appeared struck with them; but,
"as he only sought," says De Thou, "to gain time without its being
perceived," he handed the admiral's memorial to the keeper of the seals,
John de Morvilliers, requesting him to set forth also all the reasons for
a pacific policy. Coligny, a man of resolution and of action, did not
take any pleasure in thus prolonging the discussion; nevertheless he
again brought forward and warmly advocated, at the grand council, the
views he had so often expressed. They were almost unanimously rejected.
Coligny did not consider himself bound to give them up. "I have
promised," said he, "on my own account, my assistance to the Prince of
Orange; I hope the king will not take it ill if by means of my friends,
and perhaps in person, I fulfil my promise." This reservation excited
great surprise. "Madam," said Coligny to the queen-mother, "the king is
to-day shunning a war which would promise him great advantages; God
forbid that there should break out another which he cannot shun!" The
council broke up in great agitation. "Let the queen beware," said
Tavannes, "of the king her son's secret councils, designs, and sayings;
if she do not look out, the Huguenots will have him. At any rate, before
thinking of anything else, let her exert herself to regain the mother's
authority which the admiral has caused her to lose."

The king was hunting at Brie. The queen-mother went and joined him; she
shut herself up with him in a cabinet, and, bursting into tears, she
said, "I should never have thought that, in return for having taken so
much pains to bring you up and preserve to you the crown, you would have
had heart to make me so miserable a recompense. You hide yourself from
me, me who am your mother, in order to take counsel of your enemies. I
know that you hold secret counsels with the admiral; you desire to plunge
rashly into war with Spain, in order to give your kingdom, yourself, and
the persons that are yours, over as a prey to them of the religion. If I
am so miserable a creature, yet before I see that, give me leave to
withdraw to the place of my birth; remove from you your brother, who may
call himself unfortunate in having employed his own life to preserve
yours; give him at least time to withdraw out of danger and from the
presence of enemies made in doing you service; Huguenots who desire not
war with Spain, but with France, and the subversion of all the Estates in
order to set up themselves."