hee vsed to impeach the reducing of Ausonne do sufficiently discouer their pretences And when it pleaseth your Maiestie to haue further declaration hereof with the generall consent of all your subiects wee will bring diuers sufficient proofes which at this present would bee ouer long to set downe and which for diuers good causes wee will now omit This common opinion of the intelligence that the said Duke de Espernon and Mousieur de la Valette haue with the Hugunots and the high estate whervnto it hath pleased your Maiestie to aduance them maketh your good subiects to feare specially the Catholicques that if your fauor should once bee withdrawne from them as it is impossible that their insolent behauiors can long time be indured by so great and wise a King not finding any entertainment among the Catholicques they will take part with Hereticques and thereby deliuer all the Prouences and strong places that are in their possessions into their hands whith whom alreadie they haue so great intelligence in such manner that France that may shortly be deliuered of heresie should become more subiect to their tyrannicall dominion then euer it was The Dukes answere Vpon the taking of Dauphine The Duke de Espernon replyeth by his Councell and saith that hee tooke Valence and other places in Dauphine and put out those of the league that had no authoritie therein to place his Maiesties souldiers if that deserue not an excuse I referre it to the iudgement of all honest men I would to God he had also taken Chaalons Dyon Montreuil and all that acknowledgeth not your Maiestie within the heart of the Realme and yet hee hath not done it without cause and lawfull excuse which hath beene often debated before your Maiestie and your Councell The fauour which he bare to hereticques As touching the other poynts of their accusation touching the fauour which the League saith the Duke d'Espernon beareth vnto Hereticques your Maiestie knoweth and can disprooue their vntrueths if they bee so in this that as touching the ouerthrow of the Rutiters there was not any man that trauelled so much therein as the saide Duke d'Espernon who onely by your Maiesties good pleasure and authoritie hauing effected the disvnion of the Switzers The King of Nauarres complaint against the Duke de Espernon caused their confusion and by that meanes gaue the Duke of Guise occasion to set vppon them at Auneau for the which hee is so much commended to the disgracing of your Maiestie and the honour of that victorie that is due vnto you By this your Maiestie may iudge the truth of all their accusations that knoweth the particularities of the voiage to Guyenne what was done by the Duke d'Espernon and what followed all contrary to their declarations Whereby I dare say the King of N. was so much displeased at the said D. of Espernon that there is not any man in France with whom he is more offended The League addeth that the D. of Espernon his brother are the authors of the disorders in all the good gouernments and pollicie of France that they haue gotten into their Coffers all the treasures of the Realme that they haue aspired to the principall offices of the Crowne separated from it diuers of those that would serue it both well and wisely and besought the King seeing he knew them to be the cause and original of the mischiefe that it would please him to bannish them both of his Court and fauour and discharge them of all the gouernments and offices that they hold within this Realme without any desert The Duke d'Espernon saith that all whatsoeuer they say are but chimeres and inuentions maliciously deuised for the iustification whereof The Dukes offer to testifie the truth of his innocencis hee will gage his head to bee layde at the kings seere if it bee found that hee once so much as dreamed thereof And to the contrary hee reputeth all the causes of miseries vppon the heads of the house of Guise Who hath brought disorder saith hee in the treasures whereof you make so great a matter but your predecessors you that follow their steps Who constrained the king to exact vppon his people but onely the warres which the vnmeasurable ambition hath renued put them vpon the Kings charges let the chamber of accounts be examined there it shall be seen who without contradiction hath handled and gouerned the treasures of the late kings Henry and Francis the second let the most auncient Histories be pervsed to see what house in France hath risen from a most meane beginning to a high and great estate I will name no man euery man knoweth sufficiently what house it is that would thrust his head into the cloudes Gifts of the king without importunitie and with his foote spurne off the kings Crowne wee most humbly call his Maiestie to witnesse as our king the author of our beeing our Protector and our good Maister if wee euer were importunate with him for any benefit we haue receiued at his Graces hands and whether all whatsoeuer wee haue both riches and honour haue not proceeded from him of his free and voluntarie libertie Wee praise God that wee cannot bee accused to bee Pensionaries to the king of Spaine or to haue receiued mony from him to make war against our king and impeached him from taking into his protection the gouernment of the lowe Countries nor by force to haue taken the monies of his generall receipts robbed the waggon of Bourges and in time of open peace constrained the mony of Normandie to bee conducted by a hundreth men of armes euen to the Gates of Parris It shall not bee long of vs that this reformation should not bee performed in France wee will absent our selues from the Court and from the presence of the king Now my Maisters the reformers let vs see some goodly beginning of your policie Is your ambition deuises practises or inuentions The Duke d'Espernon is forbidden the Court. to attain to the highest dignitie therby any thing ceased Haue you left Paris restored it into the hands of her naturall king and Princes No but to the contrary you haue made Melun and Corbeil to reuolt in the very sight of his Maiestie and all the best townes in this Realme which by false perswasions you haue ledde out of the right way And to conclude wee will refuse no condition that may restore and establish this Realme to peace and tranquillitie and as wee do most willingly craue your Maiesties presence in a time wherein wee ought not to doo it thereby to giue no cause of dissiking to our enemies so will wee bee alwaies readie to yeelde vnto your Maiesties hands both liues and goods The Kings answere to the request of the league with all estates charges gouernments places and Castles that it hath pleased you to commit vnto vs vppon condition that our accusers will doo the like And if
condition that for his part hee might haue the Marquisat of Saluce Prouence and Dauphine which the Duke of Guise would by no means consent vnto desiring rather to keepe the kingdome wholly for himselfe which was the cause that the Duke of Sauoy mooued at his aunswere sent Monsieur to the King at Chartres in the moneth of August to offer him all loue and friendshippe whereat the Duke of Guise beeing offended practised the saide intelligence and league graunted the Duke of Sauoyes request and the saide Duke of Sauoy was aduertised of of the resolution taken against the king in the Parliament at Blois to the end that for his part he might finde the meanes to dispatch his businesse at the same time wherein hee slept not forgetting neuerthelesse the promise made vnto his Maiestie and that of his owne free will for hee preuented the time of the execution thereof by the surprising of the Marquisate of Saluces which serued as a preparation to the conspiracie made against the person of the King as euery man iudged as beeing most easie to bee perceiued that the Duke of Sauoye who in regard of the puissance of this great Realme is but a meane Prince and hath la Bresse Sauoye and Piedemont so neare vnto the limittes of France that it laye in the kings power to bereaue him of the greatest parte thereof and that in very short time if hee were not ayded or that his Maiestie hadde not hinderances otherwise which made it apparant vnto all the worlde that hee enterprised not the taking of Carmagnolle Rauel and Saluce without assistance and that on the other side the king should bee retained and hindered from making warre against him although that after such hinderance hee might bee well assured that the Parliament beeing ended his Maiestie would recouer both his saide Marquisate of Saluce and wholly ouerrunne him if hee left not off in time For my part I haue heard it reported that this young Prince foreseeing Cadenti arbori securim in iecit A politicque maxime of Spaine Multa fieri prohibentur quae tamen facta tenent seeing the dissipation of our estate assured himselfe that it would bee best for him to bee the first at the dinision as sonne and husbande of two daughters issued from the blood royall of France and so goodly a peece of land lying in the middle of his countrie would bee sufficient cause to awake a man that were most sound a sleepe to mooue and heate the most colde and greatest Pollititian and that although there appeared iniustice in the action yet there would bee reason found to the possession thereof Concluding his determination by this maxime holden in Councell of Spaine That diuers thinges are forbidden which are good and hold steadfast beeing once done And to execute his pretence for the space of a whole yeare hee had solicited the Gouernour of the Citadell of Carmagnole who playing on both side on the one side tooke money of the Duke and on the other side hee aduertised the King thereof and wrought so well by that meanes that hauing gotten aboue fiue and twentie thousand Crownes hee withdrewe himselfe vnto the Court without deliuering the place which the Duke of Sauoye hadde bargained for who perceiuing himselfe deceiued and that the Barricadoes at Parris gaue the King worke in hand and more then hee could doo hee determined to surprise the Citadell of Carmagnole by the meanes of a Corporall called la Chambre whose treason beeing discouered and his fact once knowne hee was hanged by the feete in the Market-place of Carmagnole and then with all his confederates put to death as hee deserued but that notwithstanding the duke perceiuing the kings minde to bee otherwise occupied then to thinke vppon the Marquisat of Saluces hee leuyed great numbers of men Marquesse of S. Sorbin causing the Marquesse of Saint Sorlin to mount on horsebacke and vnder the pretence of a false report giuen out touching the besieging of Montferrat hee approached in so good time that vppon Al-saints day at night hee surprised the Towne of Carmagnole that for the most part was kept by souldiers of Piedemont And the Castle that hadde alwaies beene victualled for aboue the space of two yeares at that time was found wholly vnprouided because that Montseur de Saint Siluie that hadde succeeded in the place of la Coste hadde caused the victualles to bee carried foorth to haue some fresh in their place in such sort that the Captains fearing to indure great miserie and famine with small honour yeelded vppe that impregnable Fort wherein there was found aboue foure hundreth cannons Ordinance founde at Carmagnole great and little with great quantitie of powder and shotte and by that means the double Pistollets that flew about on all sides bare away the double cannons of this Frontier-Towne of France so that in lesse then threce weekes the Duke wanne all the Marquisats of Saluce and also the Captaines and Frenchmen souldiers retiring with liues and goodes saued drummes sounding and playing Ensignes displayed weapons in their handes but no matches lighted and without their paye of three moneths which the Duke had promised them by his agreement This victorie and conquest made the Duke holde vp his head and his seruants made him beleeue that although hee were forced to yeelde it vp again in the mean time he should enioy it and that it is good to bring things to passe when time and opportunitie serueth And for the same cause he made certaine peeces of mony of the value of a Duket to be minted stamped with the picture of a Centaure treading a Crowne of golde vnder his feete with this deuise Opportune The taking of the Marquesse of Saluce troubles the state Not long after the king receiued the newes thereof and considering the troubles distrusts and commotions practised by the League he imputed this surprising to a brauado togither with an euill will against the good and quietnesse of his estate and knew full well that the Duke of Sanoy beleeuing that the deuision of France would impart a peece thereof to euery man he went to take his part that rather for the scituation then any other right or title hee had vnto the Marquisate of Saluces thereby to ioyne it vnto Piedemont and that he had forseene that his Maiestie beeing hindered by quenching the fire that flamed within the heart of his Realme hee would not haue the meanes to ayde himselfe in his extreamities The full relution of the French Nobalitie to make warre in Sauoy Such as at all times had the flower deluce and the respect of the glory of France liuely imprinted in their hearts not beeing able to support the iniurie wrought in the presence of all the estates of France as then assembled in Blois touching the taking of a place which was the onely treasurie of the spoyles of such conquests as the Kings of France brought out of the countrie of Italie shewed the
assooâ—â— as he came he ought to haue spoken vnto him like a king Francis the second his brother Francis the second cast the Prince of Conde into prison beeing younger then hee vsed the like speech to the Princes of his blood if he had commanded him to depart without doubt he had gone because as theÌ„ he would not haue begunne his tragedie and thereby haue borne the report of so manifest disobedience And in truth assoone as the king spake vnto him and said Cousin wherefore do you come his aunswere was giuen in faintnesse and trembling his visage pale and the Maiestie that God imprinteth in his Samoris his Lieftenants and his liuely Images ceased and changed as if from that time he had feared that the king would dislike the breach that hee had made of his commaundement and say And it liketh your grace I am heere present to aunswere to the slaunders that are raised against mee thereby to bring me in hatred to your Maiestie But said the king I sent you expresse word not to come hither in this time so full of troubles and distrusts and that you should stay for a time My Lord said the Duke I was not so aduertised The Indians call their kings Samories that is to say god on earth Speeches betweene the King and the Duke of Guise at Louure that thereby I did in any sort beleeue that my comming hither would bee offensiue to your Grace Wherevpon the king turning to Monsieur de Bellieure asked him and said Did not I commaund you to tell him that he should not come hither at this time But as Monsieur de Bellieure began to certifie the king of his message the Duke of Guise entered between them wherewith the Queene-mother drewe the king aside and so mittigated that first quarrell They ought not to haue mooued this contention and leaue dispight and disdaine in Monsieur de Guises minde nor leaue the knife in the vaine which hee had opened hee ought to haue giuen feare and punishment both at one time or to haue done neither the one nor the other but it is a most strange thing that men do alwaies faile in doing their authorities and in the principall poynt which is the cause thereof It was vainly done of the king to cause himselfe to be esteemed a good penitent a good Hermit a good versefier a good discourser and a good Orator if hee remembred not himselfe to bee as hee was and to bee knowne for king and speake like a king I say like a king for this word of King containeth all whatsoeuer belongeth to his charge Senec. Epist 77. Id in quoque optimum est cui cascitur cui con setur Maximoimperio maxima cura in est Sallu Hee ought to haue spoken to the Duke of Guise like a king and haue made him depart out of Parris with his adherents and hee ought to haue stayed therein like a king for if his actions bee not performed like a king they are of no account Euery thing saith Seneca is commended for that which is proper vnto it and for the principall part that giueth it the forme being A Vine is praised for the fertilitie the wine for the liquor the Hart for his swiftnesse In a dogge wee commend a good nose to smell finde out and follow the beast his lighnesse for running both to approach and assayle and his heart and courage And to conclude the speciall vtilitie proper vse of euery thing belongeth to it selfe The Kings of the Sabans publikely durst not come abroad because of an oracle that forbad them The shippe is called good not because shee is painted with diuers faire and costly colours his stearne all gilt her boords inlaide with Iuorie or that it is laden with treasures and Princely riches but because the seames of the plankes are well closed and calked that it leaketh not that it is strong and firme against the force of the waues easie to stirre and swift of sayle Likewise you will not saye that a sword is good because the hilts and handle are gilt and the sheath of veluet set with precious stones but you say it is good if it hath a good edge and the poynt sharpe to enter well So the king should not make himselfe knowne by the Crowne and Scepter which hee beareth but by the actions that depend vppon his royaltie and that make him to bee esteemed for a king alwaies remembring that great offices require great wisdome Among the carters and waggoners hee is esteemed most vnfit for the charge that knoweth not how to behaue himselfe therein If your grace will take away the pendants that trouble your eares you are a king and not king of Denmarke or of Arragon to be both Maister and seruant all at one time nor king of Saba not daring to be seene publickely but king of France and of Frenchmen a people gentle tractable and obedient that did not disobey nor retire from you but when they knew you wold not bee King and that there was one of your subiects that prescribed you a lawe in this case the sun rising is alwaies fairer then descending And as a wise polititian once said vnto you when a king maketh it knowne that he feareth some one man within his Realme that there is one that may be greater then hee there is no more Maiestie hee is no more that hee was but all the world runneth to the other The nature of Henry the third If wee cannot bee free yet will wee haue but one Maister if that Maister haue an other Maister aboue him wee presently leaue the first to runne to the last it is the nature of man There is this fault in you that if you finde no resistance if you bee in peace you commaund absolutely and you speake like a king but if you finde neuer so small difficultie you alwaies preferre a gentle and fearefull before a bolde and seuere remedie God graunt that in the end you seeke earnestly and effectually to be that which you are that is Maister and the greatest Lord in your Realme which cannot bee if you bee not king Beholde the opinion that the wisest Pollititians had of the king see how they lamented the fal of his authoritie the spawn of his forces the dazeling or rather astonishing of his sences I shall neuer bee no more a king to counsell nor disswade him my ambition clymeth not to that degree yet I will neuer counsell them vnto mildnesse and to simplicitie without wisedome that pardoneth and suffereth all There is nothing so royal as Clemencie and nothing that more winneth the hearts of men or that maketh a Prince more reuerenced and beloued then affable and courteous nature Antonius surnamed the curteous It is that said the Emperour Antonius to Faustina his wife that placed Iulius Caezar among the number of the Gods that consecrated Augustus and that gaue the title of Pius to thy father But when
