where it was openly proclaimed throughout the Prouinces The Guisarts not content with the troubles in France mooue warres in Scotland but to their owne confusion The religion multiplieth in France euen in the middle of their persecutions and next after God submit themselues vnder the protection of the Princes of the blood determining to oppose themselues against the house of Guise who by diuers subtilties receiue and award their blowes discouer the enterprise wrought against them cause the principall Nobilitie of the Realm to be assembled at Fontainbleau where the Admirall galleth them on all sides This assembly produced an aduise and consent of a Parliament to be holden in the end of that yeare The Princes are summoned to come vnto the Court and all subtile practises vsed to get them thither being arriued at Orleans where the Court was holden They were stayed as prisoners specially the Prince of Conde the house of Guise practising the totall ruine of the Princes and all others of the religion leaue no meanes vndeuised which by the sequell is well perceiued While these actions were in hand the king fell sicke in the end the Queen his mother got the Regencie with the ayde of the house of Guise and the king of Nauarre the Prince of Conde and those of the religion are relieued by the kings death CHARLES THE NINTH I Account the raigne of Charles the ninth to be the time of wonders in France his beginning was the assembly of a Parliament where nothing was done but onely in words Those of the religion openly increasing the house of Guise began to practise against the estate many edicts were made to pacifie the troubles The Queen-mother vseth practises that ouerthrew the lawes of the realme to satisfie those of the religion an assembly was holden at Poissy which ended in words and no resolutions and lastly with mutinies in Parris The Edict of Ianuarie was made whereby the Duke of Guise vndertooke to commit the massacre at Vassy inducing the king of Nauarre to consent with him hee seizeth both of Parris and the king which bred the first ciuill warres which on the one side containe infinit exployts of warres as battels incounters assiegings defenses and taking of places on the other side spoyles and horrible murthers of those of the religion in all the Prouinces of the Realme The troubles being ended by the death of the Duke of Guise slaine at the siege of Orleans the first Edict of pacification abolishing that of Ianuarie was established After the peace the Englishmen were driuen out of New-hauen the king is declared to bee of age to gouerne without a Protector and causeth diuers Edicts to be made He is solicited by the Spaniard to breake his Edict of pacification which is weakned in diuers poynts the beginning of the voyage of Bayonne diuers Citadels builded many Townes vnwalled those of the religion sacked and spoyled in many places leagues made against them Edicts reuoking those that had been granted vnto them The shamefull entrie of the Cardinall of Lorraine in Paris Councels holden at Bayonne the kings progresse throughout France A dissembling reconciliation made between the houses of Guise Chastillon the miserable state of France a notable processe at Paris between the Vniuersitie and the Iesuites Vnder pretence of a passage to bee granted to the Spaniards to passe into the low Countries preparation was made to ouerrun those of the religion which constrained the Prince of Conde and his associates to seeke to defend themselues whereof ensued the second eiuill warres set downe with the most notable accidents therein happened Negotiation of peace which the Prince is constrained to accept This peace presently after conceiued a third ciuill warres The Prince and the Admirall hauing hardly saued themselues in Guyenne followed by diuers others The Princes first exployts edicts against those of the religion many warlike exployts betweene the contrarie armies Warres began to be in greater force in the yeare 1569. then euer they were before The Prince was slaine after the battell of Bassac the Prince of Nauarre declared generall of the armie and the Prince of Conde assistant A puissant armie of Almaines vnder the conduction of the Duke de Deux Ponts commeth to ayde them the incounter of la Roche la Belle the warres of Bearne the siege of Poictiers and Chastelleraud the battell of Moncontour What both the armies did after that The siege of S. Iohn d'Angely ouerthrowne the armie victorious Diuers exployts of wars in Poictou Guyenne Xaintongne and Angoulmois a great voyage through the Prouinces after the battell of Moncontour continuance of warres which is ended by the third edict of pacification and about the end of the yeare the king married the Emperours daughter a voyage made vnto the Queene of Nauarre for the marriage of her son with the king of France his sister Councels among those of the religion the death of the Cardinall of Chastillon The marriage aforesaid agreed vpon warres were pretended against the Spaniard the secret of the Court discouered the Queene of Nauarre went to Parris where she died the Princes and the Admirall came thither Contracts and espousals of the king of Nauarre most horrible bloodie and cruell councels and massacres of the Admirall and thirtie thousand of the religion in Parris and in many other Townes all the circumstances precedent and following set downe at large Many deuises to destroy those that were resting of the religion who in Rochel Sancerre Languedoc and other places resolued to stand in a iust defence of their cause the assieging and yeelding of Sancerre A notable discourse of the siege of Rochel from the beginning vntill the peace granted The state of those of the religion in Quercy Languedoc and other Prouinces where they ouerthrew their enemies and presently after reduced the king to such a stay that he was forced to begin againe who fell sicke as his brother went into Poland A deuise not ouer good for those of the religion The fourth troubles beganne at the massacres and ceased for a time at the peace of Rochel and began the fift by the enterprises against Rochel and Languedoc The wonderfull practises of the Queene-mother to maintaine her actions and to serue her turne by her third son against those of the religion The estate of diuers prouinces specially of Normandie where Monsieur was taken prisoner Warres in Poictou against those of the religion The Prince of Conde goeth into Almaine The sicknesse and death of the king HENRY THE THIRD THe Regents dealings during the warres in Normandie The estate of Languedoc Viuarais and Dauphine Montgommery beheaded in Parris The Prince of Conde chosen generall by those of Languedoc Warre in Poictou The arriuall of the new king escaped out of Poland The beginning of his actions The siege of Lusignen Warres in Dauphine Practises against those of Languedoc The death of Charles Cardinall of Lorraine The memorable siege of Liuron Conquests in Languedoc and elsewhere Negotiation of
peace which procured warres Notable exployts of Mombrun with the end thereof The state of Xaintongue New practises inuented against those of the religion The Duke of Alencon the kings brother leaueth the Court and promiseth wonders Accord betweene the Prince of Conde and the Duke Casimir ouerthrowne by the Queen-mother The miserie of Frenchmen The Germaines armie entereth into France The king of Nauarres departure from the Court. After the D. of Alencon is made general of the armie A peace is propounded which in the end is fully agreed therevpon the fift Edict of pacification was made which like the rest hatched the sixt ciuill warre Foundations of the league begun by the house of Guise Preparations and beginnings of new warre A summarie of the king his Oration to the estates The intention of the same estates discouered What the king of Nauarre and Prince of Conde answered to the Deputies of the same estates Entrance to the sixt ciuil war and the most memorable things of the same being ended at last by an ample edict of pacification The proceedings both of one and other after the peace especially after the king his mother and those of the house of Guise which beganne to stirre and constrained the King of Nauarre to looke to himselfe but chiefly after the death of the Duke d'Alencon which serued for an infantation or production of the league in Paris and elsewhere the progressions wherof are declared Pretext of the leaguers mutinie whom the king attempteth to disvnite The King of Nauarre manifesteth himselfe against them The Queene-mother maketh her selfe a necessarie Agent heerein and causeth the King to yeelde vnto the leaguers more then they hoped for so that hee abolished the last edict of pacification prepareth for warre and demaundeth money The Pope excommunicateth the King of Nauarre and Prince of Conde the which the Parliament of Parris disliketh yet neuerthelesse the king formally proclaimeth himselfe against those of the religion who prepare to make resistance The Duke de Maine his exploits for the league then those of Duke de Mercoeur The memorable expedition of the Prince of Conde towards Anger 's What those of the religion did for their defence in Poictou Xaintongue and other places and the King of Nauarre against foure armies of the league The first and last exployts of the Duke de Ioyeuse for the league against the King of Nauarre Battell of Coutras Discourse of the iourney and ouerthrow of the Rutters armie abouâ the end of the yeare 1587. A summarie recitall of the attempts of the league against the Duke de Bouillon in those seasons Fresh attempts of the league against the estates and those of the religion The warre taketh beginning at Sedan The death of the Prince of Conde The Duke of Guise commeth to Parris vpon which ensueth the battell of Barricadoes The Kings retrait and the beginning of extreame euils in France Proceedings of the King and Leaguers Assignation of the estates at Blois An edict of vnion in the month of Iuly War ordained against such of the religion as intended those estates Attempts of the Duke of Sauoy against France Assembly of the Estates and that which proceedeth the ouerture of the same The Kings Oration who would confirme his Edict of Vnion The Duke of Guise his progressions discouered wherevpon ensueth the putting to death of him and his brother Warlike exployts by the K. of Nauarre for his owne defence and of the armie of the league in buse Poictou Niort taken from the league Restitution of Ganache Dissipation of the leaguers armie A straunge confusion in the estate of France Death of the Queen-mother Behauiour of the king the league and king of Nauarre during these beginnings Truce betweene the two kings Diuers exployts and enterprises of the leaguers who are discomfited in Normandie Beausse in the Isle of France The king with a puissant armie hauing brought in diuers places of importance drew neare Parris where a Iacobin Moonke subborned of long time for the same purpose traiterously gaue him a wound with a knife whereof after some certaine houres hee died and in him failed the race of the French kings of the line of Valois HENRY THE FOVRTH DIsposition of the French after the Kings death Councels of the league Order giuen for the affaires of his armie by the new King being Henry the fourth lawfull successor to the Crowne His genealogie His proceedings and notable exployts in Normandie neare to Arques From thence hee commeth towards Paris taketh the subburbes assayeth to drawe the leaguers to fight taketh Estampes Vendosme Mans reduceth many Prouinces to his obedience and martyreth Normandie wherevpon the Parliament riseth against him 90. Stratagems of the League for maintenance of themselues Exployts by the king in Normandie Battel of Parris Attempts of the Parliament of Roan the ParisiaÌs against the K. The siege of Paris A strange diuisioÌ of the Order of SorboÌne froÌ their soueraigne Lord within the Realm Famine oppresseth the Parisians who desire peace and cannot obtaine it through the false deuises of the heads of the league who goeth about to deciue the king and people As for the king hee goeth forward against his enemies who are sauoured by the Duke of Parma the king of Spaine his Lieftenant who being resolued not to couple with the Frenchmen intrench in a strong place and make themselues Maisters of Lani vpon Marne Their intrenchment and auoyding of fight is an occasion that the king dismisseth his armie wherevpon ensueth the entrie of the Duke of Parma into Paris The taking and reprisall of Corbeil with the shamefull retrait of the Spaniards and Wallons 91. Parris is besieged as before Dauphine reconquered to the king The Pope fortifieth the league Cheualier d'Aumale is slaine Stratagems of the Spaniards for defacing of Parris Romish attempts against the king who taketh Chartres by composition and by his Lieftenants discomfiteth the league in Prouince and Poictou Afterwards hee publisheth Edicts for the retention of two religions in his Realme The Parlaments of Tours and Chaalons condemne the buls the Popes Nuntio and Legate In the meane while the Duke of Guise escapeth out of prison On the other side the king besiegeth and taketh Noyon Ouerthroweth the armie of Sauoy at Pontcharra entereth into Normandie whither he draweth the Duke of Parma when in the meane while the mutinous Parisians hang vp Brisson Archer and Tardif For reuenge of whose death foure of the principall seditious were dispatched out of the way 92. Arrest and decree of the Parliament of Roane against the king Discourse of the siege of Roane Disposition of the leaguers armie it is ioyned and fought withall being put to flight both by sea and land The ignominious retrait of the Duke of Parma Attempts by the league in diuers parts Bayon in vaine assailed by the Spaniards Amblize and the Lorraine leaguers discomfited by the Duke of Bouillon Ioyeuse ouerthrowne with his armie before Villemur Complaint by members
the Admirall to come out of their lodgings into the streets to aske the first of their acquaintance what that extraordinary noyse and arming ment at such an vndue houre but beeing answered with doubtfull speeches they went forward towards the Louure where first they were quarrelled withall and set vppon by the guard The noyse begunne they rung S. Germaines bell Cosseines perceiuing the Duke of Guise and his troupes to come knocked at the Admiralles Gate betweene two and three of the clocke in the morning vpoÌ Sunday being the foure twentieth day of August La-bonne came to the gate and hauing opened it was stabbed by Cosseins the second doore going vppe the staires beeing soone burst open and one of the Switzers of the guard slaine with a harquebush While Cosseins stood iumbling at that doore Cornaton ranne vp and being asked by the Admirall who had caused theÌ to lift him out of his bed and in his night gowne had assisted his Ministers ferueÌt prayer and humbly commended his soule to his Sauiour Iesus Christ what that great tumult ment he said My Lord it is God that calleth for vs the house is entered by force and there is no meanes of resistance The Admirall beganne to say It is long since I disposed my selfe to die saue you your selues if it bee possible for you cannot saue my life I commit my soule into the hands and mercie of God Presently al of them except his Interpreter for the Almaine tongue got vp into the top of the house and hauing found a window to issue out vppon the roofe and into the gutters beganne to saue themselues but most of them were slaine in the next house Cornaton Merlin and one or two more escaped and were miraculously preserued There stood foure Switzers vpon the staires wherof one being slaine the rest fled as well as they might The Admirals chaÌber opened seuen or eight men all armed and with their targets entered into it and one named Besmes seruant to the Duke of Guise with a naked swoord in hand went to the Admirall offering him the poynt wherewith he began to say Young man thou oughtest to respect my age and infirmitie yet shalt thou not shorten my life with that Besmes thrust him into the bodie and redoubling the blowe vpon his head euery one of the rest gaue him a blow in such sort that he fel vpon the ground and so lay gasping The Duke of Guise and others staying below in the Court hearing the blows asked if they had done commanding the bodie to be thrown out of the window which was presently done by Besmes Sarlaboux who tooke him vp cast him out the blow he had vpon the head and the blood couering his face made the Duke of Guise not wel to know him so that stouping down wiping his face with a handkerchef he said Now I know him it is he and therwith giuing a blow with his foote vppon his face beeing dead whom all the murtherers of France feared so much beeing aliue hee went out of the house followed by his company and beganne to crie about the streetes Courage fellow souldiers wee haue made a good beginning let vs now to the rest The king commaundeth it repeating that with great Maiestie the king commaundeth it it is his pleasure it is his expresse commaundement Presently therevppon the Pallace clocke strooke and then a noyse was heard about the streets of Parris saying that the Huguenots for so the Romish Catholicques termed the Protestants were in armes they beeing in their beddes and ment to kil the king to whom the Admiralles head was carried and presented and to the Queene-mother also and then imbalmed and sent to Rome to the Pope the Cardinall of Lorraine The common people ranne to the Admirals lodging where they cut off his hands and his priuie members and drew his bodie for the space of three daies about the Towne which done it was borne to the Gibbet of Montfaucon and there hanged by thee feete Beginning of massacres in Parris The Gentlemen officers of the Chamber Gouernours Tutors and houshold-seruants of the king of Nauarre and the Prince of Conde were driuen out of their chambers where they slept in the Louure and beeing in the Court massacred in the kings presence The like was done to the Lords and Gentlement that lay round about the Admiralles lodging and then throughout the Towne in such sort that the number slaine that Sunday at night and the two next daies ensuing within the town of Parris and the subburbs was esteemed to bee aboue tenne thousand persons Lords Gentlemen Pages seruants Iustices of all sorts Schollers Lawyers Phisitians Merchants Artificers women maides and boyes not sparing little children in the cradle nor in their mothers bellies The Courtiers of the kings guard and straungers that massacred the Gentlemen said that in one day by weapon and disorder they had ended those processes which pen paper sentences of Iustice nor open war could not finde the meanes to execute in twelue yeares space Thus these honorable Lords and Gentlemen protestants slaunderously accused of conspiracie and practise against the king being starke naked thinking onely vppon their rest scarce awake vnarmed in the hands of infinite cruel craftie trecherous enemies not hauing so much leisure as to breath were slaine some in their beddes others vppon the roofes of houses and in whatsoeuer other places where they might bee found It would bee ouer long to recite at large the names and surnames of all the honourable personages of diuers quallities that as then were slaine and massacred It sufficeth that their names are registred in heauen and that since that time in that which happened to king Charles the ninth his brother and successor his mother his bastard brother the house of Guise the Towne of Parris and to all the Realm of France in the space of twentie yeares after this massacre hath sufficiently appeared that God reuengeth the blood of innocents and that their death although shamefull in the sight and presence of the children of this world is precious in the sight of his most holy Maiestie Some escaped The Vidame de Chartres the Countie Montgommery and diuers other Lords and Gentlemen of the religion lodged in the subburbes of S. Germain des Prez right ouer against the Louure vpon Sunday in the morning about fiue of the clocke beeing aduertised as it were by miracle what had past within the Towne minding to know if it were true vppon the riuer discouered certaine people that came to murther them wherevpon some on foot other on horse backe and most of them without either bootes or spurres leauing all their stuffe saued themselues as well as they could beeing pursued for the space of halfe a day by the Duke of Guise and others Now let the reader heere in consider how straunge and horrible a thing it might bee in a great Town to see at the least 60. thousand men with Pistolles pikes
courtelasses ponyards kniues and other such bloodie instruments ranne swearing and blaspheming the sacred Maiestie of God throughout the streets and into the houses where most cruelly they massacred all whosoeuer they met without regard of estate condition sexe or age the streets paued with bodies out and hewed in peeces the gates and enteries of houses Pallaces and publicque places died with blood A horrible plague of shoutings and hollowings of the murtherers mixed with continuall blowes of Pistolles and caliuers the pittifull cries of those that were murthered the bodies cast out at windowes vppon the stones drawne through the durt with straunge noyse and whistlings the breaking of doores and windowes with billes stones and other furies the spoyling and sacking of houses Carts carrying away the spoyles and others the dead bodies which were throwne into the riuer of Seine all redde with blood which likewise ranne out of the towne and from the kings owne Pallace The king of Nauarre and the Prince of Conde being called to speake with the King and by his owne mouth were certified what had past adding The entertainment of the king of Nauarre and the Prince of Conde that hee saued their liues vppon condition that they should renounce their religion and follow his otherwise that they should looke for the like punishment that their adherents had and should receiue The King of Nauarre besought the king to remember his promise of the alliance newly contracted and not to constraine him in his religion the Prince of Conde more feruent aunswered that the King had giuen his faith to him and to all those of the religion with so solemne protestation that hee could not be perswaded that he would falsifie so authenticque an oath In respect of the obedience which the King required of him hee had faithfully yeelded vnto him not minding in time to come to depart from it in any sort whatsoeuer But touching the religion wherof the king had granted him the exercise and God the knowledge to whom hee was to yeeld account for his bodie and goods hee left them to the Kings disposition to do with them as pleased him but for his religion hee said hee was fully determined to remaine constant therein which hee would alwaies maintaine to bee true although it were with the losse of his life This aunswere of the Prince set the King in such a chollor that hee beganne to call him rebell seditious and sonne of a seditious person with horrible threatnings to cause him to loose his head if within three daies he took not better counsell which was done in presence of the Queene-mother the Duke of Aniou Birague and others of his secret Councell whose other proceedings must bee set downe They perceiuing that the massacre of Parris would not quench the fire but rather kindle it more because those of the religion might assemble and vnite themselues togither as it happeneth in such miserable chances giue them new worke these Councellours made two messengers the one from the same Sunday to the Gouernours and seditious Catholicques of Towns wherein were diuers of the religion with expresse commaundement to massacre them The other message contained certaine letters to the Gouernours of Prouence by the which hee charged those of Guise with the murther committed vppon the person of the Admirall because of their particular quarrell and of the sedition happened in Parris ceased the same day it began as those letters of the foure and twentieth of August specified by the authoritie and vigilancie of the King whose meaning and commaundement was that his Edict of pacification should be holden as much as euer it was Strange deuises to roote out those of the religion and to couer the action of the massacre through all his Realme Wherevnto he added these words And because it is greatly to bee feared that such execution which by other letters was published to bee made vpon a very small number should cause my subiects to rise one against the other and that great massacres should bee committed within the townes of my Realme which would bee great griefe vnto me I pray you to publish and make it knowne in all the places of your Gouernment that euery man should liue in peace without raising armes nor offending each other vpon paine of death causing our edict of pacification to be carefully obserued and kept and to punish the contradictors and ouerrunne those that would seem to rise and bee disobedient to our will you shall presently assemble all the forces you can make as well of friends as of your ordinarie companies aduertising the Captaines of the Townes and Castles of your gouernment to looke well to the safetie and preseruation of the said places that no fault may bee escaped aduertising mee assoone as possible you may what order you haue taken therein and how all things passe within your gouernment Other notable practises but all to the eternall confusion and reproach of the authors The same day were likewise dispatched other pattents prohibiting the carrying of all forbidden weapons all fraudulent assemblies orrepugnant to the Edict of pacification vnder the benefit whereof the king commaunded all his subiects to liue in quiet and peace each with other The Queene-mother likewise wrote her letters to the Gouernours and Ambassadours in like substance as the king It was agreed betweene the King the Queen-mother his brother Birague the Duke of Neuers and the Countie of Retz and other the Guisians should auoyde Parris and immediately after the deaths of the Admirall and his partakers withdrew theÌselues in some of their houses that so the French and their neighbours might the rather think it to be some particular reuenge that bred also the tumult in Parris Vppon this counsell the King had in his Sunday letters layd the whole rage vppon the Guisians who considering more deeply the inormitie of the act wherein they had not spared an infinite number of learned men honorable olde age honest Ladies chaste matrones women with childe young schollers virgins sucking babes but most cruelly cut their throates perceiuing that so they should bring vpon themselues their posteritie the indignation of all men indued with any sparke of vertue or that had any regard of humane societie and consequently make themselues the marke for euery man to ayme at as the sole authors thereof and men guiltie of the most wicked action that could bee deuised refused to forsake Parris But contrariwise insisted and most earnestly laboured that the king should aduow all that had beene done This did they and their Councell so cunningly mannage besides that they were very strong and greatly in the peoples fauour who had been followers of the Duke of Guise in this execution that the king with the aduice of his Councell soone after writ other letters to his Ambassadours Gouernours of Prouin ces and chiefe Townes of France wherein hee gaue them to vnderstand that whatsoeuer had fallen out at Parris was nothing concerning religion but
consisteth therein and her assurance is our securitie hee that straineth this corde breaketh the hermonie of the Common-wealth and induceth the dissimilitude of religions which presently openeth the gate to murthers enmities and seditions and from thence to persecutions both publike and priuate for that neither the old can be reformed nor the new established without contradiction violence From thence it proceedeth that when in one Nation there are some that remaine constant and firme in the faith and tradition of their forefathers and that others do reprooue it and inuent certaine doctrine which they preach and affirme to be the pure true and onely rule for men to learne it cannot be remedied and of force it must be so that this diuersitie of religion bringeth with it a diuision of minds and of enmities which are not appeased but by the ruine of the one or the other part the triumph of Israel is the losse and hinderance of the Aegyptians The first motion of religioÌ in Bohemia by Iohn Hus and Hierome of Prague France that had seene the strange furies which this apple of discord by the Hussites had sowne in Bohemia at Munster by the Anabaptists and in Allenmaigne and Suisse and that ought to beware by other mens harmes and looke that the fire of their partialities take no hold in her towe hath most miserably abandoned it selfe vnto this schisme and more overrun sacked and troden vnderfoote by the great faction of Catholiques and Huguenots in thirtie yerres then it indured The death of King Francis at Rombouillet in the space of 6. yeares vnder the long variable and cruell wars of the two houses of Orleans Burgonge factions more fatal miserable in France theÌ that in Italie of the Guelphes and Gibelins or in England of the long wars between the houses of Lancastre and Yorke It had the beginning from the death of King Francis the first which graine of diuision wherewithall the Prouinces of this Realme is sowen was bought in Geneue of such as brought it from Saxony where they had great store out of Luthers Warehouses Luther began to preach And the most curious who at the first thought to enter into those vesselles of new sects The assembly of LutheriaÌs dicouered in Parris in S. Iames street before the colledge du Plessis but onely to shake them were carried away by impetuositie of wind and the goodly apparance of her opinions which were said to tend onely to the reformation of the abuses of pride and luxurie in the Cleargie thereby to reduce it into the estate of the Leuites without lands or possessions France that at all times hath beene the nource of fine wittes both subtill and curious was the most fit and apt Prouince wherein to make this Noueltie spring and therein became so fruitefull that in lesse then two or three yeares there was found more Lutherians within the Capitall Cittie of Parris then Prelates or Doctors to oppose themselues against them The Duke of Saxon the Counte Palatin the Marques of Brandebourg the Duke of Witenbourg The marriage of the Dauphine with the Queene of Scots But the king that sought to quench this fire by the rigor of lawes at the first entrance of those Nouelties spared neither authoritie of Edicts seueritie of punishments nor executioners to extirpe them Whereat certaine forraine Princes beeing mooued besought him to moderate his publike persecutions and the great Potentates of the Realme rose vp and put themselues in armes and among the rest Monsieur d'Andelot a man whom the king loued both for the honour of his house and valour of his person and many Councellours of the Court of Parliament found to bee inveloped with this cloude wee cast in prison The Cardinall of Lorraine and the Duke of Guise his brother that practised the marriage of the Queene of Scots their Cousin with the kings eldest sonne and were the greatest next the king who for counsell put his whole confidence in the Cardinal and his forces into the Duke of Guises hands making him Lieftenant generall of his Realme that had all authoritie ouer the people that esteemed them no lesse faithfull to the Crowne then zealous and religious towards the Church that honoured them as the most affectioned to the Common-wealth that were his Druses Marcels Dions and Phocions mooued the king to the extirpation of those Heresies and without doubt hee had surely done it if the splinter of Mongommeries launce had not beene which although it brake not yet it stayed the furie of those publike executions The death of King Henry the second This great king that promised his people a long and continuall peace beeing dead his Scepter remained to Francis but the royall authoritie with them that as then had the possession and that vaunted themselues to deserue it in respect of their seruices done to the king their countrie and religion in such manner The sacring of Francis the second The Constable withdraweth froÌ the Court. that before Anthony de Burbon king of Nauarre first prince of the blood arriued at the Court his place was taken vp and the royaltie diuided and put into the handes of a king of fifteene yeares of age an Italian woman a Cardinall and a Prince of Lorraine The kings auncient seruants beeing separated from the Court namely the Constable Like as the sunne is in heauen the same should the king be on earth and what effect the sunne worketh with the Planets the same should the K. vnto the Princes of his blood the sun neuer withdraweth his brightnes That was ordamed at Tours Ann. 1484. and at the same time obserued by Charles 8. son to Lewis the 11. that raigned 14. yeares Malecontent in An. 1560. from them no more should the king deny this fauour to the Princes of his-blood that are about him Which not being don it caÌnot be but there must be disorder Eclipses obscure confusions The Princes of the blood perceiuing themselues debarred from their guard that the king was in the custodie of straÌgers contrarie to the ancient priuiledges of France wich ordaineth that the minoritie of the K. shall be assisted by a councell chosen by al the Estates of the Realme wherein the Princes of the blood ought to beare the principall place and straungers excluded vnited themselues togither in the middle of a thousand deaths to preserue their degrees and dignities This discontentment opened the caracters of diuisions that after caused a deluge of miseries in the realme of France And the Malecontents eyther because they were excluded from publike charges or beeing tormented in the libertie of their consciences agreed togither to vnhorse the house of Guise that aspired so neare the king minding neuer to leaue armes before his Maiestie should be deliuered out of their hands and the estate reduced vnder a lawfull gouernment promising neuerthelesse not to attempt any thing against the person of the king his authoritie nor the
religion if there were no other passion that touched his enemies at the heart he added that if the king would not accept his fidelitie hee can do no more but content himselfe with his owne innocencie and affection towards his Maiestie and the State Declaration protestatioÌ of the King of Nauarre the Prince of Conde In his declaration hauing disciphered the cause of leaguers taking armes the vanitie of their pretences and the fruites that all the Estates of France may reape by the conclusion of the treatie of Nemours by breaking the peace and beginning warre Hee protesteth and with him the Prince of Conde his Cousin the Duke de Mommorency the Lords Gentlemen Prouinces Townes and common people as well of the one as of the other religion to oppose themselues against the Authors of those troubles in a lawfull and necessary defence therby to conserue the lawes which are the foundations of all families and to maintaine the estate and libertie of the King and of the Queene his mother Sixtus 5. excommunicateth the king of Nauarre the prince of Conde in September 1585. This Prince had need to bee a strong Bulwarke thereby to defend himselfe against so many assaults on all sides made vppon him For hauing both the king and the league as enemies on the one side on the other side commeth the Pope with his thunderboults of excommunication declaring him incapable to the succession of the Crowne of France abandoning his person and his countries for a praye to such as could obtaine it Touching this Bull many whole bookes both with it and against it were written and set foorth to the which I referre the curiositie of such as desire to knowe whether the Pope hath any authoritie ouer the estate of France for which consideration The King of Nauarres letters to the States the Court of Parliament would not allowe it Therevppon the king of Nauarre complained to all the Estates of France in that they had caused the succession of a king beeing yet aliue to bee decided in the Court of Rome made the title of a Prince of the blood to be iudged by the Pope and suffered the Consistorie to giue that which belonged not vnto them And hauing particularly represented vnto them the mischiefes which thereby might arise togither with the shame and perpetuall reproach vnto this Nation in hauing To the Clergie produced monsters into the world and rebelles among a most obedient people hee endeth his letters with reiecting the mischiefes of those miseries vppon those that are the authors In his letter to the Cleargie hee said If war bee so acceptable vnto you if a battell liketh you better then a disputation a bloodie conspiracie more then a Councell I will wash my handes and the blood that thereby shall bee spilt be vppon your owne heades I am assured that the maledictions of such as shall thereby indure great miserie will not fall vppon mee so that my patience my reasons and obedience are sufficiently knowne Meane time I hope God will blesse my iust quarrell to whom I commend you To the Nobilitie To the Nobilitie hee writeth and saith The Princes of France are the keyes of the Nobilitie I loue you all I feele my selfe perished and become weake in your blood The straunger hath no interest in this losse I haue good cause to complaine of some but I rather bewaile them I am readie to imbrace them all That which most displeaseth me is that those which I most esteem of whom I knowe haue been circumuented I cannot distinguish them being in armes but God knoweth my thought their blood be vpon the authors of these miseries to whom we praye c. To the Commons after he had deplored their woundes and scarres and assured them of his readinesse to shed his blood if his enemies would by a combat of two and two end the warre To the Commons which would be the death of so many thousands of men He saith I am a Frenchman borne I will bee partner of your miseries I haue assayed all meanes to exempt you from ciuill discordes and will neuer spare my life that they may be abridged I will not impute the fault vpon you you are Frenchmen but rather esteem of your good willes I demaund nothing else of all you that according to your vocations are most subiect to indure mischiefe then to doo it but onely your vowes prayers and good-wils But because hee feared the sword of Saint Paul more then the keyes of Saint Peter and that the Gold of Spaine is more daungerous then the Lead of Rome he sent his Ambassadors to the protestant Princes of Germanie to craue their aydes Which the king perceiuing sent the Cardinall of Lenoncourt and the President Brulart vnto him to assure him of his Maiesties good-will of the great desire he had to see him vnited to the Catholicke Church not onely for the safetie of his conscience but also for the easier establishing of his succession to the Crown to declare the causes that had moued him to breake the peace and to desire him to yeeld vp the Townes which he held for his securitie The king of N. hauing yeelded most humble thankes vnto them for his Maiesties good will in his behalfe aunswered that without instruction he could not change his religion for the which so much time and blood had been shed And that those of his side were so farre from yeelding vp the Towns giuen to them for their securitie that following the example of the leaguers they had cause rather to aske for more The Ambassadours perceiuing that neither the one nor the other poynt of their Ambassage tooke effect ended their commission by desiring the king of Nauarre to enter into a treatie wherein the Queene-mother would labour to his contentment Conference agreed vpon and trauell as farre as to Champigny if in the meane time it pleased him to staye the forraine armie Hee willingly accepted of the conference but to the other poynt he said that he neither could nor ought in any sort to stay or withdraw the good willes of those who in so much important an occasion yea and in so extreame necessitie had entered into the field that by restoring the authoritie of the king troden vnderfoote by the breach of his edicts they might defend him from the forraine inuation of the league The Electors Palatin the Duke of Saxe the M. of Brandenburg the D. of Brunswick the Lantgraue of Hessen sent Ambassadors to the king in Parris The Kings answere to the Protestant Ambassadors The Princes of Germainie that sought to ayde such as were of their religion perceiuing France to bee a bodie in a manner wounded to death thought good to procure the remedie thereof rather then to helpe to giue the mortall blowe and to prooue if by intreatie and faire meanes they might cease the causes of their diuision and procure the tranquillitie of the common-wealth by the obseruation
which hee that was Captaine thereof had caused to bee made therewith as hee said to salute the king of Nauarre when hee should approach the walles of Niort The siege of Ganache In the meane time Monsieur de Neuers besieged la Ganache a very strong Towne lying in the marches of Poitou and Brittaine with sixe battering peeces foure double and two demy coluerins after hee had summoned Monsieur du Plessis by a Herault to yeelde the Towne vnto him The batterie beganne vppon New-yeares day and within foure dayes after the breach was reasonable great to giue the assault which was done with great fury and aunswered with the like courage whereby the assaylants left at the least fiftie of their meÌ dead within the ditches the assieged loosing at the same time two good Captaines and certaine souldiers The next day Monsieur de Paluau sent a drumme to Monsieur de Plessis to aduise him to growe to some good composition saying that hee had obtained sufficient honour by defending so weake a place that his wilfulnesse hindered the king of Nauarres affaires and that the Duke de Neuers had fully resolued not to leaue the siege before hee brought the Towne vnder subiection wherevpon hee ingaged his honour Monsieur de Plessis resolued vppon a conference hoping by that means to certifie the king of Nauarre of his affaires the effect of the coÌference was to yeelde the Towne and to issue armed their goods saued Meane time the king of Nauarre issued out of Niort minding to relieue the Towne but a sicknesse proceeding from a great chaffing of his body which hee did lighting of his horse to heate himselfe beeing extreame colde seized vppon him which stayed him in a little village called Saint Pere where he was troubled with so fearce and cruell fittes of a feuer that hauing been let blood and all remedies vsed that possible might bee found it was thought hee would haue died and the report of his death was brought vnto the Court. But God who in so troublesome and confused a time ment to vse the seruice of so great a Prince whom hee had saued from so many perilles to make him the woonder vnto kings and the king of woonders The king fell sicke the 9. of Ianuary stayed the arest of death which the Phisitions had pronounced against him restoring him vnto a liuely and good health and of a beholder made him enter vpon the Theator not as one that vpon a suddaine by accident feare foresights nor hopes should represent a king in a commodie but to fulfill the true and lawfull office of a king After hee was recouered perceiuing that Messieurs de Chastillon de la Roche Foucaut de la Trimouille and Plassac could do nothing touching the relieuing of Ganache and that the Duke de Neuers with his armie made towards Blois hee tooke the places bordering vpon Niort The iudgement of the Huguenot touching the death of the Duke of Guise The Huguenots in their writings published at that time acknowledged not that action of the 13. of December as a clap of thunder that maketh more noyse then it doth hurt nor as a disgrace of fortune wherevnto the greatest personages are most subiect but as a worke of God and as one of the most notable workes that he had wrought for them thereby beginning to worke their reuenge for the massacre of Saint Bartholomewes day and to relieue them out of the miserable estate wherein they liued The Catholicques that neuer separated themselues from the auncient fidelitie of France nor from the seruice of the king coÌsidered not so much vppon that which had passed at Blois as vppon the cause thereof they admired the kings long patience that rather suffered those Princes to doo what pleased them for the space of certaine yeares then once to punish them for a first second and third fault and that in the end this long patience changed into a iust furie These Princes made leagues both within and without the Realme without his Maiesties consent or knowledge they seized vpon townes and strong places in the land euery man forsooke the king to follow them they would haue the king to yeeld them account of all that hee had spent and done since his aduancement to the Crowne they had dispearsed iniurious and slaunderous bookes throughout the Realme and by them made the name of the king to become odious besides the disputation by them made touching the right and title vnto the king of France as if the king and all his Predecessors had enioyned and holden the kingdome wrongfully from the house of Lorraine at this day liuing And to conclude they were at the poynt to kill the King if they had not been preuented As then one reioyced at the death of the Duke of Guise esteeming it for a worke of God all the League to the contrary made great sorrow Two daies after the execution the sixteenth displayed their olde colours and cried out murther fire and vengeance they presently made a collection of monies to maintaine warres the poorest artificer among them was content to impart at least sixe Crownes some hauing no mony that they might not bee found without affection to that commotion solde and pawnde their goods to bee contributaries vnto it golde ranne like a riuer along the streetes they found hidden treasures and it seemed that France had nourished theeues to make an almasse of treasures for those inraged people Parris became the infamous Theater of rebellion wherein the sixteenth like furies issuing out of hell shewed the fier and flame wherewith they inclosed and murthered the poore countrie of France Vnder those mad dogges and stinking impostumes of the CoÌmon-wealth was practised the most filthie and straungest rising that euer troubled the estate of any Towne To please the sixteenth they must displease God their king their own coÌscience He was but hardly thought on that had not halfe a dozen of great outrages wherewith to detest that execution and an elegie for the memorie of the Duke of Guise and all with the most sad sorrowfull countenance that might be deuised withall powring out some notorious and blasphemous oathes the better to counterfet a disliking Hee that could not recite the memorable actions of the Duke of Guise eleuate him to heauen with open mouth speake euill of the King detest his actions abhorre his life and account the execution done at Blois as most cruell barbarous and in humane was neither accounted an honest man good Catholicque well affected nor yet zealous There was no foolish Poet nor Ballet-singer within Parris that deuised not one couple of songs touching this action nor any Preacher that found not one place in his sermon wherein to vtter a multitude of iniuries against the king There was no Printer that set not his Presse on work with discourses made touching his death but aboue all there was great disorder libertie permitted in Preachers that who not onely cast foorth
the Switzers armie ranged in battell and would needs passe through all the squadrons with so great demonstration of contentment ioy and entertainment to the heads as that all of them likewise made manifest vnto him the great affection they had to do him seruice Hauing all his forces togither which made a bodie of 45000. men he marched presently towards Parris and with shot of cannon made himselfe Maister of S. Clouis bridge Attempts by the heads of the League against the kings life The Duke de Maine other heads of the league with their most confident friends to the number of 46. within Parris beganne to renue their concels and seeing the king so neare them either to vrge them to battell or else straightly to inclose them and constrained the people to acknowledge him iudged by that in this progression of the kings affaires their own went to ruine and that there was no other means left to staÌd out being proclaimed guiltie of high treason against their chiefest head then by executing some notable villanie in procuring the death of the King their Maister Benefactor their Prince and soueraigne Lord. Some certaine weekes before a young Iacobine Monke called Fryer Iaques Clement borne as men report in a village called Sorbonne neare Seins a man drowned in all wickednesse hauing passed through the handes of certaine confessors and conferred with some Iesuites others was for a kind of dexteritie obserued in him found meete to strike so great a stroke The murther entended of long time He was vrged and put forward therein and in the end the Duke de Mayene the sister of Montpensieur and others had conference with him in diuers places they requested him to perseuer in this good determinatioÌ which they knew to rise in him by extraordinarie inspiratioÌs to performe so renowmed a feruice to the holy vnion the Catholicque Church and his countrie They promised him Abbotships Bishoppricks whatsoeuer he would desire He remained for certain daies one whiles with the Duches Montp Who amoÌgst the ParisiaÌs was termed the holy widow other whiles with his Prior sometimes with the Iesuites This Monke drunk in his own furie with so many aluremeÌts entertainmeÌts promises protestations of felicitie teÌporal eternal resolued with himselfe and promised to kill the king The people who thought nothing nor knew not of their cruel practises talked of yeelding themselues had greatly rebated their spleene and collor Surce Duke de Maine and those of this complot caused the most zealous Sorbonnists Iesuites to preach that they should yet haue patience for seuen or eight daies they should perceiue some wonderfull matter come to passe that should make well with the vnion The Preachers of Roan Orleans and Amiens preached the like at the same time and in semblable termes The Moonke hauing taken order for his complot departed from Paris went towards S. Clou. So soone as hee was departed the Duke de Maine caused more then two hundreth of the principallest Cittizens and other rich men whom he knew to haue friends and credite with the kings partie to be taken prisoners for a gage to the end to saue his Moonke if after hee had attempted or executed the fact he were stayed or arrested The Monke being presented to speak to the king the first day of August saying that he had letters from the President of Harlay and credence on his part the king caused him to be called into his chamber where there was no other but the L. of Bellegarde chiefe Gentleman of the same and the Procuror general whom he procured to retire apart more priuately to giue eare vnto him which addressed himself as it seemed with a countenance very simple demure It is affirmed that in the selfe same chamber the Councels of the massacres in the month of August the year 1572. were surprised wherin the king that then was D. of Aniou was one of the chiefest The Moonk perceiuing himself alone opportunitie put into his haÌd coÌfirming his countenaÌce more more drew out of one of sleeues a paper which he presented to the K. out of the other a knife with which violeÌtly he sheathed a thrust within the kings smal ribs he being attentiue to read who perceiuing himself wouÌded plucked the knife out of the wound wherwith he strooke the Monke aboue the eie thervpoÌ some GentlemeÌ came ruÌning in who moued with the indignitie of so execrable a fact could not contain but killed the murtherer with their swords who went to the place appointed for him was cannonized adored by the league but on the contrarie detested of those the cleaued to the dignitie royal partie of the religion In the annagratisme of his name Frier Iaques ClemeÌt were found these words in so many letters C'est l'enfer qui m'acreè which importeth It is hel the created or brought me forth For so it seemed that after this fact the furies themselues were come out of hel to ouerwhelme topsie turuie al France The King being caried to his bed the Phisitians and Surgions applied vnto him his first dressing and iudged that the wound was not mortal by means wherof the same day he procured writing and aduise to bee giuen of this attempt as also of the hope of his healing and recouerie as well to the Gouernours of Prouinces as to Princes straungers his friends and allies But the soueraigne King hauing otherwise disposed of the life of this Prince took him out of the world about 3. of the clock in the morning the day following A litle before his departure hee spoke with a moderate and confirmed mind named the King of Nauarre his good brother lawful successor to the Crowne exhorted his good subiects to obey him to remaine vnited and to referre the difference of religion to the conuocation of the Estates Obseruations vpon the life of king Hienry the third generall of the Realme who would thinke vpon conuenient remedies for the same to haue a care of religion and pietie and to pray to God for him vpon these words he gaue vp his ghost Touching the insolencies of the league within Parris and elsewhere after the kings death an other Historie shal declare the same for our intention is not to proceed any further in these collections In this Prince failed the Kings of the race of Valois which had raigned in France from the yeare 1515. to the yeare 1589. vnder their dominions almost all the wonders of former ages had been renued This last king was little bewailed of his subiects by reason of many faults he committed in his gouernment and administration The occasion of them without touching in any sort either his conscience or affaires of instice and pollicie was that in his polliticke gouernment hee could neuer well discerne except too late his friends from his enemies and the desire he had to lead his life in pleasure made him let slippe infinite exellent opportunities
