of Ferrara left three male children Henry Duke of Guise a youth of singular hope and exceeding expectation Lodovick destined to the Church and the dignity of Cardinal and Charles first Marquiss then Duke of Mayenne he who in the late Wars maintained the Catholick League against Henry the Fourth These Sons who neither for greatness of mind nor courage degenerated from their Father though they were very young yet being upheld by the fierceness of the Duke of Aumale and the authority of the Cardinal of Lorâ—in their Uncles boldly attempted to make themselves the Heads of the Catholick party and therefore indeavoured to gain credit in the world and to promote new motives to maintain the ardour of the Faction For which cause having assembled a great number of their kindred and servants they went together all clad in mourning to the King demanding very earnestly and with great clamour of the people of Paris who ran in multitudes to this spectacle that justice might be done upon those who had so bruitishly caused their Father to be murthered whilst in the service of GOD and the Crown loyally and gloriously bearing arms he laboured for the good of the Commonwealth To which demand the King not being able to make other answer than that in due time and place he would not fail to do exemplary Justice upon those that were found guilty of so hainous a crime the Brothers of Coligny became more diffident than before and were brought as it were into an inevitable necessity again to arm their Faction that they might be able to withstand the powerful enmity of the Guises But if all Arts were used to raise the Catholick party the endeavour was yet greater to suppress the Calvinists For the Cardinal of Lorain knowing that the interests of his Nephews being united and mingled with the cause of Religion they would gain greater honour and render themselves more strong and powerful as soon as the Council of Trent was broken up which hapned this present year in the month of November he went to Rome and perswaded the Pope Pius Quartus who was ill satisfied with the Peace concluded in France that he should press the King and the Queen-Mother to cause the Council to be published and observed in their Kingdom promising that his Nephews with the whole house of Lorain and the greatest part of the French Nobility would be ready and united to cause declaration thereof to be made and sufficient afterwards by force to suppress the followers of the Hugonot Doctrine The Pope was sollicited to the same effect by the Catholick King and the Duke of Savoy being entred into a jealousie that the nearness and introduction of the Hugonots might endanger their States seeing the Low-Countries belonging to King Philip were already infected and not only Savoy but even Piedmont also exceedingly pestered with them where through the neighbourhood of Geneva they had sowed the seeds of their heresie Wherefore they both desired that this dangerous fire kindled in so near a Country might without further delay be extinguished Nor was it a difficult matter to perswade the Pope to be earnest in a business which more than any thing else concerned the greatness of the Apostolick Sea and the Authority of the Papacy For which reasons they resolved to join together to send Ambassadors to the King of France to exhort him that he should cause the Council to be published and observed with proffers of forces and aid to expel and extirpate heresie out of his Dominions This Embassie which to give it the more credit was sent in the names of them all exceedingly troubled the King and the Queen-Mother For though they concurred with the Pope and other Princes to irradicate and suppress the Hugonot Faction which they knew to be the source of all the troubles yet they judged it not agreeable to their interests to do it tumultuously and with such a noise on a suddain nor to precipitate their deliberations which being designed with great wisdom were not yet come to maturity And they took it wondrous ill that the Catholick King and much more the Duke of Savoy should presume as it were by way of command to interpose in the Government of their State Besides that this so pressing sollicitation put them in an evident necessity either to alienate the Pope from them and with publick scandal and ignominy of their names to separate themselves from the obedience of the Apostolick Sea or else to discover the designs with which proceeding leisurely they had determined without the hazard of War to attain by the benefit of time to the same end but if they were by this means discovered whilst they endeavoured with their uttermost skill to conceal them it was evident that the knowledge thereof coming to the Hugonots not only a Civil War would be kindled again in the bowels of the Kingdom but a way opened for stranger Nations to invade and spoil the best parts of France as the example of the past War had sufficiently proved For which reason there being no other way but by art and dissimulation to render this negotiation of no effect they received the Ambassadors privately at Fountain-bleau a house remote from the concourse of people that by the little ceremony used at their reception their business might be thought of less consequence Afterward they endeavoured by delaying their answer and dispatches to make the Negotiation antiquate it self and by degrees fall to nothing And lastly sought by ambiguous speeches capable of divers interpretations to leave the Ambassadors themselves doubtful of their intentions concluding in the end that they would forthwith send Ministers of their own to the Pope and the other Princes to acquaint them particularly with their resolutions The Ambassadors being thus dispatched away at the end of Ianuary in the year 1564. the King and the Queen resolved to visit all the Provinces and principal Cities of the Kingdom meaning by this progress to advance those designs which was the only end they aimed at for the present For coming to a Parley with the Duke of Savoy in Dolphine with the Popes Ministers at Avignon and with the Catholick King or else with the Queen his Wife upon the confines of Guienna they might communicate their counsels to them without the hazard of trusting French-men who either through dependence or kindred had all the same interests to have them revealed to the Hugonots So that in this manner preserving the amity of the Pope and the other Catholick Princes they might by common consent have leisure enough to bring their projected designs to maturity They thought it also no little help to have the opportunity to treat in person with the Duke of Lorain and by his means with the Protestant Princes with whom they hoped to make so firm an alliance that they should not need to fear they would any more shew themselves in the favour of the Hugonots or interpose in the affairs of
done The Count de Randan held the command in Auvergne and in Provence the Marquess de Villars and the Sieur de Vins an old adherent to the House of Guise The Dukes of Ioyeuse Father and Brother to him that was slain in the Battel of Contras fighting against the King of Navarre had the Government of Gascogne in which Province except the City and Parliament of Tholouse the party of the Confederates was not very strong and in Dauphine Languedoc and Guienne the League had but very slender Forces But before all these preparations the Duke dispatched Lazare Coqueille Counsellor in the Parliament of Paris to Rome and with him were gone two Doctors of the Sâ—rbonne to confirm the Decree of their Colledge by which they had determined That the King had forfeited his right to the Crown and that his Subjects might justly withdraw their obedience from him the Duke foreseeing well that the popular Cause wholly founded upon the pretence of Religion was to look for and take its increase and nourishment from the Apostolick Sea and the Popes approbation But the King who afflicted with his wonted melancholly though he dissembled it had since the death of his Mother been many days troubled with a Bloody Flux was no less sollicitous concerning the affairs at Rome than the Duke of Mayenne as well because being a very great honourer of Religion he could not be satisfied to live disobedient to the Apostolick Sea as because making the same judgment as they of the League he saw that the greatest foundation of the adverse party consisted in the approbation and encouragement from Rome Wherefore though he had caused absolution to be given him for the death of the Cardinal by vertue of a Breve granted to him a few months before by the present Pope to make himself be absolved in all reserved cases by his own Ordinary Confessor yet seeing that that was not enough he sent Claude d' Angennes of his beloved Family of Rambouillet Bishop of Mans a man of profound Learning and singular Eloquence to the end that being informed of all his Reasons he might as his Sollicitor sue for an absolution from the Pope and endeavour to reconcile him to the Apostolick Sea to which so he might but secure himself he was ready to give the most exact satisfaction The Bishop of Mans came to Rome and having conferred with the other Ambassadors they went together to receive audience from the Pope where after words of compliment full of most deep submission they first argued that the King had not incurred any Censure not having violated the Ecclesiastical Liberties and Immunities for the Cardinal was guilty of the crime of Rebellion in which case the Prelates of France notwithstanding any dignity whatsoever are understood to be subject to the Secular Jurisdiction and so much the rather because he having been a Peer of France his causes naturally ought to be judged in the Court of Peers which is no other but the great Court of Parliament with the assistance of the Princes and Officers of the Crown so that if the King had infringed any Jurisdiction it was that of the Parliament and not the Ecclesiastical one which hath nothing to do with the Peers of France But because this reason was not only disapproved by the Pope but that also he seemed more displeased and offended at it alledging that the eminency and Priviledges of the dignity of Cardinal were immediately subject to the Pope and no other the Ambassadors began to dispute that the Kings of France could not incur Censure for any Sentence they should give and urged the Priviledges of the most Christian Kings and the Jurisdiction of the Gallique Church But this incensed the Pope so much the more who bad them take heed how they proposed things that had a touch of Heresie as this had for he would cause them to be punished To which though the Marquiss replied That as Ambassadors they could not be medled withal nor punished and that no fear should make them forbear to propose the Kings right yet having received Commission to appease and not to exasperate the Pope they alledged in the third place That the King by virtue of the Apostolick Breve granted to him by his Holiness had caused himself to be absolved and therefore they insisted only that his Holiness knowing the Pardon he had granted him would either confirm it or not be displeased if the King valuing it as he ought had made use of it in a seasonable occasion For not having in the heat of danger considered so particularly and having never had any intention to offend the Jurisdiction of the Apostolick See after he had been made sensible of it he being moved with scruple of Conscience had prostrated himself at the feet of his Confessor and had begged and obtained absolution for as much as need should require though he thought he had not transgressed effectively To this the Pope answered That the Breve was granted for things past but could not extend to future sins the absolution whereof cannot be anticipated That such a case as this in which the Apostolick See was directly offended and all Christendom scandalized was not comprehended under that Breve and that the Exposition was to be demanded from him who had granted it which now he declared affirming that it had never been his intention to enable the King to receive absolution for his future faults and for so evident a violation of the Dignity of Cardinal This Treaty having been often repeated and discussed with great allegations of Right and Authority in the end the Ambassadors were contented to petition in writing for the Popes absolution who expressed a desire to have it so and that it was the means to appease and satisfie him Wherefore after good Offices done by the Venetian and Florentine Ambassadors in favour of the King having received order from their Princes to take great pains in his behalf the Bishop with a Petition of a very submissive form demanded absolution of the Pope who with pleasing words answered That he would willingly grant it when he should be assured of the Kings contrition whereof he would have this token that he should set at liberty the Cardinal of Bourbon and Archbishop of Lyons it being vain to grant him absolution for one thing whilst he persisted in the act of another which did infer the same prejudice to the Apostolick See which he could not dissemble At this the Ambassadors and those that favoured them were exceedingly perplexed conceiving themselves to have been deceived and thinking that another kind of moderation ought to be used towards a King of France wherefore laying together all those reasons already alledged in the former Conferences they concluded that the King by setting those Prelates at liberty should but increase the fire in his Kingdom with the evident danger of his own Life and Crown and that therefore it was not fit to free them To which the Pope
which were Lorenzo Bianchetti and Philippo Sega who after were Cardinals Marc Antonio Mocenigo Bishop of Caneda a man well versed in affairs and highly esteemed by the Pope Francesco Panigarola Bishop of â—sti a Preacher of great renown and Roberto Bellarmino a Jesuite of profound and admirable Learning To the choice of these men the Pope added Bills of Exchange to the Merchants at Lyons for three hundred thousand Crowns with Commission to the Legat to dispose of them according to need and occasion but particularly to spend them for the Infranchisement of the Cardinal of Bourbon upon which he shewed his mind was fixed more than upon any other thought whatsoever But this so ardent resolution was cooled in the very beginning and the Pope was put in doubt by Letters that arrived from the Duke of Lâ—â—cembourg wherein he gave him notice that by the French Nobility who in a very great number followed and acknowledged the King of Navarre to be the legitimate King of France he was chosen Ambassador to his Holiness and the Apostolick See to inform him of the causes which had moved the minds of all good French-men to that acknowledgment and to require from him as from a common Father the proper means and remedies for the Peace and Union of the whole Kingdom By which Letters the Pope did not only find that what the Agents of the League had represented unto him was vain viz. That the major part of the Kingdom was joined to the party of the Union and that only a few desperate persons followed the King of Navarre but he also conceived some hopes that by the way of Pacification an end might be put to the miseries and discords of the Kingdom those that were gone astray might be reduced into the bosom of the Church and his aim of having a lawful Catholick French King might be attained without submitting the afflicted people of France any longer to new dangers and calamities of an obstinate War Wherefore being also excited by the diligent informations which were given unto him by the Venetian Ambassadours intent upon the preservation of the Crown of France he returned favourable Answers to the Duke of Luxembourg and the French Nobility which were in the Kings Camp assuring him that he should be well respected and kindly received and exhorting them to persist constantly in the Catholick Religion as in their Letters which came with the Dukes they asserted they would do and that they would continue it even to the effusion of their blood And yet the Agents of the League especially Frison Dean of Rheims lately sent thither by the Duke of Mayenne urging him not to delay the Legats expedition for that these were artifices of the King of Navarre to take him off and gain the benefit of time he dispatched the Legat towards France but with Instructions very different from his first designs For whereas before all the endeavours tended to the confirmation and freeing the Cardinal of Bourbon now passing over his name in silence the design was only to re-unite by any means whatsoever the Catholicks under the obedience of the Church and establish a Catholick King to the general liking without naming the person To these Commissions set down in a Writing dated the Fifteenth of October were added particular express Advertisements to the Cardinal Legat to shew himself no less neutral and dis-interessed in the Secular Pretensions of the Princes than most ardent and zealous concerning Religion and not to value one person more than another provided he were a French-man obedient to the Church and generally liked by the Kingdom Nay more at his last coming to receive Instructions the Pope added and repeated it effectually that he should not shew himself an open Enemy to the King of Navarre so long as there was any hope that he might return into the bosom of the Church But these Advertisements were very contrary to the principal scope of the Embassie which was to uphold the Catholick party of the League as the foundation of Religion in that Kingdom a thing often repeated in his Instructions and which was always the aim from the beginning but which the Pope pretended to have altered in his last directions so that the substance of the business changed in the variety of circumstances as it often happens did so disturb the execution that it was afterwards governed more by the diversity of accidents than by any firm determinate resolution The Advertisements of Cardinal Moresini differed not much from the Popes Instructions for being met by the Legat Gaetano in the City of Bolognia he as vers'd in the interests of the Kingdom gave the Legat a particular account of the intentions of Spain of the pretensions of the Duke of Mayenne of the weakness of the League composed of various different humours and of the Kings Forces which had more secure foundation in the concurrence of the major part of the Nobility than the party of the Union had in the conspiracy of the common people The same was told him at Florence by Ferdinando Great Duke of Thuscany who being perfectly informed of the interests which were on foot in the Kingdom of France perswaded him to keep himself Neuter and not to refuse those overtures of Agreement which might be with the profit of the Catholick Religion and the reputation of the Pope But both the advice of Cardinal Moresini and the Great Dukes counsel were suspected by the Legat doubting that the one sought to make him fall into the same faults whereof he was accounted guilty in the Court of Rome and that the other did not counsel him sincerely Wherefore as a man bent with severity to sustain the greatness and power of the Church and accustomed to the affairs of Italy where the Popes authority by the piety of the Nation and the nearness of the Princes is held in high veneration he firmly perswaded himself that by the meer terrour of Spiritual Arms he should keep all the Catholicks at his devotion and excluding the King of Navarre make a King to be declared and obeyed wholly depending upon the Apostolick See and neerly joyned and obliged to the Crown of Spain to which both by his ancient breeding and the new practices of the Conde de Olivares the Spanish Ambassador at Rome he was infinitely inclined He was the more confirmed afterwards in this his thought that all ought to depend upon his Authority when being arrived at Turin he saw that the Duke of Savoy did with exquisite terms of submission intreat him as one that might dispose of matters at his pleasure to consider his right to the Crown of France as born of Margaret Sister to King Henry the Second by whose right the course of the Salique Law having been formerly interrupted he alledged the Crown ought rather to be confirmed to him than to any other that in antient times had pretended title by the womans side and alledging his deserts to the Apostolick See since that
King beats up the quarters of the Light-horse of the League The Duke of Parma sends Prince Ranuccio to assault the Kings out-guards and while they are fighting there being favoured by a mist he removes his Camp without noise of either Drum or Trumpet The Army of the League shut up in the Peninsula is reduced unto necessity of Victual and is in a great strait The Duke of Parma to free the Army which was in a manner imprisoned in the Country of Caux resolves to pass the River Seine and his attempt succeeds The King perceiving the Enemies design though too late goes to hinder their passage over the River but they were past already The King dissolves his forces and sends the Lords to their Governments and with a quick fleeing Army follows the march of the enemy Francois de Bourbon Dukâ— of Montpensâ—er as he was returning to his Government of Normandy dies at Lisieâ—x the third of Iune 1592. The Duke of Mayenne murmurs against the Duke of Parma ascribing the glory of all the actions to himself The Duke of Parma shâ—wing that he had twice delivered the League attributeâ— the cause unto the French why the King of Navarre was not utterly suppressed The Duke of Mayenne upon excuse of taking Physick stayes at Rouen The Sieur du Plesâ—is Mornay Secretary of State to the King and the Sieur de Villerâ—y for the Duke of Mayenne Treat of an Accommodation with mutuâ—l promises of Secrecy President Ieannin by order from the D. of Mayenne signifies those Conditions to Monsieur de Villeroy who was in Treaty which the Duke desires for the effecting an Accommodation The Treaty of Agreement divulged by the Sieur du Plessis comes to the ears of the Princesses and Spanish Ministers working a contrary effect to what he that published them desired The Duke of Parma leaves Forces in France under the Sieur de Rosne depending upon the Duke of Mayenne to whom also the other Spanish Ministers forbear to give further discontents The Catholicks of the Kings party displeased that the Peace should be treated by the Sieur de Plessis a Hugonot renew the Treaty of a third party Innocent the Ninth is succeeded in the Papacy by Cardinal Hippolito Aldobrandino with the name of Clement the Eighth being aged Fifty six years Clement the Eighth gives supplies unto the League with more moderate expences and resolutions than his Predecessors had done The King by the means of Mocenigo the Venetian Ambassador prays that Republick to treat with the Pope concerning his reconciliation with the Church The King desires Ferdinando de Medici Grand Duke of Thuscany to use his endeavors also with the Pope and the Colledge of Cardinals in favour of his business The Duke of Mayenne who had still deferred the Convocation of the States writes to the Cardinal Legat and to the Duke of Parma that the time of assembling them was now present Cardinal Gondi and the Marquiss de Pisani are chosen to be sent to Rome The Decree of the Parliaments of Tours and Chalons that none should run to Rome for the procuring of Benefices The pretensions of Râ—nâ—ud de Bâ—aune Archbishop of Bâ—urges upon the Spiritual Superiority of the Galliae A Decree made by Henry the Fourth in favour of the Ecclesiastical Dignities and of the Catholick Religion The Duke of Mayenne besieges Ponteau de Mer. The Sieur de Villars goes to besiege Quilleboeuf a Fort not yet brought to perfection The Sieur de Villars is forced to rise from Quillâ—boeuf The Duke of Mayenne takeâ— Ponteau de Mer The Duke of Parma goes into Flanders to the â—aths of Spaw to be cured of the Dropsie Monsieur de Rosne takes Espernay The King sends his Forces to recover Espernay The Mareschal de Byron a Commander of great valour is killed with a Cannon-shot Iuly 26. in the Sixty fifth year of his age The King wept â—or the Mareschal de Byâ—on The Baron de Byron to revenge the death of his Father scales a great Tower at Espernay and takes it but is sorely wounded Espernay yieldeth it self with condition to leave their colours which were much desired by the King because there were some Spanish Ensigns among them The King desires a reconciliation with the Catholick Church by way of Agreement not by way of Pardon Causes that make the Pope backward in determining about the affairs of the Crown of France The Duke of Mayenne gives Villeroy liberty to favour the Kings Conversion at Rome and at the same time opposes it with all his power Pope Clâ—m 8. gives notice to Cardinal Gondi and to the Marquiss de Pisans that they should not enter into the Ecclesiastical State Cardinal Gondi sends his Secretary to Rome to excuse himself to the Pope The unhappy condition of Ecclesiastical affairs in the Kingdom of France The Pope sends Monsignor Agucchi to Cardinal Sega Legat in France with prâ—dent Instructions concerning the affairs of that Kingdom Cardinal Sega affectionate to the Lords of the League and perswaded by hope being become partial to the Spaniards doth not execute his orders accordding to the Popes intentions The Duke of Mayenne interpreting the Popes manner of proceeding to be in favour of him applies himself to the Convocation of the States with hope to be chosen King of France The City of Paris is appointed for the Convocation of the States The Duke of Mayenne leaves the command of the Army to the Sieur de Rosne and goes himself to Parâ—â— Causes that move the Duke of Mayenne to hope to be chosen King of France The Duke of Parâ—a's death was hurtful to the interests of the King of Spain Monsieur de la Valette is slain with a Musket shot at the siege of Râ—câ—ebrâ—ne The River Vare is the confine that separates Italy from France The Sieur de Les Diguiâ—res makes great incuâ—sions against the Duke of Savoy Monsieur de Maugiron Governour of Valence for the King gives up the place to the Lords of the League The Duke of Savoy recovers the places taken by Les Diguieres and takes Antibo The Duke of Espernon going into Provence recovers Antibo and all the towns held by the Duke of Savoy as far as the River Vare Antoine Scipion Duke of Iâ—yeuse lays siege to Villemuâ— Fortresâ— near Montauban Monsieur de Temines enters with men into Villemur The Kings Forces sent to relieve Villemur assault the Duke of Ioyeuse's Camp and make themselves masters of the first Trench While the Royalists fight with the Leaguers with equal fortune Temines sallies with most of the Garrison of Villemur and catching the Enemy in the midst routs them and puts them to flight Câ—aon a great strong Town that held for the League is besieged by the Princes of Câ—nty and Dombes The Royallists raise their siege at Craon by reason of the Duke of Merâ—oeurs arrival with relief The Kings Forces desiring to make their retreat in sight of the enemy losâ— almost all their Foot who are
