to kingdomes and empires and haue surnamed you Pepin the short or curtalled You behold you vpon the poynt to be another great Charles the great your great great grandfather if the fayre or market hold But regard I pray you that you suffer not your selfe to bee deceiued These Messieurs of Spayne Spanyards paynted out although they be our very good friends good Catholikes be not merchants at one word and buy sell with no more and that is found true in them not at this time only for there are almost two thousand yeares since that they haue medled with more matters then they should and that men haue giuen them this name to bee fine and cunning in doubling of poynts They promise you this diuine damosel or daughter in mariage to make her a Queene in solidum that is altogether and wholly with you but take you heede that the Duke de Feria haue not filled his seates signed without charge He hath a boxe full of such things wherewith he serueth himselfe vpon all occurrences as of a last for euery shooe and as one saddle for all horses he dates them or he antedates them with his chamber pot when pleaseth him I haue feare something that he hath propounded vnto vs that this is nothing but arte and subtiltie to amaze vs withal when he hath seene that we will not vnderstand or be of minde to breake the law Salick If you haue but neuer so little nose you shall smell it For we knowe in good part that the marriage is alreadie accorded of her and of her cousin the Archduke Ernest Adde that is ioyne hereunto that those of the house of Austrich doe as the Iewes doe that doe not marrie but in their tribe or familie and hold one another by the tayle as hannekins and hannetons doe Leaue of therefore this vaine hope of Gynecocratie That is gouernment of women together and beleeue that little children mocke at it and goe from it to mustard I heard the other day one that comming verie brauely from the tauerne did sing these foure verses The League finding it selfe flat nosed And the Leaguers much without repose Aduised themselues of a fetch which is To make a King without a nose But if I had been able to haue made him to haue been caught by the commissarie Bazin who ranne after him he had had no lesse then the miller that mocked our Estates What wil you say to these impudent politikes that haue put you in a shape in a faire leafe of paper A prety deuise alreadie crowned as a king of the cardes by anticipation and in the same leafe haue also put the figure of the sayd infant or daughter crowned for Queene of France as you you regarding huze a huze one the other And in the neather part of the sayd painture haue placed these verses which I haue kept by heart because that therein it goeth as on your side The French Spanalized haue made a King of France To the daughter of Spayne they promised haue this King Aroyaltie very small and of slender importance For their France is comprised within Paris a strange thing O Hymen mariage god for this cold mariage Thy quiet torch I pray at this time doe not bring Of these disioyned corps men set out the image That make the loue of eyes both two within one thing It is a royaltie onely in shew most sure Deceit and not true loue hatched hath this mariage Good cause that being King of France in portraiture They cause him to espouse of a Queene the image If Monsieur of Orleans in the qualitie of Aduocate general would cause to be searched out these same wicked politike Printers it is his charge and they might bee knowne by their caracters and his good gossips Bichon N. Niuelle Chaudiere Morel and Thiere will discouer the matrice Touching my selfe I willingly forbeare it for these heretikes are euill speakers as diuels I should feare they would make some booke against me as they did against the Catholike Doctor and Lawyer Chopin vnder the name of Turlupin And neuer mend it is likelie Messieurs of the hall or place of hearing will therein doe their duetie more loco solitis after their wonted manner and place I will hold my selfe content to preach the word of God to maintaine my Beadles and carefully to solicite my pensions Let all this be spoken by a parenthesis But Monsieur de Guise my good child beleeue me and you shall beleeue a very foole stay no more vpon that Neuer better spoken it is not foode for our foules or birds Lift not vp your traine for all this we doe not inlarge or make longer your table by reason of this There is hay there are none but beasts that delight in it but doe better obtaine of the holie father a croisade or an expedition and voyage against the Turkes and goe and reconquer that goodly kingdome of Ierusalem which appertaineth to you by reason of Godfrey your great vncle euen as wel as that of Sicilie and the kingdome of Naples How many scepters and crownes are prepared for you if your horoscopus lie not as you your selfe are wont to say that you haue not a limited fortune Leaue this same wretched and miserable kingdome of France to him that will vouchsafe to take the burthen of it It is not fit that your spirit borne for Empires and the vniuersall monarchie of the habitable world should stoope to so small morsels or matters and vnworthie of you and of your late father A carefull caution whom God absolue if it be permitted to speake so of Saints And you Monsier the Lieutenant to whom I must needes now speake What thinke you to doe you are grosse and fully panched you are heauie and deformed you haue head big enough indeede to beare a crowne But what you say you will none of it and that it would too much ouer burthē you The politikes say that the foxe sayd so touching mulberies which he would faine haue had The foxe will eate no grapes You hinder vnder hād that your nephew should not be chosē you forbid the deputies that none of them bee so bold as to touch this great string of the royaltie or kingdom What shall we do then We must haue a King who as the politike doctors say is better takē thē sought You make the K. of Spaine beleeue that you keep the kingdom of Frāce for him for his daughter vnder this hope you sucke draw from the honest man all that that the Indies and Peru can send him he maintaineth vnto you your plate he sendeth you armor armies but not at your deuotion or disposition For he looketh to himselfe for all you and hee distrusteth you both one and other as though ye were blinde A iust iudgement and taketh you as theeues In the meane while yee haue prouoked the sixteene who accuse you to bee a marchant
