The sincerity of Catherine’s grief for the loss of her husband has been much doubted, but without sufficient cause. To a woman of her temper the change wrought in her position by widowhood must at first have been hard to bear. She certainly felt as much for her husband while living, as such selfish natures can feel, and commemorated her bereavement and regret in the ornaments of her palace of the Tuileries, where the broken mirrors, plumes reversed, and scattered jewelry carved on certain columns have been regarded as emblems of her sorrow.[84] A garrulous contemporary (whom we shall have frequent occasion to quote), lamenting the death of Henry II., praises him particularly for the discipline he introduced into the army,[85] which was such “that the peasants hardly deigned to shut the doors of their cellars, granaries, chests, or other lock-up places for fear of the soldiers, who conducted themselves most becomingly. When billeted in the villages, they would not venture to touch the hens or other poultry without first asking their host’s leave and paying for them.”[86] It is a pity to spoil so Arcadian a story; but if it is true, there must have been a sad falling off in the military discipline in a few months, for Francis II. writes in 1560 to the Duke of Aumale, then in Burgundy, “to punish the men-at-arms and archers who had lived without paying.”[87] CHAPTER III. REIGN OF FRANCIS II. [1559–1560.] Catherine de Medicis--The Duke of Guise and the Cardinal of Lorraine--St. André--Anthony of Navarre and Condé--Coligny and Andelot--Disgrace of Montmorency--Persecuting Edicts--Execution of Du Bourg--Discontent in France--Edict of Chambord--La Renaudie--The Meeting at Nantes--Tumult of Amboise--Bloody Reprisals--Castelnau’s Trial and Execution--The Duke’s Viands--Aubigné and his Son--Grace of Amboise--Regnier de la Planche--Renewal of Persecutions--L’Hopital made Chancellor--Edict of Romorantin--Religious and Political Malcontents--Abuse of the Pulpit--The Tiger--General Lawlessness--Huguenot Violence--Demand for a Council--Montbrun and Mouvans--L’Hopital’s Inaugural Address--Les Politiques--The Notables at Fontainebleau--Montluc and Marillac--Meeting at Nerac--Address presented to Anthony--The Court at Orleans--Arrest and Trial of Condé--Death of Francis II.