came first the word of murder as whē one cōmitteth slaughter or such like crueltie by watching for spoile I knowe that dyuers other raised themselues against theyr Kings and Princes vnder the couerture of Religion but I deny that such murderers seeing necessarily we must so call thē were Christian Catholiques or that for the true faith they enterprised such massacres so oft and many times condemned in the holy Scripture Moreouer Alexander and Amurath were not Princes and Superiours to such as slewe them the other likewise were led by a sathanicall spirit euen as these murderers or Beduines were And the Anabaptists who within thys little while preached the aduauncement of the Kingdome of GOD teaching all Princes to crowde in with theyr feete likewise Then tell me Leaguer what remedy is left for thy euill What excuse can saue thee for thy late murder Thy leueying of al thy Armes and hostility against thy last Prince and hys so worthy successour our Alcides the restorer of the estate and the Father of hys Countrey Sayst thou he is a Tyrant or an Heretique if thou gyuest him these tytles it is onely but thy passion that leades thee because of the death of the Duke of Guyse hys brother for before their death the pernicious booke which thou didst cause to be imprinted in fauour of thy tyrannie intituled An aunswer of the true Catholique Frenchmen to the aduertisement of the English Catholiques for excluding the King of Nauarre from the Crowne of Fraunce published abroade in Paris since the Barricados exalted him and called him the enemy of heresie in the leafe 125. beside named hym the most religious and deuout of all the Kings of Fraunce or thorowe the worlde leafe fiue hundred seauentie-three and fiue hundred sixtie-one That he was verie foolish and a beast who shoulde imagine him to fauour an heretique leafe one hundred fortie-sixe and fiue hundred sixtie-two That the Catholiques ought to serue him faithfully and by all manner of good words to adore him leafe thirty How comes it to passe then thou art so suddainlie changed and gone so farre from thy dutie toward thy Prince by thee acknowledged so Catholique and voyde of all suspicion of heresie But if belying thy selfe thou wouldest notwithstanding tearme him to be a Tyrant lysten the resolution of Thomas of Aquine agaynst Tyrants Truely sayth hee if there be an excesse of tirannie it were much better to suffer for a time thys mys-gouerned tyrannie then in contending against it to be wrapped in many great dangers more full of griefe and trouble then the tyrannie it selfe For it may so fall out that they which make head against the Tyrant and lift themselues in reproofe of hym cannot get the vpper-hand and so by that meane the Tyrant shall be irritated and prouoked to become more cruell But if any one should goe beyond the Tyrant and vanquish him from the same successe often-times ensueth great discorde and dissention among the people eyther meane-while the presumption is offered against the Tyrant or after he is brought vnder for then the multitude deuide thēselues in diuers parts touching the qualitie and manner of theyr gouernement It happens also sometimes that when the people giue chase to the Tyrant by the ayde and Armes of any assistant the helper attributeth the power to himselfe and becommeth tyrannous likewise so that the feare to endure another considering what they did with him against the first presseth downe the people with a more troublesome and grieuous thought of seruitude For it falleth out by custome in tyrannie that the last is more insupportable then the first when the Tyrant giues not ouer hys predecessors extortions but himselfe following the mallice of hys own hart inuenteth new and farre more worse For this cause as oft-times els it happeneth in the Cittie of Siracusa each one desired the death of Dionisius the Tyrant yet a certain old Woman prayed continually for his health and desired that he might lyue after her The Tyrant beeing aduertised of the earnest prayer of thys olde Woman demaunded of her wherfore she did so and what was her meaning thereby whereto she thus aunswered When I was a young Mayden and our Countrey at that tyme had a verie troublesome Tyrant I desired hee might die when not long after he being slaine there succeeded him another farre beyond him in cruelty Then thought I we should be most happy indeede if we might behold likewise the death of him but he beeing deade the thirde Gouernour became worse then both the other Nowe therfore if you should die doublesse one more cruell would come in your sted and therfore I pray that we may keepe you still But if the excesse of tyrannie bee too intollerable some are of the opinion that it appertaineth to the vertue of couragious and valiant men to kill the Tyrant and expose themselues to the danger of death for deliueraunce of the people as of the like we haue example in the old Testament For Aioth gaue a stroke with his dagger in the belly of Eglon King of Moab who oppressed the people of God with exceeding great seruitude and killing him himselfe was made Iudge ouer the people But thys deede is not conuenable neither dooth it agree with the doctrine Apostolicall For S. Peter teacheth vs to be obedient not onely to good and ciuill Lords or Princes but also to the wicked and troublesome For this is most gracious when for the cause of conscience and loue of God any one endureth iniurie or suffereth vniustlie In thys case then when so many Romaine Emperours persecuted tirannously the fayth of Iesus Christ and a great multitude as wel of the Nobles as also the meaner sort were conuerted thereby to this fayth they were praised commended because they resisted not but endured pacientlie and with courage the death for the loue of Christ Iesus as we may see manifestly in the holy Legion of the Thebanes Shoulde we then rather iudge and esteeme that Aioth had kild an enemie then one that was a Gouernour of the people albeit he was a Tyrant By this reason we read in the old Testament likewise that they were put to death which killed Ioas King of Iuda although hee had left the seruice of God and the sonnes of them were reserued aliue according to the cōmaundement of the Law Now thys shall be dangerous to the people and theyr Gouernours if any one by particuler audaciousnes and presumption attempt the death of such as present the chiefe office although they bee Tyrants for often-times in such dangers the bad commeth sooner in place then the good and the Empire or signeurie of Kings is as burdenous and intollerable vnder the wicked as vnder tyrannie therfore according to the sentence of Salomon The wise King doth dissipate the wicked and vngodlie Then by the like presumption the losse of the King bringeth more daunger and damage to the people then profite
apprehended they that had excited this pittifull and bloodie Tragedie who by his commaunde were publiquely burned in Ebora and information beeing giuen against the other theeues and murderers about three-score and tenne of them were most iustly hanged At thys day in Fraunce it is heresie with the Leaguers to doe iustice on such like naughtie villaines when as theyr crimes trecheries and murders are as miraculous An obseruaunt Gray Fryar named brother Ferdinand de la Place wyth other that were hys zealous companions went so fast as he could to Madrill to the King of Castile there this impudent and bloody Monke perswaded him shamefullie to put to death certaine Christians whom he termed to be Apostataes which afterwarde was found to be most false So many abuses mischiefes hath beene committed by these counterfeit hypocrites these scellerous and hooded murtherers as not without cause in the yeere one thousand two hundred and threescore vnder the raigne of S. Lewes was the order of the begging Friars extolled to the third heauen for theyr profession yea they preferred themselues before all other in holinesse of life and stoutlie commended their voluntarie pouertie whereby they prouoked many Prelats against them and almost all men that were seene in Diuinity But Guillaume du Temple d' Amour a Doctor of Sorbonne being a man of better conscience then any at thys day of the same Colledge who create the like instruments of rebellion by their pernicious resolutions and defende the abhominable murder of the late most Christian and religious King with other more of great learning both dispised and disproued openly such Beggers alleadging that theyr pouerty was vowed without cause and that he would maintaine such manner of life to be but a pretext of Religion and onely fit for such beggers as desired to liue in loosenes and idlenes In the end neuerthelesse they got the vpper-hand in their cause by the iudgement of Pope Alexander and the Booke that this Doctor made which at thys day remaineth in the Librarie of Sorbonne was condemned But shoulde not thys Doctor haue highly aduantaged his cause if he had liued tyll now adding to his plea the impieties parricides all sorts of crimes smoothly hyd and couered for the present time vnder the habites of this holinesse Thou hast wretch brought in and practised another manner of people that are called Iesuites not beggers but such as make beggers of whom the scandalles are more secrete yet much more pernicious then of the