than Master Mousche or flie These beastes forget some times their gouernours speciallie if they change their habite or attire hee shall not bee ill parted with if hee come to his pretentions whereto you Monsieur the Lieutenant and Monsieur of Lyons will doe him I beleeue very good offices The whole summe Messieurs you are too many dogges to gnawe one boane you are iealous and enuious one of another and you can neuer tell how to agree or liue without warre that would put vs into worse estate than before But I will tell you let vs doe Deepe counsell as they haue done in the consistorie for the election or choyse of a holy father when two Cardinals sued and laboured for the popedome the other Cardinals for feare they should incurre the hatred of the one or of the other chose one amongst themselues the weakest backed of them all and made him Pope Let vs doe so you are foure or fiue robbers in the realme all great Princes and such as haue no want of appetite and stomacke I am of aduise that not one of you should be king wherefore I giue my voyce to Guillot Fagotin the keeper of Gentilly a good vine dresser and an honest man who singeth well at the deske A worthie example and knoweth all his office or seruice booke by heart This will not be found without example in such times as this is witnesse the Harelle of Roane where they made king one named le Grasse or the fatte one as wee would say who was much worse aduised than Guillot And thus you see whereupon I founde and grounde mine aduise I haue read sometimes the great and diuine Philosopher Plato who saith that those realmes are happie where Philosophers are kings and where kings are Philosophers Now I know that it is little more than three yeares since that this good gardian of Gentilly and his familie together with his kine meditated day and night Philosophie in a ball of our colledge in which there is more than two hundred good yeares that men haue read and treated and disputed publikely philosophie and all Aristotle The place sanctifieth the person with these men in all matters and all fortes of good morall bookes It is not possible that this good man hauing raued slumbred and slept so many dayes and nights within these philosophicall walles where there haue been made so many skillfull lessons and disputes and so many goodly wordes vttered that there should not something thereof abide that hath entred pierced and penetrated into his braine as it did to the poet Hesiodus when hee had slept vpon mount Parnassus And this is the cause why I persist and meane that he may as well be king as another Now as Monsieur Roze ended these wordes there sprong out a great murmuring amongst the deputies some approuing other some reprouing his opinion and the princes and the princesses were seene to whisper in the eare one of another yea it was hard that Monsieur the Lieutenant saide very basely to the Legate A prophesie and no lie this foole here will marre all our misterie Notwithstanding the foresaid Roze would haue continued his speech but when hee sawe the noyse to begin againe with a certaine generall clacking of hands he rose vp in choler and cried with a very loude and outstretched voyce How now Messieurs Is it permitted here to speake what one thinketh Haue not I libertie to speake and conclude my arguments as Monsieur of Lyon hath done I know well that if I had been a courtier as he I should not haue named a person for he hath charge from the clergie to name Countie du Bouchage Frier Angell for the hope that this Prince louing change would change also our miseries into stroakes or blowes from heauen But I pray you keepe him to be are the golden torch in the battailes for it ought to be enough for him that he hath quite forsaken the bagge and the wallet At these wordes euery one began againe to crie to whistle to hisse and though the heraulds the vshers porters and all cried aloude Hush and be still the word peace is a bull-begger let euery man holde his tongue not daring to speake the worde peace there and that Monsieur the Lieutenant sundrie times commaunded them to make silence yet it was not possible to appease the bruite and noise in so much that the sayd Lord Rector sweate fret fomed and stroke with his foote and seeing that there was no more meane to take his theame againe cryed as loude as hee could Messieurs Messieurs I see well that you are in the Court of King Petault where euery one is master I leaue it to you and you to your selues let another speake I haue spoken And thereupon he set himselfe downe againe mumbling very much and wiping the sweate from his forehead and there scaped from him as some say certaine odoriferant belchings of the stomacke that smelled of the perfume of his choller with certain words in a low note Good stuffe but there can come nothing els from thece complaining that they had defrauded the assignation sent out of Spayne for my masters the Doctors and that others had made their profite of it but that