in large volumes now it is reduced and fitted to the time and purses of those that had no occasion and less abilities to accomplish the perusal or purchasing of large Folio's which I think was the grand reason of stifling the knowledge hereof to many of this age Reader thou art here presented with the most horrid Rapes Murthers Perjury and Treacherous Cruelty of a Prince and Court that ever landed on European shore for in few daies all the Protestant Nobility and Gentry with Ladies and innocent Gentlewomen and children to the number of fourty thousand were inhumanely butchered and cut off by the Kings special Commandment Here thou mayest see a Prince besmearing himself with the Goar blood of his own Subjects and at last wallowing in his own we shall here see Religious Vows and Promises no stronger ties to the King and Court than a Rope of sand to a wild beast being gone so far in perjury that the Kings faith was accounted like the Greeks whose unfaithfulness to their promises is become Proverbial that when one would express perjury they termed it Greca fides for though a Creditor had ten bonds and as many Sureties and Seals yet will he find it extreme hard to accomplish his debt so when a Jew is to deal with a Genoa he puts his finger in his eye fearing his Treachery They resolve to have no other virtue rampant than perjury and cruelty Abandoning that part of Religion which ties to a strict observance of Duty Omnia Religiosa nunc ridentur they will wade no further in Religion than may serve their cruel ends insomuch that in one Town which the Protestants kept they engraved on the gate this Motto Roy sans foy ville sans peur the King had no faith nor they no fear And as the Roman Emperor Caligula said of Seneca's Works they were Arena sine calce sand without lime having no connexion so was the King of France his Solemn Oaths and Promises It is a Christian accomplishment in Princes to govern non per timorem sed per amorem as it is said of Octavus Augustus And when any judgment befalls this Nation let them remember that as they made it an Acheldema or Field of Blood so will God the place of his Plagues for who knowes not that the Blood of so many thousand souls crys to heaven for vengeance upon the third and fourth Generation and I could wish that all Protestant Princes would beware how they shake hands with such faithless People Now the right use of these sad and sudden murthers should be to learn us the necessity of being ready prepared for such violent deaths and that prosperity is as diet to us Adversity as Physick reducing to a right tast of these mortal enjoyments How happy will the Torments of cruelty be when our cyes are fixed by faith on an Eternal inheritance linking our selves in that golden Chain of Salvation which extends from Eternity to Eternity Death comes not unexpected when a soul is interessed in Christ our Saviour how necessary is it for us to live ready to dy He that too closely hugs transitories makes a rent in his constancy and a greater in his soul How can a Christians Judgement but be at nonage when he values not the true worth of Celestials but puts them in the ballance with Terrene things He indeed hath found the Philosophers stone that can turn all events into a Subjection to Gods Will. It was the gratious words of Holy Greenham having food and rayment let us take the rest as an overplus these poor Souls had no other warning peice to dy than sudden and violent deaths that like the flying fish reported to be in great hazzard by the Shark and Dolphin in the Sea yet when advanced into the air to escape he is by Birds of prey in no less danger so were these poor Saints of God in War hazardous in Peace undone What shall we say of that Religion which perjury cruelty blood and the greatest cruelties are reckoned as virtuous Jewels in the Crown of their Government they are sweet when seasonable and parallel to their murtherous Hearts and it must needs presage ruin to that Nation that stands on no other Pillars for their foundation than bloody and infamous Plots and Treachery who will not conclude that Nation lies level to justice and I wish the large field of Liberty allowed the Papists in England to walk in may not insensably grow our inavoidable and swift ruin since it is well known by all how they wait for our destruction But to contract let me intrea◠〈…〉 my sincere and publick intentions which is all I adopt to be mine and that ex abundanti amoris out of the surplusage of Love thou wilt waft my Endeavours to the Haven of thy kind embraces where I cast Anchor and rest Reader these Books following are printed for and are to be sold by Richard Tomlins at the Sun and Bible neer Py-Corner THe General Practice of Physick Folio Drummonds Hist of 5. Kings of Scotl. fol. The Fortune Book in fol. English Pleasant Notes upon Don Quixot Fol. Mr Collings Cordials 1st 2d 3d. part quarto His Vindiciae Ministerii quarto His answer to Mr Sheppard quarto His answer to Fisher and Hammond quarto His answer to Boatman Prin Humfries qua Dr Holdsworths one and twenty Sermons quar Euclides Elements in quarto Eng. History of seven Champions quarro Packet of Letters quarto Cupids Messengers quarto The birth of Mankind or Womens book quar The perfect Pharisee under Monkish holines qu. The false Jew quarto Mr Collings 5 lessons for a Christian to learn 8. His Faith and Experience octavo Mr Wincolls Poems octava Excellency of Christ octavo Erasmus Colloquies octavo Wings and Libourns Urania Practica octavo Velitationes Polemicae octavo Janua Linguarum octavo Brinsley's Cordelius octavo Mr Sidenham's Mystery of Godliness octavo Mr Sidenham's hypocrisie discoved octavo Paul Hobson's last book of Queries octavo Watson's untaught Bridegroom twelves Place this fol i Men quartered Aliue Roasted on a spit Rauishing woomen Burning men Aliue Beating mens Braines out Ripping vp woomen w th Child Cutting Throats 300 protestants Murthered in a Church Stabbing with daggers Men Cutt in peeces The Civil Wars of France CHAP. I. The Contents THe Reign of Charls the ninth A Parliament called the Government committed to the Queen Mother during the Kings minority the names of Hugonet and Papist forbid on pain of death Prince of Conde and King of Navar in discontent departs the Court the King of Nevar made Lieutenant General and joyntly interessed in the Government with the Queen Mother the Princes desire a Toleration of Religion for the Protestants which is privately granted the Protestants multiply and the Princes protect them demanding the Queens promise for Toleration the Protestants that were in Prison for Religion freed by a Decree of the Council the Duke of Guise surrenders the Keys of the Palaces
to the King of Navar the King crowned the Princes of the Bloud and Duke of Guise contends at the Coronation about precedency the King gives it to the Duke of Guise the Constable forsakes the Protestants and cleaves to the Duke of Guise the Queen Mother for her own advantage joyns with the King of Navar and gives some liberty to the Protestants which so enrages the Catholick party as presently all former Edicts in behalf of the Protestants were broken by a contrary Edict that no Religion should be suffered in the Kingdom but the Romish the King and Queen Mother subscribes thereunto the Protestants at their request have a Conference granted they meet and confer in a hot Dispute but agree not the Catholicks murder many Protestants in Paris the eight Parliaments of France assembles the Duke of Guise disapproved of it and so in a fury departs the Court and goes for Spain the Protestants deluded by the Queen Mother gives her a List of all their Forces the King of Navar turns Catholick the eight Parliaments meet and with the consent of the King and Queen Mother do decree a free and publick Toleration of the Protestant Religion but speedily a sad and cruel Massacre the Duke of Guise furiously assaults the Protestants at a Sermon and murders two hundred of them the Protestants complain to the Prince of Conde of breach of Covenant and Edict the Duke of Guise seises on the King and carries him to Paris the Queen Mother writes to the Prince of Conde for aid against the Duke of Guises Attempt the Prince in his journey to Court suddenly retires to Orleance and possesses it the first Civil War begins The death of King Francis and Reign of King Charls FRancis second King of that name dying the fourteenth of December 1560. made entrance for the Reign of Charls the ninth and as the first died of a Feaver so the last reigned in a Frensie the legitimate off-spring of his Predecessours disease whose short Reign was thought too much lengthened by the train of all sorts of bloudy cruelties which filled this poor distracted Nation of France whose wicked Reign was also attended with the sable clouds of Flagellum Dei which swept both Field and City The beginning of his wicked Reign had a bloudy ending to the poor Kingdom and himself for the bodies of the murthered Protestants was a Prey to the Birds of the Air and Beasts of the Fields the whole Nation wearing the Pensive Weeds of a Ruinous Distraction for through the Lords just Judgments on the Nation they suffer nothing less than all Roberies Rapes and all sorts of Cruelties with horrid Massacres for the space of twelve years And as the Prologue of his Reign was Perjury and Treachery so was the Epilogue Bloudy to himself and poor Nation especially to the poor innocent Protestants A Parliament sits and the Government committed to the Queen Mother during the Kings minority A Parliament being called they begin the 23. of December Now at this time in the Court of France was Katherine de Medices Pope Clements Brothers Daughter and this Kings Mother who being born in Florence a City of Italy had conferr'd upon her the Government of this Kingdom in the Kings minority for it is well known that according to the Laws of this Nation neither the Administration nor Inheritance thereof can justly be cast on the shoulders of a Woman and yet against this Law and through the negligence of the King of Navar the said Queen Mother was joyned with him in the Office of Protectorship the confirmation of her Regency being allowed of by the Chancellour was afterwards confirmed by the Speakers Now in this Assembly of Parliament one John Quintin a Doctor of the Common Law at Paris for the Clergy pleads that none of the Religion Reformed for so they called the Protestants should any more be tolerated or suffered and desired that the Laws in that case provided might be put in speedy execution but the day following that brave Commander and good Christian Gasper de Coligni the Admiral of the Protestants complained to the Queen Mother against the said Quintin who presently excuses himself and in his second Speech moderates his Plea to the Admirals content The Parliament a little enlarges the Protestants privileges Now the Estates proceeds in their consultations making themselves and the beginning of this year somewhat happy by some moderation in matters of Religion whereby the reproachfull names of Papist and Hugenot was forbidden upon pain of Death which name Hugenot they fixed in disdain and derision to the Protestants and was derived from a Gate-house in Tours called St. Hughs Gate where they met in Assemblies Many good and necessary Laws were then published but with more confusiom than advantage for Laws though good and many yet through want of a due execution by the Magistrates power makes the good intent thereof to be perverted and turned into an indirect Channel giving the people cause to slight such wholesom Laws and grow bad under a good Government Great contentions and private animosities arose between the Princes of the Bloud that is the Prince of Conde and King of Navar who were Protestants and Francis Duke of Guise who was descended of the House of Lorain and now Grand Master of the Kings House who being a strong Catholick was no less a bitter Enemy to the poor Protestants the Queen Mother in her affections did secretly incline to the Duke of Guise yet to secure her own interest and power in the Kings minority carried fair to both The Princes of the Bloud being Protestants in discontent absent from Court but the King of Navar and Prince of Conde with the Constable seeing themselves justled out of that power and favour in Court which as due they did expect and also foreseeing the event which must necessarily ensure having onely the pacings of the Duke of Guise they absent from Court with all their Attendants resolving to right their wrong on the Queen Mothers Regency and the Guisans usurpation of their unlimited power Now the Queen Mother by her subtil and natural insight to secret affairs judged so at their Discontent that she politickly cast her Cards that both might have a good hand yet deald her self the Trumps checking their power that they might not check hers The King of Navar by the Queens policy jointly governs with her To which purpose she makes a new Agreement with the Navarois concluding him in the Government that taking the Title and Power of Regency to her self he should be called and but called Lieutenant General to his Majesty All this but in Paper and Ink composed of a double intent but those that can break Oaths witnessed by God and all the World how soon can they swallow and digest the breach of such Paper-promises like that good Actor in Smyrna that cried O Terram yet pointing to the Heaven and O Coelum yet pointing to the earth
The Protestant Army under the command of the Prince of Conde and Admiral lodged about Dreux being a Town twenty six Leagues from Paris and situated on the confines of Normandy in which place on a Plain the 19. of December they joyn Battel The Kings Army was reckoned to be nineteen thousand foot and two thousand Horse The Prince of Conde's Army consisting of twelve thousand Foot and four thousand Horse And now the Battle of Dreux begins where the Admiral of the Protestants with great courage leading the Van fell upon the Kings Cavalry commanded by the Constable and at first onset slew Gabriel de Momorancy and laid dead on the place Count de Rochefort the whole cavalry running away The Constable taken prisoner the Constable himself taken Prisoner and the Duke of Nevers Monsieur de Givry d'Annebault La Bross and his Son with many other Gentlemen and Cavaleirs slain upon the place The Duke of Aumaule Brother to the Duke of Guise and Beauvais were wounded Now the Princes forces being in a too eager pursuit of the Enemy was furiously set upon by the Duke of Guise where after a furious on set and doubtful shock on both sides endured at last the Prince of Conde was taken Prisoner Prince of Conde taken prisoner and on the Kings side was taken Monsieur d'Anvelle being sore wounded which the Admiral perceiving rallies and advances but the former encounter so wearied and weakned his men that after a sharp conflict he was put to the worst and so made an honourable retreat In this encounter was slain on the Catholike party the Marshal de St. Andre The same night all the Army of the Protestants were met together where the Admiral by general consent was chosen General of the Army instead of the Prince of Conde Prisoner Both Armies leave the field the Duke of Guise by the speedy advance of night upon him was forced to lodge upon the Plain at Blainville where the Prince of Conde and the Duke of Guise two mortal enemies both supped and lay in one bed together The next morning after Battle the Admiral presents himself with his Army in the field in Battalia There was in this battle slain seven thousand whereof on the Protestants two thousand foot and one hundred and fifty horse and doubtless it was a dubious engagement for had the Protestants carefully maintained their first encounter in an orderly station they had not been so assailed and foyled at last but Victory had crowned their valour without hazard of doubt but however the Battle proved fatal to the Catholicks and famous to both in that both Generals were taken Prisoners And as the Admiral was chosen General so for the Catholicks was the Duke of Guise General in lieu of the Constable prisoner The Duke of Guise hereupon suddenly marches to lay siege â—o Orleans The Admiral proceeds to the Resolution before determined The Admiral marches for Normandy and keeps his march for Normandy but before their March takes Selles in Bervy St. Aigna Sulli upon Loire and Montrichard and so leaving the care of Orleans to his Brother D'Andelot he advances towards Normandy to meet with Queen Elizabeths supplies and so to come with more strength to annoy the Catholicks and assist his Friends The Duke of Guise with the Kings Army layes siege to Orleans On the fifth day of February the Duke of Guise lays siege to Orleans where the King and Queen Mother came in person D'Andelot was Governour of Orleans who was also assisted with Monsieur de St. Cyr the Sieur de Avaret Bussay Duras and Bouchavanes under whose command were fourteen companies of foot consisting of Germans and Gascoins with five Troops of French Horse that were old Souldiers to whose valour was joined for assistance the unanimous consent of the Citizens to withstand the enemy whose harmonious and joint resolutions for defence of Religion and Liberty did strive to out-vy the Souldiers valour and thus being resolved to dy in pursuit of so good a cause they encourage one another to repulse the enemies assaults The Defects of the Town-walls being supplyed with Resolutions which made weakness impregnable and stood as a Rock against the strongest shock of the enemies force Now the Duke with the whole strength of his Army sets upon a Fauxburg of the City and suddenly surprizes it the first day The Duke of Guise threatens to destroy men women and children in Orleans but is himself cut off which so encouraged the Catholick party and especially the hot spirit of the Duke of Guise whose inveterate malice could not be contained in the bounds of moderation or secresie but openly delivers it by word of mouth and writes by Letters to the King boasting that twenty four hours should not pass so sure as he would in the same compass force the City to his obedience And further declared The day should be made memorable by destroying both men women and children sparing none But behold his hellish rage was confined by a judgement from Heaven whose death was not much unlike our late Duke of Buckingham for the same night there was a young Gentleman descended of a noble family known by the name of John Poltrat Sieur de Merebourn who being mounted on a Spanish Jennet and watching his own opportunity did by his proper and private motion shoot the Duke of Guise into the shoulder with a Pistol laden with three bullets and so this wretched enemy of God and the poor Protestants dyed the four and twentieth of February who by Gods justice was deprived of his unjust and bloody intentions the said Poltrat being afterwards taken and executed did freely declare at his death that what he did in destroying the Duke was to deliver France and especially the City of Orleans from his violent and bloudy threatnings The Admiral returns from Normandy and with his Army enters Orleans This accident in the Kings Army stopt their furious assaults till the seasonable advance of the Admiral from Normandy with Supplies which made a full stop in the siege who after he had greatly annoied the Catholicks in Normandy came to Orleans the 17. day of March and enters the City where was Prisoner the Constable General of the Kings Army taken at the Battle at Dreux and in the Kings Army was the Prince of Conde Prisoner Now the Kings Queen Mother with the Privy Counsellours and Deputies of the Court of Paris were about to arraign the Prince of Conde which being ballanced with a fearful expectation of the like to the Constable they let their resolutions fall A Treaty begun and finished with the Edict of January for liberty granted The Queen Mother at this time fearing the issue of War and seeing success alike to both doubted her desired expectation would fall by reason of the unexpected and constant supplies the Admiral had on all straits she therfore enters on the Old Way Her only way making use of that Proverb VVhere force will
but was a plot to cut them of His Oathes being as carfully broken as solemnly made And that which gave the Protestants too sure grounds of fear least a storm should fall undiscovered till unavoydable was this When Ferdinando Alvares de Tolleda Duke of Alva was marching into the Low Countries with a puissant Army to subdue the Protestants there that embraced the reformed Religion against the King of Spains will and desire the Queen Mother ordered the raysing of six thousand Switzers and brought them into France pretending forsooeh that they went for guarding the fronteirs of the Kingdom against the attempts that might be made by the Duke of Alva's Army But see how the light of Heaven penetrats into the dark designes of Hell Letters are intercepted in their way from Rome Letter intercepted the Plot discovered and Spain wherein was discovered a plot for the Protestants for therein was found That it was decreed in a secret Councell to apprehend the Prince and Admirall to destroy the one and keep the other Prisoner and therefore if the Prince and Admirall escaped this bloody Tragedy prepared for them and should try it by Arms that then on a sudden ere they could Arme or be provided those six thousand Switzers were to arrive at Paris where was to remain two thousand as many into Orleans and the rest into Poictiers and thus was the six thousand Switzers pretended to be raised for defence of the Protestants against the Duke of Alva that was indeed for their utter ruin the King and Queen Mother concluding that if the head were off The wickedness of the Duke of Alva the body would fall to the ground calme the winds and the billows will soon surcease their rage Now this bloody Duke of Alva carried himself against the Protestants in such an unhuman way that he permitted his Soldiers to ravish Virgins and one time at his Table boasted the Prince and Admirall and chief Protestants take Lyons Troys and Tholouse for their defence that besids privat Massacres and what the War had destroyed he had Caused to be put to death by the Hangman Eighteen Thousand in six years time And now the Protestants seeing so clear a Plot in the midst of Peace nay that under pretence of safety lurked ruin and Treacherie They prepare to defend themselves by force and stand on their own ground for their Lives and Estates because they see peace is the direct road to a murderous death resolving rather to die in field like men and Soldiers than be cut off by Plots Oh! that they had continued and never embrased Peace may all true Protestants say ere this History ends they therefore to the aforesaid purposes seize on three principall Towns Lyons Troyes and Tholuse The King of France as the usuall Custom is was then preparing for Meaux the King forced to a disorderly retreat from Meaux to Paris to solemnize the day af St. Michaell the Prince of Conde with five hundred Protestants approach Meaux the King and Queen Mother hearing thereof Retire with great disorder and fearfull hast to Pars with six thousand Switzers and other Horse and thus begins the second War being armed on all sides and a generall rising in the Land Now sundry particulars which happened in this second War for our better proceeding in this Tragicall History and for our present purpose must only be touched at carrying along with us the most observable deeds The King sends to the Prince of Conde and Admirall for a more clear understanding of the whole business that we may go on in som order till we come to the rest The second War thus beginning the King sent an Herald to the Protestants whom the Prince and Admirall received in behalf of the rest to whose message they return this Answer That they were resolved to continue the Kings good subjects and what they did was for the defence of their religion liberty granted by the Edict which the King by Oaths had promised faithfully to keep that they desired nothing more then the security of their Lives and Estates in A peaceable enjoyment of the liberty of their Consciences which might the better enable them to be the more firmly fixt in obedience to his Majesties Command The heads of both sides meet and treats but to no purpose But if they should disband it were the most compendious way to their assured Ruin and a plaine laying of their necks to the block and so offer their throats be to be cut by their merciless enemies the Kingdome being full of Swisses Flemings Italians and Germans Hereupon the heads of both parties meet at St. Denis the Constable desires the Prince and Admirall to relie on the Kings word of whose performance he hoped they need not doubt to what ever he promised Oh! that the poor protestants had found is so then had not forty thousand Innocent souls been slain basely and murthered treacherously The Prince and Admiralls noble answer to the constalle To this answer was returned that it was not now time to trust in the Kings word which how little it was kept was too visibly to be read in the bloody effects of the constant breach thereof An Edict being made and sworn to by the King was by the same King violated which was a manifest signe of treachery and perjurie and so perfidious The Prince and Admiralls noble answer to the Constable as few christian Kings would signe to so that they could no more depend upon the Kings word which had hitherto been a snare a sure trap to catch them in and truly they that run may read that all along this sad History the poore Protestants were never und on but when they took the Kings word which indeed at all times proved but the umbrage or shadow of a promise The Protestants never embraced their ruin but when they trusted to the Kings word in a peace being alwayes made with a resolution never to be kept which at last proved a faithfull paslage to their utter ruin so that now this meeting brought nothing conducing to peace for it is certaine that in such a short tract of time I could never yet hear or read of such a constant practise of covenant breaking which all along in this Kings reigne was so often practised as if it had been reckoned amongst their meritorious works as if there were not a God to punish perjurie or treachery And now the Protestants lay their Army down before Pâ—â—is and shortly after both Armies meet and on the tenth of November gave battle and the Protestants received the worst by reason de Andelot came not into the Princes assistance till midnight The two Armies give Battle after the battle therefore next day they enter the field with their Army shew themselves in battalia ready to fight the enemie and so standing some houses before the great citty of Paris they bury their dead the Constable slain cure
