his side 〈…〉 make a show of his Power and to render himself considerable to the United Princes He prevail'd with the Provincial Council of the Lower Guyenne to Conveâ—… an Assembley at Tonneins of three Deputys of every oâ—… of the other Councils and the Letters of it were dispatch'd towards the end of March The day on whiâ—… they appointed the Assembly to meet was the same tâ—… had been taken to hold a National Synod in the same Plaâ—… Insomuch that had those two Assemblys concurr'd in 〈…〉 same Resolutions it might be said that the Reform'd 〈…〉 never taken such general ones We will observe 〈…〉 where why it did not succeed I will only say that 〈…〉 Princes only making use of the Duke de Rohan's goâ—… Will to render themselves the more formidable to 〈…〉 Queen they concluded a Peace in the presence of â—…tefontane his Envoy to whom they daily gave a thousaâ—… Assurances that they had no thoughts of it The Sumâ—… of Money that were offer'd them made their Swoâ—… drop out of their Hands They obtain'd the usual 〈…〉 of Grace and the greatest thing they got was a promâ—… to Assemble the Estates Amboise was delivered up 〈…〉 the Prince of Conde as a Place of Surety The other profited by it according to their Quality The oâ—… Duke of Rohan paid the Scot and got nothing but tâ—… Queens Indignation by it The Duke de Vendome held â—ut longer than the rest and the Queen was foro'd to â—o into Bretagne to reduce him to Reason This Treaty being concluded at Ste. Menehould on the â— 5th of May was forth with put in Execution but the Peace which was but just concluded had like to have been broken by an affront the Prince of Conde receiv'd at Poiâ—…ers He was disatisfy'd with the Bishop to whom he â—nt some smart Letters by a Gentleman of his Retinue The said Gentleman was ill us'd by the consent and perhaps at the Instigations of the Bishop The Prince being inform'd therewith in a Journey of which no body knew the Secret resolv'd inconsiderately to go to Poitiers to revenge that affront Whereas he was only Arm'd with his Quality at that time and not very well attended â—e was not much in a Condition to be fear'd and therefore the Inhabitants shut their Gates against him and refus'd him Enterance This seem'd to be done by the Bishop's Credit but it was thought that he had receiv'd secret orders from the Queen about it Moreover some Persons some which were Ingag'd in the Princes Interests were turn'd out of the City whereupon he did whatever lay in his Power to Assemble his Friends and to lay a kind of Siege before that Insolent City But he could hardly Assemble Men enough to annoy the Inhabitants a little whom he hindered from going to and fro by keeping of some Passages He neither had time enough nor means to renew his Correspondence which the Peace had broken and the Queen being gone from Paris with her Forces the fear of her marching against him oblig'd him to remove from before Poitiers He was forc'd to submit that affair to Justice and to suffer Commissioners to be nominated to examine it and the Bishop was sent for to Court as it were to be reprimanded for his proceedings It was not so much to punish him as to put him in safety and the Queen having brought the King to Poitiers improv'd that occasion to put her Creatures in the Chief Imployments there in order to secure that City to herself The Reform'd resolv'd in that Progress to show the King that he was as much Master of the places of Surety as of all the other Cities of his Kingdom He was received with his Forces in all those where he came Moreover he was invited to come through such as he seemd to avoid on purpose left it might create some jealousie Soon after the Treaty of the Princes the Reform'd held a National Synod at Tonneins Several affairs were handled in it which neither related to their Doctrine nor Discipline They receiv'd Letters from the King of England who embrac'd all occasions to concern himself with Divinity as much as he neglected to mind the general affairs of Europe The Subject of his Letters was a dispute between Tilenus and du Moulin who accus'd each other of Error about the Mistery of the hypostatick Union Besides Tilenus had Sentiments that were not very Orthodox about the concurrence of Grace with humane Will The Marshal de Bouillon who did esteem him and who had call'd him to Sedan to give a reputation to the College he had founded there declared himself publickly his Protector which gave a great deal of discontent to the Churches That affair occasioned several Conferrences after which Tilenus was finally abandon'd and left the Churches of France in quiet untill he took upon him to write against the Assembly of Rochel during the Civil Wars As soon as the Synod received the King of England s Letter they resolv'd to open it but before they read it they resolv'd lest their keeping a correspondence with a foreign Prince might offend the Court to send a Copy of it to Rouvray one of the Deputies General who remain'd with the King while la Miletierre was come to Tonneins to the end he should show it to the Ministers incase it should create any jealousie in them and they protested at the same time that incase the said Letter did mention any thing but what related to Religion they would not treat about it without express leave from the King It was a medium which seemed to reconcile the divers pretentions of the Court and of the Synod The Court would not allow the Reform'd to keep any Communication â—ith Foreigners and the Synod thought that they ought to â—ave the freedom of that Correspondence in things which â—…lated to their Doctrine Therefore they thought that â—…ey should satisfie the Court by keeping within those bounds â—…d by tying their own hands in affairs of another â—ature The Council of the Lower Guyenne was oblig'd to give â—…e Synod an account of the Convocation they had made which I have spoken of That way of proceeding was not â—…proved of every where because it exceeded the bounds 〈…〉 the regulation made at Saumur That the Province had â—…t a sufficient grievance to have recourse to that remedy That even in that case it would have been sufficient to invite the Deputies of five adjacent Provinces and â—…ally That since a General Assembly was expected which â—…e Deputies General endeavour'd to obtain leave for the â—…d Convocation could not be look'd upon as necessary They â—…ledg'd reasons for it which freed them from a Censure The Church of Pujols in the precinct of the Assembly of Agen â—hich is part of that Province had refus'd to submit to â—…e resolutions of that Council Complaints were made â—f it in the said Assembly where after having heard the â—arties they had censured the disobedience of