it is a necessary euill warres likewise cannot bee well followed without mony and seeing at this present wee are in a good course to extirpe accursed heresies it is necessary we should prouide great summes of mony to furnish our expenses for want whereof to say the trueth our leuyings of men will bee more to our hinderances then our profits and yet there can be no exployt done without them For my part therefore I promise not to spare any meanes whatsoeuer wherein likewise I craue that zeale of you which you haue alwaies assured mee to beare vnto the seruice of God and the commoditie of this Common-wealth And therefore you must shewing you the full reuenues of my whole estate haue that consideration that the Senate of Rome had of an Emperour who desiring as I doo to suppresse all subsidies shewed him that such leuyings of treasure were the sinues and vaines of the body of the Common-wealth which beeing taken away it would presently desolue and be vnlosed And yet I say that I would to God that the necessitie of my estate constrained mee not to vse them and that at one instant I might gratifie my people with so goodly a present as also that my daies might be abridged not desiring to liue any longer then that my life might be profitable and aduantage to the seruice of God and all your preseruations Touching the order required for the disposing of my treasures so much for the comfort and ease of my people whether it bee concerning the ouer great numbers of officers or other particularities I am perswaded you will take as good order by your wisedomes as shall bee requisite as beeing one of the principall pillers whereby wee and all our estate in generall for the most part are supported It is likewise a matter of conscience that toucheth our soules healths to take order for our debts which I haue not altogither made but beeing debts of our Realme you ought to haue a care thereof wherevnto both publicque faith and wisedome bindeth you all and you shall bee certified what they are The King beeing the patron whereby all his subiects learne to frame their actions it is therefore that of my naturall inclination I will so gouerne mine owne person and my house that from hencefoorth they shall serue for a rule and example to all the rest of my Realme and Kingdome And to the end I may witnesse by effect that which you desire of mee and which is most deepely ingraued within my heart touching this great assembly hauing fully determined vpon your memorialles and billes which I desire you may bee done with all the speede you can and with your good counselles and aduise as I will shew vnto you the next day after in open audience in the Church that it may bee knowne to all my subiects and so holde it for an inuiolable and firme lawe whereby no man may withstand it but with shame and infamie and vppon paine to bee accessary of high treason as an enemie to this countrie I meane by oath vppon the Euangelistes to binde all the Princes Lordes and Gentlemen that are assistant at this Parliament togither with you the Deputies of my estates and therevppon you shall receiue the Sacrament to obserue all the thinges that therein are contained as sacred lawes not reseruing vnto my selfe the libertie of exemption from the same for any cause pretence or occasion whatsoeuer may heereafter happen Which done I will presently cause it to bee sent into all the Courts of Parliament throughout my Realme to sweare all Ecclesiasticall Noble and common persons therevnto with this clause that whosoeuer opposeth himselfe against it shall alwaies bee holden as a notorious traitor And if heerein I seeme to submit my selfe more then becommeth mee vnto the lawes whereof I am the Authour and which of themselues dispence with mee therein and that by this meanes I reduce my rovall estate to more certaine termes and poynts then that of my predecessors It is the principall cause that maketh the generous minde of the Prince best knowne and discerned to addresse and frame his thoughts and actions vnto his good lawes and wholly to oppose himselfe against the corruptions thereof and it will suffice mee to make answere therevnto as that King did to whom it was tolde that hee sought to leaue his royaltie in woorse estate to his successors then hee enioyed it from his predecessors that he would make it much more durable and assured then euer it was But to end my long discourse hauing vsed authoritie and commaundement I will now proceede to exhortations and prayers and first I charge you all by the dutie you owe to God by whom I am appoynted and substituted ouer you to represent his person by the name of true Frenchmen that is of passionate louers of their naturall and lawefull Prince by the ashes of the memories of so many Kings my Predecessours that haue so louingly and happily ruled and gouerned ouer you by the charitie that you beare vnto your Countrie by the boundes and hostages it hath of your fidelities your wiues your children and your domesticall fortunes that with all your hearts you imbrace this occasion that you bee wholly and altogither carefull for the Common-wealth that you vnite and ioyne your selues with mee to striue against the disorders and corruptions of this estate by your sufficiencie by your integritie and by your greate care and diligence abandoning and forsaking all contrary thoughts and following onely my example not hauing any other desire then the onely good of the Common-wealth and as my selfe beeing estraunged from all other ambition then that onely which concerneth and toucheth a subiect as I my selfe beare no other minde then that which belongeth vnto a good faithfull and Christian King If you doo otherwise you shall bee filled with all accursednesse you will imprint a perpetuall spot of infamie in your posteritie and names and also bereaue your posteritie of that successiue name and title of sidelitie towardes your King which by your auncestors hath been so carefully left vnto you And for mine owne parte I will take heauen and earth to witnesse and I will bee iudged both by God and man that it is not my fault nor any want of diligence in mee that the disorders of this Realme haue not beene long since reformed but that you are the onely cause by forsaking your lawefull Prince in so woorthie so holy and so commendable an action Lastly I summon you all to appeare at the latterday before the Iudge of all Iudges where all mens thoughts and secret meanings shall bee opened where the maskes and visards of craftes and dissimulations shall bee pulled off there to receiue reward by you desired for your disobedience towards your King togither with your great negligence and small loyaltie in regard of this estate But God forbidde that I should euer thinke it but rather conceiue that you will rule your selues therein as I perswade my selfe
intended to compound and make agreement with the Emperour The kings answere to the Princes The King perceiuing that by meanes of his great armie the Protestant Princes had brought the Emperour to some reason and on the other side vnderstanding that the Queene of Hungary with her forces was entered into the field left the Almaines and at his departure made aunswere vnto the Princes that he contented himselfe to be esteemed the cause whereby the Princes that were prisoners should shortly bee deliuered and the countrie of Almaine enioy a happy peace and that if thereafter it should haue cause to vse his helpe hee would not spare what meanes soeuer hee had to doo them good Meane time the armie fedde vppon the poore pesants and the country belonging to those of Strasbourg that stood vpon their guard was nothing spared The Leaders notwithstanding repressing the insolencie of the Souldiers as much as possibly they might but in so great a multitude it is impossible that some disorder should not bee committed The meeting at Passau where the French Ambassadour was present Duke Maurice hauing driuen the Emperor out of Almaine and thereby procured an assembly and meeting to bee holden at Passau there to take order touching the reducing of the Countrie of Almaine into her anâ—â—er 〈◊〉 Ambassadours for the Emperour the Electors and diuers â—â—aces of Germanie met togither Where the Bishop of Bayonne Ambassadour for the King fayled not to come vpon the 3. of Iune in a learned Oration he shewed the ancient long coniunction of the countries of Almaine France the affectioÌ„ that the His Oration king bare vnto the Empire as then hardly and euill gouerned by the Spaniards and their adherents finding it good for the Protestant-Princes to agree and make an accord with the Emperour so the prisoners might be deliuered the ancient alliance of France with the Empire and the last capitilation made with the Princes ratified and confirmed that the Emperour should do him reason and that his whole desire was to consent and agree with them all and particularly with Duke Mauris the answere thervnto was composed with many thankes and declarations couched in such sort that neither the Emperour nor the king Their answere could in any sort bee discontent therewith Touching the renuing of auncient alliances they said that a matter of so great waight importance required great and more ample assembly meane time they desired that the amitie alwaies holden continued between the two nations might stil remaine in force and that the controuersies betweene the Emperour and the king might bee appeased promising therein to imploy all meanes possible meane time they desired the king to shew what wrong he could pretend had beene in any sort offered vnto him by the Emperour to whom they would not faile to write that thereby some end and finall agreement might be made VVarres in the Duchy of Luxenbourg with diuers exployts spotles and pilling of places During this assembly the Queene of Hungary hauing commaunded the Marshall of Cleueland to enter into the Duchy of Luxenberg with an armie of 3000. foote and 600. horse caused them to ioyne with the companies of the lowe countries in such sort that their armie being compassed of 12000. foote and 3000. horse beganne to worke many exployts and hauing taken Stenay vppon Meuse a small Towne belonging to the Duchie of Lorraine they enterprised against other places but not to any effect onely that they burnt certaine villages and small hamblets but the kings armie approaching they beganne to retire which made the Councell to determine vpon the conquest of the Duchie of Luxenbourg wherewith they first set vppon a strong Castle called Roc de Mars which was presently taken and spoyled The like was done to Mont S. Iohn Solieure and other places The Emperours and the kings forces skirmishing before Thionuille the armie passing by it made towards d'Auuille which beeing battered and yeelded vnto the king the Captaines were kept prisoners and the Souldiers suffered to depart without armes onely a white sticke in their hands Iuoy was likewise battered and after yeelded vpon the like condition The Gouernour beeing sent prisoner vnto Parris all the spoyle was giuen vnto the Constable who distributed the greatest part thereof among his troupes and particularly to that of his eldest sonne whereat the Souldiours of the olde companies began to mutinie next Iuoy they tooke Monmedy and while they were imployed therein the Marshall Sedan heire vnto the house la Marshe obtained certaine companies of the King wherewith hee recouered the Towne and Castle of Bouillon with all the places depending belonging to the Duchie VVinning of the Duchy of Bouillon which done the Castles of Lumes Treton Glaion and others were taken and ouerthrowne and to please the olde Souldiers they had the spoyle of Cimay a Towne and Castle belonging vnto the Duke d'Arscot giuen vnto them Where the assieged hauing withdrawne themselues into the Castle and desiring to make some composition were myned vnder the gate and other places of the Castle by the great fury of the assailantes wholly famished and thirsting after spoyle wherevnto they ranne with so great haste that some of their Matches fell into a certaine quantitie of powder The Castle and Towne of Cimay burnt whereby about sixe score of the most forwardest of them were burnt and blowne vp into the aire and to conclude the fury of warre burnt both the Towne and Castle but because the Army began to diminish and to weaken some being laden with spoyle and the greatest part sicke and not well at ease about the ende of Iuly such as were left were placed in Garrisons there to attend the Emperors resolution who hauing to do both with the Protestant Princes and the King determined to agree and compound with the Princes by their meanes to aide himselfe against the King and vpon the last of Iuly he made and concluded a peace with Almaine Peace in Almaine to beginne his warres with France The King was much moued at that agreement yet he discharged the Hostages of Duke Maurice who likewise released his beeing the Earles of Nantueil and Iametz The Emperours enterprises for the recouery of Metz Thoul and Verdun After this appointment with the Almaines the Emperor vsed such means that the Princes and Townes of Almaine by litle and litle agreed to furnish him with men money and Artillery therewith to driue the King out of Metz Thoul and Verdum imperiall Townes to the which ende he gathered an Armie of 50000. foote and 20000. horse with a great number of Artillery and while he was preparing this armie Albert Marquesse of Brandenburge who in the Kings name had made most cruell warre vpon many Townes and Bishopprickes in Almaine being secretly reconciled vnto the Emperour hauing to the number of 2000. horse and 8000. foote with certaine artillery approched the Frontiers of Luxembourge and of Lorraine where
for a long time he helde the King in hope to follow the warres for him and all that time his troupes ouerranne the plaine country and there forraged themselues after most strange maner but in the ende he found the meanes to withdraw himselfe from the Kings armie and hauing impeached those of Metz from victualls he departed with all his troupes Difficultie of the siege of Mets. Winter approaching many were of opinion that the Emperour would not hazard so puissant an armie as he then had vnprofitably to fight and striue against the colde and the Ice and by that meanes constraine it of it selfe to be dispearsed and miserably ouerthrowne But the hope he had to recouer the Towne of Metz wherein were many Princes Lords and Gentlemen caused him to reiect all other apprehensions whatsoeuer in such sort that his Forces began to marche and set forward towards the countrey of Lorraine meane time the Duke de Neuers fortified Stenay and constrained the Burgonian Garrison of Vireton to yeeld themselues to him A company of the old bandes being in Roc de Mars were drawne from thence Those that commaunded in Verdun Iuoy Danuille and Monmedy strengthened themselues and made prouision for their owne defence not long after the Emperour came to Sarbruch The Emperors approach a Towne lying within seuen myles of the Citie of Metz from whence hee sent the Duke of Alue his Lieftenant General and the Marquesse of Marignan with 4000. foote 4000. horse and sixe field peeces vnto the Towne to view it and to chuse the most commodious places wherein to lodge his men about it The Duke of Guise being Lieftenant Generall for the King within the Towne caused certaine troupes to issue forth that skirmished with the Emperours Forces A skirmish wherein the Duke of Alue lost aboue 150. men on the French part there was fiue souldiers slaine and one Gentleman of Picardie named Marigni and two Captaines hurt that died not long after The King being at Rheims was aduertised by the Duke d'Aumalle touching The Marquesse of Brandebourg ouerthroweth the Duke d'Aumalle and taketh him prisoner the practises of the Marques of Brandebourg with the Emperour required to send some forces of 200. men of armes with whose helpe and the rest of his troupes he said he doubted not but easilie to ouerthrow the Marques to the which end Monsisur de Bourdillon was sent thither but the Duke for that time sent him backe again esteeming that the Marques as then hauing past the Meuse ment to ioyne with the Emperours armie but about the end of October the Duke beeing aduertised that the Marques beganne to dislodge placed himselfe in order of battell with al his horsemen vpon a plaine called la Croix du Monstier to see what way the Marques held who hauing intelligence that the countrie people and certaine Frenchmen skirmished and spoyled some of his footemen would himselfe in person go to see what they were and went so neare that his Interpreter was slaine with a caliuer standing close by him who therewith reâ—urning in great chollor appoynted his horsemeÌ„ to aduance themselues to set vpon the enemie and so in great furie charged the Dukes companies who as then thought to retire At the first onset the Marques set vpon a great troup of Pages and others that were placed there to make a shewe who were presently dispearsed The second charge was made vpon a squadron of Light-horse and Argolets who in a manner made no resistance and so all the strength fell vppon the Lanciers who presently by the Rutters Pistols were forced to retire beeing ill prouided of Lances to make resistance The Duke perceiuing his horsemen to bee disranked and flying to saue themselues and the Marques at hand-blowes with diuers of his Leaders rancked himselfe in order againe with some fewe of his men and entered into the skirmish where his principall Gentlemen hauing beene slaine before his eyes the rest hurt beaten downe and taken prisoners and all his men put to flight and chased himselfe beeing hurt in two places and his horse slaine vnder him in the end was taken prisoner and all his company in a maner ouerthrowne The Vicount of Rohan slaine by them that tooke him and many Cornets Captaines and Gentlemen to the number of two hundreth and more slaine in the field the number of the prisoners beeing many more this Josse of so many Gentlemen was a mends for the happie successe which the king had about a month after against the Emperour The Marques beeing victorious sent the Duke d'Aumalle his prisoner into Almaine for whom afterward hee got 50000. Crownes for a ransome which the king payed at the instant request of the Duches de Valentinois mother in lawe vnto the prisoner which done he went vnto the Emperour as then beeing before Metz with all his campe at the same time The Counte de Reux Lieftenant generall for the Emperour in the lowe Countries entred into Picardie with a great armie Taking of the towne Castle of Hesdin from the King and the spoyling of Picardie by the Emperours armie where hee burnt Noyon Nesse Chauni Roye and the pleasant Castle of Foulenbray with more then 800. Villages which done he besieged Hesdin the Towne beeing taken they inclosed the Castle hauing beaten downe a great Tower that stood on the Parke side and caused a great peece of a wall to bee vndermined filling the ditches with the rubbish therof which serued the assaulters for a bridge to passe ouer to make the assault wherewith the defendants were striken in such feare that without further resistance they yeelded the Castle vpon condition to depart their liues goods saued A gentleman named Monsieur de Rasse who as then commanded in the Castle in fauour of the Constable made that composition but if his maister had not intreated for him it had cost him his life because hee neuer defended himselfe and not long before had sent word vnto the King that hee doubted not the Castle But for the same cause hee was sent home vnto his owne house and neuer after imployed in the warres Resolution of the assieged within the Towne of Metz. The king hauing receiued that second losse wrote vnto the Duke de Guise to knowe in what disposition he found himselfe to bee within the Towne of Metz. The Duke sent him aunswere whereof the effects prooued correspondent with his words and with all certified him of the order holden by the Emperour in his campe When the king perceiued himselfe to bee secured on that side hee left the Duke de Neuers for Generall of his armie in Lorraine made Monsieur de Chastillon Admirall of France and his Lieftenant in Picardie in place of Monsieur d'Annebaut not long before dead within la Fere. The Admiral de Chastillon presently went to Hesdin the companies of the Duke de Neuers beganne to trouble the Emperors armie by surprising their victuals great pittie it was
