nothing concluded 465. is chosen to go to Rome with Cardinal Gondi by Henry IV. 557. hath notice from the Pope not to enter the Ecclesiastical State 563 Marshal d'Anville Son of Anna de Montmorancy deprived of his Dignities by the Kings Decree 198 Marshal de Byron meets with the Popes Legat but nothing concluded 453. treats with Mocinego but accepts not of a Cessation of Arms. 458 Marshal de Byron lays Siege to Rouen 558. killed with a Cannon-shot in the 65th year of his age 559. the King wept for him 561. his Son to revenge his death scales a great Tower at Espernay and takes it though sorely wounded 56. routs the Spaniards at his entrance into Artois 714. gives a Scalado to Dourlans but the Ladders being too short it succeeds not 720. labours unweariedly in the Siege of Amiens ibid. Marshâ—l de Cosse inclining to the Hugonots makes no progress against them 169 Massacre at Paris 183 184 c. Michael de l'Hospital succeeds Francis Olivier in the Chancellorship 29 Moderation more profitable in Victory than at another time Page 455 Money coyned by the Queen of Navarre with her own Figure on one side and her Sons on the other 143 Monitory Letters from the Pope decreed to be burnt by the Parliament of Chalons and Tours 502 Monsieur des Disguires though a Hugonot receives Alessandro de Medici the Popes Legat with great demonstrations of Honour 710 N. NAmes of Royalists and Guizards 365 Names which the Factions give one another 381 A Narration of several Successes which happened through all France 425 Navarrists and Politics persecuted and slain 379 Negligence the ordinary defect of the Hugonots 81 Nicholas Paulain discovers all the Plots of the League to the King 391. and one against his person 334 Nobility and Militia divided into two Factions 40 Nobility return to Henry IVs. Army with great Supplies 544 De la Noue sent Governor by the King to Rochel turns General of the Hugonots 189. stirs up a new insurrection of them 197. tells the King of Navarre he must nevâ—r think to be King of France if he turn not Hugonot 410 Noyon its situation besieged by Henry IV. 505. surrendred 507 O. OBjections against Crowning Henry IV. 634 Obligations of the Kings of France upon the day of their Consecration 635 Obsequies of Henry II. lasts Thirty three dayes 12 Offer of the Catholick Lords of the Kings Party 585. condemned by the Spaniards for Heretical 596 Officers that adhered to Henry III. imprisoned in the Bastille 379 Orillons what they are 524 Orleans made the Seat of the Hugonot Faction 61. with whose Reliques Andelot sustains a Siege there 85. have Conditions of Peace 88. retaken by them 114 Opinions of the Hereticks 50 P. PAlace of the Admiral raz'd and his Statue burnt 185 In Paris were 800 000 Inhabitants yet during the Siege neither the Lecturers nor Lawyers discontinued their Lectures or Audiences 79. Council of Sixteen framed and governed by it 300 Parisians make Insurrection at the News of the Duke of Guise's death 377. at the news of the Truce between Henry III. and the Hugonots besides publick signs of Contempt forbid him to be pray'd for in the Canon of the Masse 394. being blocked up are in great want of victuals 459 c. their Bishop gives way the Church Plate should be turned into money to relieve the Poor 560. the miseries they suffer'd 463. make bread of dead mens bones 464. their Council for fear of an Insurrection choose Cardinal Gonde and the Archbishop of Lyonâ— Deputies to treat with the King and their Speech to him 466 make provision of victuals 471 c. after 8 years space they return to the obedience of Henry IV. 637. murmur against the King at the lâ—ss of Amiens 639 Parley between the Prince of Condé and Queen-mother 64 Parliament of Paris expels the Hugonots the Kingdom 49. its Answer to the Prince of Condé's Manifesto 62. Eight Parliaments in France 51. that of Paris declares Charles IX out of minority 91. of Chalons and Tours decree the Popes Monitory Letter to be burnt 502. that of Paris the contrary 503. of Paris and Tours Decree none should go to Rome to procure Benefices 557. of Tours forbids to acknowledge the Legat and the Parliament of Paris exhort all to give him due reverence 434. of Paris determines to do justice to the Dutchess of Guise demanding it and choose those should form the Process 380 A third Party composed of Catholicks and Hugonots called Politicks and Malecontents 194 Peace published but full of jealousie 170 published and the Army dismissed 193. published by Torch-light 234. concluded between Henry III. and King of Navarre 390 Peers of France are Twelve Ecclesiastical and Civil 47 Petitions the manner observed at Court in granting them 213 Pope Clement VIII gives Supplies to the League with more moderate Expences than his Predecessors 556. gives notice to Cardinal Gondi and Marquis de Pisani that they should not enter into the Ecclesiastical State 563. sends Monseigneur Agucchi to Cardinal Sega Legat in France with prudent instructions touching the Affairs of that Kingdom 564. sends Innocentio Malvagia into France in place of Matteuchi to Cardinal Sega 582. approves the Infanta's Election and Marriage as not feasible and seems to consent only not to disgust the Spaniards 618. wishes some Catholick Prince of the House of Bourbon might be elected King and marry the Infanta and when he heard Henry IV. intended to turn Catholick inclines tâ— him 619 sends Antonio Possevino a Iesuite to let the Duke of Nevers know he should not come to Rome as Ambassador because the King was not yet acknowledged Catholick 621 c. his words to the Duke of Sessâ— the Spanish Ambassador 654. inclines to the King and is averse to others 672. sends his Nephew into Spain to treat of the Affairs of Hungary and of the King's absolution 673 c. absolves him in St. Peter's Porch Page 673 Pope Innocent IX his inclinations concerning the Affairs of France his death 530. succeeded by Cardinal Hippolito Aldebrandino 555 Pope Julio II. excommunicates the Kingdom of France and its Adherents 42 Pope Pius Quintus requires the Cardinal of Chastillon be deprived his Habit and Ecclesiastical Preferment because he was of Calvin's belief 103. Gregory XIII succeeding him grants a Dispensation for the Marriage between the Prince of Navarre and the Kings Sister 177. dyes 1585. Sixtus Qâ—intus succeeds 284. who writes Congratulatory Letters to the Duke of Guise full of high praises said he thought he saw not clearly into the Affairâ— of the League 355. told of the Cardinal of Guise's death is much offended at it and answers the Ambassadors coming to excuse it very sharply 382. chooses a Congregation of Cardinals to consult of the Affairs of France 383. suspects Moresini his Legat to the King and counts him guilty 390. declares the King liable to Censure by a Monitory if within Sixty days he release not the Prelates
not only by descent being of the same Blood which that people were used for many Ages past to obey but in vertue also being singularly valiant and most deeply wise in the Government of affairs consenting that to his posterity should descend the same power and the same name until a legitimate descendent of his failing the right should return to the people of chusing a new Lord. But because Authority without limitation commonly converts it self into destructive licentiousness at the same time that they elected their King they would establish certain Laws which were to remain perpetual and immutable in all times and in which should be comprehended in brief the general consent as well in the succession of the Kings as in every other part of the future Government These Laws proposed by their Priests which were anciently denominated Salii and decreed of in the fields which from the river Sala take the same name were called Saliqâ—e Laws and after the establishment of the Kingdom original and fundamental Constitutions After this principal foundation all other things resolved on that were necessary for the present Government and advantageous to the design in hand having passed the Rhine under the conduct of their first King Pharamond they betook themselves to the conquest of the Gallia's about the year of our Salvation Four hundred and nineteen leaving the Dominion of Franconia to the old Prince Marcomir The Gallia's were as yet possessed by the Roman Emperours but much declined from their first strength and greatness partly through Civil dissentions partly through the incursions of divers barbarous Nations by whose fury they had been long time much wasted and spoiled which was the cause that the Franks Army found much less difficulty in their conquest than the Romans did formerly Nevertheless they were not subdued without great resistance and much time spent For the Roman Legions appointed to guard that Province being joined for their own defence with the Gauls themselves held the first King Pharamond at a bay till his end drawing near he left the care of the whole enterprize and of the people to his son Clodian This man of a fierce courage in the first flower of his age having many times fought with the inhabitants of the Country and having overcome and driven out the Roman forces began to master that part of Gallia which lying nearest to the Rhine is by common consent of Writers called Belgica To him succeeded Meroue whether brother or son to Clodian is not certain but out of doubt nearest to him and of the same race conformable to the Salique Law He with happy success advancing into Gallia-Celtica propagated the Empire of the Franks as far as to the City of Paris And now thinking he had gotten enough to mainâ—ain his people and to form a compleat moderate Empire stayed the course of his Conquests and having conceived thoughts of peace joined both Nations under the same name and with moderate Laws and a peaceful kind of rule founded and established in the Gallia's the Kingdom of the French This was the first original and foundation-stone of that Monarchy in which as the descent of their Kings hath ever constantly remained in the same Progeny so in all Ages the first rules of Government have been most religiously observed neither power of Command nor authority of Laws losing any thing through time of their first observation and ancient splendor Those Laws ordained in the beginning by the universal consent of all the people exclude the Female Sex from the Royal Succession and admit only to the inheritance of the Crown the nearest Males by which means the Empire of that Nation by a continued and uninterrupted Succession always remaineth in the same Blood From the disposition of this Law the Princes of the Blood derive their name and priviledges for being all capable through default of the next heir in their order to succeed to the Crown they have in that consideration great interest in the State and the priviledges of their families preserved with great reverence from the people no time nor distance of degrees prejudicing the conservation of that order which Nature prescribes them to the Succession of the Kingdom For which cause though in the course of time divers families through sundry accidents have changed their names as some have taken the sirname of Valois others of Bourbon others of Orleans others of Angolesme others of Vendosme others of Alanson and others of Montpensier yet for all that they have not lost the trace of their Royal Consanguinity nor the right of succeeding to the Crown but the pre-eminencies of their Blood and the same priviledges are ever from time to time preserved to all And because it is evident how much they are all concerned in the custody and preservation of so great an inheritance of which they are all successively capable it hath therefore ever been a custom that the next of Blood should be Guardian to the Pupils and Governour of the Kingdom during the minority or absence of the lawful King Reason willing that the Government should not be committed to strangers or those altogether Aliens who might endeavour to destroy and dismember the Union of so noble a Body but to such who born of the same stock ought in reason to attend the preservation of the Crown as their own birth-right Nor is this Prerogative a custom only but the States-General of the Kingdom which Assembly hath the power of the whole Nation having often confirmed it with their consent and ordered it to be so it is since become as a decreed Law and a firm established Constitution The Royal House then enjoys two Pre-eminencies the one in matter of Inheritanee the other of Administration that when any King dies without male-children this when the absence or minority of the Prince requires some other person for the Government and management of the State These two Priviledges that are always inherent in those of the Royal Line have been a cause that the Princes of the Blood have ever held a great authority with the people and had a great part in the Government of the Kingdom For they themselves have ever been very vigilant in the administration of the Empire which they esteemed reasonably enough as their own and the people conceiving the Government might at some time or other fall into their hands have ever had them in great veneration and so much the rather because it hath often been found by experience that the eldest Line failing the Crown hath been devolved upon the younger family So the Regal Authority having an orderly succession in the race of Meroâ—es afterwards in the family of Carolins and lastly in that of the Capetts after many Ages Lewis the Ninth of that name possessed the Kingdom He who for innocency of life and integrity of manners was after his death deservedly written in the Kalendar of Saints Of him were born two sons Philip the
