f the consternation of others, and secure the fidelity of
the troops and of the court as far as possible, in order that the
death of Henry III. might not altogether dissolve the bonds which
held together the Royalist party, and overthrow the monarchy itself.
He sent directly to the quarters of the Swiss and the French guard,
to Marshal D'Aumont, to Biron, and to all in whom he could trust. He
wrote during the same night to England, to Flanders, to Switzerland,
Germany, and Venice, announcing his accession to the throne, stating
his indisputable title, and requesting immediate aid to make it good
against his enemies.

"But on entering the chamber of the deceased King a strange and
fearful scene presented itself. The room was filled with the Catholic
nobility of France; the minions were at the foot of the bed, with
tapers in their hands, singing the service of the dead; and all the
rest, 'amidst howlings of despair, were drawing down their hats, or
casting them on the ground, clenching their fists, plotting together,
giving each other the hand, making vows and promises, of which
nothing was heard but the ending words--"rather die a thousand
deaths."' One voice, however, gave the interpretation of all: a
gentleman exclaiming aloud, at ten paces from the King, that he would
rather give himself up to any enemies than suffer a Huguenot
monarch."

The battle of Arques was the first in which the great martial and heroic
qualities of the King were displayed in their full lustre; and there Mr
James's animated pen finds a fit subject for description. We pass on,
however, to the battle of Ivry, which was, if possible, yet more
marvellous and decisive; for the superiority of force on the part of the
League was still greater; and Henry's heroic band had dwindled away to
little more than one of Napoleon's divisions.

"The numbers of the army of the League it is very difficult to
discover, and, indeed, we can very seldom depend upon the statements
even of contemporaries regarding the forces engaged in any battle. In
one place, Davila reckons the army of Mayenne at four thousand five
hundred horse, and twenty thousand foot; but he evidently greatly
exaggerates the strength of the infantry, while Aubigne states the
numbers at five thousand cavalry, and eight thousand foot, and Cayet
says that