illumination of your owne brayne and that you will make them beléeue for an vndoubted truth vpon your single asseueration and all the reasons which you bring for the confirmation of these your fantasies you lay downe sic volo sic iubeo I pray you my good Lord tell me whose voyces be these But what if they will not take your sic volo sic iubeo for reasons which may induce them to subscribe to your abiuration and will not suffer themselues to bee cut off neither being not conuincted of error but stand to defend themselues against an vniuersall contumelie iniurie and violence What will you doo My Lord Bishop hearing this newes what will they neither beléeue vs neither suffer themselues to be burned for our pleasures Now all my Lords religion is turned into madnesse his zeale to rage his authoritie to tyrannie and his mildnes that holy Church doth not couet after blood is turned to murther Then my Lord in his furie and in the trance of his hart he crieth Open the Kings Arseuall bring foorth his Ordinance gather together his men of armes and footmen and if néede bee the whole Realme set vpon them kill them slash them cut them spoyle them murther them and worse if you can This is not to warre quoth my Lord no no holy Church thirsteth not after bloud But here is good play which I doo offer you seeing that you must néedes to warre there is in France many legions of diuells of your haire put on your carnall armour for the spirituall armour you haue lost long agoe let your Myter serue you for an Helmet your Rochets for Corslets your Surplesses for shirts of male your Crosses for pikes your Crosier staues for Launces your red roundaches which the Cardinalls doo weare vpon their heads for Targets your Holy water tassels for Clubbes put on your Spectacles too that you may the better aime at your enemie call vppon all the he Saints and she Saints which the Popes haue deified with thousands of Ora pro nobis set you all in battell aray be fiue against one méete the heretikes if you dare in y ◠plaine open field I aduise you though you be desperate enough not to come within their reach least that with bastinadoes the pockes and the gowtes be wrong out of your rotten boanes against your wills But to returne to the purpose he exhorteth the States to vnite themselues and to sweare the foresayd edict which speaches being ended the King tooke the word thus Sir you haue heard the contents of mine edict and vnderstand the qualitie of the same the greatnes and worthines of the oth which you be about now to sweare And seeing that I perceiue your iust desires to agree with mine I will sweare and doo sweare before God in a good conscience the obseruing of this mine edict as long as God shall continue my life here and will do ordaine that it may be kept for euer as a fundamentall law of this realme and in witnesse of the correspondence and vniuersal consent of all the States of my Realme you shall now sweare the obseruation of mine edict of vnion all with one voyce you Churchmen laying your hand vpon your breast and the rest lifting vp their hands to heauen which thing was done with great reioysing and acclamation of all men crying God saue the King Now by this hee in his owne person and his subiects haue sworne an immortall warre in his Realme of which thing he commaundeth an act to bee made in writing to serue for a perpetuall remembrance of the fact The act is such as followeth This day the 18. of October 1588. the King sitting at Bloys in the assemblie of his generall states of his Realme hath sworne in his faith and word of a King to obserue this present lawe in all that shall concerne his Maiestie Also the Lords Cardinalls of Bourbon Vendosme Princes of Soyssons and Monpensier Cardinalls of Guize Leuoncourt and Gundy Dukes of Guize Nemours Neuers and Retes the Lord Kéeper and many other Lords aswell of his Counsell as Commissioners of the three estates of his Realme haue sworne to kéepe and entertaine inuiolable the sayd lawe as well in their proper names as in the names of the Prouinces which haue sent them to the said assemblie of the States This thing being done the King testified the great desire which he had to make an end of this assemblie and to prouide for all his subiects vppon their iust complaints and grieues and for that end promised not to depart out of Bloys vntill the finall end of the said estates commanding likewise them of that assemblie not to depart by any meanes whereof they gaue him most humble thankes The assemblie dismissed the King the Quéenes Princes and Princesses Cardinalls Prelates and other Lords with all the deputies of the States went to the Church S. Sauiour there to sing te Deum where they were alwayes accompanied with a generall voyce of the people crying God saue the King shewing an extreame ioy and gladnesse for their owne calamities and miseries which they had sworne Now good Christian Reader consider well three things in this history to see Gods wrath iustice and mercy the thing which they haue done the miseries which haue followed and the gracious godnes of God in vpholding the ruines and miserable fall of that kingdome For first in this session Gods wrath drawing them to work to sweare and to reioyce in their owne dreadfull destruction they haue degraded and disherited the Princes of the most noble and ancientest family of the world from that inheritance and preheminence which God Nature and Law had appoynted vnto them whose auncestors haue gouerned