the premises are according to trueth and for the certitude of the same wee haue sealed this report with our hands andseales at S. Ihan d' Angely the 6. day of March 1588. Medicis Bontemps Pallet Poget Mesnard Chotard About the same time the King of Nauarre came out of Gascoyne who being aduertized of his death commaunded that such as were suspected of that villanous fact should be pursued Whereupon a page suspected saued himselfe by flight many more were apprehended The processe was made vnto many with all the solemnities requisite thereunto whereof within a while after the condemnation of one Brillaut ensued the page also was condemned vpon centumacie executed in Picture Brillaut was drawne vpon a hurdle through all the streates of S. Jhan and in the chiefest place of the sayd towne was torne in peeces with foure horses Now we see how the Leaguers when they haue not been able to destroy the Princes by valour haue vsed treacherous procéedings For first hauing treacherously shortned the life of the Duke of Alençon by poyson as it is saide in the first booke and seduced the Cardinall of Bourbon making him dreame of a kingdome in his old doting age and to oppose himselfe to two Kings to wit the King and the King of Nauarre and to all the house of Bourbons out of which God had made him that honour as to haue issued one of the chiefest as is sayd in the second booke They also haue condemned the King of Nauarre to dye by their Italian figges and there uppon proclaymed his death which they had promised to themselues both in Lorreyne and in the Court and in Townes and Cities of their fauourers but God hath disappoynted them of their murtherous purpose At length by the long suffering of God to plague France they haue preuayled agaynst that good godly vertuous famous Prince of Conde and that vpon such a day as hath béen fatall to the house of Guize to work mischief murther and rebellion The death of this noble Prince amazed all men in Xainctonge knowing that God had some heauie iudgements to execute vppon France and that GOD had taken that noble Prince least he should see euill dayes as the Prophet Esay saith It is sayd before how the Lord Lauerdine who was master of the Campe saued himselfe by flight out of the slaughter of Coutras betooke himselfe to the towne of Niort to the Lord Malicorne his vncle where hée soiourned as his Lieutenant Here Christian Reader wee haue to obserue that although the King and the Leaguers hated in wardly one another and in outward appearance did deepely dissemble their affections yet wee doo see that as Herode and Pilate did excercise priuie hatred betweene them and at length in persecuting Christ did well agree as friends so in men of like degrées and in like actions the like affections are boyling in their hearts For the rumour of the death of the King of Nauarre and Prince of Conde which the Leaguers hauing set some secret price vppon their heads had promised vnto themselues did cause the King and the Leaguers in outward apparance to be great friends and to promise vnto themselues an vtter rooting out of them of the religion and a sure subduing of all things beyond the riuer of Loyre With speede therefore they sent eight or nine regiments conducted by the Lord Courbe to the Lord Lauerdine Lieutenant of his vncle the Lord Malicorne at Niort in Poytow who with al the forces which he could gather both in the lowe and high Poytow the 16. day of March about two a clocke after midnight descended into Marans by boates through the marishes of Beauregard and with fiue hundred footmen seazed vppon the house and farme of the sayd Beauregard hauing found no resistance but onely of two of the inhabitants of Marans with a little boate who were gone to discouer the Iland Cicoigne these two discharging their peeces vpon the enemies retyred to the trenches of Beauregard there they found but fiue or sixe Souldiers as well of the inhabitants as others who also discharged certaine shot vpon the enemie who notwithstanding aduanced and came to land The cause why the Lord Lauerdine subdued these Ilands so easily was first the certayne newes of the death of the Prince of Conde and the rumours bruted abroade touching the supposed death of the King of Nauarre which thing caused great amaze and discouraging among all men Secondly the ill order and prouidence of the gouernour for if he his troups and inhabitants had done their duetie Lauerdine had not entered that Iland at that price or els had been chased out to his dishonour and losse The Lord Iarry had béen aduertized three dayes before of the enterprize of Lauerdine and might haue put into the Ilands forces sufficient to resist the enemie for the companies of the Lord Trimouille conducted by the Lord Boysduly returning from Cotaudiere were very nigh him to wit at S. Radagond Champaigne and Puyreneau who desired nothing more then to enter into Marans But the gouernour and the inhabitants fearing the preace of Souldiers which was excessiue indeede would not admit them but sent to Rochel the Captaine Plaute Lieutenant of the Gouernour to request them of Rochel to send them about fiftie Souldiers whom they would entertayne vntill they might see what the enemie would doo which thing they of Rochel could not doo for that time Notwithstanding this refuse and that the gouernour was well aduertized that he had not sufficient forces to let y e enemie to take land yet the companies of the Lord Boysduly passing through the Brault were sent further as farre as Esuand through foule wayes ouerthwart the Marshes whereas they should haue been stayed to be vsed as the necessitie had required They sent notwithstanding the same day at euening to the said Boysduly but arriuing not before ten or eleuen a clock in the night was the cause that succour could not come in time although that the diligence of the sayd Boysduly and his companies was wonderfull for without any leasure to lodge and without any respect of the indignitie proffered him and his troupes the day before they departed presently and repayred to the fort Brune one houre and a halâ—e before the enemie tooke lande at Beauregard But whilest the gouernour and the inhabitants made some difficultie to let in all his troupes being not willing to receaue aboue 50. or 60. the enemie on the other side entred at Beauregard as is sayd so that the entrie into Brune was not opened to the sayd Boysduly nor his troups afore that the enemy had already gotten the farme house of Beauregarde There had beene meanes to driue back the enemie if speedely the troups who were entred at Brune about three a clock after midnight had gone to meete the enemie as some did giue their aduise to doe For the L. Lauerdine was not yet well accompanyed and it had beene an easie thing to cut the way to the
immediatly began to make Trenches both to force the said castel and also to let succour from coÌ„ming in Companyes do arriue from euery where The Lord Bocage is sent by the king with commaundement to defend the trenches without enterprising any thing but onely to besiege the castell vntill the Lord Ioyeuse his comming who shortly after came thither with the Lord Chastres In meane time Rochemort and his companions rifled the chestes and treasures of Brissak and other which had conueyed their goods into that fort There was a great Bootie in plate and Iewels Neither could it be knowen what he had done with the greate horne of Unicorne which was kept there of old Certayne dayes being spent about the 29. of September in an after noone Rochemort leaning vpon one of the windowes of the Castell and there slumbering receaued two pellets of a gunne shot whereof the one cut his throat and the other his tongue and so dyed shortly after without speaking so by his death the castel was left without a guyd There were 9. Papistes and 5. of the reformed Religion within which could neuer agree but were still in disorder and confusion which caused that after the comming of the Lord Ioyeuse they within began to demaund parley which continued for certayne dayes Whilest these thinges so passed at Anger 's the Lord Clermont not knowing the death of Rochemort who was the ground of his drift had assembled in Normandie and in the countrey of Perche about sixe hundred men and sendeth a messenger to the Prince at the siege of Browage to aduerâ—ize him how the affayres do goe The 3. of October newes were brought vnto the Prince by expressed messenger of the taking of the Castell and how the inhabitants had trenched and besieged it with the forces of Brissak and of the countrey of Suy and after by the Lord Bocage sent by the King This newes caused the Prince to leaue his footemen before Browage and hee with his horsemen and certaine number of Harquebusiers on horseback to passe ouer the riuer Loyre to succour them who were within the castell and kept the same for the King of Nauarre being thereto encouraged by the appearance of the great aduauntage which seemed to consist in it for the aduauncing of the affaires of them of the reformed religion considering also that Brissack who by the partition of the League had obtained the gouernement of Aniow â—s is afore saide was one of the busiest Leaguers he waighed wel the dangers which might ensue as to draw al the Kings forces vpon himself and the difficulties of repassing the riuer Loyre he considered also that the remnant of his armie lest at Browage might bee discomfited by the Marshall Matignon Bellegarde gouernour of Xainctonge who might ioyne their forces together But on the other side hee hoped that being strengthened by receauing the companies of the Lord Clermont which hee had gathered as is afore said to the number of sixe hundred he would be able to fight against whom soeuer Also that by that new supplie of the Lord Clermont and by the fauour of some Castles which fauored him vpon the Loyre he might passe well enough and so returne with greater forces to the siege of Browage God had determined that no consideration nor counsell might disswade this Prince from this iourney to the end that he might shew in the beginning of this perilous warre how mightie his arme is in the preseruing of his children and how able hee is to weaken and dissipate the strength and arrogancie of his enemies who fret and fume take counsell and conspire together against his anoynted sonne That by this example all the children of God may learne not alwaies euen in a good cause to promise themselues victorie but to assure themselues that God will defend the iust cause alwaies and preserue them that call on his name whether they bee few or many The same day ariued from Rochel before Browage sixe pieces of batterie conducted by Mounser Personne who followed the shippes of warre which few daies before had ariued as is afore said About the 6. of October there was a great stur in the campe before Browage by reason of the Princes departing to Anger 's For in his absence there was no way to assure the Ilands nor the remnant of the armie which remayned there at that siege For the inhabitantes saw a manifest danger to themselues which thing made many of them resolue to giue ouer all and to repayre to Rochell whereby the souldiers there appoynted to remayne were greatly discouraged At length the Lord Saint Mesmes gouernour of Saint Jhan D'Angelye an aged man famous and of a long continued experience a man of great authority and welbeloued of the countrey was requested to take the gouernement of the companies appointed to continue the siege which thing after many wise declarations of the dangerous euents which he did foresee might happen both to them that went and also to them that remained at the siege yet hee did accept the charge with the great contentation of all men Monser Personne was made gouernour of the Nauie the Lord Ranques remained gouernour of Oleron Captaine Belon was appoynted to gather them of the Ilands and to commaund ouer them The chiefest regiments which remayned for tâ— continue that siege were the companies of the Lord Orges Saint Seuerin and Boysrond with whome were many voluntarie Souldiers beside them of the Ilands and two hundred Harquebusiers sent by the towne of Rochel On the 7. of October some captaines shewed themselues vnwilling to remaine considering the euents and inconueniences which might befall in the absence of the Prince so that the affaires were in greater trouble and the mindes in greater perplexitie then before But the Prince remedied all these things as well as hee could to strengthen the siege and sent to the Uicount Turene who was in perigord with great forces praying him to draw neere to fauour that siege But hee could not doo it hauing some occasions in hand and waiting for the comming of the King of Nauarre out of Gascoyne as it shall appeare hereafter About the same time the Senate of Paris hauing considered vpon the Popes excommunication giueth answer to the King in the which they grieuously condemne the Leaguers doo blame the King for hauing broken the edict of peace doo shew it to be impossible to bring to passe their enterprises doo reprooue the Pope for vsurping vpon Princes authorities and the liberties of the Crowne of France doo condemne the excomunication worthy to be burned counsell the King to pursue them who haue procured the same and to execute iustice vpon them as vpon traitors About the same time the King lead by his counsell who for the most part weare of the League and seruants to the Guyzes by them was borne in hand that they of the reformed religion had to great aduauntage by the edict of Iulie and that many both of the religion and Catholikes
of inhabitants and Souldiers Notwithstanding neither the Gouernour the Lord S. Mesmes nor the Ministers would at any time forsake the remainant of that Church which was there All the fields about were full of Tents and Cabbins replenished with men infected of the plague the villages all round about were in the same case The faithfull exiled out of their owne countreys and houses flowing from euery side of France flying from the contagious pestilence of their soules estéemed lesse than nothing the plague and sicknesse of the bodie rather than should cast away their soules in denying the sonne of God was to bée wished for of them But God according to his trueth kept to them both the one and the other for euen then the pestilence vanished away from all those places as if God had commanded the sicknesse to make roome for them who were exiled for his name for after that there was no more sicknesse seene In this auoydance there was a number murthered but specially in those Prouinces where the gouenours were most passionate and addicted to the League by whose permission the common people tooke much libertie to commit cruell murthers vpon them of the religion They who had not the meanes to recouer some place of refuge and continued in the purenes of religion and escaped the slaughter did lye sousing in prisons and dongeons where they sustayned many combats looking euery day when they should be had away to death Many of them who forsooke the confession of the trueth went to Masse and so were sent to their houses agayne but by a certaine iudgement of God they for the most part dyed euery where through sorrowe or by the pestilence Some of them who had charge in the Church died of notable kindnes of death For some going into the Countrey about theyr businesse fell of their horses and brake their neckes and some dyed otherwise verifying the saying of Christ he which will saue his life shall loose it It is sayd how the Duke de Mayne powred his fuâ—y vppon the olde walles of the vilages of Montigne le Conte Beaulrien and how he tooke Trile which no man will keepe In the latter end of Ianuary the sayd Duke drawing into the furthest part of Perigord set vppon Gaignak a poore little vilage belonging to the Vicount Turenne a place voyde of all fortifications saue that at the endes of the streetes there remayned yet few old walles which did shew that there had béen a gate the inhabitants being poore husbandmen first sustayned an assault supposing to haue to doo with companyes of robbers for so they tooke them But at length being not able to withstand such a multitude they fledde another way and saued themselues except onely foure who either for age or woundes could not auoyd them this great Duke caused to be hanged to powre his gall vpon those poore simple countrey men Thus this great Emperour weary to conquer vilages in Perigord and seeing that his practises agaynst the great and populous Cities of Limoges and Perigueux would not frame he turned short Southward towards Quercy and passing ouer the riuer Dordonne at Soilak left at his left hand the townes of the vicount Turenne Saynt Cere and Turenne in Perigord and coasted Figeak Cadenak and Cayak in Quercye whom hee knew to bee well furnished with garrisons Hee coasted also the houses of the Vicount Gourdine and Montfort a strong place vpon Dordonne which hee sent to view This Duke soiorned long in Quercy sent commaundement to the marchantes of Tholouze and Bourdeaux and others