and should receive The King of Navarre besought the King to remember his promise of Alliance newly contracted and not to constrain him in his Religion The Prince of Conde also more fervently answered that the King had given his Faith unto him and to all those of the Religion with so solemn a Protestation and Vow Mark here the Vows of Romish Princes that he could not be persuaded that his Majesty would falsify such an authentick Oath and that thereupon he had thus far yeilded to his Majesties Demands and faithfully performed what he had required of him on this Assurance But as touching the Religion whereof the King had granted him the free exercise and God the true knowledg to whom he was to make an account therein for this his Religion he said he was fully resolved to remain most constant therein and which he would always maintain to be true although it were with the loss of his Life This answer of the Prince set the King into such a choller that he began to call him Rebel seditious and Son of a seditious Person with horrible threatnings to cause them to lose their Heads if within 3 days they took not better counsel and indeed these threatnings and other crafty carriages in this way so wrought on both these Princes at last that they forsook their Faith and first Love and turned to Romish abominations Now the King perceiving that this Massacre of Paris would not quench the Fire but rather kindle it the more fearing lest those of the Religion in his other Provinces and Towns might assemble and unite themselves together and so give them new work he with the speedy advice of his Counsellors sent two Messengers with two several Messages the one to the Governours and seditious Catholicks of his remoter Towns wherein were many of the Religion with express command to massacre them the other containing certain Letters to the Governors of Provinces by which he pretended this Massacre to be perpetated by the Duke of Guise and the Admiral to be murthered on a particular and private quarrel betwixt them two and that the King 's honest meaning and intention was utterly against these things and seriously to maintain his former Edict of a general Pacification and therefore that his care and vigilancy had ceased it the same day it began and yet as my Author recordeth in his History on the Tuesday following being the 26 of the same August the King accompanied with his Brethren and the chiefest of his Court went to the Court of Parliament and there publickly declared in express terms That whatsoever had happed in Paris was done not only by his consent but also by his Commandment and of his own motion And as for his other former mentioned Message and Letter to other Towns and Provinces for the massacring of those of the Religion among them also his bloody command herein was immediately put in execution at Lyons and many other places where the poor Protestants were murthered and massacred in most hideous and horrible manner by those merciless and inhumane Butchers of bloody Rome who knockt down the innocent Christians among them as so many Dogs cut their Throats mangl'd their Bodies slash'd off their Hands with great sharp Knives as on their Knees they held them up to the Villains praying for the sparing of their Lives yea and were known to rip up their Bellies and take out their Fat from their Bowels and to sell it to the Apothecaries to make Medicines Thus also in those remoter parts from Paris were very many thousands of the Religion murdered without any difference or distinction either of Sex or Age. And so deeply enraged was the King and his Adherents and so desperately resolved to root out and extirpate the memory of those of the Religion especially of any note or eminency that the King having at last got into his custody one Briquemant a noble French Gentleman of the age of seventy years one that had valiantly imployed himself in the Service of the Kings of France having been found in the House of the Ambassador of England then resident in France wherein he had hid himself whilst the greatest fury of the Massacre was executed was by the King's command put in close Prison together with another vertuous Gentleman Cavagnes Master of the Requests both which Gentlemen bare great affection both unto the Religion and also unto the renowned Admiral and were themselves of great esteem and reputation in France but the King having them now fast in hold threatned to tear them in pieces upon the Rack if they would not write and sign with their Hands that they had conspired with the Admiral to kill the King his Brethren the Queen and the King of Navarre But they having most constantly and justly refused to avouch so horrible a lye against their own and their godly Friends Innocencies were racked and cruelly tormented and by a most unjust sentence of the Court of Parliament in Paris they were both declared guilty of Treason and condemned to be hanged upon a Gibbet which was accordingly executed The Queen-Mother leading the King her two Sons and the King of Navarre her Brother-in-Law to see the Execution Her Counsellors thinking that at this last exploit what they had wickedly projected namely the false transferring of the cause of this bloody Massacre on a treasonable Plot intended by the Admiral and others of the Religion against the King as was fore-mentioned would now be wrought out and effected if Briquemant in presence of all the People now at the