themselues sooner beaten then assailed by those whose very first March they alwaies before despised Then after manye and light brunts with the common faith receiued in Fraunce since the sure and publicke establishmentes of Christian Religion by Berenger of Tours Abeyllard Breton Amaury of Chartres Arnold of Bresse and other followed by a great number of Sectaries as well in this Realme as else where it neuer was so earnestly assaulted as by the Vaudoios and their successors in Guienne and Countries about which they named Albigeois of the towne of Alby chiefe of Albigeois scituate betweene Languedos and Quercy Who in spight of all the Potentates of Christendome sowed about the yeare 1100. and euen since their doctrine smally differing from the Protestants at this day Not onely through Fraunce but almost all the Countries of Europe For the French Spanish English Scots Italians Germaines Bohemians Saxons Polonians Lithuaniens and other people haue mightily defended it vntill this present After that this doctrine had a while crept thorough Fraunce in the end as the heate of burning coles doth exhalate and pearce thorough by little and little the thicknesse of the Sinders not able to quench it it grew more commonly knowne by Prayers publike exhortations administrations of Sacraments and other vses the course whereof the Clergie not being able to hinder sought vnder the authoritie of the Pope aide and force at the hands of Christian Princes whome they speedely armed against the Albigeois Whom after a number of assaults battels reencounters losses ruines victories and reciprocal aduantages from the yeare 1200. For 50. yeares after euer maintaining by armes and force the outward shew of their liues their doctrine and their Countrie together vntil that the chiefe of them were defeated and empouerished other gained by faire protestations promises of better hap and all in generall together wearie with the continuance of so long Ciuil warres The Christian Princes and Prelats of the Church left as in contempt a wandering people of all parts terrified with so cruell a warre insisting in their first opinion which rather the ease of the rest they after felt caused them to chaunge then any rigour of their enemies So as all the French anon after returned to the same doctrine from which their fathers had so much swarued except such as retired themselues into the mountaines chiefely the Prouencaux Sauoyarts Dauphinois and Piemontois of whome there were many sent into Lombardie Calabria Pouille Sicille Germaine and other places to the end they might plant the fruite of that doctrine which they stoode assured was the most true auncient of Christendome Now the English was Lord of Guienne in the time of these Albigeois wars by reason that Henrie of Aniou after the death of Stephen became king of England Duke of Normandie Earle of Aniou Tourraine and Maine And afterwards grew to be Earle of Poictou and Duke of Aquitaine called Guienne by vertue of Eleonor his wife daughter to Guillame last Earle of Poictou whom king Louys le Ieune had diuourced So as sundry English men which ordinarily came into those countries either by reasons of trafique and marchandise or warre against the French had speedely enough being imbrued with the same opinions spread them abroad in their owne Countrie Which hauing beene conceiued and explaned by manie in the end fell from hand to hand into the heade of Wicklife about 50. yeares after a greatly renowned Diuine in the Vniuersitie of Oxford and Curate of Luteruorth in the Diocesse of Lincolne Who in the end being a Doctor in Diuinitie thorough his eloquence and rare Doctrine gained so farre the harts and vnderstandings of the English and chiefely of the greatest sorte as the Duke of Lancaster vncle to king Richard Henrie of Persye Lewes Clifford the Chaunlor Kegli the Earle of Sarisburie others as a long time after he preached wrought and dispersed with all libertie what best seemed good vnto him Most chiefely vnder King Edward True it is that Pope Alexander thorough the sollicitings of the chiefe of the Clergie animated Richard his successor much against him in the yere 1382 Who preuailed so farre that after sundrie disputations of the Articles of his faith hee was banished afterwards called home and dyed 1387. But 40. yeares after his decease his body was puld out of the grounde by the Popes commandement and his bones burned at Oxford 1410. before the Abbot of Shrewsberie then Chancelor And albeit that 13. yeares after his death 1401. his doctrine was vtterly condemned in open Parliament with an Iniunction to all men to seeke out those Lollards so called they such as professed that order of doctrine according vnto those of Pologne and borderers vnto it yet for all that could it not hinder the multiplying thereof as well in that Countrie as else where Chiefely in Germanie by reason of the great learning which was taught by the famous Fathers of the Vniuersitie of Oxford Wher among other a Scholer of Bohemia being much delighted in a booke of Wicklifes called The Vniuersales caried a Coppie thereof with him into his Countrie