ANTISIXTVS An oration of Pope Sixtus the fift vppon the death of the late French King Henrie the third WITH A Confutation vpon the sayd Oration wherein all the treacherous practises of the house of Lorraine are largely described and layde open vnto the view of the world with a briefe declaration of the Kings death and of many other things worthy the noting which neuer yet came to light before Translated out of Latin by A. P. LONDON Printed by Iohn Wolfe 1590. An Oration of Pope Sixtus the fift vpon the death of King Henry the third in Rome in the full assemblie of the Cardinalles COnsidering oftentimes with my selfe and applying my whole vnderstanding vnto these things which now of late by a iust iudgement of God are come to passe I thinke I may with right vse the words of the Prophet Abacuck saying I haue wrought a worke in your daies and none will beleeue it though it be told them The French King is slaine by the hands of a Friar for vnto this it may fitly be compared although the Prophet spake of an other thing namely of the incarnation of our Lord which excéedeth and surmounteth all other wonders and miracles whatsoeuer as also the Apostle S. Paul referreth the same wordes vnto the resurrection of Christ When the Prophet sayde a worke his minde was not to signifie by it some common or ordinarie thing but a rare and notable matter and a déede worthie to be remembred as that of the creation of the worlde The heauens are the workes of thine handes And againe He rested the seauenth day of all the workes which he had made When he sayth I haue wrought with these wordes the holy Scripture is wont to expresse thinges not come to passe by casualtie fortune or accident but things befallen by the determined prouidence will and ordinance of God as our Sauiour sayde The workes which I doe yée shall doe also and yet greater and many more such like wherewith the holy Scriptures are replenished And that he saith that it is done in times past herein hee followeth the vse and order of the other Prophets who for the certentie of the euent are wont to prophesie of things to come as if they were past alreadie For the Philosophers say that things past are of necessitie things present of being and thinges to come only of possibilitie For which certaintie the Prophet Isaie long before prophisying of the death of Christ hath thus spoken He was led as a shéepe to the slaughter and like a dumme lambe before his shearer so opened hée not his mouth c. And this whereof we speake at this present and which is come to passe in these our dayes is a famous notable and an vncredible thing not done or atcheiued without the particular prouidence and disposition of the Almightie A Friar hath kilde a King not a painted one or drawen vpon a péece of paper or pictured vpon a wall but the King of France in the midest of his armie compassed and enuiconed round about with his Guard and Souldiers which truely is such an act and donne in such a manner that none will beléeue it when it shall be tolde them and perhaps our posteritie and the age to come will account and estéeme it but a fable That the king is dead or else slaine it is easily to be beléeued but that he is kild and taken away in this sort is hardly to be credited euen as we presently agrée vnto this that Christ is borne of a woman but if we adde vnto it of a woman virgine then following naturall reason we can in no wise assent vnto it Euen so we lightly beléeue that Christ died but that he is risen vp againe from death to life it falleth harde vnto mans vnderstanding and therefore not lightly digested That one is wakened againe out of a sléepe extasie or a sound because it is not against nature we naturally beléeue it but to be risen againe from death it séemeth so vncredible vnto the flesh that S. Paule desputing in Athens of this point was nushked greatly and accused to be a setter soorth of new Gods so that many as S. Luke witnesseth did mocke him and many for the strangenesse of the doctrine saide We will heare thée againe of this thing Of such things therefore which befall not according to the lawes of nature and the ordinarie course thereof speaketh the Prophet That none shall beléeue it when it shall be tolde them But wee giue credite vnto it by consideration of the omnipotencie of God and by submission of our vnderstanding vnder the obedience of faith and seruice which we owe vnto our Sauiour Christ And by these meanes this that was incredible by nature commeth credible by faith therefore we that beléeue not after the flesh that Christ is borne of a virgine yet when there is added vnto it that this was doone supernaturally by operation of the holy Ghost then truely we agree vnto it and faithfully beléeue it So likewise when it is saide that Christ is risen againe from the dead as wee are flesh onely we beléeue it not but when it is affirmed that this was done by the power of the diuine nature which in him was then without any doubting we beléeue it In the same manner when it shall be tolde vs that such a mightie King was kilde by a poore simple and a weake Friar euen in the middest of his arnne and enuironed with his Guardo and Souldiers to our naturall reason and fleshly capacitie it will séeme vncredible yet considering on the other side the great and grieuous sinnes of this King and the speciall prouidence of the almightie herein and by what accustomed and wonderfull meanes he hath accomplished his most iust will and iudgement against him then most firmely we will beléeue it Therefore this great miraculous worke I may but onely ascribe it vnto the particular prouidence of God not as those that referre all things amisse vnto some ordinarie causes or vnto fortune or such like accidentarie euentes but as those who more néere obseruing and looking in the course of the whole matter easely sée that here in this befell many things which could in no wise haue béene brought to passe and dispatched without the speciall helpe of God And truely the state of Kings and kingdoms and all other such rare and weightie affaires should not be thought to be gouerned of God rashly and vnaduisedly In the holy Scripture some are of this kind and none of them can be referred vnto any other thing but vnto God the only author therof yet there are none wherein the celestiall operation more appeareth then in this whereof we speake at this present We read in the first booke of the Machab. the 6. chap. how Eleazar offered himselfe vnto a certaine death to kill the king that was an enemie and persecutor of the people and children of God For in the battell espying an Eliphant more excellent then any
