also considering the intollerable seruitude wherto they were likely to bring themselues and their posteritie if they should longer submit themselues to their Spanish protector and likewise seriously pondering the kings estate which was still supported by the cheefe Princes of the bloud the ancient and most honourable Nobilitie of France fauored by a number of valiant and wise personages and countenanced by sundrie mightie Princes abroade so that it still seemed to bee impossible to bring their purposes to passe but rather that they should hazard their owne estates their liues and liberties yea and in fine the whold kingdome by calling in the Spaniards their olde and ancient enemies who sought for nothing more then for the spoyle of the Flower de Lis. All these reasons with many other beeing well weighed they supposed it to bee their best to reconcile themselues to theyr king of whole readie inclination to peace The Leaguers seeke for peace though it were with hard conditions they nothing doubted wherupon they first priuily practised with sundry of the Papists which followed the king whereof there were no small number and hauing by their meanes made as it were an entrie vnto their pretensed purpose they sent their deputies to treate of a peace for three moneths wherto the king assented in Iuly 1593. and afterwards continued the same for two monethes more videlicet vnto the ende of the moneth of December following in all which time there was nothing doone otherwise then the sending of sundrie messages each to other with continual practising to draw the king to the liking of Poperie wherein there was such paines taken and so farre humane pollicie preuailed that this noble and famous Prince who had for the space of foure or fiue and twentie yeeres so valiantly and fortunately deâ—ended the Gospell and that with the hazard and perill of his owne life The K. enclineth to Popery freely exposing his royall person his treasor his friendes and all other meanes whatsoeuer â—oâ— the maintenance thereof beganne to waxe calme in the defence of his profession and to encline to that false and superstitious Religion of Rome to the high displeasure of almightie God the great dishonour of his princely Maiestie and to the extreme greefe and astonishment of all the Protestants Thus this noble and renowned Monarke the hope as it were of al that fauored Gods truth whom God had beautified with so many excellent graces and notable vertues as courage wisedom zeale and constancy in so many apparant dangers had made him the protecter and comforter of his afflicted church in France had deliuered him out of the hands of all his enemies 2. Sam. 12.8 and had giuen him his Lords house as the Prophet speaketh and if that had beene too little would haue giuen him much more making his proudest enemies to stoupe before h m and to the admiration and wonderment of all men continually protected him in despight of all those who sought his ruine and ouerthrow is another argument of the mutabilitie and interchangeable estate of all things in the world and that not onely the heauens the earth the sea the beasts of the field the fishes in the waters and the soules of the ayre are ful of varietie and change but likewise kingdomes countreyes and commonwealths Cities and townes all estates and conditions of men high and low rich and poore wise and foolish Prince and people are full of change and alteration Sundry principall Cities of France returne to the King In Ianuarie and Februarie immediatly folowing the Kings so apparant inclination to Poperie most of the principall Cities of France which had with so notorious obstinacy for a long while shaken off the yoake of their obedience beganne to bee reclaimed and as it were on the sodaine to bee arranged on the kings side Meaux Lyons Orleance Bourges Pontoâ—se with many other townes of speciall monument account opened their gates and willingly receiued the kings garrisons crying Vine Henry 4. roy de France de Nauarre expelling the Spaniards and hispaniolised French shewing great forwardnesse to withstande the outragious proceedings of the furious and desperate Leaguers The king had no sooner reduced these strong Townes vnder his obedience hauing by this meanes mightily strengthned himselfe and weakened his enemies but that hee was forthwith aduised by the Princes of his bloud the dukes and peeres of France the officers of his Crowne the Lords of his Councel and the most noâ—able personages of his courts of ParliameÌ„ts to frame himself to his corona ion and annoynting and that in such maner as all other kings his predecessors had done before him Which said ceremonious order of anointing is accounted the euident token of their royaltie and the publike approbation of the French nation Whereto the K. assenting as one now entending to obserue the ancient customs of his predecessors it was resolued that this solemne ceremony shuld be performed at our ladies church at Chartres for that the citie of Rheims where for the most part the king of France had wont euermore to be crowned still persisted in her rebellion and banded her selfe with the kings enemies All things beeing in a readinesse for the solemnizatioâ— of thâ—â—◠〈◊〉 magnificent coronation vpon the seuen and twentie day o◠〈…〉 the King came to the sayde Church attended with a great 〈…〉 Princes Earles Lordes and other States of Fraunce And by 〈…〉 some of the twelue Peeres as yet helde out agaynst the King and oâ—her â—ere sicke so that there wanted of the full and competent number to atteâ—◠〈◊〉 and to dootheyr seruice as the tyme then requyred the King 〈…〉 others in theyr steade to make vp the whole number whose names were as followeth Thâ— 6. peeres ecclesiastical 1 Bishop of Charters Representing the 1 Archbishop of Rhâ—mis the first peere Ecclesiastâ— all 2 Bishop of Nautes 2 The Bishop duke of 〈◊〉 3 Bishop of Digne 3 Bishop 〈…〉 4 Bishop of Mallefais 4 Bishop 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 5 Bishop of Orleance 5 Bishop Couâ—t of 〈◊〉 6 Bishop Angiers 6 Bishopâ— ouâ— to 〈◊〉 The 6 peeres temporall 7 Prince of Coney Representing the 7 Duke of Buâ—â—â—â—â—â— 8 County Soyssons 8 Duke of Norâ—â—â—â—â—â— 9 Duke Moâ—tpensier 9 Duke of Aqrâ—â—â—â—â—e 10 Duke of Rays 10 Count of Thâ—â—ous 11 Duke of Vantadon 11 Count of Flanders 12 Lord of Lupembourg 12 Count of Champaâ—â—ne The King was crowned by the Bishop of Chartres who for that day supplied the roome of the Archbishop of Rhemis and enthâ—onised him in his royall and Kingly seate in such maner and order as the rest of the Kings his predecessors had beene accustomed in former times Now began the Kings authoritie to waxe great and to enlarge it selfe euery day more and more and so farre it spread in a short time after that it was receyued into the heart of all Fraunce for the 20. of March following Paris the Metropolitan Citie of the whole realme Paris â—elleth to the 〈◊〉 which had continued in all kinde of rebellious disorder and that for many yeres togither omitting no kind of outrage that could be imagined against her natural and liege soueraignes their crownes and dignities by the vertuous and commendable industry of Brissac was likewise reduced vnder the Kings obedience who pardoning the inhabitants so many and so monstrous offences restored them to their auncient priueligieâ— rights grants Franchises and liberties with the reestablishments of his courts of Parliament and that in as large and ample manner as they had beene at anie time indued by any of the kings his predecessors abrogating all lawes decrees statutes ordinances which had passed in preiudice of theÌ„ as appeareth by an Edict bearing date the 28 of March 1594. So as neither the said inhabitants nor any of them should from thenceforth be troubled molested or disquieted in any maner of sort for their former disobediences imposing perpetuall silence heereof to his Attourneyes generall and to all other persons whatsoeuer commaunding withall all Dukes and Peeres of Fraunce all Officers of the Crowne all his Lieutenants and other Magistrates to cause the same to be proclaymed and published in theyr seuerall iurisdictions and resorts with expresse charge that the contents of the same should be inuiolably kept and obserued to the end that if it were possible the whole kingdome of Fraunce which for a long time had endured so manie calamities might nowe at length feele some ease and mitigation of former miseryes and the beaten barke of that distressed state which had beene so daungerously tossed in a vast Ocean of all kind of affliction might in the ende be brought to some desired hauen of peace and quietnesse and there be safely harboured to the eternall glorie of God the perpetuall honour of the King and the continuall ioy and comfort of the whole Common-wealth FINIS LONDON Printed by Thomas Creede 1597.
anie wayes diminished or his former authoritie impayred that for the maintenaunce thereof hee vexed himselfe in most straunge and pittifull sort Hee woulde not at anie time come abroade nor bee seene but of some fewe in whome hee reposed a speciall confidence His Court Gates were continuallie guarded yea his verie Chamber Doore so surelye watched The miserie of Lewis the 11. as that it was impossible to keepe a prisoner in more strayte manner then hee kept his owne selfe And beeing a king that in former tymes had taken his delight in so manie rich beautifull and flourishing Cittyes and solaced himselfe in so manie stately Pallaces and pleasaunt Gardeyns was nowe to his vnspeakeable torment confined in a narrowe rowme sequestring himselfe from all companie and euerye other thing which might breede his delight or encrease his comfort and so continued in this miserable estate alwaies languishing in feare The death of Lewis the eleuenth King of France vntill his death which was in the yeere 1483. and hauing raigned two and twentie yeeres left behinde him a sonne who succeeded in the kingdome in whose dayes fell out many strange and admirable occurrences as shall appeare in the Chapter following CHAP. II. Charles the eight inuadeth Italy and conquereth Naples Alphonsus and Ferdinando flie into Cicilia the Venetians and other Princes leuying a great power driue the French out of Italy The battell of Tarro The French king dieth sodainely ALbeit that Lewis the eleuenth not long before his death Charles the eight succeeded his father Lewis in the kingdome of France had oftentimes and that very seriously aduised his sonne Charles who was to succeed him in the kingdome to maintain peace and amitie with all his neighbours rounde about and by no meanes to enter into warres with any forraigne Princes before hee were growne to ripe yeeres and that the Realme which had endured so many calamities and miseries wherewith it was greatly impouerished should be growne rich againe and better prouided to resist any violence that should be offered yet could not the graue and strong perswasions of so wise and well experienced a Prince take such deepe rooting in the heart of this yong King but that thorow his owne ambitious desire to make himselfe great and the manifolde reasons alleaged by sundrie of his aduisants partly to flatter him in his owne honour but more especially to serue theyr owne turne they were quickly plucked vppe againe and hee fully resolued to enter into a warre which of all other was thought most daungerous and which wrought as straunge effectes as much varietie and as singular alterations and chaunges as any other whatsoeuer All which to the ende they may bee the better vnderstood it shall bee verie conuenient to rippe vp the matter from the beginning and in as fewe words as may bee to shewe the originall of so great trouble as afterwardes ensued Charles the eight King of Fraunce pretending a title to the Kingdome of Naples as heire to Reynard Duke of Aniow Lewis Sfortia D. of Millan perswadeth Charles the eight to conquere Naples was no sooner settled in his kingdome but he was forthwith enduced by the colourable perswasions of Lewis Sfortia who had not long before vsurped the Dukedome of Millan to put in his claime and with might and mayne to assay to gette so noble so rich and renowmed a Diademe Notwithstanding for that it was a matter of no small importaunce it was thought good to haue it thorowly debated in Councell and to heare the opinions of the wisest and the best experienced in the lande who when they had with great maturitie of iudgement pondered euerie circumstance as the danger the king was likely to thrust himselfe into the infinite treasure that must bee expended as also what a multitude of valiant mens liues that would cost before so glorious a victorie could be atchiued and the difficultie that would be in keeping that beeing once gotten The Kings Councel disswadeth the King from the conquest of Naples they wholly resolued that it was an enterprise in no wise to be attempted Notwithstanding the king who was yong desirous to eternise his name by some memorable attempt could in no wise be diuerted being moued as it were by some diuine instinct and incouraged by sundrie remonstrances of two of his principall fauorites called Vere and Brissonet both which were but meane politicks and of all other most ignorant in militarie affaires These two were daily solliciters of the king Vere and Brissonet encite the king to enter Italy who otherwise was but too willing of himselfe to prouide all necessaries for his intended voyage and to set forwarde with as much celeritie as possibly might be The yonger sort of the French Nobilitie and such as had least experience were likewise exceeding desirous to enter Italy by force of Armes and to shew their valour and noble courage to forraigne Nations Al things seemed to concurre for the furtherance of this happy attempt saue that which was most necessarie and that was wise and wel experienced Captaines and store of siluer and gold which are accounted as the veines and sinewes of the warres There were men enough but such as were most fitte were most vnwilling the Kings Coffers were emptie and nothing could bee borrowed but vpon great interest and good assurance Thus the lets were many and the meanes to effect any thing with honour very small and in the end if the successe were such as was desired yet should there be nothing gotten as Lewis the eleuenth was wont to say but infinite trouble and imminent perill and that with the effusion of much French bloud The King resolueth to go to Naples contrarie to the opinion of his councell The King resoluing to passe into Italy notwithstanding whatsoeuer could be alleaged to the contrarie made a league with Ferdinando King of Spaine with Maximilian king of the Romanes and with Phillip Archduke of Austria and Duke of Flanders as also with the King of England least being occupied in his warres abroade he might happen to be molested at home by some forraigne enemie and deferring his iourney vntill the spring following which should be in the yeere 1493. in the meane while commanded that all things should be in a readinesse which were requisite for the maintenance of his Armie All men of vnderstanding wondered at this strange resolution of the King and the best affected towardes the Crowne of Fraunce did maruailously feare the sequel of so dangerous a iourney The more to encourage the King and to stirre him vp to prosecute his intended voyage The D. of Millan commeth to Ast to the French King Lewis Sfortia who vsurped the Dukedome of Millan as is alreadie sayde and had beene the first motioner of this warre did not onely promise vnto the King all the ayde and furtherance that might be by his embassadours but also came himselfe with the Duchesse his wife very nobly accompanied vnto
runne to the Catholikes supposing that it was impossible for the Confederates to holde out for anie long time For besides that they were ouermatched by lande they were likewise hardly handled at sea and had much adoo to keepe the Isle of Re and Chese de Bay from Lansac who was Admirall ouer the nauie Catholique Lansac beaten at sea by the Protestants But at last they rigging foorth certaine shippes commaunded by Cleremont of Ambâ—is so scoured the coast that no enemie for the time durst appeare in sight of theyr warrelike Fleete wherewith they were maruellously well recomforted But their ioy lasted not long for the Duke de Maine approaching Broâ—age so furiously assayled it that Manducag who was gouernour of the Towne was forced to yeelde vpon composition being destitute of all necessaries requisite to withstand so great a puyssaunce By this time also Lansac hauing repayred his beaten Fleete The Protestantâ— beaten at sea by Lansac put foorth to sea afresh and meeting with the Confederates valiantly set vpon them and putting them to the woorse burnt their Admirall called the Prince and tooke an other vessell called the Floressante to the exceeding greefe of the Protestants who had reposed no small confidence in their sea forces Besides all these infortunate chaunces there fell out an other crosse which did verie much grieue and disquiet the Rochellors and that was the death of their Maior Bobinean The death of Bobinean who for that he was accounted a wise valiant and politique man one who of all others did wonderfully affect the good of his countrey and tendered the welfare of all in general was maruellously lamented of all sortes and especially of the Rochellors The great d stresse of the Rochellors who in a sort were amazed with his death and as men astonished with so manie crosses had fainted vnder their burthen had they not beene recomforted with a sudden report of a newe pacification which was earnestly sollicited by the Duke Montpencier Wherto the king was the more inclinable both for that there was a mightie power of Germaines readie to enter Fraunce and also for that he wanted money to maintaine so great charges Whereupon the Queene mother was employed to make the composition with the king of Nauarre the rest of the Protestants The ende of the sixt ciuill warre which after much running vp and downe was agreed vpon by both parties and proclaimed with great ioy and triumph both at Rochell and other places in token of the earnest desire they had to liue at ease and to spend the remnant of their dayes in rest and quietnesse CHAP. XXI The death of Monsieur The seditious and treacherous practises of the Guisards The beginning of the seuenth ciuill warre called the leaguers warre The Prince of Conde goeth toward Angiers His great distresse and admirable deliuerie THe Guises and the rest of the confederates perceiuing howe the King with great numbers of his nobles and coÌ„mon subiects began to take some delight in peace and that there was an intention to reforme many abuses which were crept into the state in the time of the ciuill warres to restore the nobilitie to their auncient dignitie and to vnburthen the people of sundry charges wherwith for a long while they had bin grieuously oppressed were inwardly vexed at the hart to consider that their former councels tooke no better effect and therfore they fel in hand with new practises and those more pernitious pestilent and more dangerous then any others that euer they attempted before For they considering that the coÌ„demnation execution of Monsieur the kings brother could not so easily be brought to passe as they desired and that the king of Nauarre and prince of Conde did so prudently prouide for their own security that it was a very hard thing to entrap theÌ„ bring their persons within danger thought it best to go secretly to work and by some priuy means to work their ruine ouerthrow against whom they could not preuail by open force and violence They therfore hired Salcedo a Spaniard to kil Monsieur Salcedo a Spaniard hired to kill Monsieur and promised him 6000. crowns for his labor but he failing of his purpose they procured a certain Gentlewoman with whom his excellencie was but too familiarly acquainted to giue him such a receipt as neuer left working till it had wrought the life out of his body so that he died the 10. Monsieur thought to be poysoned His death of Iuly 1582 to the great reioising of the Guises who now began to triumph to see so fortunat successe and happy aduancement of their affaires And considering that by the death of this great prince whoÌ„ they feared more then the King their side was maruellously strengthened they began to stir coles afresh and sought by all meanes to fill the land full of new broiles and hurli-burlies And the time fast approching which was appointed for the bringing forth of that monster wherewith they had trauailed for a long time they had many secret conferences with the duke of Parma The conspiracie of the Guise and the rest of the leaders Bernardine Mendoza the Spanish ambassador and Giouan Bardach no the King of Spaine his Corriero There was the bargain made to sell Marseiles Burdeaux and the Dukedome of Britaine to the King of Spaine their maister an appointted time made that the Duke of Sauoy should inuade the Marquisate of Saluces thereby to occupie the King and to disperse his forces into diuerse and sundrie places And beeing strongly supported by the fauors of many of the Nobilitie and sundry of the chiefe Cities they first required that the Edict of pacification should be reuoked that the K of Nauarre prince of Conde with all those who made profession of the gospel shuld be exiled the realm or else forced to abiure their religion that continual war should be denouÌ„ced against the protestants The King was aduertised of all these treacherous practises as well from sundrie the Princes of Germany as also from the King of Nauarre but hee would not beleeue any thing but tooke them to be but slanderous reports raised vp by the Hugonots and therefore lightly regarded them but still countenanced the Guyses and their adherents The seditious practises of the Guyses who hauing gotten the King to ioyne with them to yeeld to their requests they hired the Monks and Friers to stir vp the people to their seditious ceremonies shriuings and priuate conferences to bande with them and the rest of the Leagues and to persecute those of the Religion with fire and sword and to roote them and theirs out of the territories of France They caused sundrie infamous Libels to be spread abroad and gaue out that the king of Nauarre and the Protestant Princes had sworne to roote out the Catholike faith and to depriue them of the Romish Church of all honour dignitie and authoritie that the murther at Paris
his bodie The death of Henry the 3 the French King not withstanding all the remedies that could be deuised or imagined hee yeelded vp his life into the handes of him that gaue it him hauing reigned fourteene yeares and seuen moneths And this was the ende of Henrie the third the French king and king of Polonia and the last of the house of Valois who being bewitched with the sorceries of his mother and inclyning to euill by his owne bad disposition opposed himselfe agaynst Gods true religion and being giuen ouer to worke his owne destruction followed the wicked counsailes of his notorious and sworne enemies who spake him fayre to his face but inwardly hated him and neuer ceased persecuting of their deuelish deuises vntill they had brought his state to confusion and procured his vntimely death and destruction CHAP. XXVI Henrie the fourth the French King ouerthroweth the Leaguers in two seuerall battels Great famine in Paris The Duke of Parma entreth into Fraunce relieueth Paris From whence he flieth againe in great haste into the Lowe Countryes The Pope excommunicateth the King VVho causeth his Bull to be burned at Towers The great Armie of the Germianes The Duke of Parma goeth the sâ—conde time into Fraunce and preuayleth greatly agaynst the King The Leaguers seeke for peace The King encline to Poperie His coronation Paris with most of the great Citties of Fraunce turne to the King IMmediately after the death of Henrie the third Henrie of Burbon King of Nauarre and the true inheritour to the Crowne of Fraunce both by his owne right and by the last will and testament of the late King The princes Nobles and souldiers take their oath of obedience to Henry the fourth was proclaimed King of Fraunce by the name of King Henrie the foorth and so acknowledged by all the Princes Nobles Colonels Captaines and souldiours in the Campe after the ancient maner of choosing the Romane Emperors giuing him their oaths of fidelitie and obedience with protestation to assist him to maintaine his royall and princely authoritie against all traitours rebels and leaguers to the vttermost of their powers The Prince Montpensier being then at Audly a towne vpon the Riuer of Seyne caused likewise all his army to take the like oath exhorting them to defend constantly the late kings wil and valiantly to oppose theÌ„selues against al seditious persons despisers of gods lawfull ordinance traitors to their King sworne enemies to their own couÌ„try This Henry of Burbon King of Nauarre and now the French king and so hereafter he shall be tearmed considering the strength of his open enemies and fearing the treacherie of many in the Campe who were deuoted to the league knowing that they might be a meanes to distresse him beeing so neare vnto a great number of his euill willers who were likely to double their rage by reason of this exploit done vpon the late Kings person The French King retireth toward Norman de thought good to licence so many as he suspected to depart the campe and determined to retire with the rest into Normandie somewhat further from his enemies and to gather as great a power as hee could of his trustiest and most assured friends and in the meane time to view the attempts and preparations of the Leaguers The armie of the D. de Maine The D. de Maine besides all the bands which he had collected of the French rebels receyued certaine Swart Rutters vnder the leading of the Duke of Brimswicke The Duke of Lorraine sent his sonne likewise called the Marques of Pont. with certaine companies of horsemen with this great armie which amounted to the number of 25000. men The Duke de Maine marched towards Deep where the King lay with some nine or ten thousand men who vnderstanding of the approach of the enemie tooke the field with those forces which he had and encamped at Arques about two miles froÌ„ Deepe where he stayed not long but that the enemie appeared in fight at a village not far off called Martinglize The king sent out forthwith his light horsmeÌ„ to discouer between whoÌ„ the foreruÌ„ners of the Leaguers there were many hot skirmishes On the 19. day of September the enemie passed ouer a little riuer which ranne betweene both Armies and put himselfe in battaile array very well ordered strongly appointed and marched directly towards the king The Lord Billing with two thousande shot was appointed to charge first and the Duke de Maine stood behinde him with a strong battaile readie to succour as need required The king had quickly ordered his battailon hauing disposed of all things in as warlike maner as he could deuise sent forth his light horsemen to charge the enemie who were backed with the Prince of Conde led by the Lord Montaret His battailon of footemen was flanked with his owne cornet wherein were the Lord Graund Pryer of France the Count Rochfaucoult the Count Rossy his brother the Count Rochford with diuers other Gentlemen of great reckoning and such as were neerest about his person and hauing called vppon God to ayde him in his iust and righteous quarrell so furiously charged the enemie that hee left fiue hundred dead vpon the place at that instant The rest seeing the slaughter of their fellowes and the furie of the kings souldiers began to shrinke and in a short time to flie away in great feare and disorder The Principall men of the Leaguers which were slain were the Lord Saint Andrew Sagne Collonell of the light horsemen the Lord Saint Vidal Lieutenant of the Ordenance the Lord Vienuille Count Billing Temblecourt Sauelak and diuers others were taken prisoners The king lost the Count Rossy brother to Rochfaucont and the Lord Bake Ville a Gentleman of very worthy and commendable parts and not past some thirtie or fortie others The Duke de Maine seeing his bad lucke retyred his beaten troupes towards Picardy the king being strengthened with the forces of the Prince of Soysons Duke Languauille and Mareschall Haultmont besides foure thousand Englishmen newly sent him out of England The Lord VVillowby vnder the leading of the right noble and valiant Lord VVillowby departed from Deepe coasted the enemie til he came to Menlau and then returned toward Paris supposing that by that meanes hee should draw the Duke to follow him and so bring him to a battaile The king bringeth hiâ— army before Paris The King comming to Paris about the 28. of October determined to assault the suburbs and hauing prepared all things in a readinesse for that purpose assailed them the first of Nouember following where hee founde some resistance but the courage of the Souldiers redoubled with the presence of the Prince was such The suburbs of S. Germaines takeÌ„ that they quickly gayned them and slew aboue a thousand and fiue hundred of their enemies there were also taken fourteene ensignes and thirteene peeces of Ordenance The king seeing the Leaguers attempted nothing but
a time and the yong Prince continued in verie good grace vntill at length by reason of newe occasions of suspition hee was forced to auoyde the Realme so exceedingly was the King his father incensed agaynst him and going to Philip Duke of Burgundie who at that present was a verie great and mightie potentate was most honorably intertained furnished with all things necessarie for himselfe and his retinue where hee remained for a long time notwithstanding the duke was very often earnestly solicited to the coÌ„trarie by the king his father At the last all the stormie tempests being blowne ouer and he vpon the decease of his father being called home to receiue the Diademe and crowne of France Lewis the 11. K. of France he departed from the Court of Burgundie where he had liued a stranger and vnder the coÌ„trolment of others towards his new kingdome and naturall Countrie which he found very peaceable and flourishing in all wealth and prosperitie where hee was no sooner quietly established but that remembring some olde iniuries Lewis the 11. reiecâ—eâ—h his faâ—hers old counsellors and disliking manie of his fathers most faithfull and trustie counsellers hee remoued sundry out of their rowmes and offices and imprisoned others electing new into their places to the great griefe of diuerse of his best affected subiects the exceeding discontentment of most of his chiefest Nobilitie wherupon ensued maruellous trouble to the common wealth and vnspeakeable care and vexation of mind to himselfe The Duke of Britaine and sundrie other of the nobility rise against the King For the Duke of Brytaine the Duke of Berry the Duke of Nemours the earle of Saint Paule the earle of Arminake Beauleu Albret and manie other great Lords and states being highlie displeased with the King and with his gouernement banded togither against him and calling to theyr ayde Count Charolois sonne and heyre to Philip Duke of Burgundie raysed a mightie and puyssaunt armie wherewith they approched Paris and held besieged the chiefest Cittie of the land The King vnderstanding the daunger wherein the towne stoode The K. marcheth toward Paris and the resolution of his enemies hasted by all possible meanes to put himselfe within Paris the safekeeping whereof woulde be most auayleable for the aduancement of his other affayres Wherefore hauing gathered a strong power marched forwardes on his intended voyage not purposing to hazarde his fortune vppon anie aduauntage that shoulde be offered but onelie to defende himselfe and to amuse his enemies vntill the tyme might minister some better meanes to accomplish his desyres notwithstanding The k forced to forsake the field through the rash headinesse of the Lieutenant of Normandie called Le Bressy who had the leading of the auauntgarde the King was constrained to fight and to aduenture to open his passage by force of armes But being valiantly resisted by his enemies after a terrible and bloodie fight hee was forced to forsake the field and to retyre towards Corbeile leauing the entyre glorie of that victorie to Count Charolois and his associates As this good fortune puffed vp the haughtie minde of the Conquerour making him proude disdainfull and highly conceyted of his owne valour which in the ende bred his owne confusion and ouerthrowe The King reconcileth his subiects and maketh peace with Count Charolois so did it teach the conquered to pull downe his spirits and with all circumspect diligence and care to prouide for his future safetie in the most politike manner that hee might and hauing though with much adoo made peace with Count Charolois an enemie that hee greatly feared and reconciled his discontented Nobles who were a long time as prickes in his eyes and thornes in his sydes and withall concluded a league with Edwarde the fourth King of Englande at Pikquennie to his great aduauntage there remayned nothing that might any way endaunger his estate but onelie the greatnesse of Charles Duke of Burgundie who though he were at amitie with the King yet for that hee had a most turbulent spirite and of all other could least abide to continue for anie long time together in peace the King thought hee had iust occasion to suspect him Charles D. of Burgundy slaine at Nancy and therefore howsoeuer in outwarde shewe he made much of him yet in heart hee wished for nothing more then his confusion and ouerthrowe which appeared most apparantly by his secrete practises agaynst the Duke and then coulde no longer be hidde when as hee heard of his discomfiture at the battaile of Nancy where the sayde Duke was slaine his armie put to flight and the glorie of that noble house of Burgundie which had flourished for the space of an hundred and twentie yeares in all pompe and magnificence was vtterly defaced and obscured For presently vppon the newes the King was so exceeding ioyfull that hee did not in a maner regarde how richly and bountifully he rewarded the Messengers of so glad and ioyfull tydings Nowe beganne hee to studie for nothing so much as howe to dismember this poore afflicted Dukedome and by all meanes possible to teare and rent it in peeces K. Lewis of France getteth a great part of Burgundie He first gayned by liberall rewardes and fayre promises the chiefest of the Burgonian Nobilitie and likewise the Captaines of sundrie strong Townes by which meanes hee gate Abbeuille Peronne Arras Hesdin Bollogne Dyion and manie other principall places so that it seemed that the better part of the Dukedome of Burgundie was nowe brought vnder the kings obedience and annexed to the rest of the Dominions of the Flower de Lis By which meanes the reuenewes of the Crowne were greatly augmented the lande exceedingly strengthened the same and honour of the king wonderfully encreased all thinges falling out in a manner as well as might be wished or desired But hee had no sooner attayned to so high a degree of happinesse but hee was presently crossed with newe miseryes and afflictions which in small continuance of tyme did wholie bereaue him of his former ioyes For beeing at dinner at a Village neare vnto Chynon hee was suddainlie stroken with so vehement a payne The King stroken with a sudden disease that hee lost his speach and sences for the space of two dayes togither not remembring nor knowing any that were nearest about him And albeit by reason of those great meanes which were vsed his bodie was somewhat recouered and his mynde much bettered so that he seemed to come to some reasonable vnderstanding and knowledge yet was hee so weakened and euerie parte of him so mightilie decayed that it was not possible to free him of his maladie so long as hee lyued Besides hee grewe so suspitious of all sortes and so iealous of his owne sonne and sonne in Lawe that hee was neuer at quyet but lyued in such continuall feare least that honour and reuerence which had beene for so long a tyme giuen vnto him shoulde now be
the King being at Ast where after some debating of the matter and cleering of sundrie doubts the king resolued to passe forward and so came to Pauia without any let or interruption from thence he went towards Sarzana being a very strong Castle and belonging to the Florentines which in the ende was taken and kept by the French The French Kings prosperous successe in Italy The Citizens of Florence being not a little amazed at the Kings prosperous successe thought it best to offer him all the fauour and kindnesse that might be humbly desiring him to come and repose himselfe in their Citie and to refresh his Armie in the rest of their territories as Pisa Lygournia Petrasancta and Librafacta Thus had the French gotten the whole state of the Florentines into their possession this bred a maruailous change in Italy and sundrie Citties being wearie of their gouernours rebelled and chose them new Lords The Florentines râ—bell against Peter de Medices their D. who in great misery fled to Venice The Florentines themselues considering that the French were growen strong became their vassailes and conspiring against their Duke called Peter de Medices droue him out of the City tooke whatsoeuer he had and reserued it for their owne vses The poore distressed Duke fled to Venice in very miserable estate where he had much adoo before he could be receiued Thus was the house of the Medices ouerthrown which had flourished in great wealth power and authoritie for the space of 60. yeares the King departing from Florence came to Sennes and so to Viterbium and from thence to the Castle of Brachana Although that Alphonsus King of Naples Alphonsus King of Naples prouideth to withstand the French was at the first but little moued with the comming of the French yet to preuent the worst hee had prouided two great and puissant armies that by sea was lead by his brother Frederik and the other by land by his sonne Ferdinando with whom were these famous and renowned Captaines Virgilius Vrsinus Petilian and the Lord of Treuoule Ferdidinando was gotten into Rome and hoped to keepe the Citie against the French King but the Pope being willing to follow the good fortune of the Conquerour suffered him to enter The Pope yeeldeth to to the French whereupon Ferdinando was forced to flie away in the night and with al possible speede to retire towards Naples His father Alphonsus beeing wonderfully terrified with this heauie newes and remembring the manifold iniuries offered to the Neapolitans both by his father and himselfe though hee had beene a very valiant couragious Alphonso yeeldeth his Kingdome to his son and flyeth into Cicilia and hardy Prince yet hee thought it best to yeeld to the time and giuing ouer the kingdome into his sonnes hand with a heauie heart and mournful cheere sayled into Cicilia with the Queene his mother in law who was daughter to Ferdinando king of Castile Before his departure he was continually tormented with sundrie imaginations often crying out that the King of Fraunce was comming and that the very houses trees and stones in the streets were all become French The great feare of Alphonsus and so with a passionate minde forsooke Naples where by the way wee may obserue one thing which Phillip de Comins noteth as a strange accident and that is that in lesse then two yeeres space there were fiue kings of Naples which were Ferdinando the father of Alphonsus Alphonsus Ferdinando his sonne Fiue Kings of Naples in lesse than two yeeres Charles the eight king of Fraunce and Frederik the brother of the saide Alphonsus The yong King Ferdinando made great preparation to withstand the French and hauing gathered a strong power encamped at Saint Germin in the frontiers of his territories resoluing to stop the passage of the enemie at that place Notwithstanding the French king marched on with great courage taking Castles and townes without any resistance all things seemed to yeeld voluntarily vnto him and to bende at his becke yea Ferdinando himselfe durst not abide him though he were strongly fortified and encamped in a place of great aduantage For assoone as he vnderstood by his espyals that the French were within two leagues Ferdinando K. of Naples flieth from the French he fled in very disordered manner towards Capua suffering the French King to enter at his pleasure and from thence hasted to Naples fearing a reuolt among the Citizens which indeede immediatly ensued vppon the approch of the French who comming to Capua entred presently vppon composition and before they came at Naples by three leagues the Citizens sent Embassadors to treat with them Naples yeeldeth to the French king being willing to receiue theÌ„ vpon condition that they should maintaine their ancient priuiledges which so terrified Ferdinando that he presently tooke sea and fled to his father in Cicilia Then was there a generall reuolt and euerie one made court to the French king who was receiued with great acclamation and applause of the people yea those who were in particular most bounden vnto the house of Arragon and such as had beene their especiall fauourites were now in an instant wholly turned French All Calabria Powilla Laurentia Turpia Encrenes Tarentum Monopolis set vp the Flower delis Thus did this yong King runne as it were through Italy without any stop or hinderance The speedy conquest of the French King neuer staying about the winning of any one towne the space of one day insomuch as from his departure from Ast vntill his entrie into Naples there were but foure moneths and ninteene dayes so that hee might say in regarde of his speedy conquest as Caesar sometime saide Veni Vidi Vici The French King beeing entred into Naples disposed of all things at his pleasure and seemed nowe to haue attained to his wished ende there was nothing to crosse him Charles of France crowned king of Naples or to stand in his way but like a conquerour hee commanded and it was obeyed wherupon he would needs be crowned King Which being perfourmed and the French not standing any longer in feare of any enemie they beganne to bee idle and carelesse and gaue themselues wholly to riot and excesse The pride of the French They seemed to contemne all others and scorned the Italians as men of no reckoning supposing that now they were able to passe through the whole world and that no man durst abide them So proude arrogant and disdainefull were they become by reason of this so prosperous and happie successe When as the King of France was growen to this greatnesse that hee had in a manner all the estate of Italy at his commaund that hee had gotten the Kingdome of Naples and was quietly possessed thereof and thereby was climed to the top of fortunes wheele so that it seemed that nothing was wanting to the full accomplishment of all his desired happinesse when as indeed he was most secure and carelesse