which do traâ—fike vppon Garonne that vppon payne of death they should not agree with the townes which did hold for the king of Nauarre and situated vppon that riuer did stoppe the commerce thereof promising that shortly hee would set all that riuer at liberty yea that he would Whilest hee soiorned so long in high Quercye rouing and wasting the countrey the Bishop of Cahors the Lords Saynt Sulpice and Comburat did instantly require him that he would assault those places aboue said which being holdeÌ„ by them of the religion did dayly annoy molest them which thing when the Duke could not be perswaded to do The Bishop blessing him with his Episcopall benediction and the two sayd Lordes with hot tearmes licensed him to depart out of their countrie in the deuils name Besides eating drinking spoyling and whoring he did no good there saue that he licensed some Gentlemen of the countrey for money to haue the exercise of the reformed religion in their houses so that thence they would not make warre and to colour his cowardlines hee excuseth himselfe vnto the Bishop and other Lords aboue saide that hee would goe to open the riuer of Garonne and to put the commerce vpon that riuer at libertie Thus this secoÌ„d Hannibal coasting the riuer of Lot at his left hand and Dordonne at his right hand for he would haue that riuer of Lot as a wall betweene him and mount Auban entring in Agenoys there issued out certain companies out of Montsâ—anquine vpon the taile of his armie which did slay in one conflict two hundred Harquebusiers of his and discomfited the companie of Captaine Guerche At length he came with his Ianissaries to the fall of the riuer of Lot into Garonne where is situated an olde Towne called Tunnings consisting of lowe and high Towne and Castle That place about the insurrection of the League certaine Ruffians of Agen had seazed vppon where they did greatly molest the countrey The King of Nauarre in August after passing by sent Captayne Lestele to take that towne which thing he did at the first approach and did cast downe those â—â—lthie ruffians with their harlots out of the windowe into the ditch and kept the sayd towne vnto the Dukes comming which then was giuen ouer and that small garrison that was there retyred to the other side of Gharonne to Caumont and Clerake to reserue themselues to a better opportunitie The Duke de Mayne tooke valiantly the sayd towne of Tunnings which no man kept agaynst him And hauing done this valiant exploit he doth coast the riuer Garonne descending toward Bourdeaux In that way he sent a Coriero to the king promising him that he will doo him such notable seruice as neuer no man did for in great sadues hee will take the King of Nauarre dead or aliue if he did not resolue himselfe to depart out of the Realme and if hée can take him he will send him his head in a Charger as Herode did S. Iohn Baptist As this great Duke went downe the riuer the forerunners met with thirtie scattered and vnarmed poore lads which belonged to the garrison of Chaumont they were sent to cause the prouision contributed by the countrey to be brought to the sayd towne of Chaumont These poore lads were killed by these stout warriors which notable victorie was afterward published in Paris by the title of the notable ouerthrowe of the garrison of
bee the King and the Princes of the bloud but among them chiefely the King of Nauarre and the Prince of Conde Therefore they must bee made away by one meanes or another and whereas warre and violence were neither the safest nor the surest way they concluded that poyson must bee tried But to bring this to an happie end they must haue the helpe of the Q. Mother she must be one instrument to commit parricides for it is to be thought that if she would not spare her owne Sonne Charles the 9. she would not spare them whome she neuer loued for she neuer cared what shee did so that shee might not doo good she is therefore easily won to doo that which she greatly desired Poysoners are hired they haue their drougges and instructions with them some are sent to minister their Phisick to the King of Nauarre if by any meanes they could But howsoeuer it be either that they which were hired to poyson the King of Nauarre did altar their mindes or had not the meanes to execute so vilanous an act so it is that his death was bruted in Lorreyne and at the Court about the same time that the Prince of Conde dyed But it hath pleased the Lord to haue deliuered him from their snares to punish them in time according to the measure of the treacheries and innumerable enormities by them committed As touching the Prince of Conde they had their mindes vpon him for at length the diuel furthering their treacheries procured some of his owne houshold seruants to bee wonne to take the matter in hand and among others one Brillant and a Page vpon whome he had bestowed great benefits to giue him poyson the third day of March at supper he fell sick of a great paine of the stomack about an howre an a halfe after supper that paine was followed incontinentlie with great vomiting comming at sundrie times with continuation of the said paine and with a great thirst hee was assisted by Nicolas Poget his master Chirurgion At the same houre was called Master Bonauenture de Medicis Doctor of Phisick which considering the accidents did helpe the vomitings following therein the motions of nature The sicknes notwithstanding continued all the night hauing inuaded the inferiour bellie with swelling and hardnes of the same with such difficultie to take breath that he could not lie in his bed but was faine to sit still in a chayre The morrow after were called to counsell Lewis Bontempts and Ihan Pallet Doctors of Phisick who altogether did indeuour to helpe his Excellencie with all diligence and fidelitie by all the meanes which they iudged fit according to the accurrant accidents The fift day of March and second of his disease about three a clock in the after noone all things went from worse to worse so that there came a suffocation of all the famolties of nature in the which he rendered his soule to God halfe an houre after In the death of this Prince God did shoote an arrow of his wrath against the vngratefulnes peruersitie of this world but speciallie against France in plucking this Noble Prince out of so many labours into the societie of the inheritance of his Saints in light Henry Bourbon Prince of Conde Sonne vnto Lewis of Bourbon Prince of Conde whose famous name shall bee in the euerlasting remembrance of the righteous was borne and brought vp in the Church of God whose preseruation was as deare vnto him as his owne life God had endued him with noble vertues he was faithfull vnto God duetifull in the true worship of God true vnto his King louer of his Countrey and of the libertie and honour of this realme enemie vnto the perturbers of the peace of the same and of them all whome he knew to be coniurators against the King and state His generositie und valour with the greatnes of courage had been shewed in many noble exploytes done by him but speciallie in ouercomming many assaults labors perils and miseries during these miserable ciuill warres to be short God hath plucked him in all the course of his life out of many daungers His death was the more to be lamented because it was vyolent and in the flower of his age which happened the fift day of March 1588. at S. Jhan d' Angely in Xainctonge to the great griefe of all men among whome from age to age the remembrance of him shall be honorable For the death of this Prince was hurtfull to all France but gainfull onely to him who chaunged a vaine and paynfull life into one onely true and stedfast life immortall quiet and euerlastingly blessed in the assurance of the which hée died in our Lord Iesus Christ This sudden and vnlooked for accident gaue occasion to the sayd Doctors Phisitions and Chirurgions to thinke that this sicknesse came thorowe some extraordinary and vyolent cause For the sayd Phisitions gaue out vnder their hand and seale as followeth After his departing about two houres there began to issue out of his mouth and nostrels a froth thicke and white which gathered by little and little to the bignesse of ones fist and out of the same place a little after did issue yealowish water in great aboundance On the Lords day being the sixt of March by the commandement of his Counsell we Phisitions and Chirurgions haue beside called Peter Mesnard Focault Chotard both Masters Chirurgions of S. Ihan d' Angely to make the anatomie of his bodie and to search altogether the causes of a death so sudden And first wee haue found all the body blewish and leadie the bellie in a strange manner swolne stretched and hard In the opening of the body we found in the lower bellie all the parts thereof with the inwards blewish and blacke and the hollownesse of his bodie full of yealowish waters After searching diligently the stomack we haue also found it blewish and in the right and vpward part of the same an inch or thereabout vnder the Orifice of the sayd stomacke we haue found a round hole eaten through and through that hole had fallen the waters and liquours which we found within the capacitie of the inferiour bellie Then hauing diligently taken vp viewed cut and emptied the sayd stomack we haue seene euidently the whole bodie of the sayd stomacke as well without as within specially on the right side blacke burned vlcered and gangrened in diuers places but notably about the hole aboue sayd So that wee cannot iudge that it could bee done otherwise then by a notable quantitie of burning vlcering and caustick poyson which had left euident markes of his passing in the Oesophage The liuer also in the place ioyning to the sayd hole was found altered and burned the rest of the substance of the sayd liuer blewish as also the lights There was no part of y e bodie of his Excellencie which was not of a very good constitution and very healthfull if the vyolent poyson had not corrupted y e parts aboue sayd All
saide nor done any thing began in that kinde of rhetorick which hee was wont to vse among the seditious of Paris when he sharpened them against the King at the last rebellion in May of the same yeare onely altering the name of King into the name of hereticks So that as there was that day many good words cast away without dooing any good so there was many cruell bitter and seditious words vttered in the Kings presence to prouoke him to crueltie and slaughter by it to lull him asleepe to cast him into securitie to take away from him all mistrust the more easily and at some conuenient to oppresse him The 18. of October the King came into the hall with the body of the States for the second session where he began to say as followeth Sirs I haue testified vnto you on Sonday last the desire which I haue alwaies to see during my raigne all my faithfull subiects reunited in the true Catholick Romish religion vnder that authority which it hath pleased God to giue me ouer you and hauing to the same effect made my edict of Iuly last past that it might be holden for a fundamental law of this realme to binde both you and your posteritie to the intent that now the same may be confirmed before me as made by the common consent of you al and that no man may pretend ignorance of the nature and ofspring of it and that it may haue the marke of a fundamentall law of the realme for euer I will that this edict bee now read with a loude voyce and bee knowne of all and after that sworne vnto by all the States to the which thing I will sweare first of all that my holy intent may be knowne both of God and men The King hauing ended his speach commaunded Ruze one of his Secretaries of estate to reade with a loud voyce the declaration which he had made the same day vpon his edict of reunion Wherein he first sheweth his great and feruent desire which hee hath had from his youth and the noble acts which he hath done for the rooting out of heresie also how he hath vsed all gentle waies to call the hereticks to the holy Church againe But considering that all this would not serue but onely to make them more obstinate he dooth declare himselfe to haue made the edict of reunion for an irreuocable lawe of the realme condemning already by this his declaration all such as will not sweare nor obey the same as guiltie of high treason This declaration being read then followed the edict of reunion by the same Secretary which being done the Arshbishop of Bourges made a long exhortation to the States vpon the solemne oath to be taken by the King and required also to be taken by his subiects for the obseruing of the saide edict This faire and learned sermon about a naughtie matter and to couer their dissembling heart First did speak of the truth and of lying then shewed the vse of an oath the necessitie the forme and qualities thereof Secondly he speaketh of the Church which he saith in some respect to be visible and in some respects inuisible and that it is gathered of diuers nations and degrees of men without acceptation and distinction of persons He saith that it is called the Church of Rome in none other sence then that it imbraceth the word of God and true doctrine which S. Peter there taught to the which all other Churches haue vnited themselues by a generall and vniuersall consent hee saith that the triumphant and militant Church is but one in effect And that this Church is grounded onely vpon the stone which is Christ the true foundation and head corner stone thereof and that it hath sustained many assaultes which haue not preuailed He saith also that out of that Church there is nothing but death and that hee who will not holde the same for his mother cannot haue God for his Father Out vpon the heretick â—â—e vpon fowle hereticks so many words concerning Note the Church so many heresies or else they make great iniurie to the Hugonets whose death they doo conspire here in this assembly for holding so much in a manner as this saucie Bishop dâ—re speake here before one of the greatest Potentates of the world I lictor colliga manus caput obnubiâ—o quadrupedem constringito c. Loe the omnipotent power that shauelings haue they can make heresie good doctrine and true doctrine heresie when they list These things being spoken by an Archbishop are no heresie being spoken by another man as Theodorus Beza or some other which they doo not fancie there will bee picked out nineteene heresies a quarter and a halfe Thirdly he sheweth what a great matter vnion is but specially in the Church therefore hee exhorteth them being of one faith lawe and beliefe vnder one Sauiour in one and the same Church of one nation and tongue to vnite themselues for the defence of the same holy Church Fourthly he preuenteth by an obiection that whereof they may be charged saying we meaning the Priestes doo not proclayme waâ—re no no saith he the Church dooth not thirst after bloud but we doo desire them who are out of the way to returne into the right way and if they bee obstinate wee doo desire that they may be cut off as gangrâ—ned and putrified members See here godly Christian reader what hipocrisie goeth about to doo this Bishop would faine see the Kings horses to swim in the bloud of them Note of the reformed religion and bloweth the trompet giueth the watch word to the onset vnder the colour of reuniting the Catholicks yet hee would not for all the goods in the world that men should thinke that it were done by his approbation consent and counsell and therefore he saith that the holy Church seeketh not to spill bloud but that they that are in error may be coÌ„uerted into the right way Now my Lord shall I bee so bould to speake one word to your Lordship what way will you follow to conuert them from their errour as you say they are in my Lorde Bishop will answer that hee will first shewe them their errour and then teach them the certitude of his doctrine Then my good Lord I pray you be not angry why haue you denied this way to the King of Nauarre to the reformed Churches of France which onely thing they haue desired When once you haue followed that way and haue conuerted them of errour and taught them a better way if they shew themselues obstâ—â—at cut them off as rotten and gangrened members in deed But belike this is the methode which you will follow against them you will drawe a forme of aâ—iuration in the first part you will make them to abiure and renounce that forme of doctrine which they say is grounded vpon Gods worde the infallable rule of veritie then you will lay downe your fantasies traditions flowing out of the darke