the other of Foot under the conduct of Andelot and the third mingled both with Horse and Foot which he commanded himself he marched with great silence and expedition to assault the Enemies Camp about midnight But fortune frustrated his design for though the way were plain through a free open Country yet the guides that led the first Squadron either through treachery or amazedness or else through ignorance losing their way they so wandred up and down that the next morning at break of day he found that he was advanced but little more than a league from the place whence he set out over night and still two great leagues from the Kings Camp Notwithstanding necessity compelling to attempt the greatest difficulties the Commanders resolved to pursue their design and the same order to perform that in the day which they could not effect in the night But Monsieur d' Anville who with the light horse quartered in the front of the Kings Army having presently advertisement by his Scouts of their coming had by shooting off two pieces of Cannon given notice thereof to the Camp that lay behind him Whereupon the Souldiers and Gentlemen running from all parts to their colours he going before to make good the high-way that they might have time to put the Army in order having divided his Horse into divers little Squadrons began to skirmish fiercely with the first Troops of the Hugonots By reason whereof they being forced to march slowlier and closer together often making halts through the heat of the skirmish and not to disoâ—der themselves in the face of the Enemy the King of Navarre had more commodity of time to get his men together and to order them for a Battel So the Princes Army still advancing and the King of Navarre ranging his men in a Battalia upon the plain but with the Camp behind them at the last about noon both Armies faced one another that there was nothing between them but a little plain without any manner of impediment But though the Ordnance plaid fiercely on both sides yet no body advancing to begin the battel it was perceived the Commanders were not of opinion to fight For the Prince who thought to have surprised the Catholicks on a sudden before they could either get together or put themselves in order seeing them all together and drawn out in excellent order for the Battel and not believing that his men who were but newly raised would be able to stand against the Kings Foot that were all choice old Souldiers had more mind to retreat than to fight And the King of Navarre who knew that within a few days his forces would be increased would not in absence of the other Catholick Lords expose himself without any provocation to the hazard of a Battel Wherefore after they had stood still facing one another at least three hours the Prince retiring more than a league backwards quartered with his Army at Lorges a little Village in Beausse and the King of Navarre drew off his men but in much better order to the place where they encamped before The same evening arrived from Chasteadune at the Army the Constable and the Duke of Guise being sent for in great haste and causing all the Guards to be doubled they commanded quite thorow the Quarters at every hundred paces great piles of wood to be made which being set on fire if the enemy came to assault them by night the Souldiers might the better see what they were to do and the Canoneers how to point their Ordnance Which orders being known to the Prince of Conde and finding that the enemy was not to be surprized after he had stayed three days at Lorges the second day of Iuly in the morning he rose with all his Army and went to take Baugency a great walled Town and with the pillage thereof to refresh his Souldiers which were in great want of money and not over-abounding with victuals Nor was the enterprise of any great difficulty for the wall being battered with four peeces of Cannon brought thither for that purpose and an assault given in another part by the Regiment of Provensals at a certain breach they made by sapping it was taken the same day and sackt with great slaughter of the inhabitants Whilst the Hugonots assaulted Baugency there arrived at the Kings Army ten Cornets of German Horse led by the Rhinegrave and six thousand Swisses under the conduct of Ierosme Freulich a man for experience and valour of great esteem among his own Nation With which Forces the Catholick Lords designed without any delay to set upon the Enemies Army But the Prince of Conde being advertised of the arrival of those foreign supplies having slighted Baugency that the Catholicks might make no use of it in great haste retired to Orleans absolutely quitting the field without making any other attempt In Orleans it was no longer possible to keep the Army together partly through want of money to give the Souldiers their pay without which being shut up in the Town they could not possibly live partly because the Nobility that followed the War as Voluntiers having spent what they brought with them could no longer subsist Wherefore having called a Council the chief of the Hugonots determined to turn this necessity to their best advantage For not being able to resist the Kings Army with the Forces they then had nor to remain shut up within those walls they took a resolution to separate themselves into divers places and to defend those Towns and fortresses which they held in other parts of the Kingdom in this manner subsisting as well as they might until they could have such aids from their friends and confederates that they might again meet the Enemy in the field Their chief hopes of Succours were from the Protestant Princes of Germany so they call those who separated from the Catholick Church do follow the opinions of Luther and from Elizabeth Queen of England not only an adherent to the same Religion but also desirous through the ancient Maxims of that Nation to have some footing in the Kingdom of France The Princes of Germany had already freely promised them their aid and there wanted nothing but only to send Commanders and Money to conduct and pay the Souldiers But the Queen of England proposed harder and more difficult conditions without which she denied to afford them any Succours For she offered to imbrace the protection of the Confederates and to send into France an Army of eight thousand Foot with a great train of Artillery at her own charge and to maintain it there till the War were fully ended that at the same time with her Fleet mann'd with Land-forces she would invade the Coasts of Normandy and Brittany to divert and divide the Kings Forces but upon these terms That the Confederates should promise in recompence to cause Calais to be restored to her a strong place situated upon the narrow Sea in Picardy held many
cost pains nor danger but using all military force and industry to storm it yet the Citizens and Souldiers and even the very women as well as men defended it with admirable valour and constancy sustaining for a long time the force and power of a whole Kingdom and holding out against hunger and famine no less than against the assaults and batteries of the Enemy Amongst the various events of this Siege Monsieur de la Noue had opportunity to regain the Kings favour and get leave to live privately at his own house for while the Council of the Citizens treated of yielding to that force which they saw they could not much longer resist he being fallen into a contestation with some of the Ministers whose authority was infinite over the minds of the common people and who without any regard to reason exhorted them still to constancy one of them named la Place was so bold and inconsiderate that after having basely abused him and many times called him Traitor he insolently offered with his hand to strike him in the face which injury though he seemed to pass by for quietness sake and though the Minister was kept in prison many days for a mad man yet inwardly it troubled him very much and moreover foreseeing that at the arrival of the Count Montgomery who was expected with supplies from England the chief command would be taken from him and conferred upon the Count with whom by reason of an ancient emulation he had no very good correspondence he resolved within himself to leave the Town and the next day sallying out of the works as he often used to skirmish with the Enemy he went over with some few in his company to the Duke of Anjou's camp making that pass for the fulfilling of his promise to the King which upon new considerations he resolved to do either for revenge of the affront he had received or for the securing of his own safety which he saw exposed to the calumnies and practices of the Ministers But whatsoever the motive was his example was followed by a great many Gentlemen and Officers yet all that shaked not the perseverance of the Citizens nor abated the courage of the Souldiers supporting with gallant resolution the furious bloody assaults which night and day were made against them on every side and enduring with constancy of mind the great scarcity of victual and the perpetual duty which they were forced to undergo without intermission For towards the Sea were raised two Forts one at the point called de Coreille the other over against it in the place which they call Port-neuf which being mann'd with a thousand Souldiers were kept by Captain Cossein and Captain Gas each with fifteen pieces of Cannon and between them a great Carack was fastened at anchor which furnished with Culverins shot into the mouth of the Haven and hindred the entrance into it so that by continual industry it was blocked up on that side and on the other toward the Land all the Princes and Lords of the Army had divided the work among them in such manner that the Trenches and Redoubts touched one another every where not did they cease to redouble their assaults every hour and yet the resistance of those within equalled the courage and industry of those that were without The valour and constancy of the Defendants was much increased by the intelligence which they secretly received from their friends which were in the Camp for not only among the private Souldiers but also among those that commanded there were some that did not desire the destruction of Rochel nor the extirpation of the Hugonot Faction and Byron who commanded the Artillery following his former intentions did with great dexterity as many were of opinion delay the progress of the Batteries and strengthened the resolution of the besieged But for all these arts their most constant Citizens and most valiant Souldiers were already consumed the hopes of relief from England and Germany were vanished of themselves for the Protestant Princes perswaded by Gaspar Count of Schombergh who was sent to them by the King had resolved not to interpose in the commotions of France there being now no Prince of the Blood who with his authority and supplies of money might maintain the War and the Queen of England to whom the King had sent Alberto Gondi for the same cause had refused to send them either men or shipping and the Count de Montgomery being departed to relieve the besieged with a good number of ships but ill mann'd and armed though with much ado he got a ship of Ammunition to enter the Haven yet being chased by the Kings Fleet and despairing to do any more good in the business he made out to Sea laid aside all thoughts of raising the siege or relieving the City now brought to extremity and only as a Pyrate annoyed the coasts of Britagne and Normandy Their victuals were likewise quite spent and their ammunition almost all wasted and on the other side though the Duke of Anjou in a siege of so many months had lost the Duke of Aumale killed in the Trenches with a Cannon-shot an infinite number of Gentlemen and Officers and above twenty thousand Souldiers killed and dead of the sickness and the Duke of Anjou himself whilst he was viewing the works wounded though but lightly in the neck in the side and in the left hand by a Harquebuze a croc charged with tarling had more need of rest than continual action yet neither the fierceness nor frequency of the assaults were at all allayed but there arriving daily new forces at the Camp among which six thousand Swisses newly entered into pay the siege grew rather streighter and the service hotter than at first so that the City was reduced to an impossibility of holding out longer and would at last have been taken by force and utterly ruined by the King if a new far-fetcht occasion had not saved it and prevented its so imminent destruction There had been a treaty many months before of electing the Duke of Anjou to be King of Poland the hope whereof being begun in the life of Sigismund Augustus King of that Kingdom with this proposition That the Duke taking Anne the Kings Sister to Wife should by the States of those Provinces be declared Successour to the Crown after his death it was much increased for though Ernest Arch-Duke of Austria Son to the Emperour and Sigismond King of Sweden were both Competitors in the same design yet neither of them seemed comparable for valour and glory to the Duke of Anjou whose name by reason of his many victories flew through all parts of Europe with a most clear same of singular vertue and renown The King of France applyed his mind wholly to that end and much more the Queen-Mother for the infinite love she bore to that Son and therefore they neither spared money promises pains nor industry necessary to effect that business which being brought very
which cause it was concluded that there should be a Cessation of Arms for two next ensuing months Iuly and August and for as much longer as the King should think fit to whom they remitted themselves in that business and that 12000 Crowns should be paid unto them by the Regent to maintain their Garisons without annoying or molesting the Country But the Treaty of St. Sulpice wrought not the same effect for though the Mareshal d' Anville was more disposed to maintain himself by arts and dissimulations than by force and therefore inclined to the Truce yet of his own party Mombrun in Daulphine who made War rather like an Outlaw against every body than like a Souldier against a certain Enemy would not hearken to any agreement which would necessitate him to lay down his Arms and cease to over-run and spoil the Country And on the other part the Catholicks of Languedoc and especially the Parliament of Tholouse were so enflamed against the Mareshal d' Anville that they hardly yielded to the Cessation though commanded by the Queen Regent it would at last have been effected if d' Anville at the same time aiming by any means to secure and possess himself of those places that depended on him arrogating the Kings power to himself had not by deeds contrary to his words summoned the States of that Province and by means of his own adherents published Decrees and Ordinances which had more of an absolute Prince than of a Governour Whereupon the Parliament of Tholouse infinitely incensed at those proceedings which did manifestly impair their authority not only refused the Truce themselves but forbad all those of the Catholick party either to accept or put it in execution But neither the injuries of her Enemies nor the disobedience of her Friends could alter the Queens determination who making small account of outward appearances minded only the compassing of her own ends Wherefore continuing the businesses which were set on foot she treated still with him and with his Agents to gain the benefit of time by the same arts wherewith he endeavoured to settle the foundations of his own Estate Which things while they were in agitation the Rochellers fickle and unconstant in their resolutions either because they were excited by those of Languedoc or because the 12000 Crowns which were paid them were not sufficient to maintain their Souldiers who wanting the spoils of War disbanded and forsook them daily upon a sudden broke the Truce which a while before was so willingly accepted and concluded and in all places round about committed most grievous cruel outrages Yet neither for all this was the Queen any thing dismaid but dissembling all injuries with marvellous patience to accomplish her own designs dispatched new Agents to the Rochellers and to d' Anville that they might renew the Treaty it sufficing her though the business could not be effected that till she had notice of the Kings arrival the time might be spun out without new troubles and distractions and therefore every where mingling Treaties of accommodation with actions of War both sides proceeded with equal slowness not concluding any agreement and imploying the Armies only in the business of small importance And now affairs were brought almost to the point which the Queen before desired for Monsieur de Montpensier with an Army kept the Forces of the Hugonots at a Bay in Xaintonge the Prince Daulphine with another opposed their attempts in Daulphine and d' Anville who doubtful in his mind thought more to establish himself than to make any new conquests being held in hand with arts and promises drew out the time without making any more express Declaration But the Prince of Conde residing in Strasbourgh one of the Hans Towns in Germany was already resolved following the steps of his Father to make himself Head of his party and therefore treated with the Protestant Princes about the raising of new Forces and by Messages sollicited the Hugonots of France to unite and gather themselves together and to assist him with some reasonable sum of money whereby while the King was absent he might without delay enter with a powerful Army into Burgongne For this cause the Deputies of the Hugonot Provinces they then called them the Reformed Churches being met together at Millaut with the Agents of the Mareshal d' Anville who though he feigned the contrary and entertained the Queen Regent with words and promises was yet secretly united to them they consulted as well about the means of procuring money as about the conditions upon which they should admit the Prince unto that command which the Queen no sooner knew but she presently dispatched fitting persons whereof she judiciously chose many and with her liberality maintained a great number who under colour of treating an agreement should by sowing doubts and discords hinder and delay the resolutions of that meeting nor did the Deputies agree very well among themselves for though they all knew well enough that without the name of a Prince of the Blood that should both within and without the Kingdom want authority and reputation and by consequence the strength of all their Forces yet were their opinions diverse concerning the Prince for many had yet set their eyes upon the Duke of Alancon many desired the King of Navarre and some were unsatisfied with the youth of the Prince of Conde doubting that his want of years and experience would be accompanied with weakness and contempt To this was joined the ambiguousness of d' Anville who though his chiefest aim was his own security and the conservation of his Government of Languedoc yet could he not altogether withdraw his thoughts from pretending to the first place which though he could not obtain for himself yet he desired at least that he that had it should acknowledge it principally from him nor could it much please la Noue whose power with the Rochellers was very great to see a Superiour chosen whose eminence and reputation would much eclipse and diminish the authority of his Command But neither the Queens policy nor their own particular divisions could restrain the general ardour and inclination with which most of them voluntarily concurred to put themselves under that Prince whose Ancestors they were accustomed to obey and whose very name alone made deep impressions in the minds of the people by reason of the so famous and so much deplored memory of his Father Wherefore the Articles of Agreement were set down in the name of the Provinces d' Anville and la Noue assenting to them of necessity though secretly whereby after their wonted pretences and protestations the power and command of that party was conferred upon the Prince of Conde committing to his protection both the Liberty of their Consciences and the ordering of that War which was thought so necessary for their common safety To these Capitulations joining a convenient sum of money they appointed three Deputies to assist the Prince both in the conduct and