time of his expected Death would ask pardon of the King withal to work it on the more sending one to him to certifie and assure him that so he might easily save his Life for the King was merciful and that he should have pardon if he would desire it confessing this fact wherewith he was charged But Briquemant answered boldly and with a good courage that it belonged not unto him but to the King to ask pardon of God for such an heinious Offence That he would never ask pardon for a fault wherein he had not offended but knew himself to be most innocent whereof he called GOD to witness desiring him to pardon the King 's so great Disloyalty and Cruelty Cavagnes also the other noble Gentleman did the like until he died Insomuch that this execution contrary to the King's expectation served to no other end but more to publish the iniquity of all those cruel Homicides and of all their most pernicious Counsels The Papists Plots in reference to the late Troubles and particularly about the Death of King CHARLES the First of blessed Memory as proved by Doctor Du Moulin WHen the Businesses of the late bad Times are once ripe for an History and Time the bringer forth of Truth hath discovered the Mysteries of Iniquity and the depths of Satan which hath wrought so much Crime and Mischief it will be found that the late Rebellion was raised and fostered
Religion by no other way but by Arguments Into Scotland were sent three Sorbon Doctors with the Bishop of Amiens But with what safety might any Man dispute with them when he that did so was in the midst of his armed Enemies and there was greatest fear of violence from the Disputers themselves For the Bishop of Amiens counselled the Queen Regent that if any there were which should be found to dispute against the Romish Decrees he should be put to death yea even those who but seemed to be of another Mind only We are notinformed that the Queen Regent put in practice the foregoing counsels perhaps the time was not altogether seasonable nor do we take every single action which might conduce to the subverting of Religion to be a Conspiracy but we may well esteem by the Queens Words the Councellors and Commanders Intents and Purposes the placing of such a Regent all this to be a continued Conspiracy to strangle in the birth the Church of Scotland having yet scarcely taken breath in the World Not long after the Queen Regent dyeth and although it will perhaps be said there was no discovery of any Conspiracy which was in acting as to put to death all the Nobility or all that would dare dispute against the Bishop or Doctors could be no easy rask to go about the latter because the death of their last Martyr Walter Mille did seem so grevious unto them and if any more should suffer how would such a thing be taken by French-men People of another Nation It may be objected from the above named Arguments that there wanted no endeavour After the death of the Mother the Daughter returning into Scotland was married unto Henry Lord Darnley who being of the same Religion with the Queen and they both a Brothers and Sisters Children did strongly maintain Popery against the Protestant Religion We cannot imagine her that any thing should be contrived against the lives of those Princes by a Popish Party to overthrow Religion For to subvert Religion no way could be fourd better than by maintaining in life and honour such Princes as these two were who professed and maintained Popery as contrarily to subvert Religion Laws Liberties and the like the best means are through the sides of such Kings and Queens as are Projectors and Maintainers of them So the holy Scripture declareth by Word and Example I will smite the Shepheard and the Sheep shall be scattered For this Queen was so far from furthering the establishment of Religion nay from connivence at those who should go about any such matter that she professed she would follow the example of her Cousin Queen Mary of England which was no other thing than maintaining in her Dominions the Pope and Popery and pumshing the contrary minded as Hereticks It will not be thought I suppose that either the Papists at home in Scotland or those in France or elsewhere would go about to take away the lives of such Princes whose lives secured their Religion For what was attempted against the Life and most unhappily succeeded of the King was not any way to subvert Popery because the deed was committed and the Plot chiefly laid by Papists It rather was undertaken against the Life of this Prince by some to make way for their own Family to inherit the Crown of Scotland by others to get the Kingdom and admit any Religion But those that look farther into Matters judg this act to be committed against a Professor of the Romish Religion that he being taken out of the way another might succeed which had greater Power and Friends to bring to pass what King Henry the Queens Husband had a Mind but not Power enough to do And that made those who were no Enemies to the King in point of Religion not dislike the Treason for the Ends sake I cannot be of their Minds altogether who judg that of the Queen of Scots being now in restraint in England not long before married to Earl Bothwell and presently to desire a Devorce from him and to require that he should be summoned within the space of a very few days to return into the Kingdom to make answer and defence to the Queens Suit of Divorce to have proceeded from