againe rather to their priuate present and sure commodities then to attempt dangerous enterprises Grounded vpon these reasons the seruants do determin vpon the death of their Lord the anoynted of the Lord and a man reuerenced of so many Nations is condemned to die by the bloudy swordes of them who might haue said that whatsoeuer they haue besydes their béeing they haue it of him and his predecessors liberality whose Grandfather came to begge to the dore of his auncestors Rise vp O Lord defend thyne Ordinance and the powers which thou hast appointed The 24. day of December is appointed for that cruell execution their desperat parricide is sealed with an oth so they depart The King ignorant of this sentence of condemnation geuen against him yet prouoked both by the old and new iniuries proffered him daily by the Duke of Guyze did meditate how and watched for the opportunity as by one blow to rid himselfe out of that danger and feare wherein he saw himselfe and perceauing well by the partialities and partaking of in a maner the whole assembly of the States and that contrary vnto his expectation for he thought by the consent of the States to haue conuicted condemned and executed both the Duke and few of the chiefest of his partakers he was in danger that which he pretended would be wrought against him either directly or vndirectly by the sayd estates determined to follow an extraordinarie way and to preuent his enemy knowing the Prouerbe to bee true 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and knowing the cause so to do to be lawfull thought the course taken for the execution would be diuersly iudged yet hee thought to follow a iust cause some what vnlawfull necessity enforcing him so to doo might be well interpreted in a man of his degree and calling he pronounceth therfore sentence of death against the Duke of Guyze and few others Here Christian Reader thou seest the subiect and seruant to haue condemned appoynted to the slaughter his Lord and Prince only through aspyring vnlawfully vnto his Scepter and Throne Here thou seest the soueraigne power ordayned of God for to reuenge the euill doer to haue condemned his seruant for diuers crimes committed the procéeding is extraordinarie but necessarie and not at all to be condemned considering the circumstances but it is to be wished that it could haue béen done otherwise by ordinarie course Marke also Gods iustice vpon carnall men destitute of the right knowledge of God fellowes in a manner and companions of one affection of one minde of one consent in persecuting the Sonne of God in deuouring the innocent as if they would eate bread the Lord sent euill Angels among them to scatter them their counsels and power the one is possessed with an vncleane spirit of ambition the other bewitched with a spirit of hatred against the trueth of God is made secure and flacke to preuent the euill betunes vntill he is enforced to followe that course which commonly men will condemne vpon his companion his friend and familiar who went into the Temples of their Gods to take sweete counsell together O the depth of Gods iudgments how deepe and vnsearchable be they The Kings counsell and determination could not be kept so secret the King hauing so many Leaguers about him to smell his breath but the 22 of December as the Duke of Guize had set downe to dinner he found vnder his napkin a little bill wherein was written that he should take héede for they will play a shrewd play with him In the same bill he wrote with his owne hand a mocking answere thus They dare not and so cast it vnder the table The Leaguers neither could not keepe their breath so warily but that their determination tooke flight abroad For the same day the King receaued diuers aduertisements of this perilous conspiracie and determination of the Duke of Guize against his person But specially y e Duke de Mayne brother to the Duke of Guize sent Alphonse Corse expressedly to the K. to aduertise him to take heed of the Duke of Guize his brother it was an easie thing sayd he to carrie a rope of Beades about his necke but for certaine hee knewe very well that his brother had a shrewd enterprise in hand against him He knewe not when the execution would be but he knew very well that it would be shortly and that he was in doubt least this warning should come too late and warned him in these words that his Maiestie should beware of a furious and desperate minde The Duke Aumale likewise sent his wife to Bloys to the King to aduertise him of the same daunger and conspiracie against him and that the conspirators were vpon the poynt of the execution Also one of the conspirators themselues mooued in conscience disclosed vnto him the whole conspiracie the day appoynted the tokens the names of the conspirators but in such a short time that the King had scarse opportunitie and time to escape and preuent that imminent danger The King also had intercepted not long before many letters wherein in plaine tearmes the Leaguers had vttered their determination The King hauing receaued so many messengers of death and reduced to this extremitie doth perceiue that he is beaten with his owne rod. For calling to remembrance the great iniuries which hee and his brethren had receaued of that house euen from their infancie acknowledging now that all the former troubles as hee confesseth in a certaine letter of his to the Lord Tageus in his Realme haue béen by their practises and procurement how that hee hath seene all the euident tokens of their aspyring to his estate their clayming of the Crowne by their fayned geuealogies set foorth in the sight of the world He remembreth also the decay of his authoritie among all his subiects to haue béen their worke by the diffamatorie Libels dispersed abroade with diuers slaunders and calumnies He acknowledgeth the practising of the deliberation of Rome about the rooting out or disheriting the royall bloud in France in the houses of Valoys and Bourbons to set vp the house of Lorreyne Among other things he reckoneth the seditious preachers as Iesuites and other vncleane foules of that colour hired by them of Guize and Lorreyne to stirre vp sedition and steale away the people from his obedience thereby to strengthen their partes He calleth to remembrance the taking vp of armes against his will in the yeare 1585. the raising vp of the tumult in Paris against his owne person the letters of Guize intercepted wherein he discouereth his minde so deepely that thereby he might see euery veine and hole in their braine and hearts the saucie parts and manifest attempts which both hee and his partakers had vsed toward him in his owne presence both in words and behauiour the consideration also of these aduertisements from so many parts did cause great passions in his minde But did not consider from whence these blowes did come neither from
whence his slacknes in repressing and punishing by time those offences Specially when remembring the fauours that hee and his predecessors had giuen to that famely but he aboue all had more esteemed them then the Princes of his bloud had made him his fellow and companion in all the exploytes done against them of the reformed religion whome hee had fauored with diuers great dignities pardoned him of so many grieuous offences which he would not haue forgiuen to his owne brother to be short he loued and imbraced him as his own soule this incredible vnthankfulnes and treacherie did moue him to great indignation But specially what griefes and sorrowes did this â—nhappy King conceaue in his heart not onely to 〈◊〉 so vnthankfully rewarded of them whome hee trusted most but for that he in the space of 20 yeares had seen so many warnings giueÌ„ both to his Brother Charles the ninth and to himselfe of their aspiring working not onely by the Princes of the bloud by the King of Nauarre by many Lords Gentlemen and learned men in France but also by the Princes of forren nations and specially by the Princes of Germany who from time to time had proffered their seruices and their assistance vnto him for the repressing of their insolent presumptuousnes And namely when he considered how halfe a yeare before when he was in a manner dispossessed of his kingdome Authority after his flight from Paris how his faithfull subiects of all callings and degrees resorted vnto them both to shew him the vnsufferable indignities which he had receaued of that house and also to proffer him their seruice and assistance When hee called to minde how often and how faithfully the King of Nauarre had proffered him his forces and that in such sort that if it had pleased him but to holde vp his hand onely and let him alone with them he with his owne forces and charges would set him at hearts ease from any danger or sâ—ur of the League He I say as a man which is willingly and wittingly lead to his fatall destruction and fall had neuer regarded nor considered all these things vntil now when being destitute of all meanes and deliberation and scarse knowing whome to trust hee is with too late repentance driuen to shift for his owne life as well as hee may which he seeth is most certainely to be taken away within foure and twentie houres if he dooth not preuent the conspiratours The King in this agony and heauy sighes not considering the causes of these blowes and terrors of death full of sorrowes and indignation dooth determine with himselfe as well as hee can to preuent the treasons of his domesticall enemies in this wise The keyes of the Castell were brought euery night vnto the Duke of Guize as being great Master of the Kings house but the saide Duke of Guize the 22. of December the night before his death prouided not so wisely but that the keyes fell into other mens hands then them of his side So the King tooke the keyes of his house in his custody he also caused a rumour to bee noysed abroad that the day following hee will goe on pilgrimage to the Church called our Lady of Clery situated betweene Bloys and Orleans And according to his prudence he prouided that as well in the Castell as in the towne they of the League might not stir with any force against him for within the Castell he doubled his gardes In the towne hee tooke order that night that the gardes of the towne gates should not in any wise open the saide gates vntill they should haue expresse commaundement from him to the contrary so both the Towne Castell and keyes thereof are made sure in that night and all this was done vnknowne to the Duke of Guize The Lord grand Prior that night made a match to play at Tenis with the Lord Ianuile sonne to the Duke of Guize to whome he gaue his word that the next day very early hee would take him in his bed for that end So the King hauing dispatched many things but specially prouided to make all things sure which he thought needefull to preuent the determination of the Duke of Guize which was vpon the poynt of execution retired into his closet where he was all night to doo many needefull dispatches The same night hee wrote to the Duke of Neuers who was in the army at the siege of Smache hee wrote to Lyons and to diuers other places where hee thought it necessary for the assuring of his affaires and the preseruation of his person The same night the Duke of Guize Frier Lewis the Cardinall his brother and the Archbishop of Lyons to take opportunity to commit their parricide concluded to sit in counsell the next morning early The 23. of December the Duke of Guize the Frier Cardinal his brother the Archbishop of Lyons the Marshall Haultmont and others came to sit in counsell in a chamber nigh to the Kings chamber being but a narow aley betweene them The K. being in his closet with certaine Lords and gentlemen sent for 7. or 8. of those 45. Pensioners or gentlemen y t were daylie attendant vpon him very early in y e morning to whom he vsed some speaches about his affaires so greatly importing him so nearely touching his person abouâ— the assured aduise intelligences which he had receiued of the enterprize against his person State They prostered most willingly their ready seruice to execute his coÌ„maundement in such a iust cause and defence Within a while after the Duke of Guize being in the counsell chamber before they began to sit was called to come to the king He saw at his first comming the guards more carefully disposed than of custome so that as it happâ—neth oftentimes y t vpon the instant of great aduentures the mind of euery man is to him as a Prophet of y e euent or a heauy presage of his mishappe euen as hee had iudged of the enterprize of an other man by calling to remembranâ—e of that which he had in his owne mind and tâ—e stroke which he receaued by that which he intended he entred into a motion of extraordinary mistrust so far that his countenance changing at that calling his heart waxed cold as though he had been ready to fall into a swound whereupon hee sent to the L. Pre one of them who did waite in the K. chamber to aske some raysins which were brought him Afore his going out of the counsell chamber hee sent a page to his chamber to fetch him a handkercher his secretary had bound fast in one of the corners thereof a small bill written contayning a warning to get him out or else hee was dead The handkercher was brought but it was not deliuered for it was intercepted with the remembrance when the page came vp againe with it The Duke of Guyze being about to goe vnto the king when hee went forth of the counsell chamber into the
alley which was betweene it and the kings chamber encreased his mistrust and would haue gone back yet neuerthelesse he did not He had beene perswaded long before that the Lorde Loignak had vndertaken to kill him so that of all other he hated him most and mistrusted him greatly and entering into the kings chamber he saw the same Lord Loignak sitting vpon a coffer hauing his armes a crosse and supposing that he stayed there to set vpon him for he shewed that hee was touched with a violent apprehension of mistrust although the said L. Loignak did not stir yet the Lord Guize notwithstanding did set vpon him setting his hand to his sword did draw it halfe for he had his cloake as commonly he was wont to haue in scarâ—e wise and vnder the cloake his sworde which was the cause that he could not draw it cleane out of the sheath before that some of them who were there seeing him to enterprize such a violent fray at the Kings chamber doore preuented and killed him there Beholde thou vngratious man thou hast hidden all thy conspiracies vnder a cloake of religion and so hast prophaned a prophane religion say then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou vnthankfull slaue of ambition hast thou thought to murther thy naturall prince ordayned of God to commaund thee Say then or if thou wilt not I will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It could not be done without some rumor which was heard out of the counsell chamber whereupon the Cardinall his brother entred into mistrust and conceauing a great feare made haste to get out but he met one of the skottish guardes who had charge to arrest him He tooke that arrest very straunge and made shew to resist but seeing the rumor and daunger hee ceased from his resistaunce and yeelded The Archbishop of Lyons at this alarum went forth furiously and would know more and as he said would succour the Duke of Guyze but he was arrested by some of the guardes and his fury was so cooled that from a woolfe he was turned into the forme of a lambe yet retayning still wooluish conditions so these two Fryers the deuills ghostly fathers remayned both prisoners The graund Pryor was gone very early to awake the Lord Ianuile to to play the match which they had made the day before and found him in his bed and after he had made himself quickly ready but whether it were that he saw the graund Pryor followed incontinently with some of the guardes or some other matter hee began sodaynly to mistrust and went about to slip into a doore of his chamber and to make some resistance seeking to get forth with his sworde in hand against some of the guarde but considering the danger he yeelded him selfe to the sayd guard The graund Pryor seeing that by these new euents the match was broken off went his way At the same instant one Pellicart secretary vnto the Duke of Guyze was taken with al his papers writings by the which many secret counsels of the sayd Guize were discouered to the King with the names of the chiefest of the League as wel of the princes and Nobles as of the priests and townes The king of the Fryers to wit the Cardinall of Bourbon who was at bed was desired by a captayne of the guarde to rise and so was his person made sure The Marquesse d' Albeuf likewise and many other of the partakers of the Lord of Guize were taken and put in places of safety That day the king made a fayre hande for he caught a number of cruell beasts and vncleane foules as Woolues Foxes swine wilde Boars Apes and such like But the loosing of some of them afterward was the cause of his vndooing and death For either through feare of the Popes excommunication or to asswage the displeasure of his subiects or some other cause â—lse he did set at libertie the Archbishop of Lyons which was one of the chiefest counsellors deuisers and procurers of his death These exployts being done at Bloys a gentleman was speedely sent into Poytow to the Lord of Neuers with commaundement to seaze vppon the Lord Chastre gouernour of Berry who was greatly suspected by reason of his great familiaritie with the Lord of Guize But the layd Lord