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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
death_n	great_a	know_v	life_n	7,935	5	4.3038	3	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A14602	Martine Mar-Sixtus A second replie against the defensory and apology of Sixtus the fift late Pope of Rome, defending the execrable fact of the Iacobine frier, vpon the person of Henry the third, late King of France, to be both commendable, admirable, and meritorious. VVherein the saide apology is faithfully translated, directly answered, and fully satisfied.	R. W., fl. 1591.; Sixtus V, Pope, 1520-1590. De Henrici Tertii morte sermo. English.; Wilson, Robert, d. 1600, attributed name.	1591 (1591)	STC 24913; ESTC S119314	34,762	46

happely will say he did not compare them for the honestie but only for the difficultie and wonderment of the work and certainly for ought I see hee standeth not much vppon the honestie thereof enough it is for him to wonder at the boldnes of the aduenture for no other commendation hee giueth to his Monke then a man might well affoord to a ryotous and desperat ruffen Therefore since it cannot bee prooued to bee so honest let vs trye what courage and valour what difficulties and wonders abounded in it that it should bee not onely compared but preferred aboue the hardie aduentures of Iudith and Eleazar in regarde of whome a base and ruffenly Fryer is not onely ioyned to susteyne the comparison as a competent match or corriuall but most highly magnified as exceeding matchles and supereminent for so sayth Sixtus that albeit for zeale and valour of minde and for the issue of the thing attempted there were some resemblance or equalitie betweene them yet for the rest there was no one thing comparable But wonderfully hath his holines ouershot himselfe for let vs suppose those examples to bee as Canonicall as some would they were and see then not onely to the persons themselues compared but vnto the spirit of GOD how foule an indignitie is offered when the holy Ghost in Scripture proposeth to our view some famous example as a patterne of imitation it lightly commendeth such a one as no president of antiquitie before neyther of the posteritie to come shall bee able to affoord the like as who can either rayse vp from the memorie of the dead or summon out an example from men aliue to match with Iobe in patience with Moses in meekenes with Abraham in faith with Dauid in courage with Samson in might And if Sixtus hauing searched through the Scripture for some rare example and mirror of magnanimitie did picke out and choose Eleazar for the best I would knowe what warrant his worship had in a Cloyster of Monkes a nest of Fryers in a den of Diuells to shewe a better but what did Fryer Clement so renowned or aduentrous that Eleazar came so short of him If ye marke but the manner of proceeding and passing forward to the worke Eleazar did farre surpasse him for let Sixtus bee iudge and tell mée whether hée did more desperatly aduenture himselfe which to breake into the middle of an Armie had no other way but as a knowne and open enemie through rankes and millions of men to make passage with his sworde or hée who as a supposed friend came sneaking in a Fryers weede vnarmed vnharnest vnweaponed with a fauning looke with a letter of passeport in his hande with a string of Beades at his side with a Crucifixe at his breast with all habiliments of his profession so as no matter of suspition of feare of doubt was ministred to indanger him I would knowe of Sixtus who did aduenture most Yea but sayth he Eleazar was a profest Souldier trained vp in armes and in the field whereas our Monke was neuer brought vp in such broyles and therefore in him it was more admirable whatsoeuer was atchieued I answer agayne that as hee was a Souldier so his attempt was more martiall and Souldierlike so was it executed without all colour in the forme and person of a Souldier brauely by dint of sword vndauntedly in the broade and open field valiantly and who can admire a close and priuy murderer whose practises are so abhorring both from humanitie as nature detesteth them for abhominable and courage condemneth them as arguments of vndoubted cowardice and certainely I see not what manhood is required to slaughter a man in his Chamber which euery base and timorous minde may accomplish yea euen he which cannot endure to see himselfe let bloud for vnto such kinde of reuenge no man for shame proceedeth but he who in great faintnes and weakenes of minde continually meditateth of flight and escape yea but saith Sixtus againe Eleazar knew both his manner of death and place of buriall why therefore should I thinke that his attempt was more couragious for where the hope of life is lesse the aduenture and courage vndoubtedly is more but hee knew so certainely of his death that he could likewise diuine of his graue but hardly I brooke to heare of so foule an vntrueth that your Frier was so sore afraide of certaine death and vncertaine torments for why your factors and agents in the cause had prouided a double medicine to salue that