, of an ancient family in Dauphiny, and a bold and enterprising spirit,
, of
an ancient family in Dauphiny, and a bold and enterprising spirit, was born in 1513. After having served in the
army with great distinction, he espoused the cause of the
Huguenots from resentment to the duke of Guise in 1562.
He took Valence, Vienne, Grenoble, and Lyons, but signalized himself less by his prowess and his activity than by his
atrocious acts of vengeance. The Catholic writers say, that
in regard to persons of their communion he was what
Nero had been of old to the primitive Christians. He put
his invention to the rack to find out the most fantastic punishments, and enjoyed the barbarous satisfaction of inflicting them on all that fell into his hands. At Montbrison and at Mornas, the soldiers that were made prisoners
were obliged to throw themselves from the battlements
upon the pikes of his people. Having reproached one of
these wretches with having retreated twice from the leap
without daring to take it: “Mons. le baron,
” said the soldier, “with all your bravery, I defy you to take it in three.
”
The composed humour of the man saved his life. His
conduct was far from being approved even by the most
violent of Ins party; admiral Coligny and the prince of
Conde were so shocked at his cruelties, that the government of Lyons was taken from him; and piqued at this,
Des Adrets was upon the point of turning Catholic; but
he was seized at Romans, and would have been brought to
the scaffold, if the peace, just then concluded, had not
saved him. He afterwards put his design in execution,
and died despised and detested by both parties, Feb. 2,
1587. He left two sons and a daughter, who had no issue,
gome time before his death, Des Adrets, being at Grenoble, where the duke de Mayenne then was, he wanted to
revenge the affronts and threats that Pardaillan had given
him on account of the murder of his father. He repeated
several times, that he had quitted his solitude to convince
all such as might complain of him, that his sword was not
grown so rusty but that it could always right him. Pardaillan did not think himself obliged to take any notice of this
bravado of a swordsman then in his 74th year: and Des
Adrets went back again content with his rhodomontade. The ambassador of Savoy once meeting him on the
high road alone, with only a stick in his hand, was surprised at seeing an old man, notorious for his barbarous
executions, walking without a companion and quite defenceless, and asked him of his welfare. “I have nothing
to say to you,
” answered Des Adrets coldly, “unless it be
to desire you to acquaint your master, that you met the
baron des Adrets, his very humble servant, on the high
road, with a white stick in his hand and without a sword,
and that nobody said any thing to him.
” One of the sons
of the baron des Adrets was engaged in the massacre of St.
Bartholomew. He had been page to the king, who ordered
him one day to go and call his chancellor. The magistrate,
who was then at table, having answered him, that as soon
as he had dined he would go and receive the commands of
his majesty “What!
” said the page, “dare you delay a
moment when the king commands Rise, and instantly
be gone
” Whereupon he took hold of the table-cloth by
one corner, and drew the whole of the dinner down upon
the floor. M. de la Place relates this anecdote (rather improbable it must be confessed) in his “Pieces interessantes,
” torn. IV; and adds, that the story being told to
Charles IX. by the chancellor, the monarch only laughed,
and said “that the son would be as violent as the father.
”
To this day the name of Adrets is never pronounced in
Dauphiny without horror. Such the story usually reported
of this extraordinary character; but it is said that Maimbourg, Brantome, Moreri, and Daniel have given some
exaggerated accounts of his cruelties. Thnanus has
justified him from some of the accusations, and particularly in
affair of Mornas, where he was not present.