intervals though he did not see them that they should presently fly for their lives And at the same instant two of those who had betaken themselves to Mus come and having got notice of the Enemies approach advise the Minister of the Church and the rest of those few Guards that as we said were left with the Women to be gone having shewed them a steep way through the Wood by which they might escape all danger in their flight Hardly were these gone when the raging Soldiers came in shouting and making a heavy noise and with drawn Swords preparing for the butchâ—ry However at that time they forbear to kill but having committed many insolencies and robbed the poor things of all their Money and Provisions they carry them away Prisoners They had purposed to have used them more basely but a Captain of Horse prevented it who by chance coming in threatned them and commanded them to march streight to Meinier so that they proceeded no farther but leaving the Women there who were about five hundred in number they carry off the Cattel and Booty In the mean time Meinier came to Merindole and finding it forsaken by the Inhabitants â—he plunders and sets it on fire which was ushered in by a very cruel action for having found there one single Youth he commands him to be tied to an Olive-tree and there shot to death He marches next to Cabriere and begins to batter the Town but by the mediation of Captain Poulain he perswades the Towns people upon promise of indempnity to open the Gates which being done and the Soldiers let in after a little pause all were put to the Sword without respect to Age or Sex. Many fled to the Church others to other places and some into the Wine-Cellar of the Castle but being halled out into a Meadow and stript naked they were all put to the Sword not only the Men but also the Women and many of these with Child too Meinier also shuts up about forty Women in a Barn full of Hay and Straw and then sets it on fire and after that the poor creatures having attempted but in vain to smother the fire with their Cloaths which for that end they had pull'd off betook themselves to the great Window at which the Hay is commonly pitched up into the Barn with a purpose to leap down from thence they were kept in with Pikes and Spears so that all of them perished in the flames and this happened the twentieth of April Meinier after this sends part of his Forces to besiege the Town of Coste but when they were just upon their march those were found who as we said a little before had fled into the Wine-Cellar of the Castle a noise being thereupon raised as if there had been some ambush laid the Soldiers are recalled who put every Man of them to the Sword. The number of the slain as well in the Town as abroad in the Fields amounted to Eight hundred The young Infants which survived the fury were for the most part rebaptized by the Enemy Affairs thus dispatched at Cabriere the Forces are sent to Coste The Lord of that Town had transacted before-hand with the Inhabitants that they should carry their Arms into the Castle and in four places make breaches in their Walls which if they did he promises them that he would use his interest which he knew could easily prevail with Meinier that they should receive no damage Being over-perswaded they obey and he departs with a purpose seemingly to treat and intercede for them but he was not gone far before the Soldiers met him who nevertheless proceeded in their march and attacked the place At first onset they did but little but next day they more briskly renew the assault and having burnt all the Suburbs about they easily become Masters of the place and the rather that the Night before most had deserted the Town and fled having got down over the Walls by Ropes After the victorious had put all that stood in their way to Fire and Sword they run into a Garden adjoyning the Castle and there satiate their Lust upon the Women and young Girls promiscuously who in great fear and consternation had fled thither and for a Day and Night's time that they kept them shut up there so inhumanly and barbarously they used them that the big belly'd Women and younger Girls shortly after died of it In the mean time the Merindolanes and many others who wandered with them over the Woods and Rocks being taken were either sent to the Galleys or put to death and many also were starved Not far also from the Town of Mus we mentioned before some five and twenty Men had got into a Cave and kept lurking there but being betrayed all of them were either smothered with smoak or burnt so that no kind of cruelty was omitted Some however that had escaped this butchery got to Geneva and the places thereabouts Now when the News of this was brought into Germany many were highly offended thereat and the Swizers who are not of the Popish Religion interceded with the French King that he would be merciful to those who had fled their Countrey But the King made them answer that he had just cause for what he had done and that what he did within his own Territories and how he punished the guilty concerned them no more to know than it did him what was done amongst them The Year before the Waldenses had sent the King a Confession of their Faith in Writing thereby to clear their innocence And the Heads of their Doctrine are Of God the Father Creator of all things Of the Son the Mediator and Advocate for Mankind Of the Holy Ghost the Comforter and Teacher of Truth Of the Church which they say is the Congregation of all the Elect and has Jesus Christ for the Head. Of the Ministers of the Church who they say are to be turned out if they perform not their Duty Of the Magistrate whom they confess to be God's Minister for protecting the Good and punishing the Bad that not only Honour but also Tribute and Custom is due to them according to the example of Christ who himself payed Custom Of Baptism which they say is an external and invisible Sign which represents to us both the renewing of the Spirit and the mortification of the Members Of the Lord's Supper which they say is a giving of thanks and commemoration of the benefits received by Christ. Of Matrimony which being a holy thing and instituted by God they think ought not to be denyed to any Of Good Works which they teach are to be done and practised as the Holy Scriptures declare Of false Doctrines which because they lead us away from the true Worship they say ought to be avoided In short they alledge the Old and New Testament for the Rule of their Faith and profess to believe all that is contained in the
