to haue so great interest in all treaties thē made not to be called neither so much as to be once spokē withal was sufficiēt to make him beleeue that the tretie with those of the league was indeed a cōtract against him the cōcluding of a peace with thē was a plain denoūcing of war against him Neither wanted he aduise or perswasions from his partakers who seing thēselues in euident danger reproued his ouerlong patience wherefore they saw well that they must suffer Al which notwithstanding he neuer stirred but reposed his confidence in God the protector of his right and innocencie vpon the king Queene mothers word who had so often expresly promised him that they would neither doo nor suffer to be done any thing to his harme or the preiudice of the edicts of peace And indeed who would haue imagined that for strangers sakes they would haue sacrificed their own domesticals or stanched the insatiable thirst of those of Loxraine with the shedding of the french bloud and losse of their owne Well peace was concluded with those of the league their edict of peace was a decree of banishment against the king of Nauarre the late lorde Prince and their partakers To be briefe al the war was at once without knowing any cause why turned against this poore Prince and the french armies put into the hands of the house of Lorraine for the executing of this violent edict with all outrage A matter neuer before heard of in any iustice but likewise who will seeke iustice among so many iniustices that the parties considering their stomackes should be made both commissioners and executioners in their owne plea But will you plainely see that the causes which in their writinges they alleage for their iustification were but vaine pretences They had promised reliefe to the people reestablishment of dignitie to the Nobilitie and the auncient authoritie and libertie to the Clergie and to the same end of some they had gotten the persons from others the coyne howbeit when they came to treat there is no speech of any such matter they had sworne to the lord Cardinall of Burbon that they would cause him to be nominated successour to the crowne yea they would rather be buried then depart therefro that likewise they had forgotten Their onely drift was to be still armed vnder whatsoeuer pretence and to place all their family in good gouernments or in the strongest holdes and hauing once wonne that point they presumed themselues to the arbitrators of France And in deede for the compassing thereof they renounce the rest they renounce them to the people to the Nobilitie and Clergie to the eminencie of the state and to the zeale of the Church But al this is found to be swallowed and drowned in their particular ambition and since that time wee haue seene no more of it there hath beene I say no mention or memorie thereof Thus do we see on the one part these of the league thorough their violence armed with the kings name and armor and on the other side the king of Nauarre furnished with the kinges will but vnarmed against the league All that hee can get is certaine secret excuses That they are verie sorrie for it but they could not otherwise rid their handes that they must needes yeeld to this rage c. In the meane time on euerie side they came vpon him the edict of pacification is infringed in fauour of the league throughout the realme are nothing but proscriptions and banishments such as assisted the king against the league being both sent for and commaunded by his Maiestie of good seruants euen in one day are become offenders yet can he not at once abandon all patience hee will commune with the D. of Montmerencie a peere of France and chiefe officer of the crowne one that is not suspected of religion They meete at S. Paule of Cadeiouz in Alby they remaine there certaine dayes to conferre his Maiesties deputies are heard giue out the speeches aforesaide whereupon they resolue manfully to withstande the mischiefe which otherwise is remedilesse the king of Nauarre the late lorde Prince and the Duke of Montmorencie neuertheles by an expresse protestation of the tenth of August declaring that to their great greife through this precipitation they are forced to haue recourse to weapons that as all the world knoweth they haue tollerated vntill all extremitie but that seeing the enemie readie to fall vpon them they could doo no lesse but take counsaile both of necessitie and nature That they had offered and againe did offer in matter of religion to yeeld to a free counsell and in matters of state to a lawfull conuocation of the states yea to submit themselues to the hazard of a combate albeit with their inferiors rather then to see the desolation of this state and calamitie of so much people but if either violence or bad counsaile had stopped vp their eares to their iust reasons that they declared before God and all the good subiects of this lande that they had not taken armes but for the kinges authoritie and libertie manifestly oppressed yea and that with his owne consent voluntarily testified