other But why say I thou hast practised thys bad generation seeing thou thy selfe art not onely practised but begotten ingendred by them Howe now mee thinks I heare some one say belike then thys Alecto or accurssed League hath many Fathers Verie true the Spanish pride and ambition as I haue saide brought it into the world as a mishapen masse or lumpe but these turbulent Iesuites with the Rodemont of Mendoza haue so louinglie lyckt it as they gaue it forme composition and garments to decke it withall These thou esteemest fit for thy coniuration or els they are founde to be very necessarie members to thee cleaue these hypocrites for the particuler profit of themselues and of theyr Maister the King of Tyrants they being all of the Spanish Nation or at the least issued from Spaine For about the yeere one thousand fiue hundred and twentie-one Ignatius de Layola was the first founder of these Iesuites an obstinate enemy to the house of Albret which malice yet continueth in his seede at what time Pampelunae reuolted the affectionate friends to the royall House of Albret from whence descended the King by the late Queene Mother of most worthie memory with those of Foix as also the true heire of the Realme Henrie d' Albret tooke occasion by the retreit of the Garrisons of Pampelunae that sallied forth to succour the Gouernours of Castile by reason of the warres and deuisions then beeing to haue theyr secrete intelligences in Bearne and Fraunce In fauour of whom King Fraunces sent Andrew de Foix Lord of Asperraut the younger Brother to Odet de Foix Lord of Lautrech who gathering vnto him those of the faction of Grammont tooke the Castel of Saint Iohn at the foote of the gate Whereupon the Duke of Nagera Don Anthonie Manrique seeing himselfe so suddainly surprised and that the Citty of Pampelunae began to grow tumultuous secretly got forth thereof and withdrew himselfe into Castile leauing his house to the peoples spoyle Thys Layola then at the dislodging of thys Viceroy Manrique out of Nauarre remained in Garrison in the Castell of Pampelunae with other Souldiours belonging to the Emperour It so chaunced that the Castel was assayled by the people and the mouth of the Cannon directed by the assailants to a certaine place where by hap it met with thys Layola who had both hys feete brused in peeces with the stones that the force of the bullet droue out of the wall so that he fell downe from the height of the Castell beeing with-drawne was afterwarde preserued from death and hys hurts healed Then seeing himselfe thus maimed and vnapt for Armes he gaue beginning to thys good kinde of people Let vs not then account it strange that these men so desperatly applie themselues to remoouing of estates especiallie thys heere considering they are come of a Spanish Father a warriour a naturall enemy to this estate whom heerein they follow very perfitlie but not in change of lyfe For thys holy Father beeing thus metamorphozed could weare no shooes and therefore went bare-foote and came for followers first to Paris where beeing vexed by some and relieued by other-some his owne Maister Peter Fabri Diego Laynes Iohn Codury Claudius Gay Pasquall Brouet Fraunces Xauierre Alphonsus Salmeron Simon Rodrigues and Nicholas de Bonadilla students in diuinitie he raunged into the rule ordained by himselfe each making a vowe of perpetuall pouertie and chastity But to them alone I will not giue thys honour for many other haue trauailed in this high peece of worke as faithfull seruaunts and counsellers of so woorthie Fathers the bellowes of ambition abortiue sonnes of the Father of lyes bringing nothing hether but what they learne of him and marked with his marke to know them for his owne Thy face Sorcerer is writhen and like to that Sibillaes whom the Poets feigne to be the Mother of the Gods but thy Bawdes and Pandars haue made thee a false visage so faire as can be to entise young Lordes and Gentlemen to loue thee The draught of thy dissembled countenaunce to diuers of thy chiefe consorts hath brought immediat death yet seemed it so excellent as in theyr eyes it surpassed the auncient Marble portraite of Venus that wonderfullie enflamed men with loue Diuers Lords and Gentlemen haue been rauished with thy looks whom thou in the end hast depriued of life in sundry battailes and encounters to make them receiue due chastisement to theyr impudent dishonest
GOD and consequently to such as he hath placed ouer vs Kings Princes and other theyr Lieuetenants for the chastising and punishment of male-factors and sounde assuraunce of the good To resist the King and hys seculer authoritie is to ryse against GOD the Authour and protector of royall dignitie by which Kings raigne and the Princes of the earth exercise iustice towards theyr Subiects By which the wise are maintained Rebels prostrated theyr enterprises ouer-throwne and the iniury doone to the blessed and annoynted of the Lord searched into and venged wyth seuerity The antiquity of the Royall estate is most excellentlie noted in the holie Scripture and recommended in Melchisedech King of Salem in the tyme of the great Patriarch Abraham long before Moises Kings depend and are established by God ouer theyr people God sayd to the people of Israell When thou art come into the land which the Lord thy God giueth thee and enioyest it and dwellest therein and if thou shalt say I will sette a King ouer me like as all the other Nations that are about me thē thou shalt make him King ouer thee whom the Lord thy God shal chuse from among the number of thy Brethren and thou maist not sette a stranger ouer thee that is not of thy Bretheren Since thys Lawe in the tyme of Samuel the Israelites desirous to vse theyr priuiledge receiued of GOD demaunded that a King might goe before them leade theyr warres defend theyr Countrey and venge them on theyr enemies euen as by all other Nations they behelde the Maiestie royall to florish and be aduaunced Which by the commaundement of God was graunted to them wheron succeeded Dauid chosen according to Gods owne hart and so continued this dignitie among the Israelites tyll by the deuision of the people diuorce of the auncient Religion it was tottered and shaken and afterward in the ende dissipated and brought to nothing Neuerthelesse what captiuitie ensued on the people of the Hebrewes what-soeuer strange Kings were commaunded them yet had they euermore in chiefe commendation the Royall greatnesse and were instructed by the Prophets to obey and pray for their Kings yea although they were Ethnickes and Pagans in so much as GOD had appointed them theyr Lords during theyr bondage and captiuitie Subiects ought in all feare to submit themselues to theyr Princes not onely the good and humaine but those likewise that are stearne rigorous for this is agreeable to the wil of God If any one for the cause of hys conscience towards God endureth vexation and suffers vniustly our God in no case will permit the Seruaunt to contend against his Maister nor the vassayle to take vp Armes against his King But the King sayst thou is contrary to thee in doctrine what dooth thys pretence auayle thee when were he contrary in doctrine and as impious and sacriligious as thy selfe yet it followes not that iustly thou art to reuolt from him to make warre vpon him to attempt hys life and the spoyle of his estate It is certaine that Saule for hauing contraryed Gods commaundement in pardoning the Amalechites whom he should haue put to the sword hee was giuen ouer to the euill Spirit who by times tormented him and declared him vnworthy of the Realme Notwithstanding was it lawfull for any liuing man among his subiects to enterprise against him So much wanted it in Dauid himselfe who coulde finde farre greater occasion to doe it than any other not onely pretending to the Crowne hauing beene before by the Prophet Samuell annoynted King of Israell but also carrying in memorie the iniuries he receiued of Saule day by day in recompence of his good and faithfull seruices albeit he were a fugetiue he his father and all his race albeit in despight of him through cruell indignation Saule had caused to be slaine the sacrificing Priests of God to the number of foure score and fiue that wore the linnen Ephode besides discomfited their cittie Nob in the same rage slewe with the edge of the sworde so many men women children yonge sucking Infants Oxen Sheepe and Asses as were there to bee founde onely because the hygh Priest Ahimelech gaue Dauid to eate in extreame necessitie as also deliuered him the sword of Goliah being ignorant that he had fled the Court and was in Saules displeasure Although that Dauid was searched through all the corners of Israell in the Mountains Deserts Rockes and places very neere vnaccessable although that Saule had appointed concluded his death and Dauid hearing this sentence well knew himselfe to be innocent although that God had giuen the King into hys handes and easily hee might haue put him to death Yet had he no will to touch the person Royall assuring himselfe that who soeuer durst be so hardy what good right to euer he coulde pretend in the cause yet should he not stande innocent before the face of God Which well hee witnessed in the Caue of En-gadi and in the Desert of Ziph euen there where soone after