they connive at the punishment of crimes whereof they have the Cognizance the Courts of Parliaments may interpose by means of an Appeal as from Abuses especially considering it is it that grants them Jurisdiction over Spirituals And if the Question be of granting pardon to a Priest or other Ecclesiastick not only in a priviledged case but also in a common crime by him committed it belongs to the King only to grant it not to the Pope nor the Bishop And so it hath been always accustomed to be done in France Moreover the Pope cannot there restore Clergy-men to their former State Papon ca. 15. 16. des libertez de l'Eglise Gallic so as to free them from the infamy which they have incurred nor Lay-men unless it be to receive them into Orders Offices and Ecclesiastical Acts not otherwise As also that within this Realm he cannot pardon or remit the Honorary Amends adjudged by a Lay-man albeit the condemnation were passed by an Ecclesiastical Judge and that against a Clerk as making such Honorary condemnation a part of the civil satisfaction The Pope cannot make any Vnions or annexations of the livings in France during the life of the Incumbents nor at other times but he may grant out Writs of Delegation concerning unions which is conceived to be done according to the form prescribed in the Council of Constance and with the consent of the Patron and not otherwise The Kings of France have always reserved this authority and prerogative to themselves to determine of the Residence of Bishops to compel them to feed their Flocks and wait upon their Churches when need required and that by seizing upon their Temporals to call them from Rome to return into France to dispense with them and approve the causes of their absence The Pope cannot in France dispense for any cause whatsoever with that which is of the Law of God or Nature or with that wherein the Councils do not allow him to dispense And the Ordinances of the French Kings do expresly forbid all the Judges of the Land to have any regard to dispensations granted contrary to the sacred Decrees and Councils upon pain of losing their places And declare furthermore That such as procure the said Proviso's and dispensations shall not make use of them unless they get leave and permission from his Majesty The Gallican Church is also more free from payments to the Pope than the Church of Spain as also to the King The Clergy of France pay only the Disme whereas in Spain the King hath his Tertia's Subsidio Pyla Escusado in all a moiety of the Church-livings As to the French Churches separating from Communion with the Church of Rome they have often been brought very low by the Popish party Sad was the condition of the Church of Merindol which was cruelly rooted out by vertue of an Arrest of the Parliament of Aix Men Women and Children being destroyed And yet I doubt not but some small remainder of them was preserved For so the story saith expresly pauci quidem profugi Genevam alia loca Vicinia pervenerunt Osiand Eccl Hist Some few of them escaped by flight to Geneva and other Neighbouring places What Persecutions did the Waldenses or Albigenses suffer when the Pope sent about his Fryars in France it seemeth to preach Crusado 's viz. That whosoever would take the Badge of the Cross upon his Garment and serve the Pope forty days in his Wars against those Christians who denyed him obedience and opposed his Pride and Tyranny should have full pardon of all his sins and if he dyed in the Wars should presently go to Heaven and escape the flames of Purgatory and by this means as I remember he had at one time about an hundred thousand of the silly people in Arms whom he used against the most faithful Christians seeking utterly to extirpate them and by this means much Blood was shed It was easie for him in those times of darkness to draw multitudes of poor blind Souls to Destruction And Reimond Earl of Tholouse a great Prince and Peer of France was ruined the Pope seizing on his Estate and holding it unto this day A French Historian speaking of the bloody massacre in the Reign of Charles IX saith Thuan. Hist li. 54. that many wise men that were Papists themselves did think that in all Antiquity there could not be found an example of like cruelty But even then remarkable was God's Providence towards those of the Reformed Religion in France In the time of that cruel massacre at Paris the Protestants being in great fear shifted for themselves here and there Among the rest many of them fled to a certain honourable Lady for protection who being near of kin to the King was the more bold but being a faithful Christian she was also willing to receive them Hereof complaint being made the King in great displeasure commands her to dismiss them all which she could not withstand so that in one day about 300 Waggons for the most part filled with Women and young Children were constrained to dislodge and without a guard to go to a strong Town for the safety of their lives In this Journey they were to pass through their bloody enemies stragling up and down in Armes and ready to seize on such a booty But by the special providence of God a certain Troop of Armed Gentlemen on Horse-back hapned to meet them who soon perceiving and pitying their danger conducted them along in safety and often repulsed their enemies that were ready to assail them And though the French Kings have all of them professed the Roman Religion yet the Lord hath had many Instruments who with the hazard of their lives and outward Estates have stood for the defence of his Church divers Princes of the Blood Nobles Gentlemen and others and did strangely raise his Church again after that horrid massacre by which it seemed to have been extinguished And King James of happy Memory speaketh thus of those worthy Patriots whom God raised up for the defence of his Church at that time in his book of the defence of the right of Kings I never knew yet saith he that the French Protestants took Arms against their King In the first troubles they stood only on their defence Before they took Arms they were burnt and massacred every where And the quarrel did not begin for Religion but because when King Francis the second was under Age they had been the Refuge of the Princes of the Blood expelled from the Court even of the Grandfather of the King now reigning and of that of the Prince of Condè who knew not where to take Sanctuary it shall not be found that they made any other War Nay is it not true as a learned Divine of ours hath well observed that King Henry III. sent Armies against them to destroy them and yet they ran to his help as soon as they saw him in danger Is it not true that
calumny by witnesses yet first of all he propoundeth it to be debated by the Synod whether witnesses ought to be admitted against a Bishop or whether the bare assertion of the Bishop only ought to be believed The Synod pronounceth That they could not safely give credit to an inferiour person bearing witness against a Bishop Yet they require Gregory to say Masses at three Altars and that he purge himself by Oath which being done by Gregory he was absolved But the Synod excommunicated his Accuser and certified other Bishops by Letters concerning the absolution of Gregory In this Century Rupertus Bishop of the Francks with twelve other Divines came into the Country of the Boii and there Rupertus by preaching the Gospel converted Theodon the Prince of the Countrey with his Son from Heathenish Idolatry unto Christ and baptized them both at Ratisbon Many others also were converted by him In this Age flourished German Bishop of Paris forementioned Osiand Eccles Hist Cent. 6. Lib. 2. When he was an Abbot in a dream he saw the Keys of the Gates of Paris delivered to him and demanding the cause of it he was answered That he should as Pastor feed the Lords Flock belonging to that Church Not long after the Bishop of Paris dying he was Constituted Bishop there by King Childebert With singular zeal he provoked the People to Godliness great was his gravity in preaching and his words were weighty and powerful he was liberal towards the poor and redeemed many Captives King Chilperic after his death who was wont to deride and contemn other Ministers wrote this honourable Epitaph upon him which I thought fit to set down Ecclesiae speculum patriae vigor ara reorum Et pater medicus pastor amorque gregis Germanus virtute fide corde ore beatus Carne tenet tumulum mentis honore polum The Histories of this Age make mention of one Etius Arch-Deacon of the Church of Paris who when he understood that Innocent Praetextatus Bishop of Rhothomagum accused of Treason against the King was in danger to be condemned in a Synod at Paris he with great boldness entred into the Synod and admonished the Bishops and Assessours to beware of having an hand in the condemning of an Innocent person he told them they ought rather to reprove King Chilperic for his sins In the Reign of this King many Jews were baptized in France but many of them returned to their vomit and perfidiously renounced the Christian Religion In those dayes there were great inundations of waters which did much hurt in many places especially at Lions where part of the walls of that City were thrown down Horrible earthquakes made great concussions in part of France and overturned some mountains toward Spain which overwhelmed many men and beasts A fire falling from Heaven consumed the City of Orleans and the streets of Bourdeaux together with the fruits of the earth Other places were sorely afflicted with a grievous hail There followed almost through all France a malignant Cough and bloody Flux which destroyed very many men and women by which disease that wicked Austigildis Wife of King Gunthran perished The cause of these evils was said to be the dissentions civil wars and horrible impieties of those three Brothers forementioned Sigebert Chilperic and Gunthran Kings of France and their Counsellours and Ministers who provoked them to those impieties who were punished of God for their flagitious practices with most grievous judgements Here I shall make mention of the various fortune of Theodorus Bishop of Marseilles in the Reign of Childebert Divamius a most wicked man being Governour of that Province This man hated Theodorus and laid divers snares to entrap him And when Theodorus was going to King Childebert to implore his help he was seized on by Divamius in the midst of the City of Marseilles and injuriously dealt with and so dismissed In his journey Theodorus by the instigation of Divamius is taken by Gunthran King of Orleans then the Clergy of Marseilles being no better than Divamius being very joyful at the news of it do immediately invade and plunder all the substance and treasures of the Church and load Theodorus with divers calumnies King Chilperic setteth Theodorus at liberty and sendeth him back with Gundulphus the Governour to Marseilles that there he might be restored to his former dignity At the coming of Gundulphus and Theodorus Divamius and the Clergy do shut the gates and drive them back reproachfully But Gundulphus by Art getting into the City with his Soldiers soon brake the power of Divamius and sharply rebuked him yet Gundulphus being appeased with deprecations and gifts Divamius having taken an oath that he would restore Theodorus to his Bishoprick and for the future be faithful to the King he returned to his house But Divamius despising his Oath signifieth the restitution of Theodorus to King Gunthran adding That while Theodorus held his Government King Gunthran could never enjoy the City of Marseilles Gunthran being angry sendeth Soldiers to take Theodorus who seizing upon the Bishop unexpectedly they carry him on horseback bound with chains most ignominiously to their King But King Gunthran knowing the innocency of Theodorus without doing him any harm suffers him to return to his charge bestowing many gifts upon him Upon this occasion great enmity grew between King Gunthran and Childebert Many other calumnies and grievous indignities did this innocent Bishop suffer from other of his wicked and malicious enemies About that time Mundericus Episcopus Ternoderensis being by force taken away from his Church is thrust into a close and strong Tower built upon the bank of the River Rhodanus and there was detained almost two years and most grievously handled Under the Jurisdiction of Gregory Bishop of Tours there was a certain Presbyter who denied the Resurrection of the Body The foresaid Gregory disputed against him which disputation you may read at large in the Magdeburgensian History The disputation being ended the Presbyter promised that he would afterward believe the Resurrection of the dead Chidet Anast Child Reg. cap. 10. This Gregory hath put out these works Hist Francorum de Gloria Martyrum de Gloria Confessorum de vitis quorundam Patrum I find him by a certain Writer thus stiled Osiand Cent. 6. Lib. 4. cap. 17. Antiquissimus fidelissimus Francorum scriptor He wrote sharply against the Jews and Arians yet there are divers errours found in his writings which are mentioned by Osiander He was very intimate with Gregory the Great Bishop of Rome flourishing at that time Century VII THe Author of the Book called the Catholick Traditions first in French and then Translated into English searcheth the difference of all Churches and except in Rites or Ceremonies hath not marked any great difference of the Abyssines and Jacobites from our Reformed Churches And in his Preface he saith They pretend to have their name Jacobites from Jacob the Old Patriarch and the name Cophtes because
was John XXII He was a Cistercian Monk he sate in that seat eighteen years This John believed that the Souls do not enjoy the presence of God before the day of Judgement He sent two Preachers to Paris the one a Dominican the other a Franciscan to assert and maintain the same Heresie But one Thomas an English Preacher withstood the Pope and the Pope threw him into prison Hereupon the French King summoned a Council unto his palace in Vintiana Sylva the whole Assembly subscribed against the Pope Immediately the King sent to Pope John to reform his errour and to set the Preacher at liberty which he did Some say that the Divines of Paris made him to recant his errour publickly Append. to Martin Polon in Joann 22. sub Ann. 1317. This John XXII erected the Church of Tholouse in France to an Arch-Bishoprick divided the Diocess of Tholouse into six Bishopricks the Bishops whereof should be suffragans to the Arch-Bishop of Tholouse and turned six Villages into Cities viz. Montauban Rieux Lombez-Abbey St. Papoul Lavaur and Mirepoix He created two Bishopricks within the Arch Bishoprick of Narbon the first at Limoux whose Seat he translated to Alet not long after the second in the Abbey of St. Pons setting out their Diocesses He divided also the Bishoprick of Alby into two and created one at Castres He erected divers others besides which are reckoned up in particular by the Authour of the continuation to Martinus Polonus Clement V. predecessour to this Pope had ordained that Emperours by the German Princes elected might be called Kings of the Romans but might not enjoy the Title or right of the Empire to be nominated Emperours without their confirmation given by the Pope Wherefore because Lewes of Bavaria being chosen Emperour used the Imperial dignity in Italy before he was authorized by the Pope the said Pope John therefore Excommunicated the Emperour who often desired of him a Treaty of peace which the Pope refused to hearken to At the same time divers learned Men disallowed the doings of the Pope as William Ocham whose transactions were afterward condemned by the Pope for writing against that See and Marsilius Pativinus who wrote the Book entituled Defensor pacis which was put into the hands of the said Emperour wherein the controversie of the Pope's unlawful jurisdiction in things Temporal is largely disputed and the usurped Authority of that See is set forth to the uttermost Some Writers say that a great cause of the variance was for that one of the Emperour's Secretaries unknown to the Emperour had likened in divers of his Letters the Papal See to the Beast rising out of the Sea in the Apocalypse At length when the Emperour after much suit made to the Pope at Avignon could not obtain his Coronation from him he went to Rome where he was received with great honour and both he and his Wife were both crowned by the consent of all the Lords and Cardinals there and another Pope was there set up called Nicholas V. Not long after Pope John dyeth at Avignon after whom succeedeth Benedict XII Anno 1335. This Man was as uncourteous to the Emperour as John had been he renewed the curses against him bereft him of all Regal Dignity and by his sentence deprived him of the Dukedom of Bavaria Hereupon the Emperour cometh into Germany and assembleth the Princes Dukes Nobles Bishops and other learned men in a Council at Franckford where he caused an injunction to be dispatched wherein he affirmed the sentence pronounced against him unjust and that his Excommunication did no way bind him Wherefore he commanded upon great penalties that no man should obey his censures and interdictions in that behalf which injunction caused great alterations in Germany especially among the Clergy some holding with the Emperour others with the Pope Dante 's a man of profound Learning at that time wrote a Book called The Monarchy wherein he favoured the Emperour for which he was afterward condemned and his Book held for Heresie And other great men wrote Books and Treatises defending the Pope's supream Authority Charles IV. Brother to Philip the long succeeded in the Kingdom of France being the last Son of Philip the Fair. He dyed Anno 1328. having reigned six years leaving the Crown to the second royal Branch of Capets whereunto the order of the fundamental Law did lawfully call them Philip the Hardy had left two Sons Philip the fair and Charles Earl of Valois of whom it is said that he was the Son of a King Brother to a King Unckle to a King Father to a King and yet no King Philip the Son of Charles of Valois is saluted and proclaimed King of France and anointed and crowned at Rhemes according to the usual custom Near the beginning of his Reign De Serres Hist in vit Philip. de Valois the Courts of Parliament and all the Soveraign Judges assembled from all the Provinces made a general complaint against the Clergy of France accusing them of sundry abuses and namely that against the right of their charges they intermeddled with the politick jurisdiction The suit was vehement and famous for the greatness of the parties The King to reconcile this quarrel calls a general Assembly of his whole Realm at Paris The cause was pleaded before him with great liberty by Peter de Cugneriis this is He whom in derision they call M. Peter Cugnet who is in the great Temple in Paris noted with a little Monkey's head placed betwixt two pillars to put out the Candles being odious by reason of his pleading and as coldly defended by Peter Bertrand both famous Advocates in those times The issue was doubtful and Philip seriously exhorted the Prelates to reform themselves and in reforming the abuse to avoid these popular complaints refering the matter to a further hearing This Pope Benedict took from the Emperour the Senatourship of Rome he first took upon him to usurp the presentments of all Bishopricks He abridged many unlearned men of Priesthood He reformed many Sects of Monks He commanded that all his Chaplains should lye in one Dormitory together and should have no other Revenues than for Dyet and Apparel He published certain Acts against the Dominicans he kept divers Concubines And leaving great store of Treasure to the Church he dyed Anno 1342. of whom these verses were made Iste fuit verò Laicis mors vipera Clero Devius a vero turba Repleta mero Clement VI. born in Lemonia by profession a Benedictine called before Peter Rogers being Abbot of Fisca succeeded Benedict at Avignon This Man Excommunicated all the Princes Lords and Bishops that consented to the doings of Lewes the Emperour He made Avignon part of St. Peter's patrimony He ordained that the Jubilee should be kept every fiftyeth year after the manner of the Jews and so it was kept at Rome Anno 1350. Now there were great Wars in France between Edward III. King of England and the King of France
