Hôpital (Michel de l'), chancellor of France in the sixteenth century, was one of the greatest men of his time. He was from the Auvergne of an ordinary family, and rose to prominence only gradually [(A)]. He was counsellor in the parlement of Paris when princess Marguerite, sister of king Henry II, having been assigned the duchy of Berri, chose him for her chancellor. He continued with her in the same post in Italy after she had married the duke of Savoy and he was in Nice when he was raised to the office of chancellor of France in 1560 during the reign of Francis II. It was believed that the House of Guise procured that office for him, and that it did so because they supposed that if he were under an obligation [(B)] to them he would do all that they wished.