woulde haue made a sufficient armie by this meanes also the catholikes power was weakned Vicount Pauline was made Lieftenant of Montauban and mons Sanroman of whome we spake before being come from Switzerland to Nismes was made Lieftenant of the same after he had taken his othe The comming of Sanroman brought to passe that the discordes of the captaynes disagreeing among them selues hitherto being appeased their affayres had more happy successe in Nismes and in the cities adioyning therevnto all men obeying with all their heartes the commaundement giuen by him and also by the Senate Therefore nowe at the last necessitie and experience the schoolemistresse of fooles taught the religious for their necessary defence a new kind of order not vsed in the time of the former warres and more conuenient And these things wer handled very well in the assembly or conuocation at Milliaud These things being thus prouided to establish a certaine order the men of Languedoc also determined in this conuocation to require certaine things of the king for the confirmation of peace for the former Edict did not satisfie them as we saide before neither did the name of peace so moue them by and by that without consideration and respect all conditions were receiued bycause the light credit of the Princes afore time taught them to beware Therefore they sente vnto the king Mons Yolet Philip Cherenac and others whiche were actiue and prudent men The summe of their message was To giue thanks vnto the king for singular good will which he declared that he had to establishe peace in his kingdome That the same remedy was so necessarie the kingdome by so long warres being in decay and almost ouerthrowen that it could not be any longer deferred without present destruction That they were minded to shew all obedience to their Lord king But bycause the tragicall and lamentable memorie of the murders lately committed on S. Bartholmewes daye doth shewe how dangerous a thing it is for the king theyr soueraigne to be ruled by the euill counsayles of wicked counsaylers they most humbly beseeched his maiestie not to thinke it strange that they to whom it specially belonged sought the most conuenient wayes for the establishing of peace That it was lately broughte to passe that the king by the practises of euill counsaylers contrary to hys good nature declared him selfe by his publique letters to be the author and chiefe cause of that wicked fact the whiche notwithstanding a fewe dayes before he openly detested the contrary shew whereof was too shamefull in the sight of al nations That they were perswaded of his own good will towards them but they greatly feared least his mind shoulde be led by his counsaylers as aforetime and that therfore they would prouide for them selues and seeke to saue their liues and the liues of their friendes beeyng taught by the pitifull example of their fellowes THESE things being vttered First of al they require that for the securitie of peace and to auoyd newe troubles they might keepe those Cities whiche they had already in possession with their owne garrisons of men and the same to haue their wages payed them out of the kings treasurie Secondly that beside those Cities the king woulde giue vnto thē two Cities in euery prouince of the Realme which might be thought most meete and conuenient in the iudgemente and opinion of foure men two of the whiche foure to be Catholiques and the other two Religious and the same two Cities also to haue garrisons of the Riligious maintayned in them by the kings pay Thirdly that the vse of the reformed Religion bee free through out the whole Realme without exception of any place for al those which shal require the same of the king Fourthly that they of the Religion may haue graunted vnto them new parlaments in euery prouince and that by suche iudges as imbrace the reformed Religion Fifthly that to maintayne the ministers of their Churches they may haue leaue togather those tithes which arise of their lands Last of all that they whiche were the authors of the murder committed on Saint Bartholmewes day mighte be punished as murderers spoylers and disturbers of the common peace These seemed to bee large petitions and in very deede their speech to the king extēded farther in so much that the Queene saide in displeasure and anger That the prince of Conde him selfe if he were aliue and were euen in the very middest of the kingdome with twenty thousand horsemē and fiue hundred thousand footemē had also in his hands the chiefe Cities of the Realme would not craue the one halfe of those things Wherefore shee came to euery one of these messengers sought to win thē sometime by faire promises otherwhile by threatnings But it was so prouided in the assembly at Milliaud that the messengers of themselues should do nothing but only offer the letter vnto the king should refer the kings answeares vnto the Senate that the whole matter mighte bee allowed by the authoritie of the same Dayes of respit wer takē for a moneth a halfe so the messengers being honorably receyued into euery Citie returned home againe The Catholiques coulde scarsely be perswaded but that the most mightie princes fauoured the cause of the Religious and pretended that the great libertie which the Religious had was the cause why they so thought The king was said to desire peace being warned by the successe of the warre at Rochell and in Languedoc In the meane time preparation was made for the voiage into Polonia the Queene and the new King prouiding al things for great magnificēce notwithstanding they had not money according to their wil. About the same time in the which the Ambassadors of Polonia wer at Paris a very bold wicked fact was cōmitted Ther was a certayn Citizen in Paris of greate wealth named Nantoilet a Catholique one of the chiefe magistrates of the Citie To this mans house came the new king of whom he was very courteously entertayned But the Duke of Aniou being in the house begā to quarel with the said Nantoilet first with words at the whiche the other had great marueile Then his seruāts begā to spoile caried away his plate iewels brake opē his cofers and caried away a greate masse of money Thus the outrage of murders brake the raines of shame running into all impudent boldnesse AFTER that Harlem was taken the Prince of Orāge tooke Alcmar a Citie of Holland the Citizens being deuided within thē selues at what time one gate was takē by that part which held of the Duke of Alba and bāds both of horsemen and footemen sent from the said Duke wer now within the vew of the Citie Notwithstāding the Prince of Orange putting to flight the sayd power enioyed the Citie The Flisshingers tooke the Castell Ramekins the fifth of August Also the sayd Flisshingers the thirtenth day of the same moneth encountered with the nauie of the
feared both for that the same was addicted to the Romish Religion and also an enimie to the house of Nauar. The King said that he would not haue the manner of royall mariages altered which were wont to be celebrated there and the rather bicause the same did greatly make for the assured signe of peace when the same should be seene to be openly celebrated in the Metropolitane citie of the realme as it were in the face of the whole worlde And now although both partes were perswaded that this maryage might bee made very profitably yet notwithstandyng there was great doubt concernyng the manner of celebratyng the mariage The Queene of Nauar beyng zelously addicted to the reformed religion would in no wyse consent that the maryage should bee celebrated after the Romish fashion neyther the Queene mother would condiscend that they should bee maryed after the order of the reformed Religion Thus there was greate dissention betweene the two women whereas they were agreed of the principall matter The King at the fyrst intreated the Queene of Nauar to graunt vnto him and to his sister this libertie for that it appertayned to his dignitie that the forme of the auncient Religion which he had receyued from his auncetors might bee vsed in the mariage of his sister When the Queene of Nauar had constantly excused hir selfe and that the King perceiued he preuayled nothing at all it is reported that vsing his accustomed othes he sayd that he would set his sister at libertie from the lawes of Rome and also from the rytes of the Religion and that hee him selfe would celebrate the mariage than the which there could not be a more pompous celebration The which rumor was spred abroad among the Courtiers and this new