Editing Michel de l'Hôpital (section)

===Meaux===
The [[Surprise of Meaux]], in which elements of the Protestant nobility attempted a coup to seize the king and kill [[Charles, Cardinal of Lorraine|Lorraine]], fatally discredited L'Hôpital's project in the eyes of Catherine. L'Hôpital was with the court when word came that a Protestant force of cavalry was assembling nearby to attack them. He and the Constable advocated for holding firm at [[Monceaux]]. The Guise and [[Jacques, Duke of Nemours|Duke of Nemours]] argued by contrast that the court should flee to the safety of Paris. Catherine chose to follow the latter course and the court conducted a fighting retreat to the capital.{{sfn|Knecht|2016|p=28}} The failure of the surprise led to the resumption of civil war.{{sfn|Carroll|2005|p=133}} Besieged in the capital by Condé's forces, Catherine dispatched L'Hôpital, Morvillier and [[François de Scépeaux|Marshal Vielleville]] to negotiate with the prince. Condé was feeling confident in his position, and negotiated aggressively. He demanded that all taxes implemented since the reign of [[Louis XII of France|Louis XII]] be abolished, that four surety towns (including the key border towns of [[Metz]], [[Calais]] and [[Le Havre]]) be granted to him to secure his position in the kingdom, and that full religious toleration be granted everywhere in France. He further demanded the prosecution of the Guise and the expulsion of Italian financiers.{{sfn|Salmon|1975|p=170}} These demands were entirely unacceptable to the negotiators, but they had been dispatched to buy time for an army to be raised by Constable Montmorency, not to reach terms.{{sfn|Thompson|1909|pp=328-331}} By this time, Catherine was increasingly weary of L'Hôpital, and when he proposed certain compromises the court could make to end the crisis, including the dispatch of a further embassy to the Protestant leaders so that they might better understand their intentions and aims, she accused him of bearing some responsibility for the current situation.{{sfn|Knecht|2014|p=115}}{{sfn|Chevallier|1985|p=93}} To fund the mercenaries required to prosecute the civil war, L'Hôpital's list of offices to be suppressed on the death of their current holder, a key component of the Ordinance of Moulins was cancelled. Venality was indeed expanded in January 1568, allowing officials to pay a portion of the cost of their posts for the right to have their venal office be inherited.{{sfn|Salmon|1975|p=161}}