the end that in so great a presence they all might heare what aunswere hee would make Presently therevppon the companie was assembled in the great Hall of the Castle and in the kings owne presence where the Prince hauing recited the speeches by the king vsed vnto him and what therevpon had followed said that the person of the king excepted with those of the Princes his bretheren and the Queenes and with reuerence vnto them all those that had said and reported vnto the king that hee should bee the head and conductor of certaine seditous persons that were reported to haue conspired against the person of the king and his estate had fallely and wickedly lyed And that to prooue his innocency therin he would leaue his place dignitie of a Prince of the blood to fight with them and cause them with his sword or launce to confesse themselues to bee right villaines and that they themselues onely sought the ruine of the Estate name and blood royall for the conseruation whereof hee said hee would imploy both life and goods as hee had alwaies made good proofe as also for his interest to the Crowne and house of France the title whereof hee ought to procure with much more right then those that were his accusers summoning all the company that if among them there were any that had made the report or that once would seeme to maintaine it presently to shewe themselues wherevppon no man presenting himselfe he besought the king to esteeme him for an honest man and from thencefoorth not to bend his his eares vnto the secret tales of such flaunderous and bad persons but rather to reiect and bannish them from his presence as enemies both to him and publike peace which done he went out of the Councell to giue them leaue to consult But at a certaine signe made by the Cardinall the king brake vppe the assembly without asking their aduise where as then hee might haue made some alteration or disaduantage to those of Guise The Admirall sheweth himselfe a faithfull seruant to the king and the Realme The Queene-mother much troubled in these tempests yet according to the maner and custome of all the world seeking to holde on the strongest side sent the Admirall into Normandie to know the cause of their commissions desiring him most earnestly without dissembling to certifie her the truth thereof with promise not onely to acknowledge his trauels in that behalfe but to keepe it secret Hee executed his commission with all diligence and without feare of any man nor long after sent a Gentleman to the Queene with large and ample letters therein containing that those of Guise were the onely cause and true originall of all the troubles that happened in France because of their violent and vnlawfull government shewing the proofes thereof adding that the faithful subiects of the Crowne held for certaine that the calamities would neuer be ended as long as straungers gouerned the King and his Estate hee exhorted her therevppon to take the cause in hand and to giue ease and quietnesse to those of the religion causing the edicts that tended therevnto to be well and truly obserued Comfort to the prisoners for religion These aduertisements bred letters that were directed to al the Parliaments and other Iudges freely to release all such prisoners as were detained in their Prisons for the cause of religion the execution of which letters neuerthelesse were long performing an other thing likewise draue forward this wheele which was that cerraine prisoners at Blois and Tours for the enterprise of Amboise hauing found the meanes for to escape out of prison wrote a letter vnto the Cardinall partly in iest and partly full of threatnings that it should not be long before they would come to see him with all the rest that were not in his keeping and that had wholly determined to spoyle his person Hee beeing a man very fearefull for that time put water in his wine which caused the generall inlargement of diuers prisoners throughout all the Realme and it was spoken by diuers men that the Cardinal verified the ancient Prouerbe which is If you touch pitch you shall bee defiled therewith Letters in fauour of those of Guise Further those of Guise perceiuing themselues to bee assayled on all sides by diuers writings beeing as it were the forerunners of some new onset the last of March they caused certaine letters to bee dispatched to all the Parliaments Bailiffes and Stewards as also to straunge Princes wherein such as had beene present at the enterprise of Amboise namely the heads were accused of high treason both against God and man specially those of the religion and their Ministers were therin abused in diuers sorts to the which was added a number of great and large promises of reformation both in the Politicque and Ecclesiasticall Estate Answere to their letters To these letters a most ample and large answer was framed directed vnto the Parliament which painted out the house of Guise in all their colours requiring that they in open Parliament of all the Estates might yeeld account of their behauiour in the gouernment of the Estate The Parliament of Parris sent this answere by one of their Vshers vnto the Cardinal But that of Rouen seeking to doo more their deputies beeing sent vnto the king were constrained presently ro retire and could do nothing Letters vnto the king of Nauarre The ninth of Aprill letters were written and sent in the kings name vnto the K. of Nauarre to the same effect as those that were sent vnto the parliamēts being desired to cease vpō certaine persons that attended about his person accused to be of the enterprise of Amboise therin likewise was set downe the acculatiō imposed against the prince of Conde who for the same cause had iustified himselfe mean time a consultation was holden to cease vpon the person of the Prince of Conde which the Duke of Guise wholly seemed to dislike Hee on the other side sent his Secretarie vnto his brother to aduertise him what had past to aske his counsell and to write him answere thereof This beeing discouered to those of Guise they wrote a letter vnto the Prince full of excuses to the end hee should content himselfe which hee likewise sent vnto his brother that made him a plaine answere fearing to bee discouered Warres in Scotland mooued by those of Guise At that time those of Guise thought to trouble and ouerthrowe the Estate of Scotland which their sister the Queen Dowager and monsieur d'Oisel gouerned peaceably they hauing made the marriage betweene their Cousin and King Francis caused their Cousin to take vpon her the title of Queene of England and of Scotland onely vpon some vaine imaginations and not content therewith they sent certaine intelligencers into England there to mooue the people to fauour their Cousin and to bring the Q. of England in hatred with her subiects specially because of thereligion Their intent
consisteth therein and her assurance is our securitie hee that straineth this corde breaketh the hermonie of the Common-wealth and induceth the dissimilitude of religions which presently openeth the gate to murthers enmities and seditions and from thence to persecutions both publike and priuate for that neither the old can be reformed nor the new established without contradiction violence From thence it proceedeth that when in one Nation there are some that remaine constant and firme in the faith and tradition of their forefathers and that others do reprooue it and inuent certaine doctrine which they preach and affirme to be the pure true and onely rule for men to learne it cannot be remedied and of force it must be so that this diuersitie of religion bringeth with it a diuision of minds and of enmities which are not appeased but by the ruine of the one or the other part the triumph of Israel is the losse and hinderance of the Aegyptians The first motion of religiō in Bohemia by Iohn Hus and Hierome of Prague France that had seene the strange furies which this apple of discord by the Hussites had sowne in Bohemia at Munster by the Anabaptists and in Allenmaigne and Suisse and that ought to beware by other mens harmes and looke that the fire of their partialities take no hold in her towe hath most miserably abandoned it selfe vnto this schisme and more overrun sacked and troden vnderfoote by the great faction of Catholiques and Huguenots in thirtie yerres then it indured The death of King Francis at Rombouillet in the space of 6. yeares vnder the long variable and cruell wars of the two houses of Orleans Burgonge factions more fatal miserable in France thē that in Italie of the Guelphes and Gibelins or in England of the long wars between the houses of Lancastre and Yorke It had the beginning from the death of King Francis the first which graine of diuision wherewithall the Prouinces of this Realme is sowen was bought in Geneue of such as brought it from Saxony where they had great store out of Luthers Warehouses Luther began to preach And the most curious who at the first thought to enter into those vesselles of new sects The assembly of Lutheriās dicouered in Parris in S. Iames street before the colledge du Plessis but onely to shake them were carried away by impetuositie of wind and the goodly apparance of her opinions which were said to tend onely to the reformation of the abuses of pride and luxurie in the Cleargie thereby to reduce it into the estate of the Leuites without lands or possessions France that at all times hath beene the nource of fine wittes both subtill and curious was the most fit and apt Prouince wherein to make this Noueltie spring and therein became so fruitefull that in lesse then two or three yeares there was found more Lutherians within the Capitall Cittie of Parris then Prelates or Doctors to oppose themselues against them The Duke of Saxon the Counte Palatin the Marques of Brandebourg the Duke of Witenbourg The marriage of the Dauphine with the Queene of Scots But the king that sought to quench this fire by the rigor of lawes at the first entrance of those Nouelties spared neither authoritie of Edicts seueritie of punishments nor executioners to extirpe them Whereat certaine forraine Princes beeing mooued besought him to moderate his publike persecutions and the great Potentates of the Realme rose vp and put themselues in armes and among the rest Monsieur d'Andelot a man whom the king loued both for the honour of his house and valour of his person and many Councellours of the Court of Parliament found to bee inveloped with this cloude wee cast in prison The Cardinall of Lorraine and the Duke of Guise his brother that practised the marriage of the Queene of Scots their Cousin with the kings eldest sonne and were the greatest next the king who for counsell put his whole confidence in the Cardinal and his forces into the Duke of Guises hands making him Lieftenant generall of his Realme that had all authoritie ouer the people that esteemed them no lesse faithfull to the Crowne then zealous and religious towards the Church that honoured them as the most affectioned to the Common-wealth that were his Druses Marcels Dions and Phocions mooued the king to the extirpation of those Heresies and without doubt hee had surely done it if the splinter of Mongommeries launce had not beene which although it brake not yet it stayed the furie of those publike executions The death of King Henry the second This great king that promised his people a long and continuall peace beeing dead his Scepter remained to Francis but the royall authoritie with them that as then had the possession and that vaunted themselues to deserue it in respect of their seruices done to the king their countrie and religion in such manner The sacring of Francis the second The Constable withdraweth frō the Court. that before Anthony de Burbon king of Nauarre first prince of the blood arriued at the Court his place was taken vp and the royaltie diuided and put into the handes of a king of fifteene yeares of age an Italian woman a Cardinall and a Prince of Lorraine The kings auncient seruants beeing separated from the Court namely the Constable Like as the sunne is in heauen the same should the king be on earth and what effect the sunne worketh with the Planets the same should the K. vnto the Princes of his blood the sun neuer withdraweth his brightnes That was ordamed at Tours Ann. 1484. and at the same time obserued by Charles 8. son to Lewis the 11. that raigned 14. yeares Malecontent in An. 1560. from them no more should the king deny this fauour to the Princes of his-blood that are about him Which not being don it cānot be but there must be disorder Eclipses obscure confusions The Princes of the blood perceiuing themselues debarred from their guard that the king was in the custodie of strāgers contrarie to the ancient priuiledges of France wich ordaineth that the minoritie of the K. shall be assisted by a councell chosen by al the Estates of the Realme wherein the Princes of the blood ought to beare the principall place and straungers excluded vnited themselues togither in the middle of a thousand deaths to preserue their degrees and dignities This discontentment opened the caracters of diuisions that after caused a deluge of miseries in the realme of France And the Malecontents eyther because they were excluded from publike charges or beeing tormented in the libertie of their consciences agreed togither to vnhorse the house of Guise that aspired so neare the king minding neuer to leaue armes before his Maiestie should be deliuered out of their hands and the estate reduced vnder a lawfull gouernment promising neuerthelesse not to attempt any thing against the person of the king his authoritie nor the