by so many his declarations letters decrees and ordinances that they neither haue nor will haue for enimies any other then those whō of his owne meere motion he had denounced enemies to his life and the peace of his realme that in respect of religion they would make no distinction of the kings subiectes but would cherish and embrace them all with like affection and countenance only requiring them to the end to be the better distinguished to separate themselues both from the counsailes and dealings of the league protesting all the miseries and calamities that this estate is to suffer to be vnto them both sensible and sorrowful who are the bloud and members thereof but not so to those that are but grafted in that verie slightly moreouer from the bottome of their soules calling for Gods wrath and curse against the authors of so many mischiefes and vpon their practises and enterprises a vow which God hath in troth heard if we list to see it throughout the whole progresse of this warre of the league Well the war was earnestly begun see we are now come to the third yeare now let vs call to mind the goodly speeches they then vsed to bring vs in tast with it The king Nauarre saide they within a fewe monthes would be shut vp in some one of his houldes without all hope of succour and forced to forsake the realme not to find any assured place where to soiourn The Protestants hands within the first yere should in part yeelde for feare at the first brunt of their weapons in part be won by force if they obstinatly durst resist For the seconde yeare they should not haue past three or foure left those by their saying rather to practise then to trouble thē As for their succour it
was but in vaine to speak of any for they had taken so good order in Germany that there could be no leauie made for the king of Nauarre and if there should yet did they promise to fight with it yea euen to go to seeke it to the verie borders of the Rhine The foolisher sort such as with their passions were drunken beleeued these things and felt euen to the bottomes of their purses to see these miracles so stoutly affirmed by these triaclers If wise men experienced captains purposed to declare all these things to be vaine If they alleaged that our kings had employed 25. yeres in vaine that there was neuer a sinew in this realme but had bin strained or neuer a veine but had bin launced drawen dry then they said that these enterprisers were of a far other sort that they knew other secrets thē they found So greatly doth the worlde delight to be deceiued at her own cost yea so far doth this age enimie of her felicity delight to abandon her selfe to the first potticary Now let vs see what this mountaine will bring forth The kinges armies are deliuered to the authors of the league the king abandoneth all his force and authoritie into their hands they also without sparing do put thereto as much as their credite wil reach They haue Lancknights Switzers and Reisters the Clergie do endeuour themselues to pay these armies euē with the sale of their temporalties though not without repentance the king and his people do spende foure yeares profit in one the king of Spaine employeth one part of his Indies to be briefe in this realm we haue now that which was neuer seene before viz. eight armies at once in the field and euerie of them able to besiege euerie of them painfully employed each in his quarter In the meane time the king of Nauarre hath all this while neither succour nor assistance from any place all his enimies haue condemned him to the death and al that loued him do dispaire of him What may a iust cause do in the assurance of a courage against all endeuors this Prince was neuer seene stoupe lesse that doth euery one know or set himself more stiftely against aduersity but indeed what is not the almighty able to warrant those that walke vprightly He breathed vpon all these armies and they scattered of thēselues before they had doone any thing sauing there was some sconce or village takē which cost vs millions neither doth it appeare that euer they were vnlesse by the destructiō of the countrey or desolatiō of the people For in the weakening of the king of Nauarre or of his partakers nothing can be knowen Now let vs I pray you grow to account leaue robbing of our owne purse In the gouernment of Guyen they haue both employed and displayed all their miracles and powers who then would not rather haue Taillebourg Royan Talmont and Fontenay then Monsegur S. Bazeile Castillon And Castillon I say the labor triumphes of the L. of Mayne the sepulchre of so many mē the bottomles gulph of so much coin recouered againe by the L. of Turenne in one houre with ten shillings worth of ladders In Languedocke who wold change S. Pons Lodeue Capestan for Marueiolz or in Dauphine wherwith shall wee counterpeize Montlimar Ambrun and Dic And all this gotten in one night with ten pound of powder whereas a small castle must cost vs both monethes store houses and armies neither can we say that in recompence