and wicked example He was a Man of great Learning and worthy to be had in perpetual memory for this cause especially that He and Cardinal Bellay Leigh's Treatise of Religion and Learning l. 3. c. 8. Bishop of Paris did counsel and perswade this King Francis to do a most noble Act that is to appoint great stipends for the Readers of Tongues and good Arts in Paris Buchanan hath this distich of him Gallia quod Graeca est quod Graecia Barbara non est Buchan li. 2. Epigram Vtraque Budaeo debet utrumque suo Stephanus Paschasius in his Icones hath these Verses of him Et Latiae nobis debent Graiaeque Camenae Laudem utram quaeras magnus utraque fui He dyed at Paris Anno 1539. The several courses King Francis took for the restoring of Learning in France Antoin du Verdier mentions in his learned preface to his Bibliotheque and in his Book he saith he was deservedly called The Father of Learning because he founded Colleges in Paris for the instructing of youth in the Hebrew Greek and Latin Tongues and gathered together Learned men of good life out of all parts of the World to read publickly in the University of Paris Thevet and Postellus travelled into the East to procure him rare Books for his Library Through long use and custom he had acquired much knowledge for Dining and Supping his talk was commonly of Learning and that most eagerly using many years for the same purpose James Coline a Learned man and in the vulgar Tongue most eloquent and after him Peter Castellan Of these two he had learned whatsoever was written in the Books of Poets Historiographers and Cosmographers Moreover he attained to a perfect knowledge of whatsoever Aristotle Theophrastus Leigh of Relig. and Learn Pliny and such other like have written of the nature of Plants Herbs Beasts Mettals pretious Stones and by daily use and hearing did remember them He used also to confer much of the Mathematical Sciences and often to reason out of the Scriptures In his own Tongue he was always accounted right grave and eloquent Throughout Greece and Italy Sleid. Comment li. 19. p. 283. he had those that sought and copied out for him the works of old Writers and he made a great Library the keeper whereof was Castellan William Bellay was a man of much honour and vertue and a special Ornament of the French Nobility by reason of his notable Learning Eloquence Experience and singular Dexterity in all affairs Andrew Thevet was Cosmographer to the King of France He hath written an Universal Cosmography in French in two Tomes in Royal paper in which he doth not only rehearse what he learned from the Books of others but what himself had seen by travelling almost over the World and by viewing all the Seas so that some think there is no thing more learned and more orderly disposed He hath also written Les vies des hommes illustres the lives of Illustrious men in French in a great Folio with their pourtraicts Bibliand de at Comm. on n. lingu William Postellus was a good Linguist but he was little better than mad for he held that Adam's Soul was in him with many other gross opinions Bibliander makes honourable mention of him because he was the first Christian man that published the rudiments of the Arabick Grammar There are these works of his De Linguarum 12 Differentium Alphab Clavis absconditorum aeternae veritatis De Phaenicum Lit. De Orbis Terrae Concordiâ De Etruriae Origine Peter Castellan was Bishop of Orleans a Man highly esteemed in France at this time for his excellent Learning Turâ—eb advers li. 24. He hath written four Books de esu carnium Marguerite Queen of Navarr was Sister to Francis the first There are her Memoires In the Epistle to the Reader are these words Que Rome vante taut qu' il luy plaira les Commentaires de son premier Empereur La France a maintenant les Memoires d'une grande Roine qui ne leur cedent en rien Her poetical works are joyned together Clandius Espencaeus a Doctor of Sorbon flourished at this time None of the Divines of Paris had a greater concourse of all Degrees and was more admired for his frequent Sermons to the people than He. There are many questions concerning Religion discussed by him in Latin and French with great subâ—ilty He was very eloquent His Commentaries upon Timothy and Titus are well approved In his Comment on Titus he proves by many good Authorities that Clergy-men are subject to Secular Princes and owe all honour unto them as to their Lords On the same Epistle he sets down a List of the many tricks and devices of the Court and Chancery of Rome invented meerly for catching of Money where he puts in among the rest expectative graces or reversions secret reservations bestowing of Benefices upon the first comer uniting of many Benefices to one Chappel Prebend or other Benefice Mandates preventions propinations small or ordinary services conditional resignations detaining of all the revenue in lieu of pension and a number of such like things which were not heard of for a long time in the Church and which would be strange news to Peter and Paul if they should come into the World again This learned Divine hath spoken much of these things And those that desire further to be informed herein I will refer to the Book entitled Taxa Cancellariae Apostolicae Printed at Paris by Toussaint Denis Anno 1520. And yet this is nothing in comparison of the Penitentiary Tax Printed with the same book where every sin every crime how hainous soever hath it's price set so that to have a License and impunity for sinning there needs no more but to be rich to have a pasport to Paradise both for a man's self and for his misdeeds But that which might make Rome blush if there were any shame in her brow is that pardons and indulgences are denyed to the poor and indigent who are not of means sufficient to raise these criminal and incestuous impositions It may seem that the Bull of Pope Leo X. added at the end of the Concordat and confirmed by the Letters of King Francis I. hath derogated from the Pragmatick Sanction But that Bull was never received and approved in France Petr. Rebuff in Concord Rubric de mâ—ndat Apostol as Mr. Peter Rebuffus doth testifie This constitution saith he as being about a money-mater was never received by the Inhabitants of this Kingdom Nor is it comprehended within the Concordate nor the King's Declaration concerning it verified in the Court of Parliament In the year 1516. Pope Leo X. under pretext of collecting money to wage War against the Turk sent Indulgences through all Christendom granting pardon of sins both for guilt and punishment unto all which would give Money Tecelius exposeth these Indulgences to sale in Germany and Luther writeth against the abuses of them some write
formerly done by the States of Bloys and the Clergy convâ—â—â—â—â— at Melun that he would be pleased for proof of his true Piety and Religion to enjoyn the publication of the said Council whereby the maintenance of the Church is well-provided for which is observed to be daily impaired and abated And the Provincial Council of Aix in Provence Anno 1585. Petition the King at the beginning of the Acts That he out of his singular Piety would command the Council of Trent to be published which had so exactly provided against all dangers wherein the Christian Common-wealth was then impugned We must not think that these earnest solicitations which the French Ecclesiasticks here made did proceed so much from them as from the Pope One argument hereof which may be alledged is this that they were not now interessed herein for most of the Decrees which concerned them were admitted and there was no default in the observation of them unless it were on their part and one company of them were inserted in the Edict of Bloys the rest in divers other Provincial Councils holden afterwards in France the Canons whereof are to be seen in Print at Roven 1581. at Bourges 1584. at Tours 1585. and at Aix in Provence the same year The better to countenance the League forementioned it is presented to Pope Gregory XIII that he might bless it The Pope was well-pleased they should attempt any thing against the Protestants but he did not approve those Popular Rebellions which were made against a most Christian King neither would he be the fire-brand of a War which he could not quench and so he sent the Deputies back without any answer The King of Navarre causeth the Deputies of the Protestants to assemble at Montauban to resolve of the means to maintain themselves if the League abusing the King's name and authority should seek to offend them The Duke of Espernon goeth also to the King of Navarre to confer with him privately in the King's name The chief of the League presume That the King means to Arm and to employ the King of Navarre's Forces against them They send forth many Commissions in the King's name that what they did might be thought as done for his Majestie 's service The King in the end of March disavows them and forbids all Leavies of men of War The King made no War but by writing seeking first by gentle means to pacifie them Hedâ—clares the Zeal he hath alwaies born to the Catholick Religion and the necessity that forced him to a Peace Then having promised to restore the Church to her beauty to content the Nobility to ease the people he entreats conjures exhorts and commands all Clergy-men Gentlemen Parliaments and Towns Corporate to abandon all Leagues and Associations and to unite themselves under his obedience The King of Navarre likewise sets forth a Declaration and whereas he was accused of Heresy he answereth That he was born under the toleration of two Religions in France That he will leave that wherein he was bred when by a Lawful Council they shall shew him another truth than that which he believeth He saith he is not relapsed seeing he was not fallen from his first Opinion That he is no enemy to the Catholicks for that when the Edicts had granted Liberty of Conscience he presently laid down Arms. That in all places he maintains his Subjects in the same Liberty as he found them after the decease of his Mother That he hath requested of the King a prolongation of the Towns which he holds for assurance of the last Edict and will deliver them before the time so as the League lay aside Arms and yield unto the King the places they had seized That whereas they declare him uncapable of the Crown it toucheth him very near yet doth he think least of it hoping that God by his bounty will long preserve the King for the good of his Realm and will give him issue to the grief of all his enemies The Queen-Mother accustomed to fish in troubled waters winkt at the Duke of Guise She was contented the Duke should terrifie the King to make him abandon the Protestants and to force him to banish his new Minions from Court who had brought her in disgrace with the King her Son Her ambition moved her hereunto rather than any desire she had to advance the Duke and to bring disorder and confusion into the State and to stand alone in the midst of these furious tempests The Heads of the League march with an Army of 12000. men to Verdun a City upon the Confines of the Duke of Lorain which they take And the Duke of Guise being entred the City drove out the Governour with all his adherents and placed Guittald in his place The City of Thoul drave out the King's Officers and freely gave up it self into the hands of the League The City of Marseilles riseth in favour of the League but the Conspirators are suppressed by the rest of the Citizens They call the Grand-Prior of France Governour of that Province who was then at Aix at whose coming though with but 200 Horse the Fort de la Garde was taken and in it the Consul Daries and Captain Chabanes who the next morning were executed by which severity the City was kept under the King's obedience The same happens at the City of Burdeaux Lions Bourges and many other places in the Kingdom side with the League The King laboureth to disunite the League by drawing many particular men from that party as also the City of Lions but seeing his design succeedeth not to his mind he resolves to Treat an agreement with the Confederates The Queen-Mother goes into Champagne to confer about it with the Duke of Guise and Cardinal of Bourbon And after many Negotiations the Peace is concluded The King by his Edict of July 18. revokes all other Edicts in favour of the Protestants he commands their Ministers to depart the Realm and all his Subjects within six Months to make profession of the Romish Religion or to avoid the Country He approves the Leaguers Arms as Levied for his Service allows of their pretexts and by secret Articles concluded at Nemours contents them in all matters only with this condition to leave the League and instantly to lay down Arms. Yet would they have in their power the Towns of Chalon Verdun Thoul S. Disier Reims Soissons the Castle of Dijon Beawne Rue in Picardy Dinan and Coneq in Britain They caused the King to pay one thousand two hundred and six crowns and two third parts for the Strangers which they had Levied They had a discharge for vast summes which they had taken upon the General Receipts They obtained an hundred thousand crowns to build a Citadel at Verdun and entertainment for Guards on horseback for all the Lords of the League This Peace had made a great breach in the King's Authority The King of Navarre seeing this Cloud ready to break upon his party complains that
the King hath Armed his enemies with his own forces and Authority against his Estate his blood and himself He layes open by a publick Declaration the causes which made the League to take Arms the vanity of their pretexts the fruit which all France may expect by the Treaty of Nemours c. He protesteth by a Lawful and necessary defence to maintain the fundamental Laws of Families and the Estate and liberty of the King and the Queen his Mother Gregory XIII being dead Pope Sixtus V. his Successour casts out his lightning against the King of Navarre and the Prince of Conde he Excommunicates them degrades them from all Dignities especially their pretensions to the Crown of France exposeth their Persons and Countries as a prey to such as should first seize on them The Court of Parliament declares the Pope's Bull to be void The Princes likewise protest against it and appeal from it as abusive and scandalous unto the next free and General Council The King of Navarre causeth the Pope's Bull to be answered and his appeal to be posted up in Rome it self on November 6. in the night He writes to all the States of the Kingdom of France exhorting them not to suffer the rights of the Succession of the Crown of France to be decided in the Consistory of Rome Many Volumes were written against and in favour of this Bull by the chiefest Wits of Europe King Henry the third caused some Orders to be cried down in the City of Paris because he was certified of the Conspiracies which they made against the State it being notoriously known that the League was sworn in Tholouse by the black Penitents and that as many of these Orders as are in France did all conspire to the like ends The French Exiles who dwelt at Mompelgart in the Dutchy of Wortemberg did in the year 1586. first sollicite the Divines there and then the Duke Frederick That there might be a publick Conference between the German and French Divines about some Controversies between them They assemble in March the Duke was present all the time On the one side was Jacob Andrewes Chancellour of Tubing Luke Osiander of Wortemberg Osiand Epit. Eccles Hist Câ—nt 16. lib. 4. cap. 23. and two Civilians from the Duke And on the other side were Theodore Beza and Anthony Faius from Geneva Abraham Musculus and two Civilians from Bern and Claudius Alberius from Lausanna Many were the Hearers The Articles of which they were to Dispute were 1. Of the Supper of the Lord. 2. Of the Person of Christ 3. Of Images Temples and such like things 4. Concerning Baptism 5. Of Predestination The first day viz. on March 21. Those of Wortemberg gave in writing Theses of the Lord's Supper shewing that all do agree that All do eat Christ's flesh and drink his blood spiritually all do condemn the renting of Christ's flesh with mens teeth as also Transubstantiation and Physical or Local presence So that the only Question is whether in the Supper the very body and blood of Christ be verily and substantially present and be distributed and received with the Bread and Wine by the mouth of all them who receive the Sacrament whether worthy or unworthy believers or not believers yet so that the believers only receive comfort and the unbelievers do eat to their own damnation We hold the affirmative say they that is by those Words In with and under the Bread Petr. Eccles Hist Cent. 16. part 3. we understand nothing but that they who eat that Bread and drink that Wine do receive Christ's body and blood with the Bread and Wine 2. By the words Substantially Essentially Really and Orally we mean no other but the very eating and presence of his body and blood 3. They argue from the truth of Christ's words This is my body and the Almighty power of Christ seeing his words declare his will and by his power he can give his body unto all Receivers 4. The manner how the worthy and unworthy receive Christ's body is not expressed in Scripture and we say it is supernatural and incomprehensible by the wit of men and should not be disputed nor curiously searched These Theses were given unto Beza as it was appointed and the next day he brought his answer and Propositions The Summ is 1. A Sacrament in the strict sense is a sensible thing appointed by Divine institution to be separated from common use to signifie spiritual and holy things and this signification consists not in a bare representation whereby the mind is admonished to conceive the thing signified this is the use of Pictures but on God's part with the signs is also a very giving of those things which are signified and offered unto our souls 2. We teach that according to Christ's Institution by the Bread is signified Christ's body by the Wine his blood by breaâ—ing of the Bread and pouring out of the Wine are signified those grievous torments which he suffered for us in his body and soul by outward giving the Bread and Wine the spiritual giving the things signified by Christ unto our souls by outward taking the signs is signified the spiritual receiving of Christ by Faith Sacramentally and truly 3. The Sacramental union of the signs and things signified consists in a mutual relation as is now said for the verity of Christ's body which is local and circumscribed both before and after his glorification cannot consist otherwise Again many passages of Scripture that shew the true and Physical ascending of Christ from the Earth and his returning from Heaven unto judgement do confute the Doctrine of Consubstantiation 4. When the word Sacrament is tâ—ken in a more large sense it consists of two things one Earthly another Heavenly We teach That Earthly things are received by Earthly Instruments viz. the Hand and Mouth but the Heavenly things are apprehended only Spiritually by Faith because albeit Christ's body is a truly Organical body yet analogy requires That such as the nourishment and end thereof is such also must be the manner of receiving it But the nourishment and end thereof is spiritual that is they concern our spiritual union with Christ and eternal life through him Therefore the manner of receiving those must also be spiritual by the proper Instrument of the soul which is Faith And therefore seeing the bodily receiving of the signs is a pledge of the spiritual receiving these words Eat and Drink as they are properly spoken of receiving the signs so are they spoken figuratively of the thing signified viz. by a Sacramental Metonymy whereby that which agreeth unto the signs is spoken of the things signified and so both those receivings cannot be by the mouth Again if the substance of Christ's body were received bodily it should remain in the faithful at least and they should become the substantial or bodily members of Christ and so the Church were not his mystical body but a body verily and substantially consisting of the substance
