execution a great multitude were assembled into the Market place to be hold the behaviour of these goodly men who as they were led to death protested That the cause why they dyed was only for bearing witnesse to the truth of the Gospell which words they uttered with such courage that the officers who invironed them round about strove to damp the same by a great noise which they made lest their voice should be understood Whilest the executioner fastened them to the stake there was on an instant such an hurlyburly amongst the people that with one voice they cryed Kill kill rushing There were they in great feare where no feare was for as saith the Psalmist God is in the generation of the righteous Psal 14. 5. one in upon another By and by the shops and doores of houses were shut up The hangman let fall all his preparations leaving the two patients standing at the stake The Margrave being on horseback could by no meanes get away being compassed in on each side The Officers trembling for feare threw downe their halberds The spy who attended there to hearken not knowing where to bestow himselfe forsook his horse and ran into a Church for feare And though one told him that a cutpurse had caused all this adoe he would not be drawn to beléeve him but said I know we are but dead men it is not the Théefe but the seditious people who now begin to work their revenge Thus God confounded these bloodthirsty shewing how he could have brought all their preparations to nothing if it had pleased him As soon as this hubbub was quieted the servant of the executioner ran and strangled the two Martyrs who had now a good space béen fastened to the stake still calling upon the name of the Lord. The fire being afterward kindled the bodies were consumed to ashes the 19. of Ianuary 1559. A Recantation fathered upon a Martyr called Cornelius Hallewin which he never consented to and how he tooke the same in the yeare 1559. THe father of this Cornelius solliciting the Margraue his wife who as it was thought was Godmother to Cornelius to get his sonne out of prison It was so agréed among them that a libell should be framed vnder the name of Cornelius wherein he should now acknowledge his error be confessed to a Priest would also receiue his Maker and come againe into the state of grace as a good childe of his holy mother the Church And further should say That Sermons were of no worth because they were not made upon holy ground Also requiring that if hée had failed in ought else the same should be attributed Anno 1559. to his young yeares and therefore craued pardon Howbeit the said Cornelius wrote letters daily in the meane while to the brethren shewing forth an admirable constancy in defending the faith gladding the hearts of many who gaue God thankes for the graces of his good Spirit wherewith he had indued him The Minister of the Flemish Church hearing of this Libell by the meanes of some friends got a Copy thereof and hauing read it considering how the tenor thereof tended to a great scandall made the Elders and Deacons of the Church acquainted therewith who were not a little grieued for the infirmity of their weake brother Whereupon the Minister wrote a sharpe letter vnto him willing him to turne and repent him of his backe sliding by making a true Confession thereof before the councel When Cornelius had receiued this letter read it he was so vexed perplexed in his spirit that he knew not how to demean himselfe so as all the godly his Prison fellowes had much adoe to stay and comfort him The blood gushed out of his nose hée spread abroad his armes and made pitifull outcries What to deny the truth said he God forbid Oh that the faithfull should conceiue so hardly of me Good God thou knowest that I am guiltlesse nor haue I this way offended Then the residue of the brethren aduised him to get a sight of his inditement which if it contained no such thing then to send it to the Church and so manifest to them his innocency touching that whereof he was accused besides making a plaine confession of his faith to impart the same to the Councell there withall to shew how he was abused by the Margraue and his Parents which he accordingly did The said Cornelius being condemned to die the Margraue offered him so much more fauour as to die a more easie kinde of death if he would but giue eare to the priests whom he had brought with him into the prison Cornelius replied no Sir God forbid I should do such a thing doe ye with my body what ye will As they bound him Herman Ianssen who both suffered together Herman willed the Margraue to take héed what he did for saith he this will not goe for paiment in Gods sight in bereauing vs thus of our liues I wish you to repent therefore before it be too late you cannot long continue this tyrannous course for the Lord will shortly auenge it The Margraue commanded they should haue a crosse or crucifixe put into their hands promising Cornelius that if he would so doe he should