that kingdome with iustice and equitie aboue thirteene hundred yeares And now without cause contrary to Gods ordinance Lawe and Nature to plant another family vnknowen in France within these threescore and ten yeares the performance of this most vniust exheredation and degradation they haue sworne to execute an oath more damnable than witchcraft ioyning to that iniurie the persecution of the true church of God But O thou most highest rayse vp thy selfe bruse them like a Potters vessell What hath followed that execrable oath First the most wretched and infamous death of the chiefest authors of this coniuring and witchcraft Secondly an vniuersall rebellion against him who sware first and ministred the oath to others I am not a Prophet nor the sonne of a Prophet yet thus much I dare affirme grounded vpon the nature of Gods iustice who sayth that who shall do those abominations shall die the death That peace shall neuer be restored to France as long as there is one left aliue of that damnable and accursed company who with that abomination haue poluted the land either in their mind haue giuen approbation vnto that accursed execration and vntill the Lord hath washed away the polution of their execrable deede with their owne blood Last of all here we haue
them of the Religion as Sorges and others hee was more moderate and voyde of crueltie and sauagenes yet at length seeing that as he had taken one place he left andther and that warre was an endlesse thing there and that with long toyle of warre and lack of money his army was scattered as at length it went inuisible leauing his brother the Lord Valete there with such forces as he had left to doe what he were able so he went to the King againe and not without cause considering he was one of his most faithfullest about his person The young Ioyeuse in Auuergne walked at liberty tooke his pleasures spent the Kings money francklie and when that was done for lacke of more returnd from whence he came as wise as when he went out Thus we see that within the compasse of a yeare 6. armies haue beene sent with great preparation of all necessarie things into seuerall prouinces to warre against heauen and earth and to oppose themselues against all that is good and godly and how they are all fallen to pieces as though they had been smitten downe by the hand of the God of armies as the Lapithes and Centaures are reported by the Poets During these lamentable tempests the which did so tosse France with these sixe armyes in diuers prouinces The Princes and certaine cities in Germanie moued with compassioÌ„ pittying the miserable subuersion and ransaking of France their next neighbours sent an Ambassage to the King to perswade him if it were possible to extinguish that coÌ„bustion raised by the league by peace to restore the state of his Realme to some good stay The Ambassadours were sent by the Princes Electors of Saxony Palatine and Brandenbourg and by other Princes of the sacred empire as the Noble Princes Ioachim Frederick Marquesse of Brandenbourg and administrator of Magdebourg Iuly of Brundswik and Lunebourg William Lewis and George Landgraues of Hessen brethren Ioachim earnest Prince of Chatten with the foure principal imperial cities Strasbourg Vlmes Mersebourg and Frâ—nckefort with the ambassadours of Vtten and Issenbourg they al came except they of Vtten Issenbourg which vpon certaine vrgent affayres went back deliuering their coÌ„missions to their fellowes to Saint Germain in Laye had audience the tenth of October First they offer the commendations and seruices of their Princes and commonwealths vnto him Secondly they recite how they had beene aduertized euen by the letters of Mandolet gouernour of Lyons for the King that his Maiesties intention had been to preserue the edict of pacification stablished vpon the faith of the Maiestie of a Prince Thirdly that they vnderstand that hee had beene enforced contrary to his godly intention to reuoke the said edict of peace and by way of armes to persecute his most faithfull subiects euen the chiefest of the Princes of his blood which thing they would hardly haue beleeued if it had not beeâ—ne made knowne by his owne letters sent vnto some of the said Princes by the Lord Schemberg hearing daâ—e the 22. of October 1585. Fourthly protesting of the good affection of their Princes and common wealths toward his Maiestie they doo in their names in most humble wise beseech him that considering into what pitifull state France had beene reduced by the former warres and the good benefites which haue ensued the last peace he wil not be induced by the perswasioÌ„s of the Pope to bring in againe blood shed hatred of the Crowne of France losse of so many Princes Lords and Nobilitie and of so many his faythfull subiects which haue done to hâ—m and his predecessors so many notable seruices which thing vndoubtedly will ensue if not worse if he do not defend the edict of peace considering that by his owne declaration he confes seth that the reformed Religion will not be rooted out by the sworde Fiftly wheras he had shewed by his declaration that the edict of peace was made by ripe deliberation and counsell and published with all soleÌ„nities requisite thereunto and that the sayd edict was sworn by his brother of happy memory Duke of Alançon by the Princes and Lordes in lifting vp their handes to heauen and that hee himselfe would haue that peace to be called his peace which he made as he said voluntarily