feare for so wisely they wrought to prouoke this parricide to resolue vpon execution that notwithstanding the aduenture in sight were perilous yet both in regarde of that policy which they had at home contriued as also of the furtherance and assistance which in the campe of the King they expected there was a double comfort ministred at home they had so prouided that so many within the walls of Paris as were either knowne or suspected to be by nere affinity allyed or by affection carried to fauour either the King or any his ayders and associates that so many should be apprehended and laid vp as pledges and hostages for the safe returne of the Frier which doubtles would so bridle the fury of the Kings friends that notwithstanding himselfe before were murdered yet to ransome the liues and liberties of their friends they would bee content to dismisse the Frier send him back to Paris againe they perswaded him that in the Kings own campe there was abundāt hope of present assistance to be supplied for if it so fel out that the King were dispatcht then so many of his traine as secretly fauored the League would be present and at hand to assist him but the contrary part would be so amazed at the suddaine alteration that euery man would rather apply his wittes how to saue himselfe then to execute reuenge vpon the malefactor and so our brother Clement could not choose but scape this most infallibly is the trueth this was the perswading and proceeding with the Frier who in a fooles paradice and conceite of a certaine returne tanquam asinus ad caedem went forward to his worke which howsoeuer it succeeded vnluckily yet out of doubt better fortune was expected in regarde of which expectation I affirme that there was neither imminent danger nor certaine feare therefore could not the aduenture be so ventrous that Captaine Eleazar with Frier Clement should change a corselet to put on a cowle But as we haue compared him with Eleazar let vs ioyne and match him with Iudith I speak not of a matrimoniall coniunction for Clement was a votary neuer wedded to a wife neuer furnisht with any part of a family saue onely a few children but I speake of a ioyning in comparison for what though comparisons bee odious yet Eleazar must goe downe and Iudith must stoope to aduance a bloudy Frier to the skies therefore as his holines had commended Eleazar so dooth he likewise extoll Iudith but both

there was to doo it because the Champion of the Church had conuerted his forces which were bestowed for the Church defence to maintaine vphold a ciuill quarrell as namely the subuersion of the king and inthroning himselfe in the kingdome beside all this I speake not of that foule indignitie which he offered the King when he forced him out of Paris such a presumptuous and trayterous deede as could not bee punished with lesse then death but howsoeuer the King had trespassed yet being a King he ought to be solemnely endited and not secretly bought and sould his cause should be formally heard and not closely smothered his iudgement should be publikely notified and not in a corner contriued his person should be arrested not murthered Notwithstanding sith God in his secret counsaile had so decreed it let vs beare it as we ought and lay the fault of so foule a murther where in right equitie we ought You did foretel it that he was like to come to some strange shameful end but whose was the shame a riotous ruffen hath beset the way an innocent is intrapped his mony is takē his life lost his body shamefully māgled say foolish Apologizer whose is the shame Is this a proofe to approue the murder of a King Suppose y e tower of Silo had fallen vpon his head is he therfore a greater sinner I tel ye no hast thou not read it that al things come alike to all and that the same condition is to the iust and to the wicked and that many times the wicked liue in prosperity and dye in peace that their horne is exalted as the Cedar in Lebanon as Tabor among the mountaines when iust and vpright men are as a bottle parcht in the smoake when such as Iob ly scraping vpon a dunghill did not Pilate sit vpon the bench when Christ stoode at the barre were not the Apostles martyred the Prophets murdered the sauiour of the world crucified All cut off by strange and shamefull ends yet no man can conuince either him for a Sinner or them for malefactors and why then should Henry so dying be adiudged to die a reprobate Ah Sixtus now doost thou speake as Antichrist now doost thou vsurpe the sword and seate of Christ art thou already come to iudge the quick and dead Is there no remission for his sinne no pardon to be expected no praiers to be powred no hope but hell Uile murderers how delight ye in bloud not content to kill the body but to adiudge the soule did yee see his soule descending to the lower partes did ye heare him desperately crying my sinne is greater then I am able to beare Did yée heare God pronounce the sentence vpon him depart accursed but where then is Sixtus and where is Clement if Henry be in hell full well ye teach vs to despaire of your selues who endeuour to rob vs of