in all politike affaires was not inferiour to any of that age was sent into Normandy The Admirall sent into Normandy to pacifie the Countrey where there was thought to bee the greatest number of discontented persons with a straight commaundement to consider of all good meanes for the quiet of the land and freely to signifie vnto the court the occasions of their dislike and the best way how to reforme those things which were amisse The cause of the discontentment in France which he from time to time very faithfully performed aduertising the Queene mother that the cruell handling of those of the reformed Religion and the iniurious dealing with all such as seemed to fauour them or any waies to countenance them and that vnder an vnlawfull authoritie vsurped by strangers without the approbation of the Princes of the bloud and the cheefe officers of the land and that while the King was in his minoritie to the great prejudice of the Realme and dishonour to the Crowne of France was the cause of so many mischiefes and was like still to draw on more dangerous consequents if there were not some speedie course taken to preuent them Many such aduertisements were sent from all quarters and sundrie euident signes appeared of ciuill warres Whereupon it was thought good to assemble all the Princes of the bloud the Nobilitie the officers of the Crowne and all men of place and authoritie to deuise of the meanes how to pacifie these troubles which were likely to ensue which when the Guyses vnderstood albeit they liked not to heare of the assemblie of the States The assembly of the States and therefore inwardly hated this motion of the Admirall and the Chancellor from whom it especially proceeded yet were they outwardly contented therewith hoping by this meanes to draw the King of Nauarre the Prince of Conde the conestable and others to the Court who otherwise could not so easily bee come by and then to rule them well inough assuring themselues that the greatest multitude of the Knights of the order and others of the Nobilitie which should bee there assembled were at their deuotion and therefore that nothing could passe in preiudice of them but rather that all should tende to theyr further profit and aduancement This resolution beeing taken sommonances were sent into all quarters and particular letters written to the king of Nauarre to request him to come to the Parliament which was assigned at Fountainbleau to bring his brother the Prince of Conde with him The trecherous couâ—seâ—â— of Descari Bouchart But when the Guises had with more maturitie of iudgement considered of this weightie subiect fearing that if Nauarre Conde and the Constable with all their adherents should meete togither they should bee ouermatched and not be able to make their partie good they practised with Descars the Lord Chamberlain Bouchart the Chancelor two of Nauarres principal seruants and those indeed vpon whose counsels he principally relied corrupting them with great summes and promising them mountaines if they would vse the means to disswade the K. their master from that assembly Which two put so many suspitious matters into Nauarres head and vsed such forceable reasons to diuert him from his intended voiage that notwithstanding the earnest intreaty of the Constable hee would not bee induced to be at the Parliament at the time appointed The King of Nauarre would not bee at the councel of estate which treacherous counsell of theirs gaue such a blow vnto the whole realm of France that it feeleth the smart therof vntil this day For Nauarre being withholden by this their wicked aduise the whole gouernement still remained in the hands of the Guises who fortified themselues more and more to their owne aduauncement and the extreame perill of the whole state The day prefixed being come there presented themselues most the greatest personages which had bin summoned so that the 21. of August 1559. this honorable coÌ„panie were assembled in the chamber of the Queene mother and euery one placed according to their degrees First the K. vnder his cloth of estate then the Queene mother the kings wife the kings brethren Next to these were the Cardinals of Burben of Lorraine of Guise of Chastillon The Dukes of Guise and Aumaile duke Memorancie Constable of France Monsieur d'Hospital the Chancellor the two Mareschals S. Andrew Bressac Chastillon the Admiral of France The order of the estates of France as they sit in their Parliament Marillac the Archbishop of Vienna Morbillier Bishop of Orleance Mouluc bishop of Valence Mortier and Auancon all of the Kings priuie Councell The Knights of rhe orders the masters of the requests the secretaries and the rest of the kings officers had likewise their places assigned them The order of the estates of France as they sit in their Parliament All things being disposed after this maner before any were commaunded to speake the Admirall rose vp and with a Supplication in his hand went to the king The Admirall presenteth the supplication of the protestants to the King to whom after due obeisance done hee declared that according to his Maiesties commandement at his going into Normandie hauing as diligently as hee could looked into the causes of these troubles which sprung vp dayly in the land hee in his opinion coniectured that such as found themselues most greeued intended no harme against his royall person or the state but that their greatest discontentment arose of the extreame persecutions of such as were termed Hugonots without any iudicial maner of proceeding especially seeing they offered to haue their doctrine tried by the scriptures and were willing to conforme themselues to the order of the primatiue church therfore he thought it a thing very agreeable to his maiesties liking to take their humble petition and present it vnto his highnesse to the end that he vnderstanding their grief might deuise with his councel in so honorable a presence somespeedy means to relieue his distressed subiects to set his kingdom in some better quietnes assuring him that in his opinioÌ„ there were infinit multituds in France that sighed after a reformatioÌ„ seeing ther were as he was told fiftie thousand in Normandie who would willingly haue subscribed vnto that supplication And so beseeching the King to haue some regarde hereof and fauourably to enterpret that which he had done with humble reuerence he returned to his place When as this supplication was read the contents vnderstoode whereof some were that there might bee publike places appointed for the Protestants to meet in and that their preachers might be permitted to teach the people without perill many wondred at this bold part of the Admiral considering the manifest daunger hee had cast himselfe into by taking the cause of such odious persons into his hande and present it vnto the K. who was so exasperated agaynst them The King seemed to take this action of the Admirals in verie good part