Princes for their security till the Articles were fully and perfectly performed viz. Beaucaire and Aiguemorte in Languedoc Perigeux and la Mas de Virdun in Guienne Nyon and Serres in Daulphine Isoire in Auvergne and Seine la Grand Tour in Provence The sentences against la Mole the Count de Coranas the Admiral de Coligny Briquemaut Cavagnes Montgomery and Mombrun were revoked and declared null and further it was declared that no fault was to be imputed to the Visdame of Chartres and Beauvais for having contracted or negotiated any agreements with the Queen of England for the Duke of Alancons Apennage so they call the maintenance which is allowed to Kings Sons and Brothers they assigned Berry Touraine and the Dutchy of Anjou three of the greatest and most fertile Countries in all France and 100000 Crowns of annual pension To the Prince of Conde they allotted the Government of Picardy and for his security the City of Peronne a very strong place seated near the Sea To Prince Casimir the Principality of Chasteau-Thierry a pension of 14000 Crowns the maintenance of one hundred Lances and the entire payment of all arrears due to the German Army which amounted to 1200000 Ducats To the Prince of Orange the restitution of all those States he was wont to possess in the Kingdom of France which for Rebellion had been taken from him by the sentence of Parliament and added to the Kings Revenue finally an Assembly of the States General was promised within six months who were to represent unto the King the grievances of his Subjects and consult of their remedies which condition proposed by the Princes to set a better gloss upon their cause and to win the applause of the people was willingly received by the King as a convenient means to dissolve and disanul the Articles agreed upon which with many others less considerable but not less unreasonable and exorbitant as soon as they were known to those of the Catholick party exasperated most of their minds in such a manner that they not only murmured freely against the King himself as one of a mean spirit drowned in the effeminate delights of the Court and the Queen-Mother as if to recover her Son the Duke of Alancon from the way of perdition she had neglected the Majesty of Religion and precipitated the general safety of the Kingdom but many were already disposed to rise and would have taken Arms to disturb the unjustness of that Peace which was generally esteemed shameful and not fit to be kept if within a while they had not manifestly understood that the King and Queen purposely to recover and draw home the Duke of Alancon had consented to conditions in words which they were resolved not to observe in deeds for the foreign Army being first of all sent away by having disbursed part of the arrears to Prince Casimir and given him security for the rest partly by pawning Jewels partly by engaging the word of the Duke of Lorain and having exactly performed all things promised to the Duke of Alancon none of the other Articles were observed either to the Hugonots in general or to the King of Navarre and Prince of Conde in particular but the King permitting and tacitly consenting to it the Assemblies of the Hugonots were every where violently disturbed the Government of Picardy was not given to the Prince of Conde nor the City of Perronne assigned to him the Courts of Justice which were to be formed in the Parliaments were deferred with several excuses and of so many Counsellors which ought to have been elected the King having named only Arenes one of the Deputies which had treated the Peace to be President of the Parliament of Paris they refused to accept of him the King not being at all displeased at it which things clearly discovering the Kings mind though they quieted those Catholicks who judged of the state of affairs without interest or passion and disposed the most part of peaceful-natured men to expect the issue of the Assembly of the States which the King had appointed to be in the City of Blois on the fifteenth day of November yet the Guises who were not slack in laying hold of any opportunity to augment their own greatness and to secure the state of that Religion which was so straightly linked to their interests began upon the conjuncture of so great an occasion secretly to make a League of the Catholicks in all the Provinces of the Kingdom under colour of opposing the progress and establishment of Heresie which by the Articles of Peace was so fully authorized and established but in effect to reduce the forces of the Catholick party into one firm entire united body which they might dispose of as occasion served for their own security and for a foundation of that party whereof they hold the principality Henry Duke of Guise Charles Duke of Mayenne and no less than they Lewis Cardinal of Guise their third Brother were left not only Heirs to their Fathers greatness and reputation and Possessors of the Rule and Government of the Catholick party but had also by their proper valour and industry acquired wonderful renown and love among the people partly by their liberal popular nature partly by their care and zeal shewed in preferring before all other respects the protection and maintenance of that Religion whereof they were the sole Champions and Defenders These Brothers to whom were joined the Duke and Chavalier d' Aumale the Duke d' Elboeuf the Duke de Mercoeur with his Brothers though allyed unto the King yet all of the same house of Lorain when contrary to their expectation they saw the Peace concluded and ratified with Articles so unjust and prejudicial to the Catholick Religion and to the credit and power of their party stirred up with anger and disdain which often use to lay open mens resentments began to enter into a great suspition of the Kings counsels and designs thinking that a Prince of a noble Warlike nature would never have suffered the temerity of his Subjects to draw him to such shameful conditions but that he concealed some deeper thoughts and more weighty undiscovered resolutions wherefore though the King by means of the Queen-Mother and many others which they both confided in gave them to understand that his intention was to break or at least to moderate those conditions by the Assemâ—â—â— of the States at Blois and that he had consented to those dishonourable Articles â—nly to deprive the Hugonots of so powerful a prop as the person of the Duke of Alancon but that he would settle all by convenient proportionable remedies yet those Princes were not altogether satisfied but every day by various conjectures penetrating more deeply into those mysteries as also being highly displeased at the Kings Decree whereby taking away the power in appearance from all but in effect from them alone of procuring gifts and interceding for favours for the followers and dependents of the Catholick party and
set down the causes why the Duke of Guise and his adherents endeavour to renew the Catholick League which before was almost laid aside The Reasons they alledge for themselves The quality of those persons that consented to and concurred with the League The design of drawing in the Cardinal of Bourbon and his resolution to embrace it Philip King of Spain takes the protection of it The Conditions agreed to with his Agents at Jain-ville The Popes doubtfulness in ratifying and approving the League and his determination to delay the time The King of France consults what is to be done for the opposing of that Vnion and the opinions differ He sends the Duke of Espernon to confer with the King of Navarre to perswade him to embrace the Catholick Faith and return to Court The King of Navarre at that Proposition resolves to stand firm to his Party The League takes occasion by that Treaty and makes grievous complaints They of the Low-Countries alienated from the King of Spain offer to put themselves under the Crown of France The King is uncertain what to do in it but at last remits them to another time King Philip entring into suspition of that business sollicites the Duke of Guise and the League to take up Arms To that end Forces are raised both within and without the Kingdom The King tries to oppose them but finds himself too weak The Cardinal of Bourbon leaves the Court retires to Peronne and with the other Confederates publishes a Declaration They draw an Army together in Champagne seize upon Thoul and Verdun The City of Marseilles riseth in favour of the League but the Conspirators are suppressed by the rest of the Citizens the same happens at Bourdeaux Lyons Bourges and many other places in the Kingdom side with the League The King answers the Declaration of the League he endeavours to disunite it by drawing many particular men from that Party as also the City of Lyons but seeing his design succeedeth not to his mind he resolves to treat an Agreement with the Confederates The Queen-Mother goes into Champagne to confer about it with the Duke of Guise and Cardinal of Bourbon After many Negotiations the Peace is concluded The King of Navarre publisheth a Declaration against the League and challengeth the Duke of Guise to a Duel He passeth it over and makes the Declaration be answered by others The Duke of Bouillon and Monsieur de Chastillon go into Germany to stir up the Protestant Princes in favour of the Hugonots The King consults of the manner of effecting what he had promised in the Agreement with the League The opinions differ and there ariseth great discord about it among his Councellors He resolves to make War against the Hugonots and coming to the Parliament forbids all other except the Roman Catholick Religion He sends for the Heads of the Clergy and the Magistrates of the City of Paris and with words full of resentment demands money of them for the War He prepares divers Armies against the Hugonots Pope Gregory the Thirteenth dies Sixtus Quintus succeeds him who at the instigation of the League declares the King of Navarre and the Prince of Conde to be Excommunicate and incapable to succeed in the Crown This Excommunication is diversly spoken of in France Many write against it and many in favour of it FRom the ashes of the Duke of Alancon the half-extinguisht sparks of the League began again to be kindled and burn afresh for the King by his policy in the Assembly at Blois and after by the delight and benefit every one received in Peace and by keeping down the Heads of the Hugonots and holding them at a distance having taken away the opportunities and specious pretences of the Lords of Guise it was of it self grown old and in very great part decayed and dissolved And though those Lords being stung to the quick by the excessive greatness of the Kings Minions and continually stirred up by the jealousie of his proceedings had failed of no occasion that might conveniently blemish his actions and bring themselves into reputation yet matters had till then been rather in unsetled debates than certainly concluded and had consisted more in words than in actions But now by reason of the Duke of Alancons death and that the King after having been ten years married had no probable hope of issue affairs began to be very much altered For as the King of Navarre's being first Prince of the Blood and so nearest the Succession of the Crown did spur forward the readiness of the Guises his old corrivals and natural enemies so likewise it afforded them a fair occasion to renew the League that they might take a course betimes to hinder the Kingdom from falling into the hands of the Hugonot Prince to the universal ruine of the Catholicks and the total overthrow of Religion Wherefore the disgusts they received at Court and the suspicion which for many years they had conceived concurring to sollicite them and this emergent occasion offering a fit opportunity they began again not only to repair the old structure but also to contrive and build up new designs The disasters which the Lords of Guise received at Court were many For besides seeing themselves excluded from the Kings favour and from the administration of State-affairs wherein they were wont to hold the first place and whereof they now did not at all participate as likewise being so little able to do any thing for their dependents and adherents because the King reserved unto himself alone the disposing of all Gifts and Honours they were also highly offended at the greatness of these new men who not favoured by the lustre of ancient Families nor raised by the merits of their own actions but only by the liberality of their Prince were advanced so high that with a sudden splendour they eclipsed all those Honours which they with infinite pains and dangers had attained to in the course of so many years And though the Duke of Ioyeuse by his Marriage with the Queens Sister was allied unto the House of Lorain and seemed in many things to be interessed with them yet they disdained to lie under the shadow of anothers protection where they were wont to see an infinite number of persons shelter themselves under the favourable wing of their Power and Authority To this was added that the Duke of Espernon either through his own natural instinct or the hopes of raising himself upon the ruines of the Great Ones or through the friendship which he had held from his youth with the King of Navarre who was most averse from any familiarly with them seemed to despise and undervalue the merits and power of so great a family and failed not upon all occasions to sting and persecute them on the other side obstinately favouring and in all opportunities maintaining and assisting the Princes of Bourbon Whereupon it was commonly believed that he to abase the credit and lessen the reputation of the
that if the bodies were seen they might occasion some tumult and therefore having by the counsel of his Physitian caused them to be buried in quick Lime within a few hours all their flesh was consumed and afterward the bones were secretly interred in an unknown place removing in that manner those tragical Objects which use to work strange and sudden motions in the common people neither had he himself the heart to look upon them nor did any of the Court see them after their death except those few who of necessity were present the King not desiring that so sad a spectacle should argue him guilty either of cruelty or ambitious pomp of ostentation In this manner died Henry of Lorain Duke of Guise a Prince very remarkable for the height of his Extraction and for the merit and greatness of his Ancestors but much more conspicuous for the great eminency of his own worth For he abounded with many excellent endowments vivacity in comprehending wisdom in resolving boldness in executing courage in fight magnanimity in prosperity constancy in adversity popular in behaviour affable in conversation infinitely industrious in gaining the minds and affections of every one liberality worthy the most plentiful fortune secrecy and policy equal to the greatness of his designs a spritely turning wit readily stored with determinations and resolves according as occasion required and just proper for the times in which he lived To these qualities of the mind were joyned ornaments of the body no less commendable patient sufferance of labour singular sobriety a venerable yet gracious aspect a strong souldierly constitution agility of members so well disposed that he was often seen to swim in all his arms against the stream of a swift River and wonderful activity whereby both in Wrestling Tennis and Military exercises he did far exceed the ability of all other men and finally such concording union in the vigour of his mind and body that he gained not only an universal admiration but extorted praises from the mouths of his very Enemies Yet were not these vertues without the defects of humane frailty For doubleness and dissimulation were in him turned into nature and vain-glory and ambition were so powerful over the temperature of his disposition that from the very beginning they made him embrace the command of the Catholick Faction and in process of time from the necessity of defending himself from the Kings subtil policies put him easily upon the precipitate design of attaining by most difficult hidden ways to the succession of the Crown and finally the boldness of his own nature and his usual contempt of all others brought him unadvisedly to utter ruine Lewis the Cardinal though he came far short imitated the courage and vertue of his Brother for he always shewed a ready wit a lively spirit a constant mind and magnanimity equal to his birth but the turbulency of his thoughts and precipitate boldness of his nature took off very much from the opinion which at first was conceived of him for his too much ardour his desire of new things his despising of dangers and his unquietness of mind which have some kind of lustre in a Military profession seemed not to have the same decency in a Spiritual life and an Ecclesiastical habit The execution of the two Brothers being past the others that had been imprisoned were diversly kept and guarded The Duke of Nemours either having corrupted his Keepers with money or taking opportunity by their negligence or by the Kings assent and connivance as many thought because knowing his nature he believed him rather more apt to hinder and disturb than to favour and compose the affairs of the League escaped the fourth day from the place where he was not very strictly looked to and by unknown ways with only one Servant went secretly toward Paris Anne d' Este Mother to him and to the dead Princes of Lorain was also voluntarily freed by the King having shewed her many demonstrations of compassion whether he was moved with the pity of her age or that the splendour of her blood or her being born of one of the Daughters of King Lewis made him give her the more respect La Chapelle Compan Cotteblanche the Lieutenant of Amiens the Count de Brissac and the Sieur de Bois-Dauphin because they were in the number of the Deputies the Assembly of the States having made an appeal complaining that the Law of Nations was violated forasmuch as the Deputies were Ambassadors and Messengers from their several Provinces were set at liberty But the same happened not to the Archbishop of Lyons though he was one of the Deputies nay President of the Clergy for the King often desired to have him examined by the Archbishop of Beauvois as a Peer of France sometimes by the Cardinal of Condy sometimes by the Judges of the Great Council he had always refused to answer lest he should prejudice the Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction wherein as Primate of all France he said he had no other Superiour but the Apostolick Sea though the King and his Ministers alledged that they impeached him not as Archbishop of Lyons though so in cases of Rebellion and Treason the King pretended to have Jurisdiction over him but as a Counsellor of State for which cause the King being exasperated and thinking that his refusal to answer proceeded from a foul guilty Conscience would not consent to his enlargement though his Nephew the Baron de Lux took much pains about it and though the Deputies were much troubled at the Kings denial Pelicart the Secretary of the dead Duke and some others of his nearest Servants were often examined and having drawn as much from them as they could by the Kings command who scorned to defile himself with mean blood were set at liberty But the Cardinal of Bourbon who wept like a Child for the death of the Lords of Guise and was much afflicted for his own misfortune the Duke d' Elbeuf who by despair was fallen into an excess of melancholy so that he would neither endure to change his clothes cut his hair or use wonted decency about his person the Prince of Iainville who by the death of his Father began to be called Duke of Guise together with the Archbishop of Lyons were after not many days brought by the King himself to the Castle of Amboyse and there under the command of Captain du Gast were left in several Lodgings but with a good Garison and strict order to keep them fast At the very instant of the Cardinals death Colonel Alfonso Corso went away post to Lyons where Charles Duke of Mayenne the third Brother of the Guises stayed being appointed for the War in Dauphine with order to take him there upon the sudden and make him prisoner but he was prevented by Camillo Tolomei and the Sieur de Chaseron who being gone secretly from Blois the same day the Duke was killed and got unknown to Orleans took the way towards
that which became the Title of a most Christian King he would be pleased to turn to the Catholick Religion and to come again into the bosome of the holy Church to take away the pretences of his enemies and the scruples of conscience of his servants to the end that he might be served obeyed and honoured with the universal applause of them all That His Majesty would not think this their proposition and most humble supplication strange for it would appear much more strange to their consciences and the whole Christian World That one should be established King of France who was no Catholick as all his glorious Predecessors had been from Clouis the first King that received Baptism The King though he was much troubled and perplexed in mind yet either preferring his Religion before the Crown or knowing that by pleasing his new Catholick Subjects he should displease the Hugonots his old adherents took also the middle way and answered That he returned thanks with a most sincere French heart to the Nobility for their acknowledgment of his Right That he knew them to be the principal Member of the Crown the foundation of the Kingdom in time of War and the establishment of his Scepter That he embraced them all with tenderness of heart being ready to requite their duty and fidelity both in publick and in particular But desired that they would not think it strange if he did not so presently satisfie their first requests because the quality of the thing demanded required a convenient time of advice and the ripeness of a grounded resolution That he set a greater value upon his Soul and Conscience then upon all earthly greatness That he had been brought up and instructed in that Religion which yet he held to be the true one but nevertheless he would not therefore be stubborn and obstinate That he was ready to submit himself either to a General or National Council and to the Instructions which without palliating the Truth should be given him by learned conscientious persons But that these were Motives which proceeded from God effects of the muturity of time and which ought to be laboured for in peace and tranquillity and not amidst the noise of Arms and War and with a Dagger at a Mans Throat That he had a firm resolution to endeavour the satisfaction of his Subjects and the contentment of his Kingdom but that conjuncture was not proper to put his good desires in effect lest his action and declaration should seem feigned and counterfeit and extorted by force or else perswaded by worldly interests Wherefore he intreated them to stay till a fit opportunity and if in the mean time they desired any condition or security for the maintenance of the Catholick Religion in the same condition it was at that present he was ready to give them all the satisfaction they could wish for With this Answer the Deputies returned to the rest of the Catholicks assembled in the Hostel de Gondi and the King with his most intimate friends retired likewise to consult The Sieur de la Noue a man of great experience in worldly affairs though he were a Hugonot told the King freely That he must never think to be King of France if he turned not Catholick but that he should endeavor to do it with his reputation and without doing injury to those who had long served and upheld him On the other side du Plessis Mornay and the Ministers stood for Liberty of Conscience and the Cause of God against earthly greatness and magnifying the Forces of their party told him That they who had so many years defended and preserved him would also be sufficient to establish him in the Kingdom The King knew that these were swayed by their own interests and joyning in opinion with Monsieur de la Noue resolved within himself to turn Catholick but as a generous and magnanimous Prince would not seem to do it out of ambition or constraint and he believed the Proposition he had made to the Catholicks to be very reasonable so that he was determined to continue that resolution adding only the prefixed limits and circumstances of time God seemed miraculously to inspire the same thought into the Catholick party for though many of them and particularly some Prelates that were in the Camp did oppose it yet the greater part kindled with a just indignation for their King's death could not hear of any agreement or accommodation with the League wherefore it was at last concluded That the King taking a prefixed time for his conversion should secure the state of the Catholick Religion and that upon those terms they would receive and follow him The Deputies having carried this resolution and Treated a long time with the King and his Counsellors at last a Writing was mutually agreed on between both parties whereby the Catholick Princes Lords Officers of the Crown Nobility and Soldiers on the one side acknowledged Henry of Bourbon to be their lawful Prince and took an Oath of fidelity to him as King of France promising him due obedience and to serve and uphold him against every one And on the other side He swore and promised upon the word of a King to make himself be instructed within six months in the Catholick Religion by an Assembly of conspicuous persons and if need were to call a National Council to the Decrees whereof he would humbly submit himself and in the mean time promised to maintain the same Roman-Catholick-Apostolick Religion inviolate not to innovate or change any thing in it of what kind soever but to protect defend and secure it with all his power to dispose of Ecclesiastical Benefices and Revenues in the manner observed by the Kings his Predecessors to fit and sufficient persons of the same Religion to cause the use of it and the ceremonies thereof to be publick and principal in all places under his jurisdiction as he had established in the Agreement made with the late King in the moneth of April last past that he would put no Officers nor Governors but such as were Catholicks in those Towns which were under his obedience nor in those which for the time to come should submit themselves unto him or should be taken except onely those places which had been already granted to the Hugonots that he would admit none to any Dignities Offices of the Crown or Magistracies whatsoever but such persons as publickly professed the Catholick Religion that he would conserve and maintain the Princes Peers of France Ministers of the Crown Lords Gentlemen Cities and Corporations and the three States of France in their wonted Beings Priviledges Immunities Prerogatives Offices Places and Magistracies without any prejudice or innovation whatsoever that he would endeavour to take just and fitting revenge for that Parricide committed upon the person of King Henry the Third by severe exemplary punishment and the destruction and extirpation of disobedience and rebellion finally that he permitted his Catholick Subjects to