this was the gold of Tholouze which should cost them very dearely At the last the rumour beginning a little to bee reappeased Monsieur du Rieu the younger Countie and gardien or keeper of Pierre-font deputie for the Nobilitie of France apparrelled with a little cape after the Spanish fashion and a certaine high coppin tancked hat lifted vp himselfe to speake and hauing twise or thrise put his hand to his throate which did itch he began in forme following The Oration of the Lord of Rieu Lord of Perrierefont for the nobilitie of the vnion Or Roration rather as you shall perceiue by the things contained herein and the manner of the handling thereof MEssieurs I knowe no cause why they haue deputed me to beare the word in so good a companie for all the Nobilitie on our side I must needes say that there is some diuine thing or matter in the holy vnion seeing that by the meanes thereof of a commissarie of the artillerie poore miserable enough I am become a gentleman and the gouernour of a very faire fortressc yea that I may equall my selfe to the greatest and am one day to mount very high either backward or otherwise I haue good occasion to followe you Monsieur the Lieutenant and to doe seruice to this noble assemblie by black or by white He dwelleth by euill neighbours by wrong or by right seeing that all the poore Priests Friers and good people deuout Catholikes I assure you doe bring mee candles and adore mee as a S. Maccabee of times passed This is the cause wherefore I giue my selfe to the liueliest and quickest of the diuels that if any of my gouernment thrust in himselfe to speak of peace I runne vpon him as
thou shalt be sure Its virtue that makes kings A worthie sentence their crowne alfor to indure In Latin and translated out of it Vnconquered prince and of thine age the glorie eke alone Euen GOD himselfe doth set thee vp True for kings reigne by him vpon thy grandsires throne And with a happy hād doth reach to thee two scepters braue Which takē from the Spanish foe thou shalt vphold haue In daies past one of the sisters three did spin this goodly thred But though they should denie to thee the gold crowne of thy head And eke the holie oyle that was vouchsafed of France to the King Which messenger both swift and faire from heauen high did bring That shal not let but rule thou maiest after thy fathers rate Virtue crowns the king virtue I say the king doth cōsecrate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 T.W. THE FRENCH PRINTERS DISCOVRSE TOVCHING THE exposition of these words Higuiero of hell and concerning other matters which he learned of the Author himselfe MY masters and good friends the profite that I haue made by the imprinting of this treatie and that which Iowe to this discourse haue made mee very desirous to knowe who was the author hereof For after that the French copie was first giuē me at Chartres at the consecration of the King by the gentleman of whom I haue heretofore made mention I did perceiue that sundry learned men yea and I my selfe did very easily iudge by the stile and language of the booke that an Italian was neuer able to make so good a french worke and so well polished as this is that sheweth an absolute knowledge of all the affaires and of the very natural disposition of all the most famous men of Fraunce Wherefore we must of necessitie conclude that hee was a French man that made it yea such a French man as had good vnderstanding and intelligence and was well trained vp at court that the Florentine which was about to cary it into his countrie from whom his seruant stole it together with the male had but only turned it out of French into Italian that so hee might cause it to be seene and read in Italie And this was the cause why I my selfe trauailed with a certaine wonderfull care to discouer and finde out him who had made vs indebted vnto him for this worthy worke that hath giuen so great pleasure contentment and liking to all good and honest people But not withstanding all the inquirie that I was able to make thereabout I could not finde a man that told mee any very certaine and assured newes touching the same but speaking only by presumptions suspitions and coniectures till one of these dayes last past when I was almost past hope to knowe any thing touching the matter there did by fortune come vnto me in the street a very aged man very leane also and pale which since I haue heard to bee called Master Polypragmon That is Master busie bodie who abruptly and vpon the sodaine demaunded of me if it were not I that had printed the Catholicon of Spaine At the first I made some difficultie and doubt to consesse it vnto him fearing that hee had bin some one of them that had bin named therein and had felt himselfe moued therewith as diuers had done no no saith he keep not close from me that that all the world knoweth I was at Tours when you first imprinted it and knowe andeed the name of them that gaue you the originall copie thereof but for all that it may bee that neither your selfe nor they which gaue you it knewe who was the author thereof Perceiuing then that he knewe so much of this matter I could not but confesse that in trueth I had printed it at Tours but that I was not able to finish it but in the very time that I must trusle vp my baggage to come in to this citic after that the Parisiens were returned to their former good vnderstanding and brought into the obediēce of the King That fell out well for you sayd he for before that you had set it abroad diuers men had seene sundrie imperfect and defectiue copies which had very much stirred vp their desire to see the rest well polished and published But you are much out of the way when in your Epistle set before the