territorie of Bellouac of which he being certified fled and in fléeing was chased by souldiours till he came to the Sea In so much that he was constrayned to leaue the greatest part of his cariage behind him and to take Ship to passe ouer into England It was also commonly reported about this tyme that Charles Sonne to King Philip of Spayne was dead The causes were by diuers men diuersly reported but that which was most credible is That the Inquisitors suspecting him of certain things concerning religion ê“uoked stirred vp the displeasure of the Father against the Sonne that he might depriue himselfe of his onely Sonne and of the lawfull heyre of Spayn Shortly after this also newes was brought concerning the death of Elizabeth wyfe to Philip Kinge of Spayne and Sister to Charles King of Fraunce Furthermore the Duke of Alba dayly more more played the tyrant in Flaunders straining no courtesie at the shedding of innocent bloud wherevpon the prince of Orange being moued partely to discharge his dutie being one of the Princes of the Empire and partely for the loue which hée bare to his Countrey caused a great Army to be in a readinesse that hée might withstand the cruell tyrannie of the said Duke of Alba. He had to ayde him great numbers of horsemen footemen which came out of Germany out of Fraunce and also out of the low CouÌ„trey County Lâ—…dowike also his brother a valeaÌ„t captain came with a great number of good souldiours to ioyne with him COME LORD IESV COME QVICKLY The. ix Booke of Commentaries concerning the state of Religion and of the common wealth of Fraunce vnder the Raigne of Charles the ninth THus beganne the third ciuill war in FrauÌ„ce being more notable than the others goyng before both for the great atteÌ„pts and enterprises and also for the continuance of the same for it troubled the Noble Realme of FrauÌ„ce for the space of two yeres Therefore when newes was brought to the Courte of the departure of the Prince of Conde there was open prouision made on both partes for the warre but both their conditions were not alike For the Papistes had Cities Artillery money and all maner of prouision belonging to warre they had also the Kings name authoritie and power by which they preuailed more than by any other meane But as for the Prince of Conde and the Protestantes they had almost nothing but the goodnesâ—…e of their cause and couragious mindes to defende themâ—…elues who though to the perill of the losse of theyr lyues and goods were almost desperate to defende the same Moreouer they which should haue bene helpers and furtherers of their cause were hemde in and shut â—…p throughout the whole Realme in so muche that it was marueile that the Prince of Conde was able to holde warre and to withstand his enemies in so great extreamitie There were great and vrgent caâ—…ses of newe contention â–ª as the diâ—…pleasure taken for the breaking of the oath solemnlye made the breaking of the Kings promise and common peace and the meâ—…itable necessitie of defending their consciences and liues But the Papistes beyng forward enough of themselues tâ—… destroy the godly were pricked forward by the bloudy â—…uriousnesse of the Cardinall of Loraine Therefore by the Kings commaundâ—…ment for vnder this name the Papistes did what they would the Armies that were dismiâ—…t were nowe called backe againe newe choyse and musteâ—…s of men were had and they were all commaunded to be at Staples the. x. dayâ—… of September The wholâ—… ordering and charge of the warre was committed tâ—… Alexander Duke of Angewe the Kings brother being but a young man notwithstanding he had ioyned with him certaine valiant captaines as we sayde before Then were baytes and â—…nares subtiâ—…ly layde and in the Kinges name the gouernours of the Prouinces published a decrée as thus The Kyng commaundeth that all the men of the reformed Religion be vnder his protection no lesse than anye other of his subiectes that they may haue leaue to complaine of iniuries done to them that they may haue remedies prouided out of hande as it is meete and conuenient for their defence and that all Magistrates should be vigilant to defend them In the meane tyme he that caryed the Prince of Condes letters to the King after the deliuerie of them was taken and committed prisoner to a certaine noble man and no answere made to the letters The Prince of Conde when he had stayed in the house of Rochfoucant certaine dayes wente wyth hys whole retinew to Rochel of whose inhabitantes he was very louingly receiued And thether came vnto him the inhabitantes of Xantonge of Poictou of Perigueux of Engolmoys and a great number of noble men of the Regions thereaboutes which embraced the reformed religion and as for the common sort of people they came vnto him out of all those quarters by beapes The Câ—…ties also called Sainctes Tifauge and Montagu offered themselues vnto him But for all this he sente letters to diuers partes of the Realme requiring ayâ—… of hys fellowes and forsomuch as the Protestantes were expulsed almost euery Citie it seemed good vnto him that they shoulde come with all spéede to hiâ—… to Rochel and then hauing greater power to ioyâ—… battaile wyth the enemie Notwithstanding in many places by the wonderfull prouidence of God there were diuers places of refuge reserued throughout the whole Realme as to the men of Francoys Sanferre and Uezelay to the men of Languedoe Montalban Castrealby and Milliaulde to the men of Dolpheny which at that time were in great perill the Cities of Uiuaretze were reserued as Albenac Priuac and many others But before the Prince of Conde began any warre he published a certaine solemne declaration of the causes of the same In manner and forme as followeth I protest before God and his Angels and before this holy assembly that â—…as I also declared in my last letters which I sent vnto the King my Lord intend to do nothing against his Maiestie which may either hurt his person or dignitie but taking him for my Kinge and supreme Lorde next vnder God by him so appoynted I protest that whatsoeuer I doe is for no other cause but to keepe and defende the liberties of our consciences the free vse of the reformed Religion our lyues honours and goods from the tyrannie and oppression of the Cardinall of Loraine and his fellowes â–ª the whiche tyrannie they haue alwayes hytherto shewed and minde still to vse towards the men of the reformed Religion contrary to our kings will whiche he hath openly declared by publique Edicts and decrees thereby breaking the common peace and tranquiâ—…itie And for this cause to the end I may defend their lyues honours goods and the libertie of their consâ—…ences which professe the reformed religion I affirâ—…e that I wyll spende bothe my lyfe and whatso euer eâ—…se God hath giuen vnto me And bâ—…cause there came souldiers daye by daye vnto
which we haue spoken before and that they shoulde first of all deale with matters concerning religion The company therfore being asseâ—… â–ª bled called togither the Kings Solicitor propounded vnto them these matters First that there were diuers opinions in matters that coÌ„cerned Religion founde lately in the Senate disagréeing and contrarie one to another as when lome condemned heretikes to be burnt other some woulde not haue them to be burnt but mittigated the paâ—…ne by banishment the which woulde redounde to the reproche and shame of the Senate Wherefore he required that their sentences and iudgements might be conformable and agréeing euer hereafter with the prescript and tenure of the Edictes which appointed the punishments of death The which in déede was the most speedie and readie way to detect those Iudges that were suspected of religion as after truly it came to passe For when euery man fréely vttred his minde and opinion as the custome is there were diuers iudgementes some woulde haue no punishment by death but banishment other some before any thing was determined woulde haue it knowne whether they were heretikes in déede which were counted heretikes Also he sayd that it was the Kings will that heretikes shoulde be punished and the office of the Senate to sée and finde out who they were that were guiltye of heresie And for this cause he willed them to make supplication vnto the King that according to the first article of the peace concluded he woulde cause a lawfull Councell to be assembled to iudge of these controuersies and that they shoulde in the meane time leaue off to punishe But some sayde that it coulde not be hidde but was apparant for all men to beholde what greate corruptions had inuaded the Church and howe néedefull and requisite it was a reformation to be had and that by the worde of God which is the onely rule of veritie and not custome antiquitie or the opinions of men Furthermore they added that there was daunger and therefore great héede to be taken least while they whome they called Lutheranes were condemned Innocentes also shoulde be put to death For say they the Lutheranes as we terme them haue probable reasons to defend their doctrine withall whose life is irreprouable and without blame vsing themselues oftentimes to praye deuoutly and zealously to God as it hath well appeared to the Senate to be short such is their constancie that thereby they shew themselues not to be such maner of men as they are sayde to be among the common sort of people Thus at this time some spake one thing some another howbeit the greatest part would haue either the punishment to be mittigated or else the men to be quite discharged Many feared least this sentence and determination of those that spake in the behalfe of the Lutheranes shoulde take place wherevpon two of the Councell as it is credibly reported namely Egidius and Minardus went to the King and declared the matter wholy vnto him before the Court had concluded what shoulde be done against both lawe and auncient custome saying vnto him that the matter was nowe come to such a straite that great remedie must be prouided for the same otherwise great perturbations and trouble would ensue adding moreouer that the boldenesse of some was such that they durst arrogantly deride the auncient religion and as for the Edicts of the King they made no account of them at all The King being inflamed and greatly stirred with this newes came the next day into the senate where he declared that he hauing now obtained at the handes of God the most excellent benefit of peace confirmed the same with the societie sure knot of matrimonie there waÌ„ted yet one thing which he greatly desired namely the setting of matters coÌ„cerning religion in a good vniforme order for this cause he said that he came into the Court namely to vnderstand both in what state the matter stoode also to coÌ„fort incourage them by his presence And so he signified by the kéeper of the seales that he would haue them to follow that order which they had begon in shewing their opinions Therefore of theÌ„ which resisted some were more colde fearing some subtill practise to be in hand other som notwithstaÌ„ding â–ª spake their fantasies and opinions with no lesse boldnesse than they did before especially concerning the lawfull calling of a CruÌ„cel or Parliament And among others Anoas Burgaeus a man very godly wel learned when he had first of al giueÌ„ thaks vnto God that he had so wrought in the hart of the Prince that he would be a witnesse indifferent Iudge of so weightie a matter and when he had exhorted the King to bend his minde and giue good eare to so great vrgent cause being in deede the cause of our Lord Iesus Christ which â—…ught to be defended by the patrocinie garde of Kings very boldly and fréely vttered his minde affirming at the length that he dâ—…d wholy giue his coÌ„sent agrée that there should be a couÌ„cel called that the punishments then vsed toward the Lutheranes for that time should surcease Others also after him affirmed the like When the King had heard thefe men he making first his preamble said that to his griefe and sorow he saw corruption to be crept in eueÌ„ into his Court being very sorie that any of his Nobles should be stayned therwith the good he knew as for the others he said he wold â–ª so punish that he would therby extirpe quite pull vp by â–ª the rootes that mischief which was now a growing These threatnings ended talking a while with those that stoode with him he coÌ„mauÌ„ded that Annas Burgaeus Lodouicus Faurus should be takeÌ„ y which his coÌ„mandement was streightway executed by MoÌ„gomerie Captaine of the Garde After this others also were taken as Fumaeus Foixius many others And those that were of these opinions loking to be handled as they were got theÌ„ out of the citie but afterward they were opeÌ„ly proclaimed About the same time almost a Synode was helde at Paris many ministers of the Churches which were theÌ„ called the reformed Churches being then called togither for thys matter in the which both the doctrine of the faith and also Ecclesiasticall discipline were copiously largely intreated of â–ª truly as the time required the forme of discipline which was alredy appointed which was also afterward by many Synodes and Councels inlarged and examined by the rule of Gods word and the approued â–ª customes of the auncient Church brought much profit all which matters here to declare is not our purpose Howbeit these thinges following were the principall points thereof 1 First it is agreed that the confession of the doctrine which may testifie â–ª the coÌ„mon consent of the Churches be registred to the ende that no straunge opinions craftily be conueyed in 2 That all things be done in order in the Churches 3 That so often
foreséen that the office of an Ecclesiasticall person might not be committed to an vnlearned vnapte and ignoraunt person affirming it to be vnlawfull for them to dwell from their flockes in other places at their owne pleasure and so giuing them selues to worldly businesse wholy to neglecte their offices but sayth he it is the Kings duetie to cal them to their office againe And in the ende he made earnest peticion that there might be wayes taken in time to stop the seditions at hande and also that it wold please the king to haue regard consideration to his nobles as his auncetours had done before him When he had thus spoken he put vp a Supplication in the which peticion was made in the name of the nobilitie that temples might be graunted for the vse and seruice of the reformed Religion After this man one Quintinus Heduus who was chosen to be the speaker for the Clergie when he had commended the king and Quéene to their face saying that the kings of Fraunce were specially chosen euē as if they had béen borne and appointed to be defenders of the Churche of Rome and that therefore they had that moste auncient name from all ages as to be called Most Christian Princes he sayde that this assembly of States or court of Parliament was verye well called The causes of the which assemblye saith he is that the complayntes of the people mighte be hearde and holpen and that meanes and remedyes might be prepared for the scarsitie of the kings treasure and substāce But this saith he is the greatest cause of all whiche I speake with great sorrowe and griefe and yet notwithstanding muste néedes speake the same namely that the corruptions and notable faultes of Ecclesiasticall persons myghte bée refourmed and amended For sayth he the matter is nowe come to thys passe that they thē selues which shuld declare this Ecclesiasticall holynesse by their life are more afrayde of the kings Edictes than they are of Gods word and of the Gospell of christ Notwithstanding we muste therefore thinke saith he that the reformatiō of the Church is sought for which hath not erred neither can erre but a correction only of those most greuous faults in those men which were the chiefe gouerners of the Church which correction must procéede from the king but so notwithstanding the king must vse correctiē that he follow the steppes of those kings that haue gone before him who alwayes fauored the Church Adding to this also that those kings his auncetours woulde neuer haue suffered the wicked practises of these newe fellowes which falsely and wickedly of late time take vnto them selues the profession of the Gospell that they mighte therby both refuse all ecclesiastical order and also abolishe if they might al Ciuill power and authoritie For saith he the king ought to this ende specially to exercise his authoritie and draw his swerde to punishe and vtterly to roote out all heretikes giltie of criminall punishments Therefore he desired that Churches might not be graunted to those horrible men for so he termed them and that they also might be counted punished as heretikes which durst offer the supplications of Heretikes to the king This truely saith he hath bene the olde subtill practise of Sathan to bring this libertie to heretikes that they might the more securely and without feare of punishment destroy the Gospell the which subtill practises he hath nowe also in hande and therefore the more diligent héede saith he ought to be taken In like maner also he desired the king that according to the doyngs of his Auucetours and also according to the example of Charles the great whose name he bare he wold constraine all his subiectes to liue according to the Canons rules of the fathers For detestable sayth he is the boldnesse of these new heretikes which scoffing at the authoritie of the fathers and reiecting the doctrines and Canons of the Churche saye that they will haue nothing but the true Gospell onely as thoughe the promise of Christ were vaine and to no effect who promised that he would neuer forsake his Churche and as thoughe that they were wiser than so many Fathers which left so many godly Canons behynde them in writing also as though they alone vnderstoode the word of god Horrible boldnesse reebllion is that sayth he which casteth of the yoake of the Church and what else will they do at the last but murmur and grudge also against the power and authoritie of the Ciuill Magistrate Moreouer he said that the notes badges of the Church were not obscure which these new men wanted as the euerlasting and continuall successiō from the Apostles time and the Canons and rules which the Fathers left behinde them which badges the Church of Rome hath Therefore saith he that they may neuer hereafter abuse the name of the Churche we must plainely pronounce and affirme That the Church of Rome is the Catholique or vniuersall Church But if these newe men take vnto them the name of the Church we will not denie it them but we saye that they are not of the True Catholique Church but of the Malignant Church Also he made petition that they which had fled the Realme for Religions sake might be banished men for euer that they might loose all maner of priuilege and that they mighte be handled euen as if they were forraine enimyes Furthermore he saide that aboue all things that drowning floud which had flowed out of the diches of Geneua was most pernicious and therfore he exhorted the king that he would to the vtmost of his power roote out all such as came from that place and not to holde the yong childe excused if so be he came from thence seyng that God would call him to an accounte for the doing of his duetie And perswaded Queene Katherine also the kings mother by the example of that Katherine of whome Eusebius maketh mention to ouerthrow and roote out these newe Heretikes Therefore he sayde that this was the onely cause of the great mischief at hande that there were so many heretikes in euery place to the destruction of the Realme and all estates Moreouer he desired of the King that Ecclesiasticall persons might be defended and maintayned accordyng to the commaundement of God bycause they are The Lordes Christes or annointed as their badges that is to say their shauē crownes doe declare Also he complayned that the authoritie to chose Prelates was taken from the Clergy and giuen to Kings saying that it was done against Gods word against the holye Canons and againste the approued examples of the Elders and that euer since that tyme namely from the yeare of oure Lorde god M. D. XUII. when the same was first vsurped all things haue had euyll successe For saith he in that very yeare in the which that lawfull right was abrogated from Ecclesiasticall persons began that damnable heresie of Luther whiche afterwarde soke suche rooting
the one seeking warres horrible murther the other peace and the generall profiâ—…e of all men yet notwithstanding the Quéene may iudge determine of the whole matter But and if shée cannot at this time fréely declare hir iudgement eyther beinge stayed by violence or else because shée will not for other causes offend them yet notwithstanding this thing wée craue and request at her hands séeing these times great ly requireth the same namely That their supplication and myne may be registred in the publike Commentaries of the Senate That the Edict of Ianuary maye bée obserued and that both partes laying asyde their weapons may depart to their own houses vntill the Kinge comming to ryper yeares shal be able to iudge and order the whole matter as it shall please him or else till the Quéene with the aduise of hir counsaile shal determine of the same The remedie appertayneth to both partes neither caÌ„ any man complaine that hée receyueth any preiudice it is so easy to be done the whosoeuer shall refuse y same cannot deny himself to be an enemy to the king and the realme Neither can it be but that they shal be iudged of all men to be in the blame which refuse the remedye so easie to be had for so great misery and calamitie lyke too ensue It shal be iudged also who is a traytour and an open enemie to the king and the realme eyther he which willingly offereth to vnarme himselfe or he which had rather destroy all than restore the King agayne to hys former liberty But because ciuil warres haue alwayes euill successe the soldiers minds and handes being not easie to bée restrayned I protest before God and men that I put my self in armour and prepare my soldiers to battaill with great grief of mind and doe hartely desire that so great calamities and miseries as are like to come by these ciuill warres might be auerted and appeased by my bloud only if it might so please god But bicause my reasonable request is reiected and séeing my aduersaries wil be Iudges in this cause I protest agayn that my only purpose and intent is to restore the king and Quéene into their former liberty and to bring the gouernement of y kingdome to the Quéene and to the king of Nauar and to deliuer the greatest part of the people from the tyraÌ„nie and oppression of such as haue vsurped the gouernement of the realme I haue no regard to my owne priuate commoditie or gayne in this cause I am not led by ambition by a desire to reuenge or by couetousnesse as knoweth the Lord whose glory and truth I séeke to defende with the dignitie of the King and peace and tranquillitie of the Realme While the matter was thus canuassed too and fro by writing and the Guises with their compartners bearing only an outward shew to the Quéene of reuerence and séeking notwithstanding daily more and more to rule gouerne the realme themselues the Quéen by hir effeminat and timerouse nature was very doubtful being carefull for hir libertie authoritie which shée had lost and fearing also the ambition of the Guises and his adherents And being afeard of their great power she stood in doubt whether she should incline to them or leane to the Prince of Conde Notwithstanding shée wrote often letters vnto him by faithfull messengers and sometime she sent her mind by word of mouth not daring to send by letters Of some of the which letters we haue here put downe the Coppies I Sée such sights dayly to my great grief my welbeloued Cosin that except I looked for helpe froÌ„ God dyd coÌ„fort my self with the trust which I haue in you wherby I am perswaded that you wil preseÌ„tly seke to preserue me the realme and the king my Son I should be much more gréeued than I am But I hope that all thinges shal be very well ordered by vs with the helpe of your good Counsel to the frustrating of all their actions and practises which séeke to destroy al thinges But because I haue at large declared the whole matter vnto this messenger I wil be here the more briefe Only I besech you to credit that which he shall tell you concerning al those things which I haue giuen him in charge to declare vn to you two Your Cosin CATHARINE Also this which foloweth is the copie of another of her letters I giue you harty thankes my deare Cosine for that you so oftentymes certifie me of your affaires and because I trust to sée you ere it be long face to face and to talke with you my selfe I wil not now write much vnto you Only this I request of you that you fully perswade your selfe that I wil neuer forget those things which you haue done for my sake And if it fortune that I did before I shal be able to acknowledge recompeÌ„ce so great a benefit I wil giue my children charge to supply such lacke in mée to requite the same I haue commaunded this messenger to tell you many things Thus much only I certify you of that I do as I do and behauâ—… my selfe as you knowe to worke if it might be peace and concord the which I knowe that you my welbeloued Cosin desier no lesse than I. Salute I pray you in my name your wyfe your wyues Mother and your Uncle Your deare and louing Cosin CATHARINE Whereas the Quéene complaineth in these letters that shée is in great sorrowe and greefe and noteth also many authours of troubles she speaketh of the Guises and his fellowes whom notwithstanding shée durst not openly resiste neyther yet take part with the Prince of Conde And whereas shée sayeth that shée trusteth it wil shortly come to passe that shée shall sée him face to face the occasion was this when nothing went forward neither by letters nor yet by messengers sent from one to another the Quene made peticion to the Prince of Conde that he would come talke with the King of Nauar to the intent they might haue mutuall conference of the whole matter and might deuise some way for peace and concorde The Prince of Conde yelded to the request the place and time for their meting was appointed namely the first of Iune At which tyme the Quéene the Kynge of Nauar and the Prince of Conde met togither in the Region of Beausse in the mid way betwéene Paris and Orleans At this their méeting they commoned of many thinges of the which we will speake hereafter as they were publiquely put downe in writinge by the Prince of Conde The Quene durst not graunt any thing to the Prince of Conde neither did the king of Nauar his brother shew himself any whit tractable or frendly Wher vpon they brake of and departed without any profite by their méeting and conference their minds being therby not a little exasperated and grudge raysed against one another The Quéene and the Kyng of Nauar plainely denied to the Prince