Forces to return and raise the siege which he was certain if they had but patience to suffer a little inconveniency would in the end prove vain and fruitless That in his stead he would leave his brother the D. of Nemours a youth of wonderful high courage and his Cousin the Chevalier d' Aumale to command the Soldiers and have care of the Military part of their defence and for other things the Cardinal-Legat and the Ministers of the Catholick King being there and seconded by the ardent zeal of the Council of Sixteen he could not doubt but all things would be managed with that prudence which need required That to shew how little he feared the City could fall into the Enemies hands and for a pledge of the speedy relief which he meant to make ready for them he would leave his Mother Wife Sister and Children in the City to bear part in that fortune which the Citizens should run That finally there being nothing else requisite but to perswade the people and resist the greediness of the belly he could not doubt of a happy issue with the exaltation of the League and total subversion of his enemies All of them commended his advice and the Heads of the people promised to keep united and constant in defending the place to the last man beseeching him onely to use all the speed he could possibly to prevent the extremities of the peoples sufferings who for Religion and in hope of his promises disposed themselves boldly to meet all those many weighty dangers which they saw hang over their heads The next day the Duke departed towards Picardy to meet with the D. of Parma General for the Catholick King in the Low-Countries knowing that to be the principal point and that if the Spaniards lent not their assistance in a considerable manner to him it would be a very difficult business to get a sufficient Army to raise the siege and relieve Paris and in the City they began with infinite diligence to repair the Walls to scowre the Moats to cast up Works to dispose their Artillery to arm the People and principally to provide whatsoever they possibly could against the imminent necessity of hunger In the mean time Manâ—e and Vernon had yielded themselves to the King since the Victory in which places he was constrained to stay longer than he intended for the extremity of ill weather and continual abundance of Rain had not onely overflowed the fields and made the wayes exceeding deep but had made it impossible to lie in the Field or march with Cannon and Baggage for men and horses could hardly save themselves and be secure within the shelter of houses In which time notice came to the King of another encounter which had happened in the Province of Auvergne near the Wall of Issoire where the Sieurs de Florat and Chaseron who were for him had routed and slain the Count of Randan who commanded for the League and with the death of about Two hundred of the Enemy had made themselves masters of the place Nor was it long before other news came from the Country of Mayne where Guy de Lansac who commanded the party of the League and the Sieur d' Hertre Governor of Alancon Head of the King's Forces charging one another had not altered the wonted event of things but Lansac Three hundred of his men being slain and the rest dispersed was fain to save himself by flight leaving the King's Forces master of the field in those parts These several disasters the news whereof came to Paris one upon the neck of another did much perplex the thoughts of those that governed but above all of the Cardinal-Legat upon whose shoulders lay the weight of all present affairs every one thinking that he as one that represented the Pope's person should in a cause wherein Religion was the principal object give supplies both of Men and Money for the relief of that adversity which the League was in at that time and the Duke of Mayenne complained publickly concerning it and wrote freely to the Pope that his backwardness to help so necessary a Cause was the principal occasion of all those evils The Spanish Ministers made the same lamentations being of opinion that the Legat was the cause the Catholick King was not satisfied in his demands and that while he neglecting his own businesses succoured the danger of Religion with Men and Money the Pope keeping his Purse close and nourishing ambiguous thoughts in his mind did neither send those necessary supplies which he had often promised nor consent to the satisfaction of the Catholick King who if his just demands had been yielded to would have employed his utmost Forces for the common benefit Nor were the Parisians backwarder in complaints than the rest who groaning under their present necessities and the extraordinary scarcity of provisions did importunately beg to be assisted by the Legat and relieved by the Pope since they did all and suffered all for the Catholick Faith and for the service of the Holy Church so that the Legat being surrounded by these troubles was in wonderful great anxiety of mind which was augmented to the extremity when he understood that by the Duke of Luxembourg's arrival and negotiation the Pope was almost utterly withdrawn from the designs of the League and moreover that he seemed ill satisfied at his being gone on to Paris and that he had not rather stayed in some neutral place as a disinteressed Mediatour between both parties and as a labourer for such a Peace as might be effected without danger or damage to the Catholick Religion The Duke of Luxembourg was gone to Rome with the name of Ambassador from the Catholicks that followed the King but indeed to see if he could reconcile the King himself to the Pope and to the Church and to take away those opinions which being spread abroad by those of the League were generally believed of him that he was an obdurate Heretick a persecutor of the Catholiks obstinate and disobedient to the Apostolick See and a perverse enemy to the Church Wherefore having first made a little stay at Venice to determine with that Senate what manner of proceeding was to be held all things being resolved on with most prudent advice he continued on his way boldly to Rome where having in his first audience by the dexterousness of his carriage introduced the Cause of the Catholicks into his discourse he excused them for following the King attributing it to be an advantage to the Catholick Religion not to abandon the lawful King in the hands of the Hugonots but to hold him on with protestations of service and win him by modest seasonable instances to return into the bosome of the Church which would absolutely have been despaired of if being forsaken by them he had been necessitated to have cast himself as a prey to Hereticks he began afterwards to let the Pope know those interests which under a cloke of Piety and under
seemed to urge that the Absolution given to the King in France might be confirmed and approved but not to propose the submitting of the King to the censure and judgment of the Apostolick See he said he would think upon aâ— aâ—swer and two dayes after not having the heart to talk any more with the Duke and to answer his reasons he let him know by Silvio Antoniani that he could not prorogue the term of ten dayes lest he should discontent those Catholicks who being obedient to the Church had ever and did yet uphold Religion and that that time was sufficient having nothing else to treat of that it was not fit he should speak unto the Cardinals having been admitted as a private man not as an Ambassador and that as concerning the Prelats that came along with him he could not admit them to his presence unless first they submitted themselves to Cardinal Santa Severinâ— the chief penitentiary to be examined by him This was the Popes last resolution for though the Duke obtained another audience yet could he not alter his determination but he sent Cardinal Toledo to let him know the same things with whom having had many long discourses the substance of the business varied not and though the Duke very much troubled with a Catarrhe was of necessity fain to stay beyond the time of ten dayes yet could he not prevail any thing at all and finally being brought to his last audience in the Popes presence after having at large repeated all his reasons he fell upon his knees and beseech'd him that at least he would give the King absolution in Foro Conscientiâ— but neither could he obtain this and departed exceeding ill satisfied having finally with more liberty and spirit than he was wont aggravated the wrongs that were done unto the King and the injuries that were put upon his own person who forgetting his want of health his age and quality had taken the pains to come that journey for the safety and quiet of Christians After he was gone from his audience Cardinal Toledo came to him again and told him that if the Prelats did so much abhor the face of Cardinal Santa Severina they should be heard by the Cardinal of Aragon Chief of the Congregation of the Holy Office but the Duke answered that they being come as Ambassadors in company with him he did not mean they should be used as Criminals but that the Pope should admit them to his presence for to him as Head of the Church they would give a good account of their actions but the Cardinal replied that it was not decent for them to contend and dispute with the Pope the Duke added that he would be content if the Pope would but admit them to kiss his feet and that then they should render an account to Cardinal Aldobrandino his Nephew But neither would the Pope accept of this condition whereupon the Duke of Nevers having distinctly set down in writing all that he had done departed from Rome taking the Prelates with him and went to the City of Venice where the Bishop of Mans published a little book in Print wherein he set forth the reasons that had moved the Prelates to absolve the King one of which was that the Canons permit the Ordinary whom it concerns to absolve from excommunication and every other case when the penitent is hindred by a lawful cause from going to the Popes feet hiâ—self and another that in the point and danger of death the penitent might be absolved by any one in which danger the King manifestly was being every day exposed in the encounters of War to the peril of his enemies and besides that conspired against a thousand wayes by their wicked treacheries to which reasons adding many others he concluded they had power to absolve him ad futuram Cautelam reserving his obedience and acknowledgment to the Pope which he at that time fully rendred him When the Duke was gone the Pope having assembled the Cardinals in the Consistory declared That he had not been willing to receive the King of Navar 's excuses and obedience because his conscience would not suffer him to lend his faith so easily to one that had formerly violated it that to admit one to so potent a Kingdom without great regard and due caution would have been a very great lightness and being certain that others would have believ'd and follow'd his judgment it was not fit proceeding blindly to make himself a guide to the blind and to lead the good French Catholicks to the ruinous precipice of damnation and that therefore they should be assured he would continue constant and would not accept of false dissimulations and politick tricks in a matter of so great consequence Thus the Spaniards remained satisfied and the Catholicks of the League contented yet was not the King moved with all this or turned aside from his first intention the Sieur de la Chelle's relation having applyed an antidote to that so bitter potion The King at this time was at Melun in which Town one Pierre Barriere was taken and put in Prison who had conspired to kill him but by whom he was instigated is not well known he was born obscurely in the City of Orleans and followed the profession of a Waterman in those Boats that are wont to go upon the Loyre but being known for a man of a brutish cruel nature he had been made use of in the acting of many villanies from which and the dissoluteness of his carriage being grown to a vagabond kind of life he was as last fallen upon a thought of this fact which having imparâ—ed to two Fryers the one a Capuchin the other a Carmelite he was as he â—aid earnestly persuaded to it by them but being yet doubtful and uncertain in his mind he would needs reveal his Secret also to Seraphinâ— Banchi a Dominican Frier born in Florence but living in Lyons This man struck with horror to hear the boldness and wicked intent of this Fellow dissembled nevertheless and told him It was a thing to be well considered and not to be so soon resolved on and bad him come again the next day for his answer which he would think upon and study to know how he should determine the question in the mean time thinking how the King might be warily advertised of it he intreated the Sieur de Brancaleon a servant of the Queen Dowagers who was then in the City to come to him the same day and hour he had appointed and they being both of them come at the same time he made them stay and talk a great while together to the end that Brancaleon might know Baâ—riâ—re perfectly then having told him he could not yet resolve what counsel he should give him because the question was very full of difficult doubts he dismissed him and discovered the whole business to Brancaleon to the end that giving the King notice of it the mischief might be prevented Barriere going from
the King and having brought Monsieur d' Humieres into the City drave out the Duke of Aumale who having lost the hope of being able to uphold himself chose to depart before he should enter into a thought of seizing upon his person The Sieur de Balagni was before this gone over to the King's party with the City of Cambray which having been in the power of the French ever since the time of the Duke of Alancon and after his death possessed by his mother as inheritrix of what her son had gotten had been put under the Government of the Sieur de Balagny who the Queen being dead and the revolution of France following chose to take part with the League to the end the Spaniards might be kept from troubling him and of Governor by little and little made himself absolute Master both of so noble and famous a City and of its most fertile Territory but now the affairs of the League declined he desiring to keep that dominion held a Treaty with the King that if he would declare him Prince of Cambray and after his declaration protect him from the Spanish Forces he would submit himself to his obedience and to the Soveraignty of the Crown of France and that moreover he would receive the King's Garrisons into the City and Castle obliging himself to serve him in time of War with Two thousand Foot and Five hundred Horse and that on the other side the King should pay Seventy thousand Crowns every year to maintain the Garrison at his devotion It was not hard to obâ—ain these conditions from the King as well because of his desire to keep the supream dominion of that Principality unto himself as to oppose such a difficult encounter unto the enemy upon the frontiers and though these reasons were manifest and apparent yet many stuck not to say that the King condescended to grant Balagni that Principality which was already in the power of the French to please Madam Gabrielle d' Estree whom he ardently loved and who was nearly allied to Balagni However it was the King having caused the Patents to be dispatched and allowed in the Parliament before he went from Paris sent the Mareschal de Reâ—z about this time to make him be elected and declared Prince of Cambray by the City confirming the Title to his Wife his Sons and his posterity and after the taking of Laon he entred personally into the Town with his Army received the homage of obedience and having setled a Garrison and the affairs of the City returned to Amienâ— where being received with wondrous pomp he granted the same conditions to the Citizens which with his wonted liberality had been granted to the other Cities In this expedition the King created two Mareschals of France the Duke of Bouillon and the Sieur de Balagni intending to make use of them both in the War which he already designed to make against the Spaniards The news of the King 's prosperous successes which from several parts came successively to Reme moved but did not much trouble the Pope for having already secretly given the King hopes that he would give him his Benediction and signified so much unto him not onely by the Sieur de la Clielle but also by words that might receive a double interpretation intimated as much to Paulo Paruta the Venetian Ambassador a prudent man who was well able to apprehend the Pope's intentions he was pleased to hear businesses went on in such a way that he might not prevent but be prevented by the motion of the people and that he might come to his last determination in such manner as he might seem to be drawn unto it by necessity and that the Spaniards might not condemn him of too inconsiderate forwardness nor accuse him of want of inclination to the interests of their greatness For this cause he had from the beginning of the year permitted Cardinal Gondi to come to Rome and though he did it with a manifest injunction that he should not open his mouth about the affairs of France yet secretly in their private meetings he gave him leave to alledge and repeat all the King's reasons to him to represent the disorders and wants of the Clergy to put him in minde of the causes why Religion would be in danger if he should not satisfie the King and finally to inform him of every small particular that he might make use thereof to the advantage of his design For this same cause though he knew it he was not offended at the Decree of the Divines at Paris in favour of the King but rather was well pleased those very men who had made the preamble and way to make him be excommunicated should now be as active in smoothing the passage to his reconciliation and though upon all occasions he shewed anger and disdain in his words in his private actions he did not so but rejoyced as often as he heard that his perseverance was interpreted obduratness telling the Spaniards as well Cardinals as Ambassadors who were at his ear every day that he suffered much and exposed his own reputation to a general blame because he would not dissent from their desires in the mean time he also satisfied his own conscience by making himself certain of the King's constancy and of the truth of his conversion and by means of Sannesio and d' Ossat had let him know that many conditions were necessary to his rebenediction and particularly that he not having any lawful heir male the young Prince of Conde who was nearest to the Crown should be taken out of the hands of the Hugonots and bred up in the Catholick Religion to the end that whatever should happen they might not fall again into the former dangers and inconveniences which having been also intimated by way of discourse both to Cardinal Gondi and the Venetian Ambassador the King was not only advertised of it but counsel'd to take away that scruple because it might hinder the progress of what was in Treaty wherefore he began to think by what means he might get him out of the Hugonots hands who after the King's Conversion esteemed him much more dearly that they might breed themselves up a head and support unto their faction But Cardinal Gondi thinking himself informed of all those things that might take away the Popes doubts and facilitate the King's reconciliation resolved to return into France and to endeavour the execution of them by speaking with the King himself in person so being come to the Camp before Laon he was two dayes in close conference with the King and going from thence to Paris feared not to command the Clergy to use those Prayers again which were wont to be made for the most Christian Kings and absolutely to acknowledge Henry the Fourth for their true and lawful Lord sharply also reprehending and driving from his presence certain men of Religious Orders who dared to oppose that determination which though as other things it was
