Note 643 — Chapter XIII · THE FESTIVAL OF BLOOD. [August and September, 1572.]

Fronde says hastily, that the story rests only on the “worthless authority of Brantome.” Hist. Engl. x. 406. Now Brantome was a terrible gossip, but what could induce him to coin such a detestable story? Smedley (Prot. Ref. France, ii. 367) also says, “the fact is not mentioned by D’Aubigné,” which a subsequent note will show to be a mistake. Mezeray (Abrégé, 1665) says: “Le roy ... tâchait de les canarder;” Bossuet: “Le roi qui les tirait par les fenêtres.” The Réveille-Matin, published in 1574, mentions it: so that the story was at least contemporaneous.