Battel of Coutras against the King's Army which the Duke of Joyeuse commanded But on the other side the Duke of Guise defeated the Reiters at Aunea◠insomuch that the Protestants had little fruit of their Victory and little service from their Allies The P of Conde dy'd some months after at St. John de Angeli being poysoned by some of his own Family and his own Wife being accused for the fact The Judges of the place condemn'd her But the birth of a Son that she brought forth in September following the great Revolutions which hapned a little after and the Authority of some great Persons to whom this Princess was nearly related stopt their proceedings During these sad Times many Edicts were set out against the Protestants but the most bloody was that which was called the Edict of Vnion The King put out this last for fear the Leaguers should procure the King of Spain's Fleet which was Equipp'd against England to descend upon the Coasts of France yet after this they ceased not to do him a thousand indignities So that at last he was constrained to leave Paris to give place to the D. of Guise and to ridicule him they follow'd him to Chartres whither he was retired by a comical Procession of Penitents which went to demand pardon for the Parisians who had the impudence to advance their Barricadoes as far as the very Gates of the Louvre He was forc'd in some sense to receive Law from the Duke as the stronger to assemble the Estates subscribe the Edict of Union and take an Oath not to lay down his Arms till he had destroy'd the Hereticks However he had resolution enough not to sign the Act by which they would have declared the K. of Navar unworthy of the Crown He then saw clearly into the pretences of the D. of Guise who did not intend it seems to wait for the King's Death to possess the Throne for his Party spoke of nothing less than putting him into a Cloyster and adding a Monk's Crown to that of France and Poland which he had already worn He could find no better way therefore to parry off this blow than by the death of the D. of Guise and the Cardinal his brother It is observable that they were brought into the snare in the same manner the Admiral was under the Name of the publick Faith under the appearance of Reconciliation and by a general Compliance with all their demands But the King could not rid himself of the Duke of Mayenne who was then about Lions and who quickly form'd a great Body with which he thought to overwhelm him In the mean time to make it known that it was not in favour of the Protestants that he had kill'd their Enemies he swore a new to the Edict of Vnion and without doubt did it with a true Hatred to them because tho he afterwards was forced by despair to throw himself into their arms he defer'd for 15 days the publication of a Truce he had made with 'em being ready to break it and make War upon 'em without mercy could he have succeeded in an accommodation with which he was flatter'd between him and the Duke of Mayenne But the Duke had clear other thoughts being in a condition to revenge with a high hand the death of his brethren The King saw himself forsaken of his best Cities and was reduc'd to that point that he knew not which of 'em would open their gate to him He preferr'd Tours before all the rest not because he was more assur'd of the Inhabitants but because his Presence was there necessary to prevent a Commotion just ready to break forth to his prejudice The Pope excommunicated the K. for the murder of the Cardinal they refus'd to pray for him in all the Cities of the League at Tholouse they committed terrible insolencies even so far as to hang up his Image upon a Gallows and to massacre those that durst take his part Paris offer'd to make the D. of Mayenne King The Sorbon declar'd the French were discharg'd from their Oath of Fidelity and almost all the Clergy took part with the Leaguers whether it were in conformity to the Example of the Pope or because they were otherwise dissatisfied with the Government the King drawing great Sums of mony from them which the Ecclesiasticks never paid with a good will besides he had sharply taxed the Vices of that powerful body in an Answer to a harangue of their Deputies which the Clergy could not suffer neither without great impatience Nor were the Nobles more affectionate to him the D. of Guise had gain'd one part by his Merit and Liberality the other were obliged to the League by Religion and they that were not leaven'd with this Lump durst not declare for the King because they believ'd his affairs desperate He had few Men and less Mony and he did not know whether he was sure of those that were about his Person Well then when he had no help left when he had nothing to hope from the Catholicks there remaining so few of them who adher'd to his Interests the Protestants alone whom he had hated with so much passion persecuted by so many Wars by Massacres by fraudulent Treaties and whose ruin he had but lately sworn were the only people that inclin'd to his Succour He had made no Peace