290  *bt  Hiftiry  of  France.*  B. XIX,

was  exceffively  jealous  of  the  duke  of  Anjou*  and  at  the  feme
time  more  afraid  of  the  duke  of  Guife  m. Tbe  duke  of  Menu
penftsr,  more  than  half  a  malcontent,  took  this  opportunity
to  propofe  a  peace,  which  was  preceded  by  a  truce,  in  the
month  of  September. At  length  it  was  concluded  in  die  fucceed-
ing  month,  and  figned  by  tbe  king  at  Poiclier*,  and  by  the
king  of  Navarre  at  Bergerac*. By  this  treaty  the  cdi&  of
pacification  was   again  revived,  with  fome  reftridioBS,  at
which  the  warmer  Hugonots  were  highly  provoked  ;  but  tbe
prince  of  Condi,  who  understood  their  affairs  and  his  ownfitn-
ation  better,  was  fo  extremely  pleafed  with,  it,  that  he  caus-
ed it  to  be  proclaimed  by  torch-light  at  St. John  dc  Jngeir,
for  fear  of  any  accident  that  might  happen  by  deferring  it  tiH
next  morning  °. All  this  time  the  luxury  of  the  court  conti-
nued, and,  if  poffible,  increafed  ;  of  which  k  may  not  be
amifs  to  give  two  inftanccs :  the  firfl:  wds  that  of  the  Italian
comedians  %  who,  till  then,  had  never  been  in  France. Their
buffooneries  were  mixed  with  fuch  idecencies,  that,  notwith-
ftanding  they  produced  the  king's  letters  patent,  the  parlia-
ment forbad  them  to  exhibit  their  performances  under  fevere. penalties  ;  but  the  king,  though  other  wife  a  very  mutable
prince,  was  fo  delighted  with  them,  that  he,  by  repeated  let-
ters of  juffion,  forced  the  parliament  to  give  way. The  other,
the  behaviour  of  Monf. FilUquiere,ont  of  Henry' %  favourites,
who  finding,  by  a  letter  of  his  wife's,  that  fhe  was  with  child
by  another  man,  who  had  poifoned  his  wife,,  and  follicited
her  to  poifon  him,  ftabbed  her  and  her  maid  at  her  toilet,  in  tbe
*•  D. Icing's  palace,  and  in  a  room  not  far  from  his,  notwithstanding
*577*    which  he  had  his  pardon  as  foon  as  he  atked  it;  which  occa-
ftoned  a  report  that,  though  free  enough  of  her  favours  to
others,  fhe  had  reftifed  them  to  the  king  «L
Th*  qitten-     Animosity  ftill  fubfrfled  between  the  Papifts  and  the
mother  ne- Proteftants,  and  frequent  enterprizes  were  made  by  each  par*
gotidtet      ty,  notwithftanding  the  peace. 