aside all rancor and enimitie or at the least deferring it doe defende them selues in and against all and naturall affection surmounteth that which is but accidentall the generall interest reclaimeth and forceth them to forget the particular Against you the consideration of your smalnesse and the greatnesse of the iniurie being done in so wofull a time which alwaies will be imputed to a bragge insolencie and rashnesse will the more prouoke all France and breede in them a speedie vnion and league and the wisest will be very glad of such an occasion to ende their diuisions and partialities as surely there is no better way or certainer remedie against ciuill warres then to set vppon the enemies subiects We read that the Romanes being on a time at iarre the enemie came into the towne and tooke the Capitoll but they suddenly agreed to driue him away The like did they against the Veients and the princes people of Thuscane who during their ciuill warres had assailed them and in lieu of getting anie thing from them remained vanquished brought into subiection The like did the Spanish nations when they so farre reuolted against the Emperour Charles the fift as to force the D. of Calaber to take the crowne for beeing in armes one against another king Frances the first sent an armie and recouered the realme of Nauarre and Fontarabie but the Spanish troubles being suddenly appeased with one common consent thy fell vpon the French and driue them out of all the land that they had conquered and neuer after thought vpon their factions and reuolts and we see ordinarilie that in townes and communalties the enuies enmities and ielousies of particular persons are trode vnder foote so soone as the enemie doeth appeare and all euen they which before would haue slaine each other doe with one mind run to defend the breach Let vs not then deceiue our selues in too much flattering and reioycing in our forces and commodities neither let vs perswade our selues that the Frenchmens diuisions are so rooted and grauen in them that they cannot be soone taken away and appeased The long cōtinuance of their mischiefes the extremities of the peoples miseries the experience of that which is past the small effect of their ciuill warres these 25 or 30. yeres and especially these last troubles longer and more pernitious thē the rest which doe as it were vndermine the verie foundations of this Monarchie and estate together with the obiect of an enemie will prouoke them to vnitie agreement It is well knowen that in the estates now assembled most of the prouinces do require peace that there be a great number of Catholike Lords that doe bewaile the miseries of the estate and with great impaciencie doe beare these ambitious commotions and proud innouations Would you thinke that men do iudge it to be the Catholike Maiestie vnder whose aduow and with whose helpe you enterprise this warre and that without such assurance you would not meddle The Spaniard then the hereditarie enemie of France is he that assaileth it hee it is that seeketh to swallow vp the whole world vnder his Empire to become the sole and only Monarch thereof he it is whose mortal hatred is naturally grauen in euery true French hart whose dominion is accounted cruell and intollerable against whome the inhabitants of the low countries are reuolted choosing rather to venture vpon so manie extremities then againe to fall vnder his dominion and now to this Spanish Cornet shal not the French eares bee open their haires stand vpright their hands be armed neither the hearts of so manie princes Lords gentlemen and others both warlike and couragious be puffed vp with a desire of reuenge and the iust defence of their fellow citizens or will they incurre so great a blemish of infamie and cowardlinesse as to suffer themselues to bee wronged and prouoked by so weake and impatient an enemie as you To be briefe and without dissimulation would the Catholike Maiestie forsake and abandon the recouerie of his countries to the end to denoūce a new war vnto France Hee who with all his power and strength hath not beene able in twentie yeares to reduce two small prouinces Holland and Zealand into his obedience and of late hath incurred so great and notable a losse of noble Spanish Lords captaines and vessels yea euen of his reputation in that great ouerthrow and dissipation of his nauie in the preparation wherof he had employed all his power for the conquest of England will nowe enterprise against France which hath so oft withstood him and whose armies to his losse hee hath so often felt and tried Againe who is ignorant of the great practises and intelligences of the king of Portugall whose estate hath forciblie and by violence beene deteined by the Spaniard who hath farre more interest in the preseruation of his conquests and greater cause to preuent the losse and reuolts thereof then to dreame else where This consideration therefore must not amaze them but they may be assured that hee