David Carnegie Andrew Agnew

“ These nobles, struck dumb with astonishment, soon recovered the use of their faculties so far as to resolve on instant flight as their only security, and they exerted themselves so effectually as to escape the Duke of Guise’s pursuit, sailed to England, and raised their swords in many a future day of fair battle, and obtained victories against a perfidious tyrant who, by firing on his unarmed innocent subjects, in the hour of peace and of generous confidence in his solemn oaths, had forfeited all the rights of sovereignty and even of common humanity. ”

“ The Vidame of Chartres came in 1562 as an envoy from the Huguenots, and Queen Elizabeth entered into a treaty, giving them 6000 infantry and 100,000 crowns “to prevent Normandy from falling into the hands of the Guises, lest they should seize its ports and carry their exterminating war against Protestants into England.” She had no quarrel with the French King himself, who was a minor; and she refused his ambassador’s request to deliver up the Vidame to him as a traitor. ”

“ It appears from the Vidame’s own statement that the Duke of Guise actually entered his house before he could escape, but that he concealed himself, and at length secretly got access to the King, who gave him a safe conduct. Instead of being again duped, and going home to be murdered, as the King intended, he used the royal autograph as a passport to the coast of France, and sailed to England, where he landed on the 7th September. ”