to the King of Navar the King crowned the Princes of the Bloud and Duke of Guise contends at the Coronation about precedency the King gives it to the Duke of Guise the Constable forsakes the Protestants and cleaves to the Duke of Guise the Queen Mother for her own advantage joyns with the King of Navar and gives some liberty to the Protestants which so enrages the Catholick party as presently all former Edicts in behalf of the Protestants were broken by a contrary Edict that no Religion should be suffered in the Kingdom but the Romish the King and Queen Mother subscribes thereunto the Protestants at their request have a Conference granted they meet and confer in a hot Dispute but agree not the Catholicks murder many Protestants in Paris the eight Parliaments of France assembles the Duke of Guise disapproved of it and so in a fury departs the Court and goes for Spain the Protestants deluded by the Queen Mother gives her a List of all their Forces the King of Navar turns Catholick the eight Parliaments meet and with the consent of the King and Queen Mother do decree a free and publick Toleration of the Protestant Religion but speedily a sad and cruel Massacre the Duke of Guise furiously assaults the Protestants at a Sermon and murders two hundred of them the Protestants complain to the Prince of Conde of breach of Covenant and Edict the Duke of Guise seises on the King and carries him to Paris the Queen Mother writes to the Prince of Conde for aid against the Duke of Guises Attempt the Prince in his journey to Court suddenly retires to Orleance and possesses it the first Civil War begins The death of King Francis and Reign of King Charls FRancis second King of that name dying the fourteenth of December 1560. made entrance for the Reign of Charls the ninth and as the first died of a Feaver so the last reigned in a Frensie the legitimate off-spring of his Predecessours disease whose short Reign was thought too much lengthened by the train of all sorts of bloudy cruelties which filled this poor distracted Nation of France whose wicked Reign was also attended with the sable clouds of Flagellum Dei which swept both Field and City The beginning of his wicked Reign had a bloudy ending to the poor Kingdom and himself for the bodies of the murthered Protestants was a Prey to the Birds of the Air and Beasts of the Fields the whole Nation wearing the Pensive Weeds of a Ruinous Distraction for through the Lords just Judgments on the Nation they suffer nothing less than all Roberies Rapes and all sorts of Cruelties with horrid Massacres for the space of twelve years And as the Prologue of his Reign was Perjury and Treachery so was the Epilogue Bloudy to himself and poor Nation especially to the poor innocent Protestants A Parliament sits and the Government committed to the Queen Mother during the Kings minority A Parliament being called they begin the 23. of December Now at this time in the Court of France was Katherine de Medices Pope Clements Brothers Daughter and this Kings Mother who being born in Florence a City of Italy had conferr'd upon her the Government of this Kingdom in the Kings minority for it is well known that according to the Laws of this Nation neither the Administration nor Inheritance thereof can justly be cast on the shoulders of a Woman and yet against this Law and through the negligence of the King of Navar the said Queen Mother was joyned with him in the Office of Protectorship the confirmation of her Regency being allowed of by the Chancellour was afterwards confirmed by the Speakers Now in this Assembly of Parliament one John Quintin a Doctor of the Common Law at Paris for the Clergy pleads that none of the Religion Reformed for so they called the Protestants should any more be tolerated or suffered and desired that the Laws in that case provided might be put in speedy execution but the day following that brave Commander and good Christian Gasper de Coligni the Admiral of the Protestants complained to the Queen Mother against the said Quintin who presently excuses himself and in his second Speech moderates his Plea to the Admirals content The Parliament a little enlarges the Protestants privileges Now the Estates proceeds in their consultations making themselves and the beginning of this year somewhat happy by some moderation in matters of Religion whereby the reproachfull names of Papist and Hugenot was forbidden upon pain of Death which name Hugenot they fixed in disdain and derision to the Protestants and was derived from a Gate-house in Tours called St. Hughs Gate where they met in Assemblies Many good and necessary Laws were then published but with more confusiom than advantage for Laws though good and many yet through want of a due execution by the Magistrates power makes the good intent thereof to be perverted and turned into an indirect Channel giving the people cause to slight such wholesom Laws and grow bad under a good Government Great contentions and private animosities arose between the Princes of the Bloud that is the Prince of Conde and King of Navar who were Protestants and Francis Duke of Guise who was descended of the House of Lorain and now Grand Master of the Kings House who being a strong Catholick was no less a bitter Enemy to the poor Protestants the Queen Mother in her affections did secretly incline to the Duke of Guise yet to secure her own interest and power in the Kings minority carried fair to both The Princes of the Bloud being Protestants in discontent absent from Court but the King of Navar and Prince of Conde with the Constable seeing themselves justled out of that power and favour in Court which as due they did expect and also foreseeing the event which must necessarily ensure having onely the pacings of the Duke of Guise they absent from Court with all their Attendants resolving to right their wrong on the Queen Mothers Regency and the Guisans usurpation of their unlimited power Now the Queen Mother by her subtil and natural insight to secret affairs judged so at their Discontent that she politickly cast her Cards that both might have a good hand yet deald her self the Trumps checking their power that they might not check hers The King of Navar by the Queens policy jointly governs with her To which purpose she makes a new Agreement with the Navarois concluding him in the Government that taking the Title and Power of Regency to her self he should be called and but called Lieutenant General to his Majesty All this but in Paper and Ink composed of a double intent but those that can break Oaths witnessed by God and all the World how soon can they swallow and digest the breach of such Paper-promises like that good Actor in Smyrna that cried O Terram yet pointing to the Heaven and O Coelum yet pointing to the earth