though he had neuer heard any thing concerning the truth neyther yet had had experience of the mindes of the Guises Therfore he was wholely led and caried by the Guises whethersoeuer they would haue him who to make him more sure on their side insâ—…ared him with harlots and with other intiseing vaine pleasures in the which they perceiued the King of Nauar to haue most delight He therefore fulfilling the minds of the Guises in euery point stoutly thondred out the Kings authority against the Prince of Conde and his fellowes These were the first beginninges of this Ciuill warre the kingedome and the Church of God being cast into great extremities â–ª So greatly may the subtil deuises of vngodly men disturbe the societie of the godly vnlesse the prouidence of God do gouern the euent and pronide a prosperouse ende amiddest so great outrage There were certain letters brought in the kings name to the Prince of Conde to his fellowes the which promised peace vnto them after a sort vpon these coÌ„dicions namely If the Prince of Conde and his fellowes according to their former coÌ„maundement froÌ„ the king wold out of hand vnarme themselues and would yéeld vp into the Kings power their cities The which if thei wold doo the Guises the Constable the Martial of S. Andrewe promised as they had also done before that they would go home to their houses Also that the King of Nauar should haue at his commaundement all maner of Artillery and should take and chuse out of the armye of the Prince of Conde for the vse of the King and the realme whatsoeuer séemed good vnto him To these thinges if they would yéeld and graunt the King would forgyue pardon their offence in putting themselues in armour and would leaue to euery man the frée vse of Religion so that euery man should liue peaceably at home without receyuing of any hurt for Religion This was don the twelueth day of June the Martial Vielle and the aarle Villarius being sent with the letters for this matter To these letters the Comparteners of the Prince of Conde made this aunswer First We render all humble thanks to your Maiestie for that you seeme to haue so great a care and coÌ„sideration for our peace and safety But whereas it is thought that the putting of our armour would be a great cause of the same it séemeth too vs otherwise for that you stand in néed of our ayd against those which séeke the destruction of you of your realme and of your faithful subietces For by these meanes we may séeke to restore your Maiestie and your mother too that liberty authority which ye had before the Duke of Guise came into the court It séemeth vnto vs at this time that neyther you nor your mother are at libertie as may be perceyued by the effects This we request that the Edict of January may be generally obserued kept throughout the Realme that in certayne places in the which there is most daunger of sedition the faithful mai haue leaue to haue their Temples within the Cities that the Guises the Constable and the Marshiall of S. Andrew may depart from the Court and that they come not into the same agayn nor haue any maner of gouern ment of the kingdom during the Kings minoritie Also that whatsoeuer hath ben done by the kings counsaile from that time since the which the Guises haue kept the King and Quéen in their custody by force of armes may be boyd and of none effect Furthermore wée request that the Cardinall of Ferrar a prâ—…uoker and mouer of warres may forthwith depart the Realme and spéede him to Rome and that he certefie the Pope that if hée will appoint a common counsell either at Lions Auinion or Bezance they were ready by the Kinges leaue to come to that Counsell But whereas it is sayd that wée shall haue pardon for putting on armour there séemeth to vs no cause why we should need any pardone Since we haue not horne armour against the king but for the King yea wée are sofarre fâ—…om deseruing blame herefore that wee rather deserue all commendation prayse and rewarde Which shall well appeare to the Kinge when hée commeth to that rypenesse of yeares that he may iudge of our merites and well deseruing vntill which time we desire that the writings of the Prince of Conde and of the Triumuiri might be registred in all the Courtes of Paris Moreouer it séemeth not necessary vnto vs that any manner of artillerie should be taken awaye onely it is necessary to bring to passe that the Triumuiri which are the authours and causes of the war and these troubles do lay asyde their armour for wée desire nothinge more than peace As for the Cities which we haue fortified we doe and will euer acknowledge them to be the Kings And wée vtterly mislike that the Triumuiri sould bring into the Realme any forrain power Wherefore we desire not that the armies of forrein Princes be brought into the realm but that they would only be suerties for the performance of the Condicions Therefore we desire the Emperour the Princes Electors the Quéenes of England and Scotland the King of Spaine the common wealth of Vennize and the Switzers to giue their warrantise and suertiship for the performance of these condiâ—…ions These thinges notwithstanding were attempted in vayne mens myndes on both sydes béeing inflamed to warres The Prince of Conde and those of his syde trusted to the goodnesse of their cause howbeit they sought all that they coulde for peace and concorde althoughe both in number and also in courage they farre excéeded their aduersaries perswading themselues to haue the victorye The Guises and hys fellowes greatly leaned to the Kinges authoritie and had in their custodye the Kinges treasure So that what with their own subtill practises and what with the helpe of the Kinge of Nauar they brought many things to passe For the kings name and authority carieth with it such a maiestie and reuerence throughout the whole Realme of Fraunce as euer the name of a king hath done or may in any Kingdome the subiectes hauing in them a certaine naturall loue as it were ingraffed By which name how greatly the Guises haue preuailed experience hath taughte The Guises also were holpen by the Spaniards by the Italians and by the Swizers whâ—…se helpe the Guises required euen wheÌ„ they tooke their couÌ„saile first to begin warres The Guises had also on their part the Citie of Paris the Senate the people and many other great and mightie Cities So that they were very strong on both partes insomuch that all thinges considered it was not easie to be diâ—…erned which was the stronger part At this first beginning the Prince of Conde his part were both in number and courage far surpassing the Guises but the Guises and his adherents excéeded the other part in pollicie and subtill sleightes Notwithstanding God did so moderate
good lucke at the first finally through the daunger of the pestilence a greate nomber of his Soldiers went a side and many quight forsooke him Then were fastinges and prayers solemnly proclaimed to be in the Church to the which the Prince of Conde came oftentimes in his owne person He exhorted also his soldiers to be of good courage and was very carefull for the preseruation of Orleans and he sent Monsuer de Subize a noble and wise man to Lyons to be Lifetenant of the same because Monsuer de Adretze séemed to be to rash hardy and aduenterouse in his doingâ—…s And he sent letters oftentimes willinge that there should be diligent héede and care had of Lyons Dolpheny and Languedoc Also because the enemies power dayly increased by the meanes of forreine aids and because they were the more stout and bould vpon hope of newe aide the Prince of Conde sent Monsuer de Stuard a Scot with letters to the Quéene of England requiringe at her handes ayde in his owne name and in the name of his fellowes And he wrote also diuers letters to the princes of Germainy that were protestants in the which he craued help at their hands the Andelot himselfe be ing sent for the same purpose the more spedily to bring the matter to passe The helpers in this matter were said to be the Lantgraue Hessus the County Pallatine and the Duke of Bipont About this time the Prince of Conde published a writinge by which he ment to put awaye those rumores which were spred abrode of him and of his frendes by the Guises as though they had bin the authors and defenders of new and monsterouse opinions The libell published was to this effecte following Because saieth he we heare daily that our aduersaries accordinge to their accostomed maner oh lying and maliciouse dealinge against vs do in euery place slaunder and speake euill of al our doinges one while laying to our charge that we are Atheistes and Anabaptistes that by this meanes they might withdraw from vs their good willes care which séeke with vs to defend and mainetaine the true and pure worshippe of God by the doctrine of the prophetes and Apostles we thought good ouer aboue the former declarations of our cause to propounde a briefe summe of our faith By which faith we woorshippe and cal vpon the liuing God in the name of his only Sonne our Lord and sauiour Iesus Christ abiding in his feare seruice by the ministering of his woord and holy Sacraments that is to say by the institucion of Baptisme and of his holy supper To be short we condescend to al the articles of the primitiue Church as to the only rules of our saluation being grounded vpon the bookes of the Prophets Apostles as it is set forth more at large in the confession of our faith confirmed with the whole consent of al the reformed churches within this realme the copie whereof we send out into al forrain Nations to take away those detestable and wicked sclaunders and lyes by which the enemies both of God and of thys our realm being voyd of al shame haue sought in their libelles sealed letters to sclaunder backbyte and defame vs Wherefore we humbly pray and beséeche all those that loue the pure and sincere doctrine of the Gospell and which are the faithfull seruaunts of God yea we require them in the name of the liuing God that they first of all set before their eyes the flowing streames of innocent bloud that hath bene shed throughout this realme crying both from heauen and from earth for vengeance And we require all such that they helpe and ayde vs and that they ioyne with vs in this cause which is not our cause alone but also the cause of all the faithfull to represse and asswage their cruell tyrannie which goe about to take from vs the perfect and frée libertie of our consciences the benefit wherof was grauÌ„ted vnto vs by our soueraign and leige Lord the Kings Maiestie and by the consent of all the states of the realm we being perswaded that we linked togyther in one religion and in one mind the most mighty and eternal God will stretch forth his gloriouse hande to saue hys Church and will also blesse our labour and indeuour to the glory of his and to the inlarging of the kingdom of his sonne Iesus Christ to whom with the father and the holy Ghost be all honor and glory world without end The Prince of Conde also made answer to the Ordinance and decrée of the Senat of Paris by the which his Adherentes were condemned of treason First of al refusing all those of the College as the Iudges and Senatours to be men vnméete for this cause and writing the causes of their appeale he sent the same vnto them Their answer was in manner and forme following Although I and my friends and fellowes haue sufficiently declared the equitie of our cause which hath constrayned vs to put our selues in armour namely the libertie and authoritie of the King and the obseruation of the Kings Edictes for the maintenance of the libertie of our consciences the peace of the reformed churches Yet notwithstanding séeing the open and sworne enemies of the glory of God and of the common wealth doo dayly publish and send abroad new sclaunders and infamies to the obscuring of my innocency and the innoceÌ„cy also of my fellowes we thinke it moste necessary and méet that if wicked and vngodly men will not cease too withstand the trueth and all equitie no more should we be weary to defende and maintayne the same trueth For so much as therefore the XXUI day of Iuly there was an ordinance and decrée of Condemnation established in the Senat of Paris by which they make those to be gilty of RebellioÌ„ which haue borne armour to maintayne the authoritie of the King and his estates and against the tyrannie of the Guises and his adherents wée thinke it necessary that the Iustice of the sayde decrée should be declared and set forth not onely to the inhabitants of this Realme but also to other forreyne Nations and for an euerlasting remembrance to be coÌ„mitted to all posterities For it wil be an example worthy to be remembred in the which men may behold and sée into what Laberinthes of blind peruerse iudgements the enemies of God and his Church do fall and are so mad and blind that for truth they mayntaine falsehode iudging them to be sedicious who to the vttermoste of their power séeke the peace and tranquillity of the common wealth and pronouncing them to be Rebels who laying aside all care and consideration of them selues do both hazarde their goods and their liues to mayntaine the obedience belonging to the Kyng and the due and lawfull authoritie of the kynges Edictes And to the end the same proclamation of RebellioÌ„ may euidently appeare to be vnlawfull and vniâ—…st and râ—…ther a sclaunder of the enemie than
the euills like to ensue Finally I will and desire that the league whiche I haue made with the Princes Péeres Nobles and with all those that follow me and shall follow me may be established confirmed by this my writing To the which my fellowes I promise and vow that séeing it hath plea sed God to aduaunce me to so great honor as to make me the Captain and principall of that league and to be a deliuerer of the reformed churches liuing vnder the Kings Edictes from the iniuries and violence of the enemies I wil be the first that will spend my lyfe goods to maintayne the pure worship of God to defende the true professours and followers thereof to restore the King to his former libertie and authoritie and his Edictes and the lawes of the Realme to their proper dignitie In like manner I pray and beséeche all my Confederates that they abyde in the same mind courage and constancy that I am of in this so godly and commendable a purpose hauing alwayes respect vnto the vprightnesse of our cause reposing all their trust in the power of God being fully perswaded of this that fighting for the glory of God for the preseruation of his Church and for the conseruation of the King and the Realme God the mighty Lord of hoastes will stretch forth his mighty hand to helpe Whom I most humbly beséeche to take vpon him the patrociny and defence of our cause and to enter into the Throne of his iudgement before whom I shew and reueale the horrible blasphemies which our aduersaries haue breathed out against his Maiestie the cruelties which thei shewed vpon his poore afflicted meÌ„bers the innocent bloud of so many of his seruauntes that hath ben shed and the bloudy and mischeuouse coun sailes against his glory and the lyfe and safetie of hys Saincts so that hée taking his people vnder his protection would shew his power Iustice and wisdome both in destroying his aduersaries and also in blessing those which séeke to defend his people whereby all the world may know that hée is a refuge for the afflicted in time of trouble a deliuerer of his Church and an enemie anâ—… Iudge of his enemies About this time also the Prince of Condes fellowes sent letters to the Emperour Ferdinande to whom they declared their cause and rendered a reason of all theyr dooings and frustrated the rumors of their aduersaries praying him that hee would be carefull to defende thys cause and also that hée would call backe the Germanes that were gone to helpe the Guises And although saye they the reportes of the troubles which were in France were euery where spred abroad and were come also to the Emperours eares by letters sent from both partes yet notwithstandinge the Prince of Conde sent to the Emperoure whom he vnderstoode should come to an honorable assembly the causes of all his actions that the Emperour himselfe might certefie the whole assembly of the same seeing so great and waighty matters were obiected against him by his aduersaries the Prince of Conde thinking that it became him in a matter of so great waight to shewe the causes of all his dooings to all men and to the Emperour himself being of so highe calling that he might leaue to the whole world euident testimony of his innocency To bring the which matter to passe he may be glad that he hath gotten so good occasion to craue helpe to be ayded in this iust cause for the preseruation of the yong King of France being of suche age that the same of itselfe requireth and ought to obtayne helpe It is no new thing neyther wanteth it exaÌ„ples that Kyngs in their minoritie and infancâ—…e haue receyued the Kyngdome of Fraunce as appeareth by the late times of Charles the sixt and the eight and of others In whose time of minoritie we do not read that there was any contention about the gouernement of the Realme because the Princes which were the Kynges kinsmen left alwayes the gouernement of the Realme to thein which were elected and created by the States of the Realme of Fraunce to whom the gouernement of the Realme was committed so long as the King coÌ„tinuing in his minoritie which was vntill he came to the age of fouretéene yeares The which order of gouernement in the Kyngs Neâ—…age hath ben alwayes so approued that Kyngs haue warely prouided in their Testaments that if they should disceace before their Sonnes were come to their perfect age to gouerne the Realme then the States should prouide for the same gouernement The which doth sufficiently declare that this kind of gouernement doth in no poynt deminish the Kynges aucthoritie or power whom whosoeuer resisteth resisteth the ordinaunce of God but is rather necessary to preserue and defend them so long as they are vnméete to take vppon them any such gouernement through the defect and imbecillitie of Nature But when the Kyng shall come to the age of fouretéene yeres that vicary or substituted gouernemeÌ„t doth cease and all things do so retourne to the Kyng that whatsoeuer he shall will or decrée shall be ratified In the dayes of Charles the sixt after he had raigned many yeres and that it pleased GOD for the sinnes of the people to depriue him of his witte and sences and when the time came that the Realme must of necessitie be gouerned there arose a certaine contention among the Princes that were the Kyngs kinsmen about the same gouernement but this was neuer heard of that a forreyne Prince would euer intrude him selfe into the gouernement of the Realme and that against the will ordinance and decrée of the States as doth now the Duke of Guise at the first with force of armes and afterwardes vnder the coullour and name of the Kyng of Nauar corrupting and breaking all Lawes constitutions and customes that by all meanes possible he might satisfie his ambicious minde and get the gouernement of the Realme into his handes And say they most renowmed Emperour you must not thinke that he is moued to do these things for the loue he beareth to any Religion but doth only make Religion a cleake to fulfill his ambicious desire but vnder this pretence he hath drawne a great part of the people vnto him whom he hath so stirred to outrage crueltie promising that they shall escape vnpunished whatsoeuer they do that now the mad and franticke people throughout the whole Realme of Fraunce do nothing els but kill spoyle and shew al maner of violence After the death of Henry the second and Fraunces the second Kynges of Fraunce it was expedient according to the auncient vse of the lawes that the States of FrauÌ„ce should be called together and that in the greater number because Charles our Kyng was of tender yeres Then the States as it was méete made certayne lawes and statutes the which should only stand in force and strength duringe this time of the Kynges minority according to the institution and
being weary of his lyfe through extréeme payne desperately dyed The Quéene the King of Nauars wyfe being very carefull for his health who shewed hirselfe alwaye very modest and constant both in doing her duty with all obedience notwithstanding his euill dispositioÌ„ towardes harlots and also in firme abyding in y truth being also very carefull for the vertuouse education of her children but specially for the trayninge vp of her sonne in the reformed Religion whom the Guises went about to nussell in all kind of wickednesse Therefore the Prince of Conde wrote letters of comfort vntâ—… hir certefying her that a great many at Orleans were sore agréeued for the death of hiâ—… husbande This therefore was the ende of the Kinge of Nauarrâ—… who after that hée had forsakeÌ„ the defence of the trueth was the cause of many troubles â–ª being so muche more hurtfull to the church as hée might haue ben profitable if it had not ben the purpose of God to declare that hée himselfe is the only authour builder preâ—…eruer and defender of his church and not man how noble so euer hâ—… be for herein standeth the glory of God. The Prince of Conde had oftentimes intreated the Quéene of Englandâ—… while there was some hope that peace might be had by intreaty â–ª that her hignnes would be a helpe to him therin but at the length the matter being brought to be tryed by force of armes as we shewed before hée required of her highnesse money and â—…ouldiours to maintayne warre Therfore about this time when there was a rumor spred abrode of the comming of the Germanâ—…s and of the â—…ide out of England to helpe the Prince of Conde there was a writing published in the name of the Quéene of England who also had sent Ambassadours to the king about the same pacification but they little profited yea returned almost without any answere In the which she both layed to the Guises charges that they were the authors and causes of all the warre and also affirmed that she would take vppon her as it became her the defence of the Kynges cause And also that all Christian Realmes and Princes ought both to be moued to compassion and pitie at the afflicted and troubled state of Fraunce at this time and to moue thom to haue a deepe consideration and care to prouide remedies by which not only the Kyng a child the Quéene his mother and all the Kynges sonnes her children and so all the people of Fraunce may be deliuered and frée from present trouble but also to euell and rent vp by the rootes so great a mischiefe least the same should spred it self to other nations Notwithstanding sayth she there is no man to whom this common care doth more specially appertain than vnto me which being both of my selfe inclined to care and also confirmed and prouoked thereunto by the iudgements of my Counsaylers haue hitherto gone about by all meanes to do the best I could to stoppe and preuent the first beginnings of the great mischiefe like to ensue And why I ought thus to do both the commiseration and pitie of the kyng my welbeloued brother a child and my neighbour of the Quéene his Mother of all the Kynges children and of so great a people and also the present perill of conueying the same warre ouer the Sea vnto as all men of sound iudgement eyther hare or â—…ls where both beholding and talking of these things and also praysing this care of it selfe very commendable may sufficiently declare and shew my mind in this matter worthy of commendation Notwithstanding it séemeth reasonable to setforth in open writing how and after what maner I haue behaueâ—… my selfe herein that all men my sée how I haue delt with my neighbours and how I meane to deale hereafter First all men might sée how greatly euen since the beginning of my raigne I haue desired that euery Christian might enioye prate and concord when as because of the same I haue willingly departed from my right and haue let go some part of my auncient Dominion for a time when as otherwise they for whose sake I haue receiued this losse recouered and receiued by and by all that was taken from them And yet notwithstanding â–ª all men remember and know in how short tyme after and for what iust and manifest causes I am constrained seeing that I am offered great iniury and violence to proclayme also my selfe open warre both to deliuer me and my kyngdome from perill and also to frée my neighbours which fled vnto me for succour froÌ„ open tirrany In the which matter notwithstanding how vprightly I haue delt all men may sée first by exhortations to abstayne from warre then by open declaration that I mynded to deliuer my selfe and mine from violence and wrong after that by all maner of good gouernement and disposing of matters and last of all by the very 〈◊〉 and end of the thing it selfe After the pacification of those troubles to the end I might leaue nothing vndone to make true and assured peace concord â–ª I made a firme and euerlasting League with the Quéene of Scots my welbeloued Sister and my neere neighbour In the which matter how sincerely and truly I haue behaued my selfe God knoweth sundry benefites and gifts whith I bestowed vppon the Guises Uncles to the Quéene of Scottes and vppon their seruants may sufficiently declare my great good will herein beside the mutuall and fréendly communication also which I had with the same Quéen of Scots But amoÌ„g these deliberations and communications concerning peace beside the lacke which I had of the fruite of peace I am also constrayned to haue a study and care for those new troubles in the kingdome of Fraunce raysed vp by those which haue alwayes shewed themselues to be enemies towards me and what they haue done to make new suspicions betwéene me and the Quéene of Scottes for the same Quéene of Scottes sake I haue alwayes hitherto kept silence At the beginning when I knew well enough if these troubles should prenaile it would not only come to passe amidest the Ciuill dissentions that the kyngdome of Fraunce should come into great perill of destruction as now it is but also that other Christian Realmes especially my owne Realme should fall into the same perill both for the néerenes of the places and also because the authors of those troubles are my enemies I vsed all meanes that I could both by Letters also by Ambassages that there might some wayes be taken for peace and concord betwéene both partes Notwithstanding one part refused the same and bursted forth into open violence and mortall warre yet I ceased not from my purpose and good intent But when I sawe that the desire of crueltie dayly more and more enereased and that euery where bloudshed butcherly murther was committed and which was most perillons that the young Kyng and his Mother were sodenly besieged and came into their
