each after other of mariage and of children which might haue beene enough to haue daunted him howbeit all this notwithstanding beginning to feele his owne courage he was nothing astonished but for a time disguising his drifts he was content onelie to lay anker hold and in the meane time to insinuate himselfe into the Catholike faction according to the instructions of his familie wherein fortune was his friend besides he is of great valour some of his enterprises haue good successe so that togither with the fame and memorie of his father he by by framed himselfe through the ciuill warres which his vncle the Cardinal still kindled by one meanes or other to bee chiefe of the Catholike faction carrying fauour to those townes especiallie which the massacres had continued verie seditious and troublesome and he stood stil in feare of a Protestant Prince whose citizens hee entreated with great familiaritie courtesie and popular behauiors the chiefest and most assured tokens of a mind that aspireth to tirannie The late king Charles deceased without issue and this king married but hath no children moreouer he seemeth that the Crowne wanteth heires in direct line and that the Collaterals are called whereupon he draweth neere and already sheweth tokens that hee craueth a part It was giuen out in hugger mugger that he is the very stocke of Charles the great those of Valois are of the house of Capet who vsurped the Crowne of France from his house whereby there was some likelihood that he would scarce tarrie the death of the king now raigning and his brother the remnants of the children of France before he pleaded his succession against the Collaterals but would euen preuent them Nowe was there nothing more against him then peace for leaning onelie vppon the factious Catholikes and seditious townes faction he should therby lose his credit except the controuersie were renewed against the Protestants For as it is a plaine case that as ciuill warre nourisheth diuers factions in a state euen as certaine it is that a long peace ouerthroweth them all except the kings so as his onely remedie consisted in stirring vp of coales and returning vs vnto our ciuill weapons and then to enterprise according as occasion might serue And in deede in the yeare 1578 hee made such a league as this last but then was the king in his full authoritie and Monsieur his brother aliue who retained a number of french mindes and so consequently kept him short of a manie It was straightwaie quenched and wee rid of it for a little warre against the Huguonets which soone after was appeased Thus was France quiet for two or three yeares during the which it was incredible how many matters his troublesome ambitious cōsequently couragious stomack endured suffering himselfe to be pulled downe and eate and dronke in diuers maners so to eschew all suspition of this practise which during the time of the peace and the kings ablolute authoritie he so cunninglie dissembled that many which knew not the last reasons of this obstinate patience the token of a long and prophane practise did euen contemne him In the ende Monsieur the kinges brother who was a great blocke in his waie died He bare him some displeasure vppon other occasions for as he practised somewhat about the state of Flanders so this man hauing priuate intelligence with the king of Spaine plaied him some badde partes thereabout so that if he had liued I haue heard some saie that he would haue beene on the duke of Guizes iacke in whose time at the least it had beene hard for him to haue enterprised anie thing in France This death whether it were by chance or through any practise came well on his side I saie through any practise because the araigments depositions of the lord of Salcede haue kept many in doubt of such a matter Immediatly vpon Monsieurs buriall when there was none but the king left hee thought that hee had gotten fit occasion to atchieue the practise which his father and vncle began thirtie yeares agoe which him selfe also with so great labour had nowe brought to this passe Some were of opinion that about the same time hee had practised somewhat against the kings life others that hee grounded him selfe only vpon some vaine hope and protestations sent him out of all quarters which assured him of the kings speedie death But howsoeuer it was he did not thinke it conuenient the state should be quiet at the Princes decease as knowing verie well that in France a king neuer dieth because that so soone as one is gone there is an other straightway in his place who at his entrie would ouerthrow whatsoeuer the purposes that any man could commence against him and therefore that it was requisite he should beare weapons against the heire euen before the kings death and so be armed with the late kinges name and authoritie According therefore vnto these fatherly preceptes and with his owne domesticall meanes he began to trouble this Realme againe in the yeare 1585. beginning first with the king whom because he