booke you sayd that it was an Italian that made it at the assēbly of the Estates of Paris For I know very well the name of him that composed it who also lodgeth not farre from hence Whereupon I was very glad of this encountring and I did very earnestly pray him to name him vnto mee at the least wise if it were lawfull for me to know him because that I had very many thinges of great importance to tell him for his benefit and honor I will sayd he tell you his name and wil also shewe you his lodging vpon condition that you will not disclose it to any man for he is a person that doth not loue to be so much visued as many doe now a daies Those that told you that hee was of Italie were deceiued by one letter only he is not of Italie but of Alethie That is Truth which is farre differing from the other That is Libertie That is Free speakers That is Louers of mony That is Desirers of honor That is Vnknowne That is a hater of gardens and he was borne in a little towne that men call Eleuthere inhabited heretofore and built by the Parresiens who haue continual warre against the Argytophiles Timomanes a very puissant populous natiō His name is the Lord Agnoste of the familie and stocke of Misoquenes a gentleman of good estate and no deceiuer which loueth the counsell of wine better than the councell of Trent You shall know him by this that he is alwaies attired after one maner and neuer changeth his apparell or garments as if hee had nothing els but to thinke vpon and to gouerne Lions Hee is a great little man that hath his nose between both his cies his teeth in his mouth his beard vpon his chinne and willingly wipeth his mouth and his nose vpon his slecues You shall find him at this presem lodged in the streete of Good time at the signe of the Rich labourer and he goeth very often to walke in the blacke Friers because hee loueth them very well And hereupon I recommend me vnto you for I haue to deale in other places by reason of certaine packets that are come from Rome which assure vs that our absolution hangeth by no more but a twisted thread at this time of the yeere As hee had very brutishly thickly spoken these words he went his way and left me yet in suspence nor withstanding I was somewhat better satisfied than I was before sith I knewe the name and the lodging place of mine author And at the same time I went thorow all the quarters of Paris and inquired of
are come hither with so many trauailes some on foot some alone other some in the night and the greatest parte at your owne costs and charges Doe not you wonder at the heroicall actes of our Louchards Gentlemen of the new stampe Bussis Senaulds Oudineaux Morreliers Crucez Goudards and Drouarts who haue so well come by the feather What thinke you of so many Caboches as are found and God hath raised vp at Paris Roan Lions Orleans Troyes Toulouze Amiens where you see butchers taylors fillipers iuglers tumblers cutlers and other sortes of persons of the very drosse and scumme of the people to haue the first voyce in councell and assemblies of the estate and to giue lawe to them that before were great of race of riches and of qualitie who now dare not cough nor mutter before them Scripture rightly applied Is it not in this that the prophecie is accomplished which saith hee raiseth the poore out of the dungehil Should not this be a crime to passe ouer vnder silence that holy martyrfryer Iames Clement who hauing been the most vnorderly and wicked of all his couent as all the Iacobins of this citie knowe well inough and hauing many times had the chapter and the diffamatorie whip for his thieueries and wickednesses is notwithstanding sanctified at this daye and now is alofte to debate and dispute with S. Iago of Compostella Affections fit enough for such a fact and fellow who shall haue the first seate O blessed confessor and martyr of God How gladlie would I bee the paranimph and encomiast of thy praises if my eloquence could attaine to thy merits But I loue better to holde my peace therein than to speake too littlethereof And continuing my discourse I will speake of the strange conuersion of mine owne proper person although that Cato saith Nec telaudaris nec te culpaueris ipse A great clarke good latinist and singulat versifier thou shalt neither praise thy selfe neither shalt thou blame thy selfe yet I will freely confesse vnto you that before this holy enterprise of the vnion I was no great deuourer of the crucifix and some very neare about me and that haunted me most familiarly haue had in opinion that I did a little smell of the faggot because that being a yong scholler I tooke pleasure in reading the bookes of Caluin and being at Tolouze I had mingled my selfe to preach and teach in the night with the new Lutherans and afterwardes made no great conscience nor difficultie to eate flesh in Lent nor to he with my sister A beast for abusing thy sister and Gods word also following the examples of the holy patriarches of the Bible Bur since that I had signed the holy league and the fundamentall lawe of this estate accompanied with double duckets and of the hope that I had of a redde hatte no man hath doubted touching my beliefe neither hath there any further inquirie been made touching either my conscience or my cariages Verily I confesse that I owe this grace of my conuersion next after God to Monsieur the Duke d'Espernon who hauing vpbraided me in the Councell with that whereof none doubted in Lions touching my sister in lawe was the cause that of a great politike and a very slender Caluinist that I was From euill to worse I became a great and coniuredleaguer as I am at this present the director and ordainor of secret affaires and such as importe the estate of the holy