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 cōclusion 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
Towne to be rased to the ground And because the report went that Hesdin should be besieged the Duke de Bouillon Marshall of France vndertooke to defend the Castle the Duke Horatio Fernese the Counte de Villards with diuers other Lords and Gentlemen being assistants with about 2000. souldiers where they were presently inclosed by the Emperours army whereof Emanuel Philebert Duke of Sauoy and Prince of Piedemont his Nephewe was Generall which place hee battered more freely then at any other time it had bene and mined in so many places that it seemed readie to fall by which meanes the Frenchmen were constrained to parle and while they were vpon the point to make a composition nothing rested but the signe on the one side a Priest by misfortune hauing put fire vnto the artificiall works made within the Castle therwith to defend the assalt on the other side the Burgonions that desired nothing but the spoile hauing caused their mines to worke part of the souldiers were burnt with those artificiall fires and part blowne vp with the mynes the rest remained at the mercy of the Emperours souldiers that entred into the Castle The Duke de Bouillon Hesdin taken from the Frenchmen and rased charged the Prince of Piedemont with his promise but he answered him and said that there needed no Hostages to be giuen seeing he found himselfe to be maister of the place and by that means the Duke with diuers others were taken prisoners by whom the Prince gained a most great raunsome The Castle was taken vpon the 18. day of Iuly Duke Horatio the Vicount de Martigues the Seneschal de Castres and diuers Captaines and Gentlemen were slaine therein which is the fortune of warre but the Emperour caused it to be rased to the ground The ouerthrow of some of the Emperours forces and the taking of the Duke of Arscot After that the French Armie being assembled by Amiens and Piquigny about the 15. of August there happened an encounter wherein the Prince of Conde had the leading of the light Horse and with the same he brake into the Emperours troupes beating and driuing them before him aboue a myle slaying of them to the number of seuen or eight hundreth men and tooke prisoners about fiue hundred and among the rest the Duke of Arscot bearing away their Ensignes which done the Emperours Army retiring towards Arras the kings Armie about the ende of August laie about Corbie Wherein there was almost 7000. horse 25. thousand foote and aboue an hundreth peeces of Artillery both great and small The Emperour determined to cause this great Armie either to consume of it selfe or else at the siege of some Towne or Castle But to the contrary the king desired nothing but battell and to effect his will he approached neare to Cambray and making towardes Valenciennes caused a certaine charge to be giuen where the Frenche horse men had the better and perceiuing that the Emperors Forces wold not hazard themselues the king withdrew his Campe sending the Marshall de S. Andre to ouerrunne the plaine countrie belonging to the Counte of S. Paul and about the ende of October hee discharged a part of his armie the rest were placed in Garrisons to passe the winter time In the Spring there the king made three armies the first vnder the coÌ„duct of the Prince de la Roche Suryon in Vermandois composed of tenne thousand foote three hundreth launces Three armies in France and fiue or sixe hundreth Argoletiers in the second marching towards Crecy conducted by the Constable there was 25. Ensignes of Frenchmen as many Suissers two Regiments of Lansquenets and two thousand horse part light-horses and part Argoletiers with the rereward of France and some English and Scottish horsemen The third conducted by the Duke de Neuers Exployts of thâ—se three armies was composed of twentie companies of Englishmen and Scots two Regiments of Lansquenets three hundreth launces eight hundreth light-horse and Argoletiers and two hundreth Almaine Pistoletiers the first entered into Artois where it made great spoyle and burnt many places that of the Duke de Neuers ouerranne Ardennes tooke the Castle of Orcimont by composition destroyed and burnt great numbers of villages and constrained the Garrison of the Castle of Beaurin to yeeld by composition and then entered into the countrie of Liege hauing assured and opened the nauigation of the Meuse by the taking of certaine little Castles and strong Forts that lye along by the riuer side the Constables armie tooke Mariembourg and fortified Rocroy Issuing out of Ardennes those of Dinam were sounded to know if they would remaine as newter but they made a most bolde and voluntary answere accompanied with some Harquebush shot Wherevpon the Herault and Trompet of the Duke de Neuers somoned them and the Duke by force tooke the Castle of Agimont in the beginning of Iulie finding the Castles of Castelthierri and Valuin wholly abandoned and forsaken which done hee wanne Bouines by assault wherein most of the Inhabitants were slaine or executed to death because they seemed to resist the kings armie Dinam after some small resistance yeelded it selfe the Inhabitants hauing their liues saued and the Towne not burnt as that of