Saule was discomfited For euen as Dauid was hyd in the Rockes of En-gadi Saule beeing aduertised thereof tooke three thousand of the most chosen men in all Israell and so went to seeke Dauid and his men in sollitarie and vn-habitable places There Saule causing his men to come before hym went into a Caue to ease himselfe and Dauid and hys men remained behind within the same Caue whē as Dauids people thus spake to him Nowe is the day whereof the Lorde thy God tolde thee see heere I giue thine enemie into thine hand and thou shalt doe with him what thou pleasest Dauid behelde his enemy alone in a place conuenient farre enough from hys men disgarnished of defence and brought in all poynts according to hys owne wyll Hee coulde haue smytten hym without hazarding the meanest of hys people or without moouing his enemies troupe now could he haue left the Host a buried memorie of the place wher Saule had withdrawne himselfe that there should not remaine any tracke of hys entrance or foorth-comming Albeit he knew by thys deede he should be deliuered from all hys enemies at once and aduanced to the Maiestie royal promised him before notwithstanding hee was so farre of from reknowledging the ingratitude and ill will of the King as secretly hee arose and cutting a peece of the skyrt of hys garment beeing yet touched in his hart because he had done so much he sayd to hys men The Lord keepe me from dooing that thing to the King my Soueraigne Lord Maister the Lords annointed let not me lay my hand on his person that is sacred and annointed For albeit hee is nowe in my power to reuenge my selfe yet will I not doe that which I knowe is defended and prohibited by God seeing he is annointed of him Thus Dauid appeased the people wyth hys words and woulde not permit them to ryse against Saule notwithstanding all the reasons they
could alleadge so that Saule acknowledging his humanity by the demonstrations he had of Dauid at his comming forth of the Caue he fell into teares and thus spake vnto Dauid Thou art more righteous then I for thou hast rendred me good whereas I intended thee euill and thou hast shewed mee this daie the good thou hast doone me for asmuch as when the Lord had gyuen me into thy handes yet thou wouldest not kill me For who shall find his enemie and let him depart into a good waie wherefore the Lord will reward thee with good for that which thou hast done vnto me this day And nowe I beholde and knowe for a certaintie that thou shalt be King and the kingdome of Israell shall be stablished in thy hands Such were the words of Saule to Dauid beholding the humanitie Dauid had vsed towards him by which pardoning of hys enemy he aduaunced hym and was so farre of from beeing auenged as hee withdrewe himselfe from his right of raigning in the Kingdome which God had giuen him I cannot omit in thys case another deede of Dauid toward Saule The Ziphians being come to Saule in Gibea aduertised him that Dauid was hid in the Mountaine of Hachilah which was face to face before the Desert of Iesimon Then Saule renuing hys mortall enmity against Dauid accompanied himselfe with three thousand able men and pitched his Campe on the Mountaine of Hachilah Nowe Dauid dwelled in the wildernes and knew by hys espials that Saule was come neere him wherfore in the night hee came to the place where Saule had placed his Campe and hymselfe slept within the Fort hys Tents beeing pitched rounde about him and very neere him was Abner the sonne of Ner the chiefe Captaine of hys Armie Which Dauid perceiuing discended into that place with Abisay approched neere his enemy Saule when Abisay thus spake to Dauid God hath closed thine enemie into thy hand this day now I pray thee let me smite him once with my speare to the earth and I will not stirre a foote from thee wherto Dauid answered I will not haue him smitten for what is he can lay his hand on the Lords annointed and be guiltlesse And Dauid said furthermore So truelie as the Lorde liueth no harme shall be doone him but rather God shall smite him or his day shal come to die or he shall discend into battaile and there perish The Lord will keepe me from luying my hand vpon his holie and annointed but I pray thee onelie take hys Speare that standes at his heade and his Cruse of water and so let vs depart Thus Dauid contented hymselfe wyth thys brauado euer-more declaring hym to be no way excusable that should attempt any thing against the person of the King Let me say beside that Saule beeing slaine in the fight against the Philistines and Dauid hearing tydings of hys death was very sorrowfull and vsed meruailous lamentations commaunding him to be brought before hym that had cut off his heade who thought to delight hym with bringing the head of Saule saying that he had doone him to death when Dauid mooued with pitty and anger How is it quoth he that thou wast not afraid to lay thine hand on the Lords annointed Thy blood be vppon thine owne heade for thine owne mouth hath testified against thee saying I haue slaine the Lords annointed All the water of the Sea cannot then serue to wash the murderers of the late King neyther shall any of them be held excusable that pursue the life and estate of hys successour our vertuous and most valiant Prince But thou alleadgest the Prouerbe common among the barbarous Si ius violandum est regnandi gratia violandum est If right be to be violate for a kingdoms sake it is to be violate Wherfore then vsest thou the pretence of Religion and common-good to ouer-throw the most simple with these deceits Thys prouerbe is of Tyrants and Atheists who regard not that God is the reuenger of Kings and returneth euill to such as enterprise against theyr estates VVhat aduauncement receiued Absalon listning to the pernitious counsell of Achitophell and following it attempted against the person of King Dauid hys Father What happened to Adonia who thought to vsurpe the Realme against Salomon hauing deceiued the Mother of the King as very well it was made knowne vnto him afterward How is it chaunced to those who to the hard hap of Fraunce taking a morsell wyth the Spanish enemie and the trecherous League haue troubled thys estate Howe will it fall out with such who after beeing in fauour wyth the coniuration dyd by a Monke murder the late King let them not now stand doubting seeing that GOD is iust But to confute the colloured obiection of the Leaguers at thys day who say that the King is of a contrary Religion and thereby pretende an excuse for theyr conspiracie Haue they not read in the holy Scripture that Ieroboam king of Samaria had raiected the auncient Religion VVhat Prophet perswaded to make war against hym Hys Sonne dyed of disease because of hys sinne the ruine of his Realme was fore-told him but not executed by hys Subiects offenders against the Law of God Great euils befell to Achab the Realme of Israell for hauing brought in new Religion by the perswasion of Iezabell Daughter to the King of the Sidonites false Prophets were permitted the Altars were destroyed and the better sort of people put to death Neuerthelesse Elias the chiefe Prophet of that tyme albeit he was of wonderfull zeale yet did not hee cōmaunde that any one shoulde rise against the King The Prophets of God were hid in Caues an hundred in one place and an hundred in an other secretly nourished with simple breade and water the good men of behauiour afflicted on all sides and yet was none of them offended with the King or any enterprise prepared against hys person The Prophet onely shewed him his sinne and that GOD would punish it by drought three yeeres and a halfe but who euer read that hee incited any one to contend against his Prince Farre off from him was quae vim vi repelleret he willed none to repulse violence with violence and so to deliuer their Countrey but hearing that Iezabell sought for him to put him to death he referred vengeance to the hand of God only who sheweth himselfe a Reuenger when any one is vniustlie punished by the Magistrate whome no man is permitted to resiste with armes according as it happened to Achab and Iezabell For besides the death of many Prophets they caused righteous Naboth to bee murthered thereby vniustly to gette his Vineyarde and then our God who reserued the punishments heereof till conuenient time suffered Achab to endure such necessitie as hee ouerthrewe himselfe and was slaine As for Iezabell shee was throwne from the height of a Towre by her Eunuches rent in peeces with dogs her members