could not by any persuasions induce to make warre vpon the king of Nauarre he thought to cōstraine by force His pretences are that the king hath no children so as the Crowne is like to fall vnto Heretiques whereby hee and all other the Catholikes of France are put in a fright especially seeing the Protestant Captaines so noting the king of Nauarre are in fauour and haue their secrete intelligences with the chiefest and those that are neerest about the kings person This hee spake of the Duke of Espernon who was lately returned out of Guienne where he had seene the king of Nauarre Finally verie fitlie vsing the feare that he had put the king in corrupting all his Councell and al that were about his person hee causeth warre to be denounced to the king of Nauarre and the Protestantes which lasteth yet to this day through the whole course whereof I imagine that he seeketh no more but some occasion once to attempt as his fact at Paris well testifieth for as he weeneth he needeth no more but that Well the warres being thus open against the king of Nauarre euen by the kinges aduise consent and authoritie yet will it not suffice These are daylie labours This Prince is stout of great valour he hath goods plentie and manie friendes There is nowe nothing to be gotten of him but stripes As for his person it is safe enough if they neither murder nor poison him as God forbid they should And for his townes twelue Realmes of France will neuer be able to take them all Yea had he lost all but his sword when soeuer God should call him to this Realme yet were that enough How many kinges haue there beene fecht both out of prisons and Monasteries to their sacring In our dayes wee haue seene Charles the seuenth who was banished into the Mountaines of Auuergne crowned Lewes the twelfth was yet in manner
hit on it Amongst these the first is the Queene mother vnto the king who for her credits sake and in shew keepeth her selfe on her sonnes side as she did alwaies when shee had many sonnes hold with him that was king but who notwithstanding hateth nothing more than his absolute power as beeing the worse for it When France was in peace she was faine to spin her rock at home her son left her no charge nor deling in any matter That she might recouer her authoritie she was fain to shuffell the cardes or haue intelligence with those that shuffeled them otherwise she was of no vse which her mind that could not thinke on small matters could neuer brooke And of this Princesse whose race hath ruled ruleth at this day ouer the best parts of Europe it may be saide as it was of Agrippa Vâ—â—ribus curis muâ—ebria vitia exuisse If that alreadie were not a vice in a woman it hath beene alwaies her custome in France to stirre vp one against another that in the meane while she might rule in these diuisions The mightie against the mightie Princes against Princes yea her owne children against her children For she know wel enough that our state standeth so as that a woman except it be by some extraordinarie waies is of no credite therein In the time of the late king Charles this that nowe is was then her protector whose power she did increase as much as she could to the end she might vse him to make her selfe necessarie vnto the other The king at length perceiued it but too late Since that this beeing come vnto the Crowne wherein to speake the truth hee was infinitely bound vnto her whiles he was in Polande being as well assured that except shee had wisely prouided for it there had beene such stirringes in France as perchance at his comming home hee had beene kept from getting in Shee kept her credite for three or foure yeares whilest this yoong king dreamed of nothing but the pleasures of his age and the deliciousnesse of his newe estate but since beginning to take vppon him the affirmatiue voice and to seeke to rule alone she was forced to haue recourse vnto Mounsieur her yoonger sonne who for a while vphelde her and made her to be esteemed necessarie He being deade shee chose other remedies for howsoeuer it bee shee hath euer wished two thinges The one to make him that was in possibilitie of the Crowne to bee beholding vnto her for to keepe him in when hee were come to it The other to make him in the meane while so great that he that were master of the State should bee forced to vse her helpe in brideling the other employing after this manner verie quietly both their powers one against the other that betwixt them shee might rule and be sought to such a councell as particularlie for her selfe was as full of wisedome as often full of troubles and inconueniences for the commons Nowe if after Mounsieurs death shee had founde the king of Nauarre fitte for these practises she had made her buckler of him but seeing that his religion and many other considerations did hinder her she hath cast both her eyes and her heart on the house of Lorraine and her daughters children whereunto the hatred that shee did beare vnto this Prince euen from his infancie hath beene