imagination pleased many very well for whatsoeuer the King saith or doth that doth the Frenchman lyke insomuche that they frame both their speach and their apparell according to the Kings guise To remooue this doubte respite was taken on eyther parte The Kyng sente letters vnto Pope Pius the fyfth to obtayne lycence for hys Syster to marry with Henry Borbon hys Coosyne leaste the respecte eyther of consanguinitie or of Religion might hinder the mariage for that it was for the wealth of the Realme Furthermore that it would please his holines to giue them leaue to vse such rytes in celebrating matrimonie as might best serue theyr turne The Pope altogether misliketh of the Kings request the which he often tymes denyed to graunt affyrming the same to be most vnlawfull On the other parte also the Queene of Nauar consulted with the ministers of the reformed Religion what might be done in this matter Of the which diuers verdictes and iudgementes were giuen Some vrging the simplicitie of the word of god thought it wicked by any manner of meanes to contracte such matrimonie the which was therefore muche more daungerous in noble personages bicause the affayres in hand did not belong to one house alone but also almost to the whole Realme The which speaches notwithstanding were not gracious and acceptable to the Queene of Nauar and to the rest of the nobles perswading themselues that they should all generally receyue great profite by that maryage Therefore the matter was committed to a fewe by whose determination the same was to be ended and they concluded nothing but that which they knew would please the Queene of Nauar the nobles Then the matter being approued vppon their sentence determination began to grow in greater likeing to please more of the ministers whose iudgemēts were afterward required in publique assēblies of the churches of Frāce Thus the woorser counsaile tooke place and not only the Queene of Nauar but also the greatest part of them of the religiō earnestly wished that mariage All the cōtrouersie stood on this poynte by what way most conueniently and with lest offence of eyther parte the mariage might be solemnized THE Admirals wyfe being dead hee maryed another of the noble house of Royen being daughter to the Countie of Entremont and heyre to greate possessions This stocke belongeth to the Countie of Sauoy and thys riche noble woman was desired in maryage of many noble men and peeres also of Sauoy Notwithstanding the Admirall preuayled both by the meanes of the Kings letters to Philibert Duke of Sauoy whose authoritie was greate in makyng that noble maryage and also by his owne fame and name of Religion which was most acceptable to that heroicall Lady and so tooke hir to his wife which many gathered to bee an argument of most fyrme peace THE Admirall thought it necessarie for the expedition of the affayres in the lowe countrey to enter into league with Elizabeth the Queenes maiestie of Englande And good occasion as he thought was offered for that hir maiestie is single and the Duke of Anjou the Kings brother wanted a wyfe The Duke of Anjou thought him selfe woorthy so great a maryage both for that hee was the Kyngs brother and also bicause he had wonne to him selfe great renowne and prayse by his valiant actes in martiall affayres The charge to bring this matter to passe was committed to M. Momorencie a wise man and one of the chiefe nobles and gouernours of France The ende declared the causes of this league both that by this practise the myndes of the Admirall and of all the rest which ought necessarily to be blynded for the better finishing of the wicked facte might be deceyued all the whole matter being cloked with prouident care for the dispatche into the lowe countrey and also that Momorencie a man of sharpe wit myght not through hys familiaritie and conference with the Kyng smell out the counsailes of the tragedy which was in hande and finally that England being bounde by the name of this league might not stirre as offended at the wickednes of the facte the which also came to passe These were the reasons why the league was made with the Queenes maiestie of Englande as hath since appeared by the successe it selfe AVTVMNE of this present yeere was very vnseasonable flowing with continuall vehement showers of rayne A great parte of the houses and buildings of Feraria fell downe to the present ruine of the whole Citie Nere vnto Geneua at the straytes of Ecluse a great parte of a hyll was broken down with the freat and violence of the waters and fel down into the Riuer of Rosne with the which the water was so stopte that it dyd ouerflowe and the sayd Ryuer was so checkte with the floude that the streame hauyng hys contrary course backewarde caused the wheeles of those milles that stoode vppon the same to runne amisse and to turne the Milstones the wrong waye to the woonder of suche as sawe the same the lyke whereof was neuer seene before There was also so greate an Earthquake in a certayne village neere vnto Geneua that all the houses in the same were ouerthrowne and a certayne peece of
eyght leagues Wherevpon he returning belayed the countrey that suche as fledde awaye mighte bee taken Thus certayne of the noble menne of the Religion were preserued Also the Lorde Assier mons Sanroman Cugier and dyuers other noble men and Gentlemen were saued by the Guyses meanes To thys ende and purpose to laye all the enuye and blame vpon the king and people as though it had bin hys only purpose to reuenge his owne priuate spight vppon the Admiral and also that they whome he had saued in so greate peril might for euer by such a benefite be bound vnto him the which in deede came to passe THE Munday following whiche was the .xxv. daye of August the Sunne shined very bright and cleere Wherevppon the king looking out of his windowe of the Lower cryed with oathes that the fayre day did reioyce for the slaughter of the Hugonots Thus also sayd other of the court And Iames Carpenter by a publique bill called this bright day the lyghte of August About noone in the Churchyarde of Saint Innocent there sprang vp a bremble bushe which the Frenchmen call white thorne contrary to the time and season of the yeere Of the which when the people heard they ran thither in greate number to see this straunge miracle the like whereof hathe not bin seene Some say that this was made to growe by the practise of a certaine Priest whiche is not vnlyke But the common people sayd that God by a manifest signe did approoue the murther lately committed and that nowe both the Catholique fayth and also the kingdome of Fraunce had recouered theyr former glory and shoulde after this triumphantly flourishe Therefore the trumpets sounded in diuers places of the citie Notwithstanding it is certayne that the like kind of white-thorne or hauthorne sprang vp about the same time in other places also whether it were long of the temperatenesse of the season or no I knowe not Many seriously alluding to the names of the things affirmed that the white thorne sproong vp to the commendatiō of the Innocents not to approoue the murders bycause it florished in that place which had to name S. Innocēts But if so we mark this miracle what other thing doth the same signifie vnto vs thā this That albeit the Church seemed by this deadly wound to be quite slain yet notwithstāding it should come to passe that it being reuiued by a certaine singular extraordinarie power should flourish shuld firmely stand amidst these ouerthrowes It is not farre vnlike the myracles shewed to Moyses in the bushe the which though it were set on fire was not consumed THE King and the Queene determined by their priuie counsell to haue this murther proceede against other cities also thereby mynding to destroy vtterly them of the Religion least mons Momorencie by their helpe and ayde shoulde take in hande any newe enterprise He at this time was gone apart to Insuladam a towne of his dominion D'Anuil was at Paris who with the rest of his brethren had drunke of the same cup with the Admirall if they might haue bene brought altogether within the compasse of the same snare But it seemed not a sure and safe way to kyll one and to leaue the reste of the brethren aliue no so great power of the house and stocke of Momorencie The Thursday folowing being the eight and twentie of August the King commaunded a Iubile and a generall procession about the citie in the which he in his own person with the rest of the Court was present to giue God thankes openly as they sayd bycause their enterprise