life too before the Admirall whom hee knew to be innocent should be so iniuriously handled which speech of the Princes with some other considerations was the cause that this pursute ceased for that time and a reconciliation was made betweene the Admirall and those of the Guyse at Moulins immediatly before the King was about to go in progresse to Bayon Albeit the Admirall was no further troubled at this instant yet it was a meanes to make him hated and detested of all the Catholikes and a principall cause of sundrie quarrelles betweene the Papists and the Protestants which in the ende prooued so great that they drew on a second ciuill warre for there grewe daily complaints each charging other with the breach of the Kings Edict and many accusations were broached on both sides The Catholikes complained that the strong Townes and fortresses were not yeelded to the kings obeysance that there were many preachers which were not allowed of by the Edict and that they preached in sundrie places expressely prohibited The complaints of the Catholikes and Protestants that they were disgraced with many approbrious and scandalous speeches and that there were secret practises for the leuying of Souldiers in Germany and other places which shoulde bee in a readinesse vppon the first sommance The Protestants alleaged that they were rigorously handled and could not haue iustice when they complained that the insolencie of the garrisons which were placed in sundrie protestant Townes was intollerable and could not be indured that there were daily murtherers of the reformed in euery corner of the Lande and nothing so common as robbing spoyling rauishing pilling and poulling the poore Hugonots and no punishment inflicted vppon the Authours and abbettors of such horrible and derestable villanies These and the like complaints beeing often reiterated on both sides and each faction nourishing their suspitions vppon euery small occasion their rancour grew greater greater and those smal sparks which for a while lay couered in ashes brake out at last into a furious and raging fire For the Catholikes had no sooner gotten all things in a readines exacted their cittadels into the protestant Townes placed their garrisons sworne their associations and leagues which were tearmed the confraternities of the holy Ghost and that vnder the colour of viewing the state of the Lande the king was gone to Bayon The league made at Bayon among the Catholikes there to make a confederacy betweene himselfe and the Spanish king and the Duke of Alua to roote out all the Hugonots but that a Million of iniuries and indignities were offered to the poore protestants There was an Edict made at Rousillon The Edict of Rousillon which was tearmed a declaration or an exposition of the edict of the pacification but this was so contrarie to those articles which had beene agreed vppon before that al men might see they had fully resolued to breake their promises with the Protestants Then did there follow immediatly after most barbarous cruelties and tyrannicall oppressions of all sorts which made any profession of the Gospel though it were neuer so little which when the Protestants to their vnspeakeable greefe behelde and that after so many iust complaints there was no redresse to bee hoped for by faire meanes but that their vsage was likely to bee worse and worse for that the sixe thousand Switzers were still retained in a readinesse to bee employed against them vppon the sodaine as they vehemently suspected they thought it high time to looke about them and to studie howe they might best preuent so imminent perils Whereupon they wrote letters The Protestants begin to prouide for themselues and sent their secret messengers into al quarters to aduertise their associats to vse al the speed that could be made to come and attend the Prince of Conde Rochfaucont and the Admirall Dandelot and others who were their principall cheefetaines This could not be so closely kept but the Queene mother hadde intelligence thereof who with the King lay at Meaux a place not farre distant where the saide Prince of Conde with his confederates were assembled and had purposed to hasten to the Court strongly accompanied Conde with his associats go towardes the Court. to see if they could bring their enemies to any better reason or more equall and euen conditions As soone as the Queene mother vnderstood of the dismarch of the Prince and that hee came directly towardes the King shee resolued at midnight to dislodge and to hasten to Paris The King flyeth to Paris leauing the Constable with the battailon of Switzers and some eight or nine hundred French horse to stop the course of the Protestants who seeing themselues ouermatched and that they could neither by faire meanes nor by foule be admitted to the speech of the King who was by this time gotten within Paris they retired towardes Clay expecting the rest of their forces which daily repaired vnto them out of Picardy Champaigne Poictou Guyen and sundrie other places of the Land where they stayed not long but marched towardes Saint Dennis which was a little village some two leagues distant from Paris Nowe beganne there to bee as it were a generall combustion through out France and the warres which had ceased for a time were foorthwith open on all sides The second Ciuil warres there were with the Prince of Conde the Cardinal of Chastillon the Admirall Dandelot Rochfaucont Ienlis Clermont Amboise Saux Bouchart Bouchauanes Piquigni Lysy Mony Saint Phale Esterny Mont-gommery the Vidame of Chartres La Noue Lauardin and all their retinewes These beeing assembled sent their humble letters to the King vnfolding theyr manifolde greefes and dolours beseeching his maiestie that they might bee heard and suffered to enioy their liberties and to haue the free exercise of theyr Religion according to the Edict of Pacification made before Orleance but answere beeing returned that the Edict was but prouisionable and made for the necessitie of the time and that the King to satisfie them would not fall out with all his neighbour Princes by tollerating any other besides the Romish Religion they determined to gather as great forces as they could and to besiege Paris It was not long before they had gotten some 2000. horse 4000. footmen The Prince of Conde besiegeth Paris with which power they first tooke Estamps Dourdan Orleance sundrie other places of good importance so that stopping the auenues and blocking the citie on all sides they determined either to obtaine a peace with better conditions then before or els to famish the Parisians who could not long endure without releefe from other places The Catholikes were not idle but daily enterprised vppon the Protestants fighting and skirmishing with them vppon euery aduantage and vnderstanding that theyr forces were seuered Dandelot and Mount-gommery beeing sent away with fiue hundred horse and eight hundred footmen to surprise Poysy and Ponthoise La Noue to take Orleance Rochfaucont Mouy to conduct