unsufferable injuries and cruel murthers were dayly heaped and committed upon the poor Protestants even to the loss of the Estates and Lives of many of their dear friends which opposition was the greater being done by the Kings Liberty granted contrary to Articles of peace and Edict of Pacification promised by Oaths and Covenants therefore though they dayly waited yet now they saw no other way but to arm in their own defence which was the least they could do being tyed by the laws of God and Nature to preserve their Religion Lives and Estates of themselves with their poor wives children and families that else would be left to the power and rage of bloody and deceitful men and that this was their only design of taking arms And further did declare that if they could espy and other way to enjoy their Estates Liberty and Lives they would speedily lay down their arms yet notwithstanding they desired and resolved to continue his Majesties faithful Subjects in obedience to all lawful commands wishing a period to their lives the same moment their obedience ceased if they could but herein see security for enjoyment of their Religion and Lives The Q. of Navars noble Declaration in behalf of the protestants At the same time the Queen of Navar with some dashes of her illustrious pen and a full Testimony of a Christian Resolution does by Letters declare That she could do no less than joyn with the Prince of Conde and Protestants which with the life of her self and children as also the miserable Reliques of the Kingdom of Navar The Cardinal of Lorrain on the one hand and Spaniards on the other did jointly indeavour by force and policy to destroy which was so discernable that all the world was witness to her injuries And indeed this Noble Queen The Q. of Navars high merits in part described would be ecclipsed of her due value by the draught of my rude pen the highest Encomiums will but stain her virtues but to a little belief of her high deserts know only this That her enemies confessed her virtues and Christian valour to exceed the very applause of her Friendly admirers and therefore her deserts was concluded as much undeniable to them as unspeakable by her friends Thus the very beginning of this pretended peace ends in a third Civil War whose effects was as bloody as sharp and at last we shall speedily see in a Tragical Massacre of many thousand Protestants of all degrees and sexes so securely were the Protestants lull'd asleep in their too credulous opinion of the King and Court Now in this Cabinet Council of the Kings was Charls Cardinal of Lorrain The King publishes a bloody Edict that no Religion should be exercised but the Romish on pain of death which cuts off all former promises and Edicts as if they had never been made to be kept Brother to the Duke of Guise a man of a most crafty and terrible nature insomuch that at Rome he was no less reputed for he was a bitter enemy to the Protestants and for the cruelty of his nature was termed the Firebrand of all Civil Flames whose hands being deep in the blood of the Protestants For by his means and the willing mind of the King and bloody Council was published an Edict in his Majesties name levelling the famous Edict of January and enjoyning That none should profess any Religion but the Romish and that it was treason to embrace any other requiring upon pain of death a general conformity to the Catholick Religion Which bloody Edict was accordingly published whereupon all the Protestant Ministers were banished all places of the Kingdom which were in the Kings power The King declares he meant not what be said Oh deep deceit And that the King may stand amazed at this deep hypocrisie this following Sentence was expressed in this Edict printed at Paris And it was further then declared that albeit the King had in many Edicts before that time permitted the freedom of Religion yet his meaning was to retain and cause to be retained of all men the only Romish or Popish Religion within his Realm Which Edict and clause being so wonderfully strange to all that heard or saw it and because it stained the Kings name with the most horrid spot of perjury and breach of faith it was therefore in other impressions afterward printed purposely omitted in the Edict This Edict was published with an incredible confluence of all sorts of Catholicks and received with the highest celebrations of joy as can be imagined and the rather because the Catholicks much doubted of the Queen Mothers intentions in regard of her dissembling carriage to the Protestants and now all was put out of doubt by this Edict Which clearly demonstrates that the King and Queen Mothers intentions all along was to destroy the Protestants root and branch only took their best opportunity to effect their desires with the least noise of suspicion and greatest security to drive the nail home to the head and their bloody Swords to the hearts of the most innocent souls And thus begins strong preparations for a third Civil War for Religion the sad effects whereof we shall peruse in the next chapter CHAP. V. The Contents THe Protestants gallant Resolutions Both parties arm Queen Elizabeth aids the Protestants The protestants take several towns the Armies face one another but ingage not the Battel at Brisac where the Prince of Conde is slain the Prince of Navar and Prince of Conde chosen Generalls of the protestant Army the Admirall and whole Army swears subjection to these two young Princes the Queen of Navar coins money to pay the protestant Army the Princes and Admiral draw their Army into Garrisons the Kings army sits down before Cognac but are valiantly repulsed they take Mucidan put all to the Sword but lost Count Brisac the Duke Deux Pont with 14. thousand marches to join with the Princes but dies himself by the way The Pope sends Forces to ayd the King Both armies engage the Kings Army retires to Garrisons the Princes take in Chastelrault and Lusignan Town and Castle they lay siege to the great City Poictiers the Kings forces besiege La Charite but leave it after the loss of many brave Gentlemen and Commanders the Duke of Anjou besieges Chastelrault but after great loss leaves it the young Duke of Guise advances to Court and his Fathers place at once the Cabinet Council meets the Armies ingage in a bloody Battel the Kings Army besieges Angeli but receives a gallant shock of a resolute defence by that brave Commander Monsieur de Pilles and at last yielded honourably the Kings Army disbands the protestants increase and are Masters of the field The King summons his forces together and gives the command to Marshall de Coss the King Queen Mother and Cabinet Council plot to linck a peace and the Protestants ruin together the protestants at all times willing to embrace a peace the end
from the King and Queen Mother as was not fit to be published The King for a secure mannagement of the Wars against the King of Spain The Kings strange plot to surprize Rochel gave Commission to Strozzi and the Baron de li Guard to rig forth ships from Burgess and Rochel and to surprize any Vessels that were going through the English Seas to the aid of the Duke of Alva in the Low-Countreys the Spanish Embassadour complains hereof but these two Captains had secretly and privately an underhand Commission to seize on Rochel and by open or secret force to get into their power for his Majesty although all was carried fair on against the Duke of Alva The King also gave command to the Admiral to send Espials into Peru and Island in the New found World which being plentiful of Gold the Spaniard had possessed himself thereof and there to attempt what he could against the King of Spain which business according to his Majesties command the Admiral undertook committing it to one of his Gentlemen who with a certain Portugal skilful in those navigations he had joined in Commission The King heaps unexpressible favours on the Admiral and Friends Now the King heaped unexpressable favours on the Admiral Count Rochfoucault and Theligni with the rest of the principal Protestants and chief Noblemen of the Religion for what ever was taken from any of them in time of the Civil Wars was now most lovingly restored by the Kings command and if any one that the King could learn was a friend to the Admiral to him he did shew singular respect even to the height of an unimaginable dissimulaeion He commanded one time to be given to the Admiral one hundred thousand pounds of his own treasury in recompence of his great losses When the Cardinal of Chastillon formerly fled to England disguised and having great Revenues and Wealth his death being known to the King he did give to the Admiral all the fruits of the whole year with all his rich and costly Houshold-stuff and though all former Admirals in Council and publick Ceremonies had ever given place to the Marshall of France yet for the Admirals greater honour it was the Kings will and pleasure that he should sit next Monseiur de Momorancy who was the first Marshall and above all the rest The K. desires the Duke of Savoy to favour the Protestants The King also writes to the Duke of Savoy that for his sake he would please to be favourable to the Protestants under his Dominion it should ly upon him as an acceptable favor It is not to be thought what kindnesses the King shewed to the Protestants even to the great amazement of the Catholicks and rejoicing of the Protestants The K. so far dissembles that by his shew of respects to the Protestants the Catholicks suspect him who poor souls thought all true that he said but this love proved bitter hatred like Judas kiss nay the King did so carry it that the Catholicks began to surmise and say that the King did not only favour the Protestants but would himself turn one shortly And in regard there was a mighty enmity betwixt the Duke of Guise and the Admiral by reason of a report fixed on the Admiral as if he should be an instrument of his Fathers death The Admiral and Duke of Guise reconciled and the Admiral declared not guilty of the Duke of Guises death the King therefore to make up all breaches and in order to a perfect peace he prescribes a perfect form of Reconciliation the foundations whereof was laid six years ago in the Town of Molins where the King summoning the principal estates of his Kingdom did on consultation and deliberation declare and pronounce the Admiral not guilty of the death of the Duke Guise a thing his Majestie was before bound in conscience to do but now was acted and done as a piece of good policy this block being taken away as an advance for the Admiral to the Court. But as we said before the most solemn bond and ty for a secure peace is the Lady Margarite Sister to the King of France to be given in mariage to the Prince of Navar who was Son to the most virtuous Queen of Navar. who also had all the last civil war been General of the Protestant Cause and couragiously defended it to his Eternal Praise which mariage the King did declare That he did it for the effecting and establishing a durable peace and as a signal testimony of his loyall affections to the Protestants And yet in the mean while the Papists in Roan murthered divers Protestants and grievously beat others as they came from a Sermon Many Protestants murthered in Roan And in regard that it was objected That the King of France his Sister was of the Roman Religion and the Prince of Navar a Protestant it could not well be effected to a good purpose To which the King answered he would free her by a Dispensation from the Pope that no Impediment might stand in the way to so great a good as a sure peace betwixt him and his Subjects nothing being more delightful or desired by him As soon as this was spread to the Courts of Forein Princes it did amaze the Popish Party that ever the King should proceed in behalf of Hereticks But on the contrary it did exceedingly possess the hearts of the Prince The K. plot takes effect and Admiral and all forein Princes of the same Religion with exceeding joy being such a large demonstration of the Kings affection and as a Seal of fidelity to all he promised and did also drive out of their hearts all jealousies of plots or secret Contrivances but the Admiral which had most reason and was most backward to believe all reall yet he at this time was now most forward to believe and most ready to be confirmed not only by this but also by a Letter which the King sent him by his Son Theligni The Admiral at last perswaded and deluded by a Letter from the King under the Kings own hand and Seal assuring the Admiral That whatever he should do in the Business of the war in the Low Countries against the King of Spain should be by his Majesty allowed of and ratified as if done by his special command such was his alluring baits and pretences of good will and trust to the Admiral And thus the poor Protestant Princes are too much perswaded of the Kings faith who intended their ruin without remedy we shall shortly see them come to Paris and embrace the mountains of treacherous pretences of faith and affection and so be swallowed up in their Enemies malitious and unparallel'd cruelty for all the huge promises of the Kings stood but as an Earnest till their plot was ripe and then they are more swift to shed blood than real to what they promise and truly such a piece of Kingly tteachery is not in any age to be
leaving with one La Gross his Chirurgion was by degrees poisoned and swelled so that the wonderfully and narrowly escaped with his life But these Gloves that poisoned this virtuous Queen were ordered in such a secret sort and just proportion that having worn them a while a violent Feaver seized on her which ended her life in four daies And thus died this Noble Queen bewailed exceedingly by all the Protestants for I find her Enemies say The Queen of Navar in part described She was a Lady of a noble Spirit invincible courage many degrees above most of her Sex qualities besides her Chastity and Magnificence worthy Eternal praise She was one that dived into the deep Mysteries of Divinity which raised her illustrious mind to a high pitch of Christianity being also very judicious of a ready wit invincible in adversity absolute in her actions capable of Counsel comprehending things with great vivacity of Spirit delivering her mind with an admirable grace either by word or writing her comprehension of deep things was of a treble magnitude above any of her sex neither can my pen drop her praise but her infinite merits and if it were possible for any pen to erect Trophies of Honour to the peerless challenges of her immortal praise the lustre of her incomparable merits would be the truest guide in the darkest night This noble Queens Death gave way to the Prince her Son to be King of Navar The Q. death intitles her Son the P. to be K. of Navar. to whom the Kingdome came This unhappy death was looked on by many as very ominous portending a sure prognostick of some unfortunate Catastrophe many bing struck with amazement at this sudden treochery and bloody death concluding it to be a sad Fore-runner of some mischief to come But that which made many Protestants cast away all fear was the Kings loving carriage to them insomuch that things at this time looked with a peaceable countenance throughout the Kingdom of France Now the day of marriage between the Lady Margaret and the King of Navar was appointed which was a great day of joyful hopes to all the Protestants and made all things seem more serene and calm on their side in that also the Guisans and the rest of the chief Catholicks shewed great discontent thereat for all good men judged it an assured pledge of the Kings fidelity and of peace in as much as he shewed such outward joy and declared It was not so much for the wedding as that he said it was for a strong knot of Peace and would tend to a general satisfaction of peaceable Spirits and for the Good of the whole Nation August the 17. the King of Navar The K. of Navar and Lady Margarite maried with great joy on both sides but greater sorrow succeeds and the Lady Margaret was maried with great Solemnity before the great Church of Paris on a Scaffold in sight of all the People and there was a certain form of words so ordered as agreed with both parties which by the Kings commandment was pronounced by the Cardinal of Bourbon the King of Navars Uncle and so was this mariage solemnized with the joy of all good men being kept with Banquets dancing and Masques with a strange mixture of Papists and Protestants together Thus the poor Protestants thought with joy to welcome their own comforts but alas their hopes are frustrate in a contrary success of their expectations and the Kings promises After this the Bride with great magnificence accompanied with a great confluence of Gallants was led to the Church to hear mass The Bridegroom misliking these Ceremonies did with Henry Prince of Conde the Admiral and other Noblemen of the Protestants walk and wait without the Church door for the Brides return The Queen Mother Dukes of Anjou Guise plot But the Queen Mother and her bloody Companions with the Dukes of Anjou and Guise consult about the last Tragical act which was to kill the Admiral and to divide the Protestants thus-like moles under ground they drive on their Hellish designs in Secrecy The King to delude the more speaks publickly The K. publickly declares that he gives his Sister in Mariage as a ty of Union and peace The Admiral of the Kings fleet endeavours to surprize Rochel That he gives not his Sister in mariage to the King of Navar only but as it were to the whole Church of the Protestants to join with them in a undissoluble union and as a ty to their peace and safety Oh! painted ruin whither at last will the fury of thy bloody Chariots drive thee Now while these things proceeded thus at Paris Strozzi as aforesaid Admiral of the Kings Fleet rides before Rochel and at select times sends Captains and Souldiers into the Town under pretence of buying necessaries for their Fleet and sometimes did come ashoar himself but the King had given him Commission to seize on the City although as before it was given out that he say to entrap all the supplies going from Spain to the aid of the Duke of Alva in the Low Countries The like Treachery was used in another part of France by Gonzague Duke of Nevers with a party of Horse neer to La Charite where a bridge passes the River Loyre which the Protestants then had The protestants at Lyons had their names put in a bloody Book this Gonzague requests Liberty of the Town to muster shewing the K. Letters which indeed he had The Governour of Lyons commanded he names of the Protestants to be written in a Book which in regard of their Horrid cruelties committed and devillish Bucheries committed in this City was justly called the bloody Book The Admiral The Admiral desires to depart Paris but the K. desired his stay which on some other grounds he did but sad complaints and great suspition of treason came to his cars but he believes it not after the mariage being then the time he appointed and desired to return to his own house did move the King about his departure but so great was the Court revellings that the Admiral coul not have private access to his Majesty to deal in State-matters Rochel at this time was in a manner besieged with Souldiers arriving hourly giving out terrible threats against the Town which made the Protestants begin to cry to the Admiral for succour and relief for indeed the Admiral was as a nursing Father to them in other Towns also was heard secret murmurings terrifying the most cleer-sighted Protestants giving too sure cause to think a bloody and terrible spectacle would be shewed beyond present conception which will shortly be seen in a horrible manner The Admiral knew not what to answer to all these sad complaints that uncessantly flowed in as one wave on the back of another and all to get him from the Court He answered to all the King had made us swear before him to be Friends the Lady Margaret is given in mariage
them all in a most cruel manner For thirty days nothing but killing of poor innocent Protestants The Copy of the Kings letters laying the fault of the Admirals death and the murthers on the D. of Guise yet the same day sends Letters to command it to be done and caused all the murthers to be done by his comand both in Paris and all over France The King in Parliament opens his design and acknowledges all to be done by his own command The Kings Speech in Parliament The true Copy of the K. Declaration printed at Paris The President of Parlament congratulates the King for his bloody success The Advocate advises the King to cease the murthers and to colour his crueltits with the name of Justice A Parliament is called and Proclamation is made that all murthers should cease Many gòes to view the body of the Admiral hanging on the common Gallowes The King and Queen Mother goes also but his body over night was secretly taken away and buried so they lost their journey Judges pickt out to condemn the innocent with the pretence of Justice The Admiral dishonoured by a man of straw and Libels printed The King sends to surprize the Admiralls wife but she was fled to Geneva The Admiral a little described Brave Caviagnes and Briquemault tortured to confess themselvs and the Admiral Traytors they shew much Christianity the Judges refuse to sit in judgement against them new Iudges are chosen they are condemned and led to the Gallows their Speech they are hanged in sight of King Q. Mother Prince and Nobles with many thousand Spectators The Man of Straw for the Admiral hanged with them Some Letters collected according to the Original which gives much light to the History and discovers how Queen Elizabeth of England resented the Murther with the General pitty and Dislike of the whole English Court. These cruelties spotted the French Nation with a great Odium among Forein Princes The Duke of Guise his Letter to his Wife intercepted and the Plot discovered The King notwithstanding his former Edicts granted and Oaths to keep his Promises does now proclaim that none should exercise any Religion on pain of Death but the Romish A form of Abjuration sent to those that would come in and forsake the Protestant Religion and when they did they were murthered contrary to the Kings proclamation A true Copy of the Remembrances of the King to all his Lieutenants and Governours of his Provinces with a Copy also for Abjuration NOw when all was murthered that could very well be laid hands on and the King understanding that divers Protestants had in many parts of the Kingdom fled and left their Habitations for security of their Lives He acts the second and worst part of his Devilish Treachery and cruelty for after many sweet baits of inticing and alluring promises for them to come in he at last published Letters and sent Messengers Wherein he shewed The great grief it was to him that so much blood should be spilt in the Nation contrary to his will promising to punish the Actors of such horrid villainies with as much crueltie as Justice could inflict and they deserve And that if the Admiral and his Associates deserved the death inflicted for their treasonable practices yet was it no reason so many innocents should bear part of this punishment that had no hand in the Plot. Now many poor Protestants that had left all and fled into the woods being encouraged by these inticing and fair pretexts returned home especially they that had fled from Diep Roan and Tholouse now we shall see the King like a Thorny Bush to the poor sheep that in a storm they run to shelter and instead thereof are intangled and their wool pull'd off their backs But oh wretched Tyrant and worse King whose furious and bloody mind like an impetuous Whirlewind or Hiricane could not be kept in bounds but ere two daies past he imprisons them all and appoints base fellowes to murther them with cruel Torments And thus for thirty daies together was nothing but horrible slaughter throughout the Kingdom of France insomuch that there were about a hundred thousand little Babes Widdowes and children wel-born that fatherless and Motherless lived long in wandering and beggary And truly that reverend and faithful Servant of Christ did not miss the Mark of the Kings treachery and perfidious dealing when he made this Anagram on his name CHARLES VALOIS Anagram Chasseur desloyall i. e. Perfidious Hunter or Persecutor In this calamity many that would have saved their lives among their own friends could not have the favour nay their own parents refused them others betrayed by their friends and yet it pleased God to move the hearts of some of their Enemies by their high detesting these cruelties and villainies insomuch as they hazarded their own lives to save some of the Protestants Was ever such unheard of cruelties permitted and commanded by any Christian King and Court with such delight of shedding Protestant blood We may say of the French nation as the case here stood as the poor Indian said of the Spaniards The story stands recorded thus A Prince of the Indians being so far wrought upon as to receive baptism at the hands of a Fryer he first questioned whether the souls of such as were baptized went Answer was returned To Heaven then saies he whether must they go too that are not baptized They answer To Hell but he further demanded To which of these two places the Spaniards went Answer is returned To heaven then said the Indian Let me go to Hell if the Spaniards go to Heaven for I cannot believe heaven to be a good place that is a reward for such bloody Butchers and Masters of such unheard of cruelties May we not say so of this sad Massacre of France but I leave the application to the judicial reader The King now fearing the Dishonour of falsehood treachery and perjury and that it might not fix any reproachful blot or stain on the Kings name This King at the same time that he sends Letters through France giving in command to cut off and destroy the Protestants the same King with the same hand and at the same time sends Letters to the Governours of his Provinces wherein he lets the world know that the late mischief in Paris had to his great sorrow hapned by means of the Duke of Guise who having raised the people they tumultuously broke through the Guard which he had appointed for the Admirals safety and with great Fury killed the Admiral and his Friends and that he with the Queen Mother and Brethren were through the danger of a furious multitude forced to retreat for safety to the Lour all which he said was against his mind and will and therefore he desired the Edict of Pacification to be kept inviolable The like Letters he writ to England Switzerland and Germany which because they bear one tenure and pen'd after one manner I have to avoid prolixity
