[318] I know of no more beautiful monument of Jeanne's courage and piety than the letter she wrote to the Cardinal of Armagnac, in reply to a letter of the cardinal, dated August 18, 1563, intended to frighten her into a return to the papal church. It was sent by the same messenger who had brought the letter of Armagnac, and it has every mark of having been Jeanne's own composition. Both letters are given in full by Olhagaray, Hist. de Foix, Bearn, et Navarre, 536-543, and 544-551; a summary in Vauvilliers, i. 347-362. The Queen of Navarre boldly avowed her sentiments, but declared her policy to be pacific: "Je ne fay rien par force; il n'y a ny mort ny emprisonnement, ny condemnation, qui sont les nerfs de la force." But she refused to recognize Armagnac--who was papal legate in Provence, Guyenne, and Languedoc--as having any such office in Bearn, proudly writing: "Je ne recognois en Bearn que Dieu auquel je dois rendre conte de la charge qu'il m'a baillee de son peuple." The publication of these letters produced a deep impression favorable to the Reformation. [319] Letter of Jehan Reymond Merlin to Calvin, Pau, July 23, 1563, printed for the first time in the Bulletin, xiv. (1865) 233, 234. [320] Olhagaray, Hist. de Foix, Bearn, et Navarre, p. 535; Vauvilliers, Hist. de Jeanne d'Albret, i. 319. [321] Letter of Merlin, _ubi supra_, 237, 238; Vauvilliers, i. 320. [322] Ibid., 238. "Dont plusieurs, voire des grands, s'en allerent fort mal contens, et singulierement quelques-uns qu'elle rabroua plus rudement que je n'eusse desire." Merlin adds that all now saw the excellence of his advice, for, had it been followed, "il y auroit apparence que la reformation eust este faite en ce pays par l'authorite des estats; maintenant il faut qu'elle se fasse de seule puissance absolue de la royne, voyre avec danger." In other parts of France, as well as in Bearn, Jeanne's reformatory movements were looked upon with great disfavor. Upon a glass window at Limoges (made about the year 1564, and still in existence, I believe) she is represented, by way of derision, as herself in the pulpit, and preaching to a congregation of eight Huguenots seated. Underneath is the bitter couplet, "Mal sont les gens endoctrines Quand par femme sont sermones." M. Hennin, Monuments de l'hist. de France, Paris, 1863, tome ix. (1559-1589) 76. The statement that this and a somewhat similar representation, also described in this work, came from an old abbey, whose monks thus revenged themselves upon the queen for removing their pulpit, seems to be a mistake. [323] Letter of Merlin, _ubi supra_, 239: "Brief c'est merveille que ceste princesse puisse persister constamment en son sainct vouloir." Cf. letter of same, Dec. 25, 1563, 245. [324] Letter of Merlin, Dec. 25, 1563, _ubi supra_, 245.