the Constable was not idle but being confident they would either make a retreat or if they came to fight be totally ruined the morning after being the Vigil of St. Martin one of the Protectors of the Crown of France having put the Army in order sent resolutely to assail the Enemy The Duke of Aumale and the Mareshal d' Anville led the Van and were placed against the Admiral the Duke of Nemours with a great number of Horse which were ranged upon the champagne brought up the Reer and the Battel commanded by the Constable was placed against the Prince of Conde after whom followed the Swisses in their orders flanked by the Count of Brissac and Strozzi's Foot It was already past mid-day when the Constable seeing the Enemy resolved to give them Battel not to lose time advanced with his Squadrons in such haste to charge them that the Foot marching in order were left a great way behind and could not come up to fight which falling out according as the Hugonots desired they with their Cavalry in which they had much the advantage drew up behind the Constables Battle and charging him couragiously quite through made a great slaughter amongst his men The Duke of Nemours thought to stay the fury of the Enemy by charging them in the Flanck but the Ditch being in his way and a gallant opposition made by the Hugonot Musquetiers at the work there was so much time to be spent there that he could not make such haste as was requisite to succour the Constable The Duke of Aumale and the Mareshal d'Anville attempted the same but were hindered by the Admirals Van who having moved from his place and retired almost to the bank of the River that he might not be surrounded mingled valiantly with them by which means the Constables Battalion being assailed and shaken by divers Troops of their Horse besides the Princes own which was in the midst remained without receiving any succours so over-matched by the Enemy in number that in a short time it was absolutely rouâ—ed and destroyed The Constable had four little hurts in his face and a great blow with a Battle-axe upon the head yet he still continued fighting valiantly and was endeavouring to rally his men when Robert Stuart a Scotch-man rode up to him with his Pistol bent toward him whereupon the Constable said Dost thou not know me I am the Constable he replied Yes I do and because I know thee I present thee this and instantly shot him in the shoulder which made him fall but as he was falling he threw his Sword which though the Blade were broken he held still in his hand with such a violence at Stuart's face that he beat out three of his teeth brake his jaw-bone and laid him upon the ground by him for dead The Constable lay a good while abandoned by his men that ran away and left him in the power of the Enemy but the Duke of Aumale and Monsieur d' Anville having routed and defeated the Admirals Van when they once saw them flee left the pursuit and came up to succour and sustain the Battalia by which means the Constable was redeemed out of the hands of the Hugonots who were then carrying him away prisoner and his Son with much difficulty convey'd him though already half dead to Paris The Duke of Nemours having in the mean while passed the Ditch and with great slaughter driven the Hugonots out of their Work with the like Massacre brake their Rear and having chased those that ran away into their quarters rallied his Horse and returned furiously to mingle with the Enemy in the hottest of the fight So the Catholick Van and Rear which had put to flight the Hugonot Van and Rear coming close up to the Princes Squadrons charged them so furiously in the Front and in the Flank that many of his Troops being disordered the Victory manifestly inclined to the Catholicks In the mean while the night overtook them which was very dark and rainy by favour whereof the Prince of Conde who having had his Horse kill'd under him with much difficulty recovered another and the Admiral who by the fierceness of a Turkish Horse that he rid that day was so far engaged amongst the Enemies that he had like to have been taken prisoner retired in haste to St. Denis leaving the Field and the possession of their dead as an assured token of a Victory to the Enemy The Catholicks though victorious partly through the loss of their General partly through the darkness of the night left pursuing them and the Foot having not had time to mingle in the fight returned intire to their Quarters The slaughter on both sides was much more considerable in regard of the quality than number of the dead for on the Kings party none fighting but the Horse and on the contrary those Foot only that defended the Ditch which flanked the Rear they that were killed were without doubt the most part Gentlemen or Persons of Note amongst which those of the Hugonots side were the Count de Suze the Vidame of Amiens the Count de Saut Messieurs de Piguigny Canisy S. Andre and Garenna of the Kings men few were killed but very many hurt as Monsieur de Sansac a Cavalier of great courage and expectation The day after the Battel the Constable died having at the 80 th year of his age fought fiercely with a youthful courage and shewed no less ardour of mind than vigour of body At his death he had no disturbed thoughts but on the contrary testified an exceeding constancy insomuch that a Confessor coming to his bed-side to comfort him he turned about and with a serene quiet countenance desired he would not molest him for it were a brutish thing having lived fourscore years not to know how to die a quarter of an hour He was a man of an exquisite Wit and mature Wisdom accompanied with a long experience in the changes of the World by which Arts he acquired happily for himself and for his posterity exceeding great Wealth and the chief Dignities in the Kingdom but in his Military Commands he had always such ill fortune that in all the Wars of which he had the Government he ever remained either a Loser or grievously wounded or a Prisoner which misfortunes were occasion that many times his fidelity was questioned even in this last action where fighting he lost his life there wanted not some who were envious enough to accuse him That having the command of the Kings Army against his own Nephews he charged so late and left the Foot behind on purpose because he would not though he might gain a compleat Victory Those that spake without passion gave him three principal attributes That he was a good Souldier and a loving Servant but an ill Friend for in all his actions he was ever swayed by the consideration of his own interest The same day died Claud de l' Aubespine chief Secretary of State a
fought withal and beaten by the Catholick King he would not at all think himself injured or ill dealt withal it being a business apart that concerned not his Interests or the Crown of France That for the Duke of Alancon he had opposed him stiffly more then once but that he was more apt to follow the suggestions of others then to obey his commands That he was sorry he had not been able to restrain those French that went with him but that the disobedience of his Subjects was known to all the World and also the quality of those persons that were gone thither who for so many years had disturbed the Kingdom in his time and in the Reigns of his Brothers and Predecessors That he had given a sufficient testimony of himself when the States of Flanders desiring to put themselves under his Authority he had refused them without any demur at all So that he having no hand in those preparations made against Flanders nor in the others against Portugal he believed that the Peace and Friendship which he held with the Catholick King were neither violated nor disturbed concluding that to give a clear evidence of himself and to conserve the Peace with the Crown of Spain if the Catholick King should desire it he would at any time send men into Flanders to serve the Prince of Parma with express order not onely to fight against the States and against the other Commanders but also against his brother the Duke of Alancon himself This was the substance of what the King said adorning it with many particularities and circumstances but in effect he endeavoured to make both businesses continue being glad not onely that the Duke of Alancon should go out of his Kingdom but that with Monsieur de la Noue the Mareschal de Byron and many other Commanders the greatest part of that matter which did molest and disquiet his State should also be removed which when he saw effected in the year 1582 having setled himself in his former repose he continued the prosecution of those designs which by long practise were grown familiar to him and because cunning and dissimulation were already converted into nature and he now did that by use and custom which his humour inclining to he was from the beginning resolved to bring to pass by art he went on exalting and giving power onely to those who bred up by himself were beyond measure esteemed and most excessively favoured by him amongst which to Anne de Ioyeuse by him created Duke and Peer of France he gave in Marriage his own Sister-in-law sister to the Queen and to Iehan Louis de la Valett created also Duke of Espernon and Peer of France he granted the most important Governments and the greatest Offices that were daily vacant Next to these in his favour were the Chancellor Chiverny Rene Sieur de Villequier Francis Sieur d'O Pompone de Bellieure Villeroy the Secretary of State and the Mareschals of Retz and Matignon who no less mature in understanding than in age cared not to be the first in the King's favour lest they should also be first exposed to the blow and envy of Fortune but yielding the highest place to the vanity of young men â—â—ontented themselves with a more setled and more moderate condition The wisdom of the Marescal de Retz was particularly very remarkable who knowing himself to be an Italian and therefore subject to the hatred and persecution of the French though the King did by the vastness of his Gifts seek to exalt him to the highest pitch of greatness yet did not onely put rubs and hinderances in the way of his own advancement but afterward when he saw that the King was resolved to make him great he most discreetly endeavoured that those things which he knew were destined to him might be procured by the intercâ—ssion of some one of the great Princes A thing that succeeded so happily for him that his greatness was established without envy every one being either unwilling or ashamed to cross that fortune which he himself had favoured and that man which he believed he had made one of his obliged dependents But Ioyeuse Espernon and the other youths whose age and experience had not taught them so much moderation spreading all their Sails before the prosperous Wind of Fortune laboured by all possible means to attain to the most eminent Dignities Wherefore the death of Philippo Strozzi who was General of the French Infantry hapning at the Tercera's that that charge was given to the Duke de Espernon but much more amplified in Command and Authority And the Marescal de Byron having left the Office of Lieutenant of Guienâ—e to go into Flanders with the Duke of Alancon it was conferted upon the Mareschal de Matignon And the Governments of Orleans Blois and Charâ—res void about that time by the death of the Mareschal de Cosse were transferred upon the Chancellor The same rule being observed in all things that the most important Places and Governments should still be bestowed upon Creatures of his own breeding But the year following 1583 the Duke of Alancon having attempted to bring his limitted Command in Flanders to a free absolute Dominion the success proving very contrary to his hopes and therefore he being hated and opposed by those very men who had first called him thither was driven from thence by the Forces of Alessandro Farnese and to the Kings great trouble returned again into France where it was feared he would contrive some new mischiefs according to his rash inconsiderate nature most ardent to leap headlong into any dangerous design Wherefore he being recalled into Flanders by his adherents and by those who more abhorred the Tyranny of the Spaniard then his fickle instability the King promised him very great Supplies of Men and Moneys that returning to his former design he might ease him of the jealousies and fears of new Commotions and without doubt the effects would have made good his promises if the Duke of Alancon afflicted with the crossness of his late Fortune and quite worn out with perpetual toil and trouble or else as some said with those dissolute courses to which he had wholly given himself over had not died at Chasteau-Thierry a Castle of his own in the Moneth of Iune 1584 leaving Flanders at liberty and his Brother free from a most certain revolution of new troubles After his death the Signories of Anjou Angoulesme and Berry which had been assigned for his Appennage returned into the Kings power But the City of Cambray taken two years before and put under the Government of the Sieur de Balagny the King not desiring to transfer it openly to himself least it should break the Peace with the Catholick King fell in appearance and as by inheritance unto the Queen his Mother The End of the Sixth BOOK THE HISTORY OF THE Civil Wars of France By HENRICO CATERINO DAVILA. The SEVENTH BOOK The ARGUMENT IN this Book are