the changing Fancy of the Queen not so much from Conscience For it was as well known before her departure into England as after that Earl Bothwell had a Wife living when he married the Queen insomuch that at the publishing the banes of their Matrimony one stood up in the Church and forbad them It was generally thought that it was that a way might be open for the Duke of Norfolk who then made Suit unto her He indeed was such a Man as being of great Wealth mighty in Friends and singular Abilities of Mind could better bring about what was desired than a Man of no great riches at any time but was now in extream Poverty and Disgrace in the Dominions of the King of Denmark and notoriously infamous for his Crimes in Sctoland The Rebellion of the Earls of Northumberland and Westmerland AT this time the King of Spain wrote unto the Duke of Morfolk to join with the Earls of Northumberland and Westmerland to raise a Rebellion in England and to the Earl of Ormond to do the like in Ireland These Letters were shown unto Queen Elizabeth by the Duke and the Earl that from hence at least might appear their Loyalty Nevertheless whether by the advice of the Bishop of Boss who lay as Ambassador at London for the Queen of Scots and one Rodolf a Florentine going in the appearance of a Merchant Factor or purposing of himself whatsoever he might pretend he privately sought to marry the Queen of Scots she being next Heir to the Crown of England contrary to his Promise made unto his Sovereign Queen Elizabeth The Queen of Scots and the Duke participate of one anothers Mind by Letters written in hidden Characters Neither was this a matter only supposed but the Dukes Secretary one Higford who was commanded by the Duke to burn such Letters as came from the Queen of Scots but did it not and hid them under a Mat in his Chamber and being under examination he caused them to be produced This was when the two Earls of Northumberland and Westmerland had secretly complotted to raise Arms and not long after the Dukes apprehension they fell into open Rebellion One of the Letters which was shewn at the Dukes arraignment was to this purpose That the Queen was sorry that the said Earls of Northumberland and Westmerland were in Arms before the Dukes Forces were ready This was undertaken after that Pope Pius Quintus had in Bulls from Rome printed and sent to Rodolf absolved Queen Elizabeths Subjects from their Allegiance The Pope perswaded the Spaniard to assist the Conspirators that his affairs in the Netherlands might prosper the better and the French did the like that the Queen of England might be less able to send aid to the
against the Protestants secretly sought entrance into the Queens Presence with a drawn Sword set upon one or two in his way and being apprehended confessed that he purposed to have killed the Queen Ed. Ardern his Father-in-Law a Gentleman of Warwick-shire and Arderns Wife and their Daughter Somervil's Wife and Hall a Priest were condemned as guilty of Somervil's practice After three days Somervile was found strangled in Prison for fear of revealing it as was thought where he lay and Ardern was hanged the next day Mendoza the Spanish Amhassador thrust out of England IN 1584 some English Gentlemen began to practise the delivery of the Queen of Scots Francis Throgmorton was suspected by Letters written to the Queen of Scots and intercepted Presently Thomas Lord Paget and Charles Arundel a Courtler left the Land secretly Henry Earl of Northumberland and Philip Earl of Arundel were commanded to their Houses And there was great cause of circumspection for the Papists by printed Books incited the Maids of Honour to do that against the Queen that Judith did against Holofernes Yet was the Queens Mercy such that she caused 70 Priests to be sent out of England The chief of them were Gasper Heywood who of all the Jesuits 〈…〉 England James Basgrave John Hare and Edward Rishton who presently after wrote a Book against the Queen At this time Bernardinus Mendoza the Spanish Ambassador was thrust out of England for practising Treason against the State He having dealt with Throgmorton and others to bring in strangers to invade the Land as appeared by Throgmorton's action who being apprehended sent one of his Packets to Mendoza His other Packets being searched there was found a Catalogue of all the Havens in England fit to land in and another of all the Noblemen in England which favoured the Romish Religion And he did not deny that he had promised his help to Mendoza and the help of those Nobles it was fit he should deal with A Popish practice against Q. Elizabeth discovered not without a Miracle by Creighton's torn Papers a Scotish Jesuit QUeen Elizabeth that rare Paragon of her Sex and that fairly flourishing Flower which Traitors though oft attempted could never nip nor crop up being a Princess both Prudent Pious and Pitiful seeking therefore a fair opportunity and sutable means to set the Queen of Scots at those Times tainted with some Treasonable Practices against her Crown and Person at liberty And for that purpose sent Sir William Wade who was then returned out of Spain to confer with her of the means thereunto And the good Queen was about to send Sir Walter Mildmay to bring this aim of hers to further issue But some further terrors and fears in the interim brake out between them which disturbed that intention especially by a notable discovery by certain