where it was openly proclaimed throughout the Prouinces The Guisarts not content with the troubles in France mooue warres in Scotland but to their owne confusion The religion multiplieth in France euen in the middle of their persecutions and next after God submit themselues vnder the protection of the Princes of the blood determining to oppose themselues against the house of Guise who by diuers subtilties receiue and award their blowes discouer the enterprise wrought against them cause the principall Nobilitie of the Realm to be assembled at Fontainbleau where the Admirall galleth them on all sides This assembly produced an aduise and consent of a Parliament to be holden in the end of that yeare The Princes are summoned to come vnto the Court and all subtile practises vsed to get them thither being arriued at Orleans where the Court was holden They were stayed as prisoners specially the Prince of Conde the house of Guise practising the totall ruine of the Princes and all others of the religion leaue no meanes vndeuised which by the sequell is well perceiued While these actions were in hand the king fell sicke in the end the Queen his mother got the Regencie with the ayde of the house of Guise and the king of Nauarre the Prince of Conde and those of the religion are relieued by the kings death CHARLES THE NINTH I Account the raigne of Charles the ninth to be the time of wonders in France his beginning was the assembly of a Parliament where nothing was done but onely in words Those of the religion openly increasing the house of Guise began to practise against the estate many edicts were made to pacifie the troubles The Queen-mother vseth practises that ouerthrew the lawes of the realme to satisfie those of the religion an assembly was holden at Poissy which ended in words and no resolutions and lastly with mutinies in Parris The Edict of Ianuarie was made whereby the Duke of Guise vndertooke to commit the massacre at Vassy inducing the king of Nauarre to consent with him hee seizeth both of Parris and the king which bred the first ciuill warres which on the one side containe infinit exployts of warres as battels incounters assiegings defenses and taking of places on the other side spoyles and horrible murthers of those of the religion in all the Prouinces of the Realme The troubles being ended by the death of the Duke of Guise slaine at the siege of Orleans the first Edict of pacification abolishing that of Ianuarie was established After the peace the Englishmen were driuen out of New-hauen the king is declared to bee of age to gouerne without a Protector and causeth diuers Edicts to be made He is solicited by the Spaniard to breake his Edict of pacification which is weakned in diuers poynts the beginning of the voyage of Bayonne diuers Citadels builded many Townes vnwalled those of the religion sacked and spoyled in many places leagues made against them Edicts reuoking those that had been granted vnto them The shamefull entrie of the Cardinall of Lorraine in Paris Councels holden at Bayonne the kings progresse throughout France A dissembling reconciliation made between the houses of Guise Chastillon the miserable state of France a notable processe at Paris between the Vniuersitie and the Iesuites Vnder pretence of a passage to bee granted to the Spaniards to passe into the low Countries preparation was made to ouerrun those of the religion which constrained the Prince of Conde and his associates to seeke to defend themselues whereof ensued the second eiuill warres set downe with the most notable accidents therein happened Negotiation of peace which the Prince is constrained to accept This peace presently after conceiued a third ciuill warres The Prince and the Admirall hauing hardly saued themselues in Guyenne followed by diuers others The Princes first exployts edicts against those of the religion many warlike exployts betweene the contrarie armies Warres began to be in greater force in the yeare 1569. then euer they were before The Prince was slaine after the battell of Bassac the Prince of Nauarre declared generall of the armie and the Prince of Conde assistant A puissant armie of Almaines vnder the conduction of the Duke de Deux Ponts commeth to ayde them the incounter of la Roche la Belle the warres of Bearne the siege of Poictiers and Chastelleraud the battell of Moncontour What both the armies did after that The siege of S. Iohn d'Angely ouerthrowne the armie victorious Diuers exployts of wars in Poictou Guyenne Xaintongne and Angoulmois a great voyage through the Prouinces after the battell of Moncontour continuance of warres which is ended by the third edict of pacification and about the end of the yeare the king married the Emperours daughter a voyage made vnto the Queene of Nauarre for the marriage of her son with the king of France his sister Councels among those of the religion the death of the Cardinall of Chastillon The marriage aforesaid agreed vpon warres were pretended against the Spaniard the secret of the Court discouered the Queene of Nauarre went to Parris where she died the Princes and the Admirall came thither Contracts and espousals of the king of Nauarre most horrible bloodie and cruell councels and massacres of the Admirall and thirtie thousand of the religion in Parris and in many other Townes all the circumstances precedent and following set downe at large Many deuises to destroy those that were resting of the religion who in Rochel Sancerre Languedoc and other places resolued to stand in a iust defence of their cause the assieging and yeelding of Sancerre A notable discourse of the siege of Rochel from the beginning vntill the peace granted The state of those of the religion in Quercy Languedoc and other Prouinces where they ouerthrew their enemies and presently after reduced the king to such a stay that he was forced to begin againe who fell sicke as his brother went into Poland A deuise not ouer good for those of the religion The fourth troubles beganne at the massacres and ceased for a time at the peace of Rochel and began the fift by the enterprises against Rochel and Languedoc The wonderfull practises of the Queene-mother to maintaine her actions and to serue her turne by her third son against those of the religion The estate of diuers prouinces specially of Normandie where Monsieur was taken prisoner Warres in Poictou against those of the religion The Prince of Conde goeth into Almaine The sicknesse and death of the king HENRY THE THIRD THe Regents dealings during the warres in Normandie The estate of Languedoc Viuarais and Dauphine Montgommery beheaded in Parris The Prince of Conde chosen generall by those of Languedoc Warre in Poictou The arriuall of the new king escaped out of Poland The beginning of his actions The siege of Lusignen Warres in Dauphine Practises against those of Languedoc The death of Charles Cardinall of Lorraine The memorable siege of Liuron Conquests in Languedoc and elsewhere Negotiation of
Tombe for the Kinges of France Of person hee was a goodly Prince courteous milde The description of king Henry the second louing his seruaunts and men of valour Much addicted to his pleasures and to beleeue such as knewe how to please his humour who many times caused him to vse muche rigour which hee could not so soone discouer the ambition and auarice of certaine men that prouoked him forwarde were the principall causes of the continuance of warres which heretofore we haue noted specially after the breache of truce set lawes Iustice Offices and benefices to sale diued into and emptied the purses of French men by infinit exactions whereof ensued most great mischiefs The estate of France vnder this Prince Two great sinnes raigned in France during the time of this Prince that is Atheisme and Magicque Whereunto may be added the corruption of learning For that the knowledge thereof induced by King Francis the first chaunged into diuers wicked and curious mindes cause of all mischiefe specially in the forme and phrase of French Poets who in the raigne of Henry by their impure rimes filled with all maner of blasphemies conuerted an infinit number of soules These sinnes and others in great abundance still increased drawing vpon both litle and great within the Realme of France the straunge punishments which in the raignes of the successors to this Henry full well appeared Fiue sonnes and fiue daughters By Catherin de Medicis his wife married in Anno. 1533 he had fiue sonnes and fiue daughters The eldest Francis the second borne the 20. of Ianuary 1543. The second Lois the Duke of Orleans that died at the ende of certaine months The third Charles Maxemilian borne the 20. of Iune 1550. King after the death of his brother The 4. Edward Alexandre after King and called Henry the third born the 19. of September 1551. The fift Hercules after called Francis Duke of Alencon Aniou and Berri and Counte du Maine borne the 18. of March 1554. The eldest daughter was Elizabeth promised to Edward the sixt King of England but marryed to Phillip king of Spaine borne the 11. of Aprill 1545. The second Claude maried to Charles Duke of Lorraine bonre the 12. of Nouember 1547. The third Margaret married to Henry de Bourbon King of Nauarre borne the 14. of May 1552. The fourth and fift named Iane and Victoire borne at one burthen vpon the 24. of Iune 1556 and died presently after In this Historie you may behold the successe and estate of the successors to this Henry beeing his sonnes with the first whereof I meane to begin Heere endeth the troubles that happened in the raigne of Henry the second Francis the second M.D.LIX. The intent of King Henrie KING Henry by the counsell giuen him touching the rupture of the truce and by that which after ensued hauing somewhat discouered who and which they were that gaue him euill aduise concerning his estate was minded and fully resolued after the solemnization of the marriages to looke more particularly into such men therby to retaine some and send the rest vnto the places frō whence they came But the wrath of God lay vppon the Realme hauing striken the head pursued the members as heereafter it appeareth Francis the second yong in aduise The state of France vnder Francis the second The Nobilitie The Courtiers much more in yeares was wholly left to the gouernment of his mother and the vncles of his wife that ruled the land as you shal heare Part of the Nobilitie wearied with the troubles of so long warres desired nought but peace leauing all care of publike charges and casting their eyes vppon the surest side thereon to lay hold The Courtiers went which way the winde would blowe as touching the officers of Iustice most of them were friends or subiects vnto diuers Lords some good and vpright men yet resting in the Court of Parliament durst not almost proceed in any thing as beeing abashed at the suddaine blowe giuen vnto the chiefe and principall Court of Parliament the last Mercurialist The Ecclesiasticall persons The Ecclesiasticall persons held and accounted them for principall Pillers of the Church that were the greatest burners As touching the third estate the great charges and troubles of warres forepast had wholly bereaued them of al liuely feeling and moouing Two parties In the Court were two parts the one those that held with the Constable the other the Guisians The Princes of the blood had almost no care of the Common-wealth nor yet of their owne affaires The Queene-mother an Italian Florentine of the familie of Medicis and one that in 22. yeares wherin she had continued in France had some good time to knowe the humours both of the one and the other and behaued her selfe in such sort that shee onely ruled Those of Guise Which to attaine and desiring wholly to driue away the Constable whom shee did most suspect shee held on the other side and placed seruants about the King of Nauarre by them to know and vnderstand his minde