Quintus writes congratulatory Letters to the D. of Guisâ— full of high praises The Pope thought he saw not cleerly into the affairs of the League The Pope chuseth Giovaâ— Francesco Moresini Bishop of Bergamo Legat to the Congregation of the States he being much desired by the King to whom he was Nuncio At the same time he is made Cardinal The Duke of Espernon is conspired against at Angoulesme Secretary Villeroy fomenting the business upon a secret order from the King The King according to the example of his Grand-father dismisseâ—h many old servants for their too much wisdom In the place of the High-Chancellour Chiverny Francois Sieur de Mâ—ntâ—elon is chosen Garde de Seaux * Lord Keeper The Assembly of States-General called at Blois upon the agreement between the King and the League begins with extraordinary preparations The King begins the Assembly with a fine Speech which sâ—ings the Duke of Guise and his adherents Monthelon the Garde des Seaux prosecutes and amplifies the King's Speech * Râ—naud de Beaune * Michel Marâ—eaâ— The King and the States swear in solemn manner to perform the Edict made before or persevâ—ring in the Catholick Religion The common opinion that the Duke of Guise aspired to the authority which the Masters of the Palace were wont to have * Les Maires du Palais Câ—ipâ—ric King of France of an effeminate nature put into a Monastery by Charles Martel and Pâ—pin Masters of the Palace The Proposition of receiving the Council of Trent made in the Assembly of the States-General is rejected with great contradiction The King is râ—quested to declare the King of Navarre incapable of the Crown and all others suspected of heresie after much opposition he consents coldly unto it The King seeing the râ—solution of the States against the King of Nâ—varre procures an abâ—oluâ—ion at Rome for the Prince of Câ—nâ—y and Count Soissons of the House of Bourbâ—â— which much troubles the Duke of Guisâ—â— Charles Emanuel Duke of Savoy possesseth himself of the Marquesate of Saluzzo Causes alledged by the Duke of Savoy in excuse for his surprisal of the Marquesate of Saluzzo They send to the Duke of Savoy to demand the restitution of Saluzzo and upon his refusal to denounce War A fray happens among the Lords Pages one of the Duke of Guises is slainâ— the uproar riseth to that height that the whole factioâ—â— are divided under the names of Royalists and Guisaâ—ds the King himself being armed goes to the quarrel The King admits Giâ— Mocenigo Ambassador from Venice though he were not one of the Sauii dâ— Tâ—â—ra Firma * Magistrates so called at Venice because they have the principal adminâ—stration of affairs by land and the care of matters belonging to Peace and War Chrestienne de Lorain which should have been given to the King of Navarre is married to Ferdinandâ— de Medici Grand Duke of Thuscany The King desiring â—o free himself of the Duke of Guâ—se proposeâ— his design to four of his most trusty Confidents who after long consultation resolve to have him killed * Le porche aux Bretons The answer of Grillon Captain of the Guards Lognâ—c promiseth the King that the Duke of Guise should be slâ—in The King's resolution against the Duke of Guise comes to the ear of the Duke of Guise himself A consultation between the Duke of Guise the Cardinal his Brother the Archbishop of Lyons and the Duke d' Elbeuf The order taken by the King for the killing of the Duke of Guise The Captains invention to double the Guards and not be suspected by the Duke of Guise * The French Translation says Grand Mastre de la Garde robbe Pelicart the Dukes Secretary sends him a Note in a Handkerchief to bid him save himself but it comes not to his hands The Duke of Guise swoonin theCouncil-Chamber An ill omen of his approaching death The Duke of Guise is slain as he lifts up the hanging of the Closet-door The Cardinal of Guise and Archbishop of Lyâ—â—s are made prisoners as also all the Lords and other chief adherents of the Duke of Guise * The ordinary Iudge of the Kings houshold his command extends to all places within six leagues of the Court. It was reported that the Duke of Guise had received from Spain the sum of two millions of Crowns The King admitting every one into his presence speaks very resentingly The King says to his Mother Now I am King of France for I have put to death the King of Paris The King discourseth a long while with the Cardinal of Moresini about the Duke of Guises death The King seeing that the Legat shewed no trouble at the imprisonment of the Cardinals commands that Lewis of Lorain Cardinal of Guise be also put to death Du Gast a Captain of the Kings Guard causes the Cardinal of Guise to be slain by four Souldiers The bodies of the two Brothers were burned in quick Lime and their bones buried in an unknown place The Duke of Guise's Virtues and Endowments both in body and mind The Archbishops of Lyons being often examined would never answer alledging that as Primate of all France he had no other Superiour but the Catholick Church The Cardinal of Bourbon the Prince of Iainville now called Duke of Guise the Archbishop of Lyons and the Duke d'Elbeuf are all put into the Castle of Amboyse Charles Duke of Mayâ—nne third Brother to the Guises being advertised of his Brothers death flees from Lyons 1589. Katherine de Medicâ—s Wife to Henry the Second died on Twelfth-Eve in the 70 year of her age thirty whereof she spent in the Regency and in the management of the greatest affairs and troubles of the Kingdom of Franceâ— 1588. 1589. The Insurrection of the Parisians at the news of the Duke of Guise's death Charles of Lorain Duke of Aumale being made Governor of Paris by the City armes the people and orders them regularly under Commanders The Preachers detracting from the King celebrate the Duke of Guise his Martyrdom with exceeding high praises The Colledge of Sorbonne declares Henry the Third to have forfeited his Right to the Crown and his Subjects free from their Oath of Allegiance The King's Arms and Statues are thrown down the Navarrists and Politicks persecuted and slain All the Counsellors of Parliament and Officers who adhered to the King are imprisoned in the Bastille A Decree is made to combine themselves for the defence of Religion and it is called the Holy Vnion The Dutchess of Guise comes to the Parliament and demands justice they determine to do it her and chuse those that should form the Process Places and Cities which rise and unite themselves with the Parisians * Rather in Languedâ—â— A description of the miserable condition that France fell into by the means of the Duke of Guise his death The Names which the Factions gave one another * Bandes Blanckes Sixtus 5. being told of the Cardinal of Guise's death is highly offended and answers
in the Parliament a thing not usually done except in great necessity but by the King himself or by his Authority gravely advertised the Counsellors promising his care to pacifie the uproars of the people and to free them from so imminent a danger Which kind of proceeding exceedingly offended the King and the Queen it appearing to them that those people presumed too evidently to counterpoise the Royal Authority But the end at which they aimed made them artificially dissemble their displeasure With these seeds of discord ended the year 1565. At the beginning of the year following the King and Queen being really intent though inwardly exasperated to put an end to the troubles of the Kingdom rather by the arts of Peace than the violence of War went to Moulins where those that were summoned met from all parts at the Assembly in which the complaints of the people being proposed and considered and the abuses introduced according to the advice of the High Chancellor there was a long punctual decree formed in which was prescribed a form of Government and a manner of proceeding for the Magistrates taking away those corruptions and disorders that use to give the subject just cause of complaint At the same time the King insisting upon the pacification of his subjects for the general peace of the Kingdom a reconciliation was endeavoured between the Houses of Guise and Chastillon at which appeared on the one side the Mareshal of Momorancy with the Chastilâ—ons on the other the Cardinals of Lorain and Guise but with such backwardnâ—ss in both parties that there was little hope of sincere intentions where there appeared so much disorder and such an adherence to private interests For on the one part the Duke of Aumale Brother to the Cardinals had absolutely refused to be present thereat and Henry Duke of Guise yet in age of minority came thither only not to displease his Tutors but carried himself in such a grave reserved manner that it clearly appeared though his Governours brought him against his will when he was once come of age he would not forget the death of his Father nor observe this peace to which he could not being then so young remain any way obliged But on the other part also the Mareshal of Momorancy not induring so far to humble himself denied to speak câ—rtain words appointed by the Queen and the Council for the satisfaction of the Cardinal of Lorain nor would ever have been brought to it if he had not been forced by his Father who if he refused threatned to disinherit him and the Chastillons opposing by their Actions this seâ—ming Agreement ceased not to calumniate and make â—inister interpretations of the proceedings of the Guises At the last they were brought â—ogether in the presence of the King where they imbraced and discoursed but with a general belief even of the King himself that the reconciliation could not long endure which within a few days proved so indeed For the Duke of Aumale arriving at the Court denied expresly to meet with or use any act of salutation or civility to the Admiral or the rest of his Family On the contrary in the Queens presence he said that the Admiral laying to his charge that he had hired one to kill him he should think it a great happiness to be shut up with him in a chamber that he might hand to hand let him know â—e had no need of help but that he was able to determine his own quarrels himself And because the Queen being moved therewith answered That they might meet in the field the Duke repâ—yed again That he came thither with fifty Gentlemen but would return oâ—ly with twenty and if he met the Admiral he might perhaps make him â—ear moâ—e and in this fury he would have left the Court if the King had not laid an expâ—ess commaâ—d upoâ— him to stay After which new exasperations Andelot seâ—king all â—ccasâ—oâ—s of new sâ—â—â—dals publickly charged the Duke of Aumale in the Council that he had set one Captain Attin to murther him to which the Duke replyed with great shew of resentment It was necessary to lay hold of Attin who not being found culpable in any thing was at last released Both parties ceased not mutually to persecute each other both in words and deeds each of them accusing their adversaries that they went about to raise men and had an intent to disturb the quiet of the Kingdom Which though diligently inquired into proving but vain surmises at length it was thought the best way to continue the peace that the Lords of both parties should absent themselves from the Court where daily new occasions arising of conâ—estation between them the things already quieted were disturbed and subverted To this end and to give example to the rest the Constable with the Mareshal d'Anâ—ille his Son taking publick leave of the King and the Queen went to their Castles in the Isle of France So the great Lords following the same resolution within a few days after they all departed and particularly the Prince and the Admiral went severally to their own houses and the Duke of Aumale being left Heir to Madam Valentine his Mother-in-law who died about that time retired himself to Anet a place of pleasure which she had built There remained at the Court only the Cardinal of Lorain whom the King imployed in all businesses of importance and the Mareshal Momorâ—â—cy whose Government of Paris the Queen meant by some slight or other to take away that so powerful a people might not be under the command of a person that was inclined to innovations and that the chief support of the Kings Authority for the present might be put into such hands as depended absolutely upon himself At this same time happened the distastes and departure of the Queen of Navarre from Court For sentence being given by the King against Frances de Rohan by which the contract of marriage between Her and the Duke of Nemours though subscribed by their own hands was made void and he having concluded to marry Anne d' Este Widow to the late Duke of Guise Queen Iane after infinite but vain attempts in favour of her Neece at the last just as they were Marrying in the Kings presence caused one whom she had hired with promise of Reward to interpose and make a Protestation in the name of Frances but he being taken and imprisoned without interruption of the Marriage and finding her designs took no effect equally offended withal thinking her self injured and despised she resolved to leave the Court and retire into Bearn designing in her mind to raise new and more dangerous troubles She took for occasion and pretence of her departure That she could not be suffered a free exercise of her Religion For the King being advertised by the Popes Nuncio and divers others of the great resort of persons of all sorts to her lodging to hear Hugonot Sermons and knowing the Parisians were greatly
conditions as it was credibly reported that there were slain above forty thousand Hugonots in a few days but the rule I have hitherto observed of following precisely the order of this History will not not suffer me to digress in making the tragical Narration of those passages The third day after the death of the Admiral the persecution of the Hugonots not being yet ended the King accompanied by all the Princes and Lords of his Court went unto the Parliament and though at first he had both by words and letters attributed the whole business to a popular tumult yet there unmasking his designs with a long relation he laid open the reasons for which he had commanded all those Rebels against his Person and Kingdom to be destroyed who notwithstanding his gracious Pardons so often granted to their former offences returned still with perfidious obstinacy to plot new treasons and insurrections that at last he was necessitated to prevent them for fear of being prevented having miraculously discovered their conspiracy to take away his life and not his alone but the lives of the Queen his Mother and the Dukes of Anjou and Alancon his Brothers and even the King of Navarre's also who because he was alienated from their party was esteemed no less their Enemy than all the rest Wherefore he thought good to make those his Magistrates acquainted therewith to the end they might proceed with the same sharpness against so wicked a conspiracy and make known to all the world the just and necessary causes that had forced him to use such rigour and severity After these words wherewith he earnestly endeavoured to perswade them that the business had been sudden and not premeditate happening in a manner by chance and urged by necessity not ripened by long plotted contrivance he gave order it should be recorded among the ordinary Acts of that Court that whatsoever had befallen the Admiral and the rest of his Faction either in Paris or any other part of the Kingdom was done by his will order and express commission Then he commanded them to proceed to the examination of the prisoners to defame the memory of the dead by laying open their rebellions and by inflicting such punishments upon them as the strictness of the Law enjoined and lastly he caused to be published not only in the Parliament but likewise in all the streets of Paris That they should desist from further effusion of Blood that which was already spilt having abundantly satisfied his just severity which availed something in Paris where the number of the Hugonots was already almost extinct and brought to nothing but in other Cities whither the order came too late it was more or less obeyed according to the distance of places The Parliament readily imbraced the Commission of proceeding against the Hugonots and with the examination of the prisoners legally making their process they condemned Briquemaut and Cavagnes who were imprisoned in the Palace to be publickly torn with Pincers and their bodies quartered commanding also a Statue of the Admirals to be broken in pieces and burned declaring him a Rebel a Disturber of the Kingdom a Heretick and an Enemy to all good men not having any bounds to their cruelty against his memory the Magistrates sentenced the Hostel de Chastillon to be razed to the very ground and all his posterity to be deprived of Nobility and made incapable of bearing any Office or possessing any goods in the Kingdom of France and that their deeds might be answerable to their words the King dispatched his Grand Provost with all diligence to seize upon his Wife and Children but his eldest Son with the Widow Lady his Mother-in-law the Wife of Teligny and Monsieur de la Vall the Son of Andelot deceased were already fled secretly to Geneva and the better to avoid their danger went to live among the Swisses in the Canton of Bearn the younger Children both male and female were condemned to death in their tender years coming to that end which in the variety of worldly affairs accompanies the ruine of great Families At the same time this execution was done at Paris la Charite which was still held by the Hugonots was surprized by the Gens d' Arms of the Duke of Nevers who going into the Town under pretence of being mustered and receiving their pay possessed themselves of the gates and principal places of the City so suddenly and discreetly that the Towns-men durst not stir to make opposition and so the City remained in the power of the Kings Officers The same was attempted by the Viscount de Ioyeuse at Montaubon and by Philippo Strozzi at Rochel which if they had succeeded there might have been some hopes that France would have been quieted but the inhabitants looking warily to themselves and keeping very strong guards both the enterprizes failed of the expected event all those provisions being to no purpose which had been made under colour of the War of Flanders But the Viscount de Ioyeuse having with him only some Gentlemen of that Country his design being discovered dissolved his party and retired to the places under his Government On the other side Strozzi having sufficient strength both of Foot and Horse began to besiege and streighten Rochel still exhorting and perswading the Citizens to avoid the tryal of strict justice and the hazards of a desperate War by returning willingly to the Kings obedience to which they answered ambiguously to gain time were resolved not to hearken not only because they presumed upon the strength and situation of the Town but also because by the great number of Hugonot Ministers and Preachers who were fled thither they were daily stirred up and encouraged to preserve the liberty they enjoyed and not to trust the promises of the Catholicks whose Doctrine allowed them to break their Faith with any who being of different Religion were by them accounted Hereticks against which Strozzi opposing other reasons and shewing the necessity of obedience to the King and the ruine which by their stubbornness they would bring upon themselves the time was more spent in treaties and messages than in any action or enterprize of War yet both Horse and Foot lay near on all sides of the Town and the Fleet scoured all those coasts to keep them from supplies of men or victual In this interim the Conversion of the King of Navarre and Prince of Conde was laboured at the Court the Queen and all the Council being of opinion that the Princes now taken from the Hugonot party and the male-contents deprived of the pretence and countenance of the Blood Royal the State would remain quite purged from those humours which for so many years had with obstinate violence disturbed the quiet of it finding the severeness of the late executions produce such hopeful effects that an abundance of Hugonots already professed the Catholick Religion and many leaving their Country were gone to live out of the Kingdom The effecting of this Conversion was
set down the causes why the Duke of Guise and his adherents endeavour to renew the Catholick League which before was almost laid aside The Reasons they alledge for themselves The quality of those persons that consented to and concurred with the League The design of drawing in the Cardinal of Bourbon and his resolution to embrace it Philip King of Spain takes the protection of it The Conditions agreed to with his Agents at Jain-ville The Popes doubtfulness in ratifying and approving the League and his determination to delay the time The King of France consults what is to be done for the opposing of that Vnion and the opinions differ He sends the Duke of Espernon to confer with the King of Navarre to perswade him to embrace the Catholick Faith and return to Court The King of Navarre at that Proposition resolves to stand firm to his Party The League takes occasion by that Treaty and makes grievous complaints They of the Low-Countries alienated from the King of Spain offer to put themselves under the Crown of France The King is uncertain what to do in it but at last remits them to another time King Philip entring into suspition of that business sollicites the Duke of Guise and the League to take up Arms To that end Forces are raised both within and without the Kingdom The King tries to oppose them but finds himself too weak The Cardinal of Bourbon leaves the Court retires to Peronne and with the other Confederates publishes a Declaration They draw an Army together in Champagne seize upon Thoul and Verdun The City of Marseilles riseth in favour of the League but the Conspirators are suppressed by the rest of the Citizens the same happens at Bourdeaux Lyons Bourges and many other places in the Kingdom side with the League The King answers the Declaration of the League he endeavours to disunite it by drawing many particular men from that Party as also the City of Lyons but seeing his design succeedeth not to his mind he resolves to treat an Agreement with the Confederates The Queen-Mother goes into Champagne to confer about it with the Duke of Guise and Cardinal of Bourbon After many Negotiations the Peace is concluded The King of Navarre publisheth a Declaration against the League and challengeth the Duke of Guise to a Duel He passeth it over and makes the Declaration be answered by others The Duke of Bouillon and Monsieur de Chastillon go into Germany to stir up the Protestant Princes in favour of the Hugonots The King consults of the manner of effecting what he had promised in the Agreement with the League The opinions differ and there ariseth great discord about it among his Councellors He resolves to make War against the Hugonots and coming to the Parliament forbids all other except the Roman Catholick Religion He sends for the Heads of the Clergy and the Magistrates of the City of Paris and with words full of resentment demands money of them for the War He prepares divers Armies against the Hugonots Pope Gregory the Thirteenth dies Sixtus Quintus succeeds him who at the instigation of the League declares the King of Navarre and the Prince of Conde to be Excommunicate and incapable to succeed in the Crown This Excommunication is diversly spoken of in France Many write against it and many in favour of it FRom the ashes of the Duke of Alancon the half-extinguisht sparks of the League began again to be kindled and burn afresh for the King by his policy in the Assembly at Blois and after by the delight and benefit every one received in Peace and by keeping down the Heads of the Hugonots and holding them at a distance having taken away the opportunities and specious pretences of the Lords of Guise it was of it self grown old and in very great part decayed and dissolved And though those Lords being stung to the quick by the excessive greatness of the Kings Minions and continually stirred up by the jealousie of his proceedings had failed of no occasion that might conveniently blemish his actions and bring themselves into reputation yet matters had till then been rather in unsetled debates than certainly concluded and had consisted more in words than in actions But now by reason of the Duke of Alancons death and that the King after having been ten years married had no probable hope of issue affairs began to be very much altered For as the King of Navarre's being first Prince of the Blood and so nearest the Succession of the Crown did spur forward the readiness of the Guises his old corrivals and natural enemies so likewise it afforded them a fair occasion to renew the League that they might take a course betimes to hinder the Kingdom from falling into the hands of the Hugonot Prince to the universal ruine of the Catholicks and the total overthrow of Religion Wherefore the disgusts they received at Court and the suspicion which for many years they had conceived concurring to sollicite them and this emergent occasion offering a fit opportunity they began again not only to repair the old structure but also to contrive and build up new designs The disasters which the Lords of Guise received at Court were many For besides seeing themselves excluded from the Kings favour and from the administration of State-affairs wherein they were wont to hold the first place and whereof they now did not at all participate as likewise being so little able to do any thing for their dependents and adherents because the King reserved unto himself alone the disposing of all Gifts and Honours they were also highly offended at the greatness of these new men who not favoured by the lustre of ancient Families nor raised by the merits of their own actions but only by the liberality of their Prince were advanced so high that with a sudden splendour they eclipsed all those Honours which they with infinite pains and dangers had attained to in the course of so many years And though the Duke of Ioyeuse by his Marriage with the Queens Sister was allied unto the House of Lorain and seemed in many things to be interessed with them yet they disdained to lie under the shadow of anothers protection where they were wont to see an infinite number of persons shelter themselves under the favourable wing of their Power and Authority To this was added that the Duke of Espernon either through his own natural instinct or the hopes of raising himself upon the ruines of the Great Ones or through the friendship which he had held from his youth with the King of Navarre who was most averse from any familiarly with them seemed to despise and undervalue the merits and power of so great a family and failed not upon all occasions to sting and persecute them on the other side obstinately favouring and in all opportunities maintaining and assisting the Princes of Bourbon Whereupon it was commonly believed that he to abase the credit and lessen the reputation of the
of Alancon and the Queens barrenness which in the space of ten years had had no Son whereby the King dying without Heirs of the House of Valois the Crown fell to the Princes of Bourbon and in the first place to the King of Navarre a relapsed Heretick and an open Enemy to the Roman Religion He urged that his coming to the Crown would be the universal ruine of Religion and the total conversion of all France to the Rites and Opinions of Calvin and therefore shewed how all good Catholicks were obliged to look to it in time and to prevent the terrible blow of that imminent subversion and if they had gathered themselves together ten years before to hinder the Prince of Conde from entring upon the Government of Picardy much more ought they now to assemble and combine themselves to keep the King of Navarre from entring not into a City or Province alone but into the possession of the whole Kingdom He endeavoured to prove that his Introduction to the Crown would be very easie for the King perswaded by the Duke of Espernon and his other favourites by whom he was wholly governed and induced by them to favour advance the party of the Princes of Bourbon would in his own life-time bring him in by little and little without resistance That therefore he had granted peace to the Hugonots while in that low condition and extraordinary weakness their extirpation was evident to all the world That therefore he deluded the constant and general resolution of the States at Blois by his arts unsinewing and by his delays untwisting the joint will and consent of all the French Nation That therefore when sometimes he had been constrained to make War against the King of Navarre he employed the Mareschal de Byron who though a Catholick in outward appearance was yet by many former proofs known to be a favourer of the Hugonots and interessed in their Faction That therefore he had lately taken Geneva into his Protection shewing clearly to all the World how little he esteemed the Catholick Religion and how much he was inclined to the Enemies of the holy See and of the great Bishop of Rome That therefore he had excluded all the Catholick Lords from any access to the Court or administration in the Government particularly those who had spilt so much blood for the preservation of the Kingdom and Religion and had brought in a new people that were privy to his designs and friends to the House of Bourbon That therefore he deprived all the old servants of the Crown of all their Offices and Honours of the most principal Governments and most suspected Fortresses to put them into the hands of men that were Catholicks in shew but really partial to Hereticks and inwardly adherents to the King of Navarre That therefore without remorse or compassion he daily oppressed the poor Subject with new Taxes and intolerable Grievances lest when occasion served they should be able to make resistance and oppose his pleasure and their own slavery And though the King made an outward shew to do otherwise and to be of another mind yet that men of understanding ought not to let themselves be deceived by his dissimulation who did but feign himself to be wholly addicted to a spiritual life and altogether taken up with the zeal of Religion For they that had penetrated to the depth of those businesses knew certainly that they were but a cloak and mask which which under colour of devotion contained abominable hypocrisie and that appearing full of mortification cloathed in a penitent Frock with a Crucifix in his hand in the streets in his private lodgings he gave himself over to the unbridled lusts of the flesh and to the perverse satisfying of his loose depraved appetite From which things set forth with many specious reasons and adorned with many and those most particular circumstances he concluded it was necessary to provide against that mischief betimes to underprop the house before it fell upon their heads wisely to unite themselves for their own defence and to pull down and destroy those designs before they were brought unto perfection These were the reasons of the Lords of Guise among which that they mentioned about the protection of Geneva was that the King having been desirous to renew that Confederacy with the Swisses which they for many years have held with the Crown of France the Protestant Cantons had refused to accept it unless the King would take Geneva into his protection who considering the affairs of the Marquisate of Saluzzo being then in disorder and the friendship of the Duke of Savoy suspected and uncertain because he was nearly allied unto the King of Spain having taken to Wife his Daughter the Infanta Katherine that if he should have a passage in his power whereby without setting foot in another mans house he might make use of the Swisses assistance it was necessary for him to embrace the protection of that City from the Territories whereof the passage is free to those places upon the confines of France he resolved at last to consent unto it forced by necessity but against his will and with much suspension of mind being both by nature and custom most averse from having to do with the Hugonots But that which was spoken concerning the Kings secret dissoluteness though it were not altogether without ground by reason of his amorous inclination to the Ladies of the Court yet was it by the reports of his Enemies amplified and enlarged to such vices and debauches as were very far both from his nature and custom and among the common people there went such extravagant tales of his licentiousness as caused at the same time both laughter and loathing in those that were acquainted with his most secret hidden practices Now the Duke of Guise either really moved with a zeal to Religion or drawn by the interests of his own greatness or else perswaded by both respects jointly united having framed his design and ordered his reasons with so fair an appearance made use of popular eloquent men to divulge them from their Pulpits and infuse them in private discourses among the people thereby to win their affections and procure the enlargement and spreading abroad of the League Among these the chief were Guilliaume de la Rose a man of powerful eloquence who came afterward to be Bishop of Senlis Iehan Prevost chief Priest of St. Severins a man of rare learning and copious eloquence Iehan Boucher by birth a Parisian a man in the same City Curate of St. Bennets Parish one Poneet a Fryar in the Abbey of St. Patrick at Melun Don Christin of Nizza in Provence and Iehan Vincestre all famous Preachers and finally most part of the Jesuits displeased perhaps that the King having at the first used them very familiarly was afterwards turned away from them to the Order of the Fueillants and Hieronimites And as these prosecuted the business of the League in Paris the same
Lyons with infinite speed so that upon Christmas-day in the evening about Sun-set the Duke left the City to retire to Dijon a place under his Government at the same time the Colonel entered the City by another Gate to execute the Commission he had received and so of the three Brothers he escaped free from danger into whose valour and wisdom all the foundations and hopes of the League were now reduced The death of the Queen-Mother shut up the last act of the Tragedy of Blois who in the 70 th year of her age having been long afflicted with the Gout and at last oppressed with a slow Feaver and extream abundance of Catharrs departed this life upon the fifth day of Ianuary 1589. being the Eve of the Epiphany of our Lord a day which was wont to be celebrated with great joy by the Court and the whole Kingdom of France The qualities of this Lady conspicuous for the spacious course of thirty years and famous thorow all Europe may better be comprehended by the context of things that have been related than described by any Pen or represented in a few words For her prudence always abounding with fitting determinations to remedy the sudden chances of Fortune and to oppose the machinations of humane wickedness wherewith in the minority of her Sons she managed the weight of so many Civil Wars contending at once with the effects of Religion with the contumacy of her Subjects with the necessities of the Treasury with the dissimulations of the Great Ones and with the dreadful engines raised by Ambition is rather to be admired distinctly in every particular action than confusedly dead-coloured in a general draught of all her vertues The constancy and greatness of courage wherewith she a Woman and a Stranger durst against so potent Competitors aspire to the whole weight of Government having aspired compass it and having compassed maintain it against the blows of art and fortune was much more like the generosity and courage of a man versed and hardned in the affairs of the world than of a woman accustomed to the delicacies of the Court and kept so low during the life of her Husband But the patience dexterity sufferance and moderation with which arts in the suspicion which her Son after so many proofs had conceived of her she knew still how to maintain the authority of Government in her self insomuch as without her counsel and consent he durst not resolve of those very things wherein he was jealous of her was as it were the highest pitch and most eminent proof of her great worth To these vertues which appear plainly in the course of her actions here related were added many other endowments wherewith banishing the frailties and imperfections of the Female Sex she became always Mistress of those passions which use to make the brightest lights of humane prudence wander from the right path of life for in her were a most elegant wit royal magnificence popular courtesie a powerful manner of speaking an effectual inclination liberal and favourable to the good a most bitter hatred and perpetual ill-will to the bad and a temperature never excessively interessed in favouring and advancing her dependents Yet could she never do so much but that being an Italian her vertue was despised by the French pride and those that had a desire to disturb the Kingdom hated her mortally as contrary to their designs wherefore the Hugonots in particular both in her life-time and after her death blasted and tore her Name with poysonous Libels and with malicious Narrations and Execrations and a certain Writer who deserves rather the name of a Satyrist than a Historian hath laboured to make her actions appear very different from the truth attributing often either ignorantly or maliciously the causes of her determinations to a perversity of nature and an excessive appetite to govern abasing and diminishing the glory of those effects which in the midst of so certain dangers did more than once securely produce the safety and divert the overthrow of the Kingdom Not but among so many excellent vertues some weeds of worldly imperfections did also spring up for she was esteemed of a most deceitful Faith a condition common enough in all times but very peculiar to that age greedy or rather prodigal of humane blood much more than became the tenderness of the Female Sex and it appeared in many occasions that to attain her own ends though good she thought no means unfit which seemed conducing to her designs though of themselves they were unjust and perfidious But the eminence of so many other vertues may certainly to reasonable Judges cover many of those defects which were produced by the urgency and necessity of affairs The King was present with demonstrations of extream griefs at the last gasps of her life which ended very Christianly and her death was honoured with his tears and with exceeding great lamentations by the whole Court though the present distractions did in the hasty Funeral of the Mother very much hinder the wonted Magnificence of the Son Her Heirs were Chrestienne de Lorain Wife to Ferdinando Grand Duke of Thuscany and Charles Grand Prior of France Bastard-Son to Charles the Ninth who was therefore called the Count of Auvergne and to her Servants she left many Legacies but the unquietness of the times that followed and some debts contracted by her liberality did by divers ways swallow up in great part both the Inheritance and the Legacies The End of the Ninth BOOK THE HISTORY OF THE Civil Wars of France By HENRICO CATERINO DAVILA. The TENTH BOOK The ARGUMENT IN the Tenth Book are related the Insurrections caused by the death of the Cardinal and Duke of Guise the Union renewed in Paris and many other Cities of the Kingdom The Authority of command and Title of Lieutenant-General of the Crown given to the Duke of Mayenne The King commands process to be made against the actions of the dead Princes he continues the States but breaks them up at last the Deputies being variously inclined The King strives to appease the Pope who is highly offended at the Cardinal of Guise's death He dispatcheth the Bishop of Mans to Rome for that purpose but the Pope persists and makes grievous complaints in the Consistory The King endeavours to make peace with the Duke of Mayenne but neither doth that design take effect The Duke goes to Paris and begins several ways to take up Arms he establishes the General Council of the League and the particular one of the Sixteen at Paris He dispatches Ministers to Rome to confirm the Popes inclination who afterward publisheth a Monitory against the King of France and foments the League exceedingly The King being necessitated to make War agrees with the King of Navarre and concludes a Truce with him The Spanish Ambassador leaves the Court and goes to reside in Paris with the Heads of the League the Popes Legat departs also and not having been able to perswade the
infinite importance and which should redound to his very great contentment The Count not knowing the Frier but hearing how the City stood affected and that many plotted to bring in the King believing the business to be true which he professed to deal in made no difficulty of granting him the Letter with which departing upon the last day of Iuly in the Evening he went from the City into the King's Camp where he was presently taken by the Guards but he saying he had business and Letters to communicate to the King and having shewed the superscription was brought to Iaques de la Guesle the King's Attorney-General who executed the Office of Auditor of the Camp The Sieur de la Guesle having heard the Frier and knowing that the King had returned when it was dark from discovering the Enemies Works told him It was too late for that night but the next morning he would bring him to him without fail and that in the mean time he might stay for his security in his Lodgings The Frier accepted the invitation supped at Table with la Guesle cut his meat with a new Knife with a black Haft which he had about him Eat drank and slept without care And because a Prophesie ran not onely thorough the Army but thorough the whole Kingdom That the King should be killed by a Frier he was asked by many if perchance he came for that end To whom he answered without disturbance That those were not things to be jested withal in that manner In the morning upon the first day of August Monsieur de la Guesle went to the King's Lodgings very early and having told him the Friers desire to speak with him was commanded presently to bring him in though he was not yet quite ready but still without his Buff-coat which by reason of his Arms he was wont to wear and having on onely a thin Taffaty Doublet all untrussed The Frier being brought in while they both withdrew to a Window on one side of the room he delivered the Letter from the Count de Brienne which the King read and having bid him proceed to tell his business he feigned to feel for another Paper to present it and while the King stood intentively expecting it he having drawn his wonted Knife out of his sleeve struck him on the left side of the Navel and left all the blade buried in the wound The King feeling the blow drew forth the Knife and in drawing of it made the wound wider and presently struck it himself up to the Haft in the Friers Forehead who at the same time la Guesle running him thorough with his Sword fell instantly dead and was no sooner faln but Momperat Lognac and the Marquess de Mirepoix Gentlemen of the Kings Chamber who were present at the fact threw him out of the Window where by the common Soldiers he was torn in pieces burnt and his ashes scattered in the River The King was carried to his Bed and the wound was not thought mortal by the Chirurgions Wherefore having called his Secretaries he caused an account of the business to be given to all parts of the Kingdom exhorting all the Governors not to be dismaid for that he hoped he should be cured within a few dayes and be able to ride The same he did to the chief Commanders and Principal Officers of his Army and having presently sent for the King of Navarre committed to him the care of his Army and the diligent prosecution of the enterprise But at night he felt wonderful great pain in his wound and fell into a Fever Wherefore having called his Chirurgions and search being made they found his Intrails were pierced so that they all agreed his life could not last many hours The King who desired to know the truth being told his danger caused Estienne Boulogne his Chaplain to be called and with very great devotion made Confession of his sins But before Absolution his Confessor having told him that he had heard the Pope had published