entered his capital to
receive the homage of the Sorbonne and the Parlement of Paris. The
superstitious were convinced of Henry's sincerity when he touched some
scrofulous persons and they {228} were said to be healed. Curing the
"king's evil" was one of the oldest attributes of royalty, and it could
not be imagined that it would descend to an impostor.

Henry showed the wisest statesmanship in consolidating his power. He
bought up those who still held out against him at their own price,
remarking that whatever it cost it would be cheaper than fighting them.
He showed a wise clemency in dealing with his enemies, banishing only
about 130 persons. Next came absolution by Pope Clement VIII, who,
after driving as hard a bargain as he could, finally granted it on
September 17, 1595.

But even yet all danger was not past. Enraged at seeing France escape
from his clutches, Philip of Spain declared war, and he could still
count on the support of Mayenne and the last remnant of the League.
The daring action of Henry at Fontaine-Francaise on June 5, 1595, where
with three hundred horse he routed twelve hundred Spaniards, so
discouraged his enemies that Mayenne hastened to submit, and peace was
signed with Spain in 1598. The finances of the realm, naturally in a
chaotic state, were brought to order and solvency by a Huguenot noble,
the Duke of Sully, Henry's ablest minister.

The legal status of the Protestants was still to be settled. It was
not changed by Henry's abjuration, and the king was determined at all
costs to avoid another civil war. [Sidenote: Edict of Nantes, April
13, 1598] He therefore published the Edict of Nantes, declared to be
perpetual and irrevocable. By it liberty of conscience was granted to
all "without being questioned, vexed or molested," and without being
"forced to do anything contrary to their religion." Liberty of worship
was conceded in all places in which it had been practised for the last
two years; _i.e._ in two places in every bailiwick except large towns,
where services were to be held outside the walls, and {229} in the
houses of the great nobles. Protestant worship was forbidden at Paris
and for five leagues (twelve and one-half miles) outside the walls.
Protestants had all other legal rights of Catholics and were eligible
to all offices. To secure them in these rights a separate court of
justice was instituted, a division of the Parlement of Paris to be
called the Edict Chambe