General to Prince Casimire leads the Army 313. His excuse to the Emperor commanding him to disband ib. his Acts 324. disbands his Army 328 Battel between the Armies 37. at Brisac 140. at St. Denis 117 Bellegarde usurps the Marquisate of Saluzza 238 Birth of Henry IV. in the Territory of Pau 10. in the Viscounty of Bearn a free State Decemb. 13. 1554. ib. Bishop of Monsâ— sent on purpose by the King to demand absolution for the Cardinal of Guise's death 385 Bishop of Paris gives way that the Church-Plate should be turned into money for relief of the Poor 460 Bishops to judge â—f Heresie 50 Blois taken and pillaged by the Kings Army 70 Jean Bodin contradicts the Prelates in the General Assembly 229 Body of Henry III. laid in the great Church of Campeign 416 Francis de Bonne made Head of the Hugonots and after Constable of the Kingdom 212 Bourges rendred upâ—â— Condition 71 Brigues in French signifies Factions 64 C. CAhors taken and sacked by the Hugonots 241 Calais recovered from the English and besieged by the Spanish Army 702. A description of its situation 703. agrees to surrender if not relieved within six days but de Martelet getting in with 300 Foot they refuse the Castle stormed Governor killed and all put to the Sword 705 John Calvin a Picard preacheth and publisheth in Print 128 Principles differing from the Roman-Catholick Religion which had their foundaetion in Geneva at first hearkned to out of curiosity but at last produce great mischief 19. Henry II. severe against the Calvinists of whose death they boast much 20 Cambray its Siege 685 c. yields to the Spaniard 690 Cardinal Alessandrino Legat from Pope Pius Quintus refuses a rich Iewel presented to him by the Kings own hand 177 Cardinal Alessandro de Medici who was after Pope Leo XI appointed Legat into France 675. received with great demonstrations of Honour by Monsieur des Digâ—ieres a Hugonot His solemn entry into Paris 710. setling Religion he begins to promote a Treaty between France and Spain 711 Cardinal of Bourbon Vncle to the King of Navarre desired for the Head of the Catholicks 252. His pretensions to the succession of the Crown 253. put into the Castle of Amboise 374 declared King of France by the League and called Charles X. 417 Cardinal of Chastillon changing his Religion calls himself Count of Beauvais 64. the Lye passes between the Constable and him 115. flies disguised like a Mariner into England and remains with the Queen as Agent for the Hugonots Page 130 Cardinal of Guise made Prisoner 370. is slain and his body and the Duke of Guise's two Brothers burn'd in Quick-lime and their bones buried in an unknown place 373 Cardinal Gondi and the Legat meet the Marquis of Pisani upon a Treaty but nothing concluded 465. he and the Archbishop of Lyons chose by the Council of Paris to treat with the King 466. he and the Marquis of Pisani chosen to go to Rome by Henry IV. 557. sends his Secretary to excuse himself to the Pope 561. notice that he should not enter into the Ecclesiastical State by the Pope 163. is permitted by the Pope to come to Rome but not to speak a word of the affairs of France 644. return'd to Paris commands they should use the Prayers were wont to be made for the King and to acknowledge Henry IV. lawful King 653 Cardinal Henrico Gaetano a man partial to Spain declared Legat to the League in France 431. the Popes Commissions to him 432. his request to Colonel Alphonso Corso and his answer 433. overcoming many difficulties arrives at Paris 434. Grants the Duke of Mayenne 300000 Crowns brought for enlargement of the Cardinal of Bourbon 439 meets with the Mareshal de Byron they treat of divers things without any conclusion 453 Cardinal of Sancti Quattro succeeds Gregory XIV by name of Innocent IX 530 Cardinal Hippoliâ—o d'Esâ—é Legat in France 51 Cardinal Hippolito Aldebrandino aged 56 succeeds Pope Innocent IX by the name of Clement VIII 555 Cardinal of Lenon-Court gives the King notice of the Cardinal of Vendosme's designs 499 Cardinal Sega Legat in France hath prudent instructions from the Pope by Monseignor Agucchi touching the affairs thereof 564. executes not his Orders ib. his Declaration and Exhortation 577. his Proposition 584. opposes an offer of the Catholick Lords but to no purpose 500 persuaded by the Archbishop of Lyons he secretly consents to it 597. sets forth a Writing to keep the League on 〈◊〉 630 Goes out of the Kingdom 637 Cardinal of Tournon called a second time to Court 13 Cardinal of Vendosme raises a third party of Catâ—olicks to make himself Head and so come to the Crown 498. sâ—ndâ— Scipio Balbani to treat with the Pope and communicate his design 499. Cardinal Lenon-Court gives the King notice of his designs ib Catharine de Medicis Wife to Henry II. dyed in the 70th year of her age thirty whereof she spent in the regency and management of greatest affairs and troubles of France 374 Catholicks besiege la Charité which being stoutly defended they give it over 156 raise the Siege before Chastel-rault 157. take all the Hugonots Baggage and Cannon and 200 Colours 163. King of Navarre proceeds against them 217. desire the Cardinal of Bourbon for their Head 259 War again between them and the Hugonots 288. recover the Castle of Angâ—ers taken suddenly by the Hugonots 290 besiege Maran 295. Lâ—se a Battel are all killed and taken Prisoners except a very few that save themselves by flight 322. assemble themselves to consult about a future King 408. resolve to declare the King of Navarre King of France upon assurance of changing his Religion 409. swear Fidelity to the King by a Writing sign'd and establish'd 410. complain of Henry IV. continuing in Calvinism 405. they of Henry IV. party displeased that the Peace should be treated by du Plessis a Hugonot renew a third party 555 Causes that moved the Guises to frame the League 224. vid. 325 Cause of distaste between Duke d'Espernon and Secretary Villeroy 348. of Hatred between the Prince and King of Navarre 407 that moved the Duke of Mayenne to hope to be chosen King 565 Ceremonies used at the Conversion of Henry IV. 613 Chancellor Birago made Cardinal and Philip Huralt chose in his place 235 Chancellor Chiverney put out of his place 357 recall'd to his Office by Henry IV. 466. his opinion 467 Chancellor Olivier call'd a second time to Court 13. dyes Chancellor de l'Hospital succeeds him 29. put out of his Office upon the Kings jealousie 130. and conferred upon Monsieur de Morvilliers ib. Charles IX marries Izabella Daughter of Maximilian the Emperor 171 Charlotte de la Marc Heir to the Dutchy of Bouillon married to Henry de la Tour Viscount de Turenne 511 Chartres voluntarily sets open its Gates 402. its Description and Siege 494 496 Chastel-rault besieged 156. Siege raised 157 Jaques Clement his birth age and
and do Penance for the Cardinals death 402. resolves to send assistance to the League against the King 431. his Commissions to Cardinal Gaetano Legat in France 432. his Breve published at Paris and the Contents thereof 434 grows jealous Gaetano inclines to favour the Spanish designs 453. his death 4â—8 Pope Urban VII lives but Twelve dayes and is succeeded by Gregory XIV a Milanese ib. who resolves to send men and money to assist the League 493. chooses Mastilio Landriano Legat to France assigns Fifteen thousand Crowns per mensem for the League ibid. sends Twelve hundred Horse and Six thousand Foot into France under command of Monte-Martiano 503. dyes 530 Preheminences of the Royal Family are Inheritance and Administration 4 Princes of the Blood ib. Prince of Condé set at liberty 28. practises to possess Lyons but without success 32. committed to Prison excepts against his Tryal and appeals to the King but not accepted 37. Sentence pronounced against him 38. set at liberty and declared void 44. his Manifesto 61. Coins the Plate belonging to the Churches 63. his demands in favour of himself and the Hugonots 65. returns to his Army 67. going to besiege Paris amuses himself before Corbiel whereby he fails of his design 78. taken Prisoner by the Duke of Guise 83. sups and lies in the same Bed with the Duke his bitter Enemy 84. offers the King a great number of Hugonots to make War with Spain 109. incenseth the King with a Letter of Protestation 128. sells the Goods of the Church for the Hugonots 137. is shot in the head at the Battel of Brisac and dyes 140. his Body is carried in Triumph upon a â—ack-horse by the Catholicks and after restored to the Pâ—ince of Navarre his Nephew 141. his Son a Child and the Prince of Nâ—varre made Heads of the Hugonots 142. is kept in the Kings Chamber duâ—â—â—g the Massacre and after kept Prisoner 183. he and his Brother turn Catholicks 186. made Head of the Hugonots 206. brings a great Army out of Germany and declares the Duke of Alanzon Head of the Hugonots 215. offended at his power seek to make Peace with him 219. is declared Lieutenant General of the Hugonots 226. will not acknowledge the Assembly at Blois to be the States General nor treat with their Commissioners 230. excommunicated by Sixtus Quintus and declared incapable of Succession to the Crown 284. poisoned at St. Jehan de Angely by his own Servants 235 Princess of Condé dexterously refer'd by the King to the Parliament of Paris about imputation of her being guilty of her Husbands death and is clear'd by them she promising first to turn Catholick and instruct her Son in the same Religion 672 Prince of Navarre marries the Kings Sister by dispensation from the Pope 177. assumes the Title of King 179 Prince of Orange formerly declared Rebel is restored to his Estate 220 Q. QUeen Blanch Mother to St. Lewis taking upon her the Government in her Sons minority the Barons take Arms to maintain the Right in whom it belong'd 1â— Queen Catherine joins with the Prince of Conâ—â— and the Admiral in opposition to the Triumvirate 53. feigns an inclination to the Hugonot Religion ibid. forced to declare for the Catholicks and at the same time maintains hopes in the Hugonots 60 Queen Elizabeth of England offers Conditions to the Hugonots 6. imprisons Mary Queen of Scots 296. grants assistance to Henry IV. by Viscount de Turenne 487 Queen Margaret Wife to the King of Navarre her licentious Life causes the King and Queen-mother to resolve to break the match and give him Christien Daughter of the Duke of Lorrain to Wife who afterwards married Ferdinand de Medicis Grand Duke of Tuscany 397 Mary Queen of Scots Cousin to the Guises imprisoned by Elizabeth Queen of England 296 Queen-mother and Prince of Condé parley 64. persuades the Duke of Guise Constable and Mareschal de St. André to leave the Court hath it promised under their hands they will whereupon the Catholick Lords leave the Camp 65 66 is threatned in a Letter to be killed 107. with the King she visits the Admiral and under pretence of defending him set strict Guards upon his House 181. sends three Armies into several parts of the Kingdom to suppress Insurrections 198. favours Lugi d'Avila the Authors Brother 274. she is resolved to break the match between the King of Nâ—varre and Queen Margaret by reason of her licentious Life and give him Christien Daughter to the Duke of Lorrain to Wife 397. treats an Accommodation with the Hugonots ibid. an Interview between her and the King of Navarre but nothing concluded 305. A Saying of hers 335. becomes pale and afrighted at the Duke of Guises waiting upon her dissuades the King from his thoughts against him 338. is strongly guarded for fear of him 339. goes to him in her Sâ—dan being denied passage in her Coach confers with him but brings back nothing but complaints and exorbitant demands 344. goes with him to the King at Chartres 354. dyes on Twe fth-Eve in the 50th year of her age 30 whereof she spent in the Regency and management of greatest affairs and troubles of the Kingdom of France Page 374 Queen of Navarre causes Churches to be ruined and expels the Priests 94. goes with all the Hugonots to the Prince of Condé and the Admiral at Rochel 129. her Letters and their Manifesto 130. Coins money with her own Figure on one side and her Sons on the other 143. is poisoned with a pair of Gloves 178 An ancient Question Whether the Assembly of the States or the King be Superior 228 R. REformed Religion began to spread in France in the time of Francis I. 20 Reiters are German Horse 260.327 those of the League fight till they are all destroyed 448 Religion a veil of private Interests 46 Remedies used by Henry IV. to conserve the affections and obedience of his Party 486 Renard Procurer of Chasteler with others put to death for crying Bread or Peace 464 Renaudie a man of a desperate fortune Head of the Hugonot Conspiracy 21 Republick of Venice acknowledges Henry IV. King of France and Mosenigo their Ambassador to Henry III. passes a Compliment with him in publick 427 Rhenus a Vial of Oyl kept there wherewith the first Christian King Louis was Consecrated 47. a meeting there dissolved without any determination 503 River Vare divides Italy from France 565 Rochel revolts to the Hugonots which serves them ever after for a Sanctuary 122. its strong situation 190. yielded to the King 192. they break the Truce 205. permit Catholicks to say Mass at the intercession of the King of Navarre 226 Rouen taken by the Catholicks and sack't 75. disliking their Gâ—vernor de Tavennes they make an Insurrection 504. A Relation of its Siege 523 524 c. Royal Races 5 S. SAla the River where the Salique Law was established 3 Salii Priests ibid. Savii de Terra Firma are Magistrates of Venice so called
moved at the King of France his answer to their Ambassadors raise an Army under the conduct of Prince Casimir which being come into Alsatia was forty thousand men led by the Baron d'Onaw Lieutenant-General to Prince Casimir Rodolphus the Second the Emperor commands the Baron d' Onaw by a publick Edict to disband the Army raised without his leave and to desist from the business upon pain of the Impeâ—ial banishment to which the Baron answers with excuses that he ought not to desist * Or Crâ—ates Care taken by the Duke of Lorain that the German Army might not stay in his Country The first assault given by those of the League to the Germans in Lorain A bold act of a German Trooper The German Army going out of Lorain rich with spoil enters France where not esteeming the Duke of Guises small Forces they continue to pillage and destroy the Country The great abundance of all things causing surfeits brings great morttality in the German Army Hâ—nry the III. goes in person with an Army to oppose the Germans and to keep thâ—m from joining with the King of Navarre The German Army mutinies At Coutras the D. of Ioyeuse with his Army prepares himself to Battel but with great confusion The King of Navarre takes opporâ—unity â—y the Enemies slowness aâ—d puts his Army in excellent order * Thâ— French Translation sayes and to the Maâ—quess of Galerande The Armies face one another and the Battel begins The Albanians break through a Squadron of Cuirassiers run to Couâ—ras pillage the Hugonots baggage and could no more be rallied in the Battel The D. of Ioyeuse thrown to the ground offers 100000 Crowns in ransom yet is slain The Catholicks lose the day are all killed and taken prisoners except a very few that save themselves by flight The King is not displeased at the loss nor at the Duke of Ioyeuse death The Swisses do not willingly fight when they see the Ensignes of their Cantons displayed in the Enemies Army The Duke of Guise jested at by the Duke of Mayenne for saying he would assault the Enemy because they were indiscreetly quartered The D. of Guise knowing the want of discipline and experience in the German Army resolves though much inferiour in number to fall upon them in their quarters The Baron dâ— Onaw gets out of Vilâ—ory and having fought is wounded in the head and saves himself by favour of the night The Duke of Guise gives a sudden assault to the Germans at Auneau and with a great slaughter of them obtains another famous Victory The Duke of Espernon begins again to treat an Agâ—eement with the Swisses of the German Army and they have leave granted them to return with a safe-conduct to their own home The Reiters and the Geâ—mans following the exaâ—ple of the Swisses do thâ— same All the Army that was commanded by the Baron d' Onau disbands at last The Duke of Bouillon flies to Gâ—â—â—va and diâ—s there A Woman kills 〈…〉 with a knife * And therefore usually called Colonel Alfonso Corso The miserable end of the reliques of the mighty Army of the Germans 1588. Vast thoughts of the House of Lorain too much puffed up by prosperous successes The Duke of Guise causes a Writing to be presented to the King with many cunning demands redounding to his own benefit The King declares â—he D. of Espâ—â—non Admiral of the Kingdom and Governour of Normandy to the great discontent of the Duke of Guise The Council of Sixteen informâ— the Duke of Guise of 20000 men in readiness for any design The Duke of Aumale is in a readiness with 500 Horse to assist the conspiracy of the Parisians A Conspiracy against the Kings person Nicholas Poulain reveals the whole Plot to the High Chancellour and confirms it also to the King himself Henry Prince of Conde poisoned at S. Iehan d' Angâ—ly by his own servants * He that will stir up a Wasps-nest had first need to cover his face well A saying of the Queen-Mother Resolutions taken to free themselves of the Conspiracy of the Parisians The Kings preparations to make himself sure of the Conspirators to block up the passages about Paris and keep victuals from thence The Council of Sixteen by the Kings preparationâ— begin to suspect that their Plot is discovered and the Heads being dismayed send for the Duke of Guise to Paris The King commands the Duke of Guise not to come to Paris but he disobeys The Duke goes to wait upon the Queen-mother who becomes pale and affrighted * I will strike the Shâ—pherd and the Sheep shall be scattered The King being visited by the Duke of Guise shews himself angry both in words and looks because he was come to Paris contrary to his command The Queen disswades the King from his boughts aâ—gainst the Duke of Guise who perceiving in what danger he was presently takes his leave and departs The King and Queen are strongly guarded for fear of the Duke of Guise and he being fearful alsâ— takes the same care The Duke of Guise goes with 400 Gentlemen privately well armed to the Louvre to wait upon the King to Mass. Discourses that pass between the King the Queen-mother and the Duke of Guise The King commands fiâ—teen thousand strangers to be driven out of Paris but the execution is hindered whereupon he resolves to suppress the Insurrection by force The Duke of Guise makes the Parisians bâ—lieve that the King meant to put Sixscore of the chief Catholicks to death The Kings Soldiers come into Paris and guard the Loâ—vre with the streets about it as also the Bridges and Market-places of the City The Parisians raised at the ringing of the bells make barricadoes cross the streets and blocking up all the Kings Corps de Garde come up to the Louvre and begin to assaule the Royalists The Duke of Guise seeing the City in his power and the King as is were a prisoner ceaseth to prosecute the forâ—eing of the Louvre and appeaseth the people Aleâ—â—andro Farâ—â—se Duke of Parma his saying of the Duke of Guise The opinion that the Duke of Guise made way for his designs to seise upon the Crown of France and possess it after the death of Henry the III. The Queen-Mother goes to the Duke of Guise in her Sedan being denied passage in her Coach confers with him but brings back nothing but complaints and exorbitant demands While the Queen returns to the Duke of Guisâ— treaâ—s with him the King with sixteen Gentlemen leaves Paris and retires to Chartres The cause of distaste between the Duke of Espernon and Villeroy The Duke of Espernon coming to Court is not received by the King with his wonted favour by his order quits his Government of Normandy and retires to Angoulesme The Conditions of Peace between the King and the League The Duke of Guise goes with the Q Mother to Câ—artres to the King and is received by him with great demâ—nstrations of honour in appearance Pope Sixtâ—s
take a great deal of Victual and Ammunition which were brought from Noâ—on to be put into Laon. The Mareschal de Byron having placed himself in ambush falls upon and takes great store of victual which were going from la Fere to the Enemies Camp The Duke of Mayenne makes his retreat by day in the face of the Enemy much superior to him in number with so good order that he receives no losâ— at all The Baron de Guiry slain The mines are sprung Laon is assaulted and valiantly defended * Fougade is a kind of mine of about eight or ten foot square covered with stones pieces of Timber bricks and such things as â—hey do mischief to to the â—ssailanâ—s bâ—ing fiered when they come upon it The number of the defendents being diminished they not longer able to hold out Capitulate and Surrender Col. St. Paul takes upon him the title of Duke of Retelois and while he plots to get also the City of Rheims he is killed by the D. of Guise The Sieur de Presâ—â—ay Governor of Chasteau-Thierry submits himself with that place to the Kings obedience The Citizens of Amiens raise a tumult against the D. of Aumale and put themselves into the Kings hands The Sieur de Balagny who had had the Government of Cambray from Queen Kâ—therine as hetress to the D. of Alancon and after adhering to the League had made himself Master of it makes composition with the King up-very large conditions Cardinal Gondi being returned to Paris commands as superior of the Clergy of that City that they should use again the Prayers that were wâ—nt to be made for the King of France and that they should acknowledge H. the Fourth their lawful King Words of Pope Clemâ—nt the Eighth to the Duke of Sâ—ssa the Spanish Ambassador The Duke of Mayenne goes to Bruxelles where he is treated with complyance The Substance of the agreement concluded between the Duke of Mayenne and the Spaniards at Bruxelles The Duke of Lorain makes a truce with the King * Or County of Bourgongne The King sends the Lorain â—orces that were come to him to make incursions into the County of Bourgongne The Duke of Guise leaves the League and makes his composition with the King The Duke of Guisâ— as heiâ— of the House of Anjou pretends rights unto Provence The Duke of Mercoeur is disgusted at the Spaniards in Bretagne because they would not meddle in matters out of that Province The Mareschal d' Aumont Governor for the King in Bretagne besieges the Fort of Croisil begun by the Spaniard * Sir Iohn Norris The French assault Coisil but are bravely repulsed by the Spaniards * Storm-piles The French renew the assault but are beaten off with great loss The Duke of Mercoeur takes no care to relieve Croisil Don Iuan del Aquila marches to relieve his Country-men but having neither horse nor other preparations sufficient he finds the enterprize very difficult After many assaults the defendents of Croisil are all cut in pieces but with fame of most remarkable valour and very great loss to the assailants Fort Croisil slighted by the French The City and Parliament of Aix not being able to resist the Kings forces under the Duke of Espernon surrender upon condition that the Duke shall have no superiority in that City The Mareschal d' Anville is deputed by the King to compose the differences of the Provencials by removing the Duke of Espernon The Duke of Espernon declares that he will defend the Government of Provence and the Sieur de Les Diguieres goes with good forces into the Province to put him out The Duke of Espernon refers himself to the Constables arbitrement who declares that he should go out of the Governmenâ— The Duke of Savoy besieges Briqueras and the French not being able to pass to relieve it he takes it The Duke of Nemours escapes out of the Castle of Piâ—rre Ancise Iehan Chastel a Merchant of Paris wounds the King in the mouth with a knife whilst he was Saluting the Knights of the Holy Ghost in his lodgings at the Louvre Iehan Chastel being imprisoned and tortured confesseth that he was moved to attempt the killing of the King by the Doctrine he had learned of the Jesuiâ—es whereupon some of them are put in prison Iehan Chastell is condemned to be dragged in pieces by four horses The Jesuites are banished out of the whole Kingdom of France The Divines of Paris make a Decree wherein they declare the Doctrine that teaches to kill Princes to be Heretical 1595. The Mareschal d' Anville imbraces the Kings Conversion The Hugonots threaten to forsake the King and take the Crown from him which they said they had gotten him After many difficulties the Edict in succour of the Hugonots is accepted by the Parliament and proclaimed being the same which King Henry the III. had made Anno 1577. Henry the IV. resolves to proclaim open War against the King of Spain Causes that moved King Henry the IV. to proclaim Wars against Spain Upon the 20th of Ian. 1595. Henry the IV. causes War against Spain to be proclaimed by his Heralds in all the Confines King Philip answerâ— the King of France his Declaration about two months after 1594. The Venetian Ambassadors sent to congratulate the Kings assumption to the Crown are received with great demonstrations of honor The Citizens of Beâ—â—ne in the Dutchy of Bourgâ—ngne calling the Mareschal de Biron submit themselves to the Kings obedience 1595. The Baron de Sâ—nâ—cey goes over to the Kings party with the City of Ossonne The Citizens of Autun put themselves under the Kings obedience The Constablâ— of Castile with 8000 Foot and 2000 Horse goes into the Franche 〈◊〉 and being united with the Duke of Mayenne recovers some places and takes others The Sieur de Tremblecâ—urt not being relieved by the Marâ—schal de Biron surrenders the Castle of Vezu to the Constable of â—astile The King comes to Dijâ—n and gives order that both the Castles be besieged The Constable of Castile perswaded by the Duke of Mayenne advances with his Army to attempt the recovery of Dijon The Baron d'Ossonville sent â—orth to discover the Army of the League is charged and constrained to retire The Mareschal de Biron going to receive the Baron d'Ossonville puts a Troop of the Enemies Cavalry to flâ—ght The Mareschal de Biron being without his head-piece is wounded in the head The King half disarmed succors the Mareschal de Biron The King follows the Forces of the League which retire still skirmishing The Constable of Castile noâ— to hazard the Fraâ—che â—â—mte by a Battel makesa halt having resolved not to fight The Constable retires with his Forces though the Duke of Mayenne labours to the contrary The Duke of Mayenne seeing himself forsaken by the Spaniards and advertised that the Pope inclined to the absolution of the King makes an agreement with him The King goes into the Fraâ—che Comâ—e to molest the Spaniards The French pass