neare vnto Mant the which soone after the Leaguers were departed thence yeelded themselues to the king as also the Towne of Vernon and other Cittie To bee brief in this battel of Yuri al the footmen of the leaguers were ouerthrown Of the horsemen there were about fifteen hundreth slaine and drowned and about foure hundreth taken prisoners Among the dead there was knowne to be slaine the Earle of Egmont who was Colonell of the troupes sent by the Duke of Parma one of the Dukes of Brunswic Chastegneray beside those whose names could not bee found VVee will make no mention heere of those prisoners which afterward abused the kings benignitie and gracious fauours who might iustly haue put them all to death Who after their releasment tooke part against him More then twentie Cornets of horsemen was at that time wonne by the King among the which was the white Cornet the chiefe standard belonging to the Spanish Generall and to the Flemmings the Cornets of the Rutters and more then threescore ensignes of footemen beside the foure and twentie Ensignes of the Switzers which were yeelded presently after the slaughter The king lost the Lords of Clermont d'Antragues Captaine of his Guards the Lord Schomberg de Bongaulnay de Crenay Fesquieres and 15. or 20. other Gentlemen a fewe souldiers and fewe hurt The Duke de Maine and other Captaines of the League beeing frustrate of their hope and seeing their armie thus spoyled betooke themselues to their ordinarie shifts which was to feede the Parisians with lies and fables publishing many bookes wherein it was shewen that at the first assault giuen at Dreux the Inhabitants had slaine more then fiue hundreth men of the kings armie greeuously hurt a great number more at what time also the Marshal of Biron was slaine how in an other incounter near vnto Poissy the league had gotten a great victorie In which battell they had a long fight and almost equall losse And that if the king were not alreadie dead hee was very neare vnto it The people beeing not satified with such false quoyne and hearing euery day more then other contrarie reports by certaine men that had escaped from the said bloodie fight on the leaguers side murmured greatly thereat as people that desired peace The seditious preachers stopt the report of the Leaguers losse by all the meanes they might And whilest the Duke de Maine and others after certaine meetings at Saint Dennis because that the pauement of Paris was too hot for them tooke his way toward the Duke of Parma to obtaine succour from him The Parliament of Roane that according to their olde custome did bend themselues against their king and gracious soueraigne did execute and put to death the seuenth of Aprill certaine prisoners which were seruants to the king And three daies after declared by an Edict all those to bee traitors which were of the king of Nauarres campe as they called him that would not linke themselues to king Charles the tenth vnderstanding by that name the Cardinall of Bourbon to ioyne themselues to the league and beare weapons in the Duke de Maines armie vsing many threatnings in written papers which they set vp at the corners of euerie lane and afterward put them in print And whilest the leaguers applyed these businesses the king hoping by gentlenesse to win the Parisians to obedience continued stil at Mant without any further hot following his victorie But the trumpets of sedition imputing this mildnesse to the kings want of courage perswaded with the people that he whom they called their sworn and irreconcileably enemie shuld be shortly brought to such a hard exegent that he would bee glad either to graunt them their owne request or else that they should see him vtterly ouerthrowne Breefly their great bragges and insolencies constrained the King to draw toward Paris in this month of Aprill In fewe daies after Corbeil vpon Seine was yeelded vnto him the towne of Lagni vpon Marne and Melun Then hee assailed Sens in Bourgongne where hee did nothing onely through their fault of whom he thought to haue had better seruice The Parisians had such confidence in the promises of the leaguers that they assured themselves the king was not able to hold out many weekes against their forces insomuch that they respected not the strengthening of their Cittie to repell the batterie of any foe or the strength of any siege In time of peace that great and goodly Cittie was daily maintained and serued with fresh prouision as well one weeke as an other by the infinite commodities that was brought thervnto both far and neare by the help of the riuers of Seine Marne and Oise Diuers particular persons wisely foreseeing a storme made prouision before hand for their families But the number of the Inhabitants in that little world was so mightie great that for one prudent housekeeper there was found an hundreth that neuer thought to prouide against the time to come or sought to shun a mischiefe before it fell vppon their pates whereof followed the strange and wofull desolations which I will briefly present heere vnto you The fiue and twentieth day of Aprill the king returning toward Paris tooke and seized vpon the bridge Charenton and diuers other places thereabout for the commoditie of this armie which consisted of twelue thousand foote or thereabout three thousand horses The Parisians were six times as many in respect of the number of those that carried armes who were vnder the commaund of the Duke of Nemours in the absence of the Lieftenant generall his brother beeing assisted by the Cheualier d'Aumale and certaine other Captaines of the league In the beginning of this siege the affaires were horribly tossed They had in the Cittie certaine Preachers The siege of Parris and among many more were these following Boucher Pilletier Guincestre Feuerdant Guarin Christin little Fueillant and others in diuers Churches which mooued the people to indure all the miseries that might bee imagined rather then to submit themselues to an hereticall Prince as they called him These Preachers beeing poysoned with Spanish golde and maintained by the chiefe Ladies of the league did so inuenome the people with subtill perswasions against their lawfull king and soueraigne Lord that they resolued to perish miserably in the siege propounding on the other side questions to the facultie of Sorbonne that is to say if it come so to passe that the Cardinall of Bourbon should die being prisoner whom they called king Charles the tenth whether then they might receiue Henry of Bourbon for their king or no though hee would reconcile himselfe to the Pope Also whether they that should seeke to make peace with the said Henry or that permitted the same might not giue cause to bee held and suspected or counted a fauourer of heresies if it were according to the law of God if they might faile therein without mortall sinne and paine of damnation Contrariwise if it were a thing meritorious to
lodging and aboue sixe hundreth of the leaguers slaine without any losse except fiue souldiers and about eighteene or nineteene hurt And hauing knowledge that the Leaguers intent was not to fight but to retire they followed theÌ the more close shutting vp all their passages as well to preuent the bringing of victuals as their escape for which there was good reason Vppon the riuer their ships and vesselles were beaten part whereof was taken and part suncke by the Holanders By land they were inclosed in their campe intrenched and fortified yet would they not issue foorth although the necessitie of victuals was extreame great among them and that all warrelike order shewed their insufficiencie They were moreouer intrenched within a wood where also two thousand Spaniards and VVallons were lodged to intercept the kings passage who neuerthelesse in the sight of their enemie broke throgh their trenches where all this great troupe was ouerthrowne except some fewe which by their swiftnesse tooke the groues beeing more amazed then desirous to reuenge The daies following they continued their chasing by skirmiges till the tenth of March at what time the king after hee knew where they pitcht their campe chose out such forces as hee thought necessarie and set vppon them by fiue of the clocke in the morning within a quarter which the leaguers supposed most strongest There was ouerthrowne without any great resistance twentie two Cornets of horsemen It is thought that it was there where the Duke of Parma had his arme hurt with a musket shot other say it was done in the former charge Howsoeuer it were the Leaguers lost at the same time two thousand horse which by the victors were carried away with all their baggage leauing slaine vpon that place more then two thousand and fiue hundreth men and many taken prisoners They retired towards Fescamp where hauing within fewe dayes selt the force both of hunger and thirst at last they fledde shamefully toward Parris and from thence to Brie at last they came to Artoys wherwithin few months the Duke of Parma with his troupes melted like waxe in the sunne Sfondrate sawe his people also confounded Roane beeing brought to great extremitie bought of Villars his Rotelier the corne hourded vp in his Garners whereof hee made a maruellous masse of treasure which hee imployed for a small space till such time as hee was slaine by the Spaniardes neare vnto Dârlans Thus was France the thirde time deliuered out of the handes of herenemies Those of the house of Guise and other chiefe Captaines of the League that sought new troubles being nothing sorrie for the Duke of Parmas ill successe set themselues with the Spanish Agents to get into their handes newe bags of Spanish golde in consultation touching the assembly of their estates to the end to elect a King or a Queene to wit the king of Spaines daughter who was to marrie with one of the principall Leaguers And although the Duke de Maine wrought with the others in the same wheele yet had hee a contrarie intent As for the most part of the Parliament of the leaguers of Parris and the third estate they all desired peace and some end of these troubles The Leaguers forces in diuers parts In many other parts of the Realme and namely in Languedoc and Brittaine the Dukes of Ioyeuse and Mercoeur two principall Leaguers continued their warre doing great domage to the Kings subiects In Iuly the Duke de Maine tooke Ponteau de Mer while the king practised his enterance into Paris which as then found no good successe beeing broken off by the Marshall de Bârons death who was slaine by a cannon shotte at the siege of Espernon On the other side the Duke of Nemours purposed the building of a little Monarchie at Lyons being possessed by intelligence of the Citie and Castle of Vieruâ which were solde vnto him Hee attempted to do much more by helpe of the forces comming from Sauoy but in vaine at that time The King was very watchfull to preuent the enterance of forraine forces giuing order within his Realme for all his most vrgent affaires distributing his troupes heere and there in places most conuenient And for as much as his Nobilitie had been greatly hazarded at the siege of Roane and in the seruices following hee dismissed a great many and retained a certaine number of the most deliberez Others which went farre off to assayle the League in diuers places perished for the most part The Spaniards which were very curious to recouer their great losses with some memorable act some certaine monthes after the The spoyle of Bayonne attempted in vaine by the Spaniards Duke of Parmas discomfiture they attempted the taking of Bayonne by the helpe of a puissant armie which came vnto them as well by water as by land Long time before this the Gouernour of Fontaraby had from his Maisters intelligence that a Doctor of Phisicke called Blancpignon had often receiued letters in couert termes to further the Spaniards affaires consisting in the surprising of the Cittie and the expulsing of all the kings officers and seruants in the same This Doctor conferred with a Spaniard which had long time dwelt in that Towne and those two brought their treason to such a poynt that a fleet of certaine ships and an armie by land were made readie for the executing of their purpose But God would that the Lacquey which was sent to Fontaraby with letters speaking of Phisicke and curing of the sicke was taken by the Lord de la Hilliere Gouernour of the towne who hauing with all speede apprehended the Doctor and the Spaniard in fewe houres preuented all their mischiefe But that which hee had deliberated heerevppon which was to giue a strappado to the enterprisers could not bee performed because of the obstinate resolution of the Spanish prisoner who would not write such letters as was of him required but rather chose to die then to set pen to paper for the intrapping of his countri-men and heerevpon with the Doctor hee was beheaded whereof followed the discipation of the Spanish armie Amblize and the Leaguers of Lorraine ouerthrowne by the Duke of Bouillon In the month of October the Duke of Bouillon Marshall of France ouerthrew before Beaumont the Lord of d'Amblize high Marshall of Lorraine and the Dukes Lieftenant generall accompanied with two thousand foote and eight hundreth horse Amblize was himselfe slaine in the field with more then seuen hundreth others his artillerie won all his Cornets and Ensignes taken and foure hundreth Launce-knights sent away vnarmed The Duke of Bouillon did this valerous exployt with foure hundreth horse and two harquebuziers But this was much to bee noted hee lost not in all that fight any one man of account and beeing himselfe something hurt hee left the pursuite of his foes to his Lieftenants who beeing ayded by a sallie of shot comming out of Beaumont they made a happie ende of their prosperous beginning That also which
AN HISTORICAL COLLECTION OF THE MOST MEMORABLE ACCIDENTS and Tragicall Massacres of France vnder the Raignes of HENRY 2. FRANCIS 2. CHARLES 9. HENRY 3. HENRY 4. now liuing Conteining all the troubles therein happened during the said Kings times vntill this present yeare 1598. Wherein we may behold the wonderfull and strange alterations of our age Translated out of French into English Imprinted at London by Thomas Creede 1598. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE GEORGE EARLE OF CVMBERLAND BARON OF CLIFFORD LORD OF VVESTMERland Skipton Vipont Bromflet and Vessy Knight of the most honourable Order of the Garter all health and happinesse AMong many that haue taken in hand Right Honourable and my very good Lord to write the Stories of auncient times the warres and woorthie deedes of famous Princes it was my lot thogh vnwoorthie to be called to the translating of these last troubles of France which by the Author was in the French tongue very learnedly and eloquently set downe And sith the matter therein contained meriteth to bee well regarded and duly considered of all noble and honourable personages and the knowledge thereof profitable to be imparted vnto all Christian kingdomes it was thought verie meete and requisite to haue the same turned into our English tongue for the profit and benefit of all such Englishmen as are not skilfull in the other language what sweetnesse of phrase it hath lost being thus stript out of it owne attire I beseech your good Lordship to pardon considering that the French in phrase carrieth a peculiar grace in it self which cannot alwaies in an other speech be exprest Not what I would but what I could I haue done in the translation wishing in my heart for your Lordships sake that my skil could haue stretcht to my good will Neuerthelesse for the saluing of all imperfections therein and the intier affection which I beare to your honourable vertues In all humilitie I commend my Booke to your Lordships patronage that your worthinesse may supply what is wanting in me and shield my booke from the enuie of Satyricall carpers who beholding your Lordship to be a Protector of my simple labour will rather blush at their owne peeuishnesse then proceed any further in their mallice Thus building on hope of your honourable fauour I humbly rest Your Lordships in all dutie TO THE COVRTEOVS AND FRIENDLY READER SVch is the plentie of fine wittes in this our age right gentle and courteous Reader that nothing can passe currant without controll except it be rare in conceit or excellent for Art for my owne part I cannot boast of either yet haue I beene like blinde Bayard bold to deale in the translating of this booke which I confesse might haue well beseemed a man of greater skill notwithstanding beeing called therevnto I haue done my best to satisfie the world submitting my selfe to the correction of the learned Many faults haue escaped heerein some by my owne ouersight some through the Printers negligence which I would desire the skilfull courteously to correct with their penne or friendly to pardon through their courtesie For such as are vsed to the Presse are priuie to this that few bookes goes cleare without an Erata yet thus much I dare presume that to my knowledge no fault heerein committed hath either spoyled the sence or mangled the Storie Therefore in so great a labour as this is thinke not a small fault a great preiudice So shall you bind mee by your courtesie to bee readie heereafter both to correct this and to procure some other thing that may be more to your content Yours in all courtesie THE CONTENTS OF THE MOST PRINCIPAL POYNTS CONTAINED IN THIS HISTORIE HENRY THE SECOND THe raigne of Henry the second containeth the alteration of the Court by the death of Francis the first Warres in Scotland Practises wrought at Rome against the Emperour Reuolt in Guyenne because of exactions made vpon Salt Persecutions against those of the religion War at Bullen The notable actions of Merindol and Cabrieres The reestablishment of Guyenne Occasions of warres renued between the Frenchmen and the Spaniards The beginning of warres beyond the mountaines Preparation for warres in Picardie The kings proceedings against the Pope the Emperour and the Councell of Trent The Edict against the abuses of the Court of Rome Continuance of persecutions against those of the religion Pretences against Lorraine Councels and agreements between the King and the Protestant Princes to crosse the Emperours proceedings in Almaine and elsewhere The taking of Metz an Imperiall Towne brought vnder the King of France his subiection Warres in Luxemburg The Conquest of the Duchie of Bouillon The Emperour agreeth with the Almaines to besiege Metz and ouerrun Picardie The issue of the siege of Metz. The taking and rasing of Terouenne Hesden sacked The ouerthrow and taking of the Duke of Arscot Three royall armies which reuenge the fires made by the Emperours Armie in Picardie The Towne of Bains among others is burnt The encounter at Renty The ouerthrow of the Armie of Frenchmen in Picardie Wars in Piedmont and Sauoy The French Armie conducted by Strossy ouerthrowne and Siene yeelded Warres in Picardie and the Isle of Corsie The Emperour yeeldeth vp his Empire vnto his brother other dominions vnto his son The two kings make truce for fiue yeares which are presently broken and warres renued about Rome The Duke of Guise marcheth with an armie for the king to ayde the Pope who maketh peace with the Spaniard Meane time the Constable looseth the battell of Saint Lawrence Saint Quintin taken by assault and many other places wonne from the Frenchmen in Picardie The king assayeth to recompence his losses and following his intent long practised he recouered Calais and the Countie of Oye after that Theouuille and others On the other side the Earle of Egmont ouerthrew the Marshall de Termes hard by Grauelines A speech of peace in the meane time Charles the fift his sister Elenor and Mary Queene of England died In the end the two Kings agreed togither and the King of France began to persecute those of the religion more then euer he did but while he plaide his part death seized vpon him and laid him on the ground by a blow with a Launce Whereby ensued a maruellous alteration in France FRANCIS THE SECOND THe Court in a moment is wholly altered and chaunged by the practises of the house of Guise that withstood all men executing Anne de Bourg an excellent person vnder the authoritie of a Prince of the blood Information is made against them and the Barron de la Renaudie in the name of a great part of the Nobilitie and third estate vndertaketh the commission to take the Duke of Guise and the Cardinall of Lorraine prisoners What order was holden therein by Monsieur de Renaudie which in the end was discouered whereof ensued diuers bloodie Tragedies at Amboise The Prince of Conde valiantly maintaineth his innocency and sheweth the cowardly tyrannie of his enemies
Oppede whereof he was Lord vnder pretence of religion was become a mortall enemy vnto those of Cabrieres and Merindol where those husbandmen dwelt who in haruest time in despight of Menier reaped the corne which as then they found vpon their ground which hee held from them by force so that as then the execution was pursued And thervpon the Parliament at the instant request of M nier sent an huissier to the Cardinall de Tournon at whose request king Francis the first sent letters pattents to the parliament for the execution of that first sentence and by that meanes in the moneth of Aprill 1545. Menier naming himselfe Lieftenant to Monsieur de Grignan Gouernour of Prouence hauing assembled an armie of theeues and beeing accompanied by Monsieur de la Garde set fier in diuers villages about Merindol sent great numbers of poore Countrie-men into the Gallies and caused a young man to bee openly harquebushed and finding no man within Merindol pilled sacked burnt and rased all the houses and hauing besieged battered and by composition taken the litle Towne of Cabrieres in stead of holding his promise made vnto them he chose out 25. or 30. men such as pleased him that were cut and massaced to peeces in a Medowe that lay vnder the Towne about 40. women wherof most of them were great with childe were burnt within a barne and many beeing found hidden in their Cellors were tyed two and two togither and so ledde into the Hall of the Castle of Cabrieres where they were most cruelly murthered Within the Church many olde women young maides and children that had saued themselues were all put to the sword The number of the slaine and massacred amounting vnto 800. persons and more The Barron de la Garde ledde aboue 800. persons away and put them into the Gallies where the most part of them died in great miserie Many women and maides were deflowred and great numbers ledde prisoners to Marseille Aix and Auignon Diuers villages beeing wholly burnt and consumed by fire whereby the desolation and misery of that countrie was exceeding great But king Francis being sicke for the space of certaine years after that cruell massacre and vrged in conscience with a remorse of that mischiefe whereof hee had partly beene the cause and sorrie before his death hee could not execute open punishment vppon those that abusing his name and authoritie had committed so horrible a mischiefe among his subiects of Prouence expresly charged his sonne Henry not to deferre that punishment saying that if he put it in obliuion God wold bee reuenged thereof against him and that their memorie would remaine in horrour and execration vnto all straungers if the persons that had committed so notable a crime should bee suffered to escape vnpunished This clause expresly set downe within the Kings testament aduanced the discredit on the Cardinall of Tournon and put Grignan and la Garde in great paine but to conclude they had more feare then hurt for the king by his letters patents of the 17. of March 5549. caused the matter to bee heard by the Court of Parliament in Parris where Menier and three others his companions appeared in person the rest of the Councellors by their Atturneyes And there after long proces in stead of punishment one man onely called Guerin a Councellor lesse culpable then the rest was hanged in Parris Menier principal of that massacre escaped and falling out of his wits died beeing ceased with a secret fire within his bodie in the open sight knowledge of all the countrie of Prouence The rest of the matter vanished as it were in a smoke before the sight of men but God made both the king his Councell all his Realme to know and well perceiue that the blood of so many innocent persons and others that were put to death both before and after that time for the confessioÌ of the Gospell is most precious in his sight as the things that happened and fell out in the yeares ensuing haue well declared which we must in order set downe as time and place shall serue The death of Margaret Queene of Nauarre The same year in the month of December did Margaret de Orleans Queen of Nauarre sister to king Francis the first a most noble and famous Princesse and of as notable a spirit as any that liued in her time In the beginning of this year the king suppressed and abolished the imposition of salt in the countrie of Guyenne with all the officers that had the execution thereof for the summe of 450000. frankes with the countries of of Poicton Saintonge Angoulmois Perigort high and lowe Limosin and high lowe Marthe should pay vnto him with 25000. frankes to the officers for their charges Touching those of Bourdeaux in the month of October before they had procured and obtained a general pardon vpoÌ condition that they and their successors shuld alwaies keep two ships furnished for the wars readie to put to sea to serue vnder whomsoeuer it should please the king to commaund and to receiue into the Castles of Trompette and du Ha such garrison as the king should send into them and to victuall them with all sorts of victualls which they should yearely furnish and renue taking away the olde And therevpon in the moneth of Ianuarie after the king reestablished the parlement and their Towne was reduced into the former estate they that had beene beaten making the amends Three Presidents in Parris displaced and after reestablished onely Liset At that time three Presidents of Parris not well thought of by the house of Guise as then beeing in great credit were displaced out of their offices but not long after S. Andre Minard hauing promised to become good seruitors were restored againe Liset was made Abbot of S. Victor that an other of lesse iudgement then himselfe might haue his place And so hee tooke vppon him to deale in matters of diuinitie wherein hee sped so hardly and of a good practition hee became so ignoranta sophister that falling in a great laughter hee was suddainly taken with a disease and so died Hee shewed himselfe a sworne and perpetual enemie to those of the religion thinking to aduance himselfe by cruell inuentions but hee was cut off by the way thereby seruing for an example to many better men then himselfe not to bandie against him vho is able to surprise and intrappe the subtillest in their fond inuentions and against whom the wisedome and force of man is nothing but meere beastlinesse and vanitie Remedies for false clipt mony This yeare because that most of the mony in France was found to be clipped by the kings edict al such mony was commaunded to bee cut in peeces and molten and many of that occupation among the which were diuers quoyners executed Bullen restored to the King In the monthes of Februarie and March a peace was agreed vppon betweene the kings of England France wherevpon
l'A And hee had no sooner begun but the Flemmings onely staying therevpon got before him which constrained the French Vangard to range themselues in order thereby to sustaine the rest of the armie where it made a braue resistance driuing certaine squadrons of horses out of ranke but the Counte hauing made a furious charge procured the ouerthrow and spoyle of the Marshall who beeing sore hurt was taken with Messieurs de Villebon Senarpont Moruilliers and Chaune and many Captains and souldiers slaine in the field The Marshals armie being composed of certaine companies of launciers three cornets of light-horses Scottish-men 14. Ensignes of French footemen and 18. Companies of Lansquenets all beeing eyther slaine or taken The number that escaped were not many that great wound renewed the former of S. Lawrence day and brake the enterprise vppon the Duche of Luxenbourg where the Duke of Guise pretended to be doing who in the moneth of Iuly tooke his course to Thierashe and so lodged at Pierrepont which he strengthened with 7. Cornets of Rutters a new Regiment of Lansquenets An army by sea of English men Flemings ouerthrowne in Brittaigne At the same time the armie at sea composed of Englishmen and Flemmings to the number of 6000. men or thereabouts hauing sayled along the coast of Britaigne in the end tooke land at Conquet which they spoyled and entering further into the countrie were ouerthrowne by Monsieur de Kersimon whereof some he slewe other he tooke prisoners and caused the rest to saue themselues by fight within their shippes where they presently hoysed sayles and put to sea Both the kings armies hard by Amiens Both the kings hauing prepared their armies no lesse puissant then at other times incamped themselues and stayed not farre from Amiens along by the Riuer of Somme where they had great numbers of strangers so that their owne subiects in comparison of them were very fewe There they made certaine courses and skirmishes but no battell of any consequence and as it seemed those two great Princes were as then come thither to make an agreement the treatie whereof was mooued and to proceed therein they chose the Abbey of Cercamp vpon the frontiers of Artois and Picardie wherefore the King of France appeased the Constable the Marshall S. Andre the Cardinall of Lorraine Moruilliers Bishop of Orleans one of the kings priuie Councell and Secretarie Aubespine The king of Spaine sent thither the Duke d'Alue the Prince of Aurange Deputies for peace Rigome de Silues Granuelle Bishop of Arras and Vigle de Zuichem President of the Councell of Estate in the lowe Countries They assembled in the moneth of October hauing sor vmpier of the differences that might fall out betweene them the Duches Dowager and the Duke of Lorraine her sonne Meane time the Constable hauing agreed for his ransome came to do his dutie vnto the King who gaue him all the entertainment that possible he might and made him lye with him as some certainly report During this meeting both the armies were dismissed the strangers sent into their countries While this treatie of peace continued Charles the Emperour and his sister Ellenor Death of the Emperour Charles the fift and Ellenor his sister of Mary Queene of England and of Cardinall Poole wife vnto King Francis died in Spaine the peace was grounded vppon the marriage of Charles Prince of Spaine with Elizabeth eldest daughter of K. Henry of Philebert Emanuel Prince of Piedemont with Margaret daughter to king Francis deceased That which prolonged the treatie was that the Q. of England demanded the restitution of Callais but about the end of Nouember she died After whom likewise died Cardinall Poole her great Councellor her death that changed the state of England wherein after that neither the Spaniards nor the Pope had more to do caused the assembly to be referred vnto the peace ensuing King Phillip hauing with great pompe celebrated the funerals of his father within the Towne of Brussels The Duke of Lorraine married with the yonger daughter of the French King stayed in Flaunders to heare what should be done by his Deputies before he passed into Spaine The K. of France to ioyne the Duke of Lorraine in alliance with him gaue him Claude his second daughter in mariage reseruing the elder for the coÌclusion of peace The espousals were holden in Parris vpon the 5. of Februarie and about the 15. of the same month the Deputies changing place being furnished with large and ample instructions met at the castle of Cambresse king Phillip lying at Monts in Hanaut where the Cardinall of Lorraine went to visit him and after that the Duches Dowager Peace agreed vppon betweene two kings At this second meeting both of them seemed very vnwilling specially the Spaniards moued therevnto by newes out of Piedemont where the Frenchmen had lately receiued an ouerthrow But in the end after many arguments and conclusions they drewe vnto an agreement In the Tretie at Cercamp a marriage had beene spoken of betweene Charles Prince of Spaine and Elizabeth of France Now the Deputies perceiuing king Phillip to bee a Widdower and esteeming the alliance to bee stronger if hee espoused the Princesse which before should haue been giuen vnto his sonne they propounded that Article which to the good contentment of both the Kings was concluded and agreed vpon togither with the marriage of the Prince of Piedemont to the Ladie Margaret The King of France yeelded to the King of Spaine all that hee had taken from him both on this side and beyond the Mountaines also to the Prince of Piedemont la Bresse Sauoy and Piedemont except foure Townes to the Geneuois the Isle of Corse and Siene to the Duke of Florence retaining nothing but Callais without gaining a foote of any other land in all that long and daungerous war which had desolated so many Prouinces sacked burnt ouerthrowne so many Townes Bourges Villages and Castles been the death of so great a number of Princes Lords Gentlemen Captaines Souldiers Cittizens and Paisants caused so many rauishings and violatings of women and maids and in a word which had in a manner tormented all Europe so that in effect the king yeelded aboue two hundreth others write almost as many more places for the conquest whereof a sea of blood of his naturall subiects had been spent and shedde the treasures of the Realme consumed his lands ingaged and he indebted on all sides and which is woorse the fire beeing quenched vppon the borders not long after began within the middle of all his Realme and in euery place thereof as well is seene during the raignes of his three successors But these things are the vnsearchable and deepe iudgements of God which are not lawfull for vs to enter into but onely to worship and adore him that worketh all things with great wisedome with mercie towards his children and with most iust and fearefull vengeance against his enemies
Tombe for the Kinges of France Of person hee was a goodly Prince courteous milde The description of king Henry the second louing his seruaunts and men of valour Much addicted to his pleasures and to beleeue such as knewe how to please his humour who many times caused him to vse muche rigour which hee could not so soone discouer the ambition and auarice of certaine men that prouoked him forwarde were the principall causes of the continuance of warres which heretofore we haue noted specially after the breache of truce set lawes Iustice Offices and benefices to sale diued into and emptied the purses of French men by infinit exactions whereof ensued most great mischiefs The estate of France vnder this Prince Two great sinnes raigned in France during the time of this Prince that is Atheisme and Magicque Whereunto may be added the corruption of learning For that the knowledge thereof induced by King Francis the first chaunged into diuers wicked and curious mindes cause of all mischiefe specially in the forme and phrase of French Poets who in the raigne of Henry by their impure rimes filled with all maner of blasphemies conuerted an infinit number of soules These sinnes and others in great abundance still increased drawing vpon both litle and great within the Realme of France the straunge punishments which in the raignes of the successors to this Henry full well appeared Fiue sonnes and fiue daughters By Catherin de Medicis his wife married in Anno. 1533 he had fiue sonnes and fiue daughters The eldest Francis the second borne the 20. of Ianuary 1543. The second Lois the Duke of Orleans that died at the ende of certaine months The third Charles Maxemilian borne the 20. of Iune 1550. King after the death of his brother The 4. Edward Alexandre after King and called Henry the third born the 19. of September 1551. The fift Hercules after called Francis Duke of Alencon Aniou and Berri and Counte du Maine borne the 18. of March 1554. The eldest daughter was Elizabeth promised to Edward the sixt King of England but marryed to Phillip king of Spaine borne the 11. of Aprill 1545. The second Claude maried to Charles Duke of Lorraine bonre the 12. of Nouember 1547. The third Margaret married to Henry de Bourbon King of Nauarre borne the 14. of May 1552. The fourth and fift named Iane and Victoire borne at one burthen vpon the 24. of Iune 1556 and died presently after In this Historie you may behold the successe and estate of the successors to this Henry beeing his sonnes with the first whereof I meane to begin Heere endeth the troubles that happened in the raigne of Henry the second Francis the second M.D.LIX. The intent of King Henrie KING Henry by the counsell giuen him touching the rupture of the truce and by that which after ensued hauing somewhat discouered who and which they were that gaue him euill aduise concerning his estate was minded and fully resolued after the solemnization of the marriages to looke more particularly into such men therby to retaine some and send the rest vnto the places froÌ whence they came But the wrath of God lay vppon the Realme hauing striken the head pursued the members as heereafter it appeareth Francis the second yong in aduise The state of France vnder Francis the second The Nobilitie The Courtiers much more in yeares was wholly left to the gouernment of his mother and the vncles of his wife that ruled the land as you shal heare Part of the Nobilitie wearied with the troubles of so long warres desired nought but peace leauing all care of publike charges and casting their eyes vppon the surest side thereon to lay hold The Courtiers went which way the winde would blowe as touching the officers of Iustice most of them were friends or subiects vnto diuers Lords some good and vpright men yet resting in the Court of Parliament durst not almost proceed in any thing as beeing abashed at the suddaine blowe giuen vnto the chiefe and principall Court of Parliament the last Mercurialist The Ecclesiasticall persons The Ecclesiasticall persons held and accounted them for principall Pillers of the Church that were the greatest burners As touching the third estate the great charges and troubles of warres forepast had wholly bereaued them of al liuely feeling and moouing Two parties In the Court were two parts the one those that held with the Constable the other the Guisians The Princes of the blood had almost no care of the Common-wealth nor yet of their owne affaires The Queene-mother an Italian Florentine of the familie of Medicis and one that in 22. yeares wherin she had continued in France had some good time to knowe the humours both of the one and the other and behaued her selfe in such sort that shee onely ruled Those of Guise Which to attaine and desiring wholly to driue away the Constable whom shee did most suspect shee held on the other side and placed seruants about the King of Nauarre by them to know and vnderstand his minde Assoone as king Henry was deceased the Duke of Guise and the Cardinall of Lorraine led the King and his brethren with the Queenes vnto the Louure leauing the Prince of the Blood the Constable the Marshall the Admirall with diuers other knights of the Order and Lords that held with the Constable to attend vppon the dead body The beginning of the raigne of this young Prince promised much when suddainly they beheld Francis Oliuier a man of great reputation Francis Oliuier restored to be Chancellor restored againe vnto his place of Chauncellor that had been put out of the place by meanes of the Duches of Valentinois that wholly ruled the deceased king they were in further hope wheÌ they perceiued this Duches to be wholly out of credit for that assoone as he was dead they caused her to yeeld vp the keyes of the kings closet with all his precious Iewels that then were giuen vnto the Queene Regent But this was onely a particular quarrell betweene women for in truth the Duches during king Henries life had been in all mens sight as Queen of France The Queen-mother that hated her extreamly was very glad to see her wholly dispoyled and driuen out of the Court contenting her selfe therewith not to leese the fauour of those of Guise who although they onely had their aduancement by the Duches meanes perceiuing her to bee as a rotten plancke left her to pleasure themselues another way They sent Bertrand from whom the seales were taken vnto Rome and tooke from d'Auancon the ruling of the Treasures Bertrand keeper of the Seales discharged of his office neuerthelesse hee continued still in the Court as beeing too well acquainted with their affaires and as yet it was not necessary to compell him to accept of any new partie The Marshall of S. Andre aduanced by the fauours of King Henry to whom he was a secret seruant and wholly
fatned by the confiscations of the goods of those of the religion and by borrowings neuer to be repayed hauing made offer of all that hee had to the house of Guise was receiued into their band The Constable sent home The Constable perceiuing that the king in open Parliament had declared that his meaning was that from thence foorth al men should haue recourse touching matters of estate the crowne and of his house vnto his two Vncles the Duke of Guise and the Cardinall of Lorraine and that by consequent his mortall enemie entered into his place and doing that which wholly apperteined to his offices of Constable and Great-Maister of France yea and in the presence of the Spaniards and other straungers who before had made so much account of him about eight daies after the kings death went to present himselfe vnto the king deliuering vppe the seales to him committed by King Henry and hauing been certified from the king that the charge of the treasures and other affaires concerning the estate were as then committed to the Cardinall and to the Duke of Guise the commandement of all things that belonged vnto the warres and that for his part the king permitted him leaue to depart and go vnto his house saying hee still retained him of his Councell and that whensoeuer hee would come vnto the Court hee should bee welcome he thaÌked the king for suffring him so to retire beseeching him that as touching his comming vnto the Councell his Maiestie would excuse him for two causes the one because hee could not serue vnder such men ouer whom he had alwaies commaunded the other for that beeing holden and accounted for an olde and simple man his counsell would not bee necessarie otherwise he offered both life and goods to serue the King Which done he went to see the Queene mother that handled him very rudely reproching him that he in presence of the king with smiling countenance should say that he had neuer a childe that in any thing resembled him but onely his bastard-daughter that married with the Marshall de Montmorency Yet for the loue of her deceased king and husband she said she was content to remit her owne particular quarrell for which if it pleased her she could haue caused him to loose his head yet she exhorted him not altogither to leaue the Court but to come thither sometimes He denied the accusation which she alledged touching her children affirming it to be false desiring her to haue in remembrance the many seruices by him done to her and to the Realme and not to regard the euill report of such as were his enemies that shuld not do him all the mischief which they pretended And so hauing taken his leaue and brought his maister vnto his Tombe he withdrew himselfe vnto his house The Princes of the blood scattered Touching the Princes of the blood the Prince of Conde was sent into Flanders there to confirme the peace to whom was deliuered a thousand Crownes to beare his charges The Prince of la Roche Suryon was sent thither likewise to beare the order of France vnto the king of Spaine and at his returne appointed with the Cardinal of Burbon to coÌduct the Princesse Elizabeth into Spain The ParlimeÌts were appointed at the good pleasure of those of Guise The Cardinal de TurnoÌ an old enimy to the CoÌstable to al those of the religioÌ was repealed from Rome reestablished of the priuy councel The Kings Officers of his house chaunged part of the old officers of the kings house were discharged part sent home vnto their houses with half their pensions to giue place to others And to coÌclude there staied not one in the Court that fauoured the Constable The Prouinces of the Realme and the frontier Townes were filled with Guisians and all Gouernours and men of warre commaunded to obey the Duke of Guise as the king himselfe All the Parliaments were aduertised Those of Guise haue charge of all that the Cardinall had the whole ordering and disposing of the treasures and of the estate The Queene Mother aduanced aboue all obtained the monies proceeding of the confirmation of Offices and the priuiledges of Townes and corporations whereof shee gaue a part to whome it pleased her although such summes ought not of right to be exacted vnlesse the Crowne fall into an other braunch First Edicts The first Edicts were made against such as bare Armes namely Pistols and Bastinadoes then against long Cloakes and great Hose It was a common saying in euery mans mouth that the Cardinall was a fearefull man if there were euer any in all the world hauing vnderstood by a certaine Magician in Rome that by enuie and then when he should be most in credit his enemies would cause him to be slaine with a Bastianado for that cause hee had procured that Edict being alwaies in great distrust euen at the time when all men were in most subiection to him Among so many affaires the 14. of Iuly Letters Pattents from the king confirmed the Commission vnto the Iudges appointed to proceed in iudgement against Anne du Bourg Proces against Anne de Bourg and other prisoners and foure other Councellours that were committed to prison Du Bourg stedfast in religion was hotly pursued Bertrand Cardinall and Archbishop of Siens beeing one of the principall wheeles of this criminall Chariot and the Cardinall of Lorraine the leader therof Those of the religion perceiuing themselues to be at the point of a more violent persecution by expresse Letters vnto the Queene besought her by her authoritie to commaund the leauing off to persecute them in such great rigor Shee promised the Prince of Conde Madame de Roy his mother in lawe and to the Admirall to cause the persecutions for to cease so they would leaue their assembling togither The Queen-mother promiseth to doo for those of the religion and that euery man wold liue according to his own conscience secretly and not to the hurt of others Shee had been most earnestly mooued by the letters of one named Villemadon that knew great part of his secrets putting her in minde of her great affection vnto pittie at such time as shee was barren exhorting her not to withdrawe the Princes of the blood from the mannaging of the affaires of the estate thereby to aduance and make Kings the house of Guise Those letters were written the 26. day of August and wrought with so great effect that from thenceforward for a certaine time the Queene seemed to hearken vnto the comfort and ease of those of the religion meane time those of Guise to make their gouernment seeme agreeable to al the people and to leese nothing in the kings name published letters of the reuocation of all alienations made Alienations made by king Henry reuoked as well for life as yeares beeing for recompences of any seruices past except those sales whereof the monies had beene imployed for the kings great vrgent
affaires the Dowries of the kings daughters and that of the late Queene Ellenor which as then the Princesse of Portingall enioyed the rest to be revnited vnto the Kings domaines ordinary receipts This reuocation was a Bowe to certaine Princes great Lords and notable personages who by such pollicie were defeated of their seruices and all rewards made vnto them by the late deceased King On the other side such as were in fauour with the house of Guise obtained other letters of exemption and by that meanes some were put out and others kept possession or else obtained some other new place The king of Nauarre solicited to come to the Court rideth thither The Constable perceiuing the King would die had sent vnto the King of Nauarre to counsell him with all speede to repaire vnto the Court and to ceise vppon the gouernment of the young King before any other This Prince not greatly desirous to deale with such affaires and as then somewhat distrusting the Constable stirred not giuing those of Guise the meanes leisure to thrust themselues into his place but certaine Princes Lords moouing him againe hee beganne to hearken vnto it communicating the same to foure of his principall Councellours being Iarnac the Bishop of Mande President of his Councell Descars his Chamberlin and Bouchart his Chancellour who were of aduise that without longer delay he should ride vnto the Court whereof those of Guise beeing aduertised promised hilles and mountaines to Mande and Descars if they could finde the meanes to staye him they mooued therewith staying till their maister was on horsebacke and onward of his iourney began to diswade him shewing him of certaine imminent daungers that were not to bee shunned by seeking to stand too much vppon his degree and that hee ought to proceede therein by indifferent meanes without seeking to hazard himselfe and to winne the good report and fauour of all men vpon this counsell beeing come to Poictiers where diuers Princes Noblemen went to meet him hee shewed many resolutions and gaue good hope and comfort vnto the Ministers of the Churches specially those in Parris Orleans and Tours desiring him that they might as yet bee ayded and assisted touching that which concerned the open profession of religion What entertainment hee had The first disliking shewed vnto him when hee approached neare the Court beeing at S. Germain in Laye was that his furriers found no place for him within the Castle and that the Duke of Guise said vnto his Marshall that it should cost him his life and tenne thousand more with him before any man should take the place and lodging which the king had giuen him to be neare vnto his person The second that not any of the Court went to meet and receiue him as the manner is specially to the Princes of the blood The third that being gone to do his dutie to the Queene-mother and after to the king those of Guise in stead of going to imbrace and bid him welcome stayed til he went vnto them and was constrained to accept the lodging of the Marshall of S. Andre who after the courtly manner had offered it vnto him not thinking to be so soone taken at his word The fourth that the next day in stead of being warned to sit in counsell no man was sent vnto him eyther to salute him or once to see what he did The fift that at the end of three or foure daies the king called him aside shewing him that his Vncle 's the Duke of Guise and the Cardinall of Lorraine had the whole charge of all affaires committed vnto them and that whosoeuer would seeke to please him must obey them in all things whatsoeuer But touching his pensions and estates hee confirmed them vnto him assuring him that whensoeuer he would come vnto the Court hee should be heartily welcome Diuers of the king of Nauarres traine perceiuing that he had quietly swallowed all those pilles withdrewe themselues or else claue to the surest side as Iarnac that ioyned with those of Guise Within fewe daies after this Prince went vnto Saint Dennis there to accomplish certaine ceremonies accustomed after the death of king Henry which done he went to Parris accompanied with his brother the Prince of Conde and some others but not many and beeing there hee sounded the aduise and minds of some whom he esteemed to be well affected vnto the Realme but he could not perceiue any thing by them Sacrying of the King as Reims Those of Guise following on their course vpon the 18. of September caused the king to be sacred at Reims and presently after the Queene-mother sent the Admirall and the Cardinall of Chastillon to the Constable to intreat him to resigne his place of Great-maister vnto the Duke of Guise to whom the yeare before king Henry had flatly denied it in exchange whereof she promised him one of the offices of Marshals of France for his eldest son The Constable resigneth his estate of great maister and the Admirall his gouernment which was giuen to Brissae The Constable resigned that office wholly into the kings haÌds got the other with al speed to be giuen vnto his son the Duke of Guise was presently inuested therwith The Admirall being Gouernour of Picardie perceiuing that they sought to put him out and that for the same cause they had assayed to set diuision betweene him and the Prince of Conde and that they beganne to cut off some part of the mony that should bee imployed about the charges of the necessary fortifications of the Frontier-townes thereby to bring him in disgrace and so to thrust him out with shame preuented them and shewed the king that the same gouernment for many reasons belonged to the Prince of Gonde whose ancestors had long time held it He had no sooner spoken the word but they presently tooke him thereat as touching the resignation but not concerning the prouision for that in stead of giuing it to the Prince those of Guise got theÌ a new participant bestowing it vpon the Marshall de Brissac While in this sort Writings against the rule of strangers they vsed both the Princes and great Lords the meaner sort could not be content for that by diuers printed pamphlets whereof some were directed to the Queen-mother some in taunting verse and some in prose both by the behauiors past and present they fully discouered the intent of those of Guise A Target against those deuises whom they printed forth in all their colours they by those dealings perceiuing some secret matter working that their authoritie was but weakly built begaÌ to think better vppoÌ it which was the cause that at one time they made 18. knights of the order whereof sprang the common saying that the order of France is a collor for euery beast And because in those writings it was noted that to preuent such disorders it would bee necessarie to assemble and call a Parliament of all