with them but only single Truces for the security of which he had given Saumur to the King of Navar because he had not Credit enough to deliver him Ponts de Cé By this Truce the third part of the Realm where the Protestants were at least strong enough not to fear the League return'd to the King's Party Thus it was the succour of the Protestants that sav'd this Prince at Tours where the D. of Mayenne thought to have surpris'd him and which brought him considerable success at Senlis and elsewhere But the most important of all was the return of one part of his Nobility who came over to him so soon as they saw that this Truce did advantagiously relieve his affairs So that in a little time he became formidable to his Enemies and marched towards Paris with an Army of above 38000 men to chastise the Inhabitants for their madness That Noble Army was for the most part Protestant There were the Veterane Victorious Troops of the K. of Navar 10000 Suisses which Sancy had levied in the reformed Cantons Some thousands of Reiters and a Reinforcement of English which the King had receiv'd from Queen Elizabeth Without which the remainder would never have been able to have withstood the Leaguers But the Chieftains of that unfortunate Party not being able to make Head against the Kings Forces thought it was high time to make sure of their game by causing that poor Prince to be assassinated at St. Clou by James Clement a Jacobite Monk who by that execrable blow deliver'd the Leaguers from that
Roman Doctrine and the very next day abjured at St. Denis the Reformed Religion It 's true he never would promise to ruine the Hereticks of his Kingdom which the Clergy would have him Swear to Whether he acted thus only through a sincere Affection for the Peace of his Subjects or that it was a premeditated Denial to take away the Fears his Change might give the Reformed Neither would he by any means sign a Formular which had been prepared for him by which he was to Swear one after another to all the Articles of the Romish Faith and in like manner to abjure all the pretended Heresies of the Reformed They were forc'd to draw up one on purpose where Roni interven'd and where without an express Profession or Abjuration of any Article he in sum submitted himself to the whole Doctrine of the Catholicks But as there was a necessity of satisfying the Pope the first Formular was sent him in the King's Name which was counterfeited by Lomenie Secretary of State who had us'd to Sign for him and who imitated his Writing pretty well The King agreed to this Writing which could neither set his Conscience at rest nor please the Court of Rome where the Craft could not be long kept hidden nor make the Reformed believe that he kept their Religion in his Heart tho' he had these different Prospects in this Artifice The End of the Second Book THE HISTORY OF THE Edict of Nantes BOOK III. The CONTENTS of the Third Book Mistrusts produced by this Change Boldness of the Leaguers Renewing of the Vnion-Oath Conspiracy of Barriere Pretence of the Rebels that the King's Conversion is not sincere That he must have the Popes Blessing Deputies from the Reformed on their March The King's Precautions against their Reproaches A Letter upon the King's Change The Insults of the Catholicks Artifices to keep the Deputies from seeing him and to hinder him from giving them satisfaction Project of an Edict A Precaution against the Order of the Holy Ghost and Coronation The Reformed not very well contented with the Project neither accept nor refuse it Assemblies permitted Vnion renew'd with the King's Approbation Artifices for to corrupt the Ministers A Design of a Re-union The Duke of Nevers obtains nothing at Rome The Fears that the King 's and Pope's Reconciliation give the Reformed A Truce prejudicial to the King The Reducing Meaux and other Towns Clauses in the Treaties that are to the prejudice of the Reformed The Coronation Oath The power of the Jesuits Injustices done to the Reformed The Characters of the Chief of the Reformed A Synod at Montaubon Orders Prayers for the King's Prosperity and for his returning to his Religion Disclaims the Province of the Isle of France in several points Assembly at St. Foy Propositions and Regulations for the General Council and for those of the Provinces Secret Articles Sedition of the Croquans Deputies amused at Court Pretensions of the Duke of Mercoeur Overtures of Reconciliation with the Pope The King wounded by Chatel Jesuits banished Pyramid Testimony that d' Ossat renders the Reformed The Courts Thoughts upon the Vnion of the Reformed The King's Thoughts upon this Subject Causes for which it is resolv'd to declare the Reformed capable of Employs The Prince of Conde drawn from under their hands Methods for to succeed in it The Article of the enabling the Reformed to be in Places passes with much ado The Attorney General 's ill-grounded Wrangling and the reason of new Mistrusts Assembly at Saumur at first displeases the King who at at last authorizes it Reasons for the permitting it Necessity of importuning the King The Assembly demands a new Edict and Securities The King 's desired Absolution His Reasons for yielding the first Commissaries chosen for to treat about it Du Perron and d' Ossat The Popes high Pretensions Precise Instructions to the Attorneys for the contrary Testimony rendred to the present and past Services of the Reformed Prevarications of the Attorneys in the Words and thing it self Articles of Penitence Complaints of the Reformed The Excuses of the Attorneys Punishment of two Protestants at Rome Secret Articles believed to be promised to the Pope THis Conduct of the King changed once more the Countenance of Affairs The Reformed Religion which the Death of Henry III. had put upon the Throne was on a suddain removed far from it and the Heads of that Party began to fear