suffred the French to enter peaceably As these two armies conquered wheresoeuer they became and grew verie famous for their noble exploits so did the Prince de la Roch sur Yon with his forces prosper exceedingly and was verie terrible to the emperials by winning of townes castels and strong holds and by burning and defacing all things without pitie or mercie The Emperor rayseth a great power The emperour being at Brussels and hearing of the proceeding of the French raised a great power ouer which hee made Generall his Nephew the Duke of Sauoy who suspecting that the French King would besiege Namure put himselfe in the way betweene the towne and the King in a very strong and wel fortified place purposing to diuert the enemy if possibly he might which indeede was the cause that the King turned towards Henault The crueltie of the French in Henault where the French entred with such fury that they put all to fire and sword sparing neither man woman nor childe to the vnspeakeable horror of the inhabitants who fled on all sides from this violent and outragious tempest The duke of Sauoy followed them at the heeles and endamaged them so much as might be but could not effect any great matter for the French king still marched forwarde into the Countrey and tooke the most delectable and pleasant Castle called Marymont Marymont taken and spoyled by the french which was a house of pleasure and belonged to the Emperours Sister Mary Queene of Hungary The King commanded it should be rased and vtterly defaced in a reuenge of the displeasure she had done him in burning of his Castles of Foulembray Tragny Baines Reux and Bauet besides many other places were taken by the French to the vtter vndooing of many thousandes of the poore inhabitants Whilst these broyles continued thus hotly betweene the emperials and the French the marriage betweene Phillip of Spaine and Queene Mary of England The marriage of Phillip king of Spaine with Marie Queene of England was agreed vppon and immediatly after hee arriued in England very nobly accompanied with the Duke of Alua the Counts de Padille Rigomes Egmond the Admirall of Castill the marquesse de Languillare and many other great estates The King of France seeing well inough to what ende all this tended thought it best to stand vpon his guard and to haue all things in a readinesse and therefore hee reuiewed his armies mustered new Souldiers gathered mony and all other necessaries drawing his forces towards those parts that hee most suspected should be inuaded and surprising many Castles and strong holds The battaile of Reuty continued his course without any interruption vntil hee came before Reuty which for that it was a place of very great importance hee determined to winne it and the emperour resolued to keepe it The French hauing planted their siege had so bet the towne that a conuenient breach was made and they readie to giue an assault which when the emperour vnderstood hee made all possible speed to releeue thē purposing rather to hazard his fortune then to suffer the French to haue their willes wherefore hauing chosen out foure thousande of his best shot with a conuenient number of pikes to backe them and about foure thousand horsemen besides foure field peeces hee commanded them to march towards a wood which was neere adioyning which he coueted to take if possibly he might The whole cauallery was ledde by the Duke of Sauoy and the harquebuziers by Don Fernando de Gonzaga There marched also a battailon of Almaines along by the wood side vnder the conduct of Count Iohn of Nassau the mareschall of Cleue which was flanked with a great Hot or squadron of Reisters to the number of two thousand horse vnder the leading of the count Vuluenfort The vaine brag of count Vuluenfort who had promised the emperour to march vppon the bellies of the French Cauallery and to trample them vnder his feete at whose backe were some thousand two hundred light horse with other foure field peeces These harquebuziers were no sooner entred the wood but they encountred foure hundred French shot betweene whom and the emperials there beganne a very hot and furious skirmish The Duke of Guyse who had taken vppon him to keepe that quarter seeing with what courage the emperials maintained the fight supposed they were wel backed whereupon hee presently sent word to the King that he imagined the emperor was comming with all his forces and that there was great likelihood of a battaile as that day vppon which aduertisement the king forthwith arranged his troups in as warlike manner as he might sent word to the Guyse that if oportunitie serued hee should accept of the iourney and hee would be readie to assist him Then began the Duke of Guyse to encourage his souldiers and to animate them with the best words he could deuise and putting himselfe in the front of his Regiment waited his best oportunitie to assaile his enemie In the meane while the Conestable passed ouer a little riuer with certaine companyes on foote and the whole battaile of the Switzers who were wonderfully encouraged with the presence of the King that had promised to liue and die with them By this time the Emperials were so farre aduaunced that they had beaten the foure hundred shot out of the wood The french charge the Emperials and appeared ful in the face of the formost battailon of the French and beeing fauoured by theyr Reisters approched within two hundred paces of the Duke who presently commanded to charge them Whereupon the Duke of Nemours with his Regiment of light horse sette vppon the Reisters in the front and sent Forges the guydon of his companie and Tauannes to assaile them in the Flanke So there ensued a hote and furious combate but in the ende the French were repulsed with the losse of many braue mē With which happy successe the emperials were wonderfully encouraged perswading themselues that they had gotten an entire victory Count Vuluenfort ouerthrowne But the Duke of Guyse and Tauannes calling their troups and ioyning with the Duke D' Aumale and the whole cauallery of light horse charged the Emperials afresh and that with such furie that the Count Vuluenfort was wholy defeated and his Pistoliers quite ouerthrowne who while they hasted to saue themselues ranne vppon the battaile of their Almaines who by that meanes were exceedingly disordered so that the Duke of Neuers who was placed with his Regiment towards Reuty espying a passage laid open entred as it were at the breach vpon the Spanish shot and with such resolution followed his point that he defeated them in a moment driuing them to run towards the wood to saue themselues There were taken seauenteene ensignes fiue Cornets and foure field peeces The French pursued their victorie and slew to the number of some sixe or seauen hundred of these runnawaies chasing them hard to their trenches Thus did fortune