where the Vniuersitie of Prague was of great commendations In which Iohn Hus more renowned then the rest for his quicknes of spirite made himselfe for all that much better knowne after the reading of those bookes which he explaned and so much thereby encreased the doctrine which long since was spread abroad in those quarters that many of the people Scholers and of the very Nobles and Clergie themselues followed the same as a matter worthy to bee receiued among men Now among the rest of the people which for their conscience were persecuted the Bohemians had beene long before Iohn Hus by Venceslaus King of Bohemia who made great search after them roundly punished them And by the Pope who long before that had sent thither an inquisitor of the ill affected of the faith who Iohn Hus liuing was named Bishop of Nazaret Be it then that the persecutions either coolled this kinde of people thorough out Christendome or that the Princes and Cleargie made no accounte of those who standing fauoured by no great personages became all simple people and inhabitants of the Montaignes as those of Piemont Sauoye Calabria and other the Bohemians stoode at that instant most renowned and worst ment to Especially after that Hus had reformed his preaching leassons and writings by the tradition of Wicklife So as in the yeare 1414. the Counsell being summoned at Constance for the controuersie of the Popes and reformation of the Cleargie Iohn Hus a Batchelor in Diuinitie to the end to purge himselfe of the heresie which was laide to his charge was cited thither by the Pope and after hauing refused to come accounting it no safe or sure place hee was perswaded by Sigismond the Emperour that they might safely goe thether and returne againe at the request of his brother Venceslaus King of the Countrie and besides that
seuenth Emperour of that name hee had a Sonne named Iohn who by manage was King of Bohemia and gaue succours to Philip de Valois against Edward the third King of England being present himselfe in person at the day of battaile but there remained hee for that the Englishmen had the better Among other he left Charles his eldest Sonne who afterwardes was the fourth Emperour of that name Father vnto Wenceslaus and Sigismond who both came after to be Emperours and the latter was likewise King of Hungarie and Bohemia and solicited the councell of Constance Albert of Austria of whom he spake was Emperour sonne to Raoul the Emperour who alwaies entertained good amitie with Philip le Bel King of Fraunce albeit that Boniface the eight enflamed him as much as possibly he could to make war But it is now time to look back to the French I haue tolde you how the King of Fraunce being come as farre as Strasbourge with an armye of thirtie thousand men for the succour of the Protestant Princes against the Emperour afterwards resolued of his returne vnderstanding of the Peace concluded betweene the Germanes had deuided the body of his forces into three partes to make them to march sundry waies the easier and with lesse discommoditie of victuals and especially to encounter the sooner the Q. of Hungaries army which she had to the borders of Chāpagne This Princesse knowing how the affaires of the Emperor her brother went but euen hardly by reason of those occasiōs which I haue made you to vnderstand and aboue al that this French armye would proue a crosse girde to his intents determined to retarde the same by such troupes as she could leuy throughout the lowe countries which would bee in such sorte able to preiudice the realme as the K. should be enforced to returne for succour of the same and so hauing solicited Martin Vanrosse the bastard and Marshall of Cleues she caused him to come downe into the duchie of Luxembourg with 3000. souldiers of Cleues Valois and Geldres assisted with 600. horse all which being ioyned with Count Mansfielde the gouernour of the Duchie the Bailife of Auanes the Gouernors of Cimetz other chieftanes made vp the number of 12000. Fantassins 3000. horse with which they determined to enter into Fraunce and there to doe the worst they shuld be able they tooke Satenay vpon the Meuse by a Lorraine Captaines voluntarye deliuerye therof which the Dowager of Lorraine had left there without other Garrison where suddenly they employed themselues to repaire the breaches and to restore it into his former estate building of a bulwark behinde on the side of Dun le chasteau and a platforme towards La iustice Now vpon the bruite that they ment to assaile Villefranche Bourdillon went in with seauenteene horse and the same night made his company of men at armes to enter in with as many men and prouisions as hee was able but being aduertised how they changing of their opinion were determined to returne to Mouson he lefte Chastellus his Lieutenant at Villefranche issued from one of the antient houses of Burgundie with such full authoritye as the Queene and the Admirall D'Anebaut had giuen vnto him to commaund there and with the rest of his company entred at breake of day into Mouson where Roche de Maine was with his company of men at armes and the three hundred