Iulian Forme stain The eighteenth of December Anthony de Minard President in the Parliament of Parris was slaine with a Pistole as in the euening he returned from the place to go to his house but it could neuer bee knowne from whence it came no more then of the death of Iulian Ferme Agent for the house of Guise slaine hard by Chambourg where the king laye and sound with certaine notes and memorials cocerning the liues of certaine notable personages some were imprisoned and in great danger for the death of Minard and among the rest one Stuard a Scot who although he was of the linage of the Queen as then raigning was cruelly tortured yet could they not drawe any thing from him that once might preiudice himselfe or any other About this time the Elector Palatin hauing sent his Ambassadour vnto the king to craue that the Councellour du Bourg might bee giuen to him to serue him in the towne of Heidelberg the Cardinal being greatly moued at the death of Minard wrote vnto the Court of Parliament that they should presently proceed with their proces against du Bourg but before it proceeded so farre expresse Proclamations were once againe made and published against bearing of armes Anne de Bourg executed for religion The 20. of December Anne de Bourg hauing constantly perseuered in the consession of the faith concerning those poynts which at this day are in controuersie and debate touching religion was degraded and the next day the Iudges caused to the number of sixe or seuen hundreth men as well horse as footemen and all armed to set vppe Gibbets and to carry wood into all the places of Parris there vnto appoynted And in this sort vpon the 23. of the same moneth du Bourg was led to S. Iohn in Greue and there hanged which done his bodie was burnt and consumed to ashes Presently after other were burnt in Parris and many other places for the religion and many meanes inuented to massacre such as passed along the streets not doing reuerence vnto the Images as then newly set vppe at all the corners of the streets and euery passenger was constrained to contribute their money to the boxes presented vnto them therewith to beare the charge of the waxe-candies Extraordinary rigors that were set vppe to burne before them otherwise it cost theÌ their liues They went likewise from house to house to gather mony for the maintenance of the officers and suings of proces against such as were found faultie therein and whosoeuer refused or delayed to put his hand into his purse sped but hardly for it The vsurpation of the insupportable dealings of the house of Guise awaked the French men These proceedings altogither vnsupportable the threatnings against the greatest personages in the Realme the putting backe of the Princes and principall Lords of the Realme the despising of the Estates of the land the corruptions of the Courts of Parliament adicted to the part of the newe and straunge Gouernours that ruled both the king and Queene the common treasors the offices and the benefices diuided and giuen at their commaundement and to whom it pleased them their violent and of it selfe vnlawsull gouernment against the lawes of the land and the order of the Realme mooued most great and maruellous hatreds against the Duke of Guise and the Cardinal of Lorraine and caused that diuers not being able longer to indure so great oppression beganne to vnite themselues to gither thereby to determine vppon some iust defence that so they might erect the auncient and law full gouernment of the land Whervpon counsell was asked both touching lawe and conscience of diuers Lawyers and Diuines wherof the greatest part concluded that men might lawfully oppose and resist against the gouernment vsurped by those of Guise and if need were take armes thereby to repulse and withstand their violences so that the Princes who in that case are borne as lawful Magistrates or ony one of them would take the matter vppon him beeing therevnto required by all the Estates of the land or else by the greatest part thereof The first that with earnest zeale determined vppon this matter of so great consequence were not all of one opinion for some of them mooued with a true zeale of seruing God the king and the Realme beleeued verily that they could not do a more iust and vpright worke then to procure the abolition of Ferrany and the reestablishment of the Estate and withall to open the way to some meanes of comfort and reliese to those of the religion There were some that were desirous of change and the rest prouoked by euill will and hatred conceiued against those of the house of Guise for hauing done some wrong and outrage eyther against themselues their friends or allies But in effect their onely and finall intent was to inforce themselues wholly to worke the meanes to cease that vnlawfull gouernment and that the Estate of the realme might bee established as it ought to bee But for that in this intent both generall lawfull and commendable there chanced diuers particular and defectiue discourses it is not to bee wondred at if that there happened a confusion in the pursuit and that if the euent fell out but badly for those that tooke it in hand specially such as mixed their particular passions with the consideration of the common profit of the land For as touching those that onely determined to release and free the Realme of France from the yoake of strangers although the greatest part of them are dead in the pursuite thereof as well then as since that time in the raignes of the two kings ensuing and that as yet that debate not being determined yet are they gon out of this world with that most singular contentment in their mindes to haue most couragiously sacrificed and yeelded vppe their liues to reduce their countrie into a true spiritual and corporall libertie Difficultie in a great enterprise In these first enterprises there appeared an other great and doubtfull difficultie which was how they should beginne to addresse themselues vnto the king for that besides his minoritie hee had no great vnderstanding and it was impossible to speake vnto himselfe about such affaires considering his whole affection desire was to bend himselfe vnto the counsel of those two whom they sought to withdrawe and separate from him To present the matter vnto his priuie Councell would be as much as to allowe their aduersaries to bee their Iudges and so euidently to worke their own confusion to haue recourse vnto the Parliaments it would lesse auaile and yet more daungerous so that in fine the surest way was found to bee by ceising vppon the persons of the Duke of Guise and the Cardinall of Lorraine by some deuise and vnder the name of some one or some number of the principall members of the Estate to demaund an assembly of a Parliament to the end that they two might there yeeld an account
mee I will heare their complaints and doo them iustice Sometimes hee said to those of Guise I knowe not what the matter is but I vnderstand they haue nothing to say but vnto you I would that for a time you should absent your selues from hence to the end that men might see if it bee against mee or you that they complaine They very cunningly and presently bandied such blowes and to diuert the people from giuing credite vnto the demonstrations made touching the cause and iustification of their enterprise they sent letters in the kings name vnto all the Parliaments and Iudges of seuerall prouinces wherein those of the religion were accused to haue conspired against the King A combat of pennes against swords the Princes of the blood and the Estate of the Realme wherevnto was made a most large and ample aunswere wherein all the dealings of those of Guise were fully discouered with plaine and most euident proofes against them to bee guiltie of high treason and not those that had assembled to reduce the King and all his realme into true and perfect libertie There was likewise published an other pamphlet shewing by the example of Phillip de Commines in the last chap. of his first booke that such are open enemies vnto the Estate that say it is treason to speake oâ the assembly of a generall Parliament And that it is the meanes to lessen and diminish the kings authoritie There was likewise aduertisements vnto the people and complaints vnto the Parliament and so some ayded themselues with pen against the swords of their enemies Reuocation of the abolition giuen by the king The 22. of march other letters were sent foorth whereby the king declared that his meaning was not that the abolitioÌ of the 17. of March shuld extend further but vnto those that simply of ignorance had assembled and trauelled for the keeping of their promise and that therein were not comprehended such as had guided the conspiracie made against his person the Queens Princes and Noble personages that were about him in the which number are contained those that came in armes into the subburbes of the Towne and such as had beene taken about and within the Castle of Noisay which serued for a dispensation of the faith giuen by the Duke de Neuers vnto the Barron of Chastelnau and others Presently after these letters they returned to executions wherin neither day nor night passed but that a great number of prisoners were put to death and all men of quallitie some hanged some drowned the rest beheaded without any publike sentence giuen without declaring the causes of their deaths or without telling their names They constrained the king and his young bretheren to bee assistant at those spectacles Besides that the Duke of Guise many times for a pastime after his dinner caused some of those whom hee most hated of the prisoners to bee brought foorth and hanged out at his chamber windowes The Barron de Chastelnau made a maruellous proces against those of Guise and the Duke de Nemours they beeing present thereby made the Chauncellor stand still and all amazed that dealt in those affaires against his conscience and appealed from the sentence giueÌ against him before God the like did most of all the rest to the great astonishing of all the assistants perceiuing a most inuincible constancie in all those men but neither the stout courages of the prisoners nor yet the cries of both great and small that as then were present at those executions could not in any sort once mollifie the harts of those of Guise nor yet diuert the rigor of their cruelties A Gentleman named Villemongis beeing vppon the scaffold readie to bee beheaded hauing wet his hands in the blood of his companions lifting them vppe to heauen cryed out saying Lord behold the blood of thy children thou shalt reuenge our cause The death of the Chancellour Oliuier Among the prisoners that after the Barron spake most boldly vnto the Chancellor there were two the one named Picard the other Campagnac that shewed him his petegree from one poynt to the other but the last of them touched him so neare vnto the heart that with griefe thereof the poore Chancellour fell sicke wherein hee continually sighed and murmured to himselfe tormenting his bodie in most straunge manner for that all crooked aged as he was yet he stirred his bodie with such force that he made the bed to shake with greater force then a young man of Iustie yeares could doo The Cardinall going to visit him his paines beganne to increase and perceiuing him a farre of hee cried out and said Ha ha Cardinall thou haste made vs all to be damned But when the Cardinal went neare him saying vnto him that the wicked Spirit sought to seduce him and that hee should remaine constant in the faith That is well done now said hee and so turning his backe presently lost his speech in his great torments many times lamenting the death of the Councellour du Bourg Behold how the chiefe and principall condemners of the prisoners in Amboise was taken and first executed vppon the scaffold of the terrible and manifest iudgements of God The rest in time likewise were brought thither each of them in his turne Monsieur Michell de l'Hospitall an excellent man as then Chancellor of the Duchie of Sauoy was repealed from Nice where he remained to succeed in Oliuiers place and till he came Moruilliers Bishop of Orleans kept the Seales and vsed all the meanes hee could to please the house of Guise The Prince behaueth himselfe boldly in his innocencie against all men The Prince of Conde was in Amboise during those horrible tempests where hee behaued himselfe like a man wholly without feare as knowing himselfe to bee vnculpable Those of Guise animated the king against him setting and appoynting men to watch and looke into his behauiour whereof the Cardinall kept a Register specially of one word spoken by the Prince in chollor perceiuing certaine of the prisoners to bee executed at the Castle windowes saying that the king was counselled otherwise then hee ought to bee to cause such Lords and honest Gentlemen to bee put to death not considering the great seruices by them done vnto the late deceased king and all the Realme of whom beeing so depriued it was to bee feared that during those great troubles straungers would enterprise against the Realme and that if they should bee ayded by any of the Princes they would easilie ouercome it Presently after they caused du Vaux his Sewer to bee committed prisoner and caused the king to send for him into his chamber to shewe him that by the information giuen hee had vnderstood him to beee the chiefe of the conspiracie wherevpon the king added many sharpe threatnings The Prince for answere besought his Maiestie to assemble all the Princes and knights of the Order that as then were within Amboise togither with his priuie Councell to
the knights of the Order to certifie them that he would holde a generall feast of the Order vppon Christinas day then next after ensuing minding all excuses set apart that euery man should as then come thither which beeing expected the Doctors of the Sorbonists framed such a confession of the faith that not any man how little feeling soeuer hee had of the religion would for a thousand liues haue once signed or consented therevnto The day beeing come this confession was to haue been presented by the King himselfe vnto the knights hee beeing the first that should set hand vnto it requiring the like of euery one of them with oath and promise to holde and obserue the same vnuiolably in euery poynt and to set vppon and ouerrunne all such as should deny it without exception either of friends or Parents whatsoeuer and whosoeuer should make the least deniall or any delay presently without further inquisition forme or manner of proceeding the king should degrade him of the Order and as also of estates dignities and honours and the next day after hee should bee burnt The like should also bee done vpon the same day by an assembly of Cardinals thereby to intrappe the Cardinall of Chastillon that done all the Princes and Lords of the Realme should come to signe to that confession then all the Gentlemen and Domesticall Officers to the king The Chancellour had commaundement to do the like among the Maisters of Requests Iudges Secretaries and other Officers of the Courts of Parliaments The Queene-mother tooke the charge vppon her to cause all the Ladies and Gentlewomen of the Court to do the like it being inioyned vnto al those that had any retinue or houshold to cause them to followe the same rule vpon paine to aunswere to the contrary at their perils After that it was to be sent vnto all the Parliaments Baliages Stewardships and other Iurisdictions of the Realme to exact the like confession of faith vppon euery man and whosoeuer delayed or fayled therein to be presently burnt without any other forme or manner of proces If any belonging vnto the Princes or Lords of the Guises part were exempted from death for hauing refused to signe and after repented their fault for his pennance all his life after hee should weare a Sanuenito or coloured robe after the manner of Spaine for a perpetuall shame and ignominie The Curates and Vicars were charged to go vnto all the houses of their Parishes accompanied with the Clarkes Notaries and other such persons therevnto appoynted to take the Signatures and to keepe a iust record of the number of euery particular Iurisdiction New Commissions likewise beeing sent out vnto the Captains and Gentlemen perticipants with those of Guise to raise men of the same confession that they might iustly execute that which should bee giuen them in charge The Deputies for the Estates put in feare and hardly handled As the Deputies for the Estates arriued and the tenth of December approaching for the beginning of the Parliament expresse commaundement was giuen them from the king vppon paine of death that not any of them should once be so bolde as to vtter one word in open Parliament touching religion because his Maiestie had otherwise disposed thereof But some of them not refraining to say that the letters of commission to assemble specified the same Those they sought by faire meanes to appease or else to blinde their eyes with the Popes new made Bull with the assembly of a Councel others they put in feare and to some they made faires promises but to such as were not of the religion they partly made them priuie to their intents aforesaid At that instant there arriued a packet from the Counte de Villards Lieftenant for the Constable in Longuedoc who wrote that the Deputies for that Prouince that were appoynted to sit in Parliament were such as were most affected vnto religion and such as would not fayle to aske the libertie thereof as hauing speciall charge to doo it wherevppon men were presently sent foorth for to arrest them but they taking an other way to Orleans without giuing leaue to enter into their lodgings they were ceased vpon with all their notes containing most ample instructions both for the good and benefit of the Estate and religion Constancie of the king of Nauarre On the other side certaine Captaines and souldiers solicited the king of Nauarre to saue himselfe presenting him with the meanes diuers of his friendes aduertising him of many daungers that might happen vnto him by staying there But hee committing his life into the hands of God and doubting least his retrait would rather be cause to bereaue him of his life refrained that counsell so that whatsoeuer eyther friends or enemies could say vnto him yea although hee might easilie perceiue himselfe to bee openly disdayned and mocked by the Courtiers hee would not forsake the Towne neyther yet leaue his brother before hee had seene what would bee the effect thereof The Admirall goeth to Orleans The Admirall sent for by the king to come to Orleans without making any account of his friends and other his familiars disswations shewing him into what daunger hee would thereby bring himselfe presently tooke his voyage and beeing arriued at the Court hee vnderstood by the Queene-mother that the Cardinall had fully determined to aske him a reason of his faith in the presence of the King praying him not wilfully to put himselfe in daunger His constant aunswere was reported vnto the Cardinall who therevppon made his full account that eyther the Admirall should as then renounce the religion or else loose his life The day before the Prince should be executed the King fell sicke Vppon Sunday beeing the ninth of December as a part of the Kings houshold were alreadie departed from Orleans to go to Chambourg and Chenoncean the king of Nauarre in the morning going to salute the King hee was warned to come foorth and to ride on hunting vntil the States were come but he excused himselfe considering his brothers captiuitie yet had hee expresse commaundement the next morning to prepare himselfe to ride vppon the which day his brother should haue lost his head but that day the common Prouerbe was truly verified which is that God can alter all mens actions for that the same day about foure of the clocke in the Euening the King beeing at Euening prayer at the Iacobins hee fell in a sound wherewith hee was presently carryed into his Chamber where beeing reuiued hee beganne to complaine of his head on that side of his left eare wherein hee had a continuall Phisola in such sort that with the paine a Feuer ceased vppon him Which notwithstanding Those of Guise seeke to withstand the blow those of Guise caused diuers commissions to be sent abroad vnto the Captaines of their part to raise men in diuers Prouinces and not long before commission had been giuen vnto the Marshall de Termes to march to
meete the Spaniards as then comming vnto Rayonne and with them to enter into Bearn The Viscounte d'Orthe Gouernour of Bayonne had commaundement from the King to put the Towne if neede were into the king of Spaines hands thereby to serue him for a passage for his armie to enter into the countie of Nauarre where hee was to wast and destroy all the land and then to proceede with the ouerthrow and vtter extirpation of all the Gentlemen and Lords who in those countries had fauoured the King of Nauarre or the enterprise of Amboise But a great part of those Lords and Gentlemen not minding to sell their skinnes so good cheape raised armes to the number of seuen or eight hundreth horse well mounted with fiue or sixe thousand footmen who were all appoynted so soone as Marshall de Termes should haue past Limoges to inclose him betweene two riuers whereof hee beeing aduertised and remembring Graueling hee retired in all haste vnto Poictiers giuing aduise vnto the Court what had happened vnto him whereat those of Guise beeing abashed and perceiuing the king to waxe weaker and euery day sicker then other determined with desperate minds to kill the king of Nauarre who not long before being aduertised thereof made his complaint vnto the Queen-mother which notwithstanding his enemies would not leaue off but by all means sought to effect it if it had not been for the Cardinall of Tournon that gaue them counsell to stay their enterprise vntill the Constable with his sonnes and Nephewes were come vnto the Court least that by killing the one they should chance to mooue a greater daunger and to stirre those vp that might procure farre greater trouble then the Princes could effect Meane time the king of Nauarre tooke great care to looke vnto himself yet all that he could do would not haue preuailed if his enemies had set vppon him The kings disease increasing more and more thââuke of Guise beganne to vtter his chollor against the Phisitians the Cardinall sent on Pilgrimages But no man can striue against God and vsed Friers Priests at Parris other places to make processions the king made a solemne promise vnto all the Saints in Picardie specially to our Ladie of Glery as they terme her that if it pleased them to helpe him he would wholly purge his Realme of all those Hereticques But as then began his more ruine and his Feuer still to increase wherat those of Guise being abashed what countenance soeuer they shewed assayed to perswade the Queene-mother that the kings bodie should be kept from buriall after his death vntill such time as they had taken order for their affaires and caused their vniust actions to be allowed by open Parliament to the end that no man might call them to account heereafter But that was vnpossible for that too many people daylie attending when the time would bee at the same time the Vidame de Chartres prisoner in the Bastille hauing beene carried from thence to remaine within his house in Saint Anthonies streete presently vppon his arriuall thither hee fell sicke and died The Bailiffe of Orleans was committed vnto the custodie of his mother in lawe And those of the religion as then were drowned in most ardent prayers teares and fastes thereby to obtaine some ayde and succour at the handes of God against so many imminent daungers that as then hung ouer their heads The Queen-mother establisheth her authoritie to sustaine those of Guise The Queene-mother perceuing her eldest sonne at such extremitie taking counsell with her selfe as also of those of Guise sent for the king of Nauarre willing him to come vnto her Chamber where beeing come and thinking to enter a Gentleman spake vnto him in his eare that at any hand hee should bee carefull not to refuse the Queen whatsoeuer she should demaund otherwise it would cost him his life Beeing entered hee found the Queene to bee accompanied with the Duke of Guise the Cardinall of Lorraine and a Secretarie who with a countenance framed vnto her passion made great complaints and declarations vnto the King of of Nauarre as touching things past discouering her minde likewise concerning things present and to come concluding that her meaning was and so she would haue it that the said king of Nauarre shuld release vnto her all the right and title that he might in any sort pretend or claime vnto the Regencie and gouernment of the king and of the Realme and neuer seeke to enioy require or once desire it and that if the States would giue it him hee should remitte it wholly vnto her and because it should be firmely holden by them shee said hee should confirme it vnto her by writing vnder his hand then her meaning was hee should reconcile himselfe vnto her Cousins of Guise and so deface the opinion by him conceiued against them saying that they ought to leaue all quarrelles and from thencefoorth liue in peace seeing the greatest and woorthiest Lords and Princes of the Land beganne to shew them the way After some excuses and effectuall aunsweres made by the King of Nauarre in the end he yeelded the Regencie vnto the Queene The Regencie of the Realme yeelded to the Queen-mother that he should be Lieftenant for the K. in France to take order for al the Marshal affaires and to receiue the packets which hauing opened and read hee should send theÌ vnto her againe and that nothing should be done without the aduise of him and the other Princes of the blood who from thencefoorth should otherwise be respected that done shee caused him to imbrase her Cousins of Guise and mutually on both parts to forget all quarrelles past From which time forwards they all beganne to salute and imbrace each other as if they neuer had beene at mortall strife Reconciliation of those of Guise with the king of Nauarre All this was done before the arriuall of the Constable and his Nephewes Further they caused the sicke king to say vnto the King of Nauarre that of his owne minde and wholly against the willes or consents of those of Guise hee had caused the Prince of Conde to bee committed prisoner asking his counsell and desiring him to beleeue him and for the loue of him and of the Queene his mother to deface and wholly remit all the euill will and opinions that in any sort he might conceiue of them which after serued them to some good end Those of Guise not well assured The feare of those of Guise notwithstanding all that had beene past obtained of the Queen-mother that the guardes of the Gates of Orleans might bee made stronger impeaching the entrie of many persons and commaundements made in paine of death that not any man whatsoeuer should speake vnto the Prince of Conde without expresse licence and commaundement from the Queen-mother or else that hee brought her signer The death of King Francis the second The 14. of December about noone they esteemed the king
to be dead although hee departed not his life till about fiue of the clocke at night not long before his death those of Guise went to shut themselues within their lodgings from whence in 36. houres after they neuer came foorth before such time as that they had a full assurance both from the Queene-mother and also from the king of Nauarre and before that they carried vnto their houses the summe of three or foure score thousand Frankes that rested in the treasor wherevnto no man resisted which made all men suppose that the Queene-mother suffered them to do it the better to maintaine her selfe in time to come A chaunge in the court Assoone as the king was dead the Queene-mother sent for the Constable vnto Estampes in all speed to repaire vnto the Court at his arriuall hee discharged the guard that were placed by those of Guise to keepe the Gates of Orleans the Prince of Conde continued prisoner in Orleans tenne ortwelue daies after the kings death he neuer hauing had the credit once to see him during his imprisonment after that he was sent with a guard vnto Han from whence hee went to Roye there to attend the issue of his proces in other sort then eyther his friendes or enemies once conceiued Deliuery of those of the Religion Those of the religion that had still remained in long continuall prayers in their most secret assemblies for certaine daies beganne to lift vp their heades being all prepared and readie to die if the king had liued but certaine weekes longer The king of Spaines troupes marching towards Bearn were countermanded and so retired without any exploit Monluc that was promised by those of Guise to be made Counte de Armignac and stayed for them in that countrie retired vnto his house as others adherents vnto them which did the like the most secret seruants that those of Guise could haue within the Court presented theÌselues with al humilitie vnto the K. of Nauarre The inconstancie of the Court. discouering vnto him the certaintie of those affaires that should haue bin executed against his person But the Queen-mother would not permit that neither then nor at any time after such things should once be spoken of thereby fearing as she said some great trouble that might arise But it fell out cleane contrary for that for want of taking order therin wheÌ time serued it grew to such an issue that both she and her sonnes hauing neuer seen any other theÌ mischiefs were deep sunck into them that before they died they neuer could find any certaine issue how to auoyde them The Admirall among the rest wheresoeuer hee came glorified the wonderfull workes of God Constancie of the Admarall who at that time had deliuered him out of the hands of his most mortall enemies euen at such time as they thought most to triumph ouer him Those of Guise besought the Queene to make him to bee silent yet he ceased not to offer and also to iustifie theÌ to be culpable of diuers poynts of treason if it pleased her to permit that iustice might bee giuen accordingly Shee not seeming to hearken therevnto desired him to thinke well of them and from that time to liue in peace assuring him to set good order among them His aunswere was that to shewe a good countenance vnto those that had purchased his death charged his honour procured the confiscation of his goods with the totall ruine and ouerthrow of his house his kinred and friends he could not do it without shewing a double hart which was a thing cleane contrary to his religion and not fitte for any honest man to do yet he remitted the vengeance vnto God that could well do it when hee should see his time seeing men would not permit him to haue iustice Those of Guise desiring not to bee farre from the assembly of the Estates wherein they feared some earnest matter would be propounded against them King Francis that had been so much mooued against those of the religion is buried after their manner caused the bodie of the dead king to bee conuaied by Sansac and la Brosse vnto Saint Denis where without any solemnitie or royall pompe it was buried The Duke of Guise as then great maister and hauing ceased vppon the last receipts of mony not long before the king died with whom hee kept companie in his life was much dispraised and euill thought of by reason of that great fault wherevnto his seruants aunswered that as then hee had no more neede of the kings helpe by whom he had serued his turne so wel but that thencefoorth hee was to looke vnto himselfe and to seeke to eleuate his house Such was the raigne of Francis the second that died at the age of 17. years lacking one month in the 17. month of his raigne the 17. day of his sicknesse and the 17. houre after midnight and because that during the short time of his raigne the seedes of ciuill dissention were sowen and scattered in France which hitherto haue endured for the space of twise seuenteene yeares I thought at large herein to declare all that had passed in this kings time the better to please the Readers mindes Heere endeth the troubles that happened in the raigne of Francis the second Charles the ninth M.D.LX. The Regencie confirmed to the Queen mother FRANCIS the second being dead without issue Charles his third brother succeeded in his place Son to Henry the second the second called Louys dying an infant borne the 27. of Ianuarie 1550. vppon the 20. of December in open Councell where the yong king was brought accompanied with the king of Nauarre and other Princes of the blood with diuers Lords and principall Councellours an order was established for the mannaging of affaires and the Regencie confirmed vnto the Queene The Parliament Two daies after the Estates assembled in a great Hall within Orleans where the Chancellor made an Oration wherin he shewed to what end an assembly in that sort was to be holdeÌ why they had assembled what good would happen therby wholly confuting those that were in doubt to haue them meet painting them out in all their colours After that hee propounded the means to appease all troubles The Chancellors Oration shewing wherein they might relieue both the Estate and religion inclining to a Councell exhorting them on all parts to a perfect vnion and quietnesse of mind lastly he spake of the kings debts which done hee ended his Oration and so for that time the assembly came foorth The next day after certain disputations were holden to know if the Deputies might as then enter into a Councell after the kings death De Rochefort for the Nobilitie whereby it seemed all their Commissions not to bee of any force which beeing decided they beganne with Orations Monsieur de Rochefort speaking for the Nobilitie approoued the Regencie of the Queen-mother complained of the iurisdictions vsurped by the
inioyne all his subiects whatsoeuer to obserue and keepe it vppon such paines and penalties as hee and his learned Councell should thinke most conuenient There were other declarations made touching the wordes of Papistes and to liue Catholickely contained within the edict wherevppon those of the Parliament propounded many difficulties to the great hurt and detriment of those of the religion that were wholly and openly condemned and the Pope expresly named the head and Gods Vicar vppon earth This winde serued but onely with more speede to assemble and bring togither the tempests of ciuill warres which at this day as yet continueth Sacrying of the king The Cardinals complaints In the moneth of Iune the king was sacred in Reims where were present thirteene Peeres of France the kings eldest brother beeing the first and all the other Princes of the blood sitting in their degrees there the Cardinall of Lorraine made great complaintes against those of the religion wherevpon it was determined that a new assembly of the Princes Lords and others of the priuie Councell should bee made in the Court of Parliament in Parrris to take order therein Not long after letters pattents were sent vnto the Presidents de Thou and Seguier to assemble the particular Estates of Parris but vpon the opposition framed by the Councellour Ruze in the name of the Nobilitie those assemblies of Estates were broken vppe without any resolution onely in one poynt which was that the payment of the Kings debts should bee imposed vppon the Cleargie About the same time the act for the clearing the Prince of Conde of treason was newly published proclaimed openly in the Court by President Baillet the doores being open and all the Iudges and Councellors being present in their Scarlet gownes within the great chamber where were present diuers Princes and Noblemen A decree in the Court of Parliament to iustifie the Prince of Conde and others the Duke of Guise and the Cardinall of Lorraine beeing of the traine There the Prince was declared innocent in that which had bin imposed against him and free libertie reserued vnto him to haue lawe against all such as hee therein suspected to bee his enemies and false accusers and such recompence in that case to bee allowed him as to a man of his estate might appertaine The like Actes were read and pronounced at the same time for Madame de Roye Vidame de Chartres deceased Monsieur de Cany and the Councellour de la Haye Not long after the king the Queene his mother and the priuie Councell came into the Parliament and there after many and diuers opinions giuen foorth concerning religion in the moneth of Iuly The edict of Iulie an edict was published vppon paine of death forbidding al iniurious speeches words whatsoeuer on both sides to bee vsed all leagues and things tending vnto sedition all slaunderous words against Preachers and assemblies forbidden to those of the religion who neuerthelesse could not haue beene condemned to indure a greater paine vnlesse it had beene bannishment out of the Realme all which prouision vntill a full and ample declaration should bee made by a generall Councell or by the next assembly of the Prelates all faults past in respect of those of the religion to bee remitted with commaundement to punnish all such as should seem to delay them Bastionadoes forbidden but onely to men of qualitie In like sort the Prelates were sent for to bee at the conference and safe conduct giuen vnto all Ministers freely to come and dispute of their religion Practises against the King of Nauarre The place beeing assigned at Poissy while those of the religion were in good hope because the Cardinall of Lorraine and others protested to reason quietly touching the articles debated by the parcelles of the holy scripture means was practised wholly to diuert the king of Nauarre from the affectioÌ by him shewed to those of the religion and by the means of the assembly at Poissy to breake off the Parliament as then reiourned vntil the month of August next after ensuing because the Queene-mother knewe full well that the Gentlemen and the Commons would aske to haue Churches allowed vnto them which being agreed vnto would make the Princes part too strong which she doubted Such order therefore was taken in that poynt that Descars before that Chamberlin to the king of Nauarre and put from his Maister Descars entertained hauing discouered him to bee a Pensioner to those of Guise was restored to his place and became in more fauour then euer hee had beene Also the Duke of Guise being returned from Callais where hee had been with Monsieur d'Anuille second sonne to the Constable and a great number of other Courtiers to conduct the Queene of Scots widdowe to Francis the second solicited the Prince of Conde An agreemeÌt between the Prince of Conde and the Duke of Guise to bee reconciled vnto him at the which agreement made at Saint Germaines in Laye vppon the 24. of August with the king and the Queene-mother there were present all the Princes Noblemen Cardinals Councellours and Knights of the Order The king hauing spoken of the cause of the assembly commannded the Duke of Guise to speake who turning vnto the Prince spake and said Sir I neither haue nor euer ment to do or execute any thing that should bee against your Honour neither was I eyther author meanes or moouer of your imprisonment The Prince of Conde answered him and said I esteeme them both for wicked and mischieuous persons that were the cause thereof The Duke replyed and said I beleeue it well but that toucheth not mee which done at the kings request they imbraced each other with promise from thenceforth to continue good friends and the Queene-mother to witnesse the ioy shee then conceiued that day held a solemne Feast The Queen-mother practise a both with great and small to maintaine her Regency As touching the Estates reiourned vnto Pontoire in the month of August as then it was no longer time to deferre them but the Queene playing secretly on both parts to ratifie the agreement made between her and the king of Nauarre touching the Regencie and to the end it should no more bee spoken of first sent thither the Councellour du Mortier that was sent backe againe finding so many that spake against him Wherewith the Queene calling her wits togither she remembred that he had alwaies borne a good countenance vnto the Admirall pretending in some earnest matter to imploye his ayde and occasion as then falling out this Lord was sought vnto by all meanes and thousands promises were made vnto him for the ease and reliefe of those of the religion hee perceiuing that the King of Nauarre had no desire to deale therein and after the manner of simple men trusting to many and great protestations made and vttered vnto him concerning his future good vsed Clarklike meanes imploying himselfe vnto the Estates for the
Villebon Bailiffe of Roan ceased vpon Pont de l'Arche the Baron de Clere took Caudebec the one aboue the other belowe the riuer of Siene Whereby it prooued great discommoditie for the Towne of Roan that by those meanes could get no victualls by water besides the ceasing of the Courts of iustice the staye of trade of merchandise and all sorts of handy workes these discommodities made the Citizens to looke vnto themselues In the beginning of Iune Villebon came with great troupes to besiege Saint Catherins fort where in a fierce skirmish he lost his cornet and fourteene men and they of the fort 8. meÌ PreseÌtly after him came the Duke de Aumale Saint Catherins Fort besieged gaue an alarme vnto the Towne where presently he lost 25. of his horsemen But for renenge he assayd all means he could to impeach the Towne of Roan from necessary prouisions But not long after it was relieued by Monsieur de Moruilliers sent thither by the Prince from Orleans assisted by Monsieur de Languetot a gentleman of great wisdome The Duke d'Aumale dispersed the Churches of those of the religioÌ in Hafleur Montuilier and l'Islebonne where he hanged three auncients and three Gentlemen of the Religion And not long after besieged Saint Catherins fort with thirteene Cannons and two coluerins where Monsieur de Languetot had his legge shotte off with a great peece whereof hee died Many skirmishes beeing daylie performed between them till in the end the Duke left the Fort and fledde from thence and within fiue daies after beeing before Ponteau de Mer faining to parley with them within the Towne he surprised them vppon a suddaine and so entered by force where hee vsed all kind of hostilitie specially vppon the Minister named Brionne and the third day after hee besieged and tooke Honfleur The sixe and twentieth of August the Parliament of Roane being at Louniers made a declaration whereby those of the religion in Normandie were declared Traitors permitting all men Declaration of the Parliament of Roane against those of the religion that eyther would or had the meanes to spoyle and ouerrunne them wholly disallowing the edict of Ianuary established the Inquisition of Spaine and appoynted the Duke d'Aumale Lieftenant for the King And by that declaration and sentence this Court of Parliament executed many of the religion commanding all such as would not make profession of the Romish religion to depart out of the Towne of Louuiers within foure and twentie houres after vpon paine of confiscation both of body and goods On the other side they draue all the Friers out of Roane and hauing discouered treason pretended by some of their companions they tooke order therein from thence forward The siege of Roane giuing good eye to those of the Romish religion whereof they thrust out great numbers In August Monsieur de Moruilliers withdrew himselfe from Roane and kept himselfe peaceably within his house and so continued during the warres neuer forsaking the open profession of the religion In the meane time Monsieur de Montgommery was by those of Roane desired to assist them which hee presently did and arriued at Roane vppon the 18. of September within rennedaies after the Towne was summoned to yeelde it selfe vnto the armie of the Triumuirat whose campe wherein were the king the Queen and the king of Nauarre being composed of sixteen thousand foot and two thousand horse besides Rutters and Lansquenets came before the Towne where at their arriuall they had a hotte and fierce skirmish which continued all that day and three daies after successiuely The fixt of October the king armie hauing intelligence from Captaine Louis out of Saint Catherins Saint Catherins fort taken for they surprised it by force wherein they slewe al they found And Louis himselfe ayding the enemie to mount vp was slaine by one of his Souldiers another fort called Montgommery was taken by the like means where the Queene-mother ledde the king beeing but twelue yeares of age to see the dead bodies of the women and made him behold them bathing in their blood The thirteenth of October an assault was giuen vnto the Towne but they within repulsed the enemie where some couragious women bringing meate vnto the souldiers were slaine The next day they gaue another assault at the Rampart of Saint Hilary but were repulsed and for the space of 6. houres that the skirmish indured they lost to the number of eight hundreth of their best souldiers and they within foure or fiue hundreth accounting women and children that were slaine with the Artillerie The same day the king of Nauarre beeing visited by a certaine Lord told him Hurt and death of the King of Nauarre that if hee escaped safely from that siege hee would neuer beare armes againe for that quarrell but the next day he would go see the trenches where by fortune as hee made water he was striken with a Harquebushotte into the shoulder which done hee was borne by certaine Gentlemen to his lodging at Dartenal where the Surgians vsed all the meanes they could to get out the bullet but hauing deferred it ouerlong they could not one of the Phisitians named Vincentius a voluptious man entertained him with sports and companies of GentlewomeÌ among therest a Gentlewoman named Rouet came to see him which was some meanes to inflame his wound and hauing intelligence that Roane was taken he was borne thither where gouerning not himselfe as his wound and time required it began to growe to further paine and in the end a feuer tooke him wherwith he began to be faint and theÌ perceiued they had deceiued him Notwithstanding his seruaÌts had so great credit with him that they caused him to be coÌfessed to receiue the Sacrament after the Romish maner The other of his Phisitians called Raphuel being of the religioÌ vttered many reasons vnto him so farre that he seemed to charge him with sin against the holy Ghost wherevnto hee answered nothing but lay still Not long after the Queen aduertised by his Phisitians that he could not liue being come to see him willed some of his men to read vnto him Shee being departed hee commaunded Raphael to take the Bible and to read the Historie of Iob which beeing done adding therevnto certaine wordes of the iustice and mercie of God the king beeing mooued in spirit lifting vp his hands vnto heauen and with teares in his eyes hee asked mercie of God making a large and ample declaration of his faith protesting that if it pleased God to graunt him life hee would cause the Gospell to bee preached throughout the Realme of France His disease waxing more vehement and Raphael continually attending vppon him hauing made his will hee caused himselfe to bee borne into a boate to go to Saint Maur des Fosses hard by Parris But not long after his entrie into the boate a great cold ceased vppon him and therevppon insued a sweate wherewith hee beganne to talke idly
to Lyons was betrayed into the handes of his enemies in a place about fiue miles from Auranges which mooued those of the religion with all speed to send thither their greatest forces conducted by Captain Saint Andre to relieue their prisoner whereof Fabrice being aduertised the next day in the morning came before Auranges with his armie and some cannons wherewith hee beganne the batterie Those that were gone to the relieuing of their prisoner hearing the noyse of the cannon stayed their course beeing accompanied with diuers of their neighbours by meanes of Fabrices horsemen and beeing surprised in the day time they were constrained to staye at Serignan about a myle from Aurange Part of those of the religion remaining in a small number perceiuing the breach and their Cittizens of the Romish Church readie to set vp on them in the Towne while Fabrice should assayle them without forsooke the Towne and saued themselues with their wiues and children within Serignan Some stayed within Aurange that determined to defend the breach but vppon the sixt of Iune in the morning they heard the noyse of the assaylers They betraiâ each other in Aurange whereof ensued a horrible murther who by diuers waies made open vnto them by those of the Romish Church entered into the Towne The watch-word of those that entered was terrible blasphemie of God they contented not themselues to kill without distinction of sects age nor quallitie but made some die by diuers stabbes with poiniards and rapiers cast others vppon the poynts of halbards hanged burnt others within Churches cut off some of their priuie members olde men of eightie yeares of age bedthred persons diseased people in the Hospitalles The poore men inhabiting in the Mountaines came thither to reape and hauing no other weapons but their sithes and hookes were likewise massacred Many women and maides were killed others hanged at windowes and Galleries were harquebused young children sucking at their mothers breasts massacred diuers young wenches of fiue or sixe yeares rauished and spoyled The woundes of the dead were filled with the leaues torne out of the Bible The Towne was wholly sacked wherein happened a maruellous iudgement of God which was that the authors of the mischiefe that had caused the enemie to enter thinking to bee safe and preserued from daunger withdrewe themselues with their armes and wiues into the Market-place The traitors receiue their reward where the enemie thinking they would haue made resistance fell vppon them and put them all to the sword Those of the Castle hauing yeelded vppon oath and promise made to haue their liues saued were part stabbed and part thrown headlong from the walles to the number of one hundreth and nine men About euening Suze caused the Castle the Pallace and the Bishoppes-place to bee set on fire and three hundreth houses burnt with diuers persons that had hidde themselues therein and without an extraordinarie raine that happened in the night time all the Towne had wholly been consumed to ashes The next day the walles were beaten downe and part of them cleane rased to the grownde Those that were in Serignan withdrewe themselues into Montelimart not being able to remedie so great mischiefes as for Parpaille the Vicelegat of Auignon caused his head to bee striken off sixe weekes after the massacre Des Adrets mooued at those murthers three or foure daies after the massacre of Auranges Des Adrets reuengeth the wrongs ãâã in Aurange ruuning about like thunder in fewe houres battred and forced the Towne of Pierrelatte where hee put all those to the sword that bare armes presently therevppon hee besieged the Castle wherein were three hundreth souldiers belonging to Suze and while they were in parley those of Serignan hauing ioyned with des Adrets entered by force killing some and casting others ouer the walles not suffering one to escape Des Adrets with the like dexteritie hauing taken Bourg and le Pont S. Esprit that presented him with the keyes went to force Boulene a frontier Towne of Contat where the souldiers of the companie of Captaine Bartelasse were slaine And as hee prepared himselfe to set vpon Auignon Maugiron sacketh Grenoble newes was brought him that Maugiron had entered by treason into Grenoble wherein diuers of the religion had been sacked and slaine others cast off from the bridge into the riuer of Iseire vpoÌ the foureteenth of Iune and some daies after hee stayed his course and with an incredible dexteritie entered into Romans which hee held for himselfe forced Saint Marcellin and there cut the throates of three hundreth of Maugirons souldiers who withdrewe himselfe into Bourgongne where hee remained with Tauanes All such within Grenoble as knew themselues to bee guiltie saued themselues vpon the fiue and twentieth of Iune cursing the cowardlynesse of Maugiron The next day des Adrets arriued therein and vsed both great and small with great courtesie reestablishing all things in their estate and holding his armie in good discipline About the end of Iune hee marched towards Forests where hee vsed those of Montbrison in such manner as I shewed before Des Adrets perswaded by the Marshall de Brissac that promised him maruels beganne to write to the Duke de Nemours Des Adrets wonne by the Duke de Nemours in the end is taken prisoner and in the end they spake togither hard by Vienne meane ttme certaine Gentlemen talking togither among the which one was merrie surnamed Poltrot who because they spake of the death of the King of Nauarre said This death will not make an end of these warres but wee must haue the death of the dogge with the great collor And beeing asked whom hee ment of the great Guisard said hee and lifting vp his right arme spake in open audience Here is the arme that shall do the deed Aboue three moneths before hee had many times vsed those speeches among his companions and intrueth hee kept his promise as wee haue alreadie shewed Of this conference made by Adrets ensued a truce of twelue daies from the fiue and twentieth of Nouember to the sixt of December which day in the assemblie of the Estates of Dauphin des Arets did what he could to perswade the people to accept the Duke de Nemours for their Gouernour but besides the particular reasons not long before by the Nobilitie of the countrie made vnto Adrets they sayde it could not bee done but to the vtter ruine and ouerthrowe of all the Prouince and the letters of the Lieftenant to Nemours beeing openly red discouered the deuise because they contained that the Duke de Nemours was expresly sent to punish the seditious and rebelles Wherevpon the Estates concluded des Adrets himselfe not being able to deny it that before they could proceed further it was necessarie for the Duke de Nemours to obtaine other letters and graunts by the Kings lawfull Councell whereof the Prince of Conde was one as supplying the place of the King of Nauarre his
the liuing treading vppon the dead they vsed great deligence to bring earth fetherbeddes dung and other things whatsoeuer might serue At the same time that assault was giuen by thirtie Ensignes of foote and a Cornet of horse that followed them where the fight was great and fiue times refreshed till seuen of the clocke at night with such furie that powder fayling on both sides they fell to stones rapiers and other hand-blowes in the end the assaylants were constrained to leaue the breach and to retire with great losse An assault fiue times refreshed Notwithstanding Sommeriue beganne another batterie by which means about euening Senas Mounans and other Captaines within the Towne that had lost many souldiers perceluing themselues destitute of munition had no hope of ayde charged with a great number of poore people little experienced in Marshall affaires and considering the forces mindes and insolencies of the assaylants determined to leaue that feeble place and with al speed to saue that remnant of men that were within it wherevppon they got the straight of the Mountaine whereof I spake beeing the onely place whereby they might escape This conclusion was presently disclosed to Sommeriue A meruellous resolution of the Towne to leaue it by one that comming out of the chamber where they determined vppon it went vnto him but the matter beeing debated by Sommeriues Councell that ment to close that passage one named Cental brake off that determination alleadging so many reasons to the contrarie that it was concluded among them that no man should stirre that night out of the campe although that some of the besieged made shew to saue themselues that way but that in the morning they would determine vppon their affaires About eleuen of the clocke at night the besieged beganne to issue forth in the sight of al their enemies that might easilie discry them from two places which commanded the Towne and by the lights that stood in the windowes of the houses marching in order you may well iudge what noyse was made at that departure among the children sicke hurt and olde people and women great with childe and so with all their carriages followed on the way vppon the Mountain al that night not one of SoÌmeriues campe once stirring as if those poore people had beene safely guarded vntill morning that Sommeriue caused certaine horse and foote to passe the riuer and to set vppon the backes of them where they found some poore women that stayed behinde whereof some were slaine others brought prisoners but they followed not long after them as well for the difficultie of the way as the couetous desire they had not to leese the spoyle of the Towne wherein Sommeriue durst not enter fearing some treason before tenne of the clocke in the morning They beeing entered into that desolate Towne slewe three or fource hundreth women and children without any respect of age or religion taking that small bootie which they could finde Sommeriue entereth into Cisteron If the issuing of those of Cisteron was meruellous so was their voyage vppon the Mountaines which continued for the space of three weekes in the which time they escaped an infinit number of dangers vntil the seueÌ a twentieth of September that they ariued in good safetie at Grenoble singing Psalmes and thansgiuings vnto God for their miraculous deliuerie knowing nothing of what had passed the same day in other places as at Saint Gilles The battell of S. Gilles Scafold of the Prouenceal murthers where there enemies were wholly ouerthowne and almost all slaine as wee shewed in the discourse of Languedoc From Grenoble they were safely conducted vnto Lyons and charitably ayded in their necessities vntill the edict of pacification After the taking of Cisteron and the ouerthrow of the Prouenceals at Saint Gilles Sommeriue continued Maister of the Prouence continuing the battell massacres and great insolencies begunne before and yet without impunitie The principall heads of the horrible confusion that raigned therein vntill and after the edict of peace beeing Carces Mentin and Flassans prouoked by certaine of the Parliament of Aix as Bagarris Chesne Saint Margaret and others that ruled all the rest and that in steede of obeying the edict of pacification durst conclude say that those of the religion should not haue any exercise that such as during the troubles had beene their Leaders or hauing had any office Straunge iniustice absented theÌselues should not be receiued nor entertained and that the wars still be followed that there should a stay be made of the punishments of offenders that had committed so great insolencies during the troubles although the womeÌ with childe had bin ript open the yong childreÌ murthered many buried quicke others hewed in peeces burnt throwne downe headlong their throates cut like sheep drawne through the streetes and then harquebused beaten downe with clubbes and wounded in diuers places In this sort those good iudges executed so manie insolencies that the kings Councell after the edict of pacification was forced to send the President de Morsan with certaine numbers of Councellors from Parris to Prouence which did such execution vppon some boot-hallers and other insolent persons that from thence forward Sound instice done vppon the offenders although their weapons were many times in hand Prouence neuer mutined in such sort as it did during those first troubles Morsan and his companions were determined to haue done iustice without exception but the multitude of offenders the qualities of some of them the credite of others and the maruelous practises of Carces and the Parliament of Aix hindered those Iustices to doo as they pretended In the end by the solicitation of Carces the king released diuers of them whereof their processe was alreadie made and that had well deserued to bee put to cruell death Now must we say something of the Duchie of Bourgongne Bourgongne The Parliament of Dyon did so much that by letters of the first of March 1562. commandement was sent by the king to Monsieur de Tauanes his Lieftenant in the absence of the Duke d'Aumale of the house of Guise not to permit any preaching at Dyon not in the Frontier-townes so that whatsoeuer letters and commissions those of the religion obtained after that would serue to no effect as long as the Court of Parliament resited The eight of May Beaune those of Beaune were wholly bereaued of the exercise of the religion and within foure daies after their three Ministers imprisoned which done the Artificers and others were driuen out of the Towne to the number of seuen or eight hundreth with women and children Ventoux Captaine of the Towne filled their emptie houses with souldiers wherein they vsed great disorders such as were found therin being vilely abused and so much detested that they durst not shewe themselues in the streetes which reduced them to extreame necessities their kinsmen and friendes not daring to relieue them The fines imposed vppon