Bouines but wholly sacked Therein happened a cruell skirmish betweene the Frenchmen and the Almaines that would haue violated and forced certaine women maides taken within the church which quarrell was ended by the king the Castle not long after was taken by composition An ouerthrowe of the Emperours forces While these things were in this sort executed in the countrie of Liege the Prince de la Roche Suryon being in Artois ouerthrew two Cornets of the Emperours horsemen whereof 200. of them were slaine and the Cornets sent vnto the king who vnderstaÌ„ding that the Prince of Piedemont assembled an armie determining to fight if the Spaniards would aduance themselues purpased to passe the Sambre which he effected and being followed by the Duke de Neuers he entered into the countrie of Hainaut about the 20. of Iuly where he made a horrible spoyle some of his troupes running to the subburbes of Neuelle the frontier Towne of Brabant wherein with all the villages round about it they set on fire winning great spoyle then the armie drew towards Baius one of the principall Townes in Hainaut leauing nothing about it but fire The kings reuenge for the spoiles done in Picardie smokes ashes and miserie throughout all the plain countrie a most lameÌ„table tragedie between two so great Princes The FrenchmeÌ„ being incaÌ„ped about Baius made greater fiers then euer they had done burning all the castles GentlemeÌ„s places throghout the countrie The goodly house of MariemoÌ„t beloÌ„ging to the Q. of Hungarie was not forgotteÌ„ neither yet the castle of Tragny Baius beeing assayled vppon the 22. day of the same moneth yeelded it selfe to the kings mercie that caused it to be burnt in reuenge of the spoyle of Foulembray as also of the Townes and
Emperour and the king to bring them to an agreement but nothing tooke effect each of thē seeming to haue right on his side meane time the differences touching religion began to increase such as would not receiue and acknowledge the traditions of the Pope were cruelly burnt They suffered the Turke to win diuers places in Europe and his Gallies as then came before Corse to ayde the Frenchmen were at the siege of Calui and Boniface among the Christians and holpe to conquer the Island and then returning homeward spoyled the coast of Toscane besieged Plombin and the I le of Elbe belonging to the Duke of Florence passing further executed an infinit of mischieses vpon the realmes of Naples Sicile and Calabre and so laden with great spoyles and numbers of Christians their prisoners they arriued in Constantinople other places without any impeachment so much so great was the hatred between the Emperour and the King that they had rather see the Turke inriched with Christians teasure then once to consent agree in one to inuade so common an enemie But returning to Siene Siene besicged and taken the Marques of Marignan came to besiege it with all his forces onely vpon the hope he had that Strossi beeing wounded and Monluc lying at the poynt of death being dead for it was thought they could not liue long Lanssac and Fourqueuau taken the Sienois being wholly destitute of counsell and French secorers would yeeld vnto him Strossi beeing somewhat recouered and hauing been certified of the death of Monluc hazarded himselfe with sixe companies of foote and two of launciers to come to Siene Where by the prudence and resolution of Serillac Nephew to Monluc he entered who by a stratageme of trompets caused an alarme in the Marquesse campe that thought verily some new armie had been come to set vppon them but hauing found Monluc liuing and in some better estate then he had been he returned againe yet not without great daunger Monluc hauing made many skirmishes vppon the enemie perceiued that in fine they would take the Towne whervpon hauing shewed the Souldiers and the Townes-men what he thought the Marques would do hee gaue order that euery man should be stinted in his victuals and that they should liue by prescript rules of war The Sienois very willing to followe his counsell and aduise did as he commanded The Marques hauing assayed by scaling the walles in the night-time to enter into the Citadell and the Fort of Camollia was valiantly repulsed with the losse of sixe hundreth of his men and by many skirmishes batteries intelligences and combats seeking to become maister of the towne being not able to effect his will determined to proceed with the first and surest resolution which was to constraine them by famin by which meanes his campe indured much miserie and euery moneth diminished more and more neuerthelesse in fine his perseuerance ouercame them so that vpon the 20. day of Aprill 1555. an honourable composition hauing been made and agreed vpon with Monsieur de Monluc his troupes and those of Siene the towne was yeelded vnto the Marques and after into the hands of the Duke of Florence Touching that which after happened to the territories of Siene I meane not at this present to intreate further thereof leauing that to the description of the warres of Italie from whence I must returne vnto Picardie Warres in Picardie Mariembourg being revictualled the Leaders that cōmanded in those quarters for the Emperour hauing erected an armie of twentie thousand foote fiue or sixe thousand Rutters and