which when one of the Spectators saw in anger he said to the company This fellow has made a Solicism spoken as it were false Greek with his hand And indeed here it was so with the Queen Mother too many Leagues being betwixt her heart and her mouth for we shall ere long see these two parties the Princes of the Bloud and Duke of Guise and Queen Mother make greater wounds in a short time than Ages can afterwards cure The Prince of Conde we must understand was now at liberty and freed from the unjust Sentence against him in the Reign of Francis the second which was for some pretended Fact but indeed was for his Religion sentenced to be executed but the Kings death prevented it The Protestant Princes desire a Toleration The Prince of Conde and King of Navar with the Admiral and other principal of the Protestants desire of the Queen Mother a Toleration for their Religion but the Queen Mother now tottering between these two Factions of the Princes of the Bloud and Guisans counted all things below the present danger of either parties getting power and so thought it not fit therefore to deny their request telling them withall that it could not yet publckly be granted by her to the content and satisfaction of all therefore she would secretly promise them her best way of bargaining that she governing by common consent with the King of Navar would by indirect by ways so work under hand upon emergency of occasions which might daily occur that at last it should incensibly yet assuredly come to pass to their own desire which says she suddenly proclamed might render you in danger and my self out of power to help you These things the Queen Mother promised being forced by necessity and dissembling pollicy for her own safety and security but it is ill making a fast Bargain with a loose Merchant nothing by her being less intended than really promised for she thought it fit and convenient for preservation of her Son's and own interest not wholly to put under hatches nor quite to extinguish the power of the Duke of Guise who was an apt weight to ballance and counterpoise the Power of the Princes of the Bloud desiring to carry it so to both that she might displease neither till she had a sure staff of the one and the other no power lest to oppose hers which at last answered her hellish Plot so that reserving many things to the benefit of time and future industry she left no stone unrolled to provide for time to come and to remedy the present Distractions The Protestants increase and the Princes of the Bloud protect them and presses the Queen Mother for her promise of Toleration Now the goodness of God in converting many to the Protestant Religion appears in a great and vast multiplication of the Professours thereof the King of Navar and Prince of Conde with the Admiral protects and defends them who earnestly presses the Queen Mother to perform her Promises for a free Toleration of their Religion she findes many nice excuses and well-spun pretences to evade the dint of their resolute desires and her absolute promise endeavouring by most subtile arts of perswasion to put off the performance of her Promise till a seasonable oportunity offered to ripen her Designs But the King of Navar daily pressed forward and grew more and more earnest for the speedy effecting of it and he did so publickly reason their case that many of the Kings Council yielded to the force of his Arguments disbanding their former Reasons on the contrary for the King of Navar alleged that it pittied his soul to see so many Protestants and the Kings true Subjects scattered from their peaceable habitations for fear of death and danger and did further profess it did deeply penetrate his heart with an abhortency to think of any more effusion of blood Amongst those of the Religion were many of pregnant wit and Christian courage that with small Tracts in Print dispersed as also with sober Petitions seasonably presented did at last help forward their desires to a speedy Grant A Decree for Release of all Protestants that were imprisoned for their Religion The Queen being now forced to yield gave way by a Decree of the Council at Fontainbleau the 28. of January 1560. That the Magistrates should release all such Prisoners as stood committed for matters of Religion to their former freedom prohibiting all Reproaches of either party with Heretick or Papist To search no mans house The Protestants by this being not fully authorized by a full Toleration and free Exercise of their Religion yet were somewhat satisfied by this seeming Inclination thereunto at least being protected from the present violence daily threatned The Queen Mother would not suppress their power yet would she depress their growth The King of Navar has the Keys of the Palace delivered to him which his great Enemy the Duke of Guise kept Now the King of Navar falling short of the full Grant of the Queens Promise proceeds further to a full Grant which she had secretly made to him requiring that as he was the Kings Lieutenant General the Keys of the Palace might be assigned to him which the Duke of Guise as Grand Master always and at this day kept The Queen as she was loath to offend the Duke of Guise and his party who with the Duke of Lorain upheld the Catholick Cause and Religion so was she as carefull to please the King of Navar and Protestant Princes till time gave a more secure season to bring about her desires for her desire was to be firmly seated betwixt them both by a plausible carriage to either and keeping them both dependents to her power and both equal in strength that neither might have encouragement to murmour To which purpose she is the more willing to favour the King of Navar in his request by reason at this time she findes the power of the Duke of Guise a Pin higher than the Princes of the Bloud and invested with more power than jumped with her purposes she conceived this a fit oportunity to pull down the Guisans power to an equal ballance with the Princes of the Bloud which suiting with her own interest she willingly executed their growth at this time being high and insolent and at all times of an aspiring nature as that they could not be content to fit under the Pent-house of their present power but must suddenly aspire to the pitch of their ambitious aim So the Queen caused the Keys of the Palace to be delivered into the custody of the Kings Lieutenant General the King of Navar. At this the Duke of Guise is highly enraged whose pride findes no bounds but reserved and secret revenge waiting for a fit oportunity to desplay his envenomed hate so that he dissembles his inveterate anger and malice he bore to the Princes of the Bloud and Admiral so he onely makes some shew of discontent for the
Protestants in France during this Civil War they are so sad they need no comment An unparralled murther but indeed that which follows is not to be paralleld for perfidious treachery Breach of the faith of a King and Court and for hellish and unheard-of cruelties sad murthers in cold blood upon Lords Gentlemen poor Ladies Rivers swimming with bodies and died with blood Indeed the most sad Tragedie that ever was yet acted upon the theatre of the world by Turks Heathens or Christians CHAP. IV. The Contents THE King and Queen Mother lay siege to Haver de grace which surrendered on Henourable tearms The King is declared out of his minority and swears to observe the Edict of Pacification but keeps not his oath nor promise The Council of Trent meet a League is made between the King of France and King of Spain called the Holy League the Cardinal of Lorain posts to Rome to desire the Pope to cause the French to observe the decrees of the Council of Trent Great heart-burnings arise The Protestants dayly complain to the King of their injuries desiring him to keep to his covenant but to no purpose The King and Queen Mother in progress rides through the Nation and secretly confer with the Popes Messenger and the King of Spain They come to Lyons and forbid the exercise of the Protestant Religion Many Protestants cruelly and inhumanly murthered by the Catholicks in several places The King and Queen Mother treacherously leavie six thousand Switzers to destroy the Protestants Letters are intercepted which discover a bloody plot against the Prince of Conde the Admiral and all the Protestants The Prince Admiral and Principal Protestants seize on Troys Lyons and Tholouse The King and Queen Mother forced to ret reat to Paris Thâ—â— beginning of the second war the King sends an Herauld to the Prince of Conde and Admiral Their answer The Principal of both Parties treat but to no purpose The Prince and Admirals answer to their Demands The Protestants never embrace a more sure ruin then a peace with the King The Armies meet and engage the success The Prince of Conde and Admiral march to join with Prince Casimir who had raised twelve thousand men for their aid The Duke of Lorrain made General of the Kings Army Prince Casimirs Noble Declaration in defence of the Protestants The Prince of Conde's Gallant speech to the Army A gallaut Resolution in a free Contribution through the Princes Army Prince of Conde and Admiral join with Prince Casimirs Army The Prince of Conde besieges Chartres The Queen Mothers treachery and speech a peace concluded but full of Treason Guile and hypocrisie The Protestants no sooner dismiss their Armies and deliver up their Garrisons but are speedily filled with Souldiers of the Kings A bloody Cabinet Council erected by the King They plot to cut off the Protestants but are discovered The Kings Army suddenly begirts the chief of the Protestants but they escape with their families to Rochel The Queen of Navar comes to Rochel with horse and foot Cardinall Castillon flies to England disguised The Prince of Conde and Admiral publish a manifesto to all Christian Princes the Queen of Navar declares for the Protestants A bloody Edict is published by the King that none should profess any other Religion but the Romish the King of France strangely declares to all the world That he meant not what he said WE concluded the latter part of the second chapter with a Peace concluded at Orleans whereupon was publickly proclamed a free liberty for the Protestants according to the Edict of Pacification Now the King and Queen Mother endeavour to reduce Haverdegrace to their obedience which the Protestant party had delivered up to the Queen of England as aforesaid The Kings Army besieges Haverdegrace To which purpose they lay siege the Town holds out a good while till at last being sore streightned and no hopes left of relief they come to conditions of surrenders but before Hostages were delivered and English Fleet of sixty brave Ships appears under sayl fleering directly to the Port but the Earl of VVarwick like a true hearted Englishman scorning to dishonour his Nation with such perfidious treachery as most of the French acted he sends word to the Admiral of the Fleet Honourably surrendred that the Town was to be surrendred that day being the seventeenth day of July and so performed his Contract to his great Honour I cannot compare this noble act to any but that brave Roman Consuls who being taken by the Carthaginians in Africa had liberty given to return to Rome to effect the release of some Prisoners and in them his own in exchange promising to return prisoner if he could not Now when he came to the Senate he perswades them not â—o accept of the conditions and so according to his promise returned and was miserably tormented to death Oh that it might be said so of our Charls the Ninth that he had but been regardful of his Oaths and covenants then had not we been partakers of such a sad spectacle of cruelty by reading this bloody Tragedie The Catholicks now after this peace at Orleans feared the greatest visible power rested in the Prince of Conde So the Queen Mother treads in her old paths of deceit intending by her cunning subtilty to cut off all pretences of right to the Government by the Princes of the blood The King declared out of his minority and swears in the presence of God to olserve the Edict of Pacification to which purpose she causes the King now but fourteen years old to be declared King and past his Minority She carries his Majestie to Roan and there the fifteenth day of December 1563. they went Solemnly with all the Lords of the Court and Officers of the Crown to the Parliament Where in the presence of the Counsellours he received the usual Ceremonies used in France at the Coronation the Parliament publishing the Declaration of his Majority the King there publickly protested and swore in the presence of Almighty God That be would for ever after duly observe the Edict of Pacification threatning all opposers for such was his express will and pleasure Thus all things seem in a peaceable way one would now think so much blood expences of treasure and a consumption of his subjects would weary any nation and make any King rejoice For a peace is the more sweetned by the effects of a Civil war already felt for two extreams illustrate each other The peace not kept But alas this peace succeeds not the hopefull expectation of his peaceable subjects in many places it was not observed The Council of Trent meets The King of Spain and France make a league and call it the Holy league And now assembles that Council known by the name of the Council of Trent who meet for the maintainance of the Catholick Religion Now the Cardinal of Lorrain being an active Agent to forward any design
that might put the Protestants backward the Council to fit his purpose finds this expedient That the King of France and Spain should make a firm and inviolable League and that the King of Spain should assist with such forces as might be needful to the aid and succour for the King of France Which League was called the Holy League And that nothing might be wanting to break that famous Edict the Cardinal promises his best aid to assist their commands assuring them that the King and Queen Mother stand firmly for what they decree The Cardinal posts to Rome and endeavours all be can against the protestants Now as soon as this Council broke up the Cardinal posts to Rome and labours with Pope Pius Quartus to send to the King and Queen Mother of France to cause publickly the Decree of the Council to be observed throughout the Kingdom of France presently they begin to have it put in execution for the Embassadours of Spain Italy c. demand of the French King the Observation of the Decrees of the Council of Trent that the Edict should be disannulled and Hereticks rooted out Secret animosities in the hearts of both parties Now begin new firebrands to be cast again all their designe from first to last being to work out the poor Protestants who would be glad of peace with lives and liberty but could have it granted no wayes but in jeast in order to their more secure ruine in earnest for they never meant to be in earnest with their most solemne promises and protestations When they cannot overcome by Warre then a Peace most be made and in that Peace a damnable plot couched to destroy them when by Gods mercifull providence the Plot is discovered and they Arme for defence of Lives and Liberty and by Gods blessing grow too potent and powerfull for their treacherie and Armes then a peace againe and thus they play fast and loose till they cut the Throats of the two peaceable Protestants who were no way to be overcome but by peace The Protestants complain to the King of their daily wrongs desire justice and the performance of his promises but to no purpose Insomuch that wee may here insert a paradox in Divinity that it had been no sin in this cause to be unbeleeving nay they had no other way to be saved but by unbeliefe And thus the Edict that should have been the Cord of Peace was now a breaking in pieces by all the powers of Hell and Rome insomuch that those that were worse affected to the Edict and most forward to crush it cryed out They could not endure two Religions which seemed say they as prodigious as two Sunns And now as just Occasion was the cause of complaints soe now the Protestants sound in the Kings Ears their sad conditions and how little the Edict was like to be kept if such courses were nourish but the King heard to little purpose for it made a noise in his Eare but not in his obdurat heart for this King instead of hearing the complaints and redressing the wrongs of his to good subjects turnes his Ears forsaking the good Example of King Lewis the first of France A notable example of Justice who used three dayes in a week publickly in Person to hear the complainnts of his subjects and judge their Cause A poor woman desiring the Emperour Adrian to hear her Complaint and do her justice he answered that he was not a leisure the poore woman then replies boldly the King and Queen Mother in progress meet the Popes Minister and King of Spain and secretly confer in person together that he ought not to be at leisure to be Emperour Augustus Caesar exceedingly rejoyced to do justice and hear the causes of his subjects insomuch as the night could not allay his vigorous mind to do justice nay when he lay sick he would order the parties to appear at his bed side But this King was so far from following the Command of God or example of Heathens so far from delighting to settle his own Throne in the peace of his subjects that he seeks to overthrow his own tranquillity in his subjects ruine To which purpose the King and Queen Mother make their progress through many parts of the Kingdom and smoothly coloured their plots and conferences with the Duke of Savoy in Dauphine with the Popes Minister at Avignon and with the King of Spaine on the confines of Guienna whereby they might better cōmunicate their secret Counsells without the hazard of revealing their trust to French men whom they thought by their Alliance one way or other might reveale their secret hellish plots to the Protestants And it is to be taken notice of that now at this time was laid a Plot which Embasadors nor Councells intrusted must not know The King Q. coms to Lyons forbids the exercise of Protestant Religion and fortifies the place In this progress the King and Q. Mother comming to Lyons they forbid the Protestants the exercise of their Religion being one of the Towne assigned them for freedom the Protestants being numerous in this City the King orders a Citadell to be built not stirring out of the Towne till it was finished Now this was an Example to other Towns and did very much exasperat and hearten the Catholicks against the Protestants who with cruell Courage seize on them in sundry Towns and shamefully abuse them So that Many Protestants in many places murthered In Crevan in Burgongue the Catholicks fall on the Protestants and murther many being met together for the exercise of their Religion Curee Governour of Fendosme a Protestant was murthered by command of Cavigni Leiutenant to the Duke of Montpenseir at Tours they fell so furiously upon the poor Protestants murthering some hurting others coming from the Sermon and with great rage came into the Town with their bloody swords in their hands and being dyed with blood A gallant Gentleman murthered they proceed further falling on all they meet with murthering without destinction of sex age or Quality Drawning Killing and distroying all they could find many Protestants of Quality were murthered without any account given of their death by justice on the Murtherers Now the daily threats against the Protestants put them into a doubt of their security The sad massacres at Tours for the King and Queen Mother having concluded with the King of Spain secretly to assist one another It now fiftly falls out to discover that treacherous part which all this while lay hid under the plauseble pretences of an Edict of Liberty which indeed was that part of Hypocrisie which as a Cloak covered all their perfidious Treacherie and breach of promise That now what was written on the word of a King before the Eternall God was no more kept or observed than if it had been only written in sand the King and Q. Mother Raises an Army of Switzers pretending to defend the Protestants
fill his Gorget the Protestant Army forced to retire and run down his male At last the Protestants Army being worn out with a tedious march was forced to retreat and with the Prince the Count of Nassaw Count Volrade all which without any disorder meet that night at Partenay the K. besieges St. Jean d'Angeli which brav Pilles did keep After this bloody Battel the King Queen Mother and Duke of Anjow sit down before St. Iean d'Angeli which was kept by that famous renouned commander Armand Sieur de Pilles whose same spread it self throughout all France by his stout resistance of the Kings power and valorous keeping of the place for against the continuall assaults of the whole Army His excesding valor his brave Soldiers kept it for two months and one time in this seige a truce was made that if in certain dayes relief came not they should yeeld on conditions Relief by a handsome policy the day comes and St. Severin with forty horse deceives by policy the sentinells and Kings Army and as friends passe all to the relief of the Place After many bloody assaults and great loss to the Kings Army the place not able any longer to continue did at last deliver up on honourable rearms Yields on honourable terms To depart with their Goods Arms Horses and ensignes displaied and for four months should not carry armes in defence of the Protestant religion But as Monseiur de Piles made his seige famous so the Catholicks made themselves infamous But dishonourably kept by the King by his Majesties breach of faith given for as they advance to receive the articles of the Kings promise and their own deserts they are spoyled of Armes Apparell and Monies rob their baggage take away their Horses and spoil their Men. Nay a Regiment quartered at St. Jultan halfe a League off under the command of Sarrien fals on Beats Kills Murthers and destroyes many They are murthered casts some into the River and he that can make a safe escape to Angoulesme is happy though he have nothing else but his shirt Whereupon Mounseiur Piles was freed from his engagement by a non-performance of the Kings promise 10000. men lost at the siege and five thousand canon shot spent The King lost at this seige Sebastian of Luxembourg Duke of Martignes and governour of Brittain five thousand cannons shot spent ten thousand men of War lost twenty five or thirty Commissaries of the artillery which was slain in their charge many crept away from the Army and such hot service insomuch that the Camp decreased eighteen or twenty thousand men The K. disbands the Army In the year 1570 for many reasons and after much consultation had the King did resolve to disband his army which accordingly was don The Princes Army increases Now the Protestants labour to gather Strength by the Industrious pains of the most incomparable Prince of Navar who passing the expectation of his age presently Armes the nobility and others in those partes on whom his father the King of Navar had great influence by reason of their near alliances and neighbour hood whereby the Princes Army was now again got to such a degree of strength That they were masters of the field The K. Armie meets and Marshall de Cosse General The King seeing things go contrary to his desire and expectation summons his Army together and in regard the Duke of Anjou was sick the charge of the Army was delivered to Marshall de Cosse the Armies never came so neer as to give battel but often skirmishing and little likelhiood there was for the King to conquer the Protestants by force which opinion as it was grounded on good reason so was it increased by newes which came to the Court that Prince Casimir was raising new forces for aid of the Protestant Princes which indeed put the Catholicks in a great doubt and fear of any success against them The K. Cabinet Council meet and plot a peace and ruin together Now begins the bloody game for the King Queen Mother Duke of Anjon and Cardinall of Lorrain meets privately together and according to their disposition and custome fall a ploting holding it the best way when they could not mend it to think of accommodation and giving liberty to the Protestants Who might better have enjoyed it by war than by peace as the Issue proved If it had pleased the Lord to discover the inside of their treachery which though fatal to the poor Protestants yet so dishonourable to the King of France and the French Nation that it cannot but draw down Gods just Judgements upon them The secret Council thought this way of peace might be the quickest and safest way to their designs of destroying the Protestants better than by War for if they could cut off the chief supporters of the Protestant cause the rest would follow and so they aim at an opportunity to gain a peaceable though bloody access to their persons which in time of War their Sword could not reach so by this means hoping to cut off the Root the Branches would wither Indeed it had been well if it had fallen out that the branches had naturally withered but ah sad and doleful we shall see a horrid and bloody Tragedy which will astonish any heart but flint to hear and read this sad and miserable story and truly it makes my heart bleed to think of the sad cruelties and unparalleld massacres of Gods people And now they discover their Inclinations to peace which they knew at all times would gladly be embraced and acceptably welcom to the Protestants if covered with Liberty and Lives the things they only desired For if they had delighted in any thing but Allegiance or fought for any thing but liberty they would not now incline to peace in the midst of their unlimitted power but poor souls they had been far more happy if they had dyed like men in Warr than murthered in their Bods like Dogs This third war was sharp and thought the greatest in regard of the Kings unfaithfull dealing in the breach of his promise that he should give a free liberty for religion and engage to keep it binding himself thereto by Oath yet the same King speedily after breaks all oaths and promises declaring that solemn engagement before God to be void and that what he then promised was not so meant by him and therefore proclaimes it death for any man to professe any Religion but the Romish and Catholick Now the Princes and Admirall in the behalf of themselves and Protestanrs did declare in the sincerity of their hearts that they desired nothing more then the performance of the Kings edict and socurity to enjoy their Liberties Lives and Families Thus having given as succinctly as possibly I can the most remarkable passages of this War we shall now come to the last Tragicall part of the most unheard-of treachery and bloody massacre