without punishment to destroy not a citizen but a magistrate not a magistrate but a king but doost also most impudently defend the déed and teachest this to be the readiest and spéediest way to heauen with poison sword fraude and treason to kill Kings that are the maiestie of mankinde the true patterne of Celestiall power and the liuelie Images of the King of Kings And this is it I thinke Quod vix credat quisquam cum narrabitur That none will beléeue it though it shall bée tolde them because the like was neuer heard amongest the Turkes And the Tartarians and barbarous nations when they come to heare it wil for the straungenes thereof presently shake and tremble Is not this then great cruell and execrable great truelye it should be if yet greater did not follow after Why doest thou quake Sixtus can there be saide any thing more haynouser I truly we are fallen in those daies in the which the aboundance of wickednesse maketh vs destitute of wordes and in the which it is scarse counted trespas which in times past hat béene most iustly executed as hie treason So it is I say that the destinies of our age haue brought forth a villanous déede not the like redde or hearde before No time euer hath séene a king slaine by like treason yet in the murther is something that will rather frette thee then make thée to maruaile Why should not the casuall hande of this inraged murtherer accomplish the like that the premeditated and forecast counsel of the traitour hath performed There haue béene some whom the wild boare hath slaine some whom the stagge bring intangled in the nettes some died by the vnskilfull cutting of a vaine some with the stroke of a horse héele and finally if we looke narrowly vnto it we shall finde almost so many kindes and sundry deaths of kinges as there haue béene princes And therfore I tremble not so much at the strangenes of this as at the example thereof I will not say that thou the father of kinges in Christ for so thou louest to be tearmed hast béene grieued mourned wept and called vpon God the strong reuenger of all iniquity for this moste heauy chaunce and misfortune of thy first begotten sonne but setting aside all piety and naturall affection to haue vndertaken voluntarily and without compulsion the defence of the murtherer maintayned with thy authority arguments and lawes the nocent innocency of this accursed cut-throate and in remembrance of thy sonne to haue most cruelly inueighed against his dead body and this it is Sixtus which I cannot heare reade or remember with a quiet and vntroubled minde Good God I sée in one crime two offences two hainous murtherers him first who most treacheroslic hath assaulted his naturall Prince then him who reuengeth not the destroyer of his sonne but excuseth him and is not contented to excuse him but defendeth him and doth not onely defende him but praiseth him yea by a most exquisite and singular comparison canonizeth him amongst his Saintes of Heauen Auoid auoide therefore hence all naturall affection Sixtus hath banished thés out of the Romaine Empire As long as hée raigneth goe visite the Tartarians and Muskouites and other more barbarous nations if there be any here are none that will intertaine thée no not receaue thée without thy perill But O yée Frenchmen it were not manfully done to leaue vnreuenged the death of your most Christian King who will suffer them to triumphe with proude orations ouer the treacherous murthering of your prince Let mée bée nothing estéemed off if I reuenge it not and requite this vnto thee Sixtus giue eare onely vnto mee and that our posterity may know thee and thy vile and bloudy excutioner and al those that were of this conspiracy first hear in short and true words the chaunce of this mighty Potentate that by the greatnes of the murther all our succession may iudge him guiltie hereof that did defend it The Historiographers haue written diuers causes of the originall of the ciuill wars in the time of Charles the ninth according as they were ledde with loue and hate which they did beare vnto the Potentates and Nobility of Fraunce yet it is knowen to euery man that after the departure of Henrie the thirde into Polonia the house of Guise chiefely the two brethren Frauncis and Charles Cardinalls through a desire of raigning haue corrupted first their owne and then all the counsell of the Realme For Empires first of all must be troubled and shaken before they can bée ouerthrowne and subuerted And from thence all these ciuill warres haue taken their beginning At that present the Kinges house was yet mighty and strong with diuers brethren and kinsemen vnto whome the Crowne without contradicttion after the decease of the King belongeth And vnlesse they were all dispatched the Guises knew verie wel that their hope was but vaine Amongst the Kinges kindred Lodowick prince of Condy was most feared as one indewed with singular graces and alone sufficient to sustaine all their attemptes and to breake and bring to naught all their desperate enterprises Who whether he now long since hath lefte this worlde to the good or bad fortune of this Realme through the popes authority and ancient Romane religion hauing followed as they say the better for at that time there was a great talke ouer all christendome of a reformation of all hereticall errors and opinions I know not But first they set vpon him accusing him of heresie and corrupting of religion which then was a difficult and hainous crime hauing him first sued in law as an enemy of the apostolike Sea presently after persecuted him with sword and fire He on the other side not disprouided destitute of corage frends and helpe the new religion now being spred in al citties of France and euerie day the number of his increasing being likewise aided by the counsell of the chiefest and best of the Realme who detested and hated the Guises great ambitiō and suspected their power did valiantly withstand them And here out is first come the vnhappy distinction of the names of Catholiks and protestants and the deadly mortall diuision of this Realme which I feare me can neuer be agréede againe vnlesse by a long peace and great loue all causes of ambition hee remoued and quite taken away broils now being raised euery wher which thē might haue béen easely repressed vnles the fatal destinies of France had letted it the Guises proclaime open war ayainst the prince of Conde and al heretikes and easely perswaded thervnto the king himselfe and his mother a very desperat and an audacious woman And now séeing that they could bring his M. to consent vnto al whereunto the thought good themselues for the small experience which he dad caused presently all those whom they thought were aduersaries vnto their subtil dealings partly through feare and accusation of the like offence of heresie to voide the court by al means sought
