Millions which was a most straunge and maruellous debt considering the great tributes which he had exacted of his subiects of the employing whereof there could be none account heard notwithstanding the best friendes and louers of the communaltie made a motion were verie instant They haue at this present farre more abilitie by the authoritie and subtilitie of their Italinesse to prosecute the ruine and vtter subuersion of this estate the which to bring to a low ebbe they must fill full of ciuill warres and so ouer loade with such heauie burthens of subsidies taxes and new rereages that they poore people remained quite ruined and troden downe so that it could neuer since recouer foote againe and the better to feare and torture them thereunto to locke them vp in prisons and there to make them rot miserably if they did not pay their intollerable ransomes excéeding in many partes of France more by the third part then the yéerely reuenue of the poore Pesant did amount vnto not disburdening him therby any thing at all of his charges in finding souldiers of whom he was daily sore gnawen deuoured beaten and oppressed besides the extremitie shewed vnto him in paying the fines of his wine without the which he could by no meanes be discharged Thus this subtill nation hauing gotten on their side some Italionate Frenchmen to take their partes and to fortifie them somewhat more as also to laie part of the blame of these pilleries on their backs do all things at their owne will and pleasure to the enriching of themselues and to the vtter ruine of the poore commons who abide the greatest smart of all And he which would desire to know what is become of all these excessiue heapes of mony leuied in this kingdome let him goe to Florence to behold the sumptuous buildings which there haue béen erected by our ruines and there let him sée the wondrous wealth wherein many Florentines swimme which came but like poore snakes into France and now how they haue altered their state But if the people of France had had as much witte and wisedome as they they should at the first haue laide their heads togither and concluded to haue chased them backe into their owne countrey and foreséeing the debates and quarrels that they began to sow euery where in France haue sent them backe to their owne home as they themselues once serued the French when they were in their country in like maner Cap. 7. How this Nation going about to ruine a countrie beginneth with some one estate and from thence commeth to all the rest by degrees and how the French can by no meanes take such opportunitie when it serueth them ALthough they haue béen alwaies voyd of all mercie and compassion towardes the poore people hauing drenched them drie and brought them to great miserie yet they haue shewed as little fauour as might be to Churchmen making them to be gnawen to the bare bone with tenthes and to be puld a hole lower by sale of their goods maintaining all inequalitie amongst them making floods of riches to run downe the héeles of some Italianate spirits their coherents and as for those who take paines daily in diuine seruice which the French Romans wil not meddle withal nor so much as with the tip of their finger to turne ouer one leafe of it they may haue a sore drowth but the diuell a whit of drinke will they giue them to coole their thirst Their Nobles they were saluted so oftentimes with summonings to assemble themselues who held any landes of the Crowne to bee seassed for the affaires of the warres and paiment of souldiers and withall put to such pinches and daungers to ruine one another with such extreame costs and charges raised by the vaine enhancings of their gold chaines of their Order for all paiments and wages employed onely for the payes of the Italians and other strange nations As for the Officers although that their offices were sold vnto them in the wane of the Italian power ten times dearer then in the raigne of any former Prince or King they were so fléeced and pulled away by substitution of others that did robbe them of all the profit and honour that might grow therby who in their turne also were pilled and brought to nothing by restoring the mony that was sucked from them that first bought them so that by that time all their landes were counted there was nothing to be laughed at on no side but only the Florentines and their partners who might wel laugh in their sléeues hauing so much the more to drinke filling their purses with the emptyings of others so that by such deuises they haue so well sucked out the substance of the French that since the comming of this Italianesse into France they haue picked more pence out of the coate of this people then during the raigne of twelue Kings before The tokens wherof most manifestly appeare especially vpon the poore pesants by their nakednes who go apparrelled but with old linnen cloth in the greatest coldes and are besides constrained to humble themselues so low as to liue vpon Oates and Pease like bruit beasts The cause and originall of all these miseries procéeding of the marriage of