spoken with vnreuerēt speeches touching the presence of our Lord in his holy supper But he hauing in fewe words shewed the vanitie of the two first articles hee entered into a reasonable large discourse of the third wherein hee so well satisfied all the common questions of the Cardinall that hee said expresly vnto the Queene that hee was very well pleased to heare him speake and greatly in hope that the conference of Poissy wold proceed to a hat pie end with so courteous and reasonable disputation and with that speaking to Beza he said I am glad that I haue both seen and heard you speake I protest in the name of God that you shall conferre with me to the end that I may vnderstand your reasons and your minds and you shal finde that I am not so blacke as I am desciphered Beza thanked him and besought God to continue him in that good minde promising for his part to imploy himselfe for the aduancement of the good of Gods flocke as much as in him lay Madam de Crussul there vppon said as shee was alwaies bolde to speake that it would be necessarie to haue Inke and paper A pleasant and notable speeche of Madame de Crussull to cause the Cardinall to signe avow his saying For said shee in the morning hee will speake cleane contrary and she diuined right for in the morning a report was spread about the Court that at the first meeting the Cardinall had confounded and reduced Theodore de Beza In such manner that the Queene was costrained to tel the Constable who much reioyced thereat as thinking it to be certaine that hee was wrong informed Not long after the queen of Nauarre arriued at the court which made the assemblies to increase The second request of the Ministers The eight of September the ministers presented a second request wherein they shewed a reason of the articles propounded in their first requiring answere The Queene mother receiued this petition in the presence of the King of Nauarre the Prince the Admirall the Chancelor and one of his Secretaries which done she dismissed Beza and three others that accompanied him with good speeches and assurances that the Cleargie should not be their iudges The beginning of the conference at Poissy The next day about noone the king accompanied as his estate required entered into the great Refectorie of the noones in Poissy where the Princes and Princesses beeing set on each side and behinde him somewhat lower fat sixe Cardinals 36. Bishoppes and Archbishoppes and behinde them diuers Doctors and men of the Cleargie Right before him at the end of the hal stood his guard and behinde them a great number of men of all estates there hee made a short and small declaration touching the cause of that assembly commaunding the Chauncellour in larger manner to make it knowne vnto them The Cardinall de Tournon in the name of all the Prelates humbly thanked the king which done hee desired that the Chancellor might deliuer his proposition in writing and that leisure might be giuen them to consider thereof which was refused them Therevppon the Ministers to the number of twelue with 22. Deputies of the Churches in the Prouinces that assisted them The Ministers and deputies for the religion appeared before one of the greatest assemblies that euer was in our time and there confessed their faith being called and brought in by the Duke of Guise that had the charge with Monsieur de la Ferte Captaine of the guard were ledde vnto the barres where all bare-headed they stayed and Theodore de Beza being chosen by them all beganne to speake and first hauing made a briefe Preface vnto the king hee began his Oration with an humble and ardent prayer vnto God deuised and imployed to the time and occasion of that assembly which done standing vppe hee shewed the most singular contentment which al those of the relgion receiued at that time by hauing such recourse vnto their Soueraigne and lawfull Prince the Queene the Princes of the blood with all the Lords and notable persons at that time and in that place assembled that done hee shewed the sinceritie and good desire of all those of the religion which being ended he entered into the principal poynt making a most ample large collection of the articles of Christian doctrine not forgetting any poynt that is in controuersie but hee expounded it sufficiently withall saying somewhat touching the Discipline of the Church concluding that both hee and his companions with all those that were of the religion desired nothing but the reformation of the Church which onely desires to liue and die vnder the obedience and protection of the king detesting all those that soght the contrary praying to God for the prosperitie of the king his mother his Councell and the Estate and therevppon hauing made a great reuerence he pursued with his matter presenting to the king The confession deliuered to the king and receiued by him the confession of the faith of the Churches of France requiring that the conference might bee made vppon the same His long Oration was pronounced with a most acceptable voice to al the assistants and heard with a most singular contentment euen to the end where hee spake very openly to the Prelates likings against the opinion of the presences of the Lords bodie in the bread For this article put them in a great murmuration although before hee had spoken many other things that expresly condemned the Doctrine of the Church of Rome neuerthelesse hee proceeded and ended the king nor any of the Prelates not once offering to rise His Oration ended the king receiued the confession of the Churches by the hands of the aforesaid Monsieur de Ferte Captaine of the guard which hee deliuered vnto the Prelates The Prelates behauior after the Oration in the name of the Churches Among other Prelates that were in a hotte case the Cardinall de Tourno◠boyling in hotte chollour hauing desired the King to perseuer in the religion of his auncestor asked time to aunswere to that Oration saying that it should bee well aunswered and that hee hoped that the King hauing heard the answere would be reduced and remembring that word hee said not reduced but holden and kept in the good and perfect way the Queene sought to qualifie his chollor The next day Theodore de Beza wrote and sent the Queene an ample exposition of that which he had spoken touching the Lords Supper to the great misliking of the Prelates who beeing assembled to consult touching their affaires the Cardinall of Lorraine beganne with these words In my opinion I would that hee meaning Theodore de Beza had either beene dumbe or we deafe And after many opinions giuen it was determined that the Cardinall assisted by diuers Doctors The mean to be Iudges in their owne cause specially of Claude Despense that framed the answere and serued for a prompter vnto his Disciple should answere
held but one gate to whom about Euening was sent a letter into the Towne-house to make an accord where vnto they appeared onely demaunding assurance of their liues and the rest of their goodes with the obseruation of the Edict of Ianuarie which was refused them Whervpon each prepared themselues vpon the next day after to enter into a hotter fight then euer they did And because the cannon in the Towne-house did much hurt vnto the Towne the Councellours and the Court caused more then two hundreth houses to be burnt and in diuers other places many houses were robbed and spoyled and among others the houses of President Bernoy and Councellour Chauuet where two yong maides were rauished in their mothers presence Saturday the sixteenth they had a cruell skirmish and then those of the Romish Church asked a parley and had a truce which truce continuing it was agreed vpon that those of the religion leauing their armor and weapons in the Town house shuld withdraw thēselues with all securitie And according to that agreemēt made with the Captains the Parliament those of the religion hauing receiued the Communion with teares solemne prayers about euening came foorth where against the faith and promise made vnto them they tooke all they could lay hold vppon and committed them prisoners and those that got out at the gate called Villeneufue many of thē escaped were receiued into Montaubon other Towns that held for the religion The souldiers scattered about the fields and the Pesants killed and spoyled many of them The common opinion is that in this mutinie there died within the Towne aboue three thousand fiue hundreth persons as well on the one side as on the other The foure and twentieth of May Burie and Monluc determining to destroy Montauban marched thither with an armie of a thousand horse The first besieging of Montauban and fiue thousād foote wherwith they besieged it haning two fierce skirmishes within the Towne in one of them Captaine Saint Michell slewe three launciers and tooke a goodly horse The next day the artillerie came thither many skirmishes being made wherein Monluc had the woorst and hardly escaped with his life his horse hauing been slaine vnder him the next day the campe dislodged and made away in great haste but for what cause it was not known Monluc hauing lost about sixtie men but hee spoyled all the houses round about it and burnt the corne beeing halfe ripe Not long after Captaine Saint Michael and his brother beeing attainted of treason and robberie were slaine in the house of Marchastell within Montauban The enemies laye in the Garrisons round about it which caused those of the twone to erect certaine companies and a kinde of millitarie Discipline and then to make issues and courses in the countrie which fell out with good successe but not to those of Castres who in one recountre lost betweene foure score and a hundreth Souldiers in a manner all young men borne within the towne The three and twentieth of August Captaine Bazourdan sent by the Parliament of Thoulouse Other accidents in Montauban vsed all the meanes hee could to induce Montauban to fall to some composition and if they would not do it yet that at the least those that said they were their friends and could bring forces would exhort them to make peace The last words vsed by Bazourdon contained a certaine kinde of mockerie touching the confidence that those of Montauban put in the Lord but Constant their Minister tooke him vppe for halting The fift of September those of Negropelisse hauing beene surprised and hardly handled by Captaine Coulumbier and the Bishoppe of Montauban they sought to remedie it but all too late The Bishoppe causing sixe of his best prisoners to bee stoned and beaten to death with staues and their bodies cast into the riuer In a sallie made vppon the eight of the same moneth those of Montauban beeing discouered by a traitor were put to flight hauing lost one of the Ensigne-bearers two Corporalles two Gentlemen and tenne souldiers The same day Marchastel and Duras beeing entered into Montauban desired that they might take the companies and the Artillerie with them hauing lodged their armie within the Towne which constrained the Consuls to graunt to their desires But their arriuall fell out well for the Towne The second siege of Montauban for that within three daies after Burie and Monluc with nine companies of Lanciers great numbers of Gentlemen fiue and twentie companies of footemen foure companies of Argolitiers and three companies of Spaniards each cōpanie of foure hundreth men with fiue cānons three Coluerins and fiue demy Coluerins came to besiege Montauban the second time At their arriuall there happened a fierce and hard skirmish the issue thereof being such that the assaylants left the place which they had taken and withdrew themselues somewhat further with great losse Those of the towne left the Maister of the campe to Monsieur Duras a Sergeant of a band a Corporall sixe souldiers and certaine straungers with diuers hurt The next day beeing the fifteenth of September the skirmish began againe to the dammage of the assaylantes and foure score Spaniards that had set fire in a Mill vpon the riuer of Tar making good cheere in a farmers house were surprised and all put to the sword not one escaping The execution beeing done by fiue and twentie souldiers of the Towne that returned laden with armors and other spoyles in the face of the enemie wherevppon some made foorth to go on the other side of the water to ayde their companions but their boate ouerwhelmed and they were almost all drowned The next day Duras presented battell vnto Monluc which he refused and the next day raised his siege hauing lost about sixe hundreth men and the Towne thirtie The third siege of Montauban with diuers skirmishes sallies escalades and other warlike practises to the losse of both parts continued vntill the fifteenth of Aprill A third siege of Montauban that peace was proclaimed within Montauban and in that third siege the enemie lost as they themselues confessed two thousand souldiers foureteen or fifteen Captaines Lieftenants and Ensigne-bearers and diuers Gentlemen of companies besides a great number of hurt and maimed men that died in diuers places as they retired The Towne lost two Captaines two Ensigne-bearers some Gentlemen of companies and sixtie Souldiers at the most The pollicie in the watches hauing beene notably well obserued vntill the end of the Siege The fifteenth of March Carcassone one thousand fiue hundreth sixtie two those of the religion at Carcassone being gone out of the Towne to a Sermon at their returne found the Gate shut against them and the Cittizens armed that saluted them with Caliners and in that estate they continued vntill the nineteenth of the same moneth that those within the Towne hauing gotten a Leader and hauing mustered their men which they found to bee betweene foure or fiue
such sort that Honorat returned quietly to Pamiers leauing the Lombats in their ordinarie place called les Cabanes where not long after because they had forsaken the traine companie of Bandoliers yeelding themselues vnto the religion by the means and instruction of two maides rauished by them at the sacking of Montsegur and after married vnto them they were cruelly pursued by those of the Romish Church and in the end saued themselues in Castres The Priestes of Pamiers for their parts vsed all the meanes they could to ouerthrowe and spoyle those of the religion diuers enterprises beeing made whereof the principall being discouered by interception of letters the mischiefe sell vppon the inuentors for the souldiers entring into the Cellers of foure Fryers that shoulde haue lette in Pailles and others dispatched as it is very likely whatsoeuer they founde therein for after that time they were neuer seene nor heard of any more This report put the Priests and Chanons in such feare that they fledde to the Towne of Foix their houses as also the Bishops Pallace beeing sacked and spoyled whatsoeuer the Ministers and the Gouernour could saye or doo Wherevppon the newes of peace ensued and in the beginning of Maye there fell so cruell a hayle that came three times euery eight dayes and beare the Countrey in such sort specially about Foix that there could neyther fruite nor green hearb be seen in all the Countrey no more then in the middle of winter The Chanons of Pamiers to whome the common people imputed the cause of that hayle were constrained to shun the Commons to goe out of Foix and to remaine at Maugansy where we will leaue them to come to Lyonois About the thirtieth of April Monsieur de Tauanes came out of Burgongne Lyonnis and stayed within three miles of Lyons making account to assayle the towne but it fell out otherwise although as then hee hadde aboue fiue thousand men besides three thousand Italians conducted by the Counte de Anguesole and paide by the Pope Those Italians beeing the greatest Brigands then liuing brought with them diuers Goates and vsed the carnall companie of brute Beasts which was the cause that in euery place where they came men detested their abhomination All the Goates being killed and cast vnto the dogges Lyons besieged by the Country Pesants for the space of a moneth while Monsieur de Tauanes had that great company togither he had many braue skirmishes about Lyons whereby the inhabitants durst not sette their vines but in Gardens bordering vppon the Towne But because Tauanes pleased not the Triumuirat they sent the Duke de Nemours for Generall of the Armie with a great number of horses and the Rutters of the Counte Rockendolfe Tauanes not knowing how to discharge himselfe of the displeasure he had procured by his affaires about Lyons was exceeding glad of the arriuall of the Duke de Nemours and therevppon vnder a fained discontentment presently withdrewe himselfe into his gouernment of Burgongne Nemours with all his forces went into Vienne which hee hadde by intelligence and while hee soiournied there victualles beganne to bee scarce with them of Lyons Wherevppon Soubize called Des Adrets and the Prouinceaux that thereby hee might bee strong inough to keepe the fielde But because the hope hee expected else-where failed him hee sent Des Adrets to fetch more ayde out of Dauphine Which hauing done and bringing his troupe beeing of foure or fiue thousand foote and foure hundreth horse was sette vppon by the Army of Nemours hard by Beaurepaire and put to flight but yet with small losse which was done vppon thee nineteenth daye of October whereby his troupes reassembling thither mette altogither and not yet beeing pursued by the Duke de Nemours hee at that time slipt an occasion of some greate importance Des Adrets incamped himselfe within two myles of Vienne and for the space of three weekes that hee lay there hee entertained the Duke de Nemours with skirmishes meane time Soubize got victualles from diuers places About that time it chaunced that a souldier bringing a packet from Orleans vnto Soubize deliuered it into the handes of the Marshall de Brissac who therein hauing found a letter from the Admirall where among other thinges hee said that touching Adrets as much as hee might he must indure the light toyes of his braine and entertaine him least of an insolent person they should make him to become madde and without sence wherevppon in all haste hee sent Saint Sernin a Gentleman of Dauphine vnto the Duke de Nemours and des Adrets to practise somewhat between them By what meanes Adrets left the partie of the religion which at the first was secretly handled but Soubize going to the campe the next day after that S. Seruin had spoken to Adrets presently perceiued some alteration which in time he prouided for and from that time setting some to watch Adrets they presently discouered his intent who by messengers hauing cōmunicated with the duke de Nemours and then speaking with him personally brake vp his armie Nemours who alreadie made account to possesse Lyons Dauphinois went nearer vnto the town and by skirmishes sought to impeach the Towne of victuals vpon the mountaine of Tarare hee ouerthrewe 80. horse that came from Orleans to Lyons and on the other side stretched foorth his armes to gripe Romans and Valence But because it was requisite to beare all his bodie thither thinking to come time ynough to intrappe Lyons seeking to gripe ouermuch in one hand he lost that hold hee had For marching straight to Vienne with all his armie Soubize that slept not presently made so many men to issue out to fetch corne from Dombes that hee recouered great store Those that Nemours had left for guard forsooke keyes places and barnes except fortie that kept the Castle of Treuoux who thinking to saue the honour of their companions by keeping a tower nor being able to defend themselues neither yet yeeld it vppe their obstinacie was punished by a traine of powder that made them all leape higher then ordinarily they vsed to do and to burie their carkasses within the olde ruines of that broken Tower On the other side Soubize caused Adrets to bee taken and by that meanes the affaires and pretences of Nemoures touching Dauphine conuerted into smoke But thinking to bee more fortunate by Atturneys then in person he sent to the Bishoppe du Puy Escaladoes presented but in vaine to take Lyons and to Saint Chaumont saying that seeing Lyons wanted souldiers their men of warre beeing turned to bee marchants of corne they should assay to enter by scalado into the towne But Soubize that spared not mony to entertaine spies in euery place beeing well aduertised thereof tooke such order therein that Saint Chaumont in steed of approaching was forced to retire Nemours determined to supply their default and at two seuerall times with all his forces vppon hope that his participants within Lyons would assist