a Monitory against him and therefore he should satisfie his Conscience in the present extremity He replied That it was true but the Monitory it self contained that in case of death he might be absolved that he would satisfie the Popes request and promised faithfully to release the prisoners though he should believe it would cost him his Life and Crown With which satisfaction the Confessor absolved him and gave him the Sacraments the same night The King feeling his strength decay caused his Chamber-doors to be set open and the Nobility to be brought in who with abundance of tears and bitter sighs shewed publick sins of their grief And turning toward them the Duke of Espernon and the Count d' Auvergne his Nephew standing by his Bed-side he said with an audible voice That it troubled him not to die but he was grieved to leave the Kingdom in so great disorder and all good men afflicted and persecuted That he desired no revenge for his death for from his first years he had learned in the School of Christ to forgive injuries as he had done so many in times past But turning to the King of Navarre he told him That if that custom of killing Kings should grow in use neither should he by consequence be long secure He exhorted the Nobility to acknowledge the King of Navarre to whom the Kingdom of right belonged and that they should not stick at the difference in Religion for both the King of Navarre a man of a sincere noble nature would in the end return into the bosome of the Church and the Pope being better informed would receive him into his favour to prevent the ruine of the whole Kingdom At last he embraced the King of Navarre and said repeating it twice over Brother I assure you you will never be King of France if you turn not Catholick and if you humble not your self unto the Church after which words having called his Chaplain he in the presence of them all rehearsed the Creed after the use of the Roman Church and having Crossed himself began the Misâ—râ—re but his speech failing him in these words Redde mihi laetitiam salutis tui he yielded up the Ghost contentedly having lived Thirty six years and reigned Fifteen and just two months In his death ended the line of Kings of the House of Valois and the posterity of Philip the Third surnamed the Hardy and by vertue of the Salique Law the Crown devolved to the Family of Bourbon nearest of the Blood and descended from Robert Count of Clermont the second son of St. Louis The whole Army being wonderfully grieved at so sad so fatal an accident and especially the Nobility who accompanied the death of their Prince with tears which came from the bottom of their hearts but on the other side the Parisians shewed profuse signs of joy and some among the Great Ones who had till then worn mourning for the death of the Lords of Guise did
coming to the Crown to the time of Byron's death which were the most difficult most important and as a man may say the Foundations of his Reign but that in the prudence and vigilance of this man consisted all the life and spirit not only of counsels but also of enterprises and action But yet those that emulated him forbore not to attribute many disorders to his fault and particularly that not desiring for his own ends that discords should be quieted but that the Wars should continue because while they lasted he governed the Kings mind and all the affairs of the Kingdom and not stirring much for matters of Religion for which from his youth he had shewed himself to care but little he was the occasion that not only the Civil Wars continued with so great a both publick and private ruine but that the King with arts and promises deferred the so necessary effect of his Conversion He was slain in the beginning of the sixty and fifth year of his age being entire in mind strong in body full of careful diligence and indefatigable in Military exercises After his death the whole charge of the Army remaining to the Duke of Nevers the siege of that Town began to be set in order and the King having received the news of what had happened after he had spent many hours in tears and publick condolings with great celerity moved to return to the Camp There were also three hundred Walloon-Foot of Berlotte's Tertia come from Rheimes to enter into the Town for the relief of the besieged the conservation of that place seeming to be of great concernment to the Confederates These marching that way and being already near their entrance were overtaken by the Baron de Byron who to revenge his Fathers death had set forward to the Camp before all the rest and not willing to pretermit that occasion of cutting those Foot in pieces which he found in the field without any convoy of Horse ran furiously to assault them The Foot were not at all dismayed being part of them Pike-men and the rest Musketiers and Fire-locks and getting into a hollow way shut up on both sides by two high Banks of Earth as it were by two Ramparts made an halt and facing about fiercely received the charge of the Horse with their Pikes and in the mean time their Companions mingled among them with their shot failed not to fire incessantly upon them so that two Captains of Horse and many Gentlemen being killed it seemed very difficult to force them Monsieur de St. Luc came up with another Squadron of the Kings Cavalry which marched toward the Camp who thinking it a great shame that so few Foot should make resistance in the field rushed forward to make the same attempt but being received with the same constancy he was repulsed no less than the others And much worse did it happen to Monsieur de Giury who came up last with the Light-Horse for going to make the same charge he left his own Lieutenant dead upon the place with above sixty of his men so that the Foot being no longer molested with the Cavalry came out of the hollow way and went up an Hill all full of Vines from whence without delay they were to march down to the Moat of the Town towards the West corner But in this time the King himself coming coming up with the rest of his Forces and seeing the affront his Horse received from so small a party of Foot ran forward gallopping to the very edge of the Moat and though the Town ceased not to play both with their Artillery and Muskets yet passing swiftly by he went to charge the Foot who being come down from the Hill were already gotten into the Plain whereby their way being so cut off that they could not get under the Walls they were surrounded on every side and after a long and valiant resistance were at last cut in pieces though with the loss of above two hundred of the Kings side and above two hundred more wounded The same day he straitned the siege on all sides and without losing time began to hasten the taking of the place and because the besieged had laboured all those days that were past to fill their Moat with Water that they might gain more time to bring their Works to perfection he imployed his first study to divert the Water another way which spent three days time but the passage was no sooner opened to drain the Moat when the Baron de Byron impatient to stay for the effect of the Artillery which nevertheless were planting by the industry of Monsieur de St. Luc gave a scalado to a great Tower newly made defensible by those within and being come up close together so that they fought only with their Swords he renewed the assault so obstinately twice or thrice that at last he carried it with great slaughter on both sides but whilst in lodging his men there the Earth was throwing up to shelter them from the Town he was sore wounded with a shot in the shoulder That Tower and the other defences being taken one after another the Artillery having made an open breach in the old Wall the defendents began to remember that they had not sufficient Forces to sustain the assault and therefore having sent to capitulate the second day they concluded to march out free with their Baggage but to leave their Colours which the King by all means would have in respect of the Spanish Ensigns of the Count de Bossu which for reputation the King desired to have in his power The Town was delivered up into the hand of the Duke of Nevers Governour of that Province upon the Ninth day of August From Espernay the Army went to take in Provins a City of Brie which for the unequalness of the situation and the greatness of its circuit was not very defensible being full of Gardens and Vineyards very thinly peopled and very ill provided of Souldiers and yet things proceeding slowly and the siege not pressing all the rest of the month was spent about it and it came not into the Kings power before the second of September The next thing that lay fit for the Army to besiege was Meaux whereof as being nearer to Paris and opportune to straiten that City not only the Parisians were exceeding jealous but even the Duke of Mayenne himself who being come to Beauvais dispatched the Sieur de Vitry thither with Eight hundred Foot and Three hundred Horse who together with the Sieur de Rantilly Governour of the Town and with the ordinary Garison laboured in such manner that it was made very defensible which the King considering and judging that the taking of it would be difficult and a work of time resolved passing beyond Meaux along the bank of the River Marne which leads to Paris to raise a Fort in the middle of the River in an Island called Gournay to the end that standing between
custom so religiously kept for so many ages and through the succession of so many Kings from Clouis till this present not to acknowledge any King in the Royal Throne who was not a Catholick and Obedient Son of the Church and who had not promised and sworn at his Consecration and at his receiving the Crown and Scepter that he would live and die in it defend and maintain it and extirpate Heresie with his utmost Forces the first Oath of our Kings whereupon that of the obedience and fidelity of their Subjects is grounded and without which so zealous they were in Religion they would never have acknowledged that Prince who pretended by the Laws to be called unto the Crown A Custom judged so holy and necessary for the welfare and good of the Kingdom by the States held at Blois in the year 1566 when the Catholicks were not yet divided in the defence of their Religion that it was by them held as the principal and fundamental Law of the State and it was established by the Kings will and authority that two of every Order should be deputed and sent to the K. of Navar and the Prince of Conde to represent unto them from the States the danger they put themselves in by forsaking the Holy Church and to exhort them to reconcile themselves unto it and to denounce unto them that in case they did not if they should chance to succeed unto the Crown they should be perpetually excluded as incapable Nor is the Declaration which was afterward made at Rouen in the year 1588. confirmed in the Convocation of the States last held at Blois that this antient Law and Custom should be inviolably observed as a Fundamental Law of the Kingdom any thing else but a simple approbation of the judgment given upon that point by the foregoing States against which he cannot object any just suspicion to condemn or reject their opinion and authority So the late King received it for a Law and promised and swore to the observing of it in his Church and upon the precious Body of our Lord as likewise all the Deputies of the States did in the last Assembly not onely before those inhumane murthers which made it infamous and fatal but also afterward when he no longer feared those that were dead and when he despised those that remained whom he held for lost and in despair of all safety having done it because he knew himself to be bound and obliged to it by right as all superiors are to follow and conserve the Laws which are as the principal Pillars or rather the Foundations of their State Therefore the Catholicks of the Vnion cannot be justly blamed who have followed the Decrees of the holy Church the example of their Ancestors and the Fundamental Laws of the Kingdom which do require the profession of the Catholick Faith as an essential and necessary quality in that Prince that aspires to the Crown by being next of blood because he is King of a Kingdom which is gained to Iesus Christ by the power of the Gospel which it hath received so many ages since and in the form as it is Preached in the Roman Catholick Apostolick Church These reasons have made us hope though some appearance of duty retained many Catholicks with the late King that after his death Religion the strongest bond of all other to joyn men together would unite them all for the defence of that which ought to be more dear to them than life But against all humane belief we see the contrary is come to pass for it was easie in that sudden moment to perswade them That we were guilty of his death of which we never so much as thought That honor obliged them to assist the King of Navar who published that he would revenge it and promised them that he would turn Catholick within six months and being once engaged in it the injuries which Civil War produces the prosperous successes which he hath had and the same calumnies which the Hereticks have continued to publish against us are the true causes that have kept him in it till this present and that have given the Hereticks means to proceed so far that Religion and the State are in manifest danger thereby And though we long foresaw the mischief this division would bring that it would be the cause of establishing Heresie with the Blood and Arms of the Catholicks and that this could onely be hindered by our Reconciliation which we for this end have sought with so much earnestness yet hath it never been in our power to attain it so much have mens mindes been transported and possessed with passion that they have hindered us from using the means of our own safety We have often caused them to be entreated that they would enter into conferences with us as we offered to do with them to take some course in the business We have caused to be declared both to them and to the King of Navar himself upon some proposition made for the quiet of the Kingdom That if leaving his error he would reconcile himself to the Church to his Holiness and to the most holy See by a trueâ—unfeigned conversion and by actions that might give testimony of his zeal toward our Religion we would most willingly have added our obedience and all that is in our power to help to put an end to our miseries and would have proceeded with such candor and sincerity that none should justly have been able to doubt but that such was our true intention These overtures and Declarations have been made at such times when we were in greatest prosperity and had means to undertake greater matters if we had had such a thought in our mind rather than to serve the publick and seek the general quiet To which he answered as it is known to every one that he would not be forced by his Subjects calling the Prayers that were made unto him to return into the Church by the name of force which he ought rather to have taken in good part and as a wholesome admonition which represented to him his duty to which the greatest Kings are no less obliged than the meanest persons of all the Earth for when a man hath once received Christianity in the true Church which is ours whose authority we will not put in doubt with any whosoever he can no more go out of it than a Soldier enrolled can depart from the Fidelity which he hath promised and sworn to without being held for a desertor and violator of the Laws of God and the Church He likewise added to the said Answer That when once he should be obeyed and acknowledged by all his Subjects he would cause himself to be instructed in a free general Council as if Councils were necessary to condemn an error so often reprobated by the Church especially by the last Council of Trent as solemn and authentick as any other that hath been celebrated these many ages And God having permitted