because the Confederates alledged That the Boors breaking the Cessation had given cause to the War Nevertheless at the interposition of some of the Cities of Schwabia of which number were Constance Memminghen Kempen and Bibrach the chief Commanders of the Boors came again to Vlm on the second of April to them the Deputies of the Empire shewed their Commission and told them That they were come to treat of a Peace but they alledging That no Treaty of Peace could be set on Foot unless a Truce were first agreed upon said that they were therefore come that they might know what their Enemy's Intentions were as to that but when a Truce could not be obtained and all things tending to Action next Day they returned to the Camp And the same Day some Troops of Horse and Foot marching from Vlm to Elching a Town upon the Danube below Vlm killed a great many of the Boors and brought several Prisoners also to the Town Afterwards George Truchses of Walpurg General of the Schwabian League marching with his Forces to Lippen a small Town near the Danube two Miles below Vlm where a great number of the Boors lay without staying for the Foot or great Guns charged them with a Brigade of Horse and cut off a great part of them the rest threw themselves into the River and there were drowned the Town was surrendred and plundered and many of the Enemy beheaded After that Victory when Truchses would have marched against the rest the Foot who were commanded by William of Fustemberg refused to march and as if they had fought a Battle demanded their pay This Matter having been debated for some Days and it being alledged That it was no Battle and that the Enemy was fled before they came was at length taken up The Mediators of the Cites of Schwabia which we named before again moved for a Truce but the Confederates would not hear of any new Agreement with them who had lately broken it though they did not refuse a Truce with those who were in Algow and the neighbouring Places and were Levellers all Proposals of a Truce being then laid aside the Confederates told the Mediators and Deputies of the Council of the Empire and of the Cities That if they had any thing to offer concerning a Peace they should propose it The matter being long and much debated when the Confederates persisted in their Resolution and advanced with their Army in order to an Ingagement the Boors in Algow dispersed themselves some flying for it and others yielding upon Discretion and delivering up their Colours which happened April 13. In the mean time in another part of Schwabia about Hall and in Franconia the Boors were got together again in vast Numbers and on the sixteenth Day of April which then was Easter-day they surprized Winsperg where they took some and killed other Gentlemen who were in Garrison in it of the Prisoners they put William Count Helfenstein and others to Death in a Military but most cruel manner running them through on all Hands with their Spears and this they did with the greater Cruelty and Inhumanity in that they would not be moved to Pity by his Lady the Natural Daughter of the Emperour Maximilian who carrying a young Infant a Son of his in her Arms fell at their Feet in a most forlorn Dress and with Floods of Tears begged them to save the Life of her Husband and of the Father of the poor Babe Afterwards they divided their Forces whereof one Body marched into the Country of Wirtemberg and having possessed themselves of many Places there advanced streight to Esling where the Deputies of the Council of the Empire James Sturne and Mangolt a Lawyer in vain treated with them about a Peace and from thence they removed to Vlm but Truchses the General of the Schwabian League whom I mentioned before having forced those that were in the Territory of Vlm Algow and at the Lake of Constance to yield themselves as we said before marched streight against these and put them to flight also having slain some thousands of them He severely punished the Prisoners especially those who murdered Count Helfenstein and one of them he fastened to a Stake by a Chain that was long enough to let him run about and he himself with some other Persons of Quality fetching Wood made a Fire about him and burnt him Afterwards he burnt the Town of Winsperg to the Ground commanding that it should never be built again The other Body marched into Franconia and having there burnt above two hundred Castles besides Noblemen's Houses and Monasteries they took the Town of Wirtzburg and besieged the Castle But Truchses coming upon them out of the Country of Wirtemberg at the Village of Englestadt charged discomfited and put them to flight Afterwards he retook Wirtzburg raised the Siege of the Castle and put a great many to Death being assisted by Ludovick Prince Palatine who was there in Person This Combustion spread it self as far as Lorrain also so that Anthony the Duke thereof attended amongst others by his Brother Claude Duke of Guise who had gathered together the remains of the French Army after the Battle of Pavia advanced as far as Saverne at which Place the Lorrainers as well as Alsatians were in great numbers assembled and some thousands of Boors coming in to their Assistance he detached some Troops of Horse and Foot which near the Village Lupfstein killed fifteen hundred of them putting the rest to flight Next Day he made a great Slaughter of those who were gathered together about Saverne wherein nevertheless he kept not his Word for having promised them Pardon if they would lay down their Arms whilst they were marching homewards unarmed and passed through the Lines of the Horse and Foot upon some slight Occasion of a Quarrel most part of them were killed Afterwards the furious Soldiers plundered the Town and the Bishop's Palace killing Citizens and all pell-mell without any distinction When the Duke was returning home after this Slaughter another Army of Boors had posted themselves in the Streights of the Valley of Wilet with design to intercept his Passage but having joyned Battle above four thousand of them were killed In that Fight he lost the Count Isenburg but returned home with much Spoil and many Prisoners In those three Places we named eighteen thousand were reckoned to have been slain and this was in the Month of May. The like Success they met with every where else and at Petersheim a Town of the Territory of Wormes a great number of them were killed by the Soldiers after they had yielded and thrown down their Arms At this Slaughter the Prince Palatine and Richard Archbishop of Treves were present and the Prince did what he could to restrain the Rage of the Soldiers but the Archbishop is reported not only to have approved what they did but also to have killed many with his own Hands However in some Places
to our own Hearts Desires Ye your selves shall plainly see God's helping Hand with you for we shall put all our Enemies to flight In several places of Scripture God hath promised to assist the poor and wretched and to bear down the Ungodly Now this Promise belongeth properly to us for we are poor and afflicted and because we desire to maintain and set forth the Knowledge of God we cannot doubt of Success and Victory Let us on the other hand consider the Condition of our Enemies They are called Princes indeed but in reality are Tyrants they take no Care of you but deprive you of your Goods which they squander away in most wicked and unlawful Courses Among God's peculiar People which he chose of old Kings were not to spend their Wealth unprofitably but were commanded rather to be diligent in turning over the Book of the Laws which God himself made But what do our Tyrants or how do they spend their Time they think not themselves at all concerned with the Publick they hear not the Causes of poor afflicted Men they neglect Justice suffer the High-ways to be infested by Robbers punish not such nor other Offenders neither defend not the Fatherless and Widow and take no care of the Education of Youth They not only neglect God's Worship themselves but also hinder others and mind nothing but the getting of all other Men's Estates to themselves and therefore they daily devise new ways of raising Money not directing their Counsels to the maintaing of Peace but that having enriched themselves they may live in Pride and all sorts of Voluptuousness for it is but too well known what great Stirs and Wars they have raised for very idle and slight Causes whereby at length all that poor Men had left is utterly consumed and