him some of the ensignes who caused them to be set vp in Saint Peters Church from whence he went in procession with all his Cardinals to the temple of the holy Ghost to giue thanks for so ioyfull successe and so did likewise the Venetians and duke of Alua thinking that all the Protestants in France had beene wasted and consumed But the Admirall with the principall of the confederates gaue them quickly to vnderstand that the matter was likely to be farre otherwise then they imagined For they gathering togither their dispersed forces fortifyed Cognac Angolesme Pos Saint Gean d'Angely and other places wherein they planted strong garrisons to amuse the armie of the Catholiques vntill the comming of the Duke of Deux Ponts who was alreadie marching with a great power to the reliefe of the confederates And hauing chosen the young Prince of Nauarre for their Generall who promised to spende his life in defence of theyr cause The prince of Nauarre chosen generall of the protâ—stants after the death of Conde and neuer to abandon them vntill an assured peace were established reuiewing their troupes which amounted well neare to fortie thousand horse besids their footmen prouided all necessaries to begin the wars afresh and if it might bee to repaire their former losses Dandelot was sent into Poictou to view the strength of their forces in those quarters and to gather as much money as possibly hee could for the payment of the Souldiers where after he had very wisely and pollitikely aduanced his busines and gotten good store of gold and siluer for the maintenance of the warres in his returne fell into a burning feauer Dandelot dâ—eth of a burning feuer whereof hee died shortly after at Xaincts to the vnspeakeable greefe of the Admirall and all those of the reformed Churches Hee was very valiant pollitike and passing skilfull in all warlike affaires prouident to foresee all dangers couragious and hardy in all his enterprises liberall The praise â—f Daâ—delot courteous and affable and therfore wonderfully well beloued of his souldiers who thought themselues able to encounter with any whatsoeuer so long as they had him for cheefetaine and commander and therfore they bewailed the losse of him as of their father The Duke of Deux Ponts who was hasting to the aide of the Protestants The Duke of Deux Ponts commeth to ayde the protestants with a great power had in his armie seauen thousand and fiue hundred Reisters and sixe thousande Lansquenetes with whom were ioyned the Prince of Orenge the two Counts Ludouicus and Henry his brethren with a small band of their followers besides Moruilliers the marquesse of Reuel Fequieres Cleruant Mouy and Esternay with certaine culuerings sixe field peeces and a good number of Musqueters with those companies he got forward as fast as hee might still gayning ground and approching the territories of France notwithstanding al the hindrances and lets which were giuen by the Duke of Aumaile who with a great power was appointed to stoppe the passages and to barre this Almain Duke out of the fertile countrey of the Flower de Lis but that could not be for still hee passed foorth and at last rested himselfe before La Charite a towne of great importance La Charity besieged and taken by a composition and scituated as it were in the heart and bowels of France The Towne was verie straightly besieged and planting his battery he beate the wals in such furious maner that those within beeing not able to holde out and dispairing of any succours in time yeelded vpon composition to haue their liues saued and so was it sacked and spoyled by the Lansquenetes La Charity sacked The taking of the towne was no small aduantage to the confederates as also the losse thereof did much hinder the fortunate course of the victorious Catholikes who now began to consult how to impeach the two armies that they should not meete and vnite themselues together but doo what they could the Duke still aduanced forwardes passed through Lymosin so farre as Cars where falling sicke hee dyed of a quartaine Feuer tothe exceeding greefe of all his friendes and followers The Princes beeing aduertised of the comming of the Duke and the taking of La Charity hasted to meete them leauing La Noue Captaine in cheefe ouer Poictou Rochell and other places vnder their obedience and ioyning with the Germaines at length neere vnto Cars were not a little gladde in their hearts albeit they were mightily crossed by the death of theyr principall and cheefest leader The death of the Duke of Deux ponts * The Protestants had in their army som tenne or twelue thousand horse and twenty thousand foot men When all the confederates were ioyned together they first sent a supplicatication to the King desiring a peace but when they could not bee heard nor those miserable warres which had so long tormented poore France could haue any ende by faire meanes they proceeded on and purposed to assay if by fine force they could compell their enemies to any honest and reasonable conditions the better to effect this they determined to get as many strong townes as they could into their handes as well in the Countrey of Lymosyn as other where But the Army of his excellencie was nowe so strongly reenforced with the troupes of the Duke of Aumaile as also with one thousand and two hundred horse and foure hundred footmen all Italians and vnder the conduct of Saint Fior nephew to the Pope called Pius Quintus that they did continually coast them maintained sundrie braue skirmishes with the confederates barring them from executing many of their enterprises and at length each Army meeting together neere vnto Rockabeuille had almost tryed their quarrell by an entire battaile for Monsieur hauing encamped vppon a goodly plaine and entrenched his armie round about in most defencible maner sauing at one corner placed there a strong Corps du gard composed of the two Regiments sometimes commaunded by the valiant Counte Brissac and nowe ledde by the two Captains La Barthe and Goas who still lamented the death of their generous collonell to defende that quarter from all sodaine inuasions of the Protestants This Gard was quickly espied and the Admirall aduertised thereof who was very desirous to remooue them further off but for that hee did not well know their strength he thought it good to deale warily and to go with al his whole forces to this exploit beeing a matter of so great importance purposing to enterprise further if occasion serued Whereupon all the troupes were forthwith arranged and put in battaile array the Admirall assisted by Beaunois La Nocle Briquemant Soubize La Noue Teligny and others led the vantgard followed by their seueral Cornets and a great Hot of Reisters conducted by Count Ludouic brother to the Prince of Orenge who were flanked with the Regiments of Beaudisne and Piles and on the left hand with Rouuray Pouille a strong battailon