of the league and resistance made by the heads Arrest of the Parliament of Chaalons against the Popes bull and assembly of the estates of the league Proceedings of the heads of the same Death of the Duke of Parma Attempts of the Duke of Maine after his death His declaration against the king 93. The king maketh answere to the Duke And his Councell offer a proposition to the estates of the league who are turned aside out of the way of peace by the Popes Legate and Spanish Ambassadour The king is solicited to go to Masse wherevnto the leaguers apply all their pollicies ouerthrown before by the Parliament of Parris The king maketh profession of the Romaine religion wherevpon ensueth a generall truce and new practise of the leaguers to withdraw the people from acknowledging him In the meane while the tragedies of Peter Barriere are a playing who desirous to haue a part in the league conspired against the life of the king and Duke de Nemours The leaguers turne themselues on euery hand for ther owne maintenance and to ruinate those of the religion Stratagems of certaine Polititians against the king who expresseth his good will to those of the religion and looseth that which he had conquered in Piedmont 94. He bringeth the league vnder subiection enforceth rebellious townes to their former obedience namely Parris where the Parliament opposeth it selfe against the Spanyardes After certaine goings too and fro to Rome the lesse desperate Leaguers are receiued to fauour Amongst others the Parisians who are woont to chase away the auncient enemies of France published a decree or arrest against the league and the Duke de Maine What ensued vpon a fauourable declaration of the king who in Picardie pursued the remainders of this vnion During this the Vniuersitie prosecuted the Iesuites Warre is noysed in Brittain and towards the lowe Countries About the end of the yeare a disciple of the Iesuites attempted to kill the king 95. Processe against the Iesuites and their secret complots discouered Warre proclaimed against the king of Spaine Leaguers of Soisson hewen in peeces Spaniards discomfited in the Dukedome of Luxembourg Warre in Franch-Countie Beaune surrendred to the king Memorable explopts both of one and other part Duke d'Aumale executed in his image and portrature The siege of Fere. The king obtaineth absolution from the Pope Estates of Picardie 96. Marseilles reduced vnder the kings obedience The Cardinall of Austria releeueth Fere and by force of armes taketh Callais and Ardes Neuerthelesse Fere is by composition deliuered into the kings hands Afterwards Marshall Biron made diuers incoursions into Artois And the amitie betweene the king the Queen of England and the vnited Prouinces of the low Countries was confirmed The king conuocateth the estates at Roan discouering briefly vnto them his intention Henry the seconde M. D. XLVII HENRY the second of that name and the 59. King of France Pharamond the only sonne of Francis the first that died vppon the 30. day of the moneth of March in the year of our Lord 1547. succeeded in the Crowne by order of succession according to the auncient salicque lawe of the land Hee while the Nobilitie were busied to prouide for the obsequie and funerals of his deceased father and staying for his sacrying anoynting in the moneth of Aprill following made and ordained an edict An edict against blasphemers to be published against blasphemers of the name of God which action made shewe of a notable and commendable beginning yet that so laudable a worke continued no longer in force then many others had done before it Neuerthelesse it wrought this effect that thereby it euidently appeareth that succession and not the sacrying and annoynting of a Prince is the chiefe originall of royall authoritie The 16. of Iulie the Court was much troubled by a contention and memorable action that happened betweene Messieurs de Iarnac and Chastegneraye gentlemen of great account that had defied each other by reason of certaine words vsed by one of them which had procured the other to giue the lie The King in steade of ending their cause by aduise of his Councell and to constraine the offender to satisfie the offended graunted them the combat wherevpon according to the Kings appoyntment they appeared vpon the day aforesaid at S. Germaines in Laye where in the presence of the King Princes Lords and others they entred into the lists There Monsieur Iarnac who by all the company was esteemed the weaker by reason he was newly recouered of a certaine sicknesse withall despised and litle fauored ouercame the other to whom before they entered into the combat euery man adiudged the victorie and wounded him in such sort that not long after he died to the Kings great griefe who vppon that occasion expresly forbadde all combats whatsoeuer in this manner hee beganne with a bloodie tragedie and ended with the like as heereafter you shall heare The King sacred at Reims The 27. of Iulie after hee was sacried and annoynted at Reims with all the auncient accustomed ceremonies therevnto belonging in the presence of twelue Peeres spirituall and temporall The spiritual were the Arch-bishop of Reims the Bishop of Langres Beauuais Noyon Laon and Challons the temporall the Duke of Bourgongne Normandie and Guyenne the Earles of Champagne Flaunders and Thoulouse Most part of the Princes Nobilitie of the Realme being likewise present with diuers Ambassadours of straunge nations But the Ambassadours of Florence Mantoue and Ferrare came not by reason of a controuersie that fell out between them concerning their preheminence of places and for that they could not agree therevppon they absented themselues till the cause was further debated The Constable exalted Anne de Montmorency Constable of France who certaine yeares before had been bannished the Court and secretly held at Chantilly as soone as Francis the first died was repealed againe and the new king committed the principall charge of the affaires of the Realme vnto him which at that time were executed by the Cardinall de Tournon the Admirall Annebaut who as then had good leisure to repose themselues yeelding their place to him whom the king termed his Gossep one that in times past had done him many seruices as afterward hee did Mesieurs de Longueual d'Espars de Boncour de Framezelle de Antipe the Barron de la Garde the Generall Bayard and others were narrowly sought and pursued for diuers secret causes in such sort that some of them were forced to saue themselues by the gilded Gate others by meanes of their friends Warres in in Scotland The king hauing made a Progresse into Picardie went further into the Realme and caused an Armie to bee leuied vnder the conduct of Monsieur D'esse to ayde the Queene Dowager of Scotland against the Englishmen causing her to be safely conducted into Scotland to the end to impeach the vnion of both those Realmes which might bee to the preiudice of France and thereby to
maintaine the ancient amitie that had long continued betweene the countries of France and Scotland Monsieur Pierre Strossie Coronell of certaine Italian companies Monsieur D'andelot Coronell of the French Infanterie the Rhingraue General of the Lansquenets accompanied Monsieur D'esse And while they with their Troupes kept the Englishmen from inuading Scotland by land Leon Strossi Prior of Capoue with his Gallies and certain French ships came close vnder the Castle of S. Andrew which he entred by force and taking all that hee found therein returned into France D'esse presently after draue the Englishmen out of a Fort by them erected hard by that Castle but before the fire waxed greater by meeting of Ambassadours on both sides the peace before spoken of and propounded at Ardies betweene the kings of England and France was made and concluded whereby that warre ceased The rest of this yeare passed ouer without any matter of importance done in France The king hauing taken such order in Guyenne touching the Impost of Salt and other customes that in fine it prooued the spring and beginning of those insupportable exactions that bred and produced the seditions of the yeare ensuing Ordinances for custome of Salt and other things Autome all the rest of the year was much troubled with showers of raigne whereof ensued great ouerflowings and invndations of waters foreshewings and prescriptions of the troubles that after ensued both within and without the Realme The house of Guise being insinuated into the kings good fauor by means of Diane de Poictiers Duches of Valentinois that wholly ruled him hee gaue the Arch-Bishoppricke Bishoppricke of Reims to Charles yonger brother to the Duke of Guise to whom not long before Pope Paul Farnese had sent the Cardinals Hat this was The Cardinal of Lorraine solicited the Pope to take part with the king of France that great and so much renowmed Cardinall of Lorraine that liued in such fame in the times of the Kings successors to Henry the second Charles of Burbon brother to Henry Duke of Vandosine and after King of Nauarre was also made Cardinall at the same time But the difference was great betweene these two Cardinals The Lorraine a man of great iudgement and one that seemed to be borne onely to stirre vp strife within the Realme was as then sent and imployed in Ambassage vnto the Pope to drawe and perswade him to fauour the King of Francis part and wholly to disswade him from the Emperour against whom as then he was much incensed because his Lieftenant in Italie had ceased vppon the towne of Plaisance after the murther of Pierre Louis the Popes sonne slaine by the conspiracie of his owne subiects the 10. of September 1547. The Emperour and the King sent vnto the Councell The Emperour sent his Ambassadours to the Councell as then holden in Bologne to protest against such as were assembled in that place thereby to induce them to returne againe vnto Trent The King likewise sent his Ambassadors thither to exhort thē to looke vnto thēselues and to prouide for their affaires These practises and deuises in time prooued the sparkles of the fire of vengeance and desire of reenterie into warres inclosed within the hearts and breasts of those two Princes specially of the King who partly prouoked by the opinion of his meanes and partly solicited by such as knowing his nature much inclined to the delights and pleasures of the Court and of a soft spirit little practised or brokē with matters of estate thought to fish in a troubled water as the common saying is not beeing able to distresse the peace made with the Emperor at Cresoy in the year of our Lord 1544. complayning against the animositie of the Emperour vsed towards France and among other examples to pricke him alleadging the death of Coronel Vogelsberg beheaded at Ausbourge at his returne from the warres of Scotland where he had serued the King While the King made preparation to ride on progresse throughout his Realme Gasper de Colligny sieur de Chastillon sent into Picardie The Fort of Chastillon caused a fort to be erected near vnto Bullen that as then was holden by the Englishmen which after annoyed them much The King beeing in Bourgongne made his entrie into most part of the Townes and hauing visited La Bresse Sauoye and Piedemont returned vnto Lyons where hee held a feast for the Knights of the order of S. Michaell Commotions in Guyenne by reason of exactions During his voyage into Sauoye and Piedemont the commons of Guyenne Saintonge and Angoulmois rose vp in armes because of the extortions vsed by those that had farmed the impost of salt and in short space assembled to the number of 40000. men wel armed besides those of the ylands and by common consent set vppon the farmers of Salt and although in the beginning the king of Nauarre had sought by all meanes to disswade them neuerthelesse they held firme and earnestly pursued their enterprise against those of the farmers vppon whom they might lay hands The commons of Gascoigne likewise rose vppe and followed the pernicious examples of the rest whereof ensued the massacring of many of the Kings officers in diuers places of the countrie who abusing their offices had beene the causes of that mutinie Fault of the Gouernour the Iurats of Bourdeaux The Maior and Iurates hauing charge within the Cittie of Bourdeaux the parliment of Guyenne and Monsieur de Monneins that therein commaunded as Lieftenant for the King in stead of remedying and taking order for those tumults defended it too long specially Monsieur de Monneins who not reproouing the insolencie of one of the principal leaders of those troupes named La Vergne made him become so bold and impudent that not long after he presumed to rayse and call the people togither by sound of bell besides this he committed an other fault which is that beeing fearefull and hauing withdrawne himselfe into the Castle of du Ha thereby as hee supposed to put the people in some doubt He sent out diuers Caliuers at seuerall times to represse their insolencie but it fell out contrary to his intent For that this issuing of the Souldiours set the people in such a rage that hauing found mutinous companions for the purpose as La Vergne l'Estonnac Maquanan and others presently they fought where the farmers and their partakers were put to flight and many gentlemens houses vnder pretence of searching for the exactors of Imposts whom they affirmed to bee hidden therein were robbed and spoyled Disorder in the capitall Towne of Guyenne The commons entred into the Towne where they rung a bell to assemble the people no man daring to passe through the streets vnlesse hee were armed and in company of the Nobles otherwise they were cruelly massacred and murthered by such as met them The Councellers of the Court of parliment were constrained to put off their gownes and in their dubblets and hose with