destroyed These these are the noble Arts and Virtues of your Princes wherein they exercise themselves it is not therefore to be imagined that God will bear any longer with those things but that as of old he destroyed the Canaanites so will he now root out these For granting that what we have now mentioned might be born with do you think that they 'll go unpunished for defending and maintaining that most abominable Impiety of the Clergy for who knoweth not how great Wickedness is committed in that Trafficking and Bartering with Masses not to mention other things Surely as Christ of old cast the Buyers and Sellers out of the Temple so now also will he drive out these Mass-Priests and their Defenders Be therefore strong and valiant and do God good Service in destroying this unprofitable Rout for we see not how we can lawfully and with Safety make Peace with them since they will not leave off their old Courses neither restore to us our Liberty nor suffer the true Worship of God Now it is far better to die than that we should approve their Wickedness and suffer the Doctrin of the Gospel to be taken from us Be then assured that God will be with us and that the Victory will be ours for he himself hath so promised to me he I say who cannot lye nor be deceived commanded me to proceed in this manner and to punish all Magistrates for in this the Power of God is chiefly magnified when a vast multitude of Enemies are destroyed by a small handful of Men It is known to you what Exploits Gideon did with a few Jonathan accompanied only with one Servant and David all alone when he fought against the Giant Goliah who was so terrible in his Looks and Stature Now it is not to be doubted but this Day will be made Famous by a like instance and be spoken of to all Posterity for though we seem not to be so well provided of Arms and other things necessary yet shall we overcome the Enemy and this Frame of Heaven and Earth will sooner change than God will forsake us So was the Nature of the Sea changed of old that the Israelites might escape from Pharaoh who pursued them Be not now moved at the suggestions of your own Reason neither be troubled at a certain Shadow and Appearance of Danger that stands in your way but fight valiantly against poor wicked and accursed Enemies and be not afraid of their great Guns for in my Coat will I catch all the Bullets that they shall shoot at you See ye not how gracious God is unto us behold a manifest Sign and Token of his perpetual Good-will towards us lift up your Eyes and see that Rain-bow in the Clouds for seeing we have the same painted in our Banner God plainly declares by that Representation which he shews us from on high That he will stand by us in the Battle and that he will utterly destroy our Enemies fall on then couragiously and with certain Hope of Divine Aid for God will have us to have no Peace with the Wicked For all this Speech his Men were generally in horror and consternation because of the greatness of the present danger but all things were carried on in a tumultuary manner without Order or certain Command Besides there were some bold and profligate Rogues among them fitted for any villany These being naturally inclined to all sorts of mischief were the more inflamed by that Sermon But nothing excited them more than the Rain-bow which as has been said appeared in the Clouds and which they lookt upon as a certain Sign of Victory Besides they were about Eight thousand strong and the place commodious for making a Defence Wherefore these Blades I now mentioned gave a shout calling to all to Arm and bravely advance against the Enemy and withal singing a Hymn wherein they implored the assistance of the Holy Ghost There had been sent to them before a young Gentleman of Quality whom Muncer contrary to the Law of Arms and of Nations caused to be put to Death The Princes being the more exasperated by this gave the Signal of Battel and drew up their Men in order Then Philip Langrave of Hesse though the Youngest rode about the Army exhorting the Soldiers to behave themselves valiantly for that though all they laid to their Charge were true yet it was not lawful for private Men to rise in Arms against their Magistrates as might be proved by many places of Scripture That however he would not excuse neither his own Faults nor those of other Princes That he confessed there were failings and many things that ought to be reformed but that nevertheless Men ought to abstain from Rebellion for that God hath strictly commanded that the Magistrate should be honored That whereas they complained that they were overcharged with Burthens that could be no lawful ground for them to renounce their Duty and Allegiance though yet if things were rightly examined it would be found that they had no cause of Complaining That they paid indeed Subsidies and Customs but for that they enjoyed on the other had many Advantages That they had Houses Wives and Children
thousand Soldiers who upon the approach of the Enemy gave notice to those in the City by several Messengers to fly with all speed to their assistance but such was the Expedition of the Enemy that they could not come in so opportunely to their Relief for having got upon the top of a Mountain over which they were to pass they beheld from thence their Friends in the Valley beneath very hardly press'd and in a dangerous condition having therefore encourag'd one another they made a confused descent from the Mountain the nature of which was such that they could not pass above one at a time Being therefore not able to draw up all their Forces they were over-whelm'd with multitudes and having lost many of their Men they at last turn'd their backs This happen'd upon the 11th day of October Among the number of the slain Zuinglius was found For the custom of Zurich is such that upon any Expedition the principal Minister of their Church goes out along with them Now Zuinglius who was in his own nature a very stout and couragious Man consider'd likewise with himself that if he should stay at home and the battel should go against them he must needs draw upon himself a great Odium for animating other Men by his Preaching and yet shrinking back himself in the time of danger he therefore resolv'd to run the common risque They us'd his dead body very barbarously which shew'd that their revenge could not be satisfy'd ev'n with his death He was aged 44 years being four years younger than Luther There was a Comet seen almost all the month of August and about that time died Lovice Mother to the King of France she was Sister by the Father's side to Charles Duke of Savoy Those of Bern who were to make War upon Vnderwalt having understood the misfortune send to encourage their Friends of Zurich and to promise their assistance assuring them that they will shortly be with them with all their Forces desiring that it might be left to them to revenge their Quarrel But when upon a meeting which was held about eight days after the battel they of Bern appear'd somewhat slack in performance the people of Zurich having receiv'd Aids from Basil Schaffhausen Suntgaw and Mulhausen draw out from their whole Body some select Troops who Marching out in the night do plant themselves in a Mountain near Memmingen that so they might be ready as soon as the Moon was up to make an effort and surprise on a suddain the City Zug But the Enemy who lay encampt not far off having notice of the Project flew to their Arms with all speed and marching before it was light came upon them unawares setting up mighty Shouts and Cries for the greater incussion of Terror This was upon the 20th of October Many were on both sides kill'd and though the five Cantons had the better of it yet those of Zurich would not in the least abate of their zeal for Religion At length a Peace being made up through the mediation of Friends this among other Articles was inserted That those of Zurich Bern and Basil should depart from that League which they had lately made with the City of Strasburg and the Lantgrave and that the five Cantons should do the same with Ferdinand And thus having drawn up Instruments which did mutually oblige them the Confederacy was on both sides dissolv'd Towards the end of November OEcolampadius departed this life He had conceiv'd an extraordinary grief at the death of Zuinglius which was thought to have heightned his Distemper there having been an intimate familiarity betwixt them He was aged 49 years There are some Exercitations of his extant upon the Prophets which are highly approv'd of by the Learned On the 19th of December the Protestant Embassadors met again at Frankfort and there came to an Agreement for a mutual Defence which was the only thing they wanted In this Convention those of Gossar Emberk and Embden were admitted into the League as those of Esling had been a little before But George Duke of Brandenburg was absent as were likewise the Embassadors of Nuremburg Camin and Heilsburg who though they profess'd the same Doctrin yet as we hinted before were averse to the League The Emperor leaving the Low-Countries in the beginning of January directed his Journey towards Ratisbon in order to hold a Diet there as we have said before Having in his way thither arrived at Mentz on the last day of January the Archbishop of Mentz and the Prince Palatine intercede with him again for Peace about which when he had permitted them to hold a Treaty they sent advise to the Duke of Saxony and the Lantgrave that they would likewise give their Concurrence Wherefore after some intercourse of Letters it was agreed that a Convention should be held in the beginning of April at Schwinfurt a Town of the Empire situated upon the Main Here they began to treat about establishing a Peace till the sitting of a Council The mediating Princes were there present themselves and by the Emperors Order laid before them these Injunctions That they should Innovate Teach and Publish nothing about Religion besides the Writing that was exhibited at Auspurg but should keep themselves within those bounds till such time as a Council should sit That they should not hold Communication with the Zuinglians or the Anabaptists lest under the pretext of Religion they should draw over to them and receive under their Protection the Subjects of another State. That they should not suffer any of their own Subjects to teach without the limits of their Dominions That they forbear all Reproaches and give no disturbance to the Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction or to the Rites and Ceremonies of the Church That they Contribute their assistance against the Turks and that they be Obedient to those Decrees which respect the Publick Good and the administration of the Empire That they be Obedient to the Emperor and the King of the Romans and that they dissolve whatever League has been made against the Emperor the King or those States that are of a different Religion If they will comply in these things they hope that both the Emperor and the King will lay aside all Resentments that have been formerly occasion'd The Duke of Saxony being detain'd by Indisposition had sent thither John Frederick his Son there were likewise present Francis Duke of Lunenburg and Ainhault as likewise the Embassadors of the other Princes and Cities to whom were lately added the Cities of Nortingen and Hall and Suabe After things had been long debated the Mediating Princes dispatch'd in writing all the Transactions to the Emperor who was holding his Diet at Ratisbone to the end that they might understand what his Pleasure was As to that Proposition which requir'd that the Duke of Saxony and his Allies should yield Obedience to the King of the Romans they commit to writing and deliver to the Mediators upon the
could hardly believe those who told them that they had not only seen the Emperor but also spoken with him The Prince was also so fatally credulous as to be perswaded of the same thing Now this was thought to be an Invention of the French that those of Cleve might not lose Heart and being terrified at the Emperor's Power make Peace with him The Emperor having received this Answer Fortified his Camp provided all things necessary and on the Twenty fourth of August began to Batter the Town by break of Day and afterward gave the Assault especially by the Spaniards who went on with great Chearfulness and Resolution and though they were often beat off and lost many Men yet they gave not over till they forced the Place and treated the Towns-people as the Inhabitants are commonly used when a Town is taken by Storm We must know that in this Town was kept the Head of St. Ann the Mother of our Lady and was usually exposed to the view of vast numbers of People who flocked thither yearly on the Six and twentieth day of July the Anniversary of that Saint to pay their Devotions to it But the Spaniards being now Conquerours took that Head inclosed in a golden Reliquary and with great Pomp carried it in Procession to the Grey Friars Church least it should have perished in the Ruines and Flames of the Church The Town being plundered and burnt the Emperor advanced and had surrendered to him first Liege and then Reremund a strong Town of Guelderland standing where the Rivers of Roure and Maese do meet For the unexpected Calamity of Duren had put all Men into extraordinary Fear and Consternation From Ruremund he went to Venlo Thither at last came the Duke of Cleve to him in the Camp accompanied with Henry Duke of Brunswick and the Ambassadors of Herman Archbishop of Cologne where he having made his Humble Submission and the Duke of Brunswick and the Ambassadors earnestly interceding for him the Emperor at length arose and ordered the Prince of Orange and Granvell to prescribe Conditions unto him upon which he was received into Favour again the Seventh of September The Conditions were That he should not depart from the Religion of the Catholick Church That if he had made any Alterations he should restore things again as they were before That he should promise Allegiance and Obedience to the Emperor King Ferdinand and the Empire That he should renounce his League with France and Denmark That he should make no League wherein the Emperor King Ferdinand and their Heirs were not excepted That he should deliver up the whole Possession of Guelderland and release the People from their Oath And that he should Assist the Emperor in Recovering Guelderland if perhaps any places should refuse to Surrender The Emperor on the other Hand restored to him the Province of Juliers lately Conquered by War except Two Towns Hensberg and Zittard which he kept in his Hands for a time till he should make trial of his Fidelity and Obsequiousness Whilst the Emperor was upon his March against the Duke of Cleve the French King advanced through Champange towards the Country of Luxenburg and sent for his Sister's Daughter the Lady Joanna who had been Two Years before betrothed and publickly Married as we said to the Duke that he might carry her to her Husband She went