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cause_n	great_a	king_n	lord_n	6,936	5	3.8165	3	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A07765	A letter written by a French Catholike gentleman, to the maisters at Sorbonne. Concerning the late victories obtained by the king of Nauarre, aswell against the Duke of Ioyeuse at Coutras vpon Tuesday the twentieth of October, 1587. as els where	Mornay, Philippe de, seigneur du Plessis-Marly, 1549-1623.	1588 (1588)	STC 18144; ESTC S107518	29,846	82

against her enimies but also she hath as I find béene often molested by her owne household seruants Nouatian the Priest denyed to receyue such as had reuolted to penauce and so with the helpe of Nicostratus a Priest of Carthage caused a great schisme in the Church Samosatenus being Bishop of Antioch renewed the errors of the Ebionites Arrius a Priest of Alexandria had the assistance of many Bishops and Emperors yea and since of whole nations in his heresie Now if in these beginnings the treasons of such as séemed to serue God were so great there is no doubt but this mischiefe hath still slipped in and béene maintained in the Church Yea if you can well thinke vpon it it may bee you will not iudge your selues cleane exempt from all corruptions but I will say no more for feare of incurring your censures Howbeit I am sory you neuer proue the decision of the processe which the reformed haue entred against you and haue long hung vpon the file also that we must belieue some rather then other some wtout any further notice of the matter for so should we be no longer troubled to know whether these two princes be heretikes or not Howbeit admit they be which hardly and without preiudice to their replication I can belieue is it your partes to shrinke from their obedience So did neuer any Christians in the Primitiue Church against the heathen Emperors to whom in all publike gouernment they submitted them selues albeit there could bee no greater difference in religion than was betweene them Did they reuolt against Constantin the great who in the end fauoured Arrius against Licinius against Iulian the Apostata against Valentinian and many others that exercised tyranny against their religion But the king of Nauarre is farre from dealing so with vs for he is not yet come to that which wee feare Thus we cry without a cause before we be beaten not that foresight is not an effect of wisedom but because it is in vaine to preuent that which wee neither can nor ought to eschewe Howsoeuer God giueth vs our kings we must suffer it neither is there anie law or lawfull example in the world that teacheth vs to doe otherwise Herein the reformed may séeme to beare themselues but badly in that they take armes against their soueraigne in defence of their religion But besides that they are iustly grounded vpon the defensiue vnder the magistrats authority also that nothing is more naturall then to expulse violence they doe besides alledge the peremptorie reasons which often enough they haue giuen vs to vnderstand of neither is their any fault but in our negligence that wee are not sufficiently enstructed thereof Moreouer the king of Nauarres and the P. of Condes maner of dealing with our Catholikes might make you to hope of all good entreatie whensoeuer things may come to that passe Truely the king of Nauarre hath alwaies tollerated Catholike religion in his Realme which is the lawer Nauarre that is to say a portion of all Nauarre the rest thereof lying beyond the Pirinean mountaines the Spaniards vniustly detaine from him And this can myselfe testifie as hauing séene it with my owne eyes for vpon a certaine curiositie I trauailed thither two yeares since euen to know whether that which I had heard to the contrarie were true or no. True it is that matters are otherwise ordered in his soueraignetie of Bearne which is because at his comming thereto he so found them yea so well established for the space of certaine yeares during the life of his late mother the Quéene of Nauarre that it were very hard yea vnpossible to make any alteration which also is dangerous vnlesse any greater benefit be verie apparant Secondly his house is full of Catholike gentlemen which serue him euen in his most priuate and notable offices neither did hee euer make anie difficultie with great courtesie to receyue all those that offered them selues This is no token that he will otherwise deale whensoeuer hee shall obtaine our estate neither will I vse any more then one reason gathered of the likelihood yea vnlesse I be deceiued of the verie trueth It is not likely that this Prince séeing himselfe exalted vnto the throne would after so many troubles séeke other then peace so farre would he be from taking occasion of warre with his subiects whose affections he had rather captiuate then estrange whereupon he will alwaies like that his subiects should maintaine their accustomed religion prouided that the insolencie of these harebraines who séeke but to trouble the water and then to blame the lambes least they should faile of some pretence to deuoure them doe permit him the like He may alwaies consider that the Catholikes parte is well vnderpropped that if his were inuincible so is the other and therefore that hee shall haue a better hand by maintaining of it then by drawing vpon his estate the cursse of the people and vpon his conscience the destruction thereof as also I will adde the other of his house being Catholikes hauing so good part