Oppede whereof he was Lord vnder pretence of religion was become a mortall enemy vnto those of Cabrieres and Merindol where those husbandmen dwelt who in haruest time in despight of Menier reaped the corne which as then they found vpon their ground which hee held from them by force so that as then the execution was pursued And thervpon the Parliament at the instant request of M nier sent an huissier to the Cardinall de Tournon at whose request king Francis the first sent letters pattents to the parliament for the execution of that first sentence and by that meanes in the moneth of Aprill 1545. Menier naming himselfe Lieftenant to Monsieur de Grignan Gouernour of Prouence hauing assembled an armie of theeues and beeing accompanied by Monsieur de la Garde set fier in diuers villages about Merindol sent great numbers of poore Countrie-men into the Gallies and caused a young man to bee openly harquebushed and finding no man within Merindol pilled sacked burnt and rased all the houses and hauing besieged battered and by composition taken the litle Towne of Cabrieres in stead of holding his promise made vnto them he chose out 25. or 30. men such as pleased him that were cut and massaced to peeces in a Medowe that lay vnder the Towne about 40. women wherof most of them were great with childe were burnt within a barne and many beeing found hidden in their Cellors were tyed two and two togither and so ledde into the Hall of the Castle of Cabrieres where they were most cruelly murthered Within the Church many olde women young maides and children that had saued themselues were all put to the sword The number of the slaine and massacred amounting vnto 800. persons and more The Barron de la Garde ledde aboue 800. persons away and put them into the Gallies where the most part of them died in great miserie Many women and maides were deflowred and great numbers ledde prisoners to Marseille Aix and Auignon Diuers villages beeing wholly burnt and consumed by fire whereby the desolation and misery of that countrie was exceeding great But king Francis being sicke for the space of certaine years after that cruell massacre and vrged in conscience with a remorse of that mischiefe whereof hee had partly beene the cause and sorrie before his death hee could not execute open punishment vppon those that abusing his name and authoritie had committed so horrible a mischiefe among his subiects of Prouence expresly charged his sonne Henry not to deferre that punishment saying that if he put it in obliuion God wold bee reuenged thereof against him and that their memorie would remaine in horrour and execration vnto all straungers if the persons that had committed so notable a crime should bee suffered to escape vnpunished This clause expresly set downe within the Kings testament aduanced the discredit on the Cardinall of Tournon and put Grignan and la Garde in great paine but to conclude they had more feare then hurt for the king by his letters patents of the 17. of March 5549. caused the matter to bee heard by the Court of Parliament in Parris where Menier and three others his companions appeared in person the rest of the Councellors by their Atturneyes And there after long proces in stead of punishment one man onely called Guerin a Councellor lesse culpable then the rest was hanged in Parris Menier principal of that massacre escaped and falling out of his wits died beeing ceased with a secret fire within his bodie in the open sight knowledge of all the countrie of Prouence The rest of the matter vanished as it were in a smoke before the sight of men but God made both the king his Councell all his Realme to know and well perceiue that the blood of so many innocent persons and others that were put to death both before and after that time for the confessiō of the Gospell is most precious in his sight as the things that happened and fell out in the yeares ensuing haue well declared which we must in order set downe as time and place shall serue The death of Margaret Queene of Nauarre The same year in the month of December did Margaret de Orleans Queen of Nauarre sister to king Francis the first a most noble and famous Princesse and of as notable a spirit as any that liued in her time In the beginning of this year the king suppressed and abolished the imposition of salt in the countrie of Guyenne with all the officers that had the execution thereof for the summe of 450000. frankes with the countries of of Poicton Saintonge Angoulmois Perigort high and lowe Limosin and high lowe Marthe should pay vnto him with 25000. frankes to the officers for their charges Touching those of Bourdeaux in the month of October before they had procured and obtained a general pardon vpō condition that they and their successors shuld alwaies keep two ships furnished for the wars readie to put to sea to serue vnder whomsoeuer it should please the king to commaund and to receiue into the Castles of Trompette and du Ha such garrison as the king should send into them and to victuall them with all sorts of victualls which they should yearely furnish and renue taking away the olde And therevpon in the moneth of Ianuarie after the king reestablished the parlement and their Towne was reduced into the former estate they that had beene beaten making the amends Three Presidents in Parris displaced and after reestablished onely Liset At that time three Presidents of Parris not well thought of by the house of Guise as then beeing in great credit were displaced out of their offices but not long after S. Andre Minard hauing promised to become good seruitors were restored againe Liset was made Abbot of S. Victor that an other of lesse iudgement then himselfe might haue his place And so hee tooke vppon him to deale in matters of diuinitie wherein hee sped so hardly and of a good practition hee became so ignoranta sophister that falling in a great laughter hee was suddainly taken with a disease and so died Hee shewed himselfe a sworne and perpetual enemie to those of the religion thinking to aduance himselfe by cruell inuentions but hee was cut off by the way thereby seruing for an example to many better men then himselfe not to bandie against him vho is able to surprise and intrappe the subtillest in their fond inuentions and against whom the wisedome and force of man is nothing but meere beastlinesse and vanitie Remedies for false clipt mony This yeare because that most of the mony in France was found to be clipped by the kings edict al such mony was commaunded to bee cut in peeces and molten and many of that occupation among the which were diuers quoyners executed Bullen restored to the King In the monthes of Februarie and March a peace was agreed vppon betweene the kings of England France wherevpon
the 25. of Aprill insuing Bullen was deliuered into the hands of the king of France who made his entrie into it vpon the 25. of May after About that time died Claude de Lorraine first Duke of Guise and Iohn Cardinall of Lorraine both beeing poysoned with Humieres the Cardinall of Amboise and Iohn of Caracciol Prince of Melphe Lieftenant generall for the King in Piedemont and Marshall of France after whom succeeded Charles de Cosse Barron de Brissac in his time a most valiant Captaine Now wee enter into warres Occasion of warres begun betweene France and Spaine as hotly begunne as euer they were betweene the Frenchmen and the Spaniards The king from time to time casting his eyes vppon the Duchie of Millan and withall remembring the titles therevnto pretended by the house of Orleans wherevnto they neuer renounced beeing no lesse sorrie for that which had happened in Plaisance in regard of Pierre Louis sonne to Pope Paul Fernese who therin had been slaine by his houshold-seruants For besides that the report went that it had been done and practised by the subtill meanes of Ferdinand de Gonzague Lieftenant for the Emperour in Lombardie thereby to aduance his maisters affaires he had ceased vppon Plaisance The Pope desirous to reuenge himselfe and hauing not an arme as strong as his heart had sent Camille Vrsin to keepe and defend Parma and accepted the offer by the king in ayde vnto him which was to receiue the familie of Farneses and al their lands and goods into his protection The Pope had giuen Parma vnto his Nephew Octauian who not long after was inuested therewith by Iulius the third successour vnto Paul but the Emperour pretending that the Title of protector belonged better to him then to the King that had nothing to doo in Italie and perceiuing that accord between the king and the Pope to be as a thorne within his foote determined to assure himselfe of Parma wrought in such maner that Pope Iulius abandoned his vassall Octauian that had espoused the Emperours Bastard-daughter Octauian repaired to the king that named himselfe Protector of the lands of the Church and of the Ferneses and Pope Iulius being solicited to take order therein made no account thereof wherevppon the king determined to ayde Octauian and not long after Gonzague besieged Parma which caused the king to commaund the Marishall of Brissac his Lieftenant in Peidemont to fortifie and strengthen Mirandole but Gonzague hauing discouered the enterprise surprised the Soldiours that Marshiall Brissac sent thither and caused them to stay On the other side the Pope began to threaten the king because hee had receiued Octauian into his protection and said he would excommunicate him and all the Realme of France To coole the Popes chollor the king expresly forbadde all his subiects not to carrie any mony to Rome neyther yet to go thither for any cause whatsoeuer ordaining the Metropolitans of his Realme to supply their default therein vntill further order should bee taken This was no small blowe vnto the Court of Rome and surely if the king had still continued in that mind the Popes had neuer pilled France in such maner as afterward they did but thereby they had beene taught to become wise Which had surely beene a beginning of reformation throughout Christendome but it being grounded onely vppon temporall considerations and commodities it proceeded to no good end Octauian was declared a rebell vnto the Sea of Rome and presently war was proclaimed against him Gonzague entering by armes into the territories of Parma Beginning of warres beyond the Mountaines On the other side the king dispatched newe forces into Piedemont commaunding the Marshall of Brissac to ayde those of Parma and Mirandole From whence proceeded the taking of Quiers S. Damian with certaine Forts Castles in the Marquisall of Montferrat Whereby Gonzague was constrained to leaue Parma to defend the Millannois At that time the Emperour found himselfe much busied with many important affaires hauing to doo both with the king of Fance the Turkes and Affrica besides the troubles which as then were not fully ended in Almaine The Histories are very diuers touching the breach of this peace betweene the Emperour and the king but it must bee vnderstood by this newe commotion happened betweene two so puissant Princes for asmall matter as it outwardly appeared that they sought some former quarrell whereinto both of them most willingly entred vnder pretence of their new warre for Parma but aboue all things the iust iudgement of God minding to scourge Christendome as then filled with all disorders and culpable of greeuous crimes was the onely cause thereof Preparation for warres in Picardie In the beginning of the yeare 1551. Marie Queene of Hungaria sister to the Emperour and Gouernour in the lowe Countries made great preparations for warres both by sea and land And vnderstanding that the Marshall de S. Andre was readie to sayle into England to beare the order of France vnto Edward king of England sent certaine shippes to lye betweene Douer and Calis to take the Marshal who taking shippe at Deepe held an other course and so performed his voyage And for his securitie hee caused certaine Flemish shippes to bee stayed at Deepe which were presently released assoone as they vnderstood of his arriuall in England On the other side Queene Marie caused an arest to be made of all French Marchants shippes that as then were in any Port within the lowe Countries wherewith diuers Marchants were not very well pleased by reason of the disorders and losses that commonly happen by such arrests Monsieur de Villebon minding to refresh Turouenne wherein hee commaunded with new victuals Monsieur du Reux a great aduersarie to France sent certaine Souldiours to lye in Ambuscado and to impeach that enterprise but in the end hee was constrained to retire without effecting that they went for Irons in this sort beeing heated commaundement was giuen to the Ambassadors on both parts to depart The Queene of Hungaria stayed the Ambassadour of France prisoner in a certaine Castle with a great guard where hee stayed for a time The kings proceedings towards the Pope the Emperour and the Councell of Trent But before further proceeding vnto warres the king sent Monsieur de Termes to Pope Iulius to excuse himselfe in respect of that which he had done in the behalf of Octauian Fernese hee likewise shewed vnto the Emperour what reason mooued him to take armes and sent the Abbot of Bellosanne to signifie vnto the councel of Trent that hee could not send the Bishops of his Realme vnto such a Councell neyther yet esteeme that assembly to bee a generall Councell that they should respect the animositie of the Pope against the Realme of France and the eldest sonne of the Church and therefore that they should not finde it straunge if hee seemed not to shewe obedience to that assembly not made for the common benefite of Christendome but onely for
villages of Picardie that had beene burnt during his beeing in Almaine They set fire likewise in an other goodly Castle belonging vnto the Queene of Hungarie then in Reux after that in Bauets The armie being past beyond Monts Hainaut Landreei Auanes le Quesnoy Vallenciennes and Cambray the Prince of Piedemont vsed all the meanes hee could to bee reuenged for those extreame losses but could not effect it the Frenchmen beeing strong and well conducted in the end about the tenth of August both the armies met neere vnto Renty where there chanced an indifferent hard incounter on both their partes Encounters of both the armies by Renty The Emperour lost about 800. or 900. men and the King two hundreth after the which skirmish winter opproaching the king dismissed his armie and that of the Emperour making towards Hesdin burnt and spoyled all the plaine countie and therein had done much hurt if the Duke de Vandosme that laye not farre from thence had not resisted him Continuance of warre In spring time the warre beganne againe betweene the two Princes and the report of the courses made by the Emperours armie gaue occasion to the Frenchmen to enterprise vppon the Castle of Cambresis which was presently taken by assault and good warre holden with the Spaniards Maruembourg was victualled by Bourdillon Lieftenant to the Duke de Neuers The king and the Queene of England intreated the Emperour and the King of France to make a peace wherein Cardinall Pole an Englishman Vaine treatie of peace trauelled much as then all flaming with fire against those of the religion who at that time were most sharply handled within the Realme of England This treatie of peace beganne with great bruit but in fine it vanished like smoke and warre beganne againe stronger then euer it was The Duke de Neuers and the Admirall de Chastillon beeing made Gouernours of Picardie because the Duke de Vandosme as then king of Nauarre and Soueraigne of Bearc by meanes of his wife was gone to take possession of his new estates tooke good order both for the victualling and keeping of the places and frontiers of the countrie notwithstanding not long after as some of the Garrisons of Picardie marching with 1500. horses of the French rereward called the companies of Nobilitie and foure hundreth footemen had in such sort ouerrunne the countrie that in fine they returned al laden with spoyles The rereward of France ouer throwne being ledde by la Iaille their Generall Haulsmont Gouernour of Bapaulme finding them inclosed betweene a Wood a Village and a Riuer whereof hee caused the passages to bee broken downe and surely kept without espials order feare of the enemie or hurt charged them so couragiously with a small company of men that in short space he made them loose both courage bootie and liues at his discretion where la Iaille was hurt aboue fiue hundreth taken prisoners some escaped and the rest slaine Those of Hannuyers and Arcesiers men much giuen to derision made it a cōmoniest saying that they had taken Nobles of France without waight but to say the truth there was as then but fewe Nobles in those troupes onely certaine Wagoners and Pages that