to goe to Orleans and desyryng to make thytherwarde Great importune instancye to muche vnworthy of her maiestye was made vnto her to cause her tourne hed and come backe her way to returne to Melune Men knowe also that she her selfe persuadyng with teares the naughtye aire and other reasonable causes of her refusall dydde a greate whyle wythstande the departyng from the said fountainebleau declaring vnto theim there was no cause why they shoulde geue the kyng suche an alarm Menne knowe also that the kyng seyng hymselfe compassed aboute wyth those that ouerruled hym beganne to weepe exceadynglye and protested that he would not depart thence pronouncyng these wordes with the teares in hys eyes Wherefore wyll ye carye me hence where I fynde my selfe well What neade is there thus to putte on armour Yf it bee for religion I wyll take order for it as I shall ware elder In the meane season why doe not menne obserue the lawes Alas lette no manne trouble my state Men knowe that after the Queene had roundly declared that she wold not depart from the said Fontainbleau These wordes folowyng were sayde vnto her Madame of necessitye you muste come and whanne you wyll not soo dooe we shall bee constrayned to carye the kynge wyth vs. To conclude menne knowe that vppon thys matter and after the Queenes resistence after the teares and sighynges of the kinge they were bothe led awaye fyrst to the castell of Melune nexte to the castelle of Vincenes and lastely into Parys beeyng continually compassed about with the sayde armye and all the force of footemen and horsemen that synce that tyme haue bene assembled there Herevpon nowe let men without affection iudge of the controuersie wherin we differ to wete whether the kynge and Queene be at thys tyme in libertie or rather in captiuitie whether theyr willes be free or in bondage whether they maye go to suche places to lye at as to theymselues seemes good or not rather be caryed and withholden agaynste their good pleasure and contentation Surelye all men yea though they haue but a commune sence or vnderstanding doe call to be in captiuitie VVHAN A MANNE after he hathe bene besette not onelye contrarye to hys truste and opinion but also againste hys expresse pleasure by men that withoute comparyson are stronger than hymselfe In steede of goynge to one place whereto he hathe appoynted to goe is not onelye lette from goyng thyther but also broughte backe agayne and ledde a contrarye waye menne calle it also a captiuitie whan a man is so muche a prisoner as he can no more bee able to flye ouer a rampiers of pistoliers and harquebusiers than ouer the toppe of a castell beynge either stone or brycke To be shorte menne calle it a captiuitie whanne one is soo muche afrayde thorough the dreade of armed personnes as he dare not vtter his wylle in suche sorte as he woulde doo the same menne beyng further from hym THIS thynge beeyng welle consydered lette all menne iudge of this seconde poynte whether to publysshe suche a Letter in the name of the Kynge whereby they force hym to saye that he is not in bondage but in his large and fulle lybertie whether to make suche a Letter to be printed and publyshed by the sounde of a trumpet thorough all the Realme bee not as muche as to abuse and defyle most villainousely and vnnaturally the name of his maiestie and to make the same despysed and skorned of all nations where neuertheles the same shuld be holden holye and honorable and nat to be vsed but in matter clerely exempt frome all passion and affection of men as muche as is possible Lette men also iudge whether the wytnesse of a persone that is reported to bee captiue through constraint and violence oughte to haue suche a credite as to iustifie the doyng of those by whome it is sayd that the same is withholden Chiefly whan the question is of suche age and sexe as oure ennemies deale withall But lett those that woulde artificially cloke and coloure this theyr deede remembre alwayes to make answere vnto these thre poyntes Fyrst wherfore the house of Guyse haue armed theym selues within a peasible Realme that was full of reste and quietnesse Secondely who they bee that enforced the Kyng and Quene to wepe and lament at Fontainbleau Lastly wherfore the Queene going on her iorney to Orleance Blois was compelled to turne back with threttes that in case she wolde nat so doo they woulde carye the kynge awaye with them Lette this shame and ignomie than whyche they haue doone to the maiestie of the kyngs name be accompted for one mattier but immediatly after ther folowed an other For the house of Guyse and those of their faction perceiuing that the people complayned and lamented ouer the thraldom and oppression of theyr kyng very wittyly deuysed an inuencion vtterly contrary whiche was to publyshe that the Prince of Conde was prisoner in the town of Orleance And to geue colour and authoritie to theyr assemble of souldiors haue so vyllainously played with the name of the Kynge euen as with a babyll or cockscombe that they haue caused hym to say and publyshe his letters patentes in his name that the cause of gatherinig this people together was to delyuer his deare and welbeloued cousyn the prince of Conde out of captiuitie Nowe I demaunde of euery man of sounde iudgement whether this bee not so muche as to buffette the kynge and after to aske hym Who is it that smote thee Natwithstandyng because we wyll forbeare from all vehemence of speeche and talke of this matter without any moode or alteration lette vs symply compare the state of the kyng whome we say to bee captiue with the condition of the sayde Prince who yet matcheth not hym self with his maiestie of whom