and supposed that hee stood without the reach of any misfortune Sundry great princes conspire against the French presently the wheele began to turne about and sundry secret practises were set abroch to cut short the French proceedings in the end a league was concluded which darkened the faire shining of the Flower delis to proue the variable and vncertaine estate of all things whatsoeuer Although Alphonsus were driuen out of Italy yet did hee continually fight against the French by procuring as many enemies against him as possibly hee might hee daily layde before the eyes of other Princes howe perilous a matter it would bee for them to suffer the King of France to grow so great and sought especially to stirre the Venetians against him The Turke on the other side threatened them at the request of the Pope if they would not declare themselues open enemies vnto him The King of Spaine began to feare the losse of Sardinia and Cicilia and the Emperor grew iealous of his Empyre All these Princes sent their Ambassadors to Venice and in the end banded with one consent agaynst the French who being aduertised hereof began to bethinke them The King o◠France hasteth to get out of Italie how they might returne into France And resoluing presently to retyre from Naples set all things in as good order as might bee and so dislodged purposing to returne by the same way that they came Sundrie Cities and good Townes vnderstanding of the league began to reuolt forthwith and to pull downe the Armes of Fraunce which not long before they had so hastily set vp Sundry cities rebel against the French and to place those of Aragon in their stead Thus begin fortune to frowne and to looke an other way and to abandon the French on all sides The King being as desirous now to get to Paris as hee was before to conquer Naples marched toward Rome with some nine hundred men at armes and eight or nine thousand footmen Switzers Almaines and French The Pope flieth from Rome But the Pope hearing of his comming fled to Padoua so that he entred without any resistance but he staid not long there for intending to make al the hast that might be he remoued to Sennei and from thence to Pisa still passing forward though verie slowly by reason of the euil waies By this time had the Venetians gathered a strong power wherwith they ment to stop his passage And hauing appointed Francis Gonzaga Marques of Mantoua for their generall The Marques of Mantoua generall of the Venetian forces with whom they ioyned two Venetian Lieutenants or Prouiditori Melchior Creuisano and Luke Pisano commaunded them to put themselues betweene home and the French and if it were possible to stay the King and force him to pay the Almendate for the harme he had done to the Italian Nation Gonzaga being a lusty yong Gentleman desirous to win renowme by some memorable act hauing intelligence by his espials that the French marched toward Foro Nouo sent his light horsemen before vnder the conduct of Nicholas Annonio a Sclauonian to stay the enemie with light skirmishes vntill he might ouertake them with the strength of his armie who readily accomplishing the commandement of the generall hasted forward with great speed taking the French auantgard at aduantage slue many of them and forced the rest to retire to their strength The king ouertaking his vantgard encamped at Foro Nouo hard by the riuer of Terro The marques was encamped on the other side right in the way that the French men should passe so that the King seeing there was no remedie but that he must needes fight The battell of Terro and open the way by the dint of the sword disposed of his army in as warlike maner as he could and resolued as that day to try the vttermost of his fortune And being mounted vpon a braue and lusty courser enuironed with 7. yong gētlemen of approued fidelity prowes armed in all points like vnto himself rode about his ranks to encourage his soldiers who with their cheerful countenances seemed to assure him of the victorie and with the hazard of their owne liues to defend him from the violence of his enemies The Bastard of Burbon in whom he reposed a speciall trust The order of the French armie with Robinet Framesell the valiaunt conductour of the Duke of Orleance his men at Armes enuironed him with their companyes of horsemen on both sydes The Rerewarde was ledde by Foix a Noble man of Guien and Segnieur de Trimouille and with them was there a great troupe of men at Armes the Switzers and Almaines in whom consisted the strength of the battaile garded the Ordinance which being drawne with equall pace close to the battaillon of the footmen was placed right in the front of the enemie The Mareschall Guy and Tribulzi a man of great fame and experience in the warres marched before with certaine light horsemen to lead the way to them which followed The Marques seeing the French come downe from Foro Nouo in aray of battaile The order of the Venetian armie quickly arraunged his men and diuiding them into nine battaillons as well for the mutuall succour each of other as thereby to assaile the French on all sides and intended to abide the comming of his enemies In the first battaile was Petro Dodo a Venetian with sixe hundred Greeke horsemen and almost as many Archers on horsebacke who were appointed to compasse the hils and to assaile the enemie on the backe The second battaile was led by the earle Giazza consisting of sixe hundred men of Armes and three thousand Almaine and Italian footemen The Generall himselfe with his Vncle Radulph and Ranucio Farnesi with fiue hundred men of Armes and as many Archers with foure thousand footemen tooke vpon him to encounter with the middle battaile wherein was the Kings owne person The fourth battaile was assigned to Fortebraccio de Montoni who was commaunded to charge the Rerewarde Three other battailes were appoynted to Anthonie de Feltri Annibal Bentiuoli and Galeazzo Palauicini which should serue to ayde and succour where there was most need The eight and ninth battaile were likewise prouided against all vncertaine chances which might ensue Each armie being thus readie raunged awayted the signall of the battaile which was no sooner giuen The hardie encounter of both armies but they ranne togither with great furie the trumpets sounded the drummes stroke vp the great Ordinance thundered from either side and all sorts fought verie couragiously But the Estradiots who had beene repelled by the French men of armes espying the Kings baggage which by counsaile of Triuoltio had beene obiected to the enemie to the ende that hee beeing busie about the spoyle a more readie and easie passage might bee opened for the King flung out of their rankes and fell to ryfling in most greedie manner Which thing in the opinion of all men
in the taile with a troupe of horsemen but beeing ouerthrowne from his horse was presently slaine with a Pike which was thrust into his side and so died most vnfortunately when hee had gotten a most glorious and honourable victorie The Lord Lautrech his cousin Germaine being hurt with aboue twentie wounds lay besydes him almost dead but beeing succoured in time was afterwards recouered The number that was slaine on both sides were well neare tenne thousand persons the thirde part of which were French men whose losse was farre the greater by reason of the death of Foix with whom the courage strength life and fiercenesse of that army was in a maner vtterly extinguished howbeit they entered Rauenna which they sacked and spoyled Rauenna sacked and spoyled and tooke sundrie other Cities raunging vp and downe at theyr owne pleasure But presently they began to be afflicted with newe crosses for the Switzers passing the Alpes and ioyning with the Venetians The Switzers expell the French out of Millan tooke Cremona and Bergamo and approching Millan Triultio being without hope to defende the Citie secretly stole away into Piemont and vpon the newes of his departure Parma Placentia Bologna and almost all Romagna returned to the Pope and Geane likewise reuolted from the French choosing Fregosa who had beene generall of the Venecian armie for their Duke Thus the French Kings affaires began to be quailed in Italy and by reason the king of England was nowe readie to enter France he was compelled to looke to the defence of his owne countrey The death of Lewis the twelfth king of France and to suffer the Switzers to take their pleasure in Millan But the French King reconciling himselfe with England married the Kings sister with whom he liued not three moneths but died at Paris 1514. after he had raigned seauenteene yeeres and was buried at Saint Denis CHAP. IIII. Francis the first King of France winneth Millan from the Emperor His great vertues he besiegeth Pauia and is taken prisoner He is sent into Spaine A league made against the Emperour The French King is deliuered and falleth out with the Emperour He dyeth at Rambouillet LEwis the twelfth was no sooner deceased Francis the first King of France but Francis Duke of Angolesme succeeded in the Kingdome who continuing the former quarrell for the Dukedome of Millan and kingdome of Naples left no stone vnroled to bring his desires to passe but forthwith there approched many impediments and sundrie blocks were cast in his way which maruailously altered his course extreamely crossed al his designements for the Emperour Maximilian growing aged and beeing wearie with the burthen of the Empire sent Embassadors to the Electors and to the Pope to desire them to choose Charles of Austriche and king of Spaine for their Emperour but the French king thinking him to be mightie inough already labored by all possible meanes to hinder that election Before that any thing could be accomplished Maximilian died The King of France laboreth to bee Emperour whereupon the French and Spanish kings became earnest competitors and each endeuored to win the Goale from other The French King was put in some hope by the faire promises of the marquesse of Brandenburge one of the electors howbeit in the ende Charles of Austriche was chosen which spited Francis to the heart Charles K. of Spaine chosen Emrour And now hee daily picked quarrels at the Emperour and at last fel flat out with him for being a Prince of great courage wise industrious rich and ambitious hee in a sort disdained that the yong king of Spaine should be preferred before him and therefore he presently hired Switzers who for money became his mercenaries and sent Monsieur de Lantrech to besiege Millan which was valiantly kept by Prospero Colonno The rumour whereof being spread beyond the Alps The great commendation of Francis the first caused Antonio de Leua to fortifie Pauia so that now all Italy began to bee in an vprore and the French kings comming was greatly feared for that hee was a Prince vniuersally furnished with all royall vertues and fit to enterprise great matters And vnderstanding that the Emperiall power had not onely expelled the French men out of the Duchie of Millan The great commendation of Francis the first but were entred France and by besieging of Marseiles in Prouence seemed to dare him within his owne dominions hee gathered a strong power and marched towardes his enemies with all speede who hearing of his comming brake vp their siege and hasted to Italy whom the king pursued so fast The King of France taketh Millan that the emperials were no sooner entred into Millan but that hee was hard at the gates where hee stayed not long but that the Cittie was yeelded vnto him the emperiall forces forsaking it and flying to Lody after a very tumultuous and disordered sort The King vsed the Citizens verie graciously and hauing somewhat reposed himselfe and refreshed his wearie troupes marched discreetely towardes Pauia The K. besiegeth Pauia wherein was Antonio de Leua with fiue thousand Lansquenets fiue hundred Spanish footmen with two cornets of horsemen The king encamped before the towne and besieged it very straightly the emperials beeing aduertised heereof gathered all theyr forces together and hauing an army wherein were seauen hundreth men of armes and as many horsemen a thousande Italian horsemen and aboue sixteene thousand footemen Spaniardes and Almans they sette forwarde from Lody with a full resolution to remooue the siege or to fight with the French and hazard all vpon a battaile The King was no sooner certified hereof but that sending for all his Captaines and men of war he fully determined to continue his siege and to expect the comming of his enemie whatsoeuer coulde bee alleaged to the contrarie often affirming that hee hadde rather dye then to stirre one foote before he had taken the Citie The emperiall Captaines beeing driuen into great necessitie for want of money and other necessaries and hauing much adoo to pacifie theyr souldiours The Emperials enuade the french Kings camp thought it best to vse expedition considering that it was impossible for them to continue long their men growing mutinous for want of pay and thereuppon as those that stoode in very desperate estate hasted to inuade the French who prepared with great courage to meete them they were exceedingly encouraged by the presence of theyr King who should bee an eye witnesse of theyr valour and prowesse The marquesse of Pescara with three thousande Spanish footemen assayled the French trenches where hee slew fiue hundreth men and poysoned three peeces of great ordinance This vnexpected accident dismaied many of the French souldiers and the rather for that the Admirall who carryed the cheefe sway in the Army next vnto the king was hurt in the thigh with a shotte and was carried to Placentia to bee cured of his wounds Sixe hundred Grisons were called
sollicited other Princes as the Pope the king of England the Venetians and other states to ioyne with him and made a strong league and fell flat out with the emperour afresh notwithstanding all the promises which had beene made Then presently ensued new warres and all Europe was in a sort infected with this contagious humor Fortune which hadde so extreamely crossed the French designements began to be more fauourable and to beholde the king with a smiling countenance for the Lord Lautrech beeing sent into Italy tooke Bosco Genes Alexandria and Pauia from the emperour maruaylously aduauncing the French affaires The emperour beeing vexed at the heart with these newes complained greeuously of the king offering him the Combate The Emperour offereth the combate to the french King calling him forsworne and periured prince the King gaue him the lie and affirmed that hee would make it good vpon his body when and where he durst Thus did these mightie potentates fight a farre off with their tongues and their armies in Italy and other where sought to ruinate and ouerthrow each other by all possible meanes After many conflicts wherein sometime the emperials and sometime the French as it were alternatiuely had the better there was a peace concluded for tenne yeeres in which time the Emperour in very freendly and louing manner A peace betweene the Emperor and the French King passed through France to represse certaine tumultuous outrages committed in Flanders This peace beeing expired they fell again into new broyles but they were soone ended and nowe began France to bee scourged with the English who hauing gotten Bulloigne wasted their countrey round about The French king beeing very desirous to impale the English forces The death of Francis the first king of France and to keep them from forraging after their woonted manner raysed certaine forts round about in the most conuenient places but whilst hee was earnestly busied herein hee sodainely fell sicke and died 1546. at a place called Rambouillet hauing raigned 32. yeeres leauing his sonne to succeede him in all his territories and dominions CHAP. V. Henry the second maketh warre against the Emperour and taketh Metz and many other townes The Queene of Hungary inuadeth France The great army of the Emperour for the recouerie of Metz which was kept by the Duke of Guyse The Emperor raiseth his siege Teroanneis besieged by the Emperials The King raised a great power to withstand the Emperour The cruelty of the French in Henault The battaile of Reuty The King and the Emperour breake vp their armies Charles the fift yeeldeth ouer his empire Rome besieged and taken King Phillip of Spaine besiegeth Saint Quintins which he taketh after hee had ouerthrowne all the power of France The original of the Huguenots in France Callis besieged and takâ—n by the Guyse Count Egmond ouerthroweth Monsieur de Termes the Captaine of Callis Phillip King of Spaine marryeth the French Kings daughter At whose marriage the King of France is slaine by Montgommery HEnry the second of that name King of France Henry the second King of France was not onely heire of his fathers Kingdome but also of all royall vertues and princely qualities In the beginning of his raigne hee maintained the Scots against the English but at length a composition beeing made The king of France bendeth all his forces against the Emperor hee bent all his forces against the Emperour who at that time made warre against the Princes of Germany and hauing gathered a strong power wherein were 2500 french footmen 7000. Lansquenetes 1200. men of armes besides 2000. horsemen as many harquebuziers on horseback vnder the leading of the Duke of Aumaile ordaining the admirall Annebaut his Vizgerent in France Metz taken by the french commanded the Conestable to march before with the vauntgard who aduanced towards Metz. The towne was quickly yeelded vpon such composition as pleased the king and so became annexed to the crowne of France From thence the king went towardes Strasbourg where the French would gladly haue entred but the Citizens would in no wise permit them howbeit they offered what prouision they were able to spare but that would hardly satiâ—fie notwithstanding considering the Cittie was very strong and the people resolutely bent to defende themselues the King turned towardes Hoguenan and VVisbourg where the Embassadors of the emperiall princes met with him and desired him that he would enter no further into Germany with which message although the King was nothing well pleased yet he made a faire shew and seemed to take all things well and returned towards France The Queene of Hungary leuieth an army to inuade France The Queene of Hungary the Emperours sister vnderstanding of the retreat of the French deuised all the meanes that might bee to impeach them and to cut of as many as shee could catch at any aduantage and hauing leauied an army to the number of twelue thousand footmen three thousand horse vnder the leading of the Count Mansfeild and Martyn Vaurosh entered the faire fields of the Flower de Lys which they spoyled verie pittiously The King beeing aduertised heereof marched with all speede to releeue his distressed subiects but the emperials hearing of his resolution retired speedily whereupon the King began to cast about how he might conquere the Duchie of Luxembourg and hauing taken a Castle called Rock hee laide siege vnto Saint Iehan Solieure and Danuill all which were forthwith yeelded vnto the King Yuoy a place of great importance helde out for a time but in the ende it was gladde to hearken to a composition for albeit that the valiant Counte Mansfeild hadde put himselfe within the Towne and had fortified it very strongly with a resolution to defende it against all men yet by reason of the cowardlinesse of his Souldiers he was forced to yeeld to the Conestable and he with sundrie others of especiall account were carried prisoners to Paris Then ensued the taking of Momedy Luzembourg and the Dukedome of Bouillon by the mareschall of Sedan Cimets was likewise taken and the spoyle thereof giuen to the Souldiers Thus the French king prospered gaining many Townes Castles and strong holds from the Empire The French King breaketh vp his army without any resistance but his souldiers beeing wearied and diseased hee was forced to breake vp his campe and lay them in garrisons and to expect what course the Emperour would take to recouer his honour and to regaine his townes who by reason he was occupied in the warres with certaine of the Germaine princes could not hinder the French proceedings But he hauing with much ado compounded with Maurice and the rest of the Protestants employed all his counsels how to recouer that which the French king had taken from him and hauing perswaded with the Germaine potentates to aide and assist him in hs intended enterprise The preparation of the Emperour against the French king caused al his old bands which were in Italy as
made verie great preparation both to with stande the French abroade and also for to finde them occupied at home and the rather because a third armie vnder the leading of their Admirall Chastillon gouernor of Picardy inuaded Artâ—oise wasting and spoyling the Countrey exceedingly Thus was the league which was so solemnly sworne and so necessary for all Christendome broken againe by the sinister counsels of the Guyse and the warres beganne afresh betweene these two mightie Princes King Phillip prepareth a great army to besiege S. Quintines King Phillip being highly discontented with the French King for so many iniuries and indignities offered hauing gathered a great army wherein was thirtie fiue thousand footmen and twelue thousand horse besides some eight thousand English vnder the leading of the Earle of Penbrooke purposed to besiege Saint Quintines in Vermandoise Chastillon putteth himselfe within S. Quintins which the Admirall Chastillon suspecting putte himselfe within the Towne with such power as hee hadde in a readinesse and fortified it as strongly as he could the French king likewise prepared to withstande the Spanish inuasion and hauing prouided an hoste consisting of eighteene thousande footmen Almaines and French The Conestable sent to releeue Saint Quintins and some fiue or sixe thousand horse sent the Conestable of France to front the enemie and to keepe him from entring into the fat fieldes of the Flower de Lis. But before this power could bee in a readinesse the prince of Piemont generall of the Spanish forces hadde inuested Saint Quinsines Saint Quintins besieged and planted his siege before the Towne which he watched so narrowly that it was impossible for any succours to enter without apparant daunger The Conestable notwithstanding espying a conuenient time conuayed certaine troups of footmen and horsemen into the Towne vnder the fauour of a skirmish maintained by the Duke of Neuers and the Prince of Condy The Conestable of France releeueth Saint Quintins and retireth which beeing performed hee beganne to retyre as not willing to hazard his fortune at that present which at the first was not discerned by the Spanish But after that the victuallers and pages of the French Campe perceiued the retrait of theyr Armie and howe farre they were engaged they beganne to runne after in great haste and with theyr yelling and crying gaue such euident proofe to the enemie of their exceeding feare so that the Count Egmond Count Egmond chargeth the Conestable who first discouered the French dismarch hauing aduertised the prince commaunded the trumpets to sounde Dedans dedans and with two thousand horse charged them on the side The Count Henry and Ernest of Brunswick each of them hauing a thousand beeing backed with the Counte Horne who hasted on with great fury did likewise assaile them at one instant who in their retiring turning head receiued them with equall valour While the French were thus assailed in the flanke the Count of Mansfeild Dostrate and Gueldres with three thousand horse ranne vpon them in the front and that with such a furious feast that hauing ouerthrowne theyr formost ranke the rest were soone defeated and compelled to flie away The Conestable is ouerthrowne and takeÌ„ prisoner with a great number of the French Nobilitie Iohn of Burbon Duke of Angolesme was dismounted at the first encounter and beeing horsed againe was slaine at the second Francis de la Tour vicount of Turin Saint Gelais and aboue a hundred and twentie Gentlemen of good account beside sixe hundred common souldiers died at that battaile The Conestable beeing wounded in the hippes was taken prisoner and brought to the Prince and so were the Dukes of Montpensier the mareschall Saint Andrew Lewis prince of Manfona the Ringraue Rochfaucont Saint Heran Burdillon Mouy Montsales and many other of the Nobilitie of great reckoning and reputation There were also aboue three hundred Gentlemen of Marke taken prisoners and many of the footmen beeing slaine the rest were taken to mercy and driuen away by troups as if they hadde beene flocks of sheepe and presented to King Phillip with theyr ensignes and colours as monuments of his glorious and triumphant victorie The King of France was wonderfully astonished with this ouerthrowe and the rather for that Paris the cheefe Citie of his Realme seemed to be straightly terrified that sundrie of the principall Citizens beganne to flie The great feare of the Parisians after the ouerthrow at S. Quintins and to withdraw themselues towardes the vttermost bounds of the lande fearing the comming of the enemie who had nowe libertie to doo what hee listed Howbeit hauing borrowed thirty thousand pounds of the Parisians he presently hired fourteene thousande Switzers and sent to the Duke of Guyse who was in Italy to repaire into France with all expedition and to bring with him all the forces hee could make Thus was the King driuen to an exigent and hee who not long before hadde sent the Guyse to anoy other men was nowe glad to call him home againe to defende himselfe The Hugonots tooke their name of a gate in the Citie of Tours called Hugon because thâ—se of the reformed religion being greatly persecuted did many times in the night assemble neere that gate where they had preaching and other exercises so that in the beginning in the way of mockage they they were called Hugonots which name being carried from one to another at length became a common name and vsed of al sorts who stood almost in a desperate state and lay open to the inuasion of his enemies In the meane time the King was earnestly busied in gathering of another Armie sending out his proclamations into all quarters fortifying Paris and appoynting the Duke of Neuers who by great happe escaped at Saint Quintins to bee his Lieutenant and to empeach the enemie from entering any further into France The number of those who were called * The Hugonots persecuted in France Hugonots began to increase and were dispersed in a manner ouer all the lande and because the affaires of the state went thus backward almost nothing prospered that was taken in hand one of the principall men about the king perswaded him that God was angrie and punished the land for that such sects and heresies as they tearmed them were suffered to increase and multiplie in a manner without controlement and that the King to pacifie the wrath of GOD must take a more seuere course in punishing such as were offenders heerein who hadde beene the principall meanes to pull downe the wrath of God vppon the King and the whole Lande Whereuppon there immediatly ensued horrible crueltyes towards the poore Hugonots and infinite multitudes were putte to death in a short time so that the rage of persecution grewe very great supposing thereby as by an expiation to turne away the hand of the almightie which was so heauie vppon France but they were exceedingly deceiued heerein for by applying a wrong medicine the disease dayly increased and
Brethren and with the two Queenes leauing the Princes of the blood the Conestable the Mareschall the Admirall and sundrie other noble and great personages attending vpon the dead Corps of the late king Henrie When they hadde preuailed in their purpose thus farre then was there such watch and warde kept about the King that no man might speake vnto him but in the presence of some of the Guyses and the matter was so well handled in the ende that the Cardinall and the Duke of Guyse ruled and gouourned all things and hadde the king in a manner at their will and commandement Then beganne they to bring into the kings Councell men of their owne faction and to procure the kinges displeasure vnto such as they disliked The rulers and gouernours of the Citties Townes and Prouinces were at their appointment the Princes of the bloud were imployed in busines far from the Court. The Prince of Conde was sent into Flanders to treate of the league made betweene Fraunce and Spaine the king of Nauarre the Cardinall of Burbon and the Prince De la Roch sur Yon were sent to conduct the kings Sister into Spaine There were many deuises and fetches to mooue the king of Nauarre to giue ouer his claime and title which hee made to the Regencie of the young King and many faire promises were procured out of Spaine conditionally that he would so doo The proude letters of the K. of Spaine And among others there were letters sent to that purpose wherein the Spanish king promised that if he would be ruled herein he would restore him the kingdome of Nauarre of which he held nothing but the title auerring further that very imperiously with threatening words that if he did otherwise he would take vpon him the protection of his brother in law himself and spend all that euer he had yea his owne life and the liues of fortie thousand others whom he had in a readinesse in maintaining the quarrell Thus partly with faire promises and partly with threats the King of Nauarre began to be cold and in a manner quiet and cleane to giue ouer the matter The king of Nauarre giueth ouer his claime When the Guyse perceiued this then did he proceede further hauing the countenance of the yong King and being backed so strongly with the Spanish king so that nowe hee put out and in whome hee listed The pride of Guyse and incroched vppon the offices of other men hee would not sticke to meddle with the Conestableship and great maister of France arrogating that vnto himselfe which of right belonged vnto others The high courts of Parliament were full of his followers and whom soeuer he suspected not to fauour his designes these were by some one sinister information or other presently disgraced insomuch as those fewe good men that were in place considering the rough handling and seuere vsage of sundry well affected persons and the small good that ensued by complaining vnto the King were content to be silent and not to meddle in such dangerous times The Cardinall of Guyse was appoynted ouer the Kings finances the Duke of Guyse hiâ— brother was made Lieutenant generall The Cardâ—nall of Guyse made Lorde treasurer and the duke his brother Lieutenant generall for the King and had the direction of all matters appertaining vnto the warres and all Captaines gouernors of townes and other officers were commanded to obey him as the King himselfe Thus hadde these two gotten the sole authoritie into their hands and although the Queene mother was at the first the meanes to procure them so great place and to make them so neere about the king yet not long after shee repented her thereof and sought many waies to curb them and to keepe them as short as shee might yet shee beeing a most vncertaine and inconstant woman and euer inclining to the worst still rather held with them then with the princes of the bloud who beganne to waxe wearie of the intollerable pride of the Guyse and the burning murthering and iniurious dealing of that bloudy house The Guyse no sooner suspected that their hearts were alienated but that hee studied day and night howe to ouerthrow them and to cause the King to embrew his handes in the bloud of his owne kinred While these mischiefes were thus in platting and many outragious parts plaied tending to the strengthening of this factious house and the vtter ouerthrow of the ancient Nobilitie of France infinite multitudes grewe maruailous discontented and both by word and writing shewed theyr mislike of the present gouernement exclaiming against the sore persecutions of those of the reformed Religion and the intollerable wronges and iniuries offered vnto sundrie of the Kings best affected subiects There were many supplications presented vnto the Queene mother to the King of Nauarre and others of greatest place authoritie The Guyse setteth the King against the princes of the bloud tending to the reformation of these miseries but they were little or nothing regarded for the Queene mother fauoured not the Protestants in her heart though often in the beginning made some shewe thereof and gaue some helpe to the persecuted Hugonots The King of Nauarre was timorous and would not prosecute the cause with such a courage as hee ought to haue done besides hee was besotted with the perswasions of regaining the kingdome of Nauarre if hee would still remaine a Catholike which conceiued hope so stacke in his mind and made so deepe an impression in the bottome of his heart that of a zealous and earnest professour hee became key cold and in the ende proued a bitter enemie to the cause so that the Guyses did still what they listed and no redresse was to bee expected for new Edicts proclamations were made those more seuere then before such as were knowne or suspected to be Protestants were apprehended either forced to recant or else were burned This barbarous vsage of so many natural Frenchmen outragious crueltie towardes all sorts bred by little little a commiseration in the hearts of sundry in whom there remained some sparks of humanitie so that banding together opposing themselues against the proceedings of that time they endeuored by al possible meanes to reforme the common wealth reduce the decaied estate to some better order and albeit that sundrie personages had shewed their liking of a reformation as the K. of Nauarre the Prince of Conde the conestable the Admirall Dandelot many others yet no man attempted but strained courtesie as it were who should begin which procrastinating sundry of good place not beeing able to endure any longer combined themselues together hauing for the principall and ringleader of their actions one called Godfray de Berry Lord of Renaudy The Lord of Renaudy with sundry others atteÌ„pt against the Guyse a wise valiant wel experienced Gentleman who notwithstanding wi hout the aduise of six counsellers and 20. captaines might not attempt any
defeated and no hope left for the Catholikes had not the Duke of Guise reserued his forces whole and entyre and with a sudden charge crossed the happy course of the victorious Prince whose battaillons of footmen being bared of their horse could not endure the furious assault of the Guisards but fled as fast as they could to saue their liues notwithstanding all the encouragement vsed by Dandelot who perswaded them all that he might to abide their enemies Moreouer Danuille one of the sonnes of the Constable espying the princes horsmen disordered with pursuing their victory charged theÌ„ before they could be rallied afresh and hauing first wounded Conde in the hand and then slain his horse the red crosses so pressed on him on all sides before he could be remounted that he was constrained to yeeld himself prisoner Conde taken prisoner to the immeasurable grief of all the confederates The Admirall gathering togither so manie as possible he might of his dispersed troupes gaue a fresh charge vppon the Guise where there was a sore and cruell fight but for that he was not able to match his enemies after the death of many braue men on both sides Dinothus saith that there were 10000. Catholikes slaine The Mareschal S. Andrew slaine he retired to Neufuil leauing the honour of that iourney to the Guise At the last encounter were slaine the Mareschall of S. Andrew Monbrune the Constables sonne the Lord Picues Annebaut Brossy Giury and many other leaders The Duke of Aumaile was greeuously hurt and likewise the Duke of Neuers who dyed shortly after The principall prisoners which were taken were the Constable who was forthwith sent to Orleanâ—e with Orayson Rochfort Esclauoles and sundrie other Gentlemen of good account There were slain on the Princes side verie neare a thousand fiue hundred footmen seuen hundred Almains some foure hundred horse as Dinothus reporteth The principall of which were the Baron of Arpaion Saux Shandeu Liencourt Fredomere Carliere Rongnac Mazelles Saint Germier al which for the most part were of the Cornet of Mouy who was taken prisoner at this last conflict The newes of this battaile was verie vncertaine each side supposing yea and constantly reporting their owne ouerthrowe But vpon more certaine intelligence how that both Generals were taken and that they had parted in a maner with equall losse each faction beganne to rowse vp themselues and to hope for better successe in their future wars wherupon they resolued to choose them new Generals vntill the old were againe restored to libertie The duke of Guise was thought the meetest to commaund ouer the Catholikes The D. of Guise chosen generall ouer the Catholiks and the Admirall ouer the protestants and the Admirall ouer the confederates who pondering their harmes lately receiued by the death of so many braue men and their want of many necessaries requisit for to keepe the field thought it best to retire the one to Paris the other to Orleance and there to repaire their broken armies The Duke of Guise lay not long idle but assayed to recouer certaine townes from the Confederates as Pluuiers Estamps and some others The Admirall on the other side beeing as carefull to maintaine heade agaynst the enemie besieged Selles in Berry which was yeelded vpon composition where he found good store of gold and siluer for the payment of his Reisters Rochfaucont tooke S. Agnan and the Prince Portian entered Monrichard The gayning of which Townes greatly countenanced the wauering estate of the Protestants Thus did these two armyes flote vp and downe each seeking to encroach vppon other so much as might bee At length the Admirall espying the drift of the Guise which was to inuest Orleance on the sudden put himself with all his forces within the Citie Where notwithstanding vpon better aduice he remayned not long but marched towards Normandie to meet with the Englishmen The admiral goeth towards New-hauen to meete with the Englishmen whose landing was dayly expected at New-hauen which was the place appoin for that purpose and that by the consent of the confederates The Queene mother being aduertised hereof laboured to stop his intended voyage by propounding a parle of peace but the Admirall being well acquainted with such stratagems would in no wise hearken thereto but folowed his formed proiect and so with some 3000. horse passingly well furnished and far better then at the battel of Dreux held on his course And being a man of great experience and singular expedition in all his enterprises he surprised on the sudden sundry places which proued afterward of no small moment for the aduancing of the affaires of the confederates The duke of Guise hauing his armie in a readinesse and vnderstanding of the Admirals departure from Orleance leauing Dandelot his brother for the guarde therof vntill his returne thought it best to besiege them who were there assembled while the Admirall with the flower of all their troupes was busied other wheres With this resolution he dislodged and planted his siege about the towne The Duke of Guise besieheth Orleance which he so sore battered and couragiously assailed that the Citie was in imminent perill and all the confederates were in a wonderfull feare least it should haue beene taken Yea the Duke so assured himselfe thereof that hee wrote to the King and Queene Mother that he hoped now to extirpe the race of the Hugonots who had for so many yeares troubled the whole land and that he would send them newes therof within foure and twentie houres But while he was thus in his ruffe firmely perswading himselfe that all was his bebold there fell out a straunge and vnexpected accident which brake the necke of all his deuises There was a poore Gentleman named Iohn Poltrot The storie of Poltot that killed the Duke of Guise one of verie little stature but full of spirite and lyfe and generally reputed of such as best knewe him to bee somewhat a rash headed fellow and verie vndiscreete and one that durst attempt any thing Who being brought vp for a long time in Spaine had learned the language verie perfectly And for that both for his colour complection and stature he was so like vnto them of that nation he was commonly called the little Spaniard This fellow seruing sometime vnder Soubize who commaunded at Lyons woulde often vaunt that this was the hande stretching out his arme that shoulde kill the Duke of Guise and deliuer Fraunce from that monstrous and cruell Tyrant And this hee vsually vttered in great brauerie so that as manie as heard him knowing the humour of the man laughed at his follie little imagining that hee meant as hee sayde for if hee had then it was lykely hee woulde haue kept his purpose more secrete and not haue beene so open mouthed It happened so that immediately after the battaile of Dreux Soubize sent this Poltrot with a Letter to the Admirall who was nowe at Selles in Berrie whither hee was no sooner
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
and dignitie was mightily shaken and in a maner brought to a Chaos and confusion and hasted as it were a maine pace to a lamentable change and alteration CHAP. XIX Henry the third King of France and Polonia The Queene mother laboureth for peace which is concluded for three moneths The Prince of Conde goeth into Germany Lusignen dismanteled The King of Polonia stealeth away into France The first Ciu ll warres The Mareschall D'Anuill ioyneth with Protestants Cassimer commeth to the ayde of the Protestants The Duke of Alenson departeth malecontent from Court The ende of the first ciuill warres KIng Charles beeing dead and his brother Henry king of Polonia Henry the the King of France and Polonia declared heire to the Crowne during whose absence the Queene mother as is already sayde was proclaimed Regent the Catholikes beganne to insult more then euer before ouer the Protestants and to vse them in most outragious manner presuming vppon the accustomed good fortune of their new king and the resolute course of the Queene mother to roote out all those of the Religion and to expell them out of the territories of the Flower de Lis. The consideration whereof did maruailously dismay many of the Protestants and caused sundrie who inwardly fauoured their proceedings to plucke in their heades and keep themselues close and to expect what would bee the sequell of these newe occurrences There was great dissention at Rochell about these matters and long it was before they would fully determine what to do howbeit at length through the manifolde remonstrances of La Noue they fully resolued to continue the warres both by sea and land as they had doone in former times The Queene mother knowing that the best way to pacifie these tumults and to restraine the Confederates from any further proceeding in the warres was to vse them gently and by smoth words and faire promises to keepe them in vntill the comming of the new king sent the Abbot of Gadagny to Rochell with letters to La Noue The Queene mother writeth to La Noue in which among other things hee exhorted him to liue peaceably like a good subiect and not to vex the land with newe troubles in the absence of the king who peraduenture would bee reuenged thereof at his comming although shee knew that naturally hee was a very milde and mercifull Prince and one that would maintaine his subiects both of the one and the other Religion in peace and amitie so farre forth as possibly hee might had alreadie signified the same as well to her selfe and the principall officers of the Crowne as to sundry the greatest and cheefest Citties of the land These letters with sundrie perswasions vsed by the Abbot enduced the Rochelers to conclude a truce for three moneths The Rochelors conclude a peace for three monthâ— Mention was made before of the purpose of the Duke of Alenson and the king of Nauarre to depart the Court to ioyne with the Confederates which albeit they attempted not beeing diuerted there from by the councell of some of their friendes yet the late King had them in great ielousie and therefore kept them in a manner as prisoners setting spies to watch them and their actions and for that hee suspected the two Mareschalles of Memorancy and Cossy to bee of their confederacie hee imprisoned them in the Bastile within the Louure and discharged the Mareschall Danuill brother to Memorancy of his Lieutenantship in Languedock giuing it to the Prince Dauphin sonne to the Duke Montpencier and albeit the Prince of Conde Meru Thore the vicount of Turin Montagu and many others were secret fauourers of his excellency in this action yet for that they were not discouered the king suffered them to remaine at their libertie and sent the Prince of Conde into Picardy to looke to the gouernement of that Countrey The Prince of Conde sent into Picardy from whence he secretly conueyed himselfe into Germany who beeing aduertised of that which had passed at Court touching the Duke and the King of Nauarre and that there was a purpose to clap him vppe likewise secretly conuayed himselfe into Germany and forwith made profession of the Religion and so practised with the Princes and the rest of his friendes in that Countrey that hee leauied a great power of Reisters for the ayde of the French Protestants which when the Mareschall Danuill vnderstood hee beganne to drawe neere to those of the refourmed Religion then hee was accustomed to doo and finding many discontented pollitikes readie to ioyne with him resolued from that time forwarde to follow the matter with more earnestnesse and to further their cause all that euer hee might Henry of Burbon Prince of Conde accompanied with many of the Nobilitie of both Regions beeing at Heppenhem in Germanie and seriously busied in gathethering of forces to enter France for the releefe of his associats was enformed of all the Proceedings as well of the Protestants as of the Mareschall Danuill and the rest of the discontented pollitikes and vnderstanding that he was chosen generall ouer both sorts accepted thereof promising to employ all his credit power and authoritie to maintaine them against all their enemies vnder the obedience of Henry the third of that name King of Poland and of France Which when the Queene mother vnderstood shee thought it best to offer a treatie of peace and to holde all sorts in quietnesse vntill the comming of her Sonne out of Polonia whose presence shee supposed would bee a sufficient weapon to fight against all these practises and deuises Hereuppon she wrote letters to the Confederates and especially to the Rochelors to mooue them to embrace this negociation of peace whereby they themselues might liue in greater securitie The Queene mother moueth a peace and the whole Lande bee freed from ciuill and intestine warres They returned a dutifull answere desiring her maiestie to deale with the Prince of Conde who was elected the cheefe of the reformed Churches and to whome vnder the Kings obedience they hadde submitted themselues and in the meane while furnished their Citties with all necessaries for theyr better safetie With which answere the Queene mother beeing nothing well pleased sent the Duke Montpencier into Poictou with very great forces who hauing taken Maraus Noille Noue Charante and diuers other strong places planted his siege before Fontenay a Towne of very great importance which in the ende hee tooke by composition and so gained all base Poictou to the exceeding preiudice of the Confederates Hee likewise besieged Lusignen which beeing valiantly defended by the Lord of Fontenay held out for a long time yet yeelded at the last vppon reasonable conditions after it had beene besieged three moneths and twelue daies hauing lost some three and twentie Gentlemen and two hundred common souldiers Lusignen dismanteled the Catholikes spent seauen or eight thousande cannon shot and left some eight hundred of their men dead before the Towne to make satisfaction to
