[Footnote 176: 'Bona spes est, brevi fore, ut Christus publicum apud ipsos obtineat.'—Gerdesius, iv. p. 33.] [Footnote 177: Charles de Sainte-Marthe, _Oraison funèbre de Marguerite_.] [Footnote 178: _Lettres de la Reine de Navarre_, i. p. 269.] [Footnote 179: Ibid.] [Footnote 180: Ibid. i. pp. 272, 273.] [Footnote 181: Marot, _Chronique de François I._ p. 90.] [Footnote 182: 'An unlettered king is a crowned ass.' A.D. 936.] [Footnote 183: Teissier, _Eloge des Hommes savants_, i. p. 200.] [Footnote 184: Flor. Rémond, _Hist. de l'Hérésie_, p. 884.] [Footnote 185: The Latin word _gallus_ signifies both _Frenchman_ and _cock_. 'The Frenchman crows,' said the bishop. 'Would to God,' retorted Danès, 'that Peter (the pope) would repent at the crowing of the cock!' Sismondi, _Hist. des Français_, xvi. p. 359.] [Footnote 186: _Les Marguerites de la Marguerite_, i. pp. 505-508.] [Footnote 187: _Lettres de la Reine de Navarre_, i. p. 280; ii. p. 120.] [Footnote 188: _Lettres de la Reine de Navarre_, i. p. 269.] CHAPTER XIX. DIPLOMATISTS, BACKSLIDERS, MARTYRS. (1531.) [Sidenote: CHARLES SLANDERS THE PROTESTANTS.] The royal trio was now broken up. Margaret, knowing well that her mother had always influenced her brother in favour of popery, hoped to profit by an event that had cost her so many tears, and immediately attempted to incline her brother to the side of the Reform. But there were other influences at work at court: the Sorbonne, the bishops, Montmorency, and even the emperor endeavoured to set Francis against the evangelicals. Charles V. especially desired to take advantage of the alliance which drew him closer to France, in order to turn its sovereign against Luther. His envoy, Noircarmes, had very positive instructions on this point. One day, when this ambassador had gone to present his homage to the king, they had a long conversation together, and Noircarmes gave utterance to all the usual calumnies against the Reformation. Francis did not know what answer to make, but fixed the diplomatist's accusations in his memory, with the intention of repeating them to his sister. He paid her a visit, while still in a state of excitement. 'Madame,' said he angrily, 'do you know that your friends the protestants preach the community of goods, the nullity of the marriage tie, and the subversion of thrones? Noircarmes says that if I do not destroy Lutheranism, my crown will be in danger.'[189] To justify the innocent was one of the tasks which the Queen of Navarre had imposed upon herself. 'Sire,' she said to the king, 'the reformers are righteous, learned, peaceful men, who have no other love than that of truth, no other aim than the glory of God, and no other thought than to banish superstition and to correct morals.' The Queen of Navarre was so gracious, so true, so eloquent, that the king left her completely changed—at least for the day.[190] But it was not long before perfidious insinuations again roused his anger.