handes without aide and succour and that he was so forced by them that he would suffer his authoritie to be abused to the murthering of his poore and innocent people to the besieging and spoyling of his Noble Cities to the breaking of good and wholesome Edictes to the iniury of the Kynges kinsmen and Nobles and to the ruine destruction of the Kynges faithfull seruants beside an infinite number of wickednesses mo and all to satisfie their willes and mindes which determined to breake the Kynges Edictes without punnishment which Edictes were made by thē States of the Realme for the preseruation of peace and tranquillitie and for the safetie of the Kyngs Maiestie When also I perceiued that they went about and had already put in practise to ouerthrowe and destroye the Religion and the professors and followers of the same I thought it good and most necessary for these causes to prouide out of hand a more effectuall and forceable remedy that the authors of these troubles might at the last he constrayned to come to peace and concord vppon reasonable conditions least the whole Kyngdome of Fraunce through the vnbrideled and outragious willes of a fewe should bée brought into so great perill And for these causes I sent some of my Counsayle Ambassadours into Fraunce wise graue and experiensed men and addicted to neyther part that in the extremitie of these matters there might bee a remedy found out whereby their Kyng and soueraigne Lorde might be obeyed and the peace and tranquillitie of the Realme mayntayned Notwithstanding this my labor and good indeuour was not thankfully taken neyther could I haue any answere frō the yong Kyng nor from his Mother the Quéene being made a feard by that part which was the cause of all these troubles Whilest therfore I was carefully busied about these thinges and had no other care than for the profite of the Kyng my welbeloued brother without condemning of either part I was other wise delt withall than I looked for Wherby appeared that their will and minde was which so often times denied the bearing of those things which were propounded by me and mine at my commaundement for peace and concordes sake For al my Marchaunts of London and of other partes of my Realme which came into certaine places of Brittaine only about their Marchandize and were preparing to retourne home againe were taken and robbed and dispoyled of all their goodes and they which sought to defend them selues were cxuelly slayne their shippes Marchandize taken by the Magistratrs of those places whereunto they arriued and that for no other cause but for that they were reported to be Huguenotes By the which woord although it séemed strange to those poore Marchaunts and Marriners who knew not what it ment it sufficiently appeared from whom they receyued commaundement to doe these thinges and what they would do more if time and occasion would suffer This was no small rapine or light spoyle but of great waight it was not done sodenly or marage but by the common Magistrate vpon the commaundement of the Gouernour of those partes and that by great contencion with my subiectes The matter being complayned of to those that should haue reformed the same nothing was done but to make a mendes one of my messengers comming homwards with letters of my Ambassadour was robbed the which also escaped vnpunished without any farther examination Wherby I perceiue that the Kyng or Quéene his Mother or rather the Kyng of Nauar do rather want authoritie than good will. And certainely it is manifest both by this and by an infinite sort of other arguments in what state and condition the young Kyng standeth when as he maye not preserue his people and houshold establish his lawes and Edicts nor giue no iust answere to other Princes and Nations By which and by other wicked deuises practised against me and my Realme it appeareth to all men of sound iudgement how greatly that violence which is now vsed in Fraunce by the Guises and his fellowes doth toutch not only Fraunce but also mée and my whole Realme more than any other Prince Therfore forsomuch as the dignity and authoritie of the Kyng and the Queene his Mother of his Counsellers louers of peace cannot at this time so much preuaile as to haue abillitie and leaue to rule and gouern or to do any thing els appertaining either to their own people or to other Nations or to their owne proper persons séeing also the Kynges tender age and the Quéene his Mother are so circumuented and snared that they must condescend and agrée to whatsoeuer the Guises will haue them as may testifie those great destructions and manifold calamities which the authors of these troubles haue brought in besieging assaulting and sacking the Kynges Cities and Townes and in shedding the innocent bloud of his subiects also séeing they haue caused ciuill warre that they might abolish and extinguish in euery place the reformed Religion do séeke to make mortall warre in euery part of the whole world furthermore séeing they are the authors and fautors of these pitifull and lamentable troubles are noted so to be of all men who if they might haue time and oportunitie would séeke by all meanes possible to violate and diminish the state and dignitie of my Realme and to conclude séeing of late also they haue openly gone about to cōtend with me by force of armes but by the grace and goodnes of God were disapoynted of their purpose and do yet diligently séeke the same also to aduaunce them selues to my incōmoditie shall I suffer and beare with those sworne and mortall enemies to peace and concord Shall I suffer the bloud of my neighbours to be cruelly shed if by any maner of meanes I might let the same Shall I suffer the young Kyng my welbeloued brother to bee besieged and in great perill and not to be counted vnthankful and mercilesse Shall I as vnwise and negligent haue no consideration or regard to my mortal enemies and to their practise Therfore for these iust euident and necessary causes of the Kynges subiects requiring my helpe and aide in these tempestes and calamities I commaunded many of my subiectes to be armed both by Sea and land to deliuer the subiectes of my welbeloued brother the Kyng of Fraunce from tirrany Rapine murther and destruction and to kéepe certaine Cities bordering vpon the sea coast and more néere vnto vs in saftie from those enemies least the peace made betwéene me and my brother the Kyng being broken they might the more easely warre against my Realme To prouide for the which thinges tyme calleth vpon me For I haue the testimony of a good conscience and do protest that I in these thinges do vse such sinceritye and integrity that I séeke and iusue christian peace as I ought and I doubt not but that the protection and defence of innocent bloud is acceptable vnto God wil be taken in verye good parte of my wel
sodayne punishment of Merae which was so spéedy that hee had not leaue to come before the Iudges according to order of Law to haue the accused present before the accuser Now concerning the peace it was reported of euery where euery one reioyced because of the same yea the naming of peace was pleasant in the eares of all men euery one hoping that so great troubles and calamities were now at an end Notwithstanding the Protestants greatly mâ—…ruelled what the Prince of Conde ment to agrée vnto those slended conditions séeinge the principal heads of their enemyes were destroied some taken and the â—…ost 〈◊〉 discouraged whereas on the contrary part the Prince of Conde had now the lawfull gouernment of the Realme and many couragions captaines to take his part whereby they were like to haue â—…etter successe than euer they had Moreouer the Admirall in Noâ—…ndy and Monsieâ—… Cuâ—…sol in Languedoc prospered very well notwithstanding by letters sent to him from the King and from the Prince of Conde concerning the Edicte and to Monsieur Cursol also which was then besieging of the Castell of Pyle they vnarmed themselues imbraced the peace And the Edicte was there by and by 〈◊〉 â—…ed and in al Townes also where the Protestants inhabited The Catholiques also were suffered fréely to go vnto their Cities and enioyed all thinges to them appertayning according to the benefit of the Kinges Edict Notwithstandinge at Bourdeux and Tholoze the Papistes made much a do about the receiuing of the Kinges Edicte in so much that the Protestants durst not go home to their houses but were faine to make often complaintes here of to the Kinge The English men by the sufferance of the Prince of Conde kept the Portele Grace which is a Citie bordering vppon the Sea in the edge of Normandy who refusing for certain causes of couenant betwéene them to go out of the Citie the Kinges armye remoued to besiege the same the Prince of Conde also himselfe being present with a great part of his army at the which the English men greatly marueiled thinking that he requited them not as they had deserued Notwithstandinge at theyr Quéenes commaundement they departed from thence vppon certaine conditions a League being made betwéene the King of France the Quéene of England Both Armies also of the Germanes went home almost in euery place men wholy vnarmed themselues notwithstanding certain of the Guises armye and of the Prince of Condes also wer reserued stil in their armour for another purpose as shal be hereafter declared The end of the second part ¶ The thirde parte of Commen taries Conteyning the whole discourse of the ciuill warres of Fraunce vnder the raigne of CHARLES the nynth Translated out of Latin into Englishe by Thomas Tymme Minister Seene and allowed Imprinted at London by Frances Coldock And are to be sold at his shop in Pawles churchyard at the signe of the greene Dragon 1574. The Table for the third part A ABbay of Saint Florent burnt page 201 Actes in the time of the Kyngs progresse 46 Admirall accused by the Cardinall of Loraine 11 Admiralls purgation 13 Admiral cleered of the Guises death by the Kings sentence 47 Affaires of the lowe Conntrey 77 Agreement betweene the king and the Duke of Orleans 40 Amanzi slaine 131 Answere of the faithfull to the oth which they should take 124 Andelot commeth to the Prince of Conde with a great armie 174 Andelot passeth ouer the Riuer of Loyer 176 Andelot ioyneth with the Admirall 176 B Battaile woone by the Protestants at Auuergnoys 107 Battaile in the which the Prince of Conde was slaine 208 Brotherhoodes of the Papistes 43 Brissiac slaine 215 Boysuerd slaine 175 C Cardinall accuseth the Admirall 11 Cardinall taketh foolishe and â—…ain journeyes 70 Cardinall of Loraine practiseth too take the principall protestaÌ„s 118 Cardinall of Loraine practiseth too take the Prince of conde 121 Cardinall Sâ—…astillion fleeth into England 162 Church of Lions diuersly vexed 50 Chartres besieged 108 Charite besieged and taken 221 Cities and Townes which tooke part with the Protestants 107 Cities yeelded to the Prince of Con de 174 Cipiere cruelly slaine 119 Conference betweene the Nobles and the Duches of Parme. 86 Conspiracie of the Papistes to destroy the Gospell 92 Constable slaine 102 Countie Panpadon slaine 215 Counsell of Trent traueileth to hiâ—… der the Gospell 23 Congregatiou of the Protestants at Pamiz 37 Craftie disposition of the Queene Mother 11 D Death of the Prince of Condes wife 41 Death of Châ—…els Sonne to Kyng Philip. 162 Death of the Lord of Morueile 227 Death of the Duke of Deuxpons page 223. Declaration of Rossilion gaue a great ouerthrow to the Edict 50 DescriptioÌ„ of the Dukes camp 223. DescriptioÌ„ of the princes army 224 Discipline appointed by the Prince of Conde 164. 165. Duches of Parme causeth an assembly of states 83. Duke of Alba commeth into FlauÌ„ders with the Spaniards 94. Duke of Aniou marcheth toward Loraine 106. Duke of Aniou put to the worse in fight 193. Duke of Deuxpons promiseth aide to the Prince 197. E Edict wrested by the Anuil 5. Edict falsely interpreted 27. Edict enterpreted 45. Edict against the Gospel 106. 177 Edict collerably made by the Catholiques 112. Edict not obserued 115. Edict of peace 300. England a fuccor to Fraunce 109. Endreau reuolteth 212. F Fortresse built at Lions 49. G Germans take both partes 196. Gouernment of D'anuil ouer the Churches of Languedoc 3. Gospell begynneth to florishe in â—…launders 77. Guyses seke to disturb the peace 20 I. Impunitie for the murder done at Towers 69 Images in Flanders go to wrack 85 Iniuries done to the Protestantes pag. 60. 113. Interdiction of Sermons 48. K Kinges progresse with the causes thereof 38. King commeth to Lions 48. King commeth to Languedoc 74. King Philip certified of the increse of the Protestantes in the Lowe countrey 79. King and Queene remoue to Paris 97. L Letters of the king to the Prince of Conde 67. Letters of the Prince to the Kâ—…ng page 98. 132. Letters of the papistes intercepted page 130. Letters of the Queene of Nauar â—…o the Kinge 168. to the Queene mother 169. and to the Cardinal of Borbon 173 Lett es of the Queene of Nauar â—…o the Queene of England 187. Letters pattens from the Pope 184. Lord Boccard dyeth 216. Luzig surrendered 241. M Messenger sent by the Prince of CoÌ„ de taken 162. Merindol apointed for the exercise of the reformed religion 73 Monsuer Cure slaine 44. Monsuer Saltane displaced oute of his office and Monsuer Lossay succedeth him 50. Mons. Cochay taken and many of his men slaine 197. Mons Mouens and his souldiours slaine 186. Motton commaunded to be hanged by the Anuil 6. Murders most horrible 119. Musters of Souldierâ—… 130. N Niort besieged 237. Noyers wonne 198. O Oth of the prince of Nauar. 212. Oth collerably made 130. Order of gods fâ—…ruice in Nemaux â—… P Papistes brag of
campe Secondlye he was instantly persuaded and pursued as well by one Laurence de Ruze Secretary to the Duke d'Aniow as by the sayde la Riuiere to kill by poyson or other wayes the sayd Lord Admirall whiche he might be bolde to do say they without feare of the Admirals children who also shoulde be rooted vp to the vttermost of their race neither néede he stande vpon any dreadfull respect of any his friendes or kinsmen séeyng they assured him that no one of them shoulde euer be well receiued or welcomed to the court as first the Marshall Montmorancy his Cosine shoulde be committed to prison where he should neuer come out with honor and that of the rest of the sayde Mashals brethren there shoulde not remaine one Finally the rather to allure him to such an horrible acte they sealed their last offer with a dampnable promise of xxx thousand crownes in recompence and. xxx thousand Frankes of perpetuitie oute of the towne of Paris besides the fauourable good will all dayes of hys life as well of the Quéene mother Duke d'Aniow as Cardinall of Loraine and the whole court Dalbe yéelded so farre to their murderous enticementes as he gaue his word and promise to kill the Admirall Wherevpon was deliuered him by the sayde la Riuiere certayne white pouder whiche was knowen afterwardes to be eyther Reagar or Arsenicke with a large pasporte from the sayde Kinges Brother wherewith he departed and came to the Lord Admsrall his maister at the siege of Poyctiers his long aboade in the Catholikes campe together with other suspicious circumstaunces appearing at his arriuall persuaded a ielous iudgement of his dealing and therevpon was committed to prison his processe pursued and ended sentence lastly pronounced in these termes Iudgement pronounced the. xx of September 1569. in the councel established by the Prince of Nauarre and Conde present and assisted with the Printe of Orange the Countie Wolrard de Mansfelde Lieuetenant generall of the Almaignes vnder the sayd Princes the Counties Lodouike and Henry de Nassau brethren Menard de Chomber Marshall of the Almaignes camp Hans Boucq Renard Gracco Henry Destam Hans de There 's Colonels of the Reistres Guieryn Gangolf Baron of Grelesee Colonell of a regiment of Launceknightes Theodore Wegger professor of the law and Embassadour frō the Duke de Deux ponts with many other lords knightes Colonels and Keistremaisters of Almaigne the Lord of Corras Councellour to the King in the Parliamente of Tholouse and Chaunceller to the Quéene of Nauarre and the armye the Lorde of Francourt Bricquemau de Mouy de la Noue de Renty de Soubize de Mirambeau de la Caze de Puch-perdillan de Biron de Lestrange with manye other Lordes Gentlemen and Captaynes of Fraunce Séeing the processe made by the commissaries deputed by the said Princes of Nauarre and Conde againste Dominique Dalbe groome of the chamber to the L. Gaspard Counte de Coligny lord of Chastillon and Admirall of France the iii. examinations of the sayd Dalbe afore the Prouost general of the campe and two other afore the Commissioners assigned for that purpose lassly the confessions of the said Dalbe relterated viii ▪ seueral times wherein he acknowledgeth to haue hen instantly sollicited vrged and pressed by la Riuiere Captayne of the garde and one Laurence de Ruze Secretary to the Kings brother to practise and procure the death of the sayd L. Admirall eyther by sword or poyson which hée promised to the sayd la Riuiere to effect with poyson only receyuing to that end of the said la Riuiere certayne money and poison in forme of white powder which he hath shewed since to the said Prouost and Commissioners séeing also the verification and proofe of the sayde poyson tryed by Phisicions and Apotecaries assembled at la Haye in Touraine the xiii of this moneth togyther with a very large pasport graunted to the saide Dalbe the 30. of the last moneth by the Kings brother lying thē at Plessis les Tours and nowe for due punishment and reuenge to such a traiterous and detestable attempt so often acknowledged as well in his priuate confessions as publike assembly the said councell hath and doth con dempne the said Dalbe to be deliuered into the hands of the executioner of high Iustice who tying him vppon a hurdell with a halter about his necke shall drawe hym thorow the stréetes corners accustomed of this towne de Fay la Vineuse with this inscription in parchement about his body This is Dominike Dalbe traytour to the cause of God his Countrey and Maister trayling him first to the lodging gate of the sayd Lord Admiral and there with no other garments than his shirte the halter remayning still about his necke holding in his hande a torche of burning waxe shall demaund pardon of God the King the law and the Lorde Admirall confessinge there that wickedly disloyally and trayterously he had professed promised and practised to kill by poyson the said L. Admirall his maister and at the same instant in his presence the said poyson which he confessed to bée giuen vnto him by the said la Riuiere to be cast into the fire and burned All which being done he shall be ledde keeping still the inscription about his body to the place of publike execution and ther to be hanged and strangled on a gallowes set vp for that purpose And that also humble sute be made to the King to do iustice vpon the sayd la Riuiere and Laurence with their complices and withall if his maiestie be of mind to verifie more ample their said conspiracie with the said Dalbe the same notwithstanding resembling a sufficient trueth against them by his voluntary confession to procéede agaynst them with punishment due to so horrible a fact and the same both to terrifie hereafter others of like villanious humour and also to remaine to all nations as a President of the noble nature and disposition of Fraunce in abhorring such traytrous attemptes declaring the said la Riuiere and Laurence with all other sectes and sortes of traytours kéeping schole and open shoppe to poyson persons of name and vertue to be traytours villayns and men vnworthy of honour either in them selues or their posteritie to the 4. generatiō Lastly it is iudged that afore the execution of iudgement the sayde Dalbe shal be put on the racke to the ende to confesse further practises with his said confederates with other things contayned in interrogatories gyuen to the Prouost This sentence thus pronounced the morrow after being the xxi of September the rack was vsed accordingly where he confirmed his former confession and so the same day the sentence was put in execution Whilest the Kings brother kepte at Chynon in the Countrey of Touraine whether he was retired as is sayd great numbers of men of warre flocked to hym from many partes of the Realme togyther with the horsemen to whom he gaue libertie for recreation and the xx enseignes of footemen Parisiens wherof