most unwillingly as hath been mentioned also before but however she obeyed the King her Uncle The King had appointed Cardinal du Bellay Bishop of Paris as the fittest Person to perswade her to wait upon her and keep her Company during the whole Journey Now when she was come as far as Soissons on her way to the King News was brought That the Duke of Cleve was subdued which much rejoiced her as well perceiving that that might put an end to all her Sufferings and Constraint and indeed she was not mistaken for the King was exceedingly troubled at the News and so she returned Home But nevertheless he proceeded and again took the City of Luxenburg about the latter end of September which after deliberation he fortified At the same time Henry King of England who had lately made a League with the Emperor sent over some Forces into the Netherlands who joining the Imperialists Besieged Landrecy In the mean time Charles Boisset a Lawyer was in the beginning of October sent from the Emperor to Metz who having consulted with the Senate the Monks and Churchmen upon his first coming sent for one of the Preachers whom he severely chid and commanded upon pain of Death to depart the City within three Days and not to converse with any Citizen for the future Afterwards the Emperor's Edict was on the Fifteenth of October publickly read wherein the Emperor commanded the Senate not to admit of any new Doctrines and to punish those that were guilty that way Wherefore the Senate published their Orders to the Citizens that they should persist in the ancient Religion produce all prohibited and suspected Books within a Weeks time obey the Canons of the Church abstain from flesh on days prohibited shew Reverence to Church-Men and that those who upon account of difference in Religion had put themselves into the protection of the Protestants and promised Fidelity unto them should within a certain time renounce the same Denouncing several Penalties against Offenders herein as Fines Banishment and other Punishments according to their several Deserts When Barbarossa had in vain Besieged the Castle of Nizza whither the Emperor's Forces were coming out of Lombardy under the Command of the Marquess of Piscara he drew off and went to his Winter Quarters in Thoulon somewhat sooner than the Season of the Year required for the King had assigned him that Town the Citizens and Inhabitants being commanded to leave it Scotland was this Year much disturbed with intestine Broils and Divisions the Nobles disagreeing among themselves For those of the Nobility who were Prisoners in England as we said being generously dismissed by the King cordially espoused his Interests But the Cardinal of Scotland who enjoyed great Revenues from Church-Livings in France and the Queen the Duke of Guise's Daughter maintained the French King 's Part. After the Death of the King of Scots it was the chief Design of Henry VIII that the young Queen of Scots might be affianced to Prince Edward his Son. In that matter the Nobles we mentioned did him good Service And having perswaded the Earl of Arran the Regent they seized the Cardinal of St. Andrews and kept the Queen Besieged in a Castle till they had confirmed the Marriage and drawn up Writings thereupon But the French King interfering in the Matter the Nobility also pitying the Queen's Condition and the Regent falling off to the other side they broke their Articles which gave occasion of a new War betwixt the English and them as shall be said hereafter The King of Denmark was also in War with
waited on her had one Eve Trottine a Young Lady of extraordinary Beauty and a noble Family The Duke began to be desperately smitten with her and having by his Courtship prevailed enjoyed her and had some Children by her But that the intrigue might not be discovered and that he might still have her Company he put a Stratagem into her Head that she should pretend to return Home to her Parents and he furnished her with a Waggon Horses and all things necessary for her Journey Away went she and it was thought she was going Home but she was conducted another Way to a Castle of his whereof the Governor was before-hand instructed by him what he was to do and had a Woman or two in whom he most confided to assist him in the Plot. Some Days after Eve came there she took her Bed pretending to be Sick. Now the Duke had before caused an Image to be made of Wood representing the Head Neck and Breast of a dead Body The other Parts of the Body were done and shaped in Linen which the Women stuffed with Dust or Earth that so it might seem to be solid and then fitted the wooden Head and Bust to it which was likewise covered over with the Linen Cloth. The Body then being thus ordered and wrapped in a Shroud was laid forth on the Floor and presently one of the Women ran to the Governor's Parlour Door crying out that Eve was dead Whereupon he streight ordered a Coffin to be made to put the Body in And to scare People from approaching the Corps it was given out that she died of the Plague and Juniper Berries and other Odoriferous Things were burnt to perfume the Rooms Afterwards the Corps was carried in funeral Pomp to the Grey Friars Church where it was honourably buried the Franciscans performing all the usual Ceremonies and praying for the Soul departed as they did for a whole Year after and in their Sermons exhorted the People to do the like By the Duke of Brunswick's Order also an Office of Funeral was performed for her in the Chapel of the Castle where it was said she died Priests being invited thither from the Neighbourhood The same was done in the chief Castle Wolfem-Battel which is not far distant from the City of Brunswick For hither came also the Report of her Death Now at this Office his Wife the Dutchess was present with her Women and Maids all in Mourning Many Priests were invited to it who had afterwards a Dinner and every one of them a piece of Money in Gratuity according to the ancient Custom observed amongst the Papists In the mean time Eve whose Death was bewailed by so many was in very good Health in the Castle of Stauffenburg where she was still visited by Duke Henry who since that time had Seven Children by her He also perswaded his Dutchess to write to the Lady Eve's Parents and Relations to acquaint them with her Death But when afterwards there was a Report raised That she was still alive and kept in Stauffenburg his Dutchess who had some inkling of that conceived a violent Suspicion and enquired of the Servants about the Truth of the Matter But he commanded that none of whom she might learn any thing should come near her However that Suspicion stuck in her Mind as long as she lived which made her write many Letters to him bewailing her own Misfortune This prank of his amongst other things was also publickly read in that Session that all might know what Opinion he had of his own Religion The Effect of the Accusation was to shew how just and necessary Causes they had of taking up Arms against him who despising the Edicts of the Emperor and King Ferdinand had disturbed the publick Peace and done all the Injury he could to their Associates and Confederates The Duke of Brunswick was not present at this Action it being the Emperor's Pleasure that he should not For the Protestants wished he might have been there to have heard all and had for that purpose made Application to the Emperor On Easter Monday which then fell on the Fourteenth of April the Imperialists under the Conduct of Alfonso Marquess of Pescara fought