Prince of Conde being prisoner demaunded nought but libertie and his minde being peaceable and courteous to such as knewe how to vse him would not much stand as the Queene thought vppon certaine articles Wherefore fearing least the Admirall as then busied in Normandie beeing at Orleans should seeke the ratifying of the edict of Ianuary that might breake the accord and renue the warre whereby would ensue her disgrace shee vsed all the meanes she could to preuent him in such sort that vppon the seuenth of March there was a conference holden between the Queene the Prince and the Constable as yet prisoners referring their further deliberation to the next day because the Constable hadde said openly Subtiltie of the Constable that hee could not consent to the re-establishing of the Edict of Ianuary wherein hee vsed a fine shift for that if hee should haue auouched it hee hadde prooued both himselfe and all his partners guiltie of treason in hauing violated and broken the Kings Edict The Prince euill counselled permitted certaine articles to be drawn where in trueth hee should haue holden onely vnto the saide Edict but nothing beeing resolued at that time hee obtained libertie to enter into Orleans there to conferre with his Councell where hee asked the aduise of the Ministers as then assembled therein from diuers places beeing to the number of seuentie twoo persons What was done by the Ministers for preseruation of religion who by their Deputies vsed all the meanes they could to perswade him to stand to the Edict of Ianuary not derogating any thing thereof shewing the daungers that might thereof ensue that done they presented him with certaine articles requiring that hee would demaund the obseruation of the Edict without any restrictions that iustice should bee done for the massacre at Vassy Sens and other places wherein there was not found the least poynt of hostilitie to bee committed by those of the religion as also of diuers others most manifest ruptures of the said Edict besides the exploits of warre The rest of the articles concerned the conseruation of the discipline of the Churches and the reestablishing thereof which notwithstanding the Prince was so much perswaded by the Queenes and others promises after that to make an other and a better agreement shewing him that the restrictions and moderations which as then were set downe were done at that time only to content appease those of the Romish religion by reasonable means to obtain a greater libertie withal that there were many that sought for peace what price soeuer it cost that hee consented vnto the exceptions contained in the new contract causing them to bee redde before the Nobilitie willing no man to giue his aduise therein but onely Gentlemen bearing armes as hee saide it openly before the assembly The improuidence of the Prince that beleeued the promises of his enemies in such manner that the Ministers from that time forward were neuer called to deale therein by which meanes the Edict of pacification was concluded vppon the twelfth of March drawing the exercise of the religion from the subburbes of all the Townes in the Realme and referring it to the houses and Castles of Gentlemen and in some small number of Baliages not comprehending the Townes which as then held for the religion wherein the exercise was left free and all whatsoeuer the Prince and his adherents had done in those warres acknowledged and auouched to bee for the seruice of the King The Admirals wisdom but to no effect Two daies after the Admirall wrote letters from Caen vnto the Queen touching the accusation made against him concerning the death of the duke of Guise committed by Poltrot He besought her to command that the prisoner might bee safely kept that the trueth of the action might bee knowne Meane time hee sent her a breefe aunswere touching the intergatories of Poltrot shewing by many and great reasons that hee was neuer made priuie to the pretence or conceit of Poltrot touching that action whose death notwithstanding hee acknowledged to bee the meanes to reduce France vnto a quiet estate The Queene esteeming it not conuenient for her affaires to suffer the Admirall to liue in peace but by this meanes seeking to entertaine hatred among the Nobilitie to raigne and gouerne in the middle of their deuisions made no account of those letters Those that with her had the processes of Poltrot to examine perceiuing that the dispositions of the prisoner had no apparant ground within three daies after sent to Parris that they should dispatch him out of the way that it would bee daungerous to keepe him and that hee would deny what hee had said Wherevppon his proces was made hee was diuers times examined and according to the torments giuen him they found diuersitie in his speeches And beeing condemned vpon the eighteenth of March to be pinched with hotte tongues hee openly declared that the Admirall knew nothing of his intent to kill the Duke of Guise Neuerthelesse certaine Captaines of Parris deposed that hee had confessed the contrary vnto them after the first drawing of the horses But vpon his variable depositions Proces and execution of Poltrot the quarrell betweene the houses of Guise and Chastillon whereof ensued the infinite mischiefes of the yeares ensuing The Admirall hauing ranged his enemies in Normandie to a good poynt as then had a stronger armie then hee had before The Admirals meanes made frustrate by the substiltie of the Queene wherewith hee constrained the members of the Triumuirat to fall to reason whereof ensued the quietnesse of France but the articles of the peace being almost all agreed vppon on both parts at the Princes request hee issued out of Caen vpon the 14. of March onely with his horsemen the Vantgard whereof being ledde by the Prince of Portien that tooke the way towards Lisieux the rest passing by Falaise and Argentan into Perche In the way such as would resist his army were set vppon and punished And the three and twentieth of the same moneth the Admirall beeing arriued at Orleans with all his forces found that the Edict of pacification had beene agreed vppon signed and sealed in his absence fiue daies before hee arriued The next day hee gaue his aduise in open Councell before the Prince and among other things shewed that they were to remeÌber that from the beginning of the warres made by the Triumuirat they had alwaies offered the obseruation of the Edict of Ianuary Parris only excepted and that considering the estate of their affaires those of the religion had more means then they had before to defend themselues from the violences of their enemies of three authors of those warres two of them beeing dead the third prisoner and a good pledge for the Princes assurance that the Churches were restrained to one Towne in a Baliage and other such exceptions was as much as if they should striue against God and ouerthrowe more Churches by the dash of a
first to haue been signified to the Court of Parliament in Parris that the King ought not to permit the exercise of two religions within his Realme that the inhabitants of Parris ought not to be constrained to leaue their armes The Bishop in open tearmes seemed to charge de Thou and all his companions to shew but small vnderstanding in those affaires and much lesse conscience The twentie foure of September following by Decree of the priuie Councell the mawrite of the King or as some are of aduice the regencie and Soueraigntie authoritie of the Queene was confirmed The Pope abandoneth the Realm of Nauarre to him that could take is by force wherevnto the King opposeth At the same time an other deuise was wrought against those of the religion The Pope faining that he could no longer beare with the reformation of religion and doctrine vsed in the Realme of Nauarre and the Soueraigntie of Bearn in the moneth of September caused a declaration to bee published in Rome against Ieane d'Albert Queene of Nauarre who as then made publicque profession of the religion and had driuen the Masse out of her Countries This declaration was made in forme of an excommunication for a dispossession of all that land which as then remained vnto this Princesse by whom soeuer would take it in hand to enioy it as by conquest and his owne proper inheritance Shee was likewise cited to appeare before the Consistorie of Cardinalles within sixe moneths after for default whereof the Pope declared her hereticke her goods confiscate and abandoned as aforesaid The King formed an opposition against this papall thunder which as then was shewed but in Rome The King of Spaine hauing neither the desire nor the meanes to fall vppon that Princesse and the Councell of France esteemed it inconuenient to giue so manifest a shadowe vnto those that were of the religion The death of Charles de Cosse Marshal de Brissac that had done great seruice for the Realm of France in the warres of Piedemont made an ende of this yeare 1563. that dyed vpon the last of December Ann. 1564 In the beginning of this yeare it was permitted vnto the Clergie by an Edict to redeeme their landes that had bin alienated to the value of a hundreth thousand crownes yearely rent An Edict in fauour of the Clergie All this was but a point of cunning vsed to diue into the purses of those who during the warres and that France drowned in teares had sung and for the most part liued at their ease About the beginning of Februarie the Ambassadors of the Pope the Emperour the King of Spaine and the Duke of Sauoy came to Fountainebleau desiring that the King would cause the Decrees of the Councell of Trent to bee wholely obserued within the Realme of France for the which cause The King solicited by the Spaniard to breake the Edict of pacification the Deputies were to be at Nancy vppon the the twentie fiue of March then next ensuing to reade the same in presence of the Ambassadors of all the Papisticall and Catholicque Romish Princes assembled togither there to make and frame a generall league against the Realmes principalities and estates that had withdrawne themselues from the obedience of the Pope They likewise desired the king wholly to cease the alienating of the goods of the Cleargie alleadging it to bee preiudiciall both against him and his Realme and contrarie to the word of God that the king of Spaine and the Duke of Sauoy could not bee payed the monies due vnto them by reason of their mariages with the Cleargies mony desired that those of the religion might bee openly punished whom they disciphered according to their accustomed manner That the pardon and the edict of peace should bee made voyde that the king should doo iustice specially of those that were consenting vnto the death of the Duke of Guise And to effect these requests they added most faire and great offers thereby to cast the realme into the burning flame of a second ciuill warre Answere to the Ambassadors But the Queene and her Councell perceiuing it to bee a ticklish matter and distrusting in the promises of such men caused the young king to aunswere them that hee thanked their Maisters whom hee ment not to trouble hoping to maintaine his subiects in peace according to the institution of the Romish Church That hee had made the edict of pacification to put straunges out of his Realme that as then he could reenter into a new warre within his realme for certaine reasons which in writing he sent vnto them and that in those affaires hee would aske the Counsell and aduise of the Prince of his blood and the chiefe Lords of his Councell and of the Crowne The king of Spaine with that Ambassage deuising how hee might see his kinsmans house in new troubles tooke no order for his own in the lowe countries where as then warres beganne to bee hatched which not long after came foorth and as yet continue therein to his great shame and confusion In the beginning of March the Queene beganne the voyage of Bayonne to speake with the king of Spaine the pretence was that the king beeing Maior and about foureteene yeares of age Beginning of the voyage to Bayonne would ride about his Realme to visit his Prouinces and that his presence would bee a means to remedie many complaints and discontentments and withall strengthen and establish the edict of pacification But the effect that both approached and ensued did partly shewe the intents and secret practises of that woman and her Councell The king beganne that voyage in Champagne and Bourgongne from whence hee went to Lyons What a scita dell was built at Lyons and to the ende those of the religion should not haue the meanes to fortifie themselues therein as they had done at other times a scitadell was then begunne to bee erected and although at that time the plague raigned within the Towne yet the Queen and her Councell would not stirre from thence and kept the king there vntill that scitadell was almost finished But in the end the plague being entered into the Queens Chamber whereof one of her Gentlewomen fell sicke the king was ledde from thence While they built at Lyons to bridle those of the religion by that means to weaken their forces Defacing of Townes the Townes of Orleans and Montauban were vnwalled in other townes scitadels were made which by some were called Chastre-villaines by others the Nests of Tyrants Those of the religion indured all contenting themselues with simple declarations in paper and receiuing paper for payment For that about the beginning of this voyage the Romish Catholikes of Greuan in Bourgongne massacred diuers of the religion being assembled therein to exercise their religion Massacre of those of the religion complaints thereof beeing made vnto the Queene shee gaue faire words promising to send Commissioners to Creuan such as were honestly
that hee died immediately To be briefe the Protestants tooke from them all that they held about Rochel excrept Saint Iohn d'Angely where they nestled themselues The Barron de la Garde had for a while kept the sea with his Gallies but hearing of the taking of Bronage hee retired toward Bourdeaux whilest Sore for the Princes scoured the Ocean where hee daily light vppon some bootie Among other his exployts about the beginning of Iuly hee tooke a Portugall shippe laden among other marchandize with some fortie Iesuites that were trauelling toward India but they were stayed and the most part leaped ouer-boord This victorious successe of the Protestants in Poictou and Xaintongne were the occasion that to preuent any greater conquests the Prince d'Auphin was appoynted to come down into Poictou there to reassemble Puigaillards forces which now hopped but vpon one legge Succourd deputed for Puigaillard and those of the Countie of Lude to the end to come to some new practise The eleuenth of August after the two great armies lying about the riuer of Loire newes was brought vnto them of a peace agreed vpon between the king and the Princes all precedent modifications and restrictions abolilished the second Edict of peace confirmed and allowed The 3. Edict of peace this peace was receiued of all men with hope of revnion betweene the two parties through all the Realme The peace published in the Campes and Townes the armies were discharged assoone as they had conducted their straungers into Lorraine and the Princes accompanied with Countie Lodowicke in the beginning of October returned to Rochel the king by the Edict granted foure Townes Rochel Montauban Cognac and la Charite Townes for assurance to bee kept in the Princes names for the space of two whole yeares for assurance of this third Edict of pacification in the pursuite whereof Teligny after sonne in lawe to the Admiral and Beauuais la Nocle imployed themselues most faithfully with great credite and reputation of all men Touching the Admirall if there were any Commaunder on both sides that desired peace it was hee as by letters dated the second of March at Montreal hard by Carcassonne written to the king the Queen and the Duke of Anion appeared For being friend to militarie discipline abolished in those miserable ciuill warres and enemie of vices oftentimes beholding such disorder hee said that if it pleased God to send peace in France hee would desire to die a thousand deaths rather then to fall againe into those confusions The Admirall desireth peace and once againe to see such mischiefes leauing to all the rest of the commanders the praise which they obtained if in ciuil wars praise may be giuen it may be said that the Admiral trauelled much both in bodie mind hauing sustained the heauiest part of the affairs of the wars with much coÌstancie fidelitie facilitie and behauing himselfe with as great reuerence towards the Princes his superiours as modestie to his inferiors he neuer spake of the king the Queen the Duke of Aniou and those whom hee knew to bee his capitall enemies but with honour without subtiltie or counterfeit speeches beeing the man among all those of the religion specially among the Commaunders in the warre who in a speciall manner reposed himselfe vppon the prouidence of God The prisoners that fell into his hands were fauourably vsed by him as courteous when hee had put vp his swoord as fierce when he held it naked in hand Pittie by him was alwaies had in singular coÌmendation as also loue to iustice wherein hee continued both priuate and publike in time of peace and warre vntill hee died which made him both esteemed and honored by those whose part hee held Hee sought not ambitiously to haue commaundements and honours but shunning them hee was constrained to accept them by reason of his wisedome good gouernment in mannaging armes it might well be seene that hee had as good knowledge therein as any Captaine of his time and alwaies exposed himself couragiously in any dangers wise in counsell and valiant in fight in aduersities magnanimious and adorned with wisedome to auoydethem And to conclude hee was a man most woorthie and fitte to restore and re-establish a feeble and corrupt estate but it appeared in an vnfit time and that which after happened vnto him she weth an exterior apparance that vertue is but hardly assured heere on earth Peace concluded and published as it hath beene said the Admirall Teligny la Noue and diuers others withdrew themselues neare vnto the Princes in Rochel there with more securitie to attend the aduancement and execution of the Edict They put Garrison for the Princes in the Townes of assurance except in Rochell which was maintained in her auncient priuiledges The Emperour Maximilian the second not long after married his eldest daughter to Phillip king of Spaine his brother in lawe So that the vncle married the Neece The king married to Elizabeth of Austria Elizabeth his youngest daughter was after giuen in marriage to king Charles the ninth whom hee espoused in the Towne of Mezieres about the end of Nouember and the foure and twentieth of December going to Parris at Villiers coste Rez hee gaue audience to the Ambassadors of Almaine that desired vnto he made an answere that contented them wherewith they were honourably discharged About the same time the Princes exhibited sundrie complaints concerning the Edict by the hands of Briquemaut Teligny Beauuais la Nocle and Cauagnes Teligny was the chiefe Agent and seemed to bee highly in the kings fauour to whom he propounded the complaints of the Protestants wherevpon the king sent forth sundrie Commissioners throghout al the Prouinces of his kindome among other the Marshal de Cosse togither with Proutiere Maister of Requests who made a voyage to Rochel as well to conferre with the Queene and Admirall concerning some conuenient means to maintaine the realme in peace as for other matters that we will shortly speake of The first of Ianuary there beganne a conference betweene the Marshall de Cosse and la Proutiere with the Admirall and other Deputies for the Queen of Nauarre and the Princes at Rochel Proceeding with the Q. of Nauarre the Princes the Admiral and those of the religion in the second yeres of peace that the third edict of pacification continued touching the difficulties and interpretations of diuers articles of the Edict On both sides complaints were made touching the infraction thereof with long replies whereof ensued certaine resolutions that were to bee sent vnto the king I his assembly serued for a couerture to a parley of a marriage betweene Henry de Bourbon Prince of Nauarre and Ladie Margaret sister to the king as also to a conference with the Admirall touching the warre which the king said hee would beginne against the king of Spaine in the lowe Countries And all this propounded and deuised to drawe the Queene of Nauarre the Princes and the Admirall to the
certain charme vsed against the life of the king Althogh la Mole sustained the coÌtrarie vntil the last point of his death affirmed it to be made only to continue him in the loue of that Gentlewoman whom he ment to marrie The king vsed all the meanes hee could to surmount and ouercome his sicknesse and as his yeares gaue him assayed diuers times to shewe his courage but all in vaine After the departure of the king of Polonia they perceiued him to bee more changed in minde then in bodie If he had liued longer it is without all doubt that the Councellours of the massacre had receiued their reward from him his heart was so much mooued against them so that he could not chuse but vtter his mind therin to some about him in the Court whom hee knew to bee vtter enemies to such iniustice and thereof wrote letters out of the Realme So that to conclude hee was determined to haue made some stirring among them vntill that finding himselfe to bee seized vppon and that hee had not the meanes as then to execute any thing beeing inuironed by men that helde him as it were bound both hand and foote his seruants slaine disgraced or banished from him wherein in time he thought to take order that might procure an ouerture to his haughtie desires not once thinking vntill hee was so weake that hee had beene so neare his death His letters to the Gouernors of Prouinces In the end of March hee wrote vnto the Gouernours of the Prouinces saying that seeing the discontentment of his subiects and the common cause of the religion produced so many troubles within his Realme hee desired them to vse peaceable meanes with those of the religion declaring that hee would not that any wrong should be done vnto them nor other dealing vsed towards them in their affaires then the other Catholicque subiects of his Realme hee commaunded that those of the religion should bee safegarded by those of the Romish Church to assure defend them from the violence that was to be done against them where any such should bee enterprised hee commaunded all his Officers to vse the speediest and readiest iustice that might bee willing them to looke vnto it calling God to witnesse that his onely intent was to see all his subiects liue in peace Hee likewise desired the same Gouernours to prouide that their companies should not in any sort bee chargeable to their subiects but should paye according to the order therein taken by the same letter also shewing that hee had been sicke of a quarterne ague hee was as then somewhat recouered so that the reports spred abroad of his death were wholy vntrueths The fourth of May hee aduertised the said Gouernors of the imprisonment of the two Marshals that were accused of conspiracie against his person and the estate inioyning them to ouerrunne all those that were vppe in armes to put them to the sword but the poore Prince as then was neither respected of friends nor enemies Euery day he receiued packets of new commotions that bredde nothing but discommodities wherein a firme peace and faithfull maintenance of those of the religion in the exercise thereof and in that which they had desired for the conseruations of their persons goods dignities rights and priuiledges had beene the onely remedie which his mother and her Councellours abhorred Hee perceiued the beginnings of new troubles in the captiuitie of his brother and his brother in law and the two Marshals as also in the exile of the Prince of Conde and of diuers great Lords his subiects armed one against the other and to bee short the fire of diuision kindled more then euer it was Wherevpon ouercome with the euill that raigned in his bodie and with so many horrible tempests in his brains he was forced to keepe his bed and yeelde to his disease For the space of certaine daies hee stroue and struggeled against nature not yeelding therevnto by extreame force The nine and twentieth of May letters were written in his name to the Gouernours of Prouinces to whom hee sent word that during his sicknesse if he chanced to die vntil the comming of the king of Polonia his brother successor they should obey the Queene his mother Letters in fauour of his mother whatsoeuer shee would commaund shewing that his bretheren the Duke of Alencon and the king of Nauarre had promised him to do the like in her behalfe in the two last weekes of his sicknesse hee lost much of his blood that issued out of many places of his bodie and once rowlde himselfe therein falling downe by weaknesse many times naming diuers Lords whom he particular hated and that till then had kept themselues out of his hands The thirtieth of May which was the day of his death the Queene-mother perceiuing that the simple letters made the day before The day of his death what passed as then specially touching the regency touching the charge to her committed sufficed not to strengthen her authoritie during the absence of the king of Polonia whom shee feared could not so soone returne againe into France determined for his sure establishment to cause her selfe to bee declared Regent in the absence of the king to come and to cause letters pattents thereof to bee sealed by the Chancellour Birague who with the seales was wholly at her commaundement which was as much as to ouerthrow subuert the fundamentall lawes of the Realme to abolish the right of the first Prince of the blood to lessen the authoritie of the estates generall to rule the Parliaments and to raigne in straunge manner ouer France Neuerthelesse the better to binde the hands of the two first Princes of the blood and the two Marshals whom shee held prisoners to beate her enemies to extirminate the Countie de Montgommerie kept prisoner against faith and promise made to sowe new diuisions in the estate and so to maintaine her selfe in those confusions without foreseeing the great disorders whereof shee should bee cause by that meanes giuing libertie to those that in the ende would bee her ouerthrowe as heereafter you shall heare her ambition blinded her eyes shee entered into the kings chamber with Birague by whom shee caused to bee shewed vnto him that seeing his sickenesse hindered him from dealing in the affaires that required his presence it should be good to giue the regencie of the Realme vnto the Queen his mother and commaunded that letters pattents to the same end should be giuen vnto her The king that was at his last houre by their aduise caused the Secretaries and Captaines of his guards to bee called in to whom hee saide Doo all that which the Queene my mother shall commaund you and obey her as my selfe The Duke of Alencon and the King of Nauarre were likewise called that they might knowe that the Regencie was committed to the Queene-mother and were expresly named in the letters that were presently dispatched for the same purpose
resolution to abiure his former impostures He did it not at randon neither as constrained by necessitie by feare of forraine vsurpation for the onely inioying of a temporall peace or Crowne of Charles but of a holy and most diuine inspiration which entered into his soule from the day and time that the death of the K. left the Scepter of France and yeelded it vnto him from that time he made knowne to our holy father Pope Sixtus the fift by M. de Luxenbourg to Pope Gregorie the 13. by the Marquesse of Pisani and since that to him who at this day sitteth in S. Peters Chaire called Clement the eight by the Cardinall de Gondy that as he was lawful successor to the Crowne he desired also that the succession of the Catholicke Apostolicke and Romane religion be obserued in his realme submitting himself to his authoritie and instruction touching the saluation of his soule And perseuering in his so holy resolution he banished from the Court those that had made him beleeue that the world had continued in darknesse from the death of the Apostle S. Paul to the time of Caluin and that the splendant sunne of the truth had been eclipsed touching the preaching of the Gospell and shut vp within the territories of Bohemia and Saxony vntil the seditious preachings of Iohn Hus and Martin Luther caused it to shine with greater clearenesse being instructed in the truth of our religion by the most learned Prelates in all the realme of France he presented himself in the temple of the chiefe Apostle of France euen in the middle of the shadows of his predecessors ther vpoÌ their Tombs detested his heresies the only causes of his troubles originall of our mischiefes There is no reason what soeuer to be obiected that can deny this action to be most holie most admirable and most miraculous whether you consider the happie disposition and aboundance of the yeare the victorie against the Turkes or the suddain conuersion of our rebels For first you haue seen how God guided this Prince through the middle of so many laborinths dangers of fire and flame to the throne of royall Maiestie how this Ioseph persecuted by his own kindred and familie triumpheth in Aegipt and how this Moyses exposed and abandoned to the mercie of ciuill tempestes becommeth not onely Coronel of an armie of 600000. men but king of a great Realme and of so many millions of people And the king to giue a taste and feeling vnto his subiects of the contentment quietnesse that his soule inioyed by his new coÌuersion therof to giue euident testimonie to all the world graunteth a truce euen at the verie instant when his enemies were readie to yeeld and sendeth the Duke de Neuers to his holinesse submitting himself to his commandements and offering his conscience the subiect of a goodly conquest giueth him to vnderstand thot hee desireth but one religion in his Realme that he knoweth well that the Church is one that faith is not diuided and that as the bodie can indure but one head the heauens but one sun and religion but one God so the Realme of France ought to haue but one Church which cannot bee one where God is diuersly serued So if our miseries are not incensible vnto him if it pleaseth him not speedily to imbrace the occasions offered and mittigate the rigor of formes not onely our religion but also the estate will bee a pray to long and cruell diuisions which continually afflist the countrie of France It is said hee is one of the most woorthiest successors of Saint Peter that for the space of one hundreth yeares hath sit in his chaire which increaseth our hopes and lightneth our mindes in a maner cleane abated for that one of the best comforts that man can haue in the middle of the waues and surges of the sea is when he is assured that his Pilot is an expert man and knoweth what to do And so we hope that to preserue this French vessel from ship wracke he will rise vp against the tempest which daily threatneth the same we know what winds and waues do blow push it forward and that he will imbrace the conuersion of so importunate a soule for the preseruation whereof all Europe ought continually to wade in teares vowes and prayers But when the delaies of the Popes Consistorie were perceiued togither with the oppositions and trauerses made touching the Ambassage of the D. de Neuers when it was well wayed and considered that it were very hard and impossible for those in Rome to iudge of that which is done in France that their opinions and wils were forced and constrained and that it was knowne that in the extreame necessitie of taking order for the CoÌmon-wealth in so vrgent a cause they must stay and attend vppon processe peace beeing broken and the people longing after the first morsels of the truce they ceased not till they were wholly franchised from the tirannie of wars specially the townes that at the beginning were the first that tooke weapon in hand and from thence proceeded the reduction of the Citie of Lyons vnder the kings obedience being not able any longer to continue in her vnconstant estate nor to subiect her selfe any more vnder her ruines fenses distrusts as things most doubtfull and mischiefes most vncertaine so that she opened and vncouered her eyes to know what shee should do and vnder whose protection she might best be preserued Shee knew that the soueraigne and last remedie of her calamities was to bee vnder one and no more to slote vncertainly in the waues of diuers protections which haue been causes of these ciuil warres Shee found that shee ought to haue a king of France and in the familie of Saint Lewis from whence descendeth Henry de Bourbon king of France and Nauarre whom she had sooner acknowledged if it had pleased him sooner to make profession of the Catholick Apostolicke and Romaine religion as at this day he doth Lyons resisted against her king and ramped against the gate and will you haue it still remaine couered in the brakes that she should alwaies be at the poynt of death in the middle of the waues of her rebellions it was at the poynt to become a desart and the fable common marke to be laughed at by al her neighbours and in the end their conquest alreadie her trafficke which is her Indes or Perou her rents her pensions her principall reuenues were cut off and taken away And no other occupation bare sway or was in request with her but the art of souldiers her Citizens were slaine before the gates and her naturall forces began to faile wherein she seeketh for redresse and knowing no better Phisitian then hee that loueth his Patient she cast her selfe into the armes of her king and drowning the remembrance of her follies past in the seas of his great clemencie she desired him from thence forward to accept and
Princes of his blood But God shewed that he loueth not disturbers of the estate nor such as bath their handes in their owne blood that take courage by the indiscreet opinions of certaine pretences The enterprise of Amboise ciscouered in Ann. 1560. the enterprisors pursued by the Duke de Nemours The gate of Hugon in Tours by the which they assembled or of the first accords of the declaration of protestants made in Latin which are Huc nos venimus and that vse remedies crueller then the disease it selfe For that he ouerthrew this first enterprise and the actors thereof beeing taken vppon the suddaine obtained paine and punishment for reward and so were hanged in their bootes and spurs at the castle of Amboise But the sparks that issued out of this flint after that set fire to the ciuill warres of France and because the greatest part of those alterers of estates were of the new religion that as then were called Huguenots of the place where they first assembled themselues in Tours the Cardinall of Lorraine beganne to crie out against Hereticques and to make them more odious he caused it to be reported throughout the Realme that their enterprise was against the king wherein they induced the Prince of Conde who to iustifie his innocencie and to shewe the integritie of his heart to the seruice of the king in his presence and others the Princes Lords and Officers of the Crowne spake openly and said That his Maiestie excepted and with reuerence to the Princes his bretheren the Queene his mother and the Queene then raigning those that had reported him to bee of the enterprise of Amboise lyed falsely and if they would seeme to iustifie it hee offered to fight with them and that if they were not comparable vnto him for degree hee would imbase himselfe for that time and make them either by sword or launce confesse themselues to bee vilaines and traitors And thervpon this Prince not induring to liue among so many suspitions and distrusts as beeing the But and marke of his enemies left the Court and went vnto his brother the king of Nauarre whither such as professed reformation withdrewe themselues This disease increasing more more and the corrupted humors therof breeding to a dangerous and mortall palsie the Queen-mother that knewe better the disease then the cause thereof The assembly of Fontainbleau Anno. 1560. the 21 of August where the King the Queene and diuers Princes sat there the Admirall presented a Petition and said that he would cause it to be signed by 50000. men and the Cardinall of Lorrain said the King should oppose 100000. against it They were not permitted to alight as the manner is at the kings Pallace She said that no man euer bandieth against the blood of France with out repeÌtaÌce Iustification of the Prince of Conde Agreement made betweene the Prince of Conde and the house of Guise the 14. of August 1561. La Popelimere saith that the king of Na. promised the am bassador of the K. of DeÌmark to cause the religioÌ to be preached throughout France within one yeare after perceiuing that by sharp and bitter remedies it was nothing healed beganne to vse gentlier and more easie and to the same end she caused the most learned and wisest men in al France to be assembled at Fontainbleau there to debate the causes of religion Where the Admiral presented the request of those whoÌ he supported which was to haue libertie of churches and freedome of conscience wherevnto the Cardinall opposed himselfe And the Lords of Monluc Marillac were of opinioÌ that the most assured means to stop those new sprung sects was to submit themselues to a generall Councell and in fine the conclusion of this assembly was that a Parliament of the generall States should be holden at Meaux in the moneth of December after and a nationall Councell the tenth of Ianuary then next after ensuing The Parliament was holden at Orleans and the king sent for the king of Nauarre to come thither and to bring the Prince of Conde his brother with him that there hee might cleare himselfe of the hard report that ranne against him to the which end they set forward and arriued at Orleans presenting themselues vnto the king that intertained them not as their qualities and nearenesse of blood required For the Prince of Conde was committed prisoner whose deliuerance was sued by the Ladie Renee duches of Ferrare neuerthelesse his processe was framed wherevnto hee pleaded not guiltie yet in fine hee was condemned to haue his head striken off before the kings Pallace and at the entrie of the States vpon the which iudgement he continually expected the houre of death But by Gods prouidence the death of the king procured both his life and libertie for king Charles iudged him to be innocent At the same time the Court of Parliament in Parris made an Edict the Parliament of Estate continued and the difference of religion was appeased by staying for a generall Councell Meanetime Messieurs de Guise being in hope that their greatnesse would still increase and spread abroad were much abashed to see it shortened by the death of the king their Nephewe and thereby to be constrained and put in minde to thinke that they were no more as they had been So that they yeelded their place to the King of Nauarre but not the opinion nor the hope to recouer it once againe By that means their great affaires left off but they forsooke them not seeking by all meanes to be reconciled to the Prince of Conde alwaies keeping their owne like the Maister of a shippe that hoyseth and pulleth downe his sayles as time serueth and alwaies stopped the holes wherein they foresawe the round world enter ceasing not to speake most assuredly and openly against heresie which they so much the more detested as that they perceiued the Princes of the blood to lend their helping hand towards the aduancement and establishing thereof and that the king of Nauarre that made account thereof began to like it hauing more desire to the Realm of Nauarre that was promised to be restored vnto him and to that of Sardaigne offered him if he would separate himselfe from the Princes reformed and the protection of the protestants Churches then to the consideration of the quarrell of his house The greatnesse of those Princes could not continue equall by reason of the vnequallitie of their houses Yet they sought to go all in one ranke whereby the kings fauor could no sooner giue countenance to the one but it mooued the other His fauour is like a faire Ladie euery man seeketh and courteth her and if she smile more vpon one then vppon the other it breedeth but iealousie despight quarrell she cannot diuide her heart in two without a a mortall diuision Euery man hath his turne and both Catholicque and Huguenot vnder pretence and zeale of religion seeketh to get the good wil of the king his
mother and his bretheren But the freedome of the Ministers being impatient to staye the resolution of a Councell made them to preach openly whereby they so much tempted and altered mens consciences that suddainly the ceremonies traditions of the Church were abated and the temples seased vpon destroyed And the Constable beeing descended of the first Barron and first Christian in France opposed himselfe against this diuersitie of religion in one realm The Edict of Iuly made at S. Germains in Laye 1561. The assembly at Poissy The murther of Vassy the 1. of Mars 1562. The battaile of Dreux the 19. of DeceÌber 1561. The Constable was first taken then the Prince of Conde The king of Nauarre was slaine at the siege of RoueÌ 1562. The Duke of Guise slaine before Orleans the 24. of Febru 1563. 1. Edict of peace Anno. 1563. ReconciliatioÌ betweene the D. of Guise and the Admirall 1566. Counsell of the Duke of Alue The enterprise at Meaux at the feast of S. Michael 1567. The battaile of S. Denis on S. Martins euen 1567. VVhere the Constable was slaine The second Edict of peace at LoÌiumeau which from the time of king Clouis had bin holden maintained in paritie and integritie vnder the ancient faith of their forefathers The Cardinal of Lorraine on the other side tooke the matter in hand and counselled the king to make an Edict against those of the religion the presumption of certain men was such that they coÌsented to the disputation at Poissy wher in place of remedie we found but an increasing of our miseries After that the Edict of Ianuarie so much renoumed in all the troubles and solemnized by the Huguenots folowed the breach whereof by the means of Vassy caused both parts to fall to armes vpon the plaines of Dreux which gaue the name to that me morable battell not onely for the number of men there assembled being 1900. foot 2000. horse for the kings part 4000. horse called White-coates 6000. foot of the contrarie as for diuers other accidents that therin were marked besides the taking of two of their chiefe leaders For the Prince of Conde that imputed the first motions of his imprisonmeÌt of his separatioÌ froÌ the fauor and presence of K. Francis the 2. to the practises of the Duke de Guise that euening of the battell was his prisoner accepted the halfe of his auncient enemies bed that was offered vnto him a right discription of this variable world wher you see one triumphing the other captiue Among so many prosperities that inuironed the Duke of Guise by the death of the king of N. Generall of the kings armie followed by all the Catholicque Nobilitie Tutor coÌductor of the king Queen-mothers whole affaires death being iealous that the Capitall citie of the realme at his arriuall had cried Viue Guise Viue Guise with as great ioy gladnes as euer they cried Viue le Roy dispatched him out of the way by Poltrots means that slew him at Orleans therby finished the first ciuill war at which time the Prince of Conde was deliuered out of prison the Constable brought the first Edict of peace By this peace France had means to breath and her subiects to liue in some assurance but the corrupted humours that caused the disease of the estate were not so wel disiested but that ther rested some remnants whereby it might be feared it would fall into a much more dangerous sicknesse which happened 3. years after wheÌ the most troublesome alterers of estate renued the fire which although it were not vtterly quenched yet it was half coÌsumed The Queen hauing performed that generall visitation of all the kings Prouinces at Moulins taken vp the quarrel between the houses of Guise Chastillon and made theÌ friends caused 6000. Switzers to be sent for vndera fained sear of the D. of Albes passage throgh France with whom she had conferred at Bayonne wher they concluded that to liue in peace it was best for her to fish after great Samons to leaue the frogs The Admiral perceiuing it determined rather to saue himselfe by his armes then with his legs and went so near vnto the king that he had almost taken him at Meaux and so caused him to retire to Parris being conducted by Pfiffers regiment And the Prince of Conde tooke the town of S. Dennis assieged Parris burned the milles And in fine the two armies met fought before S. Dennis wher the Protestants retired the K. had the victorie but it cost him the life of the Constable beeing one of the valiantest Captains in al Europe who hauing commanded in 7. battels died in the sight of the citie of Parris and of his king at the head of an armie victorious by his coÌduction hauing cut his enemies in the cheeks that had wounded him in the face he was by a Scot shot into the raines with a Pistolle so died of the seuenth wound he had receiued in that seuenth battel being of the age of 60. and 7. yeares This death procured an other little peace coÌmonly called the lined peace which continued but 6. months and made a war that The Prince of Conde slaine at Bassac the 21 of March 1569. The battaile of Montcontour the 3. of October 1569. The 3. Edict of peace An. 1570. indured for the space of 2. whole years wherein the Prince of Conde died and where the Princes of Nauarre and Conde the Dukes de Guise and Maine were Captains the one of the protestants armie vnder the conduct of the Admiral the other for the defence of Poictiers vnder Monsieur the kings brother General of his Maiesties armie whereby the battell of Moncontour happened where all the protestants footemen were slaine and the Rutters spurs were not sharp ynough to make their horses flie but Monsieur not pursuing his victorie suffered his enemies to range meet togither again who in short time were fouÌd strong ynough to constrain him to the wars or else to make another Edict of peace with more aduantage then the two first This peace being sworned by al those that had any publike authorite therin caused the Frenchmen to feele the sweetnesse of tranquillitie to be much different from the sharpnesse and bitternesse of ciuill diuisions Therein the king the Queen-mother his bretheren and the Princes did nothing but breath and aspire vnto contentment nothing was spoken of in France but only assurance and of remoouing their wars vnto the frontiers or within the bowelles of forrain countries and euery place was filled with marriages bankets c. But this goodly shew was put only a presaging of the torment that ensued and Saylers iudged that those great calmes would in the end cause some great tempest For presently after ensued the great and terrible day so full of blood teares and sorrow where without respect The massacre vppon Bartholomewe day Ann. 1573. so many
haue one eye thrust out the other the greatest Princes in the world are much troubled thereby and yet constrained to indure it The Princes of Almaine haue this diuersitie in one Towne yea in one Host and in one familie without either trouble or diuision The interim of the Emperour Charles the fist 1530. Confirmed 1555. The Emperour Charles the fift was constrainsd to passe that path and his brother Ferdinand a man most affected to the Catholicque religion consented to the same libertie in his kingdomes of Bohemia Hungaria and Austria Pietie is the foundation of all estates which cannot be in all places where God is diuersly serued It is so and you finde many that complaine thereof but fewe that seeke the remedie we knowe but two that is rigor and peaceablenesse either by a generall Councell or by armes For the first it needeth not because the trueth once knowne and determined ought not to be brought in question or disputed of againe The latter is altogither straunge and it was neuer heard that men were put to death to force them to beleeue To kill burne and massacre are words neuer vsed but in seditious enterprises those of the new opinion that liue among the Catholicques without preaching or open exercises are content to seeke no further freedome then the libertie of their conscience without being troubled A King cannot refuse his subiects the libertie of not speaking for that mens tongues and consciences are not vnder the Soueraigntie of his Scepter Tacere liceat Nulla libertas minor a rege Petitur Senec. O ed. Lictance li. 5. cap. 14. God is the God of mens soules Kings may constraine mens bodies and force them to say that outwardly which inwardly they deny For as he that is called the Cicero of Christians saith Who can constraine me not to beleeue that which I will beleeue or to thinke that credible which seemeth incredible there is nothing so voluntarie as religion but if the minde be separated from it it is no more religion but hypocrisie and dissimulation force will do that Purpure cultores efficies non Dei. which should be done onely by loue for by it men respect more the penalties of the lawe then the lawe it selfe they will reuerence the Iudges scarlet gowne not for the loue of the Iudge but for feare of the executioner that attendeth on him âides suadenda non imperanda Bernard and when they are gone their courages are found to be strongerthen their torments their constancie greater then their cruelties peaceablenesse is more conuenient and hath more force Faith commandeth not but is taught the strongest or roughest bits are not fit for good horses Our coÌsciences are the like for force breaketh sooner theÌ bendeth theÌ If the Lute bee not well tuned or if the Meane do not agree with the Base we must not therefore breake it About the end of Iune 1574. the king called him his father but winde it softly vp and you shall make them accord The Emperour Maxemilion that said that no sinne could be greater then to violate mens consciences answered the king of France returning out of Polonia proposing the ruine of the Huguenots the restablishing of the only religioÌ of his forefathers in his realm that those wich seek to rule ouer meÌs consciences supposing to win heauen do oftentimes loose their possessions on earth To obey God and serue the king Two religions cannot command in one Realme It is true but that is no consequent why there should not be two for the subiect is not bound to follow the religion of his Prince as long as he permitteth him the libertie of his own he must obey and serue hee giueth to God that which is Gods and to Caezar In the time of Clouis a Pagan there was Christians in FraÌce that which is Caezars and confoundeth not the difference between those two seruices and duties He that hath one religion cannot haue two and hateth and detesteth that which is the contrarie Clouis our first christian King being a Pagan tollerated christians in his Realme and so did our King being in Polonia permit Latin and Greeke Churches with the confession of Ausbourg Lutherans and Caluenists to liue togither in Muscouia and other countries belonging vnto the Emperor the prince of Greece a great part of his subiects are different froÌ him touching religion And although the Turke receiueth not the Crowne yet he constraineth them not to leaue their christianitie The Frenchmen could not indure Iewes in France They bannished them not because of their religion but for their Barbarous cruelties wherewith they crucified young children in dispight of the sonne of God and for their extreame vsuries wherewith they consumed the common people The king suffering Heretickes doth wrong to the Catholicques The king is Common-father to them as well as to the others Iewes banished out of France and for what cause as there is no reason to prooue the ingratitude of the sonne towards the father so all lawes detest the inhumanitie and impietie of the father against the son Those whom the king so oftentimes proclaimeth rebelles and his enemies are his children his subiects and his seruants God neuer prospereth the enterprises of the subiect against his Prince very sildome haue kings had great triumphs by wars ouer their subiects It belongeth to a Vittellius and not to a king of France to walke along the fieldes his garments all died with the blood of his subiects Vitellius said that the body of the enemie slaine sauoureth well but that of the citizen beeing dead is better Tacit. lib. 17. Suet in the life of Vitellius Cap. 10. The people neuer die The 5. Edict of peace An. 1577. made at Poictiers in the moneth of Septemb. Conference at Nerac the last of Februarie 1579. The 6. Edict of peace in An. 1581. and to delight in the sauour of their dead bodies lying slaine vppon the ground VVhen the Huguenots shall be ouerthrowne and consumed the king shall liue in peace Suppose he putteth them to death and that at one time hee cutteth off a hundreth thousand heads The General seed is immortall by the succession of euery particular familie kindred and seuerall man which still increaseth one after the other although euery particular man of himselfe is mortall the bodie of the people in general neuer dieth The K. may wel destroy al the particulars of this new opinion but they will leaue as many children whose innocencie God and nature will not permit to touch that will succeed not onely in their goods but in the humors quarrels and passions of their fathers In fine those that perswaded peace by their reason alleadged got the vpper hand of those that desired warre and there vpon it was concluded with great concontentment on both both parts that the Prince of Conde the same night he receiued it caused it to be published by torch-light although with lesse aduantage on