STATUS ECCLESIAE GALLICANAE OR THE Ecclesiastical History OF FRANCE From the first Plantation of CHRISTIANITY there unto this Time Describing the most notable CHURCH-MATTERS the several Councils holden in FRANCE with their principal CANONS The most Famous Men and most LEARNED WRITERS and the Books they have written with many Eminent French Popes Cardinals Prelates Pastours and Lawyers A description of their UNIVERSITIES with their FOUNDERS An impartial account of the State of the Reformed CHURCHES in FRANCE and the Civil Wars there for Religion With an exact succession of the FRENCH KINGS By the Authour of the late History of the Church of GREAT BRITAIN Historia est lumen Veritatis vita Antiquitatis LONDON Printed for Thomas Passenger at the Three Bibles on London-Bridge and Ralph Smith at the Sign of the Bible under the Tiazz of the Royal Exchange in Cornhill 16â—6 Amplissimis Admodum Reverendis in Christo Patribus ac Dominis HENRICO Providentiâ Divinâ Episcopo Londinensi Joanni eadem Providentiâ Episcopo Roffensi necnon Decano Westmonasteriensi Salutem in Christo sempiternam Venerandi Patres Domini Colendissimi EA quâ par est submissione Historicum hocce 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ex antiquis recentibus Authoribus Collectum vobis offero nuncupo dedico ut splendore clarorum vestrorum nominum lux aliqua opusculo huic per viam affulgeret omnisque sinistra obmurmurantium scaeva propitio vestro favore procùl amoveatur Flosculus est quem Ego pauperculus humilisque Christi Hortulanus vobis proesento non ille quidem Lectissimus sed is tamen qui in vestris primùm sacratis manibus cupiat sua qualiacunque folia explicare Carpent illum e vestris manibus alii quoque delibabunt Si enim vestro olfactui sagacissimo non ingratus fuerit si vestrae gratiae calorem fenserit non dubito quin Piis omnibus bonum publicae aedificationis odorem captantibus gratus jucundus sit futurus Hoc mihi solamen est quòd viri praestantissimi Honore Doctrinâ proecellentes non tam muneris oblati dignitatem quam gratum offerentis animum perpendere soleant Si hunc librum accipere diligenter perlegere dignemini honestabor gratia meis laboribus optima referetur De Materia Methodo hujus Historiae modum an satis servarim Vos pro vestris acerrimis Judiciis aestimabitis Illam siquando fortè inspexeritis in ea aliquid observabitis de quo me admonendum putabitis illud rogo significetis quicquid egeritis meam non modò voluntatem sed etiam sententiam cum vestrâ conjungam hoc etiam Beneficium quidem summum accipiam quo nimirum melior doctior evadam Deus Amplitudinem vestram in Ecclesiae suae nostraeque patriae utilitatem quam diutissimè servet incolumem Vestrae Reverentiae Observantissimus G. G. THE PREFACE TO THE READER THe Design of this Treatise is to set forth the State of the Gallican Churches both of the Popish and the Reformed As to the Popish Church in France it is holden to be the best Privileged of all the Churches in Christendom under the Pope As touching their power the Gallican Clergy stands more stoutly to their Natural Rights against the Encroachments and Vsurpations of the See of Rome than any other that liveth under the Pope 's Authority which they acknowledge so far only as is consistent with their own Privileges and the Rights of their Soveraign for it was long e're they could submit to the Decrees of the Council of TRENT nor have they yet admitted of the Inquisition The Doctors of the Sorbon are accounted together with the Parliament of Paris the principal Pillars of the French Liberty whereof they are exceeding jealous as well in matters Ecclesiastical as Civil When Gerson Chancellour of Paris had published a Book in approbation of the Council of Constance where it was Enacted that the Authority of the Council was greater than that of the Pope the Sorbon Doctors declared that also to be their Doctrine For John Gerson in his defence of the Decree of that Council speaking of the Adversaries saith Perniciosos esse admodum adulatores qui Tyrannidem istam in Ecclesiam invexere quasi nullis Regum teneatur vinculis quasi neque parere debeat Concilio Pontifex nec ab eo judicari queat The Kings themselves also befriend their Clergy in the cause and therefore not only protested against the Council of Trent wherein the Spiritual Tyranny was generally consented to by the Popish faction but Henry the second King of France would not acknowledge them to be a Council calling it in his Letters by no other name than Conventus Tridentinus An indignity which the Fathers took grievously Moreover when King Lewes XI to gratifie Pope Pius the second purposed to abolish the Pragmatick Sanction the Sorbonnists in behalf of the Church Gallican and the Vniversity of Paris Magnis obsistebant animis saith Sleidan in his Commentary a Papâ provocabant ad Concilium The Council unto which they appealed was that of Basil where that Sanction was made so that by this Appeal they verified their former Thesis that the Council was above the Pope And before the Pragmatick Sanction was ordained the Pope had yearly drained the State of a Million of Crowns as the Court of Parliament manifested to King Lewes the eleventh Since which time the Kings of France have sometimes omitted the vigour of the Sanction and sometimes also exacted it according as their affairs with the Pope stood therefore it was called Froenum Pontificum And in the Year 1613. casually meeting with a Book written by Becanus entituled Controversia Anglicana de potestate Regis Papae the French called an Assembly and condemned it For although the Main of it was against the Power and Supremacy of the King of England yet did it reflect also on the Authority of the Pope over the Christians by the By which occasioned the Sentence So jealous are they of the least circumstances in which any of their immunities may be endangered The Pope hath no power in France to pardon criminals Le Rescript C. de precib Imp. offer Gratian. caus 25. The very faculties of the Legates heretofore sent into that Kingdom make not any mention of it but of the Remission of Sins proceeding from crimes And though there should be any such thing yet they are still curbed in with this Bridle To use it in such things as are not contrary derogatory nor prejudicial to the Rights and Prerogatives of the King and Kingdom nor against the sacred Councils the Laws of the Vniversities the Liberties of the Gallican Church and the Ordinances Royal. The Clergy of France do not hold their Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction of the Pope but of the King alone Bellarm. Tom. 1. controv 2. li. 4. ca. 24. howsoever the Jesuits teach the contrary when they do not use it as they ought when
of Auxerre in France Henry's Son-in-Law 4. Robert 5. Baldwin the fifth and last At this time the Tartarians over-run the North of Asia and many Nations fled from their own Countries for fear of them Among other the Corasines a fierce and Warlike people were forced to forsake their Land Being thus unkennelled they have recourse to the Sultan of Babylon who bestows on them all the Lands the Christians held in Palestine They march to Jerusalem and take it without resistance Soon after the Corasines elated herewith fell out with the Sultan himself who in anger rooted out their Nation so that none remained The French-men make War against Reymund Earl of Tholouse and think to enclose him in his Castle of Saracene but the Earl lying in Ambush for them in Woods slew many of them and 500 of the French Souldiers were taken and of their Servitors to the number of 200 men in armour were taken of whom some lost their eyes some their ears some their legs and so were sent home the rest were carried away Prisoners into the Castle Thrice that Summer were the French-men discomfited by the aforesaid Reymund King Lewes puts a stop to the persecution of the Albigenses saying that they must perswade them by reason and not constrain them by force whereby many Families were preserved in those Provinces In those times lived Gulielmus de sancto amore a Doctor of Paris and Chanon of Beauvois exclaiming against the abuses of the Church of Rome He wrote against the Fryars and their hypocrisie but especially against the begging Fryars In his days there was a most detestable and blasphemous book set forth by the Fryars which they called Evangelium Aeternum or Evangelium spiritûs sancti The Everlasting Gospel or The Gospel of the Holy Ghost Wherein it is said That the Gospel of Christ was not to be compared to it no more than darkness to light That the Gospel of Christ should be preached but fifty years and then this everlasting Gospel should rule the Church He mightily impugned this pestiferous Book Fox Act and Monum p. 410. ad 416. He was by the Pope condemned for an Heretick exiled and his Books were burnt His story and Arguments may be read in Mr. Fox his first Volumn Pope Alexander armed Thomas Aquinas and Bonaventure men of violent spirits against him but he was too hard for these reprovers his followers were called Amoraei Pope Gregory succeedeth Innocent and is a great Enemy to Frederick the Emperour who had entred Italy with a great Army After his Election he sends his Nuncio into France to exhort Lewes to succour him The Pope comes into France and calls a Council at Lyons whither he cites Frederick but yet upon so short a warning as he could not appear Frederick having sent his Ambassadours to require a lawful time and to advertise the Pope of his coming begins his Journey to perform his promise Being arrived at Thurin he hath intelligence given him that the Pope had condemned him as Contumax excommunicated him and degraded him of the Empire But this was not without the consent of the Princes Electors of the Empire who after mature deliberation proceeded to a new Election They chuse Henry Landgrave of Thuring for Emperour but he besieging the City of Vlmes was wounded with an Arrow whereof he dyed shortly after Frederick writes to the French King against the sentence against him at Lyons Then the Electors chose William Earl of Holland for Emperour In all the chief Cities the Guelph's Faction was the stronger through the Authority of the Council of Lyons Frederick over-pressed with grief dyeth leaving Italy and Germany in great combustion The Pope having Canonized Edmond Arch-Bishop of Canterbury soon after Blanch Queen Regent of France came into England to worship that Saint representing to him that he had found refuge for his Exile in France and beseeching him not to be ungrateful She said my Lord most Holy Father confirm the Kingdom of France in a peaceable solidity and remember what we have done to thee Now Lewes IX came to assist the Christians in Palestine His nobility diswaded from that design Lewes takes up the Cross and voweth to eat no Bread until he was recognized with the Pilgrim's Badge Their went along with him his two Brothers Charles Earl of Anjou Robert Earl of Artois his own Queen and their Ladies Odo the Pope's Legat Hugh Duke of Burgundy William Earl of Flanders Hugh Earl of St. Paul and William Longspath Earl of Sarisbury with a band of valiant English-men The Pope gave to this King Lewes for his charges the tenth of the Clergy's revenues through France for three years and the King employed the Pope's Collectors to gather it whereupon the Estates of the Clergy were shaven as bare as their crowns and a poor Priest who had but twenty shillings annual pension was forced to pay two yearly to the King Having at Lyons took his leave of the Pope and a blessing from him he marched toward Avignon Where some of the city wronged his Souldiers especially with foul Language His Nobles desired him to besiege the city the rather because it was suspected that therein his Father was poisoned To whom Lewes most christianly said I come not out of France to revenge mine own quarrels or those of my Father or Mother but injuries offered to Jesus Christ Hence he went without delay to his Navy and so committed himself to the Sea Lewes arrives in Cyprus where the pestilence raging two hundred and forty Gentlemen of note dyed of the infection Hither came the Ambassadours from a great Tartarian prince invited by the fame of King Lewes his piety professing to him that he had renounced his Paganism and embraced Christianity and that he intended to send Messengers to the Pope to be further instructed in his Religion but some Christians which were in Tartary diswaded him from going to Rome King Lewes received these Ambassadours cuurteously dismissing them with bounteous gifts And by them he sent to their Master a Tent wherein the History of the Bible was as richly as curiously depicted in Needle-work hoping thus to catch his Eyes and both in his present pictures then being accounted Lay-mens books The French land in Egypt and Damiata is taken by them Discords grew between the French and English the cause was for that the Earl of Sarisbury in sacking a Fort got more spoil therein than the English Then dyed Meladine the Egyptian King Robert Earl of Artois Brother to King Lewes fighting with the Egyptians contrary to the Counsel of the Templars is overthrown In his flight he cryed to the Earl of Sarisbury flee flee for God fighteth against us To whom our Earl God forbid my Father's Son should flee from the face of a Saracen The other seeking to save himself by the swiftness of his Horse and crossing the River was drowned The Earl of Sarisbury slew many a Turk and though unhorsed and wounded in his Legs stood
was a great lover of the King of France he was chosen by common consent and a Courier sent post to him who was then at his Bishoprick to know what name he would carry he replyed he would not change the name he was baptized with which was Clement and so he was published accordingly to the people and called Clement the fifth After publication in the usual place the Cardinals dispatched several messengers to the new Pope to entreat him to hasten his Journey into Italy Il. Cardinalismo p. 234. But the Pope being instructed by the King of France made answer that the Flock was to follow the Shepherd and not the Shepherd the Flock commanding the Cardinals immediately to repair to him in France and particularly in the City of Poictiers as they also did This Clement was the first of seven French Popes which held the See one after another unto Vrban VI. under whom the Italians recovered it again with much trouble These seven Popes were Clement V. John XXII Benedict XII Clement VI. Innocent VI. Vrban V. Gregory XI Clement V. being chosen Pope he came to Lyons where King Philip received him accompanied with the Kings of England and Arragon in great pomp The Pope was on Horseback and the King with his two Brethren on Foot holding the Reigns of his Horse He was crowned in the Temple of St. Justus where they had built a great Theatre for so goodly a spectacle But the press of people was so great that the Scaffold brake so that the multitude sell one upon another The Pope King Princes and Noble-men were all on an heap and the Scaffold fastned to an old Wall pulled it down The King was hurt in the Head the Pope in the Foot and the Duke of Britain slain with many Noble-men and multitudes of the common people that were smothered under these ruines The Pope's Crown fell from his Head into the press where he lost a Carbuncle valued at six thousand florins of Gold Thus this feast gave no cause of joy but was famous to posterity by this notable accident and by the translation of the Pope's seat from Rome to Avignon Anno 1305. unto the year 1379. under Vrban VI. viz. the space of seventy four years This unlucky pomp being ended Clement created many French Cardinals and not one Italian and removed the Court presently to Avignon He avouched openly to keep a Concubine the Daughter of Count de Fuxa he sent three Cardinals with Senatorial power to govern Rome and Italy He ordained that none should use the Title or exercise the power of Emperour until he were confirmed by the Pope In the year 1307. a Parliament was summoned against Pope Clement by King Philip touching temporal jurisdiction belonging to Princes and Ecclesiastical belonging to the Church Forasmuch as Pope Clement V. extolled himself above all Princes as in other Countries so also in France he extended his usurped jurisdiction above the Princely Authority of the King claiming to himself full government of both the States as well Secular as Ecclesiastical the King therefore directeth his Letters mandatory to the Prelates and Barons of the Realm of France to assemble themselves together at Paris in the Year afore-mentioned in the beginning of December At the day specified in those Letters the Prelates and Clergy assembled themselves before the King at his palace in Paris Fox Act Monum li. 2. p. 461. 462. where after due reverence done unto the King there sitting in his own person with his Barons and Council about him a certain wise and noble Lord Peter de Cugneriis one of the King's Council stands up and makes an Oration before the Parliament in the King's behalf His Oration is divided into two parts 1. He sheweth that obedience and reverence is due unto the King 2. That there ought to be a difference betwixt the jurisdiction of the Clergy and Laity so that spiritual matters should be defined and ordered by the Prelates and spiritual men and Temporal causes ruled and determined by the King his Barons and Temporal men All which he proved by many reasons both of Fact and Law Articles against the Clergy of France His Oration being ended he repeated certain words in the French Tongue which imported that the King's Will and pleasure was in some points to renew the Temporal State and jurisdiction and therewith he exhibited a certain Bill in French whereof also he gave a Copy to the Prelates containing sixty five Articles which may be read at large in Mr. Fox his Acts and Monuments Vol. 1. p. 462. 463. 464. 465. After he had spoken the Prelates required to have time to answer thereunto whereupon the Friday next ensuing was appointed for the same on the which day the Bishop Edven and the Arch-Bishop of Senon Elect in the name of the whole Clergy answered for them all be-before the King holding his Parliament on that day at Vicenas They endeavour to prove that both the Temporal and Spiritual jurisdictions are compatible notwithstanding the distinction of them one from the other Then they proâ—â—â—d to prove that a person Ecclesiastical which hath Jurisdiction Spiritual may also have Temporal jurisdiction and that the Jurisdictioâ— Temporal may be in an Ecclesiastical person they alledge for this the example of Melchisedeck who was both King and Priest and of Samuel who was both Priest and Prophet and for a long time appointed Judge over the people in Temporal matters They assert also that Christ by his humane nature had both powers shewing that he was a Priest after the order of Melchisedeck and that he had both in his vesture and on his Thigh written King of Kings and Lord of Lords Many other places they cite out of the new Testament Then they offer to prove it by the Civil Law and by reason and many places in the Canon Law they shew what priviledges of this nature had been granted to the Clergy by Charles the Great King of France by Lewes the second and by other Kings of France which priviledges they offered to shew Moreover they assert that whatsoever things be offered up to the Church and are converted to the dominion and property of the same be God's and appertain unto him forasmuch as they be said to be dedicated and sanctified by him But this jurisdiction which is diversly converted to the Dominion and property of the French Church is God's and therefore to be reserved to and for him They urge the King to consider that at what time he was crowned he sware only these things following 1. That he would defend and maintain the Canonical Law priviledge and Justice granted to the Bishops and the Church and as much as in him lay to enlarge and amplifie the same 2. Also that by his Arbitriment all Christian people at all times should keep the true peace of God and his Church 3. That he should forbid to all Nations all kinds of sacriledges spoilings and iniquities and that in