That seeing it had been possible to make the King by so many Artifices quit his Religion he should by little and little be dispos'd to destroy them Which was so much the more probable that it being impossible for the King to be ignorant of the mortal Grief they had for his Change he was likewise to consider them as Men who perhaps for the future would consult only Despair and who at least would live with him in continual Diffidence Thence he on the other hand must take occasions of Suspicions and Jealousies and perhaps according to the natural Inclination of Man who never fails to hate those of whom â—e no more deserves to be belov'd to pass from the fear of their Resentments to the resolution of ruining them Men look upon the Presence of those that have rendred them too good Services â—nd whom they for a Recompense have manifestly injur'd as a perpetual upbraiding of whom they think to rid themselves by â—estroying these troublesom Accusers And the Reformed seemed to be in a case of excepting no other Usage seeing the sight of them could not but trouble the King's Conscience by continually upbraiding him with their Services their Misery and his Change They saw moreover that a Negotiation with Spain was on foot which ought to make them fear that the Alliance should be made â—ut at their Cost La Varenne a Man of Fortune who notwithâ—tanding had a share in the King's Confidence because he was one of the Ministers of his Love-tricks took a Journey into Spain â—nder certain Pretences but in effect to propose a Peace and the Marriage of Henry IV. with the Infanta for to see that Princess in the King's Name for to bring him her Picture and to promise to send a Lord of Note if the King of Spain would â—earken to it It is not known whether the King's Intention â—as really so or if he endeavour'd by the Overture of that Proposition to make Spain abandon the Interests of the League But â—is Voyage alarm'd the Protestants both at home and abroad â—o ' England and the Vnited Provinces had been included in the â—roject of this Peace because they feared lest at one time or anoâ—â—er their Ruine to be the fruit of that Alliance But in Franceâ—â—e â—â—e Reformed changed not their Conduct They were content to â—â—rug their Shoulders through Astonishment to exhale their Grief â— bitter Complaints and to expect the Issue of their Deputation whose Members were on their way to wait on the King who had given them fine Promises for
probability however the word was lookt upon as â—ery seditious And I have seen Petitions presented to the Magistrates which have produc'd Informations Sentences and Decrees of Parlament which forbid the use of that word the â—…nely Crime mention'd in the Complaint 'T was the same thing with the word Parpaillot of which the Reformed complain'd as of a heinous Injury though perhaps they would have found it a hard task to have told what was so â—â—ensive in it unless it were that they from whose foul mouths 〈◊〉 came spoke it with a design to affront ' em The Reformed then being assail'd at Lion by that seditious Rabble were among other foul language call'd Parpaillots and threaten'd with the Halter To which while some were a â—â—ttle too forward to return as good as the other brought they â—â—nflam'd the fury of those that were already sufficiently heated and whose number was already swell'd to three or four thousand by the concourse of Lacqueys Children and the Rifraff of the People so that at last they broke into the houses of the Reformed plunder'd whatever was of value burnt what they could not carry away beat wounded and kill'd several of those that fell into their hands This Fury lasted three days neither the Magistrates nor the Governor being able to stop the Career of those Violences And yet to say the truth considering the condition the City was in at that time they must needs have bin very remiss or else it ne're could have bin so difficult a matter to have reduc'd that Canaille to reason For d'Alincourt the Governor of the City had his Guards the City was divided into Quarters which had every one their Captains and their Streamers and could have easily rais'd men enow to have dispers'd those Rakehells The Queen and the Queen-mother were both at Lion together with the Bishop of Lusâ—â— soon after made a Cardinal with some Soldiers to guard ' em But at Lion as well as at Paris they were much afraid of spilling Catholic Blood Otherwise they might have drawn together a little Army able to have done much more then stop the Insolence of a handful of Lacqueys But they would not take any other course to suppress the Mutineers then by Remonstrances and perhaps they would not have put themselves to the trouble of giving 'em any molestation had they not him afraid lest the Rabble having once tasted the sweets of Pillage should have flown upon the Catholics after they had got what they could from the Reformed All the severity of the Magistrate went no farther then to place Guards in some places and to threaten some of the most tumultuous to send 'em to Prison At length indeed the Queenmother caus'd herself to be carri'd to the place where the disorder was most violent and then the seditious Rout already almost aweary began to retire But there was no body punisht for all this Insolence but the Reformed for instead of giving 'em satisfaction d'Alincourt disarm'd ' em Nor was there any care taken to revenge the death of those that were massacr'd or to repair the damages of those who had bin plunder'd and burnt Nay they were made believe they had a great Favour done 'em that so much care had bin taken to prevent their being torn in pieces by the multitude As for the Catholics there were some indeed committed â—o Prison but releas'd agen in a few days after without either Fine or any other punishment The only harm that was done â—em was only their being forbid to