decrepit in the eyes of her adorers.

Mayenne was angry at the action of the Parliament, and vehemently swore
that he would annul their decree. Parliament met his threats with
dignity, and resolved to stand by the decree, even if they all died in
their places.

At the same time the Duke of Feria suddenly produced in full assembly
of Leaguers a written order from Philip that the Duke of Guise and the
Infanta should at once be elected king and queen. Taken by surprise,
Mayenne dissembled his rage in masterly-fashion, promised Feria to
support the election, and at once began to higgle for conditions. He
stipulated that he should have for himself the governments of Champagne,
Burgundy, and La Brie, and that they should be hereditary in his family:
He furthermore demanded that Guise should cede to him the principality
of Joinville, and that they should pay him on the spot in hard money two
hundred thousand crowns in gold, six hundred thousand more in different
payments, together with an annual payment of fifty thousand crowns.

It was obvious that the duke did not undervalue himself; but he had after
all no intention of falling into the trap set for him. "He has made
these promises (as above given) in writing," said the Duke of Savoy's
envoy to his master, but he will never keep them. The Duchess of Mayenne
could not help telling me that her husband will never consent that the
Duke of Guise should have the throne." From this resolve he had never
wavered, and was not likely to do so now. Accordingly the man "of his
word, of faith, and truth," whom even the astute Farnese had at times
half believed in, and who had received millions of Philip's money, now
thought it time to break with Philip. He issued a manifesto, in which he
observed that the States-General of France had desired that Philip should