which when one of the Spectators saw in anger he said to the company This fellow has made a Solicism spoken as it were false Greek with his hand And indeed here it was so with the Queen Mother too many Leagues being betwixt her heart and her mouth for we shall ere long see these two parties the Princes of the Bloud and Duke of Guise and Queen Mother make greater wounds in a short time than Ages can afterwards cure The Prince of Conde we must understand was now at liberty and freed from the unjust Sentence against him in the Reign of Francis the second which was for some pretended Fact but indeed was for his Religion sentenced to be executed but the Kings death prevented it The Protestant Princes desire a Toleration The Prince of Conde and King of Navar with the Admiral and other principal of the Protestants desire of the Queen Mother a Toleration for their Religion but the Queen Mother now tottering between these two Factions of the Princes of the Bloud and Guisans counted all things below the present danger of either parties getting power and so thought it not fit therefore to deny their request telling them withall that it could not yet publckly be granted by her to the content and satisfaction of all therefore she would secretly promise them her best way of bargaining that she governing by common consent with the King of Navar would by indirect by ways so work under hand upon emergency of occasions which might daily occur that at last it should incensibly yet assuredly come to pass to their own desire which says she suddenly proclamed might render you in danger and my self out of power to help you These things the Queen Mother promised being forced by necessity and dissembling pollicy for her own safety and security but it is ill making a fast Bargain with a loose Merchant nothing by her being less intended than really promised for she thought it fit and convenient for preservation of her Son's and own interest not wholly to put under hatches nor quite to extinguish the power of the Duke of Guise who was an apt weight to ballance and counterpoise the Power of the Princes of the Bloud desiring to carry it so to both that she might displease neither till she had a sure staff of the one and the other no power lest to oppose hers which at last answered her hellish Plot so that reserving many things to the benefit of time and future industry she left no stone unrolled to provide for time to come and to remedy the present Distractions The Protestants increase and the Princes of the Bloud protect them and presses the Queen Mother for her promise of Toleration Now the goodness of God in converting many to the Protestant Religion appears in a great and vast multiplication of the Professours thereof the King of Navar and Prince of Conde with the Admiral protects and defends them who earnestly presses the Queen Mother to perform her Promises for a free Toleration of their Religion she findes many nice excuses and well-spun pretences to evade the dint of their resolute desires and her absolute promise endeavouring by most subtile arts of perswasion to put off the performance of her Promise till a seasonable oportunity offered to ripen her Designs But the King of Navar daily pressed forward and grew more and more earnest for the speedy effecting of it and he did so publickly reason their case that many of the Kings Council yielded to the force of his Arguments disbanding their former Reasons on the contrary for the King of Navar alleged that it pittied his soul to see so many Protestants and the Kings true Subjects scattered from their peaceable habitations for fear of death and danger and did further profess it did deeply penetrate his heart with an abhortency to think of any more effusion of blood Amongst those of the Religion were many of pregnant wit and Christian courage that with small Tracts in Print dispersed as also with sober Petitions seasonably presented did at last help forward their desires to a speedy Grant A Decree for Release of all Protestants that were imprisoned for their Religion The Queen being now forced to yield gave way by a Decree of the Council at Fontainbleau the 28. of January 1560. That the Magistrates should release all such Prisoners as stood committed for matters of Religion to their former freedom prohibiting all Reproaches of either party with Heretick or Papist To search no mans house The Protestants by this being not fully authorized by a full Toleration and free Exercise of their Religion yet were somewhat satisfied by this seeming Inclination thereunto at least being protected from the present violence daily threatned The Queen Mother would not suppress their power yet would she depress their growth The King of Navar has the Keys of the Palace delivered to him which his great Enemy the Duke of Guise kept Now the King of Navar falling short of the full Grant of the Queens Promise proceeds further to a full Grant which she had secretly made to him requiring that as he was the Kings Lieutenant General the Keys of the Palace might be assigned to him which the Duke of Guise as Grand Master always and at this day kept The Queen as she was loath to offend the Duke of Guise and his party who with the Duke of Lorain upheld the Catholick Cause and Religion so was she as carefull to please the King of Navar and Protestant Princes till time gave a more secure season to bring about her desires for her desire was to be firmly seated betwixt them both by a plausible carriage to either and keeping them both dependents to her power and both equal in strength that neither might have encouragement to murmour To which purpose she is the more willing to favour the King of Navar in his request by reason at this time she findes the power of the Duke of Guise a Pin higher than the Princes of the Bloud and invested with more power than jumped with her purposes she conceived this a fit oportunity to pull down the Guisans power to an equal ballance with the Princes of the Bloud which suiting with her own interest she willingly executed their growth at this time being high and insolent and at all times of an aspiring nature as that they could not be content to fit under the Pent-house of their present power but must suddenly aspire to the pitch of their ambitious aim So the Queen caused the Keys of the Palace to be delivered into the custody of the Kings Lieutenant General the King of Navar. At this the Duke of Guise is highly enraged whose pride findes no bounds but reserved and secret revenge waiting for a fit oportunity to desplay his envenomed hate so that he dissembles his inveterate anger and malice he bore to the Princes of the Bloud and Admiral so he onely makes some shew of discontent for the
from the King and Queen Mother as was not fit to be published The King for a secure mannagement of the Wars against the King of Spain The Kings strange plot to surprize Rochel gave Commission to Strozzi and the Baron de li Guard to rig forth ships from Burgess and Rochel and to surprize any Vessels that were going through the English Seas to the aid of the Duke of Alva in the Low-Countreys the Spanish Embassadour complains hereof but these two Captains had secretly and privately an underhand Commission to seize on Rochel and by open or secret force to get into their power for his Majesty although all was carried fair on against the Duke of Alva The King also gave command to the Admiral to send Espials into Peru and Island in the New found World which being plentiful of Gold the Spaniard had possessed himself thereof and there to attempt what he could against the King of Spain which business according to his Majesties command the Admiral undertook committing it to one of his Gentlemen who with a certain Portugal skilful in those navigations he had joined in Commission The King heaps unexpressible favours on the Admiral and Friends Now the King heaped unexpressable favours on the Admiral Count Rochfoucault and Theligni with the rest of the principal Protestants and chief Noblemen of the Religion for what ever was taken from any of them in time of the Civil Wars was now most lovingly restored by the Kings command and if any one that the King could learn was a friend to the Admiral to him he did shew singular respect even to the height of an unimaginable dissimulaeion