contained a womanish soul.[756] His intimate counsellors were already
in the secret pay of the Guises, and, in return for the large rewards
promised,[757] disclosed every movement and plan of their master, while
they gave him such advice as was calculated to render all his
undertakings abortive.[758] When, after lon