were imployed in the muster and to make a shew sent by Widdowes and Orphanes of Gentlemen deceased or by the Lords of certaine fief rated at certaine values To assure Picardie the king went into Villiers Costerez sending the Duke of Guise further vppon the frontiers and the Admirall into the middle of the Prouince The estate of Predemōt touching the warres betweene the Emperor the king of France Now I must shew you what was done in the warres of Piedemont and other places beyond the Mountaines The Marshall de Brissac who the winter before had taken Iuree and Bielle in the spring time fortified S. Iaco tooke Crepa-cuore by means of Monsieur Saluaison by a surprise most brauely executed got Casal de Montferrat a towne Castle a place of great importāce spoyled Poman S. Saluadour and other small places not to bee holden and hardly to bee strengthened and fortied in any conuenient time The Duke of Alue hauing succeded Gonzague in the Gouernment of Lombardie about the end of Iulie entered into the field with 20000. foote 4000. horse and 40. cannons and besieged S. Iaco wherein were Captaines Birague and Vimercat who constrained the Duke to retire from Pont de Sture where he fortified himselfe hoping by famine to constraine such places to yeeld as hee durst not besiege The king sent foure thousand foote and foure thousand horse to strengthen Marshall de Brissacs forces Taking and spoyling of Vulpian who perceiuing himselfe so strong besieged Vulpian and by Kochepose ouerthrew the Dukes forces sent to ayde them by force tooke the basse Towne and soone after the Castle by composition was yeelded Vulpian had the walles rased and beaten downe and not long after Mont-Coluo a Towne and Castle yeelded vnto the Frenchmen These things were done in the moneths of September and October not long afer the Dukes troupes by meanes of an Ambascado placed hard by Iucise slewe and tooke certaine French souldiers whereby they wrought some small reuenge for their great losses at Vulpian and Mont-Caluo A particular discourse of the warre of Siene from the beginning to the end Before I leaue the affaires beyond the Mountaines it is necessarie I should say something touching the warres of Siene that fell out and kindled in this yeare beginning at the originall thereof During the siege of Metz the Emperour beeing ceased of Siene an auncient and famous Towne in the territories of Tuscane placed Don Diego de Mendosse Gouernour therein with a Garrison of Spaniards Don Diego vsing rigor more therein then was conuenient the Sienois not content therewith beganne to conspire against him hee vnder colour of fauouring the people caused the Gentlemen to leaue their armes which done he beganne to molest both the one and the other who consulting togither sent vnto the king to desire him to receiue them into his protection which hee consented vnto The Fugitiues of of Sienie in the kings name beganne to raise men throughout Italie vnder the conduct of the counte Petillane Hieronyme de Pise Maire de Sainctefior The Duke of Florence sent eight hundreth men to ayde Mendosse But the Sienois mooued at the newe extortions raised vppon them let foure thousand men cōducted by the Counte de Petillone enter into the towne that draue out the Spaniards but not without great losse on both parts part of the Spaniards hauing saued themselues without cannon within the Iacopius and in the Citadell were entred vppon by force and put to the sword Their Generall and others of the Florentine Captaines issued by composition and ceased vpon Orbitelle a place not farre from thence which they fortified The Emperour beeing returned into Almaine after the siege raised before Metz commaunded Don Garsie de Tolede Viceroye of Naples to
Emperour and the king to bring them to an agreement but nothing tooke effect each of thē seeming to haue right on his side meane time the differences touching religion began to increase such as would not receiue and acknowledge the traditions of the Pope were cruelly burnt They suffered the Turke to win diuers places in Europe and his Gallies as then came before Corse to ayde the Frenchmen were at the siege of Calui and Boniface among the Christians and holpe to conquer the Island and then returning homeward spoyled the coast of Toscane besieged Plombin and the I le of Elbe belonging to the Duke of Florence passing further executed an infinit of mischieses vpon the realmes of Naples Sicile and Calabre and so laden with great spoyles and numbers of Christians their prisoners they arriued in Constantinople other places without any impeachment so much so great was the hatred between the Emperour and the King that they had rather see the Turke inriched with Christians teasure then once to consent agree in one to inuade so common an enemie But returning to Siene Siene besicged and taken the Marques of Marignan came to besiege it with all his forces onely vpon the hope he had that Strossi beeing wounded and Monluc lying at the poynt of death being dead for it was thought they could not liue long Lanssac and Fourqueuau taken the Sienois being wholly destitute of counsell and French secorers would yeeld vnto him Strossi beeing somewhat recouered and hauing been certified of the death of Monluc hazarded himselfe with sixe companies of foote and two of launciers to come to Siene Where by the prudence and resolution of Serillac Nephew to Monluc he entered who by a stratageme of trompets caused an alarme in the Marquesse campe that thought verily some new armie had been come to set vppon them but hauing found Monluc liuing and in some better estate then he had been he returned againe yet not without great daunger Monluc hauing made many skirmishes vppon the enemie perceiued that in fine they would take the Towne whervpon hauing shewed the Souldiers and the Townes-men what he thought the Marques would do hee gaue order that euery man should be stinted in his victuals and that they should liue by prescript rules of war The Sienois very willing to followe his counsell and aduise did as he commanded The Marques hauing assayed by scaling the walles in the night-time to enter into the Citadell and the Fort of Camollia was valiantly repulsed with the losse of sixe hundreth of his men and by many skirmishes batteries intelligences and combats seeking to become maister of the towne being not able to effect his will determined to proceed with the first and surest resolution which was to constraine them by famin by which meanes his campe indured much miserie and euery moneth diminished more and more neuerthelesse in fine his perseuerance ouercame them so that vpon the 20. day of Aprill 1555. an honourable composition hauing been made and agreed vpon with Monsieur de Monluc his troupes and those of Siene the towne was yeelded vnto the Marques and after into the hands of the Duke of Florence Touching that which after happened to the territories of Siene I meane not at this present to intreate further thereof leauing that to the description of the warres of Italie from whence I must returne vnto Picardie Warres in Picardie Mariembourg being revictualled the Leaders that cōmanded in those quarters for the Emperour hauing erected an armie of twentie thousand foote fiue or sixe thousand Rutters and some Enfignes of olde bands of Spaniards caused a place called Giuets to bee fortified from whence they forraged the Country lying nearest vnto it and famished Mariembourg The king assembled his forces at Maubert Fontaine whereof Francis de Cleues Duke de Veuers was Lieftenant Generall hauing eight hundreth launciers as many light-horse about eight thousand footemen who once againe revictualled Mariembourg The 26. of Iulie the Rutters and the French light-horsemen met togither but the Rutters were presently constrained to reenter into their fort and the Count de Barlaimont General of the Emperors Armie refusing battaile the French men retired presently after the prince of Orange entred in to the kings country and spoiled the Castle of Faignolles After that in winter time Messieurs de Sanssac and Bourdillon the third time reuictualled Mariembourg The raigne and troublesome season togither with the want of victualls on both sides impeached the armies from meeting togither During this last voiage the king hauing gotten the writings and euidences whereby Iohn de Brosse Duke d'Estampes claymed a right and title vnto the Duchie of Bretaigne into his hands gaue the Count of Ponthieure in exchange thereof vnto the said Duke The Emperor resigneth all his estates vnto his son and his brother At the same time the Emperor a prince of great valour and courage as all Histories do witnesse hauing so long time borne a world of affaires troubles within his braines determined to discharge himselfe thereof and hauing sent for the Prince Don Philip his sonne vnto Brissels then king of England resigned vnto him his kingdomes of Spaine Naples Cicile and others whereof hee gaue him letters pattents commanding all his subiects to obey him Those letters being deliuered vpon the 25. of october 1555. were read in open counsel by the Chancelor And among many notable instructions aduises by the father giuen vnto the Prince his son he exhorted him to make peace with the King of France and to haue pittie vpon Christendome miserably tormented by so long and cruell warres He likewise left off the Empire and by letters vnto the Electors desired them to giue that dignitie vnto Ferdinand his brother to whom by right it ought to appertaine hauing by them bin chosen and elected for king of the Romanes Wars in the Isle of Corse About the same time the Geneuois assaied to win the Isle of Corse not long before taken from them by Monsieur de Termes and sent thither the Prince d'Aurie that assailed the port of S. Florent which yeelded by composition the souldiers issuing armed and their goods saued returning to Boniface to Iourdā Vrsin d'Aurie following after them thinking to win it but he was soone repulsed to his great losse About the moneth of the same yeare died the Marquesse of Marignā The death of the Marques of Marignā being out of fauor with the Emperor For hauing too long prolōged the taking of Siene consuming a whole armie about it he was solemnly buried at Millan the Duke d'Alue being assistant at his funerall King Philip following his fathers counsaile and solicited therunto by Mary Queene of England his wife inclined to peace which to effect after many meetings and conferences a truce for 5. yeares was agreed vpon between thē The Count de Lalain Truce for 5. yeares between the 2. Kings came to Blois to sweare the truce vnto
assure his capitall towne and at the same time raised a subsidie of 300000. Frankes to satisfie his most vrgent affaires while king Phillip receiuing the Ensignes taken from the Frenchmen and beholding the prisoners who in a maner were led before him as in a triumph contented himselfe with that victorie without enterprising at that time to enter further into France whereof neuerthelesse many Townes were in great feare King Henry by his Lieftenants prouided for his Frontier-townes and gathered his campe at Laon causing 14000. Switzers to be sent for Touching those that were besieged within Saint Quintins at the comming of d'Andelot The Towne of S. Quintins taken by assault they were relieued with foure hundreth souldiers and about 50. men of commandement with some Gentlemen of name and certaine Canoniers but king Phillip being arriued in his campe the batterie began most furious the assieged by no means could be ayded but onely with three hundreth men whereof a third part were slaine in entring The Towers and fortifications from S. Iohns Gate to the Tower standing vpon the water hauing been battered with the Cannon shotte the Spaniards became maisters of the Duches and vpon the 20. of August the Erenchmen diuided and placed in eleuen seuerall breaches sustained a generall assault and could not bee forced yet the Towne was taken by entring at a tower which no man guarded the French souldiers therein were most slaine the Admirall his brother that not long after saued himselfe Iarnac S. Remi de Humes and other Captaines and Gentlemen of name taken prisoners and the son of Monsseur de la Fayette the Captaines Saleuert Ogier Vicques la Barre l'Estang and Gourdes slaine During these stormes The King threatned to be slaine the king being in Parris as he went to masse a yong man named Caboche borne in Meaux who ordinarilie and of long time had followed the Court and because of his faire writing serued the kings Secretaries whether being out of his wits or stirred by some other motion presentented himselfe before him with a naked sword in hand and crying out said Stay King God hath commanded me to kill thee but presently the Switzers of the guard fell vpon him wherewith he was committed and by the Court of Parliament condemned to be hanged for that attempt After the taking of S. Quintins the Counte de Aremberg with 1200. horse and 3. Regiments of Lansquenets besieged Castellet The taking of Castellet where he made a furious batterie The Barron de Solignac that commanded therein peceiuing himselfe destitute of the ayde that had beene promised him and that the place was not strong ynough to defend an assault not hauing aboue three hundreth men therein and they not greatly bent to make resistance yeelded the place for which cause he was sent prisoner vnto Parris and if by chance he had not saued himselfe by an escape out of prison he had surely lost his life because as it was said he had made promise neuer to yeeld the place before hee had sustained an assault While the King of France assembled a great armie as well without as within his Realme and by his Lieftenants prouided for his townes in Picardie and that the Parrisians made generall Musters of their companies where were found between thirtie fiue and fortie thousand men The assembly in Same Iaques street discouered Those of the religion multiplied and began to increase in diuers parts of the Realme specially within the Cittie of Parris where hauing bin discouered in an assembly made by night in S. Iaques streete many were cast in prison some burnt and the rest escaped by diuers meanes in other places also many were taken and executed the people verilie imputing the causes of the troubles in France wholly to them But the king of Spaine imploying his armie Han taken by the Spaniards vppon the 12. of September tooke Han the Castle being yeelded and the Towne burnt by the Frenchmen themselues Besides that hee tooke all such places as might in any sort impeach or trouble that Castle and S. Quentin which hee ouerthrew and spoyled further his troupes surprised certaine companies of Scots within Noyon and tooke Chauni wherein he placed