He commanded one time to be given to the Admiral one hundred thousand pounds of his own treasury in recompence of his great losses When the Cardinal of Chastillon formerly fled to England disguised and having great Revenues and Wealth his death being known to the King he did give to the Admiral all the fruits of the whole year with all his rich and costly Houshold-stuff and though all former Admirals in Council and publick Ceremonies had ever given place to the Marshall of France yet for the Admirals greater honour it was the Kings will and pleasure that he should sit next Monseiur de Momorancy who was the first Marshall and above all the rest The K. desires the Duke of Savoy to favour the Protestants The King also writes to the Duke of Savoy that for his sake he would please to be favourable to the Protestants under his Dominion it should ly upon him as an acceptable favor It is not to be thought what kindnesses the King shewed to the Protestants even to the great amazement of the Catholicks and rejoicing of the Protestants The K. so far dissembles that by his shew of respects to the Protestants the Catholicks suspect him who poor souls thought all true that he said but this love proved bitter hatred like Judas kiss nay the King did so carry it that the Catholicks began to surmise and say that the King did not only favour the Protestants but would himself turn one shortly And in regard there was a mighty enmity betwixt the Duke of Guise and the Admiral by reason of a report fixed on the Admiral as if he should be an instrument of his Fathers death The Admiral and Duke of Guise reconciled and the Admiral declared not guilty of the Duke of Guises death the King therefore to make up all breaches and in order to a perfect peace he prescribes a perfect form of Reconciliation the foundations whereof was laid six years ago in the Town of Molins where the King summoning the principal estates of his Kingdom did on consultation and deliberation declare and pronounce the Admiral not guilty of the death of the Duke Guise a thing his Majestie was before bound in conscience to do but now was acted and done as a piece of good policy this block being taken away as an advance for the Admiral to the Court. But as we said before the most solemn bond and ty for a secure peace is the Lady Margarite Sister to the King of France to be given in mariage to the Prince of Navar who was Son to the most virtuous Queen of Navar. who also had all the last civil war been General of the Protestant Cause and couragiously defended it to his Eternal Praise which mariage the King did declare That he did it for the effecting and establishing a durable peace and as a signal testimony of his loyall affections to the Protestants And yet in the mean while the Papists in Roan murthered divers Protestants and grievously beat others as they came from a Sermon Many Protestants murthered in Roan And in regard that it was objected That the King of France his Sister was of the Roman Religion and the Prince of Navar a Protestant it could not well be effected to a good purpose To which the King answered he would free her by a Dispensation from the Pope that no Impediment might stand in the way to so great a good as a sure peace betwixt him and his Subjects nothing being more delightful or desired by him As soon as this was spread to the Courts of Forein Princes it did amaze the Popish Party that ever the King should proceed in behalf of Hereticks But on the contrary it did exceedingly possess the hearts of the Prince The K. plot takes effect and Admiral and all forein Princes of the same Religion with exceeding joy being such a large demonstration of the Kings affection and as a Seal of fidelity to all he promised and did also drive out of their hearts all jealousies of plots or secret Contrivances but the Admiral which had most reason and was most backward to believe all reall yet he at this time was now most forward to believe and most ready to be confirmed not only by this but also by a Letter which the King sent him by his Son Theligni The Admiral at last perswaded and deluded by a Letter from the King under the Kings own hand and Seal assuring the Admiral That whatever he should do in the Business of the war in the Low Countries against the King of Spain should be by his Majesty allowed of and ratified as if done by his special command such was his alluring baits and pretences of good will and trust to the Admiral And thus the poor Protestant Princes are too much perswaded of the Kings faith who intended their ruin without remedy we shall shortly see them come to Paris and embrace the mountains of treacherous pretences of faith and affection and so be swallowed up in their Enemies malitious and unparallel'd cruelty for all the huge promises of the Kings stood but as an Earnest till their plot was ripe and then they are more swift to shed blood than real to what they promise and truly such a piece of Kingly tteachery is not in any age to be
leaving with one La Gross his Chirurgion was by degrees poisoned and swelled so that the wonderfully and narrowly escaped with his life But these Gloves that poisoned this virtuous Queen were ordered in such a secret sort and just proportion that having worn them a while a violent Feaver seized on her which ended her life in four daies And thus died this Noble Queen bewailed exceedingly by all the Protestants for I find her Enemies say The Queen of Navar in part described She was a Lady of a noble Spirit invincible courage many degrees above most of her Sex qualities besides her Chastity and Magnificence worthy Eternal praise She was one that dived into the deep Mysteries of Divinity which raised her illustrious mind to a high pitch of Christianity being also very judicious of a ready wit invincible in adversity absolute in her actions capable of Counsel comprehending things with great vivacity of Spirit delivering her mind with an admirable grace either by word or writing her comprehension of deep things was of a treble magnitude above any of her sex neither can my pen drop her praise but her infinite merits and if it were possible for any pen to erect Trophies of Honour to the peerless challenges of her immortal praise the lustre of her incomparable merits would be the truest guide in the darkest night This noble Queens Death gave way to the Prince her Son to be King of Navar The Q. death intitles her Son the P. to be K. of Navar. to whom the Kingdome came This unhappy death was looked on by many as very ominous portending a sure prognostick of some unfortunate Catastrophe many bing struck with amazement at this sudden treochery and bloody death concluding it to be a sad Fore-runner of some mischief to come But that which made many Protestants cast away all fear was the Kings loving carriage to them insomuch that things at this time looked with a peaceable countenance throughout the Kingdom of France Now the day of marriage between the Lady Margaret and the King of Navar was appointed which was a great day of joyful hopes to all the Protestants and made all things seem more serene and calm on their side in that also the Guisans and the rest of the chief Catholicks shewed great discontent thereat for all good men judged it an assured pledge of the Kings fidelity and of peace in as much as he shewed such outward joy and declared It was not so much for the wedding as that he said it was for a strong knot of Peace and would tend to a general satisfaction of peaceable Spirits and for the Good of the whole Nation