he is a most humble seruaunt but onely to make a iudgement of all lykelyhode to whyche of both the name of prysoner or captife may be ryghtlyer attributed The kyng is of the age of about a leuen or twelue yeares The Prynce is a father of fiue chyldren all lyuyng When the house of Guyse came wyth all their force to Fountaynbleau The kyng hadde but his symple ordinarye garde Whanne the Princes and Lordes whyche are at Orleance came to mete with the prince at Meaux or otherwhere he had with hym his force wherewith he was dryuen to strengthen hym selfe afore hande in the towne of Parys All those of the faccion of Guyse came with one shuffe and in one troupe to Fontaynebleau The lordes that ar with the prince came to fynde hym one after an other and frome places farre a sundre The kyng and the Queene his mother dyd many and dyuers tymes commaunde all those that bee aboute theym to leaue of theyr armoure and expresly forbadde theym commyng to the course with harneissed arme The Prince because he woulde warraunte hym selfe frome the tempeste whyche he sawe commynge sent and sente agayne as welle somme of the
A DISCOVRSE vpon the libertie or captiuitie of the Kyng 1562. Imprinted at Lōdon by Henry Sutton for Edvvarde Sutton dvvelling in Lumbard strete A DISCOVRSE VPpon the libertie or captiuitie of the Kyng VPON the letters parentes publysshed vnder the Kynges name the viii of Apryl in the whiche it is sayde that there runneth a bruite through this realme the king and the Queene his mother shoulde bee againste their pleasure withholden and caried where it should seme good to some princes and lordes that are aboute their Maiesties but yet that the same reporte is an vntrewe and false sclaunder foras muche as their personnes are in the same libertie that at all tymes they haue been it hath been thoughte good to publysshe this smalle discourse to the ende that thereby the subiectes of the Kynge myghte the more cleerely vnderstande and put their myndes oute of all doubte and cumbre whereby they maye yealde vnto hym that obedience and feaultie which they owe vnto hym lyke good and faithfull subiectes of his maiestie Euerye man knoweth the enterprise that the last wynter was taken in hande for the hauynge the Duke of Orleaunce out of this Realme menne knowe also bothe by whome and to what ende the same was doone But least those whome this matter toucheth shoulde complayne as though men in the report offred them wrong we wyll simply sette beefore all men the wytnesse and deposition of the sayde yong Duke of Orleaunce vppon the whiche we wyll stay our selues without preiudice of his authoritie leauynge to them that shall fynde themselues greued libertie to attempt the diminishyng of his credite as to them shal seme good The tenor of the said deposition is thus The Saterday whiche was the daye his maiestie began first to come oute of his chaumber after the recouerie frome his sycknesse the Duke of Orleance being in the kynges chaumbre the duke of Nemours came vnto hym who asked hym whether he were a Hugenot or a Papist Whereunto the Duke of Orleaunce answered that he was of the religion of the Quene his mother Than sayde the Duke of Nemours myght it not please you that I spake vnto you halfe a doseyn of wordes The other aunswered yes The duke of Nemours than tooke hym asyde vnto a coffre whyche was nere vnto the doore of the kynges bedchambre and sayde vnto hym Syr I see the realme of Fraunce is vndoone and ruyned by these Hugenots and the Kynge and you bee not in suretie because the kynge of Nauarre and the Prynce of Conde wylle make theym selues kynges and wyll so handle the mattier as they wylle bothe cause the Kynge and you to bee putte to deathe Syr yf you wyll auoyde this daunger it is nedefull that you doo well aduyse your selfe And yf you wylle the house of Guyse and I wylle healpe and succoure you and wylle sende you eyther into Lorayne or Sauoye The Duke of Orleaunce answered that he would not leaue the king nor the quene his mother The other yet replyed therto saying Aduise your selfe well of that I tell you For it is for your aduantage Wherevnto the other sayde nothyng Than sayd vnto hym the duke of Nemours Doo you not verye well truste Carnaualet and Villarquier Yes sayd he Than sayd the other Tel them nothyng of this I haue sayde vnto you nor of the purpose I haue so long holden with you but if they aske you what it was that I sayde vnto you tel them that I tolde you of certayne playes and Comedies and so the said duke of Nemours lefte hym While this was a doyng the duke of Guyse who standyng afore the fyre talked with his sonne the prince of Ginuille perceyuynge that the Duke of Nemours hadde left the Duke of Orleaunce came towardes hym and sayde Syr I haue hearde saye that the Quene wyll sende the Duke of Aniew and you into Lorayn to a verye faire castell that you maye there take the ayre Vppon condicion that you would come thyther we woulde make you good cheere there Whereunto the Duke of Orleance answered I do thynke the Quene my mother woulde not that I should leaue the Kyng Wherevnto the prince of Ginuille replyed sayeng If you wyll come into Lorayne and thynke vppon that whiche the Duke of Nemours hath sayd vnto you it will come you well to passe The Duke sayd nothing thervnto The morowe after the prince of Gynuille came agayne towardes the Duke and sayde vnto hym the selfe same that he had doone before addyng further that yf he would vnderstande the meane how they woulde carye hym away he would tell hym The duke aunswered that he woulde gladely learne it The prince of Gynuille sayd They wyll carie you away euen whan it is mydnyght and wil helpe you to