caused all or most of his troupe to remaine still afore the sayd Castell to withstand that no man should enter till hée sent new forces from S. Flour whether as he spéedely repaired so he dispatched from thence certain numbers of footemen to ioyne with the troupe he had left afore the Castle with charge not to departe till it were taken M. de Sallians to whom both the place and charge belonged lay very sicke who in respecte of his small strength hauing not aboue sixe souldiours and withall doubting spéedy surcours made no great resistance but yéelded the Castle by composition to haue onely their lyues saued which albeit was faithfully promised yet trayterously performed because both her husband was killed and she led prisoner to S. Floure charged to be the onely cause of the lord of S. Hierans hurt The taking of the towne of Oryllac whereof is spoken before amazed greatly them of Auergne wherefore hauing gathered people from many partes determined to besiege it afore they within could haue meane to fortifie themselues And for this purpose the Lord Rocneâ—…onne Gouernour of Puy and the graund Priâ—…r of Auergne with their regimentâ—… of footemen came to Mar zillas in Roargnes attâ—…ding ther as it was said certain caÌ„nons which should be sent from Rhodes to batter Oryllac In the meane while also the Lord de Saint HeraÌ„ with no lesse diligence aduaunsed at S. Flour the other forces and also the Nobilitie of Auergne whom he summoned speedely to repayre thither Albeit hearing in the heat of his diligence of the princes comming to Argentall he let fall his enterprise The men of Auergne fearing the princes would sease vpon the low countrey called la Lymagne and there to winter in respect of the generall fertilitie of that place drew in troupes of paysants and coÌ„munalties into the straites of the mountaines by which they imagined the army should passe and there hewing down great numbers of trées bestowed them athwart the high waies to trouble the passage of the horsemen The rest of the countrey were bestowed by the lord de Saint Heran in townes and Castles to the ende they should not be sodenly taken the princes beguyled their opinion as not passing that way but directed their ioâ—… ney ouer Dordone and so into Quercy and beneath Cadenat passed the riuer of Lot and so from thence arriued at Montauban in Nouember 1569. The Lord de Mirabell and Foulques â–ª hauing remained about Oryllac â—…nee the charge they had neare to Rolliat tooke way about this tyme with their troupes to ende their voyage who passing the Riuer of Lot beneath Cadenat and after they had trauersed the mountaines of Rouarges and Sauennes arriued without let aâ—… Priuas and Aulbenas townes in Viuarez holden by those of the Religion The siege continued all this whyle afore S. Iean de Angely where the King the Quéene mother and Cardinall of Lorraine were in persone The morrowe after that the breache of the Fort was assaulted the Kinge procured the protestantes to be commoned withall to the ende to render the Towne by composition Wherin they vsed this persuasion the rather to entice them that his Maiestie had determined to erect a puissant army to make war in Allemaigne wherein as they might steade that seruice in special turne so his Maiestie was carefull not to spill men of such experience and value otherwayes if they would not embrace his Maiesties offer and composition he would thunder vpon them all his forces till he had won the Towne They answered as before that they would not render the town till ther were a peace assured to the profit and quiet of the whole Reaâ—…e whereupon the King required to speake with the Lord de Personne as well in the causes concerninge the Towne as to send him to the princes in the meane and matter of peace Whereunto the protestants condescended and sent out of the Towne the Lorde de Personne receyuing in his pleadge and hostage the Lord de Guiteniers After the King had conferred with the Lord de Personne they grew to capitulations as followed First that if the Lord de Pilles were not succoured within ten dayes to render the Towne to the Kinge their liues and goodes saued 2 That for the assurance of this there shuld bée deliuered in hostage two Knightes of the order they to be sent either to Rochell or Angoulesme at the protestants choice 3 That during this space of the x. dayes truce should be betwéene them with charge that neither they should fortifie in the towne nor they without vpon their trenches nor yet approche the walles of the towne 4 Lastely that in the meane while the Lord de Personne should go to the Princes with a Gentleman of his Maiestie to treate of peace According to the which the saide L. de Personne with the Kinges Gentleman went to the Princes in the Gentlemans place the Lorde de Guitiniers was sent out of the towne to the campe They which the princes lefte as you haue heard at Sainctes to defend the towne maintained their charge till now And hearing that Sainct Iean d' Angely was in parley and at point to yéeld fearing with all that it was their lotte and turne to be besiéeged next They forsooke the towne retired to the other Garrisons which were thereaboute wherein the Kinge forgot not to embrace the oportunitie sending forthwith certaine companies to sease vppon it to the end that by that meane the way might be cloased from them of the Religion beinge at Angoulesme and Coygnac to go or come to Rochell Likewyse they of Rochell shoulde be bard to sende succoures to them The Lorde of Bricquemau laye all this while in the towne of Boâ—…rg dieu in Berry as hath bin said by reason of his sicknesse During whose aboade there hys troupes made ordinarye warre vppon the Garrison of Chasteau-roux vpon Indre wherin the Lord of the place retained thrée companies of footmen for the catholikes Ther were often incursions and enterviewes betwéen them the same continuing almost sixe wéekes in which time were killed of the one and other side almoste two hundreth men After the saide Lorde Bricquemau was restored to health he retired in this moneth of Nouember with his troupes to Charite During the siéege of S. Iean d' Angely the Towne of Nimes in Languedoc was taken by the Religion the fiuetéenth of this moneth and by this meane there is a mylne in the towne neare to the walles and to make it grynde there comes a spring or fountaine not farre of through a sluse or creuishe in the wall dressed with grates or barres of yron They of the Religion in that Countrey practised intelligence with the miller by whose aide they pluckt vp by night the said yron grate and so conueyed into the towne by that creuish and channel about a hundreth souldioures who hid themselues within the myll attending the houre to execute their enterprise in the meane while they sent from
The Lorde de Lespau a gentleman of Berry and one called la Rose Sergeant maior to Sanserre attempted an enterprise vpon the Towne of Bourges in Berry by meane of intelligence with a Souldiour of the towne called Vrsin Pallus to whome was promised a greate summe of money with a bill for the assurance payable within two moneths after he had satisfied hys promise This enterprise had bene of long practised and for the execution of it the parties to the practise imparted it with the Lord de Bricquemau de Guercy Liuetenant to the Lord Admirall ouer his men of Armes and gouernour at the present of Charite for the Kinge vnder the princes to the Lord de Borry Barō of Reury des Essarz with others Lordes and Captaynes in those quarters Who vnderstanding the enterprise at large wyth the meanes to execute it iudged with it as a thing very cōuenient to be pursued This Vrsin Pallus in the meane while reuealed it to the Lord de la Charstre gouernour of the towne of Bourges and countrey of Berry and also to Captaine Martyn kéeper of the tower of Bourges who aduised hym to entertayne the enterprise and assure to them of Charite day place and meane to effect it who likewise applyed himselfe to their instructions In the meane while the said Gouernour of Charstres omitting no preparatiue fitte to welcome them deuysed gynnes of fire traines of pouder within the ditches of the place assigned he bestowed also two grates the one at the entry of the little Forte and the other at the dore or false port by which they enter into the great tower bringing lastly into the towne dyuerse horsemen and footemen Italians for their better suerty and defence The day and houre speciall for this purpose was assigned by the said Pallus on S. Thomas night the on and twenteth of December at two of the clock at after midnighte whiche they of Charite fayled not to obserue in poynt And bycause they were dispersed in diuerse places the place of generall méeting was at Baugy a castle taken before by tht Barron of Reury about six leagues from Bourges There met about a thousande or twelue hundreth harquebushears on foote of the troupes of the Lorde Borry and Loruaye with thrée cornets of horsemē guyded by the Lorde Bricquemau all which in very good poynt obserued both the houre and place asseigned called la Grange Francois half a league from Bourges where where likewise met thē the saide Vrsin Pallus ▪ assuring thē still of the facilitie of the enterprise that he could bring thē to the great tower without daūger wherunto to couer all cause of doubte he offered to be their first leader They of the Religion vnder the saith of his worde made march first and formost with him the Lorde de Lespau accompanyed with twelue aswell Captaines as souldiers and entred by a wicket toward the fort of the false port where they pitched ladders to enter within the false porte which was siue foote aboue grounde After him entred the Baron Reury with fiue twenty men and then the Lord de Sarts with fifty souldiers to sustaine the first but as his troupe entred the cordes of the grate were cut when they also within applyed their seuerall engines to vse and put fire to the traines and at the instant the artillery bestowed in flanks thūdred vppon them that were to enter as also Captaine Martyn with his nūber of armed mē charged such as were vnhappely entred who séeing themselues their enterprise betrayed deuised and labored for their safetie aswell as they could some lept from the wall down some gat oute of the grate the same being somewhat hyer because Buysiere stewarde to the late Lord de Autricour was inclosed vnder it being notwithstandyng taken from thence by his company who not able other wise to effect their enterpryse were constrayned to retyre They killed of them of the Religion twelue or fourtene aswell Captaines as Souldiers almost as many kepte prisoners within the towne besides suche as were hurt the Lord de Lespau the Baron of Reurye de Lessartes des Milles with certaine other were taken within the grosse tower After this they of Bourges fearing the courses that they of the religion made euen to their gates aduertised the king of their necessitie who succoured thē spedely with fixe cornets of horsemen which had bene before at the siege of S. Ian d' Angely they arryued at Bourges vpon the ende of December The Princes being come to Montauban as is said executed the cause of their comming adioyning to their armie the forces of the two Uicountes and Montgomerie In this time the King sente backe to Poyctyers the Duke de Aumall with thrée Canons and one coluerine guyded by the Lord de Gouas and his regiment of footemen And so bestowing his garrisons to winter lycensing afore the Italian to go home his Maiesty came to the Towne of Angiers After these long vexations and troubles all men be gan to desire peace the which as it was greatly desired of the faithfull so there were manifest reasons why the Catholiques should desire the same For although the losse and ruine of the faithfull was more hard to be recouered Notwithstanding they that were staine of the Papistes side were not the lesser number And their spoyles made knowne too many in diuers places caused them to feare the desolation and calamities to come the more if warre should be taken in hand againe which séemed to such as wisely beheld al things not hard to be renued of the Princes part séeing among great difficulties they had both renued warres with encredible spéede and also made them with greater force then before the stirred mindes of the subiects being daungerous weapons But all being weary of the continuall troubles wished for peace and quietnes and would the kyngdome take weapon against it selfe to her owne destruction It was sayd that the Kyng was enclined to peace and yet angry for his former losses and moued with the letters of the Emperour the Princes of Germany concerning a mariadge to bée made betwéene him and Maximilian the Emperours daughter vnto whom the Emperour would not consent but vppon condition of peace And so the matter beinge handled of both partes for certaine monethes at the length in the moneth of August with the great expectation and prayers of all men peace was concluded and by the Edict all men of both Religions were commaunded to liue quietly thorow the whole Realme Which Edict after our long and lamentable vnquietnes it shal be good to set forth in maner and forme following VVheras saith the King we perceiue that the troubles of warre which were spread abrode before this time and also now did threaten present ruine and destruction to our realme and subiects to preuent so great a mischiefe and to bring our kyngdome to her former tranquilitie and quietnes by the aduise and consent of our sister our bretheren and
house and all the names of those of the Religion togither with the place of euery of their lodgings they put in bokes and wyth speede deliuered ouer the same bokes to those of whome they had receyued that commaundemente After noone the Quéene mother led out the King the Duke of Aniow Gonzague Tauaignes the Counte de Rhetz called Gondiâ—… into hir gardens called Tegliers This place bicause it was somewhat farre from resort she thought most fit for this their laste consultation There she shewed them howe those whome they hadde long bene in waite for were nowe sure in hold the Admirall lay in his bed maymed of both his armes and could not stir the King of Nauar and Prince of Conde were fast lodged in the Castle the gates were kept shut all nyghte and watches placed so as they were so snared that they coulde no way escape and the captaines thus taken it was not to be feared that any of the Religion woulde from thenceforth stir any more Now was a notable opportunitie saide she offred to dispatch the matter For all the chiefe Captaines were fast closed vp in Paris and the rest in other townes were all vnarmed and vnprepared and that there were scarcely to be found tenne enimies to a thousande Catholikes that the Parisians were in armour and were able to make thréescore thousande chosen fighting men and that within the space of one houre al the enimiâ—…s may be slayne and the whole name and race of those wicked meÌ„ be vtterly rooted out On the other side saith she if the King do not take the aduantage of the fitnesse of this time it is no doubt but that if the Admiral recouer his health al France will shortly be on fire with the fourth ciuill warre The Quéenes opinion was allowed Howbeit it was thought best partely for his age and partly for the affinities sake that the King of Nauars life should be saued As for the Prince of Conde it was doubted whether it were best to spare him for his age or to put him to death for hatred of his fathers name But herein the opinion of Gonzague toke place that he should with feare of death and torment be drawne from the Religion So that counsell brake vp with appoyntment that the matter should be put in execution the nexte night earely afore day and that the ordering and doing of all shoulde be committed to the Duke of Guise The Admirall being enformed of stirre and noyse of Armour and threatnings hearde euery where throughout the town and preparation of many things perteyning to tumult sent word thereof to the King who answered that there was no cause for the Admirall to feare for all was done by his coÌ„maundement and not euery where but in certayne places and that there were certayne appoynted by him to be in armour least the people shoulde rise and make any stirre in the towne When the Duke of Guise thought all things readie enough he called to him the abouesayde Marcell and charged him that he should a little after midnight assemble togither the masters of the streates whom they call Diziners into the townhouse for he had certaine strange and speciall matters in charge froÌ„ the King which his pleasure was to haue declared vnto them They all assembled bytime Carron the newe Prouost of merchauntes guarded with certaine Guisians and among the rest Entragne and Pnygallard made the declaration He sayde that the Kings meaning was to destroy all the Rebels whiche had in these late yeres borne armes against his Maiestie to roote out the race of those wicked men it was nowe very fitly hapned that the chieftaines and ringleaders of them were fast enclosed within the walles of the towne as in a pryson and that the same night they should first beginne with them and afterwarde for the rest assoone as possibly might be throughout all partes of the Realme the King would take order and the token to set vpon them should be giuen not with a trumpet but with tocksein or ringing of the great bel of the Palace which they knewe to be accustomed onely in great cases and the marke for them to be knowne from other should be a white linnen cloth hanged about their lefte arme and a white câ—…osse pinned vppon their cappes In the meane time the Duke of Guise made priuie therevnto the captains of the Kings guard both Gascoignes Frenchmen and Switzers and bad them be ready to go to it with good courage Shortly after the Duke of Guise and the bastard sonne of King Henry commonly called the Cheuaâ—…ier with a great band of armed men following theÌ„ went to the Admirals house which Cossin kept besieged with Harquebuziers placed in ordeâ—… on both sides of the streat The Admirall aduertised of the stirre and the noyse of the armour although he had scarcely ten persons in his house able to beare harnesse and in his Chamber onely two Surgions one Preacher and one or two seruitors yet could not be made afrayde trusting as he oft rehearsed vpon the â—…ings good wil toward him approued by so many and so great meanes of assuraunce hauing also coÌ„fidence that the câ—…mmonaltie of Paris if they once vnderstode the King to miâ—…ke of their mad furie how much soeuer they wer in ouâ—…rage yet so sone as they saw Cossin warding the gate they woulde be appeased He repeated also the othe for kéeping of the peace so oft openly sworne by the King and his brethren and their mother and entred in publike recordes the league lately made with the Quéene of Englande for the same cause the articles of treatie couenanted with the Prince of Aurenge the Kingâ—… faithe giuen to the Princes of Germanie some townes attempted and some takeÌ„ in the lowe countâ—…ey by the Kings commaundement the mariage of the Kings sisâ—…er solâ—…nized but sixe days before whiche it was not like that he would suffer to be defiled with bloude siually the iudgement of foraine nations and of pasteritie shame and the honor and constancie of a Prince publike faith and the sacred respecte of the lawe of nations all which it seemed monstrous and iucredible that the â—…ing could assâ—…nt to be stained with so outrageous a crueâ—…l déede Cossin when he saw the noblemen drawe neare â–ª knocked at the gate which as is abouesaide he was commaunded by the Duke of Aniâ—w to kéepe Wherevpon many applyed the olde prouerbe A goodly guarde to make the Woolfe keeper of the shéepe When he was entred without in manner any difficultie he caried in with him a great companie of armed men and after those followed the great Lords Such as Cossin found at the entrie of and within the porch of the house he slewe with a partisan that he had in his hand â–ª Which when the Admiral vnderstoode he caused those that were about him to lifte him out of his bâ—d casting on a nightgown vpon him he rose vpright on his feete he bad his friendes and seruants to flee
the slaughter of the Admirall and his adherentes was done by the Kings commaundement for so was his maiesties expresse pleasure bicause they had conspired to kil him and his brethren and the Quéene his mother and the Kyng of Nauarre And farther that the King did forbid that from thenceforthe there should be no moe assemblies holden nor preachings vsed of the Religion After the Kinges oratioÌ„ ended Christopher Thuane PresideÌ„t of that ParliameÌ„t a man very notable for his light brain and his cruell heart did with very large wordes congratulate vnto the King that he had now with guile and subtiltie ouercom these his enimies whome he could neuer vanquishe by armes and battell saying that therein the King had most fully veryfied the olde saying of Lewes the eleuenth his progenitor King of Fraunce which was wont to say that he knew neuer a latine sentence but this one Qui nescit dissimulare nescit regnare He that can not skil to dissemble can not skil to be a King. But Pibrace the aduocate of the FinaÌ„ces made a short oration the summe whereof was to this effecte that although the King hadde iust and great cause to be displeased yet he thought it more agréeable with his maiesties clemencie and goodnesse to make an ende of the slaughters and common spoyle and not to suffer such outrages to be any longer committed without iudiciall procéeding in the cause and besought his maiestie that from thenceforth it would please him to vse the lawe which is well knowne to be the onely stablishment of kingdomes and Empires and that there had bene already giuen to the commonaltie too perillous an example to followe An arrest of ParliameÌ„t with the Kings royall assent being made to that effect there were immediately Haroldes and trumpeters sent rouÌ„d about all the towne and an Edict proclaimed in the Kings name that from thenceforth the slaughters and common butcherly murtherings should ceasse and that all persons should abstainc from pillage and robberie This being knowne there were diuers speaches vsed of this matter throughout the town and specially of learned meÌ„ The most part sayd that they had read many histories but in all memorie of all ages they neuer heard of any such thing as this They coÌ„pared this case with the horrible doings of King Mithridates which with one messenger and with the aduertisement of one letter caused a hundreth and fiftie thousand Romaines to be slaine Some coÌ„pared it with the doing of Peter of Arragone which slewe eight thousand Frenchmen in Sicile which Isle they had surprised in his absence But yet this difference appeared betwene those cases and this that those Kings had exercised their crueltie vpon foreins and strangers but this King had done his outrage vpon his owne subiectes being yelded not so much to his power as to his faith and credit Those Kings were bound by no promise but such as was giuen to the strangers themselues this King was with newe made league bound to the kings and Princes his neighbors to kepe the peace that he had sworne Those kings vsed no guilefull meanes vnworthie for the maiestie of a King to deceyue this king for a baite and allurement abused the mariage of his owne sister and in a manner besprinkled hir wedding robe with bloud Which dishonor and indignitie no posteritie of all ages can forget Some againe discoursed that though this cruell aduise semed to many Courtiers to haue bene profitable yet not onely the honor of a King but also the estimation and good fame of the whole nation was against that shewe of profit They alleaged how Aristides did openly in the audience of all the people reiect the counsell of Themistocles coÌ„cerning the burning of the Lacedemonians nauie although it must needes haue followed that the power of the Lacedemonians their enimies should therby haue bene vtterly weakened â–ª Fuâ—… Camillus receyued not the children of the chief Lords of the Phalice betrayed to him by their schoolemaister but stripped him naked and deliuered him to be whipped home with rods by the same children Pausanias hath left it reported that the posteritie of Philip of Macedon fell into most great calamities for this cause that he was wont to set light by the reuerend conscience of an oth and his faith giuen in leagues Some cited the lawe of the twelue tables Si patronus clienti fraudem facit sacer esto If the patrone or soueraigne defraude his client or vassall be he out of protection They disputed also that like faith as the vassal oweth to his Lord the Lord oweth also to his vassall and for what causes and for what fellonies the vassal loseth his tenancie for the same causes and fellonies the Lord loseth his seigniorie Some said that the right hand in auncient time was called the pledge of the faith of a King and that this if a King shall despise there is no communion of right with him and he is no more to be accounted a king neither of his owne subiects nor of straungers Kingly vertues in tymes past haue bene reported to be these iustice gentlenesse and clemencie but crueltie and outrage haue euer bene dispraised both in all persons and specially in princes Scipio hath in all ages bene praysed who was wont to say that he had rather saue one citizen than kill a thousand enimies whiche sentence Antoninus the Emperor surnamed Pius the kinde or vertuous did oft repeate It was a most shamefull byworde of yong Tyberius to be called clay tempered with bloud They sayd also that kings haue power of life and death ouer their subiects but not without hearing the cause and iudicial proccding that there cannot be alleaged a greater authoritie than the Dictators had at Rome in whome was the soueraigne power of peace and warre of life and death and without appeale yet was it not lawfull for them to execute a citizen his cause vnheard Only théeues and murderers take away mens liues without order of lawe and hearing their cause Who can doubt said they but that this so great outrage so great sheading of ChristiaÌ„ bloud is the frute of the curssed life of the courtiers For said they now throughout al Fraunce whoredom loose leudnesse of life are so frée vsual the now the most part of the women of Fraunce séeme to be in manner common and â–ª the wicked blasphemies and continuall execrations and dishonorings of Gods most holye name and maiestie are suche as God can not longer beare And true it is though incredible among forein Nations that the Catholikes of France haue prescribed themselues this for a special mark to be knowne from other men that at euery thirde word they blasphemously sweare by the head death bloud and bellie of God and wonderfull it is that the King himselfe is so muche delighted in this custome of swearing and blaspheming and this as it were a pestilent infection is spred abroade and common among the very plowmeÌ„ and peysants so as none