so rich a hope but rather had I yee should burne me for an heretick at a stake then enroll me for a Saint in your Calender vncharitable vnchristian wretches condemning for reprobates vnto euerlasting death whose names God hath written in the book of life and canonizing for martirs whom Turkes and Pagans would detest as murderers but what ground had Sixtus to charge him with finall impenitency Who euer saw so deepe into his soule Who knew what sobbes what groning what secret griefe might harbor in his heart But neither did hee sorrow so in silence as no signe of repentance was left behinde in the presence of the standers by who with watery eyes beheld him he made an humble confession of his faith powred out his praiers to God receaued the Sacrament confessed himselfe to a Frier desired pardon for his sinne besought God if it might bée to lengthen his dayes that for his life past hee might make some amends sée sée what signes of impenitencie what tokens of distrust are here After that bethinking what might become of his people he bequeathed them into the hāds of Nauarra whom he specially charged to be carefull ouer them yea but he cried for vengeance vpon the authors of his death euen a little before his death So cried Dauid vpon his death-head against Ioab and Shimei charging his Sonne Salomon that for the offences they had committed against him hee should not suffer them to goe to their graues in peace and yet was Dauid neuer charged with impenitence as Henry is for the same reason ye might first haue inquired whether it were in his hands to pardon them or no for Dauid doubtles if he could haue pardoned Ioab or Shimei had neuer exclamed for vengeance on them but it lay not in his power to pardon them such offences as are committed against our priuat state or particular person wée may and must forgiue them yea though they be seuenty seauen times committed but an indignity offered to the person of a King toucheth euen God himselfe because they represent the maiesty of God for which God graceth them with a title of his owne I haue said it yee are Gods therefore in reason the remission of such offences must be resigned vp onely to God could not Dauid pardon Shimei which had but barely railed on him and must Henry either pardon a crue of damnable conspirators which so prophanely murdered him or must he be adiudged to dye impenitent But how know ye he did not pardon them Because he coniured Nauarra and such as stoode about him to take vengeance of those whome he surmised to bee the authors of his death yea so he might and yet pardon them to for when Christ saith forgiue his meaning is not that euery notorious offender should be acquit from outward censure of lawe for that were to peruert iustice and to ouerthrow all ciuill discipline but to forgiue him is to intreate God for him that his body being punished to the example of other his soule at the great iudgement might be saued and certainely if he might punish a traitor in his life I see no reason why he might not as well doo it at the poynt of death for why the time cannot alter the nature of the action but if it were iniustice to remit him before hee could not with equitie pardon him then therefore well might he say to Nauarra as Dauid said to Salomon Suffer not those murderers to goe to their graue in peace yet be translated to Heauen as Dauid was wherof wee nothing doubt but though his sinnes were as red as scarlet his hands all steyned with the bloud of Martyrs yet through the aboundant grace of him who forgaue vnto Paule those many afflictions he said vpon the Church we assure our selues that mercy is shewed vnto him and all is washed away as white as snowe yea but what will ye say if beside all this he bequeathed the succession of his Kingdome to Nauarra a pronounced and excommunicate heretick must we not then say he dyed in his sinne Yea

diuination but because it is in his hand to acquit or condemne him and so I may iustly say that Sixtus did not Prophecie but threaten for if eury prediction should make a Prophet then should the diuell bee a great one who beholding the necessary concurrence of the causes dooth many times foretell aright of the effects in this order Sixtus and in no other didst thou Prophecie I apeale to thine owne conscience when the first relation of the Guize his death was made when the first newes were brought didst thou not then vow thy selfe to auenge it Didst thou not afterward contriue the meanes to work it Didst thou not encourage the Leaguers to it Didst thou not promise a perpetuall pardon to him that should attempt it And being now done hast thou not endited a sweete Apology for it And yet who now is Sixtus Whome shall men say that he is Is he not Elias or some one of the Prophets But not he alone but many other did thus Prophecie among whom let Gregory himselfe be one who as he now succeedeth Sixtus in his seate so did he exceede him in the murder for which by a French Cardinall his holines is now notoriously appealed Thus treacherie and murder is impaled with a triple crowne thus traitors and murderers sit in Peters chaire