so gracious with their soueraignes that they did not only contend for the superioritie with the greatest Princes of the blood but at length as ambition hath neuer any end striued with their liege Lords and through their rebellious counsels and most trayterous plottes assisted by a multitude of Guysards and Hispaniolized French draue their soueraigne Lord out of his chiefe Citie and not contented to offer so great indignitie to so mightie a potentate neuer left practising vntill they had most wickedly murthered him whose life in all dutie should haue beene vnto them more precious then their owne and with their diuellish sorceries haue so bewitched and sotted sundry of the French nation that at this day to their perpetuall shame and ignominy they will not be reduced vnto any dutifull obedience vnder their most lawfull and liege Lord. Francis Duke of Guyse and Charles Cardinal of Lorrain the two fire-brands of France One of the most notorious plotters of so many mischiefes was Francis Duke of Guyse who with his brother Charles Cardinall of Lorrain as proud subtil and as ambitious a prelate as euer was grew to that height through the benefit of their good fortune that they commanded all France and brought the greatest Princes of that natiō to be their vnderlings and by reason of a mariage between Francis the second with Mary the yoong Queene of Scottes their neece they bare themselues so loftely and so egerly stroue to aduance their house that they turned all France topsy turuy so chaunging the gouernment and altering the state that it seemed in a short time to be a meere Chaos and confusion For after the death of Henry the secōd and that Francis his sonne was crowned King these two so craftily handled the matter that ioyning with Katherin de Medices the Queen mother of France who contrary to the auncient lawes and ordinances of that Realme which permit not women to rule sought to haue the gouernment of the yoong King and to exclude Henry of Burbon King of Nauarre and chiefe Prince of the blood after infinite troubles to themselues and vnspeakeable misery to their owne Country they gat the gouernment into their hands and swayed euery thing after their owne likings And albeit the state of that kingdome had begun long before to be much afflicted and through the horrible persecutions of those whom they termed Hugonots maruellously decayed and weakned by reason of a secret diuision bred in the hearts of infinit multitudes who once dissenting in Religion could neuer after well agree in matters of state yet was the land at peace within it selfe and euery one seemed to be enclinable to their princes pleasure choosing rather to endure any affliction then by seeking to defend their liues and liberties by force of armes to bring in any intestine warres the most deuouring plague and sharpest punishment of all other but after that the house of Guyse began to rule and that their factious deuises cloaked with a zeale of mainteining the Catholicke cause had once stirred the coales the flame presently brake foorth and finding conuenient matter to nourish it withall spread it selfe in a short time ouer the face of the whole kingdome of France to the consuming of infinite multitudes of all sorts and the extreame impouerishing of the whole land There were sundry and diuers meanes to hasten this so wonderfull and lamentable alteration in France but the principall of all other was the vnexpected death of t e late King The Queene mother the King of Nauarre and the Duke of Guyse contend for the gouernment during the noneage of the King who albeit hee verie seuerely punished all such as were accounted Protestants and that principally at the instigation of the house of Guyse yet did he so politikely carry himselfe that during his raigne he kept that ambitious monster in some reasonable good order and the whole lande from tumult and rebellion but he was no sooner dead but that all things beganne to hasten to a confusion and the whole common wealth to bee daungerously infected with sundry fearefull diseases the originall whereof arose in this maner In the beginning of the reigne of Francis the second being but sixteene yeares olde there grewe a controuersie betweene Katherin de Medices the Kings mother Henry of Burbon King of Nauarre and Francis of Lorraigne Duke of Guyse touching the gouernment of the young King during his nonage The Queene-mother alleaged many reasons to strengthen her claime as the lawes of Nature which would that the mother should haue the bringing vp of her children as one hauing a most tender care ouer them and most willing of all others to doo them good the customes and vsages of sundry nations and the auncient order of the lande which made the mother Gardien of her childe and so by consequent gaue her the Regency of the kingdome The king of Nauarre on the contrary affirmed that he ought in right to be gouernour of the young king for that he was the next Prince of the blood and nearest of kinne vnto him besides that there were fundamentall lawes of that nation which did not only shut out all straungers by whom he vnderstood the house of Lorraine and of Guyse but also disabled the Queene mother by reason of her sexe which the Salique lawe did expresly exclude from all regency and succession to the Crowne The Duke of Guyse had also diuers reasons for the aduauncing of his owne title as that hee was the kinges vncle that by his seruice the whole state had bene in a maner mainteined and the land from sundry imminent perilles deliuered Besides he excepted in a sort against the king of Nauarre for that hee and his brother the Prince of Condy gaue euident tokens of their liking of the Gospel and their hatred of the Romish Religion so that if Nauarre shoulde haue the gouernement of the King it was to bee feared saide hee that the whole lande would fall into heresie Thus did these three contende with might and maine for the superiorite each of them deuising al the reasons they could imagine for the furtherance of their cause But in the ende the Queene Mother and the Duke of Guise doubting that they shoulde not bee able nor sufficient to preuaile and also fearing least that the King of Nauarre by reason of the great preheminence and authoritie that the princes of the blood shoulde by right haue besides his iust tytle shoulde in the ende preuayle and get the better agaynst them both thought it best to ioyne togither agaynst the King of Nauarre The Queene mother and D. of Guise ioine togither against Nauarre and eyther by force or by policie and fayre meanes to winne him vnto their willes and by some deuise or other to make him surcease from his iust claime and interest The better to effect this the Duke of Guise seysed vppon the king whome hee conducted and brought to the Louure in Paris with the yong Princes his