comme oute at a wyndowe whyche is ryght ouer the brydge in the parke and immediately they wyll sette you in a coche and so shall you bee in Lorayn afore any man bee ware thereof The Duke aunswered nothyng herevnto and so he lefte the said prince The morowe after the duke of Nemours departed and came to take his leaue of the kyng and in takynge leaue sayde vnto the Duke in his eare bethynke you of that I haue sayde and tell no body therof And so the sayde Duke of Nemours went on his way This conspiracie happenyng al togither otherwise than those whiche are reckened the heades and authors thereof looked for it is nat to bee meruayled at if men of a long tyme exercised in the feats of warre seeynge they had nothyng profited by these ambusshes and coouert enterprises nor yf I maye so terme theym by these vnder grounde woorkes yf they determyned to entre by open force and manyfest violence as men doo into a strong holde or towne Natwithstandyng yet to be sure of a backe doore as the prouerbe sayth leaste happelye theyr seconde attempte myghte speede as euyll as the fyrste The house of Guyse who a long whyle afore hadde written to one of the greatest princes of Germanie and one of that religion whyche is called Protestant to entreate hym to enter with theym into somme conference of the Ausburgh confession wherein they gaue hym somme hope they woulde gladly bee instructed wente theyr wayes into Lorayne and frome thence to a lyttell towne neede vnto the Rhyne called Sauerne In the whyche place they hadde suche communication with the sayd prince the fyftenthe syxtenthe and seuententhe of Februarye as after they hadde all promysed to folowe the Relygion of the Gospell In the ende the sayde Duke of Guyse in token of the fauour he bare to that Religion prayed hym to doo so muche with the other Protestantes princes that for as muche as of olde auncientie the house of Lorayne hadde bene of the Empyre By that meane bothe hee and his bretherne myghte also bee aduowed as Prynces of the Empyre hauynge theyr voyces and consentes in all Commyssyous Imperyall that by that meane they myghte withdrawe and exempte theym selues frome
noble menne of his companye as others to requeste all menne that camme to hym that they woulde comme stronge and welle accoumpanyed Those that are aboute the kyng waste his good and sucke out the small remnant that was in his treasure to satisfie theyr creditoures The noble menne that are at Orleaunce are there vpon their owne costes and charges yea almoste euery gentylman that there is Those of the faccion of Guise payne themselues to cause straungers come into the realme wythoute hauing eyther compassyon of the poore haried people or respect to the manifest peryll that thereof maye folowe Those of Orleaunce protest that althoughe strangers would come to theyr succours yet they would rather spare the countrey of the Kynge and his poore subiectes thanne theyr owne proper lyues To be short those at Orleaunce offer to laye downe all weapon and to take leaue of the prince to wythdrawe theymselues euerye man to hys owne condicyonallye that they whyche detayne the kyng and the quene hys mother woulde first putte of their armour and gyue good exaumple The house of Guise and theyr companions lette not to saye dayelye in the hearyng of all the worlde that they wyll rather see the ashes of all the realme than to go from the kynges personne the dystance of .i. league Now lette all men iudge what lykelihode here is nay rather what infamye it is thus to prophane and abuse the name of the kyng and to make hym say by his letters patentes that his dere and welbeloued coosyn the Prynce of Conde is prisoner at Orleaunce and that for the delyuerie of hym he is constrayned to calle together his ban and ariere ban But lette vs admytte that it were so Yf the Prynce of Conde be withholden prysoner what rebuke haue they caused the kynge to receiue and what iniustice haue they don to declare the said prince a rebell and culpable of treason because he came not to the courte nor laid doune weapon whanne they sente to hym so to doe For in good logicke they bee thynges repugnaunt to bee kepte agaynste his wyll as a prysoner in a toune and to deserue to be proclaimed a rebell bicause he commeth not thence These thynges considered it is easye to conclude fyrste that the kyng and the Queene hys mother wyth the Duke of Orleaunce haue by a deuise of longe tyme handeled and contriued bene violentlye and forceablye seased caried awaye and possessed agaynste their wyll and pleasure by those who thorough theyr insaciable greedinesse declare how fayne they woulde bee hys successours Secondarily that the aboue sayde letters patentes in the whyche it is sayde that the kynge is in his full libertye and the Prynce a prysoner is none other thanne a manifeste reproch agaynste the maiestye of the name of the kynge the whyche by this meanes is wyckedlye vyllanously and shamefully defiled and layde abroade to all straunge nations to bee mocked defamed and taunted And that for thys respecte none canne bee holden nor esteemed to bee a trewe Frenche manne a good subiect and faythefull seruaunt to hys maiestye Onelesse wyth all those good and honest meanes possyble and accordyng to the degree of hys callyng he doe endeuour hym selfe to restore hym to his full power and lybertie and to delyuer hys name from that reproche and vnwoorthynesse whiche they haue caused hym to receiue in this his minoritie Wherwyth we truste his maiestye beynge comme to full age wyll fynde hym selfe touched as well to the vengeaunce of his enemies as to the iuste rewardyng of hys good and lawfull seruauntes and subiectes FINIS