August the 17. the King of Navar The K. of Navar and Lady Margarite maried with great joy on both sides but greater sorrow succeeds and the Lady Margaret was maried with great Solemnity before the great Church of Paris on a Scaffold in sight of all the People and there was a certain form of words so ordered as agreed with both parties which by the Kings commandment was pronounced by the Cardinal of Bourbon the King of Navars Uncle and so was this mariage solemnized with the joy of all good men being kept with Banquets dancing and Masques with a strange mixture of Papists and Protestants together Thus the poor Protestants thought with joy to welcome their own comforts but alas their hopes are frustrate in a contrary success of their expectations and the Kings promises After this the Bride with great magnificence accompanied with a great confluence of Gallants was led to the Church to hear mass The Bridegroom misliking these Ceremonies did with Henry Prince of Conde the Admiral and other Noblemen of the Protestants walk and wait without the Church door for the Brides return The Queen Mother Dukes of Anjou Guise plot But the Queen Mother and her bloody Companions with the Dukes of Anjou and Guise consult about the last Tragical act which was to kill the Admiral and to divide the Protestants thus-like moles under ground they drive on their Hellish designs in Secrecy The King to delude the more speaks publickly The K. publickly declares that he gives his Sister in Mariage as a ty of Union and peace The Admiral of the Kings fleet endeavours to surprize Rochel That he gives not his Sister in mariage to the King of Navar only but as it were to the whole Church of the Protestants to join with them in a undissoluble union and as a ty to their peace and safety Oh! painted ruin whither at last will the fury of thy bloody Chariots drive thee Now while these things proceeded thus at Paris Strozzi as aforesaid Admiral of the Kings Fleet rides before Rochel and at select times sends Captains and Souldiers into the Town under pretence of buying necessaries for their Fleet and sometimes did come ashoar himself but the King had given him Commission to seize on the City although as before it was given out that he say to entrap all the supplies going from Spain to the aid of the Duke of Alva in the Low Countries The like Treachery was used in another part of France by Gonzague Duke of Nevers with a party of Horse neer to La Charite where a bridge passes the River Loyre which the Protestants then had The protestants at Lyons had their names put in a bloody Book this Gonzague requests Liberty of the Town to muster shewing the K. Letters which indeed he had The Governour of Lyons commanded he names of the Protestants to be written in a Book which in regard of their Horrid cruelties committed and devillish Bucheries committed in this City was justly called the bloody Book The Admiral The Admiral desires to depart Paris but the K. desired his stay which on some other grounds he did but sad complaints and great suspition of treason came to his cars but he believes it not after the mariage being then the time he appointed and desired to return to his own house did move the King about his departure but so great was the Court revellings that the Admiral coul not have private access to his Majesty to deal in State-matters Rochel at this time was in a manner besieged with Souldiers arriving hourly giving out terrible threats against the Town which made the Protestants begin to cry to the Admiral for succour and relief for indeed the Admiral was as a nursing Father to them in other Towns also was heard secret murmurings terrifying the most cleer-sighted Protestants giving too sure cause to think a bloody and terrible spectacle would be shewed beyond present conception which will shortly be seen in a horrible manner The Admiral knew not what to answer to all these sad complaints that uncessantly flowed in as one wave on the back of another and all to get him from the Court He answered to all the King had made us swear before him to be Friends the Lady Margaret is given in mariage
them all in a most cruel manner For thirty days nothing but killing of poor innocent Protestants The Copy of the Kings letters laying the fault of the Admirals death and the murthers on the D. of Guise yet the same day sends Letters to command it to be done and caused all the murthers to be done by his comand both in Paris and all over France The King in Parliament opens his design and acknowledges all to be done by his own command The Kings Speech in Parliament The true Copy of the K. Declaration printed at Paris The President of Parlament congratulates the King for his bloody success The Advocate advises the King to cease the murthers and to colour his crueltits with the name of Justice A Parliament is called and Proclamation is made that all murthers should cease Many gòes to view the body of the Admiral hanging on the common Gallowes The King and Queen Mother goes also but his body over night was secretly taken away and buried so they lost their journey Judges pickt out to condemn the innocent with the pretence of Justice The Admiral dishonoured by a man of straw and Libels printed The King sends to surprize the Admiralls wife but she was fled to Geneva The Admiral a little described Brave Caviagnes and Briquemault tortured to confess themselvs and the Admiral Traytors they shew much Christianity the Judges refuse to sit in judgement against them new Iudges are chosen they are condemned and led to the Gallows their Speech they are hanged in sight of King Q. Mother Prince and Nobles with many thousand Spectators The Man of Straw for the Admiral hanged with them Some Letters collected according to the Original which gives much light to the History and discovers how Queen Elizabeth of England resented the Murther with the General pitty and Dislike of the whole English Court. These cruelties spotted the French Nation with a great Odium among Forein Princes The Duke of Guise his Letter to his Wife intercepted and the Plot discovered The King notwithstanding his former Edicts granted and Oaths to keep his Promises does now proclaim that none should exercise any Religion on pain of Death but the Romish A form of Abjuration sent to those that would come in and forsake the Protestant Religion and when they did they were murthered contrary to the Kings proclamation A true Copy of the Remembrances of the King to all his Lieutenants and Governours of his Provinces with a Copy also for Abjuration NOw when all was murthered that could very well be laid hands on and the King understanding that divers Protestants had in many parts of the Kingdom fled and left their Habitations for security of their Lives He acts the second and worst part of his Devilish Treachery and cruelty for after many sweet baits of inticing and alluring promises for them to come in he at last published Letters and sent Messengers Wherein he shewed The great grief it was to him that so much blood should be spilt in the Nation contrary to his will promising to punish the Actors of such horrid villainies with as much crueltie as Justice could inflict and they deserve And that if the Admiral and his Associates deserved the death inflicted for their treasonable practices yet was it no reason so many innocents should bear part of this punishment that had no hand in the Plot. Now many poor Protestants that had left all and fled into the woods being encouraged by these inticing and fair pretexts returned home