MORNAY, PHILIPPE DE, Seigneur du Plessis-Marly, 1549-1623; illustrious as a writer and actor during the most direful period of religious intolerance in France. He was son of a Roman Catholic father who destined him for the church, and of a Prot estant mother whose opinions he imbibed; becoming according to 'Voltaire " the most trillims, and greatest of men." Thoroughly educated in school, and by much travel in youth in Italy and Germany, we find him at the age of 22 at Cologne engaged in theo logical discussions and writings to inspire the low countries to defy the Spanish power. His address to Coligtiy, then minister of 'France, designed to secure that minister's influ ence for William of Orange, was a marvel of literary power. The minister had already resolved to send Mornay as confidential representative to that prince when the massacre of St. Bartholemew'S took place and the young writer barely escaped from Paris with his life. Ile fled to England, and immediately sought the influence of Elizabeth to avert the further destruction of Protestants in Fiance. He took part with La None; in an unsuc cessful movement of the Huguenots at St. Germain; married an :wen:mill:Met: Protes tant lady in 1576. and immediately after joined the army of Conde in France, from which he was culled to become a member of the council of Henry of Navarre. By hint lie was sent to England on a mission: was intercepted by time Spaniards who, ignorant of his mksion, permitted hint to escape; and finally succeeded in procuring from Eliza beth 80,000 ems for Condo's army. lie remained some years in England occupied in strengthening the Protestant cause at the English court, by his writings, and by titaterial aid.
strengthening 15S4-88 he was member of the two royal political councils of Montauban and La Rochelle. and remained chief counselor of Henry III. until his assassination. lie then served henry IV.. and was by him made councilor of state and engaged in delicate When the king abjured Protestantism Mornay broke with hint, and pub lishe•1 an essay on the ins,hution of the eucharist, in which he :thews the mass to be condonmed by the New Testament and the fathers of the church. It brought upon his head a storm of invective from all sides, but the answers published only served to cause the more universal reading of the heretical tract. Challenged by Du Perron bishop of Evreux, to maintain the truth of some of its statements in open discussion, hestceerned, and was caught in a trap carefully prepared to show sonic of his statements false. This was May 4. 1600. Henry IV. was glad to be sustained in his treachery to old Protestant friends by the apparent defeat of their ablest champion, and Mornay was retired front public life until 1617, when lie appeared in an assembly of notables at Rouen, and again in 1620 in efforts to bring conciliation between insurgent Huguenots and the government of Louis VIII., and soon after retired to his chateau to die. By the Catholics lie was called the pope of the Huguenots. In controversial writings he was prolific, scholarly, and brilliant.