Assoone as king Henry was deceased the Duke of Guise and the Cardinall of Lorraine led the King and his brethren with the Queenes vnto the Louure leauing the Prince of the Blood the Constable the Marshall the Admirall with diuers other knights of the Order and Lords that held with the Constable to attend vppon the dead body The beginning of the raigne of this young Prince promised much when suddainly they beheld Francis Oliuier a man of great reputation Francis Oliuier restored to be Chancellor restored againe vnto his place of Chauncellor that had been put out of the place by meanes of the Duches of Valentinois that wholly ruled the deceased king they were in further hope whē they perceiued this Duches to be wholly out of credit for that assoone as he was dead they caused her to yeeld vp the keyes of the kings closet with all his precious Iewels that then were giuen vnto the Queene Regent But this was onely a particular quarrell betweene women for in truth the Duches during king Henries life had been in all mens sight as Queen of France The Queen-mother that hated her extreamly was very glad to see her wholly dispoyled and driuen out of the Court contenting her selfe therewith not to leese the fauour of those of Guise who although they onely had their aduancement by the Duches meanes perceiuing her to bee as a rotten plancke left her to pleasure themselues another way They sent Bertrand from whom the seales were taken vnto Rome and tooke from d'Auancon the ruling of the Treasures Bertrand keeper of the Seales discharged of his office neuerthelesse hee continued still in the Court as beeing too well acquainted with their affaires and as yet it was not necessary to compell him to accept of any new partie The Marshall of S. Andre aduanced by the fauours of King Henry to whom he was a secret seruant and wholly
Saylers cappes to beare pikes and so to march with this mutinous companie that constrained two brethren called Messieurs de Saulx one a Captaine of the Towne the other of the Castle called Trompette to bee their Leaders and to assist them at the spoyling and robbing of diuers houses of the Cittizens their friendes whom they massacred before their eyes Tho sacking of the towne-house and massacring of the Gouernour The Towne-house wherein there laye great quantitie of armour was sacked and Monsieur de Monneins beeing so ill aduised to leaue the Castle of Du Ha where he was in safetie to go out to intreat perswade the people was cruelly murthered with diuers wounds both before and after his death a Locke-smith giuing him the first blowe and the Fryers that within 3. houres after in the night-time sought to take vp his bodie all filthie and moyled with durt and lying in the streets with a gentlemen called Monteluen were in danger of massacring because they buried them within that Temple But the principall Leaders of this mutinie longing to put water into their wine and such as had made their pray by spoyling houses Execution of iustice against the mutinous hauing withdrawne themselues some in one place some into another the parliament beeing strengthened and assisted by honest and peaceable Cittizens beganne to shewe his authoritie and caused some of the notablest companions amongst them to bee taken whom they executed namely La Vergne that was drawne in peeces by foure horses The Constable with all rigor punished those of Burdeaux The king beeing certified thereof wrote vnto the commons assuring them with all speed to take order therein commanding them to laye downe their armes which was the cause that euery man withdrew himselfe But in the meane time an armie was prepared to enter into Saintonge and Quiennie Monsieur de la Deuese ceased vppon the Castle Trompette and put out l'Estonnac and his adherents The Constable had commissiō to punnish those of Guyenne followed by Francis de Lorraine Counte d'Anmalle after Duke of Guise much renowmed in the raignes of Francis the second and Charles the ninth This Earle conducting 4000. Lansquenets and great numbers of French Horsemen entred into Saintonge which hee pacified without resistance not punishing them for their offences past minding to obtaine the name of a milde and gentle Prince and leauing the report of crueltie and seueritie vnto the Constable who being accompanied with all the forces and both the armes ioyned in one entred into Bourdeaux all armed giuing most hard speeches vnto the Captaine of the towne that at his entrie presented him with the keyes of the towne that at his entry presented him with the keyes of the Citie beseeching him to be fauourable vnto the citizens but he being master of the town without blow giuen bereaued the citizens of al their titles registers priuiledges and franchises depriued them of all honours burnt all their priuiledges caused the Court of Parliament to cease wholly disarmed the citizens pulled downe their belles and constrained the principallest of the citie to the number of seuen score to goe to the Fryers there to fetch the body of Monsieur de Monneins and to conuey it to the Church of S. Andrewes where it should be buried each of them with a waxe candle lited in his hands hauing first before the Constables lodging asked mercy both of God and the king and Iustice Estonnoc the two brethren du Saul and others had their heads striken off He forgot not likewise those that had bene assistant at the murthering of the Gouernor and the sacking of the houses a Prouost Marshall with a great number of souldiers went through Bourdeaux Baradois and Agenois executing such as had rung the belles and in the ende he tooke the two chiefe Leaders of the Commons named Talemagne and Galaffie who were broken vpon a wheele hauing first bene crowned with a Crowne of Iron burning hot for their punishment in vsurping the soueraigne Maiestie Pastime in the Court. This Tragedie ended in Comedies at the court for Anthony de Burbon Duke de Vandosine espoused Ieane d'Albert Princesse of Nauarre and Francis de Lorraine Duke d'Aumalle the daughter of the Duke of Ferrare But among those sweete and pleasant conceits they mixed a most rigorous bitter ordinance establishing within Parris an extraordinary chamber Persecutions against those of the religion therein to proceed against those of the religion as then called Lutherans whom they burnt to death if they remained constant in their profession The coronation of the Queene The pleasures of the Court increased more by the deliuery of the Queene of a young sonne and great part of this yere was passed ouer in playes sumptuous sports The Q. being crowned at S. Dennis vpō the 10. of Iune the 16. of the same month the king made his magnificall entry into Parris there ran at tilt to showe some pleasure to the Ladies and Gentlewomen which being ended he sat openly in the Court of Parliment where in presence of the Princes and Peeres of his Realme he gaue iudgement in diuers causes according to the auncient custome of his predecessors Difference betweene the kings in times past those of our time For the auncient kings of France were carefull and vsed ordinarily to hear the complaints of their subiects but of late yeares they referred that maner of exercise vnto the consciences of their Officers seeing by other mens eyes almost concerning all their affaires which is neither good nor comfortable for the people nor yet any meanes to further Iustice And since this carelesnesse hath entred into the maiesty of our kings the estate of the realme hath bin weakned and the maiestie royall imbased so that in the end the peple haue not refused to rise against the person of the king and sometimes to murther him But remedy herein wil be had when our kings abstain from shameful actions and only do that whervnto God hath called them A generall procession After many sports and deuises the king caused a generall solemne procession to be made in the moneth of Iuly wherein hee was present assisted by the Queene the Princes of the bloud Lords Cardinals Orders Estates and dignities of Parris and at his returne from the Bishops Pallace where hee had dyned hee would see and beholde the burning of certaine Christians detesting the errours and abuses mainteined and holden by the Papists and their Doctors Among the which was a Taylor where not long before A notable Taylor by the force and vertue of the spirite of God had made answere and giuen notice of his saith and religion in presence of the king and diuers Courtiers where hee sung a wonderfull lesson vnto the Duches de Valentimois of whom I spake before saying vnto her that she ought to content her selfe to haue so much infected France without mixing her venome and filthiniesse with so holy
l'A And hee had no sooner begun but the Flemmings onely staying therevpon got before him which constrained the French Vangard to range themselues in order thereby to sustaine the rest of the armie where it made a braue resistance driuing certaine squadrons of horses out of ranke but the Counte hauing made a furious charge procured the ouerthrow and spoyle of the Marshall who beeing sore hurt was taken with Messieurs de Villebon Senarpont Moruilliers and Chaune and many Captains and souldiers slaine in the field The Marshals armie being composed of certaine companies of launciers three cornets of light-horses Scottish-men 14. Ensignes of French footemen and 18. Companies of Lansquenets all beeing eyther slaine or taken The number that escaped were not many that great wound renewed the former of S. Lawrence day and brake the enterprise vppon the Duche of Luxenbourg where the Duke of Guise pretended to be doing who in the moneth of Iuly tooke his course to Thierashe and so lodged at Pierrepont which he strengthened with 7. Cornets of Rutters a new Regiment of Lansquenets An army by sea of English men Flemings ouerthrowne in Brittaigne At the same time the armie at sea composed of Englishmen and Flemmings to the number of 6000. men or thereabouts hauing sayled along the coast of Britaigne in the end tooke land at Conquet which they spoyled and entering further into the countrie were ouerthrowne by Monsieur de Kersimon whereof some he slewe other he tooke prisoners and caused the rest to saue themselues by fight within their shippes where they presently hoysed sayles and put to sea Both the kings armies hard by Amiens Both the kings hauing prepared their armies no lesse puissant then at other times incamped themselues and stayed not farre from Amiens along by the Riuer of Somme where they had great numbers of strangers so that their owne subiects in comparison of them were very fewe There they made certaine courses and skirmishes but no battell of any consequence and as it seemed those two great Princes were as then come thither to make an agreement the treatie whereof was mooued and to proceed therein they chose the Abbey of Cercamp vpon the frontiers of Artois and Picardie wherefore the King of France appeased the Constable the Marshall S. Andre the Cardinall of Lorraine Moruilliers Bishop of Orleans one of the kings priuie Councell and Secretarie Aubespine The king of Spaine sent thither the Duke d'Alue the Prince of Aurange Deputies for peace Rigome de Silues Granuelle Bishop of Arras and Vigle de Zuichem President of the Councell of Estate in the lowe Countries They assembled in the moneth of October hauing sor vmpier of the differences that might fall out betweene them the Duches Dowager and the Duke of Lorraine her sonne Meane time the Constable hauing agreed for his ransome came to do his dutie vnto the King who gaue him all the entertainment that possible he might and made him lye with him as some certainly report During this meeting both the armies were dismissed the strangers sent into their countries While this treatie of peace continued Charles the Emperour and his sister Ellenor Death of the Emperour Charles the fift and Ellenor his sister of Mary Queene of England