therein hee will be the more careful for their sakes But what we doe according to the prouerbe striue for the Bishops cope and to no purpose doe deuide the inheritance of the liuing who peraduenture may outline all those that dispute of thinges to come after his death yea it séemeth we share out the webbe of his life at our pleasures but albeit it bee not lawfull to moue this question yet may we resolue it to the end to take away all doubts from those that bréeds preiudice to peace and the common wealth And indéede it is as much as to complaine of ease Well you sée that the king of Nauars troupes doe at this day consist as well of the one as of the other sorte likewise that concord remaineth amongst them whereas the best of their profession that cometh amongst vs must bee imprisoned ransomed from all his goodes yea and finally suffer that death which hee hath not deserued These be monsters they must be choaked vp and many times for the satisfying of the rage of the enimies to the State we are forced to iniurie our owne selues I know that the most malicious among them doe vse to gird at this the king of Nauarres facilitie as if the same were the baites wherewith he séeketh to draw vs into his nettes but no man can doe so wel as to please all men still there is some thing to be misliked and mens fansies must be tormented for their pleasures How would it haue béene if in the beginnig abandoning his owne religion for our pleasures he had taken ours Then would they haue said it had béen to curry fauor with vs that he so counterfeited to the end to deceiue vs that outwardly hee had beene a Catholike and inwardly reformed in his conscience that he had not cast his olde skin that yet he smelt of the faggot that we must waite for his perseuerance so to know

his purposes as easily as he would wish neither can he at this day desire or put in execution any thing whatsoeuer with greater honour hauing obteined such a braue victory against vs which is perfect in all notable parts The death and imprisonment of all the chiefe Captaines except the L. of Lauerdin who séeing our conflict a far off went to saue him selfe and few others the winning of the field the taking of the artillery the burning of our armies lodgings the chace pursued foure leagues and a thousand other particularities which I heere omit Concerning the king of Nauarre I haue heard credibly reported that hée was one of the sharpest in fight buckled earnestly yea so farre foorth as by force to cary away Chasteau-renauds Cornet also to haue receiued a taint in the necke with a speare other blowes that bruised his hands and face To be briefe that hee shewed himselfe a Captaine in ordering his battailes and a souldier in fight As for the Prince of Conde that hee fought valiantly had one horse killed vnder him also that being horsed againe he tooke the L. of S. Luc prisoner who had before borne him downe That the Earle of Soisons in this first reencounter shewed so good proofe of his courage that he greatly cōtented his partakers gaue them good hope of himselfe for he ioyned earnestly and with his owne handes tooke the Marquesse of Piennes prisoner so as these thrée Princes fighting with their enemies fought so reciprocally whose vertue should best appeare that they haue no cause one to enuy an other sith they all shewed all duetie according as the occurrences ministred occasiō Neither is it to be doubted but these so assured Captaines did greatly assure their members among whom the L. of Turenne also had his horse slaine in the battell and entered verie farre as also did the L. of Trimouille who was noted of great courage and assurance in the front of his light horsemen Finally that there was no troope in all their army but had a share in the glorie of our ouerthrow Herein haue wee cause to be sory sith the hurt that we do to them do but prouoke our men and that either early or late they will finde meanes to requite vs howbeit at this time it is much more then a requitall neither is there any comparison betwéene all the harme that we haue done them yea albeit you set togither all that haue happened since the beginning of the troubles and the same which wee haue receiued in this battell One onelie short day hath recompēced all that they haue lost in two yéeres and a halfe which is the time since the league was reuealed and as farre as I sée wee are yet farre in their debts We haue séene all the mightie armies which the king hath sent out of all the prouinces of the realme to make an ende But shew mee now what fruit hath come of them The taking of townes wee haue taken none but such as they made no great account to kéepe and all but loures which were neuer as a mā should say of any name but through mishap And how haue we gotten them with large time excessiue expences and a world of labor and pollicie which heeretofore would not haue béen practised at the siege of Metz S. Quintins and other good Townes in our daies What haue we gained we haue taken nothing by assault and all our sieges haue ended by profitable and honourable composition for the besieged Neither haue our sieges any whit diminished their number sith the lawes of warre haue freed them from the fury of our weapons And which is worse Castillon the Duke of Mayns proudest trophee the taking whereof cost sixe weekes worke and six hundred thousand francks hath the Lord of Turenne recouered in one houre without any expense The king of Nauarre hath in lesse then thrée wéekes taken