Ienlis aduentures who had gathered foure thousand footemen and fiue hundreth horse Ienlis and his troupes defeated for the succor of Countie Lodowicke and la Noue whom the Duke of Alue had besieged in Monts In the meane time commeth the new dispensation toward the ende of Iuly wherewith the Cardinal seemeth satisfied and the eighteenth day of August is nominated for the marriage In the meane time commeth the news of Ienlis surprise and aduenture whereat the king seemeth to bee much agreeued who writeth to his Ambassadour in the lowe Countries to procure by all possible meanes the deliuerie of the prisoners taken in that surprise as also he suffereth the Admirall to send all the succour hee may to ioyne with the Rutters whom the Prince of Orenge had buried at the same time causing him to haue mony deliuered for the footemens paye who were thought to amount to foure Regiments besides some thirtie companies of men at armes The Ambassadour of Spaine seemed to be malecontent because the king went about to make war in Flaunders and for the same cause withdrew himselfe out of France the Queene-mother also played many parts in this tragedie faining not to haue knowne the kings proceedings and knowing them made as though she would haue left the Court in such manner that the Admiral Teligny his sonne in law and other Lords confirmed themselues more and more that the kings actions were correspondant to the Admirals aduice which was to make warre in the king of Spaines countries that had kindled it and pretended to make warre in France thereby in time to cease vppon it Rochel inuested prouideth for it selfe The last of Iuly the Rochelers wrote vnto the Admirall that the armie at sea approached neare them and that it spoyled the plaine Countri-men comming euery day from Xantongue and Gascon vsing terrible threatnings against their towne openly speaking of the spoyle thereof sending to aske his counsell therein specially touching the receiuing of eight hundreth men for Garrison which they sought to put into the Towne Hee made them an honourable aunswere dated the seuenth of August assuring them of the care hee had ouer them and added that hee sawe the king so well disposed to the entertainment of peace that all men had cause to commend him The Rochelers notwithstanding neglected not to looke vnto themselues and to fortifie their Towne In other Townes their ranne diuers mutterings and many were the threats of the Romish Catholicques against the Protestants which daunted some of them Others relied vppon the Admiralles presence in the Court and trusted to his answere deliuered as well by word of mouth as by writing vnto those that asked his aduice vppon all accurrences whose speeches were in effect as followeth That as concerning the Guisians whom they so vrged the King had taken order by setting them at vnitie and causing both parties to swear friendship that the marriage of the Ladie Margaret whom the King gaue saith hee not to the King of Nauarre onely but as it were to the whole Church of the Protestants to ioyne with them in an indissoluble vnion was the type of their peace and safetie Heerevpon hee often besought such as sent him any packets gaue him any aduice of the hatred of the King the Queene-mother the Duke of Anion or the house of Cuise against either himselfe or the Protestants no more to trouble him with any the passed calamities but rather to be content with their daily prayers to God to whom they were to giue thankes that hee had vouchsafed to bring all matters to so quiet an end In brief the Admiral euer like himselfe stood fast in all these motions not that hee knew not of the malice of infinite his aduersaries that inuironed him neither that beeing at Parris hee laye in the very goulf and deepest pit of death but because through constancie and long continuance he had framed himselfe to rely vpon Gods prouidence as also for the hauing secretly layed open vnto the King the very springs of the ciuill warres in France and most liuely painted foorth the practises of his secret enemies and treacherous seruants that aymed at the soueraigntie since it hath manifestly appeared hee supposed that he had left him in a faire path to preuent them For sure it is that the King albeit as then but yong had a very good wit and could reasonable wel perceiue the course of his affaires so that had not such bloodie and furious Councelles preuented and crossed his capacitie France had not incurred those calamities that since haue almost subuerted the whole estate thereof For in the end he found albeit ouer-late for his person and crown that they that termed themselues his seruants ment nothing lesse but were his most cruell enemies and such as had exiled and murthered his best subiects to the end afterward with more facilitie to ridde their hands of himselfe and so to seize vppon the Realme There happened yet an other matter as the waies of God are maruellous and vncomprehensible that more and more stopped the eares of the Admirall Negotiation of Polonia not to way so many aduertisements as daily were giuen him to depart out of Parris to take with him out of Parris such Lords Gentlemen and Captaines as the Queene-mother the Duke of Anion the Guisians and the Parrisians most vehemently hated For certaine weekes before it had been determined in the Councell to send Ambassadours into Polonia king Sigismond beeing dead to desire the Estates to chuse for their king the Duke of Anion whom the Admirall accounted an irreconcileable enemie to the Protestants The Admirall therefore perceiuing that the king was earnest to further that matter of Polonia for his brother that had great credite throughout the Realme of France iudged that the king had a good insight and desired to reduce all things to a sure and firme peace that the Duke of Anion confined in Poland his adherents would be constrained to become milder that the house of Guise destitute of such a staye and doubting the king that many times looked with a fierce countenance would bee carefull not to bee too busie that in time and not long the Queene-mother would bee constrained to leaue the conductions of the affaires of the Realme vnto her sonne wherevnto hee beganne to frame himselfe and perceiuing that the King and the Queene appoynted Iohn de Monluc Bishoppe of Valence a man of great iudgement and one that had effected many serious enterprises and at other times had trauelled into Polonia for the same purpose which voyage hee beganne the seuenteenth of August it put him in better hope Monluc to the contrarie perceiuing the tempest at hand desired nothing more then to get him out of France that hee might not bee a witnesse nor forced Councellour to the mischiefes which hee perceiued readie to fall vppon those of the religion A little before hee had wished the Countie of Rochefoucaut other Lords neuer to meddle in
fauor his retire from the Court Others bearing him no great affection spred foorth a rumour that they were in armes prepared to kill the king the Queene and his Councell The first aduise tooke place neuerthelesse to make the latter seeme likely yet vntrue euery man except it were the king Praclises of the Court whereinto sundrie not able to penetrate at the first the gentry of Normandy found themselues deceined whereof ensued the destruction of the Countie of Montgommery perswaded to stay with his traine in great haste dislodging from Saint Germains where they stayed till the lodgings of the Castle of Blois Saint Vincennes were prepared and rid to Parris from nine of the clock till midnight with most great noyse and tumult I must tell you that the Duke of Alencon was in minde to haue departed from the Court and to take the king of Nauarre with him and that this troupe composed of the Gentlemen their seruants came to bring them to the places appointed by them but imagining many difficulties in the executiō hee tooke aduise of la Mole a Gentleman of Prouence that gouerned him who gaue him counsell with al speed to aduerise the king his brother and his mother what his meaning was which was the cause that the king remooued not neuerthelèsse the mother that had som greater matter in her head made that voyage by night and went to the house of the Marshall de Retz in the subburbs of S. Honore The Parisians beleeuing whatsoeuer was told them touching those horses in short time made a great and puissant armie as they said The next day the king went vnto his mother and within eight daies after they went to Blois Saint Vincennes hauing holden diuers councels to deuise the means to intrap the Marshal d'Anuille that gaue them worke to do in Languedoc Meane time the Duke of Alencon and the king of Mauarre vppon the foure and twentieth of March published a declaration touching the matter of Saint Germains protesting their good wils towards the king and that they were resolued to oppose themselues with all their meanes against such as would rebell against him which was an occasion to bring the Marshall de Montmorencic vnto the Court who being come was arested as also the Marshall de Cosse and both most shamefully led prisoners to the Bastille On the other side la Mole Coconnas Tourtay seruants to the Duke of Alencon were committed within Parris and not long after executed hauing onely confessed to haue been of their Maisters counsell to depart out of the Court Diuers Lords and Gentlemen intangled in this processe saued themselues as well as they could the Duke of Alencon and the king of Nauarre were kept more straight and twise examined touching that action The estate of Dauphine Languedoc and poictou These troubles in the Court hindered not those of the religion their associates to looke vnto themselues In Dauphine Mombrun tooke Loriol Linron Alet Graue and Roinac and ouerthrew fiue companies of footmen that sought to impeach them Those of Villeneufue in Viuarais not long before had put certaine troupes to the swood that came against those of the religion without losse of one man and tooke Aubenas a Towne of great importance hauing cut the throates of all the Garrison for the most part composed of the massacres of Lyons The gouernment of Languedoc and Dauphine hauing bin committed to the Prince d'Auphine Monsieur d'Acier ioyned with him the Marshall d'Anuille by letters intercepted discouered what was pretended against him by which meanes hee beganne to draw to those of the religion consulting with Saint Romaine Gouernour of Nismes seized vppon Montpeslier Beaucaire Lunel and Pezenas In Poistou the Polititians ioyned with la Noue tooke Saint Maixaut Melle Fontenay Lusignan and other places In Normandie about the beginning of March What happened in Normandie to the Countie de Montgommery taken prisoner and after executed the Countie Montgommery accompanied with Lorges and Galardon his children departed from the Isle of Gerze and arriued at Rades where Colombieres de Fey with fistie Gentlemen came to meete him from whence hee went to Saint Lo and then with in three daies after assieged and took Carentan by compositiō Within a month after a strong armie of the enemie commaunded by Matignon and Feruaques set vppon him and inclosed him with a little weake towne and ill furnished called Danfrone accompanied with sixtie horse and eight harguebuziers conducted by Captaine la Touche the younger resoluing vppon a valiant defence euen in the beginning of the siege sent foorth siue and twentie horse and some small shot who giuing a sharpe onset slew seuen Gentlemen assaylants and nine horse and soretired with the losse of the Lord of Friaize who was slaine and two prisoners that they left behinde This was the eleuenth of May. The next day the besieged cut in peeces one Corps de garde but soone after some either for feare or won with faire woords forsooke the Countie and yeelded to the assaylants who in reward stripped and put them to their ransome The Queen-mother vnderstanding that the Countie whom shee hated to the death was in her nettes sent forces day and night to strengthen Matignon as also the armie that lay before Saint Lo was commanded with all speed to march to Danfrone where they had in the beginning of the siege six thousand small shot and fifteen hundreth horse The king being very sicke vpon the 23. of May the Castle was battered with six peeces of cannon that in fiue houres shot aboue fiue hundreth times and made a breach of fiue and fortie foote broad Then did most of the Counties men forsake him and in liew of entring the Castle with him fled out of the Towne into the campe where they receiued their deserued entailment as their former companions About two of the clock at after noone the assay lants came fiercely to the breach where they found the Countie on the right side with the lords of Brossay Chauuiny Cornieres Tere yong Touche Mahiliere Crosse Oulfe and others to the number of twentie On the left side were the Lords of Sey Hayes Vaudore Sanssaye Villenenfue and others in like number of twentie All togither fell vpon their knees to hear the prayer which one of the three Ministers there present made in the presence of the assay lants who when it was done came to handie blows in the order following Out of tenne companies of men at armes present at that siege Matignon the other Captains chose one hundreth Gentlemen even ten out of euerie companie well armed followed with 600. small shot with murrians 100. pikemen with their corselers These 800. men with some 200. voluntaries mixed among thē were led by the LL. of Fernaques Villermois S. Golombe Raberprey Lauerdin and others The fight lasted siue hours neither did the cannon cease which indomaged the defer dants with stones wherewith also the Countie was
religion if there were no other passion that touched his enemies at the heart he added that if the king would not accept his fidelitie hee can do no more but content himselfe with his owne innocencie and affection towards his Maiestie and the State Declaration protestatiō of the King of Nauarre the Prince of Conde In his declaration hauing disciphered the cause of leaguers taking armes the vanitie of their pretences and the fruites that all the Estates of France may reape by the conclusion of the treatie of Nemours by breaking the peace and beginning warre Hee protesteth and with him the Prince of Conde his Cousin the Duke de Mommorency the Lords Gentlemen Prouinces Townes and common people as well of the one as of the other religion to oppose themselues against the Authors of those troubles in a lawfull and necessary defence therby to conserue the lawes which are the foundations of all families and to maintaine the estate and libertie of the King and of the Queene his mother Sixtus 5. excommunicateth the king of Nauarre the prince of Conde in September 1585. This Prince had need to bee a strong Bulwarke thereby to defend himselfe against so many assaults on all sides made vppon him For hauing both the king and the league as enemies on the one side on the other side commeth the Pope with his thunderboults of excommunication declaring him incapable to the succession of the Crowne of France abandoning his person and his countries for a praye to such as could obtaine it Touching this Bull many whole bookes both with it and against it were written and set foorth to the which I referre the curiositie of such as desire to knowe whether the Pope hath any authoritie ouer the estate of France for which consideration The King of Nauarres letters to the States the Court of Parliament would not allowe it Therevppon the king of Nauarre complained to all the Estates of France in that they had caused the succession of a king beeing yet aliue to bee decided in the Court of Rome made the title of a Prince of the blood to be iudged by the Pope and suffered the Consistorie to giue that which belonged not vnto them And hauing particularly represented vnto them the mischiefes which thereby might arise togither with the shame and perpetuall reproach vnto this Nation in hauing To the Clergie produced monsters into the world and rebelles among a most obedient people hee endeth his letters with reiecting the mischiefes of those miseries vppon those that are the authors In his letter to the Cleargie hee said If war bee so acceptable vnto you if a battell liketh you better then a disputation a bloodie conspiracie more then a Councell I will wash my handes and the blood that thereby shall bee spilt be vppon your owne heades I am assured that the maledictions of such as shall thereby indure great miserie will not fall vppon mee so that my patience my reasons and obedience are sufficiently knowne Meane time I hope God will blesse my iust quarrell to whom I commend you To the Nobilitie To the Nobilitie hee writeth and saith The Princes of France are the keyes of the Nobilitie I loue you all I feele my selfe perished and become weake in your blood The straunger hath no interest in this losse I haue good cause to complaine of some but I rather bewaile them I am readie to imbrace them all That which most displeaseth me is that those which I most esteem of whom I knowe haue been circumuented I cannot distinguish