Chastre was aduertized by his friends of all that which happened at Bloys before the gentleman sent by the King arriued at the camp whereupon he went to the Duke of Neuâ—rs saying that he was aduertized how the Duke of Guyze had beene put to death which thing made him beleeue he had enterprized somewhat agaynst the king Hee sayde that he had been alwayes seruant to the Duke of Guize for his particular but that if he had enterprized against the king that hee was neuer made priuie to it And forasmuch as the loue which the said Duke of Guize had borne vnto him might happily make him to be suspected by the king he yeelded himselfe willingly into the hands of the sayd Duke of Neuers for to iustifie his actions Afterward the Gentleman went from the king to the sayd Duke of Neuers who informed him of all that which is aboue sayd and within a while after the Lord Chastre went to the king The King had some speeches with the sayd Lorde Chastre of all that had passed touching the particular of him the Lord Chastre of long continuance which hee woulde forget and vppon the promise which the saide Chastre made to remaine his faithfull seruant commaunded him to make sure the townes of his gouernement to his seruice and to prepare himselfe to goe to Orleans against them of the League which thing the saide Lorde Chastre promised to doo A little while after the death of the Guize the King went to see the Queene his mother and shewed her what was done that morning whereof at the first she was greatly moued yet remembring the iust occasions which the said Duke of Guize had giuen him to seeke reuenge shee prayed God that it might bee well done and willed the King to aduertise the Popes Legat that which was done For a while after the King sent the Cardinall Gundy to shew to the saide Legat the attempt of the Duke of Guize against his person and estate which thing had enforced him to doo that execution he shewed that in it he had followd the Popes his masters counsell who aduised him so to doo if by no other meanes he could auoyde such enterprises Where it is saide that the King dooth aleage to the Popes Legat his masters counsell and consent the matter goeth as the common report gooth It is most certaine that Frier Sixtus and his Chaplines with his predecessors before him had been and were then the chiefest authors setters on and maintainers of the League in France and that by all meanes so that it were not with money for to meddle with the purses of these ghostly fathers is sacriledge and to tirannize the holy Church did fauour foster and further all the
the towne perceaued that the enemie was remoouing the Ordinance from the place where it was first pitched and yet they could not know vpon which side of the Towne they intended to place it vntill the morrowe being the third day of Ianuary when it was seene at the Chappell Saint Leonard couered with gabions and planted within two hundred paces of the wall They perceiued also another batterie in preparing on the side of the Poole in a field toward Guinefole so that the batteries did crosse one another The Winter this yeare was so extreame during this siege that the yce did carrie euery where which thing caused great discommoditie to them which were besieged the earth being so hard that when they began to trench themselues within which was at the arriuing of the Canon they could not in an houre open a foote of earth although that they had made pickaxes and tooles for that purpose But this also did greatly encrease their labour for at the arriuing of the Canon they had saluted the Towne on the side of Maschecow and being lodged within the ruines of certayne houses there had planted gabions which caused them of the towne to beléeue that they should bee battered on that side where they also had begun their trenches with much and vnprofitable labour For as it is sayd the ordinance was remooued to another place now hauing lost all their former labour they are set to worke night and day at the trenches and when they went out of the watch without rest or sleepe they must worke at the trenches wine also fayled them so that in time and toyle so extreame many fell sicke but specially of the bloudy fluxe The same to wit the third day a certaine Corporall was sent by them of the Towne to see whether there was any meanes to enterprise vppon that artillerie but he was slaine with a pellet in the breast About noone the enemie shot certaine voleyes of Ordinance against a gate of the Castle which openeth into the garden where they sawe by the moouing of the earth that Pyouers were at worke The fourth day they within the towne at the breaking of the day perceiuing the preparations for the batterie found themselues hardly distressed for that they had no trenches against the batteries and that it was almost impossible to make any for hardnes of the ground by reason of the frost and yet they laboured hard about it day and night in that sort as is aforesayd Whilest the Gouernour and the Captaines were assembled to take aduice what was expedient to be done one of the companie proposed that it were good to send a Drommer to play with his Dromme toward the broaken Chappell vnder colour of making exchange of prisoners and in the meane time to delay the batterie of the enémie This was concluded but afterward it was reuoked by reason of the disaduantage which might ensue least the enemie vppon that occasion should thinke that they fearing the trench did seeke occasion of parley Then the two batteries began the one did beat the Fort of Beauregard and that which was made aboue an old gate as is said asore the other battery did beat at the other said Fort which was vnder the gate That which was made out of the old wall resisted the fury of the ordinance farre better then it was thought it would for from halfe an hower after Sunne rising vntill Sunne setting it neuer ceased to thunder without any intermission so that there was let flie that day aboue eight hundered canon shot The night beeing so neere they who were besieged saw no apparance that the assault would be geuen and had not prepared themselues to receiue the enemy that day considering that the breaches were flanked with two fortes which were first to be forced notwithstanding all the French footmen and Swissers were seene a farre off in battle array about noone which was the cause that they deuided speedily the small number of men which they had to keepe the Fortes but specially the two Fortes which flanked the breaches on both sydes They prouided also a certayne number to keepe the breaches if the enemy should proffer the assault They were not aboue two hundred and threescore persons which were of ability to defend the breaches for the rest were either sicke or hurt or els occupied to keepe the fiue Fortes which were without The Gouernour tooke vppon him to keepe the breach which was at the left hand with a hole to passe to the Fortes if they were assaulted beeing assisted with twelue men lying in couert and certaine Harquebuziers The Baron Vignoles was appointed to keepe the breach which was aboue the gate with fiue armed men and fifteene Harquebuziers and for as much as that number was not sufficient the Gouernour appointed the Lord Perrine to assist them with fiue armed men more When the breaches began to be reasonable euery one hauing sixteene long paces breadth the whole army beeing in battell array the enemy began to styrre and marching with a swift pace stouping low they set on both sides of the Fortes which were aside of the breaches The enemy sustayned the first onset wherewith these two Fortes receaued them and passed throug halthough that many remained vpon the places saluted by them of the Fortes with shot and with the force of the pikes yet in a little space they were masters of the two fortes They might haue defended the said fortes longer but two causes did let them the one was the small number of the defendants the other was the death of the Lord Marestes yongest sonne to the Lord Sabloniere and brother to the Lord Vignoles who after the death of the Lord Ruffigny commaunded ouer his company and one of the fortes which had befollen him his was slaine with the shot of a Culuerin This his death did greatly hast the forsaking of that fort his brother the Lord Vignoles made great mone for him The Fortes beeing wonne it was high time for them which kept the breaches to bestirre and defende themselues and as they were assaulted furiously by the enemyes so they receaued them coragiously There was all manner of defence vsed shot pikes pomgarnads fiery hoopes stones and all other manner of defence were throwen vppon the enemy Many of the enemies hauing the night fauourable retyred vnder the shadow therof they who did obstinate themselues either were wounded or els remayned dead in the place in this assault happened a thing worthy to bee noted The Baron Vignoles had a frend in the army named Poysson a man of charge in that seruice This man was greatly carefull for the preseruation of the said Baron and desirous to saue him prayed a Captaine of the regiment of Chastiagueray whose Standerd bearer was very sicke to geue him his ensigne for that day onely determined to enter one of the first to saue his friend the sayd Baron Vignoles the Captaine deliuered him his ensigne according to his request Poysson at the
sharpnes of the sicknesse but to a little Castle nigh that village where being the sicknesse did so increase that many doubted of his life He also resolued himselfe constantly to abide the good will of GOD readie willingly to end his life if Gods will was such the thing that only grieued him as that good King Ezechias was the néede which the Church of God might haue of his presence in France if he should fall and also the want of his fidelitie in that kingdome if in the middest of so many great troubles and confusions he should be taken out of this world Notwithstanding he ceased not as much as the disease which was sharpe and violent did permit him to prouide ordayne for the affayres of his armie according as the occasions did fall out He was let bloud and worthily serued and succoured by them who were about him as much as the discommoditie of the place could permit them He sent to all the Churches round about to make prayers and supplications for him which was done with much feruencie and sorrowe The newes of his daungerous disease were brought to Rochel in the euening being the 13. day of Ianuary The congregation was called spéedily with the ringing of the bell to repayre to the Temples This was about seauen of the clocke at night an houre not vsed to such méetings the necessitie notwithstanding requiring the same The people aduertised of the cause ranne with such multitudes to the places of prayers so that the like was neuer seene in that towne All manner of men indifferently euen children and apprentises forsooke the houses to repayre to the Temples the multitude was such that many being not able to goe in went home agayne heauie sad answering by their priuate prayers to those that were made in publike with much lamentation and teares For all men knewe well the greatnes of the affliction throughout all France generally if God at that time so troublesome and confused had taken out of this life that first Prince of the bloud whom he had endued wiâ—h so many graces The sayd extraordinary prayers were continued for the space of many daies vntill that the recouering of his health was certainly knowne The rumour of his death was spread into diuers places of the Realm euen at the Kings Court for the which reports all good and true men did greatly mourne The great contentation which the leagued receiued thereof dured not long for the King receiued newes shortly after of his recouerie It is sayd before how that after the execution done vpon the person of the Duke of Guize the King sent into the Prouinces to aduertise the Gouernours Magistrates and people of the iust causes and necessitie that inforced him to doo that execution And interrupting the continuance of the euents which followed that execution we descended into the lowe Poytow there to see what exployts the great royall armie conducted by the Duke of Neuers had done there and also what the King of Nauarre did all that while Now hauing seene that armie to haue made shipwracke and vanished out of sight we will leaue the King of Nauarre being in bed sicke of a dangerous pleurisie expecting health of the Lord which giueth saluation vnto Kings and to restore him to his health and strength and will come to the matter agayne and consider the horrible accidents which followed the death of the Duke of Guize and of the bounsing Priest the Cardinall his brother After this execution done vpon the bouldest authors of the conspiracie and the rest of the heads of the same being in holde there was great hope that the burning fire of all ciuill dissentions should be on a sudden quenched the flaming torches of tumults being put out But the newes of the sayd execution of the Duke of Guyze being brought into all parts of the Realme by them that fled without bootes and spurres out of the suburbs of Bloys the report came also to the Duke de Mayne being then with an armie in Liomoys he taking with him such as would followe him went out of the Countrey for two causes First fearing vppon these newes the neighbourhood of them of Daulphine Vienoys and Viuarets who might haue doubled their courage vpon that occasioÌ„ being there most of the reformed religion Secondly that because of the death of his brother the hope for the which he and his brother the Duke of Guyze did greatly enuie and malice one an other with mutuall haâ—red doth now proffer it selfe vnto him without any manifest competitour This Duke de Mayne therefore now swallowing downe the crowne of France in one morsell by imagination with as many as would follow him made hast into Burgondie and Champaigne and there made sure to himselfe in those Prouinces as many places as hee could preparing all thinges to warre agaynst the King Here it might bee thought strange how the Duke de Mayne doth so cruelly mooue warre and rebellion against the King seeing that it was he himselfe and his cosin the Duke d'Aumale who gaue aduertisement to the King of the conspiracy and intent of his brother the Duke of Guyze as is aforesayd The question is easily resolued there is no fayth nor fidelity among them who do aspire to the same one kingdome there is no society be it neuer so sworne and holie These three to wit the Duke of Guyze Mayne and Aumale did affect the Kingdome but because the Duke of Guyze was more fauoured of the partakers then the other two he was carryed theretoo as if it were vpon the shoulders by all the partakers who attaining vnto it would haue established the same to himselfe and to his Sonne already in mans estate and to his posterity The Dukes of Mayne and Aumale no doubt did loue more the Duke of Guyze and would haue had the Crowne rather vppon his head then wheâ—e it was yet according to the rules of the Diuinity of Sorboun that charity beginneth at it selfe they would haue worne the Crowne of France euery one vppon his owne head rather then that any other should haue had the occupying of it howsoeuer great and deare friend hee might haue béene This emulation about the affectation of the Crowne was the cause that these two to wit the Dukes de Mayne and Aumale each of theÌ„ in respect of himselfe discouered the conspiracy to the King to the end that he beeing made away they might march a playne way in the same steps which hee had traced before them reseruing to the craftiest or mightiest hereafter to oppresse his cosine for it is not to bee thought that there would haue beene more vnion and loue betweene the Dukes of Mayne and Aumale beeing but cosins then there was between the Dukes of Gnyze and Mayne being brothers Thus wee see what ambition did worke in these new men by affectation of that roall dignity which doth not touch them at all and without any likelihood euer to approch néere vnto namely rebellion