a great Garrison there to make prouision of wines wherewith to furnish the places which he had taken Ayde comming out of Almaine and Switzer-land into France the king for a time caused the troupes that came out of Italie Polleuille driuen out of Bresse vnder the conduct of the Duke de Guise and Aumalle to stay in Bresse and Lyonnois thereby to impeach the pretences of the Barron de Polleuille who with twelue thousand foote and one thousand two hundreth horse for the Prince of Piedemont came to besiege Bourg in Bresse from whence he was constrained in all haste to retire otherwise both he and all his troupes had wholly been spoyled who in dislodging dispearsed and separated themselues in such sort that in fewe daies after it could hardly be perceiued what had become of that great number of men The kings enterprise against Callais The Duke of Guise beeing arriued at the Court lying in S. Germaine in Laye because of the Constables imprisonment was appoynted Lieftenant Generall for the king in all his countries Wherevpon the secret practises long pretended were then pursued and fully executed in this sort Edward the third of that name King of England had taken Callais in the yeare of our Lord 1347. a Port of the sea and a place of great consequence for the Frenchmen since which time the said Towne had still continued in the Englishmens hands and by them much fortified The Constable long time before the battell of S. Lawrence by means of Monsieur de Senarpont Gouernour of Bullen had vsed such meanes and practises touching that Towne which is a parte of the ancient Domaine of the Crowne of France that without his ouerthrow and imprisonment it was most apparant he would haue executed his pretence In his absence it was concluded while king Phillips forces by reason of the winter season were dispearsed to execute that enterprise so much for the aduantage of the Realme of France And therevpon the king of France raised two armies one conducted by the Duke de Neuers making shewe to enter into the Duchie of Luxembourg the other ledde by the Duke of Guise vnder pretence therewith to hinder the victualling of S. Quentins The Duke de Neuers marching towards Luxenbourg the Spaniards and Wallons ranne thither to defend it but suddainely hee sent his forces to ioyne with the Duke of Guise that made shewe of victualling Amiens Ardres and Bullen and in great haste vppon the suddaine turned all his forces against the Towne of Callais wherein as then there was no Garrison The Princes of Conde and la Roche Suryon the Duke d'Aumalle and the Marques d'Elboeuf bretheren Strossi Marshall of France Montmorency the Constables eldest son Monsieurs de Termes d'Andelot de Sansac d'Estree great
l'A And hee had no sooner begun but the Flemmings onely staying therevpon got before him which constrained the French Vangard to range themselues in order thereby to sustaine the rest of the armie where it made a braue resistance driuing certaine squadrons of horses out of ranke but the Counte hauing made a furious charge procured the ouerthrow and spoyle of the Marshall who beeing sore hurt was taken with Messieurs de Villebon Senarpont Moruilliers and Chaune and many Captains and souldiers slaine in the field The Marshals armie being composed of certaine companies of launciers three cornets of light-horses Scottish-men 14. Ensignes of French footemen and 18. Companies of Lansquenets all beeing eyther slaine or taken The number that escaped were not many that great wound renewed the former of S. Lawrence day and brake the enterprise vppon the Duche of Luxenbourg where the Duke of Guise pretended to be doing who in the moneth of Iuly tooke his course to Thierashe and so lodged at Pierrepont which he strengthened with 7. Cornets of Rutters a new Regiment of Lansquenets An army by sea of English men Flemings ouerthrowne in Brittaigne At the same time the armie at sea composed of Englishmen and Flemmings to the number of 6000. men or thereabouts hauing sayled along the coast of Britaigne in the end tooke land at Conquet which they spoyled and entering further into the countrie were ouerthrowne by Monsieur de Kersimon whereof some he slewe other he tooke prisoners and caused the rest to saue themselues by fight within their shippes where they presently hoysed sayles and put to sea Both the kings armies hard by Amiens Both the kings hauing prepared their armies no lesse puissant then at other times incamped themselues and stayed not farre from Amiens along by the Riuer of Somme where they had great numbers of strangers so that their owne subiects in comparison of them were very fewe There they made certaine courses and skirmishes but no battell of any consequence and as it seemed those two great Princes were as then come thither to make an agreement the treatie whereof was mooued and to proceed therein they chose the Abbey of Cercamp vpon the frontiers of Artois and Picardie wherefore the King of France appeased the Constable the Marshall S. Andre the Cardinall of Lorraine Moruilliers Bishop of Orleans one of the kings priuie Councell and Secretarie Aubespine The king of Spaine sent thither the Duke d'Alue the Prince of Aurange Deputies for peace Rigome de Silues Granuelle Bishop of Arras and Vigle de Zuichem President of the Councell of Estate in the lowe Countries They assembled in the moneth of October hauing sor vmpier of the differences that might fall out betweene them the Duches Dowager and the Duke of Lorraine her sonne Meane time the Constable hauing agreed for his ransome came to do his dutie vnto the King who gaue him all the entertainment that possible he might and made him lye with him as some certainly report During this meeting both the armies were dismissed the strangers sent into their countries While this treatie of peace continued Charles the Emperour and his sister Ellenor Death of the Emperour Charles the fift and Ellenor his sister of Mary Queene of England and of Cardinall Poole wife vnto King Francis died in Spaine the peace was grounded vppon the marriage of Charles Prince of Spaine with Elizabeth eldest daughter of K. Henry of Philebert Emanuel Prince of Piedemont with Margaret daughter to king Francis deceased That which prolonged the treatie was that the Q. of England demanded the restitution of Callais but about the end of Nouember she died After whom likewise died Cardinall Poole her great Councellor her death that changed the state of England wherein after that neither the Spaniards nor the Pope had more to do caused the assembly to be referred vnto the peace ensuing King Phillip hauing with great pompe celebrated the funerals of his father within the Towne of Brussels The Duke of Lorraine married with the yonger daughter of the French King stayed in Flaunders to heare what should be done by his Deputies before he passed into Spaine The K. of France to ioyne the Duke of Lorraine in alliance with him gaue him Claude his second daughter in mariage reseruing the elder for the cōclusion of peace The espousals were holden in Parris vpon the 5. of Februarie and about the 15. of the same month the Deputies changing place being furnished with large and ample instructions met at the castle of Cambresse king Phillip lying at Monts in Hanaut where the Cardinall of Lorraine went to visit him and after that the Duches Dowager Peace agreed vppon betweene two kings At this second meeting both of them seemed very vnwilling specially the Spaniards moued therevnto by newes out of Piedemont where the Frenchmen had lately receiued an ouerthrow But in the end after many arguments and conclusions they drewe vnto an agreement In the Tretie at Cercamp a marriage had beene spoken of betweene Charles Prince of Spaine and Elizabeth of France Now the Deputies perceiuing king Phillip to bee a Widdower and esteeming the alliance to bee stronger if hee espoused the Princesse which before should haue been giuen vnto his sonne they propounded that Article which to the good contentment of both the Kings was concluded and agreed vpon togither with the marriage of the Prince of Piedemont to the Ladie Margaret The King of France yeelded to the King of Spaine all that hee had taken from him both on this side and beyond the Mountaines also to the Prince of Piedemont la Bresse Sauoy and Piedemont except foure Townes to the Geneuois the Isle of Corse and Siene to the Duke of Florence retaining nothing but Callais without gaining a foote of any other land in all that long and daungerous war which had desolated so many Prouinces sacked burnt ouerthrowne so many Townes Bourges Villages and Castles been the death of so great a number of Princes Lords Gentlemen Captaines Souldiers Cittizens and Paisants caused so many rauishings and violatings of women and maids and in a word which had in a manner tormented all Europe so that in effect the king yeelded aboue two hundreth others write almost as many more places for the conquest whereof a sea of blood of his naturall subiects had been spent and shedde the treasures of the Realme consumed his lands ingaged and he indebted on all sides and which is woorse the fire beeing quenched vppon the borders not long after began within the middle of all his Realme and in euery place thereof as well is seene during the raignes of his three successors But these things are the vnsearchable and deepe iudgements of God which are not lawfull for vs to enter into but onely to worship and adore him that worketh all things with great wisedome with mercie towards his children and with most iust and fearefull vengeance against his enemies
Tombe for the Kinges of France Of person hee was a goodly Prince courteous milde The description of king Henry the second louing his seruaunts and men of valour Much addicted to his pleasures and to beleeue such as knewe how to please his humour who many times caused him to vse muche rigour which hee could not so soone discouer the ambition and auarice of certaine men that prouoked him forwarde were the principall causes of the continuance of warres which heretofore we haue noted specially after the breache of truce set lawes Iustice Offices and benefices to sale diued into and emptied the purses of French men by infinit exactions whereof ensued most great mischiefs The estate of France vnder this Prince Two great sinnes raigned in France during the time of this Prince that is Atheisme and Magicque Whereunto may be added the corruption of learning For that the knowledge thereof induced by King Francis the first chaunged into diuers wicked and curious mindes cause of all mischiefe specially in the forme and phrase of French Poets who in the raigne of Henry by their impure rimes filled with all maner of blasphemies conuerted an infinit number of soules These sinnes and others in great abundance still increased drawing vpon both litle and great within the Realme of France the straunge punishments which in the raignes of the successors to this Henry full well appeared Fiue sonnes and fiue daughters By Catherin de Medicis his wife married in Anno. 1533 he had fiue sonnes and fiue daughters The eldest Francis the second borne the 20. of Ianuary 1543. The second Lois the Duke of Orleans that died at the ende of certaine months The third Charles Maxemilian borne the 20. of Iune 1550. King after the death of his brother The 4. Edward Alexandre after King and called Henry the third born the 19. of September 1551. The fift Hercules after called Francis Duke of Alencon Aniou and Berri and Counte du Maine borne the 18. of March 1554. The eldest daughter was Elizabeth promised to Edward the sixt King of England but marryed to Phillip king of Spaine borne the 11. of Aprill 1545. The second Claude maried to Charles Duke of Lorraine bonre the 12. of Nouember 1547. The third Margaret married to Henry de Bourbon King of Nauarre borne the 14. of May 1552. The fourth and fift named Iane and Victoire borne at one burthen vpon the 24. of Iune 1556 and died presently after In this Historie you may behold the successe and estate of the successors to this Henry beeing his sonnes with the first whereof I meane to begin Heere endeth the troubles that happened in the raigne of Henry the second Francis the second M.D.LIX. The intent of King Henrie KING Henry by the counsell giuen him touching the rupture of the truce and by that which after ensued hauing somewhat discouered who and which they were that gaue him euill aduise concerning his estate was minded and fully resolued after the solemnization of the marriages to looke more particularly into such men therby to retaine some and send the rest vnto the places frō whence they came But the wrath of God lay vppon the Realme hauing striken the head pursued the members as heereafter it appeareth Francis the second yong in aduise The state of France vnder Francis the second The Nobilitie The Courtiers much more in yeares was wholly left to the gouernment of his mother and the vncles of his wife that ruled the land as you shal heare Part of the Nobilitie wearied with the troubles of so long warres desired nought but peace leauing all care of publike charges and casting their eyes vppon the surest side thereon to lay hold The Courtiers went which way the winde would blowe as touching the officers of Iustice most of them were friends or subiects vnto diuers Lords some good and vpright men yet resting in the Court of Parliament durst not almost proceed in any thing as beeing abashed at the suddaine blowe giuen vnto the chiefe and principall Court of Parliament the last Mercurialist The Ecclesiasticall persons The Ecclesiasticall persons held and accounted them for principall Pillers of the Church that were the greatest burners As touching the third estate the great charges and troubles of warres forepast had wholly bereaued them of al liuely feeling and moouing Two parties In the Court were two parts the one those that held with the Constable the other the Guisians The Princes of the blood had almost no care of the Common-wealth nor yet of their owne affaires The Queene-mother an Italian Florentine of the familie of Medicis and one that in 22. yeares wherin she had continued in France had some good time to knowe the humours both of the one and the other and behaued her selfe in such sort that shee onely ruled Those of Guise Which to attaine and desiring wholly to driue away the Constable whom shee did most suspect shee held on the other side and placed seruants about the King of Nauarre by them to know and vnderstand his minde Assoone as king Henry was deceased the Duke of Guise and the Cardinall of Lorraine led the King and his brethren with the Queenes vnto the Louure leauing the Prince of the Blood the Constable the Marshall the Admirall with diuers other knights of the Order and Lords that held with the Constable to attend vppon the dead body The beginning of the raigne of this young Prince promised much when suddainly they beheld Francis Oliuier a man of great reputation Francis Oliuier restored to be Chancellor restored againe vnto his place of Chauncellor that had been put out of the place by meanes of the Duches of Valentinois that wholly ruled the deceased king they were in further hope whē they perceiued this Duches to be wholly out of credit for that assoone as he was dead they caused her to yeeld vp the keyes of the kings closet with all his precious Iewels that then were giuen vnto the Queene Regent But this was onely a particular quarrell betweene women for in truth the Duches during king Henries life had been in all mens sight as Queen of France The Queen-mother that hated her extreamly was very glad to see her wholly dispoyled and driuen out of the Court contenting her selfe therewith not to leese the fauour of those of Guise who although they onely had their aduancement by the Duches meanes perceiuing her to bee as a rotten plancke left her to pleasure themselues another way They sent Bertrand from whom the seales were taken vnto Rome and tooke from d'Auancon the ruling of the Treasures Bertrand keeper of the Seales discharged of his office neuerthelesse hee continued still in the Court as beeing too well acquainted with their affaires and as yet it was not necessary to compell him to accept of any new partie The Marshall of S. Andre aduanced by the fauours of King Henry to whom he was a secret seruant and wholly