in disobedience to maintaine religion the easing of the people Nor better nor fairer pretence to open the eies hearts and purses of such men to enterprise warre could not be found At the same time the king had sent vnto the Princes for the restitution of the Towns which they held for the obseruation of the last edict of peace which they were to yeelde vp at the end of 6. yeares But because the king of Nauarre sent word vnto his Maiestie Prolongation of the time of the townes of assurance 1582. that the peace hauing so often been broken by surprises and open warres the termed of 6. yeares was too short a time for the execution of the Edict and abollishing of wars he agreed to the prolongation thereof Wherevpon all the Princes of the league tooke occasion to say that the king fauoured Hereticques and that he would indure heresie and considered not that those Townes were inhabited by Huguenots strong of scituation hard to be won by force When the king of Nauarre perceiued those motions and that some matter was breeding he foresawe the tempest wold light vpon him what pretence soeuer was made therevpon he besought the king to call to minde the intelligences hee had giuen him in Anno. 1576. sent expresly by a Gentleman concerning the treatie and handling of the league in Spaine and Italie that he shuld looke to the profite of the myne seeing it was discouered And perceiuing the enterprise euery day more and more to proceed he began to take care of himselfe sent the Lord of Pardillan to the Queen of England the king of Denmarke and the Princes and Electors of Almaine to renue amitie with them desiring their aydes touching the preuenting of new troubles that began to rise in France against the edict of peace to appoynt a good sum of mony to bee sent vnto some Towne in Allemaine to bee imployed for the leuying of certaine forces against the enemie In the mean time for the aduantage of the league but to the great trouble and mischiefe of all the Realme of France The death of the Duke of Alencon in Iune 1584. Monsieur the kings brother eyther by his riotousnesse in the lowe countries for greefe of the hard successe of his affaires by hazard or by Salcedas means that was executed died at Chasteau Thierry His death awakened the most drousie heads it brake all the bandes that stayed the proceedings of the league and caused it presently to roare at Chaalons Rheims Troye Dyon and Mezieres It had alreadie found credite ynough in all the other Towns specially at Parris wherein they were diswaded from the yoake of the Huguenots and the hope of the king of Nauarre to rule ouer them The first point of the loue to the king was alreadie foundred in her hart she spake not of him but with al kinde of disdaine euery day presented him with the opinions and censures of Pasquils indiscreet ieasts and libels without names wherein corrupt minds alreadie stuffed with the disorders of the Court swallowed vp the poyson of their mutinies vnder what pretence I knowe not speaking of the king as of a Sardanapalus or one that did nothing The kings deuise Manet vltime Coelo Qui dedit ante Duas vnam abstulit alcera nutat Tertia tonsoris nunc facienda manu of a Prince drowned in his pleasures and delights whom alreadie they placed like a Chilperic in a Monastrie and in stead of the third Crown which by his deuise was reserued for him in heauen they promised him one made with a raisor in a Cloyster But hee that would knowe the first conception birth and infancie of the league within Parris hee must beleeue that which Manant saith to Maheustre that speaketh like a wise man and by the propositions and answeres representeth all those that deale therein and for the first hee nameth him that was the secret Minister of the leaguers intent to make it known to three Preachers that tooke seuen or eight Coaintors with them thereby to make a small Councell which was oftentimes holtors within the Colledge of Forteret where they beganne to chuse sixe others of the most faithfull The Colledge of Forteret was the cradle of the league The sixe first confederates of the league to watch at all the sixe quarters to report what was done in those places to sowe this new graine within their heads to sound the affections of the most feruent Catholicques and to dispose them to a resolution against the king the world and death Those sixe Arch-leaguers in the beginning made a faire and great Haruest and as with the number courage increased The principall leaguers were assured that those new confederates would ingender others presently therevppon the two pillers that sustaine and vphold the Prince which are the most faithfull Archers of his Court of guard that is good will and authoritie were thrown downe hatred and despight entering into their places Of those two plagues as of a monsterous blood was conceiued and brought foorth most disloyall rebellion and the despising of the lawe and the authoritie of the Prince mixed with the euill minde which the people bare to their king his Councell and his fauourers hatched this great Erynnis and furious mischiefe in France that hath entered into all the vaines of our bodie But alasse poore people what will you do what example what commandement what iust reason mooueth or assureth you to arme your selues against your king What lawe approoueth the rebellion of the subiect against him whom God hath appoynted your king If there be any imperfection or disorder are you to correct it or can the foote ordaine a lawe for the head It is no more lawfull for you to resist against the faults or imperfections of your Gouernours then to despight God and aske him the cause of the frosts and hailes that beat spoyled your vines Stay you little snayles within your shels come not foorth you torteaux out of the cases vnder them you are assured for you shall no sooner put forth your heads nor stretche out a foote but presently be assayled lie opeÌ to your enemies readie to receiue the first blowe that shal be giuen Assoone as the league perceiued that diuers townes had made great fires for ioy of her birth it was presented to the Pope that he might giue it his blessing auouch it for his and declare it to bee for the Catholicke Apostolike and Romish Church But Gregory the 13. desiring to shewe himselfe to bee the common father of all Christians and Pastor not dispearser of his flocke Pope Gregory would nener consent to this raising of men The answere of the Pope vnto the league considering that the raising of armes against a most Christian and Catholicque king was wholly contrarie to the doctrine of the Gospell the examples of Christ and his Apostles and the lawes of pollicie and state certified the leaguers Deputies that he
And put both liues and goods in straângers hand And to our countrie furious Tigers seeme If leaguers lawe hath so ordained it To drowne my selfe I rather would desire Then for to liue an Vtheist in my heart And outwardly shewe a christian Although this age hath much abridged the libertie and freedome of writing which appeareth in our ancient Hystoriographers Prossart Monstielet Phillip de Comines yet wil I neither for feare nor flatterie two Historicall plagues seeme to couer the trueth of this discourse I confesse that in such places as of themselues are discommendable I haue added of mine owne to make them more notorious and in such actions as are woorthie praise wherein vertue coÌscience valor consisteth Ispare no coÌmendation but in things indifferent I am constrained to suspend my iudgement rather then to enter into many vntrueths wherin if I should vse partiallitie I could not chuse but varrie from the matter My squadron is the trueth Plato and Socrates are my friends but I esteeme trueth before all things This Historie is a plea neither with not against the league I will not set roses among thornes there is neuer any vniuersall plague but some escape it and among so many and diuers actions it is impossible but there must be seuerall colours I will report the problemes debated on both sides I will shewe you their propositions which are neither so cleare nor apparant but there is alwaies some contrarietie I will set foorth in open shewe the occasions of the league the kings reasons and the king of Mauarres defences which I will declare without choise or difference and you shall consider of them without partiallitie hatred fauour or selfe will and esteeme them as a meate rather prepared for your health then for your taste Two things gaue a hotte alarme to the league one the assembly at Mâââauban the other the voyage of the Duke d'Espernon to the king of Nauarre which it tooke as brands to kindle her fier and beganne to send out commissions in all places in the kings name who disauouched them and prohibited the raising of souldiers The first poynt of their dislike The kings Edict of the 28. of march 1585. against the raising of men shewed the reason which mooued the Cardinall of Bourbon the Princes Lords Townes and common people beeing Catholicques to oppose themselues against the Hereticques Secondly because they were offended that the Parliament which they would haue had to bee holden concerning warres to be made against the Huguenots had been reuoked Thirdly to breake the Edict of pacification Fourthly because they stood in feare that if the king should die without children there would rise great trouble for the succession of the Crownes Reuocation of the edict of peace whereof the king of Nauarre had great hope since the death of Monsieur the kings brother by the practise of his friends and fauourers about the king Fiftly because of the great preparations for warre made both within and without the Realme that should bee readie by the fifteene of Aprill then next ensuing Nominating of associates to the crowne beeing in Anno. one thousand fiue hundreth eightie fiue to execute that which they said had beene concluded in an assembly at Magdebourg the fifteenth of December one thousand fiue hundreth eightie foure agaist religion the king and his subiects by the which it was agreed that the Queene of England should furnish fiftie thousand Rutters foure thousand Switzers and twelue thousand Englishmen The Counte Palatin Prince Casimir and the Duke of Pomeranie each of them foure thousand Rutters The Langraue of Hesse two thousand and fiue hundreth The Duke of VVitemberg two thousand The Lords of their league besides the Queen of EnglaÌds forces fiue thousand Switzers The kings Protector and Councell of Scotland two thousand Scots The king of Nauare the Prince of Conde and their associates fiue and twentie thousand Harquebusiers and foure thousand horse that had sworne neuer to make peace with the king of France but with all their consents to maintaine the Prince of Orange in the lowe Countries against the king of Spaine to helpe the Emperour by all the meanes they could to get the Demaines of the Empire witholdeÌ by the Pope and to send their deputies from all places in the month of March to Basill and Switzerland thereto determine the differences concerning the Lords Supper Sixtly because those of the religion wold not yeeld vp the townes by them holden for the assurance of that execution of the edict of peace Seuenthly because of ãâã vniuersal abuse suffered in placing of officers in leuying of monies by inuention of excessiue oppressioÌs laid vpoÌ the coÌmon people And lastly against such as abusing the K. fauor authoritie had in a maner ceased vpoÌ his person impeached the ordinary accesse of honest meÌ vnto him by that means to keepe from him the knowledge of disorders that are in them disposed gouernments to their fauorers consumed the kings treasures molested the commoÌ people braued the Nobilitie cut off the libertie of Iustice spoyled the Clargie of their tithes extraordinary benefits perswaded the king that it was necessarie for his seruice to weaken dimininish the authoritie of the Catholicke Princes Lords Vpon those iust occasions they sayd they were forced to meet in armes not hauing meanes by reason of the suddainenesse of the thing togither with the little credite they had with his Maiestie to stay for his Commission neither yet to proceede by any other waye to make him knowe their greefes assuring him that the ende and purpose of their pretence of raysing of armes was onely for to reestablish the Church of God in her true and ancient dignitie vnder the exercise of one religion throughout all his realme to restore the Nobilitie to their honor and franchises Pretence of the League to ease the common people of the impositions inuented and deuised since the raigne of Charles the ninth not to imploy the treasures that shall be leuied but for the kings seruice to procure that from thencefoorth the Parliament should bee holden euery three yeares to desire the king to take order touching the differences of the succession of the Crowne to the end his realme shuld not be diuided into as many factions as their are titles pretended For the suretie preseruatioÌ of their own persons among so many publike and priuate calamities to bannish from the Court such as abused the fauour and authori-of the King protesting not to do any thing against the seruice of the king neither yet to leaue armes before their intents were fully executed and that his Maiestie had procured meanes to shunne the daunger which to auoyde they had taken armes with promise likewise that their souldiers should bee payde The king thinking by faire meanes to retaine them in their duties and to exhort them to an vnion The Kings letters to the king of Nauarre wrote to the King of
had any other respect then only to God and seruice to the king And that assoone as his Maiestie by his Edicts had consented to the libertie of mens consciences he presently left armes and countermanded his troupes togither with the forrain aydes of his friends and confederates That for that cause hee is not enemie to the Catholicques as the report goeth That hee maintaineth those of Bearn in the small libertie they had when the Queen his mother died and so in all places of the kingdome of Nauarre then resting vnto him where hee found the exercise of Catholicque religion he neuer permitted any change That the consultation in Magdebourg which the league so much spake of that they caused it to bee preached openly in the Churches was an imagination and woorthie such reports for that it would be found that neither there nor in any other place it was euer holden And that in the extract of forces by them therein set downe they induce the Ambassadors of the Elector Palatin of the Prince of Orange the one beeing dead aboue a yeare before and had left a sonne within yeares vnder the wardship of the Duke Casimir the other about foure moneths before that was slaine at Delft by Balthazard Girad That the declaration by them made of his incapacitie to the succession of the Crowne was the thing that touched him most yet vntill then hee had least minde of it contenting himselfe with the hope that God would long time preserue his Maiestie for the good of his Realme and Common-wealth and would in time giue him issue to the great greefe of his enemies not seeking to iudge the king or Queene to bee barren in the flower of their ages That those which in their declaration and protestation named him to bee desirous of the kings death a perturber of the State and sworne enemie to all Catholicques had falsely wickedly lyed and therevppon besought the king that the quarrell might bee descided betweene him and the Duke of Guise one to one two to two or tenne to tenne without troubling himselfe or suffer the people to indure any longer vexation The Queen-mother that held with the Duke of Guise more to crosse and trouble him to make an entrie into the disorder and confusion of all affaires then to aduance him Princes fauourers of the league gaue the king to vnderstand what power the league was of shewing him that therein hee had to do with the Pope the Emperor the king of Spaine the Duke of Sauoy certaine Princes of Germanie the Catholicque Cantons of Switzers all the house of Lorraine and all the chiefe Towns in France that had entered therin al resolued to expose their persons in the middle of all perils as the last anker to preserue religion froÌ shipwracke And shee gaue him so hotte an alarme with those first assaults The surprising of the Citadel of Lyons the 2. of May 1585. and knew so well how to vse the occurrence of the taking of the Citadell of Lyons wherof the Captain had bin driuen out vnto her purpose that the more the king thought vpon it the more hee perceiued himselfe to bee weakned and the leaguers aduanced Hee thought that the ramparts defences of his Estate were alreadie abated hee beleeued that alreadie the Duke of Guise held him by the collor it seemed vnto him that his Pallace of Louure was besieged with great paine they could hardly make him come foorth of the Capucins sell it was no more he that wan the battelles of Iarnac and Moncontour generositie wanted and his heart began to faile Herein diuers Polititians noted a great fault in the Estate which after produced great accidents Many imbarked them selues with the league being made beleeue it was for the kings person but perceiuing the contrary left it Caezar onely opposed but the authoritie of his face against his mutinous legions but it was with a liuely and bolde assurance not doubtfull nor trembling If the king had shewed himself to the league not couered with a Penitents garment or habit of an Hermit not by faire and plausible meanes but with constancie courage and resolution woorthie a Maiestie royall hee had well made them knowe him to bee king the true and onely Image of God that had thunder readie in his hand to consume and confound such as rose vp against him the warre would bee ended The armie of the Duke de Guise which at his first rising and in the flower thereof was but a thousand horse and foure thousand foote had been dispearsed in lesse then a month and the Cardinall de Bourbon had confessed to the Queene-mother that if the king had banded his authorithie against him all his attempts had been cleane ouerthrowne Feare is a plague to valiant mindes but when the heart of the chiefe commander is possest therewith his authoritie is abated it dimisheth falleth and vndermineth it selfe for feare in flameth the courage and causeth men so much more boldly to enterprise their wicked actions as that they are assured they shal not be punished Also the king letting slip this reuolt rather speaking faire then commaunding and yeelding rather then opposing thereby drew all the mischief of those toubles vppon his owne head He desired the Queen-mother to beare some of his blowes This is the opinion of the Author that made the tiberal and excellent discourse fol. 22. The last request of the Princes of the league The Edict published in Parliament the king being present the 18. of Iuly 1585. The K. fearfull disarmeth himselfe to cause the league to disarm them selues and to procure the Duke of Guise to leaue off his armes and to assure him of his fauor and that he would giue him what part of his Realme soeuer hee would aske to let him liue in peace This Prince of great hope wise and valerous and one of the greatest Captains that France in long time had bred perceiuing that so hardy an enterprise had alreadie taken so good effect and made so great a change pursued it and perceiuing the king to yeeld vnto him hoped more then he either thought or ought to do And there vppon presented the king with another request wherein very wisely hee motioned his owne interest togither with the common cause signed by himselfe and the Cardinall of Bourbon tending to this end To desire him to make and sweare an vnreuocable edict for the extirpation of heresies To take by force the Townes holden by those of the new religion To reuowne the protection of Geneue to authorise their warres to reconcile them vnto him to be of their league and of a king to become a participant Therevppon with all speede the peace was made and cast into a mould the king suffering himselfe by that feare to bee so much carried away And by the edict hee prohibited the exercise of the new religion reuoked all other edicts that fauoured it commaunded the Ministers out of the land and all
haue the place voyded and such as would place themselues therein before vs must bee remooued If warres bee continued against the Huguenots the end cannot bee but to our ruine it will in the end produce a peace which will send vs naked without armes vnto our gouernments liuing betweene feare and dispaire that the oppressed oppose not themselues against the oppressours that the offence returne not vppon the authors and that the king call not to minde the treaties of Peronne Nancy and Chalon If they be vanquishers their victorie is our losse their life our death their greatnesse our imbasing and their rest our torment The strongest support of their enterprise is vppon a piller of Castille olde and rotten that is not sustained but by hope of our ruine that feareth no other shaking but the ceasing of our ciuil warres which will not bee ended but by straungers from whence they are deriued This Prince knoweth well that as long as the diuersitie of religions parteth our mindes there will neuer bee peace among vs although the zeale of religion doth much trouble him that hee is the sonne of the great scourge of the Almaine Protestants and that he hath drowned heresie in his own blood yet hee desireth to inuade vs eyther by one means or other The Ramme desireth to eate the Bat whether it be because it is a bird or because it is a mouse If the Edict of Iuly bee put in execution if heresie be pursued in so many places it will bee very hard for it to resist the king will alwaies bee Maister hee will alwaies stand vpright hee will resume the authoritie and power that hee seemeth to haue left to retaine vs and perceiuing himself like Lewis the eleuenth vntangled from so many leagues and parties he would liue like a commander destroying both Huguenots and Leaguers take the raisor in hand to both their beardes and driue all partakings out of the Realme onely his owne The fiers made for ioy of his victories would bee the obsecquies and funerals of our partakers The king of Nauarre shall die or else hee must conuert or bee cleane spoyled and ouerthrowne His death will strengthen the first article of our league and the feare of altering of religion shall vanish away His conuersion will pull the weapons out of our hands and the wordes of faction and disorder Huguenots and Nauarrois will no more bee heard among vs. His ouerthrow shall not bee so much aduantage vnto vs as to the king he will haue the flowers and the fruites of this victorie and wee nothing but the leaues A great army ââdermineth it selfe and there is too grââââââger to fight But to ouerthrow him will bee no small labour armes are not continuall We thinke to constraine them to fight they wil not but defend themselues they will shut themselues within their Townes that braue all our forces and make vs madde as if wee stood barking at the moone and fighting with the cloudes Many times men hazard all they haue in the strength of a battell and when it is lost to get a thing of no moment there is no meanes to raise it again To looke for it out of Spaine is to reckon mens charges of another mans purse Promises are feminine and effects are masculine this nation is vsed not to say what it will do nor to do that it saith it will do And further wee haue to do with a Prince that is alwaies first at giuing blowes and last in retiring it is not a hart that leadeth Lyons Hee sayeth not go thither but hee goeth himselfe like vnto Caezar hee heareth assoone of our discipation as of our comming hee hath learned to bee a Captaine at our costes hee holdeth thirtie Townes in France which to ouercome wee had need to haue the forces of thirtie leagues such as ours is and when he should haue nothing left but his sword it is very much with the lawful right he hath to the succession of this Realme Aut Caesar aut nihil Therefore seeing the die is cast that wee haue imbarked our selues in this rough sea that the end of our league is either to make vs a king or else nothing let vs take the shortest course There is no apparance to attaine to the royall seat before so many Princes of the house of Bourbon wee should neuer haue done he that wold rule ouer them all must first pull the king out of his chaire when it is emptie there will be meanes to sit downe if he raigne longer our winter is come the seruants of our hopes will withdraw themselues beeing deceiued The king is lustie and gallant of bodie if hee haue any children our sute is ended and not hauing any we are likelier to die before him wee must play open play let vs deale with him as his father dealt with our Grand-fathers and let vs do the like to the Capets as they did to the heires of Charle-Maine Of this ensued the conspiracie made at Parris about Easter in Anno. 1587. which was not executed by the vncertaine resolution of the heads that left the Parrissians in the middle of so daungerous an enterprise wherof the K. was aduertised and from that time determined to punish them But his authoritie was alreadie so much weakened and his Maiestie so much despised that but for feare to be reproued the hooker had taken drawn him through the myre of his infamous slaunders and mockeries The Preachers tongues serued for rules to these seditions they detested the life pleasure and dissolution of the Court and spake not of the King but in dirision publikely condemning his actions hee caused them to be counselled and diuerted from those passions and of a chaire of trueth not to make a place of babling but the more he sought to turne that chollor into fleame the more it increased and rose vp in the end hee was constrained to threaten them with imprisonment Whereof grew the meeting of Saint Seuerin where certaine excommunications were pronounced in S. Benets Church against the Commissaries and Sergeants that would haue layde handes vppon certaine Preachers Wedensday the second of September 1587. The bookes that were published at the beginning of these disorders were the wood strawe and brimstone that long time maintained the embers of those rebellions there was not any meane Fidlers boye but that like a crowe vpon a steeple pronounced the tempests and calamities of those furious mutenies Infamous libels There was nothing seene in the Hall of the Pallace but onely discourses aunsweres aduertisements and Apologies He fayled to surprise Mets the 26 of May. And in the meane time that warre was made with pen and inke within the Townes the Duke of Guise made it with Iron and steele in open field he held his armie in the frontiers of Lorraine and made warre vppon those of Iamets which hee had begun against the Duke de Bouillon from the first day of the birth of the
likely to haue ouerunne the Duke of Guises forces and as it was at the poynt to retire backe againe the Prince of Conde the Duke de Bouillon and the Lords of Chastillon and Cleruant promised to pay them all their wages so they would passe forward The hope of their paye made them to march in a time not much conuenient towards the forrest of Orleans The King perceiued that the longer their armie kept the field the greater would bee the ruine of his countrie and that being ioyned to the King of Nauarre it would doo much hurt caused the Sieurs of the Isle of Cormont to certifie the Coronels that if they would yeeld vppe their colours and sweare to beare no armes in France without the expresse commaundement of his Maiestie hee would giue them assurance to retire in safetie they perceiuing themselues farre from the king of Nauarre hardly handled by the FrenchmeÌ beaten by the league pursued by the king Capitul atiâ the 20. of December 1587 and forsaken of the Switzers assembled themselues togither at Marsigni and accepted his Maisties offers sent by Monsieur d'Espernon that feasted them and made them drinke new muscat their bellies full Monsieur de Chastillon laying holde vppon the occasion of a safe retrait and for his purpose protested not to yeelde vppe his colours but to the King of Nauarre so tooke his way towards Roane to retire with a hundreth good horse and certaine Harquebusiers The Gouernour of Lyons entered into the field to impeach his passage but the little children of Coindrieu easilie iudged of his fortune the effect of that expedition which they called not the iourney of spurres but the battell shewing the backe and bring newes thereof before it was fully done For there they fought like the Scithians they that had their heeles best armed were most valiant The Scitheans fight flying The consideration of this encounter and the inequallitie of the forces and leaders maketh me beleeue that which many haue perswaded themselues to bee true which is that wisedome in warre is of little force For fooles commonly beate vvise men Beholde an olde Captaine armed with so many examples Olde Captaines commit young faults Paradoxe and glorious exploytes of war that had sharpened his iudgement by so many practises findeth himself contrained to yeeld the place to a small handfull of men halfe wearied It is said that good wines are best in the latter part of the yeare when time hath purged them of their fire and made them mylder but regard must bee had that they become not sowre Age causeth strange Metamorphoses in vs it breedeth euill fauored wrinckles in our hearts and alwaies there is somewhat that tasteth sharpe and mustie and beginneth to be faint or ranke Old men should sit in Councell and young march in the fielde olde men feare blowes The boyling and couragious heate of youth mother of braue exploytes is extinguished in them there it is too hotte for them They neuer sleepe without curtins and fire I make more account of a young Captaine whose vertue and valour groweth vp with his age and such as without dissimulation France hath found in Monsieur de Chastillon who in lesse then 4 moneths compassed a great part of France trauersed a hundreth daungers passed many places where hee found any thing either before behinde or on his sides but that opposed it selfe against him And like a braue Gentleman hauing separated himselfe from the mutinie of the Rutters and the leaguers forces although the Counte de Tournon and the Lord of Mandelot bereaued him of all means to passe away but onely by armes yet he passed through them like thunder that teareth and scattereth all whatsoeuer lyeth before it and made them know that the valour of a couragious heart is not subiect to long and tedious resolutions which are not executed but in words This place hath somewhat separarated me from the banket made by Monsieur d'Espernon to the Rutters and of the treatie that followed which gaue them libertie and assurance to retire They went vnto Geneua where diuers of the heads whether it were for griefe with languishing or by blows of musket yeelded vp the ghost There the Duke de Bouillon being in the fiue twentie yeare of his age died vppon the eleuenth of Ianuary hauing made his heire the Ladie Charlotte de la Marke his sister charging her to alter nothing in the state nor the religion of the soueranties of Sedan Iamets nor to marry without the aduises of the king of N. the Prince of Conde and Monsieur de Monpensier whom he appoynted his heire with his sonne the heire dying without children with the same charge not to alter any thing in his lands in the which case he substituted the king of Nauarre and after him the Prince of Conde Assoone as the Duke of Lorraine vnderstood of this Princes death hee sent his armies into his countries in defence wherof la Noue his executor entered into armes with protestation that the promise he had made for his deliuery vnto the king of Spaine not to beare armes against him bound him not to refuse his ayde in defence of a young childe against the vsurpation of the Lorraines The Marquesse du Pont eldest son to the Duke of Lorraine and the Duke of Guise against their faith giuen they followed not the armie but the miserable troupe of Rutters to the Mountaine of Saint Claude where they gaue thankes for the good successe of their company and from thence to please their hungrie troupes they trauersed the Counte of Bourgongne entering into the Countes of Mombeliard Hericourt where his men vsed diuers great cruelties and spared not the lands of the Bishoppe of Basle the example and ornament of the good Prelates of Germanie After the bloodie ceasing of so lamentable vengeance vppon a poore innocent people which as yet do feele the losses and destructions of two hundreth Villages the violence vsed to a number of women and maides the massacre of so many olde men the furious and beastly inhumanities of the league they bare the signes of their spoyles into Lorraine where they erected the great confusion that dispearsed it selfe through all the vaines of the estate neuerthelesse it was the glorie of the league the last poynt that ambition hath learned Time and humours are meruellously disposed therevnto All France shewed it selfe much bound vnto it that had deliuered them from the furies of straungers and assured all Catholicque minds The victorie of Auneau Maruaile that a king should be tealous of his vassall is an ordinary song among the people the reioycing of the Cleargie the brauerie of the Gentlemen Of the league the iealousie of the king that knew wel that this Lawrell was not giuen to the league but to disgrace his Maiestie although it was commoÌ in the mouth of honest men that his Maiestie had coÌstrained his enemies to yeelde There was no Preacher but
diuers braue and expert Admiralles issued out of France as Enguerrand de Coucy and Hugues Quieret Lewis of Spaine vnder Philip le Bel Aâory Vicount de Narbonne and Iohn de Vienne vnder King Iohn Charles the sixt in whose time the Admiral of France furnished the great armie of twelue hundreth sayle of shippes against the Englishmen Cliret of Brabant Lewis de Coulant vnder Charles the seuenth and Lewis Bastard of Bourbon Iohn of Vienne Admirall and since Constable 1586. Anne de Ioyeuse Admirall 1582. The Duke d'Espernon made Admirall of FraÌce by Parliament the 11. of Ianuarie 1588. The Duke d'Espernon Gouernor of Normandie entred Roanâ the fourth of May. Earle of Rossillon vnder Lewis the eleuenth and vnder king Frances the Lord of Brion d'Anebaut and la Trimouille for whom the Admiralles of Brittaine and Guyenne were ioyned and made one Gaspart de Coligny was Admirall vnder the same king and confirmed by Henry the second and his children Honorat de Sauoye Marquesse de Villars succeeded him and caused it to bee giuen to Charles de Lorraine Duke of Mayenne that resigned it to Anne de Ioyeuse and after his death the king gaue it to the Duke d'Espernon And to establish him therein presented him in the Court of Parliament and putting off his sword bare-headed and kneeling on his knee hee tooke his oath before the chiefe President where the eloquence of Monsicur d'Espesses the kings Atturney much commended and set foorth the prayses of the Duke Hee succeeded likewise in the gouernment of Normandie and made his entrie into Roane nine daies before the Barricadoes at Parrs Not long before that hee had sent the Regiment of Picardie to lye about Bullen and caused certaine small English boates to descend before the Towne so to impeach the enterprise of the Duke d'Aumale and to preuent that which the said Duke intended against the Towne When the Duke of Guise vnderstood of those troubles in Picardie hee thought the time as then to bee fitte for him to constraine the king eyther to bow or breake to confirme the articles drawne deuised at Nancy and Dyon and to helpe the weakenesse of the Parrissians that without him would haue lost courage And for the same cause hee arriued at Soissons where his Maiestie by Monsieur de Bellieure gaue him to vnderstand that he should do him apleasure if he wold abstaine froÌ coÌming to Parris in so troublesome a time wherin so many factioÌs raigned that if he came thither against his wil he wold lay the cause The arriuall of the Duke of Guise at Soissons The king prayeth him not to come to Parris vntill the distrusts were laid of the troubles that might arise by his presence vpon him Monsieur de Bellieure who by reason of greatnesse and soundnesse of his iudgement concerning matters of estate and the execution of wise and notable charges to him committed held one of the chiefe places of Councellor about the king vsed many and great reasons to restraine the impetuositie of that prince and to conclude departed from him assuring himselfe that hee had fully disswaded him But his heart attainted with a burning Feuer could finde neither appetite nor pleasure but in that which liked his stomacke beleeued that nothing could hinder him that the heaueÌs oght to giue him place that striking with his foote vpon the ground he would make a 100. legions of men to rise that without fear of Iupiters thunderbolts he could rule the chariot of the sun The Parissians had sent for him Left no meanes between the two extremities of his firme resolution but whatsoeuer fell out hee would see the Louure or die in the way And therevppon mounted on horsebacke with eight Gentlemen about nine of the clocke at night leauing his brother the Cardinall of Guise and the Prince de Iuinuille his sonne at Soissons desiring the Archbishop of Lyons to follow him in the morning And so within three houres after the arriuall of Monsieur de Bellieure and about Monday at noone beeing the 9. of May he entered into Parris Sunday the 8. of May 1588. and lighted at the Queen-mothers lodging the Filles Repenties where in great feare half trembling she receiued him led him to the Louure If the streets of Parris had bin as broad as the way of AppieÌ they wold hardly haue contained halfe the quantitie of the people that followed this Prince euery man thought himself happy that might put off his hat and kneel on his knee for to salute him The Duke of Guise arriued the Kings not knowing onit all being full of ioyfull cries clapping of hands pleasures and wishes to welcome him He for his part holding his hat in hand answering by his countenaÌce to those populer reioycings marked the most prompt affections to his desire they striuing among themselues who should begin to crie Viue Guise Viue le Pillier del'Eglise Which being heard into the street called S. Honnore where a Gentlewoman sat in a shop she pulled down her maske and spake aloude vnto him vtterring these words Good Prince now you are here we are al safe That done he entered into the kings chamber where he did his dutie to the king but with lesse assurance then ordinary knowing the King would not like well of his comming and in trueth he shewed him no great countenance answering him vnto the reasons hee made touching his iourney to Parris that by M. de Bellieure he had desired him not to come But dinner time approaching they left off the D. of Guise departed to his lodging After dinner he went to visit the Q. in her garden where the king finding him as well as he could dissembled the exterier apparance of yâ suspition he had conceiued in his heart the D. of Guise iustified his actions with a braue and bolde courage He went to visit the Queen-mother by so much the more as he perceiued thesecret fear of the Kings trembling mind his seruant followers one after the other still entered into Parris for the Archbishop of Lyons being the principal Agent of his Councell arriued vppon Tuesday about dinner time and came not out of the house of Guise vntill the next day that he went to see the Queen-mother being at Masse from thence went with her to her garden where the K. found them he stepped forward to kisse the Kings hand who receiued him with pleasant and chearefull countenance hauing alwayes discouered a certaine inclination that hee had to loue him as knowing him to bee one of the woorthiest Prelates of his order of a prompt and readie witte and wonderfull eloquent and withall remembring that at all times when the stormes of words and reasons were vsed in any matter of estate hee surprised all his Councell Wherevppon hee willingly desired hee had been as much affected to his seruice as to the league wherein hee had entered as al-also in an assured
effect then see it runne into greater hazard and thereby receiue further displeasure hauing desired the Queene our deare Ladie and mother to stay there to see if by her wisedome and authoritie in our absence shee could pacifie the same tumult which wee beeing present sheÌ could not do what meanes soeuer she vsed p p The king should not haue gone out of Parris a great light dimmeth the lesse those little facts had neuer shined in the darknesse of Parris if the sunne of the royall Maiestie had not bin eclipsed He ought to haue shewed himselfe among those madde people like ablazing starre like thundring Mars like him that obtained the victories at 16. yeares of age before Iarnac Moncontour at Rochel at the only word of king those strayed soules hadde yeelded themselues to the poynt of obedience the apprehension of the paine that followeth those mutenies the consideration of the Maiestie of the king the confidence of his mildnesse and the proofe of his pietie had dispearsed those disorders And the good Frenchmen that were in no small number that in their mindes lamented the iniurie done vnto the king the Realme of France and their posteritie would haue risen vp to maintaine his authoritie Those great blowes are not giuen without hazard and where necessitie presseth a great courage death is more acceptable then a shamefull flight And wee arriued in this towne of Chartres from whence wee thought it meet presently to certifie you by these our letters to desire you to consider of this action to iudge how much it preiudiseth disaduantageth the Commonwealth specially our holy Catholicque Apostolicque and Romaine religion if it should passe further seeing that those which rose to fight for the aduancement thereof by this accident if it bee not repaired will bee separated to vse their armes one against the other wherein we desire you to be perswaded that for our part wee will vse all meanes we can not to fal into that inconuenience so much power hath the zeale wee beare to our religion ouer vs which vntill this time wee haue alwaies shewed q q The many words that end this letter issue from a trembling voyce vppon the which a great Pollititian in his discourse maketh this Apostrophe vnto the king Great Prince what haste thou done with thy wisedome who hath perswaded thee that those people that onely desire thy death or rather thy Crowne will laye downe their armes coniured and raised against thee onely to make thee more sharpe and to deale the hardlyer against those of the religion They haue driuen thee out of Parris which the Englishmen Spaniards nor Almaines neuer did vnto thy auncestors and by thy letters pattents thou shewest to thy people that in steed of being reuenged thou seemest to thinke the time long vntill they pardon thee thou commaundest that they should pray vnto God for that reconciliation theÌ there is no danger to lift vp the hand against the Prince Beleeue therefore that seeing it is so hee which hath this day made thee flye will to morrowe boldely vndertake to make thee die And is not this great king a hazarding of thy selfe to shewe vnto thy subiects that it is easie to attempt against thy person when in steed of reuenging thy selfe thou prayest that thy subiects would appease those whom thou oughtest to punish Who perswaded thee that the remedie of thy mischiefe is ciuill warres that by that meanes thou shalt recouer thy authoritie ouer thy subiects Alasse how thou art deceiued There is nothing woorse for a house then fire for a mans bodie then a continuall feuer nor for an estate then ciuill warres If thou wilt remedie these mischiefes quench the fire that burneth thy house driue away the continuall feuer from the bodie of thy estate and giue it peace for it is is the onely meanes to preserue thy Realme praying and exhorting you as much as possible wee may to pray in your Churches for this vnion and that the obedience due vnto vs may bee obserued as it ought to bee and suffer not that the Inhabitants of our town c. to stray out of the right way of the same but admonish confirme theÌ to remaine constant and firme in their loyalties towards their king and in vnion and concord to maintaine preserue themselues vnder our obedience and not to fall into the incoÌueniences prepared for them if they hold on their course And further if you do any other thing therin shewing your wisdomes fidelities duties for examples to all our subiects we will not be vnthankfull for it but haue it in remembrance Giuen at Chartres the day of May 1587. The phrase of the letters the Duke of of Guise wrote vnto the King is much brauer haughtier and bolder shewing the affection of a man that hath not faintly thrust his bodie into a prease to saue his life but that wil stand in the view and face of al the world he likewise sent his declaratioÌs throughout all the Realme of France to iustifie himselfe concerning the commotion in Parris which I will orderly set downe and in the end shew you the common aduise leauing the Readers iudgement to himselfe The Coppie of a Letter vvritten vnto the King by the Duke of Guise the seuenteenth of May 1588. SIr I am very vnfortunate that those who of long time by many deuises haue sought to separate mee from your presence and great fauour haue had sufficient meanes wholly to frustrate all my good indeuours vsed to win your liking and by my seruices make my self agreeable to your Maiestie which not long since I haue well prooued to my no little greefe For that being wearie of so many false reports vsed thereby to make your Maiestie continually to distrust mee I determined with the hazard wherewith I was threatned to iustifie my life hauing resolued to come vnto you with so small a troupe and with free trust and confidence as I hoped by that meanes to let all the world see that I was farre from that whereof my euill willers sought by so many deuises to yeeld mee culpable But the enemies of publike quietnesse not beeing able to indure my admission to your presence esteeming that in short time it would soone discouer the impostures vsed to make mee odious and by little and little giue me place in your good fauour rather wished by their pernicious counsels to bring al things into confusion your estate and town of Parris in hazard theÌ to indure me near vnto your person Their euill wils is manifestly knowne in the resolution that without the Queen your mothers knowledge against the aduise of your wisest Councellors they causedyour Maiestie to take by an vnaccustomed means and in a time full of suspition and partiallities to place forces in your Towne of Parris to keepe the publicque places thereof and the commoÌ speech giuen foorth that they hoped being Maisters thereof they should bring you to many other things
vpon such as were rather Knights then Noblemen The Queene-mother shewed her selfe therein to bee a woman when shee called all sorts of people to that degree without discretion making one collor for euery mans head receiuing into that order of the greatest Monarches in the world such as meane Princes would not haue bestowed better places in their houses then to make them Groomes of their stables what order soeuer they weare about their neckes The first article of the institution coÌtaineth that the number of knights shal be of sixe and thirtie Gentlemen both of name armes without reproach whereof the King shall bee one that should be called bretheren and companions of the Order In the 48. article it is ordained that at the disease of any of the bretheren of the said Order there shall be an election made of another knight of the same conditions as aforesaid and that by the greatest numbers of the voyces of the Soueraigne and bretheren of the Order and that the Soueraignes voyce should bee counted for two When Princes are too much addicted to such as they fauor that they thrust their meanes ouer liberally into their owne pleasures those that perceiue themselues eleuated into such authorities not to descend but therein to maintaine themselues do willingly conspire against the Prince himself raising the subiects seeking to get al that Ambition Iealousie two plagues among great men wherof alreadie they haue obtained great part thinking they can haue no better nor sufficienter lodging then the place of those by whoÌ they were preferred The aduancemeÌt of the Maiors of the Pallace caused great mutations in the estate of France about the end of the first geneologie of our Kings Seian perceiuing himselfe so strong enterprised against Tiberius Perennius against Commodus Eutropus against Theodosius Belissairius against Iustinien and Artaban against Xerxes desire to commaund is an ouer daintie morsell which to taste wee tread vnderfoote and suppresse both respect dutie honour and conscience such disorders arme mens hearts to resolution their weapons to mutinies and their armes with Iron Lastly when a king without reason putteth great Princes and Noblemen of his Realm to death bannisheth the honest and wise men of his Councel nourisheth partiallities and diuisions fauoreth warres to impouerish his people loueth none but strangers and distrusteth his subiects suffereth the peruersion of his lawes the corruption of iustice the inuention of new subsidies against the ancient form equallitie without doubt he giueth the first shaking ouerthrow to his estate prouoketh his subiects to conspire rise and mutin but whatsoeuer may bee said the principall motiue to sedition is iniustice which is a great crime WheÌ kings or their Lieftenants conuert their Soueraignes authorities into iniuries insolences iniustices and reward the good wils of their subiects with outrage violences The Switzers rose vp slew Grisler Landberg their Gouernours The sure guard of Princes in the house of Austria for their violent behauiour wherin they were esteemed the first scourges of Tyrants When the K. despiseth great personages to fauor men of base condition or when he oppresseth altogither ouerthroweth the meaner sort to eleuate the greater it is a fault both in the one the other the remedie is equallitie the mother of peace nurse of coÌcord not that which maketh a platonical coÌmunion of al things but that which iustly considereth ballanceth the merits qualities of euery man The K. should cause himself to be beloued of al without despising or hatred of any man if it be possible Such as perceiue kings to be like figtrees that grow vpoÌ the top of an vnaccessable hill and that the fruits thereof serue onely for food vnto crowes kites and other foules of the ayre and that they are put from publike charges by such as are not capable thereof doo willingly rise and such as haue great authorities to commaund despise the meaner sort in such manner that the despight of the first and the insolencie of the last stirreth vp seditions But tell me if it pleaseth you my Maisters of Parris vppon which of these causes do you begin your rebellion or whether it bee of pride that you raised your reuolt Tarquin Neron Demetrius Ptolomee Lucullus Muleasses Phocas Heliogabal Vitellius Gallus Gallien Roboan Cofroas Iul. Apostat Chilperic Thomas Lewis 11. Poptelking of Polonia Maximin Caracalla Perseus Lewis de Bauiere Pertinax Isaac Frotho Ferdinand King of Naples Berot a Span yard Maior of the Pallace Iean Constance Ladislaus Lewis Plaints of the Parrisians Disorder in iustice and promises Hath the king rauished your wiues like Tarquinus hath he burnt your houses like Nero haue you seene in his apparrell the supersluities of Demetrius king of Macedonia in his recreations the pleasures of Ptolomee at his table the disorders of Lucullus in his pastimes the luxuriousnesse of Muleasses king of Tunnes haue you marked in him the miserablenesse of Maurice and Phocas the confusion and monstrous prodigallitie of Heliogabalus and Vitellius or the toyes of your Emperors Gallus and Gallien Hath hee ransomed his subiects like Roboam despised the seruice of God like Cofroas renounced Christianitie like Iulien the Apostate pilled Churches like Chilperic abolished holy ceremonies of diuince seruice like Thomas Emperour of Constantinople Hath hee driuen away and displaced his fathers seruants like Lewis the eleuenth hath hee tormented his subiects and the Suffregans like Popiel that was eaten with rats Hath he put any of his subiects to death without iusticie like Maximin hath hee falsified his faith like Bassianus Caracala hath hee broken the treaties of peace like Perseus Hath hee despised learning like Lewis de Bauiere or men of warre like Pertinax Hath hee raised Subsidies and impositions vpon the fruites of gardens like Isaac Emperour of Constantinople vpon beasts and members of men like Frotho King of Denmarke or vppon vrines like Ferdinand King of Naples Hath hee giuen great offices vnto straungers like Ochozias King of Iuda who to please Athalie his mother being a Samaritane filled his Court with Samaritans or like Lewis le Debonnaire that made a Spaniard Maior of his Pallace And among so many examples of a iust distrust to mooue your commotions hath hee built a Tower for his dwelling place inuironed with profound ditches full of water not to enter therein but by a Draw-bridge like Denis the Tyrant of Sicile Hath hee done nothing woorthie memorie no more then the two last kings of Constantinople and Hungarie And if hee hath done nothing proportionable to so strange defections tell mee you Parrissians wherein hath hee so much displeased and mooued you I vnderstand you well he hath made intollerable leuies of monies and straunge subsidies hee hath placed men of ignorance and anarice in the seat of Iustice hee hath oppressed his subiects by a thousand means to inrich his mignions hee hath subuerted the order of his treasures and inuented the practise of
