science,
of which he alone could be the true judge) were his grief for the
miseries to which the people would still be exposed; his dread of the
Catholics about his person; the powerful and subtle theological
arguments of M. du Perron, added to his sweet and agreeable
conversation; the artful connivance of some of the ministers and
Huguenots in the cabinet, who were willing to profit by the times at any
rate; the faithless ambition of many of the most powerful and
distinguished among the Protestants, at the mercy of whom he dreaded
falling, should the Catholics resolve to abandon him; the contempt which
he had conceived against some of the zealous Catholics (and particularly
M. d'O), on account of the insolent language they had used toward him;
his desire of getting rid of them, and of one day making them suffer for
their temerity; his dread lest the States, still sitting in Paris, might
elect the Cardinal of Bourbon king, and marry him to the Infanta of
Spain; finally, the fatigue and troubles he had endured from his youth,
the hope of enjoying a life of ease and tranquillity for the future,
added to the persuasions of some of his most faithful servants, among
whom may be also reckoned his mistress,[1] the one by tears and
supplications, the other by remonstrances: all these circumstances, I
say, fixed him in his resolution of embracing the Catholic religion.

[1] The Marchioness de Monceaux, who, D'Aubigne says, acted this
part in the hope of becoming queen herself if Henry should be
declared king.

While these things were under consideration a great number of the larger
towns, and Paris in particular, which were in the party of the League,
being no longer able to endure the inconveniences and privations which
the confusion of the times had occasioned--all commerce, internal as
well as external, being at a stand, on account of the prohibitions
against trading with the places in the King's interest--disturbances
broke out among the people, who at last compelled their leaders to send
a deputation to the King to request liberty to trade: M. de Belin was
accordingly appointed for this purpose, and came to the King when he was
either at Mantes or Vernon; but, notwithstanding all his arguments, the
whole council opposed his request. There was not a Protestant there who
appeared willing that he should grant it; and, what is still more
surprising, it met with equal opposition from the Catholics, without
th