had such desired successe The same day the King caused it to be openly published that he was the authour of that murther forbidding the vse of the reformed religion throughout his whole realme vntill he had taken other order notwithstanding he sayd that he wold not haue these things so to be taken as though his Edictes of pacification were broken And this is the summe of the sayde late Edict The King desiring that all his peeres noble men gentlemen and others might vnderstand the true cause why the Admirall and his adherents were slayne of late in this citie bycause it may otherwise be reported than truth would he certifyeth all men generally That what so euer was done herein was done by his expresse commaundement and not for Religions sake or by any manner of meanes to breake his Edict of pacification which he woulde haue to stande in full force and to be faythfully obserued and kept but that he might preuent the wicked conspiracie of the Admirall and his felowes against his person his royall dignitie his mother his brethren the King of Nauar and against the Princes and other noble men which were in fauour with the king Therefore he giueth all menne to vnderstande that he willeth and commaundeth all those of the Religion to liue in securitie and peace at home with their families vnder his protection and garde as they had hytherto done And he giueth straight charge and commaundement to all gouernours of prouinces and other officers that no man doe oppresse them of the Religion eyther in life or in goods vpon paine of death Notwithstanding his will and pleasure is to take away those troubles and offences which may growe by sermons and other exercises of the Religion that none of the Religious noble man or gentleman of what state and condition so euer he be shall haue any priuate or publike assemblies for no cause vntill he hath otherwise prouided vpon payne of losse both of life and also of goods The which things howe well they doe hang together all men may see The King sayth heere that he would haue the former Edictes of pacification stande in force and yet neuerthelesse forbiddeth holy sermons and other assemblies vpon payne of death He affirmeth that he would haue all men to liue in peace and securitie at home and yet notwithstanding he playnely testifieth him selfe to be the authour of murthers And as touching the conspiracie made by the Admirall and the rest which were at Paris they themselues which take part with the Catholikes do scorne it as a forged lye GREAT murthers were committed at Lions and in diuers other cities so that within one monethes space there were at the least three thousande men slaine But of all the rest the wicked and cruell murther committed in the citie of Paris in the kings presence exceeded and farre passed the rest AND al gouernors of prouinces obeyed not those bloudy commaundements giuen by the king The Countie d'Tende answered the kings commaundement and his letters sealed with his priuie seale saying That he did not thinke this to be the kings deede but the deede of such as forged and pretended his name for that a fewe dayes before hee had receyued quite contrarie commaundements by the kings letters And he affirmed that he would obey those first letters as meete and worthy to proceede frō a king woulde fulfil the same
vtter destructiō Wherevpon the Kings officers were not so forwarde in theyr affayres as else they would haue bin thinking that they did but lose their labour in a matter most easie to be finished Notwithstanding an armie was prepared and the King by his letters instantly required Monsieur Beleur whiche was hys Lidgar in Switzerlande for the same purpose to sende with all speede a band of Switzers FOR there remayned as yet certayne cities whiche were held and garded by those that were left of the Religion as Rochel Sanxer and in Languedoc Montauban Castres Nismes Milliaud Aubenac Priuac Mirebel Ganges Anduz and certaine other townes of no fame in the territorie of Viuaueretz and Seuenats Notwithstanding it seemed to many yea and to the most part of such as professed the Religion greate folly ioyned with madnes after so great a slaughter almost of all that professed the Religion the kings power being nothing deminished hauing the whole kingdom redy at his cōmandemēt for thē to enterprise presume to defend them selues against the armie of so mighty a king after so great cōsternatiō feare whē as not only none of the Princes but also not one noble mā almost was lefte in Frāce which durst so much as professe the loue he bare to the Religion There were also and that not a few whiche sayd that it was great wickednesse vnlawful for subiects hauing no authoritie from princes or chiefe magistrates to beare armour agaynste their king though he were wicked that by the effect and successe it selfe it had appeared that the forceable resistance of them of the Religion hitherto was vngodly though it were collected by the authoritie of the princes and by lawfull titles both for that the king was in his minoritie and also bycause the breaking of the kings Edicts might be lawfully punished for that the kings wil was in expresse words declared That in this enterprise all things faile and that the king is a man that there wante Princes to whome the aucthoritie of gouerning the kingdome shuld belong and that the king doth playnely professe that he wil not hurt them of the Religion but that he commaunded that murder to be committed with purpose to destroy the Admiral and other the chiefe aucthors and instrumentes of the warre that the kingdome afterwarde might remaine in peace And that although in this matter he exceeded the rule of reason yet it was not lawful for the subiect to rebell against him or for the subiect to punishe his lorde and king for his offence There were also some which vtterly condemned the gouernment of the prince of Conde and of the Admirall in their actes and exployts of the yeeres past and through the enuie of the lamentable successe haue brought the whole cause in hatred And those false accusations of Carpenter and Pibrach in their Epistle to that famous man Stanislaw Heluidius were oftentimes obiected by exulcerated and gaulled mindes to make the remembrance of the former warres detestable So that a man woulde haue thought that the Religion had bin extinguished for euer in Fraunce and concerning this matter many of them disputed with odious wordes whiche in time of the former warres had highly commended the causes to take the same in hand And thus calamitie was counted for great reproch and shame such is the greate rashnesse of men in iudging of matters ALSO in those Cities whiche as yet had not receyued the Kings Garrisons these dissentions were very ryfe and the Citizens being distract and vncertayne what to do seemed not so much to delay and deferre the Kings Garrison as to spend the tyme to the ende that euery one myght get for him selfe the more conuenient oportunitie and occasion to flee and escape away or els to get fauour agayne thys was the common will and purpose of the Townesmen Notwithstanding God vsed the diligence of a fewe to bring the rest to a constant purpose and the feare of the cruell murders committed perswaded the people to defende them selues that for somuch as they were in vndoubted perill of death they myght if it so pleased the Lorde choose the more honest kinde of death by the lawfull right of necessary defence the Magistrate him selfe vrging them therevnto THEREFORE amidst so many and so great difficulties and extremities it seemed impossible that Religiō should stand by any manner of meanes and so euerlasting destruction seemed to be broughte vppon the Churches of Fraunce In these straits of great calamitie the prouidence of God of such beginnings as were so weake and so farre from the iudgemente of humane reason made a way for so much more glory as the disorder and confusion of all thinges was past hope of recouerie The chiefe Captaynes were gone the ayde and help of forreine Princes wanted yet notwithstanding the present helpe and helping fauour of God in due tyme fayled not Yet for all that there remayne suche greate things of so weake and feeble a beginning euen vntill this day that this same seemeth to be especially the counsaile and finger of God that the force and strēgth of noblemen beyng cut off he alone mighte be counted the author of his worke and mighte make manifest his manyfolde wisdome in this worke I may not dissemble and in making this a preface for the narration to come I swarue not from my