confession of the true doctrine were condemned by great consent of the people to dye and were burnt with fire and suffering most excellent Martyrdome by death they woonderfullye triumphed of the crueltie of their enimies The which thinges bicause they be specially touched in another Booke it shall not be néedefull here to speake any more of them Many deliuered theÌ„selues from death by diuers meanes and wayes that were not lawfull But they to whome this charge and trust was commited boldly doing their office and being nothing slow to exercise crueltie certaine of their friendes which 〈◊〉 in holde propounded causes of refusall against the Iudges desiring that there might be other Iudges set in their places This thing for a time stayed the rage of the persecution Notwithstanding the king being certified hereof sendeth letters by which he declaring those refusals to be nothing commaundeth that all other things set apart they giue their diligence only to intende vpon this thing and that the Nobles which were in authoritie should choose out according as they thought good Counsellours to supplie the places of those that were absent and that in the Praetor Munerius â—…oume bicause for the causes before alleaged he was remooued other should serue to be short that final iudgement might be giuen of those matters howbeit that he might haue warning before any matter were ended These letters did againe displease and anger the mindes of those iudges which tooke it heynously that they were refused So that choller was then set on fire against many for this cause séemed as though it would rage and burne in the new yeare following For the aduersaries went about of late to establish bring in the like inquisition that was in Spain which they thought was the only way vtterly to ouerthrow the gospel letters at the last being obtained froÌ„ the Pope by which thrée Cardinals were appointed chief inquisitors they weÌ„t about all that they could to set forward this deuise The king for his part consented Notwithstanding the senate of Paris hauing better consideration of the matter greatlye withstode this new practise alleaged these causes to the king of their withstanding and prohibition saying If this thing should be brought to passe looke how much the power of the ecclesiasticall Iudges and Inquisitors should be enlarged so much should the supreme authoritie of the king be diminished Secondly that it was a matter of great weight for the naturall subiects of the king to be made destitute and after a sort depriued of their King and to be brought to the power of forreine Iudges and to be made subiect to an Offy â—ciall or Inquisitor Thirdlye that it shoulde be a defrauding of the kingdome but specially of the subiectes to be spoyled of the helpe safegarde of the king and to be themselues and all their goodes iudged disposed after the supreme iudgement of an ecclesiasticall Iudge Fourthly that it would come to passe that when they had gotten infinite power and the greatest part of the kings authoritie that is to say when they had gotten power to iudge of life death as theÌ„ listed without further appeale to any higher Court they might easily abuse their offices For say they the libertie to appeale is the onely sanctuarie and defence of innocencie Fiftly and last of all they say that the King to whoÌ„ the appeale should be made is the reuenger and the defender of violated and wronged innocencie and that iniurie shoulde be done if this thing went forward not only to the people but also to Princes to Dukes to Nobles yea and to the Kings nere kinsemen who also shoulde be bounde with this bonde By this prohibition and resistaÌ„ce the matter was delayed for a time at the length when the Kings Court was at Paris the verye same aduersaries of the truth brought to passe that those letters were confirmed of the King as he went to the Senate or Parliament for this cause Thus when they had gotten the lawe into their owne handes and had written new Edictes appointing mortall punishments for the faithfull whome they called Sacramentaries Sectaries and such lyke euery man looking now for grieuous persecutions it pleased God for a time to disappoint those cruell practises and threatenings by troubling the kingdome with warre and other businesse Neither is it to be buried in silence by what meanes God shewed his vengeaunce vpon many of those persecutors which were the chiefe Capitaynes in S. Iames slaughter That Munerius the Praetor which was the first that delt with the causes of the faithfull and had many wayes cruelly intreated them being afterwarde at the length condemned of falshoode in the cause of the Countesse of Senigana suffered by the decrée of the Senate punishment openly in diuers places and being thus ledde from place to place to be made an open spectacle for all men to behold to his great infamie and reproch was also banished his countrie This man while be was kept in prison sayde that he knew that the punishments which he suffered were a iust reward and recompence to him for his euill intreating of the Lutheranes and that he woulde neuer after séeke to do them any harme In like maner one of the Counsellers which were appoynted to vnderstande and iudge of the causes of the faithfull not long after died by sodaine death Another of them likewise being sodenly striken with a most grieuous sickenesse and being also at the poynt of death sayde I see plainly that I haue grieuously sinned against the Lutheranes which so godly pray vnto the Lorde In lyke maner two other whiche were very cruell against the faithfull in the slaughter that was made on S. Iames daye sodenly dyed in the sight of all men Moreouer two other when they retourned from the murther of the afflicted faithfull fell at contention within themselues and at the last were slaine one of another Thus the Lorde shewed many examples of his iust vengeance vpon his aduersaries Then the Church obtayned peace for a time and some occasion to rest and breath for a whyle â–ª by reason of those tempestes They which were before as it were discouraged through that former great slaughter receyued nowe heart and courage againe many others which were eyther confirmed by the constancy of those blessed Martyrs which suffered or els were lately brought to the knowledge of God ioyned themselues to the Church they also which to flye persecution went aside from out of the citie were not altogither vnfruitful Among these there was one which came to a towne called Crucillum in Britayne neare vnto the sea coaste the which towne was at that time greatly giuen to superstition but it was brought to passe by his meanes within short time after that many of the townesmen were called to the acknowledging of truth insomuch that there was a congregation there At the which good successe Satan was greatly grieued Therfore when the fame of this thing was
which are the Kings neare kinsemen to bée in lesse estimation than Straungers And althoughe the Princes throughe their humanitie and great modestie woulde suffer them selues to bée so abased yet notwithstanding the Nobles woulde not beare it nor abyde the gouernement of Straungers And to confirme this which he had spoken he brought in manye examples that the Guises being Straungers were neyther in the number of Princes nor at anye time so accounted and that therefore it was not lawfull for the Guises to arrogate vnto themselues the titles and authoritie of Princes which onely appertained to the Kings bloude as the auncient custome of the kingdome woulde declare This sayth he to pacifie those of the temporaltie whose doings were the more to bée feared for that the greater part of the Nobilitie was of that side sauing such as were woonne and procured awaye by the Guiles for the Kings money Thus Planchaeus largely and fréely vttered his mynde But all the whyle that he had this talke with the Quéene the Cardinall of Loraine was hydde behinde the Tapistrie clothes that hâ—…ng before the wall of the Closet Who when Planchaeus had leaue of the Quéene to depart came forth and talking with the Quéene appointed that Planchaeus shoulde be called agayne and commaunded to procéede in his former declaration and to shewe who they were that were the authors and Captaynes of she late conspiracie the which except he woulde promise to doe that he might be caried to prison Therefore Planchaeus being called againe began to vtter his minde as fréely as he had done before shewing the parentage and stocke of the Guises and also howe they were Straungers and nothing appertaining to Fraunce adding moreouer that it was very euill done to commit the gouernement of the Realme to Straungers and speciallye to such as did contende ambitiouslye for the Kingdome and thought it shoulde appertayne to them The Quéene being offended with his boldnesse and speciallye séeing he affirmed that he knewe nothing of the conspiracie commaunded that he should be caried to prison All which Planchaeus spake was euen as it were the voyces of the people speaking by the mouth of one man. After this Michael Hospitall the Kings Chauncelour after the death of Oliuarius of whom we spake before a man verye well learned and wyse was sent to the Senate of Paris to consult with them about many matters that belonged to the gouernement of the Realme and among the rest concerning the prouiding such remedies as might take away the tumults alredie begon And thus afflictions waxed more easie than they wers before and remedies were prouided for so generall a mischiefe But the fame and report of the increasing of the multitude of the faithfull daylye was in euery place of the Realme and bicause great troubles séemed to be at hande all men had regarde vnto them more than to the report of the increase of the faithful the most part endeuouring themselues to staye and pacifie these troubles And at this time this was the state of France the Guises sent the same prouision of warre with the which they withstoode the religion in Fraunce into Scotland ouer the sea to the intent they might there deface and put downe the religion newly begon For the Nobles of Scotland with a great multitude of the people beside had cast off the Popes yoke from of their neckes had plucked downe their Images their altars and abolished the ceremonies of the Papisticall seruice causing the Quéene to get hir into a little towne by hirselfe for that she was sore offended at that which they had done Therefore lacking helpe the Guises brought to passe to haue an hoste of men sent out of France to the number of foure thousande Of this bande of men Brossaeus was Generall with whome was ioyned the Bishop of Ambianensis to the ende the one might fight with the sword and the other with Papisticall power Therfore they toke their iourney with these coÌ„mandements namely that they should seuerely punish the Rebels and the chiefe authors of sedition and that they shoulde restore the wonted and vsuall obedience of the Pope Wherfore so sone as they were come into Scotland they made proclamation that euery one should go to Masse detest and forsake the new religion The Bishop wrote vnto the King that he woulde bring all the people within fewe dayes to the catholike faith Brossaeus wrote that he woulde destroy all within sixe moneths which woulde not come to the auncient Religion But it came otherwise to passe For after the death of Marie Quéene of England the Guises made claime and title to the Crowne of Englande for their Néece the Quéene of Scottes as though she had bene the lawfull heire Whereat the moste gracious Quéene Elizabeth hauing great disdaine sent worde to the King of Fraunce of this great iniurie done to hir Grace by the Guises and biddeth battaile Nowe the Scottés to the ende they might abide the forren power of the Frenchmen féeling also that they stoode in néede of helpe and ayde from some other place went to the Quéene of England beséeching hir that although they were hir olde enimies yet that she woulde vouchsafe to ayde them in so iust a cause of Religion saying that they had rather to abide any extremitie than the tyrannie of the Pope To whom the Quéenes maiestie willingly and gladly promised and graunted helpe The Scottes therefore being encouraged by this ayde did so withstande the French power that they made great slaughter of the French men and draue them to such a strayte that except the matter had bene taken vp by peace it shoulde séeme that they had bene all vtterly destroyed Peace therfore was concluded and the reformed Religion there established And so that tumult was turned to the peace and quietnesse of the Church notwithstanding the subtill practises and cruell threatnings of the aduersaries There were also at that time grieuous afflictions layde vpon the Church in another place For in the townes of Sixtus and Guardia in the countrie of Calabria there were manye yea to the number of a thousande which by the Popes commaundement were put to death for Religions sake and many horrible cruelties also committed by the meanes of one Marchion Buciane In the Kingdome of Fraunce also in diuers places as at Paris and Rhoane many of the faythfull were murthered vpon the solemne feast daye of the Bishops deambulation For the faithfull began more and more to assemble themselues togither and exhibited vnto the King a little booke containing the confession of their faith requiring to haue libertie graunted vnto them to declare their cause Wherfore it shall not be disagréeing from our purpose to put downe here the same their confession to the ende we may therby sée what a notable consent and agréement there was in the doctrine of faith among the Churches of Fraunce notwithstanding the â—…oysterous tempestes of the first afflictions A Confession of the Fayth made
Thus far Beza procéeded in his oration who with his fellowes fell on their knées and standing vp straight way againe offred vnto the king the confession of the Churches of Fraunce and then he spake thus vnto him We beséeche your Maiestie not to regarde oure rude and barbarous speache but our well wishing mindes wholy consecrated to obedience But bicause the principall pointes of oure doctrine are more plainly and copiously contained in this confession of our faith we beséech your Maiestie to receiue the the same and we trust by the leaue of God it will come to passe that when we haue conferred together with all sobrietie and reuerence we shall come to some agréement But if our iniquities be the cause that we may not obtaine so greate a blessing we doubte not but your Maiestye will consyder of all thinges and prouide for them accordingly without preiudice of any partie And here wée thinke it not good to let one thing passe namely that when Beza intreated of the Lords supper and spake these wordes As touching the distance of places the bodie of Christ is so far from the bread and wine as the heauen is higher than the earth the Prelates were so moued that by and by they began to make disturbance and to murmur but this being somewhat quieted Beza made an ende of his oration After whom the Cardinall of Turnon hauing great indignation and shaking and trembling for very anger began in the name of the Popishe Prelacie of which he was chiefe to declare vnto the king that the Cardinall Bishoppes and the reste of their fellowship by reason of the kings commaundemente gaue their consente that the newe Euangelistes for so he termed the menne of the refourmed Churches shoulde be hearde what they coulde saye but notwithstanding not withoute some offence of their consciences bycause they perceyued that they myghte speake manye things not méete for a Christian Prince to heare which might also and that not withoute cause offende the mindes of many good men â–ª Therfore he sayd that the Prelates suspecting that it woulde so come to passe had giuen hym commaundement to intreate the King that if any suche matters fell oute he woulde not in any wyse beléeue their wordes And that therefore he would reiect both the wordes and sentence of that fellowe that had spoken in the name of those of the new Religion staying and suspending his iudgement vntill the Prelates hadde otherwyse opened the matter the which if it might please him he trusted that both the king and the whole assembly shoulde vnderstand see â–ª what diffenreÌ„ce there was between the truth and a lye He required also that he might haue a daye giuen him to answere Adding that had it not beene for the regarde they hadde vnto the King and to his commaundementes they would not at the hearing of those horrible and abheminable wordes which that other fellowe vttered haue suffered him to haue procéeded any further At the length he beseeched the King that he would follow the faith and footesteps of his auncestors the whiche he prayed all the Saintes in heauen and the Uirgin Mary to graunt To this the Quéene answered that nothing was doone in this matter without due aduice and counsell by the deliberation of the Princes and the priuie Councell and by the iudgement and consent of the Senate of Paris The whiche she sayd was not done to alter any thing in Religion but to quiet the troubles that were rysen through the diueâ—…sitie of opinions in Religion and by these means to bring those that were gone astraye into the way againe Which sayth she you and your fellowes ought to séeke specially at this time by vsing good and strong argumentes Thus the mynds of the Popishe Prelates being galled and very much grieued at the first méeting with the words of Theodore Bâ—…za the daye following he writ vnto the Quéene saying bycause he feared that she was not fully satisfied by reason of certen words wherat the Prelats were offended therfore he earnestly desired of hir that he might haue libertie more plainly largely to discourse that matter which then he could not copiously declare The occasion therfore saith he of those words by me vttered was the opinion of certaine men which not wel vnderstanding our mindes thought that we went about to exclude Christ froÌ„ the Supper the which to doe were manifestly wicked seing we haue the contrary to be found in the word of God namely that that precious Sacrament was therefore ordayned by the sonne of God that he might make vs more and more partakers of the substance of his verye body and bloude whereby we might more straightly be vnited vnto him and mighte growe to euerlasting life And vnlesse it should be so it were not the Supper of Iesu Christ. And therefore it is so far from vs that we should say that Christ is absent from the Supper that none of all others more resiste that blasphemie than we But we saye that there is great difference betwéene these to say that Iesus Christ is in the Supper in that he gyueth truely vnto vs his bodye and bloude and to say and affirme that his bodye bloude is ioyned to the bread That first I haue affirmed bicause it is the principall chiefe the seconde I haue denyed bicause I thinke it to be repugnant to the truth of Christ his nature and to the article of the ascention as it is in Scripture and as the ancient fathers expounde the same This sentence and opinion gyueth more dignitie and authoritie to the worde of God thaÌ„ that which teacheth that Christe is really and corporally ioyned to signes This therefore is the declaration meaning of that which we spake which I desyre may satisfie you being ready to be taught if better be shewed To this also he added certaine testimonies of the Fathers As of S. Augustine writing vpon the. 5. Chapter of S. Iohn where he saith VVhen our Sauiour Christ saide ye shall not haue me alwayes with you he spake of the presence of his bodie For according to his Maiestie prouidence and inuisible grace that which he promised in another place is fulfilled I will be with you to the ende of the world But according to his humane nature which he toke according to that that he was borne of the virgin Mary that he was crucifyed buried and rose againe it is said Me ye shall not haue alwayes VVherfore Bicause according to his body he was conuersant with his disciples fortie dayes and as they wentâ—… wyth him ascended from them into heauen neither is heere any more Also the same Saint Augustine saith writing to Dardanus As he is God he is euery where As he is man he is in heauen And Vigilius whiche wrote againste Eâ—…yches in the yeare of our Lorde God. 500. sayth The sonne of God in respecte of his humanitie is departed from vs but in respect of his diuinitie he saith I am with
by manye of the nobles was not altogether hidden but euidently ynonghe appeared to all men that woulde sée the same FINIS The translator to the Reader THus gentle Reader endeth the firste part of these CoÌ„mentaries faithfully collected and gathered by that singular learned man Petrus Ramus of Fraunce who himselfe bycause he was a zealous professor of the Gospell and an enimie to Antichrist was slaine in this last horrible butcherly murther in the yeare of our Lorde God. 1572. The speciall cause that moued the sayde Petrus Ramus to spende his trauaile in penning these Commentaries in the Latine toung was as you maye perceyue by hys preface in the beginning of this Booke that all Christian Realmes might be certifyed of the true originall and cause of all the warres troubles and sheding of Innocente bloude that haue beene from the yeare of our Lorde God. 1557. vntill this present daye To the ende therefore that his desire might be the better satisfyed when I had considered the worthinesse of his trauaile and what great fruite woulde spring of the same to al that will vouchsafe to spende sometime in reading of this worke for that all men vnderstande not the Latine toung I thought good to translate the same into Englishe that none of our Countreymen might be stayed from the taste of such fruite as will growe thereof And as I haue spente sometime in translating this firste parte so I meane God willing to goe forwarde with the other two partes the seconde beeing nowe in hande and shall bee printed if God permitte against the nexte Terme In the meane tyme I beseech thee right Christian Reader contente thy selfe with this accept my labor and requite my good will with diligent reading of the same Before the which I shall desire thee to correct with thy pen suche faults as I haue here caused to be noted In so doing no one sentence I trust shal seeme obscure vnto thee Faultes escaped in Printing Line 2. Page 9 For it reade he Li. 19. pa. 12. for might defende reade might séeme to defend Line 18. pag. 17. reade acknowledging of the truth Line 16. pag. 40 for other wile reade otherwise Line 22. pag. 43. reade as though it had bene Line 5. pag. 73. read we will not deny Line 8. pag. 73. reade name of the Church Line 4. pag. 76. for is sodaine reade is so highe Line 31. pag. 112. for there reade Then. Line 3. pag. 124. reade must not therefore Line 25. pag. 125. in these words and if that leaue out if Line 23. pag. 164. bring in these words might be solde from them Line 32. pag. 194. for Prophetes reade properties Line 5. pag. 167. for although reade as though Line 1. pag. 239. for only thee reade only thrée Line 18. pag. 235. for they shall reade shall they Line 20. pag. 235. for doth reade doth not NOte here good Reader that these faultes escaped in Printing are not so escaped in al the Bookes of this impression but in some Least therefore they to whome those should happen might be troubled in the reading with obscure sense I thought good to make a generall note of all THE INDEX A. Affliction of the Churche after the death of King Henrie 47. Affliction rysing of false reportes 50 Affliction somewhat ceaseth 61. Agronia assaulted 161. Ambaxian Tumult 2. Andelot put in pryson 23. Andelot answereth 23. Andelot escapeth pryson 110. Andelot in fauour againe 24. Annas Burgeus defendeth the gospell in the Parliament house 26. Annas Burgeus caryed to pryson by Mongomerie 27. Annas Burgeus examined 32. Annas Burgeus condemned 33. 39. Annas Burgeus disgraded 35. Annas Burgeus confession 36. Annas Burgeus taketh his iudgement thankfully 39. Annas Burgeus Oration 4. Annas Burgeus burned 43. Annas Burgeus bringing vp 44. Angell speaker for the Comminaltie 121 Apologie for the faythfull Captiues 9. Arrogant threatnings of the Constable 11. Augusta a cittie in Germanie 131. Authoritie of Godâ—… worde 199. Authoritie of the Church 227. B. Baptisme 75. Beza his prayer 189. Bishoppe of Nauntes author of the Tumult 17. Bishoppes of Rome sowers of discorde 82. Bookes of sclaunder 100. Brosaeus Generall of the Armie that went into Scotlande 61. C. Cardinall of Loraine an enemie to Burgeus 39. Cardinall Poole 95. Cardinall of Loraine seeketh to get fame by keeping Lybelles of reproch 104. Cardinall Ferrer sent from Rome to hinder the Nationall Councell 166. Calabria persecuted 63. Christ our righteousnesse 68. Christ God and Man. 68. Christ hath two natures 69. Christ dyed for sinne 69. Christ our Aduocate 71. Church what it is 72. 217. Churches denyed to them of the reformed Religion 124. Commendation of the protestantes 25 Communion with Christ and the Fathers vnder the law 18â—… Comparison betwene the doctrine of the Gospel and papistrie 37. CoÌ„fession of the french church 63 Confession of Annas Burgaeê° 36. Confession of the church of Flanders offered to king Philip. 166. Confirmation 204. Constable proudly threatneth 11. Constable drawne away from the Prince of Conde 140. Constable misseliketh of the profession oft he Admirall ibidem Controuersie betwene Charles the fifth and Pope Clement 91. Contention betwene the Queene and the king of Nauarre 136. Consubstantiation 203 Couetousnesse the beast of Babylon 93. Couetousnesse of Priestes 122. D. Democharis the inquisitour sitteth vpon Burgaeus 32. Democharis a slanderous inquisitour 50. Denises to abolishe the Gospell 1. Discipline of the Church 73. Disputation at Posiat 179. Doctrine of the lawe 71. Duke Arscotus a Brabantine 8. Duke of Guise an enimie to the Andelot 23. E. Earle Villarius an enemie to the Admirall 141. Ecclesiasticall Disciplne 72 Edict of Castellobrian 24. and. 12. Edict of Iuly 150. Election diuine 67. Election of Ministers 74. Example of two false brethren very notable â–ª 48. Excommunication 74. F. Factious names 118. Faith and good vvorkes 167 Faith coÌ„meth by the holy Ghost 70. Faith attaineth righteousnesse 70. Faithfull sclaundered 7. Figures of the Lawe 71. Forewarnings of desolation 92. Fruites of Popishe Sermons 22. G. Geneua a Sanctuarie for the Godly 4. Generall Councell not looked for 90. Generall Councell a vayne remedie 187. Georgius Gluchus Ambassadour out of Denmarke 139. God omnipotent 65. Gospell hath diuers professors 85. Good workes 71. Guises rule the Realme 50. Guises persecutors of the Gospel 51. Guises no Princes 60. Guises make claime to the crowne of England 62. H. Huguenotes a name giuen to the faithfull 59. I. Iacobes slaughter at Paris 1. Iacobus Sillius speaker for the Nobilitie 122. Ianus Contachus moueth controuersies 45. Ignorance of Priestes 122. Iniuries done to the faithfull 17. Innocencie of the Prince of Conde 147. Inquisitors of Fraunce called Flies 50. Intercession of Saintes 71. K. King Hentie the second set against the Protestantes 26. King Henrie threatneth Burgaeus 27. King Henrie slayne 34. Kinges duetie 100. King of Nauarre and the Prince of Conde sent for to the King. 107. King Fraunces dyeth 112. King of Nauar yeldeth his authoritie to the Queene