a great helpe So that esteeming her selfe not able to bee reconciled with him shee consequently dooth feare him and is fully resolued to hinder him in all that shee can from getting anie part in France Shee can neuer doo it without the ouerthrowe of the order of the Realme For as I saide after this hatred commeth in the loue shee beareth vnto the children of the D. of Lorraine who are her daughters children towards whome she hath a secret inclination neuer ceasing day nor night to reproch vnto the king that he ought rather to loue as his heires his Nephewes his Sisters children then a stranger vnto his house so dooth shee terme the king of Nauarre The daughters of Spaine are also her daughters children vpon whome she would likewise be glad to bestowe some part of the same not being grieued in the meane while that her sons state is in trouble to the ende that he should haue refuge vnto her and that she may be imployed Now in this manner she agreeth well with the Duke of Guize to crosse her sonne to stirre vp and open the way to confusion and about the meanes to alter the order of succession in our realme but to wish that hee shoulde waxe so great that he might ouerthrow the king himselfe dispossesse him and himselfe afterward to inuade the whole state it is not likely I cannot beleeue that she desireth it Now vnder this the Queene mothers intent I comprehend also that of the Marquise du Port her little sonne sonne vnto the Duke of Lorraine who likewise hath no intelligence or hope in this our state any further then she his grandmother doth procure him to conceiue Next there is the king of Spaine who from the beginning of these wars seeing the Queene of England to knit a straite alliance with our king seeing in the same time also the Commissioners of the low countries at Paris to offer him the soueraigntie ouer their prouinces it came in his head to cast three or foure thousand crownes into the hungrie hands of the league so to set France in troubles as being assured that by these meanes he should keepe the king from thinking vpon Flanders the which he did most feare as indeed there is but the onely king of France so he be in peace that can easily take these Prouinces from the Spaniarde This is that which brought him in and consequently that somewhat ouerhastned the Duke of Guizes deuises Besides that hee feareth now extremely least the king of Nauarre should attaine to the crowne of France hee is his enimie by nature he detaineth a kingdome from him which no doubt if the others â—â—awes may growe on will bee wholly pulled away and more perchance withall Hee knoweth well enough that he being olde his children yoong his state deuided and scarse setled small matters after his death will trouble it much more a king of Nauarre if he were king of Fraunce Therfore he is glad to frame himselfe vnto those of Lorraine to finde them meanes to stirre vp coales that in the meane while he may more freely goe about his warres of the lowe countries and of Englande to molest the king of France thereby to ouerthrowe the king of Nauarre to the end that afterward the realm being left for a pray he being the mightiest might catch the greater part This is his drift as coÌ„cerning our state but that he would proceede so farre as being burdened with many other particular expences he wold yet draw his treasors drie to make the Duke of Guize king he I say who is perswaded that if it were so that the maner
faire and manie other kinges of Fraunce enemies to the Popes vsurpations Thus his chiefest interest is to cut this Prince short of his hope For his part hee dooth what hee can hee thundreth hee stormeth he curseth hee declareth him an heretike a rebell finally not capable of the Crowne of France as though it lay in him to take it away or to giue it For the execution of this Bull which in deede of it selfe could doo but little against the bulwarkes of Rochell if that were all he armeth all Christendome yea euen the Cardinall of Bourbon to whome hee sendeth a hallowed sworde of the race of Saint Paule hee promiseth money vnto the Guizians hee promiseth but hee sendeth not as hauing not yet paide that which his Popedome did cost him according to the Romish stile To conclude as it belongeth to him hee worketh myracles with his Crosier staffe and his purpose and drift is to animate all the worlde against the heretikes among whom hee comprehendeth the Queene of Englande and the king of Nauarre his principall enemie to his thinking whose ouerthrowe hee looketh for by the meanes of this vniuersall league As much or more occasion hath hee to complaine of the high and lowe Germanie as of Fraunce and Englande but hee thinketh that after that the king of Spaine and those of Guize shall haue chasticed that is to saie vsurped France and Englande in driuing out the heretikes that is to say the true princes and lawfull lordes after that they shall haue tamed the lowe countries they may without any gainesaying ioyne their forces with the Emperors so