will still employ his forces and meanes vppon his first purposes which are more necessarie and honourable for him besides that it is well knowen that ordinarilie hee is crazed and as it were in a manner at his ende which if it should happen his estates coulde not eschew great dissention sedition and reuoltes the sparkes whereof doe alreadie appeare in Spaine and else where and then will it peraduenture bee too late for you to repent your ouer rash counsels But admit you were assured of his succour and helpe yet doe you not both see and heare the clashing of your neighbours the Switzers armes who feare nothing so much as your prosperitie and alone are sufficient to withstande you who alreadie beginne to stirre who doe inuite and counsaile the French to whom they are bound and confederate to withstand your purposes and to force you to restore and yeeld vp that which you haue vsurped you haue of late yeeres prouoked them and yet through their discretion and vsuall forbearance they haue bene desirous by treaties and capitulations to bring you to peace and to withdraw your forces rather then to enter into a daungerous warre they know your meanes and pretences also that to this day they detaine the Bailiwikes from you and that your prosperitie or power is their ruine and hinderance and therefore you maie be sure that for their honour and reputation whereof they are wonderfull iealous together with their duetie to France they wil withstand your purposes being wel vnited together will part among thē this miserable countrie wherin your self haue no wāt of such subiects both great smal as bearing you but holow harts would gladly shake of the yoke of your obedience so to obteine liberty to free themselues from such taxes and impositions you as haue laid vpō them True it is that the Switzers are at iarre among them selues also that you may haue many partakers but the protestant Cantons are
the principall the richest the best alied inhabitants How will it be when the king shall so manifestly reueale his hatred that hee shall take from them part of the extent of their Parliament as is alreadie forecast of the chamber of accounts of aides and other iurisdictions which are the cause that Paris is maintained in such resort greatnesse How wil it be when openly he shall bend himselfe against them and take from them as he may so manie priueledges which by the kings his predecessors haue beene graunted them and by himselfe confirmed How will it be when they shall peraduenture see themselues brought into like estate as at this day are Gaunt Lisbourne Diieon and manie other townes heretofore most flourishing Shall they not then remember that it is because of their rebellions Shall they not call to minde that the authours of the miseries of France are also the authours of the miseries of Paris and of all the countrie round about which is vtterly vndone ruinated and wasted alreadie Alreadie they taste and know that the ciuill warres haue debarred them of halfe their traficke haunt and concourse of people and most of them doe curse the authours Other townes by them detained which also doe proue the like miseries yea and farre greater which are subdued by Citadels and great garrisons will after the example of Paris seeke after alteration of gouernours their former libertie If at this day the king shew them anie fauour yet is it a question whether it be but in appearance or in truth considering what offences and iniuries they haue wrought him so that albeit for a while he dissemble yet he will find a time when to punish them euen so soone as he shall see time and oportunitie and then shall you be destitute of all such support as you hoped of for the defence of your wrongfull enterprise But admit they obtaine that fauour in deede and without dissimulation yet can you bee assured that it will continue Men are in all things variable and especiallie in amities and among men the greatest are so when they perceiue that his greatnesse whom they fauour may be hurtfull and preiudiciall to their owne estate for there is nothing so subiect to iealousie as dominion For that doe men forsake all diuinitie and humanitie and gouernement can brooke no companion Againe the manifest diuision among them ought to stay yea vtterlie to breake off your enterprise sith it is but ouer likely that their particular quarels will sufficientlie debarre them from helping of others further that within these three yeares they haue vsed and layde all their endeuours and haue sought yet could not attaine to inuade the Duke of Bouillons souereigne territories whereof they bee at this day in extreeme anguish Their behauiour doe sufficientlie shew it Hardly could they finde one generall to vndertake the conduct of their armie into Poytou They are extremelie indebted vrged and tormented by their creditors They owe more then they are woorth and that is the cause that they hazard not their owne but France They haue procured the king of Nauarre to be