good then possession of euill The difference in religion should mildly be agreed vpon Hee is not euill instructed in the principals of faith but hee is not sufficiently informed touching the Ceremonies he beleeueth constantly in the onely word of God contained in the booke called cannonicall the Catholicque taketh the interpretations of the word of God made by the Church for an infallible rule of his saluation and not like the Huguenot by the particular sence but by the vniuersall consent of the Church assembled togither vnder a legitimate head which is the Pope accord these two tunes make them beleeue in the traditions that since the time of the Apostles haue beene brought into the Church our Ceremonies in the administration of our Sacrament and in the election of Ministers and they are pleased and wee shall haue no more neede of warres If they say they will haue no other Iudges to determine their differences but the holy Scriptures which of it selfe is easie ynough without interpretations or Commentaries and that if it bee darke in one place it is opened in another tell them that it is not so easie plaine nor open but that diuers men do stumble in the vnderstanding thereof that it is not so cleare as that without interpretation it can discide all the controuersies of our faith that as God in the old lawes would haue a Moyses to iudge the law so he wold haue Ministers his successors that they shal determine difficulties of the doctrine of the Gospell Make them to agree with vs therein your difference will soone be ended and you shall bannish wars schismes in France To those reasons the league opposed theirs and said Your arguments are of no consequent you say that the Huguenot is not to bee pursued by armes because hee is not declared hereticque by cannonicall proceedings that hee is no hereticque because hee is not stubborne that hee is not stubborne because hee desireth instruction turne ouer the lease and you shall finde that the Huguenot ought to bee pursued by armes in that he hath beene condemned for an heretique by all the Councells specially of that of Trent that all nouelties are odious to the Church that he is an heretique for that knowing as it wer with his finger touching his error he staÌdeth stubbornly in defence Obstinacy sence reprooued is the punishmeÌt of his infidelitie it is then to no end that he should aske instruction when there is no hope of amendment it is a tree without fruite and good for nothing but to bee cast into the fire To this poynt those that loued peace The warres for religion consâsteth of a great number of Catholiques how deare soeuer it were cried out and said Will you then haue a new recourse to fiers punishments and remedies which wee haue alreadie tried to bee more proper to kindle and spread abroad then to quench and stop the euill Do you not as yet perceiue that God detesteth the terrible persecutions vsed against them in all the Courts of Parris that the Princes Gouernours of Townes Magistrates and officers of iustice haue with their owne bloods payed vserie for the vnmeasurable shedding of Christians blood that since the Magistrate left punishing and that the Prince hath pursued them by armes there hath died at the least a thousand Catholicques to kill a hundreth Huguenots The king is become a Captaine at his owne costs in the battels of Iarnac and Moncontour hee hath continued for the space of tenne or twelue yeares togither to make warres against them and in the ende after hee had vsed all meanes and attempted all extremities hee perceiued it was in vaine for him to kil to make men beleeue that the Gospel is not planted with other tooles then the word and peaceablenesse that it increaseth by suffering and not by persecution Iesus Christ planted his Church by miracles Mahomet by force and violence Religion is not the cause but the pretext of the warre The Talmud with her toyes and the Alcaron with her impostures detest the Christians furie that kill each other the first saith that Iesus Christ increased the Church by vertue of miracles and Machomet by force of armes Wee know well and if wee confesse it not wee are traitors to our countrie and of all others the most incencible that religion is not to be preached by drumb and fyfe and that of a hundreth that beare armes there is not tenne but haue an other intent then onely religion We know that this warre is a meere war against the estate that nothing was said touching the king of Nauarres conscience vntill it was euidently seene that by the death of Monsieur the kings brother hee was the next in succession to the Crowne and that it is most certaine that the League buildeth the assurance of things present by those that are to come that vpon the imaginatiue feare and of the succession of a Prince of an other religion the king beeing in the flower and strength of his age they dispute of the right possession and establish their vsurpation The Monarchie passeth to an other branch of the blood royall The Cardinall of Bourbon because the king hath no children because we should haue some they present vs an olde Prince an olde tree without fruit a hollow oake which serueth but for a support to the iuyce of the League and to the hopes of the Duke of Guise that climeth vnto the royaltie by his meanes Duke of Guise who vnder colour to powre water vppon those flames to place order in disorder and reformation inabuse suffereth men to burne in flame and ouerthrow all things Wherefore from hencefoorth the king must looke vnto that which as yet resteth whole and intire within his Realme that hee should make peace with the Huguenots that he should help himself with their forces which are Frenchmen against those Hispaniolized mindes that will eyther vsurpe the Soueraigntie of this estate or else conuert it into cantons like the Switzers To giue peace to the Huguenots to ayde himselfe with their forces to ouerthrow the Catholiques to stirre vp the Pope the king of Spaine and all Italy and in a word to constraine France to reuolt The king ought not to doo it and it is too much perill for himselfe Obiections against the League too much miserie for his people too much iniurie to the Church whereof hee is the eldest sonne hee should call wolues to helpe which in the end would deuoure the sheepe hee should serue himselfe with foxes that in fine would kil thee geese the king should bee Lent and the king of Nauarre the enterance into Lent or as we say Caresme prenant and then Huguenots would be ledde in triumphs through the Realme If the king should do it it would bee openly said that hee supporteth and aduanceth hereticques that seeking to do for himselfe hee doth for them hee will put Catholicques in dispaire and his crowne in hazard
crossed that either I would bee constrained to deferre or wholly to remit it You see neuerthelesse whether I haue had that constant resolution which belongeth to a good king for the generall good of all his subiects which is so surely ankered in my heart that I desire nothing more then the conseruation of the honour of God and you This assembly of the estates is a remedie with the good counsell of the subiects and the holy resolution of the Prince to heale those diseases which tract of time and the negligent obseruation of the lawes and statutes of this Realme haue suffered to enter and to assure the lawfull authoritie of the soueraigntie rather then to shake or diminish it as some euill aduised men and full of enuie disguising truth haue made the world beleeue For that good lawes well established and obserued wholly fortifie and vphold the Scepter of a king assuring his Crowne vpon his head against all such practises whatsoeuer You may then well perceiue by this my resolution that hath resisted and withstood an infinite of impeachments which certain men would haue opposed against it the sinceritie of my intent specially for that this assembly of the estates is that which as much breaketh the euill pretences and purposes of Princes that haue their hearts trauersed with deuises and desirous of no good as mine is and alwaies shall bee most readie prompt and altogither disposed not to desire or seeke for any other thinges then your good which if I doo I beseech God confound mee eternally Seeing then that you see mee so fully bent to procure this peace and common tranquilitie of my estate and that you cannot alleadge any thing to the contrary ingraue it likewise in your mindes and iudge well of mee in regard of those that would haue proceeded in other sort Withall noting that whatsoeuer lintend cannot in any sort bee esteemed or attributed as any wales pretending to authorise my selfe either against lawe or reason for I am your king ordained by God and bee onely that may truly and lawfully challenge that right And therfore I desire not to be accounted other in this Monarchie then as I am not beeing able to wish or desire more honour or authoritie then that I haue alreadie obtained Fauour then I pray you my good subiects this true intent which tendeth onely to the furtherance and aduancement of the honour of God and our wholly Catholicque Apostolike and Romish religion to extirpe heresies in all the Prouinces of this Realm and therin to reestablish all good order gouernment to comfort my poore people so much oppressed and to erect my authoritie vniustly imbased which I desire not so much for mine owne proper interest as for the good that thereby may redound vnto you all Among all kindes of gouernments and commaundements ouer men the Monarchie excelleth all the rest and the profit which you and yours haue reaped vnder the lawfull gouernments of my predecessors forceth you continually to render thankes to God that it hath pleased him to giue you life in such a time and vnder such a Prince who beeing of the same race hath not onely enioyed their royall seate but the same and greater zeale if possible it may be to the augmentation of the glorie of our God and the conseruation of you all as I haue alwaies promised that mine actions should wholly tend therevnto That mischiefe which malice tract of time hath induced into my Prouinces ought not so much to bee atributed vnto mee not that I seeke wholly to excuse my selfe as to the negligence and peraduenture some other faults of those that heeretofore haue been assistant vnto mee wherein I haue already begunne to take order as you may well perceiue but I assure you that from hencefoorth I will bee so circumspect in making choise of those that serue me that my conscience shall bee discharged mine honour inceased and my estate reestablished to the contentment of all good people and thereby constraine those who against all reason haue placed their affections on others and not on mee to acknowledge their errors The testimonies are yet sufficient and manifest and namely by the witnesse of many of you as reaping honour by assisting mee therein both before and since I haue beene your king to shew with what zeale and forwardnesse I haue alwaies proceeded for the extirpation of hereticques and heresies wherein I will more then euer expose my bodie yea euen to a certaine death if neede requireth for the defence and protection of our Catholicque Apostolike and Romane faith the ouerthrow of heresies beeing the most sumptuous tombe wherein my body may be laid not the battel 's only which I haue wonne but that great ouerthrow and abating of the pride of the armie of Rutters wherevnto Cod for the honour of his holy name and of his Church had chosen mee for an instrument are sufficient proofes the triumphs and spoyles whereof are yet extant to be seene Is there any one then so vncapable of the trueth that will suppose more zeale and ardent desire to bee in man for the totall extirpation of such heresies when more certaine signes then mine of such intents cannot bee found And if it should be that the honor of God which to me is dearer theÌ my life not so much esteemed of by me whose patrimony do the hereticques occupy and disseuer whose reuenues doo they take vp and receiue from whom do they alienate the subiects whose obedience do they despise whose respect authoritie and dignitie doo they violate And should not I then as much or more then any man seeke their destruction open your eyes and iudge particularly what apparance may bee therein The revnion of all my Catholicque subiects by the holy Edict not long since made hath sufficiently testified that nothing hath had more force within me then to see God onely honoured reuerenced and serued within my Realm which I had more proceeded in as god willing I purpose to do euen with the hazard of my life if I had not beene hindered by this diuision moued by the Catholicques to the great aduantage of hereticques staying my voyage into Poitou where I am of opinion that good fortune would no more haue abandoned mine actions then it had done in other places whereby God bee thanked mine estate hath reaped both the necessarie and desired benefit And although I am perswaded you will not omit any one poynt tending to the restoring and reformation of this Realme yet will I make known vnto you by some speciall things how much I am most earnestly bent not onely by this which I will now vtter but by the effects that shall ensue to imbrace all good meanes as I am bound esteeming them most requisite for the necessitie and vrgent vses thereof both for our soules our honours and our estate The extream offence which daily is committed against God by swearing and blaspheming to him so much iniurious and wholly against my desire
which should be eyther vniuersall or nationall a most soueraigne and assured remedie prooued heretofore against more pernicious herefies then these of our time whereby the bodies of Common-wealths haue bin purged of their infected blood and filled againe with good and viguerous humours Chiections against the instruction asked by the king of Nauarre Others that commaunded both the minde of the king and all the estates said that trueth once debated and determined ought not to bee brought in question againe that it was no reason that the apperite of some newters that had withdrawn themselues from the common societie of the Church to play their parts alone and to induce the madnesse of their euill timbered braines should seeke to trouble all Christendome by assembling of a Councell the resolutions whereof can bee no other then those at other times assembled trueth hauing but one face And therefore counselled his Maiestie to prouide that his successour might bee of no other religion then his owne and to assure all his Catholicques therein that feared nothing so much as the establishing of the King of Nauarre in the succession of the Crowne of France The king had promised by his Estict to take an order touching his successor but at that age wherein hee liued and in the young and lustie yeares of the Queen his wife he hoped that God would blesse him with some masculine line that might auoyde the difference of those ambitious persons And therefore hee tooke no pleasure to heare any speech of that which in his minde seduced to imbase his authoritie and to make his graue before he was dead For that assoone as a Prince hath declared who shall bee his successor his testament is made and then in his Realme he is accounted but as the sun that goeth downe euery man casting his eyes vpon him that shall succeede It was a capitall offence in Rome to seeke to knowe what should bee done after the death of the Emperour and the Emperours of Turkie cannot indure the sight of the children their successors but send them farre from the Court and neuer see them but when they are first borne or else when they are circumcised There are diuers well gouerned peaceable Monarches wherein such are punished as are ouer serious to inquire what may happen after their Kings death The Parliament holden in England 156â The Parliament of England that solicited the Queene to nominate her successor among those houses that aspired therevnto receiued no other aunswere from her but onely that shee was of opinion that they sought to make her graue before shee was dead And to cut off such seditious curiosities she caused an Act to bee made that no man should presume to speake or dispute of the succession of her kingdome Ne quis assirmet vel existimet vel coniectet cui nam regnandi ius debeatur The death of king Francis the first 1547. The iealousie of him that is to succeed is incredible and so much distrustfull that the father cannot indure the hope of his sonne the gold of this Historie is too weake therein to place the Orientall pearles which I finde in so many notable discourses that are made concerning this last motion hee that wrote the free and excellent discourse so called rehearseth this domesticall example of our kings that the great king Francis beeing weake and sicke in his Castle of Fontainbleau about the begining of the moneth of May in the same yeare that hee died his disease increased so much that they esteemed him eyther dead or that hee would not long continue aliue Wherevppon all the Court in great haste ranne to seeke the Dauphine prince Henry who for the same iealousie of succession durst not come in his fathers presence for the space of sixe or seuen yeares before in such manner that most of all the chiefe Courtiers had left the king euery man going to worship that new son Meane time the king recouered his health and his disease beeing somewhat cured there was a Procession to bee made which is yearely obserued with great solemnitie through out the Realme of France against which time the olde King rose vp and came out of his chamber his face and haires dressed and combed not as if hee had neither beene sicke nor aged withall putting on certaine youthfull garments and in that sort was present at the processions and beeing returned he vsed this speech I will once againe put them in feare before I die And it was true for suddainly the chance turned for that assoone as the news was spred abroad that the king had recouered his health all the Courtiers by degrees repaired vnto him much abashed and in great feare and then the Dauphine for his part was left as naked without company as his father had beene before There the king shewed himselfe like a king and so hee ought to behaue himselfe like a king Non legiones non classes perinde sunt firma imperii munimina vt numerus liberorum Tacit. But to the contrary the king not onely permitted a conference touching the succession but suffered his subiects to rise vp in armes for the triall thereof and that before all the assembly there should bee a proposition put forth touching the excluding of the lawful successor Is not this as much as if they should compel him to make his testament and to striue as though hee were at the poynt of death Wherein you may beholde the extremities of the League that seeking to ouerthrow the estate would beate down the supporters with al the Princes of the blood who being aliue it is vaine for them to seem to lay hold on the tree or once to digge the myne of their pretences for neither armes nor fortresses do so well defend and maintaine an estate as the number of children of the Princes familie which is the meanes to breake a perpetuall order of succession as long as they liue choaking the ambitious hopes of such as would ouer throw and subuert it Then the League can neuer attaine vnto the end of their course nor their forces remooue the Crowne of the branches of Valois and Bourbon to the house of Vaudemont if first they procure not the degrading of all Saint Lewis race Propositions made the fourth of Nouember 1588. The king to please the inraging appetites and desires of the League consented they shuld determine of that which the greatest part of the league had alrea die resolued which was the condemnation of the king of Nauarre it was first debated among the Cleargie where by them without great resistance it was determined that this Prince should be holde for an hereticque and their leader a Relaps excommunicated depriued of the gouernment of Guyenne and of all his honors vnwoorthie of all successions of Crownes and royalties which they appoynted to be signified to the rest of the estates the Archbishop of Ambrun the Bishop of Bazas the Abbot of Citeaux and other
and such as made no account of him the Duke of Espernon by letters assured him that a great conspiracie was intented against his person The Duke de Maine commaunded a Gentleman to shewe the king that the Duke of Guise sought most ambitiously to climbe aboue the degree of a subiect that hee practised some secret matter contrary to his Maiesties seruice Al this agreeth with the Kings authoritie and that the execution thereof would shortly bee performed The Duke of Aumale sent Madame d'Aumale his wife to shew the king of a secret Councell holden vnder a prodigious attempt against his person The King determined to put the Duke of Guise to death The kings heart by these aduises beeing stirred vp with a newe force and liuelier courage and minding to preuent the Duke of Guise discouered his intent to foure of his friends whom hee knewe to bee as much affected to the suretie and welfare of his Maiestie as wholly estranged from the pernicious Councell of the League and shewed them that he was fully resolued to quit himselfe of the Duke of Guise who as a new world was alreadie worshipped of all the people IntroductioÌâ against the duke of Guise They set before his eyes the register of this Princes actions those specially that offended the king and his estate namely the edict of vnion wherwith hee armed himselfe as with a target made of Diamonds That the Duke of Guise holding no other quallitie in France then onely of a meere subiect had erected a League raised men of war practised with straungers without authoritie aduise or permission from the king enterprised vpon townes and troubled and broken publike peace That by the Edict of vnion hauing sworne to leaue all leagues and associations as well within as without the Realm he ceased not to continue his practises and deuises with the Cardinall Morosin and the Ambassadour of Spaine assuring them that hee ment not to leaue off the good intelligence hee had with their Maisters That hee had not broken but rather confirmed and continued the particular confederacies sworne with the Gouernours of the townes of France and others therby still to maintaine the souldiers on his side against the seruice of the king That by his billes hee had declared that he had not taken armes but for the seruice of God and of the King and yet by the surprising of townes in Picardie hee had impeached the aduancement of the armie that should haue passed into Guyenne against the Huguenots and in all places exclaimed against the Kings actions esteeming him fitter to were a sacke then a Scepter That hee had declared that hee bare no armes but for the assurance of the Catholicques in France and of their religion and to impeach the succeson of the king of Nauarre to the Crowne and yet the King had beene aduertised by the saide King of Nauarre that the Duke of Guise had sought his fauour so farre as that hee offered him his sonne in hostage and that he with seuenteen Princes of his house would come to visit him as farre as the riuer of Loire to doo him seruice and to make him the greatest and peaceablest king of France that euer was the Bailiffe of the Mountaines of Dauphine and Monsieur de Bethune beeing imployed in those affaires and a great person of estate that neuer could indure such Petti-Maisters after the king of Nauarre hauing discouered that this practise could not bee for the good and quietnesse of this Realme aduertised the Queen-mother That after the pardon of his treasons for associating and practising with the enemies of this Realme graunted vnto him by his Maiestie many letters had beene intercepted tending to great purposes to trouble both the King and his estate That the taking of the Marquisat of Saluces was done by his aduise and that then when his Maiestie complained of that iniurie and that it was requisite to continue peace in France and to make warre against straungers who in a brauado sought to dismember the estate hee stood against it and saide they ought rather first to heale the interior vlcer then to enter into warres that any waye touched the superficiall euill That his participants publishing his praises aboue those of the King caused it to bee sung about the streetes and in the Townes that helde with the League that the Duke of Guise had constrained the King against his will to make waarre against the Huguenots and that hee had solde the Marquisat of Saluces to the Duke of Sauoy to the end that vnder pretence of recouering it againe hee might diuert the warres from Guyenne That in stead of ayding his Maiestie and to imploy their liues and meanes in reducing the Townes holden by the Huguenots his Captaines and men of warre stayed at Blois vppon assurance giuen them of a commodious change That hee had caused bookes to bee imprinted thereby to breake the lawfull succession of the Crowne in fauour of the house of Lorraine That his seruaunts vppon the day of the Barricadoes in Parris perswading themselues that as then hee hadde mounted to the highest degree of his greatnesse saide openly throughout his lodging that it was no time to make any more delaies for such were their proper termes and that there rested nothing to doo but to conduct their Maister to Reims That hee caused triumph to bee made in Parris as if it had beene in a Towne new conquered that his Lacqueys had more credit with the people then his Maiesties principall seruants that hee boasted both by word of mouth and writing that it was in his power to hold the king that is to stay him prisoner or else to vse him woorse That he boasted to haue stayed the sacking of Parris and that he could arest the king beeing in the middle of fiue or sixe thousand men and all of them the kings friends and yet hee entered into Parris but with eight horse hee was so well assured of the good wils and mindes of the Inhabitants that receiued him with the cries and open reioycings which onely belong vnto a soueraigne Prince That the king had no meanes to appoynt a Knight of the watch within Parris nor to dispose of the Bastille at his pleasure That hee had so intised the states to fauour his ambition that the Deputies spake nothing but what pleased him and had no other billes nor petitions to present but such as had been first examined and perused by his Councell and that it seemed that this assembly at Blois was wholly made to seale a contract of some new royaltie and that alreadie diuers said that he made too long delay to execute his intent That hee spake not but with authoritie like a king vsing words full of brauadoes disdaine and threatnings against his Maiesties subiects That hee spake in all affaires as if hee were chiefe soueraigne that hee had constrained the king to prouide a succescor as if hee lay at the poynt of death That hee had
of the coÌmon people so there is no foundation more ruinous vnstable That the principall families in Townes his Maiesties officers the gouernours and men of commandement will not stirre but onely to cause the people to arise which will be altogither abashed seeing him thrown down that was the principall of their rebellion that the Courts of Parliaments in Parris and Roane the Towne of Orleans beeing the Citadell of France and Lyons the Bulwarke of his Realme would neuer change partie nor yet estraunge themselues from the fidelitie of good and true subiects That the Duke of Guise is like a great tree that standing vpright and hauing a large roote causeth the branches to spring out and the leaues to flourish A comparison made vpon the death of the Duke of Guise but when it is lopped downe to the bare bodie as long as any sappe is within it it will bring foorth some small twigges and a fewe pasle leaues but if the heate of the sunne doth once pearce it that litle sap that resteth consumeth the tree dieth her leaues hang readie to fall off because the ridicall humour is wanting and such as hidde themselues vnder the shadowe of her branches are all discouerd And because they perceiued the K. ballancing his resolutioÌ towards the rigor of his vengeaÌce such as feared least he shuld alter his mind that the opinion they had holdeÌ in this Councel would be discouered assured him that the D. of Guise wold first begin to vnwind his M. spindle that he wold surprise him that it was alreadie published within Parris that this year 1588. is the climaticall and last yeare of his raigne that alreadie it was determined how long he shuld be holdeÌ in a Cloister The pollitike and unlitary discourse of Monsieur de la Noue that the cizors had bin shewed wherwith he shuld be shaueÌ put into a Monastarie like Childeric that is was said that a raisor should make the last crowne of the three which the king expected The king beleeued that the life of the Duke of Guise would be his death and therfore he was fully resolued to rid him of his life Aduise giueÌ the king to keepe the D. of Guise in prison A Knight of both orders thought it more expedient to keepe him in prison to the end that hee might bee iudged and condemned like a traitor but the rest of the Councell saide who will accuse who will labour against him who will execute the iudgement among so many participants and friends that will mooue both heauen and earth to saue his life In matters of treason the punishment must first proceed before iudgement as lightning coÌmeth before thunder and as this crime is altogither extraordinary in the head the like is the forme of the punishment Wee must leaue the formes and manners of iustice Andronadorus and Themistius slaine to preuent and punish the culpable and then at leisure to frame their processe The Senate of Siracuse caused Andronadorus and Themistius that sought to renue the tyrannie of Nero to bee presently slaine by the hands of the Magistrate himselfe The Romanes beeing a Common-wealth so humane so polliticque and so great an enemie to contrary actions held it for a maxime that where the estate is in daunger men may beginne to remedie by execution And therefore Cato in his Oration against Catilina saith that we must rather quit our countrie of a traitor then consult what death hee shall die hauing taken him To put the Duke of Guise in prison would bee as much as if wee should take a Bore in a net that beeing ouer strong would breake the cordes and which is to bee feared would spoyle both the hunter and his hounds all at one time When the serpent is slaine the poyson hath no more force Incide semel quicquid iucidendum est Lips A dead man maketh no more warre it is dangerous both to delay and to disclose this counsell and therefore punishment is more necessarie then the force of iustice The Duke of Guise was aduertised from all places that it would be dangerous for him to stay longer at the Parliament but the more hee entered into distrust the more the fauours and vnaccustomed kindnesse on the kings behalfe vsed towards him stayed his intent one of his principall Councellours tolde him that withdrawing himselfe from the Parliament he should beare the blasone to haue abandoned the countrie of France in so important an occasion that hee would easily loose his countrie seeing hee forsooke it that his enemies would make their profit of his withdrawing from thence and that they would ouerthrow al that which with so much paine and pursuite had been procured for the assurance of religion Want of prouidence in men It is straunge that men beeing at the poynt of their misfortunes do oftentimes loose al prouidence wisedome iudgement to auoyde the mischiefe that is readie to fall vppon them There are certaine birds which foresee tempests and knowe on what side the winde and stormes will happen Rats forsake a house that for want of reparation is readie to fall but men not only close their eyes against the mischiefe but run headlong into the middle thereof The Duke of Guise was aduertised from all parts both within and without the Realme that the Parliament would ende with a bloodie tragedie The day before his death as hee sat downe at the table to dinner hee found a litle scroule of paper vnder his napkin wherein was written that he should looke vnto himself and that there would be some mischief wrought against him in the same paper with his own hand hee wrote two words saying they dare not and so threw it vnder the table There was no other speech among the states but that the execution should bee done vppon Saint Thomas day the aduises came both from Rome and Spaine the Astrologians filled their Almanakes with threatnings and the euening before his mischiefe the Duke of Guise was assured by the Duke d'Elboeof that the next day hee should bee slaine But all this notwithstanding he was so carelesse of his safetie that in a manner hee was wholly blinded and forgot himselfe Hee kept the keyes of the Castle as beeing Great-maister but the euening before his death they fell into his enemies hands who thereby had the meanes to bring in those that ought both to aduance and execute the kings pleasure vppon him The king in the meane time that feared to bee preuented not minding any longer to delay his purpose thought to execute it at a supper which the Archbishop of Lyons should make both him and the Cardinall his brother vppon the Sunday before Saint Thomas day but hee referred the execution vntill the Tuesday following the Duke of Guise hauing but small company with him in his chamber yet hee let that day passe and went to walke in his Garden followed by the Duke of Guise who approaching his death had certaine speeches with
the king that much offended him whereby hee changed his collor into furie And after many words both ouer hardy and bold wherein hee had been instructed and counselled by Cardinall Morosin hee perceiued that all things proceeded from euill to woorse and that the things which seemed curable were become incurable The king suspected the Duke of Guise to vse these speeches either to induce him to bereaue himself of his authoritie and to giue him all soueraigne power or else to find some means of discontentment that thereby he might breake vp the Parliament and so make his Maiestie odious to his subiects wherewith hee could not so much dissemble his displeasure but that such as were present perceiued well that it would bee the meanes to open the woundes that were thought to bee healed he determined to stop the hopes and enterprises of this Duke with the price of his life and no more to indure so many insolencies and braueries of the league that esteemed it a title of honour to beare the name of Guisart and of infamie and dishonor to haue the name of a seruant to the king The death of the Duke of Guise vpon the 23. of December 1588. Vppon Fryday the three and twentieth of December hee sent for his Councell and willed them to assemble somewhat sooner then ordinarily they vsed to do because hee determined after dinner to go to Nostredame de Clery which is betweene Blois and Orleans there to keepe his Christmas The euening before hee had sent into diuers places to assure such townes as hee iudged to bee most wauering and prouided for all things necessary beeing in the middle of so many seruitors of the League and sent for certaine of the fiue and fortie to the number of seuen shewing them that hee had indured too much at the hands of the principall Ruler of the League that hee would no longer haue a Maister and that hee had determined to put the Duke of Guise to death The order of the execution beeing deuised the Cardinalles de Vandosme de Guise and de Gondy the Archbishop of Lyons the Duke of Guise the Marshalles of d'Aumont and de Rets Monsieur d'O Monsieur de Rambouillet Princes Prelates and Lords of the Councell Monsieu de Maintenon Monsieur Marcel and Monsieur de Petremolle came to sit in Councell and the king had giuen order to shut the Castle Gates assoone as they were entered There is nothing that so much iniureth the trueth of a Historie as passion which maketh mans iudgement to yeelde which way it will and causeth him to erre and to seeke to disguise the trueth Diuersitie and contrarietie in Historians There is a maruellous vncertaintie in the circumstances of this Historie wherevnto euery man giueth what shewe and colour it pleaseth him and turneth the fairest side vnto his passion so that among so many varieties of iudgement a man can hardly finde a certaine trueth Some write that as the Duke of Guises eye on that side his face where he had the scarre began to water not finding a hand-cherchef in his pocket hee desired Monsieur Otoman Treasurer of the house that stood by him to take the paines to go to the chamber-doore to see if hee could finde any of his Pages or Lacqueys and to commaund them to fetch him one and that Monsieur de l'Archan Captaine of the guard caused one to bee fetched by Saint Prix chiefe Groome of the kings chamber Others say that as the Duke of Guise stayed till all the Councell were come The Duke of Guise was in a new sute of russââ hee talked with the Archbishop of Lyons who perceiuing him to be in a new suite and that somewhat thinne sayd vnto him that the indisposition of the time being colde and moyst required a warmer kinde of garment and that vppon those speeches his nose bled he was a colde hee commaunded one of the officers of the Councel-chamber to make a fire and one called Fontaine to fetch him a hand-cherchef He that wrote the recuell of the third volume concerning the league saith that the Duke of Guise before hee went out of the Councel-chamber sent a Page into his owne chamber to fetch him a cleane hand cherchef and that his Secretary in one the corners thereof tyed a small note in writing for an aduertisement vnto the Duke his Maister withall speede to leaue the Councell otherwise it would cost him his life And that the handcherchef was brought but not deliuered beeing taken from the Page togither with the note as he went vp the staires The Councell beeing set about eight of the clocke in the morning and reasoning of that which Monsieur Petremolle had proposed The Lord of Pretremolle vnderstandeth their agreements the Duke of Guise felt certaine straunge motions at his heart with diuers extraordinary passions his spirit beeing the Prophet of his euill fortune that ensued and in that distrust hee felt a weaknesse at his heart wherewith hee willed the Vsher of the Councel-chamber to go to Saint Prix to fetch him some preserued Lemons and hee sent him some prunes of Brignoles and reisons of the sunne whereof hee eate and put the rest into a cup wherein they were brought With that the King sent for him by Monsieur de Reuol one of his Secretaries and as hee went out of the Councel-chamber to enter into the kings lodging and that hee lifted vppe the Tapistrie to go in hee perceiued himselfe to bee charged both with Rapiers and Poinyards by fiue or sixe of the fiue and fortie but they could not enter so faste vpon him but that he defended himselfe till he made them driue him once about the chamber minding not to leaue his life like a coward thereby to shew the last signe of his inuincible courage that made him so much esteemed and as yet giueth an honourable memorie of him to all those that commend the valour of a valiant courage The same Collector of the proceedings of the league turneth the bias an other way with an ouer thorny and sharpe iudgement and a ballance too much vnequall setting down this action contrary to the trueth for hee reporteth it in these words saying The Duke of Guise thinking to go into the kings chamber and issuing out of the Councel chamber into the entrie that leadeth to the kings lodging redoubled his distrusts and would haue returned backe againe which neuerthelesse he did not And it had oftentimes beene tolde him that Monsieur de Longnac had enterprised to kill him in such maner that he hated him and had him in great suspition and as hee went towards the kings chamber hee perceiued Monsieur de Longnac sit vppon a trunke with his legges crossed thinking verely hee had beene there of purpose to assayle him as shewing to bee mooued with most violent distrust and deepe suspition and although the said Monsieur de Longnac mooued not the Duke of Guise notwithstanding thought to runne at him and
layde hand on his rapier being halfe drawne as then hauing his cloake cast about him like a scarfe which hee vsed ordinarily to do and his rapier vnder his cloake which by that meanes hee could not so hastily pull out but that som of those that were in presence perceiuing him to bee so bold at the kings chamber dore preuented him This is the aduise of the Collector the noyse and bustling among them was presently heard within the Councell-chamber which made the Archbishoppe of Lyons to come foorth and went to knock at the chamber doore where as then they had newly slaine the Duke of Guise and yet hee came time ynough thither to heare his last words The astonishment of the Cardinall of Guise The Cardinall of Guise was in a maruellous maze his sences troubled and his courage abated and as hee sought the doore to go out he with the Archbishop of Lyons was arested by Monsieur de Larchan and his guard that made conscience to lay hands vppon them because of their order They desired Monsieur de Larchan to bring them into some chamber that they might not be a wonder to such as passed by wherewith they were Iedde into a litle chamber ouer the kings lodging made not long before therein to lodge the Feuillans and Capucins where for a time they remained without either seate or fire The Cardinall of Guise could not cease by his words to poure out the heate of his passions and his greefes and in that chollor spake certain words which in a quiet and more sencible minde hee would not haue vttered so that hee renued the Kings furie who therewith commaunded la Bastier and Monsieur de Valence two of the fiue and fortie to kill him The one refused the commission saying that his hands should neuer bee defiled with the blood of a man of the Church The other determined to execute the Kings pleasure and beeing accompanied with fixe of his companions hee mounted vp the staires close to the chamber doore where hee was there they stood disputing which of them should beginne and as hee thought to enter hee felt a certaine motion that stopped the heate of his furie The imprisonment of the Cardinal of Bourbon and made him to godowne presently after the Duke of Guise was slaine the king appoynted a guard to attend vppon the Cardinall of Bourbon who as yet was in his bed and to stay Madame de Nemours the Duke de Nemours and the Duke d'Al-boeuf The Prince of Iuinuille The memories of the League write that the great Prior rose vp and went very early to call the Prince de Iuinuille to play a set at tennis whereon they had agreed the night before and finding him in his bed desired him to rise who being soone vp and speedily made readie whether it were because the great Prior was presently followed by certaine of the guard or otherwise it is not certainely knowne he entered in distrust and presently after would haue forced a doore that issued out of his chamber and so haue saued himselfe wherewith the guard tooke him And the great Prior perceiuing by that meanes that their set would not go forward hee tooke his leaue and departed but the trueth is that when the Duke of Guise was slaine the Prince Iuinuille his sonne was hearing Masse in the Chappell of the Castle and comming out from thence as he thought to go vp the staires to find the great Prior with whom he had made a match to play at tennis hee was stayed by the Archers and seeking to defend himselfe they held him and led him into the chamber of the great Prior. Meane time the Switzers were set to keepe the Duke of Guises lodging that no man might come foorth Monsieur de Hautefort Monsieur de Pericard chiefe Secretary and Monsieur de Barnardin chiefe Gentleman of the chamber to the Duke of Guise were taken It is said that Pericard beeing brought to this extremitie either to speake for life or else confesse for death disclosed all the secrets of the League and wholly instructed the king of his Maisters intent Monsieur de Richelieu Marshall of the house accompanied with his Archers and certaine souldiers of the companie of MoÌsieur de Gast went into the Town-house where the third estate were assembled and there laide hands vpon the President de Neuilly the Prouost of Merchants in Parris Compan and Corteblance Sheriffes of the said Towne Monsieur le Roy Gouernour of the Towne of Amiens the Counte de Brissac Monsieur de Bois Dauphine and other Gentlemen affectioned to the Duke of Guise that were all arested the rest stayed neither for bootes nor spurres to get them thence this accident being so fearefull vnto them Monsieur de la Chastre iustifieth himselfe The Duke of Guise had two principall seruants that were as disposers of all his secret intents the one the Archbishop of Lyons the other Monsieur de la Chastre The first was safe ynough from any more troubling the king but touching the second hee had him in great distrust by reason of the perfect amitie that hee bare vnto the Duke of Guise but assoone as he had receiued the newes hee went presently to the Duke de Neuers in the armie vnder whom hee was Marshall and saide vnto him that although he had alwaies beene a seruant to the Duke of Guise yet hee still held and continued his faith constant vnto the King and because the great amitie hee bare vnto the Duke of Guise might cause him to be suspected by the King hee willingly yeelded himselfe into the Duke de Nemours hands to iustifie his actions and not long after he went in person to present himselfe vnto the king assuring him that from that time forward to become his faithfull seruant Monsieur d'Antragues in all haste mounted on horsebacke to assure the King of the Towne of Orleans but there he found Monsieur de Roissieu who Orleans holden for the League the same morning had been the with D. of Guise and perceiuing the Guard to bee stricktlier disposed then ordinarily they were and knowing the kings commaundement to shut the gates while the Councell sat hee entered into a maruellous apprehension of the cause presently departed out of Blois to take order for the Town of Orleans sending expresse messengers in all hast to aduertise the Duke de Maine his Maister beeing at Lyons The Queen-mother aduertised of the Duke of Guises death The first thing that the king did after hee came out of his chamber was to beare the newes vnto the Queene his mother to whom hee said that as then he was absolute king and that he had no more companions She at the first was strangely abashed and said vnto the king that it would haue fallen out hardly for him if he had not taken order for the assurance of the towns where the name and memorie of the duke of Guise had credit and authoritie Councelling
him by the Cardinall de Gondy to aduertise the Popes Legate which done shee went to visit the Cardinall of Bourbon that lay sicke and was kept prisoner And assoon as he espied her with tears in his eies he spake vnto her and said Ah Madame you haue brought vs hither vnto the slaughter She that seemed to be much abashed at so violent vnexpected change that then had happened assured him that shee neither had giuen consent nor aduise to any such thing and that it was a most incredible greefe vnto her soule The death of the Queene-mother vpon the fift of Ianuary 1589. But the Cardinal redoubling his complaints shee left him striken at the heart with so great greefe that presently shee went to bed and died therevppon the fift of Ianuary after much lamented by the king her sonne who as yet had need of her counsell The king going out of his mothers chamber went to heare masse where at large hee informed the Legate of the causes that had constrained him to put the Duke of Guise to death as hauing attempted against his person About euening the Cardinall and the Archbishop of Lyons were taken out of the chamber wherein they had been shut to leade them into an other stronger and darker then the first in the highest part of the Castle But sorrow and greefe had so much seized vppon the Cardinall that what apprehension of death so euer he must haue he could not chuse but sleepe assoone as hee was layde vppon the mattresse prepared for him After his first sleepe his spirits reuiued and considering the extream imbasing of his greatnesse and the fall of his house he complained to himselfe of his misfortunes The Archbishop of Lyons vsed al the meanes he could to disswade him from the thinking of any other thing then onely of death which he suspected to bee the ende of both their persons They imployed all their Philosophie to make it seeme easie and lesse fearefull thereby to dispoyle it of the horrible and straunge shape wherewith it is figured vnto vs. They confessed themselues each to other reconciling themselues to God committing their causes vnto him and in that conceit of death they only attended the commandement when and where they should receiue With that the Cardinall had desire to sleepe vntill morning that the Archbishop of Lyons rose vp left him sleeping not long after he waked him to rise to Martins The king in the mean time was counselled yea solicited by most violent reasons to put the Cardinal to death which counsel at the first Iustice regardeth not the qualities of men seemed perilous vnto him considering the quallitie of that Prelate beeing a Peer of France Archbishop of Reims Cardinall of Rome and President of his Order in the Parliament but after he had been shewed that iustice hath her eyes closed not to behold the quallities of men and that the greater authoritie a man is in the greater is his fault that treason is more apparant and a worse example in a Cardinall then in a simple Priest That the Cardinall of Guise would succeed in the credit of his brother and that hee had alreadie vsed threatning speeches hee determined to make him follow after his brother the Duke of Guise and therevppon commaunded Monsieur de Gast to kill him who excused himself of that commission saying it was not a thing conuenient for a Gentleman of his calling But in fine for foure hundreth Crownes they found foure instruments to execute that commission One of them went into the chamber where the Cardinal sat and making low reuerence told him the king sent for him The Cardinall before hee went asked if hee sent not likewise for the Archbishop of Lyons but aunswere was made that he onely must come vnto him wherevpon with an assured countenance that not seeming to thinke vpon the mischiefe that attended on him about three steps within the dore hee bad the Archbishop of Lyons farewell who perceiuing the Cardinall to go without any apprehention of death said vnto him Monsieur I pray you thinke vppon God at the which word the Cardinall ceised with feare was abashed and turned his head towards the Archbishop who at that instant fell downe vppon his knees before the Crucifix recommending his soule vnto God beleeuing stedfastly that they would do the like to him that he supposed they ment to execute vpon the Cardinall who beeing about three or foure pases without the chamber was inclosed by foure men that with blowes of rapiers poinyards and partisans dispatched him of his life and beeing slaine they stripped him The King going to Masse accompanied by the Cardinall of Vandosme and others met the Barron de Lux who falling downe on his feete offered his head to saue the Archbishop of Lyons his vncle The king that loued the Gentleman and that desired not to loose such a Prelate thinking by his meanes to attaine vnto the Quintessence of the Leaguers deuises assured him of his life but not of his libertie Not long after the king sent Monsieur Guiotard and Monsieur Languetot two of his priuie Councell with a Clarke to examine the Archbishop touching the causes and accusations layde against the Duke of Guise He said vnto them that they being Lay-men had not any iurisdiction ouer an Archbishop and that hee beeing such might not aunswere vnto them desiring them not to trouble him any more therein The answer of the Archbishop of Lyons vpon the Duke of Guises accusatioÌ They returned this answere vnto the King who presently sent the Cardinall de Gondy to perswade him to satisfie his commaundement and to aunswere to the propositions that should bee made vnto him the Archbishop aunswered him and saide that hee could say nothing against the Cardinall nor the Duke of Guise his brother with whom hee had imbarked himselfe that for his owne person hee neither could nor ought to aunswere before any man but the Pope or to those whom it should please him to appoynt and that as Primate of France he had no other Iudge And that that the Cardinall de Gondy himselfe beeing Bishop of Parris was vnder his primatie that if the Cadinall Morosin Legate for his holinesse by the aduise of other Prelates assembled in the parliament thought it conuenient for him to answere he wold follow their resolutioÌ and that so doing it shuld be they not the Arch. of Lyons that shuld break the Priuileges immunities of the church The king to the contrary esteemed that considering the quallitie and importance of the cause he was not bound to haue recourse vnto the Pope to examine the trueth of the Duke of Guises actions It was shewed him The king hath power ouer Bishops that the priuiledge which the Archbishop demaunded much derogated the soueraigntie and power of his Maiestie who at all times had iurisdiction ouer the Bishops of his Realme specially in things touching the Crowne and when processe was to be
for the space of certain time ther had bin some about him that most manifestly practised in his presence elsewher by their adherents to renue raise deuision to cause his actions to be disliked wholly to suppresse his authoritie neuerthelesse with great patience and calamitie hee had tollerated the effects of the euill will in those respects appeared to bee in them assaying by all the fauours and courtesies hee could deuise to mollifie their hearts and to drawe them vnto those things that concerned reason with the good profit of his estate and the conseruation of religion That this notwithstanding they not beeing disswaded from their pernicious deuises by the aforesaide effects of his good and holy intents neither yet by any other considerations his Maiestie had discouered that they had proceeded so farre as by new inuentions to enterprise against both him and his estate That to withstand the same to his great greefe hee had bin constrained to preuent their sinister dealings but that for the singular loue and good wil naturall in him and which hee hath alwaies continued and will continue vnto his said Catholicque subiects with like care of the quietnesse safetie and conseruation of their liues as much as any father towards his children Hee had therein vsed so much clemencie and moderation that hee had restrained and layde the paine and punishment onely vppon the heads and authors of the euill sparing their adherents and seruants and fauourably receiued admitted them among the rest of his good subiects vpon promise by them made from thenceforth to become his true and faithfull subiects That although not only by his actions past as by this last proceeding hee hath giuen and declared by euident testimonies of his holy intent and clemencie that no man ought to doubt neuerthelesse to make it more manifest to all his subiects his Maiestie declareth and protesteth that this which hath happened hath beene effected by reason of the preuentions vsed against his Edict of Iuly and since that time And in the execution of that which is contained therein his will and meaning is to keep and cause it to bee kept and to obserue and maintaine it from poynt to poynt for a lawe as it hath been established and sworne in the Parliament according to the forme and tenor thereof Forgetting and wholly remitting all whatsoeuer is or hath bin done against dutie and fidelitie by those that haue participated in the said practises vppon condition that heereafter they shall depart and wholly forsake all leagues associations practises deuises and intelligences with all persons whatsoeuer both without and within the Realme The practises against the Edict of vnion wherevnto the King referreth the cause and motion of the death of the Cardinall and the Duke of Guise are specified in the treatie written concerning the troubles that ensued this execution Causes of putting the D. of Guise to death The first that assoone as the edict of vnion agreed vpon within the Cittie of Roane was published in the Parliament-house the principall heades of the League in stead of causing their partakers to leaue their armes had entertained them with further hopes and meanes contrary to the Edict sworne summoning them to bee in a readinesse to effect a great exployt The second that they had determined to seize vpon the Kings person and to coÌstrain him to dismisse his Councel whom they thought to be most faithfull vnto him and least affected to the aduancement of their intents and to bereaue him of his authoritie yea and of the name of a king The third their practises leagues and deuises to breake the libertie of the Parliament and to hinder them from consulting with the king touching the good of his estate and the quietnesse of his people hauing a great number of the Deputies so much affected to their pretences that they neuer assembled before they had first consulted with the Councell of the Duke of Guise touching their aunsweres propositions and resolutions The fourth the fained perswasions deuised against the good intents of the king to disswade him from the easing of the long oppressioÌs of his people the Duke of Guise on the one side counselling him not to imbase his authoritie so much as to depriue himselfe of the meanes to maintaine the glory of his Maiestie royall by reducing the tallages to a lower rate then was conuenient and on the other side hee perswaded and pricked forward his participants to craue it by that meanes to make his Maiestie odious among them by refusing the easing of his peoples oppressions or else to force him therevnto The sift the confirmation of the treaties and confederacies made with forraine Princes as the king of Spaine the Duke of Sauoy and Lorraine and the fiue small Cantons the leagues and intelligences with diuers Lords and Gouernours of Townes and Prouinces within the Realme all contrary to the Edict of vnion which they had sworne and promised so religiously to obserue A great person in our time in the second part of the Historie of the League Vulgus audacia turbidum nisi vim metuat The second discourse of the state of France noteth the vnrecouerable fault of the king after that action that busied himselfe to iustifie his pretence and to flatter the people who by lenitie become obstinate by seueritie are constrained This great tree ouerthrown saith he such as shadowed themselues thereby were for a time discouered and without doubt the Duke of Guise himselfe was all the League hee onely had more parts and valour then all his participants togither And if the king had beene resolute to go forward with his actions and not to doo them by halues as his maner was and if within two houres after the act performed hee had mounted on horsebacke and so had added his presence his forces vnto the feares of the townes that helde with the League abashed at that great accident it is very likely hee had auoyded the mischiefe which after fell vpon him But God that derided the vaine enterprises of the one mocked the remedies by the other prouided This Prince who neuerthelesse wanted neither iudgement nor courage had no sooner perceiued his enemie dead put presently perswaded himselfe to haue no more in all the world and certainly being among his familiars he vsed this speech saying This day I am king and yet to the contrary from that day forward his royall estate begane to decline Incauta semper nimââ presumptio sui negligents Egesippus This presumptioÌ caused him to be so carelesse in his affaires that he lost Orleans which he might haue saued by shewing himselfe vnto it that he suffred the D. de Maine to come fortifie himself with men munitioÌ he laughed at those the moued him with al diligeÌce to send for his armie that laye in Poitou hee was offended against such as counselled him at the same time to vse the ayde of the king that now is