without any compulsion for that would haue it kept inuiolable there was no reason why the benefites of that peace should bee cut off by raysing warre at the Popes pleasure Last of all they doo shewe that there will ensue of the reuoking of this edict of peace a most certaine and assured subuersion of the state and Crowne of France And by the way of conclusion they beseech his Maiestie that considering the reasons by them shewed taking some pitie of his poore Realme it may please him to reiect the perswasions of the Pope and Leaguers and to preserue the edict of peace offering vnto him in the names of their Princes and Commonwealths that if there bee any meanes in them that may further a good peace and restablish his estate his Maiestie shall vnderstand how they are affectionate to procure all things which pertaine to his honour and greatnes and if it pleaseth him they will employ all their faithfull seruice in the assuring of his dignitie and royall Crowne and to the benefite of all Christendome but specially to suppresse this warre whereunto in their iudgement he had béen enforced Hauing made an ende of their ambassage they deliuered him their instructions both in Dutch and 〈◊〉 The King giueth answere the 11. of October but such an answere as he seemed rather to be offended with them for their duetie and good will of their Princes Commonwealths than to be mooued to any moderate counsell It is sayd before that in Aprill of this yere 1586. the King made great preparation of warre in prouiding fiue armies all at once at which time also they made a motion for peace vnto the King of Nauarre By this it was an easie thing to iudge that they who disposed themselues to warre so furiously could not bee brought to condescend to any moderate counsell or reasonable peace But whilest al these armies were readie and marching to doo some great exployts and to inuade the Prouinces whereunto they of the reformed religion had retyred and were strong the Q Mother also marched toward Guienne in hope to obtayne a greater victorie in assaulting the King of Nauarre with a parley than al those armies with force For she tooke with her out of the stoare of Italian trickes temptation disuniting and weakening For first she will trie the tricke of Sathan in the 4. of Mathew when he tempting Christ proffered him all the kingdomes of the earth So shée thought to win this godly and noble Prince in shewing him that if he would forsake the Sonne of God he should be declared the right heire of the Crowne in case the King should decease without issue otherwise it would be impossible to him to attayne vnto
the towne perceaued that the enemie was remoouing the Ordinance from the place where it was first pitched and yet they could not know vpon which side of the Towne they intended to place it vntill the morrowe being the third day of Ianuary when it was seene at the Chappell Saint Leonard couered with gabions and planted within two hundred paces of the wall They perceiued also another batterie in preparing on the side of the Poole in a field toward Guinefole so that the batteries did crosse one another The Winter this yeare was so extreame during this siege that the yce did carrie euery where which thing caused great discommoditie to them which were besieged the earth being so hard that when they began to trench themselues within which was at the arriuing of the Canon they could not in an houre open a foote of earth although that they had made pickaxes and tooles for that purpose But this also did greatly encrease their labour for at the arriuing of the Canon they had saluted the Towne on the side of Maschecow and being lodged within the ruines of certayne houses there had planted gabions which caused them of the towne to beléeue that they should bee battered on that side where they also had begun their trenches with much and vnprofitable labour For as it is sayd the ordinance was remooued to another place now hauing lost all their former labour they are set to worke night and day at the trenches and when they went out of the watch without rest or sleepe they must worke at the trenches wine also fayled them so that in time and toyle so extreame many fell sicke but specially of the bloudy fluxe The same to wit the third day a certaine Corporall was sent by them of the Towne to see whether there was any meanes to enterprise vppon that artillerie but he was slaine with a pellet in the breast About noone the enemie shot certaine voleyes of Ordinance against a gate of the Castle which openeth into the garden where they sawe by the moouing of the earth that Pyouers were at worke The fourth day they within the towne at the breaking of the day perceiuing the preparations for the batterie found themselues hardly distressed for that they had no trenches against the batteries and that it was almost impossible to make any for hardnes of the ground by reason of the frost and yet they laboured hard about it day and night in that sort as is aforesayd Whilest the Gouernour and the Captaines were assembled to take aduice what was expedient to be done one of the companie proposed that it were good to send a Drommer to play with his Dromme toward the broaken Chappell vnder colour of making exchange of prisoners and in the meane time to delay the batterie of the enémie This was concluded but afterward it was reuoked by reason of the disaduantage which might ensue least the enemie vppon that occasion should thinke