them being in armes but God knoweth my thought their blood be vpon the authors of these miseries to whom we praye c. To the Commons after he had deplored their woundes and scarres and assured them of his readinesse to shed his blood if his enemies would by a combat of two and two end the warre To the Commons which would be the death of so many thousands of men He saith I am a Frenchman borne I will bee partner of your miseries I haue assayed all meanes to exempt you from ciuill discordes and will neuer spare my life that they may be abridged I will not impute the fault vpon you you are Frenchmen but rather esteem of your good willes I demaund nothing else of all you that according to your vocations are most subiect to indure mischiefe then to doo it but onely your vowes prayers and good-wils But because hee feared the sword of Saint Paul more then the keyes of Saint Peter and that the Gold of Spaine is more daungerous then the Lead of Rome he sent his Ambassadors to the protestant Princes of Germanie to craue their aydes Which the king perceiuing sent the Cardinall of Lenoncourt and the President Brulart vnto him to assure him of his Maiesties good-will of the great desire he had to see him vnited to the Catholicke Church not onely for the safetie of his conscience but also for the easier establishing of his succession to the Crown to declare the causes that had moued him to breake the peace and to desire him to yeeld vp the Townes which he held for his securitie The king of N. hauing yeelded most humble thankes vnto them for his Maiesties good will in his behalfe aunswered that without instruction he could not change his religion for the which so much time and blood had been shed And that those of his side were so farre from yeelding vp the Towns giuen to them for their securitie that following the example of the leaguers they had cause rather to aske for more The Ambassadours perceiuing that neither the one nor the other poynt of their Ambassage tooke effect ended their commission by desiring the king of Nauarre to enter into a treatie wherein the Queene-mother would labour to his contentment Conference agreed vpon and trauell as farre as to Champigny if in the meane time it pleased him to staye the forraine armie Hee willingly accepted of the conference but to the other poynt he said that he neither could nor ought in any sort to stay or withdraw the good willes of those who in so much important an occasion yea and in so extreame necessitie had entered into the field that by restoring the authoritie of the king troden vnderfoote by the breach of his edicts they might defend him from the forraine inuation of the league The Electors Palatin the Duke of Saxe the M. of Brandenburg the D. of Brunswick the Lantgraue of Hessen sent Ambassadors to the king in Parris The Kings answere to the Protestant Ambassadors The Princes of Germainie that sought to ayde such as were of their religion perceiuing France to bee a bodie in a manner wounded to death thought good to procure the remedie thereof rather then to helpe to giue the mortall blowe and to prooue if by intreatie and faire meanes they might cease the causes of their diuision and procure the tranquillitie of the common-wealth by the obseruation
God The Pagan sweareth very sildome the Sarazin knoweth not what it meaneth the Turke abstaineth from it and the Huguenot detesteth it but our Catholicques are Maisters of the Art and make account to ride vppō diuinitie The second branch of our mischiefs is iniustice The first foundation of an estate and authoritie of a Realm yea that which giueth it forme and being is iustice Vertue which maketh kings and without it they would change their royalties Iniustice is the roote of miseries in France into tyrannies It is the feare of the wicked and the encouragement of the good because it is the principall office of aking when the Hebrieux desired Samuel to giue them a king among other points of their request they added these words to Iudgevs and to doo iustice as among other people All the world complayneth of the peruerting thereof estates are no more giuen by Geometrical proportion France maketh lawes of waxe to be tempered with mens hands and subiect to melt at the warme fauors of great persons There are lawes ynough to gouernall Europe yea and all the pluralitie of epicures but they haue their vertue onely in paper and some seeth them both published and violated Now there is no conscience made to sell that which is bought of the king and most commonly iustice is diuided to such as haue no mony but this iniustice is much more to bee deplored for the heauie and insupportable burthens it layeth vpon the poore people and maketh them not onely a medowe which is cut thrice a yeare but a bodie that is fleane or rather an anaotomie Theking which hath tenne millions of golde for his reuenue liueth by impositions and new dances wherewith hee deuoureth his people he bloweth their noses so often that hee maketh them bleed pulleth vp both hearb and roote cuttes the feathers so neare that they can growe no more putteth his subiects out of breath and constraineth them to hate and detest the Authors of these miseries Iniustice is yet more seene in the disorder and crueltie of souldiers that are without discipline rule feare of God respect of the good compassion to the miserable and that afflict torment the friend as much as the enemie persecute both masse and religion kill Priests assoone as Ministers robbe Churches burne Temples spoyle Merchants torment olde men violate virgins cause women with childe to bring foorth vntimely fruite ransome Pesants by cruelties which in times past were neuer known but of Scithians Lestrigons and Turkes but none vnwoorthily practised among vs to the great dishonour of the courtesie and fauour that hath so much beautified our nation But the desolation which entereth into al the members of France maketh it another Babylon a puddle of filthinesse and a sinke of all sorts of corruptions whereof the wounds are so old that they are in a manner become naturall desperate and incurable The Court of our kings which in times past were wont to bee the seed of the vertues of French Nobilitie did neuer abound in more disorders lusts excesse then vnder the raigne of Henry the third specially in the yeares 1586. and 1587. So that it may bee sayd of some Townes as it is reported by straungers that all things are printed therein only not to be vertuous The kings Court is like a Theator which the people stād to behold it is a fire which transformeth such as approach it into her nature the most modest come foorth insolent the most chaste Lucresse becommeth Faustina From the disorder of great persons proceedeth the misbehauiour of the meaner sort and there hath bin carters that haue beene so superfluous in their vanities that there wanted nothing in their houses but a chappel of musicke and to serue them by quarters to counterfeit little kings I must confesse the truth not make you beleeue that a mā with a crooke shoulder is of goodly proportion The K. gaue a great furtherance to these desolations his exāple was a directiō to all his subiects as the influctiō of the head runneth into al the mēbers Men do not only imitate but approoue the actiōs of great mē and according to their humours voluptuousnesse disorder superstition molestation and crueltie enter into credite The people suffer their mindes to bee cut and cautherised at Princes pleasures as the greater the authoritie is the more affectionate is their immutation euery man taketh that colour men perfume themselues with those drugues and the example of the Prince is so contagious to the subiects that they receiue it entereth sooner into their eyes then their eares Alexander cast his head a side and all the Court held their neckes awry Denis was purblind and his Courtiers stumbled at euery steppe and iusteled each other as if they had beene euill sighted Plutarke telleth that Courtiers put away their wiues following the kings example that loued not his wife Lewis the eleuenth would haue Charles his sonne to learne but one word of Latine and all the Court despised learning King Francis established learning and all the Nobilitie caused their children to bee instructed Henry she third loued ryots and pleasures and al the Court abounded in desolation He considered not that the vices which ranged in his Realme are the same that caused the whole world to bee drowned ouerthrew fiue Townes caused the tribe of Beniamin to bee slaine destroyed Sparta Carthage and Athens spoyled Troye and procured the Cicilian euening prayer He considered not that this voluptuousnes which maketh him swallow poyson in his milke and Ippocras maketh him fitter to bee a woman then a man that to maintaine it all France is rent in peeces The treasures that Caligula found after the death of Tibera being 1800. horse load nor the nineteene millions of Crownes that the Vitellius spent in one yeare in making of banquets will not suffice that from thence spring the new impositions wherereof the monies proceeding are died and tempered in the blood and teares of the poore people that aske vengeance of God and that in the end deal to ease their oppressions and ouerthrow the oppressors Prodigious sights seene in the raigne of Henry the third If the complaints of the people cannot pearse the eares of the king yet let him looke vnto the effects of Gods iudgement as strange signes monsters comers and earthquakes which are the messengers thereof let him consider that these leagues and partiallities are the windes that rise before a tempest and the shipwracke of this estate And that with a little push this edifice which hath been built so many hundreth yeares will in a moment be ouerthrowne But not to prolong our Historie with many tedious words let vs return to the armie of Protestants which were left in Lorraine And there we shal see great wants which soone produce many infalliable faults without remedie and reparations that are presently made to the ruine and confusion of such as commit them It was destitute of a Generall capable of so dangerous
is much more conscience then in that which Phillip le Long demanded of all his subiects of what estate soeuer beeing the fift part of their reuenue and more reason then that tyrannicall extortion of the tenth part of all the expenses of seuenteene great Prouinces whereof the Author boasted to haue found a fountaine that wold yeeld golde in peeces as big as a mans arme This sale of offices is not so new but that it hath been vsed long since in those estates that are thought to bee most polliticque the Venetians hauing so great enemie as the king of France made a great breach in their treasures to resist him his entrance into Italy cost him aboue fifte millions of duckets which to recouer againe they inuented the meanes of selling the offices of their Common-wealth whereby they pursed one hundreth millions Offices for the imployment of the youth of France And the French king perceiuing it to be a continual spring into their coffers brought it into his Realme to support the necessitie of the most oppressed and the same necessitie hath constrained his successors to continue the means to resist the same and to honour the best families among his subiects who without this splendure would bee hidden among the rest and youth without imployment would fall into those vices that are incident to that age but let vs now returne againe to your complaints When you are forced to confesse that other causes made you to enter into the course and sauor of these rebellions you say that the king did neuer approoue nor aduance your league Hee hath loued it too much If hee had choaked this Monster of diuision if hee had not by his authoritie strengthened the furious temeritie of the Leaguers pretences hee would liue like a king command like a king and be in the Louure like a king and had not gone out of Parris like a Gouernor of a countrie that issueth out at one gate when his enemies entereth at the other Did you neuer heare that a king that had two factions in his Realme bending more to the one then to the other hath in the end beene a pray to one of them What ouerthrew Carthage two factions Barchinienne Ruine of estates by ciuil warres and Hannonienne What nourished wars in France of sixtie yeares long and made it a praie to the Englishmen the quarrell of the house of Bourgongne and Orleans What troubled England with so many mischiefes of seuen great battelles wherein aboue sixtie or eightie Princes of the blood royall of England were slaine the factions of the house of Lancaster and Yorke What impeached the Empire of Constantinople but the great faction of Prusins and Venitiens which at one blowe spoyled fortie thousand men What ouerthrew the pollicie and tranquillitie of Florence but the faction of white and blacke To the contrary what maintaineth the Empire of the Turkes their concord enemie of ciuill descention they make their profit of our losses they aduance themselues vnder the couerture of our warres grounded for the most part vpon the foote of a flie and there is nothing that hath so much increased nor as yet doth more increase their alcaron then our diuisiō which euery day giueth them sufficient christians heads to triumph vpon in stead of stones or other spoyles as Thuracan did with the heades of the Albanois League a continuall feauer to an estate To be short that hurt which a continuall feuer is to a mans bodie the same are Leaguers vnto a Realm the Prince that nourisheth and entertaineth them is no lesse odious then the Phisitian that hatcheth and couereth a disease The Common-wealth is a ship the Leagues and factions are the holes and leakes by the which while those that are in the ship are at strife the water entereth in such aboundance that it causeth the ship to finke and all that are within her A wise Pilot shuld calke stop those leakes and diuisions reseruing the rurther for himselfe without trusting to any other neuer being factious nor head of any parties but all king and alwaies Maister of the ship and doubt not but these drone Bees that eate vppe the honie of all the rest and these composers of the league which make so great a ruine for two or three months of spring-time had ouerthrowne themselues if the king had not nourished them Machiauille chap. 20. of the Princes with the fairest flowers of his authoritie And who euer counselled a Prince common father of his subiects vnlesse Machiauel chap. 20. of the Prince it were Machiauel to entertaine partiallities among them You are sorrie that the king doth not as willingly imbrace the pretences of your League as you do and that hee hath not suffered you to make a table of his backe whereon to playe at dice for his Crowne You haue somewhat to say to those whom the king hath aduaunced so the heeles murmured because they had not the place of the head the Asse would clime vpon a cushen of veluet to faune vppon his Maister like a Spaniell puppits would play vppon kings cabbins Know you not that they are like counters in the kings hand whereof hee maketh one to bee a hundreth some a thousand and others tenne thousand Do you not shew more fauour and credite in your bankes towne of your seruants then to an other and vse you not to say that you may doo with your owne as pleaseth you is the king countable to your humours If he holdeth the Crowne of God and the auncient lawes of this Realme wherefore seeke you to bee his Tutors and to hinder him from distributing the honours and recompences thereof at his pleasure It is no reason to prescribe or limit him whom or what hee shall cherish loue and aduance if you conferre things present with those that are past you shall finde no Prince but hath had some whom hee specially fauoured and that the iealousie nor enuie of others farther from his fauour hath not beene strong ynough to erect Barricadoes against them as you haue done The League hath no iust cause to take armes But seeing all your complaints are ridiculous your reasons without foundation and your discourses without assurance what inchantment hath made you to rebell Say that this great disorder knowne to bee in the Court of your king hath put that wilde fire into your heads which hath mooued and tolde you therefore to remedie it you must driue him our you must assayle the Louure or torment his seruaunts to reuenge your selues against the Duke of Espernon being at Roane I will not so much excuse the king or think that hee hath not committed some faults nor say as the Parasite Anaxarchus that Alexander had reason to kill Clytus or that the two Goddesses Dice and Themis are alwaies at their sides to keepe them from committing iniustice certainly there were many faire and shining vertues in this Prince Optimum est pati quod emendare non