and of the Huguenots and to conclude so much despised all things which neuerthelesse within one moneth after hee was constrained to do that within sixe weekes hee perceiued himselfe to bee reduced onely to the Realme of Tours Blois and Baugency The fourth of January 1589. And so after the death of those two Princes of Lorraine and the imprisonment of the rest that were most suspected despising all the aduise giuen him to enter first into the field and that doing so hee should haue a great aduantage vppon his enemies hee commaunded the estates to proceede with the Parliament They presented him the billes of the three estates and againe the third time the Edict of vnion was published by Monsieur Ruze and sworne by his Maiestie with most solemne protestation to obserue and cause it to bee holden for a lawe of the Realme The king of Nauar vnderstandeth of the death of the Duke of Guise the 26. of December Lachrymas non sponte cadentes effudit genitúsque expressit pectore lato His Councell besought him to reiourne the Parliament vntill an other time but hee was so much affected to heare and determine vpon their billes that hee forgot both the care of his person and estate and would not leaue off the assembly vntill hee heard that the Duke de Maine was alreadie before the subburbes of Parris and that hee went to ayde Orleans with all those with whom hee had practised to reuenge the deathes of his two bretheren The king of Nauarre receiued the newes of this execution beeing at Saint Iohn d'Angely by two Postes expresly sent from Blois on horsebacke to certifie him thereof And he that was neuer found to be voyde of great modestie in his most haughtie enterprises nor yet without constancie in all the greatest crosses which both time and men had wrought against him bewailed not so much the death as the euill fortune of the house of Guise it is the nature of those that are most couerteous not to behold the head of their enemie but with a sad and sorrowfull eye Antigonus bewailed Pyrrus Caezar Pompey Rene duke of Lorraine Charles Duke of Brurgongne and the Earle of Montfort Charles Earle of Blois It is true that hee knewe this accident would bee a great helpe touching his iustification that thereby hee was discharged from beeing cause of the mischiefe of ciuill warres and that the king hauing iudged and found the Duke of Guise to bee most culpable touching the troubles of the estate had punished him according to his desert He said that al the world he onely excepted imagined mischief of the house of Lorraine and would bee glad to see the indignation declarations and forces of the king his Lord bent against them But for his part hee could not doo it neither yet doth it but only that of two euils he is constrained to chuse the least Yet did he not refraine to pursue his enterprise against the Towne of Niort which was in this maner The troupes that were to execute the same vnder the conduct of Mousieur de S. Gelais giuing foorth that they went for Congnac by night marched within halfe a myle of the towne the lathers and other warrelike amunitions passing about a bowe-shot from the walles and because the moone shined very bright they were forced to stay till it was downe least the assaylants should be discouered who in the meane time slept vppon the Ice wearied with long trauell and troublesome way The taking of Niort The execution being followed in conuenient time Messieurs de Ranques Valiers Gentil hauing founded the ditches caused their lathers to be broght other instruments Wherein valour consisteth neare vnto the gate which they ment to assayle I would desire such as shall read this poynt to consider and note that notable enterprises are not executed without good order and discretion and that the honour of armes consisteth not in strength wherein many beasts haue great aduantage ouer vs nor in that kinde of furious assault which is more naturall to beastes then men neither yet in the hearts of the Actors which go where blinde conductions leadeth them but in the good order and pollicie established by the Leaders The approaching of those that bare the lathers was not so secretly done but that the Sentinel heard some noyse and presently cried Quivala Whereat if the assaylant had either beene fearefull or troubled the enterprise had bin discouered and so haue lost their labours But they stayed and stood so quietly that the Sentinell himselfe answered to the Corporall and saide I heard a noyse but I perceiue it is nothing and vppon that the lathers beeing artificially made to ioyne togither were raised against the walles about sixe and thirtie or fortie foote high Scaling Lathers set vp Galeati lepores Liuius 28. By this escalado the Sentinell was surprised and throwne ouer the wall and then the Court of guard wherein they found but seuen or eight poore artificers for that commonly within Townes the rich do watch by the eyes of the poore that saued themselues because they should make no noyse And although it had been determined to let as many of their men mount vp by lathers as possibly they might it chanced neuerthelesse that one of the small number that had entered perceiuing himselfe in some perill cried vnto the engenier and thought to spoyle all their enterprise for that crie made an alarme among all the Inhabitants and serued to the engeniers for a watch-word to play with their Ensignes being before the Rauelin which made an ouerture of the gate and at that instant the Engin wrought against the bridge of the Towne which brake but two plankes of the bridge and so the gate opened in two parts the entrie of the bridge was very straight where one man alone could hardly get in and yet hee must descend by one of the lathers into the ditch and then with the same lather go vp to the entrie of the bridge two men well armed had beene sufficient to haue kept it against them all In the end by meanes of that entrie and by their escalado the first that entered were Messieures de S. Gelais de Rambures and de Parabieries who with their companies met hard by the Towne-house where they beganne to crie Viue Nauarre and there among the people being in feare surprised and abashed they found so small resistance that in lesse then three or foure houres the assaylants entered vanquished became Maisters of the towne being put to the spoyle and yet without murther violence or iniurie done vnto the Cleargie that were not once touched the king of Mauarres intent beeing not to constraine them in their religion Hee receiued the newes of this surprise at S. Iohn d'Angely whereas then he remained the gouernment whereof he committed vnto Monsieur de S. Gelais Monsieur de Parabieres commaunded in the Castle wherein hee found fiue peeces for batterie and two long coluerins
humbled himselfe vnto the meaner sort as hee passed through the streetes with his hat in hand saluting euery man eyther with head hand or speech The greatnesse of his thoughts Caezar durst conceiue in his minde and then execute his thought to make himselfe perpetuall Dictator and to vsurpe the soueraigntie of the Common-wealth The Duke of Guise with as much courage lesse reason and more danger then Caezar enterprised to be king or wholly to be ouerthrowne His boasts Caezar vaunted to haue made Rome the Queene of the world a name without forme or bodie The Duke of Guise by the league taking away both order and royaltie beeing the forme of this Realme and that which made it flourish might well say that hee had made France without life His exercise Caezar loued Astrologie the Duke of Guise beleeued the Astrologians that assured him of his greatnesse of the kings death of the death of the house of Bourbon promising him that the Crowne should change families and from the Capets should fall into the house of Austria His minde could not indure much apprchension Caezar could not indure the apprehension of conspiracies deuised against him and said that hee had rather die then to liue long in distrust esteeming that death which is least doubted to bee best the Duke of Guise desired rather a fall that might be the end of his miseries then a continuall daunger He despised the aduise of death Caezar despised the aduise giuen him touching the conspiracie of Brutus the Duke of Guise esteemed it fables that was told him touching the mischiefe that fell vppon him and could not bee perswaded that hee should so soone end his triumphs Haruspices praemonuerant vt dââgentissime Iduum Martiarum caucret diâm Velleius Pater Lâbelli coniurationè nunciantes ââats abconeque protinus lectierant Velleius Pater His death His Sepulchre Guisius Cezar medio perite sedio perite senatu The years of his death Sydus Iul. Hob. Sar. lib. 8. Ennead 6. Caezar would not read his friends letters that aduertised him of the enterprise practised against his person The Duke of Cuise iested at the letters written vnto him from all parts and saide that it was done at the leaft thirtie times euery day Caezar was slaine with blowes of rapiers the Duke of Guise with poinyards Caezar fell dead at the feete of the Image of Pompey whom hee had so cruelly pursued The Duke of Guise died at the kings chamber doore where hee had made so many brauadoes and so much despising of the kings authoritie Caezar had the fire for his sepulchre the bodie of the Duke of Guise was burnt Caezar was slaine in the Senat the Duke of Guise at the Parliament when hee came out of the Councell chamber Caezar died in the 56. yeare of his age in his climaticke yeare and vpon his birth day The Duke of Guise in the 42. yeare which was likewise his climaticall yeare Caezar was accounted among the Gods and so esteemed of by the common people the league cannonized and honoured the Duke of Guise with the name of Marter and were long time in doubt if praying for him they should do wrong to the holinesse of his condition beeing freed from the paines in the other world Caezar debaucha Cleopatra Heere I will end the comparison of the hearts and humors of those two Princes and touching nothing of the sobrietie courtesie affabilitie and familiaritie that was equally both in the one and the other nor yet of that amorous complection that so much resembled Caezar and auanced the mischiefe and troubles of France And touching the end of the Duke of Guise I say that as themnrther of the Dictator Caezar serued for a protext vnto Anthony Augustines to ouerthrow the Commonwealth of Rome so this death of the Duke of Guise put weapon into the hands of the Duke de Maine like Anthony to destroy both himselfe and his countrie Beeing at Lyons hee receiued the newes of the death of the Duke of Guise and the imprisonment of the Cardinall his bretheren vpon Christmas day at night said nothing vntil the next day in the morning that he went froÌ the Archbishops Pallace where he was lodged to Saint Nisier and there finding the Officiall of the Archbishop pricke of Lyons tolde him hee was desirous to walke a turne or two along the painted Gallerie Thither he sent for Monsieur Bothcon the Marquesse of Vrfe and certaine of the principall officers of the Towne shewing them what had been done in Blois against the persons of his bretheren and of the imprisonment of the Cardinall of Bourbon the Archbishop of Lyons and others This accident made the assistants so much abashed that they all stood in a maze some of them thinking more vppon the manner then the matter and more vppon the authoritie of the estates then vppon the kings collor Others what assurance soeuer they had of ayde to bee readie to be imployed at all assayes yet were they constrained to shrinke in the shouldier They iudged the wound to bee great and that it would bee hard vppon the suddain to finde a fit playster such as without inspiration had foreshewed that the king would bee reuenged of the Duke of Guise for his ouer great boldnesse and the day of the Barricadoes had alreadie disisted the astonishment of that blowe The Duke de Maine thinking vpon the death of his brother forgot not his own safetie asking them if that staying in the towne of Lyons he might beassured of his life they besought him to moue his seruants in that which should bee against the kings will and pleasure to whom they were bound and priuately to all others could acknowledge no other soueraigne then hee The Officiall of Lyons that had knowne his nature to bee more stayed and lesse ambitious desired him not to arme himselfe against his king who without all doubt would receiue him into fauour The Duke de Maine counselled not to arme himselfe when hee should once perceiue him to referre the desire of his reuenge to reason good discretion and not preferre the interest of his house before the benefit of the whole Realme of France which trembled at the apprehension of the calamities that this warre will draw on That he should aduise himselfe before he passed the Rubicon into what daunger hee would fall the good and quiet estate that hee should leaue behinde him that to set the people at libertie hee would abandon it to the spoyle that to defend the Monarchie against the king hee should make him the head of a confused and monstrous Monarchie against the lawes of the Realme that God will neuer abandon the protections of Kings how vnagreeable so euer they be vnto him against the rebellion of the people for kings are the image of God the children of heauen Gods among men and whosoeuer armeth himselfe against them striueth against God Then hee foreshewed him that if
in that imbarking he thought not vppon the stormes and tempests how hee might shunne them hee would thinke vppon them but too late when they might not bee auoyded when all the owers would bee broken and the waues strike against his vessell when danger shuld vanquish his art and necessity force his wisdome that of the wind of the peoples fauour which of long time hath bin disposed vnto rebellion and troubles maketh his sayles blow full that furiously he would thrust his pretences into the maine sea that neuerthelesse he oght to consider the vncoÌstancie lightnesse of the people who hauing shakeÌ off the yoak of the Vulgus infidum bonis Horat. Vnum imperij corpus vnius animo regendum videtur Tacitus kings obedience would do as much vnto a Prince to whom it shall not be bound but as to Proctor of their mutenie That there is nothing more vnconstant nor more disloyall then the common people traiterous to the good and dutifull to the wicked and that rewardeth those that do it good with ropes exiles and publike execration that in the ende after many attempts prooues of all sorts of principallities it wil alwaies return againe vnto the royaltie France not beeing able to indure the gouernment of two kings no more then the body two heads nor a ship two Pilots that France no more then the whole world without a generall consuming cannot indure two sunnes that the people continueth not long in their furie it loseth breath in the first setting forward Si duo soles velis esse pericuâum âe in cendio omnia perdantur Serenus like a reed that beginneth with a long and straight pipe and suddainly it windeth and is crooked loosing the vigor that it shewed in the first part thereof The Duke de Maine beeing as then Maister either of his good fortune or ouerthrow held the conduction of the Leaguers affaires at his disposition and by a good resolution could revnite the Catholicques by his brother led astray but his passion leading him at her pleasure and that it represented vnto him the aduantage hee had to succeed in the fauours credite and authoritie of his brother and by consequent vnto his hopes hee reiected the aduise of good counsell and thinking that they sought his life determined the same day in all haste to depart from Lyons and went to Mascon and from thence to Chalons where hee assured himselfe of the citadell from thence he got to Dyon where he receiued letters from the king by the which the king assured him that hee desired to continue him in his fauour staying the punishment of things past vppon the death of his bretheren whom hee had put to death to saue his life whereof hee had aduertised him The Duke de Maine attributing the clemencie and fauour of the king to an affection languishing feeble and faint and to a feare he had to haue him for enemie or to loose his friendship not beeing able to moderate his chollor nor to incline himselfe vnto a generall and good ende hardened himselfe in his resolution receiued the pestilent breath of those mindes that bad framed themselues to tyrannie feared not the king and made lesse account of him then of the chaine of Tartaria While hee continued at Dyon he gaue out commissions to assure himselfe and to seize vpon diuers places and among the rest one of the Messieur de Rosne and de Saint Paul to commaund in Champaigne and Brye He had no great trouble to constraine them of Dyon to reuolt against the king bridling them by the Castle there was none but the Court of Parliament who perceiuing that they could not shine without the light of the authoritie royal that would not consent to that rebellion therfore the principal officers were driuen from thence the rest imprisoned some poore people fearefull for the discommodities they might reape remained in miserable slauerie vnder the confused and disordered democratie The kings Letters to the Duke de Maine From thence the Duke de Maine went to Troye a Towne long time before spoyled and corrupted by the participants of the Duke of Guise where hee was receiued with honours due vnto a king The king perceiuing that the league caused al the townes beyond the riuer of Loire Chalon sur Saone Dyon Troye Parris and Orleans to rise against him and that if hee sat with armes crossed it would not ease him was constrained to leaue the affaires of the Parliament vnperfect to prouide for the safetie of his person and to remedie the violent intents of his enemies and before the Parliament brake vp vppon the fifteenth and sixteenth daies of Ianuarie he heard the declarations of the Deputies of the third estates wherein may bee found the examples of the disorders which at this time trouble the Realme of France The Oration of the Archbishop of Bourges The Archbishop of Bourges President for the spiritualtie in the Parliament after the death of the Cardinall of Guise made a long discourse of the miseries and calamities that had continued for the space of eight and twentie yeares within the Realm of France touching the causes thereof assuring them that the despising of the name of God is the cause of our euil hauing broken the band that tyeth and vniteth vs vnto God that is religion which is the signer the band and foundation of all Monarches and Common-wealths Difference in religion That the diuision happened in the vnitie of this religion separating the hearts and minds of families and then of communalties hath produced this disorder that thereby they should haue seen nothing but fire and weapons throughout France nourisheth this long ciuill warre which to entertaine hath beene the meanes to seeke out so many prodigious inuentions to ouerthrow and spoyle the people by so many subsidies sale of offices belonging to iustice and treasures with the alienation of the sacred patrimonie of the Church The kings zeale to his religion That the king in his youth being adorned with so many victories obtained against schisme and heresie had giuen to vnderstand that the honour and glory of God and his religion was dearer vnto him then his own life ought not to permit that heresie should oppose it selfe against the true religion of him and his forefathers a new against the true alter and a king against his authoritie royall That hauing reestablished the assurance of the franchises of religion he ought with a care woorthieof a royall name to purge the disorders and the abuses which the corruption of this world hath induced into all estates Abuse in the Church in the house of God in the church in the Nobilitie in armes in Magistrates in iustice and in the people and on the one side shewing the disorders on the other hee applyeth the remedies and because the libertie of these last troubles hath increased them wee will present them like euill vlcers which spoyle this polliticque bodie and that will
and obedience made to Henry the third That the same people might lawfully and with good conscience arme and vnite themselues raise money and make contributions for preseruation and defence of the Romain Church against councels replenished with all flagition and the force of the king or his adherents whatsoeuer In that affirmed they hee had violated publike faith to the preiudice of Catholicque religion the Edict of sacred vnion and the naturall and proper libertie of the three estates of the Realme The king first imployeth his pen before he draweth his sword The king perceiuing that the greater mildenesse he vsed in reducing these errants into the right way the more they took bridle in mouth to run whither soeuer their violent passions would transport them scoffing at him and attributing that affection which he bore to revnite them to himself rather to a feare he had of either retaining them as his enemies or loosing them as subiects vsed his authoritie publishing throghout all the Prouinces diuers declarations of his intention as well against the Duke de Maine the Duke and Cheualier d'Aumale heads of the rebellion as likewise against the townes of Parris Amiens Orleans Abeuille and other their adherents He therefore accused them of attempt against his person of fellonie and rebellion hee denounced those heads and members all disloyall rebellious attainted and conuicted of the crimes of fellonie rebellion high treason to their chiefest head and disgraded them togither with their posteritie of all honours if within the space of one month they rendred not theÌselues vnder his obedience The terme set downe was the beginning of March but seeing that instead of repenting themselues they committed so many the more outrages taking vp armes on all sides and that they practised out of the land seized on his treasure vnder colour of Lieftenants general of the estate coÌfirmed pattents commissions vnder a new seale oppressed by incredible violatioÌs diuers prouinces stript into their shirts many of his most faithfull subiects which would not adheare vnto them without intreating much more graciously others who had so greatly desired and laboured the league In briefe that they had vsurped all poynts and prerogatiues of his royall Maiestie except the name and title of king which they reserued to an other opportunitie He then resolued also for his part to put in readinesse an armie to suppresse these insupportable attempters And for performance of this he dispatched letters pattents for conuocation and assembly of his Nobilitie and martiall power Not long after ensued an other Edict of the kings by which he translated to the towne of Tours such exercise of iustice as was wont to be performed in his Court of Parliament of Parris inioyning them of that Court to repaire incontinently to Tours there to execute their offices He made the like transportatioÌ of his chamber of accounts to the same place and depriued Parris with the other townes of all offices charges dignities and priuiledges whom he would willingly haue made afeard and won vnto himselfe before comming to armes But all this was but a casting of oyle into the fire Exployts of the king of Nauar who came afterwards to be king The king of N. recouered of a daungerous disease hee had a little after the death of the Queen-mother determined for testimonie of his fidelitie towards the king to crosse as far as in him lay the diseignments of the leaguers hindring them from defacing any thing in those places which hee had meanes to assure as well for seruice of the king as for the reliefe of those of the religion Thus therfore he receiued into his protection those of S. Maixent Millezay he safegarded against the league Chastelleraut LouduÌ I le Mirebeau Viuonne other places adioyning Afterwards he set forward euen into Berry and tooke ouer the leaguers head the Towne and Castle of Argenton And beeing returned to Chastelleraut hee writ in the beginning of March ample letters to the three estates of France full of serious admonitions that they should giue ouer the League and aduertising them that if they proceeded in their euill counsels and determinations he was minded if the king so commaunded him to take the field with his friendes and followers hoping that God would giue him the grace to breake many of their deseignments and to cut them off from their affaires inuentions He took into his protection and safegard all such towns personages as would ioyne with him against the league promising that in the townes he would suffer nothing to be innouated neither in pollicie or church-affairs except on such considerations as shuld touch the libertie of euery one hauing learned said he for conclusion that the true and onely meane of revniting people to the seruice of God and establishing pietie in an estate is mildnesse peace good example not warre nor disorders through which wickednesse and vices spring vp in the world At the same time the Towne and Castle of Angiers were assured to the king but the Duke de Mercoeur brought almost all Brittaine in subiection to the partie of the league with which Roane Thoulouse Lyons were now ioyned and Bourdeaux wanted not much of doing the like but Marshal de Matignon was faithful to the king so that the leaguers and Iesuites were constrained to remooue from thence During these commotions debatement was made of a truce between the king Nauar to the ende they might more commodiously make head against the league Debatement of truce betweene the two kings which augmented euery weeke more more The K. minding to vse Na. forces without which hee could not doo much of himselfe offered and yeelded into his hand Saumur for securitie of his passage ouer Loire by means whereof in attending ratification of the truces the king of N. caused all his troupes to passe ouer on this side of Loire to ioine with the forces of Normandie Maine and other places which attended him with intention to approach the Leaguers and thus to ease them of the labour of comming any more to find him out in Gascon and Xaintongne as before they had don Afterwards the 18. of April he proclamed wars against them if they deferred any longer to lay aside armes But they shewed themselues as little moued with this as before by the kings letters patternts by which he translated the iustice iurisdictioÌ of the Great-maisters Inquisitors and Reformers generall which was wont to be held in the Pallas at Parris at the bench of the table of marble to his Court of Parliament not long since established at Tours An enterprise on the kings person by the league frustrated by the king of Nauars presence About the end of the same month he published an Edict declaring that al the mooueable immoouerable goods of the Duke de Maine of the Duke and Cheualier d'Aumale and of those which voluntarily dwelt and remained in the Townes of Parris Thoulouse Orleans
of prouiding for the good of France and other countries His securitie imboldened his enemies both neare and farre of within and without the Realme to innouate much and in that he would not lay to his hand when he ought to haue done he at last found the gate shut against him perceiued himselfe driuen out of his own house and those whom many waies he had too much supported established in his place who gaue him right downe blowes vpon his head whereof he should haue bin warie in time Men talke diuersly touching his departure some iudging that he left the world too soone in respect of France her good others deeming the contrarie Howsoeuer it was his decease was to the whole Realme a beginning of particular calamities aboue all the rest as the Historie of king Henry the fourth of the race of Bourbon will giue testimonie Heere endeth the troubles that happened in the raigne of Henry the third This is to giue the Reader to vnderstand that there is certaine Titles gone Henry the fourth that should haue bin Henry the third A BRIEFE RECITALL OF THE MOST MEMORABLE THINGS which came to passe in Fraunce vnder the Raigne of Henry the fourth since his first comming to the Crowne vntill the middle of the yeare 1598. The Frenchmens disposition after the death of Henry the 3. ALthough there were great sorrow greefe and lamentation made in the royall armie for the death of king Henry the third as much signe of ioy and gladnesse was there seene on the other side among the leaguers throughout al the Citie of Paris for the same in singing of songs and making mocking times therevpon The Duke de Maine with his Court and many others which since the execution of Blois wore black scarfes in signe of sorrow did heerevpon cast them aside and wore in stead of them scarfes of hopeful greene Then was there great feasting masking and other sportfull games made among them wherein and whereby the murthered king was cursed and banned in most horrible sort At that time the image and portrature of the traiterous Moonke which kild the king was by the commaundement of the chiefe of the league artificially framed in Brasse and other paintings wherewith they garnished both their houses Churches Then was he cannonized and among the supersticious prayed vnto as a new made Martyr whom they called by the name of Saint Iaques Clement All such as were knowne to bee of any kin vnto him were greatly inriched with almes gifts and publicke contributions Councels of the league The Duke de Maine which as yet durst not name himselfe king caused that title by proclamation to bee giuen throughout all Paris to the Cardinall of Bourbon beeing then prisoner stamping mony and gold as the coyne of king Charles the tenth The Duke disguising his vsurpation by his new and rediculous title of Lieftenant generall to the Estate and Crowne of France and perceiuing that the declarations made by the lawfull king did shake in the beginning of his proceedings a great part of the league published and sent abroad an Edict dated the first day of August in his owne name and the generall Councell of the holy vnion of Catholicques established at Parris who stayed there for the assembling of the estates of the kingdome to revnite as he said all Christian Frenchmen in the defence and conseruation of the Apostolicque Romane and Catholicque Church for the holding vp of the royall estate expecting the libertie and presence of king Charles the tenth Orders giuen to the king for the affairs of the armie King Henry the fourth which soone after the death of his predecessor had signified to the Princes and Lords in the armie his full intent vnderstaÌding that many of the Nobles made diuers bad attempts caused the principall of them to bee assembled before whom hee called vnto mind the recommendations of the oathes which the deceased king had caused him to make before them all for the tranquillitie of the Realme after his hurt perceiuing himselfe to drawe toward his end The first and chiefest poynt whereof was to maintaine the Frenchmen in the libertie exercise of the two religions that is to say the Romaine and the reformed Churches vntill such time as by a good and generall Councell it were otherwise determined These promises by oath he renued vnto them againe which appeased the controuersies And because hee might not securely stay at Paris by reason of this suddaine change and the sicknesses which afflicted the royall armie the king by aduise went into Normandie as well to receiue the succours which came from England as also for the fortifying of certaine places and passages which was fit for his purpose The league remooued on the other side and then the Earle of Randan one of the chiefest of them had surprised in Auuergne the Cittie d'Issoire about the tenth of August The Parliament of Bourdeaux published a decree the 19. of the same moneth whereby all those of their side were inioyned to keepe inuiolably the Edicts made by the holy vnion concerning the Apostolicque Catholicque and Romaine Church and all the declarations by them made Three daies after that at Thoulouse tearing the picture of the deceased K. bodie in peeces they ordained by an act made by the generall consent of the leaguers that euery yeare vpon the first day of August they should in making processions and publicke prayers acknowledge vnto God the great benefits which as vppon that day they receiued by the fearefull death of Henry the third whereby the happie deliuerance of Parris ensued with many other distressed Cities in the Realme forbidding al persons to acknowledge Henry of Bourbon king of Nauarre to be king of France whom that Court thoght a most vnfit man to succeed in the same kingdome because said the edict of the notorious and manifest crimes expressed against him in that bull of excommunication which was giuen out by Pope Sixtus the fift His genealogie The enuie of which partiall Parliament hath constrained mee once againe to set vnto your sight in briefe sort the true genealogie of King Henry the fourth Lewis the ninth surnamed the Saint beeing the 44. king of France came to the Crowne in the yeare 1227. and raigned till the yeare 1270. he had foure sonnes two of the which namely Peter and Robert died without issue and before their father The other twaine that suruiued was Philip and Robert the second of that name Philip surnamed the Hardie third of that name successiuely left these following from the father to the sonne from brother to brother and the nearest of blood to the nearest of blood Philip the fourth called the Faire Lewis the tenth surnamed Hutin Philip the fift surnamed the Longe Charles the fourth termed the faire Philip de Valois Iohn Charles the fift surnamed the wise Charles the sixth called the welbeloued Charles the seuenth Lewis the eleuenth Charles the eight all descending from Saint Lewis
to order his battell The battell of Yurie and the kings notable exploicts And after they had coÌmended all their successe vnto God he broke his fast and so about nine of the clocke in the foorenoone they were in the field readie to giue battell and the king beeing at the head of his squadron of which the first ranckes were composed of Princes Earles Knights and principall Gentlemen of the noblest families of France beganne to make his prayers vnto God with an exhortation that all the other squadrons should do the like Then passing along from the head of his armie hee encouraged his people to the fight And returning to his place without further delay he caused the great artillerie to bee shot off which gaue nine daungerous vollies to the great hurt of the leaguers Who after three or foure other vollies giuen on both sides aduanced forward fiue or six hundreth light horsemen to giue charge against the Marshal d'Aumont but he without stay ran vpon them and pearced theÌ in such sort that he might soone see their heeles In the mean space while they were thus busie the squadron of the Rutters which were on their right hand in comming toward the artillerie lighted vpon the Kings light horsmen aduancing theÌselues against theÌ very manfully and being as valiantly receiued at last they were constrained to retire without performing any thing woorthie of memorie The whilest another squadron of launciers of the low Countries would haue giuen a fresh charge to these light horsemen But the Barron of Biron aduancing himselfe forward hauing no meane to meete the Vantgard set presently vpon the reareward and in breaking their array was hurt in two places The Duke de Montpensier ranne before the rest and gaue them a most braue charge in the which hee himselfe was once vnhorst but beeing againe mounted hee behaued himselfe in such valourous sort that he became Maister of the place The selfe-same the Duke de Maines great squadron consisting of eighteene hundreth horse among whom were the Duke of Nemours and the knight of Aumale with others of the Captains of the league aduanced themselues to the battel causing foure hundreth Carbines to march vpon their left wing who made a sallie of small shot some fiue and twentie paces from the kings squadron This sallie beeing ended the great squadron of the leaguers came on the forefront of the kings where they sawe his Highnesse before his company fiue long paces off who furiously rushed among the leaguers which could not by any meanes with all their huge forrest of launciers keepe backe the kings squadron But his Maiestie did in such warre like sorts assayle them that this great squadron was at last scattered hauing beene fighting among the thickest of them a good quarter of an houre In the end this huge heape of enemies who had thus the foundation of their strength abated were at last brought to hand-strokes who beginning to shrinke in the turning of a hand men might see their backes which before shewed such furious faces who tooke their flight by straunge passges This ioyfull victorie was at first intermixt with much sorrow in the royall armie when they saw not the king returne but within a while after they spied him comming all stained with the blood of his enemies not hauing shed one drop of his owne whom they described onely by the great plume of white feathers which hee bore in his creast and that which his Palfraye had on his head There was not so much sorrow among the leaguers for their losse but there was as much ioy recouered on the kings partie hauing been so happily returned from such an intermixture of blood and death But as hee came from the chase of his enemies with twelue or fifteen of his followers hee chancst to meete betwixt two companies of the enemies Switzers three cornets of Wallons accompanied with other that had ioyned with them whom his Maiestie charged with such high courager that hee wonne their colours they which carried them lying dead in the place with many other of their companions The king then beeing arriued at the place from whence he parted all the armie gaue humble thanks to the Lord for his safetie crying with one voyce God saue the king His Maiestie hauing set in order certaine of his troupes and seeing his enemies flying before him hee left the field surcharged with their dead so that there remained none aliue sauing the Switzers who beeing forsaken by their horsemen did notwithstanding stay without mouing and althogh the king might well haue ouerrun them yet hee receiued them to mercie who hauing cast down their weapons were discharged and sent into their own countries The Frenchmen also which were mingled among them had their liues saued This beeing done the king accompanied with his horsemen and the troups of Picardie followed the league which tooke their flight two waies In the one was the Duke of Nemours Bassompierre the Vicount of Tauannes Rosne and others which tooke their way to Chartres In the other the Duke de Maine with his most trustiest Captaines drew toward Yury to passe ouer the riuer The Leaguers artillerie and all their baggage were left in the campe and in the high-waies neare adioyning The time which the king spent in receiuing and sending away of the Switzers gaue leisure vnto them that fledde to put themselues vnder couert in such sort that comming vnto Yuri they perceiued that the Duke de Maine was alreadie entered who neuer thinking on any new charge broke vp the bridge before his owne people were all come which was the cause of the death of a great number of his armie especially of the Rutters of whom a great sort were drowned The others to hinder those that followed them stopt vp the streetes of Yuri with dead and wounded horses which stood in stead of chaines or inclosers whereof followed a new losse for all those that sought to passe the deepe streame perished for the most part The king was counselled to passe the riuer at the sord of Anet and although it were an houre and an halfe losse of his way yet hee ouertooke a great number of those that fledde which for their liues rested at his discretion Those that thought to escape putting themselues into the woods fell into the Pesants hands which handled them in cruell sort This pursuit continued euen to the Towne of Mant where neither the Duke de Maine nor any of his turned once their face to see who pursued them But if the Mantois had continued in their first opinion to keepe the gates shut all those that fled had beene vtterly ouerthrowne But beeing in the end ouercome by the D. de Maines earnest intreaties they gaue them leaue to enter the Towne vpon condition that those of his side should passe by tenne and tenne in the night beyond the bridge which indeed wrought their safetie The king seeing his enemies ouercome both with shame and losse rested himself
decree made containing these words The Court hath repealed reuoked and disanuled and by these presents doth repeale reuoke and disanul all those bulles of the legation of Cardinall Caietan and those other buls brought from Rome the first of March proceedings publications excommunications and thundrings made by Marcillius Landriano the Popes aforesaid Nuutio as false scandalous seditious full of corruption and madde against the holy decrees cannonicall constitutions approoued councels and against all the rights and liberties of the Gallican Church Haue ordained and by these presents do ordaine that if any haue been excommunicated by vertue of the aforesaid proceedings they are absolued thereof and that the said bulles and all the proceedings made by vertue of them shall bee burned in the Market-place of this Cittie by the hands of the executioner Againe it is ordained that the said Landriano the Popes pretended Nuntio entering priuily into this Realme without the kings leaue or licence shal bee personally taken and conueyed to the kings prison in this Cittie of Chaalons there to aunswere to all such things as shall bee alleadged against him And if his taking and apprehention cannot presently bee there shall be three daies libertie giuen for the same according to the accustomed manner And to him that shall deliuer him vp to the lawe shall bee giuen tenne thousand pound Straightly charging and forbidding all person persons of what estate qualitie or condition soeuer they bee to keepe receiue succour or harbour the saide pretended Nuntio on paine of death And all Archbishoppes Bishoppes and all other Ecclesiasticall persons to receiue nor publish nor suffer to be published any sentences or proceedings comming in the behalfe of the foresaid Nuntio vppon paine to bee punished as in case of high treason Also it is declared and we do declare the Cardinals beeing at Rome Archbishops and all all other Ecclesiasticall persons that haue counselled and signed the said bull and excommunication and that haue allowed that most inhumane most abhominable most detestable parriside traiterously committed on the person of the foresaid deceased Lord Henry the third the most Christian and the most Catholicque king of France worthily cast off from the pocession of those benefices held by them within this Realme Inioyning the Atturney generall to seize them into the kings hands and there to establish good and sufficient Commissioners forbidding all other his subiects to carrie or send gold or siluer to Rome or to sue to the Pope for the obtaining of benifices vntill it shall bee otherwise ordered by the king And the act of appeale shall be by the Atturney generall deferred vntil the next Councell lawfully assembled by Pope Gregorie the fourteenth c. The Parliament at Tours proclaimed the same decree adding moreouer in theirs these words VVee haue proclaimed and do proclaime Pope Gregorrie the 14. of that name an enemie to the common peace to the vnion of the Romain Catholicke Church to the King and to his royall estate adherent to the conspiracie of Spaine a fauourer of rebels guiltie of the most cruell most inhumane and most detestable Parriside traiterously committed on the person of Henry the third of most famous most Christian and most Catholicque memorie Certaine months after and about the end of the yeare the parliament of the League at Paris condemned and caused all those decrees to be burned which were giuen out against the Popes bulles and the Ministers of that sea As for Landriano and the Legat they were kept close and secret Finally after they had beene well feed they got safely out of France through the kings mercifull fauour carrying away great booties whereof they had small ioy because that soone after their returne they died The most part of the prisoners of Blois who then with the Duke and Cardinall of Guise should haue beene done to death escaped away some after one sort and some after another But one of their principalll men remained stil vnder sure gard in the Castle of Tours that is to say the Duke of Guise whom the multitude of the Leaguers and diuers Parisians did greatly desire saying many times that if after the death of his father and before the comming of his vncle de Maine hee had beene within Paris that of a certaine they had carried him to Reimes sacred and crowned king of France But his keepers held him sure ynough from them for the kings Councellours would not that the seditious should haue so fit a subiect to worke vppon nor such store of wood and oyle to increase the flames of their sedition On the other side the Duke de Maine hauing obtained his new title to bee Lieftenant generall of the estate and Crown of France desired not that his Nephewe should bee at more libertie Neither was the royall throne and seat bigge ynough for two to sit in and hee which was alreadie setled would not come downe to suffer a younger then himselfe to ascend thereinto Diuers other of the principall men of the League willing to counterchecke the Duke de Maine did all that possibly they could to preferre his young Nephew but all in vaine When the Kings Councell saw fit time to thwart the Dukes of Maine and Nemours which by diuers slights did daily robbe the Crowne as also diuers other straungers did would notwithstanding set on them againe and seeke to destroy the one by the other they caused their affaiers to bee so disposed for the keeping of this person that the Duke of Guise escaped the fifteenth day of August by a cord which was giuen him The Duke of Guise escapeth out of prison wherewith sliding down out of one of the windowes hee went quite away There was but small running after him who hauing found all things readie for his conueyance tooke his way to the Lord de la Chastre who kept him in a sure place Those which iudged not but superficially of these things namely the Leaguers made bonfires for ioye of this escape supposing that this young Prince should be so well prouided for that he should bee made king for the holy vnion But the Lieftenant generall his vncle and certaine others pretending to beare away the best part in that peece were of an other minde Noyon besieged and taken by the king The King all this while slept not hauing the selfe same moneth besieged Noyon a towne in Picardie held by the league and hauing ouerthrown by foure assaults the succours which the League had sent them slaine the most resolute men of war on their side taken a great number of prisoners put the rest to flight and constrained the besieged to yeelde The Duke de Maine with the Lords of Belin Vitri d'Alincourt and others had a great minde to set vppon Mante thinking to withdraw the king and afterward assayed to force the Switzers of Soleurre lodged at Houdan but all in vaine as also was their comming to Noyon For the king beeing neuer mooued with their bragges followed
quallitie soeuer they bee not to hearken to the poysoning inchantments of such rebellious and seditious persons but to continue the dutie of good and naturall Frenchmen and alwaies keepe and hold the loue and affection due to their king and countrie and not to holde with the deceits of such which vnder pretence of religion would spoyle the estate bring in barbarous Spaniards and other vsurpers Giuing most straight charge and commaundemen vnto all persons whatsoeuer neither to receiue nor keep in their houses or about them the said bull or to publish the same neither to assist or fauour the saide rebelles nor yet to assemble themselues to any Townes or places which might be appoynted or chosen for the foresaid pretended election vpon pain to the Nobilitie to bee disgraded of their honours and to bee proclaimed infamous both they and their posteritie for euer And to the Clargie to bee depriued thrust out of their possessions and benifices and to be punished togither for this their offence as traitors and disturbers of the publicke quiet and royall prerogatiue of their countrie without all hope to obtaine in such a case any fauour or pardon whatsoeuer And the like paine we pronounce to all townes that shall receiue the said rebels and seditious persons for the making of the said assembly or that doth lodge retaine or succour them And the said Court doth further ordaine that the place where the said deliberation shall bee kept togither with the Towne where the said assembly shall bee made shall bee raced and destroyed from the toppe to the bottome without all hope to haue it reedified or builded any more for a perpetuall remembrance to all posterities of their treason disloyaltie and vnfaithfulnesse joyning all persons to assault all those which shall repaire to the saide Cittie to bee present in that assembly And there shall be commission deliuered to the said Atturney generall to informe against all such as haue been the authors and procurers of such monopolies and conspiracies made against the estate and that haue fauoured or assisted them And this present Edict shall bee published by sound of trumpet and publickly proclaimed in all places of this Towne and sent to all places of this precinct there to bee red published and registred by the diligence of the substitudes belonging to the Atturney generall whereof they shall certifie the Court within one moneth on paine to loose their Offices for the contrarie The leaguers despising the kings authoritie flowted at the Edict of this Parliament and called the Deputies from all parts of the Prouinces and confederate Townes to bee present with the estates at Paris As for the chiefe and principall each one had a seuerall purpose beeing desirous to bee seated in their Soueraignes chaire without hauing any minde to bee seruants or fellows in this Anarchie maintained by them with the helpe of the double Pistolles of Spaine It came to passe in the moneth of Nouember that the Lord of Vaugrenan commanding for the king within the Towne of S. Iohn Delaune in Bourgondie ouerthrew seuenteene companies of footemen hard by the Towne of Diion wonne their colours weapons and other furniture Amongst the packets and coffers of the Barron de Tenissé who was a great leaguer and chiefe commaunder of these troupes were found certaine instructions and commissions which were sent from the Duke de Nemours to the said Barron to conferre with the Duke de Maine to this ende that Nemours might bee elected king by the estates of Parris This young Prince aymed at no other thing but soueraigntie and beeing misled by certaine euill Councellours which hee kept planted at Lyon and thereabout the foundations of his loftie purposes for the accomplishing whereof an hundreth yeares would bee farre too little but hauing builded vpon sand in fewe moneths his edefices fell downe wherewith he was confounded Now as the leaguers were promised great thinges by their estates of Parris and the partakers of Spaine held it for a most certaine troth that the Duke of Parma would returne yet the third time with puissant forces to doo some notable exployt thereby to couer the shame of his two former voyages and so to assure the Crowne of France to king Philip or to the Princesse his daughter The death of the Duke of Parma But death cut off the thrid of his life togither with his enterprises the second of December 1592. Many men thought that this blowe would rent those patches wherewith the league was attired But the Duke de Maine beeing deliuered of him of whom hee stood in doubt supposed that now the time presented it selfe wherein hee might bring his long desired purpose to effect heerevpon hee raised his Cornets of horse and did more mischiefe to Paris then before A little before these newes came hee gaue some eare to the conditions of peace which had beene happie for him if some euill counsell had not turned his mind from the same But the decease of him by whom he was ouer awed caused his humour to bee changed imagining that hee should shortly haue the title to bee Lieftenant generall to the King of Spaine in the conquest of France Therefore one of his attempts was to create the Lord de Rosne one of is chiefe familiars Marshall of France and Gouernor of the Isle of France constraining the Presidents and Councellors inclosed in Paris to receiue this Rosne into two offices which appertained to a Lord of a higher blood and estate The Parisians which before spake openly of peace and agreement durst now speake no more thereof except in secret In the feast of Christmas the Duke de Maine caused those decrees which were lately made at Chaalons against the bull of the Popes Legat to bee openly burned vpon the steps of his Pallace the Citie beeing all in armes Also the Dukes of Guise of Maine of Nemours of Sauoye the Marques of Pont wrought diuers slights to bee aduanced in the election The King of Spaine by his Agents did as much on the other side asuring himselfe that as hee had made many of the Leaguers his Pentioners so also knewe hee well that in time hee should finde opportunitie to ouerthrow and bring them all to destruction one after another and to make himselfe the absolute and supreme Lord. During these practises the king was fully resolued to assemble the principall Peeres of his Realme at Chartres to prouide and thinke vpon remedies against those euils which now beganne to present it selfe The warres continued in diuers Prouinces but slowly except in Lorraine where the Marshal de Bouillon tooke by plaine force and by a maruellous incounter the strong Towne of Dun vppon Meuse a little aboue Stenay and droue thence those of Lorraine The Duke de Maine publisheth a proclamation against the king Now for the closing vp of this yeare in the same moneth of December the Duke de Maine published a great writing intituled A declaration for the vniting againe