scattered in the vineyard of the innocent whose death shee had before sollicited Dyed not Athalia who put to death all the royall Children of Ochozias whereto withstood the high Priest Iehoiada that reserued Ioas in whom the reigne was afterward established and made peaceable But very true is it that when Ioas fell into forgetfulnesse of thys good turne hee consented to the death of Zacharia sonne to Iehoiada for which cause God suffered that he shoulde be slayne by hys owne proper seruants which notwithstanding none of the sacrificing Priestes nor Prophets woulde attempt or perswade considering that aboue all things the person Royall is to be reuerenced How many Prophets were in tymes past put cruelly to death by Kings who neuer excited any tumult against them but rather councelled and induced them to repentance Esay was parted through the myddest of the bodie with a Sawe by the commaundement of the King Manasses Ieremie was kept prisoner vnder Zedechias by the Gouernours of the Lande of Beniamin The three Children were cast into the midst of the fiery Fornace by the commaundement of Nabuchodonozer King of Babilon Daniel was two seuerall tymes cast out to the Lyons vnder the raigne of Pagane Kings Yet reade we not that these dyd so much as speake euill of the Princes Magistrates that gaue such sentence on them Looke then vpon our Sauiour Christ hymselfe the true example of iustice albeit hee knew the wicked intent of Pilate did he make any acknowledgement of hauing power from aboue Where dyd he commaund to force the cruell Magistrates albeit he could haue done it when himselfe pleased Moreouer did he not reproue the wish of S. Iames and S. Iohn who desired that fire might discend vppon Samaria because theyr entrance there was refused S. Paule albeit he were smitten before the Prince of the Priestes dyd he not freely say He knew not his greatnes when he reproued him For it is written quoth he Thou shalt not curse or speak euill of the Ruler of the people howe much lesse lawfull is it then to attempt any ill against hys person But still thou obiectest that the King is of a contrary Religion The late King whom thou dydst murder was not he a Catholique yet in thy bloodie passion hast thou not slaine him cōtrary to the will of God And shold it be that our King were of a contrary Religion and an enemie to the Lawes of God which hee is not but feares honours him cherisheth his subiects both of the one and other Religion would gladly pacifie hys Kingdome requires to be instructed if he were in errour is that sufficient cause for thee to kyll him whom GOD alone hath lifted to thys authoritie The contrary were more necessary rather as S. Paule sayth To ouer-come euil by dooing good so that our good works may serue to stop the mouthes of ignoraunt and foolish men whereby those may be confounded that esteeme Religion to be an enemy to the publique quiet For who doubts that Nabuchodonozer was not a man of pernicious opinion when hee destroyed the Temple ouerthrew the Altar pyld away the holy Vessels led captiue the people of Israell into Babilon and constrained many to worship the Image which he caused to be erected yet neuerthelesse so farre were these people from conspyring against him as Baruch the Scribe to Ieremie in the name of them wrote to the Iewes that remained at Ierusalem that they should pray for the life of Nabuchodonozer King of Babilon and Balthazar hys Son See Daniell himselfe was not he faithfull to Darius and Cyrus theyr successours Albeit he was a stranger and a Captiue found he not grace of thē for hys loyall seruice yet notwithstanding he was by nation a Iewe the other Gentiles he the seruaunt of God the other Idolaters he a Prophet of God the other blinded in al their doctrines I would haue all the Prophets alleadged find me but one that vnder any pretence whatsoeuer it were dyd at any tyme take Armes against hys Prince yet were they vsed but as vagabounds glad to lyue in Mountaines in sollitarie and desert places to escape and not to mooue persecution S. Iohn the fore-runner of our Sauiour Iesus Christ saw in his time Herode Idumean a counterfeit Iewe vsurpe the Realme of Galilee and Iurie he knew the Romaines to be Gentiles and Idolaters that they had by force not right depriued the people of Israel of theyr lybertie brought them to be tributarie ordained Gouernours after theyr owne minde and doone such things against the people of God as hee myght well complaine on and lament did he for al that purpose any thing to their preiudice or teach them to reuolt against theyr Empyre The Pharisies came to hym for counsell gaue he them any meane to mutinie against the Romaines The Souldiours and men of war came to hym sayd he any thing else to them but that they should remaine contented wyth their wages Dyd he say to them that the Romans ought not to raigne or because it was permitted that therfore they should rise agaynst them Moreouer Herodias molested him King Herode hated him because he was not a pleaser of theyr persons He knew wel that his death was plotted by Phillips wife dyd hee therefore animate his Disciples to sette themselues against her or Hered or dyd he practise any meane to escape Nothing lesse but willingly entred the pryson submitted hys necke to the Executioner offered himselfe to the death hauing good meanes by hys followers that day by day visited hym to rayse a mutinie among the people for his deliueraunce For how should hee haue prepared the Lords way if at that time and place hee had shewed himselfe impacient Hee was the fore-runner of hym that taught him to obey pay tributes doe the rest of hys dutie to the Princes of this worlde albeit they were Pagans and Idolaters That it should be so our Sauiour IESVS CHRIST dyd hee euer preach or permit that any one should styrre against Caesar he so much despised it as beeing demaunded if it were lawfull to pay hym tribute or no hee aunswered Giue vnto Caesar that which is Caesars and vnto God that which is Gods I say furthermore himselfe although he was poore yet paid he the Trybute for him and S. Peter commanding him to take out of a Fish a peece of money to dyscharge there-with his duetie Hee sawe the Publicanes and gnawers of the people to be exacters ransackers of poore soules vnder pretence of seeking the Romaine Princes right neuerthelesse he neuer did or would take occasion to murmur but himselfe haunted to the Publicans and dyd eate drinke wyth them He well noted the ambition of the Kings of the Gentiles saying they would stand vppon the tytles of gouerning yet did hee euer animate the people to chase them frō their seates He knew the cruelty of Herod the iniustice
will to kill thys King as thou didst the last with the examples of Iaell and Iudith the first whereof kylled Sisera chiefe of the Armie to Iabin King of Chanaan he flying to saue hys life in her house and she perceiuing him a sleepe tooke a nayle of the Tabernacle and a hammer in her hand and so droue it thorow the temples of his head The other leauing the Cittie of Bethulia and brought into the Pauillion of Holophernes Captain of the Armie to Nabuchodonozer seeing hym drunke and a sleepe occasion presenting it selfe she cut off his head and brought it away in a bagge by her seruaunt These actes truly were very gracious in these Dames and worthy of great commendation in respect they attempted not against theyr King or Prince but against such as wold ouer-throw the estate royall of theyr Country and there-against opposed theÌ„selues with all their strength Do these examples excuse thy villanie faith-breaking with thy King In those tymes Iabin Nabuchodonozer had no right ouer those people they came as strangers and enemies against them as at thys day thy aliens and confederate Leaguers come against our King against his estate and against his subiects and therefore were they so entertained by them But after that God had permitted that one of them should commaunde his people what was he that would not endure it paciently and as we haue said before did not vse prayers in Ierusalem for Nabuchodonozer Balthasar his Sonne I could stand long vpon the reasons and examples of elder times to testifie the obedience and reuerence that the first Christians bare to theyr Emperours and Kings they that were both Pagans Ethnicks acknowledging their dignity to be venerable albeit they would not follow theyr Religion Which hath beene approued by the Canons of auncient Popes and deliuered in theyr owne Decretalles as before me hath beene very well noted by the Authour of the Labyrinth of the League They all haue agreed that the pretence of Religion what soeuer it be coulde not giue any collour to a Christian man to mutinie and rebell against hys Prince to take his life from him and hys estate They ordinarilie pronounced this sentence Malumus occidi quam occidere that they loued rather to be kild then to kill For although they were vniustly afflicted by their Princes rather woulde they submit themselues to the death then lyft Armes against them Therfore not to grow tedious to the Reader by prolixitie I will cease from bringing in the auncient Ecclesiasticall Histories and testimonies of the Fathers considering that diuers other haue largely discoursed thereon Thou pretendest a collour of libertie and ease of the people but doost thou therefore bring any remedie Doost thou discharge them when thou pillest and ransackest the poore and burnest what-soeuer thou canst not cary away Thou wouldest call the King to iudgement according to the fable of the Woolfe and the other Beastes to the end that vnder the shadow of reason thou mightest vse violence and murder him Doe we reade of the auncient Prophets that they complained of exactions of their Princes and that thereon they grounded occasions to make warre against them All theyr care was to shew the Princes their faults and to admonish them of Gods vengeances not to prouoke the people and to incite theÌ„ to lift Armes against them And it is not to be doubted but such as gouerned in theyr time were well worthy of reprehension for which cause Esay