them that shee for her parte did thinke very honourably of all their proceedings and did not doubt but the King her sonne would bee mindfull hereafter to recompence so many deserts The Queene mother alloweth of the proceedings of the protestants seeing it was very apparant that both his estate and her owne was maintained by their royall seruices They againe humbly thanked her maiestie for her good opinion beseeching her to continue their gracious Lady and to bee a meanes that there might bee an ende of those miseries which nowe so fearefully threatened the crowne of France promising for their parts to bee most ready to employ their whole studies yea their goods and liues and whatsoeuer other meanes they had to assist her maiestie in so good and laudable an action so that they might enioy a peace with a free exercise of their Religion according to the Kings edict They further declared vnto the Queen mother the manifold greeuances of the kings subiects with a meanes to remedie so many so lamentable disorders to al which sundry other remonstrances albeit she seemed to giue some allowances yet for that shee stood so stiffly against the free exercise of Religion and would needes vrge the Prince to depart the Realme as indeed he had promised rather then hee would bee any occasion of the continuance of ciuill wars albeit presently vppon better and more mature consideration hee repented him of the speech there could bee nothing concluded Whereupon the Prince returned to his campe The Prince of Conde returneth to his Campe prepareth for warre exceeding glad that God had deliuered him out of the snares of his enemies and resolued with all for his forces to fight it out and to hazard his fortune assoone as any oportunitie was offered With this resolution he dislodged and marched towards the Catholikes hauing in his army ten thousand fiue hundred footmen and a thousand horse Now when he approched the enemie hauing disposed his troupes in very warlike maner he twice presented the battaile but the Catholikes refused The Catholikes refuse to fight for that all their forces were not as yet assembled The Prince seeing hee could not drawe them out of their strength hauing braued them in the faces and maintained some light skirmishes with them retired towardes Orleance sending abroad into all quarters to prouide all necessaries for the warres and for the more speedy accomplishment heereof it was decreed that Soubize shoulde bee sent to Lyons Rochfaucont into Xaintoigne Duras into Guyen and Briquemault into Normandy and so into England to procure both men and money and as many friendes as might be gotten Dandelot was likewise sent into Germany to hasten such succours as were promised by the Princes Protestants Conde and the Admirall with the rest of the Captaines and Gentlemen with two and twenty ensignes of footmen remained stil in Orleance By this time were the forces which came out of Germany to the aide of the Catholikes in a readinesse to march vnder their Collonelles Forces sent out of Germany to aide the Catholikes Rokendolf Frewlich and the Ringraue who besides certaine Cornets of Reisters had likewise twentie ensignes of Lansquenits These were no sooner arriued at the campe but that the Triumuirate thought it best to employ them with al the rest of their forces against the Hugonots and that before they should haue any aide come out of Germany For the hastening whereof Dandelot hadde assayed all possible meanes and had so pollitikely handled the matter that notwithstanding all the practises of his enemies hee procured great ayde for the strengthening of the cause The Catholikes were long in suspence whether they should besiege Orleance or Rohan The Catholikes besiege Rohan and take it the principall Citie in Normandie but at last they resolued to assay their forces agaynst Rohan Where hauing first gayned the fort of Saint Katherins which commaunded the towne through the treacherie of the captaine who was corrupted with money and faire promises they foorthwith entred by force killing spoyling and murthering the inhabitants in most cruell and horrible manner and making hauocke of all thinges without pittie or mercie Augustine Marolat Marlorat hanged a famous learned man and chiefe Minister of the Towne was there hanged with Mautreuill the president of the Parliament besides sundrie other of speciall account The Catholikes lost manie of theyr brauest men and amongst others the King of Nauarre who beeing shot with a Harquebuz in the left shoulder as hee was making water in the Trenches dyed the seuenteenth of September following The King of Nauarre wounded to death neuer attaining that Marittime Kingdome the hope whereof had so bewitched him that he forgat wife children kinsfolks friends Religion yea and God himselfe and thought of nothing but of the Sardinian Crowne beeing happie in nothing but in this that hee dyed in the beginning of the Ciuill warres and neuer lyued to see the miserie of his owne Countrey whereof hee had beene a chiefe and principall cause The losse of this Citie being a place of so great importance was a maruailous discouragement vnto many who stood but faintly to their tacklings before and had no doubt wrought a more daungerous effect had not this breach beene repayred or at least well amended by the surpassing care and prouident circumspectnesse of Dandelot who so plied his friends in Germany Dandelot bringeth forces out of Germany to the ayd of the Protestants that he had gathered about 3300. horse and 4000. footmen with whom there met the Prince Portion at Strausbourge with 100. French horse The ioiful news of which power encouraged the confederates to hold out in hope of their future help and maruellously animated such as before were exceedingly daunted with the remembrance of their former losses These new supplies marched towards Lorrain and passing ouer the riuer of Seine trauersed the country by Yonne Creuen Montargis and arriued at Orleance in despite both of the duke of Neuers and the Mareschall S. Andrew who were sent to stop their passage with 14. cōpanies of men of Armes 16. cornets of Argoletters 25. ensignes of footmen 9. companies of launces and 13. of light horse besides the old troupes of Picardie vnder the leading of Pauan Monsales Giury Crenay and many other Chieftaines This noble and valiant Dandelot gayned a verie honourable report euen of his enemies for so wise and politique a conduct insomuch as hee was not onely reputed a Gentleman of surpassing courage and of an vndaunted spirit in greatest perils but also a leader of excellent skill Dandelot esteemed for an excellent captaine and deepe foresight to preuent all daungers About the same instant there met with him also Rochfaucont and Duras with some three hundred horse and a thousand fiue hundred footmen al which were no sooner assembled at Orleance but that the Prince determined to take the field and hauing prouided all thinges in a readinesse departed towarde Phiuiers and