the King ' Ambassadors very sharply who came to excuse it to him Sixtus Quintus chuseth a congregation of Cardinals who were to consult about the affairs of France * The French sayes Commandeur Vn Commandeur is one that having Ecclesiastical Livings may not Marry and yet is not compelled to be a Priest as the Grand Prior of France and all the Knights of St Iohn's in Iâ—rusalem Commines lib. 7. cap. 9. The King writes kind Letters to the Duke of Mayâ—nne promising him very great things The Duke of Mayenne notwithstanding the Kings promises being perswaded by Madam de Montpensier his sister makes himself Head of the Holy Vnion * Oâ— sâ—veral C urâ—s The Duke of Mayenne being come to Paris is declared Lieutenant-General of the Crown of France The Council of the Union is chosen consisting of forty of the chiefest persons of the League The Bishop of Mans is sent by the King on purpose to demand absolution for the Cardinal of Guise his death The Abbot of Orbais sent to Rome by the Duke of Mayenne treats of the affairs of the League very effectually The Legat propounds a Truce to the Duke of Mayenne but he refuseth it The King of Navarre grants Liberty of Conscience in those places he had taken and publisheth a Manifâ—st offering to take Arms against those that rebelled against their natural King The Duke of Espernon returned into his former Greatness treats a Truce with the King of Navarre Cardinal Moresini the Legat makes grievous complaints unto the King The Spanish Ambassador departs from Court without taking leave and goes to Paris Cardinal Moresini stays with the King and the Pope falling into suspicion of him accounts him guilty The peace is concluded between the King of France and the King of Navarre Capt. du Gast who killed the Cardinal of Guise treats an agreement with those of the League by the perswasion of the Archbishop of Lyons The prisoners given in custody to Captain du Gast Governour of Amboise are sent to several fortresses under safer guards The Truce is concluded for a year between the most Christian King and the King of Navarre Cardinal Mâ—resini the Legat assoon as the Peace is concluded with the Hugonots departs from Court to go out of the Kingdom * Two thousand pounds sterling The Legat moves the Duke of Mayenne to an accommodation who refuses to hearken to it The Parisians at the news of the Truce between the King and the Hugonots besides many publick signs of contempt forbid the King to be prayed for any longer in the Canon of the Mass. The Duke of Montpensier begins the war against those of the League and besieges the Falaise The Gautiers Country people up in Arms to the number of 16000 fight for the League Montpensiâ—r defeats the Count de Brissac's Forces who came to divert the siege of Falaise The Gautiers being fortified in three places after they had fought a long time some are cut in pieces and some yield Vendosme taken by the League by agreement with the Governour * Or Plessis les Tours The Interview between the most Christian King and the King of Navarre at Tours The Duke of Mayenne defeats the Count de Brienne and takes him prisoner The Duke of Mayenne assaults the Kings Army at Tours where they fight a long time The King himself orders and disposes his Souldiers puts himself among those that fight At last supplies coming from the King of Navarre the Duke of Mayenne gives off the enterprise St. Malin who gave the first wound to the Duke of Guise at Blois slain in the Fight at Tours his death is boasted of as a Miracle and as a presage of Victory The Duke of Aumale besieges Sâ—nlis Monsieur de Longueville goes with small forces to relieve it and raises the siege with a great slaughter of the Leaguers The Duke of Aumale loses the day with his Artillery Baggage and thirty Colours Monsieur de Sancy having raised great Forces in Switzerland and begun the War with Savoy marches-towards Paris against the Leaguers The Count de Soissons assaulted at Chasteau-Gyron by the Duke de Mercoeur is taken prisoner The Sieur de Saveuse going with 400 horse to joyn with the Duke of Mayenne is routed by the Sieur de Chastilloâ— and taken prisoner The King takes Gergeau and Piviers Chartres voluntarily sets open the Gates The Pope by a Monitory declares the King liable to Censure if within 60 dayes he releases not the Prelates and does not Penance for the Cardinal of Guise's death The King troubled at it fasts forty hours Words of Hen. the Third upon the Excommunication thundered out against him The King of Navarr's Answer The King taking Estampes hangs the Magistrates and gives the pillage of the Town to the Soldiers The Swisses arrive and joyn with the King at Poissy The King with a victorious and numerous Army lays siege to Paris having taken all those placâ—s that furnisht it with victual A saying of the Kings who having been to discover the Enemies Works staid at a place from whence he looked upon the whole City of Paris The birth age and condition of Iaques Clement a Fryar of the Order of St. Dominick The King is called Henry of Valois the Tyrant and Persecutor of the Faith Frier Iaques Clement having advised with the Prior and others of his Order resolves to kill the King and to that end goes from Paris A Question made to the Frier and his Answer Upon the first of August the Frier brought in to the King gives him a Letter and then drawing a Knife thrust it into his Belly The King strikes the same Knife into the Friers Forehead Monsieur de la Guesle runs him thorough and being cast out of the window he is torn in pieces The death of Hen. the third upon the first of August at night Anno 1589 he having lived 36 years and reigned 1â— and two months the House of Valois ended in him and the Crown devolved upon the House of Bourbon The King of Navarre having many Lords in the Camp ill-affected to him in respect of Religion and other private causes is in great perplexity Causes of hatred between the King of Navarre and the Duke of Espernon The Catholicks assemble themselves to consult about the future Kâ—ng The Catholicks resolve to declare the K. of Navarre K. of France upon assurance that he would change his Religion The Duke of Luxembourg delivers the resolution of the Catholick Lords in the Camp to the K. of Navarre The King thanks the Catholicks and his answer about changing his Religion The Sieur de la Noue a Hugonot tells the King that he must never think to be King of France if he turn not Catholick The Catholicks of the Camp swear fidelity to the King by a Writing signed and established and the King Swears to the maintenance of the Catholick Religion by the same Writing The Duke of Espernon standing upon precedency will not sign the
King beats up the quarters of the Light-horse of the League The Duke of Parma sends Prince Ranuccio to assault the Kings out-guards and while they are fighting there being favoured by a mist he removes his Camp without noise of either Drum or Trumpet The Army of the League shut up in the Peninsula is reduced unto necessity of Victual and is in a great strait The Duke of Parma to free the Army which was in a manner imprisoned in the Country of Caux resolves to pass the River Seine and his attempt succeeds The King perceiving the Enemies design though too late goes to hinder their passage over the River but they were past already The King dissolves his forces and sends the Lords to their Governments and with a quick fleeing Army follows the march of the enemy Francois de Bourbon Dukâ— of Montpensâ—er as he was returning to his Government of Normandy dies at Lisieâ—x the third of Iune 1592. The Duke of Mayenne murmurs against the Duke of Parma ascribing the glory of all the actions to himself The Duke of Parma shâ—wing that he had twice delivered the League attributeâ— the cause unto the French why the King of Navarre was not utterly suppressed The Duke of Mayenne upon excuse of taking Physick stayes at Rouen The Sieur du Plesâ—is Mornay Secretary of State to the King and the Sieur de Villerâ—y for the Duke of Mayenne Treat of an Accommodation with mutuâ—l promises of Secrecy President Ieannin by order from the D. of Mayenne signifies those Conditions to Monsieur de Villeroy who was in Treaty which the Duke desires for the effecting an Accommodation The Treaty of Agreement divulged by the Sieur du Plessis comes to the ears of the Princesses and Spanish Ministers working a contrary effect to what he that published them desired The Duke of Parma leaves Forces in France under the Sieur de Rosne depending upon the Duke of Mayenne to whom also the other Spanish Ministers forbear to give further discontents The Catholicks of the Kings party displeased that the Peace should be treated by the Sieur de Plessis a Hugonot renew the Treaty of a third party Innocent the Ninth is succeeded in the Papacy by Cardinal Hippolito Aldobrandino with the name of Clement the Eighth being aged Fifty six years Clement the Eighth gives supplies unto the League with more moderate expences and resolutions than his Predecessors had done The King by the means of Mocenigo the Venetian Ambassador prays that Republick to treat with the Pope concerning his reconciliation with the Church The King desires Ferdinando de Medici Grand Duke of Thuscany to use his endeavors also with the Pope and the Colledge of Cardinals in favour of his business The Duke of Mayenne who had still deferred the Convocation of the States writes to the Cardinal Legat and to the Duke of Parma that the time of assembling them was now present Cardinal Gondi and the Marquiss de Pisani are chosen to be sent to Rome The Decree of the Parliaments of Tours and Chalons that none should run to Rome for the procuring of Benefices The pretensions of Râ—nâ—ud de Bâ—aune Archbishop of Bâ—urges upon the Spiritual Superiority of the Galliae A Decree made by Henry the Fourth in favour of the Ecclesiastical Dignities and of the Catholick Religion The Duke of Mayenne besieges Ponteau de Mer. The Sieur de Villars goes to besiege Quilleboeuf a Fort not yet brought to perfection The Sieur de Villars is forced to rise from Quillâ—boeuf The Duke of Mayenne takeâ— Ponteau de Mer The Duke of Parma goes into Flanders to the â—aths of Spaw to be cured of the Dropsie Monsieur de Rosne takes Espernay The King sends his Forces to recover Espernay The Mareschal de Byron a Commander of great valour is killed with a Cannon-shot Iuly 26. in the Sixty fifth year of his age The King wept â—or the Mareschal de Byâ—on The Baron de Byron to revenge the death of his Father scales a great Tower at Espernay and takes it but is sorely wounded Espernay yieldeth it self with condition to leave their colours which were much desired by the King because there were some Spanish Ensigns among them The King desires a reconciliation with the Catholick Church by way of Agreement not by way of Pardon Causes that make the Pope backward in determining about the affairs of the Crown of France The Duke of Mayenne gives Villeroy liberty to favour the Kings Conversion at Rome and at the same time opposes it with all his power Pope Clâ—m 8. gives notice to Cardinal Gondi and to the Marquiss de Pisans that they should not enter into the Ecclesiastical State Cardinal Gondi sends his Secretary to Rome to excuse himself to the Pope The unhappy condition of Ecclesiastical affairs in the Kingdom of France The Pope sends Monsignor Agucchi to Cardinal Sega Legat in France with prâ—dent Instructions concerning the affairs of that Kingdom Cardinal Sega affectionate to the Lords of the League and perswaded by hope being become partial to the Spaniards doth not execute his orders accordding to the Popes intentions The Duke of Mayenne interpreting the Popes manner of proceeding to be in favour of him applies himself to the Convocation of the States with hope to be chosen King of France The City of Paris is appointed for the Convocation of the States The Duke of Mayenne leaves the command of the Army to the Sieur de Rosne and goes himself to Parâ—â— Causes that move the Duke of Mayenne to hope to be chosen King of France The Duke of Parâ—a's death was hurtful to the interests of the King of Spain Monsieur de la Valette is slain with a Musket shot at the siege of Râ—câ—ebrâ—ne The River Vare is the confine that separates Italy from France The Sieur de Les Diguiâ—res makes great incuâ—sions against the Duke of Savoy Monsieur de Maugiron Governour of Valence for the King gives up the place to the Lords of the League The Duke of Savoy recovers the places taken by Les Diguieres and takes Antibo The Duke of Espernon going into Provence recovers Antibo and all the towns held by the Duke of Savoy as far as the River Vare Antoine Scipion Duke of Iâ—yeuse lays siege to Villemuâ— Fortresâ— near Montauban Monsieur de Temines enters with men into Villemur The Kings Forces sent to relieve Villemur assault the Duke of Ioyeuse's Camp and make themselves masters of the first Trench While the Royalists fight with the Leaguers with equal fortune Temines sallies with most of the Garrison of Villemur and catching the Enemy in the midst routs them and puts them to flight Câ—aon a great strong Town that held for the League is besieged by the Princes of Câ—nty and Dombes The Royallists raise their siege at Craon by reason of the Duke of Merâ—oeurs arrival with relief The Kings Forces desiring to make their retreat in sight of the enemy losâ— almost all their Foot who are