some Enfignes of olde bands of Spaniards caused a place called Giuets to bee fortified from whence they forraged the Country lying nearest vnto it and famished Mariembourg The king assembled his forces at Maubert Fontaine whereof Francis de Cleues Duke de Veuers was Lieftenant Generall hauing eight hundreth launciers as many light-horse about eight thousand footemen who once againe revictualled Mariembourg The 26. of Iulie the Rutters and the French light-horsemen met togither but the Rutters were presently constrained to reenter into their fort and the Count de Barlaimont General of the Emperors Armie refusing battaile the French men retired presently after the prince of Orange entred in to the kings country and spoiled the Castle of Faignolles After that in winter time Messieurs de Sanssac and Bourdillon the third time reuictualled Mariembourg The raigne and troublesome season togither with the want of victualls on both sides impeached the armies from meeting togither During this last voiage the king hauing gotten the writings and euidences whereby Iohn de Brosse Duke d'Estampes claymed a right and title vnto the Duchie of Bretaigne into his hands gaue the Count of Ponthieure in exchange thereof vnto the said Duke The Emperor resigneth all his estates vnto his son and his brother At the same time the Emperor a prince of great valour and courage as all Histories do witnesse hauing so long time borne a world of affaires troubles within his braines determined to discharge himselfe thereof and hauing sent for the Prince Don Philip his sonne vnto Brissels then king of England resigned vnto him his kingdomes of Spaine Naples Cicile and others whereof hee gaue him letters pattents commanding all his subiects to obey him Those letters being deliuered vpon the 25. of october 1555. were read in open counsel by the Chancelor And among many notable instructions aduises by the father giuen vnto the Prince his son he exhorted him to make peace with the King of France and to haue pittie vpon Christendome miserably tormented by so long and cruell warres He likewise left off the Empire and by letters vnto the Electors desired them to giue that dignitie vnto Ferdinand his brother to whom by right it ought to appertaine hauing by them bin chosen and elected for king of the Romanes Wars in the Isle of Corse About the same time the Geneuois assaied to win the Isle of Corse not long before taken from them by Monsieur de Termes and sent thither the Prince d'Aurie that assailed the port of S. Florent which yeelded by composition the souldiers issuing armed and their goods saued returning to Boniface to Iourdā Vrsin d'Aurie following after them thinking to win it but he was soone repulsed to his great losse About the moneth of the same yeare died the Marquesse of Marignā The death of the Marques of Marignā being out of fauor with the Emperor For hauing too long prolōged the taking of Siene consuming a whole armie about it he was solemnly buried at Millan the Duke d'Alue being assistant at his funerall King Philip following his fathers counsaile and solicited therunto by Mary Queene of England his wife inclined to peace which to effect after many meetings and conferences a truce for 5. yeares was agreed vpon between thē The Count de Lalain Truce for 5. yeares between the 2. Kings came to Blois to sweare the truce vnto
of Dreux but God is with thee Hee made her aunswere and said Good wife pray to God for me The night before the battell beeing in his bedde and talking with certaine Gentlemen that were in his Chamber he said to Theodore de Beza that had said prayer before him I knowe wee are not to account of dreames yet I must tell you what I drempt the last night Me thought I had giuen three battelles one after the other and in the end I obtained victorie and sawe my three enemies dead before me my selfe being wounded to death and that causing them three beeing dead to bee layde vppon each other I layd my selfe vppon them and so yeelded vp my soule to God And being aunswered that the things which troubled his mind caused him to haue that dreame and that whether he liued or died hee could not chuse but bee victorious Hee sayd I pray God it may bee so But sure it is that time verified his vision for that his three enemies were all slaine one after the other as the Marshall de S. Andre the next day the Duke of Guise before Orleans and the Constable at the battell of S. Denis and he himselfe after all them slaine at the battell of Bassac A briefe description of the battell of Dreux The ninteenth of December the two armies approaching neare each other in that of the Triumuirat were nineteene thousand foote and two thousand horse And that of the Prince about foure thousand horse and lesse then fiue thousand foote the battell beeing very furious on both sides continued for the space of sixe houres Among other particularities thereof diuers things are to bee considered on that there was no skirmish giuen while the two armies stayed within a cannon shot one from the other for the space of two long houres as wel to range themselues as to determine vpon their fight Another the valiant courages of the Switzers that sustained foure charges before they could be broken hauing lost seuenteene Captaines and the third part of their