tion.
Consequently, when by furnishing arms the civil power authorized the most
severe measures against those whom it accused of foul conspiracy against
the king, and when the professed minister of Christ and His gospel of
peace blessed the work of exterminating God's enemies and the king's,
there was no lack of men willing to profit by the rare and unexpected
opportunity. Nor did the courtiers disdain dishonest gain. The Duke of
Anjou was known to have enriched himself by the plunder of the shop of
Baduere, the king's jeweller.[1045] Noblemen, besides robbing their
victims of money, extorted from them, in return for a promise to spare
their lives, deeds of valuable lands, or papers resigning in their favor
high offices in the government. It was frequently the case that, after
giving such presents, the Huguenot was put out of the way at once, in
order to prevent him from ever retracting. Thus, Martial de Lomenie, a
secretary of the king, was murdered in prison, after having resigned his
office in favor of Marshal Retz, and sold to him his estate of Versailles,
at such a price as the latter chose to name, in the vain hope that this
would secure him liberty and life.[1046] The extent to which robbery was
carried on the occasion of the massacre is reluctantly conceded in the
pamphlet, which was published immediately after, as an apology of the
court for the hideous crime; and an attempt is made to justify it, which
is worthy of the source from which it drew its inspiration: "Now this
good-will of the people to sustain and defend its prince, to espouse his
quarrel, and to hate those who are not of his religion, is very
praiseworthy; and if in this execution [the massacre] some pillaging has
taken place, we must excuse the fury of a people impelled by a worthy
zeal--a zeal hard to be restrained and bridled when once excited."[1047]

[Sidenote: Orders issued to lay down arms.]

[Sidenote: Little heed given to them.]

But, despite panegyrists, the massacre had not been in progress many hours
before the very magistrates of the city appear to have become apprehensive
lest the movement might assume dangerous dimensions. It was only about
eleven o'clock on Sunday morning, as the registers of the Hotel de Ville
inform us, when Charles was waited upon by the prevot des marchands and
the echevins. They came to inform him that "a number of persons, partly
belonging to the suite of his Majesty, partly to that of the princes,
princess