of Anjou having given three days to refresh his men who were wearied out with continual labour and busied in dividing their booty by the advice of his Captains resolved to set upon those very Cities the Hugonots meant to possess as the most ready way to manage the War to which purpose he sent for the great pieces of Battery from Poictiers having for the more expedition marched only with field-pieces This time of respite retarded for some days the course of their Victory and gave the Hugonots leisure to put their before-mentioned designs in execution besides the expecting Orders from the Court which was far off and where the resolutions are not always easie and positive produced at least delays and loss of time The first place they moved against was Cognac but it soon appeared they had undertaken a long and difficult enterprise for the late Victory was gained rather by industry in passing the river and the death of the Prince of Conde than any great loss or slaughter among the Hugonots and their running away which proceeded only from a sudden terrour as it was a cause of losing their General so it preserved the Army which being now divided with abundant provisions to defend the strong places burnt with a desire by some remarkable valiant actions to cancel the infamy of their late flight whereby the taking of the principal Cities became exceeding difficult There were in Cognac seven thousand Foot and more than six hundred Horse with Monsieur d' Aciere and divers of the Nobility and chief Commanders who as the Army approached and several days after sallied out in such numbers that their encounters seemed rather little Battels than great skirmishes and besides the fierceness and courage the Hugonots shewed they did likewise great damage to the assailants so that they had no leisure by reason of the continual sallies to think either of making their approaches or raising batteries but were forced for their own securities and to avoid the fury of the Enemy to keep the Army in perpetual duty and in arms by which difficulties the Duke of Anjou concluding it was in a manner impossible in the state the Town then was to take it not to spend his time in vain or to consume the Army to no purpose resolved to advance farther to assemble and clear those places more in the heart of the Enemies Country which were neither so strong nor so well provided so that they being taken Cognac would remain like an Island cut off from all commerce and fall of it self which in time he hoped undoubtedly to effect for experience had in all occasions manifestly shewn that there was no poison so deadly to the Hugonots as delays Wherefore the Duke of Anjou at the end of four days leaving Cognac and marching toward St. Iean d' Angeli he or some of his Commanders by the way took Tifange Montaut Forest and Aubeterre and at length came to besiege Mucidan There the Count of Brissac with his wonted courage tending his batteries whilst he resolutely advanced to view the breach was shot in the right thigh of which wound he died generally lamented by all men His misfortune slackned not but on the contrary added to the fierceness of the Catholicks in so much that having made a furious assault and taken the Town in revenge of his death not only all the Souldiers but the Inhabitants likewise were put to the Sword In this interim Wolfangus of Bavaria Duke of Deux-ponts moved by the money and promises of the Hugonots had by the aid of the Duke of Saxony and the Count Palatine of the Rhine and by the perswasions and assistance of the Queen of England gotten together an Army of 6000 Foot and 800 Horse Monsieur de Muy and Monsieur de Morvilliers with 800 Horse and Monsieur de Briguemaut with 1200 French Musketiers being sent into Germany to join with them In this Army were William of Nassau Prince of Orange with Lewis and Henry his Brothers who being driven out of Flanders to avoid the severity of the Duke of Alva followed the same Religion and the same fortune with the Hugonots The King of France and the Queen his Mother had endeavoured first by Embassies to the Protestant Princes and afterwards by the authority of the Emperour Maximillian the Second with whom they entertained a streight league to hinder the raising of this Army but the Protestants being much more zealous to advance their own Religion and the hope of gain and booty more prevalent than either the Kings promises or the Emperours threats they brought their Forces together with a firm resolution despising all dangers to pass without delay to the aid of the Hugonots But the King and the Queen-Mother who to shelter themselves from this tempest were gone to Metz upon the borders of Lorain when they saw this Army raised to hinder which they had used all manner of arts gave commission to the Duke of Aumale with the Cavalry of Champagne and Burgundy and 6000 Swisses newly received into pay to enter the Confines of the Protestant Princes wasting their territories and spoiling their people to force them to keep the Army at home for their own defence so that they might not pass that year into France believing the Emperour in consideration of the justice of their cause and the league they had with him would not oppose this resolution But the Duke of Aumale having in the territories of Strasbourg one of the free Towns of the Empire met with and made a great slaughter among a certain number of French that were going from Geneva and the Country about to join with the Duke of Deux-ponts his Army not only the other Towns and all the Princes of the Empire but even the Emperour himself was so offended thereat that the King and the Queen not to exasperate them further or raise new Enemies sent directions to The Duke of Aumale that he should presently withdraw his forces into Burgundy to keep things in order at home being already assured through the perverseness of stranger Princes that they should have work enough in their own Kingdom The Duke of Deux-ponts with his Army presently followed the Duke of Aumale into Burgundy with exceeding cruelty wasting and spoiling all the Country through which he passed nor could the Duke of Aumale being so much inferiour in strength either hinder his march or fight with him in the field wherefore retiring into the Towns he only kept him from entring into the strong places or making that spoil and those incursions which he would have done if finding no resistance he had made himself Master of the Country In this manner the Armies skirmishing almost every day though sometimes with loss they marched all over Burgundy till the Duke of Aumale seeing the Enemy for want of pieces of battery could not force the strong Towns and knowing to follow them at a distance would be to no purpose went directly through the Country of
forward by the Sieur de Balagny who under colour of travelling to see the World stayed there and had gotten the acquaintance of many principal men of that Kingdom it was afterwards managed with more life by Ioan de Monluc Bishop of Valence and Guy Sieur de Lansac and other persons of less quality but not of less esteem appointed to treat with the States of that Kingdom The greatest impediment which the Kings Agents found was the opposition of the Evangeliques of that Kingdom in Poland they so call the followers of the new opinions in matter of Faith who had but small inclination to the Duke of Anjou partly because the Victories he atchieved had been against those of the same belief partly because the Massacre of Paris variously spoken of by the Protestants in those places so far remote made them fear that being chosen King he would molest and disquiet those that were averse from the Apostolick See and not of the Catholick Religion whereof they knew he was so sincere a Professour The fears of the Evangeliques were fomented by the Letters and Embassies of many Protestant Princes of Germany much displeased at the slaughter of the Hugonots in France and ill-affected to the Duke of Anjou's greatness For which cause the King endeavoured by divers writings and by means of his Embassadors to remove the opinion which was commonly held that the Massacre of Paris was contrived long before-hand attributing the business as sudden and accidental unto the temerity of the Admiral who seeing himself wounded by his Enemies began rashly to plot a new conspiracy against all the Royal Family and declared that he would tolerate a Liberty of Conscience though not the free profession of Calvin's Doctrine nor did this seem sufficient but fearing more to exasperate the minds of the Protestants and Evangeliques he began to proceed more coldly in the enterprize of Rochel lest the Duke of Anjou taking it by force should stir up more hatred against him and by the desolation of the City should increase the difficulties of his Election which seemed to be in a fair way of coming to a happy issue Nor was the King alone of this opinion but his Embassadors in Poland and particularly the Bishop of Valence very much pressed the King that to facilitate that business he would proceed more gently against the Hugonots in France For these respects new treaties of agreement were begun with the Rochellers yet still continuing their assaults and batteries till news came that upon the ninth day of May Henry Duke of Anjou was with a general consent elected King of Poland Wherefore he seeking to come off from that siege with such moderation that his reputation might be safe and the minds of his new Subjects not unsatisfied from whom he endeavoured to remove all suspicion of his taking away their Liberty of Conscience he proceeded not so violently against the Hugonots who quite tired out and in despair of defending themselves any longer forgot their wonted constancy and were desirous to obtain their peace This was favoured by the natural inclination of the Duke who was weary of the toils of War and desirous not only to return to the pleasures of the Court but also shortly to go take possession of his new Kingdom Wherefore the City having often sent their Deputies into the Camp to treat after many difficulties they agreed at last upon the Eleventh day of Iuly that the City should yield it self unto the Kings obedience with these conditions That the King should declare the inhabitants of Rochel Nismes and Montaban to be his good and faithful Subjects and should approve of all that they had done from the month of August the year before being 1572. until that present time pardoning all faults and enormities whatsoever had been committed during the Civil War by the said Inhabitants their Souldiers or Adherents declaring all to be done by his order That in those three Cities he should allow the free and publick exercise of the Reformed Religion they meeting together in small numbers and without Arms the Officers appointed for that purpose being there amongst them That in all other outward matters except Baptism and Matrimony they should observe the Rites and Holy days observed and commanded by the Roman Catholick Church That the King should confirm all the Liberties Immunities and Priviledges of those three Towns not permitting them to be in any part diminished altered or violated That the Rochellers should receive a Governour of the Kings appointment but without a Garison who might freely stay there inhabit go and return into the City at his pleasure and that they should be governed by the Laws Ordinances and Customs with which they had been governed under the Kings of France ever since they were Subjects to that Crown That they should break all Leagues Friendships Intelligences and Confederacies whatsoever within or without the Kingdom not lending any relief or assistance to those which should continue up in Arms though of the same Religion That the use and exercise of the Catholick Religion should be restored in those Cities and all other places whence it had been taken leaving freely unto the Church-men not only the Churches Monasteries and Hospitals but likewise all the profits and revenues belonging to them That all Lords of free Mannors through the Kingdom might in their own Houses lawfully celebrate Baptism and Matrimony after the manner of the Hugonots provided the assembly exceeded not the number of ten persons That there should be no inquisition upon mens Consciences and that those who would not dwell in the Kingdom might sell their Estates and go live where they pleased provided it were not in places that were Enemies to the Crown and that for the observing of these Articles the said three Cities should give hostages which should be changed every three months and always should follow the Court. When these Conditions were established and the hostages given which by the Duke were presently sent to Court Monsieur de Byron the Governour appointed by the King entred Rochel with one of the Publick Heralds took possession of the Government and caused the Peace to be proclaimed after which the Duke of Anjou now King of Poland having dismissed the Army went with a noble Train of Princes Lords and Gentlemen unto the City of Paris where assuming the Title of his new Kingdom and having received the Polish Ambassadors he prepared for his journey to go take possession of the Crown In the mean time Sanserre which was not comprehended in the Capitulation of the Rochellers because it was not a free Town under the Kings absolute Dominion as the rest but under the Seigniory of the Counts of Sanserre being reduced to extream misery by famine without all hope of relief yielded it self to Monsieur de la Chastre who having by order from the King to gratifie the Polish Ambassadors pardoned all their lives fined the Town in a certain sum of money to be
parts and in seising upon many places convenient for the defence and maintenance of party which succeeding according to his desires he had possessed himself of Bazas Perigâ—eux and St. Macaire in Guienne Chivray in Poictou Quimperley in Bretagne and with a more Warlike than numerous Army laid siege to Marmande a great Town seated upon the bank of the Garonne near to Bourdeaux and therefore very commodious to strengthen that place which was the only principal City of that Province that made resistance In the mean time the States Commissioners being come unto him he gave them audience at Agen in the beginning of the year 1577. with demonstrations of great honour and respect There the Bishop of Vienne having eloquently declared the resolution of the States to suffer no other but the Catholick Religion in the Kingdom of France exhorted him effectually in the name of all the Orders to come unto the Assembly to re-unite himself in concord with the King his Brother-in-law to return into the bosom of the Church and by so noble and so necessary a resolution to comfort all the Orders of the Kingdom by whom as first Prince of the Blood he was greatly esteemed and honoured and afterward inlarging himself he represented the several commodities of Peace and the miserable desolations of War The King of Navarre with succinct but solid words replyed punctually That if the happiness of Peace and miseries of War were so great and many as he alledged the States ought therefore sincerely to establish that Peace which was before concluded and not by new deliberations and by revoking Edicts already made to kindle again the sparks of War which were almost extinguished That it was an easie matter to discourse of the rooting out of a Religion by the Sword but experience had always shewed it was impossible to effect it and therefore it was to be esteemed a more discreet advice to allow a spiritual Peace thereby to obtain a temporal one than by disquieting mens Consciences to fancy the conservation of an outward Peace That for his part he was born and brought up in the Religion he professed and he believed still that it was the right and true Faith but yet when by sound reasons urged to him by men of understanding and not by force and violence he should find himself to be in an errour he would readily repent his fault and changing his Religion endeavour the conversion of all others to the belief of that Faith which should be acknowledged the true one Therefore he prayed the States not to force his Conscience but to be satisfied with that his good will and intention and if that answer were not sufficient to content them he would expect new and more particular demands for the better answering whereof he would presently assemble a full Congregation of his party at Montauban but in the mean time while he saw all things prepared to make War against him he was constrained to stand armed upon his own defence to prevent that ruine which he plainly saw contrived by his Enemies The Prince of Conde's answer was very different for having received the Commissioners privately he would neither open their Letters nor acknowledge them for Deputies of the States General alledging that that Assembly could not be called the States General which wanted the Deputies of so many Cities Towns and Provinces and which treated of violating mens Consciences by force of shedding the Blood-Royal of France and suppressing the Liberties of the Crown to comply with the desires of strangers who were so hot upon the prosecution of their own intolerable pernitious interests of ambition and private ends that it was a Conventicle of a few men suborned and corrupted by the disturbers of the publick Peace and therefore he would neither open their Letters nor treat with their Commissioners The Mareschal d' Anville gave an answer not much unlike but something more moderate the Deputies having found him at Montpellier For having represented to them that his heart was real as any mans to the Catholick Religion wherein he had been born and would continue as long as he lived he told them that it would be both vain and impossible to prohibit the exercise of the Reformed Religion granted by so many Edicts and confirmed by so many Conclusions of Peace and that by blowing up the flames of War the destruction and ruine of all parts of the Kingdom would be continued but that it ought to be consulted of in common in a lawful Assembly of the States General of France and not in a particular Congregation as that of Blois where only the Deputies of one party were met together and therefore he did protest against the validity of whatsoever should be there decreed or resolved The Commissioners returned to Bloys with these answers in the beginning of February and the Duke of Guise being come thither to give a colour to the business on his part the inclination of the States appeared manifestly ready to disanul the late Edict of Pacification and resolve upon a War with the Hugonots Wherefore the King not willing to draw the hatred of all the Catholick party upon himself nor give them cause to suspect the sincerity of his Conscience making the Pope and all Christendom believe he held intelligence with the Hugonots which jealousie would have endangered the Catholick League to take Arms of themselves without his Authority and disorder the whole state of things Besides being advised by the Bishop of Lymoges and Monsieur de Morvillier two of his principal Councellors he determined since he could not by open resistance hinder the designs and progress of the Catholick League which already had taken too deep a root to make himself Head and Protector of it and draw that Authority to himself which he saw they endeavoured to settle upon the Head of the League both within and without the Kingdom hoping that he being once made Moderator of that Union in time convenient means would not be wanting to dissolve it as a thing directly opposite to his intentions Wherefore shewing a great desire to extirpate the Hugonot Faction and making all believe that he was highly offended with the Princes answers he caused the Catholick League framed by the Lords of the House of Lorain to be read published and sworn in the open Assembly where they themselves were present establishing it as an Irrevocable and Fundamental Law of the Kingdom Then he declared himself principal Head and Protector of it with loud specious protestations that he would spend his last breath to reduce all his people to an unity in Religion and an entire obedience to the Roman Church Thus did he labour to avoid that blow which he saw he could not break by making resistance But the King having for many days shewed a wonderful desire to suppress the Hugonots purposed with one mortal blow to try the constancy of the Deputies for having sent his Brother the Duke of Alancon and
fought withal and beaten by the Catholick King he would not at all think himself injured or ill dealt withal it being a business apart that concerned not his Interests or the Crown of France That for the Duke of Alancon he had opposed him stiffly more then once but that he was more apt to follow the suggestions of others then to obey his commands That he was sorry he had not been able to restrain those French that went with him but that the disobedience of his Subjects was known to all the World and also the quality of those persons that were gone thither who for so many years had disturbed the Kingdom in his time and in the Reigns of his Brothers and Predecessors That he had given a sufficient testimony of himself when the States of Flanders desiring to put themselves under his Authority he had refused them without any demur at all So that he having no hand in those preparations made against Flanders nor in the others against Portugal he believed that the Peace and Friendship which he held with the Catholick King were neither violated nor disturbed concluding that to give a clear evidence of himself and to conserve the Peace with the Crown of Spain if the Catholick King should desire it he would at any time send men into Flanders to serve the Prince of Parma with express order not onely to fight against the States and against the other Commanders but also against his brother the Duke of Alancon himself This was the substance of what the King said adorning it with many particularities and circumstances but in effect he endeavoured to make both businesses continue being glad not onely that the Duke of Alancon should go out of his Kingdom but that with Monsieur de la Noue the Mareschal de Byron and many other Commanders the greatest part of that matter which did molest and disquiet his State should also be removed which when he saw effected in the year 1582 having setled himself in his former repose he continued the prosecution of those designs which by long practise were grown familiar to him and because cunning and dissimulation were already converted into nature and he now did that by use and custom which his humour inclining to he was from the beginning resolved to bring to pass by art he went on exalting and giving power onely to those who bred up by himself were beyond measure esteemed and most excessively favoured by him amongst which to Anne de Ioyeuse by him created Duke and Peer of France he gave in Marriage his own Sister-in-law sister to the Queen and to Iehan Louis de la Valett created also Duke of Espernon and Peer of France he granted the most important Governments and the greatest Offices that were daily vacant Next to these in his favour were the Chancellor Chiverny Rene Sieur de Villequier Francis Sieur d'O Pompone de Bellieure Villeroy the Secretary of State and the Mareschals of Retz and Matignon who no less mature in understanding than in age cared not to be the first in the King's favour lest they should also be first exposed to the blow and envy of Fortune but yielding the highest place to the vanity of young men â—â—ontented themselves with a more setled and more moderate condition The wisdom of the Marescal de Retz was particularly very remarkable who knowing himself to be an Italian and therefore subject to the hatred and persecution of the French though the King did by the vastness of his Gifts seek to exalt him to the highest pitch of greatness yet did not onely put rubs and hinderances in the way of his own advancement but afterward when he saw that the King was resolved to make him great he most discreetly endeavoured that those things which he knew were destined to him might be procured by the intercâ—ssion of some one of the great Princes A thing that succeeded so happily for him that his greatness was established without envy every one being either unwilling or ashamed to cross that fortune which he himself had favoured and that man which he believed he had made one of his obliged dependents But Ioyeuse Espernon and the other youths whose age and experience had not taught them so much moderation spreading all their Sails before the prosperous Wind of Fortune laboured by all possible means to attain to the most eminent Dignities Wherefore the death of Philippo Strozzi who was General of the French Infantry hapning at the Tercera's that that charge was given to the Duke de Espernon but much more amplified in Command and Authority And the Marescal de Byron having left the Office of Lieutenant of Guienâ—e to go into Flanders with the Duke of Alancon it was conferted upon the Mareschal de Matignon And the Governments of Orleans Blois and Charâ—res void about that time by the death of the Mareschal de Cosse were transferred upon the Chancellor The same rule being observed in all things that the most important Places and Governments should still be bestowed upon Creatures of his own breeding But the year following 1583 the Duke of Alancon having attempted to bring his limitted Command in Flanders to a free absolute Dominion the success proving very contrary to his hopes and therefore he being hated and opposed by those very men who had first called him thither was driven from thence by the Forces of Alessandro Farnese and to the Kings great trouble returned again into France where it was feared he would contrive some new mischiefs according to his rash inconsiderate nature most ardent to leap headlong into any dangerous design Wherefore he being recalled into Flanders by his adherents and by those who more abhorred the Tyranny of the Spaniard then his fickle instability the King promised him very great Supplies of Men and Moneys that returning to his former design he might ease him of the jealousies and fears of new Commotions and without doubt the effects would have made good his promises if the Duke of Alancon afflicted with the crossness of his late Fortune and quite worn out with perpetual toil and trouble or else as some said with those dissolute courses to which he had wholly given himself over had not died at Chasteau-Thierry a Castle of his own in the Moneth of Iune 1584 leaving Flanders at liberty and his Brother free from a most certain revolution of new troubles After his death the Signories of Anjou Angoulesme and Berry which had been assigned for his Appennage returned into the Kings power But the City of Cambray taken two years before and put under the Government of the Sieur de Balagny the King not desiring to transfer it openly to himself least it should break the Peace with the Catholick King fell in appearance and as by inheritance unto the Queen his Mother The End of the Sixth BOOK THE HISTORY OF THE Civil Wars of France By HENRICO CATERINO DAVILA. The SEVENTH BOOK The ARGUMENT IN this Book are
