But, as after the flashes of the lightning, and the rattling of the thunder, comes a furious tempest and lays waste the field; so after those mutual fears and jealousies, those nightly meetings, those murmurs and menaces, and those preparations which were made on both sides with so much tumult, either for assaulting or for defence, they came to the fatal day of the barricadoes, which was followed by that horrible deluge of misfortunes, with which all France was overflowed. For at last the king, more incensed than ever by the resistance which was made to his orders, and fully resolved to make himself be obeyed one way or other, caused the French guards to enter Paris, with some other companies, and the Swissers, which in all made up six thousand men: this was done on Thursday the twelfth of May, just at day break; he being present himself to receive them on horseback, at the gate of Saint Honoré. And after having given out his orders to their officers, to post them according to his direction, he enjoined them above all things, to be no ways injurious to the citizens, but only to repress the insolence of such, who should go about to hinder the search for strangers: after which himself retiring to the Louvre, the marshals d’Aumont and Biron, who were at the head of the troops, went to post them with beat of drum, in the church-yard of St Innocent, and the adjoining places, on the Pont Notre Dame, on that of St Michael, on the Pont Au Change, at the town-house, at the Greve, and at the avenues of the place Maubert. It appeared immediately by what followed, that this was in effect to give the signal of a mutiny and general revolt to all Paris. For a rumour being spread, that the king had determined to put to death a great number of the principal of the League, and a list being also forged of their names who were to be executed, and shewn openly to the people, the citizens, according to the order of their captains and overseers of their wards, were in a readiness to put themselves into a posture of defence, at the least motion that was made. For which reason, so soon as they heard the drums and fifes, and that they beheld the Swissers and the guards advancing through the street of Saint Honoré, they doubted not but the report, which was noised about by the sixteen, was true; and farther believed, (as they had been also assured,) that the town would be sacked and exposed to pillage. The alarm therefore was given round the city: they began by shutting up their shops, and the church doors on that side of the town: they rang the tocsin (or alarm, bell) first in one parish, and then in another; and immediately afterwards through all Paris, as if the whole city had been on fire.