one Italinesse in France aspiring to make way for her adherents and to get the Crown into her own hands making our kings odious to the whole world and this sheweth well that they are so ingenious that of the least occasion that may serue to fauour them they know how to finde and fetch out greater aduantages farre beyond the reach of any nation in the world beside This thou shalt easily perceiue if with the consideration of that which goeth before thou cast but thine eye of vnderstanding vpon the French to sée how great a number of the Kings daughters haue béen married into Italy as Madame Renee daughter of King Lewes the twelfth to the Duke of Ferrara others to the King of England into Spaine to the Dukes of Sauoy and of Lorraine By meanes of whom although they were all descended of farre more noble houses then her yet the French could neuer by any such occasion tyrannise and impouerish these people neuer making the least commoditie thereby or get any other preferment but to the contrarie they still left behinde them verie much of their owne as in the marriages of the King of Spaine and of the Duke of Sauoy where they got to their shares the fairest fléeces and conquests of France And this may verie well shew how grosse witted we are in France and how ingenious and subtill the Italian is at euerie opportunitie that may happen Sée wherfore I wold faine be able to perswade the Popes quite to forsake this nation to come into Swicerland and into France verie curteous and good people to deliuer themselues from the yoake of that nation which is the most corrupt in the whole world for if one onely Italinesse were able to chaine our Kings at Paris
they haue giuen the name of Cardinals to the priestes of Rome granting the sonnes and brethren of kinges and christian princes to be honoured with the same title and estate suffering them also to remaine with their traine amongst them To the end that by these their creatures they might handle and turne the other at their deuotion make them arme their people and march against their neighbours at their pleasure and disarme againe and retire their forces when they should serue God Considering also that by such persons the Councels wils and determinations of kinges and christian princes to the which they are called should thereby be reuealed and manifested to them The quicke spirited Venetians hauing long time since discouered this pollicie being a people of Italie verie subtill and well aduised would neuer permit that any ecclesiasticall person should be admitted into their Councell because they had all taken the oth of the Pope of Rome Sée then it appeareth that the Romanes are priuie to all the counsels and enterpriser of the princes of the earth and of their highest and soueraine courtes they discouer all their actions as well as if they were present where on the contrary not one of these can come within them to vnder féele their consultations and dealinges they are so close and secrete whereby we may iudge clearely how farre they surpasse all other people in inuention and subtiltie of wit Cap. 19. The great force of Excommunication to put the kinges of the arth in feare to make them their tributaries and the magnanimitie of our kinges in France NOw I come to another deuice of theires by the which they haue so cunningly triumphed ouer the kinges of the earth neuer striking stroke for the matter and without any daunger at al and yet they haue brought them vnder as much or more then euer the auncient Romanes did by their Trophées and great victories to wit by excommunication with the which they so frighted them that if they had neuer so little displeased them by and by they were threatned with rebellion of their subiectes to haue their scepters taken from them and others to be inuested therewith incontinent hauing no way in the world to resist or saue them selues but in humbling them selues vnder the greatnesse of their Bishops yéelding them selues to be the Popes vassals or in paying them otherwise some great and intollerable tributes By this meanes they exacted from Iohn king of England that all his subiectes should pay him a penny sterling for fire for the murther by him committed on the person of Arthure Duke of Britanie his owne Nephew and heire which tribute the Italians mined from them more then the terme of trhée hundred yeares albeit the fault of this murther was not in the people therefore they payed this tribute verie vniustly and against all reason Yet they found meanes to augment this tribute verie much by the death of the Archbishop of Cauterburie who was executed by command of the king Yet had the Italians nothing to doe in the matter hauing no interest at all therein being neither his heires nor children Another tribute was exacted of the Polonians for the murther committed on the person of Stauislaus their Arch-bishop to which is paide for S. Peters tongue The Pope hauing thundered by excommunication against the duke of Venis he was faine to make him quiet to créepe on all foure like a Dog hauing a rope about his necke to be absolued