purpose both those noble men and ringleaders which tooke vppon them the ordering and defence of this cause and also in part they of the Religion themselues in the former yeeres past offended many wayes Much disorder verily and many faults came by the ciuill warres in somuch that among those of the Religion the puritie of Religion beeing contaminated and defyled with true occasions of true accusations was euill spoken of For it is well knowen that the Admirall him selfe in those former warres protested not once but often That he had rather dye any kinde of death than he would be counted any longer a Gouernour and Captayne of such a leawde and wicked route of common souldiers most vnworthy of the bare name of Religion for such he knew many of his band to be God therefore iustly punished those mē which abused his Religion neuerthelesse hee dyd not neyther wyll hee leaue vnfinished the worke which he hath begonne But is there any man so blynde which seeth not what great punishments remayne for those which for the mortall hatred they beare to the poore Religion haue set to theyr helping hand to commit a most detestable fact seeing that to fyll vp the measure of extreme wickednesse all shewe of right and equitie is set asyde in so much that there remayneth no excuse for the same But to returne to our purpose agayne THEREFORE this fourth warre is more wonderfull than the three first bycause of most weake and feeble beginnings it had greater and more notable successe in so much that when the Prince of Conde the Admirall and other noble
vewed and put in inuentorie the whiche is alwayes the beginning of Confiscation so that the goodes of the Religious beyng absent were almost put in an Inuentorie but yet were not confiscate the cause whereof was the contrary successe whyche the Kyng looked not for If the Kyng had had such successe in his warre at Rochel as hee desyred it seemed that confiscations shoulde haue flowed wyth murders beyonde all measure thoroughout the whole Realme vppon them of the Religion to theyr vtter destruction Vnder the collour and pretēce of that Edict the king sought to bryng to passe by hys Legate mons Belleure with the Switzers which professed the Religion that those Frenchmen of the Religion whych were fled into theyr countrey myght be constrayned to forsake the same for many were fled especially to Bern and to Basile Notwithstandyng the Ambassadour lost hys labour for they extended still that same humanitie that they dyd before towards those fugitiues Almost about thys tyme a daughter was borne to the king Wherevpon he intreated Elizabeth the Queene of Englande that she would promise for his yong daughter in the holy Sacrament of Baptisme whiche we call the office of a Godmother To this request the Queenes Maiestie graūted and sent the Earle of Worceter into France to the king to be hir deputie for the same There was no man but he saw well ynough that the kyng at that doubtful time wēt about to coorry fauour with the Queene of Englande least she shoulde help the poore Inhabitants of Rochel and to this end the league was made We said before that they of Rochel answeared mons Biron that they woulde not receyue him into the Citie before suche time as the kyng hadde prouided for theyr securitie by assured pledges not minding to come to composition with bare words But the Kyng purposed to make those at his commaundemēt by dint of sworde and open force whome he could not wynne with wordes and deceyt Therefore hee deliuereth letters to mons Biron by whych hee banisheth them from his protection and fauour except they obey this his last commaundement as Rebelles traytors and the troublers of the common peace protesting that he woulde persecute them with mortall warre accordingly he commaundeth all hys gouernours and officers to persecute them with warre and by al other meanes euē as if they were giltie of high treason and pronoūceth that whatsoeuer they do herein against them shal be allowed and maynteyned At the same time mons Noe a noble man and in the former warres one amongst the rest most valiant came out of the lowe Countrey of Flaunders called Belgic and was reconciled to the Kyng and in token of his recouered fauour the king gaue vnto him the goodes of Teligni whose Sister mons Noe had maried whyche otherwise had bin confiscate as the goodes of others that were slayne were in the slaughter of Paris The king gaue hym in charge to perswade with them of Rochel that hee mighte bring them if it were possible to take those conditions of peace which he offered vnto them They of Rochel wondering at his comming after thys sorte sente vnto hym their letters of safeconduct that he might come to the village called Tadon the fyfth day of Nouember and to do vnto them that message which he had brought vnto thē from the king Thither came mons l' Noe and the Burgeses of Rochell Lāguilleir Rechenart Villers and Merelle Mons l' Noe declared vnto them that he had receyued commaundemente from the King Queene to tel thē that it appertayned greatly to their profite to yeeld vp the Citie into the kings hand and power that they mighte thereby deliuer themselues from that destruction presently like to ensue by the siege at hand and might also obtayne great peace for other Churches that he propounded thys condition in the kings name whome if they woulde admit to be their Gouernour according to the kings appoyntment they had free libertie to vse and enioy the Religion Notwithstanding mons l' Noe hauing declared hys good wyll and loue whiche he bare to Religion priuately perswaded them of Rochel to admit none in the kings name into the Citie before such time as they were sufficiently assured of their securitie and safetie The Burgeses of Rochel had onely authoritie and leaue to heare but no licence at all to determine any thing Wherefore they returning certifyed the Senate of the condition offered by mons l' Noe and mons l' Noe being come into the Citie receyued this answer That Rochel would not admit mons Biron beseeching the king that hee woulde poynt some other whiche loued the refourmed Religion to be their ouerseer or els to suffer them to lyue peaceably vnder the obedience of hys lawes In the meane time mons l' Noe being solicited both by the Senate it selfe of Rochel and also required by certayne other Ministers of the Church to imbrace the Religion sayeth that he was no lesse feruent towards the Religion than he had bin afore time and that he determined in him selfe to returne vnto them so soone as he hadde done his ambassage vnto the king The whiche hee perfourmed within few dayes after and was louingly enterteyned of them of Rochel After this they of Rochel cōsulted how they might get the Isle of Rhe the whyche was both neere and also commodious for them The charge to atchieue thys enterprise was cōmitted to mons Essarz He beeyng furnished wyth certayne Shyppes loosed from Rochel hauen about the dead tyme of the nyghte that he myghte deceyue the enimie ryding at anker not farre from hym Nowe there were come nere to the Citie two Shyppes of the Kyngs nauy vnder a colour to bryng letters to them of Rochel in the name of mons d' Guarde but in very deede they were sounding or plumming for the depth of the water for the whych cause they had one wyth them very expert in the same Whyles they were thus occupyed they were boorded by the Shyppes of Rochel the whych hauing slayne one of theyr chiefe Cpptaynes tooke one of the Shyppes and sente all theyr tackeling and cariage into the Citie the other Shyp being afeard escaped away Then they of Rochel returned into the Citie agayne Thys was a foretoken that they shuld haue good successe in the warre whiche was prepared against them THE fourth day of December mons Biron came to the citie wyth seuen cornets of horsemen and eyghteene ensignes of footemen hauyng also wyth hym two great brasse peeces to begin the seege In the meane tyme dyuers came dyuersly to this warre frō al parts of the Realme of those also not a fewe which aforetime had serued the Prince of Conde in the war and had nowe forsaken the Religion shewyng them selues to be more mortall enimies to the same than the Catholiques them selues They of Rochel held those villages that bordered vpō theyr Citie as Maraim Mose Nouaille whych were vnder the charge