Fantassins of the Barons of Cerny but if the cheefest sorte did not agree much more were the inhabitants perplexed through the feeblenes of the place commanded by a high mountaine neere vnto it notwithstanding any rampire which they were able to make to couer it besides that the principall of the towne had already trust vp their baggage Bourdillon notwithstanding hauing assured them of the Kings comming at hand and hauing caused his cobbarde and other more precious moueables to be brought in and swearing not to abandon them they a little assured themselues The Imperials for all that being saluted with the Cannon shotte of Villefranche and councelled not to remain there crept along the riuer as farre as the village of Brioles where they burned the Church and the forte then to Mont-faucon which they burned and so descended into the plaine to put men into the Castle of Boulandre which they took by stealth getting of victuals and prouisions which they carried to Satenay from thence all along the riuer they sacked sundry villages as farre as Grampre a little Towne vpon Aire neere Chalons and Atigni where they rested and vnderstanding how the Admirall hauing put the Legionaires of Champagne in armes and vnited the Zuizers with the French men of warre approched neere they set fire on Grampre Boulandre and other places to retire themselues to Satenay where they had intelligence that the light horse of the Kings army who aduaunced forward were already at Luxembourg an occasion that to retire themselues they all abandoned it leauing the most parte of those of Cleues and Geldres for the assurance of Yuoy if any should goe about to force it King Henry in the meane time who heard the complaintes of these miserable Subiectes the sooner to hasten the reuenge put out of his armye almost all the sicke persons and lefte the baggage vnder the conduct of the Earle of Arraine and Visdome of Chartres with their companies and some light horse and Harquebusers mounted for the conueying therof into Metz or any other place which they should think more assured afterwardes the discamping of the imperials being known the immoderate diligence vsed at the retiring of his troups the conquest of the duchy of Luxembourg was deliberated of and resolued to annex it vnto the crown as a proper succession fallē to the house of Vendosme by the death of the Constable S. Paul true Lord peaceable possessor thereof in carrying the name and armes as the authors of that councel maintained albeit that since that time Charles Duke of Burgondie had euer vsurped the same the rather for that many neighbours therabouts said that it was the very true refuge of theeues and outlawes therefore did the armye drawe right to the Castle of Roc de Mars all alongst the Mozelle betweene Treues and Theonuille seated on the steepe of a hyll strong enough for scituation and fortification with a little Towne beneath it vnder the tytle of Viscount The Castle summoned made refusall for a number of Gentlemen Ladyes and other neighbours of reputation were retired thither imagining that the King would first employe his forces against Theonuille and that at all assaies they might euer be receiued at an honourable composition after the first brunte But the King contrariwise was councelled to attempte that in respect of the victuals and prouisions which the armye so much wearyed should there finde that the sacking thereof might rather bee giuen to the Souldiers how Theonuille was too strong and well prouided to bee gotten in so shorte time which
generall against Marye for hee durst not leaue London fearing least the Londiners woulde reuoulte But the Duke of Suffolke refusing to take this charge vpon him he was constrained to goe him selfe the other remayning to serue to giue counsell to his daughter within the Tower of London The mishappe notwithstanding of this poore Lord was such as of a great number of men which hee had in his trayne hee saw himselfe as it were euen in a moment left cleane destitute of them all And as one mishappe neuer commeth alone hauing for want of men sent to London for souldiours from thence to come to his succours and for some Lordes which might serue for hostages and warrant of his lyfe they were no sooner without the Cittie but they declared themselues for Marye Whereof it ensued that the Duke who hoped to see his Sonne Kinge of England sawe himselfe left of euery manne and deliuered into the handes of Marye his enemye afterwardes conueyed to London where his tryall beeing made hee then was condemned to loose his head the iudgement being executed in the moneth of September and Marie being proclaimed Queene at London by the Lords and coūcellors of the whole Realme of England as the lawfull heire apparant therevnto and in the end the miserable princesse Iane of Suffolke with her husband sonne vnto the D. of Northumberland had their heads stroken off at London for that shee would not release as some said the right which shee pretended to the Crowne Thus ceased the trouble on that side within the Realme of England Marie being thus receiued for Queene in England they propounded