The kinges of Nauarre and Granade for disobeying him were dispossessed of their kingdomes which were bestowed on Ferdinand king of Spaine yet the Italians did not forget themselues in this match as in déed they must nener for it was vpon this condition that they should afterwarde be held of their Pope of Rome Pope Nicholas excommunicated the kinges of Naples and Sicilie and making them turne ouer a new leafe inuested the Duke of Aniow brother to Lewes the ninth yet not forgetting him selfe as we saide before vpon condition to pay him eight thousand ounces of gold yearely reuenue He excommunicated also Philippes le Bel king of France because hee would not hold his kingdom of him as his vassall but he being discended of the race of Hue le grand Countie of Paris quaked not a whit at the matter but with a magnanimious courage proper to the kinges of this race constantly resisted and neuer trembled at the hearing thereof as other christian kinges did whose great magnanimitie hath béene continued by his successours This was the cause that the Italian Councell laide their heades together to doe their vttermost to ruine this Monarchy by forraine forces making it to bee assailed on euerie side and hauing set the Armies of the Empire of Spaine and England to thrust this race out of their kingdom which séemed to them inuincible But perceiuing all that tooke not effect as they did wish they haue filled the State full of ciuill warres thereby to weaken and diminish the force of this kingdome and to make way to inuest some other with y e Crowne who should thinke him selfe borne vnder an happie planet and greatly beholding to them to come by it so easily yéelding him selfe therefore there vassall and homager hauing purloyned a kingdome by there meanes Who also would be easily entreated to let slip the accords confirmed betwéene our kings and the popes for the priuiledges and liberties of the French Churches and touching the presentations of Benefices reserned to the Nobilitie and other patrones of the Layty onely translating them ouer wholy to the Pope and so to enrich more and more the citie of Rome And by this meane we should sée this flourishing kingdom parted as a bootie pray betwéene the Italian kéeping for his part the spirituall and his confederates who shoulde haue the temporall for their shares Cap. 20. That it is a verie false pretext that they take to refuse the King for his religion sake seeing they haue a spite at all his race and wish them no more well although they were neuer so great catholikes THat this hath béene the drift of the Italians the proofe is most manifest in this that although Charles the ninth and Henrie the third of this name his brother were the most religious obseruers of the ceremonies of the church of Rome and more precise then any kinges that had béene before them sparing nothing to ruine and rout out the religion of the protestant Huguenots not so much as their owne persons life treasure nor liuings nor their faith and honour beside which is more Yet for all that could they neuer winne the fauour and good will of the Italians nothing neare other princes who had wrought little in comparison of them And what was the cause hereof but that the Italians foresaw that a race of auncient and so long time inuested with the Crowne of France would neuer abide that they should haue anie rule or prerogatiue ouer them nor in no waies permit that the liberties and
couenants made betwéee their predecessors the kinges and the Popes for the benefit of their kingdome should be infringed This is the reason why the Councell of Rome hath sought all meanes possible to enstall other princes in their roome and to bring it to passe haue emploied all their Preachers begging Friers and other Ecclesiastikes to vomit out all kinde of blame and shame most opprobriously against the said King Henry the third deceassed placing him in the rancke of the most abhominable tyrants murtherers of the world whome by their count hee should surpasse in the periode of all mischiefe extolling aboue the heauens with the highest titles of praise which they could deuise some other Princes thereby to adiure them and make euerie one honour them loue them and make much of them But to shew that the Italians and their partners meant no good not onely to the deceased Kings person but also to all his race in generall sée wée not plainly that when they had by treason caused him to bée murthered they continue their selfesame practises towardes those of the house of Bourbon issued of the last sonne of S. Lewes called Robert Countie of Clermont vpon whom seeing they can laie no blame for that they are the true and lawfull heires of this Crowne they thinke to disherite him who is the eldest son and heire whose place he holdeth and representeth vpon a coulour onely that he beléeueth not as much or more in the Constitutions of the Church of Rome as in the word of God and by this text they win the good will of the people and of other ignorant people But when they contemne those of this house making warre against them who haue