a Battle with the French in Piedmont near the Town Carignan and were defeated with the loss of many Thousands of Men. The French General was the Duke of Vendosme whom we mentioned before Many thought that the News of this overthrow would have inclined the Emperor to admit of a treaty of Peace but he continued firm in his purpose of War. The Duke of Brunswick on the Thirteenth of April gave an Answer to the Accusation of the Protestants and foully bespattered them with Reproaches laying to their Charge Conspiracy Rebellion Treachery Rapine French and Turkish Leagues and what not As to the Letters found in his Castle he justified himself as well as he could Alledging That if their own Closets were searched far worse might be found in them but he slightly touched at that which was objected to him concerning his Intrigue with his beloved Mistress Eve. To this Recrimination the Protestants replied And since the Emperor would have no more of it in the publick Diet they exhibited and dispersed a written Paper of the whole matter which Brimswick also afterwards did April the Eighteenth Charles Duke of Savoy by his Ambassadors accused the French King in the Assembly of the Princes That besides the Violence and Injuries done him in former Years he had stirred up Barbarossa the Turkish Admiral who being assisted by French Forces had taken his Town of Nizza by Surrender and contrary to Faith and Promise had Plundered and Burnt it carrying away many into slavery He therefore craves their Aid in this his distressed Condition especially seeing it was more than probable that the Enemy would return to the Siege of the Castle That having demanded Assistance from the Pope he had only granted him the yearly Rent which he used to receive from the Clergy But that that was but a very small matter in his so low and mean Condition when he scarcely possessed the Tenth part of his own Dominion He likewise excused himself for not coming to the Diet in person because of his Age the length of the Journey and the imminent danger of the Enemy and besides that he was not able to bear the Charges of it having scarcely enough to maintain himself his Son and Family About the end of April the Switzers who then held a Convention at Baden answered the Letter of the States of the Empire That having put the Question to their Commanders and Officers they affirmed That they had seen no Turks in the French Camp nor had heard any thing of Aid from them otherwise they would not have served the French. That when they had put the same to the French King he complained that the Ambassadors he sent last Winter had been rejected who if they had been heard would easily have refuted that
do further declare to you and yours that you ought to be resposable for all the Calamities which shall ensue in this War you having refused to submit to any just and equal Conditions of Peace And we do not doubt but that Almighty God will rather assist us who seek nothing but the Preservation of our Country than you who have committed great Injuries in and began an unjust War against it When this Declaration was delivered to Albert the Ambassadors of the Elector of Brandenburg were in his Camp who were come to perswade him to a Peace And he having read it called his Commanders together and asked them if they would try their Fortunes with him which they promised him they would and thereupon he called the young Gentleman who brought him the Letter and speaking to him said Your Prince has already thrice broke his Faith with me and done ill by me and this is his fourth Action of the same Nature Let him come and I will try what he can do and this tell him from me And thereupon having according to the Custom given him some Crowns he sent him away Whereupon the Ambassadors who were come to Mediate a Peace addressed themselves to him and said What then Sir shall we do nothing No said he you may go Home But having a little more closely reflected on the Consequences of the War the third of July he sent Erick of Brunswick to the Emperor to inform him That by the Cunning of some Men many Enemies were stirred up against him to the End that not only the Pacts that had been made with him might not be performed but also that he might be driven out of his Country and deprived of his Possessions that there was no doubt but if Fortune favoured their Designs they would soon declare for the French Interest For in truth France had invited them with the Proffer of great Advantages to enter into a new Conspiracy as he could prove And that some of the Electors and great Princes had already conspired to set up a new Emperor That the Imperial Chamber was the only Promoter of the Designs of the two Bishops against him and therefore he desired the Emperor his Majesty would not take it ill that he had been compelled to make use of Force against them He further insisted That his Enemies in order to excite the publick Envy against him had spread abroad a Report as if he had Combined with the Emperor to oppress the Liberty of Germany and that some of the Princes had objected this to him and he said there were Letters to the same purpose spread about Germany which were pretended to be written from Arras that he Levied Forces to assist the Emperor in this Design For that the Emperor intended to send his Son the Prince of Spain and the Duke De Alva to the next Diet that he might there be declared Successor of the Empire That King Ferdinand was so fully perswaded of the Truth of this that he had entred into a League with his Enemies and has saith he declared a War against me he said he had excused this very carefully and to many but yet the suspition got strength every Day and that in truth all the Dangers and Difficulties to which he was exposed arose from no other cause than his adhering to the Emperor Therefore he did most humbly supplicate his Majesty to confirm his Treaty with the Bishops and to undertake the Protection of him and his in Consideration of which he promised he would bring nine Thousand Horse and one Hundred Foot Companies into the Emperors Service when-ever his Majesty should require them In the mean time the Forces of the City of Norimberg and the two Bishops in the Absence of Albert invaded his Territories Whereupon he put out a Declaration against the City of Norimberg accusing them of breaking their Faith and Promises to him and insinuating that by joyning in a League with those two Perfidious Bishops as he called them they seem'd well disposed to re-imbrace the Roman-Catholick Religion They on the other side Printed and Published an Answer soon after relating all things in the order they had happened and beginning with the Actions of the former Year they shew how cruel a War he had begun what Pacts they had made with him how with the Consent of the Emperor they had entred into a League with their Neighbour Bishops How Albert had rejected the most equal Terms the Bishops had offered to him and had nevertheless begun a War upon them how he had lately again Invaded the Territories belonging to this City only because pursuant to their League and in obedience to the Commands of the Imperial Chamber they had sent Succours to their Allies Amongst other ill things which they charged him with they mention this as an Instance of Cruelty which had never been practised by any Man before him That when he had made himself Master of Altorfe and Lawffe two Towns in their Territories he shut up in them not only the Inhabitants of these Towns but a great number of Men which he