and of Cardinall Poole wife vnto King Francis died in Spaine the peace was grounded vppon the marriage of Charles Prince of Spaine with Elizabeth eldest daughter of K. Henry of Philebert Emanuel Prince of Piedemont with Margaret daughter to king Francis deceased That which prolonged the treatie was that the Q. of England demanded the restitution of Callais but about the end of Nouember she died After whom likewise died Cardinall Poole her great Councellor her death that changed the state of England wherein after that neither the Spaniards nor the Pope had more to do caused the assembly to be referred vnto the peace ensuing King Phillip hauing with great pompe celebrated the funerals of his father within the Towne of Brussels The Duke of Lorraine married with the yonger daughter of the French King stayed in Flaunders to heare what should be done by his Deputies before he passed into Spaine The K. of France to ioyne the Duke of Lorraine in alliance with him gaue him Claude his second daughter in mariage reseruing the elder for the cōclusion of peace The espousals were holden in Parris vpon the 5. of Februarie and about the 15. of the same month the Deputies changing place being furnished with large and ample instructions met at the castle of Cambresse king Phillip lying at Monts in Hanaut where the Cardinall of Lorraine went to visit him and after that the Duches Dowager Peace agreed vppon betweene two kings At this second meeting both of them seemed very vnwilling specially the Spaniards moued therevnto by newes out of Piedemont where the Frenchmen had lately receiued an ouerthrow But in the end after many arguments and conclusions they drewe vnto an agreement In the Tretie at Cercamp a marriage had beene spoken of betweene Charles Prince of Spaine and Elizabeth of France Now the Deputies perceiuing king Phillip to bee a Widdower and esteeming the alliance to bee stronger if hee espoused the Princesse which before should haue been giuen vnto his sonne they propounded that Article which to the good contentment of both the Kings was concluded and agreed vpon togither with the marriage of the Prince of Piedemont to the Ladie Margaret The King of France yeelded to the King of Spaine all that hee had taken from him both on this side and beyond the Mountaines also to the Prince of Piedemont la Bresse Sauoy and Piedemont except foure Townes to the Geneuois the Isle of Corse and Siene to the Duke of Florence retaining nothing but Callais without gaining a foote of any other land in all that long and daungerous war which had desolated so many Prouinces sacked burnt ouerthrowne so many Townes Bourges Villages and Castles been the death of so great a number of Princes Lords Gentlemen Captaines Souldiers Cittizens and Paisants caused so many rauishings and violatings of women and maids and in a word which had in a manner tormented all Europe so that in effect the king yeelded aboue two hundreth others write almost as many more places for the conquest whereof a sea of blood of his naturall subiects had been spent and shedde the treasures of the Realme consumed his lands ingaged and he indebted on all sides and which is woorse the fire beeing quenched vppon the borders not long after began within the middle of all his Realme and in euery place thereof as well is seene during the raignes of his three successors But these things are the vnsearchable and deepe iudgements of God which are not lawfull for vs to enter into but onely to worship and adore him that worketh all things with great wisedome with mercie towards his children and with most iust and fearefull vengeance against his enemies
which should be eyther vniuersall or nationall a most soueraigne and assured remedie prooued heretofore against more pernicious herefies then these of our time whereby the bodies of Common-wealths haue bin purged of their infected blood and filled againe with good and viguerous humours Chiections against the instruction asked by the king of Nauarre Others that commaunded both the minde of the king and all the estates said that trueth once debated and determined ought not to bee brought in question againe that it was no reason that the apperite of some newters that had withdrawn themselues from the common societie of the Church to play their parts alone and to induce the madnesse of their euill timbered braines should seeke to trouble all Christendome by assembling of a Councell the resolutions whereof can bee no other then those at other times assembled trueth hauing but one face And therefore counselled his Maiestie to prouide that his successour might bee of no other religion then his owne and to assure all his Catholicques therein that feared nothing so much as the establishing of the King of Nauarre in the succession of the Crowne of France The king had promised by his Estict to take an order touching his successor but at that age wherein hee liued and in the young and lustie yeares of the Queen his wife he hoped that God would blesse him with some masculine line that might auoyde the difference of those ambitious persons And therefore hee tooke no pleasure to heare any speech of that which in his minde seduced to imbase his authoritie and to make his graue before he was dead For that assoone as a Prince hath declared who shall bee his successor his testament is made and then in his Realme he is accounted but as the sun that goeth downe euery man casting his eyes vpon him that shall succeede It was a capitall offence in Rome to seeke to knowe what should bee done after the death of the Emperour and the Emperours of Turkie cannot indure the sight of the children their successors but send them farre from the Court and neuer see them but when they are first borne or else when they are circumcised There are diuers well gouerned peaceable Monarches wherein such are punished as are ouer serious to inquire what may happen after their Kings death The Parliament holden in England 156â— The Parliament of England that solicited the Queene to nominate her successor among those houses that aspired therevnto receiued no other aunswere from her but onely that shee was of opinion that they sought to make her graue before shee was dead And to cut off such seditious curiosities she caused an Act to bee made that no man should presume to speake or dispute of the succession of her kingdome Ne quis assirmet vel existimet vel coniectet cui nam regnandi ius debeatur The death of king Francis the first 1547. The iealousie of him that is to succeed is incredible and so much distrustfull that the father cannot indure the hope of his sonne the gold of this Historie is too weake therein to place the Orientall pearles which I finde in so many notable discourses that are made concerning this last motion hee that wrote the free and excellent discourse so called rehearseth this domesticall example of our kings that the great king Francis beeing weake and sicke in his Castle of Fontainbleau about the begining of the moneth of May in the same yeare that hee died his disease increased so much that they esteemed him eyther dead or that hee would not long continue aliue Wherevppon all the Court in great haste ranne to seeke the Dauphine prince Henry who for the same iealousie of succession durst not come in his fathers presence for the space of sixe or seuen yeares before in such manner that most of all the chiefe Courtiers had left the king euery man going to worship that new son Meane time the king recouered his health and his disease beeing somewhat cured there was a Procession to bee made which is yearely obserued with great solemnitie through out the Realme of France against which time the olde King rose vp and came out of his chamber his face and haires dressed and combed not as if hee had neither beene sicke nor aged withall putting on certaine youthfull garments and in that sort was present at the processions and beeing returned he vsed this speech I will once againe put them in feare before I die And it was true for suddainly the chance turned for that assoone as the news was spred abroad that the king had recouered his health all the Courtiers by degrees repaired vnto him much abashed and in great feare and then the Dauphine for his part was left as naked without company as his father had beene before There the king shewed himselfe like a king and so hee ought to behaue himselfe like a king Non legiones non classes perinde sunt firma imperii munimina vt numerus liberorum Tacit. But to the contrary the king not onely permitted a conference touching the succession but suffered his subiects to rise vp in armes for the triall thereof and that before all the assembly there should bee a proposition put forth touching the excluding of the lawful successor Is not this as much as if they should compel him to make his testament and to striue as though hee were at the poynt of death Wherein you may beholde the extremities of the League that seeking to ouerthrow the estate would beate down the supporters with al the Princes of the blood who being aliue it is vaine for them to seem to lay hold on the tree or once to digge the myne of their pretences for neither armes nor fortresses do so well defend and maintaine an estate as the number of children of the Princes familie which is the meanes to breake a perpetuall order of succession as long as they liue choaking the ambitious hopes of such as would ouer throw and subuert it Then the League can neuer attaine vnto the end of their course nor their forces remooue the Crowne of the branches of Valois and Bourbon to the house of Vaudemont if first they procure not the degrading of all Saint Lewis race Propositions made the fourth of Nouember 1588. The king to please the inraging appetites and desires of the League consented they shuld determine of that which the greatest part of the league had alrea die resolued which was the condemnation of the king of Nauarre it was first debated among the Cleargie where by them without great resistance it was determined that this Prince should be holde for an hereticque and their leader a Relaps excommunicated depriued of the gouernment of Guyenne and of all his honors vnwoorthie of all successions of Crownes and royalties which they appoynted to be signified to the rest of the estates the Archbishop of Ambrun the Bishop of Bazas the Abbot of Citeaux and other
him by the Cardinall de Gondy to aduertise the Popes Legate which done shee went to visit the Cardinall of Bourbon that lay sicke and was kept prisoner And assoon as he espied her with tears in his eies he spake vnto her and said Ah Madame you haue brought vs hither vnto the slaughter She that seemed to be much abashed at so violent vnexpected change that then had happened assured him that shee neither had giuen consent nor aduise to any such thing and that it was a most incredible greefe vnto her soule The death of the Queene-mother vpon the fift of Ianuary 1589. But the Cardinal redoubling his complaints shee left him striken at the heart with so great greefe that presently shee went to bed and died therevppon the fift of Ianuary after much lamented by the king her sonne who as yet had need of her counsell The king going out of his mothers chamber went to heare masse where at large hee informed the Legate of the causes that had constrained him to put the Duke of Guise to death as hauing attempted against his person About euening the Cardinall and the Archbishop of Lyons were taken out of the chamber wherein they had been shut to leade them into an other stronger and darker then the first in the highest part of the Castle But sorrow and greefe had so much seized vppon the Cardinall that what apprehension of death so euer he must haue he could not chuse but sleepe assoone as hee was layde vppon the mattresse prepared for him After his first sleepe his spirits reuiued and considering the extream imbasing of his greatnesse and the fall of his house he complained to himselfe of his misfortunes The Archbishop of Lyons vsed al the meanes he could to disswade him from the thinking of any other thing then onely of death which he suspected to bee the ende of both their persons They imployed all their Philosophie to make it seeme easie and lesse fearefull thereby to dispoyle it of the horrible and straunge shape wherewith it is figured vnto vs. They confessed themselues each to other reconciling themselues to God committing their causes vnto him and in that conceit of death they only attended the commandement when and where they should receiue With that the Cardinall had desire to sleepe vntill morning that the Archbishop of Lyons rose vp left him sleeping not long after he waked him to rise to Martins The king in the mean time was counselled yea solicited by most violent reasons to put the Cardinal to death which counsel at the first Iustice regardeth not the qualities of men seemed perilous vnto him considering the quallitie of that Prelate beeing a Peer of France Archbishop of Reims Cardinall of Rome and President of his Order in the Parliament but after he had been shewed that iustice hath her eyes closed not to behold the quallities of men and that the greater authoritie a man is in the greater is his fault that treason is more apparant and a worse example in a Cardinall then in a simple Priest That the Cardinall of Guise would succeed in the credit of his brother and that hee had alreadie vsed threatning speeches hee determined to make him follow after his brother the Duke of Guise and therevppon commaunded Monsieur de Gast to kill him who excused himself of that commission saying it was not a thing conuenient for a Gentleman of his calling But in fine for foure hundreth Crownes they found foure instruments to execute that commission One of them went into the chamber where the Cardinal sat and making low reuerence told him the king sent for him The Cardinall before hee went asked if hee sent not likewise for the Archbishop of Lyons but aunswere was made that he onely must come vnto him wherevpon with an assured countenance that not seeming to thinke vpon the mischiefe that attended on him about three steps within the dore hee bad the Archbishop of Lyons farewell who perceiuing the Cardinall to go without any apprehention of death said vnto him Monsieur I pray you thinke vppon God at the which word the Cardinall ceised with feare was abashed and turned his head towards the Archbishop who at that instant fell downe vppon his knees before the Crucifix recommending his soule vnto God beleeuing stedfastly that they would do the like to him that he supposed they ment to execute vpon the Cardinall who beeing about three or foure pases without the chamber was inclosed by foure men that with blowes of rapiers poinyards and partisans dispatched him of his life and beeing slaine they stripped him The King going to Masse accompanied by the Cardinall of Vandosme and others met the Barron de Lux who falling downe on his feete offered his head to saue the Archbishop of Lyons his vncle The king that loued the Gentleman and that desired not to loose such a Prelate thinking by his meanes to attaine vnto the Quintessence of the Leaguers deuises assured him of his life but not of his libertie Not long after the king sent Monsieur Guiotard and Monsieur Languetot two of his priuie Councell with a Clarke to examine the Archbishop touching the causes and accusations layde against the Duke of Guise He said vnto them that they being Lay-men had not any iurisdiction ouer an Archbishop and that hee beeing such might not aunswere vnto them desiring them not to trouble him any more therein The answer of the Archbishop of Lyons vpon the Duke of Guises accusatiō They returned this answere vnto the King who presently sent the Cardinall de Gondy to perswade him to satisfie his commaundement and to aunswere to the propositions that should bee made vnto him the Archbishop aunswered him and saide that hee could say nothing against the Cardinall nor the Duke of Guise his brother with whom hee had imbarked himselfe that for his owne person hee neither could nor ought to aunswere before any man but the Pope or to those whom it should please him to appoynt and that as Primate of France he had no other Iudge And that that the Cardinall de Gondy himselfe beeing Bishop of Parris was vnder his primatie that if the Cadinall Morosin Legate for his holinesse by the aduise of other Prelates assembled in the parliament thought it conuenient for him to answere he wold follow their resolutiō and that so doing it shuld be they not the Arch. of Lyons that shuld break the Priuileges immunities of the church The king to the contrary esteemed that considering the quallitie and importance of the cause he was not bound to haue recourse vnto the Pope to examine the trueth of the Duke of Guises actions It was shewed him The king hath power ouer Bishops that the priuiledge which the Archbishop demaunded much derogated the soueraigntie and power of his Maiestie who at all times had iurisdiction ouer the Bishops of his Realme specially in things touching the Crowne and when processe was to be
quallitie soeuer they bee not to hearken to the poysoning inchantments of such rebellious and seditious persons but to continue the dutie of good and naturall Frenchmen and alwaies keepe and hold the loue and affection due to their king and countrie and not to holde with the deceits of such which vnder pretence of religion would spoyle the estate bring in barbarous Spaniards and other vsurpers Giuing most straight charge and commaundemen vnto all persons whatsoeuer neither to receiue nor keep in their houses or about them the said bull or to publish the same neither to assist or fauour the saide rebelles nor yet to assemble themselues to any Townes or places which might be appoynted or chosen for the foresaid pretended election vpon pain to the Nobilitie to bee disgraded of their honours and to bee proclaimed infamous both they and their posteritie for euer And to the Clargie to bee depriued thrust out of their possessions and benifices and to be punished togither for this their offence as traitors and disturbers of the publicke quiet and royall prerogatiue of their countrie without all hope to obtaine in such a case any fauour or pardon whatsoeuer And the like paine we pronounce to all townes that shall receiue the said rebels and seditious persons for the making of the said assembly or that doth lodge retaine or succour them And the said Court doth further ordaine that the place where the said deliberation shall bee kept togither with the Towne where the said assembly shall bee made shall bee raced and destroyed from the toppe to the bottome without all hope to haue it reedified or builded any more for a perpetuall remembrance to all posterities of their treason disloyaltie and vnfaithfulnesse joyning all persons to assault all those which shall repaire to the saide Cittie to bee present in that assembly And there shall be commission deliuered to the said Atturney generall to informe against all such as haue been the authors and procurers of such monopolies and conspiracies made against the estate and that haue fauoured or assisted them And this present Edict shall bee published by sound of trumpet and publickly proclaimed in all places of this Towne and sent to all places of this precinct there to bee red published and registred by the diligence of the substitudes belonging to the Atturney generall whereof they shall certifie the Court within one moneth on paine to loose their Offices for the contrarie The leaguers despising the kings authoritie flowted at the Edict of this Parliament and called the Deputies from all parts of the Prouinces and confederate Townes to bee present with the estates at Paris As for the chiefe and principall each one had a seuerall purpose beeing desirous to bee seated in their Soueraignes chaire without hauing any minde to bee seruants or fellows in this Anarchie maintained by them with the helpe of the double Pistolles of Spaine It came to passe in the moneth of Nouember that the Lord of Vaugrenan commanding for the king within the Towne of S. Iohn Delaune in Bourgondie ouerthrew seuenteene companies of footemen hard by the Towne of Diion wonne their colours weapons and other furniture Amongst the packets and coffers of the Barron de Tenissé who was a great leaguer and chiefe commaunder of these troupes were found certaine instructions and commissions which were sent from the Duke de Nemours to the said Barron to conferre with the Duke de Maine to this ende that Nemours might bee elected king by the estates of Parris This young Prince aymed at no other thing but soueraigntie and beeing misled by certaine euill Councellours which hee kept planted at Lyon and thereabout the foundations of his loftie purposes for the accomplishing whereof an hundreth yeares would bee farre too little but hauing builded vpon sand in fewe moneths his edefices fell downe wherewith he was confounded Now as the leaguers were promised great thinges by their estates of Parris and the partakers of Spaine held it for a most certaine troth that the Duke of Parma would returne yet the third time with puissant forces to doo some notable exployt thereby to couer the shame of his two former voyages and so to assure the Crowne of France to king Philip or to the Princesse his daughter The death of the Duke of Parma But death cut off the thrid of his life togither with his enterprises the second of December 1592. Many men thought that this blowe would rent those patches wherewith the league was attired But the Duke de Maine beeing deliuered of him of whom hee stood in doubt supposed that now the time presented it selfe wherein hee might bring his long desired purpose to effect heerevpon hee raised his Cornets of horse and did more mischiefe to Paris then before A little before these newes came hee gaue some eare to the conditions of peace which had beene happie for him if some euill counsell had not turned his mind from the same But the decease of him by whom he was ouer awed caused his humour to bee changed imagining that hee should shortly haue the title to bee Lieftenant generall to the King of Spaine in the conquest of France Therefore one of his attempts was to create the Lord de Rosne one of is chiefe familiars Marshall of France and Gouernor of the Isle of France constraining the Presidents and Councellors inclosed in Paris to receiue this Rosne into two offices which appertained to a Lord of a higher blood and estate The Parisians which before spake openly of peace and agreement durst now speake no more thereof except in secret In the feast of Christmas the Duke de Maine caused those decrees which were lately made at Chaalons against the bull of the Popes Legat to bee openly burned vpon the steps of his Pallace the Citie beeing all in armes Also the Dukes of Guise of Maine of Nemours of Sauoye the Marques of Pont wrought diuers slights to bee aduanced in the election The King of Spaine by his Agents did as much on the other side asuring himselfe that as hee had made many of the Leaguers his Pentioners so also knewe hee well that in time hee should finde opportunitie to ouerthrow and bring them all to destruction one after another and to make himselfe the absolute and supreme Lord. During these practises the king was fully resolued to assemble the principall Peeres of his Realme at Chartres to prouide and thinke vpon remedies against those euils which now beganne to present it selfe The warres continued in diuers Prouinces but slowly except in Lorraine where the Marshal de Bouillon tooke by plaine force and by a maruellous incounter the strong Towne of Dun vppon Meuse a little aboue Stenay and droue thence those of Lorraine The Duke de Maine publisheth a proclamation against the king Now for the closing vp of this yeare in the same moneth of December the Duke de Maine published a great writing intituled A declaration for the vniting againe