vnto her certaine points to effectuate as to reestablish the auncient Chatholique Religion the goods of the Church into their former estate then that it would please her to marie with some Prince worthie of her and her Realme thereby to draw a succour vnto the Crowne Whereupon to the end that better and more ready order might bee giuen vnto the first shee was counceled to send for her coussen Raynolde Pole then a Fugitiue at Rome for Religion who comming as Legate and with full power from the Pope might better aduance such a matter then any other within the Realme Pole being sent for and forward on his way with such authoritie as was required was entreated by the Emperour Charles the fift to visit him as he passed by at Bruxelles wher he so cunningly handled any Englishman as he promised him that he would further the marriage betweene his Cossin the Queene of England and his sonne Philippe Prince of Spaine which tooke such effect as you haue seene touching the seconde point which could not be so soone brought to passe The Legate being receiued with great deuotion and magnificence into his Country was in full assembly of the three estates of the Realme begon the 12. of Nouember 1554. restored vnto all his dignities goods and honours whereof he had beene depriued by K. Henrie the eight Afterwards vpon Wensday the twentie eight of that moneth the Parliament of England being assembled and in the presence of the King and Queene hee exposed his Legation and exhorted them to returne to the holy Sea of the Pope deliuering vnto them how greatly bound they were vnto almightie God who now had enlarged towards them his diuine grace hauing bestowed vppon them two such Princes as they had further he shewed vnto them how the holy Father ment to vse his benignitie and accustomed clemencye by him his Legate greatly thanking them for that they had receiued him into his Countrie and restored him in bloud where in hee had beene so long attaint and how in respect thereof hee helde himselfe the more bound to procure that they might be restored into the heauenly Court as his principall desire was That done he retyred to giue the better cōmoditie vnto the Lordes of the Parliament to resolue themselues And straight waies the Chancellour repeating the words of the Cardinall shewed vnto them how much they were to thanke God who had raysed vp such a Prophet of their owne seede to procure their saluation In such wise as al with a common accorde concluded to consent to the vnion and obedience of the Church of Rome So as on the next morrow it was ordayned that the Cardinals motion shoulde be accorded and to present with a common consent a petition to beseech their Maiesties as the head of the realme to entreate the Legate to procure an absolute remission of all their errors passed Promising to repeale all the lawes which had beene in former times established against the authoritie of the Sea of Rome The King sent the petition to the Legate and the daye after the Parliament reassembled in the place where the Kinge and Queene with the Cardinall were set There the Chauncellour rose vpp and with such greate reuerence deliuered alowde the resolution which had beene made by the Lordes of the Parliament beseeching in the name of them all that their petition might bee accepted which was written in Latine formed and sealed by the Chancelour The petition being opened by the Legate was deliuered vnto the Chancelour to publish who read it with a lowde voice and that done put it to the question which they all passed and vpon that the King and Queene arose and presented the petition vnto the Legate who read the same Afterwards hee gaue vnto them the Buls of his Legation to reade where by might appeare the authoritie which hee had from the holy Father to be able to absolue them that done he made vnto the man Oration in English shewing how much repentance was agreeable vnto God and how the Angels in Paradise make more ioye of a sinner which returneth to repentance then of nintie and nine iust And thereupon applied certaine examples out of the word to his purpose Then hauing ended his speech he arose vp and the King and Queene kneeled downe on both knees before him inuoking God and the Saints that it would please him to pardon the penitent people in the authoritie of him whose person he there represented all the faults which they had committed in times passed that done the Legate pronounced a generall absolution Afterwardes they all followed the King Queene and Legate to the Chappell where was song Te Deum And after that the Cardinall had made his triumphant entries he restored on the first Sunday in Aduent to the Bishoppes and other Ecclesiasticall persons all the power authoritie and prerogatiue which had beene taken from them On which day the Bishoppe of Winchester hauing beene before times of the Protestant Religion made a Sermon after a solemne Masse taking for his theame Nunc tempus est de somno surgere that is to say it is now time to awake out of sleepe as if he woulde saie that vnder the Raigne of Edward King of England he had alwaies beene asleepe The Queene had in the beginning sent Embassadours to Rome with commission to kisse the feete of his