work labouring to bring this bloudy brat to the Birth To which purpose the King and Queen Mother calls to Council the Duke of Anjou the Cardinal of Lorrain the Duke of Guise and Alberti Conde Count de Retz and speedily resolve them of their secret intentions if by any means it could be effected they therefore desire their best aid and assistance together with their approbation which needed not be doubted for they were men ready enough at all times to act the Kings pleasure The King therefore begins sending out strict orders to all the Provinces of his Kingdome Now the King begins to dissemble strictly commanding an observation of the Edict which he intends not should be observed The King outwardly carried it harshly to the Catholicks to more to work the Protestants to their lure to have a high esteem and regard to the late Edict in behalf of his good Subjects the Protestants and that it was his Majesties express command to have it strictly observed and to make their Hearts understand what they heard by the ear the King gives Order to have this message proclaimed at Rochel the Seat of the Princes and Admiral assuring them in particular of the Kings favourable intentions to what he had confirmed with his Royall Hand which should be kept inviolable from all attempts of the strongest perswasion And yet to penetrate more deep to make one act of dissimulation out-vy another to let the world see he was a good proficient in the Art of Treachery and Bloodshed he carries himself outwardly very harsh to the Catholicks telling the Commissioners that the Power of the Duke of Guise and Cardinal of Lorrain was not to be feared for that the Government now rested in himself and had no dependency on any of their commands and therefore though they live at Court yet needed not the Princes of the Blood or Admiral fear them as Adversaries for they lived as Subjects not as Masters and that ere long he hoped all acts of forformer hostility and enmity should be by his means buried in eternal forgetfulness and that both parties should be reconciled to the Kings desire and their own good All which did not only peirce the hearts of the common people but wonderfully wrought upon the hearts of the Princes and Admiral with the chief of the Protestants who now begun to believe the Kings intentions real and that being now weary of the bloudy Civil Wars and Distractions and beginning now to govern by himself and not by his Council might at last sincerely desire a firm peace But alas they are too short sighted to espy and too sincere to doubt that such unparalleled deceit should lodge in the hearts of devils much less in a King a Christian King not so much as in his thoughts much less in his intentions and practice but it is the less wonder seeing it is so that not only in publick actions of great men but also in our common intercourse with things of smaller moment we all experience that the greatest hatred and malice is covered with the greatest love and friendship and that there is no greater knavery then that which borrows a cloak of Religion to cover it with some men again make use of friendship as a stepping stone to their own ends as the For being environed with a high Wall and hotly persued by his Enemies was put to great straits for his liberty for he could not leap over the Wall at last espying one by the Wall side stooping for a stone to throw at him he suddenly leaps on the mans back and by that step of advantage leaps over Little did the poor Princes and Admiral with the Queen of Navar and Nobles and Gentlemen of the Religion think their Noble blood to be so neer spilling by such base and unheard-of cruelties covered under so much love who would not pitty to read that so much valor as was in these brave Commanders should be murthered and laid in the bloody grave of a Treacherous death which shortly we shall sadly peruse The first thing the Admiral embraced by these perswasions was the War against the King of Spain which made the way easier to the rest that followed and yet he often said to his Son-in-Law Teligny that he suspected the rowling wit of the Queen Mother whom he was afraid would lead them on in this enterprize and leave them in the midst The Prince of Orange and Count Lodowick his Brother profer their service to the King in the war of the Low Countrys The Count of Nassaw advising with his Brother the Prince of Orange sends word to the King That if it were his Majesties pleasure to War against the King of Spain in the Low Countries they would so order themselves under his commands as that by their service therein his Majesty should find them faithful and useful and perceive their affections to him and the cause in hand to this the King replies in loving Letters commending their resolutions and gave them hearty thanks for their loving Message which tended highly to a free manifestation of their affections to his Service The Emperour mediates between the Prince of Orange and the K. of Spain The King of France encourages the Prince of Orange against the perswasions of the Emperour Now Maximillian the Emperour pretending to pitty the Estate of the Prince of Orange had obtained by Embassadours to the King of Spain that the Prince should have his goods restored conditionally that he should not settle his habitation in the Low Countryes but in some other place and yet nevertheless should enjoy freely all his Revenues As soon as the French King hears hereof and doubting it might be a hindrance to his present design he speedily posts Messengers to the Prince of Orange to perswade him that what the Emperour had done was nothing but to hinder their progress in so good and advantagious a cause and being only a devise to break up his leavies that he had begun in Germany letting him further understand that if he will please to give him credit he should not want assistance sufficient to regain his Estate from the King of Spain These perswasions of the King being not suspected to come from dissimulation and hypocrifie by the Prince of Orange so did he firmly believe all to be real insomuch as he proceeded in his Musters resolving a while to bear the charges thereof whilst all things else fitting for the war were in readiness though the charge at that time was very heavy Count Lodowick disgrised goes to Court and treats with the King and agrees about the War Now Count Lodowick his Brother being of a resolute disposition essayed his own fortunes and by encouragement from the King he secretly journies from Rochel taking with him onely two companions giving out he was going for the Prince of Orange his Brother but in a disguised habit he privately departs and that night arrives at the Court which then was kept at
parrallelled CHAP. VI. The Contents THe Queen and Prince of Navar with the Prince of Conde comes to Court the Articles of the War of the Low Countries put in writing the Mariage between the Lady Margarite and Prince of Navar agreed on the King heaps honours on the Admirall and friends the King invites the Admiral to Court and protests his own life is envelloped in his a cross in derision of the Protestants is pulled down by his Majesties command the Plot almost discovered by a lively instance the King threatens severe punishment to any that shall affront the Admirall or Protestants the Admiral comes to Court and welcomed the King allowes 50. for his Guard the Count Lodowick of Nassaw enters the Low Countries and takes in Montz A league offensive and defensive with Queen Elizabeth of England but proved a deep plot the Queen of Navar poisoned by the Kings Apothecary by whose death the Prince is King of Navar the joyful and bloody mariage of the King of Navar and the Lady Margarite the Kings plot to take Rochel the names of the Protestants in Lyons is taken in a bloody Book sad complaints commeth to the Admiral and great suspition of a bloody Massacre at hand but he believed it not the Admiral from a Window shot in both Arms with a Harquebuzier as he walked in Paris the King in great rage dissembles his treachery but publishes his hypocrisie by a shew of grief and discontent he that shot the Admiral escapes having fresh horses waiting for him the Admiral shews himself a true Christian and patient sufferer the matter examined by Judges and the Issue he that shot the Admiral had commission from the King for it the Admiral like to dy requests the Kings visit the King and Queen Mother with many Attendants perform his request they profess sorrow and dissemble wonderfully the King and Admiral discourse alone the Admiral commits his injuries to the Lord the King intreats the Admiral to lodge in the Loure the Admiral refuses a great suspition of Treason by a sudden speech of the Count de Retz in the Protestants hearing the Admiral requested a Guard for his person which the King grants the Admiral and Protestants advised of their ruin but they depended on the Kings promises carriages mariage and solemn Oaths for their security and safety THe last Chapter concluded with the great favours of the King to the Protestants whereby he had so won into their affections and to perswade them all he said was true and to embrace his cruelty for loyalty now in this chapter we shall see the effects of his desires accomplished for we shall behold all the Nobles of the Protestant Religion and Princes with the most of the Gentry environed in Paris by the Treacherous baits of the Kings allurements The Queen of Navar with her Son the Prince and the Prince of Conde with a numerous train of the Nobility Gentry of the Protestants all come to the Court with many brave Commanders But Oh! my heart bleeds to think of the bloody issue In the beginning of June the Queen of Navar and Connt Lodowick of Nassaw arrived at the French Court at Paris the Count came to receive orders about the War in the Low Countries the Queen of Navar was courteously invited by the King to help prepare all things fitting for the Wedding who to that purpose came and was received with a joyful welcome both of the King and whole Court but as now we see their faces smiling with a good aspect so we shall shortly see their hearts full of poison Two daies after arrives the Prince of Navar the Prince of Conde accompanied with the Count de Rochfoucault with all the Trains of the Princes being the chief Commanders Cavalliers and Gentlemen of the Religion amongst which was brave Pilles Briquemault and Pluveault Collonels and resolute Souldiers who in time of the War through their undaunted and resolute valour for the Protestant cause may challenge a right of honour amongst the prime in France their courage being such as their Enemies yielded to them much glory and renown as well as felt the power thereof Amongst the rest also came to Court that famous Commander the Sicur de Guerchy that defended the City Sancere where all miseries were endured and their enemies cruel mercy a place which was driven to such extream wants as no filthy thing was left unfed upon also came the Marquess de Revel the Sieurs de Nove de Collumbiere one Lavardin a famous Commander of Horse with many Noble Lords and gallant young Gentlemen all Protestants in the Bud of their years with a great many more â—f quality and reputation but alas we shall see these poor innocent Gentlemen basely murthered by the Kings command and so deprived of all that Gallantry which their sprightful valour promised to fill the World withal Articles of the Low Countrey war put in writing The Count of Nassaw had with the King concluded on Articles for the Low Country war which Articles were put in writing So that we may say the King used the Count and the Prince of Orange in this War as the Monky did the Cats foot to pull the Chessnuts out of the fire Articles of the mariage And now to the mariage of the Lady Margaret and Prince of Navar the agreement being made That the Prince of Navar should have with the Lady Margaret four hundred thousand Ducats whereof three hundred thousand should be paid by the King and security given by the Queen Mother and the Duke of Anjou the mariage to be in the City of Paris and now Christian Reader the plot begins The King advances a Gentleman of the Admirals to high Honour his name Cavagnes a Gentleman of great Worth and really honorable in himself for excellent parts and no less valour whom the King The Admiral intreated by the K. to come to Court the better to work his Designs sends as Messenger to the Admiral to intreat his presence at Paris in order to honour the King and Court in this mariage as also to consult about the War against the King of Spain assuring him that the King intends his safety in that City as much as his own and that although the Parisians did cordially hate him by reason of their great superstition in that City being with seditious preaching of Moncks and Fryers dayly inflamed to cruelty and bloodshed against the Protestants yet his Majestie would take such care of his person as he should be as safe as the watchfull eye and command of a King would make him A stone Cross pulled down by the K. command at the Admiralls request The King finding a stone cross erected in Paris in a reproachful Triumph against the Protestants in time of the Civil Wars did at the request of the Admiral pul it down in regard it was a publick occasion of offence And thus the King and his Council were hid with the love-hood
Army and thereupon immediately fled to the Kings Camp Others said it was Bondot an Archer of the Kings Guard Now when this confession of the Woman of the house aforesaid was brought to the King he commanded Monsieur de Nance Captain of his Guard to apprehend and bring Chally before him but Chally as soon as he heard the stroke of the piece fled into the Kings Castle of the Loure hiding himself in the Duke of Guises chamber but as soon as he heard of the Kings command he fled Now De Nance Captain of the Kings guard being informed of his escape and no doubt was himself the Informer answered that Chally was a Gentleman of good repute and no doubt but on notice given of the Kings mind would appear before his Majesty or the Magistrates The man that shot the Admiral had commission from the K. to do it Ob horrible The Admiral in danger of death desires the K. visit But not to hold the Reader longer I find it recorded by the most exact Narration that it was Manrevel one whom the Duke of Guise had at his request to the King and by his Commission procured to kill the Admiral which at large is fully related in the Civil wars of France The Admiral now wounded and under the Chirurgians hands dressing his wounds commanded his Son Teligny to go to the King and humbly to beseech his Majesty in behalf of his Father to vouchsafe him a visit for that the wounds lately received were likely to terminate his life and put a short period to his daies desiring therefore to see his Majesty and deliver something to his care that might greatly concern his Majesties safety The K. Q. Mother many other visit the Admiral To which the King in his wonted strain of courtesie answered He would perform his request and so in the afternoon the King goes to visit the Admiral taking along with him the Queen Mother the Duke of Anjou the Duke of Monpenseir a most affectionate Servant to the Church of Rome the Count de Retz a great familiar of the Queen Mothers with Chavigny and Entragny both chief Ringleaders in the bloody Butchery following the King no sooner arrives at the Admirals lodging but he lovingly saluted the Admiral demanding kindly and courteously some few questions concerning the state and health of his body to which the Admiral answered with such a Christian mild and sweetly-quieted countenance with Gods dealing as all that stood by admired at his patience The King hereupon seemed to be so much moved that he uttered these words The hurt my Admiral is done to thee but the dishonour to me and swearing a great Oath saies The K. by a deep oath protests to revenge the Admiralls Hurt I swear I will so sharply and severely revenge both this hurt and dishonour that justice shall have no cause to complain nor the World left without example of my integrity to your deserts And so made many Oaths and Protestations of the Resolutions to punish the Offender as also of his great care he had to preserve the Protestants and the Admirals life against all his Enemies but oh these pretences of friendship will at last prove a smiling harlot that whilest she kisses is like Judas to betray The King further demanded of the Admiral how he did approve of the Judges who had Commission by his appointment to examine the business who answered that he could not dislike of his Majesties care and choise yet humbly intreated his Majesty to let it stand with his good pleasure that Cavagnes might be in Council with them but the wrong he told his Majestie he had committed to God yet desired his Majestie would give order for a strict search and narrow scrutinie into the fact which the King again with his usual Protestations vowed to do and to revenge his wrong as much as his own The K. and Admiral being alone the Admiral declares much faithfulness to the King The Queen Mother and her two Sons withdrew and left the Admiral and King alone the Admiral began to advise the King to remember that he had often told his Majesty of the danger that hovered over his head by some persons neer to him and although he was the mark was shot at yet there was no less hanging over his Majesties head and that long ago there was treason plotted against his Life which his Majesty might please to take notice of as friendly advice and to beware betimes And further declared that now God was pleased to give large symptoms of the decay of his earthly tabernacle and he doubted that his good name would be hoysted up to the pinacle of envious slander by his Enemies and that he often told his Majestie the real Authors of all the late distractions of the Civil War faithfully opening the causes thereof and that he took God to be his witness of his faithful and cordial heart to the King and Kingdome and he never yet knew what was in this world dearer than his Countrey and publick safety all which Discourse the Admirall before his death declared to be spoken betwixt him and his Majesty The King desires the Admiral to lodge in the Loure for his security but was indeed in policy to secure his life and level it to his bloody will To all which the King after such answer as he thought fit with a high voice desired the Admiral to take protection in his own Castle of the Loure wherein his security should be equally envell oped with his own and this he wished might be embraced for fear some sudden commotion might happen from the rabble of that mad and tumultuous people which was a speech preparatory for the plot and yet so much were these poor Protestants blinded in their strange belief of the Kings protestations and not suspecting what followed that they never understood the treacherous intent of these prepared Pills of Hellish Dissimulation The Admiral refused his gilded pretexts of love and care for his ruin A great token of of treason The Admiral most heartily thanked his Majesty and excusing his non-acceptance at present till advice had with his Physicians which when he received it was by them all concluded to be not safe in regard the least motion would increase his pain and so it was resolved not to stir The Count de Retz turned to some of the Admirals Friends in the Chamber saying it were to be wished the Admiral would follow the Kings loving invitation to lodge in the Loure for it was to be feared that some sudden tumult might arise that the King might not be able to appease which was no sooner spoken but it deeply penetrated the Admiral and all his Friends and though they had no proof of reason to fear yet the Admiral desired the King to grant him the favor of a Guard The King grants the Admiral a Guard and flatters damnably To which the King lovingly answered He should
have as firm a guard for his person as he desired Further saying that in his safety consisted his own and that he would defend the Admiral as the hall of his eye having in admiration his fortitude and constancy protesting he did not believe so much valorous courage could reside within the brittle walls of mortallity Thus the King Queen Mother and the rest carried it with great signs of reality returning to the Loure committing the care and custody of the Admiral to the Duke of Anjou one of the conspiracy against him The Admiral and Protestants advised to take leave of the Court and their own ruin but they trust more to the Kings promise than their Friends advice But though the Admiral and Gentlemen about him saw not the ecclipse of the Kings treachery through the deep dissimulation of affection yet the Vidame of Charteres a cleer-sighted and wise man through his foresight of a bloody Comet advised the King of Navar the Prince of Conde and the Admiral with the Nobility Gentlemen and chief of the Protestants presently to take leave of their own ruin in time which was both too certainly and evidently hanging over their innocent thoughts assuring them that blow of the Admirals was but the prologue to a more bloody tragedy which could not but speedily ensue But the King of Navar Prince of Conde the Admiral with the rest of the Nobility and Gentry of the Protestants said That they could not but trust to the Kings solemn Oaths his sacred vows and covenants as a secure harbour from all threatning and ensuing storms besides the late marriage was an evident demonstration of the Kings intentions tying at once both affinity to the Protestant King of Navar and security for his promises CHAP. VII The Contents THe King and Queen Mother by Letters let the world know how the Admirall was hurt to their great grief They order a Guard for the Admiral but is such a one as secured the Admiral or any of his Friends from escaping their ruin The Gentlemen of the Admirals Friends lodged in the same Street where the Admirall lodged which was desired in pretence of their security also but proved their secure destruction The names of the Protestants in Paris with their several Lodgings put into a Catalogue The Nobles and Gentlemen of the Protestants meet in the Admirals Chamber and advises to remove for security from the threatnings of an ensuing storm yet resolve to rely on the Kings Oaths and Promises The King and Queen Mother assembles to take order for the manner and time of the Admirals Murther To colour this plot they order that it must be given out That the occasion was through the difference betwixt the house of Guise and Chastillon On Consultation it was resolved to spare the King of Navar and Prince of Conde if they would turn Papists The Duke of Guise and his bloody Followers force a strong report to be spread throughout all the City of their danger by the Admirall and his Adherents and so complain to the King and depart the Court in shew of discontent but privately lie in Paris to prosecute his hellish Plot and the Kings command two thousand men on Sabbath night are commanded by the King to be in arms The King sends word to the Admirall that he needs not fear for all was done by his command Some Protestant Gentlemen profer to watch all night with the Admiral but were refused the Officers of the City Assemble and are commanded by the King to destroy the Protestants The tokens to distinguish the murtherers from others to be a Napkin about their arms and a cross on their caps Divers Lords guard the King all night The bloody murtherers approach the Admiralls Lodging The Admirall is fearful yet often silenced his suspition by as often reiterating the Kings Oaths Promises Leagues Covenants and Law of Nations c. They enter his Lodging kill all they meet with The Admirall rises goes to prayer and commands his Servants to save their lives by flight They get on the tops of houses but are persued and slain They thrust the Admirall through the body beat him on the head shoot him with a Pistol and wound him the third time whereof he dies his body thrown out of the window the Duke of Guise kicks him on the face with his foot They cry out Kill Kill this is the Kings command The Alarum bell rings to a sad and generall Massacre The Admiralls head cut off and sent to the Pope All in the Admiralls lodging murthered among whom two young children of honourable birth Brave Count Rochfoucault basely murthered The Admiralls Son basely slain his Lieutenant fights gallantly for his life but is slain many brave Noblemen and Gentlemen basely murthered they give the plunder to the Soldiers crying kill this is the Kings command They spare neither young nor old but kill women and children and women with child till the very streets are covered with dead bodies nothing to be heard but sad crys and groans of the dying with cruel shouting of the Murtherers The River dyed with blood ten thousand slain this day WE concluded the last chapter with the great preparations of the King Queen Mother and Councfl ro effect their Plot and yet how they coloured all with a distembling carriage of love too and sorrow for the Admirals condition now in this chapter we shall see the saddest massacre that ever was acted by any Prince or in any Place Thus we leave the Admiral basely cowardly and bloodily wounded and knew not how to have justice The K. and Q. Mother write Letters testifying their sorrow for the Admirals hurt and yet done by the K. cōmand and so lay in his wounds expecting death as the inevitable issue of his Enemies cruelty Now we shall further see the Kings dissimulation and treachery for the very same day the Admiral was thus wounded does the King the more neatly to colour his own act of treachery with smooth pretences write Letters to Embassadours of Forein Princes and Letters also to the Governours of all his Provinces shewing How sadly he resented the Admirals hurt how ready he was to execute justice in the punishment of the a Forgetting himself Agent desiring that all the world might know how much b How much it rejoiced his aeart is no errata it did grieve him to the Soul that any such thing should happen And yet he ptesently after declares openly that he was slain by his Command for treason against his person as by other Letters we shall shew in due place The Queen Mother did also write letters to the same purpose But Christian Reader when thou perusest the whole story then wilt thou be able to judge of this deep Hypocrisie before ehe face of God and as it were against the face of Heaven But to proceed The King orders a Guard that the Protestants might not escape their Guard being their Enemies an intended for
