eligion, which was only tolerated by a conditional
edict, revocable by the king at his pleasure."[439]

[Sidenote: Cardinal Lorraine invites Alva to invade France.]

The Cardinal of Lorraine did not share in the flight of the court to
Paris. Never able to boast of the possession of overmuch courage, he may
have feared for his personal safety; for it was not impossible that he
might be sacrificed by a queen rarely troubled with any feelings of
humanity, to allay the storm raging about the ship of state; or he may
have hoped to be of greater service to his party away from the
capital.[440] However this may be, the Cardinal betook himself in hot
haste to the city of Rheims, but reached his palace only after an almost
miraculous escape from capture by his enemies.[441] Once in safety, he
despatched two messengers in rapid succession[442] to Brussels, and begged
Alva to send him an agent with whom he might communicate in confidence.
The proposals made when that personage arrived at Rheims were sufficiently
startling; for, after calling attention to Philip's rightful claim to the
throne of France, in case of the death of Charles and his brothers, he
offered in a certain contingency to place in the Spanish monarch's hands
some strong places that might prove valuable in substantiating that claim.
In return, the Cardinal wished Philip to assume the defence of the papal
church in France, and particularly desired him to undertake the protection
of his brothers and of himself. The message was not unwelcome either to
Alva or to his royal master. They were willing, they said, to assist the
King of France in combating the Huguenots,[443] and they made no objection
to accepting the cities. At the worst, these cities would serve as pledges
for the repayment of whatever sums the King of Spain might expend in
maintaining the Roman Catholic faith in France. With respect to the
propriety of Philip's becoming the formal guardian of the Guises, Alva
felt more hesitation, for who knew how matters might turn out? And Philip,
never quite ready for any important decision, praised his lieutenant's
delay, and inculcated further procrastination.[444] But the succession to
the throne of France was worthy of deep consideration. As Alva intimated,
the famous Salic law, under which Charles's sister Isabella was excluded
from the crown, was merely a bit of pleasantry, and force of arms would
facilitate the acknowledgment of her claims.[445]

[Sidenote: