Gaudimelus an excellent Musitian in our Age who set the Psalms of David as they were put into verse in the Mother-tongue by Clemens Marot and Theodoret Beza to divers pleasant tunes as they are now sung in the publick and private meetings of the Protestants Briolius a Gentleman who was Tutor to Marquess Conte in his childhood venerable for his grey-head being now an old man was likewise slain in the embraces of his Pupil who stretched forth his arms and opposed his own body to the blows Truly Iamentable was the spectacle of Franciscus Nompar Caumonlius who had lodged in that neighbourhood but which fortune sporting after her manner mingled with an event of unexpected joyfulness he with his two sons whom he loved with a paternal affection being taken in bed by the murderers who prosecuted him with his children not through an hatred of his Religion but through hope of gain was slain with one of his sons the other being all bloudy with the bloud that flowed upon him saving himself from their blows as he could at that tender age for he was hardly twelve years old by the interposition of the dead bodies dissembling himself dead he was at last left by them for dead a little after more ran flocking to the house for prey of whom some commended the fact as well done for not only wild beasts but their whelps are altogether to be destroyed others that had more humanity said this might be lawful to be done upon the Father as guilty but the innocent off spring which perhaps would never take the same courses ought to be spared Among those that came toward the evening of that day when as one did highly detest the fact and said God would be the avenger of such impiety the boy stretching his limbs and a little listing up his head gave signs that he was alive and when he asked him who he was he answered not unadvisedly that he was the Son and Brother of the slain not telling his name concerning which when he was asked again he answered that he would tell his name if he would lead him where he desired and withal asked him that he would take care to conduct him to the King's Armory for he was near of kin to Biron Master of the Ordnance or Artillery nor should he lose his reward for so great a benefit which thing he carefully performed This James Nompar that is his name with great gratitude rewarded the man brought to him by the Divine Providence and afterwards married the Daughter of Biron and is now chief of a Noble Family in Aquitania Godfry Caumont his Unckle being dead and leaving only one Daughter Being raised by the King to great honours of which he carried himself worthy as Colonel of the King's Life-guard and Governour of Bearne he seems to be preserved from that danger by the singular Grace of God that he might by his numerous off spring which he had by his Wife propagate that Family that was reduced to a few and by his virtue add the highest ornament to the honours of his Ancestors The same day were slain these Protestants of great note Loverius thrown out of a window into the high-way Montamarius Montalbertus Roboreus Joachinus Vassorius Cunerius Rupius Cobombarius Velavaurius Gervasius Barberius Francurius Chancellor to the King of Navar Hieronimus Grolotius Governour of Aurleance and Calistus his base Brother who were both inhumanely dragged about the streets and at last cast into the River by the instigation of those who gaped after his office and goods Stephanus Cevalerius Pruneus the King's Treasurer in Poictou a man of great integrity and one that was very solicitous for the good of the Common-weal who had been the principal mover for the building the Stone-bridge of Vienne laid at Eraldi-castrum was by certain cut-throats sent by Stephanus Fergo Petauderius who sought after his Treasurer-ship after the payment of a great sum of mony cruelly murdered and thrown into the River and Patanderius is by the commendation of Monpenserius whose affairs he managed put into his office Also Dionysius Perrotus the Son of Aemilius Senator of Paris a man not less renowned for his integrity than his knowledge in law worthy of such a Father underwent the same fortune 19. Nor did they spare those whom Navar being advised so to do by the King had brought into the Palace for they were by the King's command made to come down from their Masters chambers into the Court-yard and being brought out of the Palace their swords being taken from them they were many of them presently slain at the Gate others were hurried to the slaughter without the Palace Among these were Pardallanius Sammartinus Bursius and Armannus Claromontius Pilius famous for his late valour in defending the Temple of St. John He when he was led out to be butchered standing before the heaps of the slain is said to cry out Is this the King's faith Are these his promises Is this the peace But thou O most great and most good God behold the cause of the oppressed and as a just Judge avenge this perfidy and cruelty and putting off his Coat which was very rich gave it to a certain Gentleman of his acquaintance that stood by Take this from me as a remembrance of my unworthy death which gift he not accepting under that condition whiles Pilius said these things he was thrust into the side with a spear of which wound he fell down and died Leiranus now grievously wounded but escaping out of the hands of the murderers rushing into the Queen of of Navars chamber and hiding himself under her bed was preserved and being carefully commended by Margaret to the King's Physitians was healed Bellonarius formerly Tutor to the King of Navar having a long time lien