to constraine either by friendship or force the Princes of Germanie which are Protestants to come againe vnder the yoke of his obedience that after that being no great likelihood that the Suitzers woulde obstinate themselues against such great forces seeing their Cantons are alreadie deuided they altogither might easily assist the Duke of Sauoy to recouer Geneua and to sacke that towne which they call the spring and fountaine of all heretikes of Christendome It is there that hee concludeth the ende of his desire and of his holie leagues enterprise Which I haue seene written by Pope Sixtus himselfe in a letter intercepted about the beginning of these troubles in France sent from Italie into Spaine And as for him this is his pretence that is his intent grounded vpon that generall hatred which hee beareth to the heretikes but especially vnto the king of Nauarre and the Queene of England of whom he hath receiued harme enough alreadie or is afraid to receiue more The king of Spaine hath three particular purposes for the which he wisheth this generall league The first to compasse the warres of the lowe countries which are helde by those whome hee calleth heretikes and against the Queene of Englande who is likewise of their number The seconde his hereditarie desire to ioyne France vnto his dominions which hee thinketh he may nowe the more easily doo in respect of the right that belongeth vnto him through his wife a daughter of France and his daughters gotten betwixt them for as for him hee thinketh not that the Salike lawe the honour of our kings was made for him The last the ouerthrowe of the king of Nauarre whome hee purposeth whatsoeuer it costeth him to remooue as much as hee can possiblie from the crowne for manie reasons that hee hath to feare this great enimie whome God keepeth for to be one day the destruction of his house For the benefite of these three purposes hee is come in and hath much solicited this generall league which strengtheneth to h im his title of war against England of enmity against the king of Nauar ministreth to him opportunity to enterprise vnder hand against the state of France whilest he fauoureth the affaires of the Duke of Guize his partner with whom except it were for this he could haue no intelligence that might yeeld him any profite by his meanes in France he doth hope to ouerthrow the king of Nauarre also he hopeth to vse the hauens of Picardie and Normandie against England the low countries being sure enough afterward that the king of France being dead his lawfull successor dispossessed and the realme left as a pray he shal be able easily to deuide their part vnto those of Lorraine being stronger then they and thus may we see that he turneth the general pretence of this goodly league to his particular benefit and purpose euen as though it had beene onely made for his domesticall affaires The Emperour would galdly that all the other Princes of Christendome which are of the religion were ouerthrowne to the end the whole bodie of the league might come to set him free from the protestants which are his neighbours but because it is yet a long peece of worke and that it were not good for him to bestirre himselfe much least he should waken those mightie princes which are stronger then himselfe he rusheth not far in amongst them no more then the other princes of Germanie I haue discoursed enough of the duke of Guizes intent and purpose which is to make himselfe alone king of France if it be possible or at least 〈◊〉 the better part such a purpose as willingly admitteth no fellow for the which a man wil not lightly labour for another This I doo heere note onely to shewe that to helpe himselfe in Fraunce by the meanes of Spaine to the furtherance of his enterprise in recompence thereof himselfe to helpe the Spaniard to recouer his lowe countries to see the Queene of England to whom he wisheth euen death it selfe whom likewise he knoweth to be the only support of his enimie quite ouerthrowne he wil haue notable intelligence with the king of Spaine but to yeelde him wholy the crowne of France and to holde it of him by homage if he be able to vsurpe it or to giue him ouer the better part I beleeue he will not In the meane while these pretences being grounded vpon nothing else then the diuision of religion wee must confesse him to bee one of the chiefest pillers of this holy league The princes of Italie haue no other purpose at al then their owne preseruation being enclosed on one side by the Pope on the other by the Venetians on the thirde by the king of Spaine besides deuided and their States so small that they haue smal leasure to think of any other matter thē to maintaine themselues and for this reason only are they come into the league But they are not so good catholikes but that they feare more the encrease of the house of Spaine then the decay of their religion Such as haue beene in their countries do know this The Duke of Sauoy is also comprehended in this generall vnion so long as his father in law shall liue he will haue the same enterprises that he hath if he dieth he wil haue others as I shall shewe anone which altogither doo synpathise with those of
