Damours was fortunate. Some ferocious wild beasts have been known to contract an attachment to helpless animals which were thrown into their dens. Bussi did so with respect to Damours. Instead of tormenting him, and being eager to send him to the flames, a mode of proceeding which might have been expected from a zealous and unenlightened catholic, he took a singular liking for him. With many oaths, he declared that, thorough hugonot as he was, Damours was worth more than all those politicians, the presidents and counsellors, “who were nothing but hypocrites;” and he bestirred himself so vigorously on behalf of his favourite, that he procured his liberation. James de la Guesle was born in 1557, and succeeded his father in the office of attorney general. After the day of the Barricades, he endeavoured to escape in disguise from Paris, for the purpose of joining the fugitive king; but he was recognised, and committed to prison. He did not long remain in the Bastile, and, as soon as he was set free, he proceeded to St. Cloud, where Henry was residing. The death of the king, which soon after occurred, afforded the enemies of La Guesle a pretext to throw out insinuations against him; for it was by him that Clement, the assassin monk, was introduced into the presence of the monarch. His loyalty was, however, too well known to admit of being stained by calumny. After having held office throughout the reign of Henry IV., and enjoyed the full confidence of that sovereign, La Guesle died in 1612. The Bastile was not allowed to remain untenanted by prisoners of distinction. Bussi had soon the gratification of wreaking his hatred upon “the presidents and counsellors” whom he had described as being “nothing but hypocrites.” The parliament, still faithful to the king, was a serious obstacle in the way of the Leaguers, and the Council of Sixteen determined, therefore, to apply an effectual remedy to this evil. This remedy was of the same nature as that which, long afterwards, was employed in England, by Oliver Cromwell, and is known by the name of Pride’s Purge. Bussi le Clerc was the colonel Pride on this occasion.