firmly to the shedding of their blood in resisting that intrusion of the Fryars This hapned on Decemb. 6. The next day being Sunday one of the Order of the Minorites or Franciscans went to the Church of the Majorites or preaching Fryars where he made a Sermon which was never seen before for the one Order to come and resort to the other beginning in the aforesaid matter to reply and to expound in order through every Article adding moreover that they went not so far in their priviledges as they lawfully might And said that when they obtained those priviledges in Rome the Bishop of Ambian was there present himself resisting the same with all his power yea all the Prelates of France sent and wrote up to the Court against the same and yet did not prevail For when the Fryars there declared to the Pope how far they had used their priviledges the Pope at the same time said Placet shewing that he agreed unto the same And now saith he the Prelates demand of us to send up our priviledges to the Court which were great folly in us for in so doing we should give way to the revoking the Authority which is given into our hands already Moreover our Warden and Master is now lately dead and the Master of the Dominican Fryars here is not now present wherefore we dare not determine in so weighty a cause touching the priviledges of our order without the presence of them And therefore we desire you of the University to hold us excused who are not the worst part of the University The next day being the eighth of the same month it was determined that one of the Dominick Fryars should preach in the Church of the Franciscan or Gray-Fryars and so he did going the same way as the other Fryar had done before in the other Church All the Heads of the University met together on the Vigil of St. Thomas's day in St. Bernard's Church at the same time A Sermon was preached by a Divine of the University wherein he with many words and great Authorities argued against them that would not be obedient to their Prelates The Bishop of Ambian the Sermon being ended prosecuted the same Argument And in conclusion the Fryars priviledges were in disputation confuted at Paris Certain Articles had formerly been given out against the Fryars by the Students of Paris why they should not be admitted to their Society 1 Say they our Society ought not to be Co-active but free and voluntary 2. Because we have often proved their community many ways to be hurtful and incomodious 3. Seeing they are of a diverse profession from us for they are called Regular and not Scholastical we ought not therefore to associate together in one Scholastical Office 4. Because they work dissentions and offences therefore we ought to avoid them 5. Because they devour Mens houses searching and sacking the Estates and Consciences of all persons circumventing those whom they find easie to be seduced and leading them from the Counsel of their Prelates 6. They suggest that the Fryars are false Prophets who being neither Bishops nor Parish-priests nor yet their Vicars nor sent by them yet they preach not sent against the mind of the Apostle Rom. 10. 7. Because they are so curious in searching and enquiring out other Mens doings and spiritual demeanour Wherefore seeing them in no order we are by the sentence of the Apostle commanded to avoid them Besides these Articles above rehearsed certain propositions were proposed in the Schools of Paris solemnly to be disputed and defended against the Fryars which were these 1. That the begging Fryars were not in a state of Salvation 2. That they were bound to labour with their hands that could and not to beg 3. That they ought not to preach or hear the confessions of any although they be Licensed thereunto by the Pope or by the Diocessan forasmuch as the same is prejudicial to the Ministers and Priests of the Parishes All those aforesaid Articles and conclusions Pope Alexander IV. had condemned to be abolished and burnt writing his precepts to the French King and the University of Paris in favour of the Fryars commanding all Liberties and priviledges to be restored to the said Fryars Another priviledge was given to the Fryars by Pope Clement IV. who succeeded Alexander IV. Anno 1263. But in the year 1281. Pope Martin IV. renewed again the Canon in behalf of the Curates against the Fryars In the year 1294. Boniface VIII granted to the Fryars that without licence of Vicars of Churches they shall first present themselves to the Prelates to be admitted by whom if they be refused the second time then they upon special Authority of this Pope shall be priviledged without either Bishop or Curate to preach to bury and to hear confessions from any that shall come unto them so revoking all that was decreed by his predecessours to the contrary Anno 1303. Pope Benedict II. revoked the constitution of Boniface his predecessour Then followed Pope Clement V. who in his general Council holden at Vienna revoked the constitution of Benedict his predecessour and renewed again the former decree of Boniface Upon this variable diversity of the Popes one dissenting from and repugning another arose among the Divines and Schoolmen in Universities great matter of contention in the Universities of Oxford and Paris about the begging Fryars some holding one way some another Five principal opinions be noted of learned men who then disputing against the Fryars were condemned for Hereticks and their assertions reproved The first was the opinion of them which defended that the Fryars might not by the licence of the Pope and of the Prelates preach in Parishes and hear confession Of this opinion was William de sancto âmore with his fellows who had been condemned The second opinion was that Fryars although not by their own authority yet by priviledge of the Pope and of the Bishop might preach and hear confessions in Parishes but yet not without licence of the Parish-priests Of this opinion was St. Bernard The third opinion was that Fryars might preach and hear confessions without Licence of the Parish-priests but yet the said Parishioners notwithstanding were bound by the Canon omnis utriusque sexus to repeat the same sins again if they had no other to their own proper Curate And of this opinion were many as Godfr de fontibus Henr. de Gandavo Joannes Monach. Cardin. Joannes de Poliaco Pope John XXII caused John de Poliaco openly io retract in Paris The Assertions which he held were these The first was they which were confessed to Fryars although having a general Licence to hear confessions Fox Act Monum were bound again to confess their sins to their own Parish-priest by the aforenamed Canon The second was that the said Canon standing in force Parishioners were bound once in a year to confess their sins to their Priest For the doing otherwise importeth a contradiction in it self The
wont to be in Battles with the sound of Trumpets and noise of Horsemen When two Armies joyn some cursing that which Panormitan went about others allowing the same Then Nicholas Amici a Divine of Paris said Panormitan I appeal from this your conclusion to the judgement of the Council here present neither do I affirm any thing to be ratified which you have done as I am ready to prove if it shall seem good Many grave and Antient men exhorted Panormitan to give over his conclusion But neither the Fathers of the Council were determined to depart without a conclusion neither was Panormitan minded to alter his intent and purpose Then Thomas Rhedon a French Carmelite was a famous Preacher he preached in England France and Italy and in his Sermons said Rome is the mother of Abominations the Church hath great need of reformation Prelates should leave their pride and luxury and follow the example of Christ and his Apostles For such preaching he was burnt at Rome by the command of Pope Eugenius Mantuan de vit beat ca. ult Baptista Mantuan speaking of this man's Death saith Ah mad envy what doest thou Thou hast not killed him for his Soul cannot dye but by hurting his Earthy body he is the sooner partaker of Eternal Life Stephen Brulifer a Doctor of Sorbon and a Franciscan taught in his Lectures and maintained in disputes that neither the Pope nor Council can make any Statute or Article to bind the Conscience of a Christian Fascicul rerum expet fol. 164. that all their Authority consists in urging of obedience unto God's word in preaching it and administring the Sacraments which he hath instituted so that they bring nothing without his command He called justification by merits a devilish Doctrine since the Lamb of God was sacrificed and hath satisfied God's Justice for us The Doctors of Sorbon would not suffer him among them But he went to Diether Bishop of Mentz which had been deposed for speaking against the Avarice of Rome and was restored Antonius de Rosellis was a famous Reader of the Laws at that time and writ several Treatises against the Pope About this time lived also Wesselus Gantsfort a Master in the University of Paris Petries Church Hist Cent. 15. who for his free speaking and writing was forced to return to Groning his Native Countrey Then he lived in the Monastery of St. Agnes Hill near Swol where he taught many young men and had correspondence with sundry Learned men Charles VII dyed July 22. Anno 1461. Lewes XI his eldest Son succeedeth him in the Kingdom The late King Charles willing to follow the Council of Basil had summoned a Parliament at Bitures where by the full consent of all the States in France both Spiritual and Temporal a certain constitution was decreed and published called the Pragmatick Sanction wherein was comprehended briefly the pith of all the Canons and Decrees concluded in the Council of Basil of which constitution I hinted before The same the said King Charles commanded to be observed and ratified inviolably throughout all his Realm for the Honour and increase of Christian Religion for ever Now King Lewes XI successour to Charles had promised before being Daulphin unto Pope Pius the second called before Aeneas Sylvius that if ever he came to the Crown the aforesaid Pragmatick Sanction should be abolished Pope Pius hearing him to be crowned sent unto him John Balveus a Cardinal with his Letters Patent willing him to be mindful of his former promise The King hereupon directed the Pope's Letters Patent with the said Cardinal to the Council of Paris requiring them to consult upon the cause The matter being proposed in the Parliament-house the King's Attorney named Joannes Romanus a learned and eloquent Man proved the said Sanction to be profitable good and necessary for the wealth of the Realm and in no case to be abolished Unto whose sentence the University of Paris adjoyning their consent Du. Tillet en son advis sur les libertez de l'Eglise Gallic did appeal from the attempts of the Pope to the next general Council The Cardinal fretting thereat returned to the King his purpose being not obtained And the same King Lewes Anno 1463. to secure himself from the censures of the said Pope with the advice of his Parliament ordained an Arrest that the Cardinal of Constance should be punished because he had resisted the Rights and Authorities of the King saith Mr. John du Tillet King Lewes XI caused a Council of the Gallican Church and all the Universities to be assembled in the City of Orleans to be more fully informed in the business of the Pragmatick Sanction at which Peter Duke of Burbon Lord of Beaview presided instead of the King And the Court of Parliament in those Remonstrances which they made unto King Lewes among other inconveniences which they urged would follow upon the abrogation of the Pragmatick Sanction say By this means Strangers would be preferred by the Pope and not the Natives of the Countrey wherein the Benefices lye not of the same qualities and conditions with the Countrey Whereupon would ensue questions and controversies betwixt the Church-men or Seculars to the great hinderance of salvation of Souls and irreverence of the blessed Sacraments The Parliament of Paris in the Remonstrance made by Lewes XI touching the defence of the Pragmatick Sanction hath inserted this Article Item It belongeth to our Soveraign Lord the King who is the principal Founder Guardian Protector of the Liberties of the Gallican Church when she suffers in her Liberties Remonstr de la cour de Parlem de Paris Art 3. to assemble and call together the Prelates and other Clergy-men as well within this Realm as of Daulphinè and in the same Assembly and Congregation of the Gallican Church so called together there to preside and provide a remedy against such attempts as may be prejudicial to the said Liberties We find an Ordinance made relating to Abbeys Bishopricks and Benefices by the same King Anno 1464. which runs in this strain Howbeit that by Priviledges Express and Ordinances Royal no Man can have any Elective Benefice within our said Kingdom and Daulphinè it concerns us much that the Bishopricks Abbeys and other Dignities and elective benefices be furnished with able and known Men such as will comply with us and be firm and sure for us especially such as hold the said Benefices and by reason of them divers places and Fortresses for which divers duties and services belong unto us from them Yet notwithstanding our late pious Father granted the said favour and Patents so plentifully and to all manner of Persons of what Nation Kingdom or Religion soever they were without distinction that many under shadow and pretence of these Licences and Patents have insinuated and intruded themselves into the said Dignities and elective Benefices of our said Kingdom and do hold them Howbeit many of them are Strangers unknown and not to be
commanding that one should be celebrated every ten years His opinion was followed by Ludovicus Faber and some others Anno du Bourge did add that many villanies were committed condemned by the Laws for punishment whereof the rope and fire were not sufficient viz. frequent blasphemies against God perjuries Adulteries not only secret but even cherished with impudent license making himself to be plainly understood that he spake not only of the Grandees of the Court but of the King himself also adding that while men lived thus dissolutely divers Torments were prepared against those who were guilty of nothing but of publishing to the World the vices of the Church of Rome and desiring an amendment of them In opposition of all this Egidius Magister the prime President spake against the new Sects concluding that there was no other remedy but that which was formerly used against the Albigenses of whom Philip Augustus put to death six hundred in one day and against the Waldenses who were choaked in the caves whither they retired to hide themselves All the voices being given the King said he had how heard with his own Ears that which before was told him that the contagion of the Kingdom doth hence arise that there are in the Parliament who do despise the Pope's Authority and His that he well knoweth they are but few but the cause of many evils Therefore he exhorted those who are good Subjects to continue in doing their duty and immediately gave order that Faber and du Bourg should be imprisoned and afterwards caused four more to be apprehended in their houses But at the same time as if there had been no danger at all the Ministers of the Reformed for so the Protestants are called in France assembled in Paris in the Suburbs of St. German made a Synod in which Francis Morellus the chief man among them was President ordaining divers constitutions of the manner of holding Councils of removing the domination in the Church of the Election and Offices of Ministers of censures of Marriages of Divorces of degrees of consanguinity and affinity that throughout all France they might not only have an Uniform Faith but Discipline also And their courage did increase because the same of the severity used in France coming into Germany the three Electors and other Protestant Princes sent Ambassadours to the King to disswade him from that rigour against the professours of their Religion But the King though he gave them a courteous Answer yet remitted nothing of the severity but after the Ambassadours were gone he deputed four Judges of the body of the Parliament in the causes of the prisoners with the Bishop of Paris and the Inquisitor Anthony de Mocares commanding them to proceed with all expedition Nicholas Clinet one of the Elders of the Church at Paris and Taurin Gravelle a Lawyer and Advocate in the Court of Paris and elder of the same Church were both burnt at Paris Bartholomew Hector was burnt at Thurin Mistriss Philippa de Luns was strangled at Paris Anno 1558. after she had a little felt the Flame with her Feet and Visage Of the same company was also Nicholas Cene a Physician Brother to Philip Cene above-mentioned and Martyred at Diion and Peter Gabart which two were brought forth to their execution Octob. 2. They were holden long in the Air over a small fire and their lower parts burnt off before that the higher parts were much harmed with the fire Nevertheless these Holy Men ceased not in all these torments to turn up their eyes to Heaven and to shew forth infinite Testimonies of their Faith and constancy In the same fire many Bibles and Testaments were burnt Among divers young Scholars and Students that were in the little Castle with Peter Gabart there were these two viz. Frederick Danville and Francis Rebezies neither of them being past 20 years of Age. How valiantly they behaved themselves in the cause of Christ what conflicts they had disputing with the Doctors of Sorbonne what confessions they made their own Letters left in writing do make Relation these valiantly suffered Martyrdom Crispin li. 6. comment Gallic de Statu Relig. Reipub. Rene Seau and John Almerick were almost wracked to death in prison and afterwards both of them dyed in prison John Bordel Matthew Vermeil Peter Bourdon Andrew de Fou at the Countrey of Bresil were also Martyrs Villegaignon Lieutenant to the French King brought three of them to the top of a Rock and there being half strangled without any Judgement threw them into the Sea The fourth viz. Andrew de Fou he caused by manifold allurements somewhat to incline to his sayings so he escaped the danger not without a great offence taken of a great part of the French-men in that Countrey Benet Romain a Mercer at Draguignan in Provence was wracked and burnt Francis Civaux who had been Secretary to the French Ambassadour here in England in Queen Maries time after being desirous to hear the word of God went to Geneva Also he was placed to be Secretrary to the Senate of Geneva where he continued about the space of a year Having then certain business he came to Diion where he was betrayed by a Priest apprehended and carried to prison and within seven days after was first strangled and then burnt Peter Arondeau of Rochel was burnt quick at the place called St. John in Greve at Paris The Heroick constancy which God gave hâ—m and wherein he endured victorious unto death was a mirrour of patience to Anne du Bourg Counsellour in the Parliament of Paris and to divers other then prisoners and was to them a preparation toward the like death which shortly after they suffered Thomas Moutard was burnt at Valenciennes Divers others also suffered Martyrdom at Paris for the profession of the Gospel Philip the second King of Spain after the death of his Wife Mary Queen of England was married to Elizabeth eldest Daughter to King Henry II. Philibert Emmanuel Duke of Savoy married with Marguarite the King 's only Sister and Charles Duke of Lorrain with Claude a younger Daughter of Franoe The King yielded to Philip all that he had taken from him as well on this side as beyond the Mountains To the Savoyard he restored Bresse Savoy and Piedmont to the Genevois the Isle of Corse and about four hundred places more conquered during the late fatal Wars which had made so many Provinces desolate ruined so many Castles Towns and Villages drunk up so much Christian blood and slain so many millions of Men of all qualities retaining nothing but the Territories of Boullen and Calais The prisons were now full of the Protestants the Marriages of the King's Daughters and Sister were solemnized with all the pleasures and sports that could be devised The Court exceeded in sumptuous Plays Masks Dances and Bon-fires the people expressed publick joy by reason of the peace with loud acclamations in these ceremonies But this pleasant Comedy was converted by a sad
many of the chief Nobility and greatest persons of the Kingdom their Assemblies and Sermons were then no more celebrated in Stables and Cellars as in the Reign of King Henry second but in the Halls and Chambers of the best Gentry and most eminent Nobility Beza's Translation of the new Testament and his accurate notes upon it have made him famous His French Psaltery was so well liked that it was well Translated into the German Bohemian English Scottish and many Languages and it is both in use and esteem with all the Orthodox Churches Thuanus saith that Beza would repeat whole Psalms in Hebrew and whatever Chapter one could name out of Paul's Epistles he would rehearse it all in Greek for the things he had formerly learnt his Judgement failed him not He lived eighty six years and toward his latter end he began to forget what he had spoken His French works are mentioned by Verdier in his Bibliotheque His Latin are known News was brought unto the Pope that his Subjects of Avignon had taken up Arms against him accounting his succession unlawful because that Countrey was not justly taken from Raimond Count of Tholouse concluding also that the Ecclesiasticks cannot by the commandment of Christ possess any Temporal Dominion And resolving to rebel by the means of Alexander Guilotimus a Lawyer they put themselves under the protection of Charles de Montbrun who being in Arms for Religion was much followed in Daulphinè Charles entring the Territory with three thousand foot made himself Lord of the whole Countrey with much joy of the Inhabitants James Maria Bishop of Viviers Vice-Legate of Avignon made opposition and very hardly kept the City The Pope therefore sent Cardinal Farnese to defend the City But the danger was moderated because Cardinal Tornon whose Neece Charles had married made him desist and go to Geneva by promising restitution of his Goods confiscated for Rebellion and to be recalled shortly with liberty of Conscience if he would go out of France So the Pope's Territory deprived of that protection did remain in subjection but full of suspicions and ready to embrace every Novity Davila saith that Godfrey de la Barre Sieur de la Renaudy Davila Hist of the Civil War 's of France is made head of the conspiracy aforementioned who was one of a desperate fortune with whom many others joyned themselves some led by Conscience others thrust on through desire of change and many also invited by the natural humour of the French Nation who cannot endure to live idly To those of best quality among these he gave several charges to raise men and to bring them to a place appointed dividing to all their several Provinces To the Baron of Castelnaw was committed the care of Gascoign To Captain Mazares the charge of Bearn To Mesny the Countrey of Limâ—ges To Mirabel Xaintonge To Goccaville Piccardy To the Sieur de St. Mary Normandy and to Montejan Britany Men who as they were all of Noble Families so were they of known courage and reputed principal leading-men in several Cities and their own Countries where they lived All these departing from the Assembly at Nantes a City in Britany and returning every one with great expedition to the Province allotted him in a few days working with wonderful secrecy brought a great number of people of several conditions to be at their devotion The Conspirators prepared a great multitude who should appear before the King without Arms to demand that the severity of the Judgements might be mitigated and Liberty of Conscience granted designing they should be followed by Gentlemen who should make supplication against the government of the Guisards The Conspiracy was discovered and the Court retired from Blois an open place to Amboise a strong Fortress This troubled the Conspiratours who while they were thinking of a new course some of them who took Arms were beaten and slain and others taken and sentenced to dye and to appease the tumult pardon was granted by the King's Edict dated March 18. to all who simply moved with zeal of Religion had entred into the conspiracy so that they disarmed within 24 hours Then the King forbad all Assemblies for Religion and committed to the Bishops the hearing of the causes of Heresie An Ordinance was made by the States at Orleans Anno 1560. in the short Reign of King Francis the second Ordonnance des Estats d' Orleans l'Ann 1560. Art 5. That the Abbots and Curates who hold many Benefices by dispensation or reside upon one of their Benefices requiring actual service and residence shall be excused from residence upon their other livings Always provided that they depute sufficient Men for their Vicars of a good life and conversation to every one of whom they shall assign such a portion of the revenue of the Benefice as may suffice for their maintenance Otherwise in default hereof we admonish and enjoyn the Arch-Bishop or Bishop of the Diocess to take order for it and most expresly command our Judges and Proctors to assist them therein to cause the Temporalties of such Abbeys or other Benefices to be seized upon without dissembling a Month after they shall have warned and required the Prelates and other Titulars to reside or cause some to reside upon their Benefices and to fulfill the contents of this present Ordinance Another Ordinâ—nce was to this effect That a Prebend or the revenues thereof shall be assigned for the maintenance of a School-master who shall be bound in the mean time to teach all the youth of the City Gratis without any wages Which School-master shall be chosen by the Arch-Bishop or Bishop of the place calling in the Canons of the Church together with the Mayors Sheriffs Counsellours or Capitons of the City and to be put out by the said Arch-Bishop or Bishops with the advice of them aforesaid Here I will set down the Indulgences granted to divers Churches Brother-hoods and Hospitals granted by divers Popes and Printed about this time at Chartres by Philip Hotot I shall transcribe the whole 1. The Statutes and Ordinances of the Worshipful Fraternity of the most blessed Body of our Lord Jesus Christ newly founded and erected in the Church of St. Hilary of Chartres together with a summary of the Pardons and Indulgences given and granted by our Holy Fathers the Popes and by our Holy Father Pope Paul the third of that Name confirmed to the said Fraternity and all others of like denomination as well at Rome as out of Rome erected or to be erected Which Statutes and Ordinances by vertue of taking put of those Bulls made thereupon by Authority of Pope Julius III. of that name Given at Rome May 6. 