enioy benefices without dispensation succeed their Parents and purchase lands and possessions as if they were seculer persons This is the course whereby they haue at chieued such wealth riches in this new order for al that falleth to these lesser obseruantiues by succession purchase chace or any other practise is incorporate into the whole bodie of Iesuites without repetition or reuocation for euen they to whom it falleth haue vowed obedience We are moreouer to note another especiall vow of these men which importeth that they shall in all cases in all places obey their Generall superior who alwaies is a Spaniard chosen by the K. of Spaine as hitherto it hath alwaies fallen out for among other the wordes of this vow they haue these that setting their eie vpō their Geneneral they are to acknowledge in him the person of Iesus Christ as present From these vows distinctions haue proceeded terrible enterprises year euen most heynous attempts against the liues and persons of Princes kings and Queens as the Histories of the low Countries England and Rome do plainly testifie wherof also we wil speak somewhat toward the end of the raigne of Hemy the third As touching the disorders happened in the two orders by thē deuised which are termed the one the great obseruants the other the Iesse Two decrees in the Iesuits sext in fauor whereof they may subdue all the world to the king of Spaine their Soueraigne Maister Pasquier discoueret it at large and time hath veresied it adding these words Seeing it is so said he that in their lesse obseruance there is neither vowe of virginitie nor prouerbe and therinto they receiue all kinds of people indifferently both Priests and Lay-men married vnmaired are not bound to be resident with the great obseruants but permitted to dwell among the commō people only that at certain fixed daies they assembled at their cōmon-house to be participants with their outward cerimonies so that according to this lawe and rule it is not impertinent to see a whole towne to be Iesuites The communication which they haue togither by means of confessions serueth to find out their booties to discouer the secrets both of great and small and because they are particularly affected to the king of Spaine their chiefe founder for whom also they make particular expresse and ordinary prayers it is not to be wondred at if since that time these new brethren both in France and elsewhere haue sought and trauelled so much to make him Monarch of all the world Besides this Maister Pasquier addeth that the Iesuites alluring vs with faire promises are ordained to gripe lay hold vpō our goods and to fil thēselues with our spoiles that they are Sophisters the are entred like fearfull foxes in the middle of vs therin by proces of time to raigne like Lyons that as the auncient Orators and teachers of the people by a kind of pleasing speech by litle litle got credite in Rome so by litle litle they ouerthrew the estate as all Pollititians iudged we must attend expect no lesse of the Iesuites if in the beginning both their race and roote be not extirped The aduise and decree of the Sorbonnists against the Iesuites In the same plea he doth also insert the aduice and decree of the facultie of diuinitie of Parris in the Colledge of Sorbonne of the yeare 1554. importing as followeth This new societie after a new waner attributing to it self only an vnaccustomed title of the name of Iesus so licentiously admitting all people howsoeuer criminall illegitimate or infamous vsing likewise no difference from secular Priests in their outward habit in their tousure in saying their canonical hours either priuately or singing the same publikely in the temples in Cloyster or in silence in choise of meat daies in fasts or in other the seuerall laws ceremonies that do distinguish preserue the estates of religions hauing attained so many diuers priuiledges intelligences liberties especially in regard of Masses confessions without distinction of place or persons likewise in the question of preaching reading or teaching to the great preiudice of ordinaries Curats all other orders of Monks and Fryers yea euen of Princes temporal Lords contrary to the priuiledges of the Vniuersities and to the great oppression of the people do seem to pollute the honestie of monasticall religion to weaken the studious deuoute and necessary exercise of vertue abstinence cerimonies and austeritie yea euen to minister occasion freely to shrink from al other religions to substract and draw away all obediēce subiection due to ordinaries doth wrongfully depriue both temporal Ecclesiasticall Lords of their rights breedeth troubles in al estates eyther pollicke or religious and many quarrels among the commons as suites strife discention enuie rebelliō sundrie schismes Al these considerations with many others diligently wayed and examined this societie seemeth dangerous to the estate of religion a disturbance to the peace and vnitie of the Church and subuerter of all mockerie and an inuention tending rather to destruction then edification Now let vs see what followeth A bitter censure against the Iejuiticall sect There neuer was faith M. Pasquier who protesteth himselfe to be of the Romish church in the faith wherof he voweth to liue die inuented so partial ambitious a sect neither any whose propositions imported more pernicious consequence then the Iesuites In her principles she is a schismatick cōsequently an hereticke Then doth he compare Ignace with Luther so cōcludeth that Ignace is more to be feared them the other for saith he mens consciences may easily be surprised made drunken with the poyson of the Ignatians and Iesuites in that they account them to be the principall protectors of the Romish religion against all hereticques whereof neuerthelesse they are the chiefe subuerters Vnder pretence of supporting the church of God they do subuert it wil at length vtterly ouerthrow it Soone after proceeding in his speech to the whole Court he saith I hope plainly to let you vnderstād that this sect in all their propositions worketh nothing but diuision between the christian and the Iesuit between the Pope the Ordinaries between all other Monks thēselues that so long as they be tollerated no Prince or Potentate can assure his estate against their attempts This sect was founded vpon the ignorance of Ignace euer since maintained and vpholden by the pride arrogancie of his secretaries After that he reproacheth thē terming thēselues Iesuits do degrade the ancient christians and blaspheme against God Further that in Portingal the Indes they term thēselues Apostles saith that as certain sectuaries in An. 1562. surnamed Iesuits others such proud persons were ouerwhelmed by the iust iudgement of God so we are to expect no other thing at the hāds of this mean sext of Iesuits what shew soeuer it maketh that these Ignaciās
some rumours whereby the Duke de Montpensier and Martigues may bee aduertised of our departure in manner of a flight euery man seeking to saue one for this will easilie bee beleeued In the mean time let vs prepare and encourage our men to the field so that if they drawe after vs as vndoubtedly they will in hope rather of spoyle then of battell we may valiantly encounter them so shal we giue them such an ouerthrow that wee shall not need to feare any troupe that may dare to meete vs for one months space but that we may at ease either passe the riuers or get into Germanie Martiques by this passage purchased great honour but d'Andelot more commoditie by his by bringing himself all his troupes into safetie wherby within eight daies hee ioyned with the Prince Then was there sundrie consultations about their affaires how to imploye both men and the time whilest they leuyed a mightie armie for the duke of Aniou and that the duke of Montpersier assembled diuers troupes in Anion and the countries thereabout to go to it in earnest The Prince bringing some cannons out of Rochel set vpon such townes of Poitou and Xaintongue The Princes first exployts as were but weake and meanly furnished with Garrisons seizing vpon Nyort Fontenay S. Maixaut Saintes S. Iohn d'Angely Ponts and Coignac Depuys Blay and Angoulesme whereof some were gotten easily and others by force and assault To be short within two months space the Prince and his partakers of poore vacabondes as they were at the first became so wealthie that they were able to continue a long war In al these places they lodged some thirtie companies of footmen and seuen or eight cornets of horse which was a great sauing for the fielde and they formed a most pollitieque militarie order as wel for the French as for the conduct of their armie Thus throgh necessitie togither with occasion they of the religion found meanes to make vse of both and the Admiral was wont to their aduenture to attribute the ancient prouerbe of The mislocles saying to his familiers Had we not been lost we had been lost Meaning that had they not committed an ouersight they had not had so great a recouerie as that which did farre surpasse their former condition The delaies of the Romish Catholieques stood the Prince in great stead But if in time they had foreseen that those whō he had caused to dislodge in so great hast went to settle themselues farther off The delay of the one serued for the others good and made speede to impeach them by all apparance the Prince had remained inclosed within Rochell and the wars had not cōtinued But god by those obscure beginnings made an entrie into the notable iudgements which after that appeared It may be that the ioy they had at Parris to see the Townes and Prouinces left which had made so long and hard war against the Parrisians during the first second troubles made diuers of their harts so much in flamed that they disdaind their enemies that were so far off esteeming that Rochel alone could not resist them but y◠within 3. month after they shuld be inclosed therin which discourses are commonly made when our prosperitie is geater then we expect The Q. and her Councelors presently caused an edict to be published at Parris Edicts against those of the religion by y◠which after a long declaration made touching things happened to the realme by of the religion the king among other things declared that the Edict of ianuary by the which he promised the exercise of religion was but prouisionall vntill his Maioritie and that hee was not determined to haue the Edict made before that touching the religion should be any more obserued For which causes beeing atiained to the said age of Maioritie hee fore bad all exercise thereof in the countries of his obedience commaunding without reuocation that there should be no other exercise of religion but onely that of the Romish Church vpon paine of losse of bodie and goods And vppon the same paine commaunded all the Ministers of the religion to depart out of the Realme within fifteene daies after the publication thereof commaunding neuerthelesse that those of the religion should not in any sort be troubled for their consciences so they would liue peaceably in their houses At the same instant an other edict was published certifying that from thencefoorth the king intended not to bee serued with any offices beeing of that profession from that time forward discharging them of all their offices commaunding them to yeelde them vpto him within fifteene daies after otherwise hee would take some stricter order therein These Edicts had been long hatching but their hope was to intrappe the Prince and the Admirall The effects of such edicts wherein hauing failed to get mony of the Cleargie and the third estate the Queene and those of Guise serued themselues with this deuise which was to no great end For that besides the great charges of the Duke of Anious armie wherewith the most dearest Catholicques were twise greeued and offended before the warre was halfe ended diuers of the religion entered into the field who otherwise would haue stayed the rest and quietnesse promised them by the king and not haue left their houses But at this alarme they assayed to ioyne with the troupes further the commaunders sent certaine declarations into England and Almaine to shewe that they were not pursued as seditious persons or such as desired a Crown as their aduersaries reported but onely because of the religion which the Romish Catholicques sought to extirminate France which serued thē well for the furtherance of the leuie of Rutters which the next yeare came into France vnder the conduct of the Duke de Deux Ponts Also there were many about the king the Queen and the Duke of Aniou that desired nothing else but to see all the countrie flaming with fire some to robbe and spoyle without punishment others to execute their vengeances and reuenges the Pensionaries of Spaine to cause the Frenchmen to cut each others throat those of Guise by litle and litle to attaine to the aduancement of their deseignments which discouered themselues in the end of the raigne of Henry the thrid as you shall read After these Edicts the Duke of Aniou made preparation for all things necessarie for his voyage and so puissant an armie whereof by the king hee was made Lieftenant generall That which increased the Princes troupes was the Regiment of foot which Monsieur d'Acier brought out of Dauphine Prouence and Languedoc not long before the Prince had written vnto him as also to diuers Captaines in those Prouinces that they should vse all the means they could to prouide him a certaine number of men therewith to withstand the armie royall that came to assayle him that the Princes Lords and other commaunders might not indure so great disaduantage to bee assieged within a towne