de Foix her Cosin brother in lawe to Charles the first K. of Nauarre and left her there fearing least the Earle of Armignac who had taken from her the Earledome of Comminges should take her to wife to the end he might make himselfe a peaceable Lord and went her selfe to abide with her Vnckle the Earle of Durgel in Arragon but her daughter was married vnto Iohn Duke of Berrie widower of Ioane of Armignac dying notwithstanding without issue succeeded vnto her in the Counties of Bologne Anuergne Mary of Bologne her Cosin germane who was married to the Lord de la Tour and of Montgascon father to Bertrant de la Tour and Gabrielle wife of Lewis de Bourbon first Earle of Montpensier great Grandfather to the Duke liuing Afterwards came Magdalaine wife to Laurence of Medices ancestors to Catherine of Medices Q. Mother to the K. liuing at this present day About this time the Landgraue being come into Fraunce 1533. got of the K. a masse of mony to cōtinue the amitie which he carried vnto the Princes of Germany vpon the morgage of the Countye of Montbelliard in the name of Vlrich D. of Witemberge his Cosin by the league of Suaube expelled his Duchie giuen by the same League to the Emperour who since gaue it to Ferdinand in partage vpon condition that if he were not repaied within three yeares the County should remain vnto him he had besides other monie of his liberalitie and with that hee leuied men and recouered the Countrie and placed against his Cosin in May 1534. Afterwards paide the first monye back gratified with an ouerplus vpon this Clement 7. who at the marriage of his Niece to pleasure the K. had made Cardinals Odet de Chastillon Philip de Bologne Claude de Guiry and Iohn le Venier B. of Liseux hauing runne sundry fortunes died in the end of September 1534. Paul Ferneze succeeding him who presently made Cardinalles Alexander sonne to Pierre Louis his base sonne and Ascanio sonne of Catherine his base daughter As the doctrin of Luther profited in Germany Flanders England Italy cuntries adioyning Fraunce felt it no lesse rather it seemed to increase by the greatnes of persecutions which might be seene by the hotte persecutions in the yeare 1534. for searches and informations were no sooner made of the prisonners but they were as speedily burned quicke tyed to a stake after swinged into the ayre were let fall into the fire and so by a pullise pulled vp and downe vntill a man might see them all roasted and scorched by a small fire without complayning not able to speak by reason that they had taken out their tongue and gagged Afterwards the K. to the ende that might not be a meanes of diminishing of the Princes of the Empire their amitye towards him and to turne away the wrath of God which hee feared would fall vpon his Realme for the opinion of these people made a solemne and generall procession to be made at Paris where the relique of Saint Geneuiefe patrones of the Parisians descended which happeneth but rarely In the meane time hee excused himselfe towards the Protestant Princes by his Embassadour assuring them that he made them to be punished for their sedition not for their faith to conferre whereof hee prayed them to send some of their diuines to meete with his for as hee saide Pope Leo had himselfe heretofore tolde him that he must needes acknowledge many light ceremonies and humane traditions which were fit to be changed in time afterwards Guillaume du Bellay called de Langeay his Embassadour about them being assembled 1535. at Smalcade seeing that he could not conclude a generall alliance with them for they euer excepted the Empire and the Emperour returned without doing ought after hauing exhorted them in the Kings name not to receiue Mantoue for the place of Councell which the Pope promised nor any other place without aduise of the K. of Fraunce and England who would doe nothing the one without the other Louis 12. K. of Fraunce said he by his Embassador in time past maintained that it did not appertain to Pope Iuly to publish a councell without consent of the Emperor and christian Princes and because the K. of Nauarre was of the same opinion Iuly excommunicated him and vnder this title Ferdinande K. of Spaine seased of the Kingdome of Nauarre the K. of Fraunce is at this present of the same opinion that he can alow of no councell but in a sure place not suspitious where it may be lawfull for euery man to deliuer his minde Edward Foxe B. of Hereford Embassador for the K. of England spake much more affectionately and shewed that his maister greatly affected the same doctrine which he had already in a great part established within his Realme for which the protestant Princes humbly thanked thē praying that they would no more suffer such as were of like faith as they to be persecuted After the 12. of December 1535. by a decree made at Smalcade on Christmas euen they renewed for ten yeares their alliance which expired at the end of that yeare and deliberating among the rest of prouision and munitions it was there concluded that they would all receiue