finally had indeuoured to kill the king by the meanes of Barriere who was executed at Meleun as hee deposed a little before his death These considerations were cause that the first resolution taken by the Vniuersitie of Paris since the Citties reduction was to require the banishing of the Iesuites To this effect a supplication was presented to the Court of Parliament who hauing a certaine time despised the authoritie thereof in the end constrained by an act made the seuenth of Iuly containing that the indightment which was to be giuen against them should be heard the Monday following in a publicque audience to be iudged in open field they did that day entertaine their Aduocates and men of law in the great chamber before the audience were readie who did declare that to defend the cause on their behalfe he was constrained to say many hard things against diuers that were knowne to bee the kings true seruaunts and for this occasion they requested that the cause might bee pleaded within doores This deuice was made to hinder the people from the cleare knowledge of the corrupt and pernicious purposes of the Iesuites pretending to make all Europe subiect to the Spaniards but for as much as they had obtained their request this inuention had no such successe as they looked for For all their pleadings which were done close within doores was afterward openly published in print where the Aduocates of the vniuersitie men learned and deepely affectioned to the Romaine Church did particularly represent and discouer to the full the horrible wicked and insupportable malice of that sect But the deciding of the matter was suspended Gods prouidence reseruing the same to an othertime which came sooner then many looked for The Spaniards being desirous to continue the fire of discention in France instantly solicited the Duke de Mercoeur Warres in Britaine one of the chiefe of the league and an vsurper of a part of the Duchie of Brittaine alwaies to continue warre His sister Loyse of Vaudemont king Henry the thirds widdow did all shee might to make his peace Certaine troubles hapning in the meane time broke all that was done The Spaniards which were Maisters of Blauet a Fortresse almost inuincible had builded during the Sommer of the yeare 1594. a strong Fort neare vnto Croysil to stoppe◠he enterance to the port of Brest which would haue beene better for them if they had made another right against it and on the other side of the hauen Sir Iohn Norris Captaine Forbisher To hinder them came the Marshall d'Aumont and S. Iohn Norris Generall of the Englishmen to whom was sent a supply by sea vnder the conduct of Captaine Forbisher they soone became Maisters of Quimpercorencin and of the Towne and Castle of Morlay Soone after they assailed the Spaniards new fort and slew foure hundreth souldiers that kept it not without losse of their own men among other the said Forbisher The king on the other side deliberating to make war out of his own realm against the Spaniards agreed with the States of Holland and their confederates to beginne in the Duchie of Luxembourg where the Marshall of Bouillon who married one of the daughters of the deceased Prince of Orange and Earle Philip of Nassau assayed to enter in the moneth of October where they found all the passages shut vp and Earle Charles of Mansfield making head against them especially on the troupes of Holland The king on the other side sought to ouerrunne the frontiers of Picardie and gaue the estates of Artois and Hainaut to vnderstand that if they fauoured him so little to suffer the Spanish forces to molest Cambray and the countries adioyning that hee would then make warre vppon them incontinent This message beeing sent in writing from Amiens by a Trumpetter about the midst of December the estates knew not what to say vnto it and before they would make answere they opened the matter vnto the Arch-duke Ernest the king of Spaines Lieftenant in the lowe Countries whom they intreated that the warre might not continue perceiuing the desolations that were like to follow therevppon and that which had alreadie afflicted them but this Prince who deceased shortly after could neither doo any thing for himselfe nor in their behalfe The seuen and twentieth of December as the king was returning from Picardie to Parris readie booted and spurd within a chamber at Louure hauing about him his cousins the Prince of Countie the Earle of Soissons the Earle of Saint Paul and thirtie or fortie other Lords Gentlemen of his Court there came also in the Lords of Ragne and Montigni who had not as yet taken their leaue of his Maiestie And euen as hee was receiuing them Iohn Chastill attempteth to kil the king hurts him in the mouth and is for the same put to death and in Princely manner kissing them for his farewell a young stripling named Iohn Chastill of a small stature and about eighteene or nineteene yeares of age a Drapers sonne of Parris who was slid into the chamber among the preace drew neare vnto the king before hee was almost perceiued of any bodie and suddainly would haue smote him in the bodie with a knife which hee had in his hand but by reason that his Ma. was verie readie to take vp the Lords which were on their knees before him in his stooping hee strooke him in the face on the vpper iaw on the right side therewithall cutting out one of his teeth Presently this miserable catiue was taken and after hee would haue excused the deed incontinent vppon examination hee confessed the whole trueth voluntarily and without compulcion The king commaunded the Captaine of his guard that had taken him after that hee had throwne his knife to the ground to let him go saying that hee freely forgaue him But afterward vnderstanding that he was a scholler to the Iesuites he said And must it needs be that the Iesuites should bee confounded by my mouth This Parriside beeing brought vnto the Bishops prison freely declared the circumstance of his euill intent discouering many of the Iesuites secret practises Among many other things hee remembred that he heard the fathers of that holy societie say that it was lawfull to kill the king that hee was excommunicate out of the Church that hee was not to bee obeyed nor to be taken for their king vntill such time as he was allowed by the Pope The Court of Parliament cōdemning this Chastil of treason in the highest degree caused him honourably to be brought naked in his shirt before the principal gate of the Cathedrall Church in Parris holding in his hand a taper of waxe lighted of two pound waight and there on his knees to confesse and declare that most wickedly and traiterously hee had attempted this most inhumane and most traiterous parriside hauing hurt the king with a knife in the face That by false and damnable instructions hee had maintained by argument that it was lawfull to
Oppede whereof he was Lord vnder pretence of religion was become a mortall enemy vnto those of Cabrieres and Merindol where those husbandmen dwelt who in haruest time in despight of Menier reaped the corne which as then they found vpon their ground which hee held from them by force so that as then the execution was pursued And thervpon the Parliament at the instant request of M nier sent an huissier to the Cardinall de Tournon at whose request king Francis the first sent letters pattents to the parliament for the execution of that first sentence and by that meanes in the moneth of Aprill 1545. Menier naming himselfe Lieftenant to Monsieur de Grignan Gouernour of Prouence hauing assembled an armie of theeues and beeing accompanied by Monsieur de la Garde set fier in diuers villages about Merindol sent great numbers of poore Countrie-men into the Gallies and caused a young man to bee openly harquebushed and finding no man within Merindol pilled sacked burnt and rased all the houses and hauing besieged battered and by composition taken the litle Towne of Cabrieres in stead of holding his promise made vnto them he chose out 25. or 30. men such as pleased him that were cut and massaced to peeces in a Medowe that lay vnder the Towne about 40. women wherof most of them were great with childe were burnt within a barne and many beeing found hidden in their Cellors were tyed two and two togither and so ledde into the Hall of the Castle of Cabrieres where they were most cruelly murthered Within the Church many olde women young maides and children that had saued themselues were all put to the sword The number of the slaine and massacred amounting vnto 800. persons and more The Barron de la Garde ledde aboue 800. persons away and put them into the Gallies where the most part of them died in great miserie Many women and maides were deflowred and great numbers ledde prisoners to Marseille Aix and Auignon Diuers villages beeing wholly burnt and consumed by fire whereby the desolation and misery of that countrie was exceeding great But king Francis being sicke for the space of certaine years after that cruell massacre and vrged in conscience with a remorse of that mischiefe whereof hee had partly beene the cause and sorrie before his death hee could not execute open punishment vppon those that abusing his name and authoritie had committed so horrible a mischiefe among his subiects of Prouence expresly charged his sonne Henry not to deferre that punishment saying that if he put it in obliuion God wold bee reuenged thereof against him and that their memorie would remaine in horrour and execration vnto all straungers if the persons that had committed so notable a crime should bee suffered to escape vnpunished This clause expresly set downe within the Kings testament aduanced the discredit on the Cardinall of Tournon and put Grignan and la Garde in great paine but to conclude they had more feare then hurt for the king by his letters patents of the 17. of March 5549. caused the matter to bee heard by the Court of Parliament in Parris where Menier and three others his companions appeared in person the rest of the Councellors by their Atturneyes And there after long proces in stead of punishment one man onely called Guerin a Councellor lesse culpable then the rest was hanged in Parris Menier principal of that massacre escaped and falling out of his wits died beeing ceased with a secret fire within his bodie in the open sight knowledge of all the countrie of Prouence The rest of the matter vanished as it were in a smoke before the sight of men but God made both the king his Councell all his Realme to know and well perceiue that the blood of so many innocent persons and others that were put to death both before and after that time for the confessiō of the Gospell is most precious in his sight as the things that happened and fell out in the yeares ensuing haue well declared which we must in order set downe as time and place shall serue The death of Margaret Queene of Nauarre The same year in the month of December did Margaret de Orleans Queen of Nauarre sister to king Francis the first a most noble and famous Princesse and of as notable a spirit as any that liued in her time In the beginning of this year the king suppressed and abolished the imposition of salt in the countrie of Guyenne with all the officers that had the execution thereof for the summe of 450000. frankes with the countries of of Poicton Saintonge Angoulmois Perigort high and lowe Limosin and high lowe Marthe should pay vnto him with 25000. frankes to the officers for their charges Touching those of Bourdeaux in the month of October before they had procured and obtained a general pardon vpō condition that they and their successors shuld alwaies keep two ships furnished for the wars readie to put to sea to serue vnder whomsoeuer it should please the king to commaund and to receiue