Papers which one Creighton a Jesuit sailing into Scotland did then tear in pieces when he was apprehended in the Ship by Dutch-Pirates at Sea whose person being by them seised on he took forth his Papers wherein it seems the project of a Traiterous Plot against Queen Elizabeth at that time was described tore them into small pieces and with all his force threw them into the Sea But see how the Lord 's good Providence ordered it as they flew in the Air the Wind blew stifly by force whereof they were all blown back again into the hip even in a miraculous manner as the Jesuit himself confessed when he saw it Which Papers were all kept and gathered together sent to England to Sir William Wade aforesaid and with much labour and singular skill so joyned and set together again that he found they contained a notable new Plot among many other of the Popes the Spaniards and the Guise's resolution to Invade England Whereupon and by reason of many other rumours of dangers intended against the Queen and whole Kingdom of England a great number of all sorts of Men out of common charity and to shew their love and affectionate care of the welfere of the Queen and State bound themselves by an Association as then it was called by mutual promises and subscriptions of Hands and Seals to prosecute all such by all their sorce and might even unto death that should attempt any thing against the Life of the Queen or Welfare of the Kingdom Now the Queen of Scots took this as a thing devised to bring her into danger and she also was so continually set upon by seditious spirits who if they may but have access are able to draw the greatest Princes to destruction And what have been their practices from time to time but to bring great Persons and greatest Families to ruin Lamentable experience shews openly the fruit of their malice and mischevous plots of Treason which they impiously and audaciously call and count nothing else but advancing of their Catholick Cause Now the Scots Queen led on by her blind guides dealt most importunely with the Pope and Spaniards by Sir Francis Englefield that by all means they would with speed undertake their intended Business namely the Invasion of our Realm For the advancing whereof the Pope and Spaniard had resolved on these points 1. That Queen Elizabeth should be deprived of her Kingdom 2. That the King of Scots a manifest favourer of Heresie should utterly be dis-inherited of the Kingdom of England 3. That the Scots-Queen should Marry some Noble-Man of England that was a Catholick 4. That this Man must be chosen King of England by the Catholicks of England 5. That this choice so made must be confirmed by the Pope 6. That the Children of him so chosen begotten of the Scots-Queen must be declared Successors in the Kingdom All these things were confirmed to be true by the testimony of one Hart a Priest Who was that noble English-man that should marry the Scots-Queen was much enquired after by Sir Francis Walsingham with all diligence but not certainly found out yet there was strong suspicion of Henry Howard Brother to the Duke of Norfolk who was Noble by birth unmarried and a fast favourer of that Religion and in great grace and favour with them All these things were discovered by this Creighton the Jesuite's torn Papers as aforesaid And all this their plotting and contriving of France Spain and the Pope against Queen Elizabeth and King James sor no other cause but for their Religon which they had now sairly begun to establish among their People Parry Executed for Treason IN the year 1585 William Parry a Welchman and Doctor of Law spake against that Law which in the Parliament then held was Exhibited and called it a Bloody Law Presently after he was accused of practizing the Queen's death He confessed voluntarily in the Tower that having obtained the Queen's pardon for breaking into the Chamber and wounding one Hare for which he was Condemned he being a sworn Servant to the Queen from England he went into France and was reconciled Afterward at Venice in consultation with Benedict
and the King's Sister by which snare to bring the said Prince the Admiral and the rest of the Heads of Religion to the Court and City of Paris that so these Heads being first smiten off the inferiour Members thereof might the more easily be destroyed Under this colour I say the King invites the Admiral to the Court at Paris pretends a fair Correspondence and Agreement of all matters in Difference betwixt his Majesty and those of the Religion especially himself and the Admiral and a Reconcilement also between this noble Admiral and the Duke of Guise In which interim one Lignerolles a French Gentleman was openly slain in the Court for discovering some secrets concerning this Plot against those of the Religion and the Cardinal of Chastillon then in England and ready to depart thence for France Brother to the Admiral of France was poisoned by one of the Chamberlains and died thereof to the great grief of all his Friends and Servants The most Noble and Religious Admiral on the King's Invitation comes to Paris was with extraordinary fair shows of love and regal respect most welcomely entertained both he and divers others of the Religion that came with him The foresaid Marriage was not long after Solemnized in Paris with great presences of joy and content on all sides expressed in most sumptuous and liberal Feasts and Banquets Masks and Dances the sweet