God who send you prosperouse successe in al your affaires desired health and the blessed felicitie of Gods Electe in the kingdome of Heauen Your worships humble Oratour Thomas Tymme HIC tibi depingit sparsi monumenta cruoris Sed tamen innocui lector amice liber Aspice Saeua mades tu Gallia cade tuorum Guisius ecce tuus perforat ense tuos Te regit obductus tenebrosis nubibus error Martius erroris Duxque Comesque furor Proh scelus erumpunt districtis agmina telis Armat sanguineos ad scelus omne Satan Concutiuntque suo sanctorum turbine coetus Et duce vesano cuncta furore patrant Horrida pestiferi machinantur bella papistae Perpetrat infandas improba turma neces Coeduntur pereunt lapidantur membra piorum Qui coluêre tuum numen honore Deus Torrescunt rapidis trepidantia corpora flammis Et vexant miseris agmina sacra modis Mactatur trepidus trepida cum coniuge coniux Charaque cum chara filia matre perit Quis furor anguigenae proles Cocytia diri Papicolae miserè pectora vestra premit Carnifices cur vos insontes ensibus agnos Mactatis facinus respice quaeso Deus Contundes rabidos dulciscime Christe papist as Qui iusto spoliant nomen honore tuum Mortua non laus est quamuis tu mortuus ipse Rame tuus viuit te moriente liber Est quoque Timme tibi tua laus tribuenda quòd Anglis Foeda papistarum bellica facta canas Quisque per hoc noscet quam sit tua prona voluntas Et prodesse tuis meruisse decus E. G. To the Christian Reader desirouse to know and to vnderstand the truth IT were to long and peradueÌ„ture to lothsome a thing vnto thee Christian Reader for vs to make rehearsall of those things which not vnaptly came to my minde at the writing out of these Tables of Commentaries And although they should not be vtterly besides the purpose of this present Argument yet if in so small a worke I should wander into any long circuit of preface I see it might bee obiected vnto me that I pretende one thing and do another which is a thing woorthy reprehention as Horas in his verse noteth Currente rota cur vrceus exit â–ª that is The porter purposed to make a wyne measure But in tourning of the wheele is proued a water pitcher Therefore I will let them passe if you be at leysure and may vouchsafe to reade these fewe thinges For nowe I haue here for thee Gentle Reader breefe Commentaries of the whole Ciuill warres of Fraunce wherein I haue followed the order course of the matters rehearsed by vs in the former three bookes of Com mentaries And if I shall begin to excuse my selfe first for that I being a man euen without name haue enterprised to begin the Historie of so waighty matters which had ben a fit Argument for other learned writers I see that strayght way that may be obiected to me which was obiected to Albinus the Romane excusinge himself and asking pardon for writing a history in the Greke tong wherein he was not very skilfull to wit that he had rather aske pardon for his faulte than to be without fault But beit that I am in a faulte whether it be rash nesse or temeritie for I know that this my enterprise shall incurre the iudgements of diuers men yet I truste I shall not be accused of rashnesse before they haue red me except it be of such as by giuing their verdict of an vncertayne and vnknown matter may be accused of temerity themselues And as for the iudgement of those learned moderate men which shall reade these our Commentaries I do not greatly feare it neyther will I thinke my labour wast but rather count it for an excellent gayne vnlooked for if I shall prouoke them to set them forth better for the vtilitie of other meÌ„ But least I should stay loÌ„ger thaÌ„ I promised in the defence of this exteÌ„porall writing not lyke to liue aboue a day lacking his Genius I wâ—…l only sai thus much that if I haue offended for thy sake geÌ„tle reader I haue offended that thou mightest not be destitute altogither of the discourse rehearsall of so great matters committed in Fraunce for religions sake And surely if euer any thing heretofore or in our tyme were worthy to be put in writing these are worthy of the same neither do I doubt but that thou shalt receyue frute by reading them Here then thou mayst behold how many wayes God doth gouerne and preserue his church among the manifolde chaunges of worldly businesse and how maruelously he prouideth entertainment for them in the seates of Monarches The Gospell being spred abroad and planted in Germany Switserland England in other places France remained vtterly without so great a benefite established by publique authoritie of the Magistrates But it is a most delightsome thing to call to mynd by what meanes God did bring the gospel into France by what maner of men and how mightely God did work by weake vessels For first the foundacion being layd by the helpe of poore men which suffered sclaunder proscriptioÌ„ stripes torments burning euery kind of slaughter at the length also when it pleased him he ioyned vnto this Churche men of greater account fame euen noble men Peeres Princes and those great difficulties which could not but hinder the course of the Gospell he toke away layed open a broad entrance to the propagation and enlarging of the same that he might make it known how far his power reacheth and extendeth it self to the preseruation of his Church and that the same is contayned within no limites The cace was so greatly chauÌ„ged that whereas before the maliciouse enemies of the church had the chief rule and the authoritie of the Magistrates was armed against the same now contraywyse those maliciouse enemies were so restrayned holden vnder that thei seemed to be brought on their kneese the fame also of those matters were brought vnto them which fauoured the gospell seemed to haue a speciall care to spread plant the same But the matter fell out far otherwyse for he which seemed to haue most abilitie to promote further the cause of the gospeil reiected the gospel became an vtter enemie to the same so that he seemed most of al men to haue opened a wyde window to the ruyne therof But how trimly did the Lorde disapoint Sathan Antichrist of their purpose yet did he alwayes so mo derate the matter that neither the church when it was expedient might seeme to want mans help neither might seeme wholy to be stayed therevpon Greeuouse warres arose God gaue vnto his seruants strong defences of mans helpe yet least they should depend thervpon he weakned the same also that so greatly that great daungers in diuers places ensued to the church notwithstanding the end fell out for their safety In the middest therefore
of the garrisons which were so nie Againe they told him that it was certainely reported that the purpose of his aduersaries was to take him and the Admirall Therfore when the Prince of Conde had consulted with the Admirall they perceiuing that they had no longer time to tary they commended the successe of al thinges to the prouidence of God and tooke with them their wiues and their children and fled the xxij daye of August the same day the Prince of Condes letters being deliuered to the Kyng in the which he declared vnto him the cause of his departure and complained also of the iniuries offered vnto him I AM SORY saith he most Christian King that in all my letters which I haue sent vnto you since the proclimation of the Edict you haue found nothing but complaints and lamentations of your subiects and yet I am constrained too write of the same vnto you still For if euer any subiect had iust cause to complaine and lament to his Prince and soueraigne Lord then I and the rest of my bretherne haue cause so to do who a long time haue ben abused and oppressed miserably with all kind of iniuries and violence ▪ The which they haue borne the more paciētly because they haue thought that time at the last would ease them of all their euils and because they wold let passe al occasions that might renue the wounds of former warres although ▪ by the goodnes of God they might haue repelled those iniuries many wayes The causes wherof we know O King are not to bee imputed vnto you who of your selfe are so well inclined and disposed that you are an vtter enemie to such waies The which you haue often times declared vnto me by your letters and also by the communication which you had of late with your Mother the Quéene by which you declared how odious the renuing of troubles was vnto you when as you requested her to séeke to pacefie all thinges and to bring to passe that the ciuil warres might be no more begon which could not chuse but bring in time extréeme destruction But we impute the cause of these troubles to the Cardinall of Loraine and to his fellowes your aduersaries and enemies to your Crowne and dignitie by whose wicked counsaile and familiaritie which they haue with the Kyng of Spaeine dissentions and hartburnings haue ben continued these sixe yeres among your subiectes and are miserably fostered and increased by murthers which are dayly committed euery where at their becke vppon those which refuse to ioyne with them Wherin they do openly abuse your Maiesty that they may make your selfe the instrument of the detestable destruction of your Realme and they do also obscure your Maiesties fame while they go about to constraine you to violate the warrant of your faith openly giuen and confirmed by your othe that this one thing might be to all your subiectes and to all forreine Nations an example neuer to credite your faith hereafter whatsoeuer by woordes you shall professe the which how perilous and pernicious a thing it is for the conser uation of your state do ye not sée For what shall they say which haue heard of our prompt and readie obediēce which we haue shewed towards you in disarming our selues and in dismissing our armies with all spéede go ing home to our houses voyde of armour and discouering our naked brestes to the sharpe swordes of our aduersaries and all vnder trust warrant of your faith Shall your faith be said to be a net and share to intangle and slay your better sort of subiects and shal their faithfull obedience be thus tried How long shall an armie at your cost and charge bee waged to gard and defend your enemies but to woorke the destruction of your good and faithfull subiects What shall they saye which vnderstand of the peace made Surely they wil say that we could not sléepe safe in our owne houses that to saue our liues we are constrained with our wife and children to flée from house to house I was no sooner come to this place in Burgandy but there were diuers spies sent to vew the walles therof and the altitude of the Castell And now because our aduersaries would not faile to bring their mischeuous purpose to passe they haue sent hither the chiefest part of their power to hem vs in and to set vppon vs Insomuch that wée are constrained to depart from hence and too wander vp downe vntill God shall appoint a place of refuge and all to auoyde the brutish madnes the furies and cruelties of the Cardinall and his compartners enemies to the Crowne of Fraunce Can there be found in any monument of histories and Cronicles an example of so great falshode and such detestable trechery executed vnder the pretenced name of the Kyng Will you suffer your faith your promise and name to be so abused by them and your subiects which serue you faithfully and truely to be so violently oppressed Shall an vnchast priest a Tiger and a cruell Tirant ▪ with a ra ble of such as he him selfe is rule you and the rest of your Princes the Péeres and Nobles of the realme How long shall your pacience suffer such Iauelles too abuse your authoritie and name and make you the author of your owne destruction How long shall they bée counted for faithfull subiects and seruants which séeke for your Crowne to deuide the same with straungers And how long shall they be counted for Rebelles and Traytors which willingly submit themselues to that obedience which they owe vnto you and desire only to liue peaceably vnder your protection I might be more tediouse vnto you most Christian King if I would speake all that I might to this effect the which séeing thei are more particularly declared in the Supplication which I haue sent to your highnesse by this bearer I refer my selfe to the same and I shall most humbly pray and beséeche your Maiestie to accept to consider and to way the same as procéeding frō him who seeketh so much the preseruation of youre dignitie and Royall estate as the Cardinall and his fellowes are mortall enemies to the same yea as procéeding frō him who only wisheth to liue and dye in that naturall subiection and loyall obedience which hée oweth vnto you Therefore the Prince of Conde sent with these letters a Supplication which although it be long and tediouse yet notwithstāding because it declareth the causes and reasons of great and gréeuouse complaints and sheweth also the necessitie of the warre which he tooke in hand the third tyme we will not let to put down the same in order And thus the Prince of Conde began Although I neuer doubted most Christian King of your Maiesties singular good will to haue your Edicts of pacification obserued because it is the only and most present remedy to establish the peace and tranquillitie of your Realme séeing also your Maiesty hath oftentymes signified vnto mée
kéepe their Souldiours with in their Campes and said that he would come by and by with the reste of the army This aduise pleased the captaynes very well â—…auing onely Monsieur Mouents who vaunsing his Enseignes willed them to followe him Monsieur Pierregorde the reste of the Captayne 's fearing least by this destruction of the bandes ther should be a way made to the enemie to anoy them and protesting that the whole blame hereof should rest on him they also with their bandes marched forward But they were not scarsly gone out of the village when they saw Duke Monpensier comming with a great army of horsmen Then with spéed he prepared himselfe and choose out fyue hundred harquebuziers to be in the first front who straytway discharged a great peale of shot against the launces on horse but they presently charging their launces ran with such violence vppon them that they brake the ray of Mouents souldiours so ensued a sore skirmishe and when they had resisted a while the whole army of Mouents tourned their backes and fled the two Captaynes also themselues being slayne namely Pierregorde and Mouents and the reste whiche fled were for the most part slayne by the Inhabitantes of those quarters notwithstanding many escaped and ame to Monsieur Acier in safety In this skirm ishe there were slayne and wanting of Monsieur Aciers soldiers siâ—…e hundred and of Monpensiers side certaine horsemen of great name After this Monpensier gaue no other attempt but retourned to the Citie Perigeux and Monsieur Acier wheÌ„ he had gathered togither all his souldiers and the remnant of the souldiours of Mouenes came the next day to a village called Aulbeterre The Prince of Conde hearing of the comminge of Monsieur Acier after he had wonne Engolesme prepared himselfe to take his iorney and to méete him The Quéene of Nauarre in the meane tyme dealt very substantially at Rochel and had appointed certain Shippes to kéepe the hauens mouth belonginge to the same and also to the end shée might haue the more easie passage into England which was a great friend and fur therer of the Protestants cause Therefore the Quéene of Nauarre sente letters to the Quéene of Englande by Mousieur Shastiller a Noble man whom shée had made Generall of that Nauy and when shée had declared the causes of the warre begonne shée commended her self and her cause vnto her as followeth Beside the great good will and desire moste Noble Quéene which I always had to abyde in your fauoure there is also at this day occasion offered the which truly would greatly accuse me if I shoulde not by letters declare vnto you what causes haue led mée my children whom God hath lent vnto me hyther And my faulte should be so much the greater by how much hée according to his infinit goodnes hath bestowed so many and so great benefits vpoÌ„ you and hath geuen vnto you such a zeale for the aduauncement of his glory namely to you O Quéene whom he hath choosen to be a â—…ngular Nource of his Church By good right therefore are those things referred and brought before you which doo appertayne to this defence of the trueth of the church of god And truly as I know that you vnderstand the generall state of our affaires most noble Quéene so I pray and beseeche you perswade your selfe that there are thrée causes of the which the least ought to be sufficient which haue constrayned me to forsake my owne Dominion and to come hyther The first cause therfore is RELIGION the which would haue ben oppressed in this our Realme of FraÌ„ce by the olde and barbarouse tyrannie of the Cardinall of Lorrayne and of those which take his part that I should no doubt haue ben ashamed of my selfe and myne and to haue had my name reckoned among the faythfull if so be to withstand this error and horror and to defend the trueth I had not sought all meanes possible both by my goods and also with perill of my lyfe and except also my Sonne and I had ioyned our selues with this so honorable a company of Princes and Nobles All the which are with me determined and fully purposed by the helpe of the lord God of hoastes not to spare in thys cause by any maner of meanes neither lyfe nor goods nor any thing else which God had lent vnto vs. The seconde cause whiche also dependeth vpon the first is our obedience to the King bicause the ruyne of religion is also the ruyne of the King for the preseruation whereof we are straitly bounde And bicause my sonne and I haue obtained at the hands of God this honour and dignitie that we are so néere of bloude to the King this also most Noble Quéene hath constrayned vs to make haste and to set oure selues against those which abusing our Kings name and facillitie doe make him the author of his owne detrement and harme and althoughe of himselfe he is moste faithfull and sure of his promises the breaker of his faith and promises and that by those subtill meanes and wayes whiche they haue deuised to breake the Edicte of pacification The which Edict as it caused maintayned peace betweene the king and his good and faithfull subiectes so long as it was obserued and kepte so the same beyng broken calleth and prouoketh the fidelitie of the subiectes to lamentable and pitifull warre so coacted and constrayned that there is neuer a one of vs whiche is not violently and againste his will drawne therevnto The thirde cause moste Noble Quéene is peculiar to my Sonne and me namely for that we sée the olde and sworne enemyes to God and to our sâ—…ocke and kynred with deadly and impudent hatred to go about and séeke to rase and vtterly to destroy vs and our familie wheÌ„ as also my brother the Prince of Conde to auoyde the practises and conspiracies againste him and his was constrained with his wife and children to séeke a place of refuge and securitie the mother great with childe the children being in so pitifull a cace that I cannot repeate the same without teares besyde this also that I was certifyed knew the same for a suertie that some were appoynted to steale and violently to carry away my sonne from me With these reasons and causes we beyng moued could not chuse but come together to the ende that we beyng ioyned in one mighte lyue and dye together as also the bonde of consanguinitie wyth the which we are mutually knit together dothe bynde vs herevnto that it dothe commaunde vs to doe no lesse These are the thrée causes O Quéene which haue vrged me to take the sworde in hande We doe not as the good catholiques lay to our charge warre against God and oure King we thanke God for it there is no suche treason to be layde to our charge but are faithfull seruauntes and subiectes both to God and oure king Of the which I moste humbly pray and beséeche you
to be certifyed and persuaded and to assist vs with your aide and fauour In the meane time the mother and hir children commend themselues to your Maiestie to whom thei wishe most happy preseruation This letter was written the xv of October Certainly England did greatly fauour the cause of the faythfull as may appeare by the second demonstration of their good will in time of extreame perill binding the Frenchemen vnto them for euer by the great benefits and good turnes bestowed vppon them For they gaue liberally to such as were exiles and banished meÌ„ places to dwell in and very much comforted succoured the poore néedy and oppressed in these tumultes and garboyles of ciuill warres But to returne to our former purpose The Prince of Conde ioyned himself with the Army of Monsieur Acier the first day of Nouember at Aulbeterre and then out of hand they consulted concerninge the pursuing of Monpensier of which when they had agréed they tooke certain troupes of horsemen of the first Armie and the greatest parte of harquebuziers whiche came out of Languedoc and then the Admirall went toward a certain village called Bertrizi where it was reported the enemie aboade but when they had diligently enquired out the matter it was founde that hée was departed from thence with great spéed and so with losse of that iorney the Admirall retourned backe agayn to 〈◊〉 to the Prince of Conde To whom when hée was come agayn they determined and decréed togither to séeke all occasions of battail and sâ—… straightway they pursueâ—… Monpensier who with great expedition traueiled toward the Duke of Aniou For the Duke of Aniou with the reste of the army was at Chastelleraud in the territorie of Poictou who had also with him greate store of great Gunnes Therefore the Admirall wyth the first Army pursued Monpensier who was not farre from the Duke of Aniou in so muche that the Duke of Aniou béeing moued with so greate celeritie remoued his Campe néerer the Citie and more strongly encamped himself his souldiers the Admirall not bidding him battaile but extending his army and displayng his Ensignes in great quantitie of ground Notwithstanding this day there was nothing don The day following he marched his army more néere but first of all he gaue knowledge thereof to the Prince of Conde who sending before him his footemen came vnto him with the troupes of horsemen of the seconde Army but as he was comming on from the Admirall met hym and tolde him that he coulde not cause the Duke of Aniou to ioyne battaile with him bycause he had incaÌ„ped his souldiers within certaine valleys inuironed with hils and also by reason of a thicke myste which was so foggie that one of them coulde scarsly discerne and knowe another Therfore this day also was spent with charge and discharge of thundering shotte one agaynste another The Prince of Conde had taken a very strong castle called Caâ—…uigny by surrender which was situate near to the riuer of Vienna This castel he battered downe to the hard ground bycause it should not afterward stand the enemy in any stéede Then the Prince of Conde to the end he might entice the lingering Duke of Aniou to battail after deliberation had of the matter retired backe agayne with the Admirall and went asyde passing ouer the riuer agayn In the meane tyme Monsieur Bocard was comming to the Prince of Conde with the rest of the army and with good stoaâ—…e of great Ordinance when he had takeÌ„ Pont a strong and well fenced citie The Duke of Aniou vnderstanding of this determined to set vpon Monsieur Bocard he being yet a good way of from the Prince of Conde and passing ouer the riuer of Uienua he came to a certain Towne called Pamprui where Monpensier taried for him with the first army The Prince of Conde also was mynded to ioyne himselfe with Monsieur Bocard that if it were possible by this occasion hee might procure and allure the Duke of Anion to battaile Therfore the Prince of Conde came to that place the xvii of November was no farther then half a league from Monpensiers camp And by and by ther was a smal skirmish betwéen them which was but short by reason that night approched The Duke of Aniou was froÌ„ thence aboute a league Monpensier as though he had encamped himselfe made certaine fiers to deceiue the enemy and in the dead tyme of the night came towardes the Duke of Aniou at Iazenail By the breake of the day the Admirall sent Monsieur Briguemauld with certaine Troupes of Horsemen as scoutes to view the coste and hee himselfe aboade there still the Prince of Conde being not far from him Then Monsieur Briguemauld when he came to the place froÌ„ whence the enemy was fled found certain tentes empty and horses tyed with cariage which they had left behinde them and riding a little farther he might discern the enemy going forward then he sent Monsieur la Loe with twenty Horsemen to take a better and more certaine viewe of them who when he had ridden more neare gaue knowledge to Briguemauld that they were their enemies who straighte way with the rest of the horsemen rode against them at the sighte where of the Souldiers of Monpensier were so terrefied that thei forsoâ—…ke their cariage and fled towarde Mongontour hee leauinge his purpose to ioyne with the Duke of Aniou And it séemed now that they had occasion offered them to giue notable attemptes if so be the Admirall had not altered his purpose fearinge least the Prince of Conde on the other part should be troubled with the Duke of Aniou because hee hard oftentymes the sounde of the gonnes For the Prince of Conde fought with the Duke of Aniou with whom hee skirmished diuers tymes euen at his campe Notwithstanding this was not done without sheadinge of bloud six hundred of the Duke of Anious Souldiers being wanting and of them fiueteen captains And if they had not bene preuented by night it was to be feared least the battaile had bin more blou dy by the rescue of the Admirall The next day again the Prince of Conde came with his whole power to the same place but in vain The Duke of Aniou marched with his army to Poictiers and the Prince of Conde with his army to a towne called Mirebell within foure miles of Poictiers which straight way was yelded to the Prince of Conde where he taried eyght dayes Then the Admiral when he hard that certain bands of Souldiers taried at the citie Pontauzane tooke all his horsemen both with lawnce and shotte and trauailed in the night set vppon the whole Legion of the which the Brissac was Captaine and slewe thrée hundred of them There was also the greatest part of the enemyes horsemen whom he durst not set vpon both for that he knew not where the Prince of Conde was and also because there were great showers of rayne which muche anoyed them Therefore