onelie and yet within the space of one yeare they had neuer a one left or finally for that it was framed among the Catholikes who doo in number farre exceede the Protestants and who albeit they be not wholly in all and through al of the League do yet notwithstanding agree in this point that they wish the preseruation of their religion so seeme to fauour those that vndertake the defence thereof all which in deede do make this first faction to seeme the greatest at this time albeit that in troth it neither is neither can so continue I saide that the kinges was the lawfulest No man dare denie it So long as according to his owne will he ruled his people he onely was obeyed and so might still be if he list but this list must come vpon him betimes for if it lingereth but a little longer and that euerie man perceiue that in his dominions any man may lawfullie not onely disobey him but euen coope with him without danger he shall neuer recouer his authoritie God hath planted the meanes in his onely courage I said likewise that his faction was the weakest It is true albeit it seemeth otherwise yet it is so as by sundrie reasons we may prooue First the king who ruleth hath so behaued himselfe that euerie man knoweth that of the three heads of the three factions he is the weakest he standeth in greatest feare hee dareth enterprise least and contrariwise that he is the man against whome euerie man dare most safely and easely vndertake what they list He I say hath taken such a course that now he hath nothing left wherewith to detaine the mindes of his subiects in his obedience sauing onely the auncient regarde that they haue of their kings together with the custome of the realme which in truth are most mightie meanes in a peaceable estate and yet such a ciuill warre of foure yeares continuance onely is able as easely to subuert it as heretofore it hath don in shorter space at Rome and all other places where it hath lighted for it springeth onely of a contempt and disdaine of the Prince which are contrarie both to duetie and maiestie And then iudge you what one of thirtie yeares continuance as ours is may be able to doo Secondlie he is in his Realme the declining sunne and so weake in his declination that euen in his presence he seeth them dispute both by writings and weapons of him that shall rise after him In the dayes of the Romaine Caesars it was treason to speake of that that should happen after the Emperours death much lesse durst they name him that they thought should succeede Tiberius were able to say somewhat hereof who after a certaine sowne that he fell into in his olde age lying sicke in his bed was stifled by his heire Caligula a young florishing Prince for feare least the old man cōming againe to himselfe should put him to death only for that he was saluted as Emperour when all men tooke the other to be deceased So great was their power to keepe their autoritie inuiolable euen to their graues The Ottomans or Turkish Emperours will neuer suffer their children whose possibilities they can not endure to come neere them But if we must needes finde a domesticall example among our owne kings It is said that the mightie king Francis this mans grandfather being weake sicklie was in the beginning of May in his last yeare at his Castle of Fontainebleau where his sicknes on a time so encreased that he was thought to bee dead or not like long to liue Sodainely all the Court came running to the Dolphin Henrie who for the like gelousie of succession durst not in sixe or seuen yeares come neere his father euery one ranne to worship this new sonne so as almost no man of account tarried about the king Well the king for that time recouered and vpon the Ascention day a verie solemne festiuall daie in France beeing somewhat eased of his sicknesse this olde Prince ariseth decketh vp himselfe cōmeth out of his chamber painteth his haire his face to hide his age sicknesse appeareth himselfe in youthfull attire and in this arraie cōmeth forth to procession wherein himselfe carrieth the Cānopie ouer their Corpus Domini and at his returne vseth these speeches I will scarre them once yet ere I die It prooued true the case was altered for so soone as the kings recouerie was bruted abroade all the courtiers came dropping in by one and by one in great feare and the Dolphin yet once againe while his turne came remained as solitarie as his father had done This it was to be a king yea this it was to be feared How manie landes be there yet in the worlde wherein it is death to enquire who may pretend anie title to the Crowne after the Princes decease sith that is the thing that Princes doo couet to leaue most doubtfull Alas It is not so with our king his weakenesse hath giuen all the world leaue not onely in his presence to argue of his succession but also to some to endeuour