Tallemōt S. Messan Fontenay Maillezay Mauleon fiue or sixe good Castles more The said D. of Ioyeuse came to recouer these losses but hee spent most of his time in preparatiues and in the end at the siege of S. Maissā was driuen to discharge 113. Cannon shot against the which it had not cost the said king two hundreth Harquebuze shot and had it not béene for the ouerthrow that the said D. of Ioyeuse gaue to the Mothe of his two regiments of Collters and Clounes togither with the controuersies among the besieged we had not had it so soone or so easily As for Maillezay which the said Duke of Ioyeuse also tooke he did rather suprize then take it besides that the smal number of souldiers therein feared his purposes But Fontenay was of ouer hard digestion the Catholike forces gaue place to the Protestants of whom wée made so small account And whereas there died a good number of them as could not be otherwise chosen so if wée peruse the rowles of our army we shal find the the rule of substraction may séem sufficient to finde out our accounts The swoord the bad weather pouertie pestilence or other diseases haue taken away so many that wee haue but fewe left to habandon to the like mishappes and the woorst is wee neuer séeke to spare but rather doo séeme to practise this detestable saying Let our friends perish so as our enemies may perish also Moreouer wherein are their affaires empaired Wee haue kept the field but how For the most part in such seasons as the retraite into the Townes had béene more fit and safe against the iniuries of wind and snow in such a season I say as albeit they had béene as well able to haue kept the field as we yet had it béen wisedome to to habandon it vnto vs so to suffer vs to consume our selues with a million of inconueniences which fought against vs although they meddle not at all Likewise when the time fauoured our voyages besides that the same was but ouer short we haue found such resistāce in them they haue giuen vs so small hold that our selues haue beaten our selues with our owne paines and haue reaped but the dishonour of doing nothing and blame for working too much mischiefe and to be briefe all our fires are in the ende conuerted into smoake which hath choked vs. The raising vp of our bucklers were haughtie but when we came to the matter to take hold wee brought foorth nothing but confusion disorder wherein the king of Nauarres part hath béene rather vpheld then shaken so as we séeme to bee but the winds which breake vpon their constancy or magnanimitie Twentie yeares ago more might I haue learned how hard a matter it was vtterly to ouerthrow him but I neuer thought it vnpossible vntill these our last trials wherein he hath taught vs that hée either is a greater one then wée or else that he hath more supporters then wée haue force or both I will not be ashamed to confesse that at the beginning of these troubles our

the world whē the head of the Church shall holde his last Councell Not that I would at euerie word so trouble the Bishops or for the least ache that may happen to our fingers end but when the mischief is vniuersall we must séeke the like remedie The Gréeke and Latine Church met fouretéene or fiftéene times to conclude vpon an agréement and albeit there rested some difficultie as yet there is they neuerthelesse neuer denounced warre each to other There are nous but these reformed who haue swallowed vp all iniurie in being debarred this soueraigne salue of reunion by a Councell I saie by one onely Councell so farre are wee from graunting them many vpon necessitie What can you terme this refusall but stomake and iniury I would neuer haue thought they had had so much reason on their side Wee haue wished to arme the king of Nauarre yea euen by force to compell him rather then to straine our selues to cōdiscend to so iust a demand Touch me hath he said to you if I be ignorant and ye haue beaten him hee hath harkened to you and ye haue stopped your mouthes hée hath asked you the way to heauen and yee haue stopped your eares Your voice hath béen like to the voice of the Edomites at the taking of Hierusalem and all men haue heard you cry on sacke blood and fire Out of your schooles as out of the Troyan horse haue sodenly stepped forth these armies wherewith ye haue threatened this prince yea they haue béen almost vpon his armie before he hath béen readie to beate them of This is a matter in fresh remembrance and euery man can beare me witnesse of the truth the more I consider it the better ground doe I And for their taking of armes yea there was neuer thing more iust then their procéedings He defendeth himselfe but being assailed He pursueth vs but after he had reculed hée taketh reuenge but being iniured He calleth the stranger but when his haue driuen him away Who then can mislike his resolution after so long patience Wee shoote at him who can then blame him for looking to himselfe Wee vndermine his honours and dignities why then shall not hee rampier them vp againe Oh how deare will these brawles bee to France all the forces of the world doe séeme on euerie side to fall vpon vs for our confusion and dissipation And albeit I can comprehend the domesticall yet doe I more feare the forrein namely the Spanish who by little and little groweth licorous of the delicaties of our country Long haue they enuied vs neither wil they obserue the league vntill their enuy be contented For these enemies of the peace of France where they can by nothing but by