Reisters disgaged him he had vndoubtedly fallen into their hands who loued him but a little While these bloudy broyles were continued betweene the aduantgards his exellency caused his maine battaile to dismarch the right wing whereof in which was the Duke of Aumaile and the marquesse of Baden with all his Reisters gaue in so farre afore the rest that the marquesse was there slaine The marquesse of Baden slaine and many others for companions of that mortall charge and Monsieur himselfe albeit hee marched full vppon the discouerie of the great Artillery made such haste that he left the Switzers vnder Collonell Phiffer and their generall Memie with the other battailon very farre behind which when the Protestants troupes discouered they casting themselues desperately into his esquadron breaking in euen hard to their Cornet made them that followed his excellencie to abandon the place notwithstanding al the deuoier of the Duke De Longauille Touannes Carnauallet Villars and others who indeuoured with all their might to repell the insisting confederates in a word this charge was so terrible that the most assured Ensignes beganne to turne head and had not the mareschall Cosse with his Switzers hasted apace the battaile had quickly beene at an ende Count Lodowicke seeing the Mareschall aduaunce thrust in verie lustily with his troupes of Almaines and French who sought it out most couragiously By this time had the Mareschall Biron rallyed diuerse dispersed troupes and with his owne which as yet remayned vnbroken and the Switzers went directly towardes the Lancequenets A great carnage among the Lancequenets but they beeing abandoned by their horsemen and shrewdly galled with the harquebuziers were exposed in a manner to the crueltie of the Switzers their ancient enemies who entring in as it were at the breach committed a wonderfull carnage and mortalitie among them Of foure thousand there escaped not past some two hundred or there aboutes And the same misfortune had fallen vpon three thousand Frenchmen which were arraunged with them had not Monsieur of a generous and noble nature contenting himselfe with the honour of so glorious a victorie commaunded to saue their liues And this was the end of this great battell where both the French men Almaines Italians Burgonians Switzars Flemings and Lancequenets had leysure to trie their valours at the full The Protestants lost at this encounter three thousand Lancequenets and a thousand fiue hundred Frenchmen The number that was slain on both sides There perished also of men of name Tauigny Pugreffier Dantricourt Biron brother to the Catholike and Saint Benet the ensigne of the Admirals companie La Noue and Acier were taken prisoners and their Reisters lost all their Wagons Of the Catholiques there perished some fiue or sixe hundred horsemen and twise so manie were grieuously hurt whereof the most part liued not long after The Count Reingraue the elder the Marques of Baden and Cleremont of Dauphinie were slaine The yong Reingraue the Earles of Issi and Santelle Italians with the Duke of Guise Scomberg Bassompcer and de Maille were sore wounded but afterwards recouered CHAP. XIII Saint Iean d'Angely besieged and taken by the Catholiks The king offreth a peace which is refused by the Protestants Monsieur de Bellegard is slaine THe losse of this battayle gaue a maruellous checke to the affayres of the Protestants A great alteration in the Protestants affayres who now were dryuen to forsake the Champaigne whereof they were maisters not long before and sundrie of their followers beganne to shrinke thinking that all had beene lost and manie good Townes which before fauoured their proceedings fell quite from them in deuotion and followed the good fortune of the victorious Catholiques So mutable and chaungeable are these earthly matters and are set in so fickle an estate and condition that one woulde thinke that euen God himselfe who guideth and gouerneth all with the eye of his prouidence were delighted with an alternatiue course and continuall chaunge in all things Albeit the affayres of the Protestants stoode but in a desperate estate yet lyke men of great courage wisedome and policie they woulde not shrinke from the cause but sought as it were to begin the game afresh and by all meanes to maintaine their honor and credits with al their associates And if it might be to repaire their losses or at the least to keepe that which remained in their possessions Wherupon they fortified sundry townes as Niort Angolesme Saint Iean d'Angely Rochell and others with assurance that the worst of these were sufficient to stay the Catholikes if they should happen to attempt them vntill they had gathered some new forces They also wrote letters into all quarters to assemble new troupes and left nothing vnattempted which might any way tend to the aduauncement of their affayres His excellencie following his good fortune tooke forthwith sundry good townes as Parthenay Niort Lusignen Fontenay and some others all places yeelding vnto him of theyr owne accorde so that hee neuer stayed his course vntill hee came before Saint Iean d'Angely S. Iean d'Angely besieged by the Catholiques whereof the Lorde Pilles was Gouernour And hauing summoned the Towne and they within returning an aunswere that lyked him not hee foorthwith planted his siege and placed his Cannon and with maruaylous furie plyed the batterie And for the greater terrour of the besieged the King the Queene mother the Cardinall of Lorraine The K. and Q. mother comme to the campe accompanied with a great troupe of Nobles and Gentlemen their attendants came to the Campe who were saluted with a thundering peale of Ordinaunce intermingled with sundrie vollies of small shotte besides many fireworkes and warrelike deuises as well to welcome their Maiesties as to daunt and dismay the besieged Protestants But they as men resolute to maintaine theyr lyues and libertyes encouraged each other valyauntlie to abyde the furie of the Catholiques and laboured day and night to repayre the breaches Yea they resolutely stoode to theyr tackeling and so Souldiourlyke bare themselues that after manie hote skirmishes and desperate assaultes beeing men of noble valour and commaunded by a generous and couragious Chieftaine S. Iean d'Angely yeelded vpon cōdition the King was content to take the towne vpon composition and to offer them honourable conditions promising them leaue to depart with bagge and baggage with their ensignes displayed and to bee safelie conducted whither soeuer they woulde But before the King coulde bring them to this passe 1570 hee had spent a long time lost the valiaunt Martigues Def fans one of the maisters of the Campe with manie other most singular and braue leaders and well neare tenne thousand common souldiours So that this siege gaue the Catholiques as shrewde a checke as that of Poictiers did the Protestants The King inclines to a peace The King beeing greatlie wearyed with these broyles beganne of his owne accorde to incline to a peace supposing in deede that those of the