nowe againe to be séene for at the arriuall of this mightie prince and vnlooked for armie the hearts of all the good being herewith incouraged and of the conspirators terrified de Maine himselfe to represse and stay by his presence the common report of the people complaining already against the intollerable insolences of the souldiours and féeling a dearth of all maner of victuals and necessaries commonly the only causes of vproares and sedisions in great cities is constrained to returne again to Paris with his mutinous companies which hee had brought from thence into the territories of Tours to place them euery where in garrisons His departure was not vnlike a cowardly running away the K. of Nauarre following him so neere vpon his héeles that he put al the hindermost of thē all straglers to the sword His maiesty in the meane time fortified with a power of Switzers incoraged with some good successe against the rebelles commeth in person in his camp and marcheth directly to Paris with al his forces to punish them for their treacherie rebellion Help commeth to him from all parts his bands increase dayly in number fame and power The state of the realm thus suddenly chāged as the hearts of men are commonly inconstant and wauering the chiefe cities beginne to intreate vpon peace the German and Italian Princes to send ambassadors to wish wel to his M. to promise him mony and men and some of the first conspirators also through dispaire flie to his mercy All thinges finally fal contrary vnto the Guises expertatiōs now out of all hope to looke any more as long as the King liued for any condition of agréement or surety of life The conspirators all begin to tremble at this new and suddaine chaungement doubtfull what to doe or to vndertake yet the ring-leaders of the rebellion assemble togither in counsell to determine vppon the extremitie of their affaires One among the rest whose name shall be knowen and spread abroade by his execution declareth the daunger wherein they liue what they haue in France lesse trustie That the minds of the nobilitie were mutable and inconstant falling alwayes on fortunes side That the fearefull Cities coulde not bée kepte faithfull vnto them vnlesse they were partakers of the like rebellion and treachery if liberty were giuen vnto them that ere long they woulde reuolte to the king again That the cleargie was couetous and neuer did giue but little of their own vnto their kings that therefore there was but small hope that they woulde giue more vnto them that could and might but intreate for it That this was their case at home from abroad lesse hope was to be looked for That the Spaniard was olde carefull for the quietnesse of his owne family vnto whome it was more surer that France were troubled then vsurped by any but himselfe That the Italian Princes were circumspect and wise and those of Germany couetous and misers That the Pope was subtill crafty and inconstant gréedy for his own gain turning with euery blast of Fortune That therefore all his hope stoode in himselfe if they had any good successe that they should want nothing but otherwise that they néeded not to looke for any help safety but in their héeles and flight Finally that by the death of one King all their affaires might bée repaired and that only was to be intended and labored how by what meanes the Prince was to be dispatched or murthered That there was no other remedie for the redresse of their distressed estate Hereunto they apply all their witte and industry and there are not found wanting some who offered themselues to be ministers of this villanous trechery Many are solicited and prouoked thereunto by great promises according as they had a quicknesse of hand to performe such an act a desperate audacitie of mind to dare vndertake it Amongst them al Sixtus is found Clement th◠welbeloued a Friar Iacobin fit and ready for such a trecherous enterprise yer trusting not so much vppon his owne boldnesse wherin not withstanding hée greatly did excell all his fellow-friars then knowing that Friars but chiefely those of his order had alwaies had a frée acces vnto his Maiesty wher other verie seldome were admitted but at certaine howrs This from his youth of hauing béene brought vp in the monasterie very-poorely hath giuen oftentimes notable tokens of his vngodly inclination and vilde disposition which many haue heard out of the Deanes owne mouth and for his lewdnesse by their order of discipline hath béene often diuersly punished yet nothing to his amendement was most often taken in stews and whore houses oftentimes assaied to runne away No godlinesse piety or learning hee had no not so much as the knowledge of the French letters which any wayes might haue commended him Which I think good to be spoken of this accursed murtherer that our posterity may iudge whether thy words are worthy of a sacred mouth that doth not make God only himselfe priuy of manslaughter pardon I craue O Iehoua but farther dost presume to say that he hath communicated vnto a desperate bloudshedder the giftes of his spirite and such motions of the minde which haue beene graunted only vnto his Prophetes and Apostles This Friar nowe sent out of Paris goeth directly to the Campe vppon this prouiso notwithstanding that all those that were suspected to bee of the Kinges side should be kept fast within the Cittie wherevppon his life did stand altogether Those whom bee met first solde them that he brought letters and writings from certaine Parisians who were greatly affectionated and known vnto the King that they contained matters of great importance And that hee besides had other things to be disclosed vnto none but vnto his Maiesty heruppon was brought vnto the king with like facillity as all the rest of his order were before Gréeteth the king but risen and yet scarse ready and at such a time as he was wōt to bee alone deliuereth the letters the which when his M. had perused demanded him what newes he brought The Friar falleth vpon his knées the king at that present sitting in a chaire and inclining his eare to heare what hee would say stabbed him with a knife which he had made poisoned for that purpose The prince hereuppon crieth out the Lordes presently come running into his chamber after many wounds slay this cursed and most miserable wretch Clemens as also him that came with him although the king did most earnestly forbid it for to learne by them the order of the conspiratis the signes tokens and conspirators who if they were knowen as no double they shall be yet hereafter I can not tell Sixtus whether◠thou shalt bee able to shake from thy souldiers the suspition of this bloudy crime or at the least to haue béene the inuentor of this vngodly counsell But the author of truth hath kept it to himselfe till the time of thy punishment Great heauinesse and