pretensions and the other places were in possession of the League wherefore he at last propounded and by sending the Sieur de Salettes a Hugonot Gentleman gave firm promise to the Queen that he would lay siege to the City of Rouen towards the taking whereof if the English would help with Men and Money he would give them some reasonable jurisdiction in it to the end that they might freely and securely traffick and then if he could take Caudebec and Harfleur Towns near that City he would consigne unto them one of those Ports which might serve for a free open retreat for their shipping To which Conditions while the English unwillingly consented and while they were treated of on both sides with usual caution the coming of the Germans was protracted nor could they ever be got to move till the first One hundred thousand Ducats were paid down and assignments given for the other Two hundred thousand On the other side the Duke of Monte-Marciano and the Forces which from Milan marched towards Flanders at the Duke of Savoy's urgent importunities had received orders to stay for some dayes within his State to the end that with their countenance and assistance he might recover some places which had been taken from him and repress the Forces of Monsieur Les Diguieres who fiercely bestirred himself sometimes in Dauphine sometimes in Provence The Duke was troubled that the Kings party had taken some places though of no great importance but he was much more troubled at a Fort which Les Diguieres had begun to raise over against Montmeillan Wherefore having obtained that the Italian Army and likewise Four thousand Swisses raised by the Pope should stay some time with him he spurred up Don Amadeo for the recovery of that Fort called Morestello from the place where it was built and he with other Forces entred into Dauphine another way while Count Francâ—sco Martinengo with the greatest strength of his Army besieged and streightned the Town of Barre in Provence Monsieur Les Diguieres who was forced sometimes to assist in the affairs of Dauphine sometimes to help Monsieur de la Valette in Provence was now set forward to raise the siege of Barre while la Valette besieged and battered Gravion but being arrived so late that the Defendants had already articled to surrender it after some slight encounters he was returned with exceeding great celerity to relieve Fort Morestello and with Four hundred Horse and Three thousand Foot was advanced as far as Ponte Chiarra a place near and proper for his intetention which being known to the Savoyards who were strengthned with part of the Popes Forces they rose silently from the siege which they had continued already many days and leaving the Fort behind them encamped themselves upon the same way by which they saw the French Army would advance But Les Diguieres having himself viewed and discovered the Camp and number of the Enemy and making no great account of the raw men that were in that Army in comparison of his old Soldiers resolved to sight thinking with a fierce boldness easily to strike a terror in them Wherefore both the Armies being between the Mountain and the River Isare in a narrow place which favoured the small number of his Forces he parted his Infantry into two Bodies one of which he sent up by the steep of the Hill and the other along the bank of the River and he keeping the Plain with his Cavalry divided into four Squadrons with some Muskettiers mixed and placed among the Horse advanced resolutely to attack the Enemy The Savoyards having drawn up the Army in very good order advanced likewise and received the encounter in the Front very couragiously but while they fought and in fighting had their eyes and mindes wholly taken up with the Enemy that was before them they were suddenly charged in the Flank by the Foot that were come about by the way of the Hill which they had not taken care to make good Wherefore being staggered at that unexpected accident they broke their ranks and without making much resistance easily took flight But being come into the Plain that was behind them recovering courage they fell to rally again and once more to face about and so much the rather because their being stronger in Horse and having a very spacious open field gave them very great advantage in renewing the Battel yet nevertheless the Conquerors following up with wonderful speed and fury they were terrified in such manner that being dispersed they were pursued to the very Walls of Monmeillan with the loss of Fifteen hundred men two Cornets Eighteen Foot-colours and great store of spoiâ— and baggage But this unhappy accident which cut off all hopes of making any further progress at that time and the importunities of the Dukes of Mayenne and Lorain to have the Popish and Spanish Forces to march to hinder the passage of the Germans were the causes that Savoy being left they advanced through the Country of Bourgongne directly towards Lorain The Duke of Mayenne since the taking of Noyon to put in order and increase his Army had staid still at Han whilest the King victoriously advancing over-ran the whole Country in which place President Ieannin being returned from the Court of Spain found him but brought back no pleasing answer to any of those things he had negotiated with the Catholick King The Duke of Mayenne had been of opinion that the artificial reserved proceedings of the Spaniards had sprung from the nature and will of the Ministers ill-affected to his person or desirous to do more than what was given them in charge by the Royal Council he thought that the D. of Parma a very wary prudent Soldier would unwillingly hazard his reputation against the King followed by almost an invincible Nobility and in his actions prompt fearless and resolute he believed that Diego d' Ivarr and Mendozza who for many particular accidents were ill-disposed towards him either to make him lose his credit or out of covetousness did convert those Moneys that were sent to other uses and often disposed of them without his privacy at their own pleasures and did assuredly think that as soon as the Catholick King was once fully informed of the affairs of France of the interests of every one and of his pains endeavors and authority he would soon resolve in favor of him give him sufficient assistance to make an end of the War and permit him to negotiate the getting of the Crown for himself For this cause he had deprived himself of the help and counsel of President Ieannin sending him to the Court as one privy to all his most secret thoughts well informed of all particulars full of wary prudence and for experience and eloquence able to undergo the weight of so difficult a business But both he and the President found themselves much deceived in their opinion for whether that had been the aim of the Spaniards from
the beginning or that the Counsel given and imprinted by the Ministers that resided in France had caused that resolution they in Spain desired the War should be drawn out in length with a slow progress that the Duke of Mayenne should not rise so high in credit and authority with his party as to be able to dispose of things by himself and that by degrees the way might be facilitated either to the union of the Crowns or to the election of the Infanta Isabella which could not without long time and much patience be obtained and at least if nothing else could be done they would make themselves sure that so many expences and troubles should redound to the profit and augmentation of their Monarchy Wherefore when Ieannin was come thither he in his first audience found that King Philip was fully informed in all things and very far from that inclination which the Duke of Mayenne at so great a distance had fancied to himself yet did he with all possible arts labour in his following audiences to take away those impressions which he thought contrary to the Dukes interests and to perswade the King to concurr with him in his own ends but all was in vain nor could he see that he advanced or profited any thing for treating about Money he not only found the King indisposed to allow a greater sum than he was wont but even those very Moneys which were before given to the D. of Mayenne he had now determined should pass through the hands of his Ministers though with the Dukes participation alledging that he had seen but very small fruits of so many expences that he would not have his supplies to be secret but that every one should see and know from whence they came and should be obliged for them to the principal Author Then concerning the Armies he said his will was they should advance into France to help against the danger of Religion and to establish a Catholick King that might be generally liked of but that the Duke of Parma could not so soon leave Flanders the States of Holland having taken Zutphen in Friesland and other places in Brabant and that it was needful not to proceed longer by chance without knowing what was to be done and that therefore it was necessary to assemble the States to resolve upon the election of a King to the end that they might go on with order and deliberation to a certain determinate end Finally as for the paying of the Duke of Mayennes French Forces raised and commanded by him he said he was ready to do it when the principal resolution was once taken wherefore he concluded that he would send a new Ambassador into France to declare his intention to the States and to cause that to be determined of which was necessary for the perfecting of the enterprise and that in the mean time he would give order to the Duke of Parma to return into France as soon as the affairs of Flanders would permit but that time was not to be lost and that the Assembly of States ought to be appointed and called till the end of which he was not disposed to make any more powerful expedition of men or moneys This was the last conclusion nor could Ieannin by urging the state of Affairs the diffidences of the French the interests of that party the merits of the house of Lorain the pains and authority of the Duke of Mayenne obtain any thing more And with this resolution he was returned to give the Duke an account thereof who more perplexed than ever he had been and having lost the confidence that his arts should overcome those of the Spaniards was also overtaken with new trouble at the liberty of his Nephew Charles Duke of Guise That Prince since the death of his Father had alwayes been kept prisoner nor though his freedom had been much treated of had any attempt ever succeeded and the King had always stiffly denied to change him for any body alledging That he was not a prisoner of War but of Justice Nor though his Mother made great complaints and exclamations had the D. of Mayenne ever cared much to get his liberty foreseeing that his freedom would endanger the division of his party by reason of the dependence that many would have upon him in respect of the memory of his Father and of benefits received from him and that the common people would willingly concurr to exalt him so that if he would not acknowledge his superiority but should attempt to put himself in the place long held by his Father and Grandfather the League was without doubt like to be divided and disunited wherefore he designed not to apply himself in good earnest to procure his freedom till things were reduced to such a condition that it should not be in his power to disturb them if he were at liberty But now whether the King as some believed foreseeing the same had underhand given way to his enlargement or that the Sieur de la Chastre an old servant and dependent of his father's who had the near Government of Berry had prosperously procured it certain it is that having plotted and agreed that a Lackey and a Valet de Chambre with a very swift Horse sent by la Chastre should stay for him in the fields under the Castle of Tours in which he was kept prisoner he upon the fifteenth day of August being risen from Table about noon and having afterward shut himself up in his Chamber to take his rest while the Guards that kept him and his other servants entertained themselves merrily eating and drinking he having locked them all dexterously into the room where they were at dinner went up to the top of a Tower that stood toward the field and with a ladder of silk which had been secretly sent him in a Pie let himself down the wall with exceeding great danger and being come safe to the ground ran along the Riverside of the Loire towards the fields where he found the horse and those that expected him and with infinite speed galloped to find the Baron de la Maison son to the Sieur de la Chastre who stayed for him some few miles off beyond the River Cher with Three hundred Horse wherewith being conveyed into Berry he was received with infinite signs of joy in the City of Bourges Monsieur de Souvray Governour of Tours and Monsieur de Grillon who since the wound received in his left Arm in those Faâ—xbourgs had ever stayed in that Town having heard news thaâ— la Chastre's Horse were roving about those parts and doubting some intelligence 〈◊〉 the City had for some dayes kept the Gates shut and looked more strictly to their Guards than they were wont but being suddenly adveâ—tised by Captain Rouvray Governor of the Castle of the Duke's â—light they entered or feigned to enter into â— much greater suspition and caused the Gates to be opened with so much caution becâ—use they
put it to a day judging the Italian Forces to be yet raw and the Duke of Lorain's not well assured and therefore no way be compared to his Wherefore being departed from Attigny upon the first of October he quartered that night with his Van-guard at Grandpre upon which day Monsieur d' Amblise who commanded part of the Lorain Forces having marched from Montfaulcon joyned with the Army of the League The next day aâ—â—ut noon the King arrived with his Army within sight of Verdun spreading his â—â—uadrons largely imbattelled along the Plain On the other side they of the League who were encamped without the City drew themselves up in Battalia under the Walls the Italians having the right Wing the Duke of Lorain the Battel and the Duke of Mayenne's French the lâ—ft yet the Duke himself commanding and ordering the whole Camp as he pleased At the first arrival there began so great and so hot a skirmish between the two Armies that many of the Commanders themselves thought it would be a Battel for the Sieurs de Praslin de la Curee d' Arges and the Baron d' Giury with the Kings Light-horse in sour Divisions advanced to the very face of the Enemy to skirmish being seconded on the right hand and on the left by the Count de Brienne and the Sieur de Marivaut with Two hundred Cuirassiers and on the other side Cavalier Avolio Ottavio Cesis and Ascanio della Cornia were likewise advanced with the Popes Light-horse and the Sieur d' Amblise seconded them with a Body of Lorain Lances But though the skirmish was very fierce in the beginning the Sieur de Praslins Horse being killed under him and the Sieur de la Curee thrown to the ground with the shock of a Lance the Italians behaving themselves very gallantly every where yet were the Dukes of Lorain and Mayenne resolved not to fight because the Catholick Kings Forces that were come out of Italy following their wonted Counsels had denied to follow them and were marched streight to joyn with the Duke of Parma and the Popes Swisses were not above Three thousand Wherefore not thinking themselves strong enough to deal with the Kings Army in so open a place as is the Plain that lies before Verdun the skirmish by their order cooled by little and little and they drawing back their men under the Walls yet without shew of fear the King took up his Quarters and entrenched himself within sight of the Town and of their Army All sorts of provisions came in plentifully to the Camp of the League and the City furnished them with many conveniences not onely for victual but for lodging under cover whereas the King in the midst of an enemies Country and the weather being very rainy suffered both for want of victual and conveniency nor could his Soldiers accustomed to another kind of Discipline endure the hardship and incommodities of lying in the field in so contrary a season To other things was added a most cruel storm that night with thunders whirlwinds and infinite rain which spoiling all the Soldiers Huts and overflowing all the Plain put the whole Army in wonderful confusion Wherefore next day the King after he had stood firm in Battalia for many hours and none of the enemies appearing in the field faced about with his Army and marched back to quarter again at Grandpre There the Germans were like to have mutinied not being paid the money that had been promised them Wherefore the King who could now do no less than perform his promises to the Queen of England that he might receive the other Two hundred thousand Ducats having made provision at Sedan with the Jewels and credit of the Princess Charlotte of a certain sum of money to quiet his Germans took without delay the way towards Normandy to besiege at last the City of Rouen The Duke of Mayenne contrary to whose expectation the Popes forces had so long delaid their coming and who had also seen the King of Spain's march streight towards Lorain without making any stay presently dispatched the Count de Brâ—ssac to the Duke of Parma to protest unto him that if he entred not into the Kingdom or sent not such Supplies as should be sufficient to oppose the King the affairs of the League and the state of Religion would be very much endangered and that he should not be able to hinder many from making their peace as seeing the slowness and ill counsels of the Confederates they daily threatned The Duke made this protestation more at large to Diego d' Ivarra who was there present shewing him the wonderful ill effect which the delays and secret practices of the Spaniards did produce for if all the Catholick Kings expences and forces which he had granted severally to this man and to that in Bretagne Provence Savoy and Languedoc haâ— been put into one Body and all imployed to the root of the business and to the Spring-head of affairs the victory over the King would thence have ensued and also the suppression of their Enemies in all places but whilst the division of the League was endeavoured whilst his counsels were not believed and whilst the Duke of Parma would not advance the King had found opportunity to receive his Foreign Forces and now being grown powerful he over-ran all France at his pleasure to the admiration and grief of all good men But these Protestations and Reasons not availing with Diego d' Ivarra who had received another impression and was otherwise inclined and the cause from whence this hardness proceeded being clearly seen by the relation of President Ieannin the Dukes of Lorain and Mayenne not being able any other way to hinder it agreed together though secretly in this general to keep close and united together and not to suffer that any should be admitted to the Crown not only who was a stranger but who was not of their own Family and that if they were constrained to yield to any other persons a Prince of the Blood of the Catholick Religion should be chosen and never to consent either to the alienation or division of the Kingdom With this firm resolution confirmed also by a Writing which they signed the Duke of Mayenne set himself in order to prosecute the War and being departed from Verdun with the Popes Army and his own and with the Supplies he had obtained from the Duke of Lorain who gave way that the Count de Vaudemont the Count de Chaligny and the Sieur de Bassompierre should follow him he took the way toward Champagne that he might not go too far from the Confines till he heard the determinations of Flanders When the Duke was arrived at Retel in Champagne the Duke of Guise came up to him accompanied with Six hundred Horse all Gentlemen who upon the same of his being at liberty were come in to him and though at his arrival their greetings and outward actions shewed kindness and confidence in one another