in the beginning of hys prophecie thus deliuered his words to the people of Israell Thy Princes are wicked and companions of theeues they loue gifts altogether and gape after rewards As for the fatherlesse they helpe him not to his right neyther will they let the widdowes causes come before them Therefore saith the Lord God of Hostes the mightie one of Israell Ah I must ease me of mine enemies and auenge me on my aduersaries and set thy Iudges againe as they were sometime and thy Councellers as they were from the beginning and then shalt thou be called the righteous Cittie the faithfull Cittie Thus this good Prophet fore-told the iudgment of God against these Princes and the restoring of the good Iudges and Counsellours considering that the reprobate were the cause of the euill happened in Israell A little after he sayth My people thy Leaders deceiue thee and corrupt the way of thy foot-steps The Lorde shall enter into iudgement with the Elders and Princes of the people and shall say vnto them It is you that haue burnt vp my Vineyarde and the spoyle of the poore is in your houses The Prophet Ezechiell sufficientlie witnessed noted the vices of the Princes in his time saying they weâ—â— as Woolues that rauished the pray that effused blood that they lost their soules and gaue themselues to auarice Hee brought in GOD speaking against their exactions and imposts and admonished them to keepe onely a iust ballance Amos calleth them Kine of Basan outragious to the needie oppressours of the poore Micheas deliuering them before God reprooueth them that they hated the good loued the euill they pluckt off the skinnes of the people their flesh from their bones Sophonia calleth theÌ„ roring Lyons all which tytles sufficiently testifie that the Gouernours and Iudges in theyr times were verie wicked Yet notwithstanding none of the Prophets although they beheld the people to sincke vnder the exactions as despoyled of all and brought into pouertie did at anie tyme vnder pretence of the Weale-publique counsell the people to mutinie or rebel against theyr Princes but rather vehemently perswaded them to pacience Callest thou in question any Pagans or of the doctrine of Mahomet or Heretiques who for maintenaunce and aduauncement of theyr deceitfull false opinions haue wickedly conspired against their Princes Alexander who was slaine by a Souldiour that prostrated hymselfe at his feet before the Cittie of Tauris Amurath the first King of that name in Turkie who after hee had discomfited the Despote of Seruia and Bulgaria was traiterously put to death by a slaue of Bulgaria who feigned that he came to saue his life King Sigibert enuironed with all his people who at the motion of Fredigonde was assailed and murdered by two aduenturous Gentlemen Certaine people of Phenicia holding the Law of Mahomet called murderers otherwise Beduines dwelling in hollow nookes of the most spacious MouÌ„tains lyuing vnder a Lord whom our predecessours knew by no other name then the Auncient or Great of the Mountain they vnder imagination of a Paradise of pleasure which he had perswaded into theyr heades bare this marke on them that they made a sollemne vow to massacre all Princes they could lay holde on that were contrary to theyr sect and opinion By them was the County of Tripoli put to death Edward of Englande taken and many other great Lords who by them were either slain or held as prisoners From them
and remedie by the end and cutting off a Tyrant Likewise that it is more necessary to proceede against the crueltie of Tyrants rather by publique authoritie then by particuler wilfulnes or presuming But if any people haue right to prouide themselues of a King and that by them he is chosen for iust cause the King so established may by the people be supprest or his authoritie taken from him by them that created him King because so tyrannously hee abused the Maiestie royall Now are the people to bee iudged vnfaithfull in forsaking and subiecting thys Tyrant because before hee was neuer Gouernour of himselfe neither carryed that faithfull and honourable minde as is required in the office of a King Thus misleading and misgouerning his people hee deserues not that hys subiects shoulde keepe the promise they made and swore to him So the Romaines chased out of the Kingdome Tarquine the proude whome they had receiued as their King but because of the tyranny of him and his sonne they subiected thēselues to a lesser authoritie namely of Consuls In like case Domitian who succeded the most modest and debonnaire Emperours Vespasian his Father and Titus his brother because hee excercysed tyrannie hee was slaine by the Romaine Senate and by their decree were reuoked and annihillated all such things as he badly had established ordayned against the Romaines For this cause S. Iohn the Euangelist the beloued Disciple of Christ who was sent in exile by Domitian into the I le of Pathmos was recalled from thence and sent by the Senate to Ephesus But if any superiour Gouernour hath right to giue a King to the people he ought to regarde his dealing to yeeld remedie against the malice and wickednesse of the Tyrant Heereof Archelaus may remaine example who hauing begun to raigne in Iurie in the place of King Herod his father began to imitate him in wickednes and crueltie when the Iewes framed a cōplaint against him before Augustus Caesar then first his authoritie was deminished the name of King taken from him the moitie of his Realme deuided to his two brethren And because by thys meane hee could not bee kept from vsing tyranny Tyberius Caesar sent him in exile to the cittie of Lyons in Fraunce And if it bee not possible to haue humaine succour against a Tyrant let vs make our recourse to God the King ouer all who will help the oppressed in trybulation for it is in the power of God to conuert the heart of a Tyrant into mildnesse according to the words of Salomon Cor Regis in manu Dei quocunque voluerit inclinabit illud The hart of the king is in the hand of God he may turne it whether soeuer he will For he turned into meekenes the crueltie of King Assuerus who prepared to put the Iewes to death Hee likewise conuerted and changed the cruell King Nabuchodonozer that he became a Preacher of the diuine power saying Nowe therefore I Nabuchodonozer praise extoll magnifie the King of heauen whose works are al truth his wayes iudgement and those that walke in pride or arrogancie is he able to humble and abase But as for Tyrants they are reputed by him vnworthie of conuersion he will cut thē off or bring them into base estate according to the words of the Wiseman God destroieth the seates of proud Princes and setteth on them such as are meeke and humble in their sted Hee it is who seeing the affliction of his people in Egypt and hearing the cry of them ouerthrew the Tyrant Pharao with his Armie in the Red-sea It is he that not onely threw from the throne Roall the fore-named Nabuchodonozer who was become verie proude but also depriued him of the company of men and changed him into a beast Hys arme is no whit shortened but hee can and will deliuer his people from Tyrants For he promised to his people by the Prophet Esay that he would giue rest to the trauaile confusion and troublesome seruitude wherein they were before subiected And by Ezechiell hee saith I will deliuer my flocke from the mouthes of such sheepheards as doe nothing but feede themselues But to the ende the people may obtayne this mercifull benefit from God it is necessarie for them to leaue theyr sinne because that in vengeaunce thereof the wicked and vngodly by diuine permission get hold of the principalitie And God saith by the Prophet Osee I will giue thee a King in my furie and in Iob it is written that hee will suffer the hypocrite to raigne because of the sinnes of the people It is requisite thē to take way the fault to the end GOD may cease to punish vs by the meanes of Tyrants Hetherto Thomas Aquinus shewed the errour of such as lifted themselues against Princes albeit they were Tyrants and dyd intreate their Subiects cruelly Sayst thou then vnder this pretence of tyrannie that iustly thou mayst raise thee against the King to kyll him murder him by treason and so to take his estate from him For the first he is no Tyrant and though hee shoulde consent to make any tyrannous Act as therein thou saist most false yet thy wordes fauour of most abhominable errour and are condemned by the counsell of Constance who aboue all things would haue abolished and rased foorth such a pernicious doctrine That it shoulde bee lawfull to kill a Tyrant for any cause what soeuer it be They declared such people to be wicked erronious in fayth and manners reproouing and condemning them as Heretiques or scandalous preparers of the way to fraudes deceites dreames periuries and treasons Thys holy Sinode declared furthermore and ordained that such as obstinatly affirmed and maintained this doctrine were heretiques and ought to be punished according to the holie and Canonicall ordinaunces Then tell me Sorcerer art not thou an heretique hauing murdered not a Tyrant but a iust debonnaire lawfull King Art not thou an heretique to pursue the life and estate of his admirable successour whom thou art enforced to confesse account for a mightie generous and affable Prince gracious euen toward his verie enemies a conseruer of Religion although he make profession of that is contrarie to thee But thou fearest as it seemeth that beeing the heade of his Subiects hee wyll not change his Religion but rather his clemencie into rigour and seuerity thys proceeds but frō the fardle of thy malice As concerning the matter of Religion I haue thereto aunswered thee alreadie but for the alteration of his kinde nature into another more rigorous I am perswaded that he is established by GOD to doe iustice to the wicked Beside he is so soundly acquainted with mercy and gentlenes as hee will neuer from them degenerate but will pardon hys simple Subiects that gaue but consent to rebellion and were not authours or procurers thereof Dooth it then appertaine to thee to iudge thy Prince Men saith the