especially they that had fled from Diep Roan and Tholouse now we shall see the King like a Thorny Bush to the poor sheep that in a storm they run to shelter and instead thereof are intangled and their wool pull'd off their backs But oh wretched Tyrant and worse King whose furious and bloody mind like an impetuous Whirlewind or Hiricane could not be kept in bounds but ere two daies past he imprisons them all and appoints base fellowes to murther them with cruel Torments And thus for thirty daies together was nothing but horrible slaughter throughout the Kingdom of France insomuch that there were about a hundred thousand little Babes Widdowes and children wel-born that fatherless and Motherless lived long in wandering and beggary And truly that reverend and faithful Servant of Christ did not miss the Mark of the Kings treachery and perfidious dealing when he made this Anagram on his name CHARLES VALOIS Anagram Chasseur desloyall i. e. Perfidious Hunter or Persecutor In this calamity many that would have saved their lives among their own friends could not have the favour nay their own parents refused them others betrayed by their friends and yet it pleased God to move the hearts of some of their Enemies by their high detesting these cruelties and villainies insomuch as they hazarded their own lives to save some of the Protestants Was ever such unheard of cruelties permitted and commanded by any Christian King and Court with such delight of shedding Protestant blood We may say of the French nation as the case here stood as the poor Indian said of the Spaniards The story stands recorded thus A Prince of the Indians being so far wrought upon as to receive baptism at the hands of a Fryer he first questioned whether the souls of such as were baptized went Answer was returned To Heaven then saies he whether must they go too that are not baptized They answer To Hell but he further demanded To which of these two places the Spaniards went Answer is returned To heaven then said the Indian Let me go to Hell if the Spaniards go to Heaven for I cannot believe heaven to be a good place that is a reward for such bloody Butchers and Masters of such unheard of cruelties May we not say so of this sad Massacre of France but I leave the application to the judicial reader The King now fearing the Dishonour of falsehood treachery and perjury and that it might not fix any reproachful blot or stain on the Kings name This King at the same time that he sends Letters through France giving in command to cut off and destroy the Protestants the same King with the same hand and at the same time sends Letters to the Governours of his Provinces wherein he lets the world know that the late mischief in Paris had to his great sorrow hapned by means of the Duke of Guise who having raised the people they tumultuously broke through the Guard which he had appointed for the Admirals safety and with great Fury killed the Admiral and his Friends and that he with the Queen Mother and Brethren were through the danger of a furious multitude forced to retreat for safety to the Lour all which he said was against his mind and will and therefore he desired the Edict of Pacification to be kept inviolable The like Letters he writ to England Switzerland and Germany which because they bear one tenure and pen'd after one manner I have to avoid prolixity
off the edge of suspition hapning in a manner saies he by chance and not by any plotted contrivance This Speech of the Kings was by himself and the Parliament commanded to be written and entered into the Records of Parliament proclaimed by Heraulds and published in print a Book also was published by the Kings commandment which because it is within four daies of the same date of that Letter wherein he laies the blame of the Admirals death c. on the Duke of Guise and here takes it to himself therefore I say I thought fit to insert that printed Book by way of Declaration which is as followeth A Declaration of the King concerning the occasion of the Admirals death and his Adherents and Complices hapned in the City of Paris August 24. 1572. By the King HIs Majesty desiring to have all Seigniours Gentlemen and other Subjects understand the cause of the Murther of the Admiral and his Adherents and Complices which lately happened in the City of Paris the four and twentieth day of this present month of August lest the said deed should be otherwise disguised and reported than it was indeed His Majesty therefore declareth that which was done was by his express commandment and for no cause of Religion nor breaking his Edicts of Pacification which he alwaies intended and still mindeth and intendeth to observe and keep yea it was rather done to withstand and prevent a most detestable and cursed conspiracy begun by the said Admiral the chief Captain thereof and his said Adherents and Complices against the Kings person his Estate the Q. his Mother and the Princes his Brethren the King of Navar and other Lords about him wherefore his Majesty by this Declaration and Ordinance giveth to understand to all Gentlemen and others of the Religion which they pretend Reformed that he mindeth and purposeth that they live under his Protection with their wives and children in their houses in as much safeguard as they did before following the benefit of the former Edicts of Pacification most expresly commanding and ordaining that all Governours and Lieutenants General in every of his Countreys and Provinces and other Justices and Officers to whom it appertaineth do not attempt nor suffer to be attempted any thing in what sort soever upon the persons and goods of them of the Religion their wives children and families on pain of death to be inflicted on those that shall be found faulty and culpable in this behalf And nevertheless to withstand the troubles slanders suspitions and defiances that may come by Sermons and Assemblies as well in the houses of the said Gentlemen as in other places as it is suffered by the said Edicts of Pacification it is expresly forbidden and inhibited by his Majesty to all Gentlemen and others of the said Religion to have no assemblies for any cause at all till his Majesty hath provided and appointed otherwise for the Tranquillity of his Realm upon pain of disobedience and confiscation of body and goods It is also expresly forbidden under the pain aforesaid that for the aforesaid accasions none shall take or retain any Prisoners or take ransome of them and that incontinently they certifie the Governours of every Province and the Lieutenant General of the name and quality of every such Prisoner whom his Majesty hath appointed shall be released and set at liberty except they be of the late Conspiracy or such as have made some practice or device for them or had intelligence of and they shall advertise his Majesty of such ro know his further pleasure It is also ordained that from henceforth none shall take or arrest any Prisoner for that cause without his Majesties commandment or his Officers nor that none be suffered to roave abroad in the Fields to take up Dogs Cattel Beefs Kine or other Beasts Goods Fruits Grain or any thing else nor to hurt the Labourers by word or deed but to let them alone about their work or calling in peace and safety At Paris August 28. 