Méchant diable acharné, sépulcre abominable, Spectacle de malheur, vipère épouvantable, Monstre, tygre enragé, jusques á quand par toi Verrons-nous abuser le jeune âge du roy? The title of the other satire is “Epistre envoiée au Tygre de la France,” and begins thus:--“Tigre enragé, vipère vénimeuse, sépulcre d’abomination, spectacle de malheur, jusques à quand sera-ce que tu abuseras de la jeunesse de nostre roy?” It charges the Cardinal with incest, but the “sister” was a sister-in-law, Anne of Este, wife of Duke Francis of Guise: “Qui ne voit rien de saint que tu ne souilles, rien de chaste que tu ne violes, rien de bon que tu ne gâtes. L’honneur de ta sœur ne se peut garantir d’avec toy. Tu laisses ta robe, tu prens l’épée pour l’aller voir. Le mari ne peut être si vigilant que tu ne deçoives sa femme,” etc. This was first printed at Strasburg in 1562, and it was for selling one or other of these that Martin Lhomme was put to death. The indictment mentions “épîtres divers et cartels diffamatoires,” but no verse--which is not however conclusive against the poem. The date appears adverse to the claim of the prose satire; but both versions are so much alike as to suggest community of origin. May there not have been a Latin original, and may not Henri Étienne, author of the “Discours merveilleux,” have had more to do with it than Francis Hotmann, professor of civil law at Strasburg? The proclamation issued against it by the Parliament of Paris bears date 13th July, 1560. [See Brunet: “Manuel du ibraire,” ii. 193.] CHAPTER IV. FRANCE AT THE ACCESSION OF CHARLES IX. [1560.] Contrast--Power of King and Nobles--The Provinces--Roads--Rate of Traveling--Forests--Wild Animals--Brigandage--Inns--League of the Loire--Agriculture--Condition of the Peasantry--Rent--Serfage--Wages--Cost of Provisions--Food--Sumptuary Laws--Social Changes--Ignorance of the People--Population of France--Taxation--Army and Navy--The Clergy--Superstitions--Justice--Punishments--Brutality of Manners--Domestic Architecture--Paris--Cities of France: Orleans, Rouen, Bordeaux, Dieppe, Lyons, Boulogne, Dijon, Moulins, and St. Etienne.