should be reuenged and that three of the principall Burgesses of euerie Citie and towne should be put to death in reuenge of the saide murther These with many other notorious vntruths were openly declared in their pulpets wherewith the common sort were mightily enraged against the Protestants and desired nothing more then their vtter subuersion and ouerthrow The Guyses hauing likewise obtained good store of Spanish pistolets corrupted diuers great personages The beginning of the seauenth ciuill warres called the warres of the Leaguers and had hired sundrie Captaines to take their parts Hauing laide this foundation and prouided all necessaries that could be deuised for the rest of their building about the fourth of March 1585. they brake foorth and shewed themselues openly seising vpon sundrie the kings Townes Cities and fortresses supposing indeede that the rest would ioyne with them and take their parts but things falling out contrarie to their expectation they were forced to plucke in their heads for a while and to attend some better oportunitie and that so much the rather for that the K. the better sort of the Nobilitie and the courts of Parliament opposed themselues against their proceedings declaring them Rebelles and willing all the gouernours of Townes and prouinces to apprehende them and to see them punished as seditious persons and perturbers of the State This audacious action seemed very odious in the eyes of many which the Guyses perceiuing they drew in the Cardinall of Burbon by sundrie fine deuises to ioyn with them whose credit and countenance serued their turnes in many great attempts And because sundrie of the Kings Councellers were either the Guyses creatures or by some one way or other deuoted vnto them The king betrayed by his Councell the king was neuer duly enformed of the danger of the League for they told him that it was nothing but an inconsiderate zeale of some few who fearing the innouation of Religion were growne somewhat passionate and sought for nothing indeed but to maintain the people in their obedience to the holy church who if hee should but once frowne vppon them they would all come and fal downe at his maiesties feete and vowe their goods their liues and whatsoeuer meanes they had to doo his maiestie seruice and therefore hee neede not feare them who were so good and deuout Catholikes but rather had cause to animate them in their Religious proceedings considering that they opposed themselues against none but such as were tearmed Hugonots the kings sworne enemies and such as had beene the occasion of all those miseries which had continued in France for so many yeeres The King was brought into such a securitie of his estate by this wicked Councell that he did not onely reiect such aduertisements as were sent to him from time to time both from the King of Nauarre Duke Cassimer and other Princes touching the monstrous conspiration of the Leaguers but also as one that knew not what hee did hee made great preparation against them of the reformed Religion and suffered the Leaguers in the meane time to grow and fortifie themselues at their owne pleasures vntill they were become so mighty that they thought themselues able inough if neede were to go through with theyr intended course whosoeuer shoulde say nay Which was no sooner effected but that they sette the Kings Councellers on the sodaine to enfourme the king of the great power and puissance of the Leaguers howe that quite besides their expectations there was an vniuersall consent of all his good subiects to restore the Catholike Religion that great numbers of his Nobilitie and cheefest Citties highly commended the zeale of the Leaguers and were resolued in theyr defence and therfore that it were good for the king considering the time not to make any resemblance to call any of them to account for any of theyr actions least he should giue some suspicion that hee was a fauorer of the heretikes which might breed a grudging in the hearts of his people wherby some commotions might rise to the imminent perill of his royall person and the extreme danger of the whole state The King maketh peace with the Leaguers The king beeing maruailously amazed with these and such like remonstrations thought it best to make peace with them and to countenance them as his best subiects They were glad that they had brought him to that passe and now seeing they had found him so submisse they meant to make further tryall of his courtesie and therevppon they required that all their former actions might be ratified by the kings authoritie as good and lawful and done for his seruice and that whatsoeuer had passed in preiudice of the Leaguers should be reuoked as wrongfull and vniust and for that they sawe the king was willing to gratifie their smal requests they were bold to proceed further to intreat him that the Duke of Guyse the Duke de Maine the Duke of Aumaile the Cardinall of Guyse the Lord Brissac the Lord Antragnes the Lord Chastre and the rest of the principall Leaguers might haue the gouernement of sundrie the strongest places of the land The Leaguers require to be made gouernours of the principall holds in France as of the Cittadell of Metz the Castle of Diâ—â—n Rhemes the strongest holds of Picardy Orleans Caen Aniou Bourges Lyons and many others of like importance They further perswaded with him to proclaime open warres against the Protestants to declare the king of Nauarre the Prince of Conde and all others who had beene infected with heresie as they tearmed it to be for euer vncapable of any office in France and that they should packe out of the Countrey with all speede and for the better countenancing of all theyr proceedings against these great States they procured Pope Sixtus to excommunicate them thereby to make them more odious with the people As soone as they had gotten in a manner whatsoeuer they desired and had made themselues as good maisters as the King they with sundrie and most cunning deuises gayned great multitudes to ioyne with them and euerie man eyther for feare or for loue was foorthwith at their will and commande They mustered great forces and gathered mightie armies to inuade the king of Nauarre and the rest of the Protestants who seeing themselues abandoned of their king and exposed to the furie of their mercilesse enemies stood vpon the defensiue and resisted the rage of the League as well as they could The Prince of Conde growing strong determined to besiege Brouage The Prince of Conde besiegeth Brouage which was kept by the Lord Saint Luc for the Leaguers where after hee had spent some time in gayning many of the principall forts he departed towards Angiers leauing al his footmen to continue the siege and albeit the Prince vsed great expedition labouring with all speede to releeue those who had taken the Castle of Angiers The Prince goeth towards Angiers yet could hee not come time inough
farre as Lancy in Masconois where by reason that manie principall Captaines were corrupted with money and fayre promises and the rest suffered great wants they concluded to returne backe so that hauing made their capitulation and gotten theyr Passeportes Sundry of the Germaine Captains corrupâ—ed by mony caused the whole armie to retire The death of the duke of Bonillon euerie man made all the speede home that might bee loden with miserie shame and dishonour with the losse of many Ensignes and Cornets besides their chiefest leaders and commaunders The Duke of Bonillon generall of that armie with the Lord Clerebant and Van being not able to draw them forwards by any perswasion returned to Geneua where they died shortly after The Count de La Marke brother to the duke of Bonillon was deceased long before at a place called Loyne Great numbers of this dispersed armie were inuaded by their enemies and slaine in their passage homewards contrarie to the promise which had beene made vnto them by the Catholiques The Colonels and Captaines of the Switzers the chiefe authours of the dissolution of that Armie were seuerely punished by their Segneuries so that this whole armie was maruellously afflicted and euerie one was scourged after one sort or other and hauing spent and spoyled infinitely did nothing but worke their owne calamitie and ouerthrow The King vndoubtedly had taken maruellous care to sâ—uer this mightie puyssaunce and by cunning handling of the matter The Guises slaunder the King had brought them to this extreame passe that vnder the colour of a Passeport hee exposed them to the butcherie and rage of their enemies And although that by reason of this politique dealing he deserued high commendation yet the Guise so handled the matter that all redownded to his further discredite and caused his subiects to speake worse of him then at anie time before For the Guise had caused it to bee bruited abroad that not onely the King had willingly suffered the Germaines to escape contrarie to the counsaile and aduice of the Duke of Guise but also had giuen them the meanes to retyre in safetie some into Germanie and others into Languedocke there to ioyne with the King of Nauarre and so to continue further troubles in the lande to the great and intollerable harme of the good Catholiques and the encouraging of Heretikes and such as were enemies to holy Chuch When the Friers and Iesuits in Paris and other principall cities were possessed with these newes they brake forth into very seditious speeches openly exclayming against the King and extolling the wisdome prowesse noble acts of the duke of Guise whereby they procured him much fauor among the multitude that knew nothing but what they heard by the Leaguers and their fauorites which made them think that the King had killed his thousand but the Guise his ten thousand All which treacherous dealings tended to no other end but this either to make the French beleeue that the K. was not indowed with such noble and heroycall vertues as were requisite for him that should gouerne so mightie and puissant a nation or else that he was a notorious dissembler a maintainer of Heretikes a secret enemy to the Catholikes And then what should they doo with such a King let theÌ„ make choise of another more valiant more wise more prouident more religious a more stout defender of holy Church and who should that be but the Guise who for the zeale courage valour and singuler dexteritie in the mannaging of matters of estate was not onely superior to the King The leaguers attempt against the yong duches of Bonillon but the paragon of all Europe The leaguers being assured of the death of the duke of Bonillon and that hee had left his sister Madame Charlate de la Marke a yong and tender Ladie heyre to all his soueraigne segneurie and principalitie of Bonillon thought it their best to let the king of Nauarre alone for a time at whose handes there was little to bee gotten vnlesse they payed deare for it and to enterprise somewhat aagaynst this desolate Ladie and either by hooke or by crooke as wee vse to say to get the Dukedome into their possession VVhereupon the Duke of Guise vsed all the cunning hee coulde to match his sonne the Prince Ienuill with her and the Duke of Lorraine was as earnest a suter for his sonne called Marthuis de Pont and Lorde Vaudemont But neither of them being able by all their deuises to winne that Ladies fauour they thought it best to ioyne together and to compell her to match according to their lykings With this resolution they entered the Dukedome of Bonillon with a great power burning wasting killing murthering rauishing and committing all other horrible and detestable villanies that coulde bee imagined The crueltie of the leaguers against the dukedom of Bonillon and besieged the sayde Ladie and her two principall Townes Sedan and Iamets where they continued a long tyme spent much Treasure and lost most of theyr men and in the ende with shame and dishonour beeing well beaten at a womans hand by the valiant conduct of the Lord Necuile were glad to giue ouer and returne home Whilest the dukedom of Bonillon was vexed and tormented with these troublesome sutors the principal leagers assembled at Nancie in Lorrain where there was a great consultation helde how they might aduance themselues and ouerthow the King against whose person and state they had for a long time bout all their endeuors There they agreed to present certain articles to the king which they would haue him agree vnto and those were such as tended to the vtter destruction of the King and the auncient Nobilitie of Fraunce and the safetie of themselues First they requested the King to ioyne more openly with the League and to put all such as they dislyked out of their offices The petitions of the leâ—gue to the king To cause the Councell of Trent to bee proclaymed throughout all his Dominions To establish the Spanish inquisition To put such Castels and strong Townes into their handes as they should name vnto him That hee shoulde sende an armie into Lorraine vpon the borders of G rmanie to let the entrie of strangers into the land and for the maintenance thereof should cause all the goods of those whome they tearmed Heretikes or fauourers of Heretikes to bee solde and the money to bee deliuered into theyr handes That the Catholiques shoulde pay the tenth of their reuenewes for the same purpose and that the surplussage shoulde bee to pay the most needfull debts of the principall Leaguers and that the life of no Heretike prisoner shoulde be spared vnlesse hee would abiure and put in good securitie to liue Catholiquely hereafter and to giue all his goods or the iust valew of them which hee hath then in his possession to the supporting of the League and to binde himselfe to serue three yeares wheresoeuer he should be commaunded The
King did allowe of such of these Articles as did any way concerne the suppression of the reformed Religion The king refuseth to grant all the petitions of the league but considering that the rest did wonderfull derogate from his Crowne and dignitie and that they tended directlie to the weakening of himselfe and the strengthening of the league of which for a long tyme hee had verie hardly conceyued hee would not bee enduced to condiscend vnto them by anie manner of meanes or entreatie whatsoeuer Now as the Leaguers laboured openly by these and such like deuises to weaken the King so they practised secretly to destroy the King of Nauarre and Prince of Conde knowing that if they were once ridde of them it woulde bee an easie matter to accomplish the rest Heerevpon they set on worke certaine wicked and diuellish persons to bring these two great Princes to their deaths And assuring themselues that this detestable deuise woulde take effect they caused it on a suddaine to bee bruited all ouer the Realme of Fraunce that Nauarre and Conde were both dead But by Gods good prouidence Nauarre escaped that daunger and tooke no harme The Prince of Conde by the treacherous and villaynous dealing of some of his housholde seruaunts and amongest others of one Brillant and a page The prince of Conde poysoned two such as he had greatly fauoured and bestowed many benefites vpon was poisoned the third day of March in the yere of our Lord The great commendatiō of the prince of Conde one thousand fiue hūdred eightie and eight and died within two dayes after at Saint Iean d' Angely Whose death was greatly lamented of all good men for that hee was wise valiant zealous in religion true harted to his Prince a louer of his country and an irreconciliable enemie to the perturbers of the state and to all such as hee knewe to be aduersaries to God to the King and to the Crowne of France The Guises and the rest of the leaguers reioysed not a little at this newes for nowe they thought they were gotten one steppe higher and had greater hope to oppresse the Protestants then before who they knewe were mightily weakened with this losse And for that they supposed that in this conseruation of mens mindes they had oportunitie to attempt something which might still aduaunce their affaires they thought good that the Lorde Lauerdin who had scaped a scowring at the battaile of Coutras should assaile Marans a place of very great importaunce and if it were possible to make it sure for the league The Lord Lauerdin applied his businesse so diligently that he gayned the sayd Island of Marans in a short time Marans gained by the Lord Lauerdin by reason that the Protestants being amased as it were with the vnexpected death of the Prince did not prouide timelie enough for the fortifying thereof with such store of men and munition as was necessarie Albeit that the King was glad that the Lord Lauerdin had gotten Marans yet he liked not that it should be kept by the Lord Cluseaux whom he knewe to bee a fauourer of the League but there was no remedie he must beare with the time being indeede not able to doe as hee would for the most part of his Councell and those of the chiefest were leagers and the Duke of Guise the head of those monsters had caused such infamous rumours to be raysed of the Kings actions and by secret practises had so disgraced him among his subiects that he was almost growne into contempt among the communaltie and was imputed no bodie in comparison of the Guise This opinion the King would gladly haue rooted out and was verie desirous to gaine their good willes and affections if possibly he might The better to effect this he thought best to proclaime wars afresh against the Protestants The King prepareth to go into Poictou against the Protestants and to rayse a great power and to go in person into Poictou agaynst the King of Nauarre and all his confederates that so by some famous exploits against those of the reformed religion hee might regaine the loue and liking of his lost subiects The Duke of Guise who knew that he had stollen away the peoples hearts from the King thought it now good time to discouer his secrete meaning more openly and presuming of his fauourers at Court and the good wil of the countrey The Guise determineth to seise vpon Paris and to take the King concludeth to get Paris to seise vpon the king either aliue or dead to kill as many princes of the blood and other officers of the crown as he could lay hands vpon and by fine force to set the diadem of France vpon his owne head Now that he might be the more assured to accomplish all this he wrote secret letters to all his chiefe friends and followers to meete him at Paris as spedily as they might And for that the King should not be able to withstand him he had set the duke of Aumaile to warre against sundry townes and cities in Picardy and had giuen order that others should attempt as much in Normandy and other places knowing that the king would send thither his principall forces to keepe those countries in his obedience and then he might with more facilitie execute his intended purpose Vpon these aduertisements of the Guise to his associates there repayred vnto Paris great numbers of the most factious turbulent and malecontent persons of all the Land Many Spanish Captaines and Hispaniolized french were soone assembled in that mightie Cittie and that to the number of fifteene or sixteene thousand besides the Citizen Leaguers who were exceeding many and those as desperate and rash headed as any others whosoeuer the Duke of Guyse being diligently enformed of this and knowing how greatly hee was expected at Paris by his confederates resolued to post thither with all speede and the rather for that the king euen as he wished had now dispersed his forces sending some into Normandy and others into Picardy to maintain◠his authoritie in those prouinces the King had long mistrusted the Guyse for that he was now aduertised that hee was comming to Paris he vehemently suspected that there was some notable practise in hand to be performed against him by the Leaguers he therefore sent word to the sayd Duke whom hee vnderderstood to bee forward on his way by the Lord Belieure that in no wise hee should come to Paris at that time vppon paine of his displeasure and in case that he would notwithstanding continue his iourney that then hee helde him for a traytour and the authour of all those miseries wherewith the Land was so encombred at that instant Belieure did his message The Guyse entreth into Paris contrary to the Kings commandement but the Guyse did little regard it for he followed the said Belieure at the heeles and was at Paris almost assoone as hee accompanied not past with some