the confession of Ausbourgh and be content to runne the same race among other there were the Princes of Pomerany Vlrich of Witemberg Robert of Bauiere he of Deuxponts the Citties of Ausbourg Franckeforde Campodum Hambourg and Hanobry with many more who ioyned themselues at Franckford in April 1536. and after Guillaume de Nassaw and albeit that the Landgraue did not accord with them there in respect of their claim which was made to the signory of Hesse yet he promised that if there should be any outrage for the profession of the Gospel he would not abandon them whatsoeuer ensued theron In the end of March 1538. Christian K. of Denmarck and Iohn Marquesse of Brandebourg brother to the Elector were both receued therin Now for so much as Helde who had bene sent from the Emperour to the Germane Princes to bring them to agree to such a Councell as the Pope had assigned and therein to resolue vpon all their differentes in religion c. could gaine nothing charging them euery way if they refused so reasonable conditions of Peace hee framed a League of which he saide the Emperor King Ferdinande were the authors the associates to be the Archbishops of Mayence and of Salisbourg Guillaume Louis of Bauiere George of Saxe Eric Henry of Brunswich that it was cōcluded vpon at Noremberg vpon cōdition that if any were troubled for the ancient religion succour should be ready at hand and to endure for 12 years vnder the name of the holy League as made for the glory of God and defence of the Church Afterwards 1539. the 19. of Aprill at Francforte the peace of Germany was accorded vpon such conditions the Emperour graunteth to the confederates of the confession of
in remembrance their demandes and so guide himselfe in this action that they should well vnderstand that their recommendation caried great weight towards him Thus Maurice not able to picke any certainty out of all this and causing himselfe in the presence of many to be importuned by the Landgraues children who threatned to put both him and Brandebourg in sute for breach of promise had no sooner resolued with the Embassadour of Fraunce whose charge euery man was almost ignonorant of of what succour he was to draw thence then he determined to make open warre against the Emperour but for all that the better to couer the fainednes of his intents he sent his deputies to Trent to demaund such another safeconduct as the Bohemians had at Constance that the Pope should submit himselfe vnto the Councell and acquite the B. of their oathes that all Nations might haue free accesse thither and that whatsoeuer had beene decreede before the comming of the diuines should be cancelled Srasbourg and the D. of Witemberg his Embassadors saide as much This comming of the Embassadours and the promise which he made shortly after to be with the Emperour tooke away all suspition of warre for the very Emperour wrote to the Archbishops of Mayence Treues and Cologne to leaue Trent and to goe home and defend their Countries from such souldiers as had bene retayned after the siege of Magdebourg and as the Emperour had in like sort prayed them to do they receiued very curteously Maurice his deputies giuing vnto thē their safe-conduct saying that they had summoned thither all Nations that all were free there but that reason and their dutie would by no meanes permit them to disanull or cancell ought and much lesse to submit the Pope to the councell The Embassadours after hauing examined their safeconduct found it different from that of the Bohemians and after that they had hastely read it ouer they found the principal articles changed and the rest cleane omitted for in the safeconduct which was giuen out to the Bohemians there was among other thinges that they should haue power to decide that in all differents they shold take for iudge the holy scripture the practise of the ancient Church such councels and interpreters as agreed with the holy Scripture that it should be lawfull for them to say diuine seruice in their houses in a tongue which they vnderstoode that nothing should be proffered in contempt and blame of their doctrine the first third and last of these points were cleane omitted the second which is the principall was altogether altered this being considered of according to the forme of the decree of Basle they prescribed another safeconduct and answered that it was not lawfull for them to exceed their commission which carried that they were not to take any safeconduct but according to the contents of that at Basle The Protestant deputies for the causes before saide would departe and also for that they were not able to endure the iniurious preachings of certaine Monkes against them their religion of which likewise they had not free exercise in their owne houses besides the brute of the warre which hastened then as well as the rest of the Germanes and Italians who on the other side suspected that the Prelates of Spaine Scicilie Naples and other Imperialls which demaunded the continuance of the Councell would require a reformation in the Popes authoritie whose Court they esteemed alreadye stretched to farre and in