The whole sweet and pleasant land of France, from the Burgundian to the Spanish frontier, was widowed and desolated, her pride humbled by her own sons and her Golden Lilies trampled in the bloody mire.

Foreign levy was called in to supply strength to fratricidal arms.

The Protestants, headed by Conde and Coligny, raised an army and started negotiations with England.

The Catholics, however, had the best of the fighting.

They captured Rouen, defended by English troops, and, under Guise, defeated the Huguenots under Coligny at Dreux.