also to the rest of the reformed Churches they also earnestly requyred this thyng that consideration of them might be had in like manner Forsomuch as they could do nothing of thēselues without theyr cōsent And thus they parted The day followyng Mons l'Noe beyng beset with sixtene horsemen hauyng encountered and charged a greater troupe and was pursuyng the chase was so neare hys death that if a Captayne had not put hymselfe betweene the enemie and l'Noe he had bene slayne But the Captayne thereby purchased hys deaths wounde The deputies of Rochel beyng returned into the citie tolde the whole matter vnto the Senate The Senate called before them the Pastors of the Church to haue theyr iudgement concernyng these matters The Pastors answeared That for so much as they were demaunded of those thyngs whiche specially belonged to conscience and to Gods prerogatiue it was a matter of great wayghte and therefore that they ought not to make answere to the same before they had craued wisdome of god Affirmyng that peace was to be wished but not such a peace as should be more perillous and mortall than warre as might playnly inough appeare by those former and late examples That it was not likely that the kyng commyng vpon them with his whole power proclaiming open warre would make conuenient and profitable conditions of peace notwithstandyng that they ought to endeuour themselues to forslow nothyng that might be for the peace of the Churches seing they sought not warre but their needefull and necessarie defence Notwithstāding that those conferences parleys did not seeme to be safe and without peril wherfore they thought it better to deale by wryting whereby they might also haue a more conuenient meane to deliberate Furthermore that they ought to haue a consideration of the common vtilitie of all Churches and that therfore they ought to do nothyng for their owne priuate cause except the vse of the same peace shoulde be extended to other Churches The next day the people were called togither that a finall determination might be made concernyng this matter And the people lyked of that iudgement of the Pastors wherof we haue spoken euen now This assembly was scarse dismiste when as the kyngs Armie was approched the gate of the citie whiche ran forceably togither on a heape to breake open the same Wherevpon they of the towne brake foorth and repulsed the kyngs power by little and little and ayde commyng still on bothe partes there was a sore skyrmishe at that place bothe sides valiantly quittyng themselues This skyrmishe continued verye whot the space of sire houres Monsieur l'Noe was in great perill of his lyfe his brest plate beyng broken with diuers violent strokes and his horse slayne vnder him The speedy commyng of the night ended this battayle Of the townesmen twelue were wantyng and seuen and twentie were wounded But of the kyngs parte there are sayde to be a hundred and fiftie slayne Wonderfull was the boldenesse and courage of the women in the middest of the fight comming almost into the daunger of the conflict bringyng to suche as were wounded wine and other comfortable things The nexte day whiche was the last of Februarie the thundryng Cannon shot beganne to batter the walles and gate of Cogne Wherby the cōsultations of the disagreyng townsmen were disturbed and constrayned they were by necessitie to defende themselues The same day the townsmen gaue an assault hauing mons l'Noe and Norman theyr Captaynes at the whiche assaulte many on bothe partes were slayne Mons l'Noe contrary to the agreed and concluded determination brought to passe that the sayd determination being reuoked in the publique assembly of the Senate and people it was agreed that the kings Deputies should be heard againe that the matter might be rather ended by peace than by warre Wherevpon Monsieur Strozzi and Mandreuille were sent into Rochel for hostages And Monsieur l'Noe and Iames Henrie Mayre came vnto the Duke of Anjou as it was agreed by the senate and people Neuerthelesse the batterie proceeded agaynst Cogne forte whose fortification within fewe dayes were beaten downe When the Duke of Anjou had hearde the Deputies of Rochel answered in the Kings name that the kyng woulde adde nothyng vnto those former conditions rehearsed vnto them already by Gadagne That if they were wise they woulde imbrace them betymes whyle the kyngs grace and goodnesse was offered vnto them and not to presume vppon vayne confidence to haue helpe and ayde out of Englande With this answeare they of Rochel returned to make reporte and then came agayne to the Kyngs campe requyryng that bothe the Citie and also the territorie of Rochel mighte haue one and the selfe same vse of the Religion and also that the same benefite mighte belong to the reste of the Churches dispersed throughout the Realme To the which Countie de Adretz made answer that the kings pleasure was to haue the Citie onely partaker of that benefite as for the other Churches that he woulde prouide for them at his owne pleasure and accordyng to hys wysedome willyng thē of Rochel to receyue the benefite offered the which the kyng would afterward graunt vnto theyr fellowes This answere was not liked The which being brought to the Citizens they al agreed that al wayes of defence lawful were to be sought that rather than they should runne into present peril they ought rather to prefer iust warre than to imbrace reprochful and suspected peace for God would defende theyr cause Whyle these things were in communication the greate gunnes shooke and battered the walles of the towne The townsmen also hauyng theyr peeces and shot well defenced with bulwarkes and rampyers discharged lustyly from the Citie in somuch that many on the kyngs parte were at diuers tymes hurt and slayne Among the reste from that forte which we sayde is called l'Euangele there was discharged a Canon shot whiche runnyng through hardell trenche not sufficiently fortified with earth slewe Duke d'Aumall as he stoode priuily behynde the same beyng vncle by the fathers side to the Duke of Guise And so the funerall exequies of thys noble peere was ioyned with the dayly slaughters of noble men and common souldiers Alwayes the thunderyng shot went off agaynst the townsmen laboryng to repayre the breaches of theyr walles notwithstandyng to the smal hurte of the townsmen busily occupied there aboutes Neuerthelesse a truce was taken for one day for a parley duryng whiche tyme the dischargyng of shot was forbidden on eyther parte Monsieur l'Noe and Meniuuille went foorth to the parley in the name of the townesmen The day followyng the thundryng shot wente off afreshe and the townsmen makyng an assault to Tadon made a light skirmishe in the whiche they had good successe and in the dead tyme of the night the townsmen clothyng themselues with whyte shyrtes wente foorth and had taken the trenche of defence when they were repulsed by the kyngs souldiers and many beyng slayne and
townesmen shoulde pay vnto the Lorde Chastre forty thousand frankes for the payment whereof they shoulde haue theyr goodes preserued from the spoyle of the Souldiers and it shoulde be lawfull for them to carry or sell the same else where at theyr owne pleasure the whiche money was distributed to the Souldiers by the appoyntment of the Lord Chastre That the Kyng should confyrme thys agreemente by hys authoritie And last of all that the townesmen should promise vnto the King al obedience euer after And that they shuld giue twelue such hostages as the Lorde Chastre shoulde name vntill these things were fully perfourmed and accomplished Therefore the last day of August the Lorde Chastre entred into the citie with a greate trayne of armed men And by by were taken away from the Sanserreans their drummes trumpets and ensignes Mons Ianneau within certayne days after was secretly slayne and neuer knowne how There was placed in the towne a verie great garrizon And ouer and aboue the foresayde summe of fortie thousande Frankes they were very straightly charged to pay newe tributes And concerning the vse of Religion the which notwithstanding was promised in the first article of the agreement there was neyther speach nor performance to this day The king sent the armies of the Switzers into Daulphine to terrifie the inhabitants of Languedoc and mons Monbrune that they might receiue the couenant of the peace of Rochel Notwithstanding when they had remayned certayne weekes in Daulphine when also Monbrune had trauelled diligently to and fro to withstande them and could not rayse them of Languedoc in so much that a great masse of money shoulde haue bene spent to no purpose those returned againe into their countrey which were returned from the siege of Rochel had escaped the perils of their iourney ¶ The twelfth Booke of Commentaries