use the word Parpaillot for the future A little violent Rhetoric would have made these Acts of Injustice look very odious And had the Reformed â—appen'd to have done such a thing in the very sight of both their Queens all the blood in their bodies would not have sufâ—â—'d to have expiated their Crime While the King lay before Mompelier the Count of Soissonsâ—ress'd â—ress'd hard upon Rochel by Land and the Duke of Guise by â—ea and that potent City was every way hard beset The Count laid the Foundations of Fort-Lewis which was like to â—rove a great Annoyance to it in regard it commanded the Channel so that the Sea was no longer open to her nor could he be reliev'd on that side but with great difficulty Nevertheless the Assembly stood their ground and issu'd forth the â—est Orders they could for the support of the common Cause they held Correspondences in several places and sometimes â—â—me of the Nobility and some Soldiers of good Note got into the City to defend it However several of their Enterpriâ—es had no success and though Rochel had bin the occasion of sufficient damages to the Royal Army and Navies both by Sea â—nd Land she was at last reduc'd to fight for her own Walls â—he Duke of Soubise after the Overthrow he had receiv'd went into England and left no Stone unturn'd to procure some considerable Succor from the King but that Prince always obstinate in his Maxims would not hear a word of it but forbid his â—ubjects to assist the Reformed whom he made no scruple to all Rebels Nevertheless he offer'd his Intercession with the King of France for obtaining a tolerable Peace between him â—nd his Subjects In short he order'd his Ambassadors to make 〈…〉 their business as he had done before when Montauban was â—esieg'd where Hay his Envoy had already made some Overâ—â—res and when the Conditions were resolv'd upon as a ground work for entring into a Treaty he earnestly prest the Duke of Rohan and the Rochellers to submit to ' em In the â—ean time the English were not of his mind as to the War of France for they gave such considerable Assistance to the Duke Soubise that he got together a Fleet of ten or twelve Sail laden with all things necessary for the relief of Rochel But that Fleet was unfortunately cast away in the Harbor before it set Sail so that when the Duke came to take shipping he found nothing but the ruins of his warlike Preparations and all the marks of a terrible Shipwrack But before Mompelier things did not succeed according to the King's Wishes The City held out stoutly the Season spent apace and the ill success of the Siege of Montauban was not forgot and though on the one side the Reformed had reason to fear that the King at last would take the City on the other hand the King had as much reason to believe that he should be forc'd to lose all his labour and go without it These Fears on both sides bent their Inclinations to Peace but the Prince of Condé would by no means so much as hear talk of it and therefore the design of concluding it was to be kept private from him Lesdiguieres created Constable but a little before undertook the Negotiation once again and after several Obstacles surmounted which had like several times to have dash'd the whole Negotiation to pieces at length it was decreed and the Constable
the Match was not concluded The Cardinal therefore seeing the Treaty of that Alliance broken off and England disgusted was willing to make the best of the Conjuncture and to fasten that Crown to the Interests of France by the Marriage of a French Princess The second of Henry the Fourth's Daughters had bin deny'd the Prince of Wales who had demanded her while Lewis the Thirteenth's Council was in the House of Austria's pay and the Prince of Piemont was preferr'd before him But the Cardinal altering the Design had chang'd the Maxims of the Court and he thought good to make the first Offers to a Prince for whom they had had so little value before Nor did he find any great trouble in causing the Overtures to be accepted William de Hugues Archbishop of Ambrun had a great share in that Negotiation and if there be any credit to be given to the Relation of what he did in England which he drew up by the Cardinal's Command he had almost brought the Religion and Kingdom of England to the brink of a general Revolution He relates that before the Cardinal came into favour he had bin sent into England to persuade the King to return to the Pope's Communion That he disguis'd himself to go incognito and took upon him the Name and Habit of a Counsellor of Grenoblâ— That at his arrival he found the Duke of Buckingham inform'd both of his Disguise and his Commission of which both the King and the Prince had giv'n him notice That the King appear'd to him fully resolv'd to embrace the Catholic Religion That he came to an agreement with him upon the greatest part of the Articles in controversie more particularly concerning the Soveraignty of the Pope over all Christians That upon this Occasion he wrote a large Letter to the Pope that it was sent privately by an English Gentleman who was a zealous Catholic That he promis'd to declare himself openly so soon as he had taken order for certain things which were concluded on That the principal reason of his making so many delays was the desire he had to be sure of the King of Denmark his Brother-in-law to the end he might be the better able to prevent the Troubles that might arise by reason of the Changes in his Kingdoms That he had invited him under other Pretences to take a Voyage into England and that when he came he made no question but to convert him too That he desir'd the Pope to suffer the English Lords to enjoy the Church-Lands that were now become their Inheritance for fear they should oppose his Designs if he went about to disturb 'em in their Possession That he promis'd there should be no farther