God seeing them wilfully repugne his truth augmented theyr sorrowes more and more for the Prince of Piemont did nowe more narrowly besiege Saint Quintins then before and hauing strongly fortified his Campe and stored himselfe with all conuenient necessaries for to maintaine the siege raised his mounts and planted 45. peeces of great ordenance wherewith hee battered the walles in most furious maner ‡ The Admirall would not hearken to a composition The admiral who was a very valiant pollitike and wise chiefetaine would not hearken to any composition but repayring the breaches resolued to keepe the place in despite of the enemie the Prince on the other side plyed the battery and hauing with much adoo made a sufficient breach disposed his bandes and gaue order for the assault the first place was assigned to Captaine Cazares maister of the Campe and to Lazaro Collonell of fifteene hundred Almaines The second to Captaine Nauarre with certain bands of Spaniards and to count Meigue with his Wallones the third to Iulian Romero with 3. ensignes of Spaniards 2000. English and the fourth to captain Carronnellet with 3. ensignes of of Burgonians all which beeing in a readines valiantly approched the wals Saint Quintins taken by assault The Admirall had likewise determined how to receiue the enemie and putting himselfe into that place where hee supposed most danger with great hardinesse expecting the comming of the Spaniards but there was not the like resolution on all hands for the souldiours beeing discouraged with the late ouerthrow and the inhabitants beeing timorous as men not accustomed to such daungers made small resistance so that the enemie entred at his pleasure which when the admirall to his vnspeakeable griefe beheld hee was enforced to seek to saue himself by yeelding to a common souldier The admiral yeldeâ—h himself to a common sâ—uldior who brought him to captain Cazares by whom he was led prisoner to the prince Dandelot his brother was likewise taken but he found the means to escape by a desperate aduenture to recouer his libertie Irnac S. Remy La Gard Cuzneux Moulins Bruell Bretanie Rambouâ—llet S. Romain S. Andre Linieres Soleil did likewise remaine prisoners Fayet le Iaune Salleuert Oger Vignes la Barre Estang Gourds and many other braue men were slaine The whole towne was sacked and spoiled and a maruellous masse of wealth gotten and caried into the low countries The French king was all this while prouiding his forces and deuising by what meanes he might best make head against his enemie fearing indeed the Prince would follow his good fortune and proceed further into France by reason that he had sent the Count of Frembarg with 1000. horse and 3. regiments of Lancequenets containing 14. ensignes 20. peeces of batterie to besiege Castellet a place of very great strength yet was it soone taken by the enemie the French not daring to abide the Canon so exceedingly were they afrighted with their former losses In the middest of all these mischiefs there fell out one thing which turned to the great aduantage of the French king A mutiny in the Spanish campe and brought no small hinderance to the Spanish kings proceedings and that was the mutinie among the Almaines and Spaniards who falling at dissention about their booties and spoiles gotten at S. Quintins the ransoms of their prisoners were the occasion of much trouble and tumult in the army Which when the French king vnderstood he practised in such maner with sundry of the Almain captains that their oath being expired with King Philip they were contented to be reclaimed by him and to serue against the enemies of the Flower de Lis. By this time was the Duke of Guise come out of Italie and being made the Kings Lieutenant was sent with a strong power toward Amiens with a secret commandemeÌ„t to enterprise against Calice if occasion serued The duke finding the towne slenderly prouided suddenly planted his siege about it The duke of Guise besiegeth Calice winneth it and that in the midst of winter And first assailed a fort called Nieulay which was easily gayned From thence he sent part of his army along the downes to Risebank which he likewise tooke without any great resistance The duke hauing gotten two principal places that in one day planted his battery against the towne wherin was gouernor the L. Wentworth who seeing the vnexpected successe of the French how fortune fauored the D. in all his dessignes disposed of all things as well as he might and endeuored to remoue the French out of their trenches but that was impossible for the duke was so strongly fortified and had gotten such places of aduaÌ„tage that he could not be forced by any means whatsoeuer The duke hauing planted 15. Canons began his battery against the old castle that with great fury And for that the wals were ruinous easie to be pearced the breach was soone made assault giuen but the French were repulsed at the first with the losse of their forwardst men notwithstanding they being incouraged with their former successe continued their enterprise and at last gayned the Castell which the Duke did forthwith cause to be strongly fortified This was a very great losse to the English for that from thence the French might shoote into the towne at their pleasure Now was Calice narrowly besieged and all passages were stopped in such sort that it was impossible to conuay in any succours or to send forth any to giue aduertisement of the distressed estate of the inhabitants Which when the Lord Wentworth perceiued and how that for want of necessaries he was not able to keepe the towne any longer he was content to parle with the Duke and to yeeld vpon composition Whereto the Duke of Guise willingly assented so that after much debating on either side the towne was yelded vpon condition Calice yeelded to the D. of Guise that the inhabitants might safely depart without impeachment whither they listed and the lord Wentworth with diuerse others to the number of fiftie of the chiefest to remaine prisoners Thus was Calice in lesse then seuen daies recouered by the French which had bin besieged by Edward the third king of England by the space of a whole yere and which had remained in the English mens hands for the space of 210. yeres to the incredible ioy of the French And as it was lost vnder Phâ—lip of Valois the French King so was it regained by the French in the time of Philip king of England The duke folowing his good fortune did forthwith besiege Guines wherin commaunded the valiant lord Gray who albeit he did stoutly hold out for a time abiding the planting of the Canon and a furious assault yet was he forced in the end to yeeld and to resigne his office to another man Which when the garrison of Hams vnderstood they abandoned the fort withdrew themselues to a place of greater securitie The French king was not a