beside we are to note that he did not onely and barely Prophecie it but with some griefe and feeling of his fall alas poore Sixtus how forely his heart was grieued But shall we pittie him then or shall wee rather disdaine and detest him Foule hipocrite and Crocodile as thou art couldst thou weepe for him when as thou didst intend so mortally against him Full well thou mightest haue redressed that griefe if thou hadst been truely aggrieued but as Absolon feasted Ammon and Iudas kissed Christ so didst thou lament his fall for if thou didst indeede lament it what moued thee to endite so triumphing an Apology vpon it and to erect a Trophe where greater cause was to write an Epitaph Why didst thou debarre him from all dirges masses and trentalls from al dead mans rites and funerall solemnities Did the feare of the losse so afflict thee and could the losse be so pleasing to thee Fie Sixtus fie dissemble not with the world thy hipocrisie is too manifest thou didst not prophecie thou wast not aggrieued nor canst thou so easily bleare our eyes Hauing thus foolishly mooted and declamed of thine own propheticall spirit thou preparest at length by a personall inuectiue to disgordge thy gall agaynst the King by the impeachment and defamation of whose honour thou addressest thy selfe to conuince the execution done vpon him for iust and warrantable His great offences his shamefull death his finall impenitencie but albeit I must in part confesse some of these as true yet I loath to see thee raking in the dust of a dead mans bones whose sinnes if they ought to be buryed in silence much lesse should they be misreported and maliciously amplified Wee confesse the offences of the King were grieuous and heynous and of necessitie we must confesse what all the world so euidently sawe because the sinnes of Kings and Princes cannot be vnseene neither can a citie bee hid that is set vpon a hill but neuerthelesse we doo not acknowledge those for sinnes in wreake and reuenge whereof this direfull tragedie was performed For shall we say his Maiestie did offend in executing iustice vpon that recreant Guize a furious and braynsicke rebell together with Lodwicke his brother then Cardinall of Lorraine As though a King may not correct the misdemeanour of his subiects but an Italian Priest shall step out to countermaund and controll it but how had the Guize then misdemeaned himselfe or wherein had he passed beyond his bounds Ah God is that now called in question Or shall wee now begin to endite him at whose boldnes rebellion all Kings in Christendome for these twentie yeares haue stood amazed whome neyther reuerence of authoritie nor feare of lawes nor law of nature could keepe within his bounds But let that goe wee speake of later attempts euen of the treacherie which then he intended against the King when he was apprehended and murthered which vndoubtedly hee had effected had not his brother Charles d' Maine opened disclosed it before Yea but suppose the Guize had offended yet was it tyranny without formall and iudiciall processe of lawe preceding to fall to execution Indeede Sixtus it is true when delay is voyd of danger but if a route of theeues haue so beset my way as I must eyther immediatly slay or be immediatly slayne I hope there is no lawe agaynst me if in that distresse I neglect the triall of lawe and worke out my deliuerance with my sword for that is a law which we haue not learned not receaued not heard but a lawe which wee haue suckt out of our mothers breasts in which we were not informed but bred not instructed but inspired not by discipline composed but by nature prepared that no honest way of defending our life and state should bee left vntryed and shall wee then condemne the speedie execution vppon the Guize and Lodwicke his brother for vnhonest which could not bee one day deferred without indaungering the life and dignitie of the King No Sixtus no we confesse the offences of the King were grieuous yet this was no offence but if we list endite him wee could vbrayd and charge him with matters of greater moment which albeit wée are loath and grieue to doo yet in regard of that Antichristian tyranny which in his life he practised and for which he was punished in his death we may not be ouer silent and so much the lesse for that we would prouoke ye to repentance least as ye haue excéeded him in his sinne so ye receaue a greater measure of iudgement When in his life tyme we called to minde how sorely and bitterly he did afflict the Church how freely he suffered the confederates of the League to assault and insult vpon them and how often himselfe had personally vnsheathed his sword agaynst them we could not expect but that though God winked for a time yet in time he would manifest his iudgements on him and when the fulnes of time was expired it fell out as wee feared for so soone as in his last Parliament holden at Bloys he had most wickedly vaunted of his victories agaynst the Church and boastingly reported what harme and scath hee had done them which was in deed the fulnes of his sinne this vengeance immediatly fell vpon him euen as Sixtus himselfe a strange thing to consider within lesse then a yeare after his Apologie and triumphing in so notorious a murther was dispatcht and taken out of the world beside we could report how he secretly encouraged the Leaguers to effusion of bloud how himselfe was vp in armes before the walles of Rochel and that for no other cause but for the Gospell and that which neuer will