only be beheaded and not burned but they both reiected the Crosse saying They would not give the least signe that might be of betraying the truth and that it was all one to them what death they put them to so they dyed in and for the Lord. The punishment they said could last but for a while but the glory to come was eternall Then were they led towards the Market place and Herman reioycing in the Lord sung the hundred and thirtieth Psalme Cornelius followed him and gaue the people godly exhortations Being come to the place of execution the sword was laid there ready to behead them if they would take the Crosse into their hands and admit the Friers into their company But because they would not yéeld one whit vnto them wood was made ready to burne them Then Cornelius fell on his knées praying God to forgiue his enemies who had sinned through ignorance After which they were put into a little lodge made of fagots and strangled at the stake But whilest this was a doing there fell out such a tumult amongst the people that they were not a little afraid of an vprore the hangman be caught hold of his sword to defend himselfe thinking they would kill him first but the businesse was as suddenly quieted as raised The fire being kindled flamed forth vpon the bodies of these holy Martyrs The Margraue thought according to the vsuall course to haue quenched the fire that so conueying the bodies away halfe burnt they might be laid upon the whéeles nigh vnto the city in the accustomed places where they were to lie as spectacles to be gazed on But the peoples wrath being stirred crossed him in his purpose so as his Serieants and Halberdiers leauing him he stood as
conscience As touching his carriage and behaviour if it pleased him he said to make enquiry thereof among the Merchants of Ast they could all resolve him as touching his honest dealing who also hee knew would witnesse with him that hee had wronged none in all that time hee had conversed among them And inasmuch as he was a Merchant traffiquing in and about his lawfull calling he ought to be dismissed and to be no further molested For if it were lawfull for Iewes and Turkes to trade in Faires and Markets and to use commerce throughout Piemont that favor ought much more to be permitted unto him who was a Christian And as touching the matter of Religion whereabout he was accused he medled not at all therewith for his owne particular but had questions propounded to him concerning the same by others in which regard leave was granted him to answer and to yéeld a reason of his faith in any place to any whomsoever they were that should aske what he thought of the same yea liberty was granted even by his Excellency to those of the Valleyes of Vandoyes to answer any man to a question demanded provided that hee procéeded not to teach and instruct others The Bishop regarded none of these allegations but commanded he should be put into prison The next day the Bishops Secretary came to visite Copin testifying how much good will hee bore him advising him as a friend that if he acknowledged not his fault he was in great danger of his life Copin answered that his life was in the hands Psal 89. 47 48. of God and that he would never séeke to save it to the prejudice of Gods glory also that he had not above two or thrée turnes to fetch here in this world before he arrived in heaven and therefore prayed God so to assist him by his grace that hee might never leave the strait way which leadeth thereto A few dayes after hee was examined by a Monke who was an Inquisitor in the presence of the Bishop who vexed him a long while with his sugred discourse and by faire words endeavoured to draw him to abjure his Religion But Copin resisted him still by the holy Scriptures shewing that if he should now be ashamed of Christ Mat. 8. 38. and deny him Christ might justly be ashamed of him and utterly deny him before his heavenly father The Monke finished his dispute with this dogged farewell Away thou cursed Lutherane thou shalt goe to all the Devils in hell and when thou commest to be tormented amongst those uncleane spirits then wilt thou remember these holy admonitions which wee have tendred unto thee for the saving of thy soule but thou haddest rather goe to hell than to reconcile thy selfe to thy holy Mother the Church It is not long since said Copin that I was reconciled to the true Church After many violent assaults they gave way for his wife to come unto him and with her one of his sons promising them to set him at liberty to goe home with them if hee would make amends for his fault committed by acknowledging the same They gave his son and wife leave to this purpose to stay supper with him in prison during which time he used many exhorâ—ations tending to patience albeit the wife should depart to her house without an husband or the child without his father for be you well assured said her that God will be a better husband and a father unto you than ever