Whitehaven Gazette November 8, 1819 Henry IV. of France

Henry IV. of France

Whitehaven Gazette - November 8, 1819

HENRY IV. OF FRANCE. ******        It has been observed of this monarch, that his popularity by no means arose out of his bounty, and that he was much less famous for giving than for forgiving. The great charm in Henry's character was a soldierly frankness, which rendered him the companion as well as the head of his courtiers and followers, and which enabled him to bear and forbear accordingly.        In Kings, this is a quality approaching to magnanimity, and few, indeed, have possessed it. Old Frederic of Prussia used to affect it; but in him it was affectation merely; he had no heart.        Some of the instances of the freedom passed over by Henry IV are very entertaining; one of them, related of his celebrated Protestant partizan, the open hearted D'Aubigne, may serve as a specimen. This cavalier, who acted as a gentleman of his bed chamber, slept with another in the same capacity called Fontenac, in an anti room, or garde de robe; and, when Henry was flattering the Count de Soissons, and many others, with the hopes of giving them his sister Catherine in marriage, by which he allured them into his service, D'Aubigne, being in bed with Fontenac, whispered him, "How many brothers our master makes out of one sister!" As it happened, he spoke too low to be understood by Fontenac, although the King, who was remarkable for the quickness of his ear, caught every word. ******

 

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