making their pulpets the trompets of murther treason and rebellion for beside that they did inuaigh against the King in all manner of vile tearmes and interpreting all his actions maliciously to the worst they also forbad the people vpon paines of spirituall and bodily punishment for if they did it was a capitall crime to pray for the King Also the inhabitantes of the citie of Rhemes in Champaigne published an infamous libell comming forth out of the Iesuites forge bearing this title A grieuous lamentation of the inhabitants of the citie of Rehmes vpon the death of the Cardinal Archbishop of Rehmes peere of France and what may he not be if they would That libell was sawced with infamous inâ—ectiues vnworthy and outragious speeches against the king by their language the authors thereof did testifie sufficiently their consent in the rebellion of other towns and cities And seeing that the priests Iesuites and Friers did say such a masse at the funerall of their Bishop it was no marueile if the ignorant people who beleeued them answered Amen And for as much as among those rebellious countreys and cities there were none of the reformed religion vpon whome they might spew their gall they called their owne Priestes Parsons Vicars and Curates for to subscribe vnto their rebellion charging them vpon payne of death not to pray in their massing for the King But such as kept an vpright heart to their Prince and would not conient to their prohibition but in their prayers or otherwise did wish well to the King were executed as male factors and great fauour was shewed them vpon great intreatie of friends if they might escape with depriuation of their liuings or imprisonment and cary away their liues for a pray And by such iniuries shewed vnto their owne priests they placed such as were fit to serue their turnes in kindling more and more the fire of sedition The third taske appoynted to the Fryers and Iesuites was to render the King of Nauarre and them of his part execrable in the eares of all men that by the consent and generall misliking of all men if it were possible he might be excluded from his right of succession The occasion was thus The 26. of December the King of Nauarre had surprized the towne of Niort in Poytow of the taking it of the said Kings gracious goodnes and clemency shewed vnto the inhabitants his deadly enemies which had committed great outrages vpon them of the reformed Religion against his owne person against the Princes of the blood and of late agaynst the Lord Valette an officer of the Crowne of France as it is sufficiently spoken of before These writers of lies to testifie to the world whose Children they are did set foorth such ridiculous falshoods and execrable calumnies and that with as much assurance as they tell vs of their lies and lying miracles which they did worke with their holywater among the sauadge people of Giapane whether they be sure that no man will send to enquire about the truth of the matter with so bolde and impudent faces they did auerre most manifest lies which out of any parte of France might bee disprooued within foure dayes The shamâ—les pamphlet went abroade with this inscription The execrable cruelties committed by the heretiks against the Catholicks of the towne of Niort in Poytow The fable sayth that they of the religon would neuer haue taken that towne without the intelligences of the politicks that is to say of them which fauour the king which were within the sayde towne It is sayde in the Pamphlet that the Kinges officers of Iustice were slayne that the Maior and the Aldermen of the towne were hanged That many were hanged onely for that they would not denie their religion also that all the Priests and Monkes were hanged for companie Also a Priest was opened aliue before his fellowes by terror to make him denie God and his noble partes were pulled out but they remayned as constant as rocks for all those cruelties and valiantly suffered martyrdome That there were innocent persons killed in such great number through the towne euen betweene two or three hundred persons so that the streets flowed with blood and dead bodies That the heretikes as the fable sayth tooke a woman which reprooued them of their cruelties whom they would haue enforced to deny the Masse which thing shee refusing they filled her belly with powder and then set fire to it to make hir burst so that sayth the lyer there is nigh three hundered martirs there put to death which are now in heauen These holy Martyrs may be called in one word holy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All this lying lybell is easily confuted euen by the inhabitants themselues by the Magistrates by the Priestes who there do liue in liberty of their Religion and by all the people who will testify that there was no such thing nor otherwise then is recited in the discourse of the surprise of their towne but will testify of the Christian mildnes clemency and moderatnes of the King of Nauarre and surprisers to haue béene far greater then euer they could haue expected or had deserued at his hands But this grosse kind of lying was spread abroad to hasten the rebellion of the Citties and to render the people vntamed and hard harted agaynst true and dutiful obedience whatsoeuer might fall hereafter as if to fall into the handes of the King of Nauarre and of them of the Religion were to fall among sauage beastes mad Tygers and cruell Lyons The King considering that the more he endeuored himselfe to winne the rebels by gentlenes clemency and promising of impunity the more hardned obstiuate insolent and bolde they became Seeing that he must be driuen by force to chastise their rebellions first he procéedeth against them by order of law And for as much as the Dukes de Mayne Aumale and Cheualier Aumale he as if it were subroged in the places of the Duke of Guyze and the Cardinal his brother the King doth first and chiefly proceede iudicially agaynst them three by proscription as attaynted of fellonie rebellion and high treason First the King doth shew himselfe to be a King ordayned and geuen of God hauing receaued of God that sword and power which he had not by vsurpation but by lawfull and naturall right of succession Secondly hee doth shew the great benefites which hee and the Kings his predecessors had bestowed vpon them and namely that he hath spared their liues whom he might iustly haue punished for their diuers attemptes fellonies and disobedience for the loue which hee had vnto them and their house He sheweth also how he had since this their last rebellion sent vnto them diuers of his faythfull seruants with letters and euen Heraulds of arms to let them vnderstand his good will and readines to put vp all iniuries offences and to receaue them to his fauour But that in stead of humbling themselues and of accepting his gracious fauour
the defence of the Romish Church What neede therefore had that church of any other protector then their owne King whose bountifulnes and liberality they so oftentimes haue tryed Whilest these things did so passe at Anger 's the citty of Nantes vppon Loyre began to hault by the secret practises and treacheries of the seditious Leaguers who were within the cittie But when the newes came of the taking of Anger 's and of the execution done vpon some seditious Iesuits and other Fryers the rebels at Nantes tooke the alarum in this wise for the Ladyes Martignes Mercure wife to the Duke of Mercure gouernour of Britayne tooke occasion thereupon to hasten the rebellion for beeing aduertised that many of the cheefest officers of iustice in that cittie as also other good Citizens faithful to the King seeing the practises which were wrought in their cittie by the Leaguers did disswade theyr fellowe citizens to geue eare to such seditious persons and aduised them rather to remayne faythful vnto the King then to draw vpon themselues the Kings wrath with a cruell and mortall warre For to breake the good purpose and intents of these men and to chastise them for their too great fidelity to their King These Ladies sent for two Captaynes of the towne well knowen for their seditious practises great affection to the traytors they shewed vnto these two Captaynes their passions with great amplifications of the thinges past at Anger 's They began by many inuectiues and spitefull speaches against the K. to shew how the King had put to death a great number of Priests and Friers who were taken at the winning of Anger 's how he had taken the chalices and relickes and wholly became an heretike then with much lying they fell to talke of them whom they would haue to bee taken prisoners in the citty charging them that they sought to bring into their cittye the K. of Nauarre with all his troups with determination to haue the cittie ransacked to take away their goods liues and religion and that therefore it was needfull they rayse the people to rebellion out of hand to seaze vppon them which were faythfull to the King and make the citty sure for the League The chiefest Captaine appointed for this execution was one Gassion a Gascoine brought vp in the house of Martignes and greatly affected to the League An order before that time was that the said Gassion for one halfe yeare commaunded in the castell and the Lord Crambok who was faithfull to the King the other halfe yeare this man no authority then at all The counsell of these two accursed women was quickly executed by the said Gassion hauing for that time the rule of the castell The people vpon these furmises were armed the streats were fortify to with Baricadoes The first execution of this rebellion was the apprehending of foure score of the most notable men and richest families in all the Citie and among the rest were the Lord Miron the Kings threasurer in Britaine the Lord Bourin a great Lawier and one Doctor Rogues Dean of the facultie of Phisicke and many other faithfull seruants of the King who were put in straight prison in the Castle their houses were spoyled and goods rifled The Citie being thus made sure for the League by the Rebells the countrey about was not free from that tempest light horses are sent into places most suspected many gentlemen are taken prisoners abroad without respect of age qualitie or religion such as did escape with the losse of their goods thought to haue sped well In like manner the Citie of Rhemes head Citie of the lowe Britaine which had behaued themselues modeslie enough hetherto might greatly haue fauoured aduaunced the treasons of the Duke Mercure if he could haue got it to his deuotion But for that purpose first it was needfull to haue the helpe of the Bishop of the place named Emare Hannekin sonne to a citizen of Paris for the stage play could not bee well seazoned with mirth except a Priest might play the diuels part Sir Hannekin therfore bestirreth himselfe all that euer he can to bring his treason to passe but his credite being there yet vnder age and small account he taketh the Bishop of Dole of the noble of Espinay to countenance the play being also assisted by a citizen named Botelier who was much beholding to the sayd Sir Hannekin because he was such a louing ghostly father to his wife he had also some other citizens some of the court of Parliament there men of faction who secretly set their shoulders to that worke All this blessed companie by the counsell of these two sedicious Priests deuisers of rebellion against their naturall and lawfull Prince doo raise vp the people in armes giuing to vnderstand though most falsly that the Lord Huuanday Lieutenant generall for the K. in that countrey the Lord Moubarot gouernor of the Towne and the Lord Asserake who accompanied them would haue oppressed the libertie of the Towne and brought in garrisons to sacke it Vppon this false rumour spread abroade by those two lying Priests the people armed did seaze vppon the Market place and fortified the streates with Barricadoes The Duke Mercure who then was a petie King at Nantes aduertised of these things so passing at Rhemes and desirous to enlarge his newly swallowed vp kingdome of little Britaine doth gather forces as great as he can and fayning to goe to Vaunes to the States of the countrey taketh his way to Rhedon and turned vp short to Rhemes where he arriuing was receaue◠with great ioy of thē of the League he put garrisons within the tower of the Fuller within the gate of S. George in the white gate It was time then for the Lords Huuanday Montbarot and Asserak to keepe themselues close within their houses being sought out for no lesse matter then for the price of their liues The Lord Montbarot had seazed vppon the tower of the gate Mordelese hee was summoned by the Duke Mercure to yeeld the sayd tower into his hands which thing he refused to doo saying that there he was placed for the King and for his seruice Vpon this refusall the Canon was brought before the Tower and many houses pearced to make it ready to the battery There was no appearance to sustaine a battery much lesse to hope for any succour which thinges béeing considered the Lord Montbarot agreed and yeelded the place with honorable conditions both for himselfe and his fellowes By these meanes Mercure remained master of the place whereof hee changed the whole estate and gouernment placing therein men at his deuotion there he caused a Iesuit most bitterly seditiously and vnworthy to inueygh and rayle agaynst the King he dispatched a Captaine Spaniard named Iohn with his company to scoure y e country hee did execrable oppressions robbing and sacking all indifferently he tooke many gentlmens houses which he robbed many men whom he cruelly entreated and put to great
others who were taken prisoners And because the night drew neere apace the Prince thought good with all speede to assault the other companies of rebels who were at Commeaux who were about a thousand or twelue hundred men conducted by the Lord Beaulieu This company had trenched and fortified themselues and therefore the most part of thē were y e cannons priests monks fryers Iesuites of the Citie of Sees and many persons of the countrey round about who would shewe some proofe of their valour and how they could fight better with a Caliuer then with their Portisse but at length it was found that they had more skill in iugling a Masse and making of Gods then in handling their weapons among them was the Parson of Vimonstier a desperate and sedicious Priest The Lord Beaulieu was their captain who at the first onset the sayd Lord Beaulieu was taken among the first in the forcing of the Fort who being carried away by the Captaine Chauuayne before the Prince sayd that there were within that Fort at the least seauen hundred well armed and appoynted The Prince vnderstanding that commanded the Lords Bakqueuile Archand to get into the Fort and for that purpose he left them the Culuering and went that night to Escouche where he arriued about eleuen of the clocke in the night And assoone as he was gone the rebels of Comeaux vnderstanding how their fellowes had sped yéelded with their liues onely saued who were immediatly disarmed and brought to Escouche to the Prince There the Duke soiourned all the next day being the 21. of Aprill to take the view of the prisoners who were in great number of all qualities of persons The same day the Lords Hallot Bakqueuile Beuil Bellefontayn and Archand went abroad with their companies to see if they could méet with any ranging Rebells where they mist not much to haue taken the Baron Vernier The sayd Baron and Brissake with the rest of their complices retyred in great speede to Argenton fearing to be as kindly hit on the hips as their fellowes had béen The 22. day the Prince leauing the Lords of Harcourt of Saint Mary Venoix and Sassay at Escouche went to Courcy where hee vnderstoode that the Lord Pierrecourt was lodged with some Launciers not farre of he mounted straight on horsebacke and went to finde them out but he had dislodged a little before they came to the place Here Christian Reader marke the presence of God in the assisting of a good cause and handled by persons of lawfull calling First thou seest how the King heretofore in the warres against the K. of Nauarre had not prospered but all things haue fallen to his owne charges dishonour and shame because he persecuted him without a cause and such persons were put in trust of his affayres and aduanced themselues forward intending vnder that colour to supplant their master Now when the King hath a iust cause in hand and put men in trust that are lawfully called bearing a true and vnfayned heart to the King kingdome Crowne and Countrey such as bee the Princes of his bloud and other of the true Nobilitie of France the Lord also is of his side and fighteth for him maketh him victorious and restoreth to him his authoritie by steps as it shall appeare hereafter Secondly here is a notable thing happened which neuer did happen vnto any Captaine that euer I haue read saue vnto that noble Athenian Conon that a Captaine had obtayned three noble victories in one day but vnto this noble Prince of ancient and noble rase Thus the Prince Montpencier by these victories gaue a tast vnto the rebels of the cup of their treasons and so did driue them into Townes and Holds that afterward it was rare to see any rebels abroade except it were when they had neede priuilie to steale out to robb their nigh neighbours of their goods Hauing done this exployt he purposed to bring the artillerie from Courcy and returne to the Citie of Caen intending shortly after to be in the field agayne and to carrie by it vntill he had subdued the countrey to the Kings obedience agayne By a pertinent digression I haue shewed what noble and profitable exployts the Prince Montpencier hath done in Normandy against the Rebels now we will returne to continuance of the narration interrupted It is sayd before how the King seeing himselfe in extreame danger made truces with the King of Nauarre and deliuered him the Towne of Saumour for his safe passage and repassage ouer the riuer of Loyre which he committed to the Lord of Plessis Marline Few dayes being expired after the deliuering of the town of Saumour the King of Nauarre went thether to the great contentation and reioysing of all the inhabitants and of all the Nobility round about well affected to the Kings seruice and good of the realme Liberty was geuen by the K. of Nauarre to all the inhabitants concerning religion indifferently as hée had done in other places The King of Nauarre hauing ordered all things at Saumour about the 17. day of Aprill went foorth and besieged the Castell of Brissak the Lord thereof beeing a traitour and a rebellious Leaguer and tooke it by composition The 18. the King of Nauarre passed all his Forces beyond the riuer of Loyre ouer the bridg of Saumour and within few dayes ioyned with other forces which stayed for him gathered out of Normandy Mayne Anjou Perche Beausse and other countries beeing betweene Loyre and Seyne intending shortly to see face to face the army of the rebels conducted by the Duke de Mayne Thus the King of Nauarre greatly iniuried and offended so often and at the request and for the pleasure of the Duke of Guyze assaulted now commeth to rescue out of danger captiuity and death him that had persecuted him so long with all the forces of a mighty kingdome he commeth I say with a chosen army not onely great in number but also in valour so that euery common souldier might haue supplyed the roome of an Officer Goe on O great King put on the armor of God follow his calling this day thou hast obtayned a greater and more famous victory then at the day of Coutras in ouercomming the desire of reuengement which vpon diuers occasions might haue risen by the frailty of mans nature The 21 the King of Nauarre hauing passed ouer the riuer Loyre and ioyned with his forces gathered out of the Countreys abouesayd setteth forth a declaration shewing the causes of this passage First hee sheweth that hee is called to enter into this action by God by nature by the lawe and by the iust approbation of his Prince which causes do moue him to determine to imploy his lyfe his meanes power for the reestablishing of y e Kings authority restoring of the realm and for the defence of good Subiects within the same decayed and oppressed by the treasons of the Leaguers vnder the colour of godlines and iustice Secondly he protesteth