into the Castles of Trompette and du Ha such garrison as the king should send into them and to victuall them with all sorts of victualls which they should yearely furnish and renue taking away the olde And therevpon in the moneth of Ianuarie after the king reestablished the parlement and their Towne was reduced into the former estate they that had beene beaten making the amends Three Presidents in Parris displaced and after reestablished onely Liset At that time three Presidents of Parris not well thought of by the house of Guise as then beeing in great credit were displaced out of their offices but not long after S. Andre Minard hauing promised to become good seruitors were restored againe Liset was made Abbot of S. Victor that an other of lesse iudgement then himselfe might haue his place And so hee tooke vppon him to deale in matters of diuinitie wherein hee sped so hardly and of a good practition hee became so ignoranta sophister that falling in a great laughter hee was suddainly taken with a disease and so died Hee shewed himselfe a sworne and perpetual enemie to those of the religion thinking to aduance himselfe by cruell inuentions but hee was cut off by the way thereby seruing for an example to many better men then himselfe not to bandie against him vho is able to surprise and intrappe the subtillest in their fond inuentions and against whom the wisedome and force of man is nothing but meere beastlinesse and vanitie Remedies for false clipt mony This yeare because that most of the mony in France was found to be clipped by the kings edict al such mony was commaunded to bee cut in peeces and molten and many of that occupation among the which were diuers quoyners executed Bullen restored to the King In the monthes of Februarie and March a peace was agreed vppon betweene the kings of England France wherevpon
was discouered and that the forces that should haue met in time and place sayled The Cardinall of Lorraine saued himselfe in great haste and fledde from the Court and yet he kept his credite in the Court being able to do as much absent as present To the contrary the Prince and his partaker fell into great difficulties by prouoking the hatred and collor of the king against them because through their meanes hee was constrained to go from Meaux to Parris with great feare although hee had sixe thousand Switzers about him besides horsemen the Prince at his approaching hauing betweene foure and fiue hundreth horse at the most neuerthelesse it was put into the kings head that he sought to attempt against his person so that from thenceforward he alwaies had a secret grudge against them This entrie into the warre hauing had but a hard beginning for the Prince other effects recompenced the defaults of his former fortunes but more by the particular motions and dispositions of certaine Gentlemen and Inhabitants of Townes then any Precedent deliberation whereby it fell out that those of the religion seized vpon Orleans Auxerre Soissons and other places The generall leuying of armes in one day by the Prince and his participants did no little abash those of the contrary part as also that with so small a number of horse he durst approach so neare sixe thousand Switzers whom he had charged betweene Meâ—â—x and Parris yea and ouerthrowne them if the Harquebusiers on horsebacke whom hee attended had kept their appoynted time or if he had bin strengthened with 150. horse out of Picardie that came certaine houres too late But the Prince not daring to venture vpon so great a troupe of Switzers The Prince retireth to S. Dennis that seemed a forrest therein perceiuing too much hazard and too small aduantage for him and his troupes went vnto Saint Dennis with his troupes where not long after hee had more company so that in fewe daies hee found himselfe to be 2000. horse and 4000. Harquebusiers strong which not long after were dispearsed Monsieur d'Andelot sent with 500. horse towards Poissy and Pontoise to hinder those of Parris that haue their victuals brought them by water Many companies of foot marched toward Argentueil Pont Charenton and other places bordering on the same The rest of the troupes were sent part to meete the troupes of Guyenne that should enter into Orleans surprised by Monsieur de la Noue and part into other places where need required So that the Prince and the Admiral staying at S. Dennis with certaine Gentlemen could not haue aboue 800. horse and 1200. Harquesiers The Constable had within Parris aboue 3000. horse 12000. foot and the sixe thousand Switzers with artillerie and warlike ammunition as much as he would desire yet stirred not fearing the hard resolution of the Prince his traine who by their troupes dispearsed seized vpon the passages both by water and land wherevppon the Parrisians not vsed to fasting beganne to complaine The Prince hoped to constraine them to fight and that his forces being vnited if hee might bee victor to bring his enemies vnto a more assured peace then that hee made before and if hee were ouerthrowne the places which hee held vppon the riuer of Marne and Seyne would serue him for his retrait staying for the Rutters that beganne to stirre with his forces of Guyenne The Constable to the contrary hauing taken the view of the Princes lodging and forces determined to giue them battell assuring himselfe to ouerthrow theÌ„ without resistance for that besides his number of men being tenne for one he had great store of Ordinance and pikes and a faire fielde well fitting for his troupes and cannons All these disaduantages notwithstanding disswaded not the Prince but that hee the Admirall Ienlis and other leaders of the religion issued to assayle them The battell beeing giuen vppon the tenth of Nouember 1567. The battell of S. Dennis continued almost three quarters of an houre night separating them the issue beeing such that those of the religion that had aduanced themselues aboue a quarter of a League entering with most strauge furie vppon their enemies wearied with striking their horses being breathlesse or hurt namely that of the Prince slaine vnder him and the Admiralles horse hauing borne him twise through the thickest of his enemies forces beeing a very strong horse in the mouth and in the beginning of the fight had broken his curbe and yet neither of those two leaders hurt were constrained to recuile but retiring in good order most of the Constables foote did little seruice but the Princes playde their parts the horsemen on both sides fighting with great courage The Constable himselfe was wounded to death and died within short time after and before hee died Death of the Constable connielled and desired the Queene to pacifie those troubles with all the speed she might but shee followed other counsell whereof shee and her sonnes haue had leisure to repent them and died before shee had reeled vp her spindle The Prince thinking his enemies would haue set vppon him againe to bee reuenged vppon a handfull of men that had held them play vnder their noses speedily sent for Monsieur d'Andelot who about midnight returned to S. Dennis and it was well for those of Parris as their leaders affirmed that hee came no sooner for if hee had it would haue fallen out hardly with them After a little breathing the leaders determined that it would bee necessary for them to abate some of the Romish Catholicques pride and opinion of their aduantage by shewing them that those of the religion had sufficient courage and called them to performe the battell Wherevppon the next day in the morning they entered into the field with their small armie marching towards the subburbes of Parris and there stood certaine owers in order of battell burning a village and some Windmilles in the open face of the Parrisians that neuer once issued foorth being busied to burie their dead to heal their wounded to suruey their corners and companies and to bee short thought it no wisedome to hazard themselues against those whom they perceiued to bee strengthened and so resolute to fight But the Prince perceiuing that the losse of one man would bee more to him then one hundreth to his enemies that daily increased that to stay longer so neare Parris wold be the ouerthrow of his smal campe the next day marched forward towards Montereau where the forces assembling at Orleans and Estampes ioyned with him To the contrary the kings armie Both the armies in the field their exployts till the end of the yeare whereof was Generall Henry Duke of A niou brother to the king a young Prince beeing as then about the age of sixteene yeares assisted with a great number of Lords Gentlemen and Captaines followed after the Prince seeking occasion to giue him battell The Protestants troupes of Guyenne and Poictou composed
by the marriages of daughters capable by succession to the kingdome of Nauarre And for such hee was esteemed and accounted vntil the death of the Duke of Alencon the kings brother VVhen presently the good olde Cardinall of Bourbon was titled in the head and made beleeue that in the age of sixtie yeares hee should liue and succeede a king who beside his yong yeares and strength of bodie liued not in any such disordered maner whereby hee should once haue occasion to thinke vpon his successor for it was shewed him that hee was the first Prince of the blood and that the right of inheritance and succession consisted in his person But when this deuise was found too weake and the absurditie too much discouered thereby seeking to impugne or deny the king of Nauarre to be the chief and eldest branch of his house in the right and title of his father who in a manner liued in him besides the reuocation by his vncle made vnto him of all rights names voyces and actions whatsoeuer both present and to come that might appertaine or belong vnto him as beeing issued from the house of Bourbon expresly acknowledging the said king of Nauarre his Nephew for the true sonne heire successor and representation of the chiefe branch of the said house they inuented other obiections and subtile pollicies that vnder those pretences they might bleare the eyes of the common and simple people affirming the Crowne of France to bee vacant and so belonged to the first Conqueror aâ—leaging for reason that as in the populer successions of common people such as are of the kindred and familie of any houses beeing in the tenth degree of consanguinitie cannot bee heires of their kinsmans lands so farre in discent from them and therby the inheritance falleth into the Lords hands and that so the house of Bourbon had no title or any right to the Crowne of France as beeing in the tenth degree of consanguinitie from it wherof they caused diuers discourses and whole volumes to bee written But that not beeing able to bee beaten into the heads of true Frenchmen nor once set footing or enter into the opinions of the commun people altogither incapable of such Sophisteries they beganne to enter into an other course of iniuries accusations and inuections wherein they contented not themselues onely to crie out and make war against the said king and to produce and cause to bee published a perpetuall incapacitie in his person and that without the Popes consent but they accused him of treason they condemned him they named him vnwoorthie and incapable to rule in France they assembled all the estates of France at Blois wherein a manner they vtterly reiected him euery man shewed to bee his enemie if not in his right and title yet touching the religion which hee then held and finally went about to frame his proces But to the contrarie those that pursued him were themselues executed before they heard their condemnation or iudgement In this maner the fire beganne to bee kindled in all the foure quarters of the realme and the blow was of such force that all neighbour Princes were mooued there at such as were offended arming themselues to bee reuenged and the people in a