1550. shall be observed and kept in manner and form following The Pardons Indulgences and Jubilee and plenary Remissions granted to such as visit the Altar where the blessed Sacrament and precious Body of Jesus Christ is placed in the said Church of St. Hilary upon the days in the year and
example and perswasions the King of Navarre and the Prince of Conde were induced to renounce the Protestant Profession for a time Yet afterwards this same Rozarius being gravely admonished of the vileness of his Apostasie departed out of France into Germany and writ Letters to the Prince of Conde wherein he acknowledged his errour begged mercy of God for that he had been a snare and stumbling block unto him I read in the life of the learned Dr. Peter du-Moulin the elder that his Father Joachim du-Moulin See the Life of Dr. Peter du Moulin written by his Son was called to be Minister at Coenures near Soissons Anno 1570. The Protectour of that Church was Monsieur d'Estree called since Marques de Coanures who then professed the Protestant Religion But when he heard of the great Massacre of Paris August 24. 1572. and that the like was to be speedily executed over all France he presently forsook the Protestant Profession and to approve himself a true Convert expelled the said Joachim du-Moulin out of Coenures Then was the good man in great extremity and in this general Massacre the murtherers were seeking for him And how to dispose of his Wife and four little Children he knew not At last this he did he left his Children with a Woman of contrary Religion half a mile from Coenures Himself with his Wife fled to Muret a Town belonging to the Prince of Conde and so to Sedan with the Duke of Bovillon of the house of de la March who passed that way flying from the Court The Murtherers that were sent to kill Joachim and his Family for they spared neither Age nor Sex found the Womans house where the Children were left Ruffina the Woman to whom the Children were committed hid the Children in the straw of a Bed the ordinary bottom of beds of the lower sort in France and laid a feather-bed and a blanket over them Scarce had she laid the blanket when the Murtherers came into the room and searched it but lookt not in the Bed Peter then under four years of age not liking to be thus laid up would cry but his Sister Esther then seven years old who had been made apprehensive of their danger stopt his mouth with her hand whereby she made him struggle and to make some noise which to drown with another Ruffina pretending to reach something upon a shelf made the Pewter fall and then took it up again with much rustling till the Murtherers were gone As soon as they were out of doors she ran to help the Child whom she found well-nigh smothered with the stopping of his wind but he soon recovered and the Children were kept safe in her house till their Parents sent for them Thus God doth many times preserve the infancy of his servants from the rage of Satan and the world The day before that terrible execution the King dispatched Posts into divers parts of the Kingdom commanding the Governours of Cities and Provinces to do the like but this Commission was performed with more or less severity according to their several inclinations for the same night at Meaux and the daies ensuing at Orleans Roven Bourges Angiers Tholouse and many other places but above all at Lions there was a most bloody slaughter of the Hugonots On the other side in those places where the Governours were either Dependants on the Princes or followers of the family of Montmorancy the Order was but slowly and remisly executed And in Provence the Count of Tende refused openly to obey it for which cause being a while after at the City of Avignon he was secretly made away and as it was believed by the King's Commission The third day after the death of the Admiral the King accompanied by all the Princes and Lords of his Court went unto the Parliament where he pretended that he had miraculously discovered the conspiracy of the Admiral and his Complices to take away his life and not his alone but the lives of the Queen-Mother and the Dukes of Anjou and Alanâ—ou his Brothers and even the King of Navarre's also who because he was alienated from their party was esteemed no less their enemy than all the rest He gave order it should be recorded among the ordinary Acts of that Court that whatsoever had befallen the Admiral and the rest of his faction either in Paris or any other part of the Kingdom was done by his will order and express Commission Then he commanded them to proceed to the examination of Prisoners to defame the memory of the dead by laying open their Rebellions and by inflicting such punishments upon them as the strictness of the Law required And lastly he caused to be published not only in the Parliament but likewise in all the Streets of Paris that they should desist from further effusion of blood The Parliament condemned Briquemald and Cavagnes two Protestant Noble-men They laboured by torturing them to extort from them a confession of the fore-alledged Conspiracy But the Noble-men died constant in the true Faith without any confession of such Treason as was alledged They were publickly torn with Pincers and their bodies quartered Notwithstanding they were not ashamed in their names after their death to publish a confession of horrible Treason which they never confessed whilst they were yet alive Davil Hist of the Civil Wars of France lib. 5. The King commanded also a Statue of the Admiral 's to be broken in pieces and burned declaring him a Rebel a disturber of the Kingdom an Heretick and an enemy to all good men The Magistrates also sentenced the Hostel de Chastillon to be razed to the very ground and all his Posterity to be deprived of Nobility and made incapable of bearing any Office or possessing any goods in the Kingdom of France The King therefore dispatched his Grand-Provost with all diligence to seise upon his Wife and Children But his eldest Son with the Widow-Lady his Mother-in-Law the Wife of Teligni and Monsieur de la val the Son of Andelot deceased were already fled secretly to Geneva and the better to avoid their danger went to live among the Swisses in the Canton of Bearn The younger Children were condemned to death in their tender years coming to that end which in the variety of worldly affairs accompanies the ruine of great Families At the same time this execution was done in Paris la Charite which was still held by the Protestants was surprized by the Gens d'Arms of the Duke of Nevers The Town of Rochel was the Town of greatest importance of all the rest of the Towns that were yet in the hands of the Protestants The King with a mighty Army besieged it by Sea and Land which siege began in the Month of December and endured until the Month of July next following Anno 1573. The marvellous providence of God was seen in this siege for God sent a number of Fishes called Surdonnes to the support of the poor during the time of
the siege and at the end of the siege the Fishes were found no more in that coast Sanserre a Protestant Town after eight Months siege was forced to surrender to Castrius the King's Lieutenant in those parts Upon the ninth day of May 1572. Henry Duke of Anjou was with a general consent chosen King of Poland Wherefore he having long besieged Rochel and seeking to come off from that siege with such moderation that his reputation might be safe and the minds of his new subjects not unsatisfied from whom he endeavoured to remove all suspicion of his taking away their liberty of Conscience he proceeded not so violently against the Protestants who now being quite tyred out desired peace This was favoured by the Duke and the City was yielded upon these conditions That the King should declare the Inhabitants of Rochel Nismes and Montauban to be his faithful Subjects pardoning all faults whatsoever had been committed by them during the Civil War That in those three Cities he should allow the free and publick exercise of the Reformed Religion they meeting together in small numbers and without Arms the Officers appointed for that purpose being there among them That in all other outward matters except Baptism and Matrimony they should observe the Rites and Holy-daies observed and commanded by the Church of Rome That the King should confirm all the liberties and priviledges of those three Towns not permitting them to be in any part diminished altered or violated That the Rochellers should receive a Governour of the King's appointment but without a Garrison who might freely stay there inhabit go and return into the City at his pleasure That they should be governed by the Laws and Customs with which they had been governed under the Kings of France ever since they were Subjects to that Crown That they should not lend any aid to those which should continue up in Arms though of the same Religion That the use and exercise of the Catholique Religion should be restored in those Cities whence it had been taken leaving freely unto the Church-men not only the Churches Monasteries and Hospitals but likewise all the Profits and Revenues belonging to them That all Lords of free Manours through the Kingdom might in their own houses lawfully celebrate Baptism and Matrimony after the manner of the Protestants provided the Assembly exceeded not the number of ten persons That there should be no Inquisition upon mens consciences and that those who would not dwell in the Kingdom might sell their Estates and go live where they pleased provided it were not in places that were enemies to the Crown And that for the observing these Articles the said three Cities should give Hostages which should be changed every three Months and alwayes should follow the Court. When these conditions were established and the Hostages given which by the Duke were presently sent to the Court Monsieur de Byron the Governour appointed by the King entred Rochel with one of the publick Heraulds took possession of the Government and caused the Peace to be Proclaimed After which the Duke of Anjou now King of Poland having dismissed the Army went with a Noble Train of Princes Lords and Gentlemen unto the City of Paris where assuming the title of his new Kingdom and having received the Polish Ambassadours he prepared for his journey to go and take possession of the Crown All the Protestants dwelling in Languedoc Dolphinè and Provence were offered those conditions which the Rochellers had embraced But they craved liberty first to assemble themselves together before they should give their answer Which being granted and the Assembly convened at Miliald they craved these Conditions viz. That in every Province of France two Towns might be granted unto the Protestants for their further security and those Towns to be kept by the Guards of their own Souldiers and have all their pay out of the King's Treasury and that liberty should be granted to all that were of their Religion to exercise the same freely without any exception of places Also that all those that should be found guilty of the horrible Murthers committed at Paris August 24. should be severely punished The Queen-Mother when she had read the Conditions which were required said with great indignation That if the Prince of Conde had been in the midst of France with twenty thousand Horse-men and fifty thousand Foot-men yet would he not have required the half of those conditions This great boldness of the Protestants put the Enemies in suspicion that the Nobles of France were confederate with them About the same time Count Montgomery had returned out of England and taken some Towns in Normandy but soon after he was besieged in Donfront a Town of Normandy where he is taken and sent to Paris and condemned to death This is that Noble man who had slain King Henry the second with a Spear whom King Henry would not suffer to be harmed for it But when he came into the hands of this cruel woman he must die She caused divers of the Nobility to be imprisoned and spared not her own Son the Duke of Alançon The Prince of Conde conveyed away himself secretly into Germany In November following after the bloody Massacre a new Star was seen in the Constellation of Cassiopeia which continued full sixteen Months being carried about with the daily motions of the Heaven Theodore Beza wittily applyed it to that Star which shone at the Birth of Christ and to the murthering of the Infants under Herod and warned Charles IX King of France who confessed himself to be the Authour of that bloody Massacre at Paris to beware in this Verse Tu verò Herodes sanguinolente cave Cambden's Hist of Qu. Elizab. And thou bloody Herod look thou to thy self And he was not wholly deceived in his belief for in the fifth Month after the vanishing of this Star King Charles died of a bloody Flix As he had caused much Protestant blood to be shed so in his sickness before his death great store of blood issued out by vomiting Thuan. Hist li. 57. and by other passages of his body in the two last weeks of his sickness and in his bed he could have little rest but horribly Blasphemed the name of God which he had accustomed himself unto even from his Child-hood Such was his unquietness and affrightments in the night that he endeavoured to appease it by Musick Andrew Melvin hath these Verses to Charles IX dying with an unusual Flux of blood Naribus ore oculis atque auribus undique ano Et pene erumpit qui tibi Carle cruor Non tuus iste cruor Sanctorum at caede eruorem Quem ferus hausisti concoquere haud poteras In those Verses are comprised both the cause and manner of his death He died May 30. 1574. before he was full five and twenty years of Age. As soon as Henry King of Poland heard of his Brother's death he returned privily and speedily and was
Crowned King of France Michael Hospitalius Chancellour of France under Charles IX Thuan. Tom. 3. lib. 56. was removed from the Court and made a Prisoner as it were only because he opposed those wicked Counsels against the Protestants in the Massacre at Paris Beza mentions him in his Icones illustrium virorum And Grotius stiles him Grot. Praef. ad Poem Vnicum aevi nostri decus the only ornament of our Age. There are these of his Works published Six Books of Epistles in Latine Verse De Caleto expugnato Epistola carmen cum aliis In the Preface to his Epistle one saith it appeared by a most Ancient Coyn that he much resembled Aristotle Summum illum omnium Philosophorum principem Aristotelem sic ore toto retulit ut alterius ex altero Imago expressa videri posset At this time flourished Michael Montanus or Michael de Montaigne Knight of the Noble Order of St. Michael and one of the Gentlemen in Ordinary to the French King Henry III. his Chamber His elegant Books of Miscellanies written in French are by him modestly styled Essayes or Moral Politick and Military Discourses He hath thereby gotten a great opinion of his Learning and Wisdom and Rome hath chosen and adopted him for one of her Citizens Charles Cardinal of Lorain dieth December 23. 1574. of a Frenzy in the midst of a cruel tempest and violent whirl-wind which uncovered the houses and loosened the bars of Iron in the Carthusians Covent in the Suburbs of Avignon According to the advice of the Queen-Mother the King assaults the Protestant Towns in Provence Languedoc and Dolphiné Lusignan was besieged and yielded upon Composition Pousin is besieged and taken but the Town of Libero in Dolphinè though besieged was not taken In Languedoc D'anville although he was of the Roman Religion yet had joyned himself to the Protestants and took Aques Mortes a Town of great importance in those Parts with many other Towns In Dolphinè Mombrim was chief Commander and had great success in his attempts But in the end being sore wounded he was taken beside â—ia a Town in Dolphinè and by the Commandment of the King and Queen-Mother was carried to Grenoble and there was executed in the sight of the people The Prince of Conde had required help of Casimire the Son of Count Palatine who had also condescended to succour the Protestants The Conditions they agreed on were these That they should not lay down their Arms until that liberty were obtained to the Protestants fully to enjoy their own Religion And likewise that Casimire should have the Towns of Metis Tullion and Verdum in his hands besides other Towns in all the Provinces of France which the Protestants were to require for their further assurance and as pledges of the King's fidelity and faithfulness to them The Army of the Germans and French entered into France under the Prince of Conde and Casimire and came forward to Charossium a Town in Bourbon not far from Molins where Alançon the King's Brother joyned with them and the whole Army conjoyned was found to be of horse-men and foot-men thirty thousand The King of Navarre at the same time departeth from Court and returneth into his own Country The Army draws near to Paris but at length was concluded upon certain Conditions That Casimire should receive from the King a great summ of money instead of those Towns which should have been put in his hands and that liberty should be granted to the Protestants to exercise their own Religion openly and freely without exception of places the Court and the City of Paris with a few leagues about only excepted They were also declared to be capable of places in Parliament and Courts of Justice and all Judgements which were made against them for any enterprize whatsoever were declared void the cruel day of St. Bartholomew disavowed and for better assurance and performance of these conditions they had eight Towns delivered unto them with the Conditions of their Governments Aques Mortes Benecaire Perigneux Le mas de Verdun Nions Yissure La grand tour The Edict of Pacification was Proclaimed May 10. 1576. and an end was put to the fifth Civil War in France for Religion By the Bull of Pope Gregory XIII sent into France Anno 1575. we may see all the Judges Royal both superiour and inferiour utterly despoiled of the Cognisance of criminal Causes The Sixteenth Article is this Vide Collect. diversar constitut Romanor Pontif. in fine Et Eclogam Bullarum motuum propriorum p. 316. We Excommunicate and anathematize all and every one the Magistrates Counsellours Presidents Auditors and other Judges by what name soever they be called the Chancellours Vice-Chancellours Notaries Registers and Executors their servants and others which have any thing to do in what sort or manner soever with Capital or Criminal Causes against Ecclesiastical persons in banishing or arresting them passing or pronouncing sentence against them and putting them in Execution even under pretence of any priviledges granted by the See Apostolick upon what causes and in what tenour and form soever to Kings Dukes Princes Rcpubliques Monarchies Cities and other Potentates by what name and title soever they be called which we will not have to be useful to them in any thing repealing them all from henceforth and declaring them to be nullities The twelfth Article speaks on this sort We Excommunicate all and every the Chancellours Vice-Chancellours Counsellours Ordinary and Extraordinary of all Kings and Princes the Presidents of Chanceries Councils and Parliaments as also the Attorneys General of them and other Secular Princes though they be in Dignity Imperial Royal Ducal or any other by what name soever it be called and other Judges as well Ordinary as by Delegation as also the Archbishops Bishops Abbots Commendatories Vicars and Officers who by themselves or by any other under pretence of Exemptions Letters of Grace or other Apostolical Letters do summon before them our Auditors Commissaries and other Ecclesiastical Judges with the causes concerning Benefices Tithes and other spiritual matters or such as are annexed to them and hinder the course of them by 〈◊〉 authority and interpose themselves to take Cognisance of them in the quality of Judges This is not all for in the following Article he goes yet further striking an heavy blow at the Ordinances of the French Kings Those also which under pretence of their Office or at the Instance of any man whatsoever draw before them to their Bench Audience Chancery Council or Parliament Ecclesiastical persons Chapters Covents and Colledges of all Churches or cause them to be brought in question before them or procure them directly or indirectly under what colour soever beyond the appointment of the Canon Law Those also which ordain and set forth Statutes Ordinances Constitutions Pragmatiques or other Decrees whatsoever in general or in special for any cause or colour whatsoever even under pretence of Apostolical Letters not now in practice or