1572. signed Charls and underneath Fizes Imprinted at Paris by Iohn Dalleir Stationer dwelling on Saints Michaels Bridge at the sign of the White Rose by the Kings Licence There was Letters also writ by the King to the Officers of Burghs also remembrances sent to the General Lieutenant of Burgundy which being to the same purpose is omitted for brevity The Kings Oration in the great Assembly aforesaid being ended before this Assembly broke up one Christopher Thuane the President of this Assembly in Parliament being one of a high Spirit and subject to admire his own parts and actions ready to wonder what a fool he could make of Solomon being a man reported to be notable for his light brain and cruel heart who trusting more to a slipery tongue than a sound cause congratulated the King for his wise Policy and good success in a speedy conquest over his Enemies But alas how did he conquer Only by wearing the vest of the Innocent to conceal and cover the deformed ugliness of his perfidious perjury But the Advocate of the Finanees succinctly delivered his mind to this purpose That though his Majesty had just cause to punish Delinquents yet it were more becoming the justice of a Prince to proceed according to the Lawes by himself decreed and established and so more fit for his Majesty to command a speedy cessation of such violent slaughters and to enter upon a judicial proceeding according to the Laws which was well known to be the proper and peaceable establishment of Empires and Kingdoms This advice takes well for now the King begins to do unjustly in the name of Justice so he proceeds to dissemble a Legality for all his future Butcheries unwilling to murther any more without a statute and pretence of Justice for it This being a brave principle of a Tyrant and that whereas the Laws at first were known to be the legitimate daughter of judgement it must now be made the adopted daughter of Tyranny Now is an arrest of Parliament with his Royall assent so that immediately Heraulds went about the City and an Edict was proclaimed in the Kings name That all murthers should cease but those that he intended more immediately to have a hand in himself by sitting in judgement and quallifying his cruelty and bloodshed with the name of Justice And first let us see a little of this new Justice of the Kings which now must be exercised on the dead Admiral which being as aforesaid hung by the heels on the common gallows of Paris the people by flocks and multitudes gathered to see it The Queen Mother to delight her self with that sad vâ—ew of her Sons and her own bloody cruelty she takes the King and his Brethren and so advances towards this sad sight but his body was in the night conveyed away by two of the Marshall de Momorancies Servants and was secretly buried at Chantilly whose faithfulness and adventure is beyond a terrene Reward And now the King begins
of his life by the common-people At Monchon he was cast in prison where a Captain and many Souldiers came and told him he should be cut in peices afterwards the Judges came and commanded him to be loaden with Irons after a while the Duke of Guise being made Governour he was cruelly tortured by straining his thumbs so hard till blood issued out they then bind his hands behind his back and tying a Rope to his thumbs they hoist him up and then suddenly twitches him down five or six times tying also great stones to his toes and so let him hang till his vitals failed him almost to death at last he was put into prison and no Chyrurgion allowed to dress his wounds although the Cords had made gashes in his flesh to the bones insomuch that he underwent great pain that he could not lift his hand to his mouth but had almost lost the use of them this did this Servant of Christ endure like a true Soldier with invincible courage and patience and by the special providence of God news was brought that the Duke of Guise was dead The very next day one Bussi had order from the Constable to let him free which yet said Bussi came and told this faithful Minister of God with all acquainting him that he should be let free but it should be to the peoples rage But let us yet see another special providence A singular token of Gods care of his faithful Ones for at the same time came by the Prince of Portion with his German Horses who sent in word to the Town that if Mr. Fournier was not speedily delivered to him and from their cruelties he would not leave so much as the tokens of a foundation but raze it to ruin as a monument of their merciless deserts Which message so terrified the enemies of this Godly soul that immediately he was safely conveyed to the Prince he gathers a Congregation and yeilds his soule to God which faithfull servant of the Lord after he had resided a little space at Ver and gathered a Congregation he presently after resigned up his soule to the Lord that gave it and so put a period to the miserable attendance of this life and begun that life of glory A Treacherous and base murther of Mounseir de St. Estiene his two Brothers and 16. more all stabbed by his own Cosen Germain Mounseir de St. Estiene in his jorney from Orleans retiring himself with his two brothers and some others for Refreshment to his own house neer Reims they were not long there till the house was beset by fifteen hundred men who being forced to yield had liberty on their words to go forth to speak with the Duke of Nevers whom as they said desired to see him and going out was there basely and treacherously murthered by the Baron Ceruy his own Cosen German so were his two Bretheren also with sixteen others basely and unworthely stabbed and distroyed without the least composition Their wives they spoyled of all they had and led away prisoners The Catholicks of Nevers on the eleventh day of May The sad slaughters at Nevers 1562. summoned into the Town many Gentlemen of the Country presently shut the gates and in three daies after fell on them and Murthered them without pitty The Minister's they cast into prison one miserably perished by their cruelty another miraculously escaped presently after bloody Fayete arrives ransacks their houses rebaptize their children being filled with his desires of bloud and 50. thousand crownes returns to his house of Auvergue La Charity yielded on Conditions yet all were put to the sword contrary to Covenant The Town of La Charity being beseiged by cruel Fayete was to him yielded on honorable terms by the Governour Issertiux which Conditions were signed and sealed the tenth day of June the Grand prior entring the Town according to conditions presently snatched the capitulation out of the Governours hand and then fell to spoil and murther so that none escaped Bibles burnt and the Protestants murthered at Amiens At Amiens all Bibles Testaments and psalms were sought for and openly with much profanness were burned the Guisans murthering and killing the poor Protestants and casting their dead bodies into the River shooting some to death and hanging others Base cruelty At Abbevilly the Lord Harcourt was slain and many others one Belliart they dragged along the Streets with his face on the ground and then drowned him At Meux 400. murthered The Protestans at Meaux being the stronger partie continued the exercise of their Religion for a while but at last the Parliament at Paris gave judgement against them whereupon a company of souldiers enters the Town disarms the Citizens and unworthyly and cowardly murthered above four hundred poor Protestants and as if it were not enough as if their blood-thirstiness could not be quenched Mounseir De'Boysy enters with souldiers Virgins a Bused in the streets children dashed against the walls committs unheard-of and inhuman villanies deflouring virgins in the open streets many massacred and drowned children dashed against