that they fearing the trench did seeke occasion of parley Then the two batteries began the one did beat the Fort of Beauregard and that which was made aboue an old gate as is said asore the other battery did beat at the other said Fort which was vnder the gate That which was made out of the old wall resisted the fury of the ordinance farre better then it was thought it would for from halfe an hower after Sunne rising vntill Sunne setting it neuer ceased to thunder without any intermission so that there was let flie that day aboue eight hundered canon shot The night beeing so neere they who were besieged saw no apparance that the assault would be geuen and had not prepared themselues to receiue the enemy that day considering that the breaches were flanked with two fortes which were first to be forced notwithstanding all the French footmen and Swissers were seene a farre off in battle array about noone which was the cause that they deuided speedily the small number of men which they had to keepe the Fortes but specially the two Fortes which flanked the breaches on both sydes They prouided also a certayne number to keepe the breaches if the enemy should proffer the assault They were not aboue two hundred and threescore persons which were of ability to defend the breaches for the rest were either sicke or hurt or els occupied to keepe the fiue Fortes which were without The Gouernour tooke vppon him to keepe the breach which was at the left hand with a hole to passe to the Fortes if they were assaulted beeing assisted with twelue men lying in couert and certaine Harquebuziers The Baron Vignoles was appointed to keepe the breach which was aboue the gate with fiue armed men and fifteene Harquebuziers and for as much as that number was not sufficient the Gouernour appointed the Lord Perrine to assist them with fiue armed men more When the breaches began to be reasonable euery one hauing sixteene long paces breadth the whole army beeing in battell array the enemy began to styrre and marching with a swift pace stouping low they set on both sides of the Fortes which were aside of the breaches The enemy sustayned the first onset wherewith these two Fortes receaued them and passed throug halthough that many remained vpon the places saluted by them of the Fortes with shot and with the force of the pikes yet in a little space they were masters of the two fortes They might haue defended the said fortes longer but two causes did let them the one was the small number of the defendants the other was the death of the Lord Marestes yongest sonne to the Lord Sabloniere and brother to the Lord Vignoles who after the death of the Lord Ruffigny commaunded ouer his company and one of the fortes which had befollen him his was slaine with the shot of a Culuerin This his death did greatly hast the forsaking of that fort his brother the Lord Vignoles made great mone for him The Fortes beeing wonne it was high time for them which kept the breaches to bestirre and defende themselues and as they were assaulted furiously by the enemyes so they receaued them coragiously There was all manner of defence vsed shot pikes pomgarnads fiery hoopes stones and all other manner of defence were throwen vppon the enemy Many of the enemies hauing the night fauourable retyred vnder the shadow therof they who did obstinate themselues either were wounded or els remayned dead in the place in this assault happened a thing worthy to bee noted The Baron Vignoles had a frend in the army named Poysson a man of charge in that seruice This man was greatly carefull for the preseruation of the said Baron and desirous to saue him prayed a Captaine of the regiment of Chastiagueray whose Standerd bearer was very sicke to geue him his ensigne for that day onely determined to enter one of the first to saue his friend the sayd Baron Vignoles the Captaine deliuered him his ensigne according to his request Poysson at the
agaynst their Soueraigne and benefactor and parricide among bretheren one to preuent another The newes of the death of Guyze beeing brought into the Prouinces the most part of Towns and Citties from the riuer of Loyre West North and East being already surprised aforehand and seduced from the Kings obedience by the Leaguers vppon the rumor of that execution were so greatly mooued the Duke of Guyze beeing accompted the onely piller of Popish religion by the perswasion which the Catholikes had conceaued of him that they began euery where to wauer and kindle to a manifest rebellion by the setting on of the Leaguers who were the greatest part in number euery where They did greatly by their inuectiues make heynous and odious that execution vppon the persons of Guyze and the Romish Priest his brother tearming it the Massacre committed at Bloys And thus the iust iudgement of God iustly taking vengeance for so many murthers shedding of innocent bloud and innumerable villanies committed vppon the saintes of God and for stopping their eares at the cleere and lowd voice of the Sonne of God who so louingly hath called them by his word promises by his threatnings and plagues ofpestilence famine and warre gaue them ouer to a reprobat sence with a senceles rage to fall to commit such cruelties among themselues that no enemy would or could haue desired or deuised greater their towns and citiesbeeing euery where replenished with massacres robberies banishments and proscriptions not committed agaynst them of the religion but euen of