learned by experience that pittie preuailed more then fauour Finally that hereupon they néeded not long to beate their braines but that hee was to be conuayed away and dispatched out of hande Hereunto they all condescend Now vpon the death of their Lord the seruantes determine the annointed of the Lord and reuerented of so many Nations is bequeathed vnto their bloudie swordes The day nowe appointed and their desperate wickednesse sealed with an oth they all depart It was not néedefull to haue any bewraying hereof for it was not vnknowen but vnto them which were remooued into the vtmost partes of Europe that this was the Guises pretence and had béene long since To what end tended else the arming of his rebellious bandes so often against his Prince But certaine it is that he was aduertised by the Duke de Mayne yet liuing of his brothers vngodly practises wyth these words that his Maiesty should take héede of a furious and desperate mind And one of the conspirators as it is most alwayes séene in such-like actions moued in conscience disclosed vnto his Maiesty the whole conspiracie the day appointed the tokens the conspirators themselues but in so short a tyme that he had scarce opportunitie to escape this imminont daunger The king now destitute of al meanes of deliberation and beaton wyth his owne rod ouerthrowed not the conspirators but preuented them in one day There was hope that this burning fire of ciuill broyles should haue bin quenched séeing that the flaming torches of these tumults were now extinguished And it pleased God Sirtus that France should nowe enioie peace but not thy Holinesse Hereupon the conspirators who were not the better but the greater parte beganne to hang downe theyr heades to séeke holes to hide themselues and through feare to runne to their holdes and places of defence One parte gaue ouer their enterprise and brake their faith giuen But shortly after when they saw that the Prince by some fatall and disasterous leuitie vsed no further rigour against them that he was satisfied wyth the punishment of two only that he had but imprisoned sixe and had sent away the rest vntouched and that the siege of Orleans which hée had begunne to batter but slackely was raysed by the comming of the Mayne Then suddenly they beganne to runne as mad men beganne to strike alarme to surprise Citties to slaunder the name and credite of their Prince wyth diuerse outragious speaches To disanull and abolishe the Lawes the Magistrates and all that was royall in the Realme all that was sacred and auncient and to induce newe strange and intollerable ordinances Finally driuen wyth a senslesse fury to exercise tyranny and crueltie against themselues insomuch that almost no Citie or towne hath escaped their owne Citizens massacres robberies banishments proscriptions and yet farre greater cruelties then the enemy himselfe coulde haue imagined And this through a iust iudgement of God iustly taking vengeance for so many murthers sheading of innocent blood and innumerable villanies by them committed And by these moanes a more desperate and bloodie warre then euer was before is nowe renewed The Mayne who a little before had béene the bewrayer and accuser of his brothers treason is chosen chiefe of these inraged and desperate companies When uppon suddenly the whole Realme beginneth to rebell And truly freely I would haue it to be spoken by the kings owne fault who euer had reiected al good wholsome and profitable counsell before he was driuen to these extremities Parts gaue vnto the rest an example of rebellion as it was reason she being the first inriched with sundry gifts of kings and the imperiall of the Realme All the rest followed few onely excepted And as they were before striuing who shoulde be more affectionated vnto his prince so nowe they contend who shal excéed in outragiousnes against him And to the end that nothing should be wanting to the fulnes of their treacherie they require and séeke for thy authoritie Sixtus for the iudgements of the diuines for the consent of the clergis and al was presently at their command Urban one of the Magistrates in Paris demaunding in the full assemblie of thâ—se of the Sorbonne Whether the Frenchmen could be godly and honestly released from their other made vnto the king Answere was made that they could This answere is brought vnto the Magistrate and with drawne swords is commaunded to approoue the same The Senat flatly denieth such a wicked acte to be lawfull worthy of the ancient loyaltie of France And sitting a little vpon it the mutinous people brake opeÌ„ the gates of the pallace and selfe not vpon one or two of the Magistrates but vpon them all and cast the whole bench in prison the onely maiestie of the Realme Presently a newe Counsell is chosen which approouing the answere of the vngodly diuines dischargeth the people of their othes thrust the king out of his kingdome The Clergie commendeth this new counsel and presently hereupon the noyse of the Popes thunderbolte is heard rowling from the high Capitoll and threatening foorthwyth as they sayde the ouerthrowe of all the principall mountaines of France In the yeare 1589. the king beeing at that instant at Blois tydings was brought vnto his Maiestie that Paris Roan Lions Tholouse and the cities of the Realme were all reuolted and that not one was remaining which was not insected with some notable treacherie It was told vnto his maiestie also how Brisac Boidaulphin and the lorde Chastre whom he had suffred to goe home vntouched vpon their othes vpon the Guyses death had broken their promise so solemnely confirmed were reuolted to the enimy Moreouer that the Spanyard the Italian Princes the Dukes of Loraine and Sauoy together with the inraged furious people had sworne the Guises reuengement That he was not in safety in Bloys wheresoeuer be turned himselfe that all places were surprised and vntrustie That at the one side the conspirators did presse him at the other side the king of Nauarre wyth a great power came to inuade the realme being alreadie at Samure and had taken all the cities thereabout The king thus crost with so many troubles and aduersities at once pensiue what to do and put aside from al other hope is forced to apply the vttermost remedy to an extreme fore disease and that which he had neglected in the ful prosperity of his wealth power and gouernment craueth now voluntarily being almost dispossessed of his crowne kingdom Calleth not without gods appointment to his aid the king of Nauarre his mortall enimy but his most necessarie and profitable friend if long before he had vsed him He although greatly-iniured and offended although so oftentimes at the Guyses request by him assaulted with war presently vnlooked for commeth to the king his brother with a chosen army not only great in number but also in valor so that euery coÌ„mon souldier might haue supplied the roome of anie officer A great change is