the walls divers papist preists murthered some with their own hands At Troys Bibles and Books of divinity were rent and torn in pieces the Protestants murthered their houses sacked eighteen men hanged like doggs Cruelties at Troys and women dragged through the streets and cast into the River The sad murther at Bar upon Sein The sad cruelties used to the Protestants at Barr upon Seine are hardly to be compared in this first civil war although in the latter part of the book I shall let the world be accquainted with such cruelties as that the most horrid murtheres yet extant come not so near them as to bear a shaddow of comparison They murther women and maydes and cut off their breasts and took out their hearts and eat them But to our purpose this Town the Papists entered and committed such outrages and cruelties especially against women as it is not fit to be related but with an utter detestation for they spared not maides nor poor infants some of their breasts they cut off open their stomacks cutts out their hearts and in a furious manner gnawed them with their teeth boasting that they had tasted of an Huguenots heart and with hellish blasphemies they ravish women and virgins A Popish father murthers his Protestant sonn A just reward There was one Mounseir Ralet a young Advocate and son to the Kings Procter who by his fathers own procurement was murthered which was a sad and prodigious thing and in January following about fifty horse of the Garrison of Antrim surprized the Town at break of day and took it in for the Protestants and with their pistols caused him to expiate the death of his son A gallant Gentleman murthered in his own house The Peasants committed horrible murthers on the poor Saints of God Monseiur de Vigney with his wife and servants
his most Solemn Vows and Protestations which by the Law of God and Nations he was bound to keep but know saies this noble Prince that for my Religion it is so closely enshrined in a fixed resolution to preserve with my soul that it is beyond the reach of Mortality and I hope by Gods grace am so resolved that loss of life shall not shake my steddy soul to batter my conscience And though your great threatnings peirce my understanding yet shall they not make me lose my hold of that Religion which by Gods grace is planted and by your promises and oaths freely granted to me the free exercise of and as for my body and goods you may use as you please but my unspotted soul is in the hands of God Many Nobles and brave Commanders that waited on the K. of Navar and Prince of Conde by the K. order and in his fight are cut in peices crying out to his Oaths and Promises Brave Monsieur de Piles his sad death lamented and pittied by his enemies yet basely murthered in the K. fight This notable answer of this tender young Prince did so move his raging cruelty that letting loose the reins of his furious indignation he calls him Rebell and the Son of a Rebellious person with horrible threatnings that he should lose his life if within three daies he did not obey his command and without any more ado he assaults him with a furious countenance issuing out these terrible words Mass Death or Bastile But now their poor Friends that waited upon them being many gallant Gentlemen as also their Servitors in their chambers their Schoolmasters and those that had the bringing them up were thrust out one by one among the crowd of Murtherers being the K. Guard of Switzers that stood in two ranks prepared for blood and cruelty These Gentlemen crying out to the Kings Oaths Promises and fidelity were nevertheless by the K. command and in his own sight unmercifully hewen and cut in pieces There did dy of note amongst these in the Loure the Marquess de Rennet with several others of noble blood as also many brave Gentlemen but no mans death was so much bemoaned of many both friends and enemies as brave Monsieur de Piles whose valour though great yet could not be victor over his Religious and Godly zeal whose great courage and greater Christianity fought for Mastery for he had defended as aforesaid the little Town of St. Jean de Angeli against the K. great Army for fourty daies who at last yielded not so much to their valour as their number There this brave Commander got such Renown that of his Enemies who felt his valor he was highly honoured and was thought to be beloved and much esteemed of by the King This brave de Piles I say with Leranne Odou's Son were both lodged by the Kings command all night in a Wardrope next the King of Navars own chamber but this command of the Kings was looked on by the poor Gallant Gentlemen rather to be an act of special favour then base treachery these noble Commanders a little before day hearing a great noise of running of men in Armour with doleful cryings and howlings of the slain for mercy wondered what should be the matter and so arose who were no sooner up but de Naunce approaches their chamber and tells them it was the Kings Commandment that they should come down into the Court leaving their weapons behind them and so to depart out of the Castle He disclaims against the Kings treachery Proclaiming his Trayterous infidelity and cruelty in the Kings hearing Now when this brave Monsieur de Piles saw himself disarmed and thrust out amongst the murthering Souldiers who stood ready to kill him and viewing the sad spectacles of so many of so many of Gods people already slain he cryes out with a loud voice to the peircing of the Kings ear protesting against the Trayterous infidelity of his bloody cruelty that Covenants nor Oaths could not bind his loose hands and cruel heart no more than fetters can ty the raging Ocean but who is deaser than he that will not hear for his words peirced the air but not this Tyrants heart So having a rich Cloak he takes it off and gives it an acquaintance Saying Take here this token of Piles and let posterity know poor Piles most shamefully cowardly and unworthily slain by the perfidious command of a perjured King Oh! my good and noble Monsieur de Piles replyed he I am none of them I thank you for your Cloak but I will not receive it on that condition He is thrust out amongst the Murtherers slain so immediately Monsieur de Piles was thrust through the body with a Partisan by one of the Kings Guard and so was there basely murthered and slain And thus died this most noble and valiant Gentleman pittyed by his Enemies that knew him to be a valiant Commander thus was he haled to a cowardly death that never knew what compulsion meant but when his virtues and valour incited him to good actions so his body was thrown into the quarry with the rest the beholders crying out these are the Traytors that plotted our destruction and would have killed our King Now it pleased God to dispose of Leranne otherwise who being thrust through the Body with a sword escaped by running into the Queen of Navars chamber who preserved him from their cruelty and presently obtained his pardon and also by the assistance of her own Doctor of Physick he recovered and lived 200 Gallant Noblemen and Gentlemen basely slain by the K. command Amongst these Gentlemen and at the same time was also murthered Pontbreton Pluviault Bandine Francourt Chancellour to the King of Navar Pardillan Lavardin and other chief Commanders Gentlemen to the number of two hundred whose cryes no more peirced the Kings cruel heart than an arrow can an Adamantine Rock Count De Montgomery and the Vidam of Charteres with some others escape to England Now it fell out by Gods good providence otherwise with those of the Protestants that lodged in the Fauxburg At St. Germain beyond the Sein amongst whom was the Count de Montgomery and the Vidame of Charteres who presaging some intended mischief having a cleer foresight of this Tempest provided for an escape and so would by no means be drawn to lodge with the Admiral who now hearing the noise and understanding the matter instantly fled but were quickly persued by their grand enemie the Duke of Guise who as soon as the day had relieved the night passed the water with many horse and foot and overtaking the Protestants in their flight found some without shoes some without arms others without Saddles some without bridles all equally unable to make resistance and so were without mercy scattered and cut off the Count De Montgomery and Vidame of Charteres with about ten in company by the good mercy of God saved themselves and after many