fifteene or sixteene Gentlemen the better to couer his intended purpose knowing that he should finde a sufficient number of partakers to maintaine himselfe against all men Not long after his arriuall he went very confidently to see the king and with all humble reuerence with his knee to the ground saluted him but the king being highly despleased for that his comming contrary to his commandement gaue him a frowning countenance The Guyse stayed not long at Court but returned to his house in the Citie immediatly after the King being duely enformed of the great number of strangers that were in the same Cittie and that it was verie likely that they remained there for some dangerous exploit caused twelue companies of French men and Switzers to bee distributed into sundrie places to keepe all quiet and in their due obedience The Cittizens at the instigation of the Guyse his companies tooke the Alarum making as though they feared that they should be murthered and haue their houses sacked The Parisians rise a-against the King and kil his guard for diuers were sent about to disperse such reports armed themselues and beeing assisted by Brissac Borsdauphin Chamois and the rest of the Guysards set vpon the Switzers and the rest of the Kings guardes whereof some they killed and others they disarmed and such as remained they kept as prisoners and hoping nowe to attaine to the Period of their desires they made theyr approches and besieged the Louure entending to take the King either aliue or dead The king seeing all that great and populous Cittie in an vprore and that hee had not sufficient forces to oppose against such a rebellious rable determined to leaue the Louure The King lâ—aueth Paris and flieth to Chartres at the perswasions of sundrie his most faithfull councellers who aduised him to giue place to that desperate Rebellion to seeke his safetie some other where whereupon he incontinently departed from Paris and went that night as farre as Trappes and the next day to his Citie of Chartres Many great Lords Gentlemen of good place which were the kings friends went after him as fast as they could some on horsebacke and some on foote making as good shift as they could vpon so short warning wherein wee may note a maruailous strange alteration and vicissitude in the state of this great Prince who hauing beene so mightie a monarke and a king of two such noble and puissant countreyes as were Polonia and France a commander ouer so many great and honourable personages and had ruled such an infinite multitude of all sorts was now driuen out of his owne house and out of his cheefest Citie and forced to flie before him who was his vassaile and subiect to his intollerable greefe and vexation leauing his treasure and whatsoeuer precious things he had to be a pray for his enemies The Guyse vnderstanding that the king was escaped and had auoyded his bloudy fingers was maruailously greeued and cursed his ouersight knowing that hee should neuer haue the like oportunitie againe to effect his purpose and fearing that the King would seeke to be reuenged of so great an indignitie offered to his person thought that hee would prouide the meanes as wel as he could to defende himself and his therfore he seised vpon the Kings arsemall and vpon his treasor The Guyse seiseth vppon the Kings treasor whereof hee brought to his owne house aboue seauen hundred thousand Crownes which hee laide vp as an earnest for the rest Then did he forthwith alter the pollicie of the Citie remoouing Perrense the prouost of the Merchants from his office and the rest of the cheefest officers which he knew to be affectionate to the king and placed such as were the most factious seditious Leaguers in their roumes he wrote also sundry letters to his frieÌ„ds abroad and to the principall Townes such as he knew to bee deuoted to him requiring them to ioyne with him and to be in a readinesse when hee should haue neede and caused it to be bruted that all that which had passed at Paris was not against the king but to defend the Cittie which was in danger to bee spoyled by strangers and that the king by the counsell of the Duke of Espernon who had said he intelligence with the King of Nauarre and the Heretikes had caused sundrie gibbets to be set vp in seueral places of the Citie to hang diuers Cittizens and to spoyle their houses thereby to gather money and to warre against the Leaguers The Guyse seeketh to couer his rebellious action When the Guyse had taken the course to assure himselfe by all the deuises hee could hee wrote letters to the king seeking to disguyse all this action and to perswade him that hee had no euill meaning against his maiestie but had alwaies beene and still remained his most dutifull subiect and had in this tumultuous stirre happened at Paris shewed how hee respected the King and all his seruants in that hee had taken so great prayes euen with the danger of his life to saue sundrie his officers his Captaines and Souldiers and so farre forth as possibly he might to keep the people from murther and bloudsâ—ed which was then so likely to haue fallen out and that to the great and irreperable harme of the Kings best affected subiects After the alleaging of these and many other arguments to proue his fidelitie he besought the king to be his gracious Lord and to account of him as his most faithfull and loyall sâ—biect and for that hee had a guiltie conscience hee was continually in feare least the King would at one time or other bee reuenged howsoeuer peraduenture for the time hee might dissemble the matter and shew him a fayre countenance and therefore hee practised all meanes to make his attonement and to that ende made earnest sute to the Queene mother to stand his gracious Lady Such was his demeanor and so cunningly hee handled the matter that she was woon to be a mediator for him and to assay to bring him againe into the kings fauor The king reposing a maruailous confidence in his mother The Queen mother reconcileth the Guyse to the King who had bewitched him with an opinion of her loue and naturall affection towards him suffered himselfe to be ruled by her aduice notwithstanding all the perswasions of the Catholikes that were about him who exclaimed against the Guyses and their proude and rebellious enterprises and required the king to taâ—e condigne punishment proffering him their seruice their liues theyr goods and whatsoeuer meanes they had for the accomplishment thereof The king thanked them for their good willes but resoluing to make a peace sent them home againe and would not follow their counsels After much going and comming on both sides the reconciliation was made the K. the Leaguers became good friendes and intended to bend all their forces against the Protestants Wherupon two mighty armies were prepared
the one for Guyen Two armies sent against the Protestants commanded by the Duke of Neuers the other for Dauphiny vnder the leading of the Duke de Maine All these troublous stirs being now ended the K. and the Leaguers beeing made friends it was thought good to call an assembly of the state to reforme the pollicie of the Land and to take some finer course for the prosecuting of the warres against the Hugonots and to that ende the king sent his writs to summon all prouinces Cities and townes This Parliament was appointed to begin the 15. of August yet afterward it was deferred vntill the ninth of October following to send their deputies to Bloys prouided alwaies that they were good Catholiks and such as neither had fauour nor were any waies suspected to fauour the king of Nauarre nor his associats and the Duke of Guyse and the rest of the Leaguers so handled the matter in the meane time that not any one man in a maner was chosen to be sent to that assembly but such as they were assured did either openly or secretly fauor their proceedings At this great Parleament there was much adoo and many things talked of but especially of the Edict of Reunion made the one and twentie of Iuly which tended to the establishing of Poperie the rooting out of Heresie and the disinheriting of the Princes of the bloud prouoking the king with many bitter words vehemeÌ„t exhortations to embrew his haÌ„ds in the bloud of the saints and with fire and sword to roote them out of France All which was assented vnto by the king and his three estates enacted as a fundamentall law of the land which they all swore to see inuiolably kept and obserued in al the kings dominions to the vttermost of their powers The king of Nauarre was quickly aduertised of whatsoeuer had passed at Bloys The Protâ—stants assemble at Rochel and therfore assembled all his principall friends followers at Rochel the 16. of Nouember following whither likewise all the reformed churches sent theyr deputies where they resolued vppon the defensiue and the meanes how to withstand their enemies The king continued at Bloys all this while and albeit hee shewed a faire countenance to the Guyse yet in heart hee loued him not for that indignitie which was offered him at Paris besides many other saucie and audacious Pranks which hee plaide since did breed a reuenging minde in the K. which he meant to shew more apparantly assoone as any oportunity was offered Now as it vsually falleth out betweene late reconciled enemies each still suspected other and many tarres â—ell out betweene their friendes and followers which bred sundrie sturres and hurleburlies in the Court but there were two especially which gaue the â—larum to the Courtiers and made euerie man to stand vpon his guard The first quarrell arose among the Pages and lackies some holding with the Burbons and some with the Leaguers wherewith the Duke of Guyse was so affrighted Two sodainâ— vprares at Court that hee ran into his chamber barred the doores and kept himselfe as close as he could The second was occasioned by a souldier who beeing hurt ranne to saue himselfe in the Guyses Chamber whither hee was followed by the kings guard with their drawen swords in their hands whereupon once againe all the Court was in an vprore not without great feare least some dangerous euent would ensue About the middle of December the Duke of Guyse shewed himselfe more disobedient then at any time before and a great contemner of the king and his authoritie The Guyse a maâ—â—â—â—ter of murtherers and Rebels in maintaining a number of Ruffians murtherers factious seditious persons and such as raised a rebellion in August last and had attempted the killing of the Duke of Espernan at Engolesme These were lodged in the Court and flocked about the Guyse and were so countenanced by him that no Magistrate durst say a word to them besides the king being daily enformed of many trech erous practises against his person and estate called al his Nobles and willed them to sweare that they should neuer attempt any thing against him The Guyse refuseth to take his oath for the preseruation of the King the Duke most disloyally refused and said in his presence that he would not take such an oath and if hee did any thing otherwise then he ought there were good lawes to punish him spare him not no other answere could bee gottten at his hands and fearing that the â—ing would be reuenged as well for this as for other notorious contempts as also considering that all the drifts of his councellers were so discouered that there was no way to hide them anie longer and therefore that now with all speede hee must put them in execution hee called a Councell of his most trusty friends as Lewis Cardinall of Guyse his brother the Archbishop of Lyons and some fewe others in which it was concluded The Guyse and his associats vow to kill the king that the king must needes bee dispatched out of hand and that all delaies were dangerous and therefore the twentie foure of that moneth was appointed for that tragical execution binding themselues to see the same performed with a solemne oath Thus was this great french king discouered of a very auncient and noble race honoured for a long time of his owne subiects and reuerenced of his neighbour Princes condemned to die by the hands of most disloyall traytors who had all their aduauncement by him and his predecessors CHAP. XXIIII The King resolueth to kill the Guyse The death of Francis Duke of Guyse and of the Cardinall his brother The terror of the Guysards The death of the Queene mother THough the King knew not of this sentence of death which was pronounced against him The King resolueth to kill the Guyse yet the olde and new iniuries offered vnto him by the Guyse did sufficiently exasperate him and made him watch all opportunitie to seeke his reuenge and assoone as euer he could to be ridde of so desperate a traytor This determination of the king could not be kept so secret but that the Guyse hauing many friends about the king who suspected some such thing aduertised the Duke the two and twenty of December by laying a little bill vnder his napkin wherin was written Looke to your selfe for some are about to play a shrewd play with you Hee perusing the writing wrote this answere They dare not and so threw it vnder the â—able The same day the king receiued diuers aduertisements of this horrible conspiracie of the Guyse against his person The aduertisements of the Duke of Maine and Aumaile to the King touching the attempt of the Guyse and especially from the Duke de Maine who sent Alphonso Corse to him with this message That it was an easie matter to carrie beades about and to put on a counterfeit shew of holinesse but hee was
sure that his brother had a dangerous enterprise in hand against his Maiestie which he knew not certainely when hee would put in execution but hee was well assured that the time was not farre off and that hee doubted least his warning should come too late And aduised him in these words That his Maiestie should beware of a desperate and furious mind The Duke of Aumaile sent likewise the duchesse his Wife to giue the King to vnderstand That there was great danger towards his person and that the conspirators were vpon the poynt of execution The king had also intercepted manie letters by which hee did euidently perceiue as much and how that the Guyses had sworne his death and destruction and disinhereting of the royall bloud of France in the houses of Valoys and Burbons and to sette vppe the house of Lorraine All these remonstrances made the king bestirre him and to deuise some speedie Course for the preseruation of his owne life Wherupon he got the keyes of the Castle doubled his guards and appointed a strong watch in the Town with commaundement not to open the gates without his speciall lisence all which was doone in the night without the knowledge of the Guyse and calling vnto him some seauen or eight of those fiue and fortie pensioners which daily attended on his person hee reuealed vnto them his purpose requiring theyr ayde and assistance who receiued most willingly their seruice with promise to execute his will and to doo as his Maiestie had directed them The next morning the Duke of Guyse the Cardinall his brother the Archbishop of Lyons with the Mareschall of Haultmont were assembled in the chamber neere vnto the king and readie to sit in councell howe and in what manner it were best to commit their detestable parricide The king hauing disposed of all things in the best manner that hee could deuise sent a Gentleman to call the Duke of Guyse to come and speake with him who comming forth and seeing the Guards more carefully disposed then was accustomed hauing a guiltie conscience beganne to suspect and as oftentimes the minde of man vppon the instant of so great aduentures presageth that which afterward ensueth so at this present the Dukes hart fainted and his colour charged as one fearing some imminent perill hee was readie to swound hee had sent his Page for a handkercheffe in one of the corners whereof his secretarie named Pellicart had knit vp a little written bill containing a warning to get him away with all speede or else he were but dead But this handkercheffe was intercepted with the remembrance as the Page was comming vppe and neuer came to his handes The Duke in going through a narrow passage to the King encreased his mistrust and was about to returne but still hee went forwards into the Kings vtter chamber where seeing the Lord Loiguake fitting vpon a chest whom of all other he most hated for that he had beene long perswaded that the same Lord determined to kill him hee set his hand to his sword with a purpose to set vppon the sayde Loiguake but by reason hee did weare his Cloake Scarft wise he was so troubled that he could not draw it past halfe way out of the sheath they who were appoynted for his execution The death of Francis D. of Guyse seeing him enterprise such an audacious act and that at the kings chamber doore preuented him and slew him at that instant The noyse was such in this tragicall execution that the Cardinall entred into a mistrust and made hast to get forth but he was stayed by a Gentleman of the Scottish guard The death of the Cardinall of Guise who had commandement to arrest him and not long after by reason of his former treasons and his presumptuous behauiour at that present mingled with some threatning speeches hee was strangled in the same placce where hee was taken prisoner The Archbishop rushed foorth in great furie and saide hee would helpe the Duke of Guyse but hee was quickly cooled and clapt vp in prison though afterwarde released vppon his submission and acknowledgement of his offence The Cardinall of Burbon the Prince Ieuuille sonne to the Duke of Guyse the Mareschall D'Albenfe with many other pertakers in this treason were apprehended and committed to safe keeping and likewise Pellicart secretarie to the Duke of Guyse with all his papers and writings whereby all the secret Councelles of the Guyses and the rest of the Leaguers as well of Princes and Nobles as of the Clergie Towne and Cities were manifested and discouered The fame of this execution was foorthwith spread abroade in the Towne albeit the Castle gates were shut which made all such as had guiltie consciences to packe from Bloys as speedily as euer did the Protestants from the suburbs of Saint Germaines on Bartholmew day The Guysards flie from Bloys and to seeke to shift for themselues some other where Thus were the Leaguers wonderfully crossed in their designements and many who the day before thought it an honour to bee called Guysards and were readie to challenge to the Combate such as reputed them Royalles were now altered on the sodaine and cast in a newe mould esteeming all that factious multitude worse then theeues and murtherers Shortly after that these things thus passed at Blois died the Queene mother The death of the Quâ—ene mother of France who was very olde and had liued too long for Fraunce where she had beene as the firebrand of the Country the nurse of all rebellions the bellowes of all ciuil dissention the instrument of the diuell to worke all impietie and vngodlinesse the procurer of the fall and destruction of her owne children and the principal worker of all this wofull and lamentable alteration happened in that noble and renowmed Kingdome CHAP. XXV The rebellion of Duke de Maine and most of the principall Cities of Fraunce The King of Fraunce and the King of Nauarre are reconciled The King of Fraunce murthered by a Frier The King of Nauarre proclaimed King of Fraunce THe King thought good to aduertise all his subiects of that which had happened at Blois and for that purpose wrote diuerse Letters to his seuerall gouernors of his prouinces duly enforming them of al these occurrences and sent to the assembly of the States to let them vnderstande that it was his pleasure that they should still continue and that he was fully determined to followe their reasonable counsailes in all things but they by little and little slyding away one after another got them home into their Countryes and by spreading of most accursed and damnable rumours deprauing the Kings fact with many hyperbolicall speeches which they amplified with sundry lying reasons and defamatorie libels tearming this execution by the name of the massacre committed at Blois caused an vniuersall rebellion of all those Townes Cities and Prouinces which had reiected the Gospel in former tymes The Duke de Maine no sooner vnderstood thereof