I was or can be For his owne part he said he was not bound to love wife or children more then Christ besides they had cause to rejoyce and to think him happy that God would honor him so farre as to beare witnesse to his truth with the losse of his life and hoped hee said that God would be so favorable to him as to support him under any torments he was to endure for his glories sake In conclusion hee commended his sonne and one daughter to his wives care which God had given them in the married estate charging her againe and againe to sée them brought up vertuously and in the feare of God He charged his sonne to obey his mother so should he be made partaker of the promised blessing He intreated them both to pray for him that God would fortifie him against all temptations And thus having blessed his son and taken leave of his wife they were conducted out of the prison and he shut up as hee was before The woman and her son were dissolved into teares sighing and crying out that it would have moved the stoniest heart to compassion but this holy man not contenting himselfe with that hee had said to them by word of mouth writ unto his wife this Letter ensuing the originall whereof she hath exhibited to us written and signed with the hand of the said Copin the inscription thus following ¶ To my wel-beloved wife Susanna Copin from the Tower of Lucerna DEare yoke-fellow I received much consolation by your comming to this place and by so much the more as it was beyond my expectation and I suppose you also were not a little comforted that you had such an opportunity offered you as to sup with me the last night being Saturday the fiftéenth of September 1601. I know not well what they aymed at in permitting you so to doe But God ordereth all these things But as farre as I can ghesse it shall be the last time that ever we shall sup together in this life and therefore pray to God that hee will not cease to be a comfort unto you Trust you still in him for hee hath promised never to leave nor forsake those that put their trust in him God hath endued you with wisedome governe your owne family in such sort that our children Samuel and Martha may be obedient unto you whom in the name and authority of God I command that they obey you for so the blessing of Almighty God shall light upon them Deare wife be not over pensive for mee for Anno 1605. if God hath ordained me now to attaine unto the end of my race and that I must render into the hands of the Almighty my soule which so long time he hath lent me my hope is that of his holy and divine mercy he will receive it into his Kingdome for his owne beloved Sonnes sake Iesus Christ our Lord through whom I beléeve that my sinnes are forgiven for the onely merit of his holy death and passion Also my praier is that he will assist me by the power of his holy spirit unto my last breath Be fervent in praier and in all other parts of Gods worship and service for this is the way to true blessednesse Take no care about sending any thing unto me for these thrée wéeks and then I pray you send me some money if you thinke good to give the Iaylor and somewhat more for mine owne necessaries if it please God I live so long Also I pray you call
to them and returned answer in forme of an Edict granting to those of Rochell Montauban Nismes and others which stood upon their defence liberty for the exercises of Religion the rest to live peaceably in their houses and therein to minister the sacrament of â—aptisme and marriage as they had wont to doe so as their assemblies excéeded not the number of ten besides the parents He restored to the Rochellers and others their rites and priviledges letting fall all the decrées given out against them approving of their defensive war giving them leave according to their ancient custome to retaine in their Cities Towers and Fortresses men and munition yea to receive in Governours among them provided that they were such as they had no cause to suspect or except against By vertue of this Edict upon the tenth day of Iuly about ten of the clocke in the forenoone the Sieur of Biron entred into the City at the gate called de Coigne with an Herauld of armes and foure of the Kings Trumpetters at which houre peace was proclaimed in the most eminent places thereof accompanied with the Lieutenant of the City and with the Lord of Villiers After which dining at the Maiors house he soone after retyred being conducted along till he came without the City The same day many small Vessels laden with Biskets Corne Meale Fish and other provision Acertaine Gentleman Nephew to Puygaillard Governour of Angiers bragging that he had beene one who murthered the Admirall shewing a short sword which he had used in that slaughter threatenâ—d the like to the Rochellers but God cut him short also at the siege of Sancerre entred into the Haven At this siege the Duke D' Amaule lost his life with Cosseins who had broken into the Admirals Lodging and began the