not dreame of and little doubted he to lye vnburied besides many other poyntes of difference that are betweene them And well knowne likewise is the famous story of the holy woman Judith who to set free her owne besieged city and people of God took in hand an enterprise God doubtles directing her thereunto about the killing of Holofernes then generall of the enemies forces and in the end she did effect it in which attempt albeit there are both many and manifest tokens of a superior direction yet in the death of this King and deliuerance of the citie of Paris wee may see far greater arguments of Gods prouidence in as much as in the iudgement of man it was more difficult and impossible than that for that holy woman opened her purpose to some of the gouernours and in their presence and by their sufferance passed through both the gates and garde of the city so that she could not be in danger of any search or inquisition which during the time of assault is wont to be so straight that scarce a fly may passe by vnexamined but being amongst the enemies through whose tentes and seuerall wardes she must needes passe after some triall and examination for that she was a woman had about her neither letters nor weapons from whence might grow any suspition and rendring very probable reasons of her comming to the campe of her flight and departure frō her countrey men she was licensed to passe without any let so that as well for those causes as for her sex and excellent beautie shee might be admitted into the presence of so vnchaste a gouernour vpon whom being intoxicate with wine she might easily wreake her purpose This did shee but ours a man of holy orders did both assay and bring about a worke of more weight full of more encombrances and wrapt in with so great difficulties dangers on euery side as it could be accomplished by no wisdome nor humane policy neither by any other meanes but by the manifest appointment and assistance of God it was requisit that letters of commendation should be procured from them of the contrary faction it was necessary that hee should passe out by that gate of the citie which lead vnto the enemies campe which doubtles was so warded in that troublesome time of the siege that nothing was vnsuspected neither was any man suffered to passe to fro but after a most streight inquiry what letters he conueyed what newes he carried what busines what weapons hee had but hee a wondrous thing passed through the watches without all examination that with letters of credence to the enemy which if the citizens had intercepted without all repriuall or further iudgement he had surely dyed this was an euident argument of Gods prouidence but a greater wonder was that that the same man soone after without all examination passed through the campe of the enemies likewise through the sentinells and seuerall watches of the Souldiers and through the garde which was next the body of the King and in a word through the whole armie which for the most part was compact of hereticks hee himselfe being a man of holy orders and clad in a Friers weede which in the eyes of such men was so odious that in the places adioyning to Paris which a little before they had surprised whatsoeuer Monkes they tooke they either slaughtered or else most cruelly intreated Iudith was a woman therefore no whit hated and yet often examined neither carried she ought about her which might indanger her but this man was a Monke and therefore detested and came very suspiciously with a knife prouided for the feate and that not closed vp in a sheath which had been more excusable but altogether naked and hid in his sleeue which had they bolted out there had been no way but present execution these are al so manifest tokens of Gods especial prouidence as no exception can be taken against them nor could it otherwise be but that God euen blinded the eyes of the enemies least they should discrie him for as before we said albeit some there bee who vniustly ascribe these things to chance and fortune we notwithstanding cannot be perswaded to referre them to any cause but to the will of God nor truely should I otherwise thinke but that I haue subdued mine vnderstanding to obedience in Christ who after so wonderfull a manner prouided both to set at libertie the citie of Paris which then we vnderstoode to be many wayes in great perplexity and distresse as also to auenge the most heynous misdeedes of the King and to take him out of the world by so vnhappy and reprochfull a death truely we did heretofore with some griefe foretel that it would in time fal out that as he was the last of his house so was he like to come to some strange shamefull end which not onely the Cardinalls of Ioyeuse