concerning the Temporall and Ecclesiasticall state of the Kingdome of France in the raigne of Charles the ninth THE Rochelleans had made a peace with the King withoute the knowledge of them of Nismes and others of Languedoc although they also were expresly contayned in the couenants of agreemente Notwithstanding the Edict beyng read did not satisfye them but affyrmed that the experiments of the former tymes replenished with diuers murders did proue that these pacificatorie meanes were snares to intercept and intangle those with the pretence of peace whome they coulde not by force of Armes with warre ouercome Therfore they thought good to consult and participate this matter with their fellowes and perceyue it needefull to prouide for the same by a common assembly of the Churches whiche were left So that after tydings was brought vnto them of the Edict made they sente into the Armie a messenger to the Duke of Anjou to giue him thanks on their behalfe beseeching him that for so muche as the cause in hand was generall and bycause it belonged to many of the reformed Religion to know these things in conuenient time that he would giue them leaue to assemble them selues together in a fit place and that to the same ende he woulde graunt them his letters patents for their assurance These letters patents were graunted and made and all they of the Religion to whome knowledge might be gyuen were warned to be at Milliaud in Languedoc Wherevpon there came many from all partes of the Realme according as the tyme would suffer them THIS was a notable occasion to prouide for thinges againe time to come For in this assembly they considered and scanned how they might order their affayres afterwarde and so prouided for thē selues both lawes ciuill and also martiall In the large prouince of Languedoc there are many prouinces the which were replenished with a great number of the Religious whiche helde diuers cities and Townes in sundry parts of the same hauing also amongst them the Catholiques in somuch that the keeping of those places was very perillous by reason that their enimies were so mixed with them Therefore to the ende their affayres might euer afterwarde be ordred after a more firme constant maner they appointed two generalties or Lieftenantships for the territorie of the Religion in the whiche all the Religious of that prouince were contayned namely the Liefetenantship of Montauban and the Liefetenātship of Nismes Montauban to haue the preheminēce ouer those parts of the higher Languedoc and Nismes of the lower in the which the territorie of Seuenatz and Viuaretz were coprehēded They apoynted to euery Liefetenantship a Liefetenant which was some famous noble man And they appointed the office of these Liefetenantships to endure so lōg as the ciuill war should hold eyther opēly or secretly that they might haue the chiefe authoritie in martiall affayres notwithstanding so that their power might be subiect to the iudgemente of the Senate Euery coūtrey or diocesse had his senate according to the ancient maner of France and they continue in vse especially in that part euē vnto this day these Senats they call particular states But the Liefetenātship in the which many diocesses are contayned is called the chiefe or high Senate whiche consisteth of certayne choice men out of euery countrey or shyre notwithstanding so that the sentences of euery Senate in matters of great waight were examined and straightly ouerlooked It was also ordeyned that by the decree of that high Senate or court the Lefetenant shuld rule and gouerne those affayres which belonged vnto the warre These Liefetenants had a certayne stipend assigned vnto them the whole rule and charge of the treasure belonged to the Senate the Liefetenant by his office hauing nothing to do with the same AND to mayntaine warre they tooke these wayes namely that the people might be restrayned so muche as might be from martiall robbing and that countreys might not be wasted and spoyled they charge the townes and villages by a writ out of the kings Excheaker to pay tribute yea and those townes also in the whiche the Catholikes inhabited lenying suche a summe as might be sufficient to mayntaine garrizons in them They call for a Cōtribution Thus they were gently intreated which payed the commaunded tribute husbandry also was permitted and mayntained So that those places inhabited by the Catholikes did obey for feare of robbing spoiling and burning Thus they went about to cut off all occasion of martiall libertie so much as might be taken away among so many outrageous furies of warre and they prouided for the continuance of longer warre if so be no reasonable and indifferent condition were offered by the king Furthermore they gathered the tythes and reuenues of the priestes and appoynted collectors for the same Hytherto all occasion to holde warre seemed after so great slaughters of men made to be taken away from the Religious but this way which they nowe deuised brought to passe that they of the Religion were able to mayntaine garrizons in diuers places the which when neede required being come together in one by the commaundement of the Lieftenant
ende of the moneth of December ORANGE was helde by Berchon in the name of the Prince of Orange and Berchon with the inhabitants of Auinion which bordered about him and of Venais also abstayned of purpose from warre Notwithstanding many of the Citizens of Orange hauing M. Glundag a valiant man of Daulphine their Captayn tooke the Castell and towne of Orange Berchon mistrusting no such thing who wēt straight way to Cortes a litle towne in the territorie of Orange After this M. Glandag warred very sore against Auinion against the inhabitants of the countie robbing spoyling them yea and the marchantmen as they went about their affayres were robbed in the common high way The sayd Glandag him self for all this boasted that he did not like of the reformed Religion and that only the poynt of his sworde was religious meaning therby that he did not embrace the doctrine of the religion but the cause of the religious By such like examples great offence was taken against them of the Religion THIS newe yeere comprehendeth the beginnings of newe and waightie matters with diuers successe both of king Charles the ninth by whose strong and florishing youth infinite victories to the vtter destruction of the religiō were prognosticated and also by the death of Charles Guise Cardinall of Lorhayne a notable auncient enemy of the reformed Churches which we will set downe according to our maner and purpose MANY of the noble men enuyed the gouernment of the Queene for whatsoeuer was done by king Charles was attributed vnto hir for that she as it is said being through effeminate and rashe hastines moued to displeasure one whyle agaynst some another whyle agaynst other some sought by all meanes possible to hurt those which might in any case withstand hir gouernement and for that she being a woman and which was more a straunge woman should haue the gouernment of the state so many yeares already against the ordinance of the auncient lawes of France and to the great reproche of the realme of France Therefore she had prouoked many of the noble men to hate hir especially bicause the authoritie of the nobles to whom the prerogatiues of the realme pertayned being by hir taken away and translated to hir selfe alone she aduaunced base borne men and straungers to great honour and to large riches and possessions especially Countie d'Retz who being the sonne of a Florentine Promoter called Gordes and his mother a famous harlot himselfe also at the first being but a seruant to a Forraiger came to so great riches and authoritie that he was not only checkemate with princes and noble men but also far excelled them Now bicause these large promotions gifts could not but be drawen out of the kings treasurie that is to say from the bloud of the miserable people lately oppressed with intollerable burthens of tributes many of the noble men dayly complayned that the common wealth was betrayed and troden vnder foote And the foule troubles of new warres did greatly amplify and encrease complayntes through the which warres the Citizens being armed with mortal hatred one against another by the instigation incouraging of a straunge woman with shamefull madnes killed destroyed one the other to satisfy the wicked appetites desires of an vngodly Italian Hetherto she had pretended the cause of Religion notwithstanding she sought this one thing only by these ciuil discords namely