baggage and the Souldiours with their liues and only sword dagger wythin the castell were found foure canons two fiéelde péeces with great store of munition and as some say huge summes of money They established there â–ª as gouernor the lord de Mirambeau a gentleman of the countrey of Sainctong with vi hundreth harquebusheares to garde it The Baron of Adretz who had bin at the D'aumals camp and sene his ensignes but euill folowed in respect of his slender nombers of men in his regiment tooke way to Dauphine very slenderly accompanyed without displaying any banner Against his returne the lorde de Gordes gouernour there had put in readynesse two Ensignes of footemen to send into Languedoc whereof hée presented the conduction to the saide Baron of Adretz who refusinge such charge the expedition was vsed by Captaine Mestrall who led them thyther vppon the beginning of Iuly About this tyme the Quéene of Nauar the Prince her Sonne the Prince of Conde the lordes Knightes Gentlemen with others that accompanied them presented a request to the king entreating an assured peace of the present troubles which for the importance of the matter is heare contayned in euery singular word and point as followeth Sir it is a thing no lesse strange than almost incredible that amongest so many people put vnder your obedience by the resolute will and prouision of God as a blessed pawne and witnesse of his bountifull regard towardes you and the same contending in ordinary vauÌ„t to be so dearely inclyned to the vpright procéedinge of your affaires and preseruation of your crowne ther is not one no not on amongst so many nombers that once offereth to put himselfe in indeuour to quench or qualifie this vnnaturall fier so burninge dayly with in your Realme as there lackes little of the vtter confusion of the same It is also no lesse true than the other marueilous that of the contrary infinite nombers do trauaile infinitely not only to kindle that which is already burst into flame but also by soÌ„dry sortes of artificial sleâ—…ghts do study to entertaine aggrauate and increase it And albeit it ought first rather to moue from such who of a galantnesse of stomacke and to satisfie some particuler respecte in themselues haue incensed these troubles against the wil of your maiestie making both peace and warre at their pleasure then from those who besides they are iustely assayled pursued in their consciences honours lyues and liuelyhoodes haue no other purpose meaning than to defend their lyues againste such heauie and violente tyrannies lothing alwayes troubles and emotions louing with a singular zeale both peace it selfe and suche as labour to entertaine it yet the Quéene of Nauarre the Prince her sonne the Prince of Conde with the Lordes Knightes and Gentlemen that accompanye them moued afore the rest with a naturall bonde and affection to your Maiestie and preseruation of your Crowne and Realme neither can nor will suspende or deferre any longer to searche and apply for their partes as alwayes they haue done suche moste proper and conuenient remedies as they thought most apt to warant defend this your realme from a lamentable subuersioÌ„ where with it both hath bene and is presently threatned And as in respect to establishe a peace and publike tranquilitie they haue hetherto more forwardly enclined then the rest happening by that meanes into such straunge perils and aduentures as if God had not kepte an eye vppon them there had nowe remayned but a lamentable remembrance of their generall confusion so these things well considered with their seueral circumstances they haue small reason of hope and lesse cause of expectation to effect that which so earnestly they desire if God the incliner of all hartes change not the myndes of their enimyes that gouerne you and giue them a disposition to desire and embrace peace The sayd Princes Lords Knightes with others parties to this humble request persuading rather y in place to allow this their franke and liberall will with their duetifull indeuor to aduaunce a perfect vnitie and peace amongest your subiectes they shall be charged with slaunders and sinister interpretatioÌ„ of their godly purpose as heretofore they haue bene vsed by those who neither hate nor feare any thing more than to sée this reconcilment And as the sayde Princes with the other parties to this motion haue neither had nor holden any thing in more deare regard than the publication to your maiestie from time to time of their actions and procéedings the same as impressions and witnesses of their singular desire to liue and die in the naturall â—…bedience and awe of your maiestie and withall to make knâ—…wne afore the whole face of the world both howe farre theyr hartes willes be from the slaundrous impositions of the Cardinall of Loraine and his adherentes pensionarie ministers and naturall enemyes to your Crowne and also that by their forces whervnto they haue bene drawne wyth their great euill will and griefe they intende no other than to maintaine their religion lyues honors and such portions of goods as God hath appointed to their shares in this world Euen so they persuade that such considerations neither can nor ought to hinder their vttermost endâ—…uoure to pursue and purchase the effect of so blessed necessary a peace to this realme and yéelding withall vnâ—…ayned testimonie of the humble and reuerente respecte they owe to your maiestie which they had long ere this put in practise and proofe were not that their enemyes would thinke persuade others to beléeue that the onely necessitie of their case haue induced them to it séeing first their vntrue persuasion to your maiestie that there were no leuies of men of warre in Almaigne for the succours of the Princes Secondly that if any such were yet the Realme was of sufficient meane and force to withstande their entrie Thirdly if they dyd enter it was impossible to ioyne with the princes in respect of so many déepe riuers and passages of daunger betwene the one and other camp Fourthlye albeit their armyes dyd knitte and ioyne yet the princes pouertie considered the charges could not be long defrayed nor the plentifully long contented séemyng by these reasons to attende temporise till they had bothe ioyned and payed their sayd forces assembled others whiche were dispersed and as the world knoweth of such nuÌ„bers and facultie as besides their habilitie to resist easily their enemies they wanted neither waye nor meane to execute any wicked attempt if they had had any will as is suggested and imposed vpon them If then in the former troubles the late prince of Conde with the Lords knights gentlemen of his part receyued the conditions of peace concernyng onely the matter of religion libertie of theyr consciences and that immediatly after the death of the Duke of Guyse and Marshall Saint Andre and the late Constable of Fraunce taken prisoner being thrée principall leaders of the armye if
also in the laste rising as soone as was offered to the sayd prince and other Lords and gentlemen of his company the reestablishment of the exercise of religion notwithstanding their greate troupes and strength of straungers ioyned with them and vpon the very point to assaulte the towne of Chartres in the view and face of the enemyes campe which was for the most disordered if at the onely sounde and pronouncing of peace made by a Trumpet sent vnder the name of your maiestie the sayde prince did not onely forbeare y assault but also raised forthwith his siege and retired his army reping notwithstanding of so readie obedience but a bloudy peace and promise full of infidelitie if also during the same sturre the morrow after the battaile at Sainct Denys where both the prince had the better and the Constable principall leader of the army was slaine The sayde Prince dispatched to your maiestie the Lord de Theliguy aswell to warne you of the ruine and desolation threatning from the instaunt your Realme if the straungers were suffered to enter houering there vpon the frontiers as also to mediate and sollicite in meanes and remedyes to knit an absolute peace only in the cause of religion if in short your Edicts haue bene alwayes published and the peace accorded at suche tymes as they of the religion if they would haue abused the opinion of your purpose might in respect of their forces persuade and beléeue that aswell in all your parleyes and treaties of peace there was no other mention than of the matter of religion as also that their enemyes haue not bene brought to it but by necessitie being vnable by open force to mayntaine any longer against them in what conscience or with what face or countenance may it be sayd that these troubles moue continue for the matter and cause of religion And yit neuerthelesse the more to choke and conuince the Cardinall of Lorraine and other his adherentes of their lies and slaunderous impositions which they publish daily the said Princes Lordes Knightes gentlemen and others of their companies forgetting the infidelitie and all disloyall attemptes heretofore conspired agaynst them declare and protest this daye both before God and your Maiestie that what so euer hath ben don or offered to them in euill from the beginninge to thys houre thei neither haue nor wil once impute it to your Maiestie as knowing your nature to be nothing touched with such iniust seuerities whereof you haue gyuen so many publique experiences that there is nowe no cause of doubte neyther haue or do they thinke to chaunge or diminish in any respect their duetye and naturall regard which they haue alwayes bent to the true aduauncement of your greatnesse and Royall estate wherein and also in so many effectes aforesaid if it bée both knowne and séene that they entertayne no other purpose nor meaning than vnder the obedience and authoritie of your Edictes to serue God according too his will and as they are instructed by his holy woorde with desire to be maintayned with equall care as your other subiectes in their honours liues and goods they are now ready to giue such further manifest proofe and witnesse as their most enemies shall haue least cause henceforth to doubt them And that neither to enter into any iustification of their actions passed as their innâ—…cencie and iustice of their cause béeing sufficientlye known to your maiestie and all other Kings princes and potentates what straungers so euer they be if they be not of the faction and partie of Spaine much lesse to séeke to capitulate with your maiestie knowing god be praysed what is the dutie of good and faythfull subiectes to their soueraigne Prince and naturall Lorde But Sir in respect of the large peny worthes and coÌ„mon marchandise which heretofore hath bene made of the faith and word of your maiestie which aboue all ought to be holy sacred inuiolable and withall with what vnséeming boldnesse your authoritie and name hath ben abused to the extréeme periâ—… of all your people of the reformed profession it néed not séeme straunge if the said Princes with their consociates doe humbly beséeche you to declare by an Edict solemn perpetual and irreuocable your resolute will in a libertie exercise of their Religion to the ende that by the same suche as heretofore at two seuerall times both rashly and with all impunitie haue infringed and violated your former constitution in that cause may by this thirde be more brideled and restrayned wherein because such as were not able to endure the vnitie and vniuersall rest maintayned amongst your people by the good obseruation of your Edictes haue taken occasion to alter and corrupt them by new constructions and modifications contrary to the true substaÌ„ce of the same and sincere meaning of your maiestie And that also the sayde Princes with the reste of their faction confesse to haue borne a most iust iudgement of God in more sortes of afflictions in tyme of peace than when it was open â–ª warre as in con senting too easely to the treatises of peace whiche haue ben made the same prouiding a generall contentment on all sides that God should be serued onely in certayn places of the Realme and by certain persons as though in a sound conscience there belonged no other thing to the seruice of God. They most humbly beséeche your maiestie to accord and graunt generally to all your subiectes of what qualitie and condicion so euer frée vse of the sayd Religion in all Cities villages and boroughes all other places and corners of your Realm and countreys within your obedience and protection without any exception reseruacion modification or restraint of persons tymes or places and that with suerties necessary in so hyghe a cause and besides to ordeyne and enioyne to make manifest profession of the one or other religion to the ende to cut of hereafter all meanes and occasions to many who abusing such benefite and grace are flipt into Atheisme and carnall libertie and who standing vpon no exercise and profession of religion desire nothing more than to sée an vniuersall confusion in this Realme and all order pollicie and Ecclesiasticall discipline reuersed and abolished a thing so daungerous as not to be tollerated in any Christian state And because Sir wée doubt not at al that those who hetherunto haue pitched the foundation of their deuises vppon slaunderous reproches impudently published to make vs hatefull eueÌ„ to such as God be praysâ—…d be frée from the seruitude tyrannie of Antichrist will not sticke to impose vppon vs an inciuiâ—…e obstinacy rather to defend without reason that we haue once resolued to beléeue touching the Articles of Christian religion than to correct or retract our erroures We declare and protest as herevnto we haue done that if in any pointe of the confession of faith heretofore presented to your maiestie by the reformed Churches of your Realme it may be founde by the word
we spake before these forces assembled he made march his vauÌ„tgard out of Chynon the sixe and twenty of this moneth vnder the conduct of the Lord Montpensier himselfe following with the battayle lodging neere Lodune the princes campe drue towardes Partney the xxix of this moneth whom the Catholiques followed néere to prouoke them to battayll as in respect of the aduantage fauour of certayn townes which they held thereabout eyther the camp was within the view of other both of equall desire to gayne Mont-gontour vsing like diligence the rather to obtayne it For which cause the Admirall made his footemen aduaunce all night his horsemen being in poynt of battell the last daye of September in the very first discouery of the morning vppon a playne wythin a league of the town of Mont-gontour There the Admirall sente the Lorde de La-loue and de La-noue with seuen cornets of horsemen and Captaine Normauts herquebuzears on horsebacke to Mont-gontour to know if the Kinges brother were there who finding no body returned with spéedy report to the Admirall accordingly who made marche forthwith the footemen of the battel then the artillery and so the footemen of the vauntgard as wel French as Almaines folowing them himselfe with the horsmen of both the one and the other Nation Hée left in the taile the Lord de Mony with charge to gouerne the retract with fiue cornets of French horsmen two cornets of Reistres and a company of harquebushears on horsebacke of Captain Montarnaunt a prouinciall The catholikes coasted them very near expecting their artillery which was not yet come The Admirall passed ouer a little Riuer halfe a league from Mongontour very vneasie to marche ouer by reason of a marrish a long the brink of it the same making it impossible on all partes sauing in a little straight or gutter beneath certaine houses a long the highe waye there lacked no more but the Lord of Mouy his troup whom the catholikes with xl cornets of horsmen charged togyther with a voley of canons discharged also vppon them It was thought this charge was giuen by the Lord de Tauannes gouernour for the King in Burgon it was withstanded a little by the Lord de Mouy who vnable to sustaine it thorowly in respect of the multitude retired the Admirall seing his perill gaue backe with the horsmen and returned with no lesse fury the charge vppon them that had laide it vpon the Lord de Mouy who in the mean tyme retired with the rest of his troupe with the losse of some fewe amongst the which was the Lord de Entrichaut ensign bearer to the Lord S. Auban Dauphynois the artillery was by this at Mont-gontour and the footemen of the battaile very neare who séeing that charge turned backe to the fight as also the Lorde de la Noue and la Loue with their cornets all that daye passed in skirmishing without offer of other charge The Catholikes shotte vehemently which albeit an noyed much the Admirall yet he lefte not the fiéeld till night and then retired with those of the Religion to Mont-gontour and the catholikes encamped vppon the place The next morrow being saterday and first day of the moneth of October the said army issued out of Mont gontour and lodged in the Uillages thereabout leauing the Lord de Mouy with his regiment of horsemen and two regimentes of footemen within the towne to gard the passage There were certaine lighy skirmishes alâ—…eit neither of long fight nor much losse they moued by certaine disordered shot of the catholiques who thought to winne the Suburbs on their side but being repulsed their purpose was also intercepted and they forced to returne without any other thing doing The Kinges Brother seeinge that syde closed from him â–ª and that he could not easily wade the riuer of Viue the fame beinge his onely impediment to followe the Princes Campe determined to passe aboue the head of the riuer in a Uillage beneath Mirebean In the meane while the Princes hauing bin at Niort to sée the Quéene of Nauar returned to the campe the second of October where they drewe into counsayle with resolution to take the way to Partney and Niorte and giue battayle to the Catholikes if they assayled them in the way sommoning for this purpose the whole army to be ready by the dawning of the day and euery Colonell and Captaine to labour accordingly in his charge The Catholikes were also of opinion to go to Nyort and besiege it and by that meanes to prouoke the princes to battell The Princes campe according to the order resolute aforesayd was in a perfect readinesse ringed in battels and squares pitching the nexte morning the third of October vpoÌ„ a little hill néere to Mont-gontour well disposed as is aforesayd to giue battell if the enemye aduaunced who also began to appéere and discouer on the left hand vpon another round hill from the bottom whereof they might easily discerne the disposition of the Princes armye which when he had well viewed he retired his marche as though he ment to draw directly to Nyort vsing notwithstanding suche order as his rings and companyes néere together The Admiral bearing an eye to their doings espied their pollicie and purpose of procéeding wherein as he suspected that thei shot at his aduauntage as labouring to win way vpon him made descend forthwith the Princes armye from the hill where it was setled of purpose to gaine and occupie the plain afore them whervpon the Catholiques in place to march forward commaunded a sodain stay holding their pikes vprighte ringing them in square and mean battels turned face to their vauntgard winning by that meanes the hill from whence the princes army were but now descended And being maisters in this forte of the hill aboue the opinion and expectation of the Admirall began to dispose theÌ„selues to the shock And at the first descending from the hill they ordered ringed their footemen in the valley or side of the foote of the said hill not without great discretion iudgement kéeping by that meanes their footemen in couert defended from the storme of the artillerie which discharged vehemently as well on the one as other side In the meane while the Kings brother dressed and disposed two batteries not sparing his body to trauell from one battell square to another with persuasion to the souldiours to haue good hart the like also dyd the Princes visiting in person euery ranke aswell of horsemen as footemen whose pleasant aspect specially in the prince of Nauarre gaue cause of singular courage to the souldiours whose stomakes besides they were firmely setled in the goodnesse of the cause yet they séemed to redouble in desire the rather at the gracious view and persuasions of the yong Prince Immediatly after two of the clock in the afternoone the vauntgarde of the Catholyques went to the charge with a square and wing of 18. cornets of Reisters and great numbers of horsemen as well