thing This companie consisting of meere polliticks in the beginning and such as sought for nothing but a reformation in the common weale were in processe of time assisted by a multitude of those who were tearmed Hugonots as it is the maner of discontented persons how different so euer the occasion be to ioyne rogether in hope of fortunes accidents who allied themselues with the rest the more willingly for that it was in a ciuill cause and such a thing as tended to the honour of the King and generall good of the whole state Monsieur de Renaudy hauing acquainted many of good account with this great and waightie enterprise as the Baron Chastellnaw Captaine Mazeres Vaillay Bressay Chesnay Chiray S. Mary Coqueuille Chateaunef and sundrie others resolued with all possible speed in as close and secret maner as might be to draw neere the Court which was then at Amboyse and on the sodaine with some fiue hundred Gentlemen The enterprise of the Lord of Renaudy discouered to seise vpon the Guyse and the Cardinall of Lorrain his Brother and hauing once caught them to put them to death for an exemplarie punishment to all other seducers of the King and disturbers of the common wealth This enterprise could not bee so closely kept but that it came to the eares of the Guyses who vnderstanding after sundrie examinations the drift and scope of the whole proiect and howe that most of those who had complotted together hadde long since shaken off the Popes yoake deuised straight to publish so notable a conspiracie and to make it seeme as odious as might bee to the eyes of all men they declared howe that they of the reformed Religion had conspired against the king the Queene mother the kings brethren and Princes of the bloud sought to bring in their doctrine by force to ouerthrow the monarchie of France and to reduce it to a popular estate and gouernement and by depriuing the king of his crowne to pull downe the church to root out the ancient Catholike faith to infect the whole land with all kinde of impietie and irreligion and hauing by sundry proclamations declared the hainousnesse of the fact fearing that a matter of such consequence was not attempted without the priuitie of some great ones in the land they fortified themselues very strongly mustered souldiers gathered forces and gat all things in a readinesse to withstand any attempt that should be made vppon the sodaine Being thus prouided they foorthwith apprehended such as they suspected and proceeded against them with all rigour Many of them who were taken were executed and the rest committed to seuerall prisons sauing some few that by their good fortune escaped their hands At length diuers of the meaner sort were set at libertie fearing indeede that if all should bee punished so great seueritie would alienate the hearts of many who were nothing well affected alreadie And although that the King of Nauarre the Prince of Conde the Admirall nor Dandelot could bee charged with the maintaining or abetting of anie of these attempts yet did the Guyses strongly suspect them and especially the three Chattillons The three Chattillons of all other most hated the Guyses whom of all other they feared most notwithstanding they thought it good pollicie to giue them faire speeches for the time and to entertaine them in all plausible maner vntill they had gotten their forces about them and had prouided a strong armie in a readinesse which was no sooner performed but they began to speake bigge words and to deale more roughly and first of all they dealt with the Prince of Conde who was commanded not to depart the Court without licence while in the meane time they practised to catch matter against him and to that purpose sundrie with faire promises and rewardes were subborned to proue him the cheefe of that seditious tumult at Amboyse They daily whispered in the Kings eare The Guyses incense the King against the Prince of Conde that so long as Conde were at libertie and suffered to countenance such as alreadie were discontented with the present gouernement the whole land would neuer bee at quiet nor the kings person in safetie as appeared by the last rebellious and tumultuous practise The onely way to preuent so many and so great mischiefes was to bring the Prince to his answere and by apprehending the ringleaders to keep the meaner sort in order and due obedience Whereupon the king beeing by these sinister informations mightily incensed against the Prince commaunded La Trousse the steward of his house to attach sundrie of his seruants and to haue them in safe keeping and to commaund the prince himselfe to come vnto his presence the next morrow and to the ende there might be some matter found against him his house was searched and all his papers ransacked the Guyses hadde also sent to search the Chamber and study of the king of Nauarres Secretarie hoping that something would bee founde to minister matter against these great personages for nowe they might do what they listed seeing the king approoued whatsoeuer they did and did speake as it were with theyr tongues As soone as the Prince was informed of the kings pleasure The Prince of Conde brought before the king he readily obeyed and comming before him did so cleare himselfe and answered with such courage and alacritie that it was thought good to dismisse him for that present without any further triall whereupon the king shewed him very good countenance and the Guyses seeing the time serued not to accomplish what they had purposed cloked all in as couert maner as might bee and each departed from other as good friendes But the Prince seeing his life was sought for thought it wisedome to looke to himselfe and for that long since he fauoured the Gospel he supposed it to be best to go to his brother the King of Nauarre The Prince of Conde leaueth the court and goeth to the King of Nauarre where he should be out of all danger and might vse his conscience freely Many wondered at this strange dealings with the Princes of the bloud saying that if they could not liue without perill of their liues that it would shortly come to passe that all true and naturall Frenchmen should bee accounted enemies and no man bee in securitie but the house of Guyse and Lorrayne who being but strangers themselues durst notwithstanding attempt such practises against the kings best affected subiects as were in no sort to bee endured Heereupon great rumors were raised and infinite multitudes grew greeued with these iniurious proceedings To preuent the mischiefes that might ensue hereof the Queene mother with the rest of the Kings councell sought by amiable letters and smoth words to content such as most complained and where they did feare most danger thither did they send such as were most gracious with the people to keepe them in their obedience The Admirall who for his wisedome integritie and experience