troupes beeing aboue three thousand men As also the patience of the Duke of Guise who notwithstanding that the Constable had been taken the Marshal de S. Andre slaine and part of his armie ouerthrown yet he stayed to seethe end of his fortune and delt in such sort that before hee left the Prince was taken prisoner and in that fight were lost on both sides at the leaft seuen thousand men besides diuers prisoners and hurt whereof most part died The Princes armie lost aboue 2200. foote Notable circumstances of the battell and fifteene hundreth horse as wel Rutters as Frenchmen The Gentlemen of account that were slaine were Arpaion Chandiu Liencourt Ligneri la Fredonniere la Charliere Rongnac Mazelles Saint Germier and in a manner all the Cornet of Mouy who was taken prisoner at the last charge The Triumuirat besides his Switzers lost the most part of his horsemen the Switzers and a great number of other foote men The Gentlemen and men of name were the Duke de Neuers slaine a little before the first charge by one of his Domesticall seruants that had diswaded him from the religion Misieurs d'Annâ—baut de Giury with his Cornet and Harbinger La Brosse principall of the massacre of Vassy and one of his sonnes And Aussun a Noble man of Gascon hauing through feare fledde vnto Parris died of griefe There was likewise another notable thing to bee marked which was the taking of both the Generalles of the armies the one at the beginning the other before the battell ended whereby the field was left by both partes but in the end reentered by the Duke of Guise after his retrait and the next day reentered by the Admirall that againe offered battell Besides that the retrait of the Princes armie was done safely in good order being two Regiments of Rutters and one of Frenchmen all about twelue hundreth horse The armie Triumuirat weake of horse not desiring to leaue their foote hauing marched about sixe hundreth paces after them contentented themselues therewith The Duke of Cuise was esteemed to haue gotten the victorie because he stayed and lodged in the field where the battell was fought and the Admirall about a myle from thence The Duke likewise sent the Ensignes takeÌ„ vp in field vnto Parris and got the Princes Artillerie who the same night supped and laye with the Duke of Guise A maruellous thing to consider the estate of two such persons so neare vnto each other and eating and resting togither The Duke de Guise beeing declared Lieftenant of the armie because of the Constables imprisonment What was done by the heads of the armies caused seuenteene newe companies of Lanciers to bee raised besides the increasing of tenne others each wanting twentie horse and created twelue knights of the Order which done hee threatned the Rutters and Marshall de Hesse to slaye them all if they would not ioyne with him but the Marshall made him the like aunswere laughing at his boldnesse The Admirall keeping on his way marched towards Beausse taking certaine small places and so that yeare past ouer But to the end not to breake the thread of our discourse I meane to proceede with that which was done by both the armies vntill the pacification of the first troubles and then with a summarie discription of the estate of the Prouinces during those troubles The second of Ianuary The Admirals exploits after the battell of Dreux the Admirall besieged Selles in Berri within fiue daies after tooke it by composition The Counte dela Rochefoucaut entered into the Towne of Saint Aignan lying in the same countrie the prince of Portion with his troupes into Montrichard The Duke de Cuise marching towards Beausse Duras was constrained to leaue Estampes as also de Pluuiers so that there rested nothing else in that countrie for the Prince but the Towne of Orleans the custodie whereof was committed to Monsieur d'A'ndelot with foureteen Ensignes of Lansquenets and Frenchmen and foure of the Inhabitants of the Towne with a great number of Gentlemen The Duke of Guises campe beeing at Baugency his light horses ranne before Orleans And also of the Duke de Guise but Auaret issuing out vppon them slewe some tooke others prisoners and put the rest to flight Meane time the King and his mother were conducted to Chartres with all the priuie Councell and some of the Parliament of Parris to frame as they sayd the Princes processe kept by a company of Lanciers and three companies of foote D'Anuille the Constables sonne perceiuing the Duke of Guises meaning was to strike two blowes vpon one stone by causing the Prince to be executed and so those of Orleans in exchange to cut off his fathers head being their prisoner tooke so good order therein that that assembly was dispearsed The King going to Blois where the Prince was brought and from thence conueyed to the Castle of Auzin hard by Amboise