moued to accorde which if they could obteine they would thinke themselues reasonablie safe and when their enterprises shall bee as it is verie likelie brought to nought themselues shall withall fall euen groueling to the ground Here you see the pillars and bulwarkes of your enterprise Contrariwise the king of Nauarre is grounded vpon a match made long since of great patrimoniall goods of the lawe of France which calleth him before all others to the crowne and especially of an incredible loue of his subiects and all other his followers which is the fairest and mightiest fortresse that princes may haue and which maketh their memorie most famous and happie with the posteritie He is I say like vnto a second Traian euen among the Catholikes beloued no lesse for his goodnesse and clemencie then for his valiancie Thus in my opinion I haue sufficiently answered concerning the pretence of Religion which they might make you take hold of which also beareth more semblance then truth how much wiselier haue your late father and your selfe dealt in forbearing forciblie and by constraint to reclaime your poore inhabitants of the valley of Angrongne and other their neighbours who neuerthelesse are but one handfull of people in respect of these of Daulphine whome you doe assaile Content your selfe therefore with the same estate wherin hitherto your selfe and before you your late father found ease For vnder what colour would you at this day in a forreine land fight against a Religion which these thirtie yeares haue beene tollerated in your owne Countries Rather bee you a beholder of the storme that beateth and tormenteth the sea of France expect the issue of that tragedie either if you bee so desirous to purchase reputation conuert your meanes and forces towarde your father in lawe the king of Spaine for the recouerie of the low Countries and resembling the phisition which comming to the ende of the sickenesse is vsually the happiest and carieth away the credite of the cure sith the Duke of Alua the great commaunder and the prince of Parma could not yet atchieue the victorie get you the honour of finishing it so doing you shall trauaile in a better title and your weapons shall bee more honourablie and better employed besides that you shall not incurre the vice and reputation of ingratitude to your benefactors you shall warrant your poore subiects from the affliction and oppression that warres doe vsuallie bring And if zeale of Religion doth lead and so mightilie mooue you you may there fight against contrarie Religions which haue beene long there and are in diuerse points different from yours There shall you find the English against whom the Catholike Maiestie is at open warre who durst fauor and vndertake the protection of the Hollanders and Zealanders who first offering themselues to the French king who was more religious and carefull in keeping his league and peace with Spaine were refused For my part I will pray vnto the Creator for the prosperitie and encrease of your highnesse as Your most humble and most obedient subiect and seruant
An Admonition giuen by one of the Duke of Sauoyes Councel to his Hignesse Tending to disswade him from enterprising against France Translated out of French by E. A. LONDON Printed by Iohn VVolfe 1589. An Admonition giuen by one of the D. of Sauoyes Counsell to his Highnesse tending to disswade him from enterprising against France MY Lord Sith I am borne your subiect and that nature and reason doe binde me to serue and obey you also that next vnto the seruice of God I am to frame and direct whatsoeuer my actions and thoughts to the preseruation of your estate the greatnesse and prosperitie thereof and the peace and benefite of all that are likewise borne vnder your obedience I can not in this late entrie into the warre which your highnesse do begin but bring for my part such seruice and abilitie as I may as well to auoide idlenesse whilest other are busied as to shew some proofe of my fidelitie and to beare witnesse of those benefites and commodities which all your subiects as also my selfe haue hitherto receiued and made triall of vnder your gouernement Some one will bring in his weapons and valiancie some other wil contribute his coine and commodities some other his arte and industrie and all generally whatsoeuer may aduaunce and set forward your enterprise But I contrarie to the rest doe come with a most humble admonition conteining the most apparant reasons which on a sudden I could imagine to withstande and contrarie them so farre as in me lieth and peraduenture as a new Cassandra in fewe wordes to set before you the importance and weight of that matter wherein you nowe shippe your selfe as being steadfastly perswaded that by diswading you I shall doe more then all your captaines and armie whether for your highnesse particularly either for the benefite and quiet of your poore subiects who stand amazed at the motion mistrust the continuance but especially doe doubt