to force him to prouide for it and to make his will as if there were no more for him to doo but euen to die His faint heart and the libertie to offende haue brought all to that passe that at this day a Frenchman may as bouldlie as a Spaniard say I am not on the kings side whereas thirtie yeare agoe such a word had beene blasphemie yea euen parricide Finally his want of courage is so dishonorable that my selfe being in a forraine lande in the presence of a mightie Prince confederate with the Crowne of France where there was some speech of our estate did heare one discoursing thereof vse these words That our King stoode but as an o in Ciphre which of it selfe can doo nothing but being added to anie other number encreaseth the value thereof I heard it and with great griefe blushed thereat euen for the shame of our Nation albeit the diuisions of our Realme which force vs to extraordinarie remedies had carried me thither for an other purpose then the particular seruice thereof neither was that speech any hinderance to the matter that I came about Thirdly he cannot assure him selfe of any of those whom he thinketh to be on his side for they are daunted because they see him quailed They dare not fixe themselues about him because they see him totter They dare not earnestly oppose them selues against those that warre against him because they see him suffer it and yet scarse so bolde as to complaine In this sort are all his Counsaile all his townes and all his subiectes growne into factions And I do verelie beleeue that among all those that are about his person hee perceiueth none except some one or two that are his owne creatures that hee dare assuredlie trust as hauing some other particular meaning then he or taking part with some one or other of his enemies For so
the league The duke of Lorraine likewise when euery bodie shall come to reape the fruit of his labour and the interest of his charges his conclusion wil not agree with the D. of Guizes proposition The Cantons of Zuitzerland are not in my opinion entred into the league because of the alliance which they haue with our king and the bonde that knitteth them togither in their countrie Notwithstanding I doubt not but that for mony they will finde forces not generallie vnto the league but particularly to the Duke of Guize yet haue they after made some difficultie thereof Of purpose haue I shewed the intent of each partaker of the league to prooue that which I haue said that euerie one of them had some particular meaning disagreeing one from another to the end that thereby I might shewe that whatsoeuer good intelligence they had one with another it were verie easie for vs to haue a better All with one course will I seeke out what are their meanes and their forces in the which I hope to finde so many wantes in respect of that which is in our handes that we would bee ashamed to suffer our selues to bee beaten I will beginne with the weakest Of which number I take the Emperour and the Catholike princes of Germanie to bee For although vndoubtedly they bee of great power yet the Protestantes their neighbours are of such force as euerie man dooth knowe to witte the king of Denmarke the Electours Palatin of Saxonie and Brandenbourgh the Landgraue of Hessia and manie other great princes and lordes so that if they woulde the other durst not seeme to haue enterprised any thing at all I haue shewed what the forces of the Cantons of Zuitzerland are and howe the generall league may haue vse of them As for the princes of Italie the Duke of Sauoy as our nearest neighbour is the most to be feared of them all But first it is but a small matter of forces that may come from him next hee rather resteth vppon sure possibilities then vppon vncerteine ones His father in lawe is olde at his death hee hopeth to get somewhat and I doo thinke that hee will rather cast his cies vpon the states of Millaine and Naples if the succession of Spaine come to bee deuided as there is great likelihood for the daughters who are as ambitious as may bee and alreadie by their father himselfe trained vp in the handling of affaires and almost put in full possession of his kingdomes will hardly bee content to bee married for a peece of money and leaue such great riches vnto their yoong brother sicklie and as they say an Idiot so that mee thinketh this Duke hath worke enough cut out already needing not to busie himselfe much about any enterprises on this side of the Mounts which enclose him in On the other side beyond them he can doo so little though hee woulde and hee findeth himselfe in a countrey so full of disaduantage that beeing of one side kept by the Germaines on an other by the Zuitzers on the other by the Frenchmen and on all sides by the Alpes such forces as hee coulde raise out of his countrie which can bee but verie small cannot bee transported to anie place where they may performe anie thing without great losse and difficultie As for his money to make good cheere at home hee hath enough but to