béen most zealous and affectionate to their Constitutions who haue also for defence thereof exposed their liues and goods to all daungers as haue done the Dukes of Mont Pensier both father sonne do they not shew that they are thorowly resolued to destroy this race and to translate this Crowne vnto some other progeny Touching the Kinge who is at this present they should neuer be able to attaint or staine him with note of any crueltie tiranny nor any other insufficiencie to rule for to blame him for sticking to that religion wherein he hath béen brought vp it is not likely they will for the same reproch would fall vpon their pates if they should not perseuere in these But he offreth them faire and more then they will accord to that is to be heard in a place of frée assembly to eramine louingly all these thinges to stand to that which shal be awarded for both sides Wherin he sheweth how impudently and falsly they argue and condemne him to be an heretike And as for those who magnifie and exalt the ofspring and descent of other houses to make the world beléeue that this whence he is descended is base poore and of no name they are lesse able to speake of the great high and noble families of Christendome then are Bats and Moles to discourse of the greatnes height essence beautie and admirable operations of the Sunne for séeke among all the Empires of the Assirians Persians Grecians Romans Almans Iewes Tartarians Mahometans and ouer all the face of the whole world beside and you shall not finde a King of greater race nor of more auncient family then this hauing had xxviii Kings in his house before him and all lineally in race masculine and of his mothers side being the issue heire of a Quéen who with her mother the sister of Francis the Great excelled in wit learning and hautie courage all other Christian Princesses that euer haue béen before them And touching the great bountie and vertue both in time of warre peace of the house of Bourbon neither Kings nor Princes since the death of S. Lewes but this race hath farre gone beyond them as all the Cronicles of France shall witnes sufficient And touching his wealth he hath alway had twentie times as much as hath had any aduersarie he hath hauing at y e time of his succession more then a million of rent by his patrimony and yéerely reuenue which he might haue multiplied to as much more if hée would haue pinched sucked his subiects by taxings sales of Offices and rearing of tributes as some Italians haue caused to bee done in France Let them then laie away these false cloakes wherewith they disguise the truth of things and let vs beléeue for a troth as it is true indéed that the Italians séeke nothing els but to translate the Crowne into some other house which will bow their neckes vnder their commandements and suffer them to fish this Realme for siluer to plant amongst vs the Spanish Inquisition to admit the Councell of Trent and to take the right of presentations from the Nobles to finger them themselues and wipe their noses of the best and swéetest profits that belong to the Realme Cap. 21. The great subtilty of the counsell of Rome in getting into their hands the Souerantie of the newfound world conquered by the Spaniards BVt I cannot so often call to minde the conquest of the new world as I wounder at the great subtiltie of the counsell of Rome and againe at the more then great simplicitie in the Spanyards and Portingales behalfe for the Italians perceauing to their great griefe their Domination and tributes to bee cut of in the East and North partes as well by the conquests of the Turke as by the preaching of Luther as also Pope Alexander the sixt had set in his foote at the parting of stakes and made the diuision geuing on halfe to the one king and the other to the other reseruing for himselfe the séesimple principall Iurisdiction and Souerayntie making these two Kinges consent to bee his vassals and to holde their countries of him although he had neither right of seruice nor of possession and was not the discouerer neither Yet sée this parte was handled with such cuning and craft that the Italian became therby Souerayne Lord of twise so much soyle and country as all Christendom vnder the name of their Pope And by what meane you shall not finde it to bee by his great trauels perils and expences but by the laboures bloudshedings and armes of the Spanyardes who venture bodyes and goodes exposing themselues to infinte perils troubles and hazardes to shipwracks of the sea in danger of many Pyrates and Rouers before the can come thether and when the are once there and entred into the country fainte to fight many combats and battels and worse then all this to fall into many strange and incurable diseases which procéede of chaunge of ayer and habitation when men transporte themselues into farre countryes where the clymate is of farre more excessiue heate and colde then their owne was Now whileste these nations endure these trauels and sorrowes worse then twenty deathes the Italians are at whome in there sumptuas and braue pallaces out of all daunger