vnion neither more nor lesse than blessed Saint Paul who of a persecutor of christians was made the vessell of election This is the cause wherefore hee faith where sinne hath abounded there shall grace also abounde Doubte not then any more to continue firme and constant in this holy partie full of so many miracles and of strokes from heauen of which you must needes make a fundamentall lawe As touching the necessities and oppressions of the clergie you shall or may aduise thereof if it please you for for my regarde I will put paine that my great pot bee not ouerthrowne and I shall alwaies haue credite with Roland and Ribault that will not fayle to pay mee my pensions from whatsoeuer part siluer come Euery one will aduise to prouide for himselfe if he thinke it so good and for my patte I desire not peace vnlesse first I may be a Cardinal as they haue promised mee If thou maiest be iudge and as I my selfe haue well deserued For without mee Monsieur the Lieutenant could not be in the degree where he is because it was me my selfe that retained the late Duke of Guise his brother who woulde willinglie haue gone from the estates of Bloys distrusting of some deafe deuise and ambushment of the tirant but I caused him to remaine and to waite for a dispatch from Rome which should be brought me within three dayes and that was the cause why Madame his mother here present hath many times reproached me that I was the cause of his death whereof Monsieur the Lieutenant and all his ought to yeelde mee thankes because that vpon this pretext and to reuenge this goodly death of his Whot passions and bad perswasions we haue stirred vp the people and taken occasion to make another King Courage therefore courage I say my friends feare not to expose your liues and that which remaineth of your goods for Monsieur the Lieutenant and for them of his house These are good princes and good Catholikes who loue you to the full and on the ridge Speake not here of abrogating from him his power which some murmur and mutter that it was not giuen him but vntil some next holding or assembly of the Estates but these are the accountes of the Storke They that haue tasted this morsell they will neuer bite Would you demaund a more goodly and braue king and one that is more grosse and more grasse or fattie than he is Good parts to commend to a kingdome Hee is by S. Iames a faire peece of flesh and I thinke you cannot finde one that ouerweigheth him Messieurs of the nobilitie that keepe the townes and castles in the name of the holy vnion are you not very glad to leuie and gather vp all the taxes tenths aydes shoppes fortificatious watches imposts and that which is giuen for all wares as well by water as by land and to take your rights and customes vpon all prices ransomes and pillages without being bound to make an account thereof to any man Vnder what King would you finde a better condition You are Barons you are Counties and Dukes in the proprietie of all the places and prouinces which you hold You command absolutely therein Right as can be of clubbes spades and all saue the harts and as it were kings of the cardes What would you haue better Leaue and forget these glorious names of French monarchie and remember no more your ancestors nor them who haue inriched and inobled you To be briefe
from her very swadling cloutes and first beginnings she hath not been so well nurtured mannered modest and peaceable as she is now by the grace and fauour of you the rest Messieurs For in steed that we were wont to see so many men and women sellers of old apparell sellers also of old mantles pattins great pots other sorts of wicked people to runne vp and downe the streetes Notable orders to haunt brothell houses to draw wooll and to braule with the cookes of the little bridge you see no more a man of such people throughout al the colledges All the supposts of the faculties and nations that made hurlie burlie for the suites of licenses appeare no more they play no more these scandalous playes and biting satyres vpon the scaffolds of colledges and ye see there a goodly reformation all these same young regents being retired that in disdaine would she we it that they knew more Greeke and Latine then other men These factions amongst the master of artes wherein they did beate one another with the blowes of their cappes and their hoods are ceased all these schollers of great or good house little and great haue giuen vs the slippe The booke sellers printers binders guilders and other people of paper and parchment to the number of more than 30000. haue charitably deuided the wind in a 100. quarters to liue thereof and haue yet left sufficient for them that haue remained behinde them The publike professors who were all royall and politikes come not any more to breake our heads and trouble our braines with their orations and with their congregations in the three Bishops Spoken cunningly like an Alchymist they haue put themselues to doe Alchymie euery one by himselfe Briefelie all is quiet and peacefull and I will say much more vnto you Heretofore in the time of the politikes and heretikes Ramus Galandius and Turnebus no man made profession of letters vnles he had with a long hand and great charges studied and gotten artes and sciences in our colledges and passed thorough all the degrees of the scholasticall discipline But now by the meane of you the rest Messieurs and the virtue of the holy vnion and principallie by your blowes from heauen Monsieur the Lieutenant the butter men and butter wiues of Vanues the ruffians of Mont-rouge and of Vaugirard the vine dressers of Saint Cloud coblers of Villejuifue A monstrous change and other catholike cantons are become Masters in artes