sorrowe was seene in al the Campe but greate ioye among the ennemy whose reioysing voices were hearde at that instant demanding one of another whether the Friars knife was sufficiently sharpe or not The King thus wounded was laid in his bed wher he yeelded by his ghost vnto God the next night following hauing before made his will and set al things in good order Here haue you hearde the ende of this mighty Prince and here may you beholde as in a looking glasse the ouerthrowe of a whole Realme I see many thinges in it to bee lamented Wheresoeuer I turne my selfe I can perceaue nothing but a dreadfull horrour a cruell and blouddy spectacle yet nothing more heauily doth present it selfe afore vs then thine Oration Sixtus an ouerplus to the common griefe Farre bee such a shame from vs lette it suffice vs to haue lost a good Prince and that by our owne faulte and negligence as to suffer the name of the dead to bée slandered and defamed and the Monuments of so many worthy acts destroyed Therfore I demand first of thée Sixtus by what lawes that I shall contend with thée With Christian lawes But what hast thou to doe with Christ whose birth and buriall thou â—landerest with a most detestable murtherers comparison With the lawes of nature but by what bandes of nature can bee vpholden the maintainer of willfull murther Howe then with the ciuil lawes The statutes of Princes and the ciuill lawes haue enacted diuers and seuere punishmentes vnto those that offended but by chaunce but vnto those that reuenged their priuate quarrell by their own authoritie fearfull torments What punishments doe they alot then vnto those who violat ouerthrow the welfare af a common wealth truly almost incredible But I see that I am constrained to séeke out new lawes to deale with thée I am ready for it Thou the autor of new offences shalt bée my lawe and witnesse Europe the court and the Heauens the Iudges and vpon these equall conditions I will pleade against thée Come then and hearken first vnto this It séemeth verie straunge vnto mee and therefore make me somewhat better acquainted with it that thou so oftentimes vsurpest the worde of Gods iudgement Could not this suffice thee to know God to bée the best of all goodnesse but to say that hée willed such a detestable and wicked act In déede wée sée euerie where his wonderful iudgements and we know that Princes the larger their gouernement hath béene the greater accounts they haue to make Besides if kinges had committed any offence that not onely themselues did smart for it but sometimes all their subiects felt the punishment thereof Both is to be séene in the holie Scriptures I will not deny but that this prince hath suffered deserued punishment if thou doest regard God onely in whose eies all thinges are corrupt naught and crooked nothing entire or vndefiled But leaue the iudgement hereof vnto God not vnto thy selfe Sixtus How knowest thou whether this is in stéede of a blessing and benefit which thou thinkest to be a curse and a punishment Did not Iosias also die an vntimely death doth not God most often cal them first vnto him whom he loueth Are tirants not séene oftentimes to raigne and liue longest and good princes seldome come to great age Superfluous nay too curoius it were Sixtus to search examin these things more impious to iudge them But let it be so I grant this vnto thée Shall therfore the excuse and cloake of Gods iudgement protect defend the cause of a murtherer the king of France for his offences hath deserued some heauy punishment at Gods haÌ„ds doth it follow therfore the he is to he accounted godly great famous happy and worthy the title of an Emperor whosoeuer of the common people the most abiect and vilest shall haue murthered his Prince Then with thée that sonne shall be accounted innocent that is a reuenger of his fathers offence by his fathers death and the indignation of those children estéemed iust spilling the bloud of their parentes in Gods quarrell What is he worthy any longer to be reuerenced and honored with the title of a father who liketh the example of naturall affection violated and quite extinguished Herewith thou art touched Sixtus but wherfore art thou so soone afeard thou hast no cause yet to tremble these are but toyes and trifles come but néere for to heare that which shall not make thée pale but altogether senselesse Let first the lawes of bloud and nature which are the sacred bandes of humaine societie depart and goe aside for as long as they are present I haue no reason to speake any word at all I grant againe that it is lawfull by thy lawes to kill parents condemned by iudgement and an executioner not to be wanted in the citie as long as the offenders sonne is found present Let thy iudge then pronounce sentence and say That lawfully the sonne may kill the father but let him adde vnto it at the least accused noted and condemned of a notorious offence as an enemie vnto the coÌ„mon wealth that by these meanes the priuate lawes of a familie may be disanulled by those which concerne the publike vtilitie But contrariwise if thou destroyest the publike commoditie by a publicke offence away with thy lawes for they cannot be exogated with the welfare of a common wealth Let vs now sée then Here lyeth wallowing in his bloud not the father of a priuate familie but hée of a great kingdome not the griefe of one household but the heauinesse and sorrow of a whole realme most trecherously procured And yet doest thou commende this and sayest that he is murthered worthely Well let it be so so that he for whom we mourne be too worthy for to die after such a manner But what was the offence in the reuenge whereof the diuine the ciuill the common and priuate lawes did cease and loyter Thou sayst that he hath commanded Lodouick the Cardinall the Guise his brother to be executed whose consecrated head was not to be touched but only by full authoritie from the Bishop of Rome Thou cruell beast dost thou say that it is not lawfull for a King ruling onely by Gods grace and authoritie to punish traytors against his Maiestie and conuicted so oftentimes to haue troubled the publike peace and that it is permitted vnto a gracelesse Friar to stabbe a Prince for to haue iustly executed a Cardinall What say ye to this O ye Princes of Europe vpon whose neckes this cruell and bloudie Lyon treadeth If he were to be punished it was not to be done after that order witnesses were to be produced the offender was to be heard iudges to be chosen no hast was to be made vpon the execution of so great a Potentate As if he wanted witnesses by whose ambition now 3. yeares together France hath béene disquieted with ciuill warres but his execution was to be delayed to what end To the
troubling of good men to the murthering of his Prince to the ruine and ouerthrow of the whole realme all which but a day before was preuented But heare sirha by what law dost thou exempt thy disciples of common iustice more then any other Forsooth that the lawes should shew rigour against euery poore wretch for euery small trespasse that it should be lawfull vnto Priests Bishops and Cardinals to commit great and haynous crimes without offence That Princes ordinances should haue no iurisdiction ouer them If they offended that they should make lawes for their own purpose The example pleaseth me and verely I thinke it to be so altogether after the saying of the Euangelist that we should flollow the wordes but not the workes of those that sit in the cheare of Moyses But hee Sixtus that was both God and man thy better and greater scorned not to appeare before the tribunall seate of an earthly Iudge and being brought into iudgement complayned not of the Iudge Iames and Andrewe Apostles and Saint Stephen a Martyr haue submitted them selues vnder the laws And Saint Paule being imprisoned defended not his libertie by the preeminence of an Apostle but by the title of a Citizen of Rome But I knowe what thou wilt aunswere hereupon