response to the Paris self-disqualification from normal political life. It was a Ligueurs’ move that weakened the both as public policy-makers and as guardians over Seize towns across the country. The felt snubbed, treated as de basse Seize ‘gens they reacted quietly but they were hurt. At the same time, the duke qualité’. Initially, – appointed four secretaries of state and chose to reserve the granting of publication to himself and the Parlement. Arlette Jouanna has claimed that, if one is to use privilèges the anachronistic term then it is at least as applicable at the close of 1589 as in Thermidor, the aftermath of the Brisson affair. Meanwhile, a consequence of defeat at Mayenne’s Arques was an attack on Paris by royal troops (at ligueurs furent tués, Toussaint): ‘800 autant faits prisonniers’. Despite the recent difficulties, 1590 began well. The arrival of the papal legate Enrico Caetani boosted morale. Mayenne was telle espérance de votre fidelité conciliatory: ‘[J]'ay que je me repose de tout sur votre vigilance et diligence pour la conservation de la he ville,’ told the leaders of the as he left for the siege of Meulan in Seize – ‘ses anciens amis’ – January. A few weeks later, it was they who reassured him that despite the disaster of Ivry he retained their confidence. Meanwhile, aware that they were under surveillance, Paris royalists kept a low profile. The harassment of the François de Vigny Seize-led receveur played on the minds of some of the advisers. There was no hope, said one of them, king’s of a successful plot in the city, cause de la perpetuelle vigilance, diligence et exacte ‘a recherche de ces seize, lesquels estoient ordinairement avertis comme a point nommé de tout ce qui se passoit dans la It was a statement that would be vindicated during the ville’. long siege, a time of such travail that, for a few months, friction between the duke and the and suspicion between and Politiques, both waned. Seize, Ligueurs
response to the Paris Ligueurs’ self-disqualification from normal political life. It was a move that weakened the Seize both as public policy-makers and as guardians over towns across the country. The Seize felt snubbed, treated as ‘gens de basse qualité’. Initially, they reacted quietly – but they were hurt. At the same time, the duke appointed four secretaries of state and chose to reserve the granting of publication privilèges to himself and the Parlement. Arlette Jouanna has claimed that, if one is to use the anachronistic term Thermidor, then it is at least as applicable at the close of 1589 as in the aftermath of the Brisson affair. Meanwhile, a consequence of Mayenne’s defeat at Arques was an attack on Paris by royal troops (at Toussaint): ‘800 ligueurs furent tués, autant faits prisonniers’. Despite the recent difficulties, 1590 began well. The arrival of the papal legate Enrico Caetani boosted morale. Mayenne was conciliatory: ‘[J]'ay telle espérance de votre fidelité que je me repose de tout sur votre vigilance et diligence pour la conservation de la ville,’ he told the leaders of the Seize – ‘ses anciens amis’ – as he left for the siege of Meulan in January. A few weeks later, it was they who reassured him that despite the disaster of Ivry he retained their confidence. Meanwhile, aware that they were under surveillance, Paris royalists kept a low profile. The Seize-led harassment of the receveur François de Vigny played on the minds of some of the king’s advisers. There was no hope, said one of them, of a successful plot in the city, ‘a cause de la perpetuelle vigilance, diligence et exacte recherche de ces seize, lesquels estoient ordinairement avertis comme a point nommé de tout ce qui se passoit dans la ville’. It was a statement that would be vindicated during the long siege, a time of such travail that, for a few months, friction between the duke and the Seize, and suspicion between Ligueurs and Politiques, both waned.