innocent Princes little dreaming of such a Dance to be now a leading by the King Queen-Mother and Duke of Guise with the rest of the Romish bloody Faction as stain'd nay steep'd all their dainties in streams of their Hearts-blood in so much as 't was admired to see such a seeming friendly mixtute of those of the Religion with the Romish Catholicks just like so many Lambs among so many greedy Wolves Now whilst every one imployed himself in such like Mirth and Jollity divers that were sent for by the King Queen-Mother and Duke of Guise that so they might be sure to be the stronger party speedily arrived in Paris the Catastrophe of all that follows having been made not long before among them the Dukes of Guise and Anjou being the principal Actors openly seen in this wicked Work who resolved not to let the Admiral depart out of Paris but there to dispatch him and all such as should endeavour to defend him Now it so fell out that one Morning the Admiral coming out of the Louvre and going to Dine at his Lodging being on foot and without least suspicion of any Villany to be attempted against him as he was reading a Petition one shot at him with a Harquebuss the Bullet whereof took away the Fore-singer of his Right-hand and hurt him in the left Arm the Villain that shot escaped by flight a Horse standing ready to post him away after he had done the deed The noble Admiral being thereupon brought to his Lodging shewed most singular Piety Constancy and Patience under his Surgeons hands was visited by divers Lords and Gentlemen of the Religion the King of Navarre now the King of France his Brother-in-Law and the Prince of Conde The French King also though a main Plotter in the work craftily complained to these Princes of the Mischief thus happened protesting his sorrow and swearing revenge and severe execution of sustice on the Offender whosoever he were The King himself also went to visit the Admiral making many serious and deep protestations of his high esteem of his loyalty and fidelity to his Person and Crown always and that he held and esteemed him a most discret and valiant Commander in Arms and that therefore he much respected him with many such like French Complements Immediately after the King's departure the King of Navarre and the Prince of Conde were certainly but very secretly enformed of the intended Massacre on all of the Religion and advised as speedly as they could to get out of Paris and to be assured that that blow given to the Admiral was but the beginning of the Tragedy but alas good Princes they so much confided on the King's Vows and Promises that they reject this Advise and Counsel and staied there still About Saturday-evening being the 23d of August 1572. certain Protestant Gentlemen offered themselves to watch that Night with the good Admiral but Teligny his Son-in-Law would not suffer them but dismissed them with many thanks little suspecting still any approaching or precipitating danger on his Father Night being come on the Duke of Guises Lieutenant in this Action which now at this present was to be declared to the Duke of Anjou sent for all the Captains of the Switzers and companies of Strangers which still increased into the Town shewing them his Commission to kill the Admiral and all his partakers exhorting them to be couragious in shedding of Blood and making Spoil of them and appointed their Troops to be placed where he thought meetst About Midnight it was informed to all the Popish Assemblies in the Town That the like to this Massacre should be done to all of the Religion throughout the whole Realm and that the Watch-word of the general Massacre should be the great Bell of the Palace which should be rung at the break of Day and the badg of the Executioners should be a white Handkerchief tied upon their sleeves and a white Cross in their Hats The Duke of Guise with his bloody-minded Associates had charge to begin at the Admiral 's Lodgings The mighty noise of Armour and running up and down with very many lighted Torches soon after Midnight made many of those of the Religion that were longed near the Admiral to come out of their Lodgings and to go into the Street to enquire of their Acquaintances what this noise meant at such an undue Hour but being anxiously answered they went on still toward the Louvre where the Duke of Guise and his bloody Comrades were attending the deed where those innocent Lambs of the Religion were first set upon and assaulted by the Duke's guard Then presently they rang St. Germaines Bell in the Palace whereupon one Cosseins a French Fury perceiving the Duke of Guise coming with his Troops knocks at the Admirals Gate between two and three of the Clock in the Morning being Sunday the 24th of August 1572. Lahonne one of the Admiral 's attendants opens the Gate and was instantly stabb'd by Cosseins the second Door going up the Stairs being soon burst open they came to the Admiral 's Chamber where his own Guard of Switzers were one of them was slain with an Harquebuss And while Cosseins was jumbling at the Chamber-door one Cornatan ran up into the Chamber and being asked by the Admiral who had caused his Men to lift him out of his Bed and in his Night-gown having assisted his Ministers in fervent Prayer and most humbly commended his Soul to his Saviour Christ Jesus what all this hurly burly meant Cornatan his Servant answered My Lord It is God that calls for us the House is entred