Religion would accept of any conditions But they beeing too often before beguyled with fayre wordes woulde not hearken thereto least the world should thinke that they were no longer able to maintaine their cause a speciall plotte sayd they to discountenaunce the rest of theyr proceedings The Protestants refuse a peace VVhereupon both the Catholiques and Protestants still continued to vexe each other in all hostill manner The Count de Lude and Puygalliard recouered Marans Browages and many other Islandes from the Confederates which were againe regayned by La Noue and stronglie fortifyed for the further aduauncement of the affayres of the Protestants Who preuayled also verie mightily by Sea taking manie great pryses which were no meanes to further theyr designements Whilest things fell out in this maner about Rochell the Princes the Admirall and the rest of the chiefest of the confederates had greatly encreased their forces and hasted to ioyne their troupes with Montgommerie Moubrune and other Chieftaines who had gathered a great number of harquebuziers to supply those bandes which had beene broken at the battell of Mountcounter And hauing thus reenforced their army they marched towards Lorrain there to attend the comming of theyr Almaynes And as they passed through Languedocke and came neare vnto Mountpellier La Loue one of the Mareschals of the campe was slaine as he was fast asleepe in the dead of the night through the great neglâ—gence of the Sentinels La Loue slain through the negligenâ—e of the Sentinels who beeing suddenly surprised by the garrison within the Towne were the cause of the death of this braue Chieftaine who for his valour courage and noble conduct was highly commended of all the Protestants Many townes were gayned by the Princes in these quarters as Lunell Nismes Margarite Saint Ambrose Saint Iean Saint Priuâ—te Bezouze Castillon Alâ—ts with sundâ—y other of good importance by which happy exploits the confederates did begin afresh to countenance themselues and to recouer much of their former honour and renowme When as the K. was aduertised of all their designes and how that they dayly encreased their forces surprised many castels strong holds and were now almost ioyned with their Reisters with whose ayd they resolued to returne againe into the heart of France and peraduenture once more to besiege the capitoll of all the Kingdome he dispatched forthwith the Mareschall Cossy with an armie wherein were 4000. Switzers 6000. French harquebuziers some 3. or 4000. horse and twelue great peeces of Ordinance with which forces he marched towards the princes Mareschal Cossy sent against the Princes who were incamped at a place called Saint Iean in Burgundy with some 2500. harquebuziers 2000. horse and eighteene cornets of Reisters These two armies came no sooner in view each of other but that their Enfans perdus began the game so that there was a hot skirmish on both sides The Prince of Berne and Conde were there in person each of them in the front of their Regiment and resolutely bent to go to the charge and there to make the first triall of their fortune The fight continued long and many were slaine but the Catholikes hauing the worse after they had lost Monsieur de Bellegard Monsieur de Bellegard slaine one of the Knights of the order besides diuerse others of good accouÌ„t were forced to suffer the Protestants to passe who hasting on their way after great trouble and a long and painefull iourney hauing in a maner rounded all Fraunce at the last they drewe neare to La Charitie Sancerre Antrin Vezelay and other Townes of the Religion where they defended themselues to theyr maruaylous comfort and contentation Nowe was the treatie of peace before mentioned reiterated and earnestly pursued by diuerse who perswaded the King The King perswaded to a peace that these intestine warres consumed none but his Subiectes that the murthers robberies burnings and such like miseryes woulde bee the confusion of the whole state and that who so euer gayned yet hee lost to the great impouerishing of the Crowne of Fraunce and the vtter destruction of that noble kingdome which had beene the paragon of all Europe These and the like reasons induced the King at length to condiscend to a peace which was accepted by the confederates and published in the yere 1570. to the great comfort of all the French and exceeding quiet of the whole lande where we may see the strange and wonderful mutabilitie of mens minds which as they are not long contented with one the self same estate so do they seldom or neuer like the better before they haue beene well scourged with the rod of their owne folly and taught by wofull experience howe to discerne betweene good and bad CHAP. XIIII Peace proclaimed in France The mariages of the King the Duke of Montpensier the Duke of Guise and the Admirall The Queene of Nauarre goeth to the Court The Admirall goeth to the Court The death of the Queene of Nauarre Peace proclaimed THe kings Edict for the establishing of a peace was no sooner published but that the forces on both sides were forthwith licenced to depart euery man to his owne house which hee had not seene for a long time before to the vnspeakable ioy of the protestaÌ„ts no small comfort to the better and honester sort of the Papists who as mariners that haue escaped some dangerous troublesom tempests and are arriued safely in their wished port held vp their haÌ„ds to heauen with giuing thanks for so vnspeakeable a blessing and earnestly entreated the almightie that they might spend the rest of their dayes in peace and quietnes The Princes with the Queene of Nauarre and sundry of the chiefe of the Protestants as the Admirall the Count Lodowick of Nassau Teligny La Noue and diuerse other withdrew themselues to Rochell for their greater securitie vntil they might see how the kings Edict would be executed Now began there a great alteration in the minds of the French all mens actions were suddenly changed as a man would haue thought after a strange wonderfull maner For where as not long before there was no talke but of hatred wrath murther bloodie broyles and most cruel and vnnaturall warres now was there nothing so much spoken of as loue amitie friendship and making of mariages The King was espoused to Isabel the second daughter to Maximilian the emperor The King marrieth whose nuptials were solemnised with great pompe and magnificence Lois of Burbon and Duke of Montpensier maried with the Duke of Guises sister Duke Montpensier marrieth and the Duke of Guise matched with the widowe of the late Prince Portion D. of Guise marieth one of the principall of the Confederates The Mareschall Cossy and Prontiere one of the Secretaryes of estate were sent vnto Rochell to treate with the Queene of Nauarre as touching a marriage betweene the Prince of Barne her sonne and the Ladie Margaret the Kinges sister a