presently deliuered him to the prouost Marshall who hauing brought him to Anger 's caused him by the Dukes commaundement to be broken vppon a Crosse and there left aliue vpon it liuing in that miserie vntill the next morning at foure of the Clocke without releefe or ease of any man by ending his paine still tempted by two Fryers to conuert from the truth of the religion but hee remained constant The two Traytours that betrayed him to his enemies were likewise hanged and an other that hadde opened the Gate whereby they entred into Rochefort was slaine of whome they thought to bee rewarded Tours and the country about it Eight daies before Easter in Anno 1562. the Duke de Montpensier beeing come to Tours with a small troupe in diuers sorts discouered his euill will against those of the religion who hauing had aduice from the Prince how their affaires proceeded seized vppon the Towne without any disorder onely inregard of the Images that by no meanes could be releeued what counsell or aduice soeuer the stayder sort could giue or procure At the same time the cruell sentence giuen in the Parliament of Parris was published in the gouernment of Touraine Maine and Aniou committed to the charge of the Duke de Montpensier and of Chauigni his Lieftenant Which sentence was expressely to commaund all men of what estate soeuer presently to rise in Armes with permission to sounde belles in euery place to spoyle and destroy all those of the religion that could or might bee founde without respect of qualitie sexe or age and to assaile their houses to kill spoyle and vtterly subuert them This sentence was published euery sunday in al the Parishes and in the termes vsed by the Triumuirat Which is to let the greatest Gray hound loose and presently therevppon all kinde of bad persons assembled both pesants and Artificers and leauing their ordinary labors beganne in great fury to march with the rest against those of the religion Part of them entring into Ligueul where they hanged certaine men put out the ministers eyes and then burnt him with a small fier Others entred into Cormery l'Islebouchart Loches and other places bordering vpon it where they committed an infinit number of villanies Among diuers other murthers fleaing a young man named Mathurin Chaiseau of the age of 17. or 18. years An other troupe of 6. or 700. men fel vpon the village of Aze foure miles from Chinon and burnt it massacring to the number of 25. or 30. persons in presēce of the stuard Agenois who in stead of opening his gates to aide the poore distressed people vnderstanding of their comming stood at his windowes to Iudge what blowes they had In the beginning of Iuly they of Tours being sommoned to yeelde the Towne and hauing no meanes to bee releeued by the Prince departed from thence with their armes making three companies of foote two cornets of horse wēt to march to Poictiers Ioyning with those of Chinon and Chastelleraut Wherby they were about the number of 1000. men or there abouts And being followed by 7. or 8. cōmpanies of Lanciers some Cornets of light horse belonging to the Count de Villards their leaders fainted Wherevpon they were charched by the horsemen and ouerthrowne some beeing slaine the rest robbed and spoyled of all they hadde were ledde prisoners to Chastelleraut from whence they escaped by diuers meanes and some got to Poictiers Their Minister called Ihon de la Tour that had bin at the conference in Poissy aged 75. years was drowned in the riuer of Clain the first that yeelded themselues in that ouerthrow were sent to Tours and about three hundreth of the nimblest of them thought by running to get Tours but at their arriuall the Towns-men beganne to ring a bell at the sound whereof diuers of them saued themselues the rest to the number of two hundreth were taken and committed to prison and the next day sixe or seuen score of them were murthered cast into the riuer of Loire Others beeing found about the Towne were likewise throwne into the water not sparing man woman nor childe After that came Chauigny with his band of Priestes Monkes Friers Cannons and their companions and then the murthers and pillages beganne to bee renued The President of Tours named Bourgeau an ancient man of great credit and authoritie who although he neuer had made profession of the religion yet hee was esteemed to bee one hauing presented Clerueaux Lieftenant to Chauigny with 300. Crownes and a Bason of siluer was ledde foorth of the Gates but beeing perceiued and discouered by such as watched for such things hee was murthered with swords and staues and then stripped into his shirt and hanged by the foote his head in the water vp to the breast and beeing still liuing they cut open his bellie and casting his guttes into the riuer sticking his heart vppon the poynt of a Lance bare it about the Towne saying it was the heart of the President of the Huguenots Not long after the Duke de Montpensier arriued in the Towne causing diuers Gibbets wheeles and flakes to bee set vp and then vnder pretence of iustice the murthers beganne again so that the number of those that were executed before then and since amounted to aboue three hundreth persons most part beeing rich men and many of good account Assoone as the Commons or the Iustice had put any man or woman to death they enrered into their houses and killing their children tooke all they found therein in such manner that Richelieu the Monke boasted to haue as much Veluet Satin and Taffata which hee had gotten in Tours as would reach a league in length his companions likewise had their parts in such maner that such as sixe weeks before were not woorth a groate presently after offered to buy lands and to paye thirtie or fortie thousand Frankes readie mony Let vs now see