of Lenoncort and Paris but the Embassadour likewise which then was liedger with vs can wel auouch I spake for why we cal not the dead but men aliue to witnes of our words which all of them full well remember notwithstanding howsoeuer wee are now enforced to pleade against this haples King wee doo in no wise touch the Kingdome and royall state of France which as we haue heretofore so still hereafter we will prosecute with all fatherly affection and honorable regarde but this we haue spoken of the kings person onely whose infortunate end hath depriued him of all those rites which this holy seate the mother of all the faithfull and specially of christian Princes is wont to performe to Emperours and Kings after their decease which for him likewise wee had solemnised but that the Scripture in such a case dooth flatly forbid vs. There is saith Saint Iohn a sinne vnto death J say not for that that any man shall pray which may be vnderstoode either of the sinne it selfe as if he should say for that sinne or else for the remission of that sinne I will not that any man should pray because it is vnpardonable or that which sorteth to the same end for that man who committeth a sinne vnto death I wil not that any man should pray of which kinde likewise our Sauiour Christ in Matthew maketh mention that to him which sinneth against the holy Ghost there is no remission either in this world or in the world to come where hee maketh three sortes of sinne against the Father against the Sonne and against the holy Ghost the two former are not so grieuous but pardonable but the third is not to be forgiuen al which difference as the schoolemen out of the Scriptures deliuer it ariseth out of the diuersitie of the properties which are seuerally ascribed to the seuerall persons of the trinity for albeit as there is the same essence so there is the same power wisdome and goodnes of all the persons as we learne out of

serue for a stale to iustifie all villanies alreadie committed but to further and helpe out whatsoeuer we shall conceaue or contriue hereafter But lift a while It was not onely done sayth he by the prouidence and appoyntment but by the assistance of God blasphemous as thou art I blush to heare thee was it not enough to defend a bold and shameles murtherer but must thou also bring in God as accessarie and assistant to the fact I graunt that GOD permitted him but how shall I knowe or whence doest thou gather that his helping hand was present with him Didst thou sée the spirit of God descending downe vpon him Thou liest Sixtus we sawe when Iuppiter in a showre of gold assayed and prooued pearced him with whom it was as easie to sinke through a Friers cowle as through the tyles of a fenced and garded tower Indeed it was a spirit that mooued him but such a one as mooued Iudas to betray Christ not the spirit descending in the shape of a Doue for that spirit induceth to meekenes and not to murther neither was it the spirit which sat vpon the Apostles in the shape of clouen tongues for that spirit did so appeare to poynt out a Churchman his weapon and to shewe that he might strike with no weapon saue with the tongue and if it happened that Peter should drawe out his sword as the Monke did his knife then presently a voice was pronounced put vp thy sword into thy sheath but that could take no hold of the Monke sayth Sixtus for his knife was without a sheath In a word it was no celestiall inspiration it was not the abundance of the spirit but the spirt of abundance which mooued him the onely argument which perswaded Iudas we will giue thee thirtie peeces of siluer and he deliuered them the man for how should wee thinke that he was stirred vp to this act by any secret instinct and zeale of conscience in whose life did neuer appeare any sparke of conscience or religion but all as an vndeuout and vnordered Atheist for humane Sciences or diuine speculation nothing was in him admirable nothing commendable nay nothing vulgar but as a most rude and vnlettered idiot inferiour to the lowest of that monasticall societie for life and conuersation I shame to tell it what was he but a most impure and lecherous Satyr how oft was he traced and found and fetcht out of the Stewes how was hee publikely chastised for his vnchastitie And to shewe that at the first he was enforst to that profession how oft did he assay to deliuer himselfe by flight euen as it were repenting his former vowe groaning vnder the burthen of his profession and still crying Cupio dissolui I desire to become a newe man looking alwayes backe to the lay mans life as Lots wife did to Sodom and in a manner wishing hee had béen turned into a piller of Salt when he was first made a Frier and yet this Monke this Frier Clement was the man the man I say vnto so foule a worke instructed inspired nay assisted by God But gesse agayne and tell me how knowe ye that God was assistant to the worke Because forsooth he had so promised to set at libertie the citie of Paris and to make ye beholden to him and to yeeld him immortall thankes for deliuering the Church from so great dangers But soft a