holy Scripture see the outward part but God onely regardeth the inward God reserueth to himselfe the examinations of the intents and thoughts of men wherefore presumest thou then to iudge the hart of thy Soueraigne when thou sayst he will doe but as such a King or such a Queene Art thou a Prophet or hath GOD reuealed to thee the minde thoughts of the King It is not for thee beeing a seruaunt and Subiect to iudge thy Maister but it appertaineth to the Maister to iudge his seruaunt thy offences are the cause of thys temerarious iudgement A man can haue no better censure of others then of himselfe for he is of this nature that he thinkes others doe erre in what himself erreth so because thou art a lyar and deceiuer of thy King thou iudgest his Maiestie after thine own affections and in respect thou art not capable of any good therefore thou attributest an euill end to all good works eyther because thou valuest them as nothing or for the enuious wyll thou bearest to the King The Sunne whose radiant beames passeth thorow the glasse receiueth his collour of the same glasse in like sort the iudgement which passeth the hart of a wicked man must needes be wicked because hys hart is painted wyth a wicked collour so thy euill opinion of the Kings deedes proceedes but from thyne owne euill disposition A wande thrust neuer so right into the water seemeth crooked and broken euen so thy broken vicious and rebellious hart censureth the sound actions of the King to be broken as the sicke-man that reiecteth good wholesome meates and imagineth them to be bitter because himselfe hath lost his taste The deuill seeing hee could not ouer-come by slaunder the good workes of Iob iudged wickedly of hym that what he did was doone to an euill end and therefore he sayd to God The good which Iob did was rather for his owne profit then his loue King Dauid wyth a holie intent sent to visite Ammon King of Ammon to comfort hym after the death of his Father Nahas but the people sayd incontinent that Dauid had sent priuie Spyes for inuasion of the Kingdome So Leaguer in like manner thou interpretest to an euill end the good endeuours of the King as also of hys followers and faithfull Subiects The better sort of people because they are well minded iudge euer-more the better way and wyll themselues excuse the bad dealings of theyr neighbours so much as in them lyeth to performe Ioseph in Egypt excused so much as he could the mallice of hys Brethren who enuiously had sold him into that Kingdome saying to them That God had permitted it for their profit and the succour of so manie people Saint Stephen excusing before God the mallice of hys persecutours that stoned him sayd they did it through ignoraunce so to make lesser the faulte of hys enemies Euen so the mallice or good inclination of each ones hart is cause of their iudgements good or euill The naturall heate in a man that is healthfull of good nature complexion consumeth all that he eateth and conuerteth it into good blood as by the like example the man that feareth God is enflamed wyth his loue turneth what-soeuer he beholdeth to profit therby but the wicked conuerteth euery thing to euill A good man giueth credite to all good wordes sayth Salomon and thys facillitie in beliefe is not to be blamed in him but rather commended Thys is the holy simplicity of the Doue which Iesus Christ commended to his Apostles wherein consisted that they should not be malicious they should iudge well of all and take in good part what-soeuer they saw doone by their Bretheren The Gabaonites came to Iosuah with an euill disposed will and betrayed the holy person and people of GOD by theyr falshood deceits and so long as Iosuah with his followers did well these Gabaonites woulde not beleeue but that they were come to beguile them Charitie thinketh no euill or misiudgeth of anie one A good man hath no eyes to looke on the faultes of another but thou that art wicked hauing lost both charitie and the vertue of obedience thou considerest rashlie thinking others to be sinners and thy selfe iust Our Sauiour reprooueth thee where hee sayth Hypocrite thou seest not the great beame in thine owne eye but thou well notest the lyttle moate in thy neighbours eye It is a great matter that not caring for thine owne conscience thou art become so busie an examiner and inquisiter of the deedes of thy Superiours as thou wylt see and pry into theyr thoughts wherein thou shewest thy selfe but a foole that hauing to correct so many faults by thee committed beeing a Subiect thou wilt presume to iudge of thy King Prince as also hys Seruaunts whose deedes imploied to a good end by thee are misconstrued and iudged after thyne owne fancie In the old Law God forbad the Priest to iudge presently of the Leper but to let 7. dayes first be past If then God wold not permit the priest to iudge so suddainly of the Leper whom he manisfestlie beheld thinkest thou he wyl suffer thee beeing a Subiect to iudge of thy King and of the mallice which thou sayst is in hys hart where-into thou hast no eyes to discerne Thou Leaguer thou examiner of the hart and thoughts of thy King remember the chastisement of God on the Bethsamites because they would needes so curiously looke search into the Arke of the Testament as it passed thorow their Countrey God smote to death three-score and ten men of the chiefest sort and fifty thousand of the common people The hart of thy King is as the Arke inscrutable much more interiour and secrete are the intentions of a Kings hart and his seruaunts then were the tables of the Law the vessels for the Manna or the rod which was within the Arke of Israell If then thou weenest so curiously to sift and examine the thoughts meaning of thy King being good and iust yet notwithstanding interpreted by thee to an ill ende thou canst not escape the punishment which God inflicted on the Bethsamites iudge not then rashlie nor detract thy King The Apostle saith detracters are abhominable before God then speake wee in general how much more abhominable are such subiects as dare detract against their King and Superiours All these detracters and slaunderers promise to themselues by their rebellion a high step into glory hauing hetherto lyued at theyr ease on robberies and spoyles made on the faythfull French-men But ô God! howe farre of are they from theyr account hauing in hatred the bridge of true repentance with solemne acknowledgment of theyr offences ouer which all sinners that are Christians must of necessity passe What-soeuer good the K. doth thou art in such sort possest with the spirite of dissention as thou sayst it is no more then a Dreame or fantasie Thou blamest the Catholiques that they
but by the doctrine proofe and good example which greatly wanteth in your false Apostles I beleeue there is not any Christian Catholique a faythfull member to the Crowne but would earnestly desire that the King enriched with such store of vertues required in so great a Prince as he is shold likewise be a Christian Catholique to the end that as we ought to haue but one King so wee might also haue but one fayth and Religion wherein as in the feare of God our Prince earnestly labours to haue vs liue Heereof not only the Philosophers and Christian Doctors but also Emperours are assured witnesses by many constitutions recited as well in the Ecclesiasticall hystories as also in the bookes of Theodosius Iustinian who greatlie trauailed to maintain the vnion of the Christian Catholique Church When there is vnitie in religiō in an estate who doubts but al things do prosper the better We desire without offending our selues against them that are contrary to our religion that they would louinglie become partakers with vs and not pursued to the death by the animositie wherwith the Rebels follow both them and vs subiect vs together vnder one selfe-same detection or Categorie VVe desire I say that according to the good and holy custome helde of olde the King should be sacred and annointed at his Corronation and take the oath of a Catholique Prince that is to maintaine the Catholique Church all the rights franchises and priuiledges thereof We know well that since the raigne of Clouis Fraunce hath beene constantly maintained in the Catholique Religion which is the same as say the Emperours Gracian Valentinian and Theodosius that was giuen and taught by Saint Peter to the Romaines and vvhich both holy Emperours Bishops and Councels haue euer since followed for which