in all politike affaires was not inferiour to any of that age was sent into Normandy The Admirall sent into Normandy to pacifie the Countrey where there was thought to bee the greatest number of discontented persons with a straight commaundement to consider of all good meanes for the quiet of the land and freely to signifie vnto the court the occasions of their dislike and the best way how to reforme those things which were amisse The cause of the discontentment in France which he from time to time very faithfully performed aduertising the Queene mother that the cruell handling of those of the reformed Religion and the iniurious dealing with all such as seemed to fauour them or any waies to countenance them and that vnder an vnlawfull authoritie vsurped by strangers without the approbation of the Princes of the bloud and the cheefe officers of the land and that while the King was in his minoritie to the great prejudice of the Realme and dishonour to the Crowne of France was the cause of so many mischiefes and was like still to draw on more dangerous consequents if there were not some speedie course taken to preuent them Many such aduertisements were sent from all quarters and sundrie euident signes appeared of ciuill warres Whereupon it was thought good to assemble all the Princes of the bloud the Nobilitie the officers of the Crowne and all men of place and authoritie to deuise of the meanes how to pacifie these troubles which were likely to ensue which when the Guyses vnderstood albeit they liked not to heare of the assemblie of the States The assembly of the States and therefore inwardly hated this motion of the Admirall and the Chancellor from whom it especially proceeded yet were they outwardly contented therewith hoping by this meanes to draw the King of Nauarre the Prince of Conde the conestable and others to the Court who otherwise could not so easily bee come by and then to rule them well inough assuring themselues that the greatest multitude of the Knights of the order and others of the Nobilitie which should bee there assembled were at their deuotion and therefore that nothing could passe in preiudice of them but rather that all should tende to theyr further profit and aduancement This resolution beeing taken sommonances were sent into all quarters and particular letters written to the king of Nauarre to request him to come to the Parliament which was assigned at Fountainbleau to bring his brother the Prince of Conde with him The trecherous couâ—seâ—â— of Descari Bouchart But when the Guises had with more maturitie of iudgement considered of this weightie subiect fearing that if Nauarre Conde and the Constable with all their adherents should meete togither they should bee ouermatched and not be able to make their partie good they practised with Descars the Lord Chamberlain Bouchart the Chancelor two of Nauarres principal seruants and those indeed vpon whose counsels he principally relied corrupting them with great summes and promising them mountaines if they would vse the means to disswade the K. their master from that assembly Which two put so many suspitious matters into Nauarres head and vsed such forceable reasons to diuert him from his intended voiage that notwithstanding the earnest intreaty of the Constable hee would not bee induced to be at the Parliament at the time appointed The King of Nauarre would not bee at the councel of estate which treacherous counsell of theirs gaue such a blow vnto the whole realm of France that it feeleth the smart therof vntil this day For Nauarre being withholden by this their wicked aduise the whole gouernement still remained in the hands of the Guises who fortified themselues more and more to their owne aduauncement and the extreame perill of the whole state The day prefixed being come there presented themselues most the greatest personages which had bin summoned so that the 21. of August 1559. this honorable coÌ„panie were assembled in the chamber of the Queene mother and euery one placed according to their degrees First the K. vnder his cloth of estate then the Queene mother the kings wife the kings brethren Next to these were the Cardinals of Burben of Lorraine of Guise of Chastillon The Dukes of Guise and Aumaile duke Memorancie Constable of France Monsieur d'Hospital the Chancellor the two Mareschals S. Andrew Bressac Chastillon the Admiral of France The order of the estates of France as they sit in their Parliament Marillac the Archbishop of Vienna Morbillier Bishop of Orleance Mouluc bishop of Valence Mortier and Auancon all of the Kings priuie Councell The Knights of rhe orders the masters of the requests the secretaries and the rest of the kings officers had likewise their places assigned them The order of the estates of France as they sit in their Parliament All things being disposed after this maner before any were commaunded to speake the Admirall rose vp and with a Supplication in his hand went to the king The Admirall presenteth the supplication of the protestants to the King to whom after due obeisance done hee declared that according to his Maiesties commandement at his going into Normandie hauing as diligently as hee could looked into the causes of these troubles which sprung vp dayly in the land hee in his opinion coniectured that such as found themselues most greeued intended no harme against his royall person or the state but that their greatest discontentment arose of the extreame persecutions of such as were termed Hugonots without any iudicial maner of proceeding especially seeing they offered to haue their doctrine tried by the scriptures and were willing to conforme themselues to the order of the primatiue church therfore he thought it a thing very agreeable to his maiesties liking to take their humble petition and present it vnto his highnesse to the end that he vnderstanding their grief might deuise with his councel in so honorable a presence somespeedy means to relieue his distressed subiects to set his kingdom in some better quietnes assuring him that in his opinioÌ„ there were infinit multituds in France that sighed after a reformatioÌ„ seeing ther were as he was told fiftie thousand in Normandie who would willingly haue subscribed vnto that supplication And so beseeching the King to haue some regarde hereof and fauourably to enterpret that which he had done with humble reuerence he returned to his place When as this supplication was read the contents vnderstoode whereof some were that there might bee publike places appointed for the Protestants to meet in and that their preachers might be permitted to teach the people without perill many wondred at this bold part of the Admiral considering the manifest daunger hee had cast himselfe into by taking the cause of such odious persons into his hande and present it vnto the K. who was so exasperated agaynst them The King seemed to take this action of the Admirals in verie good part
