the admiral's, and
putting his head out at the door, he looked steadily at his chief,
saying, with tears in his eyes, 'Yet God is very merciful.' Thereupon
they bade one another farewell, perfectly at one in thought, without
being able to say more. This great captain confessed to his intimates
that these few friendly words restored him, and set him up again in the
way of good thoughts and firm resolutions for the future." He was so
much restored, that, between the end of 1569 and the middle of 1570, he
marched through the south and the centre of France the army which he had
reorganized, and with which, wherever he went, he restored, if not
security, at any rate confidence and zeal, to his party.

On arriving at Arnay-le-Duc, in Burgundy, he found himself confronted by
Marshal de Cosse with thirteen thousand men of the king's troops.
Coligny had barely half as many; but he did not hesitate to attack, and
on the 13th of June, 1570, he was so near victory that the road was left
open before him. On the 7th of July he arrived at Charite-sur-Loire.
Alarm prevailed at Paris. A truce for ten days was signed, and
negotiations were reopened for a fresh attempt at peace.

"If any one, in these lamentable wars, worked hard, both with body and
mind," says La Noue, "it may be said to have been the admiral, for, as
regards the greatest part of the burden of military affairs and
hardships, it was he who supported them with much constancy and buoyancy;
and he was as respectful in his bearing towards the princes his superiors
as he was modest towards his inferiors. He always had piety in singular
esteem, and a love of justice, which made him valued and honored by them
of the party which he had embraced. He did not seek ambitiously for
commands and honors; they were thrust upon him because of his competence
and his expertness. When he handled arms and armies, he showed that he
was very conversant with them, as much so as any captain of his day, and
he always exposed himself courageously to danger. In difficulties, he
was observed to be full of magnanimity and resource in getting out of
them, always showing himself quite free from swagger and parade. In
short, he was a personage worthy to re-establish an enfeebled and a
corrupted state. I was fain to say these few words about him in passing,
for, having known him and been much with him, and having profited by his
teaching, I should have been wrong if I had not made truthful and