had brought together out of the Neighbouring Country together with their Cattel and then had Fired the said Towns in many places at the same time and especially at the Gates designing apparently to burn all these People with the Towns and that in this Fire many Women and Children and Aged and Sick Persons who could not make their way either through or over the City Walls were miserably burnt to Death And as to what he alledged concerning their changing their Religion they shew that Pretence was vain for that the League was only entred to the Intent to preserve themselves and theirs from unjust Force And as for Albert they said it was well known how little he regarded any Religion as they could shew by many Instances which they would certainly have inserted here but out of Reverence to the noble House of which he was descended and some other Princes that were his near Relations they would forbear doing it The fifth day of July Sigismond King of Poland Married Catherine one of the Daughters of Ferdinand King of the Romans which Lady had before been the Wife of the Duke of Mantoua Sigismond had before this in the Year 1535 Married Elizabeth another of the Daughters of Ferdinand and Sister of Catherine as I have related above in the fifteenth Book of this History Edward the sixth King of England a Prince of great and unquestioned Vertue and Hope died the sixth day of July as was commonly given out of a Consumption being about sixteen years of Age to the great Grief of all Pious Men. There followed in England after his Death great Changes as I shall relate hereafter There was soon after a report spread abroad that he was Poysoned However it is certain Europe has not in many Ages produced a Prince of so great Expectation From his Infancy he was well instructed in Religion and
therefore that they would persist in their Allegiance and assist her in revenging the Perfidy of those wicked Men who were in Rebellion against her whom they had in Parliament freely declared to be the lawful Heir of her Father When she had thus calmed their Minds she appointed some to defend the City and ordered the Earl of Pembroke to take care of the Suburbs She had before this Proclaimed Wiat a Traytor and an Enemy to the Nation and had ordered some Propositions he had sent her to be openly read to the People at the same time which are said to be That the Queen should put her self into his Custody That he should have the disposal of her Marriage and the determination what Privy-Counsellors should be continued or dismissed Three days after a Pardon was tendered to the Multitude upon Condition they deserted the Authors of this Sedition and a vast reward was promised to whoever could take Wiat. The Duke of Suffolk was at the same time Proclaimed Traytor That day the Rebels came up to the City and the Queen ordered the Draw-Bridge to be broken down that none out of the City might joyn with them The next day they took Southwark believing that the Citizens of London would rise and joyn with them but they were kept in awe by the Queens Forces In the mean time the Duke of Suffolk was taken in another part of the Nation by the Earl of Huntington who was sent with some Horse by the Queen on that Errand The Rebels having spent two days in attempting in vain to pass the River at Southwark they marched to Kingston about eight Miles above the City and there passed the Thames and bore directly down upon the City where Wiat was at last taken by the Forces under the Earl of Pembroke and sent to Prison and all his Forces were dispersed The next day which was the seventh of February there was a Proclamation put out that it should be Death for any Man to harbour any of the Rebels and not forthwith discover and produce him A few days after the Duke of Suffolk was brought a Prisoner into the City The twelfth day of February Guilford Dudley Son of the Duke of Northumberland and the Lady Jane his Wife the eldest Daughter of the Duke of Suffolk who had been declared Queen by Edward VI. as I have said were publickly Beheaded upon a Scaffold raised in the Tower of London for her Principally because they had aspired to the Crown contrary to the Laws of the Succession Though her death was hid from the Eyes of the People to prevent or abate their Compassion yet the greatest part of them heartily lamented the hard Fate of the Lady Jane She was thought a most innocent young Lady brought up like a Princess very Learned and was now involved in this Calamity not because she sought but for that she did not refuse a Crown that was offered her She made a Pious and Modest Speech to those that were present at her Execution and having implored the Mercy of God through Jesus Christ she caused her Maids that waited upon her to cover her Eyes and Face with a piece of Holland and then submitted her Neck to the Executioner The same day Courtney Earl of Devonshire who after many Years Imprisonment had lately been discharged out of the Tower was again taken into Custody upon suspition of having been concerned in this Rebellion After this in London and Westminster where the Queen then was many were hurried to Execution and amongst them some of the Nobility And some also escaped the Principal of which was Sir Peter Carew who found refuge in the Court of France The Duke of Suffolk was Tried and found Guilty the seventeenth day of February and Executed the twenty first of this Month. Whilst things went thus in England Sybilla of Cleve Wife of John Frederick Duke of Saxony died the same twenty first day of February at Weimar and the eleventh day after the Duke followed her himself having been sick some time before They both died in the true Knowledge of God and it was observed that when he gave order where his Lady should be Buried he commanded them to reserve a place for himself by her side because it would not be long e're he should follow her nor was he deceived in his Expectation The third day of March following having heard a Sermon as he lay in his Bed implored the Divine Mercy and commended his Spirit into the Hands of God he departed out of his Miserable and wretched Life to enter into his heavenly Countrey There was before his Death a Treaty concluded between him and Augustus Duke of Saxony In order to this the King of Denmark sent some time since an Embassy which after a Debate of six Months continuance a little before his death brought their Dissentions to a final Conclusion on these Terms John Frederick departed from his Right in the Electorate Misnia and the Mine-Towns upon condition that if Augustus should die without Issue-Male the same should return to John Frederick and his Issue-Male That in the Interim the said John and his Issue should enjoy and use the Title of Elector and the Arms of the Family of Saxony both in sealing and stamping Moneys Augustus on the other side granted to him and his Children certain Governments or Baylywicks and Towns and in lieu of certain Debts due to him from Maurice and in Arrears at the time of the Death of the said Maurice Augustus was to pay the sum of one hundred thousand Crowns He was also to redeem the Town and Castle of Koningsperg in Franconia which was mortaged to the Bishop of Wurtsburg for forty Thousand Crowns and to restore the same to John Frederick and his Children Lastly That the Hereditary League of the House of Saxony which of late years had been so much violated should be renewed and confirmed This Agreement was signed and confirmed by John Frederick in his last Sickness not long before his Death and he commanded his Children also to subscribe and seal it Thus having with great constancy surmounted all those Calamities and Miseries which fell upon him he joyfully and peaceably ended his Days by the illustrious Goodness of God not under the custody of Foreign Souldiers as some had designed but in his own House after he was restored to his Liberty to his Children and to the Freedom of his Religion and that when he had setled his Children and People in Peace His Lady also had her most earnest Wish fulfilled before she left the World. For she had often said she should die with extream satisfaction if she might but live to see her Husband safe and at liberty which she often begg'd of God with Sighs and Tears The same day she died Alexander the Son of Augustus was born Much about the same time all the Strangers which then remain'd in England and with them many of them Natives of that Kingdom seeing the