them that shee for her parte did thinke very honourably of all their proceedings and did not doubt but the King her sonne would bee mindfull hereafter to recompence so many deserts The Queene mother alloweth of the proceedings of the protestants seeing it was very apparant that both his estate and her owne was maintained by their royall seruices They againe humbly thanked her maiestie for her good opinion beseeching her to continue their gracious Lady and to bee a meanes that there might bee an ende of those miseries which nowe so fearefully threatened the crowne of France promising for their parts to bee most ready to employ their whole studies yea their goods and liues and whatsoeuer other meanes they had to assist her maiestie in so good and laudable an action so that they might enioy a peace with a free exercise of their Religion according to the Kings edict They further declared vnto the Queen mother the manifold greeuances of the kings subiects with a meanes to remedie so many so lamentable disorders to al which sundry other remonstrances albeit she seemed to giue some allowances yet for that shee stood so stiffly against the free exercise of Religion and would needes vrge the Prince to depart the Realme as indeed he had promised rather then hee would bee any occasion of the continuance of ciuill wars albeit presently vppon better and more mature consideration hee repented him of the speech there could bee nothing concluded Whereupon the Prince returned to his campe The Prince of Conde returneth to his Campe prepareth for warre exceeding glad that God had deliuered him out of the snares of his enemies and resolued with all for his forces to fight it out and to hazard his fortune assoone as any oportunitie was offered With this resolution he dislodged and marched towards the Catholikes hauing in his army ten thousand fiue hundred footmen and a thousand horse Now when he approched the enemie hauing disposed his troupes in very warlike maner he twice presented the battaile but the Catholikes refused The Catholikes refuse to fight for that all their forces were not as yet assembled The Prince seeing hee could not drawe them out of their strength hauing braued them in the faces and maintained some light skirmishes with them retired towardes Orleance sending abroad into all quarters to prouide all necessaries for the warres and for the more speedy accomplishment heereof it was decreed that Soubize shoulde bee sent to Lyons Rochfaucont into Xaintoigne Duras into Guyen and Briquemault into Normandy and so into England to procure both men and money and as many friendes as might be gotten Dandelot was likewise sent into Germany to hasten such succours as were promised by the Princes Protestants Conde and the Admirall with the rest of the Captaines and Gentlemen with two and twenty ensignes of footmen remained stil in Orleance By this time were the forces which came out of Germany to the aide of the Catholikes in a readinesse to march vnder their Collonelles Forces sent out of Germany to aide the Catholikes Rokendolf Frewlich and the Ringraue who besides certaine Cornets of Reisters had likewise twentie ensignes of Lansquenits These were no sooner arriued at the campe but that the Triumuirate thought it best to employ them with al the rest of their forces against the Hugonots and that before they should haue any aide come out of Germany For the hastening whereof Dandelot hadde assayed all possible meanes and had so pollitikely handled the matter that notwithstanding all the practises of his enemies hee procured great ayde for the strengthening of the cause The Catholikes were long in suspence whether they should besiege Orleance or Rohan The Catholikes besiege Rohan and take it the principall Citie in Normandie but at last they resolued to assay their forces agaynst Rohan Where hauing first gayned the fort of Saint Katherins which commaunded the towne through the treacherie of the captaine who was corrupted with money and faire promises they foorthwith entred by force killing spoyling and murthering the inhabitants in most cruell and horrible manner and making hauocke of all thinges without pittie or mercie Augustine Marolat Marlorat hanged a famous learned man and chiefe Minister of the Towne was there hanged with Mautreuill the president of the Parliament besides sundrie other of speciall account The Catholikes lost manie of theyr brauest men and amongst others the King of Nauarre who beeing shot with a Harquebuz in the left shoulder as hee was making water in the Trenches dyed the seuenteenth of September following The King of Nauarre wounded to death neuer attaining that Marittime Kingdome the hope whereof had so bewitched him that he forgat wife children kinsfolks friends Religion yea and God himselfe and thought of nothing but of the Sardinian Crowne beeing happie in nothing but in this that hee dyed in the beginning of the Ciuill warres and neuer lyued to see the miserie of his owne Countrey whereof hee had beene a chiefe and principall cause The losse of this Citie being a place of so great importance was a maruailous discouragement vnto many who stood but faintly to their tacklings before and had no doubt wrought a more daungerous effect had not this breach beene repayred or at least well amended by the surpassing care and prouident circumspectnesse of Dandelot who so plied his friends in Germany Dandelot bringeth forces out of Germany to the ayd of the Protestants that he had gathered about 3300. horse and 4000. footmen with whom there met the Prince Portion at Strausbourge with 100. French horse The ioiful news of which power encouraged the confederates to hold out in hope of their future help and maruellously animated such as before were exceedingly daunted with the remembrance of their former losses These new supplies marched towards Lorrain and passing ouer the riuer of Seine trauersed the country by Yonne Creuen Montargis and arriued at Orleance in despite both of the duke of Neuers and the Mareschall S. Andrew who were sent to stop their passage with 14. cōpanies of men of Armes 16. cornets of Argoletters 25. ensignes of footmen 9. companies of launces and 13. of light horse besides the old troupes of Picardie vnder the leading of Pauan Monsales Giury Crenay and many other Chieftaines This noble and valiant Dandelot gayned a verie honourable report euen of his enemies for so wise and politique a conduct insomuch as hee was not onely reputed a Gentleman of surpassing courage and of an vndaunted spirit in greatest perils but also a leader of excellent skill Dandelot esteemed for an excellent captaine and deepe foresight to preuent all daungers About the same instant there met with him also Rochfaucont and Duras with some three hundred horse and a thousand fiue hundred footmen al which were no sooner assembled at Orleance but that the Prince determined to take the field and hauing prouided all thinges in a readinesse departed towarde Phiuiers and