That when she had destroied the Frēch mē she might bring in Italians into the kingdome of France and so she might easely raigne alone hauing gotten such men about hir as stoode subiecte bound vnto hir Also the great misliking of the murther on Saint Barthelmewes day made hir to be the more enuyed and despised adding all that might bee to that notable hatred ▪ conceiued against hir bicause by the same fall not only many noble houses were depriued of their brethren and kinsmen the more noble sorte of them of the religion being slayne but also that the death of the noble princes and peeres was sought notwithstanding that they alwayes had imbraced the Romish Religion and that a manifest way was made to the vtter destruction of the nobles of France by this enterance and that bicause this ambitious woman would leaue nothing vndone to shew crueltie that she might rule and gouerne after hir owne will. Amidst the garboyle of the murthers they which suspected their bloud to be sought were at rest and were gone at the kings commaundement to the warre to destroy those which remayned of the Religion who being but fewe and weake seemed to be brought easely to destruction within few dayes But when the Queenes counsailes and deuises tooke not effect and newe murthers were made when there was preparation of warre against Rochell Languedoc then men more freely began to speake against those murthers and to detest those ciuill warres stirred vp by the commaundements of the Queene when as the contrary successe had frustrated and deceyued euen as it were in the very entry the imagined victories concerning the vtter destruction of those of the Religion And there was none which did not greatly cōdemne the causers workers of those murthers Peace was earnestly desired and hoped for all men when as the space of two yeeres had almost drowned the memory of the former troubles and iniuries and after so many spoyles made by warres new calamitie was feared insomuch that all men feared the cause of newe troubles And the remembrance of the pretended mariage celebrated with falsehood was most detestable to the euerlasting reproch of France Therefore in steed of tryumphes for the destruction of the remaynder of the religious there sprang vp new enimies from among the Catholiques themselues and that of them also which were present in those murthers and were instrumentes of the same who being taught by tyme it selfe and by the euent and successe of the matter did not only detest that wicked facte but also prepared them selues to reuenge the same And there was no small number of these new enemyes but the factions were copious and plentifull hauing ouer them noble and famous Captaines So many as could not abyde to fayle their countrey in extremity being now at the last cast and which being free from the Queenes liberalitie prefermēt which misliked of the insolent promotiō of straūgers so many I say seemed to be called euē as it were with the soūd of a trūpet to the societie of this new counsail The greatest iniury seemed to be giuē to the king of Nauar for that his mariage was dishonored polluted with the funerals of his friendes familie and he himself had come in perill of life except by a foule and shameful shift he had forsaken the religion in the which he was brought vp instructed for the which by the ayde furtherance of his mother he had held war. The Prince of Conde was with no lesse prouocations allured beside the olde causes the
to be made Notwithstanding hee to whom this charge was committed was taken at Lions by the Lifetenant Mandelot and was kept in warde certayne monethes THE Queene was much troubled in mynde and very carefull for the auoyding of diuers dangerous straytes For she did perceiue that they of the religion were not only sproong vp in great number but also that they were more wyse and by the late successe also of matters more constant and couragious and that therefore shee should haue a sore conflict with them To these were added new enemies who hauing no regard to religion but only a care of ciuil affayres would haue the gouernment reformed and in better state And she was not ignorant how that the most famous of the nobles were both authors and also instruments of that counsaile Shee knew that hir sonne the Duke of Alancon was an enemy vnto hir gouernment furthermore that the King of Nauarre and the Prince of Conde were very angry with the perill and dammage which they had receyued in their owne persons therefore the ambicious woman suspected that they also were of this counsaile to remoue hir from the gouernment of the Realme The Kings health bring past all hope of recouerie and the neere approachyng of his death was giuen out by his soothsayers whose helpe and counsaile the Queene greatly vsed which caused hir to feare least according to the custome of the lawes and ordinances of the Realme the gouernement of the same should bee set ouer vnto the Duke of Alancon whereby the counsailes and deuises of hir enemyes had an open way made for them to take effecte To take away these inconueniences the woman by long experience of matters and by gouernement in great affayres being more circumspect and subtil than the wisest purposed to prouide all meanes and wayes She ioyned pollicie and force together that she might not faile to bring hir purpose to passe She pretended the kings name in all causes in euery place whom notwithstanding shee made very seldome priuy to hir counsailes bicause he was sicke as she pretended She very carefully prouided that the kings armies should bee in a readines at hir commaundement vnder the colour of warre against Languedoc the which was certainly sayde to be prepared excepte they of the Religion in Languedoc would receyue these conditions commaunded in the Edicte of Rochell And the Countie D'Retes hauing receiued a great summe of money gathered souldiers together in Germany Also the end of hir policies was that the authors of the new sturres should be destroyed by a new murther Aboue the rest d'Anuil withstood these mischeuous deuises who being far from the Courte seemed plainly to make delay notwithstanding that he was oftentymes commaunded in the kings name to come at what tyme he being in a great and large countrey most fitte conuenient for his purpose by reason of the power of them of the religiō seemed to be in possibilitie to enioy both the kings armie and also the noble cities therin he beheld dayly other enemies whō the queene sawe to be lesse appliant to do iniurie Therfore there came oftentimes letters of the king to d'Anuil that eyther setting all excuse asyde leauing the prouince in peace he would come vnto the king or els veryly that he should be apprehended amidst these communications of peace And for this purpose M. Sansulpis and M. Villeroy were sent to d'Anuil vnder the colour of peace speciall commaundements of the Queene concerning this matter being giuen to M. Suz and Mongeron who in those partes were of great authoritie among the Catholiques On the other parte the Queenes enemyes had their secret counsailes the ende whereof was that an assembly of States might bee had euen by meere commaundement and that the gouernement of the Realme might be restored to a better state concerning the which matter what we know wee wil speake anon Therfore while the Queene sent often messengers into Languedoc concerning peace both d'Anuill was diligent in his affayres and also they of the Religion wished peace Neuerthelesse they of the religion made new delayes dayly by those cōmunicatiōs of peace which they called a collation and messengers were sent to and fro from the Courte into Languedoc These things thus continued from Ianuary vnto the moneth of March. AT THE laste Henry Valoys came into Polonia and was receyued with great pompe of the Polonians And after that the royall Funeralles belongyng vnto kings was celebrated for Sigismond who notwithstanding dyed in Iune in the yeere M.D.Lxxij the newe king was crowned in a great assembly of the nobles and people of Polonia at Cracouia by the Arche bishop of Guesuen the eightenth of February of this present yeere M. Mombrune towarde the ende of the moneth of March came with his armie into that parte of Daulphine which lyeth vppon the coast of the Riuer of Rosune and tooke certayne smal townes as Loriol Liberon Ale◠Gran and Roynac and repayred the decayed walles of Liberon and Loriol After this he made an inroade and inuasion of all that countrey violently assayling the gates of Valence of L'Crest and of Montile And he conspired