while your Church is not yet deliuered nor yet is Paris set at libertie nay neuer was it in such miserie but were all as well as ye wish yet see I no reason why GOD should be drawne in as accessary to the murther of the King considering that no act is iustified by the successe And certainly I can not see what cause ye haue to boast of successe or of any great deliuerance by his death since whose death all your forces haue been forceles your attempts and intentations fruitles and whatsoeuer ye haue taken in hand it goeth backward so farre was God from furthering you in the murther that euen for the murther he hath scourged and afflicted you euer since which vndoubtedly if he had furthered as intending by it to worke out your deliuerance and release as vainly ye boast then neuer had he installed Nauarra a profest enemie to your practises and procéedings but your miserie was there but begun where ye thought it had béen ended bethinke with your selues how ye are now become defenders who before that murther were the onely assailants and besiedgers consider how often ye are now inforst and driuen into holes whose vncontroled rebellions and tumultuous assemblies all France before was hardly able to holde consider since that time how many thousands of ye haue béen slaughtered how your Nobilitie hath declined your Catholike townes haue reuolted and recoyled remember since that time the successefull attempts of the King against you his victorie at Diepe his Ashwednesday triumph his entring into the Suburbs at Paris the conquests obteyned in the countryes of Vendosme of Mayenne and almost all Normandie remember if ye can with shame the shamefull retreit of Parma the glorious recouerie of Corbeil which after it was with 18 Cannons the space of fiue long weekes battered besiedged and in the ende surrendred yet was it in a trice regayned and repossessed by the King I may not speake of halfe Remember how but yesterday were wrested from your hands the townes of Louuiers of Noyan of Mont-morillon and Chiuigny remember how since that murther your capital Priests and Cardinalls sworne liedgemen to the Apostolick sea haue vnited and knit themselues against you as namely the Cardinall d' Gondi the Cardinall of Armignac the Cardinall of Lenoncourt with the yong Cardinall d' Vendome brother to the late Prince of Conde remember how of late your great God Pan Gregorie the 14. now sweying the Scepter and sitting vpon the Papall seate is debard and excommunicate from all Apostolicall iurisdiction and how in his stead a Primate in France is created how his Bulls were burnt how his Legat Laudriano by a bitter summon was cited to appearance which things no doubt are strange and vnheard of and portend to Babylon some speedie ruine and desolation Thus God deliuereth Paris releaseth your Church furthereth your attempts and fauoureth your murthers You tell vs a long tale of Iudith and Eleazar out of which examples you streine and striue to bring some matter of commendation to your Monke and albeit I will not vtterly condemne so great aduentures vndertaken for the Church yet could I haue wished in Iudith an honester meanes of proceeding and truth to say I see in Eleazar neither meanes nor purpose honest Why a woman in the Church defence might not hazard her person I sée no reason to countermaund it but neither do I see what warrant she had to put her fame her good name and honestie vpon such a venture which she ought to haue tendred as dearely as the whole Church wee may not doo

be wiped out how at that notable occision and famous slaughter surnamed the great massacre being but a stripling boy hee bathed and embrued his hands with innocent bloud which doubtlesse hath since béen so well repayed vpon the heads of the murtherers as fewe of them consorted in the worke whom God did not after marke out with some notable iudgement in so much as euen the Catholiks themselues haue obserued that most of them came to euill ends some of them being afterward endited conuicted and hanged vp for malefactors others desperatly murthering and hanging themselues and they who were inriched by the spoyle dying so beggerly so miserable and poore as not a peny was left to buy a halter but for thē who were the slaughter-masters and ringleaders of that ryot it is playne and manifest how God hath plagued and scourged them considering how the Guize himselfe was prickt stabd to death the Duke of Ioyeuse was slayne in the battaile at Coutraz the late King Henry murthered with an infectious knife and Charles the 9. his brother as some say poysoned or dyed as others report of a fluxe of bloud which at his mouth his eares and nostrils yea at euery passage both vpward and downward issued from him euen as it were vomitting out in his death the bloud which in his life hee had so egerly suckt and certainly God plagued the house of Valoys for that of foure brethren wherof three successiuely raigned no seede was left to sit vpon the throne I speake not of the Marshall d' Retz of Catharine d' Medices Queene Mother and monster of France nor many other moe whose deaths albeit they