comand this is the K. comand Presently the Duke of Guise and his ignoble Train of Nobles goes out of the Court crying Armour Armour we have had good success and a happy beginning let us now proceed to the rest for it is the Kings Commandment which words he repeated often This is the Kings command This is his commandment this is his Will this is his express Pleasure The Alarm bell rings to a general Massacre Then was caused to ring the bloody token for a General Alarum being the great Bell of the Palace and instantly it was bruted and published as the cause of this Murther That the Protestants had conspired against the King Queen and Court and were about to put this design into practice being armed to that purpose The Admirals body cruelly abused his head cut off and sont to the Pope by the King Then a certain Italian of Gonzagues band cut off the Admirals head which was sent to the King and Queen Mother and by them preserved with spices and so sent to the Pope and Cardinal of Lorrain at Rome as a rich Present Others cut off his hands others his secret parts then the common rascally rable for three daies together dragged his dead body which was mangled and besmered with blood and filth through the streets and afterwards drew it out of Town to the common Gallows and so with a rope left his body hanging by the feet at Montfaucon These cruelties were the badges of the Kings commands and these bloody Hell-hounds wore their Masters Livery All they find in the Admirals lodging are basely murthered among whom 2 children of honourable birth Now the Nobles and their cruel Murtherers brake into the rest of the Admirals chambers and those they found in their beds or hidden in any corners they mangled with many bloody-wounds and so cruelly destroyed them amongst which number thus slain was two young innocent babes Pages of an honourable birth and extract which indeed seemed to all that heard it to be too great an act of cruelty but what was bad enough to be done was their best deeds whereby they hoped with the help of the Popes Bulls to prove not only pardonable but also meritorious Count Rochfoucault a brave and noble Commander basely slain and extreamly pittied There was basely murthered the Count Rochfoucault which for his great wisdom pleasant wit and exeeding valour was highly esteemed of by King Henry and for the same cause this King shewed the like favour This brave Commander Statesman and Nobleman de Naunce was commanded to kill but for the true worth he knew was lodged in the heart of this brave Worthy and for the old acquaintance he had with him he utterly abominated it in an absolute refusal but one Laberge an Avernois and Limb of Hell one that was willing to sell his Soul for a little profit one that would receive a reward though it were from the Devils hands one that would enter upon any bloody service though his pay was damnation Deut. 27.25 Cursed is he that taketh are-ward to slay an innocent person and all the people shall say Amen The Admirals Son a noble and valiant Gentleman basely slain his brave speech This bloody unworthy fellow offered himself to the King to murther this brave nobleman if his Majesty would grant him the Count's Captainship of Horse and thus was this gallant Count basely murthered by men not to be spoken of for men when the Count will be remembred and named with respect in the Court of honour At the same time also and in the same place the Admirals Son Teligny was slain he was a young Gentleman of great accomplishments both of wit and valor insomuch that the King by his respects and affections shewed to him did do homage to his great deserts even to exalting him to the highest strain of Adulation this gallant young Gentleman I say being designed to such a cowardly death and base murther cryed out That now he saw it was even grievous for him to live in that he was the cause of his Fathers confidence of the Kings Love in that he had often commended the Kings faithfulness to him and so this brave Gentleman refused not this death offered him yielding his life as a sacrifice to their wrath and cruelty and thus was this poor Gentleman miserably butchered His Lieutenant shews great valor and fights stoutly but is murthered But his Lieutenant a resolute and brave young Gentleman having the advantage of his arms lengthened out his life in a stiff and stout resistance shewing that he would do what he could not who like a valiant Souldier wrapping his cloak about his arm he fought for his life to the feeling and applause of his bloody and merciless enemies but at last overpowred with number and strength was as unworthily slain as highly applauded Many brave Noblemen Gentlemen basely bloodily and inhumanly murthered in their chambers and streets At this time also was murthered Collonel Montaumar and Rouray Son to the Baron Des Adretts with all the rest of the Gentlemen that had relation to the Admiral amongst whom were many flourishing young Noblemen and Gentlemen all being basely and cruelly murthered and butchered in the prime of their youth and so cut off from all future hopes of high attempts who as they were the cream of the Protestnt Gallantry so were they the But of their Enemies cruelty And thus fell these Noble Gentlemen that at all times carried so much intrinsick worth as purchased immortal praise After this Cossins Souldiers with the Noblemens bands The Soldiers encoraged to blood by having the plunder free for their reward Men Women and children murthered children taken out of the womb alive and murthered the street strewed with dead bodys went ransacking from House to house tearing all away that was worth carriage and in such a manner as is commonly done at taking a Town by storm and so many grew rich by others poverty For the Duke of Guise Duke of Montpenscir the Cavalleir King Henry's bastard Gonzague Tavignes and other Principal Lords encouraged the Soldiers to proceed to blood with promise of all the booty free for their pains still crying out This is the Kings commandment So all the day from Morning to evening the skum of the City the gleanings of all villains did run up and down with their bloody Swords raging and glorying in their bloody Massacres unheard of murthers for they spared not the aged nor the women with child nor the poor innocent babes some whereof being taken alive out of their Mothers wombs without pitty they cruelly and presently destroyed and in a Triumphant joy they threw the slain bodies out of the Windows insomuch that there was scarce a lane that was not strewed with the dead bodies of the poor Protestants Nothing to be heard but the doleful crys and groans of the dying and terrible noise of the murtherers And as the City felt
the rage of these Tygers so the Suburbs also where was nothing but murthering and all sorts of cruelties committed men women and children rich and poor old and young nothing to be heard in Paris and the Subburbs but a horrible and terrible noise of arms horses and harquebuziers with a doleful sad and lamentable howling and crying of poor souls going to the slaughter and knew not wherefore a piteous complaint of such as cryed to the villains for mercy together with the merciless and cruel shouts of murtherers and bloody Hell-hounds crying kill destroy for the King commands it mixed with the sad groans of the dying that it seemed as if heaven and earth had met together as if the Heavens would have rent with thunder Oh! sad Oh! wretched King to stain thy honour with such perfidious breach of promise to water thy Kingdom with the blood of Gods people and so to dissemble with the world as if dissembling were further from thy thoughts than thy heart from reality Streets and Rivers dyed with blood The Pavement Market place and Rivers were died with blood and it was heard say by the murtherers that they had put an end to that quarrel that neither pen paper decrees of Justice nor open War could accomplish in twelve years 10000. protestants murthered in one day by the K. command About ten thousand souls makes this Lords day famous for ever with effusion of their pretious and innocent blood such as no age or time can parallel for there was at this time in Paris sixty thousand men with Pistols Pikes Poinyards Curtelaces Knives and such other bloody Instruments who run up and down swearing and blaspeming the sacred Majesty of God cruelly massacring all they meet the streets being covered with mangled bodies Gates and doors defiled with blood And yet we see but in part what cruelties were committed if we compare what we have read and what we shall read together For now having given thee a sight of such Treachery Poisonings perjuries Cruelties and damnable dissimulations with the many murthers committed on the Admiral and Friends in Paris I shall endeavour in the next chapter to give a tast of such sad Massacres and cruelties as will affright and astonish the heart of any true Protestant and if thou hast any grain of true Christianity in thee thou canst not but be toucht with a fellow-feeling of these sad and unheard of murthers and crueltys CHAP. VIII The Contents THe King labours to turn the King of Navar and Prince of Conde to the Catholick Religion by threatning of death and promises of Life Their answers Many Gallant and Peerless Commanders hewen in peeces at the Loure crying out to the Kings Oaths and Promises in the Kings hearing That brave and unparalleled Commander Monsieur de Piles basely slain crying out aloud to the King protesting against his treacherous cruelty and perjury Two hundred gallant Gentlemen slain Count de Montgomery and Vidame of Charteres escape to England A Plot against Rochel but prevented La Charite surprized and all the Protestants cut off The murther at Paris renewed next day the bodies of the dead thrown into the River Sein In two daies above ten thousand slain whereof five hundred of Noble blood Gentlemen with many Ladies and Gentlewomen that came to the mariage The King sends by Post to command all the Protestants to be cut off following the example of Paris Three Noble Gentlemen in the Court murthered The strange sad and cruel death of a brave Gentleman Monsieur de la Place Peter Ramus that famous Professor of Logick basely slain A sad yet comfortable death of a Godly young Christian A terrible and unheard-of cruelty committed on a Gentlewoman with child Merciless cruelty committed on a poor child The most Cruel Horrid and unheard of butchery at Lyons not to be paralleled in any age the blood running through the streets reeking hot to the terrour of the Catholicks themselves The Bloody Massacre at Meaux The like sad Massacre at Troys The bloody Murthers at Orleans The cruel butcheries at Tholouse The cruel slaughters and bloody murthering of six thousand Protestants at Roan The Murthers at Angiers A Godly Minister that had laid the first foundation of a Church in Paris is murthered by the Kings command WHilst these sad cruelties were executed at the Admirals Lodging and in the City and Suburbs of Paris Let us now behold with pitty a number of brave Commanders murthered in the Kings Castle of the Loure by the Kings commandement and in his sight For the King of Navar and Prince of Conde did lodge in the Loure with many other brave Commanders which came to accompany the King of Navar and Prince of Conde The K. promises pardon to the King of Navar Prince of Conde if they will turn Papists The first thing the King falls on after his bloody Butchery in Paris was to deal with the King of Navar and Prince of Conde to whom he gave command to be brought into his presence The King told them all that was done that he had now cut off all the instruments of the late Civil Wars and he hoped would prove a prevention of future troubles for by his command the Admiral was slain with his Train and that no less was done in other Cities to all the Protestants but saies he by reason of your young and tender years and neer alliance in consanguinity and marriage therefore it is I desire you should be pardoned but we shall see it on sad terms to these poor tender hearts ready to break with grief at their friends death and their own too sad and rigid fate Poor Princes betrayed by the cruelty of a perfidious merciless King The King tells them their Lives depended on the reforming their Judgements and turning to the Catholique Religion for he is resolved never to have any more than one Religion in his Kingdom and if they embraced not this Snake in their bosome they must be stung with his bloody Sword as the deserts of their obstinacy The K. of Navars answer to the K. of France The King of Navar humbly beseeched his Majesty to remember his Promises Engagements and now the near alliance by mariage lately contracted and not to force him in those things which only he must be accountable to God alone for that he would please rather to imprison his body than his soul and not to force him to make shipwrack of a good conscience by a violent assault Now the Prince of Conde like a resolved Christian also The P. of Conde's zealom answer to the King did with much zeal answer the King in this manner That he having given his Oaths and promlses in solemn and publick Protestations to all of the Religion would not he hoped forget the great ty of performance which all men are bound to observe under pain of Gods heavy Judgements and therefore he wondered his Majesty should so soon be perswaded to break
his most Solemn Vows and Protestations which by the Law of God and Nations he was bound to keep but know saies this noble Prince that for my Religion it is so closely enshrined in a fixed resolution to preserve with my soul that it is beyond the reach of Mortality and I hope by Gods grace am so resolved that loss of life shall not shake my steddy soul to batter my conscience And though your great threatnings peirce my understanding yet shall they not make me lose my hold of that Religion which by Gods grace is planted and by your promises and oaths freely granted to me the free exercise of and as for my body and goods you may use as you please but my unspotted soul is in the hands of God Many Nobles and brave Commanders that waited on the K. of Navar and Prince of Conde by the K. order and in his fight are cut in peices crying out to his Oaths and Promises Brave Monsieur de Piles his sad death lamented and pittied by his enemies yet basely murthered in the K. fight This notable answer of this tender young Prince did so move his raging cruelty that letting loose the reins of his furious indignation he calls him Rebell and the Son of a Rebellious person with horrible threatnings that he should lose his life if within three daies he did not obey his command and without any more ado he assaults him with a furious countenance issuing out these terrible words Mass Death or Bastile But now their poor Friends that waited upon them being many gallant Gentlemen as also their Servitors in their chambers their Schoolmasters and those that had the bringing them up were thrust out one by one among the crowd of Murtherers being the K. Guard of Switzers that stood in two ranks prepared for blood and cruelty These Gentlemen crying out to the Kings Oaths Promises and fidelity were nevertheless by the K. command and in his own sight unmercifully hewen and cut in pieces There did dy of note amongst these in the Loure the Marquess de Rennet with several others of noble blood as also many brave Gentlemen but no mans death was so much bemoaned of many both friends and enemies as brave Monsieur de Piles whose valour though great yet could not be victor over his Religious and Godly zeal whose great courage and greater Christianity fought for Mastery for he had defended as aforesaid the little Town of St. Jean de Angeli against the K. great Army for fourty daies who at last yielded not so much to their valour as their number There this brave Commander got such Renown that of his Enemies who felt his valor he was highly honoured and was thought to be beloved and much esteemed of by the King This brave de Piles I say with Leranne Odou's Son were both lodged by the Kings command all night in a Wardrope next the King of Navars own chamber but this command of the Kings was looked on by the poor Gallant Gentlemen rather to be an act of special favour then base treachery these noble Commanders a little before day hearing a great noise of running of men in Armour with doleful cryings and howlings of the slain for mercy wondered what should be the matter and so arose who were no sooner up but de Naunce approaches their chamber and tells them it was the Kings Commandment that they should come down into the Court leaving their weapons behind them and so to depart out of the Castle He disclaims against the Kings treachery Proclaiming his Trayterous infidelity and cruelty in the Kings hearing Now when this brave Monsieur de Piles saw himself disarmed and thrust out amongst the murthering Souldiers who stood ready to kill him and viewing the sad spectacles of so many of so many of Gods people already slain he cryes out with a loud voice to the peircing of the Kings ear protesting against the Trayterous infidelity of his bloody cruelty that Covenants nor Oaths could not bind his loose hands and cruel heart no more than fetters can ty the raging Ocean but who is deaser than he that will not hear for his words peirced the air but not this Tyrants heart So having a rich Cloak he takes it off and gives it an acquaintance Saying Take here this token of Piles and let posterity know poor Piles most shamefully cowardly and unworthily slain by the perfidious command of a perjured King Oh! my good and noble Monsieur de Piles replyed he I am none of them I thank you for your Cloak but I will not receive it on that condition He is thrust out amongst the Murtherers slain so immediately Monsieur de Piles was thrust through the body with a Partisan by one of the Kings Guard and so was there basely murthered and slain And thus died this most noble and valiant Gentleman pittyed by his Enemies that knew him to be a valiant Commander thus was he haled to a cowardly death that never knew what compulsion meant but when his virtues and valour incited him to good actions so his body was thrown into the quarry with the rest the beholders crying out these are the Traytors that plotted our destruction and would have killed our King Now it pleased God to dispose of Leranne otherwise who being thrust through the Body with a sword escaped by running into the Queen of Navars chamber who preserved him from their cruelty and presently obtained his pardon and also by the assistance of her own Doctor of Physick he recovered and lived 200 Gallant Noblemen and Gentlemen basely slain by the K. command Amongst these Gentlemen and at the same time was also murthered Pontbreton Pluviault Bandine Francourt Chancellour to the King of Navar Pardillan Lavardin and other chief Commanders Gentlemen to the number of two hundred whose cryes no more peirced the Kings cruel heart than an arrow can an Adamantine Rock Count De Montgomery and the Vidam of Charteres with some others escape to England Now it fell out by Gods good providence otherwise with those of the Protestants that lodged in the Fauxburg At St. Germain beyond the Sein amongst whom was the Count de Montgomery and the Vidame of Charteres who presaging some intended mischief having a cleer foresight of this Tempest provided for an escape and so would by no means be drawn to lodge with the Admiral who now hearing the noise and understanding the matter instantly fled but were quickly persued by their grand enemie the Duke of Guise who as soon as the day had relieved the night passed the water with many horse and foot and overtaking the Protestants in their flight found some without shoes some without arms others without Saddles some without bridles all equally unable to make resistance and so were without mercy scattered and cut off the Count De Montgomery and Vidame of Charteres with about ten in company by the good mercy of God saved themselves and after many