that Christ and his Apostles had not so great a libertie as the Church hath at this day it is true Well séeing that the blinde and ignorant ages haue ordained this let vs beare the burthen which our ancestors haue layde vpon our shoulders let the Clergie reioyce in her fréedome but let them exercise their libertie of offending onely betwéene and vpon themselues and let Princes and their subiectes be safe from their audacitie and the common wealth voyde of treacherie and such like diuelish practises If not heare our lawes and the seuere ordinances of our Kinges who haue exempted alwayes from your priuiledges publike crymes and offences of treason and such other like conspiracies which might turne to the damage of the common wealth Heare the wordes of thy predecessor Innocent Qui de Ecclesia aliquem exemerit vel in ipsa ecclesia vel loco vel cultui Sacerdotibus ministris aliquid iniuriae importauerit ad instar publici criminis laesae Maiestatis accusabitur conuictus seu confessus capitali sententia a Rectoribus prouinciae puniatur What doest thou answere hereupon art thou not yet conuicted doest thou demande examples to confirme it Peruse the monumentes of thy Predecessors and then yéelde some reason wherefore it be not as lawefull vnto a king to doe the like in his Realme which was permitted vnto Nicholas the fift in the Church against Porcarius and Sarra both famous knightes of Rome vnto Plus against Carrapha and Rebiba Cardinalles against Palian and Alphius noble Earles of Italie which vnto many other Whose steppes are yet to be séene in diuerse places nay vnto thy selfe that hast séene Rome slowing with running streames of bloud and many Noble mens heads to stand vpon poales vppon the gates of the Cittie But loe yet once I am mistaken and nowe the thirde time I confesse that thou hast right Without doubt it was a haynous offence for a King to haue punished a Cardinall although a rebell a traytor laying ambushes to murther his Prince tempering poyson to dispatch him heyring villaines to performe the déede All these are purged quite washt away with the sacred oyle of Chrisme wherewith whosoeuer is annointed is set frée for euer from all authoritie and secular power He therefore that shall haue touched but with his least finger one sealed with this noble and worthy caractar I affirme with thée that God himselfe is not able to deliuer him from danger But likewise grant this vnto me Sixtus that all these offences slanders and accusations wherewith in great heapes thou chargest the king are contayned and included in the death and execution of both the Guises and this onely excepted him to be altogether blamelesse and innocent which if thou dost grant me I demand of thée likewise wherefore didst thou not only foretell long before the dolefull kinde of death of this Prince but didst wish for it Wherefore callest thou Ioiosa and Lenocurtius Cardinals and him of Paris witnesses of thy vnluckly south-saying what curse of thée had the poore Prince deserued at that time when thou didst sée Ioiosa and Lenocurtius At that time the Guyses were not yet executed Nauarre was not yet sent for no truce was made with the Heretikes for what occasion then as a dismall and filthy Owle didst thou foreshow an vnaccustomed and shamefull end of his life Did not he proclaime warre against the Heretikes in the yeare 85 Was not the Guise made chiefe of the whole armie to the ruine and ouerthrowe of the whole Realme Were not the Germaine forces discomfited what was there omitted because he would not forsake and be deposed from his crowne and goe to prison because he would not commit the gouernement of his realme vnto the Guyse or vnto the Spaniard onely therefore by a prettie allusion thou hast destinated him to an extreame punishment as the last of his name and family Thou scorner and mocker of our griefe come hether wilt thou goe about with nightcrowes to mollifie thy words and hinder with a subtil eloquence the deserued rigor punishment due to a hainous offence By these means thou defilest most filthely the remembrance of him whom so long for his discent for his worthy actes both done at home and abroade the destinies of this Realme haue aduanced to imperiall dignitie and promotion and so thou requitest him with slaunders by whose grandfathers and auncestors thy sea hath béene ouercharged and laden with innumerable benefites Heyda Sixtus thy aduice pleaseth mée and thy witte worthie onely of such a high Bishop as thou art But here I appeale vnto all these Princes that are liuing at this time and also vnto them that shall hereafter come to reade these our writings that they may acknowledge with mée the woonderfull iudgements of the Lorde and the mockeries and changes of fickle fortune The mightiest Prince of Europe is murthered and liue he shoulde yet if long agone he had not norished his bloodshedders with his owne and with the blood of the whole realme and whose liues maners and exercises he loued more then his owne welfare by their fraude sword and treacherie he is depriued of his life Hee is gone oh horrible by their meanes whose safetie when onely he intended neglected his subiects and his owne welfare And besides are not yet ashamed to say but too too bolde that by their deuises the Realme falling to decay might haue béene repaired and supported His ghost is accused but by him whom he hath defended with al carefulnes being vpon this world whom he loued most dearely whom he reuerenced aboue measure far more then he was worthie of The doleful monuments of his loue and loyalty towards thée are yet extant wherof I would
to God that the remembrāce could bee extinguished and quite defaced To what ende tended so many ciuil warres so many massacres so many proscriptions which France hath suffered then onely that thy wealth might remaine vntouched and all thine might liue in euerlasting securitie And yet funeralles and the last home of the body is denied him Moreouer from yearely praiers from whence no enemie euer hath bene barred he is excluded and by those at whose request we haue séene him so oftentymes humblie but not Princely walke barefoote without Scepter or Crowne and his sworde downewarde For whose dwelling and abiding places he complained that his kingdome was not great enough for whose welfare hée himselfe hath not onely prayed most oftentymes but hath emoyned vnto his people to doe the like I will now make an ende in one worde None coulde méete him that were as welcome vnto him as Friars none loued the order of Priestes more entirely then hee and of him no body was more estéemed of reuerenced and honoured then the bishop of Rome And vnto him his destinies haue procured a friar to be his murtherer priestes his deadly ennemies and the Pope his accuser I craue pardon of thée O naturall affection if it be lawfull to argue vpon the death of my Prince in a publike griefe if this be the argument of my meditations I will come anone vnto thée Sixtus when I shall bee resolued of this point wherefore doost thou denie vnto a dead Prince