manner as might breed neither disorder nor confusion He sent them five Commanders to order the five quarters viz. the Count of Brisac the Sieur de Bois Dauphin the Sieur de Chamois the Sieur d'Esclavoles and Colonel St. Paul to whom the Sieur de Meneville was added who had been a chief Instrument in that business These entred openly into Paris under colour of private affairs and being lodged in those quarters of the City which were appointed them frequented the Court leaving the care to Meneville to bring the matter to its conclusion The Duke of Aumale is in readiness with five hundred Horse to assist the Conspiracy of the Parisians The Conspirators resolve to make use of the occasion which the time of Lent would afford them to seize on the King's Person then when with the Duke of Espernon he should be in Procession as he was wont in the habit of a Penitent among the whipping Friers neither accompanied by his Guards nor the ordinary retinue of the Court and to shut him up with strong Guards in a Monastery After which the Duke of Aumale's five hundred horse and his other Forces should presently come in and take possession of the principall places and keep them guarded till the arrival of the Duke of Guise But Nicholas Poulain who was privy to all this Conspiracy reveals the whole Plot to the High Chancellour and confirms it also to the King himself who hereupon feigned himself not well and so forbare to go to any spiritual exercise with the Fraternity of the Penitents The King had no Forces sufficient to bridle the Parisians whereupon the Queen said in the Italian tongue Bisogna coprisi bene il viso inanzi che stuzzicare il vespaio He that will stir up a Wasps nest had need to cover his face well and then means would not be wanting to suppress the Conspirators But the King to make himself sure of the Conspiratours blocks up the passages about Paris to keep victuals from thence The Council of sixteen begin to suspect that their Plot is discovered and the Heads being dismayed send for the Duke of Guise to Paris the King sends a command unto the Duke of Soissons not to come to Paris but he comes to Paris at noon on May 9. 1588. followed only with eight Gentlemen He lights at the Queen-Mother's Lodging and goes with her to do his duty unto the King The people follow him by troops with great joy crying God save the Guise God save the Pillar of the Church He makes his reverence to the King layes open the causes of his coming justifies his actions as well as he could and so withdraws till the King had dined They meet both after dinner at the Queen-Mother's Lodging the King full of fear and jealousie the Duke with a resolute countenance The next day the Archbishop of Lions the chief Pillar of the League arriveth the Duke's friends and servants enter The Sixteen bring and carry away sundry intelligences The King commands the Marshal de Byron to draw his Guards of Swisses and French out of the Suburbs into the City and Lodgeth them in divers quarters The people grow amazed the chief of the League terrifie them with the apprehension of a spoil they shut up their shops and leaving their traffique betake themselves to Arms. The Parisians raised at the Ringing of the Bells make Barricado's cross the Streets and blocking up all the King's Corps de Garde come up to the Louvre The Swisses were presently assaulted in St. Innocent's Church-yard where 36. of them being slain in the first onset the rest yielded themselves without resistance and with great violence were pillaged by the people All the other Guards of the Chastelet the little Bridge the Butchery and the Town-house were assaulted at the same time the Swisses being in the same manner disarmed and made Prisoners at the peoples discretion They made the French Guards to put out their matches and lay down their Arms and kept them in that manner till they had further order The Duke of Guise seeing the City in his power and the King as it were a Prisoner ceaseth to prosecute the forcing of the Louvre and appeaseth the people but gave order that the Barricado's should be continued That the people should be every where in a readiness with their Arms that the Guards should be kept with great care expecting some body should come from the King besieged and straitned to make an overture of some agreement The Queen-Mother goes to the Duke of Guise in her Sedan being denied passage in her Coach confers with him but brings nothing but complaints and exorbitant demands While the Queen-Mother returns to the Duke of Guise and treats with him the King with sixteen Gentlemen leaves Paris and retires to Chartres where the people receive him with as much affection as the Parisians had done the Duke of Guise The King at his departure from the Louvre turning at Chaliot towards Paris said De Serres Hist in vit Henry III. O disloyal and ingrateful City a City which I have alwaies honoured with my constant abode which I have more enriched than any of my Predecessours I will never enter within the compass of thy Walls but by the ruine of a great and memorable breach Cursed likewise be you all for whose content I have purchased the hatred of so many The Duke being angry at the news of the King 's sudden departure labours to secure his absolute power in Paris and seizeth on the Bastille The Capuchins are sent in Procession unto Chartres to mitigate the heat of his fury The chief of the City also go to beseech him to return to Paris Seven demands are made by the League viz. the extirpation of Heresy by his Majesties Forces and the holy union the banishment of the Duke of Espernon and of his Brother de la Valette War in Guienne by the King in Person and by the Duke of Mayenne in Daulphiné Abolition of the tumults of Paris confirmation of Offices chosen for Civil Causes since the Barricado's a restoring of the goodly and ancient Ordinances of the Realm and an abolition of parties gifts and abuses brought in by Espernon and la Valette The King determined to give outward satisfaction to the Duke of Guise and the League knowing that Peace would never be granted unless he consented to remove from the Court the Duke of Espernon Who coming to Court being not received by the King with his wonted favour quits his Government in Normandy and retires to Angolesme where by a Conspiracy of the Citizens his life is in great danger He was accompanied by the Abbot del Bene who was no less persecuted by the League than He. This retreat removed all impediments that might have hindered Peace Now the conclusion of the Peace was easie for on the one side the King granted all that the League asked for or pretended to The conditions of Peace were almost the same that were
of Provisions The Duke of Parma marcheth away into Flanders in good order The King assaulteth Clermont takes it and sacks it The Duke of Parma departing leaves aid of men and promiseth supply of money to the League The King marcheth toward Picardy Grenoble in Dauphiné after a long siege returns to the King's obedience The King assaulteth Corby and takes it The Parliament of Burdeaux who with much ado had been brought to the King's obedience make complaints for the King 's persevering in Calvinism The King studieth how to conserve the affections of those of his party and to keep them in obedience He recalls the Duke of Espernon to the Army and other Popish Lords to reconcile them unto him The Viscount of Turenne obtains of Queen Elizabeth of England that she should send the King one hundred thousand crowns That she should send 6000. Foot into Bretagne for the relief of the Prince of Dombes That along with him she should send Horatio Palavicino a Genovese who for Religion was fled into that Island to perswade the States of Holland and the Princes of Germany to assist the King with men and money on their Part. She promised likewise that if the Duke of Parma should return again into France she would assist Grave Maurice and the Hollanders to make a strong diversion by entring into Brabant and Flanders Now the party of the League make a disgust against the Duke of Mayenne which is fomented by the Spaniards And the Lords of the house of Lorain grow jealous one of another and the Duke of Nemours lays aside the Government of Paris The Duke of Mayenne dispatcheth President Jeannin to the King of Spain and the Sieur des Portes to the Pope to solicite aid The Chevalier d'Aumale goes to surprize S. Dennis and without resistance enters with all his men but the Governour with only thirty Horse chargeth and routs the Enemy and d'Aumale being thrust through the throat falleth down dead Those that were curious observed that he fell dead before the door of an Inn whose sign was the Espeè Royale a Sword embroidâ—red with golden Flower-de-luces and that his Body being laid upon the Bier in the Church of the Friers of St. Dennis his carkass the night following was all gnawed and mangled with Rats Pope Gregory XIV assigneth fifteen thousand crowns by the Month for the service of the League and Marsilio Landriano a Milanese is chosen Legate for the Kingdom of France Chartres is besieged and surrendered to the Baron de Biron The Duke of Mayenne receives Chasteau Thierry with the composition of twenty thousand crowns Then the Popish Princes and Noblemen following the King did solicite his Majesty to turn to the Romish Religion Anno 1591. The Petitions made to the King to provide for his dutiful Subjects of both Religions to prevent the new attempts of the Pope and his adherents to the prejudice of the Crown of France were the cause of two Edicts made at Mante in the beginning of July The one confirmed the Edicts of Pacification made by the deceased King upon the troubles of the Realm and dissannulled all that passed in July 1585. and 1588. in favour of the League The oâ—her shewed the King's intent to maintain the Catholick Religion in France with the Ancient Rights and Priviledges of the French Church The Court of Parliament of Paris resident at Chalons and Tours having verified these Edicts had dissannulled all the Bulls of Cardinal Gaetan's Legation and other Bulls that came from Rome on March 1. the Proceedings Excommunications and Fulminations made by Landriano terming himself the Pope's Nuncio as abusive scandalous seditious full of impostures made against the holy Decrees Canonical Constitutions approved Councils and against the Rights and Liberties of the French Church They Decree that if any had been Excommunicate by vertue of the said proceedings they should be absolved and the said Bulls and all proceedings by vertue thereof burnt in the Market-place by the Hang-man That Landriano the pretended Nuncio come privily into the Realm without the King's leave or liking should be apprehended and put in the King's Prison And in case he should not be taken he should be summoned at three short daies according to the accustomed manner and ten thousand Franks given in reward to him that should deliver him to the Magistrate Prohibitions being made to all men to receive retain or lodge the said pretended Nuncio upon pain of death And to all Clergy-men not to receive publish or cause to be published any sentences or proceedings coming from him upon pain to be punished as Traytors They declared the Cardinals being at Rome the Archbishops Bishops and other Clergy-men which had signed and ratified the said Bull of Excommunication and approved the most barbarous and detestable Parricide traiterously committed upon the Person of the late deceased King Henry III. to be deprived of such Spiritual Livings as they held within the Realm causing the King's Proctor General to seise thereon and to put them into his Majesties hand forbidding all persons either to carry or send Gold to Rome and to provide for the disposition of Benefices until the King should otherwise Decree Du recueil de l'Histoire de la ligne That of Tours added this clause to the Decree They declared Gregory calling himself Pope the fourteenth of that name an enemy to peace to the union of the Roman Catholick Church to the King and to his Estate adhering to the Conspiracy of Spain and a favourer of Rebels culpable of the most inhumane and most detestable Parricide committed on the Person of the most Christian and Catholick King Henry III. of famous memory The Parliament of the League did afterwards condemn and cause those Decrees to be burnt at Paris which were made against the Bulls and Ministers of the Romish See So one pulled down what another built up The Cardinal of Vendosme begins to raise a third party of Catholicks to make himself Head of them and thereby to bring himself to the Crown Scipio Balbani is sent to Rome by the Cardinal of Vendosme to treat with the Pope and to communicate his design unto him The Cardinal of Lenoncourt gives the King notice of the designs of the Cardinal of Vendosme The High Chancellour thereupon perswades him to turn to the Romish Religion Charles Duke of Guise having been long kept Prisoner at Tours escapes at noon-day and fleeth to Bourges and then meets with the Duke of Mayenne The Council of Sixteen falls into an emulation with the Parliament of Paris and with the Council of State chosen by the Duke of Mayenne Brigard who had been imprisoned upon suspicion of Plots against the League being escaped the Judges that made his Process are by the people in Arms tumultuously put in Prison and by the Council of Sixteen are caused to be strangled in the close Prison and the next day their bodies are hanged at the Greve with infamous writings on their Breasts The Duke
of Mayenne posts to Paris to appease this tumult and causeth Louchart Auroux Hamelin and Emmonot four of the chief of the Council of Sixteen which were most guilty to be strangled The King marcheth into Normandy layes siege to the City of Roven The Duke of Parma with the Spanish Army marcheth to relieve that place They fight at Aumale the King is wounded his men routed and he is put hard to it to save himself Villars the Governour of Roven sallying out enters the trenches and gains the Artillery The Duke of Parma retiring the King returns to Roven and reneweth the siege The Duke of Parma also returns to bring relief and the King's Forces being wasted he riseth from the siege and marcheth to the Banks of the River of Seine Those of the League begin to think of a peace The Catholicks of the King's party are displeased that the peace should be treated by the Sieur de Plessis a Hugonot The Mareschal de Biron is killed with a Canon shot before Espernay The King wept bitterly at the news of his death The Baron de Biron to revenge the death of his Father scales a great Tower at Espernay and takes it but is sorely wounded and the Town is delivered up into the hands of the Duke of Nevers Governour of thâ—t Province August 9. 1592. Now the King desireth a reconciliation with the Catholick Church by way of agreement not by way of pardon The King takes Dreux and being constrained by the importunities of his own Catholick party who threaten to forsake him resolves to change his Religion And being instructed by the Archbishop of Bourges by René Benoist Curate of S. Eustache of Paris and of some other Doctors desires to be admitted into the bosom of the Romish Church And on July 25. he went to Mass at St. Dennis and made a publick and solemn Profession to the said Arbhbishop assisted by Charles Cardinal of Bourbon Archbishop of Roven and Nephew to the deceased nine Bishops with many other Prelates and Religious men protesting to live and die in the Romish Religion swearing to defend it against all men Having made profession of his Faith he performed all Ceremonies requisite in so solemn an Act and then he received absolution and blessing with wonderful joy and acclamation of the people Presently after this Act the King sent the Duke of Nevers the Marquess of Pisani and Henry of Gondy Bishop of Paris to the Pope to yield obedience by them to the See of Rome to beseech him to allow of his Conversion and to countenance it with his own blessing Whilst Elizabeth Queen of England upon account of Religion did with so great expences relieve the French King a strong rumour was spread in England that he either would or had already changed his Religion hereupon was Thomas Wilkes sent over into France to understand the certainty thereof But before his arrival the King had made a publick Profession of the Popiâ—h Religion at St. Dennis as hath been before expressed although some Papists of Religious Orderâ— at that time plotted against his life But he ingenuously declared unto Wilkes the causes that moved him to forsake his Religion And Morlante the French Agent in the mean time telleth the Queen all the very same things and with fair and specious words offereth her all kindness in the King his Masters behalf The Queen being much troubled and disquieted in mind snatched up her Pen and a while after sent this Letter to him Alas what deep sorrow Cambden hist of Q. Eliâ—abeâ—h what vehement grief what sighs have I felt at my heart for the things which Morlante hath told me of Alas is the world come to this pass Was it possible that any worldly matter should make you quit the fear of God can we expect any happy issue of such a fact or could you think that He who hath hitherto with his own right hand upholden and preserved you would now forsake you It is a very dangerous thing to do evil that good may come of it Yet I hope a sober spirit will put you into a better mind In the mean time I will not omit to make it a principal part of my prayers the recommending you to God beseeching him that the hands of Esau may not lose you the blessing of Jacob. Whereas you do Religiously and solemnly offer me your friendship I know to my great cost I have well deserved it neither should I repent that had you not changed your Father Verily from henceforth I cannot be your Sister by the Father for the truth is I shall ever more dearly love and honour my own Father than a false and counterfeit one which God knoweth very well who I beseech him bring you back again to a better mind Subscribed Your Sister if it be after the old manner as for the new I have nothing to do with it Elizabeth R. Yet notwithstanding a Contract was made between him and the Queen at Melun in the Month of August to make War offensive and defensive against the Spaniards And the Queen recommended again and again the Reformed Religion and the Professours thereof to his Care and Protection by Sir Robert Sidney He promised Thâ—t as he had been hitherto their Protectour so he would not for the future fail them though most of the Nobler sort of them had forsaken him On August 26. Peter Barrier born at Orleans was taken Prisoner at Melun where the King then was by the discovery of a Jacobin Florentine to whom he had confessed himself in Lions He confessed that seduced and perswaded by a Capuchin of Lions and afterwards confessed by Aubry Curate of St. Andrews des Acts at Paris by his Vicar and by Father Varade a Jesuite he was come thither expresly to murther the King The Priest revealing this Crime incurs no Ecclesiastical censure The wretch was found seized of a sharp knife with two edges He was pinched with hot Pincers his right hand burnt off holding the said knife his arms legs and thighs broken and his body burnt to ashes and cast into the River Upon a general surceasing of Arms the King assembled some of the chief of the Realm at Mante especially to hear the complaints of such as stood in doubt of the King's change in Religion and were grieved at divers contraventions of his Majesties Edicts whereby they suffered wrongs in all Provinces For the Partisans of Spain continually exclaimed of the incompatibility of two Religions in France and many were of opinion That the King ought not to be admitted but he should promise expresly to banish all such as made Profession of any other Religion than that which he did embrace or at least to abolish all publick Profession But the King employed all his care to unite his people in concord Vitry desiring to be the first that should re-enter under the King's obedience as he had been the first that had separated from it brought back the City of Meaux Aix