dangers and difficulties got to the Sea side and so escaped over to England bringing sad news in their dejected countenances for the loss of their dear and pretious Friends who were also as kindly welcomed by our good Queen Elizabeth as safely escaped from the cruelty of their treacherous and perjured King Whilst these bloody and unheard of crueltys were committed in Paris A bloody plot against Rochel but prevented Strozzi the Kings Admirals lay hovering at Rochel endeavouring to surprize it under pretence of a Banquet to be made for his Friends of the Castle of La Cheine but being discovered he retreated without the effects of his desire or performance of the Kings command The Protestants murthered at La Charite The murthers at Paris is renewed next day But the poor Protestants of La Charite as aforesaid was entraped by the Italian horse and were now put to the Sword But to return to the bloody City of Paris the next day the slaughter was renewed for all that was found hidden in corners or private places of the City were all sought out brought forth and murthered insomuch that the day before and this day were massacred in Paris above ten thousand Protestants of all degrees and sexes the very common Labourers Porters and the most rascally and desperate villains of the City did this day abuse the dead bodies by pulling off their cloaths and throwing them naked into the River of Sein The places of preferment which now lay empty by reason of this horrid massacre were now by the King given to whom he pleased The Admirals office he gave to the Marquess de Villars c. And so like a true Tyrant leaves nothing his poor Subjects can call their own but their miseries In this butcherly Massacre at Paris were sacked above four thousand houses and above five hundred Barons Knights and Gentlemen who had held the chiefest imployments in the War with many noble and gallant yong Ladies and Gentlewomen that had now purposly met together from all parts to rejoice in honour of the King of Navars mariage with the L. Margaret who poor Noblemen Gentlemen Ladies thought of nothing more then of jollity and pleasures but now suffer the Tyrannical rage of a furious King and bloody death to be pittied by all that shall hear this sad story for poor Ladies they expected no such tragical welcome from a Royal King contrary to his Oaths and their spotless innocency and it must needs stick as the greatest badge of inhumanity and cowardice nay a true character of a bad cause To murther like Devils not fight like men Immediately after these unheard of murthers were acted in Paris the King not yet glutted with blood sends Messengers by post to all parts of the Kingdom often shifting horses for more speed with express command to all other Cities to follow the example of Paris commanding all Protestants which were amongst them to be slain and yet at the same time the same King writes other Letters wherein he laid the fault of the Murthers upon the Admiral and the Duke of Guise Now this command of the King to cut off all the Protestants in all Towns and Cities under his command it cannot he expressed how chearfully willingly and readily they were obeyed by the greatest part of the Cities in France for on the receipt of his Majesty Letters they fell on the Protestants at Meaux Troys Orleans and other parts murthering them without all pitty And now let us a little read with melting hearts the sad affliction of Gods Church let us bring the sad ruins of a good cause to our neer view by a spiritual improvement as a prospect draws the object nearer for we must now relate the sad catastrophe of many thousands of poor Christians who fell under the cruel and bloody command of the King to all his Magistrates which indeed is not to be expressed what sad cruelties were committed to the wonderful astonishment of all that hears or reads it for no sooner does the King let loose his cruel commands but speedily the bloody Papists break out with horrid Massacres more like Devils than men For now in Paris the Prisons that had any Protestants by which reason they escaped for a time were now brought forth and basely slain by the multitude of murtherers in which were three gallant Gentlemen of great reputation viz. Captain Monius a very valourous and stout Gentleman next Lomen Secretary to the King and greatly honored and esteemed for his faithful service in his place and lastly Chappes an antient Lawyer of fourscore years And was also of great renown and fame in the Court of Paris all three were basely murthered as cannot be expressed Amongst the rest must be set forth that unparallel'd bloody and treacherous death of Monsieur de la Place President of the Court of Wards which must I say for the strangness of the murther begg leave to have place in this history Their comes a Captain armed to the Gentlemans house and acquaints him that the D. of Guise had slain the Admiral by the Kings commandment and also many other Protestants but out of his deserts he desired to protect him from their fury with all desiring to see his Gold which he might as well bestow on him for saving him as on others for destroying him the Lord de la Place admires at the Captains audatious and petulant demeanour and so confidently required of him whether he thought there were a King or no the Captain blaspheming desired him to go to the K. to know his pleasure the Lord De la Place thinking danger too near absented from him to a place of better secutity the Captain hereupon plunders his house This poor Gentleman seeking shelter in three houses for his life was refused and so at last was forced to return to his own house again where finding his wife very pensive and sad he rebuked and exhorted her not to be so full of dispondency of spirit for death was the utmost and heaven the crown of their afflictions and sufferings and so spoke fully and sweetly of the promises of God which jointly knit their hearts together in comfort and so calling together his Family he sweetly exhorted them expounding out of a chapter to them then went again to prayer and so resolved with the assistance of Christ to suffer all Torments of death rather than dishonour God in the least drawing back presently after comes the Provost Marshal to his house with many Archers with a pretence to secure him and conduct him to the King who answered that he freely desired to continue his obedience to the King but could not see how to escape the fury of the present danger by continual massacres Presently after comes the Provost des Marchands with order to bring him to the King but he excused it as before but he would not have any delay or excuse so that this Noble Lord resolves to meet death by a Christian preparation and
incerted only this following Letter The true Copy of the Kings letter to the Governour of Burgundy Cousin YOu have perceived what I wrote unto you Yesterday concerning my Cousin the Admirals wounding and how ready I was to do my endeavour to search out the truth of the deed and to punish it wherein nothing was left undone or forgottou But it hapned since that they of the house of Guise and other Lords and Gentlemen their Adherents whereof there be no small number in this City when they certainly knew that the Admirals friends would proceed to the revenge of his hurt and because they were suspected to be the Authors thereof were so stirred up this last night that a great and lamentable sedition arose thereof insomuch that the Guard by me appointed for his defence about his House was set upon and he himself with certain of his Gentlemen slain and havock of others made in divers places of the City which was handled with such rage that I could not use the remedy I would but had much ado to employ my Guards and other Defence for the safety of my self and my brethren in the Castle of the Loure to give order hereafter for the appeasing of this Sedition which is at this hour well appeased thanks be to God and came to pass by a particular and private quarrel of long time fostering betwixt these two houses Whereof when I foresaw that there would succeed some mischievous purpose I did what I could possibly to appease it as all men know and yet hereby the Edict of Pacification is not broken which I will to be kept as straitly as ever it was as I have given to understand in all places throughout my Realm and because it is greatly to be feared that such an execution might stirr up my Subjects one against another and cause great murthers through the Cities of my Realm whereby I should be greatly grieved I pray you cause to be published and understood in all places of your Government that every person abide and continue in the safeguard of his own house and to take no weapons in hand nor one to hurt another upon pain of death commanding them to keep and diligently to observe our Edict of Pacification and to make the Offenders and Resisters and such as would disobey and break our will to be punished You shall assemble out of hand as great force as you can as well of your friends as of them that be appointed by me and others advertising the Captains of Castles and Cities in your Government to take heed to the safeguard and preservation of the said places so that no fault ensue on their behalf advertising me also as soon as you can what order you have given herein and how all things have passed within the circuit of your Government Hereupon I pray God to keep you Cousin in his Holy safe-guard At Paris August 24. signed Charles and underneath BRULAND Now at the same time were Orders given out by the King for all Towns and Provinces within his Power to follow the example of Paris and to murther and put to death all of the Religion and the very next month he wholly abolishes that famous Edict giving command to root out all the Protestants both from Estates and Places and at last as we shall see causes a Form of Abjuration to be made and causing it to de proclaimed That no Religion should be exercised in the Kingdom but the Romish Now we see by these Letters that the King would fain lay the blot of this foul crueltie to the antient Quarrel of the houses of Guise and Chastillon therefore the Guisans foreseeing the foulness of the fact strove as much to evade the dint of the Dishonour as the King did though the Guisans were the Plotters and chief Agents in the practical part of this cruel Tragedy whereupon they handled the matter so that the King was forced to acknowledge and avow publickly this horrid act and indeed none more fit than the King that commanded it And truly the sad effects of these unheard-of cruelties would make any one disown it and gladly would the King don so for he loved the effects and now could neither evade the dishonour nor Gods just Judgements But he is not yet ripe for them although in these many massacres he had not spared but basely caused to be butchered an infinite number of gallant Noblemen and Young Ladies with abundance of learned men many reverend old men many young Gentlewomen and Virgins many honourable Matrons of good account women with child and little infants at their mothers breasts Now the King being forced to let the world know his perjury and cruelty he labours to set a good face on his cruel heart so that the King that had the four and twentieth day of August 1572. declared by Letters to all the Provinces and several Princes abroad that the tumult in Paris arose betwixt the two parties of the Guisan and Admiral now but two dayes after being the twenty sixth of the same mouth This most mighty King and by consent of all nations commonly called the most Christian King comes into the Parliament with a great Train of his Brethren and other Princes and Lords of his Court attending him where in a full Assembly of his Council he ascends the Throne and sitting thereon he directs his Speech to this great Assembly in manner following The Kings Speech in Parlament That having been informed that the Admiral with certain of his confederates notwithstanding all his favors gratious pardons granted to their former Rebellions yet have now plotted against my person with my mother and Brethren to our utter perdition which being discovered I was forced to prevent my own ruin by Justice to procure theirs and by a speedy course have heaped on their own heads what they would have heaped on mine For this cause therefore it was that by my command the Admiral and his Complices are deservedly cut off hoping thereby that a period is not only put to their Treason against my self and Nobles but also to future troubles which would have fallen on this poor Nation to an utter ruin thereof Now although at first he had both by words and Letters laid the whole Business on the fury of a popular tumult headed by the faction of the Guisans yet now at this time unmasking his Design he discovers himself like his actions and now laid down his Reasons and grounds of this manner of proceeding against these Rebells as he calls them and so further declared That he thought it not altogether unfit to make his Magistrates acquainted with it That what was done at Paris in the late Slaughters was by his own commandment for the safety of his own life and national tranquillity and also that they might proceed with the like severity against such Traytors and Rebells of such a wicked Conspiracy and that it was a sudden thing and not premeditated a deep reach to take
off the edge of suspition hapning in a manner saies he by chance and not by any plotted contrivance This Speech of the Kings was by himself and the Parliament commanded to be written and entered into the Records of Parliament proclaimed by Heraulds and published in print a Book also was published by the Kings commandment which because it is within four daies of the same date of that Letter wherein he laies the blame of the Admirals death c. on the Duke of Guise and here takes it to himself therefore I say I thought fit to insert that printed Book by way of Declaration which is as followeth A Declaration of the King concerning the occasion of the Admirals death and his Adherents and Complices hapned in the City of Paris August 24. 1572. By the King HIs Majesty desiring to have all Seigniours Gentlemen and other Subjects understand the cause of the Murther of the Admiral and his Adherents and Complices which lately happened in the City of Paris the four and twentieth day of this present month of August lest the said deed should be otherwise disguised and reported than it was indeed His Majesty therefore declareth that which was done was by his express commandment and for no cause of Religion nor breaking his Edicts of Pacification which he alwaies intended and still mindeth and intendeth to observe and keep yea it was rather done to withstand and prevent a most detestable and cursed conspiracy begun by the said Admiral the chief Captain thereof and his said Adherents and Complices against the Kings person his Estate the Q. his Mother and the Princes his Brethren the King of Navar and other Lords about him wherefore his Majesty by this Declaration and Ordinance giveth to understand to all Gentlemen and others of the Religion which they pretend Reformed that he mindeth and purposeth that they live under his Protection with their wives and children in their houses in as much safeguard as they did before following the benefit of the former Edicts of Pacification most expresly commanding and ordaining that all Governours and Lieutenants General in every of his Countreys and Provinces and other Justices and Officers to whom it appertaineth do not attempt nor suffer to be attempted any thing in what sort soever upon the persons and goods of them of the Religion their wives children and families on pain of death to be inflicted on those that shall be found faulty and culpable in this behalf And nevertheless to withstand the troubles slanders suspitions and defiances that may come by Sermons and Assemblies as well in the houses of the said Gentlemen as in other places as it is suffered by the said Edicts of Pacification it is expresly forbidden and inhibited by his Majesty to all Gentlemen and others of the said Religion to have no assemblies for any cause at all till his Majesty hath provided and appointed otherwise for the Tranquillity of his Realm upon pain of disobedience and confiscation of body and goods It is also expresly forbidden under the pain aforesaid that for the aforesaid accasions none shall take or retain any Prisoners or take ransome of them and that incontinently they certifie the Governours of every Province and the Lieutenant General of the name and quality of every such Prisoner whom his Majesty hath appointed shall be released and set at liberty except they be of the late Conspiracy or such as have made some practice or device for them or had intelligence of and they shall advertise his Majesty of such ro know his further pleasure It is also ordained that from henceforth none shall take or arrest any Prisoner for that cause without his Majesties commandment or his Officers nor that none be suffered to roave abroad in the Fields to take up Dogs Cattel Beefs Kine or other Beasts Goods Fruits Grain or any thing else nor to hurt the Labourers by word or deed but to let them alone about their work or calling in peace and safety At Paris August 28. 1572. signed Charls and underneath Fizes Imprinted at Paris by Iohn Dalleir Stationer dwelling on Saints Michaels Bridge at the sign of the White Rose by the Kings Licence There was Letters also writ by the King to the Officers of Burghs also remembrances sent to the General Lieutenant of Burgundy which being to the same purpose is omitted for brevity The Kings Oration in the great Assembly aforesaid being ended before this Assembly broke up one Christopher Thuane the President of this Assembly in Parliament being one of a high Spirit and subject to admire his own parts and actions ready to wonder what a fool he could make of Solomon being a man reported to be notable for his light brain and cruel heart who trusting more to a slipery tongue than a sound cause congratulated the King for his wise Policy and good success in a speedy conquest over his Enemies But alas how did he conquer Only by wearing the vest of the Innocent to conceal and cover the deformed ugliness of his perfidious perjury But the Advocate of the Finanees succinctly delivered his mind to this purpose That though his Majesty had just cause to punish Delinquents yet it were more becoming the justice of a Prince to proceed according to the Lawes by himself decreed and established and so more fit for his Majesty to command a speedy cessation of such violent slaughters and to enter upon a judicial proceeding according to the Laws which was well known to be the proper and peaceable establishment of Empires and Kingdoms This advice takes well for now the King begins to do unjustly in the name of Justice so he proceeds to dissemble a Legality for all his future Butcheries unwilling to murther any more without a statute and pretence of Justice for it This being a brave principle of a Tyrant and that whereas the Laws at first were known to be the legitimate daughter of judgement it must now be made the adopted daughter of Tyranny Now is an arrest of Parliament with his Royall assent so that immediately Heraulds went about the City and an Edict was proclaimed in the Kings name That all murthers should cease but those that he intended more immediately to have a hand in himself by sitting in judgement and quallifying his cruelty and bloodshed with the name of Justice And first let us see a little of this new Justice of the Kings which now must be exercised on the dead Admiral which being as aforesaid hung by the heels on the common gallows of Paris the people by flocks and multitudes gathered to see it The Queen Mother to delight her self with that sad vâ—ew of her Sons and her own bloody cruelty she takes the King and his Brethren and so advances towards this sad sight but his body was in the night conveyed away by two of the Marshall de Momorancies Servants and was secretly buried at Chantilly whose faithfulness and adventure is beyond a terrene Reward And now the King begins
to put in execution the advise of the Advocate being also perswaded to it by Morvilleir a wicked fellow and the first that brought the Priests into the Kingdom of France now it was thought fit to bring to publick Justice those that were taken flying and hiding themselves and so after the usual manner of Judicial proceedings should be examined by chosen Judges cull'd on purpose and so by Sentence condemned that in view of all the world they might receive their execution as the effects of justice and reward of there Treasonous practices The Judges thus appointed was Birage Thuan Limege and Belleuxe who presently gave order for a man of Hay made in shape of a mans body and so to personate the Admiral whom they had murthered and so it was dragged through the streets by the Boreau his memory was condemned and razed out of remembrance his arms and Ensigns of Honour and Chivalry demolished his Castles and Farms razed to the ground his Children pronounced infamous and unnoble and all the trees in his woods to the growth of six foot to be cut down And now to make way abroad in the World in the Court of Forein Princes and Nations for a more neat excuse to their unheard-of baseness They disperse Libells full of dishonour to the Admiral and his Adherents and stuft with the Defamation of their memories and that their Actions might not run in a Line Antartick to their words The King dispatches his Grand Provost with all diligence to seize upon the Admirals wife and Mounseir de la Vall the Son of Andelot deceased who by Gods good Providence were already fled to Genova and the better to escape further danger went to live among the Switzers in the Canton of Bearn the younger Children both male and female were condemned to death in their tender years They give also new charges to their Ambassadours negotiating in Germany Poland England Switzerland and other Forein Countreys to justify the actions of the King and Catholicks tending also to the Publick reproach and shame of the Admiral and his Friends But God used these things afterwards as a further mean to discover their treachery and so proved against their expected advantage For had the King and Court of France declared at first that they designed to cut of their Enemies as the exuberous branches of the Kings indulgency and now grown his Enemies hy their plotted treachery this would have excused them from perjury and treason but to pretend that they intended not what they really resolved to do and nothing less than what they did This I say was the height of dishonour to the Crown of France And thus died that famous Religious and Noble Commander Gasper de Colligny Admiral to the Protestant Army and cause for the space of twelve years whose deserved Fame lived with great renown in the hearts of all the Godly and with no less terrour and amazement often filled the Kingdom of France whose valour purchased great merit from his Enemies He that made the King and Court afraid in a hasty and disorderly retreat from Meaux to Paris And that I may add one mite to the Treasure of his true worth this is he that many praised and all admired that through a wise conduct of his affairs terrified his boisterous Enemyes to a submissive calm of subjection A man so inspired with great courage and constancy that to take a Description by any pen would be the highest road to lay his merits in the grave of obscurity being a man full of the sail of valour and sound judgment a star of the greatest magnitude in the affairs of highest importance shining for ever in the lowest obscurity of discords sudden dangers and insurrections One that cannot be enough admired commended or honoured being above all a man of profound judgement in point of reality This being the least part of honour that is paid to his eternal worth by all that knew him He he it was that basely suffered the unresistable shock of a perfidious and treacherous death cowardly murthered by those that durst never draw a Sword with a Resolution of valour against this Champion but trembled at his Remembrance and Presence who was never overcome by valour but by cowardice Amongst the rest that were brought to a Legal murder was one named Caviagnes Master of the Requests to the King and one named Briquemault both inward friends to the Admiral and in great reputation in the Court of honour and Camp of Chivalry Now this brave Commander and old Souldier Briquemault having great renown by his service under King Francis and King Henry was therefore honoured by all but such as love no Rivals nor valued any crueltie if they could but out shine others loyalty by their own treachery This brave Gentleman was about fourscore and ten years old and poor Gentleman had gone through too much proof of fidelity now to end his life under the command and protection of such a cruel Tyrant Now these gallant Commanders aged with experience and filled with innocent integrity were like Lambs before Wolves threatened to be torn in pieces unless without delay they would with their own hands subscribe that they were of the Admirals Councel to cut off the King by an untimely death together with the Queen his Mother and his Brethren and promising pardon if they would accept of it These innocent Gentlemen cryed out That they were ready to suffer the Torments of their merciless cruelty upon their bodies rather than pull down vengeance upon their spotless souls so humbly beseeched the King to spare his torments seeing none could peirce so far as force themselves to a false accusation yet if his Majesty pleased to totment their bodies they hoped God would so in his mercy order it as to lessen the pain thereof by his gratious presence in their souls in whose goodness they hoped to depend for aid rather than perjure their own Souls by a false accusation of themselves and others being as full of innocency and integrity as they of cruelty and perjury they were resolved never to accuse murthered innocency wherein they never were guilty nor commit such an execrable crime as the King requested and say they though the King values the tranquility of his Realm before the blood of Christians yet we hope to embrace a peaceable conscience in trampling underfoot the high esteem of a transitory possession for what will it gain us to gain our lives and lose our immortal souls The Judges having some remorse of conscience began to deny the embracement of that infamy The Judges toucht in conscience do refuse to fit in Judgement which must justly fall on their unjust Sentence for indeed their reasons were unrefistable and these Judges understood the intent of the King by the Defendants Pleas so they refused any more to hear or determine much less to give Sentence whereupon were new Judges appointed in their room and to them was joined a Tormenter and Notary as