carcases the thresholds gates and posts of the kings pallace were painted with the bloud of the slaine yea the chanels ouerflowed therwith and the water in the Riuer was turned into a red colour such and so horrible was the slaughter and butcherie which was made vpon the poore Hugonots The king the Queene mother the kings brethren with many Lords and Ladies of the Court went out in the euening to view the dead bodies and among others the Queene mother would needes see the nakednesse of Soubize The shamelesse fact of the Queene mother for that shee had beene enformed that hee was notable to get any children The king not satisfied with the slaughter of so many braue men within Paris sent letters to the Gouernours of all his principall Cities as Orleance Tours Meaux Angiers Bourges Tholoux Lyons and diuers others that they should likewise kill all the Protestants within their iurisdiction which commandement was forthwith put in execution and a most horrible slaughter followed in all places The number of protestants slaine in other places which bereaued aboue a hundred thousand of their liues within the territories of France in so much as that it was verily thought that all that were of the Religion were eyther slaine or else fled into forraine Countreyes CHAP. XVI Rochel holdeth out against the King The beginning of the fourth Ciuil warres The siege of Rochel The siege of Sancerre The Embassadors of Polonia come to the campe before Rochel Monsieur raiseth his siege WHo would not haue thought but that now the Gospel had bin vtterly extinguished in France that the Catholikes by this execrable deuise should haue attained to the full period of their desires no man of name remayning to make head against them or to crosse their fortune which nowe seemed so mightily to fauour their designes and indeede the king was verily perswaded that at this present he might haue accomplished whatsoeuer hee would and that not any durst haue shewed themselues to fauour the refourmed Religion The K. deceiued in his expectation Wherupon he wrote letters to sundry Protestant townes commanding them to receiue popish Garrisons and to liue after the Catholike manner but they vtterly refused to satisfie the king heerein and would not bee induced to condiscend vnto any such thing by all the perswasions that could bee vsed but fortified themselues as strongly as they could purposing to die rather then to yeeld and abiure their Religion The King partly by threatening and menacing the king of Nauarre and the Prince of Conde and partly by faire promises but especially by the wicked ministery of Rosier Rosier being a minister and of great credit with the Prince of Conde had recanted his Religion and by his perswasions causâ—d the Prince likewise to denie his who of late was become an apostate had caused them to abiure their Religion and to conforme themselues to the rites of the Romain church and thinking them to be fit instruments to gaine sundrie strong Townes who otherwise would not open their gates but by force of Cannon caused them to write their letters to such as hee thought meete and to vse all the seasons that might bee to draw them to his obedience by which deuise some relented and were content to follow the example of those great Princes seeing they had no hope to maintaine their cause hauing lost all their cheefetaines and principall commanders But Rochel Sancerre Montauban Nismes and some other held out standing vpon their guards and prouiding to fortifie themselues in all defensible manner that might be Many perswasions were vsed to gaine Rochel Rochel and sundrie other townes hold out against the King which of al other was the place of greatest importance and that which the king most desired as beeing the principall retreat of the Protestants Diuers messengers were sent thither who promised golden mountaines and Mareschall Biron indeuoured by all meanes to put himselfe within the Towne but they vtterly refused to accept of any other Gouernor then theyr Maior purposing to maintaine their Religion customes and liberties and that with the losse of their liues When the king was aduertised heereof and that he euidently perceiued that faire meanes would not preuaile hee resolued to besiege the Towne and by force of Armes to bring them vnder his obedience Whereuppon hee commanded Biron to gather a great armie to inuest the Rochelers with al speed who did not onely by themselues crosse the designements of the Catholikes but were the occasion that many other townes in Gascogne Languedock Quercy Poictou Auergne and Dauphony beganne to plucke vp their spirits and to oppose themselues against the kings proceedings The beginning of the fourth ciuill warres Besides the forces that the Mareschall brought by land there was a great nauie of shippes appoynted to keepe the seas and to stop vp the hauen that no victuall or other necessaries should be conueyed in by water nor any be suffered to go foorth to giue any aduertisements to their confederates All things being thus appointed in a readinesse both by sea and land Rochel besieged the Duke of Antou the Kings brother and his Lieutenant generall throughout all his dominions departed from Paris the tenth of Ianuary 1573. accompanied with the Duke of Alenson his brother the king of Nauarre the Prince of Conde the Duâ—e of Montpensier the Prince Dauphin his sonne the Duke of Longauille of Bouillon of Guyse of Aumaile and of Neuers the marquesse of Maine the mareschals of Cossy Retts and Biron the Count Rochfaucont Chauigny Mouluc La Valetta Mauleurier Pauâ—y Puygalliard Clermont Du Gas Cosseines with many other Lords knights and Gentlemen who no sooner arriued at the Campe but they were saluted with a thundring peale of great Ordenance and all the battailons of footmen stood readie arranged who likewise welcomed him with their whole vollyes of small shot to the high contentment of his excellencie Monsieur vnderstanding that there were a great number of very valiant and resolute men within the Towne who were all commanded by the noble and pollitike chiefetaine Monsieur de la Noue La Noue of whose wisedome courage and valour hee had often times before made good experiment thought it best to assay if with smooth words faire promises mingled with some threats he could induce the Rochelors The Rochelors would not trust the faire promises of Monsieur to submit themselues wholly vnder the Kings obedience assuring them if they would so do the king would deale most graciously with them and requite their loyalty with such fauor as they should haue good cause to hold themselues well contented but if on the contrarie they stubburnely refused to condiscend hereunto and like a rebellious rable wilfully reiect and vndutifully contemne so great grace offered by their soueraigne then they should looke for no fauour hereafter but for all the extremitie that might bee and that hee would not desist from persecuting them both with