of all means to ayde themselues determined to sound them to see if they would enter into request and acceptation of peace hoping that hauing brought them to the poynt there could bee no condition how hard soeuer it were but they would gladly accept it so they might bee assured of their liues and the possession of their goods in their houses And according to this aduise in the moneth of Nouember 1569. a meeting was practised betweene the Marshall de Cosse and the Deputies of the Queene of Nauarre the Deputies hauing presented their articles although the matter ought rather to bee handled by conference then by writings which haue no replies the meanes therein vsed and the delaies practised for aunswering therevnto made the Princes know and perceiue that their enemiesment to helpe themselues by that deuice to hinder their affaires After the first audience giuen vnto their Deputies they were giuen to vnderstand that the king could not indure the exercise of their religion and that they ought to content theÌ„selues with the libertie of their consciences An other deuice was wrought which was that messengers were sent into England and Almaine to certifie them that the peace was made by that meanes to stay the ayde that they might procure from thence And on the other side Postes went in all haste to procure money and forraine souldiers They discouered diuers practises against them both within without the Realme the effect beeing that first they would disarme them and then vse them and all those of the religion as the iudgement giuen against the Admiral sufficiently shewed Notwithstanding they determined to send Messieurs de Beauuais la Nocle Theligny to Anger 's to enter into conference with the kings commissioners and on the other side to pursue their warlike affaires and so make peace with weapon in hand After the battel of Moncontour we see how the forces of the Protestants were scattered in diuers Prouinces Such as were dispearsed in Berry determined through intelligence with a certaine souldier that betrayed them The Progresse of the warlike exployts in Poictou against the Prostestants to surprize Bourges but missing of their purpose by a counter intelligence lost in that exployt some 30. men besides as many more taken prisoners hauing but homely entertainment with the cannon were forced to retire from the town wherto they had brought 1000. horse 2000. foot The Countie of Lude Puigaillard Sanzay Colonel of the Arrierebands of France after the recouerie of Poictou got possessions of Marans wherby the whole Prouince round about was won for the Princes except Angoulesme and Rochel where the Protestants were shut vp after that Sanzay had gotten the Castle of Beauâ—oir on the sea from yong Rohan Lusignon was lost through the cowardize of the Barron of Mirambean whom the souldiers made their scoffing stock witnesse the scoffe of the L. of Losses who comming to speake with the Queen of Nauarre at Rochel saide openly that Mirambeau came to composition not for want of victual or munition but be cause he could get no more mustard to eate with his poudered beese The Councel weening to terrifie the L. of Pardaillan Gouernour of Blay caused the King to write his letter vnto him importing both threats and promises to cause him to yeelde vp the place which gotten they hoped to haue Rochel cheape ynogh which he held for the Princes into the haÌ„ds of Lansac who in his letters threatened Pardaillon in case he denied to obey But Pardaillan answered the K. discreetly and Lansac as couragiously to whom hee wrote thus You can conceiue no greater greefe in enterprising to force mee in this place then I should by yeelding reape shame losse hinderance and confusion whereto I doubt not to put you or any other that shall put mee to it Neither am I or any vnder my charge so base minded to graunt you any greater aduantage then the like force as you pretend against vs. Lansac finding nothing to bee had there but stripes turned an other way and tried Romegou the Gouernour of Tayllebourg whose aunswere was not vnlike to Pardaillans Then because the Isles of Xaintongne Marennes and Brouage had much molested the armie that besieged Saint Iohn d'Angely by letting their Garrisons rode vp and downe and cut off their victuallers they now sent the Countie of Lude Puigaillard and Riuiere Puitaille with eight cornets of horse and twentie Ensignes of foote who tooke all by force and there slew the remainder of the Lansquenets that escaped at the battell of Moncontour so as there were left aliue not aboue three hundreth fighting men or thereabout Whilest the wars continued in those quarters in a rode they caught a souldier whom Riutere Puitaille sought to practise for the surprising of Rochel Sundrie warlike exployts on either part in Poictou Guyenne but the souldier laboured a double intelligence whereby Riuiere and others in hope to take had almost been taken but hauing warning thereof by the way they returned to their Garrisons On the other side la Noue the Princes Lieftenant in Guyen sought to recouer Brouage a place that greatly annoyed the Rochellers but as hee went about it hee discouered an other enterprise practised by the Barron de la Garde against Thonne Charente so as the purposes of the one countermaunded the other At that time which was the beginning of the yeare Rochel was as it were blocked vp on euery side For towards Poictou the Countie of Lude and Puigaillard had a great armie Riuiere Puitaille the elder held Marans and other places thereabout and the younger commaunded in Brouage Landereau the Viceadmirall a sworne enemie to the religion which before himselfe had professed lay in Olone then the Brittons and Bourdelois by sea did what they could to cut off all victuall from Rochel wherein also the Barron de la Gard then Generall of the galleyes did greatly annoy them running many times euen to their hauen He now to the end on all sides to blocke vp the towne with the helpe of the yonger Puitaille broached a practise against Thonne Charente to the effecting whereof he sent Captaine Beaulieus Lieftenant to make the first descent La Noue vnderstanding his deuice vndertooke to keepe the place and so ordered his Harquebusiers that had they forborne vntill the souldiers of this Galley had landed they had caught either dead or aliue not onely these but also their followers who came onâ— row into Charente and so purposing to land had cast away themselues in Sparte But they forgetting their Captaines direction so soone as Beaulieus Lieftenant was comming on shore receiued him with such a storme of shot that they slew him and l'Argoussin withall they proclaimed libertie to the Galley-slaues who therevppon let go their owers and so la Noue tooke the Galley and all that was in it The prisoners were carried to Rochel and the Galleye to Taillebourg wherewith as also with an other Romegouse did afterward make sundrie
And when the Admirall kneeled downe to do his dutie the king protested that in all his life hee had not seene any day more agreeable vnto his minde then that wherein hee assured himselfe to see the end of all the troubles and the beginning of a firme rest and quietnesse in his Realme And among other speeches vsed smiling hee said vnto him Wee haue you now heere with vs you shall not go from hence when you would The Queen-mother the Dukes of Anion and Alancon and almost all the chiefe Courtiers receiued him with greater fauour then hee expected All these courtesies were suddainely seconded by a great liberallitie from the king that caused a hondreth thousand franks to bee giuen him out of his coffers in recompence of the losses he had receiued by the forepassed wars gaue him like wise a yeares reuenues of all the benefices holden by the Cardinall of Chastillon his brother deceased made him a note of his hand to haue full power and authoritie to seeke for the mooueables that had been taken from him at Chastilon sur Loing and to cause them by expresse commaundement to bee deliuered vnto him againe Teligny his sonne in lawe was likewise honoured with certaine fauors Cauagnes Councellour of Toulouse Agent for the Princes touching the obseruation of the Edict of peace was prouided of an office of Maister of Requests Diuers other Lords and Gentlemen of the religion at that time felt the liberallitie of the king wherewith their aduersaries were much displeased specially that the Admirall was restored to bee one of the priuie Councell and that the king priuately asked his counsell in his affaires of importance touching the warres in the lowe Countries which the Admirall affected very much as beeing one of the most assured meanes to holde France in quietnesse alleaging that by iust reason hee might doo that to the Spaniard which vniustly he had done and would doo vnto France War against Spaine consulted vpon which was to trouble him at home to impeach him from spoyling other men hee shewed likewise to the king that fained to like well of that aduice that it would bee good for him to agree with the Qu. of England and the Princes of Almaine the easiler to make the K. of Spaine beleeue by an ample discourse prooued vnto him that the foundations of the warre in the lowe Countries is iust and profitable Pope Pius Quintus beeing dead who in his life time seemed a stay and hinderance to the marriage of the Prince of Nauarre and the kings sister the Cardinall of Lorraine faining to bee in great feare tooke his voyage to Rome about the election of a new Pope although before his setting forward it was done and being in his voyage letters that were sent him by Cardinal Pelue who of a Sculliō in the Colledge of Montague in Parris afterward following his studie varlet to the Cardinall of Lorraine had in few yeares attained the red hat directed to his Maister the contents whereof imported that in regard of the good course that hee see the king the Queen-mother and the Duke of Aniou take hee could not but hope well of all the affaires That at the Admirals returne to Court the king shewed himself so warie as his most inward friends did wonder at it for thereby hee had brought the Admirall out of all suspect so that now the matter that the Cardinal wist of might the better be put in execution That there was much speech of warre against the King of Spaine whereto the king seemed to incline the rather thereby to stay the Admirall that such pollicies were to be practised vntill they might find opportunitie to put in execution the secret counsell That the king of Spaine was sufficiently informed of the whole least he should finde himselfe agreeued at this present prouision for warres which was neuer ment against him Wherevppon hee besought his Maister notwihstanding whatsoeuer packets hee might receiue to assure himselfe that the king would neuer vary from the resolution That the Queene-mother and the Duke of Aniou bent their whole indeuours to that matter Touching the marriage of the Prince of Nauarre that hee hoped the same would shortly be effected that the same was the entrie to the execution and in the meane time the day drew on for deliuerie of the Townes of hostage And although the Admirall had the copies heereof sent him hee made no great account thereof no more then of other aduertisements expresly giuen him both before and after His minde beeing altered by the countenances and words of the king The Admirall trusteth vpō the kings words who in all things seemed to contrarie his brother the Duke of Aniou for whom hee practised the voyage of Polonia that hee might send him to play the Great-maister somewhat farre from France In the Admirall who alwaies shewed to bee wise and diligent in his affaires appeared that wisedome faileth in wise men when it pleaseth the only wise Gouernour of the word to dul the most sharp and excellent wittes and make passage vnto his terrible iudgements as not long after they shewed throughout all France the which euer since that time vntill this present hath felt the waightinesse of his mightie blowes whose hand as yet is stretched foorth readie to strike againe A nationall Synode at Nismes Some men of each faction of a good meaning to the state of France especially some protestants alreadie apprehending the terror of that terrible storme that followed trembled and bending their neckes lay looking for the fatall blowe At Nismes they held a nationall Sinode in the moneth of May. Others of a more stirring spirit after the manner of Frenchmen who doo performe much in prosperitie and neuer feare any aduersitie vntil it commeth would needes bee busie about discipline but they were soone put to silence Many mens consciences beganne alreadie to bee wauering and fewe there were that shewed themselues zealously bent to religion but all both great and small thinking deeply vpon worldly matters built them goodly castles in the ayre The Princes trusting to an assured peace three moneths before the time restored the townes of assurance wherein the king placed his Garrisons satisfying the Princes with letters which hee had sent to all his Courts of Parliaments wherein he declared his great good liking of the good meaning of the Princes in that they did him so much honour as faithfully to relye vppon his Edict which he wished to bee inuiolably obserued The Rochelers whom Strossy Landereau and the Barron de la Garde watched vppon would not accept of any Garrison but stood vpon their priuiledges so that at length for feare of scarring of others they were let alone The Marshall of Montmorency was sent into England to practise a league who returned sooner then hee was looked for but toward the marriage gat him home to his owne house and might hee haue beene beloued the affaires had beene otherwise mannaged then they were At the same