the discipline and manners of the Church that the superfluitie ambition and example of their euill life might be taken away that euery man should take charge ouer his Church and holde but one benefice to which sundrye Germane catholickes put to their helping handes albeit otherwise they did not acknowledge any errour in the doctrine and yet were of opinion that Councels might erre In summe both they and the Italians who they say neuer greatly loued to heare of Councels fearing that they would enter into this consideration trussed vp their bagge and baggage as soon as they had newes of the taking of Ausbourg which Maurice and his company took the fourth day of Aprill three daies after the siege from the Emperours Garrison And albeit that the day of the Session was ordained to be the first of May yet altogither in dispaire the Fathers which remained assembled together the 20. of Aprill and proroged the councell for two yeares by reason of the discorde happened betweene the Kings and Princes and for longer to if in the mean time they could not be reconciled But the Legate Crescence President of the Councell remained in his bed frighted with a spirit which hee sawe by night whereupon shortly after he fell sicke imagining that he could neuer escape it any comforte that his freendes or familiars could yeelde vnto him so he died at Veronne The Pope in the mean time had accorded with the K. of Fraunce who prepared himselfe against the Emperour as I will tell you You haue seene the siege of Magdebourg and what Maurice did for the deliuerye of the Landgraue who perceiuing the Emperour fed him with nothing but hopes practised as many Princes Captaines and other as he was able in Germany to maintaine the libertie of Religion and the common wealth After that hee made an allyance with the K. of Fraunce and gaue hostages on the one side and the other and thē they caused the occasions of the warre to be imprinted and spred abroad to draw the more vnto them In the mean season th'emperour caused the Drum to be strooke vp at the foot of the Mountains and assembled his men of war at the towne of Rutte as the most commodious Rende-uous for all his troupes Vpon the 21. of September 1551. Queene Catherine of Medices was brought a bed at Fontaine-bleau of a Sonne named Edward Alexander D. of Angoulesme by the deputie of Edward K. of England and of Antoine of Bourbon D. of Vendosme with the Duchesse of Mantua who since notwithstanding left those names to take that of his Fathers so as he shalbe euer hereafter named Henry the third K. of Fraunce and of Pologne Much about the same time the K. curious to acknowledge from wel to better the good and agreeable seruices done vnto him by Ane de Montmorency his Constable erected his Barronie of Montmorency into a Duchie together with the right and prerogatiue of a Peere If the French liued in peace the Germanes smallye caring for their rest prepared themselues not onely to a ciuill and dangerous warre but also desired to bring in among them the Prince of the Flower de Lys for a counterpease to the Emperour Charles whom they sought to enforce for the deliuery of the Saxon and Landgraue which he helde prisoners as also to restore Germanye to her former estate To this end they had already made him to vnderstand together with their complaintes what meanes they had to constraine him thereunto if he
all the charges of the Empire beseeching him to reconcile the Princes one to another in which the staye and encrease of the Empire wholly consisted the true and nearest cause of the ruyne thereof proceeding from diuision Then that hee woulde yeelde all ayde to his Sonne Philip as a neyghbour to such an enemye as the King of Fraunce was In the ende beeyng determyned to departe hee was stayed thourough the vyolence of his diseases contratyeties of windes long staye in the preparation of his Shippes and thourough a difference fallen out in some of the townes which would by no meanes receyue his sonne the father liuing and other which woulde haue his nephewe Ferdinande seconde sonne to the King of Romanes for their gouernour Ioint the male contentment of a number of Lordes and other who hauing employed all their meanes and often times their life in his seruice vnder a hope of great recompence sawe themselues by this his dimission and departure into Spaine frustrated of all their hope which they coulde not hope for at his sonnes handes who as ordinarily newe Kinges affecte newe seruauntes woulde employe his meanes but to the aduauncement of his fauourites or in recompencing their paines and seruice towardes him of whome himselfe had beene an eye witnesse About the ende of Nouember Ferdinande King of Romanes hauing assembled together the greatest parte of his men of warre wente downe the Danube as farre as Vienne to make head against the Turke who made great preparation for his descente into Hungarie to besiege agayne Vienne in Austria as I will shewe you To open vnto you the affayres and chaunges of the Realme of Englande in fewe woordes Henry the eyghte discontented in that he had no other heyre but Mary borne of Katherine