â—earches made after any Priests that should be sent into the Kingdom either by the Pope or the King of France That he excluded the Jesuits only from that favour because he lookt upon em as the Authors and Contrivers of the Powder-plot by which they design'd to have blown him up in his Parlament-House That he shew'd the Archbishop several Favours while he was in England That he gave him leave to Confirm in the French Embassador's House above 18000 Catholics who were exempted from all prosecution upon it tho there were many of the English that saw the performance of the Ceremony so little did the Archbishop care to be openly seen That some of the more Zealous Protestants having made their Complaints to the King about it the King stopt their mouths by telling 'em it was done with his permission That the Duke of Buckingham had promis'd to imitate the King his Master and that he was really engag'd in the Intreage In a word The Archbishop had Letters from him which shew'd him too deeply concern'd to believe that all this Negotiation was no more then a feigned Business This was the Condition of Affairs when they began to treat of the Marriage of the Prince of Wales and it may be easily judg'd by the bending of the King's Inclinations that they should not meet with any great opposition So that the Cardinal obtain'd what he pleas'd himself and drew from him Conditions more advantageous to the Catholicks then those which the King of Spain had demanded Also after all that was concluded there was a way found to add new Clauses which the King was so complaisant as to condescend to without any hesitation 'T is true Berulle who was afterwards made a Cardinal being sent to Rome to sollicite the Dispensation suffer'd some things to be slipt in which went a little farther then what had been agreed upon But they who drew it up were easily pardon'd upon making a shew of being sorry for it and imputing it to the simplicity of the Prelate whose Zeal for his Religion had made him exceed the Bounds of his Power But the Court of England being in a good humour to refuse nothing suffer'd her self to be vanquish'd without the least Resistance and was willing to take any Excuses for the Alterations in good part But the unexpected Death of King James put a stop to the Rapid Course of the Prosperities of the Catholic Religion and suspended for some time the accomplishment of the Marriage propounded But Charles his Successor would not retract from his Engagements during the Life of his Father so that the Marriage was accomplish'd to the great satisfaction of the Court of Rome England in some measure beheld the Catholic Religion sprouting up agen in her Bosom For the new Queen was permitted to have a Chappel in all the Royal Houses to keep in her Family a Bishop and twenty eight Priests without any preferring one Order before another that they should have liberty to wear the Habit of of their Order publickly and that all her Domestic Servants should be of the same Religion besides that she should have the Education of her Children till they came to be Thirteen years of Age. But God permitted the Jesuits to spoil all by their unquiet and Seditious Politicks and to put the Kingdom into such terrible Jealousies of their Practises that order was taken for the suppressing ' em However the Treaty of this Marriage was spun out till May 1625. tho because I would not interrupt the series of the Story I was forc'd to insert it in this place In the mean time there were several particular Affairs that were regulated after a different manner among which that of the City of Pamiers in opposition to her Bishop was one of the most considerable That Prelate took upon him to dispose of the Consulship and Council of that City and to make himself Master of the sole Power of rating the Taxes upon the Inhabitants And his Zeal for Religion serv'd for a Pretence to justify his undertaking He would have no body in those Employments but Catholics and the Parlament of Thâ—louse whither he had remov'd the Cause were not wanting to â—our his Pious Design But for the bringing it to pass there â—s a necessity
according to the stile of the Roman Church that he should make himself a Catholick in that time Thoseare 2 things which they neither distinguish in Speech nor Practice to be instructed according to them being to promise to relish their Doctrine and to engage to make Profession of it Whereas reason requires that Instruction should be only an Essay after which one should have entire Liberty to advance no further towards the Roman Religion if after such Instruction the Conscience be not fully satisfied The second condition was That the exercise of the Reformed Religion should be suspended during that time The third That the King should grant no Office to any Protestant for those 6 Months this the Catholicks desired to secure those that were in possession of them from being turn'd out The last was That they should have permission to send to the Pope to give him an account of their Reasons for submitting to the Kings obedience Altho it was very hard for the K. to buy a Crown so dear that was legally â—aln to him yet he consented to all but the 2d Article And in effect besides the shame of depriving himself of the exercise of his Religion it would have been a piece of injustice to take away from his Subjects the priviledg they enjoy'd before his coming to the Crown and 't was to be fear'd he would find them resolute and strong enough to maintain them in spite of all Prohibitions The Catholicks did not take well this denial but however to induce them to approve it he promis'd to re-establish the Catholick Religion in those places where the exercise of it was not before free The Article which concern'd the K's Instruction was not much contested by the Protestants themselves of whom he took Counsel and himself assures in a