Leith but this she said she could not do 'till she had consulted with the Nobility of Scotland and when the Ambassador replied They could not but approve of what they had made she replied They did but not all and when I come amongst them it will appear what mind they are of The Duke of Guise and the rest of the great Men of that Family attended her to Calais and the Marquess of Elboeuf and Francis Grand Prior of France went with her She took Ship the 14th of August and arrived at Leith in Scotland the 20th She was much concerned for fear Queen Elizabeth might intercept her in her way home and therefore sent again for the English Ambassador but when he still insisted to have the Treaty of Leith ratisied she delayed it Her Uncle the Cardinal of Lorrain advised her to leave her Jewels and Treasures in France 'till she were safe in Scotland but she said It was folly to be more concerned for her Jewels than for her Person which she must hazard The truth is her Fear was well grounded for Queen Elizabeth sent a Fleet to way-lay her but the two Navies passed by one another in a dark foggy day unperceived and she safely arrived at Leith the 21th of August The beginning of her Government was very gracious and she condescended to grant That no Change or Alteration should be made in the present State of Religion only she said she would use her own Religion apart and have a Mass in private which was and by many was thought very reasonable she having been Educated in the Roman Church and being a Sovereign Princess Yet the Preachers in their Sermons publickly condemned that Toleration of their Queen as unlawful and the Earl of Arran being exasperated by his Imprisonment on the account of Religion in France by the Order of the Guises from whence he made his Escape replied That he did neither agree to Publick nor Private Mass which highly displeased the Queen And Archimbald Douglas Provost of Edinburg put out an Order commanding all Papists to be gone for which the Queen committed him to the Castle of Edinburg And one of the common sort of Men broke the Tapers in the Court which were prepared for her Chapel and a Tumult had ensued to the Ruine of the other Preparatives for her Chapel if some wiser Men had not interposed amongst whom the Lord James was one of the greatest and forwardest to suppress this insolent Disorder On the other side the Marquess of Elboeuf was much offended to see the Protestant Religion exercised openly in Scotland and the Earl of Huntley a vain Man proffer'd the Queen his Service to reduce all the North Parts of Scotland to the Popish Religion which was wisely rejected In the middle of September the Duke of Aumarl and the rest of the French which had come home with the Queen went back to France but the Marquess of Elboeuf who stayed with her all the Winter She sent William Lord Maitland to Queen Elizabeth with Letters full of kind and friendly Expressions and desiring the like Returns from her And amongst other things that she would declare her the lawful Heir to the Crown of England in case she Queen Elizabeth should dye without Issue which Queen Elizabeth denied but said She would never wrong her nor her Cause if it be just in the least point and that she knew not any whom she would prefer before her or who if the Title should fall to be controverted might exclude her The Queen of Scots caused a new Provost of Edinburg to be Elected changed the Common Council and put out a Proclamation That all her good and faithful Subjects should repair to and remain within the Birgh at their pleasure for doing their lawful Business which was in opposition to the Provost's Order She kept her Masses too more publickly and with greater pomp of all which the Ministers complain'd in vain in their Sermons The Nobility had divided the Church Lands amongst them and had now another Game to persue and were striving who should be most in the Queen's Favour The Queen's Expences being soon found too great for the poor Revenues of the Crown of Scotland to maintain The Remainder of the Church Lands was divided into three parts one was assigned to the Queen one to the Ministers and the third was left to the Bishops and Parsons of the Romish Communion which they were forced to yield to to prevent the loss of all they now subsisting merely by the Queen's Favour The Earl of Huntley to be made Lord Chancellor turned Roman Catholick again which encouraged one Winyet a Priest to write a Book against the Reformation for which he was censured and forced to leave Scotland Not long after which she created the Lord James her Brother first Earl of Marr and then of Murray the Lord Ereskin claiming and at last obtaining the Earldom of Marr which much offended Huntley which had enjoyed both these Titles ever since the death of James the Fifth This made Huntley enter into many base and unworthy Designs to murder Murray which were all by one means or other discovered and at last ended in the Death of Huntley and the Executiou of John Gordon his eldest Son a hopeful young Gentleman in the Year following The beginning of the Year 1562 was very unquiet in France The King had called an Assembly of the Delegates of all the Parliaments of France in the end of the last year which was to meet at St. Germain the 17th of January of this year to consider of the means of appeasing these Broils and preserving the Peace of France The King opened this Assembly with a short Speech which was seconded by a larger made by the Chancellor who having given a short account of the several Edicts that had been made before in the business of Religion and shewn how they had all by one means or other been defeated He added That Laws were of no use if they were not Religiously observed But then said he if the Question is put Why are not the Laws executed Must not you that are the Judges bear the blame For if they excuse themselves and say That it was not in their power to execute them I will accept the Answer upon condition they will ingenuously confess That neither was it in the King's power And that this Affair of Religion by a secret Judgment of God for the Castisement of our Luxury Indevotion and Neglect of his Glory is so disposed that we may by the severity of the Punishment be brought to Repentance In the year 1518 when these Commotions first began there is no Man but knows how corrupt the Manners and how loose or rather profligate the Discipline of the Church was throughout the World For to omit the Court of Rome in which there was nothing right and sound we had here in France a young King brought up in Pleasures tho' he afterwards was