holy Church They let him vnderstand how among all other order of Friers his had deserued the greatest praise in spilling daily the bloud of heretikes as water in the townes and citties of Spaine and Jtaly and all for the honor of God and exaltation of holy Church But this pinch would be the noblest act that euer was done by any man the rememberance thereof should remaine for euer and his name should be made immortall thereby and if he should die he should dye a glorious Martir as Thomas Becket did in England Afterwad he was brought to the Ladies catholike and chast women the Duchesses of Montpencier Guyze Aumale Nemours Foyeuse the mother and the holy Virgin the Ladie Saint Beufue who as a speciall fauour had bestowed the pockes of late vpon the Duke de Mayne and beside diuers of the principall leaguers in the time of her Virginitie This Lady is of such holynes that shee is neither a maide nor wife nor widow in this company were Thais Lais and Bacchis of Corinthus all holy Catholike women They began to shriue the Frier if they were men or if they could be so transformed into men that they might haue accesse to the tirant they could finde in their harts to stabbe him that is a speciall point of honor which they do proffer him to doo such a famous deed It is hereditarie to his order to exalt the Church and to deliuer it hee is a man endued with strength they haue béen his good Ladies they haue fauoured him greatly and pleasured him in any thing that euer he requested What will hee not do so much at their request they must die all and all the citie of Paris what a good deede it is to saue the liues of Princesses Ladies good Citizens deuout Priests and religious men of so many innocents whose death the tirant had sworne with the razing of the cittie If he refuseth to do that good deede they thinke him not to be that man that they tooke him for They shewed him how easy it was to performe it for there were many Leaguers and their partakers in his counsell in his court in his chamber in his campe in his gardes who would assist him and if any danger should stirre they would defende him and rescue him and that none would bee so hardie as to proffer him a blowe for else Frier Pagarola would fome like a boare and thunder like a deuill against them What and if it should happen that he should die for holy Church then he should be happie to deserue the name of Martir that his brother Frier Sixtus would make him a Sainâ—t But if hee returne safe as hee shall no doubt God forbid else hee shall be well rewarded in money hee shall haue a Bishopricke for his paines Frier Paugarola will procure Frier Sixtus to make him a Cardinall for a Frier will doo for a Frier and who knowes not that by these meanes hee may be made Pope after Frier Sixtus is weary of his roome To bee short if hee will not do it he shall see with his eies his good Ladies all his order all the good Catholikes of the whole citty of Paris put to the sword the cittie razed for the tirant hath sworne both he shall die himselfe an assured death ere it bee long the holy Masse the holy Saints Images and relikes the Churches shall all be destroyed and the heretikes shall haue all thinges all these mischiefes cannot be auoyded but by his death By these perswasions the accursed Fryer otherwise ready ynough to all mischiefe is induced to commit one of the most villanous parts which euer was committed in France So Sathan hauing possessed his hart the Fryer perswadeth himselfe that an Angell hath appeared vnto him and commaunded him to kill the King he opened this to another Fryer which was greatly esteemed in Paris by reason of a good opinion of great holines which the people had of him The other Fryer doth encourage him promiseth him that by doing such a holy deed he shall deliuer the Church and set the whole realme at quiet banish warre and restore a most assured and perpetuall peace as Iudith did deliuer Betulia by the death of Holofernâ—s Behold Christian reader the King condemned to dye the executioner to commit the parricide sought out by Pichenard perswaded by the heads of the League and some Ladies belonging to them deluded by Sathan confirmed in this delusion by another Frier as good as himselfe with assured promise of a most sure and constant peace Frier Clement desireth to knowe how he may doo it surely and safely The Leaguers therefore enter into deliberation about three things to wit the accesse to the Kings person the stroke and secrecie As for the first poynt to conuey him to the Kings person they considered his coate which for the reuerence and loue which the King did beare to it would prepare him the way Secondly whereas the rebels in seazing vpon Paris after the death of the Duke of Guize had taken the Senate prisoner and did as yet hold a great many prisoners and among other the first President of the Senate named the President Harlay They had also in like sort many of the chiefest Citizens for bearing good will to the King or because they were rich as is aforesayd whom they detayned in like manner prisoners The sayd Lord President and some of the sayd Citizens procured to write letters vnto the King which should bee deliuered to Frier Iames Clement They taught him also a lesson contayning matters of importance with commaundement that they should not be disclosed vnto any man but vnto the King onely and that in secret As for the stroke it must néedes bee deadly too for els it would but increase their miserie and such a blowe could not bee giuen but by a secret weapon that might bee hidden easily about him for otherwise if it could be perceiued it would make the King more warie hereafter and carefull of himselfe But what could be more fit then a knife which might bee easily conueyed in the Friers sleeue and whose noyse might not detect the treacherie But yet there was another mischance to be preuented for the wouÌ„d of a knife might light vppon such a place as could not be deadly they finde the meanes to worke surely that if he cannot kill him out of hand yet that at length it may be his death Therefore Frier Paugarola Frier Sixtus his Chaplaine must blesse the knife with some poulderdoribus of Rome which such men as he is doo commonly carry in store for great holines among other holy reliques of Rome hauing greater force theÌ„ their Agnus dei or any other agios others they haue to worke miracles and such as the master Frier in Rome dooth vse to giue in a drench to his friends when hee is wearie of their companie to make them giue roome But because such waightie matters cannot bee kept so close very long but will vent out
the Sonne of God So the Lord knoweth who are his Herein also appeareth euidently the mercifulnes of God who worketh all things to the best and comfort of his children For when as the Rebels and murtherers supposed that by the Kings death they might easily make an alteration of the state and transferre the Crowne vpon the head of the Duke de Mayne and so disappoynt the Princes of Bourbon of their right of succession the Lord turned al their counsels vpside downe For the Lord mooued the King lying on his death bed when he was in perfect memorie and farthest as the manner in such a case from all manner of affection and parciality to pronounce his sentence and decrée or rather supplying the person of God to proclayme the King of Nauarre right heire and successor of the crowne and by the inuocation of the glorious name of GOD bâ—und the Princes péeres Nobles Captaines and Souldiours to yéeld him dutifull obedience so that God himselfe hath béene the iudge of his cause giuing sentence on his side by him whome he appoynted his officer in that behalfe It will stand Thus much of the vnworthy death of so great a King in whom ended the issue of the noble house of Engolesme according vnto the fatall period of great Noble and mighty families which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wherein we haue to note the whole family excepted onely Francis the first as Henry the second Francis the second Charles the ninth Francis Duke of Aniou and this last King Henry the third 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 per sanguinem ruit and haue died of an vntimely or violent death because they were polluted with that accursed woman Catherine Medicis Pope Clement his sisters brothers daughter And so making an end of the Epitasis of this vnnaturalltragedie played by leaguers we will make an end likewise of this 6. Booke Here endeth the 6. Booke THE SEVENTH BOOKE NOw we will follow the Catastrophe and last act which although it be full of Calamities yet it is like to bee ended with a ioyfull and happie successe The King beeing dead great heauines and sorrowe seazed vppon men of all degrees the Campe was full of sorrow and lamentation the wise saw this to be new seeds of a world of euils which wil worke the vtter subuersion of France On the other side great reioysing was seene among the rebels and traitors authors and procurers of the murther their ioye they shewed diuers waies but speciallie with contumelies and sarcasmes demaunding one of another whether the Friers knife was sharpe enough or not The rebels in Paris certified of the assured death of the King and supposing that the army had béen greatly dismayed replenished with teares and lamentation conceaued a good hope to do some great and notable exploit and imagining that it were easie in this mourning of all men to defeat the Kings forces all that night the Duke de Mayne did muster and prepare a mighty army and early in the morning issuing out of the Suburbs was so receaued by the Kings forces that he was enforced to retire within the Citie with blowes and dishonor That morning being the third of August but by the right calender the 23. of Iuly the King of Nauarre who was appointed the Kings Generall lieutenant by the King after that hee had receaued the wound assembled the Princes Lords Nobility and Captaines to deliberat how to remedy those great euils and to put out that combustion which the rebels had kindled in all partes of the realme First there was a capitulation made and concluded betweene theKing and the said Princes and Nobles Lords gentlemen and souldiers that there should be no innouation made in the Romish religion but the same should stand and be exercised peaceably without any interruption And that the reformed religion should be contained with all liberty in the exercise thereof within the places where it was then at that present time established prouided that the Romish religion should bee there exercised also without any disturbance And that men professing these two religions liuing peaceably like good subiects should be protected by the Kings authoritie in their liues goods liberties and franchizes vntill that by a nationall Councell some good and peaceable order should bee taken for some reconsiliation or vniformitie touching religion Which thing the King promised by the faith of a Prince to kéepe inuiolably and with as much speede as might be to prouide that a Councell and méeting of the learned might be assembled This order being concluded and the obseruation thereof promised by the King all his Princes Nobles Lords Gentlemen and Captaines promised vpon their othes all duetifull fidelitie and obedience vnto the K. and to assist him with their liues goods and meanes as well in the defence of his royall authoritie agaynst all traytors rebels and Leaguers which goe about to vsurpe the state as in the execution of the exemplary punishment vpon them who haue procured or committed that haynous disloyaltie felony and treason vpon the Kings person last deceased and all others who shall be knowne consenting knowing or accessarie to the same This order being taken as the readiest and most expedient to vnite the subiects with the King being promised and sworne the King of Nauarre was saluted declared proclaymed and crowned King of France and Nauarre by the name of King Henry the 4. And whereas in this historie hée had béen discerned from the King of France by the title of King of Nauarre now in the course of this historie following he shall be simply named King without any other addition or title This noble King being proclaymed King is crowned and put in the possession of the Crowne of France due vnto him by right not with triffling childish and Monkish cerimonies with holy oyle holy water holy toyes and holy trashes but after the ancient manner of the Emperours of the Romanes in the Camp by the whole army Princes Péeres Nobles and Captaines of the kingdome Here Christian Reader is to be noted Gods most gracious fauour toward France and prouidence toward this great King for except the Lord had prepared this heroicall Prince to restablish this decayed state which was cast downe headlong into such a depth of miseries by the Leaguers as in mans iudgement it was impossible that it could euer haue been vnited againe but rather reduced into a lamentable desolation But the Lord in his mercie beholding from heauen his holy habitation with his lightfull countenance after so many tempests hath raised vp lead by the hand and placed by his own authoritie and power this great Prince on the Throan of that state whom hee hath endued with wisedome prudence fortitude moderatnes modestie iustice and pietie to bee able to heale the deadly wounds of that sickly state to pacifie the controuersies of religion to lodge therein iustice and iudgement so long exiled out of that common wealth and to restore peace so long wished and desired Againe