Letter which he wrote upon this Subject that the principal of those that were his followers did not disapprove his proceedings The Reason of it was because the Protestants were perswaded that if they proceeded to this instruction in a method agreeable to his Dignity and the importance of the thing they should â—ather gain than lose by it For they thought of nothing for that effect but General or National Councils or at least eminent Assemblies of the most Ecclesiasticks Reformations of Abuses sincere and serious conferences and they hoped to make the Truth of their Doctrine shine forth there so clearly that instead of losing the King they should gain many Lords who hated not their Religion but only out of ignorance of its Principles Du Plessis Mornay was pre possess'd with this Hope as well as others and it was for this Reason that two years after he agreed so easily with Villeroy upon this Article The Catholicks would have had a Declaration signed by the King for the assurance of the things which he had granted them and notwithstanding all the Complaisance he had for them they were not entirely contented Some signed the Accord with regret and others refused to sign it Vitri carried the matter further and threw himself into the League The Duke of Nevers stood in a kind of Neutrality under pretence That his Conscience would not let him joyn himself to the Enemies of the State such as he esteemed the Leaguers nor serve the King because he was not a Catholick He persisted in those Sentiments a long time and it was nothing but the King's Victories which determined him to his service In the Provinces the Governours of Places who held for the King did in a manner the same thing Some were brought others promising to obey declared without ceremony That they should do it with regret whilst the King continued an Heretick But nothing did him so much mischief as the Retreat of the Duke of Espernon who quitted the Army without discovering what Party he would take nor the true reason of his Conduct He would fain have the World believe he did it out of a pure Motive of Zeal for Religion but 't was suspected he had other considerations besides c. He fear'd perhaps that he was not in security at the New Court which did not love him because he abused the Favour which he had under the late King or whether he could not resolve to submit to the mean figure in which he must have lived had he staid since there arose already some contests about his Rank either perhaps he had no inclination for the New King nor confidence in his Friendship or whether in retiring to his Government he thought himself strong enough to Cantonnize that part and there expect what would befal the Realm and in case of dismembring it he would keep what he had Yet however in a little time after his Retreat he promised the K. to serve him in those Provinces where he governed But his Example proved of considerable consequence because the Lords and Captains retired likewise and the Troops disbanded themselves and the fine Army which would easily have brought Paris and the League to reasonable terms dispersed in a few days Some even of the Protestants with drew themselves and because their enemies made it a great Crime afterwards it is necessary to observe that the Dissipation began first by the Catholicks and for a few others quitting it that Retreat ought not to be imputed to the whole Party It is certain that the K's true Servants were as useful to him in the Provinces as in the presence of his person In effect there were many Cities which waver'd at the News of Hen. III. his Death and the Resolution taken at Paris not to receive an Heretick King upon the Throne of St. Lewis appear'd so pleasing to the Catholicks that it drew a great number into the League and 't was thought it would bring over many Cities which held out for the King And therefore the Protestants had need of some part of their Forces to bridle those that had a mind to stir and to keep their own places from being surprised in whose preservation the King had as much Interest as themselves So that they were oblig'd to disperse part of their Troops into divers places to keep as much of the Country as they could in obedience From whence it follows that if we judge equitably we must not make the Protestants guilty of a Crime where they can excuse themselves either by the Necessity of the Time or by the Example of the Catholick Nobles or because if they did go off from the King's Army it was but to serve him elsewhere In the mean time the dissipation of the King's Army made the League take Courage and they had fresh Springs for succour and the King who was in no estate to enterprise any thing being retired towards Diepe to receive the Forces which he expected from England the D. of Mayenne pursued him and reduced him to so great an extremity that he was upon the point of passing the Sea as despairing of his affairs But the Mareshal Biron hindred
him from leaving his Party and the success of the Fight at Arques joyned to the arrival of the English having made the Leaguers retire the King put his affairs into a good posture and gain'd several advantages During the time that this passed the promise which he had made to the Catholicks of his party being sent into the Provinces gave great Alarms to the Protestants These words were read with suspicion which had slipt into the Copies The late King whom God absolve and as they knew these were taken from the ordinary Language of the Roman Church when it speaks of dead persons they fear'd they were let fall from the K. as an effect of a Resolution already taken to embrace the Doctrin of that Church or at least as a mark of little zeal and affection to the Protestant Religion This was chiefly noised about in the Provinces of Poitou and Saintonge where the discontents began soonest They assembled together in order