the gift of a little dust and comfortable prayers vnto his soule What Art thou so obstinately angrie and offended with him as to shewe extreme crueltie vppon his ashes Leaue his body to be torne at pleasure vnto thy bloody butchars let his soule enioy at the least eternall rest to desire that both be cast away is too vnnaturall rigorous and cruell Can the high Bishoppe not bée appeased wyth lesse punishmentes I demaunde whether this be godlie and christianlie spoken O ye Princes of the earth giue eare vnto me The holy Bishop of Rome denounceth by Apostolicall authority that he hath opened the gates of heauē to Iames Clement for to haue murdred the most christian King of France and that vnto the dead body of the King worthely the pompe of funeralles and the honour of buriall may be denied yea that lesse is praiers and songes For to haue denied vnto the Guyses the goueruement of the Realme at his request Therefore what King soeuer whether he be an Hereticke or Catholicke if presently he disposeth not his Crowne at the pleasure of the high Priest to giue it vnto him vnto whome it shall bee commanded him let him looke for no better end in this life and in the life to come And whosoeuer shall haue oppressed by sword or poison secretly or opēly valiantly or by deceit any Prince Emperor or Monarch not obaying our sacred thunderbolts Let him as a starre with a new shining light increase the number of the stars in the firmament This is the will of Christ his vicar The successor of S. Peter and S. Paule Apostles What neede haue wée of thee O Christ if eternall life can be obtained not by thy bloud but by that of Kinges and princes if not by a crosse but a knife the way of heauē is opened vnto Friars Let the ghosts of Luther and Calum come to hear this that by these ioyful newes and tidings they may ease at the least and mittigate the griefe of their paines if they suffer any But now I come from the footepath vnto the high way againe It séemeth but a matter of nothing vnto Sixtus to dally with the accusation of a most hainous offence vnder the couller of Gods iudgementes and vnder a counterfaite and fained authority drawen from the holy Scriptures but he doth adde examples thereunto to the end the accursed traitour might become famous for euer not common onely and of such sortes of persons but by whome the actes of Alexander and Cesar might bee illustrated and commended I lette passe willingly that which hee hath rehearsed of the conception death and resurrection of our Lorde vngodly to be spoken and shamefull to bee hearde I must pause a while before I can giue an eare to heare such horrible blasphemies First hee praifeth Eleazarus his notable acte in stabbing the beaste Whereupon he thought that Antiochus was and litle regarding his owne life so that he with the fall of the Eliphant might kill the rider and himselfe together He praiseth the manly audacity and courage of Iudith not respecting her own welfare and honesty so that she might with the ennemies head preserue the liues goods and chastity of the Cittizens of Bethulia Hee extolleth both their zeale constancy and magnanimity but so as the Poets did Hectors and Aeneas triumphs and victories that the conquerour thereby might reape the more praise and glory He commeth presently vnto his sonne Clement whom he exalteth so hie that he seemeth to repent himselfe to haue produced these vnfit and vnequall examples and to be angrie that for want of better hath béene forced to vse but weake comparisons By these meanes let the noble fights and combats of Sampson and Dauid giue place Sixtus being iudge vnto Cain Ioab and Iudas their infamous treacheries Let there be no difference then whether one killeth villaniously or valiantly a tirant or a king an enemy or the father of his countrey Let the Captaines who are famous for their prowesse and renowmed through many victories be equaled with a Friar but crept out of a caue And finally let the constancy of Martirs be commended by the audacity of a murtherer If this will stand for good why dost thou not establishe statutes and ordinances and like as we vse Gregorians and Gratians lawes that we may haue thine also Sixtus to depriue vertue of her due praise by them and vices of their deserued shame and punishment for none are or were euer to be found that would haue vndertaken the defence of this act thou only excepted Besides is not contented to vse a common praise but to make the foolish people more astonished sheweth mirakles whereby the deuine power is argued to haue assisted and furthered this treachery He telleth therefore how Clement went through the gates of the Citty being so narrowly besieged and through the watches of both the Camps not marked or as one should say inuisible he speaketh this as a wonder the like whereof Iudith is not able to bring forth although she be so highly exalted with sacred poesies that she was a woman that she had opened her pretence vnto the Magistrate the Elders of the Citie and that in their companies she went by the Sentinels of the Citie without danger then afterwarde was brought before the watch of the enemie and lastly before the chiefe of the armie and that by the exquisite beauty of her face she easily bewitched the heart and senses of the Prince which were ouercome already with wine
thinges because they are vsuall vnto thée but to compare the eternall counsell of the redemption of mankinde which onely was committed vnto the seconde person of the Trinitie onely of him suscepted with the vngodly and detestable conspiracie of the murthering of a Prince And to equall the cafuall audacitie of an imaged and bloudie butther vnto the reuerende myracles of our Lordes natiuitie death and resurrection Anoyde impietie auoyde blasphemie infect not the holy Lambe with thy poysoned breath What hast thou left vntouched whome hast thou spared what hath not Mahomet nowe to obiect vnto vs what hath the Iewe any longer to holde his peace Loc yée Christians if the Sarrisins the Indians and the Barbarous people of Calico inueigh most bitterly against you they haue borrowed it of the Bishoppe of Rome Diddest thou lacke prophane examples Sixtus to compare them vnto thy villaynie that thou hadst a refuge vnto most holy and diuine comparisons I am glad sir Bishoppe that the world hath béene voide vntill thine age of such hainous and publicke murthers that both were reserued vnto thy time to wit hee that durst attempt such a detestable acte and he that was not ashamed to command it Come forth all yee whome the religious antiquity hath seperated from the worlde to bee adicted vnto celestiall meditations whome the sonne neuer saw but throwe some narrowe ristes bring shutt vp in high walles and iron doores Arise I say and come forth Sixtus calleth you vnto villennie to the murthering of Kings and princes now the gates are kept no longer by a seuere and frowning porter And those bars and doores that kept you from the frendly imbrasing of your fathers and the swéete kisses of your affectionated mothers are nowe