are proceeded within two fingers neare to an infamous and woorthie rebellion The Duke of Guise protesting his innocencie and imputing all those mischiefes not to the will of the king but to the force and violence of his euill Councell saith that hee was extreamly sorrie that the king by his departure out of Parris had made him loose so good and happie an occasion The Duke of Guise his protestation thereby to let him see what his zeale and will was for the seruice of his Maiestie that hee was readie to make proofe thereof in his absence resolued with his life to redeeme the authoritie which his Councell had taken from him with the quietnesse and comfort of the Towne for the suretie whereof hee besought the Queene-mother to bee a meane The election of the prouost for the marchants That done they proceeded to the election of a Prouost of Merchants and Sheriffes in places of those that are lesse affected to the intents of the League then to the aduancement of the kings affaires and their oathes were taken by the Queene-mother against whose will they discharged diuers Collonelles Captaines and Quarter-maisters the litle troupe of zealous Catholicques called the sixteene busied themselues much in those publike actions eyther to shew the excesse of their ouer boyling loue or violent hatred They tooke order for the assistance of the places adioyning to Parris and among others Meux and Melun they aduertised forraine Princes and the good Townes of all that had passed still iustifying themselues they made searches in Parris against all those that were not of their conspiracie the Pollititians good Frenchmen such as foresawe the inconueniences that threatned this Monarchie by the impetuositie of her mutenies were sifted and cast into the ashes of their hatred This monster with sixteene heads that should teare the authoritie of lawes began to cause it selfe to bee feared neuerthelesse the least aduised that knew that Parris without the king is a bodie without strength lamented his departure The Capueins finde the King in their processions They sent the Capucins in procession to Chartres thereby to defend the blows of the kings chollor to put water into the fire that others had kindled to reclaim the tempests of his iust indignatiō And therwith they sent some of the most account of all the Orders in the Cittie to desire him with all humilitie not to remit the innocencie of the Citizens of Parris to the iudgement of their enemies to consider the iust causes that had constrained the people to defend themselues to bannish from his eares all contrary reports and aduises not to deferre his returne to Parris wherein hee should bee receiued with as many applaudings and reioycings as his subiects had greefes when they vnderstood of his departure and where he should finde better seruants then those that had counselled him to destroy them and so to depart The Queen-mother present deputies to the King The Queene-mother was the head of this message and when the Deputies arriued at Chartres shee presented them to the king that heard their Oration wherein they acknowledged their fault And falling downe at his Maiesties feete spake as followeth An Oration of the Deputies of Parris made to the King at Chartres SIr the dutie honour respect feare and obedience that wee owe vnto your Maiestie maketh vs desire not to come before your presence but onely in all humilitie submission to craue the happy continuance of your Graces good fauour without beeing so bolde as once to open our mouthes to vtter any complaint or daring although in a iust cause to hazard the vsing of free speeches that might neuer so litle be offensiue vnto your Maiestie and for this cause those that sent vs had determined that wee intercession for vs and for more dignitie and reuerence to interpose her selfe between vs and your Grace But it hath pleased you to will her to send vs vnto you promising to giue vs peaceable audience which hath caused vs not onely to continue the submissions due vnto your Maiestie but to satisfie your commaundement to appeare before your presence Then one speaking for all saide Sir I will not rehearse the protestations by the Princes made vnto you as well of the honour which they do beare you as of their greefe for your Graces absence neither will I preuent those which the Deputies of Parris heere present will shewe you but onely certifie your Maiestie that wee are the bearers of the memoriall which it hath pleased you to send for chosen to that end not that wee esteeme of our own sufficiencies specially my selfe or for other considerations but onely as being men notoriously exempted from any suspitions of particular passions in that which concerneth the principall poynts of this request Where if in the generall common greefe your Maiestie findeth any proposition somewhat freer and bolder then ordinary wee beseech you most humbly to remember your commaundement the proper interest of your seruice and the sorrowes of your poore subiects your clemencie permitteth vs to shew our greefe and that which most oppresseth vs is the dammage and preiudice that these last accidents among others haue procured to the seruice of your Maiestie in such sort that if wee speake otherwise then becommeth vs wee shall resemble him that hauing beene dumbe all his life beginneth not to speake but when hee seeth the sword drawne to his father and his king For then nature breaketh the obstacles and cryeth out saying Hurt not the king The passion and desire wee haue to your seruice as our father our King our Maister and our Lord causeth vs for that purpose to breake our long silence and to vse the like crie saying Hurt not the king separate him not from his good subiects his Nobilitie the Officers of his Crowne his Princes his Courts soueraigne his treasures not his greatnesse Take not from him the honour of his zeale his pietie his iustice his Clemencie his mildenesse his goodnesse and his humanitie so much renowmed experimented and commmeded For if at any time heeretofore it hath been done surely by this last accident of Parris it was in more daunger then euer it was which causeth vs to speake with much such affection in that it threatned vs with the like daunger And in such manner that if your Maiestie had knowne the sequell thereof you might haue seene sufficient whereby to discerne what cause wee haue to mourne but for that you knowe it not wee are in greater hope your Maiestie wil the better accept the humble petitions of your poore innocent subiects which appeale and inuoke your ayde in this world onely next after God against those who abusing your authoritie wold so shamefully destroy and massacre vs. The thing I haue in charge to present vnto your Maistie in the behalfe of the Princes is so true that they offer to iustifie the same when it pleaseth you to commaund In this concurrence of so many
good then possession of euill The difference in religion should mildly be agreed vpon Hee is not euill instructed in the principals of faith but hee is not sufficiently informed touching the Ceremonies he beleeueth constantly in the onely word of God contained in the booke called cannonicall the Catholicque taketh the interpretations of the word of God made by the Church for an infallible rule of his saluation and not like the Huguenot by the particular sence but by the vniuersall consent of the Church assembled togither vnder a legitimate head which is the Pope accord these two tunes make them beleeue in the traditions that since the time of the Apostles haue beene brought into the Church our Ceremonies in the administration of our Sacrament and in the election of Ministers and they are pleased and wee shall haue no more neede of warres If they say they will haue no other Iudges to determine their differences but the holy Scriptures which of it selfe is easie ynough without interpretations or Commentaries and that if it bee darke in one place it is opened in another tell them that it is not so easie plaine nor open but that diuers men do stumble in the vnderstanding thereof that it is not so cleare as that without interpretation it can discide all the controuersies of our faith that as God in the old lawes would haue a Moyses to iudge the law so he wold haue Ministers his successors that they shal determine difficulties of the doctrine of the Gospell Make them to agree with vs therein your difference will soone be ended and you shall bannish wars schismes in France To those reasons the league opposed theirs and said Your arguments are of no consequent you say that the Huguenot is not to bee pursued by armes because hee is not declared hereticque by cannonicall proceedings that hee is no hereticque because hee is not stubborne that hee is not stubborne because hee desireth instruction turne ouer the lease and you shall finde that the Huguenot ought to bee pursued by armes in that he hath beene condemned for an heretique by all the Councells specially of that of Trent that all nouelties are odious to the Church that he is an heretique for that knowing as it wer with his finger touching his error he staÌ„deth stubbornly in defence Obstinacy sence reprooued is the punishmeÌ„t of his infidelitie it is then to no end that he should aske instruction when there is no hope of amendment it is a tree without fruite and good for nothing but to bee cast into the fire To this poynt those that loued peace The warres for religion consâ—steth of a great number of Catholiques how deare soeuer it were cried out and said Will you then haue a new recourse to fiers punishments and remedies which wee haue alreadie tried to bee more proper to kindle and spread abroad then to quench and stop the euill Do you not as yet perceiue that God detesteth the terrible persecutions vsed against them in all the Courts of Parris that the Princes Gouernours of Townes Magistrates and officers of iustice haue with their owne bloods payed vserie for the vnmeasurable shedding of Christians blood that since the Magistrate left punishing and that the Prince hath pursued them by armes there hath died at the least a thousand Catholicques to kill a hundreth Huguenots The king is become a Captaine at his owne costs in the battels of Iarnac and Moncontour hee hath continued for the space of tenne or twelue yeares togither to make warres against them and in the ende after hee had vsed all meanes and attempted all extremities hee perceiued it was in vaine for him to kil to make men beleeue that the Gospel is not planted with other tooles then the word and peaceablenesse that it increaseth by suffering and not by persecution Iesus Christ planted his Church by miracles Mahomet by force and violence Religion is not the cause but the pretext of the warre The Talmud with her toyes and the Alcaron with her impostures detest the Christians furie that kill each other the first saith that Iesus Christ increased the Church by vertue of miracles and Machomet by force of armes Wee know well and if wee confesse it not wee are traitors to our countrie and of all others the most incencible that religion is not to be preached by drumb and fyfe and that of a hundreth that beare armes there is not tenne but haue an other intent then onely religion We know that this warre is a meere war against the estate that nothing was said touching the king of Nauarres conscience vntill it was euidently seene that by the death of Monsieur the kings brother hee was the next in succession to the Crowne and that it is most certaine that the League buildeth the assurance of things present by those that are to come that vpon the imaginatiue feare and of the succession of a Prince of an other religion the king beeing in the flower and strength of his age they dispute of the right possession and establish their vsurpation The Monarchie passeth to an other branch of the blood royall The Cardinall of Bourbon because the king hath no children because we should haue some they present vs an olde Prince an olde tree without fruit a hollow oake which serueth but for a support to the iuyce of the League and to the hopes of the Duke of Guise that climeth vnto the royaltie by his meanes Duke of Guise who vnder colour to powre water vppon those flames to place order in disorder and reformation inabuse suffereth men to burne in flame and ouerthrow all things Wherefore from hencefoorth the king must looke vnto that which as yet resteth whole and intire within his Realme that hee should make peace with the Huguenots that he should help himself with their forces which are Frenchmen against those Hispaniolized mindes that will eyther vsurpe the Soueraigntie of this estate or else conuert it into cantons like the Switzers To giue peace to the Huguenots to ayde himselfe with their forces to ouerthrow the Catholiques to stirre vp the Pope the king of Spaine and all Italy and in a word to constraine France to reuolt The king ought not to doo it and it is too much perill for himselfe Obiections against the League too much miserie for his people too much iniurie to the Church whereof hee is the eldest sonne hee should call wolues to helpe which in the end would deuoure the sheepe hee should serue himselfe with foxes that in fine would kil thee geese the king should bee Lent and the king of Nauarre the enterance into Lent or as we say Caresme prenant and then Huguenots would be ledde in triumphs through the Realme If the king should do it it would bee openly said that hee supporteth and aduanceth hereticques that seeking to do for himselfe hee doth for them hee will put Catholicques in dispaire and his crowne in hazard
the light of the pietie of France son of that victorious Henry whose memorie shall liue for for euer and brother to those two Catholicque Princes Francis the second and Charles the ninth whom God hath taken to his mercie But But yet againe that which toucheth you nearest remember that you are that renowmed Henry that being but Duke of Aniou and brother to the king did so valiant an act in the defence of the Church wonne so many great battels and so many times daunted the enemies of the Catholicque faith that you haue filled al Christendome with the wonders of your victorious name And we think if that like your Grace that your M. hath not so soone forggotten that great and solemne oath that you made at your coronation not onely to maintaine christian and Catholicque religion but to aduance it as much as possible you might without tollerating any other And if euer any oath lid binde a Prince to maintain keep his faith this hath so straightly bound you to the defence of this religion that you cannot permit any other without breach of conscience and paraduenture make a doubt of the right you haue vnto the Crowne For you know well that you haue agreed and contracted with Iesus Christ that you accepted the Scepter vppon this condition to be defendor of his Catholicque religion and in that solemne oath as a gage and earnest-penny you receiued his holy bodie and dranke his precious blood And now fayling in this religious oath thinke you he hath not good cause to be offended against you knowe you not that all the euils wee haue suffered proceeded onely from his iust wrath and see you not that hauing giuen you this Scepter vppon such conditions hee threatneth to take it from you if you keepe not the holy promise you made so solemnely vnto him And euen as God summoneth you to the obseruation of the faith that you haue giuen him your subiects by the same meanes solicite and inuite you to obserue the conditions wherevppon you were made king and which you cannot infringe breaking your oath but if you must also loose the title of most christian King and wee doubt not that setting these things before your eyes that reuiuing the memorie of your predecessors continuing the first prudence and vertue but you shall haue that great good fortune in your time to see your people reduced to the sheepfold of the holy and Catholicque Church whereof you are as a father and protector By this meanes those great Kings of Ierusalem Dauid Salomon Abis losaphat Ezechias and Iosias obtained the blessings of God and a happy successe in all their affaires hauing with so great care dilligence restored the puritie of religion and reeftablished diuine seruice that was neglected And wee also hope that following their steppes you will reduce all France to the Catholicque religion and for the recompence of your holy intent you shall haue that blessing of God in your time to behold your Realm as flourishing as euer it was And as it shall bee most acceptable vnto God so will it be most honourable to you and to your Crowne and you shall sufficiently perceiue that at this day there is no King Prince Potentate or Common-wealth I except certaine Barbarians and the Turke whose detestable manners and customes ought to bee so odious that the onely name should bee a horrour vnto vs that suffereth their subiects to liue in any other religion then that which the Magistrate by the disvnion of the Church holdeth for onely good and holy And surely such are not woorthie to bee heard that will so much restraine the power of the Prince or Magistrate to say that hee cannot constraine his subiects to the faith but that hee ought to suffer them to liue in libertie of conscience as they say for this opinion hath alwaies generally been condemned and reprooued by all Christians but only by the Manickiens and Donatists that were of opinion that wee must not constraine any man for his religion but suffer euery man to liue in libertie and after his owne santasie and those which at this day in a manner by force pull from you this libertie of their religion permit it not to others For in the places of Christendome where God permitteth that they should bee Maisters and hauing the authoritie in their hands they are so farre from permitting Catholicques freely to liue in the libertie of their consciences that to the contrary the diuers sects that are among them for that alreadie they are banded and diuided among themselues an euident signe of their ruine at hand cannot indure each other And there where the Caluenist is Maister the Lutheriau dareth not liue freely yea and when they change Magistrates of diuers opinions religion changeth according to his pleasure as we haue seene sufficient of such changes in England and in many places in Germanie And what should not this bee a shame and too great a slaunder to a good christian and faithfull Catholicque to bee found lesse affected in his religion that is approued by so long and continuall succession then these new christians in their opinions that are as it were but one night olde It is then a generall and certaine maxime and approoued by the Church and by all Common-wealths that the Magistrate ought and may continue his people vnder one faith as it is sufficiently seene by so many godly lawes and constitutions of Christian and Catholicque Empires and by the kings your predecessors whose examples ought to bee holy and inuiolate vnto your Maiestie Such were the reasons of the League by the vehemencie whereof the king disposed himselfe to warre reseruing alwaies a continuall thought to rid himselfe thereof But the Queene that sawe so many accidents to hang like leade ouer his head that thought the great and proude Spanish armie would land in Brittaine and that all the territories of Italie would fall vppon him to defend the Catholicqueleague did so much that the king dissembled the wound in his heart and said that hee had no more remembrance of the hard dealings that had past that he had no other intent but that of the League which was to extirpe heresie Vppon this assurance the Duke of Guise caused his merchandises to bee liked and to bee more esteemed then they were woorth or then hee hoped Wherevppon hee entered into a treatie with the Queen-mother and with her resolued vppon certaine articles vppon the fifteenth of Iuly which the king approoued receiued and signed within three daies after which were as followeth THe Articles agreed vppon and signed at Nemours the seuenteenth of Iuly 1585 the kings edicts made touching them and the declarations his Maiestie hath since made vppon the edict shall inuiolably be kept and obserued according to their forme and tenour And to cease and for euer to take away the distrusts partiallities and deuisions betweene the Catholicques and the Realme there shall bee a perpetuall and vnreuocable