but that he perswaded himselfe that seeing his brother was dead The duke de Maine rebelleth aga nst the King he might now peraduenture obtaine the Crowne for himselfe if hee would lay in for it for hee had a great power in a readinesse and no doubt but the most of the Leaguers woulde followe him for feare least if they shoulde fall into the Kinges handes hee woulde punish them according to theyr deserts With this resolution hee left Dauphiny and hasted into Burgundie and Champaigne taking with him such strength and power as hee could get and making sure as manie places as hee coulde come by prepared to make warre agaynst the king Paris which was the capitoll Citie of the whole kingdome and had more fauoured the Guise then anie other was mooued to great indignation Paris and the rest of the principal Cities rebell against the King and shewed it selfe highly offended And being further incensed with the piteous outcryes and lamentable complaints of the Duchesses of Guise and Nemours and with the inuectiue Sermons of the Iesuites and Friers grewe into a desperate madnesse shaking off the yoake of obedience and rebelled openlye agaynst theyr naturall Prince and liege Lorde Most of the greatest rychest and strongest Cityes as Orleance Roan Amiens Aniou Lyons Abeuille Remes Tholous and manie others followed the example of the Parisians and conspiring with the rest of the Leaguers imprisoned the Kings friendes seyzed vpon his strong holdes robbed him of his treasure and vsed him in all outragious and rebellious maner The King vnderstanding of all these seditious sturres sought by faire meanes and in gentle maner to reduce them to their obedience sending out his proclaimations to pardon whatsoeuer was past and to burie it in the graue of obliuion so that they woulde lay downe their Armes and liue peaceablie vnder his authoritie The seditious diuinitie of the Sorbonists as in dutie they were bound but they made no reckoning of the Kinges clemencie but tearmed it cowardlinesse as though hee were afrayed of their forces beeing animated by the Sorbonists and their Doctours in Theologie who had resolued that they were set free from theyr oath of obedience and former allegiaunce made vnto Henrie the thirde And that it was lawfull for them and for all the residue of the people of Fraunce to take Armes agaynst the sayde King Henrie and to persecute him and all his adherents with fire and sworde as enemyes to God to their Countrey and to holy Church When they had once gotten this aduauntage that they were able to colour their proceedings as it were with an oracle from heauen they made no more conscience at the matter The duke de Maine made general of the Leaguers but presently determined to choose them a Generall for the leading of their forces and to establish a new Councell by whose direction they might manage the rest of their affayres They refused all the Princes of the blood and chose the Duke de Maine who was a man much fauoured of the leaguers The leaguers appoint a councell of state and one that was well acquainted with all their practises The Dukes of Aumaile and Nemours with the Cheualier of Aumaile were made gouernours of Paris There were also 47. of the most seditious turbulent factious and bitterest enemies to the King appoynted to order the state as the kings priuie councell had done in former times These had no sooner gotten this authoritie into their handes but they committed most horrible outrages against all such as they suspected to be the kings friends imprisoning murthering robbing sacâ—ing and spoyling them in such sort as was neuer heard of within any mans remembrance and going to the royall pallace called the Louure they seyzed vpon all the kings goods The leaguers notorious disobedience they violated the great Seale of France brake it in peeces and trode it vnder their feete They rent and tore the Armes of Valois and Burbon and trayled them in most despitefull manner in the mire and dyrt through the Streetes and assembling as manie of the principall Leaguers both of the Nobilitie Cleargie and Communaltie as they coulde wrote to other Cities theyr Confederates to follow their example and to ioyne with them and also to procure as manie partakers as they might the better to countenance their proceedings The king had often and very seriously disswaded them from this seditious course and with all lenitie sought to reduce them to their former obedience but considering that he preuailed nothing by gentlenesse and clemency but rather that the people waxed worse worse he therfore now determined to take a sharper course and by force to bring them vnder his obedience but fearing his owne weaknesse and want of sufficient power to bring his purposes to passe for that he was as it were coÌ„passed about with his enemies not knowing what to doo or whome to trust The king maketh peace with the 〈◊〉 of Nauarre perceyuing that the most of those who were about him were fauorers of the rebels hee was content to follow the aduice of his most trustie councellors and to make peace with the King of Nauarre and to vse his counsal and forces for his iust and lawfull defence and the rather for that the Duke de Maine approched verie neare vnto him with a great and puissant armie Thus was the king for the safetie of his person forced to cast himselfe into the armes of him whom for manie yeares hee had reputed for his mortall enemie and glad to seeke to be preserued by such an one whose destruction he had sought with all extremitie The King of Nauarre being aduertised of the Kings intent and solicited by sundry messengers to come to his ayde with all expedition called his Nobles and Captaines and gathered all his forces together and passing ouer the Loyre at Samnur went towards the King who was greatly distressed at Toures and in imminent perill to bee oppressed by the Leaguers The meeting of the King of France the King of Nauarre The King vnderstanding of his approach the thirtie of Aprill sent the Mareschall Haultmont accompanied with a great number of the Nobilitie to desire him to come to Plesis de Tours where hee with all his Court staid for him The King of Nauarre readily obeyed passing ouer the bridge of Saint Saphorin where hee left all his forces in battaile array and went towardes the King whom hee sound staying for him in the Parke of Plessis There was such a concourse of people and so great a throng that the two Kings were forced to stay aboue halfe a quarter of an houre stretching and holding out their hands before they could embrace one another so great was the prease and such a multitude were slocked togither to beholde this ioyfull and blessed meeting The kind embracings and louing salutations betweene these two Potentates did euidently declare their inward ioy contentation The reioysing of all sorts was incredible
nothing was heard for the space of halfe an houre but God saue the King a voyce which had not beene heard neare the Court in more then foure Moneths before And reiterating their ioyfull acclamations they ceased not but cryed out God saue the Kings God saue the King and the King of Nauarre Here wee may see a straunge and maruailous alteration on the sudden for these two Princes which had beene so bitter enemies each hauing for a long time pursued other by cruell and bloodie warres are now reconciled and are become louing and kind friends And the king who not long before stoode in daunger either to be murthered or else to be deliuered into the hands of those who thirsted for nothing more then for his blood is now freed from all feare and restored to his former libertie and is fortifyed by the arryuall of this Prince and Armie which did both countenaunce his authoritie and encourage his friendes and so daunted his enemyes that the Duke de Maine The Duke de Maine hasteth to Paris was glad to giue ouer his siege before Chasteaurenault and so retire to Paris with all speede The two kings sate often in councell about their affaires deuising of the best means to prosecute their warres for their most aduantage The king of Nauarre made many roades into the Countrie to the great domage and hurt of the Leaguers and so scoured the coast that no enemie durst once appeare in sight In the meane while the king receiued certaine Regiments of Switzers and help came from all parts of his Realme so that his armie dayly encreased in number fame and power And being now able to meete his enemies in the face he marched toward Paris The King marcheth toward Paris aad tooke by the way Ponthois Saint Clow Poysey Saint Germaines Charewton and sundrie other townes By which means that great and populous Citie beganne to bee sore distressed for want of victuals and other necessaries This made the conspirators to tremble and to lay their heads togither howe to auoyd this perill The leaguers conspire to kil the King which now hung ouer their heads whereupon the dukes of Maine Aumatle and Nemours the Archbishop of Lions whom the King a little before had pardoned and set at libertie the Lord Rosue Bosdauphin Brissac Sagone the 47. which were chosen for the Councell and the 17. Colonels which were appointed ouer the 18. wards of the city assembled togither and after much reasoning pro contra at last resolued that the onely meanes to saue themselues and to aduaunce their affaires was to kill the King who otherwise was likely to get the Citie in short time and to take an exemplarie punishment vpon them and all their adherents Hereupon the King is once againe condemned to die and as speedie a course taken as might be deuised to hasten his execution Frier Iames Clement appointed to kill the King They perswaded with one Frier Iames Clement of the order of S. Dominicke a lewd and bold hypocrite and enduced him with many reasons who was otherwise readie enough to any mischiefe to attempt this tragical and bloody act They forced the first president of the Senate named Harlay whom for his faithfulnesse to his Prince they had long detained in prison to write letters to the K. which this Frier should carrie with him They taught the sayd Clement likewise a lesson containing matters of great weight and importaunce aduising him that he should not disclose them to any but to the King and that in priuate and great secrecie Prouiding him besides a sharpe long knife enuenomed with deadly poyson wherewith he should aduenture to murther the sayd King as soone as he espied any fit occasion offered and entreated Pagarola the Popes Legat to blesse him and his knife for his better speed Frier Clement goeth to the campe at Saint Clow. The Frier being throughly schooled by this accursed companie prepareth for his iourney he putteth on his hypocriticall weed on his back layeth vp his lesson in his head and secretly hideth his poisoned knife in his sleeue and taking an other Frier as bad as himselfe in his companie hasted to execute his deuilish purpose and intent Hee was no sooner come to the Campe which then lay at Saint Clow but hee tolde such as hee mette first that hee had Letters to the King from the first President and certaine other Parisians well affected to his Maiestie contayning matters of verie great importaunce besides manie other waightie things to bee declared by worde of mouth The King being foorthwith aduertised hereof commaunded that hee shoulde attende vntill hee were called Within a while after the king willed that the Frier shoulde bee brought before him The Frier entered verie boldlie into the kings Chamber and being asked what his errant was hee aunswered that hee had matters of great waight and importaunce to declare vnto his Maiestie and such as highly concerned his seruice the king supposing that all was Gospell that the Frier sayde commaunded such as were about him to auoyde the Chamber and sate downe in a Chayre to heare the Friars newes The Frier approched to the King and falling vpon his knees beganne to tell a long tale and occupying the Kinges eares with a long and lying discourse espying his aduauntage drewe out his knife out of his sleeue Frier Clement woundeth the king with a poysoned knife and stabbed the King in the lower part of his belly and then made hast to get away The king being wonderfully terrified with that vnexpected attempt cryed out and laying hand vpon a dagger which was neare him strooke the Frier and wounded him The Lords and Gentlemen which were attending in an vtter Chamber hearing the noyse came running in and with their Swordes and Rapiers Frier Clement is slaine slue the Frier The Kings Surgeons were presently called and his wound dressed and he layde on his bed And for that he knewe not whether he should die or not he called for the king of Nauarre all the Princes Lordes and Noble men that were in his Campe and for the Captaines Colonels The King of Nauarre made heire apparant to the crowne of Fraunce and Chieftaines of the straungers before whom hee declared that the king of Nauarre was the true and indubitate heyre to the Crowne of Fraunce praying and exhorthing all of them to acknowledge him and to promise true obedience vnto him and to cause the lyke to bee acknowledged in the whole Campe and forthwith caused Letters to be written to all Prouinces and Cities to aduertise them howe things had passed at Saint Clowe and of his last will and Testament requiring all his faithfull subiects to protest the fulfilling of the same instantly requiring all true Frenchmen to reuenge his death and to take condigne punishment vppon the authors of that impious execrable fact and so the two and twentie of Iulie 1â—89 the poyson preuayling and dispersing it selfe through
that they kept themselues close within the Wals albeit the Duke de Maine was entred within the Citie with all his forces The cruelty of de Maine beeing mooued with sundrie waightie causes resolued to dislodge and to employ his forces in some other places Hee was no sooner departed but that the Duke de Maine picked a quarrell against diuers of the richest Cittizens charging them that they had conspired against the holy League and procured the King to come to Paris which promised to deliuer the Citie into his hands whereupon many were condemned and executed and their goods seised to the vse of the League The King marched with all his power towardes the Loyre and Seyne purposing to redeeme the Townes which lay betweene those two riuers vnder his obedience and in his way tooke Estamps Ianuille Chasteandune Vendosme Lauerdin Chasteande Loyre Monteuert Chere and Montrichard yeelded of their owne accord The strong towne of Mans was taken by composition Sablis Laual Chasteantier with the Castles of Beanmont Touuoy and Alenson with manie other places of importance were likewise yeelded vnto the king so that in a short space hee had gotten very great number of strong â—ownes Castles and Cities yea very large and mightie prouinces out of the hands of the turbulent and seditious Leaguers The Lord Diguceres likewise ioyning with the Lorde Valette brother to the Duke of Espernon preuailed mightily in Prouince Languedock and brought the greatest parte of those Countreyes vnder the kings obedience The Duke de Maine lay all this while in Paris and did nothing vntill the comming of the Popes Legate called Hemico Caietano The Duke de Maine receiueth Money from the Pope and the King of Spaine but then hee beganne to stir beeing animated by this Embassador who brought with him fiftie thousande Duckets from Rome hee also receiued three hundred thousand Crownes from the Spaniard and by an excessiue taxe imposed vpon the Parisians with the spoyle and hauocke which was made vpon the Royals and richest marchants hee got aboue a Million of golde with which and the rest of his exhibition from Rome and Spaine he furnished his Army with all necessaries and leauing Paris went foorth to seeke the king hauing in his armie three thousand horse and thirtie thousand footmen Hee tooke by the way the Castle of Viennes and in the latter ende of Ianuarie got Ponthois from whence he remoued and planted his siege before Meulan The Duke of Parma sendeth forces to ayde Duke de Maine The Duke of Parma sent the Count Egmond and the Lord La Mote gouernor of Graueling with some fiue or sixe thousand chosen Souldiers to the ayde of the Leaguers the Duke de Maine receiued them in Picardy and ioyning them with the rest of his forces marched towards Dammartin drawing neere vnto the king who was then at siege before Dreux The King was no sooner aduertised heereof but that hee raysed his siege and hasted toward Yury where he supposed that the Duke with all his forces had beene lodged 1590. and comming to a place neere vnto the Towne called Saint Andrewes plaine he ordered his battailes The Kings battaile deuiding all his horsemen into seuen esquadrons flanking them very strongly with their seuerall battailons of footmen euerie one with their Enfans Perdus in theyr front readie to attach the skirmish assoone as the enemie should appeare The first Squadron was led by the Mareschall Aulmont wherin in was three hundred horse and twelue Regiments of French footmen The Prince Montpencier led the second which consisted of three hundred horse and foure hundred Lansquenetes and a Regiment of Switzers The third beeing diuided into two companies containing foure hundred light horse were somewhat further aduanced then the former two and were led by the Lord Graund Pryor the lord Guynny The Baron of Biron commanded ouer the fourth wherein were two hundred and fiftie good horses with certaine Cornets of light horsmen In the fift was the king himself with six hundred horse flanked on each side with foure Regiments of Switzers The sixt was led by the Mareschall Biron with two hundred and fiftie horses and two Regiments of French footmen The seauenth squadron was a great Hot of Rutters strengthned with French footmen as was vsed in other battailes The Duke de Maâ—ne resoluing to trie his fortune at that present The Duke de Maines battaile set likewise his forces in battaile array and taking his Cornet consisting of some two hundred and fiftie horses put himselfe in the middest of two squadrons of Launces which came out of the low countreyes wherin were some twelue or thirteene hundred horse The Duke of Nemours with other two hundred and fifty horse the Cheualier D' Aumaile with his band of horse incorporated themselues with this huge companie of Launces containing now in al some thousand eight hundred horsemen marching in front they were flanked also with two Regiments of Switzers lyned with French shot There were two other squadrons of Launces the one compounded of French Italians Albaneses the other of Wallons and Spaniards and betweene them both a strong battilon of French enfantery and Lansquenetes who had on their right wing seauen hundred Rutters and on the left wing fiue hundred with foure Culuerings All things beeing thus ordered and both armies in a readinesse for a generall fight the great Ordenance began to thunder on both sides the fury wherof being once past The Duke de Maine ouerthrowne in the plaine of Saint Andrew the horsemen and footmen charged each other couragiously and maintained a cruell and bloudy fight for a long time but at length the victorie enclined to the King and the whole power of the Duke was ouerthrowne The King himselfe that day fought valiantly and performed both the dutie of a prudent captaine and a couragious and hardy Souldier There were slaine very neere two thousande horsemen of the enemies and many of them commanders Some twelue or thirteene hundred were drowned in the Riuer of Yury the most part of the footmen were cutte in peeces and aboue foure hundred were taken prisoners al the Switzers yeelded to the kings mercy the Duke de Maine ranne away with the formost leauing his friendes to the mercie of their enemies and lost all his Ordenance and munition the Duke of Nemours Bassampierre Tauannes Rosue and many others fled to Dreux the cheefest that was slaine was the Count Egmond knight of the order of the golden Fleece and the general ouer the forces sent from the Duke of Parma out of the low countreyes the yong Count of Brunswick captaine Collin a Spaniard and the Lord of Chastaneray the Principall prisoners were the Lord Austfrist with many other Italian and Spanish Lords the Lord Boysdauphin who bare the white Cornet of the Duke de Maine was likewise taken prisoner and with him Fountaine Martell Lechant and many other Gentlemen of good account On the kings side there were slaine
the Lord Clermont Autragne one of the Captaines of the kings guard the Lord Tishcombert Longanuay Crenay Vienne Muauille Fequiers with some other twenty or thirtie Gentlemen at the most The Marquesse of Neste the Eearle Choysy the Lord de O the Count Lud the Lords Mouleuet Lauergue Rosne and many others were hurt but not in danger of death and this was the ende of this great battaile fought in the plaine of Saint Andrew the fourth of March 1590. The fame of this glorious victorie ouer the Leaguers so terrified sundrie townes that they yeelded forthwith and sent to craue pardon for their former offences Mante Vernon Cressy Lagny Poysy Saint Germaine and Saint Clow were the first that were drawen to their due obedience by whose examples sundrie others were easily reclaimed and yeelded vppon their first sommance the king beeing glad of this fortunate successe resolued to besiege Paris whereof when as the Parisians The Parisians prepare to endure a siege were enformed as also of the ouerthrowe of the Duke de Maine they were maruailously affrighted and tâ—e rather for that they had promised themselues an assured victorie grounding vppon the Dukes proude bragges and the fantasticall prophesies of sundrie seditious Friers and had not the Duke Henrico Caietanc the Popes Nuntio and Barnardin Mendoza scattered good store of Crownes among the Iesuites and such frierlike fellowes who shoulde with theyr seditious Sermons encourage the people to persist in theyr rebellious actions and corrupted the principall inhabitants with money and fayre promises the Parisians hadde in that conseruation of minde come to aske pardon as well as others but they beeing seduced by their chiefetaines and ringleaders beganne to bethinke them howe to fortifie their Cities and to make themselues able to endure a siege The king seeing their obstinacy followed his course and knowing the Citie to bee very populous and nothing well prouided for so many moneths determined to take all the passages and to blocke in the Parisians so sure that they should come by no victuals making choyse to vanquish them rather by famin then by the sword as the safest way to punish his enimies and to saue his friends Hee therefore seised vppon all the stronge Townes about the Citie as Corbeil Melun Montereaufault Yonne and Charenten and stopping the Riuer of Oyse Marne Yonne and Seyne would not suffer any prouision to bee conuayed into the Citie Whereupon there beganne to grow great scarcenesse The Duke de Maine goeth to Bruxelles to the Duke of Parma for ayde and a sore famine threatned that rebellious multitude The Duke de Maine was gone into Peronne in Picardy and from thence to Bruxelles to the Duke of Parma to entreate him to come to the succours of the League and vsed all the other meanes hee could to leuie newe forces and hauing had some promises from Spaine assured himselfe of ayd out of the low Countryes wherwith he should be once againe able to meete the king who all this while lay before Paris and attempted nothing but onely to keepe it from victuals and by that meanes had so famished the towne of S. Dennis S. Dennis yeeldeth to the King that after that they had consumed all their old store and had eaten vp their horses dogs cats rats mice rootes hearbs much bread made of ground straw beaten to powder they were enforced to yeeld to the kings mercy who vsed them very graciously Penury and want likewise so pressed the Citie of Paris Great famin in Paris that by the beginning of Iuly there were no dainties to be found in the Citie but the Parisians were glad to fall to such homely viands as not long before had serued for a dish at S. Dennis Yea so great and so horrible was the famine that there were many children eaten and deuoured by those hungry and staruen rebelles When the Duke da Maine who was still attending vppon the Duke of Parma was aduertised of the great and extreme penury that was among the Parisians as also of the vprores and murtherings of the people hee wrote letters full of rich promises assuring them of the comming of the Duke of Parma and himselfe with a sufficient number to raile the siege The miserable people oppressed with the tyrannie of their rulers hardned with seditious sermons blinded with ignorance seduced with malice and sed with much villanie from Spaine from the Pope and from this Duke and by Gods iust iudgement giuen ouer to a reprobate sense held out obstinately and would by no perswasions be enduced to submit themselues vnto the Kings mercie The hope that the Spaniard had to conquere France and to cloath himselfe with the rich spoyle of the Flower de Lis made the Duke of Parma to giue better eare to the Duke de Maine The Duke of Parma entreth into France and to hearken to the succours of the distressed Leaguers so that hauing gathered a power of some 15000. Spaniards Italians Wallons and Flemmings all of the olde bands of the countrey in the latter ende of August hee entred into France and ioyning with the forces of the Duke de Maine marched towards Paris The King hauing to deale with so great an enemie brake vp his siege and went to meete him as farre as the plaine of Boundy and there ordered his battailes made himself readie to end the quarrell by a generall fight the Kings army consisted of 10000. French footmen 4000. Switzers 4000. horsemen the greatest number wherof were gentlemeÌ„ of the cheerest houses in France and 800. Rutters there were sixe Princes two Mareschalles of France and a great number of noblemen captaines and Gentlemen who were able to leade as great an armie as that was The Duke of Parma hauing discouered all his warlike multitude from the top of a hill returned to his campe and caused his souldiers to entrench themselues as strongly as they could and refused to fight The Duke of Parma refuseth to fight albeit the king staied for him by the space of three daies together but afterward perceiuing that the Duke would not be drawen to a battaile by no meanes hee determined to breake vp his armie and to sende his souldiers into seuerall prouinces to rest and relieue them after so painfull and laborious a iourney and so to make them fresh and lustie against hee should haue better opportunitie to fight against his enemies Assoone as the king was departed wel neere twenty Leagues off and that he had deuided his forces by sending them into seuerall places The Duke of Parma entreth into Paris the Duke gat him out of the treaches hasted to Paris where he was welcomed with great ioy but he had not continued there long but the tyrannie pride and villany of the Spaniard and hispaniolized was such that the Parisians waxed weary of that intollerable burthen would faine haue bin rid of them and they had wist how they therfore entreated the duke to open the riuer
