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
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
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
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
of his life by the common-people At Monchon he was cast in prison where a Captain and many Souldiers came and told him he should be cut in peices afterwards the Judges came and commanded him to be loaden with Irons after a while the Duke of Guise being made Governour he was cruelly tortured by straining his thumbs so hard till blood issued out they then bind his hands behind his back and tying a Rope to his thumbs they hoist him up and then suddenly twitches him down five or six times tying also great stones to his toes and so let him hang till his vitals failed him almost to death at last he was put into prison and no Chyrurgion allowed to dress his wounds although the Cords had made gashes in his flesh to the bones insomuch that he underwent great pain that he could not lift his hand to his mouth but had almost lost the use of them this did this Servant of Christ endure like a true Soldier with invincible courage and patience and by the special providence of God news was brought that the Duke of Guise was dead The very next day one Bussi had order from the Constable to let him free which yet said Bussi came and told this faithful Minister of God with all acquainting him that he should be let free but it should be to the peoples rage But let us yet see another special providence A singular token of Gods care of his faithful Ones for at the same time came by the Prince of Portion with his German Horses who sent in word to the Town that if Mr. Fournier was not speedily delivered to him and from their cruelties he would not leave so much as the tokens of a foundation but raze it to ruin as a monument of their merciless deserts Which message so terrified the enemies of this Godly soul that immediately he was safely conveyed to the Prince he gathers a Congregation and yeilds his soule to God which faithfull servant of the Lord after he had resided a little space at Ver and gathered a Congregation he presently after resigned up his soule to the Lord that gave it and so put a period to the miserable attendance of this life and begun that life of glory A Treacherous and base murther of Mounseir de St. Estiene his two Brothers and 16. more all stabbed by his own Cosen Germain Mounseir de St. Estiene in his jorney from Orleans retiring himself with his two brothers and some others for Refreshment to his own house neer Reims they were not long there till the house was beset by fifteen hundred men who being forced to yield had liberty on their words to go forth to speak with the Duke of Nevers whom as they said desired to see him and going out was there basely and treacherously murthered by the Baron Ceruy his own Cosen German so were his two Bretheren also with sixteen others basely and unworthely stabbed and distroyed without the least composition Their wives they spoyled of all they had and led away prisoners The Catholicks of Nevers on the eleventh day of May The sad slaughters at Nevers 1562. summoned into the Town many Gentlemen of the Country presently shut the gates and in three daies after fell on them and Murthered them without pitty The Minister's they cast into prison one miserably perished by their cruelty another miraculously escaped presently after bloody Fayete arrives ransacks their houses rebaptize their children being filled with his desires of bloud and 50. thousand crownes returns to his house of Auvergue La Charity yielded on Conditions yet all were put to the sword contrary to Covenant The Town of La Charity being beseiged by cruel Fayete was to him yielded on honorable terms by the Governour Issertiux which Conditions were signed and sealed the tenth day of June the Grand prior entring the Town according to conditions presently snatched the capitulation out of the Governours hand and then fell to spoil and murther so that none escaped Bibles burnt and the Protestants murthered at Amiens At Amiens all Bibles Testaments and psalms were sought for and openly with much profanness were burned the Guisans murthering and killing the poor Protestants and casting their dead bodies into the River shooting some to death and hanging others Base cruelty At Abbevilly the Lord Harcourt was slain and many others one Belliart they dragged along the Streets with his face on the ground and then drowned him At Meux 400. murthered The Protestans at Meaux being the stronger partie continued the exercise of their Religion for a while but at last the Parliament at Paris gave judgement against them whereupon a company of souldiers enters the Town disarms the Citizens and unworthyly and cowardly murthered above four hundred poor Protestants and as if it were not enough as if their blood-thirstiness could not be quenched Mounseir De'Boysy enters with souldiers Virgins a Bused in the streets children dashed against the walls committs unheard-of and inhuman villanies deflouring virgins in the open streets many massacred and drowned children dashed against the walls divers papist preists murthered some with their own hands At Troys Bibles and Books of divinity were rent and torn in pieces the Protestants murthered their houses sacked eighteen men hanged like doggs Cruelties at Troys and women dragged through the streets and cast into the River The sad murther at Bar upon Sein The sad cruelties used to the Protestants at Barr upon Seine are hardly to be compared in this first civil war although in the latter part of the book I shall let the world be accquainted with such cruelties as that the most horrid murtheres yet extant come not so near them as to bear a shaddow of comparison They murther women and maydes and cut off their breasts and took out their hearts and eat them But to our purpose this Town the Papists entered and committed such outrages and cruelties especially against women as it is not fit to be related but with an utter detestation for they spared not maides nor poor infants some of their breasts they cut off open their stomacks cutts out their hearts and in a furious manner gnawed them with their teeth boasting that they had tasted of an Huguenots heart and with hellish blasphemies they ravish women and virgins A Popish father murthers his Protestant sonn A just reward There was one Mounseir Ralet a young Advocate and son to the Kings Procter who by his fathers own procurement was murthered which was a sad and prodigious thing and in January following about fifty horse of the Garrison of Antrim surprized the Town at break of day and took it in for the Protestants and with their pistols caused him to expiate the death of his son A gallant Gentleman murthered in his own house The Peasants committed horrible murthers on the poor Saints of God Monseiur de Vigney with his wife and servants
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
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