become incurable if the remedies that follow bee not applyed The vnworthie promotion of Prelats 1. Disorder In the Church simonie ignorance corruption into the Lords sheepfold are entered false Pastors not by the dore but ouer the wals like theeues by vnfit promotions by mony by treasure by fauour and not by learning or good example so that among the learned they introduce ignorant men in stead of fathers and tutors of the Church destroyers in steed of Pastors rauening wolues An abuse which hath drawne with it a chaine and band of all sorts of euilles for the aduancement of ignorant and slaunderous persons vnto Ecclesiasticall dignities hath brought foorth heresie heresie diuision and diuision ruine and destruction Remedie To restore the ancient forme of the Church the election of God wise and learned Prelates that loue God and his Church and faithfull Ministers of Gods word The nomination 2. Disorder The introducing of nominations of Abbeys as also vppon the chiefe Prelates of the same the Monasteries which in times past were the Congregations and colledges of al doctrine pietie renowmed among the Christians as among the auncients the Schooles of Nazariens Leuites Egyptians Medes Persians and Athenians that had nourished and brought vp holy Saints Basiles Chrysostomes Saint Benets and Augustines haue now in them all sorts of people indifferently not only Lawyers but Cittizens souldiers men without learning and crudition and without either name or marke of spiritualtie with women and children from whence proceedeth the foule disorder of the Monasticall life Monasteries of the holy fathers the ruine of the houses and goods of the Church the sacred Temple without prayers prophaned and occupied for the most part by meÌ„ of war who in stead of sustaining and nourishing religious meÌ„ do therin feed their horses dogs hauks frustrating the seruice of God appropriating the inheritance of the Church vnto themselues giuing for dowries to marriages and diuided the Vinyard of the Lord. Remedie To chuse and nominate good and holy personages that shall bee of requisite estate and quallitie to serue God in those places that shall commit good Priors to giue good example and helpe to reforme therevnto imploying the ayde of the arme and force of iustice that from this time forward all Harpies wilde Boores which spoyle Dauids Vinyard auoyde and depart from all such holy consecrated and appoynted places And to this ende let informations and decrees bee made against them those that detaine Abbeyes and are not of that quallitie and those that vsurpe and detaine the goods tithes and other reuenues and according to the informations let proces bee made as against sacriledges and rauishers of the riches that belong vnto God and to the poore The Commanders 3. Disorder Those that were called by our Sauiour vnto the Ministrie for the ease of the Apostles which are Priests and Vicars whose seruice is so necessary in the Church of God is at this day the most miserable and most afflicted order They are driuen and cast out of their houses by the Catholicques and where they are suffered to continue their goods are robbed and taken away they are spoyled and sacked or else constrained to giue part to him that is strongest the souldiers consume them the Lords of the places apropriate their tithes and the people will not pay the duties belonging vnto them both by humane and diuine lawes Remedie Faults of the Cleargie That it will please the king adding vnto the ordinances concerning this poynt made in the last Parliament that it may againe bee inioyned vnto all Gouernours of places and Atturneyes for his Maiestie euery man in his iurisdiction yearly to send processe verball vnto the Parliament containing the names of the Vicars with a testation from euery of them touching the possession and inioying of their goods and what is kept or withholden from them And because diuers poore Vicars dare not openly complaine let it be inioyned vnto the Gouernors Atturneyes for the king secretly to inquire and informe of the vsurpation that is made vpon the said Ecclesiasticall persons The alienatioÌ„ of Church-liuings 4. Dis The riches consecrated to God and giuen to him his Alters and his Priestes the goods that belongeth not to those that fell it is sold withdrawn alienated thereby to consume and bring to nought the Ecclesiasticallestate the goods of the Church is not to bee alienated for any cause or occasion whatsoeuer or with what authoritie so euer it is done it belongeth vnto God it is sacriledge to lay hands vpon it if it belong to the spiritualtie whether it be in propertie or vse it is no point of iustice to incroch vpon it specially without their consent but it belongeth to them both Saint Augustin and diuers other good fathers permitted the selling and alienating of the goods of the Church for the redeeming of Captaines and to releeue the poore but that was the holy vessels mooueables and the mony of the treasurie but touching the immooueables that was neuer known one onely Charles Martell spotted and defaced his memorie by a horrible serpent found within his tombe because he attempted to sell the goods and immunities of the Church So great warres against the Albigeois so great necessities and warres against the Englishmen could neuer breake open this Paladion which the suggestion of secret and couert Huguenots hath inuented Remedie That it would please the king to graunt vnto the Cleargie the perpetuall restoring of the goods of the Church that are solde repaying the iust value with all costs and charges and that such as heereafter shall venture to sell or buy the goods of God and the Church shall now at altimes bee declared and accounted both vniust sellers buyers detainers and occupiers with this clause to bee bound to the restitution both of the principall and the profits The great number of Benefices The vsurping of Hospitall reneâ—â—es 5. Disorder The pluralitie of Benefices for that as no man can sit vppon two seates so all Ecclesiasticall persons well and truely to discharge his dutie cannot holde two benefices which require two Ministers hee cannot pronounce the word of God in two places at one time which is principally vnderstood by two Bishoppricks or two Curates that haue charge of mens soules and consequently require a continuall residence Remedie To cause the Councell of Trent to bee obserued which hath so amply prouided for reformation of the Ecclesiasticall estate togither with the maintenance of faith and Catholicque religion 6. Disorder The manifest sacriledge of such as detaine and vsurpe the reuenues of Hospitalles Spittle-houses and others goods destinated and appoynted for the vse of the poore founded for the ease of Townes Villages and Burrows and of all the people The goods of the poore in diuers places are applyed to the vse of Lay-men to the communalties of Townes to the common charges thereof to voyages and processes yea apropriated to the priuate
certaine Lords and wealthie Merchants of her kingdome lent the king mony for the comforting of his forces Dauphine gotten againe for the King Francis de Bonne Lord of Diguireres chased the leaguers out of the Countie of Dauphine and became Maister of Grenoble which is the seate of the Parliament of the Prouince constraining the Lord d'Arbigni who commanded there to depart before the Duke of Sauoy or any other of the League could come time ynough to succour them In Normandie the Duke de Montpensier wonne Honfleur and inforced the Leaguers to forsake the field The Vicounte of Turenne came into Almaine to leuie a band of Rutters and hauing gathered an armie Christian Prince of Anhalt was made chiefe commaunder thereof On the other side the new Pope beeing a partaker with Spaine The Pope an ayder of the Leaguers promised to the league eight thousand footemen and fiue hundreth horse vnder the conduct of his cousin Francis Sfondrate and during these enterprises the Cheualier d'Aumale set vpon the Towne of Saint Dennis neare Paris supposing hee should winne it Hee was followed with many approoued warriours The Lord of Vic which commaunded in that place shewed good proofe of his skill and courage for although the knight and his followers were entered without losse hee ranne vpon them and charged them so roughly that the knight and the most of his people lay dead vpon the ground The Cheualier d'Aumale slaine with all his companie This knight was one of the principall Captaines of the league but in his deedes so strange and desolute that hee could no longer support himselfe otherwise hee was very hardie and valiant This was cause of great greefe among the seditious who had fewe men left that had more mischiefe in their heads then hee Many hath reported that his bodie hauing beene wrapped in a searcloth and laide in a Chappell within the great Church rested their til they migh know what the kings pleasure was to bee done therewithall Rattes and Mice found about a dead man On the morrow after as they would haue drawne foorth the corps to imbalme it the searecloth was found full of rattes and mice in such number that they had much ado to driue them away till such time they were faine to lay vpon them with hand-strokes and teare them out from the woundes The king that on his part would not bee ydle addressed himselfe to certaine enterprises to giue an alarme to the Parisians that by this occasion bee might awake and cause them to remember themselues They tooke such an alarme that they came to the gate of S. Honore where they had knowledge giuen them that the kings troupes would come and giue them battell the 20. of Ianuarie The Spaniards shifts to corrupt Paris All this vanished away without any incounter or losse of the one side or on the other The Spanish Agents tooke this occasion to put the Parisians in feare for the aduancement of their affaires for they thrust certaine Regiments of Spaniards and Neopolitans into Parris and Meaux staying till they might conuey thither a farre greater number which the Duke of Parma was gathering togither with great diligence vnder pretence to come with them to the succour of Parris The packets and letters of the succours comming from Spaine and Italy serued for a very good remedie to the leaguers thereby to content the Parisians And to comfort and incourage them the more the new Pope assisted by many Cardinals did againe excommunicate the king and his adherents And sending a monitorie bill put it in the handes of his Nuncio called Marcellin Landriano to bee carried to the Cardinall of Plaisance his Legat at Parris The succours by him promised beganne to assemble The Popes forces against France As for the king of Spaine following the particular intelligences which he had with the Duke of Mercoeur his armie by sea came into the Castle of Brittaine and seized on the part of Blauet greatly fortified since that time Monsieur de la Noue was sent to make heade against the Spaniards And while they stayed for the succours of the lowe Countries the Earle of Brissac made a voyage toward the Duke of Parma who brought mony from them to pay the Pentioners thereby to entertaine them in hope of continuation The siege and yeelding vp of Chartres to the king The King retired to Senlis tooke his way to Brie stayed about foure myles stom Prouence accompanied with the Duke of Neuers each one thinking that hee would haue besieged that Towne which is not strongly situated hee made such a shew and in such sort that the League sent thither speedily fiue or sixe hundreth foote and two hundreth horse But because hee came no nearer therevnto they verily thought hee would haue set either vppon the Towne of Troys or on Seni staying onely for the Marshal of Birons comming who had receiued at Deepe certaine barrels of powder and bullets which was sent from England They continued firme in this opinion till such time the King marched towards Montereau Heerevppon rose an other report that the King went to Tours for the redressing of certaine disorders such as the leaguers blazed abroad euen to the very slaundering of the Princes of the blood But such thoughts did greatly hurt the league For the King holding himselfe close tenne or twelue daies with the Duke of Neuers sent word to the Marshall de Biron who was come toward Mant in his returne from Normandie after he had taken Caudebec Harfleur Feschamp and other Townes in briefe when hee brought all Prouence vnder the kings obeysance Horsmas le Haure Roane Pontoise and two or three other places that hee should crosse to Beausse as though hee ment to ioyne with him But that on a suddaine hee should turne toward Chartres to recouer it before any succour should enter into it for as much as the town had no other garrison but the own Inhabitants who were also diuided many bearing good affection to the King especially the Bishop which thing the Marshall performed so suddainly that Chartres was inuironed round about and besieged the tenth of Februarie A Captaine of Orleans named la Croix attempted to come to the succour of the Towne with his Regiment of threescore Curates and two hundreth harguebuziers But hee was incontinent inclosed and ouerthrowne in such sort that of all his followers there escaped but four and himselfe which made the fift who with the rest beeing very well mounted had all their mindes bent vppon flight while their fellowes throates were a cutting The Lord de la Chastre chiefe Captaine of the siege in Berry was constrained the same time to raise his siege from before Aubigni and soone after his troupes were ouerthrown by the Lord of Chastillon who came to the king at the siege of Chartres who by his valour and notable inuention of a bridge to go right vpon the breach was the principall cause vnder God that
to the poynt of his purpose euen to the verie noses of his enemies who daring not to come vnder his hands hee became Maister of the Towne And hauing brought vppon the Leaguers and Spaniards great shame and dishonour hee chased them euen vnto Han prouoking and inforcing them to fight but they could not heare on that side Noyon was yeelded and giuen vp to the King the seuenteenth of August About a month after The Duke of Sauois armie ouerthrowne at Pontcharra the Lord of Diquieres was ouerthrowne in the plaine of Pontcharra neare vnto the Castle of Bayars standing in the valleye of Graisiuodan with the Duke of Sauois armie commaunded by Amedio the Dukes bastard brother accompanied with Dom Oleuares a Spanish Captaine the Marques of Treuic and others There were slaine vppon that plaine more then two thousand and fiue hundreth of the Dukes armie a great number were taken prisoners beeing for the most part Gentlemen of commaund They wonne also aboue three hundreth horse eighteene colours bearing the redde crosse a Cornet was there taken and all their baggage left behinde The bootie which was gotten amounted to the summe of two hundreth thousand Crownes the most part thereof beeing in chaines rings siluer cuppes and coyne both of golde and siluer the rest in horses and armour The next day two thousand Romaines and souldiers of Milaine who with their commander the Earle Galeotte of Belioyeuse were saued within the Castle d'Aualon at length yeelded thēselues to the kings mercie But the furie of the soldiers could not be quieted til they had slain six or seuē hundreth of them the rest hauing white wands giuen in stead of Pasports were sent into Italie there to make report of their vnhappie fortune hauing promised neuer to beare armes against France any more This victorie was the more excellent for that on the kings side after they had searched their companies there was found but one horseman and two footemen dead and three or foure hurt The rest of this yeare was spent by the Lord of Diguieres in the fortifying of Grenoble and in the refreshing of his garrisons After the taking of Noyon the king caused a part of his troupes to go into Normandie as well to same those of Roane who shewed themselues no lesse obstinate then the Parisians as also to prouoke the Spaniards vnto battell for he knew that incontinuent the leaguers would crie for ayde and that if the Duke of Parma deferred their succour that he should either soon ouerthrow them or quickly bring them to some reason On the contrarie if the Duke should come there it would be a meanes to dispatch their affaires hoping that God would fauour his iust cause against the vngodly and infamous rebellion of his enemies In the meane space hee gaue order that Paris should be inclosed on euery side keeping still his garrisons in the fort of Gournay vpon Marne at Saint Dennis Melun Corbeil and other places as well by water as by land the great tributes and taxes which was gathered for the bringing of victuall to the Parisians and the maintenance of their troupes did so glean their mony from them peece by peece that it brought the people to great pouertie The Leaguers then did that which was loooked for for after the king The second and the last comming of the Duke of Parma into France had set forward to Normandie the king of Spaine beeing solicited from diuers parts and of his owne accord also for the recouering of his money sent the Duke of Parma who was diligently prouiding for the affaires of the lowe countries into Normandie to relieue those of Roane and to helpe them vpon such occasions as should bee presented Those of Guise and other commanders of the league made continuall sute to the saide Duke to that effect By this meanes toward the end of the yeare the Duke of Parma hauing committed the gouernment of the low Countries to the Earle of Mansfield departed from Bruxelles and with foure thousand foote and three thousand horse set forward on his way making small iournies because hee thought it the most necessarie for him and that vnder the appearance of armes hee might attaine to an higher purpose which was to procure the states of the league to giue the Crowne of France to the king of Spaines daughter whom they had promised to wife vnto one of the chief of that partie The Dukes armie was strengthened by the Italian succours conducted by Sfondrate Earle of Montemarcian and three thousand Switzers While all this preparation was made the sixteene of Parris the first authors of the league among the people who could not indure to see the Duke de Maine despise them and take state vpon him as he had done within a fewe moneths resolued to depriue him of his state pretending to walke more watily in their affaires according to the king of Spaines intent to whom they had Brisson thē President l'Archir and Tardif councellors hanged solde the Cittie therby to cut off as it were with one blow al the hope which the king had in their subiection They discouered among other that Brisson the President Tardif and Larcher Councellours were sorrie that they had such great part in the furious actions of the league thinking how they might finde remedie for the same vppon this supposing they had found that which they looked for and after certaine counsell had on the matter they went by their authoritie and apprehended the President and both the Councellours committing them to prison the fifteenth day of Nouember and on the morrow they caused them to bee hanged in Greue streete In this sort perished these learned men especially Brisson which plunged himselfe against his conscience into this pit of execrable felonie against his soueraigne Lord and the lawes of the Realme Thus hee receiued of those wicked men which he had so vniustly and so long supported in their heinous crimes a fit reward for his inexecrable faults Foure of the 16. hanged by the Duke of Parma The Duke de Maine which practised with the Duke of Parma beeing aduertised of this tumult went to ioyne with his trustiest friends made speed vnto Parris and caused Louchart Anroux Hameline and Emonnot foure of the sixteene to bee hanged and caused the other twelue to bee thrust out of office and made his Lieftenantship as sure as possibly hee could and to appease the people who were guiltie of this mutinie proclaimed the tenth of December an Edict of banishment vnto all those which had bene medlers in this new ryot Straunge felony committed by the Parliament at Roane As the Duke of Parma tooke easie iourneies into Normandie the Parliament of Roane published the seuenth of Ianuarie a cruell decree against their soueraigne Lord the King containing these words The Court doth most expresly forbid all persons of what estate dignitie or condition soeuer they bee without all exceptions to fauour in any sort whatsoeuer Henry of Bourbon
