RELIGIOUS ENCYCLOPEDIA
Colerldgre Coligny
from his father, the greater part of which he shortly after applied to the foundation of St. Paul's School. In 1509 he prepared in English a little treatise on Latin accidence for the boys in St. Paul's School, to which William Lilly, head master of the school, furnished a syntax; it was probably printed about 1510, and has been reprinted many times since, even as late as 1836. A Right Fruitful Admonition concerning the Order of a Good Christian Man's Life Made by the Famous Dr. Colet was first printed in 1534; later it came to be known as Daily Devotions, or the Christian's morning and evening sacrifice, and to include matter not by Colet.
Bibliogbapht; His manuscripts have been published with transl. and notes, 5 vols., London, 1867-74, by J. H. Lupton, who edited and translated Erasmus's life of Colet, ib. 1883, and wrote A Life of Dean Colet, ib. 1887 (the best modern hfe). Consult: F. Seebohm, Three Oxford Reformers, Colet, Erasmus, More, ib. 1887; A. J. Mason, Lectures on Colet, Fisher, and More, ib. 1895; DNB, xi. 321-328.
COLIGNY, c6"li"nyi', GASPARD DE: French statesman and Huguenot leader; b. at Chatillonsur-Loing (80 m. s.e. of Paris) Feb. 16, 1516; assassinated at Paris Aug. 24, 1572. He was the second son of Gaspard de Chatillon, marshal of France (d. 1522), and Louise de Montmorency, a sister of the famous constable of France, but became the head of the family in 1533. He had thorough military and diplomatic training, and at the same time a character of singular purity. He fought with great distinction against Charles V (1542-44), and in 1547 was made commander of the French infantry. In 1552 he was made admiral of France,
and in 1555 governor of Picardy. As I. Life to such he signed the armistice of Van- 1559. Con- celles Feb. 5, 1156; but when Henry version to II. broke it he fought valiantly, de- Protestant- spite his disapproval of the act, and ism. after the defeat of the constable at
St. Quentin, Aug. 10, 1557, he actually saved Paris by holding the city of St. Quentin for seventeen days, thus enabling the French to reorganize their army. On its surrender he was carried a prisoner into the Netherlands, where he was confined first at Sluis and then at Ghent, until ransomed at enormous expense after the peace of Chateau- Cambresis (Apr. 3, 1559). But from the prisons of Philip II. he returned a Protestant. He was not entirely a stranger to the Reformation. His mother was famihar with the " new ideas," and had refused to allow a priest to attend her at death. His tutor, Nicolas Berauld, was a friend of Erasmus. His wife, Charlotte de Laval, was strongly attracted by the movement; his brother Odet later joined the Reformed, and his other brother Andelot had openly embraced Protestantism. In his long imprisonment Coligny had leisure to read Calvinistic writings sent him by Andelot. His resolve to break with the established faith was strengthened by a letter irom Calvin, dated Sept. 4, 1558.
Through the sudden death of Henry II. (1559), and the accession of Francis II., the Guises gained full control, whereupon Coligny retired from court and resigned the governorship of Picardy (1560), though he retained his post as admiral. He did not openly acknowledge his belief until July, 1559, being
fully aware that his step might be fatal to his family. Meanwhile the public discontent at the usurpation of the Guises reached a climax. The conspiracy of Amboise in 1560 amply shows the state of popular opinion in France. At the Convention of the Notables at Fontainebleau (Aug. 21-26, 1559) Coligny made brave but inefficient attempts to gain more freedom of worship for the Protestants, but the sudden death of
2. 1560-66. Francis II. (Dec. 5, 1560) changed
the whole aspect of affairs. Catherine de' Medici became regent for her son Charles IX., then ten years of age, and adopted a policy of accommodation which furthered the spread of Protestantism throughout France, so that when Coligny again pleaded for his coreligionists at the assembly of the States-General at Orleans (Dec. 13, 1560) his words were not ignored. Persecution ceased, toleration was shown on both sides, and there were fair prospects of ending the conflict with a peaceable settlement. But on Mar. 1, 1562, the massacre of Vassy took place, and a month later the first religious war began with the occupation of OrMans by Andelot. On one side were the Roman Catholics, the Guises, and Anthony of Navarre; en the other, the Protestants, Coligny, the Prince of Conde, and Henry of Navarre; and between the two parties, the court, the king, and Catherine de' Medici. The war actually ended with the assassination of Francis of Guise by Jean Poltrot de Merey, in the camp before Orleans, Feb. 24, 1563; and on Mar. 19 peace was concluded at Amboise, by which freedom of conscience, and, within certain limits, liberty of worship were granted to the Protestants. But the hatred of the house of Guise for Coligny was only deepened by the events. Poltrot declared that he had been encouraged to murder Francis of Guise by Coligny, Beza, and others, but Coligny was acquitted by the Assembly of Notables at Moulins (Jan. 29, 1566).
Four years of peace followed. But in the mean time the development of affairs in the Netherlands, the imprisonment of Egmont and Horn (Sept. 9, 1567), and rumors of a plan to capture the prince of Conde and execute Coligny so aroused the Protestants that they incited the second religious war. The scheme of seizing the king at Monceaux, near Meaux, failed (Sept. 27, 1567), but the victory at St. Denis (Nov. 10, 1567) led to the brief peace of Longjumeau (Mar. 23, 1568), by which the agreement of Amboise was renewed. With-
3. 1566-72. in the year, however, the third relig- The Mas- ious war began. It ended with the
sacra of St. peace of St. Germain (Aug. 2, 1570), Bartholo- after the battles of Jarnac, Monconmew. tour, and Arnay le Due, and gave the Protestants freedom of conscience and worship together with three cities of safety. Meanwhile Charles IX. had become averse to the Spanish direction which French politics had lately shown. Coligny was called to Blois Sept. 12, 1571; and the king seemed to listen to him with confidence. The negotiations for a marriage between Margaret of Valois, the sister of the king, and Henry of Navarre finally succeeded, and were regarded as favorable to the Protestant cause. The wedding
Colig-ny Colleg:ialisni