indeuours and by practises at Rome to ouerthrow indomage and make the D. of Neuers voyage for the king vnprofitable whom hee had sent to acknowledge his dutie to the Pope As for the Preachers belonging to the League publicke and priuately before and after the truce their discourses at Paris and other places were that the Masse which they sung before the king was but a deceit that it was impossible the King should bee conuerted that the Pope could not recatholize him that it was lawfull for the people to rise against him and his officers that it appertained to the Sorbonnists to iudge whether the Pope oght to receiue him as king And if peraduenture hee should do it neuerthelesse hee might bee held for an hereticque and one excommunicate that it was lawfull for any particular man to kill him that should say hee was revnited to the Catholicque Romaine Church These and such other propositions were made and spredde both within Paris and other places In regard of the declarations made by these estates of the League to keepe the fauour of their partakers to giue a secret touch to the kings Councellors as if they were not right Catholickes and to bring the Realme into far greater trouble then before they in their assembly the eighteenth day of August made a declaration containing these words among many others With one consent and aduise wee haue decreed established and or dained and by this present doo decree establish and ordaine that the holy and sacred generall Councell of Trent shall bee receiued published and obserued purely and simply in all places and iurisdictions of this Realme as at this present in the generall bodie of the estates wee do receiue and publish it Their oath Moreouer the same estates deuised the forme of an oath in these termes Wee promise and sweare to continue vnited togither for the defence and preseruation of the Catholicque Apostolicque and Romaine religion and to bring if it be possible this kingdome so long time afflicted to his auncient dignitie and renowme and neuer to consent for any perill or cause whatsoeuer shall come that any thing shall bee done for the aduancement of heresie or to the preiudice of our religion for defence whereof wee promise to hee obedient to the sacred decrees ordinances of our holy father and the sacred sea of Rome without euer falling away from the same Their diuision vpon the principall point But they were not vnited togither in respect of the principall poynt which was to acknowledge one king The Parisians and other townes that held for the League desired that the king of Spaines daughter might bee married to the Duke of Guise and so beeing ioyned by matrimonie they might be crowned King and Queene of France The Duke de Maine who was solicited to aduance the house of the Popes Legate made shewe to agree to so great an honour done to his Nephew but hauing accorded vpon the generall for his particular profit hee demaunded things impossible or at least so difficult that it might bee well perceiued that not esteeming the Popes or King Philips will nor the consent of the estates and chiefe of the League hee said as the Cardinall did in the Conclaue I chose myselfe Impossible it was that euer hee should come to aduance his Nephewe to the Crowne Peter Barriere atteÌpted to kill the king and is executed for the same These contentions produced the truce aboue mentioned which the Duke of Maine and his Councellours forged to breake a blowe with the partakers of Spaine and to draw new treasures into their purses This wrought the confusion of France on the one side on the other the Prelates and Sorbonnists which with the watch-word receiued from Rome had drawn the king to the Masse imagined in this sort to fish for a golden world But the leaguers thought to bring in new troubles and pernicious practises for in middest of these businesses the sixe and twentieth day of August Peter Barriere Alias Bar borne at Orleans was committed prisoner at Meleun where hee finally confessed that hee was seduced by a Capucin Fryer at Lyons by the Curat and Vicar of a certaine Parish in Paris and also by a Iesuite closely to follow the king and to murther him with a two edged knife the which was found about him He had beene intised to this parriside and was resolued to doo it chiefly about two months before and further confessed that two Priests by him nominated were also come from Lyons for the verie same intent and that he set himselfe the forwardest for the execution thereof to the ende hee might get the greatest honour thereby Hee was drawne through the streetes of Meleun where then the king was they cut off his right hand holding the murthering knife therein and after burned the same After this was done they broke his armes legges and thigh bones and in that sort laide him vppon a wheele where hee languished certaine houres till hee died then was his bodie consumed to ashes and throwne into the riuer his compleces or confederates so disguised themselues that they could not bee found or taken The Duke of Nemours Tragedie At this time was the Duke of Nemours within Lyon from whence hee would not stirre to go to the estates of the league although the Pope had giuen him commaundement the other chiefe Captaines thought it meete and his friend and seruants desired him to go hee vouchsafed not so much as to send vnto them knowing that the leaguers cast their eies altogither vpoÌ the Duke of Guise and that the Duke de Maine his brother by the mothers side crost all his purposes and would worke all meanes for his death A certaine bolde Eryer of Lyon perceiuing well that this yong Prince pretented to bring some new matter to passe within the league whereby at least hee might haue some great hand in the gouernment by the aduice of two or three Councellours who were of his complecies hee compassed Lyon with many fortresses which held on his side at Toissai Vienne Montbrison Chastillon de Dombes Belleuille Tisi Charlieu and other places Quirieu forsaking him hee bought it with a great sum of mony at the hands of the Lord of Saint Iulian which was Gouernour thereof This done Lyon was inclosed as well by water as by land The Lyonnois did not withstand neither his prodigallities nor his Councellours nor his men of warre which forraged the plaine countrie receiuing the guerdon of their reuolt from the kings obedience In the end acknowledging themselues they rose vp against the Duke of Nemours assisted by the counsell and presence of their Archbishop sent by the Duke de Maine and the eighteenth of September they tooke holde of Nemours who was seene three times at deaths doore committing him to close prison where hee continued certaine moneths and at last escaping by cunning meanes spoyled of his succours chased from his Fortresses hee went and died farre from France in
chambers assembled hath declared and doth declare all acts decrees ordinances and oathes giuen made or readie to bee made since the 29. of December 1588. to the preiudice of the authoritie giuen to our kings and lawes of the Realme to be set and extorted by force and violence and as such we reuoke repeale and disanull them ordaining that they shall remaine abolished and of no force and especially that which hath beene made against the honour of the deceased king Henry the third as well those in his life time as since his death to be nothing forbidding al persons to speake of his memorie otherwise then wel or honourably And further wee ordaine that the detestable murther committed vpon his royall person shall bee informed and proceeded against extraordinarily against all such as shall be found guiltie therein And the saide Court hath reuoked and doth reuoke the power heretofore graunted to the Duke de Maine vnder the title of the Lieftenant generall of the estate and Crowne of France Forbidding al persons of what estate or condition soeuer they be to acknowledge him by that title or to shewe him any obeysance fauour comfort or ayde on paine to bee punished as guiltie of treason in the highest degree And on the same paine inioyneth the said Duke de Maine and other Princes of the house of Lorraine to acknowledge king Henry the fourth of that name King of France and Nauarre for their king and soueraigne Lorde and to giue vnto him such seruice and obedience as to him is due And that all other Princes Lords Townes Communalties and particularities shall giue ouer the pretended part of the League whereof the Duke de Maine was made chiefe and to render vnto the King all obedience and fidelitie on paine to haue the said Princes Lords and Gentlemen to bee disgraded of their Nobilitie and to bee declared outlawes both them and their posteritie with the confiscation of bodie and goodes racing and destroying of their Townes castles and manners which shall bee disobedient to the commandement and pleasure of the king And this Court hath broken and repealed and by this present do breake and repeale all that which hath beene done inacted and ordained by the pretended Deputies of the assembly held in this Citie of Paris vnder the name of the generall estates of this kingdome as of no effect or force beeing made by priuate persons who were for the most part practisers with the factious sort of the Realm and partakers with the Spaniards hauing no lawful power or authoritie Forbidding also the said pretended Deputies from henceforth neuer to take the like vpon them againe and no more to make assemblies either in this Citie or any other on paine to bee punished as disturbers of the publicke peace and guiltie of treason toward his Maiestie And wee enioyne all these pretended Deputies which are at this present within the Citie of Paris to depart each one to his owne house there to liue as subiects vnder the kings lawes and to bee sworne to their fidelitie before the iudges and Magistrates of those parts It is also ordained and by these presents were doo ordaine that all processions and solemnities tollerared during these troubles all occasions of them shall cease and in steade of them the two and twentieth day of March shall bee for euer solemnized on the which day generall processions shall bee made after the accustomed manner assisted by the said Court of Parliament in their scarlet robes in remembrance of the most happy deliuerance of this Cittie on that day from all her miseries and the bringing thereof vnder the kings obedience with thanksgiuing vnto God for the same At the same time the king published a declaration wherein all the shifts and deceits of the Captaines of the league were discouered and his loue and great good will toward the Parisians to whom hee forgaue all matters past restored all their customes and priuiledges obtained new fauors and shewed a most fatherly affection towarde them which was most pleasing to the people which drew many other townes from the league to humble themselues to his highnesse Three weekes after the Rector of the Vniuersitie the Deane and the Doctors of Sorbonne the Deanes and Doctors of other faculties in briefe all the members officers and substitudes of the Vniuersities of their owne minde assembled went all to humble themselues to the king which was then in the Chappell of Bourbon where they all fell prostrate on the ground before him acknowledging him their onely true and naturall Prince shewing with a most heartie affection well witnessing their loue that they were readie to take what oath it pleased him to confirme them to his subiection hee receiued them and with great benignitie sent them away The moneths of April and May were spent in receiuing and answering supplications from the Townes and Commons in diuers Prouinces and in drawing Lordes Gentlemen Captains and other principall members of the league vnder the kings subiection who pardoned all in such sort that the League resembled Isopes Choffe Warre in Picardy against the league There remained some Townes in Picardie which were solde through the meanes of the most factious of that part The king besieged Laon and certaine other Townes which the Spaniards assayed to warrant and keepe But their succours hauing been ouerthrowne in diuers incounters where they lost more then fiue hundreth men at last Laon yeelded to the king and so likewise the others Soissons and Fere excepted which were possest by the Duke of Maine and the Spaniardes who also at the same time became Maisters of Chapelle a little Towne in the Duchie of Thierasche The Duke of Maine ranne to Bruxelles for fresh supplies He receiued a good summe of mony but not sufficient to withstand the kings prosperous proceeding who then receiued into grace and fauour the Duke of Guise and his brother giuing since to the said Duke the gouernment of Prouence The Duke de Maine who could do nothing in Picardie hauing left good garrisons within Soissons hee closely trauelled into the Duchie of Bourgondy that hee might assure those places to himselfe which hee knew yet to hold for the league Now let vs turne againe to Paris where they beganne a new warre The Iesuites hauing in former times stood against sundrie purposes of the Vniuersitie whom they had set out in their colours shewing that this sect is the most execreable of al others by the helpe of such which had to do with those people for the executing of their great and most vnfortunate enterprises And in the end since the day of the Barricadoes had imperiously commaunded within Parris vsed infinit practises to aduance the Spaniards in France kindled the fire of sedition in all the principall towns in the kingdome defaming in their sermons and confessions the memorie of the deceased king and the Maiestie of him now raigning whose fame was by them spotted in the vildest manner they could deuise and
finally had indeuoured to kill the king by the meanes of Barriere who was executed at Meleun as hee deposed a little before his death These considerations were cause that the first resolution taken by the Vniuersitie of Paris since the Citties reduction was to require the banishing of the Iesuites To this effect a supplication was presented to the Court of Parliament who hauing a certaine time despised the authoritie thereof in the end constrained by an act made the seuenth of Iuly containing that the indightment which was to be giuen against them should be heard the Monday following in a publicque audience to be iudged in open field they did that day entertaine their Aduocates and men of law in the great chamber before the audience were readie who did declare that to defend the cause on their behalfe he was constrained to say many hard things against diuers that were knowne to bee the kings true seruaunts and for this occasion they requested that the cause might bee pleaded within doores This deuice was made to hinder the people from the cleare knowledge of the corrupt and pernicious purposes of the Iesuites pretending to make all Europe subiect to the Spaniards but for as much as they had obtained their request this inuention had no such successe as they looked for For all their pleadings which were done close within doores was afterward openly published in print where the Aduocates of the vniuersitie men learned and deepely affectioned to the Romaine Church did particularly represent and discouer to the full the horrible wicked and insupportable malice of that sect But the deciding of the matter was suspended Gods prouidence reseruing the same to an othertime which came sooner then many looked for The Spaniards being desirous to continue the fire of discention in France instantly solicited the Duke de Mercoeur Warres in Britaine one of the chiefe of the league and an vsurper of a part of the Duchie of Brittaine alwaies to continue warre His sister Loyse of Vaudemont king Henry the thirds widdow did all shee might to make his peace Certaine troubles hapning in the meane time broke all that was done The Spaniards which were Maisters of Blauet a Fortresse almost inuincible had builded during the Sommer of the yeare 1594. a strong Fort neare vnto Croysil to stoppeâ he enterance to the port of Brest which would haue beene better for them if they had made another right against it and on the other side of the hauen Sir Iohn Norris Captaine Forbisher To hinder them came the Marshall d'Aumont and S. Iohn Norris Generall of the Englishmen to whom was sent a supply by sea vnder the conduct of Captaine Forbisher they soone became Maisters of Quimpercorencin and of the Towne and Castle of Morlay Soone after they assailed the Spaniards new fort and slew foure hundreth souldiers that kept it not without losse of their own men among other the said Forbisher The king on the other side deliberating to make war out of his own realm against the Spaniards agreed with the States of Holland and their confederates to beginne in the Duchie of Luxembourg where the Marshall of Bouillon who married one of the daughters of the deceased Prince of Orange and Earle Philip of Nassau assayed to enter in the moneth of October where they found all the passages shut vp and Earle Charles of Mansfield making head against them especially on the troupes of Holland The king on the other side sought to ouerrunne the frontiers of Picardie and gaue the estates of Artois and Hainaut to vnderstand that if they fauoured him so little to suffer the Spanish forces to molest Cambray and the countries adioyning that hee would then make warre vppon them incontinent This message beeing sent in writing from Amiens by a Trumpetter about the midst of December the estates knew not what to say vnto it and before they would make answere they opened the matter vnto the Arch-duke Ernest the king of Spaines Lieftenant in the lowe Countries whom they intreated that the warre might not continue perceiuing the desolations that were like to follow therevppon and that which had alreadie afflicted them but this Prince who deceased shortly after could neither doo any thing for himselfe nor in their behalfe The seuen and twentieth of December as the king was returning from Picardie to Parris readie booted and spurd within a chamber at Louure hauing about him his cousins the Prince of Countie the Earle of Soissons the Earle of Saint Paul and thirtie or fortie other Lords Gentlemen of his Court there came also in the Lords of Ragne and Montigni who had not as yet taken their leaue of his Maiestie And euen as hee was receiuing them Iohn Chastill attempteth to kil the king hurts him in the mouth and is for the same put to death and in Princely manner kissing them for his farewell a young stripling named Iohn Chastill of a small stature and about eighteene or nineteene yeares of age a Drapers sonne of Parris who was slid into the chamber among the preace drew neare vnto the king before hee was almost perceiued of any bodie and suddainly would haue smote him in the bodie with a knife which hee had in his hand but by reason that his Ma. was verie readie to take vp the Lords which were on their knees before him in his stooping hee strooke him in the face on the vpper iaw on the right side therewithall cutting out one of his teeth Presently this miserable catiue was taken and after hee would haue excused the deed incontinent vppon examination hee confessed the whole trueth voluntarily and without compulcion The king commaunded the Captaine of his guard that had taken him after that hee had throwne his knife to the ground to let him go saying that hee freely forgaue him But afterward vnderstanding that he was a scholler to the Iesuites he said And must it needs be that the Iesuites should bee confounded by my mouth This Parriside beeing brought vnto the Bishops prison freely declared the circumstance of his euill intent discouering many of the Iesuites secret practises Among many other things hee remembred that he heard the fathers of that holy societie say that it was lawfull to kill the king that hee was excommunicate out of the Church that hee was not to bee obeyed nor to be taken for their king vntill such time as he was allowed by the Pope The Court of Parliament coÌdemning this Chastil of treason in the highest degree caused him honourably to be brought naked in his shirt before the principal gate of the Cathedrall Church in Parris holding in his hand a taper of waxe lighted of two pound waight and there on his knees to confesse and declare that most wickedly and traiterously hee had attempted this most inhumane and most traiterous parriside hauing hurt the king with a knife in the face That by false and damnable instructions hee had maintained by argument that it was lawfull to
kill these kings and that king Henry the fourth at that present raigning was not of the Church till such time he was allowed by the Pope of all which hee repented himselfe asking forgiuenesse of God of the King and of the lawes which done hee was conueyed vnto the place of execution carrying in his hand the murthering knife wherewith hee intended to murther the king the which was there first cut off his flesh puld off with hotte burning pincers hoth from his armes and thighes after that his bodie was drawne and halde in peeces with foure horses and his quarters cast into the fire and consumed to ashes and the ashes scattered in the winde Moreouer by the same act of Parliament it was forbidden to all persons of what estate condition or quallitie soeuer they were on paine to be punished as traitors to say or publish in any place whatsoeuer the aforesaid slaunder to witte that the king was not of the Church till hee had the Popes allowance or approbation or that it was lawfull to kill the kings By which they Henry 3. Henry 4. vnderstood kings that were not authorised by the Pope In what reputatioÌ were the Iesuites before the first ParliameÌt in FraÌce The Court hauing declared the said reports to be scandelous seditious contrarie to the word of God and condemned as false and hereticall by all holy decrees Ordaining also that all the Priests and Schollers of Clermont Colledge and all other of the same societie of Iesus to bee held and reputed as corrupters of youth disturbers of the publicke peace enemies to the king and the estate to auoyde within three daies after the proclamation of the said Edict out of Parris and all other places and Townes where their Colledges are and within fifteene daies after out of the kingdome on paine that being found or taken after the said time prefixed to be punished as guiltie of the said crime of treason That their goodes mooueable and immooueable shall be forfeited and imployed as the said Court shall giue order Forbidding moreouer from thencefoorth all the kings subiects to send their children to any Colledges of that societie out of the kingdome to bee their instructed or trained vppe on the same paine to bee punished as guiltie of high treason This Edict was pronounced to Iohn Chastel executed on thursday the 29. of December During the imprisonment of Chastel some of the Deputies of the Court which were sent to search the Iesuites Colledges hauing seized vppon many papers found among them certaine written bookes made by a Iesuite Priest named Iohn Guignard since the generall pardon giuen by the King to the people of Parris there was written in these bookes many vilde matters both against Henry the third deceased as against Henry the fourth now liuing containing nothing but traiterous practises among the rest these words were found The king was born at Bern for which cause they cal him Bernois That the Bernois being now conuerted to the Catholicke faith was more gently vsed then he deserued that if they would inuest him with the royall Crown they shuld do it in some wel reformed couent wher hee might doo penance for all the euils which hee hath done in France that thankes might be also giuen to God for that hee had giuen him grace to acknowledge his wickednesse before his death That if he might not be deposed without war they ought to war against him and to kill him if he did not otherwise That the Crowne of France ought to be transferred to an other familie then that of Bourbon That Iames Clement did an heroicall act in murthering Henry the third The Court hauing seene such writings sent for Guignard before them who auouched all he had written by meanes whereof he was found guiltie and condemned to be hanged to death which thing was executed the seuenth of Ianuarie Peter Chastel father to Iohn and Iohn Gueret Schoolemaister or Tutor to the young traitor were the same time banished the father for a certaine time out of Parris the tutor for euer out of the realm not to returne on paine of death Moreouer the father was condemned to pay for a fine 2000. Crowns and commadement giuen that his house shuld he puld downe to the ground and a stone piller set in the place where it did stand with an inscription of the cause wherfore it was thus raced The court at that time did again looke ouer Peter Barrieres iudgements wherin the wicked counsel of Varade a notable Iesuite was more throughly marked who had principally and more then any other induced Barriere to kil the K. whom he called tyrant It was also testified that two Switzers passing by Besancon a fewe daies before Chastelles deede was attempted did meet two men attired like Iesuites who said one to the other for shortly the king of Nauarre shall bee either slaine or hurt which deede they esteemed most meritorious in the kingdome of heauen It was also noted that a Iubelie had bin published at Rome which the kings enemies called a peece of ordenance to confound the Bernois as if it had been a good worke the same was also vnderstood by the Spaniards lately arriued in Brittain to succor the rebels This was also hoped for by the Iesuits namely by those that were at Paris some of whom as their Colledges were inuironed about with watchmen incontinent after the king was hurt cried at their gates to their companions in these words Surge frater agitur de religione There were also found among these Iesuites many Anagrames against the king and certain rimes made in their Chases wherof the argument was to suffer death constantly and to assaile the tyrants Againe there was it found that the Maisters of the Colledges of Clermont depriued and forbad the Schollers at any time to pray for the king since the yeelding of Parris to his Maiestie saying that all such as went to heare his Masse were excommunicate Moreouer it was prooued and iustified against an other Iesuite a Scotchman named Alexander Haius that hee taught the people publickly that they might dissemble and obey the King for a time oftentimes faintly speaking these words Iesuita est omnis homo This Iesuite was also charged that he had oftentimes vsed these speeches that if the king did at any time passe before their Colledge that hee would fall out of the window vpon him to the end he might breake his necke On these accusations his inditements being drawne and that his words were found to bee spoken before the yeelding of Parris the Court did onely banish him out of the Realme of France for euer It appeared also by other informations sent from Bourges made the seuenth of Ianuarie that one named Francis Iacobe a Scholler of the Iesuites at Bourges vanted that he wold kill the King but that he thought he was dead alreadie thinking that an other had done the deed In consideration of these matters aforesaid and other prooues
credit The kings word giuen to the princes to intrap them This aunswere made those of Guise to seeke another course and therevppon dispatched an other message whereby the King sent word vnto the Princes that they might without all feare come vnto him and returne again when they thought good assuring them by the word of a King that nothing should be done or attempted against their persons in any sort whatsoeuer that he would peaceably heare both their causes and instifications without committing them to prison or once making proces against them that his desire was onely to haue an answereby word of mouth touching the poynts wherewith the Prince was charged which the King could not in any sort beleeue and to conclude that they should bee receiued and vsed according to their estates and dignities yea and that they should haue their places restored that of order and custome belonged vnto them touching the mannaging of the affaires of the land to the end to haue their counselles and aduise thereby to reduce all thinges into a good and polliticke order They were betraied by Amaury Bouchart Chancellor of Nauarre without any troubling or molesting the Prince concerning the religion which hee professed The like letters were written vnto them by the Queene-mother At the first the King of Nauarre had a good courage but hauing heard that the affaires in Lyonnois Dauphin had succeeded otherwise then he esteemed begunne to drawe backe although the Deputies of the Prouinces offered to assemble their troupes for his securitie before the French launciers had stopped the passages or if he found that not to be expedient they promised to assemble themselues in all places to strengthen him when hee should go vnto the Parliament He had a Chancellour named Amaury Bouchart Maister of Requests vnto the king who from the beginning had beene very earnest to mooue him to hearken vnto the declarations and requests daylie made vnto him from all the parts of the Realme but this Bouchart hauing heard that the enterprise made against Lyons by Maligny had taken an other effect then he expected wrote secretly vnto the king desiring him to separate the Prince of Conde from the king of Nauarre his brother because that without ceasing hee neuer left off to solicite him to doo diuers things against his Maiesties officers as also to trouble the Realme at the onely instance of certaine Lutherians and Preachers that came from Geneua wherevnto hee said his maister would by no meanes hearken but that it was to bee feared that in the end by long and importunate sute he would diuert him whereof hee said hee could not chuse but aduertise his Maiestie whose most humble natural and faithful subiect hee was and alwaies would bee as also one of the Ministers of his iustice Hee wrote other letters of the same effect vnto the Cardinall promising him by word of mouth to certifie him of certaine things of great importance which as then hee durst not write and to conclude hee promised him the meanes to giue him intelligence how and in what sort hee should deuise and frame proces against the greatest Lords of the Realme Speaking of Geneua hee ment Theodore de Beza whom the King had expressely sent for by the counsell of the said Bouchart himselfe to meete with diuers other notable personages from all the parts of France whose aduise specially of Beza was in any sort to procure that the conclusion of Fontainbleau touching the assembly of the Estates should bee obserued and fully executed But that aduise was not followed and that touching Beza hee returned with great daunger of his person hauing begun to preach publikely in Nerac where the king of Nauarre in person was assistant Some were of opinion that Iarnac who had wholly withdrawn himselfe from the Princes with S. Foy his brother before that Lieftenant of the company of launciers belonging to the Prince of Conde had practised with Bouchart to write those letters They determine to go to the king The Princes giuing credite vnto the kings word and vpon the protestations and promises made vnto them by his Agents and among others the Cardinal of Bourbon his brother sent expressely vnto them accepted the Kings offer and hauing writteÌ vnto the king that they would ride to Orleans with a small traine before the assembly of the Estates should bee prepared And beeing at Limoges they were presently visited by diuers Lords and Gentlemen to the number of seuen or eight hundreth well mounted and armed at all poyntes they made them offer of sixe thousand footemen out of Gascon Poicton mustered and reaeie to march 4000. both on horse and foote out of Languedoc and as many or more out of Normandie with ful assurance of the good willes of most part of the men at armes or launciers and presents of mony so it would please the king of Nauarre to declare himselfe Protector of the King and of the Realme against the house of Guise But the euill seruants which as then attended on him as Descars and his companions for Bouchart had withdrawn himselfe gaue him so many alarmes deuised such inconueniences vnder pretence that they did not deliuer vnto theÌ a summe of mony of three or foure hundreth thousand crownes to looke better into those affaires that beeing at Vertueil where another good Agent being the Cardinall of Armaignac came vnto him hee dismissed all his company and countermanded those that were comming with many thankes and promises most earnestly to imploy himselfe in the Parliament for the good and benefit of all the Estates of France They hauing shewed him many reasons for the same and desired that at the least the Prince of Conde might stay behinde thereby to hold their enemies insuspence he answered that their innocencie should suffice that it was no easie matter to put the Princes of the blood to death that if their liues were taken away they would receiue their deaths with patience that God had meanes sufficient to deliuer the Realme of France which that they should bee the cause of the losse and ruine of so many honest men that desired to ioyne with them The Princesse of Conde a Lady for her time as wise vertuous as any could be found vsed all the meanes shee could to diswade her husband from that voyage but all in vaine the Lords and Gentlemen that had accompanied the Princes being vppon the poynt of their retract after many humble congratulations protested that by those meanes being so vnfortunately destituted of their heads yet they doubted not but that God would raise them others thereby to saue and deliuer them from the oppression of Lyrants Those words vsed in the presence of their secret seruants being rehearsed to those of Guise were causes to hang newe belles at their eares and in the meane time vnderstanding that the Princes were alreadie entered into their iourney they caused Monsieur de Mompesat one of their confederates in the kings name
expressely to forbid the Princes comming vnto the court vppon paine of death not to enter into any of the kings walled Townes as then they were alreadie inclosed among the forces of their enemies vnder the conduct of Marshall de Termes The Cardinall d'Armaignac Descars and others vntrustie seruants made the king of Nauarre beleeue that this verball commaundement of Montpesat was onely but a meere brauado of those of Guise which both the king and his mother would disauouch The Princes refusing all aduertisements went vnto Orleans The Princes hauing past Chastelleraut were more certainly aduertised of their michiefe to come and counselled to keepe the high waies because of diuers Ambassadours that were appoynted and set to kill them if they once went out of the way vnder pretence that they sought to saue themselues and at the same time means was offered vnto them to bring them vnto Anger 's and so into Normandie where they shuld want nothing but they continued in their first resolution trauelling by easie iourneyes and it seemed that one of the bretheren was as a Prouost Marshall that ledde the other to prison Therevpon those of Guise led the king to Orleans thither calling al the Nobilitie men of armes which made both young and olde to thinke that some pretence was ment against the Sates but by a rumour spred abroad it was said that all those forces beeing assembled and brought togither was to assiege and chastice Orleans whereof the principal Citizens were registred in the Criminal bookes to passe the daunger and by their confiscations to grease the hands of diuers hungrie Courtiers vnder pretence that they had beene of the enterprise of Amboise Rigorous dealing towards those of Orleans For this cause Mansieur de Sipierre a slaue to those of Guise appoynted for Lieftenant to the Prince de la Roche Suryon Gouernour of Orleans being arriued in the Towne about the beginning of October disarmed the Inhabitants filled such houses as were suspected with Souldiers and committed the custodie of the Gates vnto the Sheriffes The Prince their Gouernour beeing entered therein about the twelfth of the same month and receiued with honour by the principall Cittizens aduertised them that the king would make his entrie therein vppon the seuenteenth day ensuing which terme beeing prolonged for the space of one day vppon the eighteenth hee made his enterie The troupes of the Towne being in number about foure thousand men to whom they had restored their armes onely their Bastianadoes the principall Cittizens following in good order and all the streets hanged with Tapistrie and other hangings The king beheld all those troupes passing along through the Subburbes which beeing reentered into the Towne hee mounted on horsebacke riding vnder a Canapie of cloth of Gold and so went straight vnto the Church and being on the way his horse stumbled in such maner that he had surely fallen if he had not presently bin relieued After dinner al the troupes went to meet the Queene who likewise made an honourable and braue entrie but those of Guise were at neither of both fearing as some say to meete with some desperate fellow that might hurt them because a Magician in Rome had shewed the Cardinall that both hee and his brother should die a violent death The arriuall of the Princes in Orleans and bow they were receiued The Euen before all Saints day beeing the last of October the Princes trusting to their innocencies and reposing themselues vpon the grace of God to whom they recommended themselues as also caused al those of the religion by praiers to doo the like arriued at Orleans and past from the beginning of the gate vntil they came to the kings lodging in the Estappe through diuers souldiers all footemen ranged along in rankes so close togither all armed that all that long way not any man could passe betweene them Not one Courtier nor Townes-man stepped foorth to meete them onely the Cardinall de Bourbon and the Prince de la Roche Suryon who by expresse licence had obtained that fauour receiued them The king of Nauarre according to the custome desiring to enter on horsebacke within the Court Gate was put backe with a rude aunswere that the great Gates might not bee opened they being then constrained to light went into the king that stayed for them in the great Hall accompanied with his vncles of Guise and other Courtiers whereof not one of them once stepped forward to meete them Their entertainment was but meane and after due and solemne reuerence night grewe on which caused the king to go into his mothers Chamber followed onely by the Princes those of Guise not once seeking to enter The Queen mother hauing receiued them with the water standing in her eyes the king speaking vnto the Prince of Conde said hee had beene aduertised from diuers places The Kings speech to the Prince of Conde The Princes answere that hee sought to make diuers enterprises against him and the State of his Realme for the which cause he had sent for him to heare what hee could say by word of mouth The Prince that neither wanted courage nor audacitie aunswered boldly in his owne defence and in such sort discouered those of Guise his enemies His imprisonment that the king could not otherwise iudge but that great wrong and iniurie was offered vnto his blood neuerthelesse according to the conclusion made before his arriuall the king commaunded Chauigny Captaine of the guard expressely sent thither by those of Guise to take the Prince which hee did and ledde him prisoner vnto a house not farre from thence before the which there was erected a Fort of Bricke fluncard and filled with field-peeces and diuers cannoniers to keepe them which peeces beate along three streetes whereby it was able to defend all men from comming neare vnto the prison The windowes of his chamber were closed vppe and he was kept so straightly that no man spake vnto him but onely his Chamberlaine The king of Nauarre desired that his brother might bee committed vnto his charge The entertainment of the King of Nauarre and others and hee would gage his life for his foorth comming but it was refused him and touching himselfe his guard was taken from him and still hauing watch about him both by night and day At the same time certaine were sent to cease vpon Madame du Roye mother in lawe to the Prince being in her house of Anicy in Picardie from whence with great rigor she was brought vnto Saint Germains by Monsieur de Renouart and de Caronges executers of that commission They likewise sorgot not the Councellour la Haye at Parris as one that dealt for the Prince such as were his faithfull friends within Orleans withdrew themselues out of the daunger Bonchart Chauncellour to the king of Nauarre at the same time was taken in his owne house by Iarnac who in shewe made great apparance of disliking Bouchart threatning him in presence
One that published a discourse of his last speechs saith that not long before hee died hee desired his mother to pursue his enemies to the vttermost and that with great vehemencie he reiterated his speeches saying Madame I pray you heartily do it And in those combats of minde hee died at Blois Saint Vincennes vpon the 30. of May 1574. in the presence of his mother set vpon a chest accompanied with the Cardinals of Bourbon Ferrare the Chancellor Birague Lansac other Lords that beheld the end of the tragical life of this Prince that was born the 27. of Iune 1550. began to raigne the 5. of Decemb. 1560 and had a raigne which all posteritie will admire and abhorre So this Prince liued not till hee attained to the full age of foure and twentie yeares of nature beeing very actiue vnconstant in his cogitations rash in his enterprises impatient to attend diligent to looke into other mens natures prompt of conceit of good memorie extreame colloricke secret a great dissembler and one that easily framed his countenance Description of Charles the ninth which his Tutors many times put him in minde of for in the beginning hee was courteous and easie to bee ruled They likewise made him become one of the greatest blasphemers in France wherein he became so expert that that euill quallitie in him conuerted to bee his ordinarie speech Martigues Losses and others taught him that corruption by his mothers consent specially after the first troubles They contented not themselues with those corruptions but inticed him likewise to Courtizans to whom of himself he was not much adicted and to conclude to make him the capitall enemie of the religion both shee and they which ought to haue had more care of conseruing the honour of this Prince left nothing omitted wherby to push him forward to all vice to cause him to wallow in the filthinesse that couered him on all sides hee vttered his words in good termes with a readie and pleasant speech loued Musicke and Poetrie wee haue seene reasonable good verses of his composing But his principall exercise was in hunting the pleasure whereof made him forget all other pleasures and in the end hee gaue himselfe so much vnto it that the blood of wilde beasts which to shed hee tooke a singular pleasure hauing ript vp their bellies pulling out their intrailes with his owne hands made him in a manner to become furious so that many times at his returne from hunting hee entered into such furie that none of his seruants durst once appeare in his sight vnlesse would receiue some blows In his Anagranome which was deuised by certaine persons after the massacre was found out these two words Chasseur Desloyal wherein are as many letters and the same that are in Charles de Valois Hee had composed a booke of all the parts of bunting which till this time neuer was extant hee was sober drinking no wine slept little his visage long pale and swart a long nose sharpe and quicke sight specially after the second troubles of bodie well proportioned but beginning to stoupe Hee tooke pleasure to taunt great men not sparing either mother or bretheren specially the Duke of Aniou whom hee railed at and diuers times vsed him most vnwoorthily but aboue all hee had a great quarrell to the Parliament of Parris to the officers whereof in one of his Orations made touching the complaints of the neglecting of his commaundements hee said I will that from hencefoorth you shall obey my commaundement without any more disputation touching their merites for I know what is to bee done for the honour and profite of my realme better then you do And I will that from hencefoorth you shall not loose any time to write or frame your declaration vnto mee neither yet to moderate correct nor interpret my commaundements For my meaning is that all whatsoeuer I say and do shal presently bee executed Three daies before hee died his mother hauing shewed him of the taking of the Countie de Montgommery hee made her no aunswere and when shee told him that hee ought to reioyce at the taking of him that had killed his father I care neither for that said hee nor for any thing else in this world Hee likewise reioyced that hee left no small children behinde him because said he that leauing them in their minorities they should haue ouer much to suffer adding that France as then had neede of a man Now wee must speake of his successour and see what maner of man hee was Heere endeth the Historie of the last troubles that happened in the raigne of Charles the ninth A BRIEFE DISCOVRSE OF THE GREAT AND WONDERFVL EFFECTS THAT HAVE ENSVED THE KINGS CONVERSION Collected out of a certaine Oration made touching the reduction of the Cittie of Lyons vnder the kings obedience and sent to Monsieur de Reuol Councellour and Secretarie to the King THere was neuer any straunge or new accident how acceptable and pleasing soeuer it might bee that in all places or with all men was esteemed and holden in admiration for that euery man therein will giue censure according to his owne affection I speake this in respect of the mournfull silence which the reduction of the Cittie of Lyons hath inserted into the mindes of many men and the ioye it hath infused into the hearts and very entrailes of others for that therein I neuer spake with any man that would once conceiue the true cause and reason thereof which forceth mee at this present to enter into this discourse wherein so fit occasion beeing offered if it please you to giue me audience and permit me licence to speake I will in briefe most plainly shew that it is onely the miraculous and mightie worke of Gods hand which hath wrought the same although per aduenture this kinde of argument pleaseth not such men as are onely pleased with our displeasures and in a manner faint and are ouercome with the meere ayre and sweete sauour of the flower de luce It is long since agreed and consented vnto that Henry de Bourbon chiefe Prince of the blood royall and principall Peere of France by true discent by order of succession by right of blood and by custome and law of the Realme is called to the Crowne and gouernment of France which first quallitie is in him so true and perfect that none or fewe of his famous predecessors euer had more euident titles therevnto He is a Frenchman from his Grandfathers in both families and not onely a meere Frenchman but on his fathers side of the first branch of the blood royall the like on his mothers side by his father not onely descended from Saint Lewis or Hugh Capet but from Charles and Dagobert of whom the Capets descended contrarie to the wilfull ignorance of such as would prooue his familie to bee meere straungers and by his mother from the Alberts kings of Nauarre who successiuely were of the house of France and
by the marriages of daughters capable by succession to the kingdome of Nauarre And for such hee was esteemed and accounted vntil the death of the Duke of Alencon the kings brother VVhen presently the good olde Cardinall of Bourbon was titled in the head and made beleeue that in the age of sixtie yeares hee should liue and succeede a king who beside his yong yeares and strength of bodie liued not in any such disordered maner whereby hee should once haue occasion to thinke vpon his successor for it was shewed him that hee was the first Prince of the blood and that the right of inheritance and succession consisted in his person But when this deuise was found too weake and the absurditie too much discouered thereby seeking to impugne or deny the king of Nauarre to be the chief and eldest branch of his house in the right and title of his father who in a manner liued in him besides the reuocation by his vncle made vnto him of all rights names voyces and actions whatsoeuer both present and to come that might appertaine or belong vnto him as beeing issued from the house of Bourbon expresly acknowledging the said king of Nauarre his Nephew for the true sonne heire successor and representation of the chiefe branch of the said house they inuented other obiections and subtile pollicies that vnder those pretences they might bleare the eyes of the common and simple people affirming the Crowne of France to bee vacant and so belonged to the first Conqueror aâleaging for reason that as in the populer successions of common people such as are of the kindred and familie of any houses beeing in the tenth degree of consanguinitie cannot bee heires of their kinsmans lands so farre in discent from them and therby the inheritance falleth into the Lords hands and that so the house of Bourbon had no title or any right to the Crowne of France as beeing in the tenth degree of consanguinitie from it wherof they caused diuers discourses and whole volumes to bee written But that not beeing able to bee beaten into the heads of true Frenchmen nor once set footing or enter into the opinions of the commun people altogither incapable of such Sophisteries they beganne to enter into an other course of iniuries accusations and inuections wherein they contented not themselues onely to crie out and make war against the said king and to produce and cause to bee published a perpetuall incapacitie in his person and that without the Popes consent but they accused him of treason they condemned him they named him vnwoorthie and incapable to rule in France they assembled all the estates of France at Blois wherein a manner they vtterly reiected him euery man shewed to bee his enemie if not in his right and title yet touching the religion which hee then held and finally went about to frame his proces But to the contrarie those that pursued him were themselues executed before they heard their condemnation or iudgement In this maner the fire beganne to bee kindled in all the foure quarters of the realme and the blow was of such force that all neighbour Princes were mooued there at such as were offended arming themselues to bee reuenged and the people in a manner led by a furie helping them and with them turned their faces against the king whereof the Towne of Parris was the first and by example therof all the Towns in lesse then 6. weeks made that great strange coÌmotion that continued for the space of fiue whole yeares ensuing Shee mooued them to this dissention by the smooth and speciall reasons by her alleaged against heresie periurie and tiranny coniuring them by dutie to their countrie and by the loue they ought to beare to the preseruation thereof to ioyne with her in so iust a cause and to passe one of these two waies hauing no other meanes either to bee vanquishers or die in the quarrell rather then to submit themselues to the king And among the rest the Cittie of Lyons neuer inferiour to any Cittie in the world touching fidelitie and obedience to their kings that had no other obiect then onely zeale of religion in the defence whereof it espied many euident and mortall signes suffered it selfe to bee borne away among this troupe not once considering or apprehending the multitude of miseries by her after that indured And in this manner the warres beganne with so straunge an alteration and motion of all estates yea euen of the very pillers of the land and the reuolt was such that in fine the royaltie of the king was reduced to a small corner of the countrie about Tours and Blois where without doubt the league had buried it if suddainly the king of Nauarre had not ayded him who therevpon tooke courage againe hauing on his side the Hercules of France scourge of rebels to their Prince but when this disordered and great mutinie beganne somewhat to decline and that the presence and authoritie of the Soueraigne Prince held the most assured within the bounds of their duties and that Parris perceiued it self in way and course of extreame desolation suddainly the king was slaine And then O the great and deepe iudgements of God hee that about three moneths before had passed ther riuer of Loire onely with foure hundreth horse a thousand shot and certaine pikes was presently made chiefe soueraigne and commaunder of a most faire and great armie to whom the Magistrates and Officers of the Crowne and all the Nobilitie yeelded their obedience thereby seeking to impeach the desolation and ouerthrow of the whole estate and to preferre the dutie of naturall fidelitie before the vaine hope of straungers and the last hazard of the rest and suretie of their liues and goods And so behold him king that not seuen moneths before had been depriued of the title of the first Prince of the blood and of the hope of the name Sacrying and Crowne of the Princes his auncestors that had so many times beene driuen from the Court that in foure yeares had seene tenne armies and tenne Generals to a king marching before the heads of the forces of the greatest Prince of the most warrelike nation in all the world against him that after the ouerthrow of a great forraine power had withdrawne himselfe into a corner of the Realme without land men or mony and a Prince altogither poore vnlesse it were in hope He that had been declared vnable for the Crowne that had beene made one of the Cardinall of Bourbons retinue that was no more acknowledged to be of the race or progenie of S. Lewis as beeing ten degrees in consanguinitie from it he that the countrie of Spaine esteemed the subiect of all our miseries who in the life of âur kings was the only argument of all the tragedies that had been acted in the countrie of France he that thought not to haue succeded a king being in the flower of his liuely and gallant youth that had bin an occasion to