to a conference at St. John d'Angeli where under pretence 't was uncertain whether the K. would persevere in his Religion they propos'd to chuse a new Protector It seem'd but a Series of certain Intrigues which had caus'd the trouble in the last assembly at Rochel where some unquiet Spirits complaining of the Authority which the K. of Navar took in affairs would have taken away the power which the Protection gave him or limited it by rigorous conditions because they did not intend to chuse a Master in taking a Protector For this reason perhaps they would have chose rather to give this Quality to a man whom they had a mind to honour than to a Prince who seeing no body but the King above him would think all other Qualities inferiour to his Dignity Since the Death of Henry III. they had more reason than ever to renew the same Reflections because the K. of Navar having succeeded him he was thenceforward too great not to adjudge the Quality of Protector as derogating from that of a K The Reason why they mov'd in that business at the conference was because they talkt of suppressing the Chambers of Justice to please the Parliaments which the K. while he was only K. of Navar had established in divers places composed of Protestant Officers before whom the Protestants brought all their Affairs and that they had setled Royal Judges in divers places which deprived the Protestant Officers of their ordinary subsistance That they had restor'd the Mass in divers places against the express Terms of the Truce under the pretence of executing it and that their Protector had done nothing for them since his coming to the Crown That when the Truce was now ready to expire they saw nothing which tended to the peace which the late King had promised They complained also That their Ministers with whose maintenance the King had charged his Finances were worse paid under the New Reign than they had been under the Old Du Plessis in Negotiating the Truce made this a Capital Article and carried it after some Contradictions The Order which was observed for the Execution of this Treaty was That there were sent to the Secretary of State of each Division Rolls which certified the Names and Number of their Pastors which Du Plessis was to sign And upon these Rolls so attested Ordonnances were delivered to the Exchequer out of which it was paid to the Neighbouring Receivers of the places of their Residence Henry IV. was willing to have continued this Order for the Provinces where the Protestants were strong and this lasted till he changed his Religion after which he never setled it notwithstanding the promise he had made Moreover during the first troubles of the new Government this order was ill observ'd insomuch that the persons interessed were not able to support themselves and their condition was more uncertain under a King of their own Religion than they had ever been under any that was their Enemy This made them fear the event both for themselves and the common cause which the King seemed to defend with no great heat and therefore they thought they must rely upon a Protector who might apply himself to their Affairs with less indifference But before we go any further we must explain what the Protestants meant by a Protector for fear it should be imagined that it was a Project of Rebellion which was formed by them under the pretence of this Election The Protestants then having been constrain'd after the cruelties and wrongs of more than 30 years to unite themselves together for their common Defence they put themselves at first under the protection of the Prince of Conde who had the same Interest with them and to whom the Guises owed as little good Will as to the Protestant Religion The natural design of this Protection was to procure security and repose to the people who had embraced the Reformation to carry to the King the complaints and requests of the persecuted party by an authorised Intercessor to repress by the respect of their Protector the enterprises of the Cabals of Zealots or the Intrigues which the Ambitious might form for the ruin of the Protestants to have a Trustee and Guardian of the Faith of Treaties and Edicts which might be obtained for Liberty of Conscience so that this Protection gave to the person to whom it was given nothing but the care of obtaining tolerable conditions for the Protestants and to procure them to be observâ—d when obtain'd by his Solicitations and his Credit and by consequence he could never give any jealousy to any Princes but such as had no design to keep their Faith since to render the Protector of no use there was no more to do but to permit the People to live quietly in peace of Conscience the Protection doth then fall of it self when there is no infractions to redress nor any Injusticeâ—o â—o fear Since all the proceedings of the Protector aim'd at nothing else but to obtain and procure from the King a soâ—id Peace and Tranquility unto a considerable part of his Subâ—â—cts whom the other Disaffected Party designed to oppress The Royal Authority was always respected and indeed under that Protection Since if any thing was restrain'd or limited by this Protection it was not the Royal Authority which the Protestants desired rather to encrease than diminish but the Inhuman Zeal of the Catholicks which after all the Protestant Blood they had spilt by infinite number of Torments talk'd of nothing but the utter destruction and extermination of the rest And if that formed a party in the Realm Equity and humanity will blame them less for it that had but that one way left them to defend themselves than those that by a thousand Violences Wrongs and Frauds forc'd them to have recourse to that Remedy It is true this Protection has sometimes produced War but it was by accident because the infidelity of the Court the ambitious cruelty of the Guises the violations of