life too before the Admirall whom hee knew to be innocent should be so iniuriously handled which speech of the Princes with some other considerations was the cause that this pursute ceased for that time and a reconciliation was made betweene the Admirall and those of the Guyse at Moulins immediatly before the King was about to go in progresse to Bayon Albeit the Admirall was no further troubled at this instant yet it was a meanes to make him hated and detested of all the Catholikes and a principall cause of sundrie quarrelles betweene the Papists and the Protestants which in the ende prooued so great that they drew on a second ciuill warre for there grewe daily complaints each charging other with the breach of the Kings Edict and many accusations were broached on both sides The Catholikes complained that the strong Townes and fortresses were not yeelded to the kings obeysance that there were many preachers which were not allowed of by the Edict and that they preached in sundrie places expressely prohibited The complaints of the Catholikes and Protestants that they were disgraced with many approbrious and scandalous speeches and that there were secret practises for the leuying of Souldiers in Germany and other places which shoulde bee in a readinesse vppon the first sommance The Protestants alleaged that they were rigorously handled and could not haue iustice when they complained that the insolencie of the garrisons which were placed in sundrie protestant Townes was intollerable and could not be indured that there were daily murtherers of the reformed in euery corner of the Lande and nothing so common as robbing spoyling rauishing pilling and poulling the poore Hugonots and no punishment inflicted vppon the Authours and abbettors of such horrible and derestable villanies These and the like complaints beeing often reiterated on both sides and each faction nourishing their suspitions vppon euery small occasion their rancour grew greater greater and those smal sparks which for a while lay couered in ashes brake out at last into a furious and raging fire For the Catholikes had no sooner gotten all things in a readines exacted their cittadels into the protestant Townes placed their garrisons sworne their associations and leagues which were tearmed the confraternities of the holy Ghost and that vnder the colour of viewing the state of the Lande the king was gone to Bayon The league made at Bayon among the Catholikes there to make a confederacy betweene himselfe and the Spanish king and the Duke of Alua to roote out all the Hugonots but that a Million of iniuries and indignities were offered to the poore protestants There was an Edict made at Rousillon The Edict of Rousillon which was tearmed a declaration or an exposition of the edict of the pacification but this was so contrarie to those articles which had beene agreed vppon before that al men might see they had fully resolued to breake their promises with the Protestants Then did there follow immediatly after most barbarous cruelties and tyrannicall oppressions of all sorts which made any profession of the Gospel though it were neuer so little which when the Protestants to their vnspeakeable greefe behelde and that after so many iust complaints there was no redresse to bee hoped for by faire meanes but that their vsage was likely to bee worse and worse for that the sixe thousand Switzers were still retained in a readinesse to bee employed against them vppon the sodaine as they vehemently suspected they thought it high time to looke about them and to studie howe they might best preuent so imminent perils Whereupon they wrote letters The Protestants begin to prouide for themselues and sent their secret messengers into al quarters to aduertise their associats to vse al the speed that could be made to come and attend the Prince of Conde Rochfaucont and the Admirall Dandelot and others who were their principall cheefetaines This could not be so closely kept but the Queene mother hadde intelligence thereof who with the King lay at Meaux a place not farre distant where the saide Prince of Conde with his confederates were assembled and had purposed to hasten to the Court strongly accompanied Conde with his associats go towardes the Court. to see if they could bring their enemies to any better reason or more equall and euen conditions As soone as the Queene mother vnderstood of the dismarch of the Prince and that hee came directly towardes the King shee resolued at midnight to dislodge and to hasten to Paris The King flyeth to Paris leauing the Constable with the battailon of Switzers and some eight or nine hundred French horse to stop the course of the Protestants who seeing themselues ouermatched and that they could neither by faire meanes nor by foule be admitted to the speech of the King who was by this time gotten within Paris they retired towardes Clay expecting the rest of their forces which daily repaired vnto them out of Picardy Champaigne Poictou Guyen and sundrie other places of the Land where they stayed not long but marched towardes Saint Dennis which was a little village some two leagues distant from Paris Nowe beganne there to bee as it were a generall combustion through out France and the warres which had ceased for a time were foorthwith open on all sides The second Ciuil warres there were with the Prince of Conde the Cardinal of Chastillon the Admirall Dandelot Rochfaucont Ienlis Clermont Amboise Saux Bouchart Bouchauanes Piquigni Lysy Mony Saint Phale Esterny Mont-gommery the Vidame of Chartres La Noue Lauardin and all their retinewes These beeing assembled sent their humble letters to the King vnfolding theyr manifolde greefes and dolours beseeching his maiestie that they might bee heard and suffered to enioy their liberties and to haue the free exercise of theyr Religion according to the Edict of Pacification made before Orleance but answere beeing returned that the Edict was but prouisionable and made for the necessitie of the time and that the King to satisfie them would not fall out with all his neighbour Princes by tollerating any other besides the Romish Religion they determined to gather as great forces as they could and to besiege Paris It was not long before they had gotten some 2000. horse 4000. footmen The Prince of Conde besiegeth Paris with which power they first tooke Estamps Dourdan Orleance sundrie other places of good importance so that stopping the auenues and blocking the citie on all sides they determined either to obtaine a peace with better conditions then before or els to famish the Parisians who could not long endure without releefe from other places The Catholikes were not idle but daily enterprised vppon the Protestants fighting and skirmishing with them vppon euery aduantage and vnderstanding that theyr forces were seuered Dandelot and Mount-gommery beeing sent away with fiue hundred horse and eight hundred footmen to surprise Poysy and Ponthoise La Noue to take Orleance Rochfaucont Mouy to conduct
