Catholicism, besides, was in a large majority in France: how, then, was he to treat with its foes without embroiling himself utterly with it?
Meanwhile the case was urgent.

Henry was apprised by one of his confidants, Nicholas de Rambouillet, that one of the King of Navarre's confidants, Sully, who was then only Sieur de Rosny, was passing by Blois on his way to his master; he saw him and expressed to him his "desire for a reconciliation with the King of Navarre, and to employ him on confidential service;" the difficulty was to secure to the Protestant king and his army, then engaged in the siege of Chatellerault, a passage across the Loire.

Rosny undertook Henry III.'s commission.

He at the same time received another from Sieur de Brigueux, governor of the little town of Beaugency, who said to him, "I see well, sir, that the king is going the right way to ruin himself by timidity, irresolution, and bad advice, and that necessity will throw us into the hands of the League: for my part, I will never belong to it, and I would rather serve the King of Navarre.

Tell him that I hold, at Beaugency, a passage over the Loire, and that if he will be pleased to send to me you or M.de Rebours, I will admit into the town him whom he sends to me." Upon receiving these overtures, the King of Navarre thought a while, scratching his head; then he said to Rosny, "Do you think that the king has good intentions towards me, and means to treat with me in good faith ?" "Yes, sir, for the present; and you need have no doubt about it, for his straits constrain him thereto, having nothing to look to in his perils but your assistance." He had some dinner brought into his own cabinet for Rosny, and then made him post off at once.