make a great warre not so The other Princes of Italie as the Dukes of Ferrara of Mantoue of Florence and of Vrbin which are almost the chiefest bee all added to for to encrease their rolle and to say Loe what a number here is and not for any other matter If there were anie warre in Italie betwixt two mightie Princes such as were Charles of Spaine and Francis of France they might indeede much further his affaires whome they would assist If there must be an armie made vp by sea against the Turke each one of them shall well be able to set foorth a Galley or â—waine and that is all but that they may doo much in a great warre either against vs in France or in England or in Germanie or in Flanders not so Besides that as I haue noted they will neuer be so deepe in the league but that they will feare more the encrease of Spaine then the decreasing of Rome The Duke of Parma as he is Duke of Parma may be of the number of them but in respect that hee commandeth ouer the forces of the king of Spaine in the lowe countries surely hee is a great captaine without doubt he hath gotten great reputation and credite bee it amongest the Armies which hee commandeth ouer bee it amongst the countries where he maketh warre yea a credite by inheritance the remembrance of his mothers gouernment being most agreeable amongst them But withall hee were but vnwise as well as the Duke of Sauoy if he had not certaine purposes to himselfe or if hee would sticke more to vaine possibilities then to certainties For my part I beleeue that hee is not resolued to haue laboured all this while in Flanders for an other But there is a farther point in this matter which is that as long as he shall make war there as Lieutenant to the king of Spaine he may do much harme but if once hee take the way to make himselfe lorde of it as he may easily in that which he holdeth after the good mans death seeing hee can onely perfourme it by gentle meanes and the good will of the people hee is not to be feared any more but must needes withdraw himselfe out of the league As for the Duke of Lorraine hee is a great lorde but a pettie Prince take away from before his eies the hope of possibilities which they made him conceiue in France for his sonne which only hath brought him in with the league hee will eftsoones take that side which may breede his owne quietnesse and not seeke any quarrell Hee is verie wise and therefore I beleeue that our stirrings in France proceede not from him at this time NotwithstaÌ„ding there is no doubt but that hee employeth himselfe in this generall matter against vs but I thinke that in this point there resteth this benefite viz. as long as he shall hinder the growing vp of the Duke of Guize his cosin as he must needes do for his sonnes sake he doth vs more good then otherwise he could do vs harme now he hindreth him in respect of the crowne the which at length agreeing and hauing some intelligence with the Queene mother vnto the king his mother in lawe hee will rather demand for his sonne then for the other And I holde it for a most true principle that the duke of Guize our capitall aduersarie is alreadie so farre in that he must needs either be king or be vndone altogither there is no meane for him betweene these two extremities Marius Cinna Pompey Lepidus and Anthonie may be examples hereof As soone as a man hath aspired
all What then The onely zeale vnto the catholike religion doth kindle thy heart Thou saiest it I beleeue in the face of the world not in thy Closet nay I am afraid except thou vsest shortly other maner of termes least thou repentest to haue driuen thy king out of Paris He is not an heretike noâ— but he is a king Whosoeuer shall be it either in deede or possibilitie he is thine enimie Thou wilt make it knowen at length that it is onely for that that thou medlest with the king of Nauarre and that thou art more gelous ouer his possibilitie then his conscience I beleeue it well And if so be it were that he would suffer thee to be king thou wouldst easily grant him to be a Hugnonet It is thy zeale vnto religion good Lorde What to encrease it There are yet so manie Turkes and Sarrasins aliue which keepe from thee thy kingdome of Ierusalem belonging by inheritance to thy house why doest thou not rather bende thy practises that way then vpon the realme of France To defende it Tush who dealeth with it who durst say any thing against the Catholikes My opinion then is that thou shouldest perswade vs that the wolues ought to take heede least the sheepe might surprise them that Lions were best to mistrust the Deere Thou saiest the verye same Where there is one of the religion in France there are a hundred Catholikes If the king of Nauarre should take that course as to persecute them during the kings life he should be euill handled if after he should be worse receiued Nay alledge not these excuses men laugh at them Say onely that thou wouldest reigne thou wouldest be king it is the truest and the best colour of thy Ensigne I will conclude