and feare some great mishappe and calamitie in the ende and indeed I might well thinke my selfe periured and a traitour to that seruice which I owe to your highnesse in case I shoulde not also contribute and purposing to doe well I should not at the least stay the mischiefe and annoiance to my power Your highnesse whether of your owne motion to extende your limittes and by the right of good scituation and commoditie to appropriate vnto your selfe sundrie countries holdes and townes so to purchase reputation and after the example of your predecessours to atchieue notable and immortall memorie either else by the perswasion and inducement of others haue seised and gotten possession of Rauell Carmagnolle and generally the whole Marquisate of Saluces also of Brianson and some other fortresses in Daulphine and now with the like full winde doe thither leade a great and mightie armie in hope to multiplie your conquests and annexe this prouince of Daulphine which for the greatnesse and importance thereof haue long since beene dedicated to the eldest sonne of the house of France to your territories of Piedmont and Sauoy You finde all things requisite for the intertainment of this armie as you woulde wish the hearts of your souldiers men of warre well disposed your treasurie and storehouses well furnished France so diuided turmoiled and fleshed in and against it selfe that in your owne iudgement you haue no cause to feare and which is more sundrie of the greatest and most mightie with weapon in hand doe call and fauor you assurāce also of all helpe succor from the Catholike maiestie our holy father whose authoritie power weapons means are terrible to the whole worlde with great apparance and coniectures you foresee a dissipation and partition of the state and crowne of France and that euerie man will carrie away his morsell and you presuppose that you haue as good right as the rest as beeing sonne and husband to Princesses of the blood of Fraunce and house of Valois finally mooued and led by a holy and religious intent you purpose to preuent the ruine and subuersion of the holie Catholike Apostolike Religion in this prouince which is halfe banished and cannot long subsist without speedie remedie Thus doe you find your purpose to bee both honest and easie The successe hitherto doeth also put you in great hope of as happie an ende and that at the least by the lawe of shipwracke and waste so much as maie lie nearest your coast must belong to you These indeede are great and mightie motions sufficient to encourage the most fearefull to stirre vp the least ambicious and to moue euen the slowest and most duetifull sithe such facilitie is found to concurre with honour and commoditie as also it is the cause of worldly matters and the naturall order of generation that springeth of corruption and in such cases especially the taking holde of fitte occasion is it that woorketh the fairest and most permanent effectes Yea I will graunt that the Gangrene hauing seised vpon the middest of this great bodie as it hath the members and outwarde partes maie well bee cut off for the preseruation of the rest But yet if your Highnesse will consider and weigh such reasons difficulties and empeachments as are therein I am assured you shall finde them to bee of farre greater importaunce then all that haue yet beene propounded First it is but too certaine that all changes from a long peace into a sudden and great warre are most dangerous the rather because the peaceable person is lesse trained to warre lesse accustomed to suffer and beare and lesse fit to endure anie tedious enterprise and this if it be true in states that are in strength and power equall which through a certaine mutuall feare doe mainteine and vpholde themselues much rather then among vnequall Lordshippes of whome the lesser most looke to keepe and maintaine themselues rather then to enterprise against or assaile the greater This is the verie lawe of nature imprinted euen in all creatures among whom the small doe yeeld to the great and are to account it a fauour and courtesie that they bee not bruised and euen swalowed vp Nowe therefore what proportion is there betweene your highnesse power and the power of Fraunce which is twentie or thirtie times greater then all that you possesse peopled and abounding accordingly trayned and exercised in warres these thirtie yeares continuallie Haue not wee without seeking anie further an example euen of late of the losse of all the landes that you possesse as well on this side as beyonde the Alpes also of the extremitie whereto your late father of happie memorie was for a long time brought onely in hauing too mightie an enemie of the Frenchman Doe not the sounde of the warres of Piemont which the passage of the power and troopes through this countrie still ring in our eares Is there any thing more easie or commodious for the French man then to bound and limit the confines of his realme euen with the Alpes as it were