of the Peace of Christendom and him by reason of his great prudence to be intent to follow the same way and therefore he straitly confirmed that confidence with the Senate which his Ancestors had in that State having taken refuge there in their adversities And with the Great Duke forgetting those ancient factions for which his Father had been banished out of the City of Florence he contracted a new confident correspondency to advance by the assistance and advice of these the Government of the Church to the common benefit and safety of Christians The first and most important business that represented it self unto him was that of France in which as matter of Religion was chiefly considered by him so the private emulations the ancient discords and the present ambition of the Great Ones were very well known unto him But because time and opportunity were to administer those overtures that were necessary for the Peace and Union of that Kingdom he determined in himself in the mean time to sustain the League with convenient relief but not with that interessed fervour his Predecessors had profusely done desiring things should be in such a condition as might not tend towards the division and destruction but to the safety and restauration of so great a Kingdom which he thought would follow if a King were elected and established who was not only a Catholick and obedient to the Apostolick See but also a French-man and of such a condition as might draw along with him the general peace and satisfaction He therefore confirmed the Cardinal of Piacenza in his Legation judging him by reason of his long employment there not only to be well informed but also more fit to manage that business than any other and though he in times past had shewn himself very partial to the Spaniards yet the Pope thought that his Master being changed and his Commissions altered he would as a prudent experienced man endeavour rather to satisfie his intention than to follow the interests of Spain the ends whereof could not always run united with those of the See of Rome but having by the confirmation of the Legat shewed as much as was sufficient his intentions to be well 〈◊〉 towards the League in other matters under colour of the present disabilities of the Apostolick See he freely declared that he could not assist the Confederates with more than fifteen thousand Ducats by the month shewing that the excessive expences formerly made to the wasting of the Treasury and to the burdening of the people had not produced any fruit equivalent to so vast a charge and to so great preparations and insisting upon that remedy which he esteemed convenient he gave the Legat order to endeavour the assembling of the Free-States to the end that a King being chosen with a common consent all machinations might be cut off the way lockt up against ambition and that as a certain end and a visible apparent mark they might aim at the good of Religion and the restoring of Peace in the Kingdom These thoughts which by many conjectures were known unto both parties as they put the Duke of Mayenne in good hope that the Pope was inclined to acknowledge his merits and his so great labours and would favour his designs so did they not displease the King who despaired not in that moderation to find some temper to settle his own affairs wherefore being forced by the Commotion of the Catholicks who all were already determined to see some resolution he discoursed at Vernon with Giovanni Mocenigo the Venetian Ambassador and told him that having a purpose to find some way whereby an overture concerning his affairs might be made unto the Pope he desired that the Republick which he knew had a very near correspondence with him would either by an express Ambassador or by the means of the ordinary Resident at Rome assist that his just intention having determined to procure that Cardinal Gondi in whose prudence and candour he confided very much should go into Italy and with him the Marquiss de Pisani in the name of the Catholick Nobility of his party to treat of the means of attaining to a Peace and Reconciliation but that this Treaty being in appearance very difficult by reason of the Considerations at Rome and of the extraordinary power of the Spaniards he believed the intercession counsel authority and endeavours of that Republick would serve as a Pole-star in so important a business He found the Ambassador ready to give notice of it at Venice who knowing the good intentions of the Senate toward the conservation of the Kingdom assured him that he should have all manner of assistance he could desire The same did he cause to be treated of with the Grand Duke by Girolamo Gondi requesting him not only to use his endeavours with the Pope wherein he more esteemed the power of the Venetian Senate but also to deal with the Cardinals to the end that the business coming into debate it might be crossed as little as was possible These Foundations being laid he sollicited Monsieur de Villeroy's coming for he designed to set things right with the Duke of Mayenne in such manner that he also might favour his affairs in the Court of Rome since his reconciliation with the Apostolick See coming to pass the scruple of Religion would be taken away and the Duke of Mayenne might with his honour embrace those large advantageous offers which he would make him But the Duke who had taken a distrust by reason of the trick put upon him by du Plessis and who hoped to settle his own affairs with the Spaniards suffered the Treaty to run on that he might make use of it for his own profit but without any desire to conclude those thoughts being again revived in his mind which despair had before disordered and destroyed Wherefore though Villeroy went to Rouen to him and afterwards had a conference with the King himself by night at Gisors yet went they not on to treat of any conditions but the Duke consented that the King should send to Rome leaving the Treaty to go on and be concluded when the business was settled with the Pope and the King was content that the Duke should assemble the States of his party to treat with them concerning the present resolution The Spaniards had never intermitted to press for the assembling of the States and jointly with the Cardinal Legat had made both publick and private instances about it and the Duke had always interposed difficulties and delays sometimes alledging the urgency of following the management of the War sometimes saying it was fit first to treat and conclude with the Princes of the party and sometimes the difficulties of assembling the Deputies because of the general combustion of the War by reason whereof they would very unwillingly forsake their own Houses and Cities in the present distractions and that they would not venture to take so great journeys with the danger of their
fit to send any body to make oveâ—tures there which may conduce to so great a good they shall find all security shall be heard with attention and with a desire to content them But if our earnest request made unto them that they should lend an hand to this reconciliation and the near and inevitable danger of the ruine of this State have not power sufficient over them to excite them to have a care of the common safety and that we be constrained because of our being abandoned by them to have recourse to extraordinary remedies against our intention and desire We protest before God and Men that the blame shall be attributed to them and not to the United Catholicks who have laboured with all their power to preserve this common Cause with good intelligence and agreeing minds and with the counsel of themselves wherein if they would labour with good affections the hope of a compleat quiet would be near and we all secure that the Catholicks united together against the Hereticks their ancient enemies whom they have been accustomed to overcome would quickly see an end of the War We also pray the Gentlemen of the Parliaments of this Kingdom to cause these presents to be published and registred to the end they may be known to all and that the perpetual remembrance of them may remain to after times for the discharge of us and of the Princes Peers of France Prelates Lords Gentlemen Cities and Corporations who have united themselves together for the conservation of their Religion With this form of Declaration though the Duke of Mayenne strengthned his pretensions very much and wonderfully defended the cause of his party yet did he not engage himself to the election of a new King but holding things in equal balance left himself a way open that upon opportunity he might take any resolution whatsoever time should advise and the quality of affairs permit for being much diminished in his hopes by the Duke of Parma's death by the Union which he saw between the Legat and the Spanish Ministers who he knew hated his person and by the concurrence of the Dukes of Guise and Nemours who were not likely to be faulty to themselves he intended not to attempt the election of himself and of his posterity except in case it should seem to him not only that he might be able to effect it by the number of Votes and with the general consent but also that he should have such and so secure Forces and Dependents that he might not need to fear being able to establish himself in the possession of the Crown otherwise he was resolved either to settle himself in the full authority of Lieutenant General of the Kingdom and to follow the War if by the means of the States he could bring matters to pass that he might be able to uphold the enterprise with small foreign dependents or else if he proved not able to attain to these rather to bring the States to agree with the King by means of his Conversion than suffer the Kingdom to come to any other body still firm to his principle of neither suffering the Union of the Crowns nor the disunion of the Kingdom Which resolution of his full of integrity and sincerity towards his Country did not only please many of his party but even the King himself to whom it was known by many conjectures could not sometimes forbear commending it But the Cardinal-Legat and the Spanish Ministers not well satisfied with his so ambiguous Declaration wherein he seemed rather to aim at an Accommodation with the Catholicks of the contrary party than at the election of a new King resolved to agree together and declare their intention perfectly and therefore the Cardinal-Legat published a Writing in the form of a Letter of the tenor folloâ—ing PHILIP by the Grace of GOD Cardinal of Piacenâ—â— of the Title of St. Onofrio Legat a Latere of our Lord Pope Clement the Eighth by Divine Providence Pope and of the Apostolick See in this Kingdom To all Catholicks of what preeminence state or condition soever they be who follow the party of the Heretick and adhere unto him or favour him in any manner whatsoever Health Peace Love and the Spirit of better counsel in him who is the true Peace only Wisdom only King only Governour JESUS CHRIST our Saviour and Redeemer The performance of so holy and necessary a Work as is that which concerns the charge and dignity which it hath pleased his Holiness to give us in his Kingdom is so dear unto us that we should account our Blood and Life well employed if they could be helpful to it and would it pleased God that it were permitted to us to go in person not only from City to City or from Province to Province but even from House to House as well to give a most ceatain proof to all the World of our Affection which is known to God as by word of mouth to awaken in you a generous desire with the singular piety of your Ancestors that is with the Roman Catholick Apostolick Religion to make that prosperous flourishing State spring up again in France from whence Heresie hath miserably caused it to fall But since that by reason of the unhappiness of the times and the impediments which are but too well known we cannot as it would be the intention of his Holiness and our desire communicate familiarly with you we have thought it our duty to supply that want with this Letter in the best manner that is possible for us But if you please to accept of it and read it with the spirit of true Christians and Catholicks free from all passion as it is naked from all artifice which is averse from truth you will excite in us a most pleasing and firm hope of being within a short time able to offer our presence to you in all parts of this Kingdom not to exhort you any more to what is fit but to congratulate with you for what you shall so valiantly have performed to the consolation of all good men Making no doubt at all but that if entring again into your selves you will take care to examine your selves as you ought you will need neither Word nor Letter nor any other exteriour remedy to settle you again in your former sancâ—ity For then every one of you will see that from Heresie alone as from the Fountain of all Evils this blindness of understanding and dazling of spirits is sprung up in you which hinders you from making so sound a judgment as you were wont of your own and other mens actions Then for certain you will discover the various Artifices wherewith the Hereticks continually labour to withdraw you from the devotion and obedience which as true Sons of the Church you have so religiously yielded till these last days to its chief Head and the Apostolick See whose Name and Authority they by all means attempt to render odious and contemptible unto you
Infanta's election nor her marriage with the Duke of Guise but seeing the business of it self very difficult and crossed by so many impediments he judged it vain and no way feisable and therefore cared not to declare himself seeming only to givâ— his consent that he might not alienate the King of Spain from him with whom he saw it necessary to hold a good correspondence lest he should precipitate the affairs of Religion â—nd the Church into some dangerous troubles He could have been contented from the beginning that one of the Princes of the House of Bourbon that was truly a Catholick should have been thought fit to be marâ—ied to the Infanta because by the elecâ—ion of a Prince of the Blood all the Catholicks of France would have been elected â—nd had by many ways given his Ministers notice of his intentions and to such a Prince he could have been reunited in one body and by the alliance with the Catholick King â—is assistance would have been assured so that neither the temporal state of the Kingdom would have been in danger of falling into the hands of Strangers nor the spiritual of being oppressed by the Hugonots For these very reasons he approved not the Duke of Guise's election believing the Catholicks of the Kings party would never be brought to acknowledge and obey him whereby the War would become perpetual and he was likewise of opinion that King Philip would never give his Daughter to a weak poor and ill-grounded Prince with almosâ— a certain danger that she should never be Queen more than in name besides he perceived this hated election would gain the King of Navarre many adâ—erents and by this means turâ— more Cities to favour him in one day â—han he would be able to take by force in his whole life time One thing only kept him doubtful in tâ—is thought which was the unfitness of those Princes that were nearest in Blood for the Cardinal of Bourbon was but a weak man and very unhealthful the Pâ—ince of Conty by reason of his natural defects unable to govern and also as it was said to get children the Count de Soissâ—ns though of a good wit and noble courage was so drowned in the love of the Princess Catherine the Kings Sister an obstinate Hugonot that the Catholicks duâ—st not confide in him and the Duke of Moâ—tponsier a youth of exceeding great worth was more remote in the degrees of Royal Consanguinity wherefore assoon as he knew that the King was disposed to reâ—urn to the obedience of the Catholick Church he began to incline towards him thinking it the shortest way to settle the commotions and remove the dangers of the Kingdom But it was a business not to be resolved on without great deliberation as well to be assured that his Conversion was sincere and that the heart of a Lyon lay not hid under the sâ—in of a Lamb as because it was not known which way the French would receive thaâ— alteration wherefore there was much to be thought on both to be by all means possible made certain that the King was a true sincere Catholick and that the people would willingly submit themselves to his devotion for if the King should but feign that Conversion for Interest of State Religion would be thereby left in manifest danger and if the people should not accept him the Popes own reputation would be in no less danger for having run to approve the Conversion of a relapsed Heretick more hastily than the common people besides the respect which by all means was to be born to the King of Spain already possessed of the Title of Defender of the Catholick Faith and Protector of the See of Rome who very clearly shewed he hâ—d spent so much Gold and poured out so much Blood of his Armies to preserve Religion in the Kingdom of France counselled that in a matter of high importance he should proceâ—d with great dexterity length of time and with well weighed and perfect maturity being certain that King Philip's supplies had hindred the King from getting the total Victory whilst he was obstinately an Hugonot and therefore to them was the reward and gratitude due for the Confirmation of the Gallique Church and great heed was to be taken not to establish a fierce and powerful Enemy who might afterward disturb him very much in the possession of his Kingdom By these reasons the Pope was persâ—aded not to yield nor assent at the very first but to let himself be counselled by the event of things and yet to begin his principal â—ntention he thought good to give some glimpse of hope to those who negotiated secreâ—ly at Rome for the King whom they called King of Navarre The Pope favoured a principal servant of the Family of Cardinal Pietro Aldobrandino named Giacopo Sanâ—esio a man obscurely born in a Castle of the Marches of Ancona who had long served the Cardinals Father as they said for a Companion of his Studies whilst he was employed in causeâ— in the â—â—ta Romana and because he was exceeding faithful and not of too searching a natuâ—e and â—herefore a man of very few words the care of all his Domestick affairs lay upon him This man was acquainted and sometimes held discourse with Arnâ—ud d' Ossâ—t a man born at Aâ—câ—e in Gascogne of mean parentage but of a most excellent wit and most regular course of life who having been brought to Rome by Monsieur de Faux Ambassador from France staid afterward behind in the Family of Cardinal d' Este and besides his singular learning and eloquence was by many years experience exceeding well versed in the Court of Rome He being a private man and long time accustomed to be seen in the Court was not observed by any body and managing Spiritual businesses for the Queen Dowager of Henry the Third as the erecting of Monasteries granting of Indulgences and other such like things might without shew of any business of importance negotiate with Sannesio in a corner of the Antichamber seeming only to talk of ordinary things wherefore the Pope who avoided open proceedings and desired to draw the thread of the business secretly gave order to Sannesio that as a Friend to this French-man who was well known to him to be a man of worth he should begin as of himself to treat of the Kings affairs which Treaty being begun thus under-hand proceeded so far that when Monsieur de la Clielle arrived there had already past many overtures on both sides The Sieur de la Clielle was come to Rome with Letters from the King to Monsignore Serafino Olivario Auditor of the Rota Romana a Prelat who because he was descended of French Ancestors had ever been faithful to the Crown and desired to serve the Kings cause but saw the passage very difficult not only to introduce the Sieur de la Clielle to have audience of the Pope as he required but also to treat in any kind of way concerning
years by the Kings of England her Predecessors and at last recovered by the Duke of Guise in the Reign of Henry the Second But because the Hugonots were not Masters of that place she demanded that in the mean time they should consign to her Havre de Grace a Fortress and Port of less consequence upon the coast of Normandy and that they should receive her Garrisons into Diepe and Rouen These conditions seemed to many intolerable and not to be consented unto through any necessity whatsoever knowing the infamy and publick hate they should undergo if they made themselves instruments to dismember the Kingdom of such important places and bring into them the most cruel implacable enemies of the French Nation But the Ministers who in all deliberations were of great Authority and in a manner reverenced as Oracles alledged that no consideration was to be had of worldly things where there was question of the heavenly Doctrine and propagation of GOD's Word Wherefore all other things were to be contemned so as Religion might be protected and Liberty of Conscience established The Prince of Conde and the Admiral being desirous to continue their Commands and necessitated by their own private affairs to pursue the enterprise were of the same opinion so that their Authority overcoming all opposition after many consultations it was at last concluded to satisfie Queen Elizabeth and by all means to accept the conditions proposed To which effect they presently dispatched Monsieur de Briquemaut and the new Vidame of Chartres with Letters of credit from the Prince and the Confederates to confirm the agreement in England Andelot and the Prince of Portian with such a sum oâ— money as they could get together went to sollicit the levies of the Germans the Count de la Roch-foucaut went to Angoulesme the Count de Montgomery retired into Normandy Monsieur de Soâ—bize to Lyons the Prince the Admiral Genlis and Bouchavenes stayed to defend Orleans and the places adjacent But many of the Commissioners for the confederacy which was treated with England not being able to endure such dishonourable conditions began to forsake them amongst which Monsieur de Pienne went over to the Kings Army and the Sieur de Morvilliers chosen by the Prince to be Governour of Rouen that he might not be forced to admit an English Garrison into a Town of such consequence leaving that charge retired into Picardy to his own house Whilst by these means the Hugonots endeavoured to provide themselves with Forces the Catholicks designed to make an attempt upon Orleans as the chief sourse and seat of all the War But in regard it was exceedingly well provided for Defence and furnished with Munition of all kinds they knew it was an enterprise of great difficulty Wherefore first to cut off from it the hopes of succours they resolved to take in the places round about that so they might afterwards with more facility straighten it with a siege or being deprived of succours assault it by force For which purpose they raised their Camp the 11 of Iuly and the Duke of Guise leading the Van and the King of Navarre the Battalia whilst every one of both sides expected to see them setled before Orleans they leaving that Town on the left hand and passing sixteen leagues farther on a suddain assailed Blois which though it were full of people beautified with one of the noblest Castles for a Kings house in the whole Kingdom and situated upon the same side of the River of Loire yet it was not so fortified that it could hope to make any long resistance against the Kings Army Wherefore after the Souldiers which were in guard saw the Cannon planted being terrified with the danger they passed the River upon the Bridge and throwing away their Arms sought to save themselves by flight which though the Duke of Guise knew who with the Van-guard was nearest to the wall yet being more intent to take the Town than to pursue those that ran away whilst the Citizens dispatched their Deputies to capitulate he sent a party of foot to make an assault who finding the breach forsaken that was made by a few Cannon shot took the place without resistance which by the fury of the Souldiers their Commanders not forbidding them was miserably sackt From Blois the Army marched towards Tours a much more noble populous and ancient City wherein the name of the Hugonots first took vigour and force but the people who for a few days at the bginning of the Siege made shew that they would stand resolutely upon their defence when they perceived the Trenches were made and the Artillery planted of their own accord cast out the Commanders and rendered the place saving their goods and persons which conditions were intirely observed In the mean while the Mareshal de St. Andre with the Rear of the Army went another way to besiege Poictiers a City likewise famous for antiquity great and spacious where the â—atholicks thought they should find a strong resistance But it fell out to be a work of much less difficulty than they imagined For the Mareshal having battered it two days together with his Artillery and made an assault upon the Town rather to try the resolution of the Defendants than with any hope to gain it the Captain of the Castle who till then had shew'd himself more violent than any other of the Hugonot party suddenly changing his mind began to play from within with his Cannon upon those who stood ready to receive the Assault by which unexpected accident the Defendants losing their courage not knowing in such a tumult what way to take for their safety as men astonished left the entry of the breach free to the Assailants who not finding any resistance entered furiously into the Town which by the example of Blois was in the heat of the fight sackt and many of the peole put to the sword The Catholicks having thus in a few days taken those Towns which from Poictiou and Touraine backed and succoured Orleans and stopt the passage for supplies from Guyenne Gasâ—oigne and other places beyond the River it remained that turning backwards and passing to the other side they should take in Bourges so to cut off those aids that might come from Auvergne Lyonoise and other Provinces joyning to Daulphine Bourges anciently called Avaricum is one of the greatest and most populous Cities in France a residence for Students of all sorts but especially famous for the Civil Law This Town being within twenty leagues of Orleans and by reason of the Traffick of Wooll as also through the great concourse of Scholars much replenished with strangers was at the beginning possest by the Hugonots and afterwards as an important passage for the Commerce of those Provinces that being nearest depended upon it diligently guarded and fortified so that now foreseeing a Siege Monsieur d' Yvoy Brother to Genlis was entered thereinto with two Thousand French foot and four Troops of horse