...f a right to the French throne. The Protestants were still suffering greatly from persecution, and late in 1561 Coligni sought permission from Catharine to provide a refuge for them in the wilds of America . She readily granted all he desired, and early in 1562 he sent John Ribault, an expert mariner of Dieppe, with two caravels (small two-masted ships without whole decks), with sailors and soldiers, ...