what past during these first troubles in high and base Normandie and first beginne with Roane Rome the principall Towne in that Prouince The fifteenth of Aprill 1562. those of the religion foreseeing some danger ceased vpon the Towne and fiue daies after yeelded reason of their action vnto the Duke de Bouillon Gouernor thereof Their declaration beeing sent to the Court letters pattents were presently giuen vnto the Duke d'Aumale brother to the Duke de Guise to bee the kings Lieftenant in Normandie The third of May the Artificers with their wiues and children entered into the Churches and in lesse then foure and twentie houres had broken downe and defaced all the Images Altars and other superstitious Reliques in more then 50. Churches as wel of Parishes as of Abbayes and Couents not once taking any thing for themselues in such sort that from that time vntill the taking of the Towne the occupation of Priests and Friers wholly discontinued Seuen daies after the Cittizens mustered themselues and the Court of Parliament withdrew it selfe yet without any cause Meane time
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. mē Presētly 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 religiō 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 Gentlewomē 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 thē perceiued they had deceiued him Notwithstanding his seruāts had so great credit with him that they caused him to be cōfessed to receiue the Sacrament after the Romish maner The other of his Phisitians called Raphuel being of the religiō 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
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 vpō 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 cōuersion 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 Cōmon-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 repētāce 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 Dēmark to cause the religiō 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 whō 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 opiniō 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
all the mutenous leaguers continually about his eares if hee made warre against the King of Mauarre he had fiftie thousand straungers vpon his backe that would constraine him to ouerthrowe the league Wherevppon hee desired the Duke of Guise to yeelde to a peace not to abandon the Estate of the Realme for a praye vnto straungers to procure the ease and contentment of his king the comfort of the people the freedome of the Cleargie and the dignitie of the Nobilitie by other meanes then by such as would ouerthrow the honour of his soueraigntie bring his subiects in dispaire robbe Churches and sucke the blood of those fewe Gentlemen which forraine warres had left within the Realme to desend it from ciuill warres To the which peace hee mooued him by honourable promises and aduantages both to his house and partakers but hee found his heart altogether resolued vnto warres rather desiring a battell then a disputation and neyther minded to indure miserie nor yet to procure the remedies thereof So that to conclude the Duke of Guise would haue warres and aunswered the king resolutely that hee was not in the minde to haue any peace adding further The Duke of Guise would haue warre that if hee were constrained therevnto it should alwaies bee done with exception of the religion and the assurance of him and his Whereby peace for that time was vtterly bannished yet Priam for all that issued not out of Ilion before hee sawe the Grecians vnder his walles and then hee beganne to stirre himselfe and to resume the generous courage which hee had lost among the pleasures of Vincennes The state of the Court in An. 1586. and 1587. at the marriage of Monsieur de Ioyeuse since which time the Courtier had not striken one blowe with his sword but onely in quarrell of Arioste and had rather spend one hundreth Crownes in dauncings and in Maskes then one one hundreth solz in powder and in flaskes The long rest had made the most valiant like vnto a horse whose warlike courage abateth by lying long vppon the litter but necessitie founded them an alarme and made them perceiue the blacke cloud that began to fall vppon the state For the King that should haue beene very incensible if hee had not had some feeling marched in proper person diuided his warre into three parts that is to Chaumont in Bassigny to Saint Florentins hard by Troye and to Guyen Foure hundreth launciers two hundreth foote all Italians The first armie beeing composed of fiue and twentie companies of men at armes twelue Ensignes of footemen of the Regiment of Escluzeaux sixe of Ioannes and sixe of Gie with diuers blankes for commissions at the Duke of Guises pleasure troupes of strangers sent vnto him by the Duke of Parma The second was ledde by the Duke de Montpensier and in the third that went for Guyen the king himselfe was in person which three armies in all might comprehend the number of sixtie eight companies of men at armes tenne thousand foote twelue thousand Switzers and foure thousand Rutters The Duke de Ioyeuse ledde an other armie into Guyenne against the King of Nauarre and the Duke of Lorraine had braue and goodly forces vppon the frontiers The Duke de Bouillon