under the Gout was slain in his bed The King received to his grace Grammontanus Lord of Gascoign Johannes Durforlius Duralius Joachimus Roaldus Gamarius and Buchavarius having promised to be faithful to him and they were worth their word Then the King calls Navar and Conde and tells them that from his youth for many years the publick peace had been disturbed by often renewed wars to the great damage of his affairs but now at last by the grace of God he had entred into such a course as would extirpate all causes of future wars That Coligny the author of these troubles was slain by his command and that the same punishment was taken throughout the City upon those wicked men who were infected with the poison of superstition That he remembred what great mischiefs had befallen him from them Navar and Conde who had headed a company of profligate persons and seditiously raised war against him That he had just reason to revenge these injuries and now also had an opportunity put into his hand but that he would pardon what was past upon the account of their consanguinity and the lately contracted affinity and lastly of their age and that he would think that these
THE HISTORY OF THE Bloody Massacres OF THE PROTESTANTS IN FRANCE IN THE Year of our LORD 1572. WRITTEN In Latin by the Famous HISTORIAN J A. AVG. THVANVS and faithfully rendred into English LONDON Printed for John Leigh at the Sign of the Blew-Bell by Flying-horse-Court in Fleet-street 1674. A brief Introduction to the History of the MASSACRE THE Lords of the House of Guise whether through the instigation of the Jesuites whom they first introduced into France and highly favoured or through their emulation * V. Discourse sect 40. against the Princes of the Blood who favoured the Reformed Religion or both professing themselves great zealots for the Papal Authority and irreconcilable enemies to the Hugonots as they called them of the Reformed Religion especially after the dissentions grew high between them and the Princes to whom they doubted not but the Protestants would adhere as well upon the account of Religion as of the Right of the Princes having * V. Disc sect 41. by force gotten the young King Charles 9. into their hands endeavoured by all means to raise in his mind as great prejudice and hatred against the Protestants and the chief men of their party as possible The young King thus trained up in prejudice against them and moreover from his youth inured to cruelty and the slaughters of his Subjects even in cold blood whereof by the D. of Guise he had been early made a spectator V. Dâ—sc sect 42. was scarce out of his minority when he was ivited by the Pope the K. of Spain and the D. of Savoy to joyn in a holy League for the extirpation of the Hereticks but being by nature of an Italian genius and well instructed by his Mother in the policies of her Country he chose as a more safe and surer way to attempt that rather by secret stratagems and surprize than by open hostility And therefore at an enterview at Bayonne between him with his Mother and his Sister the Queen of Spain accompanied with the D. of Alva having by the way had secret conference at Avignon with some of the Pope's trusty Ministers the Pope having perswaded that meeting and earnestly pressed the King of Spain himself to be present at it it was concluded to cut off the chief heads of the Protestants and then in imitation of the Sicilian Vespers to slaughter all the rest to the last man But the design being discovered to the Prince of Conde Colinius and others of the Nobility when they perceived such preparations made for the execution of it as unless timely prevented they were likely suddenly to be all destroyed V. Disc sect 43. they put themselves into a posture of defence whereupon broke out a Civil War But that being contrary to the design to effect the business by stratagem and surprize it was in few months composed for the present but shortly after when the same design was again perceived to be carried on and the like inevitable danger approached as neer as before was again renewed in the former manner and continued somewhat longer and hotter than before V. Disc sect 45. Whereupon the King perceiving that the greatest difficulty was to beget and confirm in the Protestant Nobility a trust and confidence in himself used all arts imaginable to do that and to that purpose in all solemn manner granting and confirming to the Protestants in France very fair terms of peace and security he at the same time pretended a resolution to make a war with Spain entred into a League with the Queen of England and with the Protestant Princes of Germany and which was the principal part of the policy proposed a match between the Prince of Navar the first Prince of the Blood and chief of the Protestant Party and his Sister Margaret as that which would not only serve his purpose to beget a confidence in the Protestants of his sincerity and good intention but moreover afford him a fair opportunity at the solemnization of the Marriage of effecting his design at last which had been so often and so long disappointed All which having managed with wonderful art and dissimulation be at last obtained what he desired as in the following History is more particularly related THE HISTORY OF THE MASSACRES OF THE Protestants at PARIS and many other places in FRANCE in the Year of our Lord 1572. 1. THE day of the Nuptials between Henr. Lib. 5â— King of Navar and Margaret Sister to the King of France drawing on which was appointed the * August 18th 15th of the Kalends of September the King by Letters solicits Coligni that he should come to Paris having before given in charge to Claudius Marcellus Provost of the Merchants that he should see to it that no disturbance did arise upon Colignie's coming to Paris Likewise Proclamation was published the third of the Nones of July July 5th when he was at Castrum-Bononiae about two miles from the City wherein it was forbidden that any of what condition soever should dare to renew the memory of things past give occasion of new quarrels carry pistols fight duels draw their swords especially in the King's retinue at Paris and in the Suburbs upon pain of death But if any difference should arise among the Nobles concerning their Honour or Reputation they should be bound to bring their plaint to the Duke of Anjou the King's Deputy throughout the whole Kingdom and to pray justice of him if they were of the Commons they should betake themselves to the High Chancellor de l'Hospital if it shall happen among those that shall not be in the Court but in Paris they shall go before the ordinary Magistrate It was also provided by the same Proclamation that those who were not of the Courts of any of the Princes or Nobles or of the Retinue of others or were not detained upon some necessary business but were of uncertain abode and habitation about Paris or the Suburbs should depart from the Court City within 24 hours after the publication of this Edict upon the same pain of death This was published for three days together with the sound of Trumpet in the Court and through the City and it was ordered that the publication should be repeated week by week upon the Sabbath-day Also there was adjoyned to the guards of the King's body for his greater security a guard of 400 choice Souldiers all which Coligni full of confidence and good assurance so interpreted as if the King desirous of the publick Peace did only prepare a contrary strength against those which were seditious and movers of troubles Therefore he comes into the City though many were greatly disturbed at it to whom when they importunately dehorted him both by letter and word of mouth he after he had given them thanks answered in one word That he was resolved now that Peace was concluded and things past forgotten to rely upon the saith of the King and that he had rather be dragged
the same tumult But if the thing proceed not so far yet at least the blame of the fact from which you shall receive great advantage shall be translated from you upon the Guisians as bearing yet in memory the murder of their Father whom having destroyed their Rivals you shall soon reduce into good order This thing being done you shall forthwith be able to determine concerning the chief leaders of the Protestants whom you have in your power who no doubt will return to their old Religion and due allegiance to you when evil Counsellors shall be removed And when it was debated in the Queens Council among those that were to be trusted their discourse went further that not only the Momorances with Coligni should be taken off but that the Guisians should at some fit opportunity be slain as those whom the Queen ought in no wise to trust or spare being heretofore grievously and often offended by her For so the Counsellors ordered the matter if the Protestants should go about to revenge the death of Coligni they and the Momorances should in the conflict be oppressed by the people as being inferior in strength but not without great loss to the adversaries whom the King having drawn a great number of Souldiers which he had then at his command into the Louvre sitting as a spectator might at last set upon being broken and weakened by sighting and as though they had taken Arms without his command and by way of sedition might command them all to be slain together with the Nobles as taking this or that party for whiles they remained safe there would be no end of murmurs and complaints against the Queen whom the seditious cry out upon as a stranger and so sit to be removed from the Government of the Kingdom 10. These were their divers counsels according to the diversity of the persons but they all agreed in the executing of the matter The Duke of Guise being at last taken into the privity of the fact though otherwise he knew nothing of the other Counsels an Assasine was sought for and presently Morevell appears being as it seemed provided for that purpose who having formerly undertaken to do such a villany he fled into the Camp of the Protestants but being affrighted by the danger of it lest he should seem to have done nothing he treacherously slew Arthurus Valdraeus Moius Monsieur de Muy at the siege of Niort Dav. p. 376. and from that time often changing his lodgings he concealed himself in the house of the Guises in which Family he was brought up from a child An house was also pitched upon in the Cloyster of St. German Auxerrois as they call it the house of Peter Pila Villemur who had formerly been Tutor to the Duke of Guise himself by which Coligni returning home must needs pass Therefore upon the Friday Coligni having dispatched much business in the King's Council where Anjou was present and composed a difference between Antonius Marafinus Guerchius and Tiangius chief of the Nobility of the Burgundians forward men he attended upon the King to the next Tennis-Court from whence after a promise from the King the Duke of Guise and Teligny betaking himself homeward walking on foot by the house of Villemur going gently along and reading a Petition which was then by chance presented to him Morevel discharging a Musquet from a window that had a linen Curtain drawn before it he was shot with a brace of bullets whereof one struck off the fore-finger of his right-hand and the other wounded him more dangerously in his left-arm while Guerchius was upon his right-hand and Rochus Sorbaeus Prunaeus upon his left who as likewise all that were there were exceedingly astonished at what was done But he with a countenance not disturbed only shewed them the house whence the bullets came and presently commands Armanus Claromontius Pilius and Franciscus Movinius that they should go the King and in his name acquaint him with what was done then binding up his arm and leaning upon his domesticks he came on foot to his lodging which was not far off and when he was advised by one of his company that he should see to it whether the bullets wherewith he was wounded were not poisoned he answered that nothing should befall him but what was ordered by God Forthwith they force the house whence the shot proceeded and breaking open the dores found the Musquet in a lower room A young maid and a page that were found there were taken and bound for Morevel at a back-dore getting upon his horse was already fled to St. Antony's Gate where changing his horse and mounting another that was ready for that purpose he made his escape 11. The King receiving the news as if he had been astonished at an unexpected accident Shall I never saith he be at quiet and must new troubles alwaies arise from day to day and then throwing his rocket upon the ground he withdrew into the inner Castle Guise leaving the Tennis-Court departed another way Here all were full of wonder and many were disturbed being troubled in their minds to think what those things would come to Many even of those who bare no great good will to Coligny detested the fact But Navar and Conde presently repair to him and when as in their presence he was handled by the Chirurgions he was heard amidst all his pain to say only this Is this the goodly reconciliation that the King did undertake for then turning to Moore Chaplain to the late Queen of Navar he pronounced these words Ah my Brother now I know I am beloved of God for that I have received these wounds for his most holy Names sake God grant I may never forget his accustomed mercies towards me But when Ambrosius Paraeus the King's Chirurgeon told him that the Gangreen growing on his finger must be cut off and did attempt to do it with an instrument that had no good edge though he was forced to open and shut the shears three times yet he gave no sign of sense of his most sharp pain when he came to his left arm Merlin Conde's Chaplain came in who when he began to comfort him out of the holy Scriptures he brake out into these words My God forsake me not in these troubles nor cease from thy accustomed mercies towards me Then he whispered in the ear to one who held up his arm that he should deliver to Merlin an hundred Aurei to be distributed to the poor of the Church of Paris this I have often heard Paraeus speak of almost in the same words Thence Navar and Conde go to the King and complain of the indignity of the fact and since they and theirs could not be secure at Paris they desire leave to depart Upon this the King aggravating the matter to the highest and adding deeper oaths than before promised that he would take such revenge upon the Assasine the authors and abetters of this fact as should satisfy Coligny
Guise and this faction murdered by a Fryer August 24th Queen understanding being impatient of all delay she thence took occasion to tell the King that the Souldiers could not now be restrained that he should command the sign from the Palace presently to be given for it was to be feared that if it were delayed any longer all would be in a confusion and things would fall out otherwise than he desired Therefore by his command the Bell of St. Germans Church is tolled before break of day ix Kal. VII br which day is the Feast of St. Bartholomew and fell upon a Sunday And presently Guise with Engolesme and †He was slain in March following before Rochel l 55. Aumale go to Coligny's house where Cosserius kept Guard Mean time Coligny being awakened he understood by the noise that they were risen into sedition yet being secure and even sure of the good will of the King whether through his own credulity or through the perswasion of his Son-in-law Teligny he thus thought with himself that the people were stirred up by the Guisians but as soon as they should see the King's Guards under the command of Cossenius for the defence of him and his as he supposed they would immediately fall off But the tumult growing on when he perceived a Gun discharged in the Court-yard of the house then at last but too late conjecturing what the thing indeed was he rose from his bed and putting on his night-gown he raised himself upon his feet to his Prayers leaning against the wall La Bonne kept the keys of the house who being commanded by Cossenius in the King's Name to open the Gate he suspecting nothing immediately opened it strait-way * He was slain 8 Apr. following before Rochel l. 56. Cossenius going in la Bonne meeting him is stabbed with daggers which when the Switzers who were in the Court-yard saw they fly into the house and shutting after them the next gate of the house they barracado it up with Chests and Tables and other houshold-stuff one only of the Switzers being slain in that first conflict by the Cossenians by a Musquet discharged At last the Gate being forced open the Conspirators strive to get up the stairs They were Cossenius Abinius Corboran Cardillac Sarlaboun chief officers of the Companies Achilles Petruccius of Siena all clad in Coats of Male and Besmes a German educated from a child in the Family of Guise for Guise himself with the rest of the Nobles and others remained in the Court-yard In that noise after Prayers ended by Merlin the Minister Coligny turning to those who stood about him who were for the most part Chirurgeons and a few of his retinue I see saith he with an undaunted countenance what is doing I am prepared patiently to undergo that death which I never feared and which I have now long since embraced in my mind Happy am I who shall perceive my self to die and who shall die in God by whose Grace I am raised to the hope of eternal life Now I need not humane helps any longer You my friends get ye hence with all the speed that may be lest you be involved in my calamity and your Wives hereafter wish evil to me being dead as though I were the cause of your deaths The presence of God unto whose goodness I commend this soul which shall shortly fly from my body is abundantly sufficient Which as soon as he had said they go into an upper room and thence through the roof every one his way Mean while the Conspirators breaking open the Chamber-dores rush in and when as * He was killed about two years after l. 60. Besmes with his sword drawn asked of Coligny who who stood by the dore Art thou Coligny He with an undisturbed countenance answered I am he but young man reverence my gray hairs whatsoever thou doest thou canst not make my life much shorter Whiles he said so Besmes thrust his sword into his breast and drawing it forth struck him with a back-blow over the face whereby he quite disfigured him then with repeated blows he fell down dead Some write that these words shewing his indignation fell from Coligny as he was dying If at least I had died by the hand of a man not of a scullion But Atinius one of the Assasines repeated it so as I have written and adds that he never saw man in so present a danger bear death with such constancy Much otherwise did Guise bear the sense of his less apparent approaching death For when after his conspiracy and rebellion in the H. League against the next King he was with such like arts as had been here used brought into the snare which the King had laid for him and having before neglected the warnings of his friends at last began to be suspitious of his danger though nothing visible appeared his vehement fear so prevailed over his dissimulation whereby be endeavoured to conceal it that his whole body though he sate by the fire shaked and trembled and to immind him of this present fact a stream of bloud flowing plentifully from his nostrils as he called for a napkin he was fain to call for some Cordials to comfort his spirits but yet nothing of danger visible when in the midst of this his fear and languishing he was by one of the Secretaries who knew nothing of the design called into the Kings Privy Chamber whereupon having saluted each of the company as if he took his last farewell of them going directly thither he was no sooner entred but the dore was boulted and one of those who were appointed for the business struck a dagger through his throat downward into his breast whereby his mouth was presently filled with bloud and stopped that he could not speak but only fetch so deep a groan as was heard with horror by those who stood by This stroke was seconded by many others upon his head breast belly and groyn And to this end he came not as Colinius from his Prayers but after all his other wickedness from his whore with whom he had indulged the night and therefore came later than the rest this morning into the Counsel Thu. l. 93. It was their different lives and actions which made this difference in their deaths for otherwise Guise was a man of great courage as well as Colinius Then Guise asking Besmes out of the Court-yard whether the thing were done when he answered it was done he could not perswade Angolesme unless he saw it Therefore Guise replying and bidding him throw down the body it was thrown out of the window into the Court-yard as it was all besmeared with bloud when * He was afterwards stabbed to death l. 85. Angolesme not believing his own eyes wiped off the bloud from his face with his handkerchief and at last perceiving it was he and as some add kicking the corps in scorn going out of the house with his fellows into the way
the Kingdom by several ways though I believe the number was somewhat less In September Castres a City in la Paix Albigeois which was held by the Protestants when after great promises by the King for their safety it was delivered into the hands of Creuseta one of the principal of the neighbouring Gentry it was by him cruelly plundered and laid waste In the beginning of October happened the Massacre at Burdeaux The Author and chief Promoter of it is reported to have been one Enimundus Augerius of the Society at Claremont who also is said to have perswaded Franciscus Baulo a very rich Senator of Burdeaux that he should leave his wife and being supported by his wealth he had founded a rich School in that City He when as he did in his Sermons daily inflame his Auditors that after the example of the Parisians they should dare to do something worthy of their piety so especially upon S. Michael's day when he treated of the Angels the ministers of the grace and vengeance of God what things bad been done at Paris Orleance and other places he did again and again by often repeated Speeches inculcate to have been done by the Angel of God and did both openly and privately upbraid Romanus