carcases the thresholds gates and posts of the kings pallace were painted with the bloud of the slaine yea the chanels ouerflowed therwith and the water in the Riuer was turned into a red colour such and so horrible was the slaughter and butcherie which was made vpon the poore Hugonots The king the Queene mother the kings brethren with many Lords and Ladies of the Court went out in the euening to view the dead bodies and among others the Queene mother would needes see the nakednesse of Soubize The shamelesse fact of the Queene mother for that shee had beene enformed that hee was notable to get any children The king not satisfied with the slaughter of so many braue men within Paris sent letters to the Gouernours of all his principall Cities as Orleance Tours Meaux Angiers Bourges Tholoux Lyons and diuers others that they should likewise kill all the Protestants within their iurisdiction which commandement was forthwith put in execution and a most horrible slaughter followed in all places The number of protestants slaine in other places which bereaued aboue a hundred thousand of their liues within the territories of France in so much as that it was verily thought that all that were of the Religion were eyther slaine or else fled into forraine Countreyes CHAP. XVI Rochel holdeth out against the King The beginning of the fourth Ciuil warres The siege of Rochel The siege of Sancerre The Embassadors of Polonia come to the campe before Rochel Monsieur raiseth his siege WHo would not haue thought but that now the Gospel had bin vtterly extinguished in France that the Catholikes by this execrable deuise should haue attained to the full period of their desires no man of name remayning to make head against them or to crosse their fortune which nowe seemed so mightily to fauour their designes and indeede the king was verily perswaded that at this present he might haue accomplished whatsoeuer hee would and that not any durst haue shewed themselues to fauour the refourmed Religion The K. deceiued in his expectation Wherupon he wrote letters to sundry Protestant townes commanding them to receiue popish Garrisons and to liue after the Catholike manner but they vtterly refused to satisfie the king heerein and would not bee induced to condiscend vnto any such thing by all the perswasions that could bee vsed but fortified themselues as strongly as they could purposing to die rather then to yeeld and abiure their Religion The King partly by threatening and menacing the king of Nauarre and the Prince of Conde and partly by faire promises but especially by the wicked ministery of Rosier Rosier being a minister and of great credit with the Prince of Conde had recanted his Religion and by his perswasions causâ—d the Prince likewise to denie his who of late was become an apostate had caused them to abiure their Religion and to conforme themselues to the rites of the Romain church and thinking them to be fit instruments to gaine sundrie strong Townes who otherwise would not open their gates but by force of Cannon caused them to write their letters to such as hee thought meete and to vse all the seasons that might bee to draw them to his obedience by which deuise some relented and were content to follow the example of those great Princes seeing they had no hope to maintaine their cause hauing lost all their cheefetaines and principall commanders But Rochel Sancerre Montauban Nismes and some other held out standing vpon their guards and prouiding to fortifie themselues in all defensible manner that might be Many perswasions were vsed to gaine Rochel Rochel and sundrie other townes hold out against the King which of al other was the place of greatest importance and that which the king most desired as beeing the principall retreat of the Protestants Diuers messengers were sent thither who promised golden mountaines and Mareschall Biron indeuoured by all meanes to put himselfe within the Towne but they vtterly refused to accept of any other Gouernor then theyr Maior purposing to maintaine their Religion customes and liberties and that with the losse of their liues When the king was aduertised heereof and that he euidently perceiued that faire meanes would not preuaile hee resolued to besiege the Towne and by force of Armes to bring them vnder his obedience Whereuppon hee commanded Biron to gather a great armie to inuest the Rochelers with al speed who did not onely by themselues crosse the designements of the Catholikes but were the occasion that many other townes in Gascogne Languedock Quercy Poictou Auergne and Dauphony beganne to plucke vp their spirits and to oppose themselues against the kings proceedings The beginning of the fourth ciuill warres Besides the forces that the Mareschall brought by land there was a great nauie of shippes appoynted to keepe the seas and to stop vp the hauen that no victuall or other necessaries should be conueyed in by water nor any be suffered to go foorth to giue any aduertisements to their confederates All things being thus appointed in a readinesse both by sea and land Rochel besieged the Duke of Antou the Kings brother and his Lieutenant generall throughout all his dominions departed from Paris the tenth of Ianuary 1573. accompanied with the Duke of Alenson his brother the king of Nauarre the Prince of Conde the Duâ—e of Montpensier the Prince Dauphin his sonne the Duke of Longauille of Bouillon of Guyse of Aumaile and of Neuers the marquesse of Maine the mareschals of Cossy Retts and Biron the Count Rochfaucont Chauigny Mouluc La Valetta Mauleurier Pauâ—y Puygalliard Clermont Du Gas Cosseines with many other Lords knights and Gentlemen who no sooner arriued at the Campe but they were saluted with a thundring peale of great Ordenance and all the battailons of footmen stood readie arranged who likewise welcomed him with their whole vollyes of small shot to the high contentment of his excellencie Monsieur vnderstanding that there were a great number of very valiant and resolute men within the Towne who were all commanded by the noble and pollitike chiefetaine Monsieur de la Noue La Noue of whose wisedome courage and valour hee had often times before made good experiment thought it best to assay if with smooth words faire promises mingled with some threats he could induce the Rochelors The Rochelors would not trust the faire promises of Monsieur to submit themselues wholly vnder the Kings obedience assuring them if they would so do the king would deale most graciously with them and requite their loyalty with such fauor as they should haue good cause to hold themselues well contented but if on the contrarie they stubburnely refused to condiscend hereunto and like a rebellious rable wilfully reiect and vndutifully contemne so great grace offered by their soueraigne then they should looke for no fauour hereafter but for all the extremitie that might bee and that hee would not desist from persecuting them both with