was Lieftenant for the King of Nauarre in the armie of Rutters and Almaines Duke Cazemire excuseth himselfe that were conducted by the Barron of Othna and composed of nine and twentie Cornets of Rutters three and twentie Ensignes of Switzers and fiue thousand Lansquenets armed with corslet and pike besides eleuen Cornets of French lanciers and tenne companies of Harquebusiers on horsebacke so that the armie might be in all about thirtie thousand men not accounting the fifteen hundreth harquebusiers foure hundreth horse brought by the Lord of Chastillon Beholde poore and miserable France couered with the haire of afflictions and charged with a heauie burthen Miseries of France vnder the which it must eyther languishor die Beholde it readie to bee a pray to a people different both in manners and speech all the furies of hell raunged in her fields and horrour confusion and impunitie thundered and battered in all places which euery man iudged to bee a scourge for the great and horrible crimes committed therein Hee that seeth France troubled and vexed in that sort may well say that the iust iudgement of God hath brought it to so great desolation through the aboundance of sinnes that fill vp the measure of her iniquities for which causes the scourge of God hath discipated and seduced into ashes many more flourishing estates then euer it was Lust and desolatenesse ouerthrew the first Monarchy of the world prodigallitie tooke away the life and force of the second ambition and discord dismembred the third The ruine of the 4. Monarches Assiria Asia Persia Rome impietie and iniustice vnfeathered the fourth and impietie iniustice and desolation will reduce France into a fatall and certaine destruction The Ministers of pietie are no more chosen as they ought to bee and it is no maruell why there are no more Athanasians and Hillarians therein seeing that the spirituall liuings which are the Schooles and fountaines from whence godlinesse should spring and examples of the true seruice of God are holden by men of armes or Courtiers and which is woorse by women childrē This impietie which hath slidden into religion hath formed many Atheists that speake disdainfully of godly prouidence that flatly deny it that by beleeuing ouermuch beleeue nothing at all whereby the souleresteth in their bodies without any apprehension either of the second life or of the latter death Others serue God but for a fashion and by maner of acquittance and curiously forge diuers sorts of errors and vnder I knowe not what kinde of hypocrisie and dissimulation suffer themselues to be borne away by superstitions which traungely abuse and offend the most holy Maiestie of God it is the monster with sixe hornes that hath gotten so much credite among the common people and that thrusteth it selfe into the Pallaces of Kings it is the means to trafficque and deale with the diuell to giue vs the detestable fruit of the Cupidits which torment those miserable Sorcerers who most easilie deface the diuine caracke out of their soules prostrate the same at the pleasure of the stinking gate of hell This vermine that remaineth free without looking into in the time of Charles the 9. had attained to the number of 30000. as their chief leader cōsessed but since that time it hath had so great ascope that such as deal with it in great houses are called Philosophers and Astrologiers and now Almanackes serue as rules and cannons for mens actions To this impietie we must adde the most execrable blasphemies which proceed frō the mouths of great men yea and from the poorest Pesants in France that haue euery day new words to spit out against the heauens and to despight the iustice and prouidence of
God The Pagan sweareth very sildome the Sarazin knoweth not what it meaneth the Turke abstaineth from it and the Huguenot detesteth it but our Catholicques are Maisters of the Art and make account to ride vppō diuinitie The second branch of our mischiefs is iniustice The first foundation of an estate and authoritie of a Realm yea that which giueth it forme and being is iustice Vertue which maketh kings and without it they would change their royalties Iniustice is the roote of miseries in France into tyrannies It is the feare of the wicked and the encouragement of the good because it is the principall office of aking when the Hebrieux desired Samuel to giue them a king among other points of their request they added these words to Iudgevs and to doo iustice as among other people All the world complayneth of the peruerting thereof estates are no more giuen by Geometrical proportion France maketh lawes of waxe to be tempered with mens hands and subiect to melt at the warme fauors of great persons There are lawes ynough to gouernall Europe yea and all the pluralitie of epicures but they haue their vertue onely in paper and some seeth them both published and violated Now there is no conscience made to sell that which is bought of the king and most commonly iustice is diuided to such as haue no mony but this iniustice is much more to bee deplored for the heauie and insupportable burthens it layeth vpon the poore people and maketh them not onely a medowe which is cut thrice a yeare but a bodie that is fleane or rather an anaotomie Theking which hath tenne millions of golde