causes of that ruine Among the writings of John Guignard of Chartres were found certain scandalous libels against the King for which he was executed And one Francis Jacob a Scholar of the Jesuites of Bourges had lately said he would have killed the King but that he held him for dead and that another had done the deed Anno 1595. The Duke of Mayenne and Nemours yield unto the King and are received unto Grace The King of France is now admitted to a reconciliation with the Church of Rome upon these conditions and in these words He shall abjure all Heresies and profess the Catholick Faith in such form as shall be here done by his Ambassadours He shall introduce the Catholick Faith into the Principality of Bearn and shall nominate Catholick Magistrates in the said Province he shall procure within a year the Prince of Conde out of the hands of the Hereticks whom he shall cause to be instructed and brought up in the Catholick Religion The Decrees of the Council of Trent shall be published and received throughout the whole Kingdom of France He shall nominate to the vacant Churches and Monasteries such as are Catholicks and free from all suspicion of Heresie He shall do his best endeavour that the Churches and Clergy be invested anew in their Livings that have been seised upon without any judicial proceeding In bestowing of Magistracies and Dignities he shall take care that Catholicks only be preferred and that Heteticks as near as may be may be expelled The Concordates shall be observed and all abuses removed which have crept in contrary to the same The absolution in France granted by the Bishops shall be condemned He shall write letters to all the Princes of Christendom wherein he shall give notice of his Conversion and profession of the Catholick Faith The Pope granted his Absolution on September 16. by the Negotiation and pursuits of d'Ossat and du Perron his Procurers in the Court of Rome These were afterwards upon his recommendation honoured with Cardinals Caps After a War between the French and Spaniards a Peace was concluded between France and Spain Anno 1598. Then the French King who had hitherto flourished in Martial glory having now his thoughts wholly setled upon peace did so promote the welfare of France which had run headlong to ruine for many years through the storms of Civil War by maintaining and supporting Religion as well the Roman as the Reformed reviving the Laws cherishing Learning restoring Trade and Commerce and beautifying the Kingdom with splendid buildings that he far surpassed all the Kings that were before him In the year 1599. the King's Sister the Lady Katherine de Bourbon was married to the Duke of Bar Son to the Duke of Lorain The Reformed Religion in which she had been bred she would not change by reason as she said of her deceased Mother Queen Joane of Navarre whose life and actions were held worthy to be imitated as who had preferred safety of Conscience before assurance of honours and greatness yea than life it self Being accustomed to say to them on her part that Arms should not be laid down but with these three Conditions either an assured Peace an absolute Victory or an honest Death The Marriage was consummate in the King 's own Cabinet by the Archbishop of Roven at the King 's special Command to avoid greater inconvenencies She cordially affected that which did concert the Liberty of Conscience throughout all France often beseeching the King to let her see the assurances thereof whilst she was in France and not to suffer his Edicts to remain without execution being Proclaimed and without a durable observation being executed She used to be attended in her house by the Ministers of Paris who served her by turns every one a quarter of a year Being then to go into Lorain with her Husband the Church appointed Monsieur de Montigni an Antient Minister to attend her in that journey But M. Peter du-Moulin then coming to Paris the Old Gentleman desired to be excused and that the new Minister as fitter to travel by reason of his age might be chosen for that service To which motion the Princess presently enclined having a special liking to Du Moulin See the Life of Dr. Du Moulin wâ—itten by his worthy Son He took then that journey and because the Princess was entertained in Bishops Palaces and Abbeys he did officiate in the Palace of the Bishop of Meaux in that of the Bishop of Chalons and in the Abbey of Joverre The Harbingers of the Princess being come to Vitris le Francois a Town of Champagne addressed themselves to the chief Magistrate of the Town to prepare quarters for the Princess and her Court. Since Du-Moulin's establishment at Paris till the death of the King's Sister which was five years after he made a journey into Lorain every Spring either with her or to her and having served his quarter at her Court returned to Paris there the Princess was most part of the year Those of the Reformed Religion made many and great complaints that the King's Edicts were not kept nor observed that they were not provided of all things necessary for the exercise of their Religion the liberty of their Consciences and safety of their persons and fortunes That they were excluded from all charges and Offices in the State justice treasure and policie to the great prejudice of their Children c. The end of all their Assemblies was to obtain an Edict from the King so clear and plain as they should not be constrained to sue for any other Then the King made an Edict at Nantes and signed it after he had reduced that Province to his obedience containing a Declaration of the Edicts of Pacification and of the troubles grown in France for matter of Religion the which though granted in April 1598. was not allowed in the Court of Parliament of Paris until the 25. day of February following by reason of the many oppositions and difficulties that were made against it The Duchess of Bar would not go out of Paris before it was confirmed such was her zeal and affection in that matter as in all other affairs of that nature And for the better satisfaction of the Protestants in matters of justice it pleased King Henry IV. to erect a Chamber in the Court of Parliament of Paris purposely for them It consisted of one President and Sixteen Counsellours their Office to take knowledge of all the Causes and Suits of them of the Reformed Religion as well within the jurisdiction of the Parliament of Paris as also in Normandy and Britain till there should be a Chamber erected in either of them There were appointed also two Chambers in the Parliament of Burdeaux and Grenoble and one at Chasters for the Parliament of Tholouse These Chambers were called les Chambres de l'Edict because they were established by a special Edict at Nantes in Britain The Duke of Joyeuse wallowing in sensual pleasures being
at Paris after he had taken his leave of the Ladies and some other friends becometh a Capuchin The King commended his resolution and dining one day where there was only the Duke of Mayenne l'Esdiguiers and himself he said That in the world there were men of all conditions and qualities to be found but they should hardly find four so different as they were Whereof there was a Sinner converted a Leaguer repented a Capuchin diverted and a Hugonot perverted Century XVII THe Pope prest King Henry to make his Sister turn Catholick and the King to please the Pope used his utmost endeavours for it employing the most learned and subtil of his Clergy to seduce her especially Du Perron then Bishop of Eureux and Father Cotton These two had several bickerings with the Learned Du-Moulin who in his Book entitled the Novelty of Popery opposed to the Antiquity of true Christianity giveth an account of an occasional encounter of his with M. Du Perron But they had another which was a pitched field It was at the Court before a few but Grave and Select assistants After some dispute when Du Perron gave back to the force of an Argument and was at a loss some body hid behind the hangings cried up One. And when the like hapned to him the second time the same voice cried up Two and so till Five Upon which Du Perron complaining of interruption broke the Conference One Beaulieu Bouju a young Clergy-man having got some Manuscripts of Du Perron about the Eucharist made use of them to write against Du Moulin who thereby was provoked to answer him and confute him There are Letters extant and Printed among Du Perrons Works wherein he chides that same Beaulieu Bouju both for stealing and more for ill using his meditations and tells him in substance that though he could get his weapon yet he could not wield it King Henry IV. to satisfie the Court of Rome and the French Clergy of the care he took of his Sister's Conversion would often desire her to hear the Sermons of his Chaplains which she would not yield unto till once being made sensible how the King's credit was interessed that she should once at the least hear one Court Sermon she condescended so far to the request of a King and a Brother as to promise to hear Father Cotton who therefore was appointed to preach before the King and her immediately after Du Moulins Sermon and in the same Room for those two contrary services were performed in the same Room every Lord's day morning as long as the Princess lived and was at the Court. The Princess to strengthen her self against that assault gave notice of it to Du Moulin and after his Sermon brought him into a private Room whence he might hear the Jesuites Oratory His Subject was the dwelling of the Holy-Ghost in the Soul and he made his entry into that matter after this manner I went once saith he to visit the Hospital of Fools where a grave old man received me kindly at the door and went about with me to shew me the distracted persons and inform me about their several kinds of folly Here is one said he that thinks himself made of Snow and will not come near the fire for fear of melting This thinks himself metamorphosed into an earthen Pitcher and will not suffer any to come near him for fear of being broken with a knock These four think themselves top full with the spirit of Prophecie one will be Elias another Jeremiah another Daniel another St. Paul But I that am the Holy-Ghost said he can assure you Sir that they are all either Fools or Impostors for I never sent them The like folly is to be seen among those of the pretended Reformed Religion There you shall find wise and Religious Princesses intimating the King's Sister Wise and valiant Treasurers intimating the Duke of Sully Wise and valiant Generals of Armies intimating the Duke of Bovillon Wise and learned Counsellours of State intimating Mr. Du Plessis Mornay All wise in all things but that they think they have the Holy-Ghost but have it not The Sermon was suitable to the Preface and wrought an answerable effect in the Hearers making them all merry but no Converts The worthy Dr. Peter Du Moulin Son to the said Du Moulin tells us in his life that in the end of the year 1601. time and place being appointed for a Conference between Du Moulin and Cayer sometimes a Minister and then a Doctor of Sorbon Cayer put off the meeting several times till the King's Sister going to Lorain took Du Moulin along with her In his absence Cayer put forth a Book with this Inscription A Conference by Ministers granted and by them refused In which Book he accuseth Du Moulin of deserting his Cause and runing away But Du Moulin being returned in May to Paris the challenge was renewed on both sides So they met on May 28. 1602. in an house next to the King's Sisters house The Conference held a fortnight They had Scribes on both sides multitudes of hearers and good order kept The Questions agitated Propounded by Cayer himself were Of the Sacrifice of the Mass of the Adoration of the Prope and of the veneration of holy Images Cayer was assisted with two Doctors Carmelites Du Moulin had no assistant Toward the midst of the Conference the Faculty of Sorbon grievously censured Cayer for ill defending the Catholick cause and suffering the Adversary to wade too deep into questions and the Bâ—shop of Paris forbad him to sign that which he had indicted to the Scribes The Doctors of Sorbon perceiving that the more the Conference continued the more their Cause was discredited came in a body to the King's Advocate in the Court of Parliament to complain of that Conference saying that it was a pernicious thing tending to Sedition that they had contrived how to break it and that the effects of it would shortly appear This hindered Du Moulin from coming to the ordinary place where he was before Cayer The Master of the house would have kept him out but Cayer coming soon after the door was opened to him and the people pressing in after him Du Moulin got in with the Crowd There they considered how to get another place for their meeting But the Conference being discountenanced by Authority no body durst offer his house for it So the parties agreed to continue the Conference in writing and to publish nothing but by mutual consent But Du Moulin asked two Conditions upon which Cayer brake The one that the Conference should be limited and that it should not be permitted to make replies in infinitum but Cayer would have no limitation The other that Cayer should sign the Acts of that Conference till that day which Cayer utterly refused saying It was enough that it was subscribed by the Scribes When Du Moulin represented to him what disgrace he put upon himself and his Cause and challenged him Cayer answered that he
sitting can produce can countervail the dissipation of so many Churches that lie open to the wrath of their enemies whether when they are fallen you can raise them again whether in the evident division that is among us you are able to rally the scattered parts of that divided body which if it were well united yet would be too weak to stand upon the defensive part Pardon me Gentlemen if I tell you that you shall not find aâ—â— our Protestants enclin'd alike to obey your resolutions and that the fire being kindled all about you shall remain helpless beholders of the ruine you have provoked Neither can it be unknown to you that many of the best quality among us and best able to defend us do openly blame your actions professing that suffering for this cause is not suffering for the cause of God These making no resistance and opening the Gates of their places or joining their arms with the King 's you may easily judge what loss and what weakening of the party that will be How many of our Nobility will forsake you some out of conscience some out of treachery some out of weakness Even they who in an Assembly are most vehement in their votes and to shew themselves Zealous are altogether for violent waies are very often they that first revolt and betray their Brethren They bring our distressed Churches to the hottest danger and there leave them going away after they have set the house on fire If there be once fighting or besieging of our Towns whatsoever may the issue be of the Combate or the siege all that while it will be hard to keep the people animated against us from falling upon our Churches that have neither retreat nor defence And what order soever the Magistrates of contrary Religion take about it they shall never be able to compass it Certainly this stirring of yours is altogether unseasonable and you set sail against wind and tide If any thing can help it must be the zeal of Religion c. But in this cause you shall find that zeal languishing because most of our people believe that this evil might have been avoided without any breach to our Conscience c. When I call to mind our several losses as that of Lectoure Privas and Bearn I find that we our selves have contributed to them and it is no wonder that our enemies take no care to remedy our faults and join with us to do us harm But hence it follows not that we must set our house on fire our selves because others are resolved to burn it or take in hand to remedy particular losses by means too weak to redress them but strong and certain to ruine the general God who hath so many times diverted the Counsels taken for our ruine hath neither lost his Power nor altered his Will we shall find him the same still if we have the grace to wait for his assistance not casting our selves headlong by our impatience or setting our minds obstinately upon impossibilities Certainly although our enemies seek our ruine yet they will never undertake it openly without some pretence other and better than that of Religion which we must not give them For if we keep our selves in the obedience which Subjects owe to their Sovereign you shall see that whilst our Enemies hope in vain that we shall make our selves guilty by some disobedience God will give them some other work and afford us occasions to shew to his Majesty that we are a Body useful to his State and put him in mind of the signal services that our Churches have done to the late King of glorious memory But if we are so unfortunate that whilst we keep our selves to our duty the calumnies of our enemies prevail at least we shall get so much that we shall keep all the right on our side and make it appear that we love the peace of the State Notwithstanding all this Gentlemen you may and ought to take order for the safety of your persons For whereas his Majesty and his Council have said often that if you separate your selves he will let our Churches enjoy peace and the benefit of his Edicts c. And whensoever you Petition for your safe dissolution I trust it will be easie to obtain it if you make possible requests and such as the misery of the time and the present necessity can bear And in the mean time you may advise before you part what should be done if notwithstanding your separation we should be opprest That order your prudence may find and it is not my part to suggest it unto you If by propounding these things unto you I have exceeded the limits of discretion I hope you will impute it to my zeal for the good and preservation of the Church And if this advice of mine is rejected this comfort I shall have that I have discharged my Conscience and retiring my self unto some foreign Country there I will end those few daies I have yet to live lamenting the loss of the Church and the destruction of the Temple for the building whereof I have laboured with much more courage and fidelity than success The Lord turn away his wrath from us direct your Assembly and preserve your Persons I rest c. From Sedan February 12. 1621. Vid. P. H. his voyage to France p. 206. These men not only gave Audience to Ambassadours and received Letters from forreign Princes but also importuned his Majesty to have a general liberty of going into any other Countries and assinging in their Councils a matter of special importance And therefore the King upon a foresight of the dangers wisely Prohibited them to go to any Assemblies without a particular Licence upon pain to be declared Traytors Since that time growing into greater strength whensoever they had occasion of business with King Lewes they would never Treat with him but by their Ambassadours and upon special Articles An ambition above the quality of those that profess themselves Sorbonets and the only way as De Serres noteth to make an Estate in the State But the answers made unto the King by those of Alerack and Montauban are pregnant proofs of their intent and meaning in this kind The first being summoned by the King and Army July 22. Anno 1621. returned thus That the King should suffer them to enjoy their Liberties and leave their Fortifications as they were for them for their lives and so they would declare themselves to be his good Subjects They of Montauban said That they were resolved to live and die in the Union of the Churches but said not for the service of the King This Union and Confederacy of theirs King Lewes used to call the Common-wealth of Rochel for the overthrow of which he alwaies protested that he had only taken Arms. On the second of April before he had as yet advanced into the Field he published a Declaration in favour of all those of the Potestant Religion which would contain themselves