fréely remoued and opened vnto you to shed by treacherye and treason the bloud of your parents and dearest frends I was determined Sixtus to leaue thy lies surmises and false accusations vntouched But I am prouoked to the contrarie through thy impudency which deserueth no smal indignation as those may easely iudge that are somewhat acquainted with our estat and affaires Dost thou say that Monkes and Friars were kild or at the least ill vsed in the Kings Camp I would to God it had beene so if it be lawful and godly to desire it But at the least I wish that all this idle and vnprofitable cattle should haue béene pounded and imprisoned then our Prince should liue yet worthy of a longer life and then as a fearfull hare thou durstest not tread vppon the body of the dead Lion and deride our griefe and mishappe As if all the world knew not that vnto these slaues he neuer was harde where as oftentimes he was vnto his most familiar friendes seuere Truely his vntimely facillity hath hurt him hauing had as yet no experience how much hipocrisie and deceite there lay hidden vnder a Friars hood As if thy selfe didst not know that hee alwayes had with him two Friers in his armie whose help he alwayes vsed in his diuine seruice Let me be vndon and cast away if I would not haue wisht a Friars wéede and forsaken my counsellers gowne if by that meanes I coulde haue perswaded him to the best Truly none were so mighty in the Realm whose welfare and cōmodity nay not his owne hée esteemed not lesse then these peoples delights and pleasures onely Thou hast no lucke Sixtus with thy lie it will not forge thou mightiest more easier haue made the worlde beleeue any thing els The enemy himselfe dare not say that Friars were ill vsed as long as he liued Here I woulde make an end if I were but certified of one pointe Resolue mee Sixtus of this I inquire no further causes of the murthered Prince it sufficeth mee to knowe that thou hast commaunded it thy will shall stande for a lawe But wherefore dost thou persecute his shadowe wherefore doest thou accuse him of obstinacy impenitency vnthankefulnesse and to haue sinned against the holy Ghost Why doest thou compare him with Cain and Iudas By what iustice or equitie canst thou doe this when hee lay vppon his death bedde did hee doubt of Christian faith Did hee deny the euerlasting Sonne of the eternall GOD Hath hee neglected the auncient customes of the Church and the most comfortable Sacramentes vnto those that he in their extremity Yet once againe herein thou art a notable lier Why dost thou force mee so oftentimes to repeate the remembraunce of my bitter griefes It is certaine that the godly Prince as soone as the Phisitions and Surgeons had bounde vp his wounde and had laide him vppon his bedde hauing a little slepte vppon his paine and griefe that hee pronounced with his owne mouth his Prayers and with a loude voice made confession of his faith and of the feeling which hee had of his redemption adding therevnto these wordes vnto GOD. If it bee to thy glory O GOD and the commoditie of my people graunte mee I most humbly desire first pardon for my sinnes and then some longer dayes of life But if it bee otherwise I thanke thee most highly O Father that thou doest barre mee hence forth from the thraldome of sinne whereby wee moste oftentimes procure thy wrath against vs. And therefore I am readie most willingly to come where thou callest me Hauing made an ende of his Prayers he sendeth for his brother the King of Nauarre and for the chiefest of his army and vnto his brother he commendeth the charge of the Realme and the gouernment of his subiects the Lawes of France importing as much and repeted oftentimes these words whereby he charged him to haue a speciall care to kéepe Christes flocks in vnity and concord and as he was heire vnto the crowne that he likewise would be heire to godly and ancient institutions Desiring this most earnestly at his hands with a solemne protestatiō shewing that this had bin his only desire from his childhood They al depart very sorrowful whervpō he confesseth his sins in the eare of a priest hauing craued pardon of God for his offences he had a sensible féeling that they were forgiuē him for Christs sake And nowe ready to communicate of his sacred body openly that al might hears it that grace which he had fréely receiued of God in the forgiuenes of his sins that same he frankly imparteth to al his enemies nay to them that had béene the conspirators of his death his murtherers And thus hauing receiued his last due farewell departed ioyful glad out of this worlde not without the great griefe of all the standers by bewraying the inward sorrowe with outward abundant teares Here Sixtus I sée no tokens of desperation no signes of impenitencie And I thinke not that thou art so farre voyde of al reason as to compare a most Christian prince vnto K. Saule But let him be cōpared yet to him so that he heare no bitterer words suffer greater torments Beholde with what words Gods indignation vpon this impious king is expressed The spirite of the Lorde is gone from Saule saith the prophet And in another place the Lord speaketh vnto Samuel saying How long wilt thou lament ouer Saul when I haue cast him off that he shall not raigne Doth he saie that he is miserable vnhappie worthy of eternal damnation God forbid When the scripture speaketh of his death marke the most christian wordes of Dauid directed vnto the vnluckie yongman who boasted but falsely that hee with his owne handes had slaine the Prince in the battell How wast thou not afraid to put forth thy hand to destroy the annointed of the Lord And in many other places who shall stretch forth his hands vpon the Lords annointed and shall be innocent Answere Sixtus is not thy oration crueller whereby thou commaundest wilfull and publike murther in praisnig it or say that this example is not to be folowed and to be abolished by thine authoritie Saule was slaine in the battell an Amalekite his enemy had doone it here is nothing that was forbidden by lawe yet the Lorde hath reuenged the death of his annointed Sée further what the holy Chronicles tell of Ioab and Ammon being murthered although vngodly kings authors of abhominations and hated of God Sée reade and peruse all the sacred and prophane histories and thou shalt finde that not onely the lawe of nature of men and aboue all Gods ordinances but also the seuere and horrible examples of the punishmēt therof debarre impious and bloodie handes from the annoynted bodies of kings and Princes Rome fertile alwayes in all villanie hath féene of twelue her Emperors eight murthered wyth the sword but none vnreuenged He Sixtus therefore that succéedeth shall be I hope the reuenger and that which thou hast now long agone knowne by other histories thou shalt come to learne it ere long by thine owne Auoyde therefore thou Bishop and be prowde with this answere Go vnto the Indians or in some other corner of the world a iust punishment is reserued for thée vnder some greater ennemy FINIS