hereof they haue lost more men For it is well enough knowen that the assailant alwaies looseth a hundred for tenne The ouerthrow of the L. of Vius the recouery of Montlimar the battaile at Coutraz would say somewhat hereof where we lost so much nobility without any reciprocall losse on their side where also so much good French bloud was prodigally spilled which might haue beene better employed else where whereof also wee imagine our selues well comforted poore wretches that we are when in the pallace they rore out vnto vs the ouerthrowe of the Switzers And all this afore mentioned did he without any forreine succour albeit both England and Germanie did in the beginning make sufficient shew there of their gooodwils to this prince and his affaires Whome God thus guided through his wonderfull prouidence to the end euery man might well perceiue that the king of Nauarre and his alone without any support might be able to maintaine themselues against the league that the people likewise might note their fraude and boasting when they made this enterprise so easie and so became wiser and lesse passionate hereafter but especially that such as feare God and do assure themselues to march vnder the conduct of his prouidence might the more euidently perceiue his blessing ouer the iustice and innocencie of this prince more euidently I say in his weakenesse then in his force and contrariwise his wrath and curse ouer the violence iniuries of those of the league in the greatnes of their power and vanitie of their effects But marke now I pray you Now that they be recreant able to do no more the king of Nauarre whom they should haue chosen to the end of the world doth in our view keepe the field forceth out townes with the Canon gathereth new strength and before our noses in the middest of France dare giue vs battaile and neuer vouchsafe to attende the succour that he is farre of Beholde also on the other side the strangers came in with a mightie and terrible armie which these our masters should haue through their diligence choaked in Germanie or at the least haue defeated vppon the border of Rhine and yet euen in their presence it passeth the heart of Lorraine goeth through all their gouernments without anie one alaram and is felt euen in our bowels and when these good marriners haue cast vs into the storme or brought vs vpon the rocke not knowing to what saint to vow thēselues they leaue vs to the oare and without any speech steale them selues into the skiffe accounting themselues sufficiently discharged with a saue who saue can Truelie it is nowe therefore time for vs to thinke vpon our affaires for we haue let our selues runne too farre after their wrongfull passions Too late doo wee perceiue their malice and our rashnesse for long since haue they purposed to take to themselues spoile of our owne wrecke It is high time for vs all with like endeuours to set hande vnto that holy anker which is able to warrant our vessell from shipwracke and which onely in this perill may stand vs in steede of a hauen To what purpose will yee say is all this large discourse Truelie to the end wee may rather late then neuer perceiue that we prosecute a wrongfull and vnprofitable warre and therefore that by some end we shorten the course of our follies Wrongfull I say and therefore we are assured of Gods cursse
vpon our soules vnprofitable also for who can prosper against Gods will And what haue wee in the course of these three parts seene but a meere going backeward and funerals in liew of triumphes But you will replie In whome is the fault that we haue not peace also howe often haue wee caused it to bee motioned went not the queene into Poitou to the king of Nauarre But this prince men say is shie and will not easily bee handled truely with all such as haue not haunted him he is to bee pardoned though they thinke him not tractable for considering howe hee hath euer since his youth beene intreated they may haue good cause so to beleeue sith the most patient man in the world might haue growen out of patience the most phlegmatike into choler the easiest and most tractable to bee distrustfull backwarde and implacable But let vs iudge of his humors by his behauiours he came to the warre vpon great extremitie and that as late as hee could it is then to bee beleeued that he will not be slacke to come to peace he saw himselfe and his partaker persecuted with all rigor confiscate banished disgraded condemned executed murdered and all vnder colour of the religion which he professed all which notwithstanding hee neuer altered his manner of proceedings hee neuer molested anie for religion hee kept their promised liberties and safetie hee preserued vnder his protection such Catholikes as were not of the League yea he pardoned euen those of the league and being taken after the heate of armes hee gratified them and if he vsed a contrerigour wee could not tell what to say for wee all doo sufficientlie knowe that the first is guiltie of the second Wee must therefore confesse that hee hath a