might suit with them so at last these eminent and brave Cammanders and Gentlemen were by a shadow of Law and illegal Legality condemned to dy and so the 22. of October 1572. in the fight of the King Queen Mother her Sons with many thousand gazing on them they were led to the gallows seated in the prime street of the City but before execution as Briquemault ascended the Ladder came to him the under Provost of the Town whom the King had commanded to insinuate into him and to profer pardon for life if he would confess what was laid to his charge saying further that his Majesty being of an easie nature and courteous affability would as speedily grant pardon as he ask it but he like one truer to his own soul then the K. to his promise replyed That it was the K. duty to ask pardon of God if the day of Gods mercy had not past upon his cruelty and perjury and so was far from asking forgiveness for that whereof God and his soul were witnesses of his innocency yet to prove himself as good a Christian as the King a ernel Tyrant he cordially desired God of his great mercy to forgive the King And so lifting up his eyes to heaven he uttered these Words Oh my God upon whose Tribunal seat I stand and whose face I hope shortly to see thou knowest well that I know nothing nor did not so much as once think of any Conspiracy against the King nor against his Estate though I stand charged with the same in my process but I beseech God to pardon the King and all those that have been the cause of this my unjust death even as I desire pardon at thy hands for my sins and offences committed against thy Divine Majesty so ascending another step of the Ladder he onely said I have somwhat to utter to the King which I would be glad to communicate unto him but saies he I see that I may not and so shrunk up his shouldiers forbearing to use any further speech so these two brave Gentlement were at last with halters about their necks most basely unjustly and dishonorably thrown off the Ladder by the Hangman whose deaths ere this are accounted for and as Briquemaults constancy was much commended so was his death much bewailed by many Catholicks that were spectators of this sad crueltie Two things was very ill spoken of by the Catholicks and Protestants first the presence of the King as a thing unworthy the Head of Justice to see the Execution Secondly That Briquemault being a Gentleman of Good descent was basely hanged being a thing rare in France but especially now in regard he was reputed of his Enemies to be free from the charge for which he died about an hour after this unheard-of Justice and execution the bloody Catholicks of Paris drew their bodies through the Streets thrust their dead bodies through with daggers shooting of dags at them cutting off their ears and omitted no other kind of cruelty and barbarous villany that could be imagined And thus the Noble Gantlemen by their Christian Moderation and composedness of mind reared Trophies of Honour out of the Ruins of their own misfortunes Et Miserias infularum loco habuere wore their disasters like holy vestments as robes of honour They let the world know they could not only do but suffer and that passive fortitude is as good as active valour Et facere pati fortia hoc Romanum est L. Flo. And now to perfect all they likewise with these two famous Gentlemen cause to be hanged a man of straw made for a shadow of the Admiral These barbarous cruelties strange Treacherie and unheard-of perjury in these bloody proceedings against the poor Protestants of France brought an odium and bred a Hatred from Stranger Princes but especially in Poland likewise did much frustrate the French Negotiations in behalf of the Duke of Anjou And Courteous Reader since the first beginning of publishing this sad Tragedy there came in the interim a book to my hand wherein is somwhat discoverd of this History but specially the resentment and judgement of Sir F. Walsing ham then Ambassador in France for Q. Eliz. of blessed memory as also some orher Letters the matter contained therein I have shortly collected for the publick good which though abstracted here yet may more at large be read in the Author In a Letter to Sir Tho. Smith page 245. And therefore I hope her Majesty will stand upon her Guard and strengthen her self with the Amity of the Protestant Princes of Germany who as I hear are awake and marvelously stomack this late cruelty and do think that the danger thereof will reach to themselvs if they do not seek to prevent it One Roulart a Catholick and Canon of Nostre Dame and also a Counsellour in the Parliament uttering certain Speeches in misliking this lawless kind of proceeding without Justice was apprehended and committed to Prison and in prison murthered as disorderly as any of the Rest wherewith divers of the Catholicks themselves were offended This manner of proceeding breedeth General distrust in them of the Nobility and every man feareth Gods vengeance Paris 16. Sept. 1572. F. Walsingham In a Letter to Sir Francis Walsingham page 246. The Ambassadour proceeded shewing also outwardly a marvellous inward grief of mind for this shameful fact professing himself ashamed to be accounted a French man Although indeed the same informations had been true yet the manner of the cruelty used cannot be allowed in any kingdom or Government and least in that place where the King might by order of Justice have done due execution both to the Admiral and all others that should have proved offenders for it cannot be denied that the same forces that murthered so many might have more easily attached them all or the principals and brought them to answer to Justice when the King would c. whose age and knowledge ought in such case to have foreseen how Offenders ought to be justified with the Sword of the Prince and not with the bloody Swords of Murtherers being also the mortal enemies of the party murthered c. And as for the Admiral she confesseth that she was very sorry for his death as for one whom she thought a good Minister to continue Amity betwixt their two Majesties and she had cause to bewall the rest of the Noblemen for the like cause c. Her Majesty did greatly lament their death and doth surely perswade her self that if the King shall not use his power to make some amends for so much blood so horribly shed God who seeth the hearts of all as well Princes as others will shew his Justice in time and place when his honour shall therin be glorified as the Author of all Justice and the Revenger of all blood-shedding of the innocents c. Woodstock Sept. 9. 1572. W. Burleigh F. Knowles Rob Leicester T. Smith James Croft In a Letter to Sir Francis Walsingham folio 250. SIR
of abject and forlorn fellows That it s credibly written by good Authors that there could not be so few as fourty thousand souls cut off in few days by this sad cruelty and Massacre I find it also recorded by good Authors that many men of quality who were both Religious and the most ingenuous Papists whispered of this cruelty and falshood so clearly acted by the King in his special commandment Histories cannot be produced to parallel this cruelty The bloody command of King Mithridates who with a Letter and Messenger put to death one hundred and fifty thousand Roman Citizens that were all scattered in sundry parts about their Merchandize This I say cannot reach this Kings Treachery for the reasons aforesaid The Tragical Histories of the K. of Spains Murthers in Hispaniola though they transcend in number yet not in the nature of the offence although it is recorded that in seventeen years he destroyed six Millions of poor Indians roasting some throwing others alive to be devoured of wild Beasts yet cannot it come near to our sad story We may compare it to Silla who by a base Proscription in one City cast out four thousand and seven hundred Citizens wherof one hundred and fourty were Senatours and not long after the Triumvirs proscribed three hundred Senatours and two thousand Roman Knights and many other crueltyes And as Q. Catulus said of these cruelties so may I well apply it to these sad disasters Cum quibus tandem victuri sumus in bello armatos in paceâ— inermes occidimus with whom at last shall we inhabit if in war we cut off armed men and in peace disarmed The same Silla after he had given his Faith for the preservation of four Legions of his Enemies for all they implored his merciless trechery for favour and pitty yet he commanded them all to be cut off Peter of Arragon which destroyed eight thousand French in the Island of Sicily is but a flea-bit to this cruelty Many other examples of cruelty might be ushered in upon the Stage of Observation but what should we do with any more unless we could bring one to parallel it which by the narrowest search into all History I think cannot be done Indeed none of these I have named can fix on the borders of this Cruelty they did it against their Enemies some of them against a forein Nation but this King Charls against his own Subjects and under the peaceable protection of a Loving King as they thought Those Tyrants owned their bloody acts and gave reasons for it but our King Charls hid his cruelties in the bosom of his Councils and varnisht them so with fine-spun pretences that all he did looked not like what he said till God would not let it be hid but forced him to confess it to all the world The Protestants never could be got to yield to his Power but his faith and promises which they depended upon as a sure staff and prop to lean upon in all times of disturbance and tumults else would their force and valour never have stooped to his rotten faith and withered promises we see his promises and Oaths were linked together like Ropes of sand he intended not to ty himself by the most solemn Oaths and Engagements but Others must be tyed to their Ruin by them What unworthy waies and means this King took unbecoming the Majesty of a King to feed his cruel and bloody heart making use of the mariage of his own Sister as a bait to this horrid villany and so abused the mariage bed with a bloody Tragedy besprinkling her wedding Robes with blood which indignity and dishonour no Nation under the Sun either of former or of the ages since can forget or parallell It is a piece of such base Treachery as we shall see condemned by the practice of heathens that had only the light of nature it is such a sin as God often times repaies with his Judgements The Story of Camillus Camillus with the Roman Army having besieged the Falerians a School-master of the City one day betrayed all his poor Schollars to the Roman Army by leading them out to play at last brought them into the Enemies Camp so was carried to Camillus and then said Sir I have here brought you all the Children of the City and delivered them up into your hands that so you may have the City on your own terms But Noble and brave Camillus scornfully and Christianly answered That a Noble General should seek Victory rather by valour than the Assistance of such base Treachery And so worthily abhorring this base perfidiousness he commanded the School-master to be stripped and then to be whipped back to the City by his own Scholars which as soon as the Citizens from off the Walls perceived they were so taken with this Noble Act that they presently made peace with the Romans Thus is Treachery and Gallantry rewarded at once When the Sabines besieged the Castle of Rome the Governours daughter of the Castle betrayed it to the Sabines on condition to have all the braslets of gold which being promised she secretly led them in at gate in the night and afterwards Tacius the General bid all the Souldiers follow this Example to perform his promise who threw his Braselet and Buckler also that he wore on his Arm The Souldiers doing the like she was presently for her Treachery rewarded with death Ariftomenes King of the Messenians being expelled his own Kingdom by the Lacedemonians was forced to retire in flight to the King of Arcadia for succour but being of a resolute nature resolved to be revenged upon Sparta whilest his own Countrey was spoyled by the Lacedemonians but the King of Arcadia most treacherously discovered it to the Lacedemonians for which perfidiousness his own subjests stoned him cast him into an abject place and set up a Pillar with this inscription Difficile est hominem perjurum fallere Divos Here was an exemplary punishment of an unworthy King it is said that the bloody and Deecitful man shall not live out half his daies which was seen by our cruel and bloody King for few of them that had a hand in the Massacre in France but by a Divine hand of Providence they were selected out to their just punishment and were deservedly slain at the siege of Sancere and Rochel And the King himself died miserably at the age of five and twentieth years his blood issuing out in all parts of his Body Oh! the Heavy Judgements that follow breach of promise are many from the Scriptures The Dishonour that accrews to such an Action in a King is great and is condemned by these two or three examples not unworthy our serious perusal The famous story of Attilius Regulus Attilius Regulus General of the Romans being overcome and taken Prisoner by the Carthagenians was afterward upon his word admitted to journey to Rome with conditions of peace which he thinking dishonourable advised the Citizens not to accept thereof
and though he knew death would ensue yet he to keep his Oath and promise turned back and many others that came with him though much intreated by wife Parents and children yet returned with him to their Enemies according to their Oath though thay were sure of death Now it hapned that two of these returned not and kept not their promises but they were branded with such infamy that at last they slew themselves Darius Junior accounted nothing more sacred than keeping his Oaths and Covenants Fabius Maximus Fabius Maximus having contracted with Hannibal for Redemption of the Roman Captives sent to Rome for the monies which the Senate refused yet Fabius rather than break his promise sold his Estate and discharged his Covenant Lovangus King of China Lovangu King of China being besieged in the City of Hangcheu by the Tartarian Army he kneeled on the Walls and desired that his life might satisfy for theirs of the City in these words Spare not me for I will willingly be my Subjects victime Oh rare Love of a King to his Subjects there wanted Brave Alexander or Caesar to crown this illustrious testimony of Love to a people by saving his willing offer of life which the Tartars spared not I shall only lay down remarkable judgments of God from Scripture and Examples Historical upon perjury breach of promise and covenants which are odious before God good men and Heathens Philip of Macedon It is left to posterity on record that Philip of Macedon left such infamy behind him through the light esteem and low reverence of a Solemn Oath and his faith given in Leagues that his posterity suffered great and heavy Judgements from God as a just reward of such a great sin himself at the age of forty six years was slain and his family quite rooted out his Son was killed by his Wife Olympias another Son which he had by Cleopatra was tormented to death in a brazen Bull the rest of his Sons died the like death and his great son Alexander died miserably and suspected to be poisoned In the 34. chap. of Jeremiah there is a lively instance of Gods Just Judgement threatened for breach of promise read from the tenth verse to the end of the Chapter God will not be mocked In the 17. of Ezckiel ver 18 19 20. and 21. are these words Seeing he despised the Oath by breaking the Covenant when lo he had given his hand and hath done all these things he shall not escape Therefore thus saith the Lord God as I live surely mine Oath that he hath broken even it will I recompence upon his own head c. In the 2. of Samuel 21. ver 1 2. there is Gods Judgments also against Covenant-breakers a famine year after year for three years together and why but because Saul had shed the blood of the Gibeonites against Gods Commandement and his own Engagement and Gods wrath could not be appeased till seaven of Sauls Sons were hanged Oh! the Just and heavy Judgements of the Lord against this sin t is a scarful thing to fall into the hands of the living God for God is a consuming fire and with God is terrible Majesty Many are the Judgements of the Lord against this Sin both in Princes and people I shall only give a few more from History and proceed to the latter part of this Tragical Massacre King of Sparta Lisander King of Sparta used to say Boys were deceived with dice and Cockles but men with Oaths for he made no conscience of them But God punished him accordingly for he was slain at the Walls of the Thebans and this was him that first said If force will not prevail wee 'l piece it with the Foxes Tail King of Jerusalem Almerick King of Jerusalem making a League with the Calyph of Egypt did by Oath bind himself to the performance but contrary to his promise warring against them was miserably wasted and as miserably ended his dayes The Egyptians punished Perjury by death Valdislaus King if Hungaria Valdislaus King of Hungaria concluded and confirmed a Peace by Solemn Oath with the great Turk Amurath but the King of Hungaria by the Popes perswasion breaks his Solemn Oath and wars against the Emperour of the Turks and proceeding to Battel the whole day was carried dubious on both sides But presently the great Turk Amurath takes out of his bosome the Articles agreed on and covenanted too by Oaths and holding up in his hand lifting up his eyes to Heaven uttered these words Oh Jesus Christ If thou art a God as these Christians say Revenge this wrong done to thy name and me and punish these Covenant-Breakers which words were hardly spoken but God shewed his powerful Judgements on the King of Hungaria and his whole Army For presently the King Valdislaus amidst his Enemies was slain and his whole Army routed few escaping Agesilaus General of the Spartan Army marching in Asia Minor made Truce with Tissaphernes Lieutenant to the King of Persia till he had sent to the King his Master to know his Pleasure but instead of sending to the King for ayd in advise and Counsel he contrary to his Oath sends for a Great Army to surprize the General of the Spartan Army But Gods Judgements followed at the Heels of this perjury for the Army was quite overthrown according to the prophesie of the Spartan General who said the Gods were angry and no doubt would be revenged on his perjury The Romans in antient times highly reverenced faith and Oaths in case of publick affairs between Prince and People or between King and King and to that purpose they had a Temple erected and dedicated where constantly they used to repair and there solemnly promise and swear to all the conditions of peace and Truces and so cursed those that went about to break them first and therfore for greater and more strict confirmation thereof they offered Sacrifices to the Image of Faith for the greater Testimony of the Intentions and love to keep their Oaths most solemnly made How will our King Charls the Ninth be ashamed by these poor Heathens The Psalmist sayes A man ought not to break covenant but stand to it though to his great hurt yet such a bold wickedness hath possessed several Popes that they undertake to discharge any that shall break their oaths with Hereticks as they say This audacious and impious practice of confronting Gods command calls for vengeance from Heaven That any man should be so boldly blasphemous as to say they will pardon this sin which God has denounced such fearful Judgements against There was in antient time a people in Italy called Aequi their Memory only now remaining These people made League with the Romans and give Oath to keep it but not long after they raised an Army and spoiled the Romans falling on them contrary to Covenant the Romans send three Ambassadours to complain but their Captain General slighted them and bid them
deliver their Ambassy to an Oak-tree standing by One of the three Ambassadours spake to the Oak-Tree in these words Thou hallowed Oak and what ever else in this place belongs to the Gods hear and bear witness of this Disloyal perjury and breach of Covenant and favour our just complaints that we may at last by the help of the Gods be revenged on this perjured people So they returned home and presently raised an Army set on this perjured people and by the just Judgements of God utterly destroy them off the face of the earth To omit many other Examples of this Nature take but this one more King of Lacedemonia The King of Lacedemonia and the Argives being at War Cleomenes the Lacedemonian King made Truce for seven days and the third night following fell on them and made a great slaughter and with this excuse thought to evade the dint of the shame and Gods justice for sayes he It is true I made Truce for seven days but I did not mention nights Yet God followed this perjured King with these Judgements The Wives of the slain Argives arm under the command of Tolesilla their Captainess enter the City and puts to the Sword and flight the power and forces of the perjured King Cleomenes afterwards he was banished into Egypt where he miserably died a desperate death being his own Executioner Thus we see what heavy Judgements God has made and does execute upon all such as are contemners and breakers of this holy Edict and Law of God The Lord is to be feared and obeyed for in all his Judgements none greater threatned nor heavyer and surer falls on than on bloody and perjured men A thing abhorred and hated by Heathens before ever they were so far enlightened as to know the Law of God was above the Law of Nature for though they had but the light of Nature yet they held it a sin unpardonable and no Punishment accounted enough as they could invent There were some that recorded these cruelties and treacherys of the Kings and instanced the Law of the twelve Tables Si patronus clienti fraudem facit sacer esto if the Sovereign cheat his Subjects let them be out of safety or Protection He that in antient time despised the keeping of Oaths was no more to be called a King The Right hand was called a Pledge of Faith The Throne is established by Justice and it is an Abomination for Kings to do wickedness The Throne is upheld by mercy saies Solomon But this King by his Treachery Perjury and Cruelty degraded himself of his peoples affections for he valued not the lives of many thousand so his bloody cruelty could be satisfyed Scipio accounted it an honourable thing to save one Citizen rather than to kill a thousand Enemies There was no power and authority so great as the Dictators at Rome it was such an Assembly which met together as had the power of War and Peace nay they had the command of life and death at their will and that without any Appeal and yet it was not lawful for them to execute a Citizen unless his cause was publickly and justly heard and he legally committed and condemned But indeed it is the manner of Murtherers to bereave of life without Law or cause of death Nay had this horrid Massaere been a bare down-right murther it had been the less but it was covered with fraud and deceit The King and Court must personate a Religious habit and pretence of a Religious vow making Gods holy Ordinance stoop to his deceitful and tteacherous intention The Duties of Kings and Powers of the World which is not inconsistent with prudent Policy and sound Christianity A King ought by his Christian demeanour to have a rich store-house and exchequer of Affection and allegiance in his peoples hearts and he who takes care therein to lay such provision of love as that it may be as a firm Rock as a strong foundation what is there then that he may not command which is in their power to perform then the arms of the peoples affections open and are spread to imbrace any command this is the way to have the key of their hearts and to open that treasury of respect which by the wise mannagement of his power received from them he hath ready laid up Loving Subjects are most uniting in a harmonious consent of obedience to all his Commands love to a Prince created by himself will make cowards valourous even to defend him from the shock of his Enemies assaults And it is seen with greatest lustre and to his best advantage in his Straights when he hath made all his Subjects on the least notice ready to be voluntiers in the greatest dangers and hottest attempts for the Honour of their own Prince But when Kings spend too much on the stock of his Peoples willing minds of Subjection and prodigally trade away that stock of Love treasured up in his people what does he but expose himself to all assaults of fury and cruelty without pitty as it has been the end of many Princes nay when love is abused and turned to hatred in what a tottering Throne does he sit But whatsoever the Theory of an absolute Monarchy be yet a Good King loves the practical part of Justice his Power being more safe in his Laws than his Will Though his power and his Command may claim a strong Authority to do as he pleases yet he will not make his Power arbitrary nor beyond the limit of equal justice to all Now for Oppression Tyranny Cruelty and perjury to be seated in the heart of a King and he in the heart of his Kingdome Oh! how it levells his peoples affections and stems the tide and current of their allegiance razes the very foundation of his own security and is the most compendious way to his own utter ruin It doth by a strange instinct raise tumults and vicissitudes that like a rapid Torrent of confusion falls upon his own head as the reward of his vicious merits What foundation can such a King have when it is builded on a Quagmire seated on the terrible aspect of the peoples hatred accrewing by his Treacherous Tyranny An ingenuous people can no more brook oppression than the River Danube can mix with the muddy streams of Sava But this King to establish his Throne of Cruelty and Tyranny Peaceable like betroaths his People and Himself in an indissoluble bond of Peace never to be broke on his part yet no sooner made before the view of heaven and in the sight and presence of God but he registers his falsehood cruelty and perjury in a suddain breach with the blood of his own Subjects taking the advantage of their punctual observance to disarm them and take their Towns which on the peace granted were delivered and so erects his bloody Engines of deceit upon the ruins of his own promise Now Christian Reader let us a little see the small probability that the Admiral should
