law of the state, formerly not equaled in any
other country... and have tried to force the
people to live as brute beasts.... I have made
numerous remonstrances in behalf of the crown,
the peers of France, and the provinces of the
realm. All of these know that unless something is
done they will be ruined, as well as the king.

As an officer of the crown, a native Frenchman,
a descendant of a line of Christian barons who
has always placed ahead of everything else the
protection, conservation, and defense of his king
and his realm,... I believe... that the re-
ligious question can not be settled by wars, but
rather by a holy and free national or general coun-
cil. Let us, therefore, restore things as they were
in the past, and then, by the advice and delibera-
tion of the Estates General, end the disturbances.
I regret to see His Majesty controlled by persons
who do not respect him and use his sacred name
to hide their evil intentions and ambitions. Hence
I have decided to protect, conserve, and defend
his crown and his loyal subjects, regardless of
their religious views, against these foreigners,
workers of evil, oppressors and violators of the
union and the welfare of the realm.... I in-
vite all kings, princes, and Christian potentates,
friends and allies, and faithful subjects of the
crown to aid me, believing that God will favour
our arms and that we may be able to reach a
satisfactory agreement on the religious question

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