Mulus the King's Solicitor and Carolus Monferrandus Governor of the City men of his faction as dull and cold in this business who contented themselves to have interdicted the Protestants the liberty of meeting together and to have kept the Gates of the City with guards but otherwise they wholly abstained from violence and slaughters being admonished so to do as is believed by Stozzius who had a design upon Rochel who did fear lest that should hinder his attempts But when as about that time Monpesatus came to Blaye as though the sign for effusion of bloud had been given by his coming certain men were slain in that Town But when he arrived at Burdeaux the people began to rage and the seditious to run up and down Enimundus thundered in his Preaching more than ever at last after some days private discourses of Monpesatus with Monferrandus though it be uncertain whether he did discourage or perswade the thing when Monpesatus was departed who a little while after died of a Bloudy Flux V Non. VIII br which fell upon a Friday Octobr. 3. the Magistrates of the City with their Offcers as they were sent came after dinner to the house of Monferrandus bringing with them lewd impudently wicked men who were drawn together by Petrus Lestonacus and receiving the word of command from him they ran through the City to the slaughter being distinguished by their red Caps a sign very agreeable to their bloudy design They began with Joannes Guillochius and Gul. Sevinus Senators who were both cruelly murdered in their houses which were presently rifled Also Bucherus the Senator who had redeemed his life of Monferrandus for a great sum of mony did hardly escape the danger whose house was also plundered Then promiscuous slaughters and rapines are committed for three days together throughout the City wherein two hundred sixty four men are said to be slain and the Massacre bad been much greater had not the Castle of Buccina and the other Castle of the City yielded an opportune place of refuge to many Jacobus Benedictus Longobastonus President of the Court was in great danger of death and was hardly preserved by the help of his friends 29. Nor were they in the mean time in quiet at Paris and at Court where by the Queens special command and the diligence of Morvillerius Coligny's Cabinet was examined if by any means they might find any thing in them which being published might take off the odium of so bloudy a fact either in the Kingdom or with foreign Princes Among those Commentaries which he did every day diligently write which were afterwards destroyed by the Queens command there was a passage in which he advised the King that he should be sparing in assigning the hereditary portion which they call Appennage to his Brethren and in giving them authority which having read and acquainting Alanson with it whom she had perceived to favour Coligny This is your beloved cordial friend saith the Queen who thus advised the King To whom Alanson answered How much he loved me I know not but this advice could proceed from none but one that was faithful to the King and careful for his affairs Again there was among his papers sound a breviate wherein among other reasons that he gave for the necessity of a War with the Spaniards in the Low-Countreys this was added as being omitted in the Speech which he made to the King lest it should be divulged and therefore was to be secretly communicated to the King that if the King did not accept of the condition that the Low-Countreys offered he should †V. Walsingham's Letter 14 Septemb. 1572. in the Compleat Ambassador p. 241. not transfer it to his neighbours of England who though they were now as things stood friends to the King if once they set footing in the Low-Countreys and the Provinces bordering upon the Kingdom would resume their former minds and being invited by that conveniency of friends would become the worst enemies to the King and Kingdom Which being likewise imparted to Walsingham Queen Elizabeths Ambassador and the Queen telling him that by that he might judge how well Coligny was affected towards the Queen his Mistress who so much loved him He made her almost the same answer and said He did not know how he was affected towards the Queen his Mistress but this he knew that that counsel did savour of one that was faithful to the King and most studious of the honour of France and in whose death both the King and all France had a great loss So both of them by almost the same answer frustrated her womanish policy not without shame unto her self About the end of the month wherein Coligny was slain the King fearing lest the Protestants should grow desperate in other Provinces writes to the Governors with most ample commands and principally to Feliomrus Chabolius President of Burgundy Carnii Comes in which he commanded that he should go through the Cities and Towns that were under his jurisdiction and friendly convene the Protestants and acquaint them with the tumult at Paris and the true causes thereof That nothing was done in that affair through hatred of their Religion or in prejudice to the favour that was granted them by the last Edict but that he might prevent the conspiracy made by Coligny and his confederates against the King the Queen the King's Brethren the King of Navar and other Princes and Nobles That it was the King's pleasure that his Edicts might be observed and that the Protestants every where taking forth Letters of security from the Presidents should live quietly and safely under the King's protection upon pain of death to any that should injure or molest them in