hased out of the sight of England, round about Scotland and
Ireland; where, for the sympathy of their religion, hoping to find
succor and assistance, a great part of them were crushed against the
rocks, and those others that landed, being very many in number, were,
notwithstanding, broken, slain, and taken, and so sent from village to
village, coupled in halters to be shipped into England, where her
majesty, of her princely and invincible disposition, disdaining to put
them to death, and scorning either to retain or to entertain them, they
were all sent back again to their countries, to witness and recount the
worthy achievements of their invincible and dreadful navy. Of which the
number of soldiers, the fearful burden of their ships, the commanders'
names of every squadron, with all others, their magazines of provision,
were put in print, as an army and navy irresistible and disdaining
prevention; with all which their great and terrible ostentation, they
did not in all their sailing round about England so much as sink or take
one ship, barque, pinnace, or cock-boat of ours, or even burn so much as
one sheep-cote on this land."

[5] Strype, and the notes to the Life of Drake, in the _Biographia
Britannica_.

HENRY OF NAVARRE ACCEPTS CATHOLICISM

HE IS ACKNOWLEDGED KING OF FRANCE

A.D. 1593

MAXIMILIEN DE BETHUNE, DUC DE SULLY

Few periods in French history are of greater interest and importance
than that of which Sully treats in the following pages. Henry of
Navarre is regarded by the French people as the most brilliant of
all their kings in personal qualities and achievements; and his
great accomplishment of ending the terrible religious wars of his
country is one of the most conspicuous of the happier results in
modern annals. Sully, whose account of these matters stands alone
among those of contemporary narrators, was the friend and companion
of Henry of Navarre, with whom he served in the wars. He also became
famous as King Henry's minister of finance.

After the Massacre of St. Bartholomew, the "Wars of the Huguenots"
in France continued with fury. In 1573, the year following the
massacre, by the Peace of La Rochelle Charles IX granted to the
Protestants partial toleration. By the Peace of Monsieur, in 1576,
Henry III granted them free exercise of t