their poore brethren Others hid themselues in secret corners and liued most miserably and in great wants Infinite numbers fled away some into England some into Germanie others to Sedan The miserablee state of the pâ—rsecuted Protestants Geneua and such places as were free from persecution It was a most pittifull sight to beholde the dissipation of so many families who were nowe turned foorth of the doores naked and comfortlesse and forced to shift for themselues in strange Countreyes The Duke de Maine did all this while what hee could to any the Protestants and to gayne as many Citties and townes through very secrecie as hee could to ioyne with the League and to make that faction strong against the King by seducing his subiects vnder the colour of maintaining the Catholike Religion Which beeing suspected by sundrie his followers they disbanded themselues and some for want of pay refused to serue any longer The Duke de Maine by reason of these vnexpected crosses was not able to make head any longer and therefore wrote to the Guyse his brother in what bad tearmes things stood who fearing that if there were not new prouision that his brother the Duke de Maine would come shortly to ruyne and bee vtterly ouerthrowne aduised the king to make foure seuerall Armies Foure newe armies appointed to inuade the Protestants and to inuade the protestants in diuerse places at once which sayde hee was the onely way to weaken them considering that their forces should bee seuered and disioyned This pollicie was no sooner allowed as the best but the Mareschall Biron was appointed to go into Xainctoigne the Duke Ioyeuse into Languedocke the Lord Foynse his sonne into Auergne and the Duke of Espernon into Prouence La Chastre should bee readie with a fleete vppon the coast of Britaine to enterprise as time and opportunitie serued The king of Nauarre was foorthwith certified of this preparation which made him fortifie such places as were of importance as strongly as hee could and vnderstanding that the Mareschall Biron intended to besiege Browage with a power of one thousand two hundred horse foure thousand footmen he did so carefully prouide for the defence therof that after that Biron had bin long before the towne and had done little or nothing sauing that he was content to make a composition with the Protestants hee brake vp his campe and sent his companies some into Poictou and some into Aniou to refresh themselues and thus was this Army dispersed without dooing of any thing Duke Ioyeuse passed into Languedocke where hee tooke Lodere Saint Poure Montesquion and Marueiâ—lx and hauing committed infinite sorts of most horrible villanies and strange cruelties The armies of the Popish Leagueri ouerthrowne in lesse then one yeere after he had lost aboue thirtie of his best Captaines and fiue hundred others at the least before a palterie towne called Saint Puels brake vp his army and returned home in farre worse case then hee went footh The sauage rudenes of this rable made many of the Nobilitie who before fauored the League to forsake such an association wherein there was nothing but robbing spoyling whooring swearing and blaspheming and that after a most beastly and brutish manner the yong Ioyeuse following rather his pleasures then the wars made his progresse throughout Auuergna where hee did no other harme but spende and waste the Kings treasure and when that was doone retired to the Court to see if he could be trusted with any more And thus were all these armies brought to confusion vanishing away as a little smoke notwithstanding all their great brags The Leaguers considering that all these fiue Armies had spent great store of treasor and all other warlike preparation and yet had rather hindred then furthered their secret purposes for by reason they sped no better they were forsaken of many The Queen mother offereth a parly of peace growen into contempt with others deuised with the Queene mother whom they knew to fauour their designements that shee shoulde offer a parley of peace which shee did and sent to vnderstand of the king of Nauarre if hee would hearken thereto who tendering the good of his countrey refused not the motion wherupon there was an interuiew betweene the Queene mother and the saide King at Saint Brice the thirteenth of December where there was much adoo and many words spent to small purpose for the Queene would not condiscend to the excuse of the Religion and the king of Nauarre would make no peace seeing that was the principall cause of bearing armes howbeit in the end the Queene vnderstanding of the great leauie of Reisters that were comming to the ayde of the Protestants and growing in suspition that the Dukes of Guyse and de Maine and the rest of the Leaguers would enterprise somewhat against the King shee concluded a peace for three moneths and so returned to the Court. 1587 The Guyses trecherous dealing to discredit the King The Duke of Guyse intending to discredit the king with his subiects euerie day more then other sent abroade sundrie his supposts and caused them to spread a rumor how that the euill successe of all those armies which had beene employed against the Hugonots was for that the king beeing led by wicked councell would not permit that they should be sufficiently prouided for with money munition and other necessaries that hee had intelligence with the heretikes that hee had warre indeed in his mouth but in his heart he meant nothing lesse and that by such fraudulent dealing the good Catholikes were betrayed and the Heretikes encouraged and that therefore there was no good to be doone so long as there was such packing and false play The Domesticall enemie was first to bee ouerthrowne before the forraine enemie could be vanquished These and such like sinister informations were giuen out among the multitude by Friers Priests and Iesuites in their Sermons and manie busie headed fellowes were set a woorke to spreade these and such like defamatorie speaches with much vehemencie and earnestnesse in Alehouses Tauerns Markets and all other places of greatest assembly By reason of which sâ—aunderous and bad reports there grew much murmuring amongst the people with no small dislike of the present gouernment The King notwithstanding as a man bewitched with the deceitfull dealing of his mother and the treacherous practises of such counsellers as he most fauoured eyther vnderstoode nothing of all this or else was forced to winke at it as wanting leysure or meanes to sift the matter more narrowly For the rumour of the comming of the Germaines the fortunate successe of the Lord Digueres in Dauphinie and Languedocke the counter-league of the King of Nauarre the Prince of Conde and a great number of verie Noble and honourable personages of the lande with a full resolution to maintaine the reformed Religion did so occupie his minde that hee coulde not haue leysure to looke into the rebellious driftes of the Leaguers