The Protestants, though defeated, were not dispirited, and the resources of the fertile mind of Coligny were call ed into immediate and full action on this occasion. He collected the scattered troops, took such measures for their security and protection as he deemed most proper and ne cessary, and succeeded in reaching Poitou. Here he was joined by the Queen of Navarre, with such troops as she could collect ; and her young son Henry, presented to the army, and received with universal acclamations, was declared general, along with his cousin the young Prince of Conde.
Coligny, who still exercised the actual command and di rection of the forces, being strengthened by some German auxiliaries, again took the field, obliged the Duke of An jou to retreat, and invested Poitiers. Into this place, the young Duke of Guise, recollecting the glory which his father had acquired by his defence of Metz, had thrown himself, and animated the garrison, by his valour and con duct, to a most resolute defence. In the mean time, the Duke of Anjou advanced with a powerful army ; and Co ligny thus threatened, and finding that there was no chance of reducing Poitiers, abandoned the siege. He would have also carefully avoided a battle ; but as he was incapable of satisfying the demands of his German auxiliaries, he was under the necessity of fighting while they remained with him, lest on their departure he might be attacked at a still greater disadvantage. Such was the cause which led to the battle of Montconcour. The obstinacy of the comba tants was great ; but the numbers of the Catholics, and the superior discipline of the Swiss, prevailed. The admiral was wounded in the beginning of the action ; but his wound was totally disregarded, and he continued fighting with the utmost gallantry, till he was convinced that his efforts were no longer of any advantage. He then, at the head of only S00 horse, accompanied by the young King of Navarre and the Prince of Conde, reached Parthenai, about six leagues from the field of battle. Such was the rise of the reputation of the second Duke of Guise ; for to his obstinate and skilful defence of Poitiers, the disas ters of the Protestants may justly be ascribed.
As the Protestants had lost nearly 10,000 men in the battle of Montconcour, the court of France and the Ca tholics fondly imagined that their power was finally and completely broken ; what then was their surprise to learn, that Coligny, undaunted by so signal a defeat, had sudden ly appeared in another quarter of the kingdom' ; had as sembled a formidable army, accomplished an incredible march, and was ready to besiege Paris. The state of the
finances was such, that the king found it impossible to raise and support an army sufficiently powerful to over come the persevering and indefatigable Coligny : he was therefore obliged A. D. 1570, notwithstanding his violent animosity against the Protestants, to enter into a negocia tion with them at St Germain en Laye. By this treaty, the edicts in their favour were confirmed; a pardon was grant ed for all their past offences ; they were declared capable of all offices, both civil and military ; they were restored to all their employments and dignities ; and Rochelle, La Charite, Montauban, and Cogniac, were ceded to them for two years, as places of refuge, and pledges for their se curity. The first of these cities kept the sea open for re ceiving succours from England; the second preserved the passage of the Loire ; the third commanded the frontiers of Languedoc ; and the fourth opened a passage into An gounaois, where the Protestants possessed greater strength than in any other province.
Both Catherine and her son, being now convinced that the destruction of the Protestants could be effected only by intrigue, resolved to exert all the powers of their minds to carry it on in such a manner as might most effectually deceive the proposed victims of it. With this view they pretended to be averse to the measures of the Guises as unfriendly to the Protestants ; and even treated them with coolness and indifference. The king proposed to give his sister Margaret in marriage to Henry of Navarre, as a fur ther proof of his change of sentiments, and further se curity to the Protestants. This proposal was readily ac cepted ; and so deeply laid were the plans of Cathe rine and her son, that even the Admiral Coligny, notwith standing a letter which he received, putting him in mind of the faithless characters of them both, was deceived by their specious conduct and professions.