When the Sixteen and their adherents saw Mayenne departing with his wife and children, great were their alarm and wrath.

A large band, with the incumbent of St.Cosmo (Hamilton) at their head, rushed about the streets in arms, saying, "Look to your city; the policists are brewing a terrible business for it." Others, more violent, cried, "To arms! Down upon the policists! Begin! Let us make an end of it!" The policists, that is, the burgesses inclined to peace, repaired on their side to the provost of tradesmen to ask for his authority to assemble at the Palace or the Hotel de Ville, and to provide for security in case of any public calamity.

The provost tried to elude their entreaties by pleading that the Duke of Mayenne would think ill of their assembling.

"Then you are not the tradesmen's but M.de Mayenne's provost ?" said one of them.

"I am no Spaniard," answered the provost; "no more is M.de Mayenne; I am anxious to reconcile you to the Sixteen." "We are honest folks, not branded and defamed like the Sixteen; we will have no reconciliation with the wretches." The Parliament grew excited, and exclaimed against the insolence and the menaces of the Sixteen.