Third sirnamed The Hardy and Robert the younger Count of Cleremont From Philip came the eldest Line which enjoyed the Crown more than three hundred years with the sirname of Valois from Robert descended the House of Bourbon so called as it is a custom among the French from that State of which they bare the Title and enjoyed a long time as their own Inheritance Now whilst the House of Valois possessed the Crown the House of Bourbon held by consequence the rank of first Prince of the Blood and enjoyed all those priviledges which we said before by Law and Custom belonged to that quality This Family great not only through nearness to the Crown but also in large possessions abundance of treasure reputation in war and fruitfulness of off-spring producing likewise frequently men of a liberal nature and popular civility easily exceeded the limits of a private life and with the sinews of its own strength together with the favour of the people established it self in an excessive state of greatness which begetting jealousie and envy in the Kings who were displeased at so great an eminence and authority bred many occasions of hate and suspition which sometimes also brake forth into open war For Lewis the Eleventh King of France made war upon Iohn Duke of Bourbon in the war intituled For the Commonwealth and Lewis the Twelfth though before he came to the Crown tried the success of Arms with Peter of Bourbon and so what by open defiance what through secret malice the Kings of France grew daily more and more jealous of the Authority of the Princes of Bourbon At the length Francis the First came to the Crown who in the beginning of his Reign led by the ardour and facility of youth began with great demonstration of affection to confer honour upon the chief Princes of the Blood it seeming a thing suitable to that magnificence he shewed towards all men and to the greatness of his mind that those Lords most nearly allied to him should be most exalted both for the honour of the Royal Line and for his own particular reputation And having observed in Charles of Bourbon who was the first Prince of the Blood a generous courage and a genius fit for any employment he promoted him to be High Constable of France and resolved that all the weighty affairs and principal charges of the Kingdom should pass only thorow his own hands and those that were nearest of relation to himself But when he came to age more mature the fervour of youth being past and finding by being conversant in affairs the reasons by which his Predecessors guided their counsels with how much greater earnestness he strove formerly to raise the House of Bourbon with so much the more anxiety of mind he laboured now to abase their excessive greatness Nor did fortune fail to present an occasion wonderfully proper for the execution of his design For there being a Process at that time between Louyse the Kings Mother and Charles of Bourbon for the same Dutâ—hy which he then held the King thought with himself that if he caused Judgment to be given in favour of his Mother and deprived the House of Bourbon of their fundamental revenues the Duke would easily fall from that power and dignity which was chiefly upheld by so splendid a fortune But Charles having by the preceeding of his business discovered the deceitful practices of the Chancellor Antonio del Prato by the Kings instigation against him disdain of the injury and fear of ruine which was inevitably prepared so much prevailed over him that joyning secretly with the Emperour Charles the Fifth and Henry the Eighth of England he began to conspire against the Kingdom and the very person of the King Which being discovered he was constrained to flee and afterwards bare Arms against him and continuing that course it so fell out that he was last of all General to Caesar in the Battel at Pavia where after a bloody slaughter in the the French Army the King invironed by divers Squadrons of Foot was at length taken prisoner For these facts Charles being declared Rebel and all his estate confiscate and having within a short time after at the taking of Rome lost his life also the House of Bourbon fell from that envied greatness which had caused such jealousie in the King This was not sufficient to stop the persecution now begun for although Charles were unhappily dead without children and though the others of the family did in no way partake of his counsels notwithstanding the King more swayed with revenge of the injuries past than the force of reason all the Lords of that House more through hate of their name than any delinquency in their persons were utterly deprived of all favour at Court and wholly removed from the management of affairs And although this rigour was in time somewhat lessened and the Kings mind so far mitigated as to forget things past and to lay by the ill opinion he had conceived of them notwithstanding he continued studiously to endeavour to cut off all means whereby those Princes might return to their former honour and that power to which they were formerly with so much favour advanced This secret intention of the Kings was very well observed by Charles Duke of Vendosme the chief of that House Wherefore forcing himself with moderation of mind to overcome the suspition and jealousies that so oppressed his family he refused during the Kings imprisonment to pretend to the Regency which of right belonged to him and after the King was delivered having retired himself to the quiet of his own domestick affairs sought not to be recalled to any part in that Government in which he knew himself so much suspected The rest of the same House following his example to shew how much they were strangers to the wicked counsels of Bourbon by being such ready Executors though to their own diminution and prejudice of the Kings inclinations voluntarily withdrew themselves from all business that might breed any suspition of them and standing retired little troubled themselves with the charges and commands at Court among which despising the little ones they already perceived it was impossible for them to attain to those dignities which they knew belonged to the greatness of their birth The House of Bourbon thus suppressed and removed from the affairs there sprang up under Francis the First two great families which within a short time got the whole business of the State into their own hands Momorancy and Guise neither of them any way allied to the House Royal but both the one and the other of very eminent Nobility That of Momorancy keeps a venerable record of the eminency of their Ancestors for they do not only shew a right descent from one of those Barons that accompanied the first King Pharamond in the Salique Expedition but prove also they were the first among the French Nation that received Baptism and the Christian Faith
Duke of Guise had perswaded the King to determine a matter never clearly decided by his Predecessors That in the Ceremonies of the Kings Coronation and other occurrences the Peers should not have precedency according to their Age and Seniority but that those Peers which were Princes of the Blood should absolutely take place of all the rest by Prerogative of the Royal Family which much incensed the Princes of Lorain But it toucht them a great deal more nearly to see that the King was wholly intent to deprive them of their Offices and Governments to bestow and heap them upon his Minions For Charles Duke of Mayenne having been first declared Admiral a place held by his Father-in-law the Marquess de Villars after the death of the Admiral Chastillon was after forced by the Kings violent perswasions to take eighty thousand Crowns in recompence and to resign his Office which presently was setled upon the Duke of Ioyeuse And because the Duke of Espernon complained that his place was not so eminent the King desirous to satisfie him or at least feigning to be so for the compassing of his designs had often moved the Duke of Guise to give up his Office of Grand Maistre and when he saw that being displeased with the overture he resolved not to part with it by little and little he took away all the Authority and Priviledges which were wont to belong unto that Office leaving him only the empty name and in stead of it conferred upon the Duke of Espernon the charge of Colonel General of the Infantry which having been formerly promised to Timoleon de Cosse for his exceeding great deserts and he being by death prevented the enjoyment seemed in reason most due to his Son Charles Count of Brissac who was a fast friend to the Lords of Guise as his Father and Grandfather had been before him The Duke of Aumale complained likewise that he being elected to the Government of Picardy for which he had been in competition with the Prince of Conde to keep him as it were in an uncertainty of the possession the entry of many chief places was denied him among which Bologne Calais and la Fere kept by persons depending upon the King in the name of the Duke d' Espernon And finally all that bore the character of dependents of the House of Guise were either by money or other means devested of their Offices and Governments or at least deprived of the Authority and execution of them which by oblique ways were reserved for and transferred upon the Kings favourites and confidents These were then all or part of the discontents that troubled the Lords of Guise wherein being well versed in affairs of State and mindful of what had happened five and twenty years before they admired the revolutions of this world and the effects of Divine Justice seeing themselves handled in the same manner by the Dukes of Ioyeuse and Espernon as they governing in the Reign of Henry the Second had used the Houses of Momorancy and Bourbon concluding that though God for the most part reserves his punishment and vengeance till the everlasting pains of the world to come yet is he sometimes pleased by those glances of his power to shew us a glimpse of that Justice wherewith he governs the course of mortal things But besides the disgusts which these Princes pretended to receive they were much more sharply pricked with the sting of that jealousie which by many conjectures and by things daily put in practice they had conceived for seeing that the King balanced the Forces very carefully with those of the Hugonot Lords and that he would not suppress that party which as they believed he easily might have done that under several pretences he devested all the dependents of both Factions of their Places and Honours to bestow them upon such as should acknowledge them meerly from himself and that where other pretences failed he bought those Offices which they possessed with great sums of money to ingross them all into his own disposing that he admitted no intercession for any body thereby to take away the bait that drew so many followers and dependents to the Princes of both parties that he spent great store of money to bring those things about and also gathered great store together in Mets Bologne and Angoulesme though in the name of the Duke d' Espernon they judged that all these things tended to their ruine and destruction Nor could it satisfie them to see the King taken up with religious thoughts and addicted to a quiet unactive life for they knowing his nature wherewith they had been conversant from his very childhood interpreted that course of life to subtil deep dissimulation Wherefore the Duke of Guise a man of a wonderful quick insight discerning judgment and high thoughts laying all these things together determined with himself to prevent and not stay to be prevented in which resolution he was boldly seconded by his Brother Louys the Cardinal a man of a high spirit and an understanding no less ingenious than his as also by Henry of Savoy Duke of Nemours and Charles Marquess of San-Sorlin both Sons of Anna d' Este and therefore his Brothers by the Mother Charles of Lorain Duke of Aumale and Claude his Brother a Knight of Ierusalem Charles of Lorain Duke d' Elbeuf Emanuel Duke de Mercure and his Brothers who though allied unto the King yet in respect of the common Family were nearly united unto him both in opinion and interests Only Charles Duke of Mayenne concurred more slowly than the rest who with more setled thoughts considering the course of worldly affairs thought it as difficult and dangerous for the League to pull down the King protected by the Majesty of a Royal Name and the natural obligations of his Subjects as he believed it impossible for the King himself to destroy and ruine their Family protected by the favour of the Catholicks and by the merit and innocence of their persons Wherefore thinking it superfluous to put themselves into that fear and for that cause to hazard their safety by rash uncertain resolutions he counselled them to proceed with more patience and more respect toward the lawful Possessor of the Crown But the Duke of Guise resolute in his thoughts and by the authority of his Person the vivacity of his Courage the eloquence of his Language and the excellency of his Wit able to perswade and draw all the rest to his opinion excluding his Brothers advice had setled all his thoughts upon the machinations of the League for the enlargement and establishment whereof dissembling his discontents no less than his jealousies and private interests he made shew of stirring only for the respects of Religion and the general good making an ill interpretation of all the Kings actions and with many arts and circumstances aggravating that danger which he pretended hung over the Catholick Religion in that Kingdom He grounded his fears upon the death of the Duke