March to the siege at Rochel Wherepon the Protestants assemble in many places settle the Countie of Montauban ordering that City to be their Principal seat and in that County the Vicount of Paulin being chosen Governor of Nismes it was made the principal seat in the County of Languedoc which lay under the Government of St. Romain These preparations and resolutions thus taken strikes an arrow in the Kings heart who now too late saw that all the blood he and his Council had shed proved not as he expected and now the horrour of so much blood fell upon his bloody and guilty conscience insomuch as he knew not which way to turn once he was resolved to fall on those that had perswaded him that the cutting off the Protestants would terminate his Troubles in a quiet calm and enjoyment of one Religion and that putting a period to the Protestant power would estate him in the throne of his full desires Another while he would stop his brother the King of Poland and not suffer his absence in such a pinch of occasions But God will not now let blood go long unavenged even on the prime instrument of such wicked cruelty thus straightened on all sides he is ready to be oppressed with anger and vexation stranger Princes openly reproach him for the irreparable injuries done to the poor innocent Protestants and his too loyal Subjects for a King which should be a Protector of his people to prove a Tyrant a cruel murtherer and Butcher of his own Subjects The King with anxity of mind falls into a desperate sickness at Vitry in Campagn as he was setting forward his brother towards Poland but he recovers again in the midst of these actings the Protestants of Languedoc fortifie themselvs Now the King to give some hopes to grant the Protestants their desires summons a Parliament to meet at Campagn the Protestants in several Provinces prepare their Deputies with instructions and had it given them in Commission to speak home against the Authors of the late unheard-of cruelties and murthers the Q. Mother and the rest are afraid of the Touch and so at first labour to pacifie the Protestant Commissioners with fair words but that will not do the Protestants must not play away their lives in an equal stake of fair words the late woful experience of their murthered friends frighted them from putting too much trust in these words whereupon not receiving content to their just and honest demands they withdraw to their several charges and endeavour their own security and safety In the mean time the Count Montgomery arrived with his fleet from England in a part of France called Le Payes de Constantine a part of the Province of Normandy who being safe landed had assistance from several Protestants and seized on several Towns as Danfront Carentane St. Lo and Valognes but the Protestants had better success in all parts than in this Province of Normandy The Kings Army under the command of the Field Marshall lay siege to St. Lo wherein was the Count Montgomery and all his ships lying under the command of the Town the Count secreatly escaped from the danger of so weak a place but Jaques Sieur de Martignon with Villers and St. Columb leave St. Lo besieged with a party under command of Fervagues and Malicorn and so they persue the Count with two Regiments of foot six hundred horse and four small field pieces and ere they were a ware begirts them close in a small Town called Danfront which though a weak Town yet the Castle was well seated insomuch that they resolved to stand and dy like Souldiers with Swords in their hands at a breach than be shamefully murthered or dy on a Scaffold At this siege by the valour of the Count and Friends the Catholicks lost St. Colomb and a great many Gentlemen Voluntiers and two hundred of their most valiant men but at last no longer able to continue they yield to Martignan with these tearms viz. to have their lives carry away their arms and yet it was so as they were to remain sometime in the power of Martignan and Vassey with security for the Counts life But was it ever read of in such a small History and in Wars of so short time that ever there was such a common breach of faith and promise when signed and sealed for a strict observance as a good Author says he that is a base so is constantly false in friendship The Count being in his Enemies custody yielded to too much cruelty on terms of mercy who I dare say had rather died a thousand deaths like a true Souldier then be so basely delt withal for in the night he was guarded away Prisoner to Paris and there basely executed in the sight of the King and Q. Mother who received much joy at his death but the just God saw all these treacheries and justly rewarded some according to their bloody deserts And now to conclude this sad and dolefull reign of a bloody Tyrant let us see after his blood reign and flatigious life a sad and suitable death a spectacle of Gods anger and an embleme of his bloody dealing who falling sick in the prime of his years being forced to his Bed he was sore tormented and handled with a great effusion of blood which issued out of all parts of his body and that which very much astonished many he did once rowl himself in hit own blood vomiting blood through all the Conduits of his body that it may be said as of Tiberius Caesar Lutum Sanguine Maceratum a lump of clay soaked in blood So this King by the just judgement of God expired his last the 24. year of his age and in the year of our Lord God 1574. Julius Caesar sacrificing to the Gods found a Beast without a heart which was looked upon as very ominous and surely may we not infer from this Kings bloody reign that he Had no heart a bloody Heart or A Heart and a Heart Thus this King having lived in other mens blood dyed in his own which as it was the issue of his own deserts so it was an immediate hand of Gods justice And it cannot but be taken notice of that the rest of the chief Agents of this bloody Tragedy were strangly and justly cut off The Duke of Anjou being then King of Poland succeeds this King Charls by being called from Poland to the Crown of France Yet God follows him for by the means of a young Jacobine Monck named Fryer Jaques Clement the said King was stabbed in the same Chamber where he held Council for the acting the late Tragedies The just hand of God persued the Duke of Guise who was murthered in the Kings own Chamber five and fourty waiting with Rapiers and Poinyards to do it The Queen Mother with grief broke her heart and died the first of January after To conclude it hath been observed by a good Author that since the year of God 1560. that of a thousand murtherers which remained unpunished by men there was not ten escaped the Divine hand of God but came to deserved and wretched ends suitable to their bloody and butcherly lives Laus Deo FINIS
forced to hold a Rapier in her hands and one thrusting her arms made her kill her own husband they send about a Drum to sell Prisoners and none coming to buy they there murthered them 120 burnt there was six score burnt to ashes A godly Christian stoned and burned These cruel Papists and bloody Brats of Fury took a godly Christian one Janetta Calvin and carrying her to the City of Brignole they shamefully stripped her and then whipt her cruelly they crown her with thorns then they stone her and afterwards burned her Cruelty at S. Martins At St. Martins in Castillon they took the wife of one Andrew Renand stript her naked and attempted the violating of her chastity which she resisting was with great cruelty whipt and wounded with their Swords at last they shot her to death Some there heads cut off others buried alive In Moni de Marsan six of the chief men of the Town had their heads cut off and others after divers waies were executed one was buried alive a young virgin persued by some villains to ravish her leapt out of a window and so dyed Murthers at Carcasson At Carcasson the Protestants were hearing a sermon out of the Town they return suspecting nothing they find the gates shut upon them the Papists in Town shot divers times at them afterwards come out of the Gates and persue them slew many hurt others they beat one down to the ground and then cut off his Nose and pulled out his eyes others they hanged Many cruelties one they beheaded one they took and made his face hands and feet black then said he had a Devil then hanged him and at last threw his body to the Dogs Some have arms and legs cut off and then beheaded Protestants burned in Churches In Foix no sooner was the Town taken by the Lord of Pailles but the Protestants were cast into prison some having their arms and legs cut off and then beheaded some burnt others hanged others put to the Galleys In Aurenge they destroy without taking notice of Sex Age or Quality some they stabb'd some they threw up with their Halberds some hanged others burnt in churches off some they cut their Privy members sparing neither old nor bed-rid nor the poor diseased in hospitals women and maids are killed others hanged out at their windows and shot with Harquebusseirs sucking children massacred at their Mothers breasts Virgins of six years old ravisht 90. killed after promise of life virgins of five or six years old ravished and spoyled the wounds of the dead were filled with leaves torn out of Bibles those in the Castle yielding upon oath and promise of safety were all stabbed or thrown over the walls to the number of ninety Protestants At Grenoble At Grenoble they slew many throwing them over the bridge into the River At Beaun At Beaun the exercise of their Religion was taken from them all their godly Ministers put into prison eight hundred forced out of the Town the Souldiers spoil their houses and all they find in them are slain Their madness and horrid cruelty to a faithful Minister of Christ In Mascon the blood-thirsty villains having seized on a learned and Godly Minister called Bonnet Bor whose Godly conversation the more enraged these wicked blood-hounds of Hell this Godly Soul had been Minister twenty years and in these daies of murther and cruelties had been ransomed three times him they carried through the Town with many jears and abusive scoffs beating him with their fists then profanely they made a Proclamation That whosoever would hear this holy man preach they might come to the slaughter-bouse At which place again they mocked him and beat him for two hours together he intreated the favour of them that he might pray to God before his death then one stept out and cut off half his nose and one of his ears saying Now pray as long as thou wilt and then we will send thee to all the Devils whereupon the godly soul kneeled and so fervently poured out his soul to God that his Enemies sighed and after prayer directing his Speech to him that cut off his Nose said Friend I am now ready to suffer what thou hast ready to inflict upon me but I intreat thee and thy companions to remember the outrages committed by you upon this poor City for there is a God in heaven at whose Tribunal you must shortly give account of these your cruelties In which mean while a Captain going by cryed send that wretched man to the Devil which one of them hearing took him by the hand pretending to have him to the River to wash his blood of but when he came thither he threw him into the River and cast stones at him till he was drowned the Murthers at Revel At Revel hearing of the confusion and sad slaughters and of their merciless cruelties at Tholouse many saved themselves flying to Castres and elsewhere but left their families and goods to the mercy of these hell-hounds some Protestants being apprehended by virtue of a Commission from the Parliament were carried to Tholouse and imprisoned some condemned to the Gallies some fined and others banished At Montdelleir In Montpeleir they yielded on terms of life but were slain as they came out At Millan about thirty Protestants going under the condduct of one Peigre to relieve a Protestant Village called Cooper they were all taken by one Vessin and were presently cut in pieces and their Conductor Peigre was led to Tholouse A Captain quartered alive Breach of promise and 100. killed and at the command of the Cardinal Armagnac he was quartered alive At the Castle of Granes one Savignac delivered up the Castle on terms of life to all within it yet they were so base as in their usual way of keeping covenant they break promise and kill about one hundred Protestants being all in the Castle except six or seaven Horrible breach of faith March Castle a Castle belonging to the Signeur of Peyre a Protestant was in the beginning of February besieged by Coffart who having taken it by Treason he kept his Faith as if he had no faith at all for he murdered all in cold blood after promise of life A special providencâ— The Baron of La Fare trying all means to have a maid of excellent beauty at his wretched pleasure besieged Florac the place where she was but was forced from it so as the Gentlewomans virginity and Citizens blood were both saved At Cisteron the Protestants being fled the Papists fell bloodily upon the poor innocent women and children VVomen with childe ripped and buried alive and slew of them to the number of three or four hundred some women with child were ript up many buried alive some their throats cut like sheep and others drawn through the streets and beaten to death with clubs These and many more Christian Reader were cruelly committed on the poor
ask and require pardon of God and of his said Church and of you that are appointed my Pastors by God the Creator absolution with such penance as you shall judge to be wholsom for the satisfaction of my sins and to the intent you should know that I have and do make this abjuration from my heart I confess moreover before God and you That I believe that which is contained in the Symbole or Creed of the Apostles and Athanasius and other Confessions of faith made and approved by the whole Councils of the Catholike Apostolike and Romish Church that is I believe in one onely God The Father Almighty Creator of Heaven and Earth and of all things visible and invisible and in one Lord our Lord Jesus Christ The only Son engendered by God the Father before the Constitution of the World God of God Light of Light true God of true God engendred not created Consubstantial with the Father by whom all things were made who for us men and for our Salvation descended from Heaven c. as in the belief of morning prayer I believe likewise acknowledge and confess all that which is contained in the books as well of the Old as of the New Testament approved by the said Holy and Apostolike Church of Rome according to the sence and interpretation of the holy Doctors received by the same rejecting all other interpretation as false and erroneous I acknowledge the seven Sacraments of the said Catholike Apostolike and Romish Church that they were instituted by our Lord Jesus Christ and that they be necessary for the salvation of mankind although that all of them are not of necessity to be confererd on all that is to say I confess that the said seven Sacraments are these Baptism Confirmation Eucharist which is the Sacrament of the Altar Penance Extreme Unction Order and Marriage And that the said Sacraments confer grace and that of them Baptism Confirmation and Order cannot be reiterated without Sacriledge That the said Sacraments have the effect which the said Church teacheth and that the form and usage wherewith they be ministred to Christians is holy and necessary I acknowledge also that the holy Mass is a Sacrifice and Oblation of the very Body and Blood of our Saviour Jesus Christ under the form of bread and Wine mingled with water which substances of Bread and Wine under the said Forms are in the Mass by the words which serve for consecration said and pronounced by the Priest transubstantiated and transformed into the Substance of the said body and blood of Jesus Christ Notwithstanding that the Qualities and Accidents remain in the said Forms after the said Consecration and that the Mass is wholesome and profitable as well for the quick as the dead I acknowledge the concomitance that is to say that in receiving the body of Jesus Christ under the form of Bread alone I likewise receive the blood of Jesus Christ I confess that prayer and intercession for saints for the quick and the dead is Holy good and Helthful for Christians and is not contrary for any respect to the glory of God That Prayers made in the Church for the faithfull which are dead do profit them for the remission of their sins and lessening of their pains incurred for the same That there is a Purgatory where the Souls abiding are succoured by the prayers of the faithful I confess that we must honour and call upon the Saints which reign with Jesus Christ and that they make intercession for us to God and that their Reliques are to be worshipped That the Commandments and Traditions of the Catholike Apostolike and Romish Church as well they which pertain to the form and ceremonies of Divine service and to assist the same which I think are to draw Christian People to Piety and turning to their God as Fasting abstaining from meats observation of Holy Dayes and Ecclesiastical Policy according to the tradition of the Apostles and Holy Fathers continued since the Primitive Church till this time and afterwards brought into the Church by the Ordinances of Councils received in the same of long and Antient time or of late be good and holy to the which I will and ought to obey as prescribed and appointed by the Holy Ghost that the Author and Director of that which serveth for the keeping of Christian Religion and of the Catholike Apostolike and Roman Church I believe also and accept all the Articles of original sin and of Justification I affirm assuredly that we ought to have and keep the Images of Jesus Christ of his holy Mother and all other Saints and do honour and reverence unto them I confess the power of Indulgence and pardons to be left in the Church by Jesus Christ and the use of them to be very healthful as also I acknowledge and confess the Church of Rome to be the Mother and Chief of all Churches and conducted by the Holy Ghost and that other pretended particular inspirations against the same come of the suggestion of the Devil the Prince of Dissention which would separate the Union of the Mystical body of the Saviour of the World Finally I promise streightly to keep all that was ordained at the last General Council of Trent and promise to God and you never more to depart from the Catholike Apostolike and Roman Church and if I do which God forbid I submit my self to the penalties of the Canons of the said Church made Ordained and appointed against them which fall into Apostasie The which abjuration and confession I have subscribed And now as the Sun shines with a glorious Splendor by its beautiful rays to all the world so this bloody Kings Cruelty with a Horrible Infamy was erected to all the world Who at the first hurt of the Admital shewed an unquestionable resolution to revenge his wrong and yet done by his special commandment Then when so many thousand Protestants were cruelly murthered in Paris with the Admiral and Nobles Ladies and young Gentlemen and Gentlewomen he presently layes the sad accident to a sudden eruption by the difference of the Guisans and House of Chastillon and so sends Letters abroad to all his Provinces and to foreign Nations to that purpose yet the same day sends Letters to cut off all the Protestants according to the example of Paris and that what was done to the Admirals and his Adherents was by his special command for treason plotted and intended by the Admiral and his Complices Then those poor souls that were fled into Woods Rocks and Mountains to hide themselves from his bloody Fury he allured into a Net of Destruction by a Proclamation of Liberty Estates and Lives and they were not come home above two days but by his command basely and unworthily murthered And whereas he publickly declared and proclaimed liberty to the Protestants according to the Edict of Pacification now we see he publickly decrees no Religion to be exercised but the Romish Religion on pain of death Making
as we also see a Form of Abjuration yet those that were tempted by Satan to forsake the good way of the Lord were notwithstanding murthered So that whatsoever this King promised was as soon and with as much ease broke as made Let us now gather together a few Observations on the most remarkable passages and also give some notable examples of Gods Justice and Severity to such Covenant-Breakers and perfidious Tyrants and then proceed to the end of his Reign and the beginning of Gods Just Judgements on him and his Adherents in a visible and wonderfull demonstration therof to all the world CHAP. X. The Contents SOme few Remarks on the perfidious Treachery in this sad Massacre Fourty thousand poor Protestants cut off in few dayes The most ingenuous Papists whispered of this perjury and treachery of the Kings Compared with other cruelties but holds no Comparison with the vildest These poor Protestants cut off by the Oaths and Promises of a King enough one would think for the strongest ty of security Examples of the like cruel Treachery and perjury condemned by the light of Nature and several Examples of Heathens worth the study and perusal The great and high esteem of an Oath amongst the Heathens in a few Examples So few Examples of Gods just Judgements on several Princes and others that have broke Truce Engagements Promises and Oaths which are collected out of Scripture and History The Brave Examples of Heathens worthy our Imitation in this Sunshine time of the Gospel though they had but the Light of Nature yet they soared above the present practice of many Christian Kings nay beyond the Practice of many Professours in these latter Dayes The Duties of Kings and Powers of the World which is not inconsistent with prudent Policy and sound Christianity The many inconveniencies of Cruelty and Oppression The little ground of suspition of the Admirals Plots from sundry strong Arguments LEt me a little comment on this sad History and draw out some Christian Considerations on this Tragedy to shew what judgments God justly inflicts on such villanies and treachery being such heavy sins as pull down Gods vengeance not only on themselves but the place even to the third and fourth Generarion And now let this sad doleful and unparallel'd Massacre be erected in view of all the World let it not be forgot by any tract of time Let it stand on a hill as A beacon on fire to all true Protestants to take heed of peace with such faithless men that have no way to enslave their Enemies but a treacherous and deceitful peace Disdain it not that it is old I could wish every age would renew it That it may be set as a Land mark to avoid the Distraction of such Treacherous and perjured Princes and Nations as know no sincerity but what is lodged in the outward behaviour and not able to keep that neither such as know not what is the meaning of sincerity of heart unless it be courtesie and civility and know not that neither such as have no hearts but their Tongues which they tip with peace but intend Treason in their actâ—ons To what can we parallel this unheard-of Massacre had it been amongst Heathens Barbarians Turks it had been the less to be wondered at Bellum Tartaricum I have read of many cruelties committed by the Tartars The King once for one mans fault destroyed a whole street and killed even men women and children not sparing women with child Cruel Tyranny yet short of the French Another time there was a whole Legion of men cut off for one mans fault for another mans fault he caused twenty thousand to be killed Half his Army revolting the rest retired to him like Jobs Messengers with the News and tells him the reason why they went not on in a successful progress to the performance of the Design he sent them about yet this Tyrant causes his Army to cut them all off to the number of fourteen thousand he tyed six hundred thousand by their hands and feet together and caused them to be cut off Now all these cruelties were not to be tainted with either perjury or breach of promise and if it had it was by a Heathen but our cruelty and blood-shed is by a Christian King to his own Subjects in a base Treacherous way contrary to Oaths and Covenants before the Eternal God by a King and Nation that had so much of the Heathenish darkness dispersed that we cannot say but they were Christians according to profession though not according to practice Nay had their cruelty and murthers reached no further than to those they say had plotted against them and so deserved it then had it been better excusable but why ten thousand Innocents in one day and thirty thousand afterwards all as ignorant of Treason as the King and Nation guilty of blood and perjury why so many poor Innocent Noblemen Gentlemen poor Ladies and Gentlewomen Students aged persons sick children innocent of actual sin all must dy to quench the blood-thirstiness of this King Oh! sade and doleful to consider Nay further had it been in a sudden unresistable and mad outrage of a popular Tumult guided by the fury of their own fancies But it was by the Kings special command they had no other light to guide their bloody zeal but the Kings Authority which they so often mentioned as the Eccho reached Heaven but could not peirce their pitty and done by plots and Contrivances premeditated and resolved to be done And lastly had it been in a time of War to cut off so many poor innocent Souls it might also been somwhat pardonable a raging Sword sometimes knowing no bounds especially when in bloody Hands But all was done in cold blood not in a storm or heat of blood nay the only time was in peace and nothing to be seen but favours and acts of Grace poor Protestants they were catched in no net but pretences of Peace and the fullest demonstrations of affections that might be nay it was done also contrary to Promises Covenants and Contracts making a Mariage to defile it with blood no other intent being wrapped up in that wedding but a plot for blood These sad and lamentable Spectacles of mans wrath and the Devils policy how can it but peirce the very hearts and Souls of all Godly Christians nay I dare say of ingenuous Papists who cannot but abhor the thoughts and mourn to see such a bloody Tragedy acted upon the Theatre of a Christian Kingdom by the Treacherous plot unheard-of perjury and down-right command of a Christian King When we shall consider the sad slaughters of so many of Noble blood many gallant young Gentlemen with many young Ladies that came to attend and compleat so seeming and promising a harmony of Reconciliation betwixt both parties in the mariage of the Lady Margaret and King of Navar to consider also how many poor innocent infants and silly souls were basely murthered by the hand