business For which the French King though fit to degrade Cardinal Antonio from the honour he possessed of being Protector of France and to take away his Royal favour from Teodoli and the Marquess of San Vito his Brother and to recal his Ambassadour San Simon into France to render an account of his proceedings yet in the mean time the most Christian King fail'd not with all actions of goodness and generosity to endeavour a correspondence with the Person and House of the new Pope giving him to understand that the chastisement of the aforesaid persons proceeded from the aversion they had to his Election or at least for that they had perswaded that Crown to his exclusion with arguments much contrary to the truth About the end of the year 1646. died Henry Bourbon Prince of Conde not yet sixty years old Nothing was more methodical than the whole course of his life every action had its proper season and each year they returned in their due Periods as by a Kalendar The young King fell dangerously sick of the small Pox but he recovered and grew up under the instructions of Hardovin Perefix Abbot of Beaumont a man of a pleasant gravity and wisdom afterwards Archbishop of Paris who might have been stiled the King 's Seneca but that he hapned upon a Trajan In the year 1647. Whores and Bawds of all sorts were banished out of Paris not by an Act of Parliament but by an Order of the Provost Mareschal A Writer of that story saith It was a shameful thing to stir those matters which having been stirred would have stunk filthily and to be fierce against poor Whores when Noble Ladies did prostitute themselves without punishment Now Mazarine furnished a Library in favour of the Studious with Books to be read over in many ages One might behold shelves raised up to the top of the Roof where through a luxUry of literature was set up a learned Pile not as Ornaments of a Palace but as Instruments of Wisdom not ranked for a shew but for use In the year 1648. a Civil War in France was unfortunately commenced and all France was set in a combustion At the same time a malignant Star did influence many Kingdoms as England Naples Catalonia Portugal Great commotions were in Paris Peter Seguier Chancellour of France is dispatched to the Parliament to carry them the King's Orders or in truth to try what was their intention He was like to be torn in pieces by the Rabble But Milleray on Horseback with Dort break through the Seditious crew and having rescued the Chancellour from that imminent danger convey him back safe to the Queen in a Coach half-torn the Guard being frighted and some of them slain The Sedition breaks out farther and the madness of the people riseth to higher exasperation F. Paul Gondy designed Archbishop of Paris commonly styled Coadjutor in his Pontifical Robes carrying with him a veneration as he passed along the Streets moderated the people with Language and gesture Some there were that taxed Gondy as if in his heart he had been somewhat favouring alterations However the matters were in truth that was the first day of Gondy's withdrawing and the cause of all those evils which that Prelate eminent in Mind Birth and Merits fell into afterwards from this time he shall be ever after called the Archbishop of Corinth Mazarine took care to have the King conveyed to Ruel two miles out of Town under pretence of taking the Air. The Ring-leaders of the Sedition fretted and could not digest to have the King rescued from their fury The first remarkable Act of the retirement to Ruel was the imprisonment and banifsment of Chavigny Here begins a general storm to gather over Mazarine Orleans steps in as a Mediator between Court and Parliament Conde returned from the Campaigne elated with his fresh Victory at first dealt roughly with the Senate afterwards flattered their Loaders pretended at least to Constable or Admiral Longueville instigated his Brother-in-Law boasting that he had obtained Havre de Grace the famous strength of Normandy so taking occasion to fall from his former Party The Archbishop of Corinth put Longuevillo on to such courses upon a vain expectation as if he should be declared by an Act of Parliament Prince of the blood Anne Bourbon the Wife of Longueville was of great moment to the Faction she carried along with her the Archbishop of Corinth the Duke of Retz her Broâ—her Conti with Rochfoucault who was then that Ladies Cabinet Counsellour Those all pretended the publick and private good That their Tyranny must be abated with Arms who had put the King upon cruel Counsels and rendred the Princes odious to him and suspected The Queen sees her self struck at through the sides of Mazarine She composeth her mind recollecting her thoughts how to provide for the future Mazarine applies his mind to an accomodation The substance of the Articles was That many Taxes were to be abated in Towns and Countrey The Provinces were to be eased of them by the Masters of Requests no man might be kept in Prison above the space of one natural day without answering to his charge in the House which was eagerly disputed and approved even by the Court Party Chavigny is released and turns aside to Tours Thus the first heat of Paris was asswaged About the end of October the King returns to Paris But the Faction having got strength through his Majestie 's Clemency and the obtaining their Petitions as being now established by Law maketh the former concessions but a step to higher demands The Parliament boiled up with new designs The storm of envy dischargeth it self on Mazarine it is openly cried out That the Axe must be laid to the root the Stranger must be expelled out of the Kingdom At length the Thunder-clap broke over the head of Mazarine He is Voted in a full House guilty of High Treason and the disturber of the publick Peace Every Age Condition Sex is commanded to assault shoot or stab him Whoever harboured him in the same house with them should be guilty of the same Crime with him In the City came out divers libels against Mazarine On December 26. Monsieur du Bosquet heretofore Lord Chief-Justice in the Province of Languedoc as also for that of Guienne had the Bishoprick of Lodeva bestowed upon him by his Majesty and was transmitted into holy Orders and after consecrated by the Archbishop of Narbonne having for his Assistants the Bishops of Beziers and Alez Then was a Letter sent from the Court of Parliament at Paris to all Majors Bailifs Sheriffs and other publick Officers in the Kingdom of France craving of them to aid and assist the City of Paris with such Provisions whereof it might stand in need and with supplies of men and other War-like necessaries to preserve the City for his Majestie 's service They declared that Mazarine as an utter enemy to the Kingdom sought by all means yea by open violence and force of
Arms to suppress the King's Authority that of their Court with the publick liberty And to that effect had caused the City of Paris to be invested and the King to be conveyed from thence at two of the clock in the morning Upon the news of these combustions in Paris at Rome Monsieur Mazarine wrote to his Son the Cardinal telling him of his faults and giving his Fatherly advice The Court now between Paris and Roven the two most powerful Cities of the Kingdom was distressed with the want of all things especially of money the Aids coming in but slowly from all parts The City Militia grew every day more unwilling to submit to Orders and all people were full of murmuring complaints Thereupon the Archbishop of Corinth gets up into the Pulpit at St. Pauls and saith I would have had you in safety I would have had you Victorious and the goodness of the cause had acquitted you unless your repentance and tameness did plead guilty Then having inveighed much against the Government and Mazarine he cometh down out of the Pulpit and having put off his Mitre and Surplice he putteth on his Armour Often he sallied out of the Town to charge the Enemy without any regard to his Function Great uproars and tumults followed but at St. Germans the principal Lords of the King's Council did earnestly treat of Peace with the Parliaments Commissioners Mazarine being excluded as already pre-condemned by publick Acts some Courtiers driving that way that they might engross to themselves the honour of having procured the quiet of the State The Queen opposed it strongly and at length when he was taken in March 11. 1649. the Articles were agreed to the great joy of the Common people That an Act of Oblivion for past miscarriages be made That all things be restored to their former estate That the King be brought home again to Paris Taxes to be diminished A Treaty of Peace with the Spaniard consented to and some Worshipful Member of the House for Age and Experience be joyned in the transaction to see it concluded upon good and firm terms The Sedition at Paris was scarce quiet but the Faction works in new Plots There is a Rising in Provence and especially in Guienne against their Governours which Conde underhand abetteth Conde Conti and Longueville are imprisoned Thrice they alter their Prison in thirteen months Various transactions passed in the mean time in Normandy Burgundy and Guienne Great contests there were either about releasing or detaining the Prisoners The Cardinal and the Slingers fell at odds so as to betray one another and treat with the Prisoners about Marriages and in a manner sharing the whole Kingdom At length a Peace is concluded and published on August 2. 1650. and all things are setled in Guienne The King enters the City of Bourdeaux with a Guard of four thousand choice men The Cardinal had Lodgings with the King in the Archbishop's Palace Espernon the cause of the Insurrection was excluded who might by his single vertue purchase a Government The Life-Guards were dismissed and the King trusted himself to the Guard of his Subjects Which took much with their Ambitious temper The Court parted from thence The King stayed at Fountainbleau all being in an uproar in Paris at his success in Guienne the Faction were enraged On November 15. 1650. Conde Conti and Longueville were conveyed in eleven daies journey through the midst of Normandy to Havre de Grace where they were kept in close custody Harcourt secured the conveyance with four hundred Horse and the like number of Foot On February 6. 1651. in a dark night the Cardinal Incognito in a disguised habit guarded by about 200. Horse riding himself on horseback retired to St. Germans Harcourt beating the way He pursues his journey through the midst of Normandy to Havre de Grace with a pompous train gazed at by all the people as he passed along Mazarine having disposed his Cavalry into the neighbouring Villages enters into Havre de Grace with his retinue of menial servants He goes into the Castle alone with only two others he delivers the Queens Letters to the Governour for the releasing of the Princes which was done accordingly Longueville went out first then Conti and both of them leaped into Grammont's Coach Conde staid a little while after with the Cardinal in the Prison Chamber where they had Conference together The enlarged Princes return to Paris where the Souldiery at the sight of Conde weep for joy Great was the concourse of the City and so great was the joy as though the Pillars were restored to the Kingdom Mazarine withdraws from France and comes in safety to Brovel the Palace of the Elector of Cologn Thence he writes to the Queen and the Count de Brienne his Majestie 's Secretary This Letter being read with an audible voice in the Privy Council brought some to relent but exasperated more Mazarine is Voted in a full house guilty of High Treason the disturber of the publick peace and enemy of France Strict prohibitions are made that no French man should hold correspendence with him imposing a severe penalty on all that should presume to transgress Mazarine was in ill condition against whose return were strict Ordinances to which the Queen Regent gave her assent nay by Act of Parliament not only foreign but home-born Cardinals and Ecclesiasticks in what degree soever dignified are rendred uncapable of being admitted Members of the King's Council No man can pay a divided Allegiance to his natural Sovereign and the Bishop of Rome For Cardinals if the account be rightly cast up are but Curates in Purple They should attend the Consistories and over-see their Flock the charge whereof cannot be neglected without the hazard of souls Corinth drew against the Bill that only foreigners should be excluded from the Government lest his expected Hat not being lined with that Ministry to which he aspired might be depressed by his meaner contemplations Obusson Archbishop of Yverdon in behalf of the Clergy made an eloquent Oration for the priviledges of the Church but without success Yet the reputation of Obusson grew by this means higher and paved him a path to future preferments The main scope of his Oration lay in amplifying the obligations that Cardinals had laid upon France whose good services were conspicuous all over the World The Parliament answered that the same Cardinals were insatiable in Ambition and Covetousness This said they is incident to Ecclesiastical dignities a slighting of heavenly matters and an affectation of domineering on earth and eminency over great Princes in all which they write after the Copy and come as near as they can to the Roman Court overcoming all the world in pride They added that they turn the greatness they have received against their very benefactors and aim at nothing less by their Canonists and Emissaries than the total suppression of the Secular power That if their immoderate advance proceed the Authority of Church-men will become
and banished should appear with such ardour in the defence of that interest that was the cause of his troubles and which is worse resolved never to re-admit him to the Dignities he had lost The King of France unwilling to let the constancy or generosit of de Retz with which he maintained the just priviledges of his Crown to go unrewarded he admitted him again into his favour which he enjoyes to this day if he be yet living but with some conditional limitations as retaining still in his mind the prejudice he did formerly to the Crown though he often declared that all his designs were against Mazarine Afterwards Carlo Roberti a Roman was created Nuntio and sent into France And though the gross of the quarrel forementioned was composed by the Treaty at Pisa yet there were certain reliques remaining that without good managing might have unravelled all again Therefore above all the Pope gave Roberti in charge that he should as much as in him lay redintegrate into the favour of his Majesty and the principal Officers in his Court the opinion that Chigi had lost in France and that he should endeavour to make them appear innocent and full of affection for that Crown Pope Alexander VII in his last promotion made him a Cardinal with the rest of the Nuntio's and sent him his Cap to Paris Before his Nuntiature into France this Prelate was much inclined to the Interest of Spain but when he began to be acquainted with the French Kings entertainment and the civility of the French Court he changed his mind and followed the humour of the French Afterwards certain Jesuites disobliged by some check which they had received in Paris about the Jesuite Anthony Sancterelli's Book de Haeresi Schismate Apostasia in which he spake to the disparagement of the power of Princes but magnified and exalted the power and Authority of the Pope fell publickly to maintain before the Kings face the question of the Infallibility and inpeccability of the Pope The French Divines thought themselves concern'd for the honour of the Crown and conservation of the antient priviledges of their Church to answer them with a most just and well-grounded Censure wherewith they rigorously condemned the doctrine of the Jesuites as too remote from the general opinion and of great prejudice to the Soveraignty of Princes Pope Alexander VII having notice of what passed testified to King Lewes his dislike of this proceeding The King recommending the examination of the matter to the wisdom of the Parliament of Paris they upon mature deliberation concluded that the Popes Infallibility was not to be admitted in France as being an innovation and inconsistent with the antient priviledge of the Gallican Church and therefore they saw no reason to admit a new opinion known only to such as depended on the Court of Rome and reject that which was of greater antiquity and had been owned by so many Popes Which determination so netled his Holiness that he fell immediately to his Bulls and with great threatning and curses forbad the Printing or reading of the abovesaid Censures Among other expressions in his Bull there were these Praefatas censuras uti praesumptuosas temerarias atque scandalosas It was very well known that those Censures were made by the Sorbonists Il Cardinalissimo the King 's principal Divines by the Parliament it self which is as much as to say by the King himself Notwithstanding the Pope spares not any revilings but throws forth peals of invectives indiscriminately as if from a Pope nothing is injurious This is the respect the Popes bear to the most Christian King and to such a State as France Lewes Duke of Vendosme a French man is descended from a Natural Son of King Henry IV. who Marrying with Frances of Lorrain Dutchess of Mercoeur had this Lewes by her He had no great enclination to the Ecclesiastical habit his mind running more after Matrimony and the affairs of the world Accordingly when he arrived at a competent Age he Married a Niece of Cardinal Mazarine's hoping by means of his favour to open a way to some honourable employment This Lady lived not many years with the Duke her Husband to whom she left two hopeful Sons This Lord being a Widdower changeth his mind being now altogether for the Ecclesiastical habit not in any penitential way but only to capacitate him for the Cardinalship which he alwaies aim'd at Finally the French King according to the Prerogative of his Crown being to nominate a person in the last promotion of Pope Alexander presented this as a person of great Merit and fit to be an Ornament both to the Cap and Colledge and the rather because in his Viceroyship in Catalonia and in his Government of Provence he had shewed great diligence in his Majesties service A few daies after he had received his Cap the tidings of the Popes languishing condition arrived so that with directions from the King he parted immediately for Rome to be present at the new Conclave where he met exactly with all the rest of the French Cardinals In the year 1667. Pope Alexander VII dieth and Clement IX succeedeth him The Election being made the Cardinal of Vendosm who in this Conclave had behaved himself with great prudence and perhaps more than was expected by the elder Cardinals that had been a long time acquainted with the Intrigues of the Conclaves prepared for his return into France but first he recommended to his Holiness the Interests of his Master particularly in the business of the discameration of Castro according to the Treaty at Pisa in which it was Articled that Castro should be delivered The Pope sent a Bull to Cardinal Vendosme declaring him Legate à Latere and thereby qualifying him for that Function Here followeth a Relation of the Present Estate of the Reformed Churches in France translated out of French and published Anno 1668. I Shall only in brief relate the proceedings of the Adverse party against them The first and most considerable Mean used against them by the Popish Clergy is that of Commissions For under pretext of executing the Edict of Nantes and the Decrees made in consequence thereof and providing against the breaches of the same they have engaged the King to send Commissioners into all Provinces For clearing whereof we must remember that Henry IV. of happy memory having found it convenient for the quiet of his Subjctes to make this Edict as a particular and irrevocable Law did send Commissioners into all the Provinces to execute the same and after those Commissioners had established all things in due form they returned their Executions into the hands of the King to serve as a Rule in all future debates which could arise on that subject These Commissioners although the Hugonots have usurped nothing since the first execution of the Edict but on the contrary have sustained innumerable losses have now altogether perverted the business for concealing the first execution of the Edict they have