vn.] THE RELIGIOUS WARS. 121 was grieved at Henry's change of faith, and thought that he was bound in gratitude to reserve his prime favour for them. The more fervent Catholics, on the other hand, looked with distrust at any favour shown to the Huguenots as a token that he was still Huguenot at heart. Meanwhile a few nobles, who had risen either on the ruin of other houses, or, by the favour of the Valois, such as Montmorency, Bouillon, Rohan, Biron, Epernon, were claiming power like that of old feudal times. They expected to make their own terms with a good-natured king who had had to fight hard for his crown, who had besides a foreign war on his hands, an empty treasury, and a wasted and ruined kingdom. To all these diffi- culties Henry had only to oppose his own keen sagacity, a kindly spirit which honestly sought his people's welfare, a will that, though yielding in trifles, was firm whenever he thought fit, and a sweet, frank, lively grace that no one could withstand. Above all he had the wise head and faithful heart of his Huguenot friend, Maximilian de Bethune, Baron of Rosny and Duke of Sully, who had fought for him in all his wars, and was always ready with counsels befitting his own honour and the kingdom's good. 18. End of the War with Spain, 1598. — The most pressing danger was from Spain. An attempt had been made on Marseilles, and repulsed by the young Duke of Guise, now a true Frenchman ; but in the north-east the Spaniards, under the Count of Fuentes, guided by a fugitive Leaguer, took Calais and Ardres, and surprised Amiens. " It is time to leave off acting King of France, and to be King of Navarre again," cried Henry. But putting forth all his energies he retook Amiens after a six months' siege, and disconcerted the army which was trying to relieve the garrison. Terms of peace were offered, by which Philip II. consented to own Henry IV. as rightful King of France, while all the places taken on either side were restored, and the treaty of Vervens was signed on the 2nd of May, 1598, a few months before the death of Philip. 19. The Edict of Nantes, 1598. — The next thing was to settle the position of the Huguenots. Henry was one of the few men of the time who hated persecution, and he owed too much to the Calvinists to throw them over. But they expected much more than he could give, and their principles were in themselves hostile to the authority