bachelors principals prefidents and bousiers of colledges regents of classes and so sharpe subtill and argute Philosophers that better than Cicero now they dispute de inuentione Or rather Assodidactos that is of inuention and learne euery day to be aftodidactos that is teachers of themselues without any other Master than you Monsieur the Lieutenant they learne I say to dye of famine perregulas that is to say by rules Also now you heare no more in the classes that clamorment and brawling of latine amongst the regents that did batter and beate the eares of all the world in steede of this bablerie and pedlers French you heare euery houre of the daye the Argentine harmonie Meruailous Metaphors and the very idiome and proper speech of kine and weaned calues and the sweete singing of asses and of swine as if it were of the nightingales that stand vs in steede of clockes or belles for the first second and third Sometimes heretofore wee were wonderous desirous to learne and to haue the Hebrew Greeke and Latine tongues but at this present wee haue more neede of an oxe or neats tongue salted and poudred that would bee a good commentarie I can tell you after our oaten bread But le Mains and Laual and these infallible weigh Masters of Anger 's with their Capons of high grease and their wonderfull fatte hennes haue deceiued vs as well as the tongues and we haue no more but a sower and bitter remembrie of these same academicall messengers that came downe or lighted at the crosse and other famous Innes in the harpe streete and that at the daye and very poynte of time named to the great contentment of the schollers waiting for them and of their regents felling olde garments You Monsieur Lieutenant are the cause of all this and all these miracles and monstrous things are the workes of your hands A high commendation and yet it is true that our predications preachments and decrees haue not hurt or hindred them but yet for all that you were the principall motiue and instrument thereof and to speake to you in one worde you haue vndone vs and more than vndone vs Excuse me if I speake so I will say with the Prophet Dauid Loquebar in conspecturegum Such as you Monsieur are non confundebar I did speake in the sight of Kings and I was not confounded nay I did not blush no more than a blacke dogge Whether wilt thou Rector You haue I say so defiled and defamed this faire eldest daughter this shamefaste virgin this flourishing damsell the onely pearle of the world the diamond of this Fraunce the carbuncle of the Kingdome and one of the most white floure deluces of Paris that forraine and strange vniuersities make Greeke and Latin sonnets thereof Et versa est in opprobrium gentium And it is turned into the shame of the nations In the meane while my masters our doctors finde nothing therein but to laugh for they haue not the quodlibetarie questions so frequent He would haue sayd proceede there passe out no more Bachelers Licenciats nor Doctors where they were wont to haue their banquets drinkings one to another and feasts and did crambe themselues vp to the throate the wine of Orleans commeth no more here much lesse that of Gascoigne so that all ergoes are ceased and layd aside And though some one of these that are most Spaniolized by meanes of some double Duckets and doe receiue some pension of the Legate closely or secretly yet that is not as much to say that the others feele it Moreouer Monsieur the Lieutenant you haue caused Louchard And why not for of like there should be the like cōsideration your steward or pursebearer and a very zealous man to be hanged and haue by consequēt declared to be hangable all they that haue been present at the ceremonie of the order of the vnion which hath been giuen to the president Brisson Now so it is that all the young Curats Priests and Friers of our vniuersitie and our other Doctors for the most part That is we are caught in the lime twigge we haue all been promoters of this tragedie therefore gluc And I tell you that if you had not basted your selfe to come wee had indeede serued our turnes with others and wee had not remayned in so faire a way and such speech at this day is very high to them whose teeth could haue done no euill if you had yet lingered but
furnished with siluer whom they baptized with and called by the names of politikes or adherents and fauourers of heretikes And vpon this speech there was made a pleasant time of that time which I thinke worthie to bee inserted into the registers and quiers of our estates To know them that are politikes Adherents or fauourers of heretikes Let them be close and hid as you can You neede little more but these verses to scan He that of times or men doth complaine In this golden world wherein we remaine He that all his goods will not freely bring To vphold this cause is iust worth nothing He that is slow to the vnion to sweare He that his well furred gowne daily doth weare In steed of putting on his harnois He that saith not the Biarnois But saith the King and him doth allow And at the sixteene doth mocke and mow Thinking them men farre from all credit still That murmureth at them or of them speaketh ill That by the fourtie a figge doth not set That hath not his beard after the League very net That hath seene letters from the other side of the land Trust you not in all this beware at any hand That with the Princes and states doth not goe That at Easter heareth Masses two and no moe That hath not his beades about his big necke Deserueth therefore a halter rather then a checke That is greatly grieued when they him call out To watch at the gate or by night to be a skout To be called to the trenches or to the rampart He is none of the right side he hath no