founde desolate directing his way from thence to Nyort to besiege it certaine forerunners of his campe were come alreadye to the gates to terrifie those that were within the towne At this alarum the Lord de Mouy with certaine horsemen issued spéedely oute of towne who were no sooner without the gates than the other were retired almosâ—…e out of sight whervpoÌ„ he returned and being one of the lasâ—… to gouerne the retraite as he was at point to enter the towne one Montreuell yelded to him not long afore vnder colour of religion discharged a Pistolet vpoÌ„ him and hurt him sore in the head flying immediatly well mounted vpon the selfe same horse which the Lorde de Mouy had giuen him who notwithstanding hys hurte determined not to deparâ—… the towne albeit being specicially aduised by his friendes to be caryed where hys hurt may bée cured he left Nyort the seuenth day of October and came to Sainctes and from thence he was caried to Râ—…chell where within fewe dayes after he died to the griefe of the armie for he was of stayed councell in any cause of estate of great spéede and iustice in execution and of long experience in maâ—…ters of warre as witnesse his actes as well in the battaile of Dreux as other places of worthy memory the rest appointed vnder him within Nyort left also the towne together with the Lorde de lâ—… Brosse gouerner there retiring with iii. hundred shot to Rochell This was the same Lorde de la Brosse who with the ayde of the Lorde de Pluuâ—…au made head agaynste the Countie de Lude at the siege aforesayde The Kings brother finding the towne forsaken entred without let whether also came very shortly after the King â–ª the Quéene mother and Cardinall of Lorain being then néere Chynon they began there to deuise and deliberate vppon their present buâ—…nesse accompting it of speciall purpose to recouer the Castle of Lusignan wherein was gouernor the Lord de Mirambeau that afore the Protestants had either renued their strength or well assured their present companyes In this minde they dispatched forthwith certein to summon the castle who so preuayled with perswasions to the gouernour that easily inoughe he gauâ—… vp the Castle onelye with lyues and goods saued certein dayes afore the battell there were bestowed in this holde fiue Cannons which discended to the catholikes by couenaunt this was iiii or â—…ue dayes after the battell of Mâ—…nt-gontour Nyâ—…rt beyng thus abondoneâ—… the Princes wente to S. Iean de Angely the ix of this moneth and so to Sainctes and bicause they gathered that the catholikes woulde besiege it they determined to man it with greate numbers of men of warre causyng to enter forthwith the horsemeÌ„ of the Lord de la Motte with câ—…rtein footemen likewise captaine la Mures companye beyng of the regimen of the Lord de Uirieâ—… At that time was gouernour the L. de Oryoll a gentleman of Sainctonge who after was content to giue order to the pollicie and state of the towne leauing the consideration of matters of warre to the Lord de Pilles whome the Prince established there for that purpose and who as yet was not fully cured of the hurt in his thigh receyued at the siege of Poyctiers He with the Souldiourâ—… and the rest of the inhabitantes resolued to defende the Towne and endure the siege The morow after the Princes came to Sainctes there made their armie passe ouer Charante The â— of the said moneth the lord of Montbrun and Myrabell departed from the Campe to go into Languedoc a iourney pretended longe time before so that they might leade thither their regiments and for this cause at the siege of Poictiers as is aforesaid the Lord de Pontais Marshall of the Princes Campe as well in their owne name as for other Colonelles Captains and Gentlemen of Daulphine were sutors for leaue to go for a certaine time into Daulphine and the more to enforce their motion â–ª they shewed how long they had followed the campe and that their Souldioures wearied with so continuall warre â–ª stoode in néede to be reléeued with the freshe aire and fellowshippe of their Countrey and lastly as their generall feare to be so euill wintered as the yeare before dryue diuers numbers to retire without order to the townes holden by the Religion in Uiuares where they had sure aboade so if they be not some what reléeued of their long and lothsome trauayle alwaies in a campe it is also to be feared that by litle and little they do not abandon their Ensignes leaue their Colonelles in the fiéeldes without Souldiours The same being already reuealed vnto them by certain numbers of their soldioures they could do no lesse than coÌ„mend their sute with humble request in themselues for leaue and liberty to depart now that the siéege of Poyctiers is raised The Princes aunswered that they could not order their request and satisfie the time togyther bicause they were as yet vncertaine what would bée the ende and issue of the siéege and therefore they thought it conuenient that they taried till the ende of the moneth of September hoping after thei had sene the resolute procéedinges of the catholiques to bestowe their armye in garrisons to rest all winter This aunswere qualified their requestes with expectation of the end of September When the army being returned from the countreâ—… of Touraine and soiourning néere to Fay la Vineuse their sute was eftsoones put vpon new â—…earmes for which cause the Gentlemen Captaines and Colonelles of those countrey men assembled to deliberate vppon the motion some were of opinion to pursue in generall a leaue and libertie of the Princes séeing their time of Septem ber is expired But others Iudged the presente season most inconuenient to entreate for leaue consideringe the state and disposition of the warre euery day enclyâ—…ing to battaile where they were bound in duty to bée â—…nlesse they would deface the honoure of their actions passed Which last opinion so settled into the moste of them that they resolued vniuersally both to mortifie their desire to go home and also to giue ouer to attempt further leaue attendinge eyther by battaile or by some happy peace to make themselues frée of the warre and so returue and remaine quietly in their houses And thus the Lord de Montbrun and Mirabell remayned in the Campe vntill the tyme wherein they thought to execute their enterprise wherein after they had communicated with the Lord de Verbeleâ—… brother to the Bishop of Puy in Auuergne and many other as weâ—… of Dauphine as the countreys thereabout as of purpose to haue their company in the voyage they went to An goulesme to the end to tary there for their furniture and strength This being known in the campe many came to Angoulesme to assiste the voyage so that they were in all aboâ—…te foure hundred horsemen in verye good pointe to fight with certaine nombers of shotte on horsebacke with the which the saide Lord
de Montbrun Mirabell and Uerlibet departed the fourtéenth day of the moneth of October and taking their way by Perigueux came to Solliac the Sonday the sixtéenth of October about two of the clocke at after noone They thought there to passe Dordon but it was so swelled by the great raines falne certaine dayes before that it was not possible to wade ouer By which difficulty they were constrained â—…o stay there sending for suche boates as they coulde â—…inde by which they began to ferry the same day and all the next nyghte not with suche spéede in respecte of their fewe beates but certaine numbers were not yet passed in the morning Which beyng espied of the Catholike garrisons thereby and specially they of Sarba sent out three skore horsemen with certaine footemen and Paisants to viewe the number of such as were yet to passe and what watch and garde they kept Who with others to the nomber of two hundreth seing neyther order vsed nor any shot his matche kindled fell vppon them and discomfited them without resistance many were slaine and the rest stripte into their shertes and so sent ouer the passage to followe their companye Some vsing a spéede aboue the rest in passing the daye before the better to refreshe them at their ease were set vpon in the night within their lodgings and led away prisoners by the Catholikes Amongst whome were the Lorde dâ—… Quintell a ' Dauphynoâ—…s Mormoiron de Uenesin guide to the whole company a Phisition called M. Mâ—…rle with thrée others the Lorde de Sarraz a Gentleman of Uiuares was taken by the same a little before but forthwith set at libertie The noyse which the Catholikes made in charging them on the water side gaue the Alarum to those that had already passed the ryuer being in a Towne not far off who falling forthwith into aray order of defence after they had taryed sometime to receyue them that escaped to their succours began to marche towards Acyer wherin they entered the next morning and from thence without other let they wente to Oâ—…yllac in Auuergne from whence they departed as shal be hereafter declared After Nyort was taken the Kings brother determined iâ—… beséege the towne of S. Iean de Angely in Saincâ—…onge and for that same effect drue his armie power on that side The Lord of Byron Marshall of his campe about the. x. of October accompanyed with certaine cornets of horsemen came to sommon the Towne for the King to whome the garrison made an answere by the Lord de la Ramiere that they ment not to surrender the Towne by other composition than a generall peace including the publike quiet and profit of the realme of Fraunce wherevpon he returned And captaine la Motte accompanyed with xv or xx horsemen went forthwith to skome and skoure the wayes within halfe a league aboute the towne and specially of that side to Nyort finding within a village certaine footemen of the Catholikes whereof some wer slaine some put â—…o flight and v. or vi taken and led prisoners into the towne In the meane while they of the towne prepared for the siege vsing great deuise and diligence in fortifying diuerse partes of it some dyd beate downe parte of the suburbes of Aulnis and Tailleburg to cut from the Catholikes all conueniente meanes to encampe there Some filled vp the ditches in necessary places in effect they left nothing imperfect which necessarily belonged to the fortification of the town the better to endure the siege The Lorde de Pilles gouernour there for the matters of warre as is sayd made a viewe of the footemeÌ„ which were a thousande or xi hundred of all sortes as well straungers as others â–ª mmediatly after this muster the Lorde de Personne arriued there with xxx or xl horsemen and then bycause they would omit nothing tending to the defence of the Towne they beganne to make fire workes with other artificiall Engines to â–ª annoye the enimyes About the. xiiii daye of this moneth the Kings brother planted hys siege before Sainct Iean de Angely about thrée of the clocke in the after noone The Lorde of Gouas regimen with certaine other was lodged in the Suburbes of Aulnys dealing not that day with the suburbes of Taillebourg as fearing they coulde not enter but with great perill They within the towne had forsaken his Suburbe bycause they would not put theyr men to the hazarde in keeping it Albeâ—…t thâ—… Catholikes forbare not to sease vpon it the next day and lodge within it The Protestants fortifyed the Fort or place of defence without the gate d' Aulnis and filling it with earth rammed vp the gate omitting nothing necessary either to force or pollicie wherein to enâ—…orce a generâ—…ll diligence in their fortification Proclamations were pronounced thorow the towne that all people as well men women as children able or apte to trauell should labour and worke at the rampiers and that euery one shoulde haue alwayes before his dore three or foure sackes full of dong to be employed in necessarie places According to these commaundementes there was a common assistence at the rampiers as well of straungers as people of the town by whom was performed a wonderfull indeuour As soone as the Catholikes had made them selues Lordes of the Suburbes aforesayde the Protestantes made a sallie with fortie horsmeÌ„ by the gate de Matta and set vpon the Suburbes of Aulnis where they killed foure or fyue men and then fell on skouring the wayes towardes Nyort â–ª tyll the place of execution where they founde an Italian on horsebacke and broughte him into the towne About the eythtéenth day of this moneth the Protestantes made another sally by the gate d' Aulnis and issuing out aboue the forte they discended within the ditche by a ladder there were of this faction and conduc ted by captaine la Motte Cl. Souldiours with white shirtes aboue their garmentes who charging so happily vppon the Suburbes d'Aulnis found the catholiques playing at cardes and so without any watch to discouer them they killed about three score or foure score Souldioures and then retired vppon the false trenche of the ditche by the helpe of their haquehusheares which were vppon the fort of the gate They wanne in this exploite two footemen Ensignes xl or l. harquebusheares certaine Morrions corcelets and pollares of stéele whiche they caried into the town loosing not aboue two or thrée of their company The Catholiques in the meane whyle drue néere their artillery which they planted so aptly in a vyne towards Nyort as it mighr beate as well the gate of Nyort as the bulwarke of the port d'Aulnis and also the tower betwéene the two gates Their battery whiche they bestowed there was foure Canons and a Coluerine Afore they discharged any batterie they demaunded to parley and for that cause would that the lorde of Pilles should haue come forth of the towne vppon their faith which the protestants thought not conuenient for their safetie albeit in his
Pilles sent out by the Port Matta the same Gentleman whom he vsed afore in the supplye of succoures by whose second diligence the Lord de S. Auban a Gentleman of Daulphine accompanied with xl horsmen enterprised to come to the reliefe and succour of the sayde towne who notwithstandinge was so encountered in the way as hée was forced to retire with the losse of thrée of his people and also the Gentleman his guide The xxix day of Nouember Sebastian Luxenburge counte de Martiques knight of the order Captayne of fifty men at armes and Lieuftenaunte generall to the King in his Dutchie and countrey of Britaine being at the battery was stroken in the head with a harquebushot whereof he dyed to the generall griefe of the Papistes In the beginning of December about ix of the clock in the morninge the Catholiques demaunded to parley with the Lord de Pilles wherevnto he listened with lesse difficulty in respect he was not furnished with munition of warre for one assault more if it had bin offred ney ther had he hope to be so spéedily succoured as his perill required which was the cause that the ii of this month after hée had established extréeme actes and prouisions for the Gard of the said towne he was enforced to render it vppon the couenantes following 1 That the Protestants should depart the town their goodes saued with their horses and armour and banner displayed 2 That they should not beare armes for the generall cause of Religion in foure monethes after 3 That their whole companies as well Straungers as inhabitaunts might retire whither they would in al surety 4 That they should be safe conducted to their place of suerty where so euer it were by the Lorde de Byron according to which composition the morrow after the iii. of this moneth S Iean de Angely was yéelded into the handes of the Lord de Guitiniers The lord de Pilles departing the same day about noone by the Port de Matta with eyght hundreth footmen of all sortes and about C. horsmen ▪ taking his way towardes Angoulesme Not withstanding the conduct and presence of the saide lord de Byron the most part of the footemen were spoiled and dyuerse slaine and the baggage of the horsemen taken against their promysse of faith During this siéege died in the towne about a hundreth Souldiours and certain numbers of labourers of the catholikes side without the towne dyed aswell of the hand of the enemye as by diseases about two thousand amongst which were many great lordes Gentlemen and Captaines slayne as the great maister of the artillery whose office was giuen to the saide lord de Biron the gouernment of the towne was giuen to the lord de Guitiniers and for the garde of it the King bestowed eight companies of footemen The same day the King the Quéene mother the Cardynall of Loraine wyth dyuers great lordes of the Courte entred the towne and visited as wel the forte of the gate Aulnis and the castell as the first breach of the tower on the wall and so returned to their places where they were lodged afore Certaine of the Catholikes immediatly after the towne was giuen ouer wente towardes the yles of Marans and Marennes holden of long by them of the religion from whence they were now withdrawen by speciall commaundemente from Rochell whereby the Catholikes entred and seased vpon them wythoute resistance In this tyme were executed in Fraunce certayne iudgements diffinitiue pronounced afore against those of the reformed Religion whose processes were begon and pursued by the Kinges procurers from the begynning of the warres aswell against such as were out of the Realme as those that maintayned parte with the Princes The first sort forsooke the Realme immediatly after the second peace as being denyed to enter their houses goods contrary to the couenaunts of the same ▪ and lesse able to liue withoute mortall perill to theyr persons in the townes of their proper habitation being filled with garrisons of the contrary factiō as hath bene touched in the beginning of these discourses the other sort forsed estsoones to fal into armes were knit and tyed to the army of the Princes to resist the voluntary infringers of the peace and coniured enemyes to the whole Realme both the one and other were procéeded against by personall adiornements in three shorte dayes and for defaulte of apparance their goods were seased to the Kings vse and gouerned by speciall Commissioners of sequestration many ydle officers busied themselues to effect the execution of their goods in many prouinces the sayde iudgements dyd suspend hang vntill after the battell of Montgontour whē they awarded generall and spéedy processe against all men by defaultes procéeding to execution in Effigie and adiudication of their goods to the King wherein suche was the liberal zeale of the iudges that they executed by Effigie such as were dead long time before It hath bene sayd before that the Lord de Sansac lefte the siege of Uezeley by reason his Cannons miscaryed and now hauing got newe prouision of Artillery to the number of twelue or thirtéene péeces and beyng wythall aduertised by certaine of the Towne of Vezeley that the Lorde de Traues with a great part of the Nobilitie present at the firste siege were departed and lefte the Towne came to besiege it of freshe He battered still the tower of the Port du Barle righte against the watering place soone after he remoued his batterie to that fide of the gray Fryers following with so vehement an assaulte that they came to hande strokes vppon the breaches albeit he was repulsed During thys siege Albert de la Chasse a Bourgeys of the town wrote letters to the Catholikes reuealing the particular state of the Towne He threw his letters ouer the wall into a fielde where the Catholikes came and found them and as he was going to the Wall with a letter readye to conueye to the enemie he was taken with the facte and charging a scholemaister as partie to his treason were both hanged forthwith The batterie was such as thee wer spent aboue thrée thousand and fiue hundreth shottes of canon and al not able to force the Protestantes whiche made the Lorde Sansac raise his siege the. xvii of December 1569. loosing in this siege about xv hundreth men amongst whome the Lord de Foyssy Colonell of his footemen was hurte to death with a shot vppon the trenches Within the Towne amongst others M. Iaques Perrin a Minister was killed with a Canon The warre dyd still aggrauate in diuerse places of the Realme contrary to the opinion of such as thought it should haue ben qualified vtterly quēched by the battaile at Montgontour They of Charyte whereof hathe bene spoken before strēgthened themselues with great numbers of men of warre come with the Lord de Bricquemau and Borry with their retinue they maintayned ordinarie warre against the garrisons of the catholikes thereaboutes making many enterprises and one winning of another
Admiralles friendes woulde proceede to the reuenge of his hurt and bycause they were suspected to be the authours thereof were so stirred vp this laste nyght that a great and lamentable sedition arose thereof in so muche that the Guarde by mee appoynted for his defence about his house was sette vpon and hee himselfe wyth certaine of his Gentlemen slayne and hauock of other made in diuers places of the Citie whiche was handled wyth suche a rage that I coulde not vse the remedie that I woulde but hadde muche a doe to employ my Guardes and other defence for the safetie of my selfe and my brethren within the Castle of Louure to giue order hereafter for the appeasing of this sedition whiche is at this houre well appeased thankes be to God and came to passe by a particular and priuate quarell of long time fostered betwixte those two houses VVhereof when I foresawe that there woulde succeede some mischieuous purpose I did what I coulde possibly to appease it as all men knowe And yet hereby the Edicte of Pacification is not broken whiche I will to bee kepte as straightly as euer it was as I haue giuen to vnderstande in all places throughout my Realme And bycause it is greatly to be feared that suche an execution might stirre vp my subiectes one against an other and cause greate murthers through the Cities of my Realme whereby I shoulde bee greatly grieued I praye you cause to be published and vnderstoode in all places of your gouernement that euery person abyde and continue in the safegard of his owne house and to take no weapons in bande nor one to hurt an other vpon payne of death commaunding them to kepe and diligently to obserue our Edict of Pacification And to make the offenders and resisters and such as would disobey and breake our will to be punished you shall assemble out of hande as great force as you can as well of your friendes as of them that bee appoynted by me and others aduertising the Captains of Castles and Cities in your gouernement to take heede to the safegarde and preseruation of the sayde places so that no faulte ensue on their behalfe aduertising me also so soone as you can what order you haue giuen herein and how all things haue passed within the circuite of your gouernement Herevpon I pray God to keepe you Cousin in his holy safegard At Paris the. xxiiij of August Signed Charles and vnderneath Brulard ANOTHER LETTER FROM THE KING to the Lorde of Prye his Lieutenant generall in Touraine vpon the same matter that the former Letter was MOnsieur de Prie you haue vnderstoode howe my cousin the Admirall was hurt the last day and in what readinesse I was to do as much as in me lay for the tryall of the fact and to cause so great and spedie iustice to be done as should be an example throughout all my Realme wherin nothing was omitted Since it is so happened that my cousins of the house of Guise and other Lords and Gentlemen their adherents which are no smal partie in this towne as all men know hauing gotten certaine intelligence that the friendes of my sayd cousin the Admirall intended to pursue and execute vpon them the reuenge of this hurte for that they had them in suspicion to be the cause and occasion therof haue made such a stirre this night passed that among them on both partes hath bene raised a greate and lamentable tumulte the Garde that was set about the Lorde Admirals house was distressed himselfe slayne in his house with diuers other Gentlemen as also great slaughter hath bene made of other in sundrie places and quarters of this towne which hath bene done with such furie that it was impossible for me to giue such remedie as was to be wished I hauing enough to do to employe my Garde and other forces to keepe my selfe in safetie in the Castle of Louure to the end to giue order for the appeasing of the whole vproare which at this houre thankes be to God is well quenched for that the same happened by the particular quarrell that hath of long tyme bene betwene those twoo houses whereof alwayes hauing some doubt that some vnhappie effecte woulde ensue I haue as is well knowne to all men before this tyme done all that I coulde for to appease it nothing in this last fact tending too the breache of my Edict of Pacification which contrarywise I will in all things to bee mainteyned as at any time heretofore as I do giue it to vnderstand thorowout my Realme And forasmuch as it is greatly to be seared that this may stirre vp and cause my subiectes to rise one against another and to commit greate slaughters in the townes of my Realme whereof I would bee maruelously sorie I pray you that immediatly vpon the receyte hereof ye cause to be published and done to vnderstande in all places of your charge that euery man as well in towne as in countrey remaine in reste and suretie in his house and do not take armes one against another on payn of death And that more diligently than at any time hertofore ye cause the last Edict of Pacificatiō to be kepte and carefully mainteyned and obserued To the intent abouesayd and to punish such as shal do to the cōtrary to distresse all such as shal rise dysobey our pleasure ye shal immediatly assemble al the strength that ye are able as well of your friends being of our allowance as others aduertising the gouernors and captaines of townes and Castels within your charge that they take good heed to the suretie and safe keeping of their peeces in such sort as there ensue no default informing me with speede of suche order as you shal take therin and how all things shall proceede within the compasse of your authoritie I haue here with me my brother the King of Nauarre and my cousin the Prince of Conde to take suche hap as my self I pray the creator Monsieur de Prie to holde you in his holy safegarde From Paris this xxiiij of August Thus signed Charles and vnderneth Pinart These letters are all of one argument as the former be and written all in one forme and al one day to Monsieur de Prye the Lieutenant of Touraine THE KINGS LETTERS TO THE OFFI cers of Burges vpon the same matter that the former were OVr louing and faithfull wee doubt not but by this tyme you knowe of the sedition which to our greate griefe happened in Paris afewe dayes sithens wherin my cousin the Admirall and certaine others of his side were slaine and a greate murder committed vpon diuerse in many places of this Citie And least the newes thereof should change the quiet estate wherin Burges hath hitherto bene maintained since the Edict of Pacification if remedie were not foreseene it is the cause that wee writ this letter presently vntoo you wherby wee commaund and expressely ordeyne that euerie one of you according to his