for his reuenue liueth by impositions and new dances wherewith hee deuoureth his people he bloweth their noses so often that hee maketh them bleed pulleth vp both hearb and roote cuttes the feathers so neare that they can growe no more putteth his subiects out of breath and constraineth them to hate and detest the Authors of these miseries Iniustice is yet more seene in the disorder and crueltie of souldiers that are without discipline rule feare of God respect of the good compassion to the miserable and that afflict torment the friend as much as the enemie persecute both masse and religion kill Priests assoone as Ministers robbe Churches burne Temples spoyle Merchants torment olde men violate virgins cause women with childe to bring foorth vntimely fruite ransome Pesants by cruelties which in times past were neuer known but of Scithians Lestrigons and Turkes but none vnwoorthily practised among vs to the great dishonour of the courtesie and fauour that hath so much beautified our nation But the desolation which entereth into al the members of France maketh it another Babylon a puddle of filthinesse and a sinke of all sorts of corruptions whereof the wounds are so old that they are in a manner become naturall desperate and incurable The Court of our kings which in times past were wont to bee the seed of the vertues of French Nobilitie did neuer abound in more disorders lusts excesse then vnder the raigne of Henry the third specially in the yeares 1586. and 1587. So that it may bee sayd of some Townes as it is reported by straungers that all things are printed therein only not to be vertuous The kings Court is like a Theator which the people stād to behold it is a fire which transformeth such as approach it into her nature the most modest come foorth insolent the most chaste Lucresse becommeth Faustina From the disorder of great persons proceedeth the misbehauiour of the meaner sort and there hath bin carters that haue beene so superfluous in their vanities that there wanted nothing in their houses but a chappel of musicke and to serue them by quarters to counterfeit little kings I must confesse the truth not make you beleeue that a mā with a crooke shoulder is of goodly proportion The K. gaue a great furtherance to these desolations his exāple was a directiō to all his subiects as the influctiō of the head runneth into al the mēbers Men do not only imitate but approoue the actiōs of great mē and according to their humours voluptuousnesse disorder superstition molestation and crueltie enter into credite The people suffer their mindes to bee cut and cautherised at Princes pleasures as the greater the authoritie is the more affectionate is their immutation euery man taketh that colour men perfume themselues with those drugues and the example of the Prince is so contagious to the subiects that they receiue it entereth sooner into their eyes then their eares Alexander cast his head a side and all the Court held their neckes awry Denis was purblind and his Courtiers stumbled at euery steppe and iusteled each other as if they had beene euill sighted Plutarke telleth that Courtiers put away their wiues following the kings example that loued not his wife Lewis the eleuenth would haue Charles his sonne to learne but one word of Latine and all the Court despised learning King Francis established learning and all the Nobilitie caused their children to bee instructed Henry she third loued ryots and pleasures and al the Court abounded in desolation He considered not that the vices which ranged in his Realme are the same that caused the whole world to bee drowned ouerthrew fiue Townes caused the tribe of Beniamin to bee slaine destroyed Sparta Carthage and Athens spoyled Troye and procured the Cicilian euening prayer He considered not that this voluptuousnes which maketh him swallow poyson in his milke and Ippocras maketh him fitter to bee a woman then a man that to maintaine it all France is rent in peeces The treasures that Caligula found after the death of Tibera being 1800. horse load nor the nineteene millions of Crownes that the Vitellius spent in one yeare in making of banquets will not suffice that from thence spring the new impositions wherereof the monies proceeding are died and tempered in the blood and teares of the poore people that aske vengeance of God and that in the end deal to ease their oppressions and ouerthrow the oppressors Prodigious sights seene in the raigne of Henry the third If the complaints of the people cannot pearse the eares of the king yet let him looke vnto the effects of Gods iudgement as strange signes monsters comers and earthquakes which are the messengers thereof let him consider that these leagues and partiallities are the windes that rise before a tempest and the shipwracke of this estate And that with a little push this edifice which hath been built so many hundreth yeares will in a moment be ouerthrowne But not to prolong our Historie with many tedious words let vs return to the armie of Protestants which were left in Lorraine And there we shal see great wants which soone produce many infalliable faults without remedie and reparations that are presently made to the ruine and confusion of such as commit them It was destitute of a Generall capable of so dangerous