good hart He that speakes of peace or conceiues thereof hope Shall be sure to feele the fagot or the rope He that much trusteth in his odde deuotions And runneth vp and downe in all processions Vsing many prayers and often pilgrimages If therewith he intermingle in his suffrages A poore sigh and say Lord some peace doe vs giue He is at the least an adherent not worthie to liue And though that he make a faire shewe euery houre Take heed he white you not with meale or with flowre He that loueth not these men preach to he are Commelae Guincestre and Bouchar the Friar Or that willingly doth not bid God speede To Louchard Morliere or la Rue indeede He is a Maheutre and a very sorie man Worse by much then a Turke or a Mahometan He that honoureth not the Lordship say I Of Baston Machault and of Acarie And that hath sayd at any time or place That the law will not goe vpright in any case Who askes at his window by night or day Of his next neighbours what this meane may By so many alarmes and Toxsains also That all the saints doth not feare on a row That the good and renowmed feast pardie Of Barricades the blest hath not kept holie He that reuerently hath not spoken or ment Of the bloudie knife of Frier Iames Clement Who then when Bichon or els Niuell Some newes did print or began to tell Doubteth thereof and enquireth of the author I will pawne my credit he is sure a fautor Some others there are that men marke full well With a more sure marke then any we doe tell S. Cosme Oliuier and the Clerke Bussy Lay hands on these galants and bring them to me They are so and why so this is most sure The money they haue in their purse you cannot indure I haue kept these verses by heart or in memorie because they are so common that women and little children haue learned them and because there can bee nothing more naturally put downe It commeth now well in to lay open their sinne to expresse our proceedings and the manner that wee haue vsed to finde out money and siluer But they had forgotten to set in order therein the gold of Molan and the treasure of the great Prior of Champagne who holpe vs to set forward your voyage to Tours which indeede was neither long nor of great effect For after that you had brought I knowe not what troupe gathered together of people missead thorow error and with a loue and desire of noueltie that you had put into their neads to braue your master whom you thought to take vnprouided or els in hope that they of Tours would make some tumult to deliuer him into your hands so soone as you saw that they spake vnto you with cannot shot that the King of Nauarre was come to assist and succour his brother hauing a notable interest and care indeede that hee might not fall into your hands The vngodly flieth when no mā almost pursueth feare at the shew sight of the white scarfes did so seize and take hold of you that you must needes retire with diligence and that by wandring waies where there were no stones And this your foule flying you would haue couered with the request that we made vnto you to succour vs against the courses of Messieurs de Longueville Better a bad excuse then none at all de la Nouë and d'Givry after the shamefull leuïe of the siege of Senlis And being here you distrusted your selfe that they would not long delay to followe you at your heeles hauing two so mightie whelps at your taile Whereupon you gaue some order for the defence of Paris Fie vpon such Phisitions but it was by a medicine against poyson worse if wee had taken it then the disease it selfe would or could haue been And this was then when the Parisiens began to perceiue and see guests liuing at their owne discretion and pleasure in then houses contrary to all the ancient priuiledges granted them by the former Kings but these were but little fleurets or filips in comparison of that which wee suffered afterwards and yet notwithstanding you suffered them to take euen before and vnder your nose Estampes and Pontoise without sutcouring of the. And you seeing that they returned vpon you minding either to draw you soorth to the field or to shut you vp within our walles you I say did then well perceiue by the proceeding of the Kings affayres Neede made them monkes or to vse moks that yours went continually to ruine and that there was now no more meane to saue deliuer you but a blow or stroake from heauen which was by the death of your master your benefactor your prince your king I say your king for I perceiue emphasis or force in this word which importeth a person consecrated annoynted highly esteemed of God as a mean betwixt angels men or as a man may say mingled or made of thē both For how shuld it be possible that one man alone weake naked vnarmed A reason able good speech could command so many hundred thousand men and make himselfe to be feared followed and obeyed in all his pleasures if he had not as wee may say some diuinitie or some part or parcell of the power of God intermingled therewith as some say that the
