He was at times overcome by fear of death and hell, and at times had crises of religious fervour.

But his life was a perpetual debauch, ever seeking new forms of pleasure in strange ways.

He would walk the streets at night accompanied by gay young rufflers in search of adventures.

He had a passion for some handsome young men, commonly called "the darlings," whom he kept about him dressed as women.
His reign meant a new lease of power to his mother, who worshipped him and to whom he willingly left the arduous business of government.

By this time she was bitterly hated by the Huguenots, who paid their compliments to her in a pamphlet entitled _A wonderful Discourse on the Life, Deeds and Debauchery of Catharine de' Medici_, perhaps written in part by the scholar Henry Estienne.