massacre at Paris besides many great Lords Gentlemen Captaines Lieutenants and Antients to the number of thréescore the greater part of which having their hands embrued in those other bloody massacres being come thither received their reward namely either present death or wounds so incurable that they escaped not with life One thing ought not here to be passed over in silence to wit the provision of victuals which God furnished this besieged people withall when all other provisions began to faile them namely an infinite number of small fishes never séene before in that haven which every day yéelded themselves to the mercy of the necessitons inhabitants But as soone as the Edict was published and the Rochellers set at liberty by the arriving of the Polish Embassadors these sea fishes withdrew themselves ¶ Although this relation following touching another siege of this City of Rochel sutes nothing at all with the order of time happening as it did in the yeare 1628. yet forasmuch as it seemes to have some affinity with the terrible famine where with both the City of Sancerre and it were afflicted let not the reader be offended for placing the same here somewhat out of place being a thing so worthy of note ¶ An extract of a Letter written on board the Saint George his Majesties Ship in Saint Georges Island THere dyed in this siege of Rochel the thirtieth of October 1628 sixtéen thousand persons the rest enduring a world of miseries most of all their food being hides leather and old gloves other provisions being very scarse were at an excessive rate viz. A Bushell of wheate xx li. A pound of bread xx s. A quarter of Mutton vi li. od mony A pound of Butter xxx s. An Egge viii s. An ounce of Sugar ii s. vi d. A dryed fish xx s. A pinte of Wine xx s. A pound of grapes iii. s. A pinte of Milke xxx s. Also it is reported that through the famine yong maids of fourtéen or sixtéen yeares of age did looke like old women of an hundred yeares old The famine was such that the poore people would cut off the buttocks of the dead as they lay in the Church yard unburied All the English that came out looked like Anatomies They lived two moneths with nothing but Cow hides and Goats skins boiled the dogs cats mice and frogs being all spent And this with a world of other miseries did they suffer in hope of being reléeved by others Thus much I thought good to let you understand ¶ A description of the manner of the death of Charles the ninth King of France IN the yeare 1574. Charles the ninth King of France in the time of whose raigne these forenamed execrable massacres were executed fell sicke which sicknesse seised upon him before his brother the Duke of Aniou tooke his voyage into Poland from which during the winter season he obtained some recovery But that which then séemed to lie hidden brake forth again afresh in the Spring so as this Prince after he had languished thrée whole moneths viz. February March and April drew his Physitians to a consultation about the state of his body who in the end concluded to purge and let him blood But these remedies tooke not such an effect as the King and they expected for he still wasted and consumed away being in the flower of his age to the wonder of many Some guessed he had taken a surfet either in eating or drinking others that hee was enchanted The thirtieth of May he dyed in the presence of his mother and of the Cardinals of Bourbon and Ferrare c. He was borne on the twenty seventh day of Iune 1550. He began his raigne the first of December 1560. and so reigned as that it gives to posterity iust cause both of admiration and detestation Thus this Prince lived not forty yeares fully compleat Now if any desire to be further Anno 1588 satisfied as touching the manner of his death I referre them to that which Master Iohn Fox hath written thereof not many lines before the conclusion of this booke commonly called the booke of Martyrs A note touching a Bull of Pope Sixtus the fifth wherein the King of Navarre and the Prince of Conde were declared Heretiques c. with the censure thereof by the Parliament of Paris IN September 1585. Pope Sixtus the fifth by a Bull sent from Rome condemned the king of Navarre and the Prince of Conde for Heretikes excommunicated them degrading them and their successors from their dignities especially laying claime to the Crowne of France absolving their subjects from their oath of alleigiance and exposing their Countries for a prey to them that could first subdue them The Court of Parliament of Paris made a notable remonstrance to the King concerning these Buls in the which they sought to maintain the priviledges of the Gallicane Church Among other things these words that follow are very remarkable The Court thinks that these Buls are set forth in a stile altogether of a new stamp and so contrary to the modesty of former Popes that they can in no sort discerne therein the spirit of a successor of the Apostles And therefore as the