against the most noble Cities and specially against Montile the which conspiracies the Catholiques turned to the destruction of many Vppon this occasion the noble men of the Religion which lay in corners vntill the tyme seeing the present perill that king ouer their heades came and ioyned themselues with Mombrune VVE SAYD before that Orange was taken by Glandag to giue occasions of warre Whilest he was absent Berchon by the helpe industrie of certayne of the Citizens of Orange tooke the Castell and the Citie notwithstanding parte of the townsmen were sore afearde and they also of the Religion which dwelt there aboutes as if Berchan would haue restored the Romishe Religion and euil entreated them of the religion Neuerthelesse he going about no new thing gaue thē to vnderstande that hee helde the Castell and the Citie in the name of his Prince that all Citizens without difference of Religion might liue peaceably according to the forme of the Edicte And so their neighbours of Auinion which seemed to be in possibilitie to get that Citie to the which they bare alway a priuie grudge were put out of all hope to obtayne the same Berchon was sayd to be very familiar with Cardinall Arminiae the Popes Legate but not without great suspicion of a summe of money receyued ABOVT the same tyme the Catholiques thought that they had occasion offered them to get Nismes by treasō There is a little towne neere vnto Nismes called Margaret of the which M. Santaial a noble man had the gouernement with a strong garrison who by the meanes of certayne of the Catholiques of Nismes delt with a certain captayn of the townsmen named Deron and promised a great summe of money to tell him by what meanes he might get the Citie The captayne by and by bewrayed this matter vnto M. Sanroman
long delay But he tooke Mountpellier Boucar Lunell and Pozenac and from Pozenac he was repulsed by the treason of a certaine Captayne to whom hee had committed both the Citie and also his daughter which was but two yeeres olde At the last by the kings commaundement M. Coconass and d'Mole were arayned in the Senat of Paris and were condemned of high treason against the kings person the state for which they were put to death and their goods confiscate to the King Rumors were spred abroad that the Momorencies and Marshall Cosse were the chiefe authors of their conspiracies and yet notwithstanding it is euidently knowen that neither Cononas nor d'Mole nor any of those which were apprehended had committed any such thing Men sayd that the Duke of Alanson sought to flee vnto Lodowic Nassau bicause he knew that treason was practised against him The Senate doubted to condemne them for this cause for that the house of Nassau were called by the king in his Edicte his frendes But to the ende the treason might appere by the confession of those that were apprehended the king pronounced Lodowic Nassau to be his enimy And so the Senate gaue sentēce against them Amidst these domesticall confusions of the courte all things were ordered either by blinde treason or els by mad violence Wyse men blamed much the lingering delay of the Marshals who deferring the tyme loste all occasions to bring any thing well to passe and so behaued themselues that they seemed neuer so much as to haue those matters in their thought Notwithstanding it was certainly reported that a great number of the nobilitie of France abhorring long ago the gouernement of the Queene and of straungers bicause they were not only reiected but were also in daunger of their lyfe to fill vp those furies on Saint Barthelmewes day had determined to reuyue againe the authoritie of the States and to reforme all things according to the prescript of the auncient lawes of the Realme To this also there was added a newe cause namely the dispayred health of the king Therefore he being dead it was sayd that their purpose was to giue the gouernement of the Realme vnto the Duke of Alanson in the absence of his brother which was next heire vnto the Crowne It was also necessarie for the peace and tranquilitie of the Realme that Religion should be prouided for We will in another place set downe the forme of that protestation in the which d'Anuill declareth the causes why he armed him selfe Treason also was practised against the Prince of Conde Who at that tyme was at Amiens the chiefe citie of Picardie And hauing intelligence of the treason went out of Amiens a hunting as he pretended according to his woonted manner and so comming home to his house making M. Tore one of the brethrē of Momorencie acquainted with his purpose came with all posting speed into Germany where he was very curteously receyued Within few dayes after the king of Nauar published a bil by which he clered himself from all suspiciō of the said cōspiracie against the king Men said that this was made by the subtil practise of the Queene that the hatred spite of the whole matter might light vppō the heades of the Marshals And thus he beginneth Bicause I vnderstand that certaine deceyuers haue dishonestly and wickedly spred abroad false rumors concernyng mee by the which to the dishonour of my name that duetie which I owe vnto my soueraigne Lord the King is brought in doubt as though I were partaker of that conspiracie lately reuealed at Sangerman I haue I say for this cause intreated the Kings maiestie to giue me leaue to write these things thereby euidently to signify my will vnto all men Therfore my desire is that all men know that the same matter is most false fayned such as neuer came in my mynde And I am so far from being giltie of this facte that I am rather perswaded according to the bonde both of nature and also of deuine and humane lawes to spende my lyfe and goods and to loose my frendes for the dignitie of my soueraigne Lord the King and the safetie of his faithfull subiectes and by all manner of meanes to withstand their enterprises who being Rebelles to the King doe trouble the peace and tranquilitie of the realme The lyke bill also was seuerally published by the Duke of Alanson VVE spake before concerning the comming of Countie Mongomerie into Normandy And hee was not long in the towne of Sanlo but M. Matigon the Kings Lefetenant of the lower Normandy beseeged the same So soone as Mongomerie sawe that the same was beseeged after deliberation had he went out of the towne with a hundred and threescore horsemen for he had not two hundred in all and came to Danfro which as we sayd before he had taken Danfro is a little town of the lower Normandy in the territorie of Passi the Duke of Alansons dominion which towne was hitherto obscure and now by the calamitie of Mongomerie made famous beyng walled rounde about with a weake wal yet notwithstanding fortified with a strong Castell all along the same ran the riuer of Meisne Mongomerie purposed for the refreshing of his horses to tarry there certayne dayes and then to ioyne him selfe to the succours of his fellowes which came dayly out of diuers partes of Normandy and of other quarters therabouts So soone as Mons Matigon heard hereof how that Mongomerie was within the walles of Donfro he came without delay to Donfro leauing parte of his armie at the seege of Sanlo and with the sounde of Trumpets gathered together from all partes a great number of those countrey men and sent vnto the King for more ayde There came therefore vnto him of the Kings Souldiers from all places the citie was beseeged and the walles sodenly battered with great guns Mongomerie at the first sought to deliuer him selfe out of the towne the which when he could not doe hee lefte the Citie and tooke the Castell He had with him scarce a hundred and fyftie Souldiers who being out of hope sought all occasions eyther by colour of eruption or by parley to flee vnto the enemie The Castell was battered with ordinance The fyrst charge Mongomerie valiantly withstoode to the great hurte of his enimies but when he sawe that his men fell away from him and that hee wanted things necessarie for the defence of hym selfe and the Castell hee desired to parley with M. Matigon and yelded him selfe and his men vnto hym vppon certayne conditions namely that hee and his might departe with their lyues that for certaine dayes hee might go whether hee would and that hee should departe without losse of lyfe in safetie so soone as he had deliuered vp the Castell And thus hee yelded vp the castell and hym selfe to M. Matigon Then the Kynges Souldiers runnyng through the breaches of the walles into the Castell slue whomsoeuer they met contrary to their fayth