popish Catholikes against popish Catholikes of Idolaters against Idolaters of murtherers agaynst murtherers so the Lord hath sent euill Angels among them Paris the capitall cittie of the kingdome as they more hoped vppon the Duke of Guyze then any other did so they shew themselues most offended There were firebrands which kindled the sedition to the vttermost to wit the Duchesses of Guyze and Nemours who with their outcries and lamentations did animate the people to a raging madnes Thereunto also added the Iesuits and Fryers set on by the aforenamed all their inuectiues insolent and vnreuerent wordes in their ordinary tragicall outcryes in their Pulpits and philippicall sermons to make the people obstinate desperat and vntractable to be hereafter reduced to any obedience Other Cities followed the example of Paris as Orleans Roen Anieus Abeuille Reymes and Tholose whereby the conspiracy and setting on of the Bishop of the place in most cruel maner they tooke the first president of the court of Parliament there hanged him vpon a Gibet and afterward dragged his dead body about the streets beeing one of the most zealous romish Catholikes which then could liue in this world the onely cause was that he would not allow their rebellion The King vnderstanding the great sturres perilous flames of rebellion in most part of the townes and cities of his realme supposing by impunity which he calleth clemencie and gentlenes to quench that fire which was already too far kindled writeth his declarations emporting an obliuion of all iniuries to be published in all his Parliaments and other courts in Prouinces First he sheweth how oftentimes hee hath borne with the perturbers of his realme not onely in forgiuing them their offences whome hee might haue iustly punished but also by winning them by all fauours possible to be shewed onely thereby séeking the preseruation of the peace of his subiects and of the Catholick religion vntill that hee was certainely informed that they had conspired against his person life and estate so farre as he was inforced to make that execution extraordinarily Secondly he sheweth that although many had béen of that conspiracy whome he might haue iustly punished yet for the loue which he beareth vnto all Catholicks hée hath stayed the punishment vpon the two chiefest authors of the euill Thirdly he protesteth that he will haue the edict of reunion obserued in all poynts burying al the former offences in perpetuall forgetfulnes commaundeth his iudges and officers in all his courtes to make no inquisition of the former offences willing all men to liue in peace vnder his obedience and if not hee chargeth his officers to make exemplary iustice of the offenders The King hauing assembled his estates as is saide before supposing by their help and assistance to haue repressed the outragious attempts of the house of Guize sawe himselfe in the middest of them compassed with a company of mortall enemies to his person life and state Whereupon destitute of authoritie counsell and help through pusillanimity was faine to spare the liues of them who were in his power and of others whome he might easily haue apprehended who had their hands as déepely in the trespasse as the chiefe authors themselues This was the worke of the Lord to bring him to the consideration of his great errors in refusing so often the wholsome and brotherlike aduertisements of the good K. of Nauarre and other Princes both within and without the realme his louing and faithfull friends The more therefore he goeth about with impunity of most grieuous offences which in his declaration hee tearmeth clemency to bring that people of Paris seduced from his obedience to their duety y e more that miserable people condemned of God and in his wrath appointed to hauock and thraâ—dome for multiplying rebellion murthers and confusions vpon their former murthers Idolatries and abominations dooth rage and like mad dogs as out of their wittes doo run headlong to worke the full measure of their desperat rebellions accounting the Kings clemency cowardlines which they might haue called pusillanimitie in deed as though hée feared either to haue them his enemies or else to loose them from being his subiects Therefore hauing committed greeuous crimes all manner of wayes euen with greedines at length hauing concluded to withdraw themselues from their soueraignes obedience the chiefest players in this tragedie of rebellion to colour their diuilish passions with the authoritie of Gods law as though they would haue asked Gods wil out of his owne mouth adressed them themselues to the facultie of Theologie there commonly called the Colledg of Sorboune For that purpose they sent one Vrban one of the Magistrates of Paris to the sayd Sorboune hauing framed in manner of supplication two questions to be resolued by them First an populus regni Galliae possit solui liberari à sacramento fidelitatis obedientiae Henrico tertio praestito Whether the people of France may not be discharged and setfree from the oath of allegeance and obedience made vnto Henry the third Secondly an tuta conscientia possit idem populus armari vniri pecnnias colligere contribuere ad defensionem conseruationem Religionis Catholicae Romanae in hoc regno aduersus nefaria conscilia conatus praedicti regis quorum libet aliorum illi adherentium contra publica fidei violationem ab eo Blaesis factum in praeiuditium praedictae religionis Catholicae edicti sanctae vnionis