the Kings will and promise made vnto him proffered vnto him their faithfull seruice Thus the present estate and summe of affairs being managed he retired into Normandy hauing not with him aboue eight thousand men of all sortes and stayed there a while beholding what the enemy would enterprise Now we wil leaue the King about the Sea coast in Normandy where we haue brought him with eight thousand men of all sorts and will goe to see what is done in other places what preparations the Leaguers do and after we will passe ouer the Alpes to see how doth Frier Sixtus and what iolly diuinity is with him and his Chaplains About the 31. of Iuly which to the Papistes is the 21. of August the D. of Lorreine thought good to blow the fire of rebellion to make it burne more furiously There is Langres a noble City in that part of Bourgondy which commonly is called Bassigny the citizens had euer remayned faithfull to the King and could neuer bee brought to associat themselues to the League smelling the breath of the Lorreins as nigh Neighbours to Nancie This noble Citie the Duke of Lorreine desired greatly to bee of the association of the rebellion knowing the importance of that place by reason of the strong situation thereof to make much for the affayres of the rebellion First he sheweth his sorrow for the Kings death to be so great that hee cannot keepe himselfe from weeping This weeping and teares are to be supposed to proceede from ioy he himselfe beeing one of the procurers of the murther Secondly he fayneth a great feare least the Gospell which he calleth heresie entring into their City should breake the necke of Popery and so rid their Citie of that deceitfull guest which by all meanes possible hee would haue courteously entertained Thirdly he exhorteth them to admit none of the Kings fauorers within their walles and in so doing promiseth them all ayde and fauour The noble Citie of Langres after curteous thanks geuen him for an answere the third of August doth first protest of their zeale goodwill and constancie in the Catholike faith Secondly doth protest of their great sorrow conceaued for the death of their late King of blessed memorie proffering themselues their liues their goods and whatsoeuer is deare vnto them for the iust and due reuengement of that most vilanous and execrable deede Last of all doth protest of their dutifull obedience to their King promising all assistance with all their meanes todefend him and nobility ioyned with him both in the defence of the Crowne and State and also in pursuing the authors of that murther vntill that a sufficient reuengement be taken of them The Citizens of the Noble Citie of Langres perceauing by these letters of the Duke of Lorreine that further matters might be attempted to procure a rebellion within their Citie to preuent all that might happen the third day of August and in their Popish calender The twelfth they assembled al the Magistrates Officers Citizens and Inhabitants of their Citie in the Towne-house after ripe consideration of the euils procured by the Leaguers and rebels and of their duties of their lawfull obedience did all with accord and minde promise and sweare First the keeping of the Catholike faith Secondly they do sweare neuer to admit any confederacy society faction or conspiracie neither with the Lorreyne nor any other forreine nor within the Realme without the expresse commandement of their King Thirdly doo acknowledge Henry of Bourbon the 4. to bee their lawfull King and naturall heire and successour to the Crowne of France and sweare neuer to depart from his obedience but to obey him and to defend him and the fundamentall lawes of the right succession of the Crowne proffering all their liues goods and meanes to preserue his person his state Crowne and kingdome and not to admit any sedition or conspiracie against him Last of all doo sweare to assist him with all their power and meanes to reuenge the vnworthie death of Henry de Valoys lately deceased Many other Townes on the North side of Loyre as in Gastinoys Hurepoys Auxerroys Bourgundie Bassigny and Champaigne being wauering encouraged with the example of the noble Citie of Langres did resolue themselues in reiecting the entising perswasions of Rebels to remayne in the Kings obedience and tooke the like oath voluntarily as the sayd Citie of Langres had done As the Rebels in the rest of Townes and Cities tooke occasion by the proclayming of the King to stirre the people to their societie of vnion that is to rebellion crying still the Catholike the Catholike religion heresie heresie heretikes heretikes so in like manner the heads of the rebellion doo prepare all the forces that euer they can for the Duke of Lorreyne gathered a great power of horsemen and footmen which he sent to the Duke de Mayne to Paris conducted by his eldest sonne the Marquesse du Pont. The Duke de Mayne also sent to the Duke of Parma for succour supposing that with the great forces which he was able to make within Paris the succour which was expected from Lorreyne and some companies of horsemen of Wallons and Germanes he would easily make an end of the warre The Duke of Parma therefore sent lustie companies of horsemen and Wallons vnder the conduct of the Duke of Brounswicke and Countie Egmond who did arriue about the beginning of September Now let vs leape ouer the Alpes to see Frier Sixtus and pray to God that the pockes may neuer depart from him nor from that holy sea seeing that his predecessor Iulius the great warriour being either the first or one of the first in all Italy which was infected with it if Ihuigo doth not lye and of a speciall grace and Apostolicall fauour left it to all the legions of Friers and Massemongers for a token of their honest and chast life The Rebels hauing committed that sauage murther vpon the person of their Soueraigne King and Prince whom God commaunded them to obey serue and reuerence and such as in Catholicisme did surpasse the best Catholike in the world and to bee short with one blowe hauing executed the secret counsell of Rome for the rooting out the rase of Valoys and put out the Lamp of France as for the Bourbons they had made their account to haue destroyed them all ere now they sent in post to Rome to congratulate Frier Sixtus for their good successe and also to haue his Frierlike counsell to bring their worke to perfection according to the sacred counsell of Rome as is aforesayd In this message as it appeared in Frier Sixtus oration they had certified him how miraculously the Frier went out of Paris in great daunger to be searched out and afterward miraculously passed through the Campe of the heretikes and through the Kings gardes not perceiued of any man but as if the diuell should conuey him inuisible in a clowde vntill he came into the Kings presence so that no man had no power
Rochefocault and the Countie of Rossie his brother with the Countie of Rochefort with diuers Gentlemen who were néerest to his person all them he set about his footmen deuiding the Swissers into two parts The enemies were 25. thousand and he had not aboue nine thousand and that to the vttermost With this small number the King knowing that God would consider iustice of the cause and was able to vanquish as well with fewe as with a great number hauing earnestly desired Gods ayde in his priuate prayers commaunded publike prayers which being ended marched against his enemies with such resolued and princelike courage that at the first encounter as it were with one blowe the enemie left vpon the place fiue hundred men beside a number of prisoners and wounded souldiers but the rest fled with great feare and disorder In the same méeting the enemie lost as is aboue sayd at the first encounter fiue hundred men among whom were the chiefest Sague Colonell of the light horsemen the Lord S. Vidal chiefe Marshall of the Ordinance the Lord S. Andrew brother to the Countie of Saulx the Lord Vienuille eldest sonne to the Marshall Vienel who were caried to Roen and there buried with many more of great account The Countie Billing Marshall of the Camp Temblecourt the Countie of Lorreyne who had the first regiment and the Lord Sauelak with diuers other Captaines were taken prisoners Of the Kings side dyed but 26. among whom were the Countie Rossie brother to the Lord Rochefocault and also the Lord Bakqueuile whose vertues were commendable among all men for whom the King was greatly grieued There was among the enemies one Lorde Sagonne a proud man greatly boasting of his valiantnes who with feeling escaped from the slaughter at Seulis the Lord Graund Prior prouoked him to fight who ioyning together the saide Lorde Graund Prior gaue him such a blowe that in retyring and lighting downe of his horse hee fell downe and brake his neck Thus the enemy hauing retyred with shame and losse the King commaunded all his forces to refresh themselues which thing being done fifteene hundred Launce-knights presented themselues to a little trench which was kept by some of the Kings Launce-knights and lifting vp their hands protested and desired to yéeld vnto the King so that the Kings seruants as well as they would put vp their weapons This caused great ioy in the army and euery man putting vp their weapons the Kings men scattered themselues among them without any suspition of treason shaking hands like good fellowes two of the Captaines went to meete the King and being examined suddainely faultring in their speach as knowing not what they said as men troubled in minde named themselues seruants to the Duke d' Mayne in the meane while they fed the Kings Souldiours with fayre words to delay the time till their troupes of horsemen shoulde drawe neere to assist them desiring very much to see the King The King hauing no liking of them commaunded his forces to march downe the medowes from them and whilest these villanous dissembling traitors passed toward the Suissers as though in deed they would yeelde themselues to the King seeing no more the kings horsemen before them and their horsemen approaching still then they seazed vpon the Countie Rochefort and began to set vpon the Kings troupes with all their might whilest fiftéene hundered horsemen came marching a long the medowes to assist them The enemies by these meanes being three thousand and the Kinges forces there beeing not aboue three hundered Horsemen put this small companie in great feare and began to retyre toward the Swissers The Swissers neuer shronk for all that multitude but stoode still firmely shewing such a manly countenance that the enemy suspected the retyre of the Kings horsemen to haue been a policy to draw them into the danger of the Swissers At the same instant that the treason was discouered the Lord Chastilion brought out of Deepe fiue hundred Caliuers Thus all these troupes were deuided into two parts the Harquebusiers of the Kings side were so fitly placed that the enemy durst not venture to set vppon them The Canons in the meane time played vppon them and killed manie The King in this extremity and suddaine discouering of this vnlooked treason hauing ordered all things set vpon the enemies and shewed himselfe both King Captaine and Souldier and by his princely courage did encourage all men to play their partes valiantly The King receaued a shot in his boete and his horse being hurt accompanied with the Marshall Byron fought on foote vntill hée was reuenged of his enemies The enemie retired with shame and losse leauing their dead on the place and hid himselfe at Martinglize The King remayned on the field and commaunded certaine pieces of Ordinance to bée discharged against Martinglize which thing being done he gaue thanks to God with earnest praiers for his gracious goodnes succour and presence in defending them and his iust cause This being done hée greatly commended the good and faithfull seruice of the Swissers in presence of their Captaines and dronke to them for their valiant exploytes done that day The 23. of September the Lord Staphord Ambassadour for the most Noble Quéene of England arriued at Diepe bringing both money and munition but hée sawe not the King vntill the next day following About midnight following the same day the King perceaued that the enemy had changed his opinion and that hée would rayse vp his armie The 24. of September very early in the morning the enemy raised vp his Camp without any sound of Drumme or Trompet in the sight of the King and of his army This their remoouing was done with such great feare and so cowardly that they left their wounded in the Villages behind them and without giuing warning to their Sentinels to retire and saue themselues they left their victuall and munition of warre in the way as they went They tooke their iourney as though they went to the towne of Hewe and at length they turned to Saint Vax Quinqueuile and Bures and camped themselues on the other side of Diepe entrenching themselues in the néerest Villages Ianuile Boutiles and Apeuile The King who was on the other side of the hill in battel aray séeing their departing to be like a fearefull flight while hee receaued the Lord Ambassador of England sent certaine companies to puriue them who also tooke many prisoners ofthem These Prisoners beeing demaunded the cause of the sudden retire answered diuersly for some said it was by reason of the comming of the English ships which lately arriued wherein they doubted great aid to bee sent to the King But some gaue another answere to wit that vpon the death of those Noble men who had béen slaine great strife had growen among them for placing other in their roome some allowing one some choosing another so that it seemeth that these two causes troubled the enemy The King seeing the enemy encamped in another side caused
him nor good for his master to meddle with the Kings affayres we sayd the Lord Byron hold the King for the true and naturall heire of the Crowne of France That the King maintained their lawes and liberties inuiolable and had none for enemies but fewe straungers thrust forward by ambition who vnder y e pretence of religion sought to ouerthrowe all good lawes to lay downe the foundation of their tyrannie to giue entrance to the Spanish King and for religion to bring in all Atheisme The Frier protested that his master was free from medling in any such enterprises But his doings his practises his ministring of money to the Rebels his conuersation and familiaritie with Bernardine Mendoza was so auerred to the foolish Friers face that he was proued a lying false flattering Frier Thereupon master Frier his stomacke being not yet satisfied would haue a saucie Frierlike fling against the King and demaunded the Marshall Byron how they being professors of the Catholike religion made so light account of his masters holines and purposes to carrie armes against the Catholikes their brethren The Lord Byron answered that they carried armes agaynst rebels and traytors and told him agayne that it were very wisely done for him his master to looke somewhat neerer to his owne estate For if he so encroached and medled with them they would quickly excommunicate him And that there were diuers Bishops in France as good Catholikes as his master who would bee glad to bee made Patriaches in their seuerall Prouinces and would finde as good Scripture to maintaine their authoritie as his master had any to defend his Some reasoning being vpon this poynt Frier Paniguerola was found to be so great a Clark that he could answer little or nothing But at length to conclude the talke he shewed the somme of his Ambassage to wit he desired a good peace to be concluded and some paynes to be taken to bring the King to be a Catholike But he shewed not his intent which was to delay the siege of Paris if the king had intended to besiege it out of hand The other Ambassadour to wit Vileroy was sent by the King to the Lord Plessis Morney a noble man of great wisedome and profound learning who handled the sayd Vileroy very plainly and roughly reproaching vnto him his vnfaithfull and treacherous seruice to his old master Henry the third And when he had denyed these things wherewith he was charged the Lord Beaulieu both condemned his fayre flattering wordes and promises which he brought now full of dissimulation and verified his olde trayterous practises agaynst his olde master it was thought that iustice should haue been executed vppon him for his treasons according to the Kings edicts The King hauing soiourned at Mante fewe dayes tooke his way to Vernon which lyeth between Mante and Pont de larche which also yéelded vnto him From Vernon the Gentlemen of Normandy to the number of fifteene hundred horses retyred to their home about the eight of March The Lord Chartres gouernour of Deepe returned to Deepe sicke in whose absence certaine Leaguers inhabitants there went about to haue seazed vpon the towne for the League who being detected and preuented at his returne were exiled out of the Towne to the number of sixe score among whom were many of the richest sort of all the towne About the same time that the King soiourned at Vernon the Duke of Longueuile the Lord of Tinteuille arriued to the King with eight thousand Rutters The King hauing seazed on Vernon and Mante and stopped the traffique of that riuer with the Citie of Paris on that side and prouided for the safetie of the sayd Townes concluded in his counsell to besiege Paris the principallest Citie of the Realme where it was considered that the Citie being populous and great would easily be woon by famine which would eschewe slaughter both of his owne Souldiers and Citizens whome hée would by all gentle meanes bring to their duetie of obedience and therefore it was thought good to stop the passages of the riuers Oyse Marne and Seyne aboue Paris For in stopping Oyse the Towne of Pontoyse also should bee distressed Therefore the King deuideth his armie as followeth The Duke of Longueuile should haue part of his armie to besiege Beaumont vpon Oyse He sent the Marshall Byron with another part of the armie to scoure the riuer Marne where he tooke Cressie a towne situated in Brie betweene Meaulx and Corbeil where a Parisien named Peter was Captaine for whose raunsome was proffered eight hundred Crownes but the King for some speciall causes commaunded him to be hanged and fiue and twentie of the chiefest of the towne with him The sayd Marshall Byron immediatly after the taking of Cressie layed the siege before Lagnye vpon the riuer Marne right agaynst Corbeil The Citizens required space of time to send vnto the King which was yet in Normandy to craue his gracious mercie which they obtayned The King about the 21. of March hauing receiued certayne munitions from Deepe and taken order for the safetie of Normandy with part of his armie coasted betweene the riuers of Seyne and Eure and tooke the townes of Possie and S. Germain and the Pont S. Clow and marched toward Corbeil to seaze vpon the riuer of Seyne on that side It is said before how the Leaguers had compacted with the King of Spayne vpon some conditions of receiuing a certaine somme of money to haue deliuered the Citie of Marsels a great strong Citie in Prouance vpon the Mediterran Sea but being disappoynted of his purpose as is said in the first Booke that Citie continued faithfull vnto the King vntil the Duke of Guize his death The King of Spayne had corrupted aforehand the chiefe gouernour of the Citie by giuing him pay to the summe of fifty Crownes a day he had also drawne to his faction three score of the chiefest Citizens paying to some forty crownes some more and some lesse a day Thus the hearts of a great number of Citizens being disposed the death of the Duke of Guize was bruted euen to the coast of the Mediterrane Sea The gouernour and his complices hearing of that began to â—nuaigh and bring the City to a wauâ—ring and inconstancy of wills counsels some would haue the Towne to yéelde to the League and some would not so the Citie remayned as neuter hanging neither to Spayne nor to France In the meane time the Lord Valete as is said hauing made peace with the Lord Diguieres and considering the wauering of that Citie had prepared a nauy of Galeys on the Sea before the said City to controule such Ships or other vessels as might come or goe that way to benefit the said Towne whome he molâ—sted as Leaguers The gouernour and the rest of malcontents hired by the King of Spayne practized that the said King of Spayne and the Duke of Sauoy should send Galleys thether in shew to clense the Seas but in déede