were suspected yet for that they were doubted I leaue them as matters of vncertaintie But wonderfull it is to consider how manifestly God alwayes auenged himselfe vppon the Leaguers and other French persecuters During the rage and furie agaynst the Saints which were in Prouence in Merindol and Cabriers which was soone after the yeare 1530. how did God note out the chiefe persecuters with some apparant memorable iudgement The Lord of Reuest high President of y e Parliament at Aix ran mad and dyed Lewis d' Vaine was drowned in the riuer of Durance Bartholomeus Cassaneus was striken with a sodayn death Miniers Lord of Opede being not able to voyd it was burnt with his owne vrine and with much impatience and blasphemie consumed away Ihon de Roma a Iacobine Monke and chiefe Inquisitor in this persecution rotted peece meale and dyed in such stench as being dead men were fayne with a hooke to dregge him into a ditch Soone after all this succéeded Henry the second King of France a grieuous oppressor of the Church who aduancing himselfe at the Turney was striken with a speare into the brayne and dyed after him succeeded Francis the second who after one yeares raigne and little more was taken away by an Impostume in the head I speake not of Francis the olde Duke of Guize who was slaine by Poltrat with a dag before Orleans neither of the Marshall of Saint Andrewes who dyed before Dreux nor of the Constable of France who was slayne at Paris nor speake I of the late Cardinall of Lorraine shamefully strangled with a corde nor of Francis of Valoys whom some report to haue dyed of a venereous contagion others gather by the arraignement of the Lord of Salceede that he was subtilly and secretly made away but as they were profest enemies and persecuters of the Church so were they scourged for their crueltie and what shall befall the remainder since of so cursed a crue so many still remayne I cannot I dare not prophecie but sure I am that God is iust and will not tolerate so foule offenders to triumph in impunitie Neuerthelesse what I haue sayd to this ende haue I sayd it that all the world might see that they were not the offences you dreame of for which GOD deliuered vp this King to so open a iudgement not for reciding or falling away from you but rather for cleauing too fast vnto you for that foolish and indulgent loue he carried toward you and for his mortall hate agaynst y e Church and Saints of God whom as with other he persecuted so with other he perished so that whatsoeuer his offences were wee all confesse he was a grieuous offender But how then shall Peters successor therefore say to a Monke as the holy Ghost sometyme sayd to Peter Arise and kill Was there no choyce no discretion no difference to bee made Harke Sixtus a Poet can teach thee wit Etsi ego indignus qui haec patiar tu tamen indignus qui faceres Euery man is not meete to execute iustice vpon euery offender suppose thy father had deserued death yet art thou an vnfit man to appeale him but more vnfit to bee his executioner What if Saul deserued to bee depriued of his kingdome yet was not euery priuate man to lay vnhallowed hands vppon him and graunt wee that Henry had heynously offended will it therefore in reason followe that euery miscreant Monke shall dare to pray vpon him Saint Paule could not beare it that a Bishop or man of a spirituall profession should be a striker and may he be a murtherer Nay your selues deliuer vp to the secular authoritie whō before ye haue for heresie endited and condemned to shew that ye may pollute your hands with no bloud no not of most capitall transgressors and may yee bath your hands in innocent bloud We knowe he had highly offended the Maiestie of GOD but in regard of you we dare auouch him innocent But suppose he had as deepely offended you the positiue lawes giue this fauour to an offender that notwithstanding hee hath been alreadie arraigned endited condemned and at the place of execution stand readie to be executed yet he that shall offer violence to slay him shall stand as lyable to lawe as if he had slayne another man Is there such fauour affoorded to an offender after iudgement and may ye murther him whom ye neuer condemned neuer conuinced neuer accused It was requisite that before your rigorous and deadly execution ye should depose and depriue him from al kingly titles and authoritie did ye euer so depriue him It was expedient that before that depriuation yee should first excommunicate him for while he was a member of the Church he must néedes be the head of his kingdome did yee euer excommunicate him Before yée could proceed to the Ecclesiasticall censure agaynst him ye should first haue conuinced him as worthie of it did ye euer so conuince him Where was hee conuented when was it pleaded who were the witnesses what were the crimes obiected against him Forsooth he refused to assist the quarrell of the League a shamefull vntrueth he onely preuented the practises against his person which were coloured by the quarrell of the League Yea but he caused the Guize be slaine who was y e Champion of the Church good reason