which may fall out vnto you for this fact But Gods word must needes be false and ful of lying which it is not nor cānot be if you do not very quickly receiue the wages hire that God promiseth to manquellers and murtherers as your brother did for hauing slaine the late Admirall But I will leaue this matter to the diuines to treate hereof that so I may come to put you in minde of a great and stale faulte which you committed at the very same time For sith you feared not in so many places to declare that your speciall marke was to raigne and be a King you had then and by reason of the blow a good occasion offered you to cause your selfe to be chosen King and you might better then haue attayned thereto than you can at this present when you sue Many deuises are in mans heart but the Lords purposes shall stand for euer ride runne corrupt and all to get it The Cardinall of Bourbon to whom vnaduisedly you gaue the title of the King was a prisoner Your nephew vpon whome they did bestowe all the commendations and glorie of his father was so likewise and neither the one nor the other could hurte you therein or hinder you as your nephew doth at this day you had yet the people hartned earnest and running after noueltie and change who had a great opinion of your valour from which you are much fallen since and I make no doubt but that you had caried it away thorow the hatred of the lawfull successor who was notoriouslie knowne to be a Huguenot And besides you had diuers preachers who had laide out a thousand reasons to perswade the people that the Crowne did belong rather to you than to him Nay foule and false The occasion for it was faire namely the changing of it from one line to another And although it bee all but one familie and of the same stalke as we may say notwithstāding the distāce of more than ten degrees in which the doctors say there ceaseth all the bond and right of consanguinitie made a goodly shew although that Doctor Baldus hath written that this rule faileth in the familie of the Bourbonians Wherunto adde that you had the force and the fauour of the time in your hand wherewith you could not serue your owne turne or helpe your selfe but rather thorough a certaine fainthartednes and very foule and grosse cowardise you would obserue forsooth some little modestie and forme of the ciuill lawe giuing the title of the King to a poore priest that was a prisoner The Cardinall of Bourbon although that in all other things you did shameleslie violate all the lawes of the realme and all lawe besides of God and of man whether it were naturall or ciuill You forgot all the maximaes and rules of our great masters touching the matter of enterprise vpon the estates of an other man euen that of Iulius Caesar which oftentimes for his excuse and defence spake these verses out of a certaine Greeke Poet. If that thou must needes wicked be be so a kingdome to obtaine But yet in other things be iust and eke the lawes maintaine You were afraide to take the title of a King Stumble at a straw and leap ouer a blocke and yet you were not afraide to vsurpe the power of it which you disguised and masked with a qualitie or esstate altogether new such a one as was neuer heard spoken of in Fraunce And I knowe not who was the author thereof yet some attribute it to the president Brisson or to Ianiu But whosoeuer inuented this expedient fayled in the termes of Grammer and of Estate also A fitte and good reason They might haue giuen you the name of Regent or of Lieutenant generall of the King as they haue done sometimes heretofore when the Kings were prisoners or absent off their kingdome and realme But Lieutenant of the estate and Crowne is a title vnheard of very strange which also hath too lōg a taile as it were a chimer or mōster against nature that maketh little children afraid Whosoeuer is a Lieutenant is Lieutenant to another whose place he holdeth who is not able to do his functiō or office by reason of his absence or some other hinderance or let and a Lieutenant is the Lieutenant of some other mā but to say that a man should be the Lieutenāt of a thing without life as the estate or crowne of a King is a very absurd thing such a one as cannot be mainteined And it had bin more tolerable to say Lieutenant in the estate and crowne of France than Lieutenāt of the estate But this is but a smal matter to faile in speech or words A true assertion in cōparison of failing in deeds When you were clothed and cloaked with this goodly qualitie you did so rudely roughly empty our purses that you had the meane to raise vp a great armie with the which you promised to pursue besiege take and bring prisoner He that reckoneth without his host must count againe this nowe successor to the crowne who did not call himself Lieutenant but in plaine termes King You had made vs then to gard and keep our places to hire shops in S. Anthonies street that we might see him passe in chaines whē ye brought him prisoner from Diepe what did yee withal this great armie very groffe indeed by al your strāge succours of Italie of Spaine of Germanie The horse and man are prepared against the day of battell but victorie is from the Lord. but to lay opē and cause to be knowne your own reachles weaknes vnorderly gouernment not so much as once daring with thirtie thousand mē to set vpon fiue or sixe thousand which gaue you the head at Arques and in the end constrained you shamefully to turne your backs you your selues to seeke surety safety in the riuer of Somme We were greatly deceiued when in steede of seeing this new King in the Bastile wee beheld him in our suburbs with his armie as a certaine lightning or clap of warre that preuented our thoughts yours also But you came and succoured vs A needlesse worke then when we were assured that he would do vs no hurt And we must confesse that without the resistance that one who is at this day his seruant made against him at the gate of Bussy he had taken vs before you arriued From that time hitherto you haue done nothing in your Lieutenancy worthy the remembrance If this be his commendation praise him for tyrannic but the establishment of your councell of fourtie persons and of sixteene which you haue since reuoked and scattered as much as you could And whilest that you laboured the aduancement and estate of your owne house and that you suffered your imagined King to wast weare away in prison without succouring him either with mony or with meanes to maintaine