vniustice violence will make a good peniworth of so much as shall be at their discretions to cast it into the throates of these Marans in hope still to retaine the superioritie But that nation is subtill enough to vse this meane to their owne aduantage and as within these fewe yéeres while they haue had a faire wind they haue not accustomed themselues to serue so wil it be hard for the French men to escape their dominion vnlesse they looke the sooner to it And this is it that king Philip barketh at this it is that he wanteth to accomplish his most large conquests this is the floure that hee wanteth in his nosegaie hee hath long since cast an eie at it and now is the time that hée will stretch foorth his hand to take it And indéed France is now but an Antes nest of Espaniolized persons that is to say of Traitors and periures to France their cofers doe swel with Spanish Duccats and these wretches are not ashamed for readie mony to sell the libertie which our Fathers so painfully purchased yea vnles God breake off the purposes of these corrupt persons we shal in the end find our selues the Turkes Ienissaries and this Pirats slaues If it were as easie to shake off the yoake as to take it I could wish these goodly perturbers a while to try the tiranny of these Busires and so I hope we should soone sée them runne back to their franchize but it lieth is vpon to kéep them from that yea from making euen the least motion that may be for these Foxes wil easily set fast wheresoeuer they can but reach their nailes all the bodie where they set their féete And sith part of vs do alreadie stoope vnder the burthen I hope that God will so strengthen the king of Nauar and all the princes of the blood the these staruelings shall loose but their longing Also if the princes do but continue their braue exploits I wold wish these pernitious Counsailors of that state to put vp their pipes sounde their retrait betimes lest the night of our common mishaps ouertake them And as for you my maisters I doe once againe beséech you to take pitie of this miserable realme Consider of what importance it is to kéepe a stranger armed about you giue eare to the wofull cries of so many widowes Orphanes and friendles laide desolate by the warres Measure not others mishappes by your ease neither vnder the pretence that the blowes touch you not thinke that those of your neighbors should not moue you to compassion If euer you loued this realme in her greatest eminency alas cherish those small beames that yet remaine Reare vp the old walles of this building with all your power suffer not these Erostrates to waxe noble in our ashes And behold the king of Nauarre watcheth vpon the conseruation therof beware ye sléepe not in your miseries when carefully you should looke for the meanes to make vs all to take rest in the swéetnes of peace Otherwise my masters looke for nothing but Gods iudgemēts against your hardned harts and for the fire of your seditions which you haue kindled the flame of condemnation which neuer will be quenched also the like punishment as Chore Dathan and Abiram for going about to diuide the Lords Tabernacle For my part I will get mée to my owne home as into a safe port from whence I may behold your shipwracke and if in short space I can not sée you disposed to your safetie and that by your industry these warres do continue I protest to yéeld my selfe to these princes to encurre like fortune as they vntill they haue reaped the fruits of those labors which you laie vpon them which shal be a peace crowned with contentation by the helpe of God whom I beséech my maisters to enspire you with his grace and generallie to take pitie of his Church The King of Nauars song after his victorie SInce that my hands in victorie thy puissance Lord did know My toong shall not in silence rest till glory thine it show That forces theirs did not abate our courage ought at all Did shew that thou didst vs protect whereby their strength was small Their numbers great like dust in skie which winde driues here and there Thine Angell did disperse abroad so that we nought did feare And those who did their honour build vpon my fall whose pride All men adored I soone beheld distressed far and wide Which wonder strange to conquere those before I seemed to fight Doth shew that all our conquests comes through thy great power and might For as the rage of furious waues against the Rocke do breake So did their forces through thy helpe gainst ours sustaine the wreake Their courage great puft vp with hope exceedingly did swell Their pride did mount vnto the heauens from whence their ruine fell The eye which blood and murther sought and throat which open laie To blasphemy full gorged is with venome for their paie My heart O Lord full ioyfull is to see thy foes downe cast Who laide the giunes wherein them selues were game and praie at last They me pursued without a cause but they ouertaken were The knots of their deuises cut and iust rewards did beare So to represse the like outrage the Lords strong arme we neede Who faileth none which do him trust but paies the bad their meede The lēgth of time which brought our weale through our desert made short And God our cries did not neglect though we did his in sport Wherefore O Lord cry still and pearce mine eares vntill thy voice I heare and learne thee to obey in whom I may reioice Giue strength that in like dangers we amazed may not go And as thou hast begun so ende each worke the end doth show FINIS