manner led by a furie helping them and with them turned their faces against the king whereof the Towne of Parris was the first and by example therof all the Towns in lesse then 6. weeks made that great strange coÌ„motion that continued for the space of fiue whole yeares ensuing Shee mooued them to this dissention by the smooth and speciall reasons by her alleaged against heresie periurie and tiranny coniuring them by dutie to their countrie and by the loue they ought to beare to the preseruation thereof to ioyne with her in so iust a cause and to passe one of these two waies hauing no other meanes either to bee vanquishers or die in the quarrell rather then to submit themselues to the king And among the rest the Cittie of Lyons neuer inferiour to any Cittie in the world touching fidelitie and obedience to their kings that had no other obiect then onely zeale of religion in the defence whereof it espied many euident and mortall signes suffered it selfe to bee borne away among this troupe not once considering or apprehending the multitude of miseries by her after that indured And in this manner the warres beganne with so straunge an alteration and motion of all estates yea euen of the very pillers of the land and the reuolt was such that in fine the royaltie of the king was reduced to a small corner of the countrie about Tours and Blois where without doubt the league had buried it if suddainly the king of Nauarre had not ayded him who therevpon tooke courage againe hauing on his side the Hercules of France scourge of rebels to their Prince but when this disordered and great mutinie beganne somewhat to decline and that the presence and authoritie of the Soueraigne Prince held the most assured within the bounds of their duties and that Parris perceiued it self in way and course of extreame desolation suddainly the king was slaine And then O the great and deepe iudgements of God hee that about three moneths before had passed ther riuer of Loire onely with foure hundreth horse a thousand shot and certaine pikes was presently made chiefe soueraigne and commaunder of a most faire and great armie to whom the Magistrates and Officers of the Crowne and all the Nobilitie yeelded their obedience thereby seeking to impeach the desolation and ouerthrow of the whole estate and to preferre the dutie of naturall fidelitie before the vaine hope of straungers and the last hazard of the rest and suretie of their liues and goods And so behold him king that not seuen moneths before had been depriued of the title of the first Prince of the blood and of the hope of the name Sacrying and Crowne of the Princes his auncestors that had so many times beene driuen from the Court that in foure yeares had seene tenne armies and tenne Generals to a king marching before the heads of the forces of the greatest Prince of the most warrelike nation in all the world against him that after the ouerthrow of a great forraine power had withdrawne himselfe into a corner of the Realme without land men or mony and a Prince altogither poore vnlesse it were in hope He that had been declared vnable for the Crowne that had beene made one of the Cardinall of Bourbons retinue that was no more acknowledged to be of the race or progenie of S. Lewis as beeing ten degrees in consanguinitie from it he that the countrie of Spaine esteemed the subiect of all our miseries who in the life of â—ur kings was the only argument of all the tragedies that had been acted in the countrie of France he that thought not to haue succeded a king being in the flower of his liuely and gallant youth that had bin an occasion to
Archbishop of Lyons of Bourgongne Reinold Earle of Forest Peter of Tarentaise that after was Pope of Rome Henry and Lewis Eales of Villars Montluel Charles d'Alencon Ame Iohn and Hugh de Talaru two Charles de Bourbon Cardinals Andre Cardinal of Espinac Francis de Rouen sonne of a Marshall of France Anthony of the auncient house of the Earles of Albon that were Dauphins de Viennois and Earles of Auuergne Peeces of money quoyned by the Archbishop of Lions with this deuise on the one side Prima sedes And on the other Galiarum And in trueth it is the principall sea of France the most famous and most auncient and in times past the Archbishop had a priuiledge to quoyne mony there are yet certaine peeces of mony to bee seene with their stampe and in the time that the kings of Bourgongne had that authoritie ouer the sea which the kings of France now haue the Archbishoppes were the first and most worthie instruments of their kings Councell Frideric Barbarousse in the time of Lewis le Ieune amplified their priuiledges by his letters writing to the Exarches or Lieftenants or chiefe Councellours of his Pallace of Bourgongne because that part of the Realm of Bourgongne that lyeth on this side the Mont Iura was as then Emperour of Rome The king seeking to withdrawe the Archbishoppe of Lyons out of the league promised him the custodie of the seale of France made him one of his priuie Councell before beeing onely of the Councell of estate recommended him vnto Pope Sixtus the fift and made him beleeue that the Lord of Gondy was sent expresly to fetch him the Cardinals Hat The Kings fauours shewed to the chiefe of the League Hee continued his fauours hee renued and amplified them to all those that had any credit in the League thinking that by the signes of his good fauour those Salmonees that would counterfeit Iupiters thunderboults would acknowledge and withdrawe themselues out of the confusion of their pretences Hee did nothing without them hee disclosed his secrets vnto them thrust his soule into the deepest part of their passions yea and seemed to bee as much mooued as they to the aduancement of treaties most liberally thrusting all his fauours and authorities vpon them and their participants so that there was none of them how farre soeuer in degree among them The Cardinall of Bourbon declared to be chiefe Prince of the blood See the treatise of Ianuary 1589. but felt some part of his benignitie He proclaimed the Cardinall of Bourbon to be the first Prince of the blood royall that is hee ratified the first Article of Ginuille made in Anno. 1585. which was wholly to exclude the king of Nauarre from the Crowne and auoyded that great disputation and argument of the Vncle and the Nephew so much written and disputed of both with tooth nayle thereby to trouble the auncient order of the succession and make the good Cardinal of Bourbon to serue the League on both sides This poynt deserueth some small view of their processe Those that sustaine the right and title of the Cardinall alleadged all these reasons first that the lawe of the Realme or the Salicque law that referreth the succession to the heires Masles referreth also the prerogatiue to raine to enjoy the Crowne to the next of the blood to the king that dieth without children Francis de Valois Duke of Alencon died with this prerogatiue of first Prince of the blood and first of the succession at his decease had no nearer kinsman theÌ„ the Cardinal of Bourbon that was in the tenth degree of consanguinitie from him by consequent succeeded in the prerogatiue of the Duke of Aniou as one cannot be heire to a man if he be not his heire by law so hee ought to haue that quallitie at his death at the which time the hope of succession was ioyned therevnto And as the succession inheritance of the Realm permitteth but one onely heire so this prerogatiue permitteth but one lawfull heire Quoniam sororem c. De iure de lib. This right of prerogatiue neuer rested but in the person of one of the Princes of Valois by the priuiledge of first begotten those of the house of Bourbon neuer had it because they could not represent the chiefe branch of a house from whence it did not issue the colaterall ingendring not the colaterall In such manner that Anthony de Bourbon although he had all the right of the house of Bourbon hauing not nor by any means would haue the right of elder the auncienter house beeing Valios yet liuing could not obtaine the prerogatiue of the first Prince or any hope to attaine vnto it nor yet to transferre it to Henry his sonne To say it commeth to the house of Bourban there beeing no other familie of the Masses but that house liuing and by consequent to him that hath all the preheminence of the right therein by vertue of succession and so to Henry sonne of Anthony as beeing the head of that house and representing his father eldest and first Prince of all that familie it is most certaine that this prerogatiue did not fall from the person of Francis Duke of Aniou Jus suitatis Eghinar din â—ita caroli to the familie of Bourbon for if it were so it would follow that all the Princes of that house should succeed in the same prerogatiue and that he which dieth should cease the whole reuenue of that familie and not the nearest So you cannot say that Anthony king of Nauarre being descended of the eldest house the right falleth to him seeing it is a thing cleare and without difficultie that the familie of the eldest is preferred before the familie of the youngest for in colaterall successors they consider the nearnesse of the Parents to the last that died ceased and the nearest in degree alwaies excludeth him that is further distant in Consanguinitie so Charlemaine comforming himselfe to the lawe of the Realme after the death of Charles his eldest sonne and Pepin the youngest iudged the Crown to Lewis his middle sonne that after was called le Debonnaire as brother and next heire to Charles his eldest sonne and not to Bernard sonne to Pepin the youngest sonne that was but in the second degree vnto him although in paternall inheritance he represented the person of his father Like case the prerogatiue that Francis Duke of Aniou had fell and proceeded to the Cardinall of Bourbon not because hee is of the house of Bourbon but next kin to the Duke of Aniou because hee descendeth of the Capets and of the blood royall of Hugh Capet And as the house of Bourbon at this day is reputed to haue this right because the said Cardinall of Bourbon that is issued from the same obtained it so if the said Cardinall were issued out of an other house so it were royall the familie of Bourbon should not be admitted to this prerogatiue but that from