and though he knew death would ensue yet he to keep his Oath and promise turned back and many others that came with him though much intreated by wife Parents and children yet returned with him to their Enemies according to their Oath though thay were sure of death Now it hapned that two of these returned not and kept not their promises but they were branded with such infamy that at last they slew themselves Darius Junior accounted nothing more sacred than keeping his Oaths and Covenants Fabius Maximus Fabius Maximus having contracted with Hannibal for Redemption of the Roman Captives sent to Rome for the monies which the Senate refused yet Fabius rather than break his promise sold his Estate and discharged his Covenant Lovangus King of China Lovangu King of China being besieged in the City of Hangcheu by the Tartarian Army he kneeled on the Walls and desired that his life might satisfy for theirs of the City in these words Spare not me for I will willingly be my Subjects victime Oh rare Love of a King to his Subjects there wanted Brave Alexander or Caesar to crown this illustrious testimony of Love to a people by saving his willing offer of life which the Tartars spared not I shall only lay down remarkable judgments of God from Scripture and Examples Historical upon perjury breach of promise and covenants which are odious before God good men and Heathens Philip of Macedon It is left to posterity on record that Philip of Macedon left such infamy behind him through the light esteem and low reverence of a Solemn Oath and his faith given in Leagues that his posterity suffered great and heavy Judgements from God as a just reward of such a great sin himself at the age of forty six years was slain and his family quite rooted out his Son was killed by his Wife Olympias another Son which he had by Cleopatra was tormented to death in a brazen Bull the rest of his Sons died the like death and his great son Alexander died miserably and suspected to be poisoned In the 34. chap. of Jeremiah there is a lively instance of Gods Just Judgement threatened for breach of promise read from the tenth verse to the end of the Chapter God will not be mocked In the 17. of Ezckiel ver 18 19 20. and 21. are these words Seeing he despised the Oath by breaking the Covenant when lo he had given his hand and hath done all these things he shall not escape Therefore thus saith the Lord God as I live surely mine Oath that he hath broken even it will I recompence upon his own head c. In the 2. of Samuel 21. ver 1 2. there is Gods Judgments also against Covenant-breakers a famine year after year for three years together and why but because Saul had shed the blood of the Gibeonites against Gods Commandement and his own Engagement and Gods wrath could not be appeased till seaven of Sauls Sons were hanged Oh! the Just and heavy Judgements of the Lord against this sin t is a scarful thing to fall into the hands of the living God for God is a consuming fire and with God is terrible Majesty Many are the Judgements of the Lord against this Sin both in Princes and people I shall only give a few more from History and proceed to the latter part of this Tragical Massacre King of Sparta Lisander King of Sparta used to say Boys were deceived with dice and Cockles but men with Oaths for he made no conscience of them But God punished him accordingly for he was slain at the Walls of the Thebans and this was him that first said If force will not prevail wee 'l piece it with the Foxes Tail King of Jerusalem Almerick King of Jerusalem making a League with the Calyph of Egypt did by Oath bind himself to the performance but contrary to his promise warring against them was miserably wasted and as miserably ended his dayes The Egyptians punished Perjury by death Valdislaus King if Hungaria Valdislaus King of Hungaria concluded and confirmed a Peace by Solemn Oath with the great Turk Amurath but the King of Hungaria by the Popes perswasion breaks his Solemn Oath and wars against the Emperour of the Turks and proceeding to Battel the whole day was carried dubious on both sides But presently the great Turk Amurath takes out of his bosome the Articles agreed on and covenanted too by Oaths and holding up in his hand lifting up his eyes to Heaven uttered these words Oh Jesus Christ If thou art a God as these Christians say Revenge this wrong done to thy name and me and punish these Covenant-Breakers which words were hardly spoken but God shewed his powerful Judgements on the King of Hungaria and his whole Army For presently the King Valdislaus amidst his Enemies was slain and his whole Army routed few escaping Agesilaus General of the Spartan Army marching in Asia Minor made Truce with Tissaphernes Lieutenant to the King of Persia till he had sent to the King his Master to know his Pleasure but instead of sending to the King for ayd in advise and Counsel he contrary to his Oath sends for a Great Army to surprize the General of the Spartan Army But Gods Judgements followed at the Heels of this perjury for the Army was quite overthrown according to the prophesie of the Spartan General who said the Gods were angry and no doubt would be revenged on his perjury The Romans in antient times highly reverenced faith and Oaths in case of publick affairs between Prince and People or between King and King and to that purpose they had a Temple erected and dedicated where constantly they used to repair and there solemnly promise and swear to all the conditions of peace and Truces and so cursed those that went about to break them first and therfore for greater and more strict confirmation thereof they offered Sacrifices to the Image of Faith for the greater Testimony of the Intentions and love to keep their Oaths most solemnly made How will our King Charls the Ninth be ashamed by these poor Heathens The Psalmist sayes A man ought not to break covenant but stand to it though to his great hurt yet such a bold wickedness hath possessed several Popes that they undertake to discharge any that shall break their oaths with Hereticks as they say This audacious and impious practice of confronting Gods command calls for vengeance from Heaven That any man should be so boldly blasphemous as to say they will pardon this sin which God has denounced such fearful Judgements against There was in antient time a people in Italy called Aequi their Memory only now remaining These people made League with the Romans and give Oath to keep it but not long after they raised an Army and spoiled the Romans falling on them contrary to Covenant the Romans send three Ambassadours to complain but their Captain General slighted them and bid them