at length and in two or three wordes aunswere those Letters which thou hast spred abroad Thou publishest first that thou wert the onelie man that diddest set forwarde the voyage of Guyenne Id est against the king of Nauarre to the which thou hast such a minde But what needest thou to stirre vp an other Why goest not thou thy selfe Seeke out there either a victorie or an honorable death as the Duke of Ioyâ—use did Make offer vnto the king to go in thine owne person Hee will take thee at thy woorde carrie thither all thy friendes all thy forces he will encrease them with his owne Carrie thither the fire of war seeing it is there that thou shouldest finde thine enimies and thou shalt finde them in deede Why doest thou kindle it in Pycardis is there any heretikes also there I would to God that Caliis and Bulloine were as well minded towardes the king of Nauarre as thou chargest them to be thou shouldest bee kept well enough from quarrelling at Paris Thou shouldest haue leasure enough to enclose thy selfe within Challons and thinke vpon nothing else but thine owne defence This is the matter Thou wouldest that the king should leaue in thy handes the protection of France and that hee should goe and make warre in thy quarrell in Gâ—â—enne that hee shoulde ouerthrowe thine enimie the king of Nauarre that hee shoulde giue order vnto thy affaires to the ende that whilest hee shoulde there busie himselfe about the beating of some sconce thou mightest heere take some good towne from him and vppon condition that whensoeuer hee would returne he should giue thee roome as often as it shoulde please thee I grant thee it it is well and wisely considered of thee but yet is hee wiser than thou art in that hee will not doo so Thou saiest that the Duke of Espernon fauoureth the Heretikes all those that barre thee from beeing king are Heretikes according vnto thy reckoning or at least they fauour them There will be then enough in the worlde if God will Thinke this to bee most sure that if that man woulde haue had but the least intelligence of the worlde with the King of Nauarre if hee had put into his hands euen the least of those townes which hee had in his power or holpen him neuer so little with that commoditie of money that hee might haue hadde there had not beene roome enough in France to haue hidden thee thou shouldest haue beene vndoone alreadie I saie quite vndoone Giue him thankes for thy preseruation which his fidelitie hath purchased thee to his owne cost and his masters He is come saiest thou to seeke quarrelles in Pycardiâ— and in Normandie What part hast thou in these two Prouinces Of the one my late lorde the Prince of Conde was gouernour in his absence there were Lieutenants from the king of the other the Duke of Ioyeuse was the like Neither thou nor any of thy kindred haue anie right vnto it But soft I must needes excuse thee thou wouldest reigne all is lawfull for thee Thou dooest complaine moreouer that there haue beene slanders spredde abroade against thee and thine honour the which thankes bee to God thou hast blotted out by this latter facte of thine Thou art a maruellous Oratour surely it is true thou hast well cleared thy selfe Thou wert accused to haue stirred vp the people of certaine townes of this Realme against such gouernours as the king would haue appointed Thou hast taken this slander away in raising vp them of Paris against the king himselfe Thou wert blamed to haue seised vpon his money at Challons at Rheymes at Soyssons and euerie where that thou setst thy foote Thou hast purged thy self in taking that of his owne store in his chiefe towne Thou wert suspected to haue certaine enterprises against the state and to aspire vnto the crowne that to that purpose thou hadst alreadie seised on some good townes which either thou or thy parents did hold to the which the king woulde not haue obeyed Thou hast put away this false report by thy personall comming to make thy selfe master of Paris and driuing out of the king after thou hadst forced killed and vnarmed his guard and caused the common people to rise in armes against him So that after this sort thou gallantly wipest away a theft with a sacrilege a murder with a parricide a sinne with a crime Thy subtletie is too grosse Thou triumphest that thou durst come with eight Gentlemen into Paris a token of thy pure innocency These be great news Be thou in Rochell with all thy new court all thy traine and all thy guard the king of Nauarre will come in with foure men and if going away thou doest not flie hee will trouble thee This is easie to be said in Britaine but those that know that all the kinges councell stand for thee that his mother fauoureth thee that all the pickquarrels all the porters of Paris and all the common people are at thy becke they will say that thy simplicitie was verie craftie thy innocencie much suspected How wilt thou haue vs to beleeue that thou hast trusted so gently vnto the king seeing that after the League was made when you made your