that ende stuffed all his frontier townes with strong garrisons but they opening their way by force passed forwards and by easie iourneyes came to the king who beeing strenhthened with these new forces resolued to besiege Boar. The Leaguers being now not able to encounter with the king in the field fortified the Citie as strong as they could and attended the comming of the Duke of Parma whose ayde they had instantly desired the better to maintaine head against the king The Duke vnderstanding in what tearmes the Leaguers stood knowing that the losse of Roan being a principall Citie in France 1592 The duke of Parma goeth the second time into France and the cheefest in Normandy would be very preiudicial vnto that mistery which lay secretly enclosed in his brest and a great meanes to crosse the proceedings of the Spanish king hispaniolized French gathered a great power and leauing the gouernement of the Low countreyes to the Count Mansford marched towards France which he entred about the midst of Ianuary with some 8. or 9000. Spaniards Italians Duch Wallons ioyning with the Leaguers so encreased his armie that he grew to be some 17. or 18000 strong with which power he determined to raise the Kings siege to deliuer theÌ„ who had with so great earnestnesse sought his helpe and with this resolution he marched towardes Roan which assoone as those who kept the town vnderstood they began to plucke vp their hearts and made many sallyes forth vppon the kings forces but being valiantly withstood shrewdly beaten were glad to returne with the losse often times of their valiantest leaders and most forward souldiers Nowe as the Leaguers within the town begaÌ„ to be punished with many miseries the famin daily encreased to the destruction of many so penury and want of necessaries began to creepe in among the kings souldiers and by reason it was in the extreme of the Winter many perished with cold and great numbers fel into very sore greeuous diseases notwithstanding the siege was still continued and all the politike deuises that might be put in practise to gaine the citie The Duke being about Rue and there thorowly enformed as wel of the state of Roan as of the courage resolution of the kings forces would not attempt any thing rast ly but sending for greater forces out of Flanders vnder the conduct of the Earles of Aremberg and Barlemont kept himself close for a while purposing as it seemed to protract the time to cause the K. who as is already said began to fal into manifold waÌ„ts to raise his siege from before the city but the Duke perceiuing that this depose took not so speedie effect as he desired pondering with himself how hard dangerous a matter it was to releeue the citie by force The pollitike dâ—uise of the Duke sought by a cunning pollitike deuise to bring his businesse about and therefore on the sodaine dislodged retired his whole power ouer the Riuer of Some as though he had purposed to returne home again without any more ado Which when the king perceiued and now verily thinking that hee had bin quite gone he licensed the greatest part of his Nobilitie and Gentlemen to departe home to their houses there to refresh themselues after so long tedious trauaile reseruing a sufficient number to maintaine the siege the K. departed to Deepe there to repose himselfe and to take counsell for the ordering of the rest of his affaires The Duke was quickly enformed by his espialles of whatsoeuer the king had done The Duke returâ—eth towards Roan and â—nowing now that all his aduantage consisted in celeritie caused his troupes on the sodaine to turne head and to march backe againe towards Roan and vsing great expedition so fast approched that the kings armie beeing not readye to encounter him and no assured course taken to crosse his designements he besieged Candebeck a town standing vpon the riuer betweene New-hauen Roan Roan releeâ—â—d by the 〈◊〉 of Parma By this meanes was the riuer cleered liberty obtained to passe and repasse without peril then were there forthwith a great number of ships prouided being thorowly furnished with victuals and all other necessaries were sent to Roan to releeue the Leaguers who were nowe extremely distressed and almost famished The King sought all the opportunitie that might be to fight with the Duke and offered many skirmishes to drawe him thereto but hee knowing fortune to bee very inconstant and in the warres especially to bee most wauering and vncertayne vtterly refused to hazard all vppon a Battaile and vnderstanding that there was some scarcitie in the kings campe and that it was impossible that so great a multitude shoulde bee long kept togither in a Countrey so exceedingly wasted where there were no meanes to relieue their wants kept himselfe close and sought to wearie his enemies by his long delaies The K. daily braued the Spaniards in the face dared them by many indignities to come to handy strokes which made the Duke resolue to do somwhat albeit he were sickly and most vnwilling to fight The Duke would not bee drawne to an entire fight supposing that if hee shoulde not stirre vpon so many prouocations his enemies would waxe more couragious and himselfe with all his Spaniards should lose much of their wonted honor reputation Whereupon he determined to encounter with the kings forces and to make some triall of the courage and resolution of his enemies yet so warily that he would be sure not to bring himselfe and his souldiers to a set battell but by some light conflict to maintain his honor and by a Spanish brauado to make the world beleeue that hee did but little esteeme of the king and all his forces Whereupon euery thing being in a readinesse and hauing encouraged his troupes with sundry perswasions the signall was no sooner giuen but there began a sharpe and cruel fight which hastened the death of many braue and valiant souldiers But the Duke espying the Kings side to be too strong and that his men were put to the worse withdrewe his troupes within their intrenchments hauing lost the yong Lord of Chastres and many other of great reckoning and account The dukes horse was shot through with a bullet The Count Horratio Scipio and Hanniball Bentiuolio with many others were sore wounded and in daunger of their liues The Duke not liking to trie the quarell any more by force fell to his old politike practises The duke de Maine entreth Roan and laboured by all possible meanes to get away away from the king without any further fighting Wherfore leauing a garrison of some 500 Spaniards French and Wallons in Caudebecke and sending the Duke de Maine with 3000. Leaguers into Roan hee reposing himselfe for a while within the Citie at length marched away as strongly and as closely as he could towarde Paris The D. of Parma marcheth
turned to the great good of the French who otherwise had beene in maruaylous danger to haue beene ouerthrowne at that encounter The Marques fought valiauntly and pearcing through the middest of the horsemen hard to the Ordinance ouerthrew a great bande of Gascons which were appointed to guard them The French being encouraged with the presence of their king laide about them like men and the Switzers beeing promised double pay like Tygres tare and rent in peeces as manie as fell into theyr handes And had not the earle of Petilia at that present escaped from the French and by comming to the flying Italians with all the forceable reasons hee coulde perswaded them to renew the fight the whole power of the Venetians had beene vtterly ouerthrowne Both armyes being well wearied with a long and bloody fight The French K. looseth all his baggage they sounded the retreate The French had lost all their baggage and the riches of Naples which was going into Fraunce was taken by the Italian souldiours a great number of their brauest men were slaine and amongst others the bastarde of Burbon a man of surpassing great valour The King himselfe hauing likewise lost all his plate and houshold stuffe was in extreme peril and had vndoubtedly bin taken had it not beene for the excellencie of his horse which was a cole black with one eye And although he gate the victorie and remained maister of the field yet were his losses verie great and farre surmounted the gaine he had gotten in that long and wearie voyage He was constrained to lie the night following in a simple cottage The distresse of the French King and all his great Lords were lodged round about him in the open fields who had nothing to eate nor any chaunge of apparell to put on So that they resolued to dislodge in the dead of the night and with al speed to recouer Ast. The French run out of Italie The Armie was sore afrighted and euery man coueted to bee in the Vauntgard supposing thereby to be furthest from daunger and nearest vnto places of safest retreate And thus marching forward in tumultuous maner with much ado got to Ast where they staied not long but went to Thurin and so to Lions The king was no sooner in France but all things went backewarde in Italie The great alteration in Italie all places reuolted and well was he that could first teare in peeces the Flower de Lis. Whosoeuer had beene friends before now became enemies and nothing was so hastily gayned but it was as speedily lost And the French Nation who not long before had beene the terror of the Turke the Pope the Emperor the Venetians and in a maner of al Europe were now in nothing more famous then in their dishonourable flight out of Italie leauing vnto posteritie a notable example of the chaunge and mutabilitie of these worldly affayres And as it vsually falleth out if fortune begin once to chaunge it neuer ceaseth vntill it haue throwne a man groueling to the ground so it fared with this king who began to decline a pace and to be crossed euerie day more then other His yong sonne the Duke of Orleance began to be desperately sicke and so continued languishing vntill at last he died wherewith his father was immesurably greeued The death of the yong D. of Orleanes and from that time forwards nothing thriued that he tooke in hand his friends forsooke him and his enemies dayly encreased and almost all matters stoode in verie bad tearmes Euill newes was brought from euery corner and the worst of all other was this death suddenly sendeth forth a messenger to summon him to appeare before him and to giue an account of his stewardship For as he was in a Gallerie at Ambois looking vpon such as played at tennis The sudden death of Charles the 8. King of France hee was suddenly stroken with an Apoplexie and liued not past some fiue or sixe houres after but yeelded vp the ghost 1497. hauing reigned fourteene yeares And albeit he were a very mightie Prince and had exceeding many goodly Castels beautifull houses and statly Pallaces and had conquered so many earledomes Marquesats Dukedoms and Kingdomes had made all Italie to stoope and bend at his becke had triumphed at Naples and atchieued so glorious a conquest and that so easily yea almost without drawing of his sword so that hee was now become one of the most redoubted worthies of the world yet did hee ende his dayes on the sudden and died in a verie miserable and beggerly place which sheweth the lamentable estate of all sorts and that the most mightie Potentates are subiect to a maruellous chaunge and alteration CHAP. III. Lewis the 12. King of France entreth Italy conquereth Millan taketh the Duke thereof prisoner He ioyneth with the Spanish King to conquer Naples who expelleth him and keepeth the kingdome for himselfe The battaile of Rauenna The Switzers driue the French out of Millan The death of King Lewis AFter the decease of Charles Lewis Duke of Orleance Lewis D. of Orleance K. of France and next heire to the Crowne succeeded in the kingdome who entituled himselfe king of Ierusalem Naples and Cicil and Duke of Millan intending to conquer the Dukedome and for that purpose prouided all things necessarie with all the speed that might be But by reason of the former kings expenses he foūd small store of treasure so that for to furnish himselfe he set to sale all the offices of France except such as were iudiciall a daungerous practice and none of the least occasion of that great confusion which afterwardes ensued Lewis D. of Millan forsaketh the French king Lewis Duke of Millan feared the Venetians more then the French and therfore ioyned with the Florentines to recouer Pisa But hee erred exceedingly herein for Lewis of Fraunce hauing made peace with other Princes bent all his forces agaynst Millan with whom also the Venetians ioyned in the ende Whereat the Duke was maruellously astonished and began to fortifie his owne territories so strongly as hee might But hee putting those in trust who were in most fauour and not such as had the greatest vertue and fidelitie too common a fault among great estates lost one thing after another and in a short space all things going backewarde Millan yeeldeth to the French hee was forced to forsake Millan and flie to the castell by reason the Citie was yeelded to the French Which ioyfull newes beeing brought vnto the King who was then at Lions hee determined forthwith to passe in person ouer the Alps The French K. goeth to Millan and being in Italy compounded with all the chiefe estates there and did in a maner whatsoeuer he listed The King hauing remained a while in the Duchie of Millan and taken such order for his affayres there as he liked best returned home leauing the Cardinall of Ambois for his Lieutenant in those quarters But he was no sooner
departed but the Cittie began to reuolt and tooke part with their olde Duke Howbeit the Switzers in whom he reposed especiall confidence and by whose valour The D. of Millan taken prisoner hee verily perswaded himselfe hee shoulde bee able to maintaine his quarrell agaynst his enemyes betrayed him to the French who sent him prisoner to the King at Lions Then there was a maruellous concourse of people assembled to beholde this captiue Duke who not long before in fame dignitie and renowme had beene equall to anie Prince in Italie The King woulde not vouchsafe to see him but sent him to prison vnto the Castell of Locces The miserable end of the D. of Millan where hee continued for the space of tenne yeares and there in verie miserable manner ended his life And thus was this Noble Duke an other argument of the mutabilitie and chaunge of frowarde fortune Now was the French King wholy set vpon the conquest of Naples and least hee might any wayes bee hindered he thought it conuenient to procure Ferdinando King of Spaine to ioyne with him The French and Spanish Kings ioyne for the conquest of Naples who was easily drawne thereto and the better to countenaunce the matter pretended a title whereby hee would proue himselfe rightfull heire to the Neapolitan Crowne Ferdinando King of Naples beeing wonderfully dismayed heerewith yeelded vppon composition to the King of Fraunce and so his Kingdome was diuided betweene the French and Spanish Kings which two Princes could not long agree but falling at dissension betweene themselues there were manie sharpe bickerings the French still going by the woorst Monsieur de La Palissa and diuerse others were taken prisoners and Monsieur de Nemours was slaine by the Spaniardes vnder the leading of the great Consaluo who albeit there were a treatie of peace and an abstinence of warre concluded yet woulde hee take no knowledge thereof but proceeded still in the warres The Spaniniards driue the French out of Naples and so brought the whole Kingdome of Naples vnder the Spanish yoake Lewis of Fraunce hearing of all this was not a little greeued in his minde but there was no remedie but patience nor any wayes to doo any good but by force Wherevpon he sent newe armies into Italie with a purpose to repayre his former losses but a composition was made and all the warre beganne to bee diuerted towarde the Venetians who were brought to marueylous great extremities But by reason the Pope beganne to growe iealous of his owne hee forsooke the French and ioyned with the Venetians taking them into his protection The Pope taketh the Venetians into his protection Whereupon the French king thought it best to desist from any further proceedings and so entring league with the Pope returned hom Notwithstanding hee quickely smelling out the fetches of his late reconciled enemie ioyned againe with the Emperour and sendeth Monsieur de Chaumont into Italie with a strong power who with the Prince of Heâ—ault ouerthrew the Venetians and tooke Legnague Mountsilice and manie other places Not long after by reason of the death of Monsieur de Chaumont Gaston de Foix a valiaunt young Gentleman was sent into Italie to bee Generall ouer the French forces who hauing intelligence that the power of the Spaniardes was comming downe to succour Marke Anthonie de Colonna whom hee besieged in Rauenna fearing the irruption of those within the Towne brake vp his siege and withdrewe his forces three miles of towards the armie of his enemies with whom for that hee intended to fight he marshalled the troupes as followeth The vauntgard wherein was seuen hundred men of armes The battel of Rauenna besides the Almaines footmen was led by the Duke of Ferrara and the Seneschal of Normandy Neere vnto them were arraunged the footmen of the middle battaile which amounted to the number of eight thousande French vnder the conduct of Monsieur de Allegres The Rereward was composed of fiue hundred Italians ouer whom commaunded Frederick de Bosuolo This battailon was flanked both by the archers on horsebacke and by the light horsmen being in all three thousand Behind al these esquadrons which were so placed as they rather resembled a croysant or new Moone then any thing else were six hundred men of armes led by Seigneur de la Palaice and Cardinall Sanauerino Monsieur de Foix had made choyce of no peculiar charge for himselfe but taking out some durtie of the valiantest Gentlemen purposed to haue an eye to euerie place and to be ready to helpe where most neede was In this warlike maner he marched towardes his enemies whom he found strongly encamped by a Riuers side who being certified of the approach of the French had thus raunged their battailes In the vauntgarde were eight hundred men of Armes and sixe thousand footmen vnder the leading of Fabricio de Colonno high Constable of Naples In the middle battaile were sixe hundred men of Armes flanked with foure thousand footemen whose principall leader was the Viceroy himselfe and with him were the Marques of Palude and the Popes Legate called Iohn de Meâ—â—â— The Rerewarde was conducted by Caruaiall a Spaniard In which battaile were foure hundred men of Armes and foure thousand footemen The light horsemen commanded by Daualos the Marques of Pescara a very yong man but of passing great hope who guarded the right side of the footmen Peter de Nauarro the General of the Spanish footmen would not tie himselfe to any certaine place but determined to helpe where most neede required And in this order they expected the comming of their enemyes who by this time were aduaunced verie neare and the skirmish began to grow hote on both sides The fight continued long and manie were slaine but the Spanish troupes beeing maruaylously torne The Spaniards ouerthrowne at Rauenna by the French and scattered with the French Ordinaunce could not endure before the men of Armes of Fraunce For Fabritio de Colonna beeing taken by the Souldiours of the Duke of Ferrara the Viceroy and Caruaiall neuer staied any further tryall of theyr fortune but fled amaine leauing the Marques of Pescara and the Marques of Palude at the mercie of their enemies Although the horsemen were ouerthrowne yet the Spanish footemen fought valiauntly and with incredible fiercenesse maintained the battaile for a long time but being wearied in the ende and not able any longer to endure they began to giue ground Nauarro taken prisoner yet so as they rather seemed to retyre then to bee driuen out of the field which Nauarro beholding rather desyred to die then liue and therefore not departing out of the battaile hee suffered himselfe to be taken prisoner Gaston de Foix general of the French army slaine after he had gotten the victorie But when as Monsieur de Foix could not abide to see Spanish footemen to go away in such souldier-like maner with their rankes vnbroken hee in a great furie charged them