by investing St. Quentin, a frontier
town of Picardy. The defence of this fortress was undertaken by Coligny,
the Admiral of France, afterward so famous for his mournful death.
Montmorency, the Constable, had the command of the French army. The
garrison was almost reduced to extremity--when Montmorency, on August
10th, arrived with his whole force, and halted on the bank of the Somme.
On the opposite bank lay the Spanish, the English, the Flemish, and the
German host. The arrival of the French was a surprise, and the Duke of
Savoy had to take up a new position. He determined on battle. The issue
was the most unfortunate for France since the fatal day of Agincourt.
The French slain amounted, according to some accounts, to six thousand;
and the prisoners were equally numerous. Among them was the veteran
Montmorency.

On August 10th Philip came to the camp. Bold advisers counselled a march
to Paris. The cautious King was satisfied to press on the siege of St.
Quentin. The defence which Coligny made was such as might have been
expected from his firmness and bravery. The place was taken by storm,
amid horrors which belong to such scenes at all times, but which were
doubled by the rapacity of troops who fought even with each other for
the greatest share of the pillage. After a few trifling successes, the
army of Philip was broken up. The English and Germans were indignant at
the insolence of the Spaniards; and the Germans were more indignant that
their pay was not forthcoming. Philip was glad to permit his English
subjects to take their discontents home. They had found out that they
were not fighting the battle of England.

The war between England and France produced hostilities between England
and Scotland. Mary of Guise, the Queen Dowager and Regent of Scotland,
was incited by the French king to invade England. The disposition to
hostilities was accompanied by a furious outbreak of the Scottish
borderers. They were driven back. But the desire of the Queen Dowager
that England should be invaded was resisted by the chief nobles, who
declared themselves ready to act on the defensive, but who would not
plunge into war during their sovereign's minority. The alliance of
France and Scotland was, however, completed, in the autumn of 1558, by
the marriage between the Dauphin and the young Queen Mary, which was
solemnized at Paris, in the Cathedral of Notre Dame.

The Duke of Guise, the uncle of the Queen of Scots, at the beginnin