aunte vnto the Emperour whome his brother Arthur had marryed at the age of foureteene yeeres and lefte her a Virgine by the aduice of the Cardinall of Yorke and many dyuines as well Frenche as Almaines and English diuorced her and hauing in full assemblie declared his daughter Marye illegitimate marryed Anne Bullen one of his wifes maydes the which Pope Clemente the seuenth so hardly coulde digest as that he condemned this diuorce as vniust and of euill example especially for that Anne was a Lutherane and he feared least the King and all his Realme woulde confourme them selues to the like religion Whereat Henrye tooke such disdayne as hee declared himselfe head of the Church thorough out all Englande with forbidding any to aduowe the Pope for head or to transporte any money to Rome or paye Peterpence a reuennewe which euerye house yearely payde according to the ordynaunce of Inas in the yeere seuen hundred and fourtie Whereupon there ensued a great alteration of Religion thorough out the whole Realme so confirmed by Edwarde his sonne as that the catholique was cleane banished out of Englande at the least in publique which caused many Englishe men to flye the Realme to seeke in some other Countrey a place of more free conscience Seeyng that the Dukes of Sommerset and Northumberlande gouerned the roaste in the yeere 1553. Notwithstanding as after the death of the Duke of Sommerset the Duke of Northumberlande seeyng howe the King was fallen sicke of a Fluxe which fell into his stomache from the moneth of Februarie had marryed his sonne Guilforde to â—anâ— daughter to the Duke of Suffolke and cousin vnto the sicke King hee wrought so much as that the young King reiecting his sisters Marye and Elizabeth declared for his heyre and Inherittice vnto the Crowne of Englande this Iane of Suffolke to the ende that by this meanes hee mought traunsferre the Royalle into his owne House and disinherite the true Heyres of their righte and legitimate Succession This Marriage and Testamentarie declaration beeyng done in the moneth of May gaue occasion to a number to thinke that this young King whome they helde for the piller of men of knowledge and gaue great hope of future vertue was poysoned and that beeing assured of the time of his death they had caused him to doe whatsoeuer they woulde haue him well were it of poyson or of a Caterre so it is that Edwarde the sixte of that name and the one and fourtie K. of England dyed the sixt day of Iuly the seuenth yeere of his Raigne and the sixteenth of his age solemly entered at Westminster not without the teares of his subiects who saide that his death was presaged by a Comet which appeared a little before his departure and by the great stormes windes tempests and thunders which had that yeere tormented London the chiefe Cittie of the Realme as the witnesses of such troubles as shortly after ensued in England for the people hating in secrete this Duke of Northumberland held for suspected the testament of King Edward as a thing made too much to the aduantage of the Duke and many Lords of the Countrie terming him too ambitious wrote vnto Mary the eldest daughter of K. Henrie the eight encouraging her to declare her selfe Queene and offring vnto her all dutie and seruice Marye who had no great meanes durst not so soone come to London to the ende that according to the custome she might remaine ten daies in the Tower before her Coronation but went into the Countrie and Dukedome of Norfolke bordering on the Sea coast from whence shee wrote to sundrie Princes and Lords of the Countrie complayning how that Iane of Suffolk had enterprised against her and that Edward was not able to dispose of the Crowne which appertained vnto her being the next daughter vnto the late Kinge Henrie she laide before them the wrong which had beene done vnto Katherine her mother and next vnto her selfe and that none of King Henrie his children were to succeede before her protesting that shee would pursue her right by the sworde and not suffer the Duke of Northumberland to vaunt how he would dispose at his pleasure of the Realme of England These letters being brought to London at the selfe same time as Iane of Suffolke against her will was proclaimed Queene within the Tower of London caused a great chaunge of dispositions among the Lordes there present and a strange alienating of their mindes touching the case of Iane whome sundrie from thence foorth left to take Maries parte The which caused the Duke of Northumberland to send certaine troupes of men at armes into the Countrie of Norfolke thinking thereby to hinder her desseins But in the meane time shee was proclaimed Queene in Suffolke by the principall personages of the land So as hauing recouered some succours from the Emperour on the coast of Flaunders albeit that the Duke had strongly armed vppon the Seas to hinder their comming shee practised with a number of the cheefe of the Duke his armie which in the ende incorporated themselues to hers In the meane time Northumberland to playe on the surer side woulde needes haue the Duke of Suffolke Father to Iane to goe as her Lieutennant