indeuours and by practises at Rome to ouerthrow indomage and make the D. of Neuers voyage for the king vnprofitable whom hee had sent to acknowledge his dutie to the Pope As for the Preachers belonging to the League publicke and priuately before and after the truce their discourses at Paris and other places were that the Masse which they sung before the king was but a deceit that it was impossible the King should bee conuerted that the Pope could not recatholize him that it was lawfull for the people to rise against him and his officers that it appertained to the Sorbonnists to iudge whether the Pope oght to receiue him as king And if peraduenture hee should do it neuerthelesse hee might bee held for an hereticque and one excommunicate that it was lawfull for any particular man to kill him that should say hee was revnited to the Catholicque Romaine Church These and such other propositions were made and spredde both within Paris and other places In regard of the declarations made by these estates of the League to keepe the fauour of their partakers to giue a secret touch to the kings Councellors as if they were not right Catholickes and to bring the Realme into far greater trouble then before they in their assembly the eighteenth day of August made a declaration containing these words among many others With one consent and aduise wee haue decreed established and or dained and by this present doo decree establish and ordaine that the holy and sacred generall Councell of Trent shall bee receiued published and obserued purely and simply in all places and iurisdictions of this Realme as at this present in the generall bodie of the estates wee do receiue and publish it Their oath Moreouer the same estates deuised the forme of an oath in these termes Wee promise and sweare to continue vnited togither for the defence and preseruation of the Catholicque Apostolicque and Romaine religion and to bring if it be possible this kingdome so long time afflicted to his auncient dignitie and renowme and neuer to consent for any perill or cause whatsoeuer shall come that any thing shall bee done for the aduancement of heresie or to the preiudice of our religion for defence whereof wee promise to hee obedient to the sacred decrees ordinances of our holy father and the sacred sea of Rome without euer falling away from the same Their diuision vpon the principall point But they were not vnited togither in respect of the principall poynt which was to acknowledge one king The Parisians and other townes that held for the League desired that the king of Spaines daughter might bee married to the Duke of Guise and so beeing ioyned by matrimonie they might be crowned King and Queene of France The Duke de Maine who was solicited to aduance the house of the Popes Legate made shewe to agree to so great an honour done to his Nephew but hauing accorded vpon the generall for his particular profit hee demaunded things impossible or at least so difficult that it might bee well perceiued that not esteeming the Popes or King Philips will nor the consent of the estates and chiefe of the League hee said as the Cardinall did in the Conclaue I chose myselfe Impossible it was that euer hee should come to aduance his Nephewe to the Crowne Peter Barriere attēpted to kill the king and is executed for the same These contentions produced the truce aboue mentioned which the Duke of Maine and his Councellours forged to breake a blowe with the partakers of Spaine and to draw new treasures into their purses This wrought the confusion of France on the one side on the other the Prelates and Sorbonnists which with the watch-word receiued from Rome had drawn the king to the Masse imagined in this sort to fish for a golden world But the leaguers thought to bring in new troubles and pernicious practises for in middest of these businesses the sixe and twentieth day of August Peter Barriere Alias Bar borne at Orleans was committed prisoner at Meleun where hee finally confessed that hee was seduced by a Capucin Fryer at Lyons by the Curat and Vicar of a certaine Parish in Paris and also by a Iesuite closely to follow the king and to murther him with a two edged knife the which was found about him He had beene intised to this parriside and was resolued to doo it chiefly about two months before and further confessed that two Priests by him nominated were also come from Lyons for the verie same intent and that he set himselfe the forwardest for the execution thereof to the ende hee might get the greatest honour thereby Hee was drawne through the streetes of Meleun where then the king was they cut off his right hand holding the murthering knife therein and after burned the same After this was done they broke his armes legges and thigh bones and in that sort laide him vppon a wheele where hee languished certaine houres till hee died then was his bodie consumed to ashes and throwne into the riuer his compleces or confederates so disguised themselues that they could not bee found or taken The Duke of Nemours Tragedie At this time was the Duke of Nemours within Lyon from whence hee would not stirre to go to the estates of the league although the Pope had giuen him commaundement the other chiefe Captaines thought it meete and his friend and seruants desired him to go hee vouchsafed not so much as to send vnto them knowing that the leaguers cast their eies altogither vpō the Duke of Guise and that the Duke de Maine his brother by the mothers side crost all his purposes and would worke all meanes for his death A certaine bolde Eryer of Lyon perceiuing well that this yong Prince pretented to bring some new matter to passe within the league whereby at least hee might haue some great hand in the gouernment by the aduice of two or three Councellours who were of his complecies hee compassed Lyon with many fortresses which held on his side at Toissai Vienne Montbrison Chastillon de Dombes Belleuille Tisi Charlieu and other places Quirieu forsaking him hee bought it with a great sum of mony at the hands of the Lord of Saint Iulian which was Gouernour thereof This done Lyon was inclosed as well by water as by land The Lyonnois did not withstand neither his prodigallities nor his Councellours nor his men of warre which forraged the plaine countrie receiuing the guerdon of their reuolt from the kings obedience In the end acknowledging themselues they rose vp against the Duke of Nemours assisted by the counsell and presence of their Archbishop sent by the Duke de Maine and the eighteenth of September they tooke holde of Nemours who was seene three times at deaths doore committing him to close prison where hee continued certaine moneths and at last escaping by cunning meanes spoyled of his succours chased from his Fortresses hee went and died farre from France in
finally had indeuoured to kill the king by the meanes of Barriere who was executed at Meleun as hee deposed a little before his death These considerations were cause that the first resolution taken by the Vniuersitie of Paris since the Citties reduction was to require the banishing of the Iesuites To this effect a supplication was presented to the Court of Parliament who hauing a certaine time despised the authoritie thereof in the end constrained by an act made the seuenth of Iuly containing that the indightment which was to be giuen against them should be heard the Monday following in a publicque audience to be iudged in open field they did that day entertaine their Aduocates and men of law in the great chamber before the audience were readie who did declare that to defend the cause on their behalfe he was constrained to say many hard things against diuers that were knowne to bee the kings true seruaunts and for this occasion they requested that the cause might bee pleaded within doores This deuice was made to hinder the people from the cleare knowledge of the corrupt and pernicious purposes of the Iesuites pretending to make all Europe subiect to the Spaniards but for as much as they had obtained their request this inuention had no such successe as they looked for For all their pleadings which were done close within doores was afterward openly published in print where the Aduocates of the vniuersitie men learned and deepely affectioned to the Romaine Church did particularly represent and discouer to the full the horrible wicked and insupportable malice of that sect But the deciding of the matter was suspended Gods prouidence reseruing the same to an othertime which came sooner then many looked for The Spaniards being desirous to continue the fire of discention in France instantly solicited the Duke de Mercoeur Warres in Britaine one of the chiefe of the league and an vsurper of a part of the Duchie of Brittaine alwaies to continue warre His sister Loyse of Vaudemont king Henry the thirds widdow did all shee might to make his peace Certaine troubles hapning in the meane time broke all that was done The Spaniards which were Maisters of Blauet a Fortresse almost inuincible had builded during the Sommer of the yeare 1594. a strong Fort neare vnto Croysil to stoppe◠he enterance to the port of Brest which would haue beene better for them if they had made another right against it and on the other side of the hauen Sir Iohn Norris Captaine Forbisher To hinder them came the Marshall d'Aumont and S. Iohn Norris Generall of the Englishmen to whom was sent a supply by sea vnder the conduct of Captaine Forbisher they soone became Maisters of Quimpercorencin and of the Towne and Castle of Morlay Soone after they assailed the Spaniards new fort and slew foure hundreth souldiers that kept it not without losse of their own men among other the said Forbisher The king on the other side deliberating to make war out of his own realm against the Spaniards agreed with the States of Holland and their confederates to beginne in the Duchie of Luxembourg where the Marshall of Bouillon who married one of the daughters of the deceased Prince of Orange and Earle Philip of Nassau assayed to enter in the moneth of October where they found all the passages shut vp and Earle Charles of Mansfield making head against them especially on the troupes of Holland The king on the other side sought to ouerrunne the frontiers of Picardie and gaue the estates of Artois and Hainaut to vnderstand that if they fauoured him so little to suffer the Spanish forces to molest Cambray and the countries adioyning that hee would then make warre vppon them incontinent This message beeing sent in writing from Amiens by a Trumpetter about the midst of December the estates knew not what to say vnto it and before they would make answere they opened the matter vnto the Arch-duke Ernest the king of Spaines Lieftenant in the lowe Countries whom they intreated that the warre might not continue perceiuing the desolations that were like to follow therevppon and that which had alreadie afflicted them but this Prince who deceased shortly after could neither doo any thing for himselfe nor in their behalfe The seuen and twentieth of December as the king was returning from Picardie to Parris readie booted and spurd within a chamber at Louure hauing about him his cousins the Prince of Countie the Earle of Soissons the Earle of Saint Paul and thirtie or fortie other Lords Gentlemen of his Court there came also in the Lords of Ragne and Montigni who had not as yet taken their leaue of his Maiestie And euen as hee was receiuing them Iohn Chastill attempteth to kil the king hurts him in the mouth and is for the same put to death and in Princely manner kissing them for his farewell a young stripling named Iohn Chastill of a small stature and about eighteene or nineteene yeares of age a Drapers sonne of Parris who was slid into the chamber among the preace drew neare vnto the king before hee was almost perceiued of any bodie and suddainly would haue smote him in the bodie with a knife which hee had in his hand but by reason that his Ma. was verie readie to take vp the Lords which were on their knees before him in his stooping hee strooke him in the face on the vpper iaw on the right side therewithall cutting out one of his teeth Presently this miserable catiue was taken and after hee would haue excused the deed incontinent vppon examination hee confessed the whole trueth voluntarily and without compulcion The king commaunded the Captaine of his guard that had taken him after that hee had throwne his knife to the ground to let him go saying that hee freely forgaue him But afterward vnderstanding that he was a scholler to the Iesuites he said And must it needs be that the Iesuites should bee confounded by my mouth This Parriside beeing brought vnto the Bishops prison freely declared the circumstance of his euill intent discouering many of the Iesuites secret practises Among many other things hee remembred that he heard the fathers of that holy societie say that it was lawfull to kill the king that hee was excommunicate out of the Church that hee was not to bee obeyed nor to be taken for their king vntill such time as he was allowed by the Pope The Court of Parliament cōdemning this Chastil of treason in the highest degree caused him honourably to be brought naked in his shirt before the principal gate of the Cathedrall Church in Parris holding in his hand a taper of waxe lighted of two pound waight and there on his knees to confesse and declare that most wickedly and traiterously hee had attempted this most inhumane and most traiterous parriside hauing hurt the king with a knife in the face That by false and damnable instructions hee had maintained by argument that it was lawfull to
Fere yeelded to the king by composition The Cardinall following this new won victorie besieged the strong Towne of Ardres in the beginning of May who for all that euer they could doo within the Towne hee became Maister thereof the 23. of the same moneth seuen daies before Fere wes yeelded to the K. vpō composition The Sene shal of Montenemart leaguer and Aluaris Osoro a Spaniard indured with their souldiers all the extremitie that could be thought or imagined euen till they saw the water two or three foote high within the Towne before they would yeeld or giue ouer after they had sustained a thousand greefes the space of fiue months The composition was honorable and for the profit of the besieged who went foorth with their colours spredde their drummes sounding their weapons and baggage drawing forth with them a double cannon markt with the armes of France They went forth the 22. of this month and retired to Cambrises The rest of this Summer was spent in small exployts in the countrie About the end of the month of August the Marshall of Biron followed with certaine troupes on foote and on horsebacke passed the riuer of Sone and the first day of September hee entered within Artois repaired the Castle of Ambercourt constrained diuers villages to redeeme themselues with a great summe of money And beeing accompanied with fiue Cornets charged the Marquesse of Vuarambon Gouernour of Artois who by reason of his forces to wit fiue to sixe hundreth horse in battell thought to haue got the glorie slew those which durst stay put the rest to flight tooke the Marquesse prisoner of whom he had fortie thousand Crownes for his ransome gaue a great alarme to all the countrie after ward chased the Earle of S. Paul seized and spoyled the Towne and diuers other places The Pesants which would haue spoyled the Towers and Steeples of the Churches were rudely handled in respect of those that stayed in their houses who felt onely the smart of this tempesteous warre by contributions for the prouision of victuals All this was done in eight daies The Cardinal intending to take the Marquesse sent the D. of Arschot in his place who while he entered into Arras had the Frenchmen on the other side who by a harguebuze shot from the Town set fire on a litle village And for that it was full of good booties the Marshall would not they should loose their praie and therefore conducted them to the frontiers of Picardie Thus beeing discharged the 21. of the same moneth they entered the borders of Banpaulme spoyling Hebutere Benuiller Courcelles and other places robbing the Pesants of their goods that durst not striue against them The Duke of Arschot incampped neare to Arras within a cannon shot and beeing carefully intrenched hee deliberated to hazard nothing knowing that he was to deale with a hardy Knight and one of the most resolute warriors in Europe The Frenchmen set fire on all places round about and getting more booties then before returned with easie iourneyes toward Bethune and Theroenne from whence they brought many prisoners and cattell then they retired and camped in the plaine of Azincourt without any resistance at all in this second voyage which continued ten daies The Duke of Arschot supplied with eight hundreth footemen ioyning with the Colonell of Burlots Regiment departed from Arras the fift day of October and incamped at S. Paul where the Marshall of Biron leauing them entered seuen daies after with his horsemen into Artois who with his footemen stayed at Moucy S. Esoy The thirteenth day he remooued to Cōfirmation of aliance betweene the King the Queene of England and the lowe countries Donay then hauing spoyled the countrey hee retired into Picardie within foure or fiue dayes after The Duke of Arschot hauing taken againe the Castle of Ambercourt discharged his Army setting his companies into Garrisons Certaine weekes before the Marshall of Bouillon had bene sent for into Holland to confirme as he did at Haye the aliance sworne betweene the King the Queene of England and the vnited Prouinces The like was done in England about the end of September The Spaniards in Brittaine defied Duke Mercoeur seeing him to continue truce with the Prouences of Poictou Aniou and Maine began to fortifie themselues at Blauit more then before and in other smal Townes which they helde Whilest the Kings Troupes were in Picardie he made his entry into Roane the 20. day of October where he was receiued with such pompe that the expence thereof was esteemed to amount aboue the value of foure hundred thousand Crownes at the Townsmens charges Throughout all France nothing was spoken of so much as how meanes might bee found to defend themselues against the Spaniards and to be reuenged of the manifold iniuries which the Realme had indured vnder the League But the Duke of Austrich on his side was not al this while idle but suffering the rigor of winter to passe which was wonderfull wette hauing had many great floods of waters wherof followed much hurt especially at the bridge at Paris which one night fell downe at the latter ende of the yeare at which time it was the death of three huundred persons drowned in the water and by the fall of the buildings made himselfe ready for the spring The King being stil desirous of the peace of his Kingdome about the end of Sūme◠gaue order to haue all the Nobilitie of the Realme assembled togither in a generall Councell which he determined to hold at Roane at the beginning of Nouember at that time there to be present to prouide for the publike benefite of the countrey of France In opening this matter he first made them an Oration the which to cut off briefly we will incert within this Page following If I would said he claime the tytle of an Orater I should haue learned some eloquent and long Oration and haue studied how to pronounce it with all pleasing grauitie But my Lords my desire aymeth at two more glorious titles which is that I might bee called the Restorer and Deliuerer of this decayed estate for which cause I haue assembled all you this day You know what belongs to your owne care so do I of mine for since it pleased God to call me to the Crowne I found France not onely neare hand ruined but almost vtterly lost from the Frenchmen I vowe by Gods grace by the prayers by the good counsaile of my faithfull Subiects that make profession of Armes by the sword of my true Nobilitie from which I do not distinguish my Princes because the faith of a Gentleman is our fayrest tytles by my paines and labour I haue kept it from losse Let vs saue our selues therefore from ruine Participate my deare subiects with me in this second glory as you haue done in the first I haue not called you as my predecessors were wont to do to confirme my owne will I haue caused you to be assembled to receiue your counsailes to