or any of his but to withstand him incontinent vppon paine to bee presently hanged vp Also the same Court ordaineth that absolution shall bee obtained for the said Atturney generall Nemine dempto to informe against all those that shall fauour the said Henry of Bourbon and his adherents That the oath made by the holy Vnion the two and twentieth day of Ianuarie 1589. shall bee renued from mouth to month in the generall assembly which for that purpose shall bee held in the Abbey of Saint Ouen within the same Cittie Further it inioyneth all the Inhabitants to keepe and inuiolably to obserue the said Edict from poynt to poynt according to the tenure and true meaning of the same vpon paine of death without any hope of grace or fauor to be had therein Villars a notable Leaguer Moreuer the same Court doth expresly inioyne all the Inhabitants to bee obedient to the Lord of Villars Lieftenant generall to our soueraigne Lord Henry of Lorraine eldest son to the Duke de Maine in this gouernment in all things which shall bee by him commanded for the conseruation of this Cittie The Bishop d'Euereux hanged A little before the siege of Roane the King hauing in the month of September 1591. taken Louuiers chastised certaine seditious persons and sent the Bishoppe d'Euereux surnamed the holy prisoner vnto Tours who was one of the Arches and Pillers of the league to the end he should there haue the law and after be hanged the which was done without the Cardinal of Bourbons knowledge least hee should repriue him from the Gallowes hee prouided for all things necessarie to the siege causing diuers engines to be made at Caen at Pont de l'Arche at Ponteau de Mer and in other places The D. de Maines sonne hauing encouraged the Cittizens to perseuere in their actions for their reliefe Baquemare at that time their chiefe President procured that all the Inhabitants should sweare before the Maior named Londe that they should reueale all those whom they knewe either in word or deede to fauour the King of Nauarre that they might bee punished for example to others Villars was there entered to strengthen them with sixe hundreth horse and twelue hundreth muskets and gaue such order for his affaires that they yeelded him soone after the Roiteler of Roane without any respect to the Lieftenant generals sonne in so much that when they commaunded him any thing which hee thought not good to bee done his aunswere to the Duke de Maine was that being both of them companions spoylers of the estate hee would not obey him whom hee knewe not for his Lord and Maister And the better to apply himselfe he caused all those to be chased out of Roane that were by him suspected writing letters full of outrage to the King who summoned his subiects to an acknowledgement of their rebellion placing artillerie and vsing all acts of hostillitie against his soueraigne Lord and King Moreouer he caused a new search for victuals hee subborned Friers Priests and Preachers to poyson the multitude by their seditious perswasions broght his troupes into the fielde indomaging the armie as much as possibly hee might the which beside the obstinate dealings of the besieged had a shrewd fight with the extreame rigour of the sharpe winter with sickenesse and the want of food Notwithstanding all which at the last the besieged were constrained to come to composition But vnderstanding that the Dukes de Maine and of Parma were comming with succours and were withall become Maisters of Neufchastel giuen ouer by the Kings garrison they held it till the 20. of March the which armie of the Dukes came to Franqueuille which is about halfe a daies iourney from Roane The Leaguers armie The Duke of Guise la Chastre and Vitri ledde the vantgard the Dukes of Maine of Parma and Sfondrate Nephew to Pope Gregorie the fourteenth deceased cōducted the maine battel the rearward had for their leaders the D of Aumale the Earle of Chaligni Boisdaufin Balagni and Sainpol Bassompierre and Monsieurle Motte were Captains ouer the Switzers and the artillerie The Kings troupes being ouer weake to match with this great armie of leaguers left them to worke their woorst seeking opportunitie to meete with them at aduantage staying for the Kings comming who with all speed iournied toward Deepe on necessarie causes the which broke the great intended purposes of his enemies And the whilest the Marshall of Biron caused seuen peeces of artillerie to be conueyed to Bans which is a towne about one mile from Darnetal where hee set himselfe in battell array planting his cannons in their seuerall places therewith to entertaine the Duke of Parma who came to lie in the valley on the side thereof The King stayed all that night within a Mill hard by Bans who continued in fight well near thirtie houres making continuall skirmiges vppon the forwardest of his enemies The Duke of Parma which made as though he would giue battell after some excuses and delaies drewe this armie on the side of Barnetal But the more to drawe and intangle him straight after his comming the king hadde dismissed his Nobilitie in such sort that they were all neare ynough to bee heard with intent to bring an euill bargaine both vpon the Spaniards and Italians The rest of the moneth of March and the most part of Aprill was spent in continuing small skirmiges In the end on Tuesday the one and twentieth day of Aprill about tenne of the clocke in the morning the Dukes de Maine of Guise and of Parma put themselues into Roane where they stayed but certaine houres Villars would not haue any partners much lesse such Maisters The Leaguers armie had vpon the same day of the Dukes enterance taken Caudebec neare adioyning from whence the garrison dislodged in the night following and left the towne for the Duke of Parma which was yeelded vnto him but he kept it not long The king ouerrunneth his enemies and breakes their Campe chasing the rest out of Normandis For the king seeing his enemies had not victualled Roane passed to Pont de l'Arche le Mercredi on the Wednesday aduanced his armie toward Fontain le Bourg sent to all the neighbour owns as Louiers Mante Mulean Vernon and otherswhere the Garrisons were that they should march toward him the which was speedily performed Then grew his armie to more then three thousand horse of Frenchmen and sixe thousand foote in lesse then sixe daies Then turned he his forces toward the Towne d'Yuetot where the Dukes of Maine and of Guise were then lodged who had no leisure to go to dinner hauing news brought that their vantgard was suddainly set vpon and wholly ouerthrowne This constrained them by flight to saue themselues two myles off in the Duke of Parmas quarter leauing behinde them all their baggage and siluer vessels a good bootie for the Lord de la Guich The first of May they were raised to an other
One that published a discourse of his last speechs saith that not long before hee died hee desired his mother to pursue his enemies to the vttermost and that with great vehemencie he reiterated his speeches saying Madame I pray you heartily do it And in those combats of minde hee died at Blois Saint Vincennes vpon the 30. of May 1574. in the presence of his mother set vpon a chest accompanied with the Cardinals of Bourbon Ferrare the Chancellor Birague Lansac other Lords that beheld the end of the tragical life of this Prince that was born the 27. of Iune 1550. began to raigne the 5. of Decemb. 1560 and had a raigne which all posteritie will admire and abhorre So this Prince liued not till hee attained to the full age of foure and twentie yeares of nature beeing very actiue vnconstant in his cogitations rash in his enterprises impatient to attend diligent to looke into other mens natures prompt of conceit of good memorie extreame colloricke secret a great dissembler and one that easily framed his countenance Description of Charles the ninth which his Tutors many times put him in minde of for in the beginning hee was courteous and easie to bee ruled They likewise made him become one of the greatest blasphemers in France wherein he became so expert that that euill quallitie in him conuerted to bee his ordinarie speech Martigues Losses and others taught him that corruption by his mothers consent specially after the first troubles They contented not themselues with those corruptions but inticed him likewise to Courtizans to whom of himself he was not much adicted and to conclude to make him the capitall enemie of the religion both shee and they which ought to haue had more care of conseruing the honour of this Prince left nothing omitted wherby to push him forward to all vice to cause him to wallow in the filthinesse that couered him on all sides hee vttered his words in good termes with a readie and pleasant speech loued Musicke and Poetrie wee haue seene reasonable good verses of his composing But his principall exercise was in hunting the pleasure whereof made him forget all other pleasures and in the end hee gaue himselfe so much vnto it that the blood of wilde beasts which to shed hee tooke a singular pleasure hauing ript vp their bellies pulling out their intrailes with his owne hands made him in a manner to become furious so that many times at his returne from hunting hee entered into such furie that none of his seruants durst once appeare in his sight vnlesse would receiue some blows In his Anagranome which was deuised by certaine persons after the massacre was found out these two words Chasseur Desloyal wherein are as many letters and the same that are in Charles de Valois Hee had composed a booke of all the parts of bunting which till this time neuer was extant hee was sober drinking no wine slept little his visage long pale and swart a long nose sharpe and quicke sight specially after the second troubles of bodie well proportioned but beginning to stoupe Hee tooke pleasure to taunt great men not sparing either mother or bretheren specially the Duke of Aniou whom hee railed at and diuers times vsed him most vnwoorthily but aboue all hee had a great quarrell to the Parliament of Parris to the officers whereof in one of his Orations made touching the complaints of the neglecting of his commaundements hee said I will that from hencefoorth you shall obey my commaundement without any more disputation touching their merites for I know what is to bee done for the honour and profite of my realme better then you do And I will that from hencefoorth you shall not loose any time to write or frame your declaration vnto mee neither yet to moderate correct nor interpret my commaundements For my meaning is that all whatsoeuer I say and do shal presently bee executed Three daies before hee died his mother hauing shewed him of the taking of the Countie de Montgommery hee made her no aunswere and when shee told him that hee ought to reioyce at the taking of him that had killed his father I care neither for that said hee nor for any thing else in this world Hee likewise reioyced that hee left no small children behinde him because said he that leauing them in their minorities they should haue ouer much to suffer adding that France as then had neede of a man Now wee must speake of his successour and see what maner of man hee was Heere endeth the Historie of the last troubles that happened in the raigne of Charles the ninth A BRIEFE DISCOVRSE OF THE GREAT AND WONDERFVL EFFECTS THAT HAVE ENSVED THE KINGS CONVERSION Collected out of a certaine Oration made touching the reduction of the Cittie of Lyons vnder the kings obedience and sent to Monsieur de Reuol Councellour and Secretarie to the King THere was neuer any straunge or new accident how acceptable and pleasing soeuer it might bee that in all places or with all men was esteemed and holden in admiration for that euery man therein will giue censure according to his owne affection I speake this in respect of the mournfull silence which the reduction of the Cittie of Lyons hath inserted into the mindes of many men and the ioye it hath infused into the hearts and very entrailes of others for that therein I neuer spake with any man that would once conceiue the true cause and reason thereof which forceth mee at this present to enter into this discourse wherein so fit occasion beeing offered if it please you to giue me audience and permit me licence to speake I will in briefe most plainly shew that it is onely the miraculous and mightie worke of Gods hand which hath wrought the same although per aduenture this kinde of argument pleaseth not such men as are onely pleased with our displeasures and in a manner faint and are ouercome with the meere ayre and sweete sauour of the flower de luce It is long since agreed and consented vnto that Henry de Bourbon chiefe Prince of the blood royall and principall Peere of France by true discent by order of succession by right of blood and by custome and law of the Realme is called to the Crowne and gouernment of France which first quallitie is in him so true and perfect that none or fewe of his famous predecessors euer had more euident titles therevnto He is a Frenchman from his Grandfathers in both families and not onely a meere Frenchman but on his fathers side of the first branch of the blood royall the like on his mothers side by his father not onely descended from Saint Lewis or Hugh Capet but from Charles and Dagobert of whom the Capets descended contrarie to the wilfull ignorance of such as would prooue his familie to bee meere straungers and by his mother from the Alberts kings of Nauarre who successiuely were of the house of France and