[Sidenote: December 19, 1562] [Sidenote: February 18, 1563] Two months later, Francis of Guise was assassinated by a Protestant near Orleans.

Coligny was accused of inciting the crime, which he denied, though he confessed that he was glad of it.

[Sidenote: Edict of Amboise March 19, 1563] The immediate beneficiary of the death of the duke was not the Huguenot, {215} however, so much as Catharine de' Medici.

Continuing to put into practise her policy of tolerance she issued an edict granting liberty of conscience to all and liberty of worship under certain restrictions.

Great nobles were allowed to hold meetings for divine service according to the reformed manner in their own houses, and one village in each bailiwick was allowed to have a Protestant chapel.
How consistently secular was Catharine's policy became apparent at this time when she refused to publish the decrees of the Council of Trent, fearing that they might infringe on the liberties of the Gallican church.