speedely put them to flight and followed them to their Barricadoes where master Kemp a Gentleman of that Cornet was slayne Anthony Sherleys horse was shot in the head and Charles Blunt his horse was killed vnder him with the Canon and he himselfe somewhat wounded The thirteenth day the enemie offered some light skirmishes but seeing that he could get nothing by it he refused to bitte The fourteene day the Prince expected the battell as vndertaken by don Iuan de Lagula generall of the Spaniards in the worship of Saynt Iohn whose day it was with them But fearing that bonfires would bee made to their cost and charges they gaue quite ouer the game prepared the same night to dislodge and the next day following repassed the hill for hauing spent al their victuals they must go forth to rob for more The Prince stayed sixe dayes vpon the Heath and in the meane while the enemie durst neuer presume to draw his armie into the Heath The sixteenth day the Lord la Now with the troupe of the Countie Mongomery and the Countie Chombourg came vnto Chasteau Laudran whose arriuall giueth hope of good successe in the Kings affayres They y t haue written the history of wilde beasts which doth recite that there is a wild beast in Asia named Pardalis it yeeldeth such a sauour that the Woolfe hath a great delight to follow a farre off but if it chance that this Pardalis dooth looke back immediatly the Woolfe retyreth and flyeth away So the Noble Princes of Bourbon doo yeeld sweete sauour of pietie vertue and valiantnes Merceur followeth them a farre off but if they turne their face hee runeth away as it hath appeared in the things which heretofore he hath attempted in Poytow There is a towne in Picardy situated vpon the riuer Oyse called Noyon commended if there were none other cause for being the place of the natiuitie vnto that man of God Iohn Caluin of blessed memory whose name is written in the booke of life and shall yeeld a sweete sauour to the true Church of God to the worldes ende whatsoeuer Sathan doth rage against the name of this seruant of God This towne was seduced long before from the Kings obedience by the Leaguers and through rebellion was possessed by the Kings enemies The King therefore after the taking of Louiers thought expedient to remooue his armie from Vernon and to draw Eastward that doing still some profitable exployt he might expect and receaue the forces that came to him out of Germany and considering that the sayd towne of Noyon did lye betweene S. Quintin Compeigne and Corbey which were long before vnder his obedience thought good there to stay for the approaching of the Germanes and during the moneth of Iuly hauing reduced the sayd towne to great distresse made his account shortly to be Lord of it The Vicount Tauanes head of the rebellion in the Citie of Roan and most hatefullest enemie of any that the King had enterprised to relieue the sayd towne of Noyon and for that intent in the beginning of August in the night season departed from Roan accompanied with foure hundred horse and fiue hundred footmen with good hope either to succour the said towne or els by surprise greatly to hinder the King But the King hauing intelligences of his comming met him about two or thrée leagues from Noyon as I haue heard reported where his power was discomfited slayne and taken prisoners and he himselfe after being wounded in the assault was also taken prisoner So the Lord knoweth bow where and when to stay his enemies The newes of this sorrowfull successe of the Leaguers flying abroad caused the Duke Aumale to assemble as great forces as he could make in the towne of Han which is situated vpon the riuer Some betweene Saint Quintin and Peronne vndertaking either to amend the fault committed by Tauanes or els to release the towne of Noyon accompanied with the Lord Largue and Lawney with all their forces ioyned all with the light horsemen the seauenth of August charged vpon the quarter of the Kings light horse where they were stoutly receaued and after more then twelue charges giuen the Kings companies yet very like to haue the victorie of their enemies began to retyre at which retyre that valiant man at armes the Lord Baron of Byron hauing twelue of his owne men did approach and the Kings forces supposing he had brought a supply of fresh Souldiers so soone as they heard him named tooke a wonderfull courage and seeing him in the middest of them gaue a fresh charge vpon the enemie with such force that they did driue the enemie euen into the gates of Han. To whom there was also comming a new succour and fresh supply of men who perceauing the euill successe of the rest retyred in agayne so that some of the Kings forces followed them euen into their Barriars In these so many charges geuen there were a number of armed men slayne on the enemies side and among them diuers of commandement In the number of the dead were found Don Francisco de Gueuara the best Captayne of light Horsemen which the King of Spayne had in the low Countreys also his lieutenant was slayne outright with diuers other of great accompt The Lord Longchamp one of the best Captains of the rebels was taken prisoner with more then foure score men at armes of account and lost aboue fifteene hundred of their best horses The King lost in this skirmish about twelue horse of his light horsemen and among a few which were slayne the Marshall of the light horsemen whose death was greatly bewayled beeing accompted a man of great valour The same day the Duke de Mayne arriued at the said towne of Han with all his troups of horsemen which he could gather which thing made the King thinke that he would goe about either to raise or to interrupt the siege or attempt some thing In the meane time he lost no opportunity about this siege for the same day that this exploit was done to wit the seauenth of August the Canon began to beat a church that standeth in the middest of the Suburbes which together with a great ditch did strongly defend the same The sayd Church beeing battered from the morning to three a clock in the after noone had by that time made a great breach in the same And a fierce assault being geuen there were slayne of the enemies about thirty and about fifty of the Souldiers retired into the vaultes of the said church The sayd Church beeing taken and consequently the Suburb in a maner as strong as the towne gaue occasion both to them that had retired into the vaultes to yeeld to the Kings mercy who sent them away safe with bagge and bagage and also to the Gouernor of the towne to mooue speaches of composition For the Gouernor called the Lord Vile considering how the Towne was slenderly furnished of all thinges but specially of men of armes and that the most
in forme of excommunication or interdiction in payne of confiscation of bodie and goods as infringers and perturbers of the publique peace The court doth commaund the Ecclesiasticall persons by vertue of the Kings letters directed vnto them that they shall not suffer the liberty of the French Church to be in any sort diminished but beeing assisted by their K. their soueraigne Iustice to oppose themselues against all the Popes enterprises Thirdly the court doth declare the foresayd Marcilius Ladrianus Fryer Gregory his Nuncio acommon enemy of al men a kindler of hatred and a sower of sedition commaunding the sayd pretended Nuncio to be pursued taken and apprehended aliue or dead and to be deliuered to iustice if it bee possible to receaue the punishment according to the greatnes of his offence But if he cannot bee apprehended within three daye â—to be summoned by the voice of the publike Cryer in the towne of Pont de Larche that there it may bee proceeded against him according to the Lawes of the Realme The order of the courts of France is that after a man is summoned at 3. seuerall tymes if he doth not appeare he is condemned as conuicted and then executed in picture Last of al the Court doth declare Fryer Gregory his excommunication and Bulles infamous libels full of impiety heresie deceit and slanders condemneth the same to betorne and burned publikly in the place of execution by the publike executioner of iustice forbidding all men to receaue allow reade fauour or conceale the said infamous libell vppon payne to bee attainted conuicted of high treason commaundeth also all manner of persons quickly to reueale to the court if they should know any such to bee kept secretly on the paines aforesaid This sentence of the Popes banishment and of all his tyrâ—nnie out of France was pronounced the third day of August at Caen in Normandie The selfe same proceedinges were vsed in all Courtes of the Realme whereuppon ensued the burning of the sayd Bulles in diuers and sundry places of the Realme but diuersly but euery where in as infamous maner as could bee It was burned at Tours in this maner The Magistrats and the common people of Tours being assembled before the Pallace gate there a piller was crected a little distant from the foot therof there was a fire made by the common Hang-man of the town then did he take the Bull and hanged it on the top of the Piller which beeing done he kindled another fire at the very foot of the Piller which by degrees crept vp vntill it tooke hold of the Bull which presently was consumed with fire to the great ioy of all the beholders Now Master Fryer I ween you be one of them that did drop out of the horses belly of Troy but I will thinke rather that you dropped out of an Asses bellie because you haue an Asses head Did not a little before your Standard reproue you to your face and told you what would follow your saucines and to put you in consideration of your folly gaue you a souse vpon the pate And you beeing of Asses brood will goe about to get Bulles and lo your Bulles bee turned into gydie Calues You neuer read for reading belongs not to your occupation but scortari crebro crebro conuiuarier that it was writteÌ„ in the horse of Troy sero sapiunt Phryges but it shal be hereafter in Asino Romano scriptum erit sero sapiunt Romanenses You knew not when you were well now haue with you to Auignon The towne of Noyan being surrendered according to the agréement betwéene the King and the gouernour of the saide towne the King went to receaue the right honorable Lord Earle of Essex as is said in the towne of Gisors and from thence returned into Champaigne to ioyn with the Germans who approached the borders of France leauing the Marshall Byron to reconduct his army into Normandie During the siege of Noyan the Lord of Pierrefont had béen taken prisoner and had promised vpon his deliuerance to surrender the Castell Pierrefont a place situated vpoÌ„ a rock and inaccessable almost on euery side The said Lord of Pierrefont being a desperat Leaguer had rather breake his faith with dishonor then to fulfill his promise with honour whereupon the Marshall Byron layed the siege before the saide Castell and battered it with nine skore shot of Ordinance wherewith hee made but a very small hole the stuffe wherewith the said Castell is builded being of such qualitie as resisted the shot euen to admiration which caused the said Marshall Byron to breake off his enterprise and march toward Normandie who ioyned with the English forces conducted by the right Honorable Lord the Earle of Essex the ninth of September and the twenty one of the said moneth laide the siege before the towne of Gourney It is saide before in the seauenth booke how after the cruell death of King Henry the third and last of the rase of Valoys the authors of that murther vnder the conduct of the Duke d'Mayne with great bragges and confidence went with a mighty army into Normandie hoping to oppresse the King who with a small power had retyred to Diepe for the causes there alleaged It is said also how the Duke d'Mayne in that iourney tooke the said towne of Gourney and the Lord Rubempre which his companie therein This Towne is distant from Roan ten Leagues from Gisors fiue from Beauuoys sixe and by estimation somewhat bigger then Diepe The Leaguers had fortified it with fortifications munition of warre and strong garrisons for Leagued Gentlemen of the Countrey to the number of foure skore and such power as they thought good to entertaine had settled themselues therein and from thence issuing dayly made courses to the gates of Mante Vernon Pont de larche and Gisors spoyling and wasting all that was in their way and taking prisoners such as trauailed on the high way to Diepe This towne being besieged the enemy put on a stout countenance at the first and being summoned to surrender the said towne they answered that they had receaued it of the Duke d'Mayne and for him they intended to kéepe it neither would they render it but to him onely This answer being giuen the English forces intrenched themselues within a stones cast of the gate and in making and kéeping the said Trenches they had sixe men hurt and one killed The enemies attempted diuers times to put men into the towne but they were in such sort looked to by the English men that they durst neuer approach The 25. day of September at night the Marshall Byron planted nine pieces of Ordinance before the towne the 26. in the morning hee began to batter it and a breach being made the English men were called to the number of one hundred shot to giue the assault who with great gladnes approached within sixescore pases of the wals the breach was scarse assaultable the ditch was more then halfe full of water it is reported that they had within certaine sluces which they might haue opened and greatly molested the assaulters the French men were very vnable to giue the assault because of their long toyling and wearines yet on a suddaine the enemies demaunded parley which being graunted they yeeldéd to foure dishonorable conditions such is the fainting of rebels First that all Souldiours should depart without bagage and armour with a white rod in their hands But the Lord Earle of Essex excepted the Queenes Maiesties subiects therein was found none but one Irish man who was executed The second was that the Gouernour Captaines Lieutenants and Gentlemen of quality should remaine to his mercy It was thought that the Gouernour and some Captaines should be executed The third was that the Citizens should haue their liues but their goods rested at the Kings pleasure The fourth is that they should receaue such garrisons as should bee thought good The taking of this towne is a great ease to the Countrey and preparation for the siege of Roan About the 28. the army tooke his way toward Caudebeck a smal towne situated vpon a rock on the banck of Seyne betweene Roan and Newhauen entending to cleere all the coast round about Newhauen of all filth of rebellion FINIS ¶ Imprinted at London by Thomas Orwin for Thomas Woodcock and are to be sould at his shop in Paules Church-yard at the signe of the black Beare 1591.