cause it is yet called Apostolique and Romaine We are not ignorant although some call vs heretiques because that acknowledging the Princes authoritie according as God hath commaunded vs we haue withdrawn our selues to his side that many great personages haue shewen as much by authority of the holy Scripture that the ancient Fathers and Doctors of the Church both Greekes and Latines that the Catholique Religion is the onely and true Religion which hath beene from the Apostles vnto this present by continuall succession alwaies taught preserued in the Romaine Church But we are certaine withall that through the vices which haue slipt thereinto by fault of the Pastours the estate of that Church hath much more neede of reformation thē others We know likewise that we are admonished by Iesus Christ and hys Apostles to liue in concord and vnity with God as S. Paule witnesseth in these words The God of patience and of consolation giue you the grace to know one onely thing amongst ye according to Iesus Christ to the ende that with one sole courage and with one mouth you may glorifie God his Father Religion is a constant vertue teaching the true adoration of God which is done with an intire spirit and the vnity thereof is figured by the garment of Christ Iesus wouen without a seame that it was not to be cut or deuided This is in truth a faire assembly of such as are knit in one brotherly vnanimity consent as well in religion as policie whereof the Prophet Dauid singeth beeing assured that to such God wil send blessings and lyfe euerlasting To this effect Plato and Cicero albeit they were both Pagans haue written That there is nothing more agreeable to the highest God that gouerneth the whole world than the assemblies of men that associate and meete together in selfe same will and affection There is but one Catholique Church sayth S. Paule which frameth all Christians of one minde and spirite concerning the doctrine whereof it were in vayne to dispute after so many auncient Doctors of the Church and religious Counsels We desire nothing more then that the King according to the most Christian tytle of hys Predecessors and his people shoulde be vnited in Christian Religion as for preseruing peace in his Kingdome he is declared the Defender and Protector of the Catholique Religion with protestations so oftentimes reitterated so to preserue it as his proper life Nor is he ignorant what Cicero sayth That Religion beeing troubled the whole Common-wealth is troubled because the disquiet and change that happeneth therein dooth nothing else but cloy the spirites of men with disorder and confusion whence proceedeth contempt of Gods true worshippe and hee beeing offended punisheth and afflicteth with diuers woundes and calamities the Countrey that is fallen into such a miserie This therfore his Maiesty wold fore-see by his wisdome desiring that Religion shoulde bee preserued euen as before God the gouernment of the estate is put into his hande God hath giuen vs such a one adorned with so many heroycall vertues as makes him admirable to all Nations of the world Would you then haue vs goe ranging about and vrge a beleefe contrarie to that we doe beleeue Is it possible we should doe so Faith is the gift of God and is not imprinted in mens consciences by stroakes of swordes or any other weapons it is necessary that the spirit of God should be in quiet all the harts of men especially of vs that are his subiects would herein dye and be consumed Of necessitie is it that this grace commeth from aboue and we can do no otherwise but pray to God for his Maiestie and that he will graunt vs to be still mindefull of our dueties hee is our King wee ought to obey him and he ought to preserue maintaine vs according to the Laws statutes of the Countrey as all other Kings hys predecessours haue doone But what shalt thou gaine by desiring the thing thou doost I beleeue that if the King were such a Catholique as thou wouldest haue him and for one Masse he should dispose himselfe euery day to heare two yet the Rebels would say no lesse of him then they did of the late King that he did it for hypocrisie and to be quiet in hys estate What can we else iudge seing their intent is to exterminate his life with all the generous and royall linage of Burbon to follow the seruice of a Stranger But as I haue sayde GOD hath euer-more preserued that race euen for sixe hundred yeeres and more to this present and yet by hys holy will stil continues it for the good quiet of this poore distressed kingdome These Armes that you haue taken against him ô Rebels will turne to your owne ruine and confusion seeing God forbids ye so to doe what-soeuer pretence ye make of Religion Religion should moue ye to pitty and not to rage to compassion and not furie to loue regard of your King and not to rancour or hatred to a naturall French-affection of hys seruice and not to an obstinate will to wound destroy and take his life from him if ye could Now say my Lords
and Gentlemen if yet ye haue not sufficient manifestation that euen against Tyrants Religion cannot serue for anie cloake or collour The Spanyard hath not he declared so much who tearming himselfe in Fraunce Protector of the Catholique Religion hath not hee neuerthelesse suffered Paganisme in many places of Granado Andalozia and Arragon for the great profit hee got by it many yeeres together Will ye not yet bethinke your selues what good affection the Spanyards haue of old borne to the French Did they not no long time since kindly intreate theÌ„ at Florida where they pluckt out theyr eyes to make them die the more miserably Their drift is to bee Commaunders ouer ye and if you haue goods and faire wiues to put you and your heyres to death to possesse your wiues and your goods as they haue practised the like in Flaunders Naples Millaine and in euery place where they by force doe domineere It is the Crowne it is the Crowne that all this debate is for although we hauing as I haue proued a lawfull succeeder there cannot be gathered any occasion for such a debate VVhen heere-to-fore there happened anie such like strife they had recourse to the estates of FrauÌ„ce as it chanced after the death of Lewes the 10. called Hutin that the Crowne was adiudged to Phillip le Long his brother And after Charles le Bel to Phillip de Valloys his Cousin against Edward king of England who pretended the cause of his Mother the daughter of Phillip le Bel sister to the last three kings but there she had no right by force of the Salique Lawe which excludes the daughters of Fraunce from any succession It is now no question of holding the estates in this regard seeing no one maketh doubt but that the Crowne appertaineth to Henry of Burbon by whoÌ„ for his race admirable perfections with his happy fortunes in war amidst so many trauerses the estate receiueth more honor being gouerned by such a king theÌ„ the King dooth of the estate which comes to him by succession as beeing the very neerest heire to the Crowne Then you braue Lordes and Gentlemen of Fraunce whose famous Grandfathers defended this Kingdome by their vertuous strength and made their glorie wondered at through the world spend not your valiant noble blood to your eternal destruction but as your spirits are rockes of far more excellent perfection so seeke such waies as are more worthy and coÌ„mendable for ye To bring again this estate with the whole body of the Nobillity who haue euer stood with the King from whom through false impression your selues are dismembred into her former splendour honorable quiet Vnite your selues to your king your soueraigne Lord to extirpate this rebellion and chase hence your entertained euils the Spanyards your auncient and mortall enemies thereby to bring and re-establish this poore afflicted Realme into such peace and tranquillitie as all good mindes desire and is promised by your generositie force with the grace and blessing of God who I pray to open your eyes to let you wade no further in the loue of thys vnlawfull League that like a subtill Thais is prouided of a thousand baytes and sleights to catch yee withall But if ye continue in her seruice ye shall find your selues betweene two stooles wher-through as the Prouerbe is the taile falles to ground and too late repentance with most pittifull end will be the recompence of your pernicious pursutes and the dishonest pleasures you haue had with her Followe followe then the steppes of the most magnanimous and valiant Princes of the blood so many great Lordes Marshalles of Fraunce Dukes Earles Marquesses Barons and Gentlemen of marke the number wherof is infinite and innumerable al which expose them selues and their deuoire for the seruice of hys Maiesty the reliefe of the estate to preserue you if ye forget not your selues in your goods priueledges and immunities seeking nothing but the quiet and prosperitie heereof God giue them grace and you likewise to make some profit of this fore-warning to the end that wee hauing occasion more and more to bee thankefull to the King for his infinite bountie those faithful subiects that attend on him the celestiall fauour and assistance accompanying the Kings power your amendment and reconciliation may turne to the happie successe of these publique affayres the rest and re-establishment of thys disolate Kingdome FINIS A. M. * The King 〈◊〉 was 〈◊〉 by Iacobiâ— Fryar * Biaâ—â— a naâ—â— scorneâ— they 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 â—utward 〈◊〉 the â—â—tenance â—edition murder 〈◊〉 the exâ—â—ples Two Iacobines the procurers 〈◊〉 foure thoâ—â—sand and more to bâ— murdered Lisbone â—n obserâ—â—â—t Fryar â—â—â—swaded King of â—â—stile to 〈◊〉 sundry â—â—ristians â—eath â—â—ming 〈◊〉 Apoâ—â—â—â—aes * The dysâ—grace of 〈◊〉 begging Fryars by Doctor of Sorbonne Iesuits too â—roud to be â—eggers â—â—ey rather â—ake begâ—ers to â—aintaine â—â—emselues A Spanyâ—rd the first â—uthour of 〈◊〉 Iesuits â—lame â—â—ning 〈◊〉 proud â—â—nde of â—â—le that 〈◊〉 whole â—â—doms â—â—ther by â—â—ares * The 〈◊〉 counâ—â—â—naunce this 〈◊〉 vn-holie League * An othâ—â— bragge aâ— dissembliâ—â— shewe of these wickâ—â— CoÌ„federaâ—â— * The FreÌ„â—â— against 〈◊〉 French exâ—â—cute the bloody 〈◊〉 of the Spaâ—nyards And is â—â—â—ewise in â—â—glish by 〈◊〉 name of 〈◊〉 Spanish â—â—â—donie * A fitte â—â—â—ample of the Leaguers proâ—ceedings 〈◊〉 Fraunce â—â—at 〈…〉 to the 〈◊〉 black 〈◊〉 Son 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 3. â—ngland 〈◊〉 re 〈◊〉 thys â—â—â—lesse K. 