ntary decisions conflicting with it. Their
moderation inspired fresh hopes of averting the resort to arms, and a new
conference was held, between the Huguenot position and the city of Paris,
at the hamlet of La Chapelle Saint Denis. It was destined to be the last.
Constable Montmorency, the chief spokesman on the Roman Catholic side,
although really desirous of peace, could not be induced to listen to the
only terms on which peace was possible. "The king," he said, "will never
consent to the demand for religious toleration throughout France without
distinction of persons or places. He has no intention of permanently
tolerating two religions. His edicts in favor of the Protestants have been
intended only as temporary measures; for his purpose is to preserve the
old faith by all possible means. He would rather be forced into a war with
his subjects than avoid it by concessions that would render him an object
of suspicion to neighboring princes."[453]

[Sidenote: Insincerity of Alva's offers of aid.]

The simultaneous rising of the Huguenots in every quarter of the kingdom,
and the immediate seizure of many important cities, had surprised and
terrified the court; but it had also stimulated the Roman Catholic leaders
to put forth extraordinary efforts to bring together an army superior to
that of their opponents. Besides the Parisian militia and the troops that
flocked in from the more distant provinces, it was resolved to call for
the help repeatedly promised by Philip of Spain and his minister, the Duke
of Alva, when urging Charles to break the compacts he had entered into
with his reformed subjects. But the assistance actually furnished fell far
short of the expectations held forth. When Castelnau, after two efforts,
the first of which proved unsuccessful,[454] reached Brussels by a
circuitous route, he found Alva lavish of good wishes, and urgent, like
his master, that no arrangement should be made with the rebels before they
had suffered condign punishment. But the envoy soon convinced himself that
all these protestations meant little or nothing, and that the Spaniards
were by no means sorry to see the French kingdom rent by civil war.
Ostensibly, Alva was liberal above measure in his offers. He wished to
come in person at the head of five thousand horse and fifteen thousand
foot, and make short work of the destruction of Conde and his followers--a
proposition which Castelnau, who knew that Catharine was quite as jealou