verie temperate minde besides his nature hee I say whome so manie wronges griefes and iniuries could neuer make passionate or to alter It hath also beene sufficientlie noted that so long as there was anie hope to see him ouerthrowne or that his enimies had anie aduantage of him they were still assisted with all helpe without anie spare they neuer propounded vnto him anie meete condition albeit the next daie after a victorie of his hee sendeth to the King hee bewaileth with him the shedding of so much blood as is spilt hee offereth with all his heart to doo him seruice in the stanching thereof hee returneth most of the prisoners of account either infinitelie commending his curtesie or if they conceale it of all men condemned of ingratitude Truelie he who being rashlie delt with in so manie sackings and yet was neuer seene out of course no not being caused with full bridle cannot but haue a sure heade and mouth neither is there any let but in our good helpe that he may do verie well To be briefe in his aduersitie wee haue seene him victorious in his prosperitie a conqueror of himselfe in the sorest smart of his iniuries cleane from all reuenge in the swiftest slidings of his good happe void of insolencie alwaies readie to admit the reasons of such as haue offended him particularlie and to giue ouer his most boyling passions to common benefite Let vs then beleeue that hee flieth not from peace but desireth it and that he is not so shie and malitious as men make him But indeed the Rose pricketh when we doo not take hold of it where we should and if we consider well we shall see that all that hath yet ben done and as it seemeth of set purpose hath tended onelie to driue him into dispaire To prooue this to bee so let vs see howe they haue dealt with those of the League and howe with the king of Nauarre hee a household childe they strangers not so much as of the familie though they bee of the realme The Guizians are not so soone though without cause vp in armes but the Queene all thinges set aside goeth to them yea shee seeketh after them euen to the lands ende them who had they beene couragiouslie assailed were not able anie whit to abide it Contrariwise the King of Nauarre beeing for the safetie of his owne person constrained to take armes is left alone fifteene whole monethes to drie vp the blowes hee is on all sides shotte at to make an ende of him so long as they thinke to see him either besieged or beaten they speake neuer a worde but waite the ende But when his enimies are no longer able to assaile him when they haue discharged euen their last peece in vaine when hauing long time fenced and borne off the blowes they see him sounde and safe readie to repay them then beginne they to vouchsafe to speake vnto him and that as it seemeth rather to hale the enimies out of the prease then any way to content him The Queene comming neere to the Guizians for feare of scarring them causeth all her power to depart ceaseth all hostilitie letteth scape all occasions to harme them giueth them leasure to gather together both their spirits and helpes yea both Reistres and Suitzers Contrariwise and that was the good counsaile of the good Frenchmen that assisted her at the verie time of her comming to parley with the King of Nauarre did the armie of the Lorde of Ioyeuse most force it selfe in Languedocke where it put all that it coulde force to fire and sworde as also did the armie of the Lord of Espernon in Prouence yea hardlie will she permitte after manie formalities and iournies to and fro that the Marshall Biron should staie beyond Loire The Queene to content those of the league promiseth that the Germaines that come to the Kings succour shoulde not enter and suspendeth their leauie albeit the issue of the negotiation were doubtfull Contrariwise shee requireth the king of Nauarre for a preamble first of al vnder the vncertaine hope of an vncertaine peace to suspende and stay his forreine armie But wil you see after so many ceremonies what conditions are propounded vnto him That is That all exercise of his religion cease in al the townes within his authoritie and part That himself and all his resolue with themselues vtterlie to renounce the same and neuer more to speake of it otherwise let him neuer looke for anie peace at the kings hands whereas for satisfying those of the league al exercise was taken from those of the cōtrarie religion that is so far as might be they had giuen them both their bodies and soules These are the speeches which the queene verie earnestlie commanded the lord of Touraine to impart to the king of Nauarre from the which shee neuer departed And then thinke you what likelihood there was after fortie yeares fire and fiue and twentie yeares warre that the Huguonets woulde suffer themselues to be brought backe to their A B C. yea imagine whether they whome so manie troubles namely these last had made cannon proofe who durst abide the cannon in poore milnes rather then to force their consciences were capable of this article and that a