〈◊〉 seate 〈◊〉 he had 〈◊〉 it * The Sâ—â—â—nyards 〈◊〉 coÌ„tinue deuotion their Goâ— * A Caâ—â—â—logue of honest 〈◊〉 Spanâ—â—â—ards such they 〈◊〉 still to thâ— day * Bloodie Spanyard murderer of Kings spoylers oâ— Commoâ— weales * No examâ—â—es alleadâ—â—d but 〈◊〉 of the â—â—â—cked Spaâ—â—ards * Parmaeâ— war but 〈◊〉 his owne profit and the King 〈◊〉 maister The holy 〈◊〉 is â—â—ll it selfe * The blâ—â—dished 〈◊〉 of y e 〈◊〉 wherby tâ— deceiue 〈◊〉 world â—â—hn 29. 〈◊〉 5. 〈◊〉 59. â— Thes. 5 〈◊〉 6. * True Râ—â—ligion noâ— to be decâ—â—ded by thâ— sword 〈◊〉 the examâ—ple * Religioâ— not to bâ— changed any constraint bâ—â— to be 〈◊〉 stood by 〈◊〉 sufâ—â—raunce God in iâ—â—stice righâ— the cause â—ath 10. 〈◊〉 23. 〈◊〉 13. â—ct 2 â—â—ou 8. â—hat we 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 our 〈◊〉 and â—â—â—rebell any 〈◊〉 of cause * Deut. 17 * 1. Sam. 9 1. Peter 2 * 1 Sam. 1 * 1 Sam. 2 1. Sam 24 1. Sam 24 〈◊〉 26 1. Sam. 24. â— Sam 26. 1. Sam 3â— 2. Sam 1 â— Sam 16 â— Kings 1. * 1. Reg. â—â— * 1. Reg. â—â— * 1. Reg. â—â— * 1. Reg. â—â— Kin. 19. Kin. 21. Kin. 22. Kin. 9. Kin. 22. * Epiphaâ—us in hys boâ—ke oâ— the lyues the Prophets * Dan 3 and 6. * Iohn 1 â— * Luke 9 Acts 23 Exod 23 Rom 12 â— Pet 2 〈◊〉 1 et 3. * Baru 3. * Heb 11 * Math 3. Iohn 1 Marke 1 Esay 40 * Math â— * Math â— * Luke ◠〈◊〉 18 â—ath 15 â—ath 10 * Iameâ—â—
treades your state vnder his feete but you drawe your weapons to helpe him to his enterprise Knowe ye not that alteration in all things but chiefelie in these publique affaires is most dangerous Without wandring for farre fetcht examples Phillip de Commines deliuereth one of the Realme of England where thorow the partialities betweene the Houses of Lancaster and Yorke each aspyring to the Crowne dyed in eyght and twenty yeeres more then four-score persons all of the blood royall with the verie flower of the English Nobilitie and infinite other valiant men the onely and best Souldiours in all the Land The other Lords were thrust in prison or banished passing the remainder of theyr liues very miserably in strange CouÌ„tries In the end the two Houses being vnited by the marriage of Henrie the seauenth with Elizabeth daughter to King Edwarde the fourth all these troubles ceased See the hurt that ensueth by such deuisions what more strange matter are wee then to expect in such a huge rebellion as this is of the Leaguers Find you it any way reasonable that the true and naturall successour of the Crowne shold endure any other to call his right in question by force of Armes to take it from him that is the most hardie valiant Prince on the earth and who hath learned to haue his Armour oftner on his bodie then the habit royall or the pompe and seruice that other Princes haue which lyue in quiet It is the common cause of all Monarchies to maintaine against the Subiects the estate of a iust and lawfull King and you beeing Noble-men that holde assuraunce of your noblesse goods and faculties of your King will not you maintaine the same against his Subiects and rebellious enemies The Lawe and custome of Fraunce receiued at the first establishing of the Kingdome dyd alwaies refer the Crowne to the next Male issue of the blood royall our Kings then heerin beeing giuen vs by nature mee thinkes there is no reason that any occasion shoulde remooue our estate The Crowne is seated in this so ancient illustrious and royall House of Burbon next succeeding that of Valoys discended of the linage of Orleance In the time of K. Charles the sixth thorowe the practises of the Duke of Burgundie who had made a League with the King of England against Charles Dolphine sonne to the King beside the exheriditation his Father made of him depriuing him of succession in the kingdome there was a certaine iudgment giuen against him in an assembly held at Paris wherby he was exiled banished the Realme beeing declared vnworthy there to succeede On this vniust iudgement he appealed to God and hys sword when the iustice of his cause beeing assisted by the inuincible power of GOD the Crowne was preserued for him and hee established with very wonderfull victories thorow all all his kingdome from whence hee chased the Englishmen beeing reconciled to the Duke of Burgundie and deceassed to the great griefe of all his Subiects leauing them in good peace quiet Whereby you may perceiue that albeit euery one was set against the true heyre to the Crowne yea the Father himselfe yet God in his admirable prouidence woulde not permit that the kingdome should be trans-ferred from the race and linage of S. Lewes neither is it to be doubted that his grace preuenting with the deuoire of all good and faithfull French-men but that it will be continued to all his posterity whereof this most famous and royall House of Burbon is the very neerest and onely heyre to the Crowne What cause then is there to prolong these ciuil warres troubles for the estate seeing we haue the legittimate successour Ah nothing els but absurd and monstrous ambition But some zealous Rebel tels me that he is an Heretique tush these are old stale lyes thys poynt if he were so seeing he demaundeth and offereth to be better instructed is not as yet discided To be an heretique as els where I haue said is obstinately to holde an opinion concerning Religion and rather to die then to forsake it Seest thou in our King any such headdie or obstinate resolution Howe many times hath hee giuen thee to vnderstand his ready will and intent Moreouer this is no argument and good consequent The King is not of our Religion therefore hee is dishabled from succeeding in the Crowne Thou argumentest very ill not like any good Logitian The debate thou vrgest for the Crowne makes a greater breach blemish into Christian religion then if willinglie thou didst consent giue him place as in dutie thou art bound to do seeing that right neither thou or hee can hinder from him to whom it appertaineth which thou hast neither eyes to behold or wit to conceiue If heerin thou mightst preuaile couldst thou be tearmed a good Christistian that flyes and abhors as a plague the ininfamous note of rebellion yea fosakes landes goods wife children and all to follow his King That tearme thou maist returne vpon thy selfe though now thou callest his Highnesse followers pollitiques and heretiques as pleaseth thee to baptise theÌ„ notwithstanding they are more assured of their fayth then thou art and better Chritians then any that take part with thee Of what Religion were our first Kinges of the Merouingians race vntill Clouis the fiâ—t king of Fraunce and first Christian King VVere they any Christians or knewe they what the name of a Christian was What were their subiects hauing receiued the Christian fayth Dyd they for thys cause refuse the obedience they ought in dutie Did they reiect chase or kyll them Ye shall not find one such poynt or anie History that maketh such mention But you Rebels that are too much at your case will not acknowledge your King who so many times hath protested to ye to preserue maintaine ye in your estates and in the Christian Catholique Religion vnder a shadow saist thou himselfe not beeing a Catholique Doost thou know the inward of his words purpose Is there any one can say that euer he falsified his fayth Hee hath sollemnely sworne to defende the Catholique religion as his proper life thinke then if it should be hindered although he neuer will goe against his owne commaundement thy selfe must be the onely cause therof Obey theÌ„ the King let the estate be brought againe into quiet and then thou maist assure thy selfe that when the King would alter any thing in Religion whereon I am perswaded he neuer so thinks he cannot do it nor is it any part of his intent You rather ought to pray to GOD with vs that he will graunt him grace stedfastly to embrace the Catholique religion to plant it heere mildly by reason and not force violence or fyre likewise to loue and esteeme so many valiant good French of contrary opinion that sell not as our zealous Leaguers doe theyr King and Countrey to the Spanyard It is not by blood and death to winne mens consciences