three of his houshold seruants gaue him fiue woundes with their swoords in his bedde carried away his horses and best stuffe which the next day they sold to the most giuer in a village where Captaine Saint Stephen was lodged This scandall troubled the Rochelers who ended it thus That Stephen and Guymeniere should depart from Rochel Besides the aunswere expresly giuen to Biron the Rochelers by seueral letters did greatly excuse thēselues of this mishap which fell out without their notice and to the great griefe of their Deputie beseeching him as also they did du Vigean not to impute vnto them such an action whereto they had giuen neither counsell nor consent but were wonderfully sorrie that Vigean should bee so wronged at his returne from his Ambassage Many misliked that Vigean a Gentleman of the religion and a man of calling should take vpon him such a commission but his reward caused him to bee afterward better aduised Now the Rochelers beeing diuersly aduertised that shortly they should see an armie before their walles also that their Towne was the marke whereat their enemies aymed gaue a new onset vppon the Countrie of Montgommery the Vidame of Chartres and other Noble men fledde into England to craue some succour at their hands Their Deputies set saile in the euening the fiue and twentieth day of October Thus was it open warre for so many as were known to be Rochelers were euery where taken prisoners and put to their ransome all vessels sayling towards their hauen stayed all marchandize found to belong to any Rocheler seized and confiscate to bee short all actions of hostilitie put in practise against them Neither were the Sancerreans at that time much quieter for Cadaillet one of the Groomes of the chamber and the kings Hunter sometimes seruant to the Earle of Sancerre a man well knowne in the Towne was sent to confer with them Hee played the cunning Courtier setting debate among them that before were good friends wherof ensued a tumult whilest one would grant and an other would denie the comming in of the Lord of Fontaines who was sent to roote out the protestants Hereof grew murther and confusion wherof wee will speake heereafter For the aduancement of the Bishop of Valence Negotiation in Poland where the French name was miserably rent in peeces and to cut off the deuises of the protestants both within and without the Realme Diuers deuises to extirpe those of the religion and to roote out their memorie The king was perswaded that it would bee good to take some of them that were found to haue escaped the massacre and as then kept in prison and to make processe against them in forme of iustice and to put to the torture some of those that had escaped the massacre and beeing fetched out of their corners had beene committed to prison that they might be condemned by sentence of certaine Iudges appoynted for the purpose and so executed in the presence of the people and to the same to adde a sentence against the Admirall of whose bodie taken away as I said before they should make a similitude or image which the executioner should drawe along the streetes and then hang it on the Gibbet Then that there might bee published the kings letters pattents wherein it should bee decreed that the protestants should bee preserued both in body and goods and suffered to liue in all libertie of conscience so to allure them peaceably by this declaration that afterward they might speede as the rest besides to publish many bookes in excuse of all that was past and the same to dispearse in all places especially in Poland and Almaine and withall to charge the Ambassadours in England Suizerland and other forraine countries to iustifie the king and the Romish Catholicques All this was diligently put in execution Notable persons executed vnder colour of iustice Touching the first poynt Briquemant the father a Gentleman of the age of seuentie yeares one that had valiantly imployed himselfe in the seruice of the kings of France hauing beene found in the house of the Ambassadour of England wherein hee had saued himselfe while the greatest furies of the massacre were executed was put in close prison with Cauagnes Maister of the Requests These two bare great affection both vnto the religion and the Admirall and otherwise were of great reputation in France they were threatned to be torne in peeces vppon the racke if they would not write and signe with their hands that they had conspired with the Admirall to kill the king his bretheren the Queene and the king of Nauarre but they hauing constantly refused to auouch so horrible a lye against their innocencies and themselues they were racked and cruelly tormented by sentence of the Court of Parliament in Parris dated the seuen and twentieth of October were declared guiltie of treason and condemned to be hanged vpon a Gibbot which was executed The Queen-mother leading the king her two other sonnes and the king of Nauarre her sonne in lawe to see the execution Her Councellours thinking that at that last exployt it would bee wrought if Briquemaut in presence of all the people would aske pardon of the king sending some vnto him to certifie him that so hee might easily saue his life that the king was mercifull and that hee should haue pardon if hee asked it confessing this fact wherewith hee was charged Briquemaut aunswered boldly and with a good courage that it belonged not vnto him but to the king to aske pardon of God for such an offence that he wold neuer aske pardon for a fault wherin hee had not offended but knew himselfe to bee innocent whereof hee called God to witnesse desiring him to pardon the kings so great disloyaltie Cauagnes did the like vntill hee died in such sort that this execution serued to no other ende but more to publish theiniquitie of so many pernicious councels Asnare discouered and anoyded With these two notable persons they hung a man of haye made like the Admirall against whom also was pronounced a smal sentence of death Touching the declarations in fauour of those of the religion the Duke of Guise discouered the snare so that fewe of them were taken For that by letters sent by his mother the same day that Briquemaut was executed shee wrote vnto him that the king had the said day determined with his Councell wholly to roote out those of the religion whom hee termed seditious vermine not sparing the children nor straungers that had giuen them ayde therein discouering enterprises against the Prince of Orenge and others which vanished like smoke Among the Ambassadours that excused the king Monluc was one the easiler to aduance his affaires of Polonia whereof we meane not to recite any particularities as not pertaining properly to our intent The beginning of open war against the Sancerrans Yee heard before how Cadaillet had sowen diuision among the Sancerreans now shall you see the haruest of that graine
after Sancerre was wholly vnwalled some houses throwne downe the clocke the belles and other furnitures of the Towne taken away the Bailiffe Ioannean massacred by night within one hundreth paces of Monsieur de Chastres lodging The twefth day of Septemb. la Chastre being retired to Bourges the Bailiffe of Berry was left gouernor of that desolate place with two cōpanies of foote and some other troupes there were made diuers straunge sackings and pillages in such sort that it is wonder that Sancerre should stand vpright and bee inhabited as at this day it is and besides the restoration of the walles buildings and repeopling it hath the free exercise of the religion in this year 1595. when we finished this collection or recueil Now consequently according to our purpose let vs consider of the siege of Rochel togither with the end thereof in the yeare 1573. At the beginning A discourse of the siege of Rochel euen from the beginning vntill the peace graunted to the besieged the Lord of Biron tried againe to finde some meanes of agreement but could not compasse any for the Rochelers could not perceiue anything but danger in all their negotiations as deeming their best safetie at the time to rest in mistrust In the mean time it chanced that two soldiers verie forward to the field not regarding that the Councell vpon good considerations would not at all times suffer such to go foorth as would gat downe by a long lather into the ditch in a place since that time very famous and named the Bastion of the Gospell These hauing passed the Counterscarp found playynough for one of them was slaine the other escaped but gaue so hotte an alarume at the gate that they could not possibly retaine the souldiers or their Captaines La Noue vnderstanding that many were in danger did suddainly gather his forces both on foote and horesbacke and made haste to the succour the skirmish begunne in sundrie places continued aboue fiue houres Of the towne three or foure were slaine and twentie wounded but of the campe they lost one hundreth and fiftie wounded besides two Captaines carried prisoners into the town Among others to the skirmish came a certain yong Gentleman Nephew to Puigaillard Gouernor of Angiers who with horrible blasphemie boasted that he was one of the Ad. murtherers shewing anaked curtelasse which said he he broght frō so famous a cōflict he threatened to make a butcherie of the Rochelers flesh now being in place of triall his heart failing him and seeking for his feete hee was taken prisoner Herevpon all the sence of his tongue failing hee could neuerthelesse vse any wit but seeking to escape lost his life for finding some that could outrunne him hee was ouertaken slaine and stripped and so left naked in the fields where in the night the dogges had torne his face how be it in the morning at the intreatie of the L. of Floyacs widow a Gentlewoman well bent to the religion his wretched carkasse was brought and buried in the Towne which in his life time hee had so threatned After this skirmish Biron beganne to renue the negotiation committed to the Abbot of Gadaigne who was deputed to bring the Rochelers to some composition but it tooke no effect because that daily they detected some newe conspiracie And in deede at the same time a Gentleman in Rochel reuealed to the Maior and chiefe of the Councell such intelligence as Biron and others had continued with him for the surprize of the towne Hee wished to allure into Rochel the stoutest Captains of the campe with some good number of souldiers where they might bee easilie put to the swoord whereby the assaylants might bee so much weakened Besides that hee was at the poynt to haue receiued some good some of money Heerevppon the seuenteenth and eighteenth day of Ianuarie there came in diuers of the companies of Puigaillard and of Martin surnamed the Lutherian but the Maior conferring with foure or fiue of the principall in their resolution found it better to performe some small assured execution then to aduenture vpon any dangerous enterprise therefore without further delay thought it good to ridde those that were alreadie entered and not to stay vntill either they had gathered more strength or corrupted others Of these traitors alreadie inrolled into one of the companies fiue were slain the same night and their bodies cast ouer the wals beneath the new gate and three were committed to prison who after they had disclosed the particularities passed the Hangmans hands Thencefoorth the Rochelers spent some daies in burning such farmes houses and milles without their towne as to their annoyance might haue stood the assaylants in great stead A pleasant aduenture The Towne had bestowed vpon Captaine Normand a certaine mill standing very neare whereof hee tooke some small rent for the preseruing all that might bee woorth the taking in the said Mill. There did Normand in the night leaue one souldier Thither came the assaylants with the choise of their footemen the three and twentieth daie of Ianuarie and brought two coluerings to force the same which by moone-light they planted verie neare and discharged sixteene shot The souldier likewise discharhed some small shot whervpon his Captain hearing the alarme came to the rampier on that side and called to his souldier as if there had bin some number in the Mill Courage good fellowes courage yeeld not yee shall haue helpe by and by But at the last this souldier craued parley and compounded for all that were in the Mill howbeit when the enemies perceiued that hee was alone and spiting at his resolutenesse they kept him prisoner and afterward seeing him vnable to pay the ransome that they desired they cōcluded to send him to the Gallies but being powled and in his slauish attire hee found meanes to escape and so returned safe into the Towne La Noue they chose for their Captain in armes without preiudice to the Maiors liberties and authoritie in all other matters La Noue made Generall of the warres in Rochel They also sent new Deputies into England for succour which the king hindered in all that he could And among all other deuises hee caused the Queene of England with the Empresse and the Duke of Sauoy to christen his daughter who being borne the seuen and twentieth day of October was baptized the second of Februarie and died young The Earle of VVorcester addicted to the Romish religion comming into France about this ceremonie had like to haue been robbed by certaine rouers who slaying some of his men rifeled one of his shippes but there vppon such French and Wallons as could be caught in any English Hauen sped but euill fauoredly The daily skirmishes continued between the Rochelers and their enemies wherein as wel the sufficiencie of the leaders Continuall skirmishes as the courage of the Souldiers did euidently appeare yet not to the hurt of the Romish Catholicques against whom their enemies made
And put both liues and goods in straâ—ngers hand And to our countrie furious Tigers seeme If leaguers lawe hath so ordained it To drowne my selfe I rather would desire Then for to liue an Vtheist in my heart And outwardly shewe a christian Although this age hath much abridged the libertie and freedome of writing which appeareth in our ancient Hystoriographers Prossart Monstielet Phillip de Comines yet wil I neither for feare nor flatterie two Historicall plagues seeme to couer the trueth of this discourse I confesse that in such places as of themselues are discommendable I haue added of mine owne to make them more notorious and in such actions as are woorthie praise wherein vertue coÌ„science valor consisteth Ispare no coÌ„mendation but in things indifferent I am constrained to suspend my iudgement rather then to enter into many vntrueths wherin if I should vse partiallitie I could not chuse but varrie from the matter My squadron is the trueth Plato and Socrates are my friends but I esteeme trueth before all things This Historie is a plea neither with not against the league I will not set roses among thornes there is neuer any vniuersall plague but some escape it and among so many and diuers actions it is impossible but there must be seuerall colours I will report the problemes debated on both sides I will shewe you their propositions which are neither so cleare nor apparant but there is alwaies some contrarietie I will set foorth in open shewe the occasions of the league the kings reasons and the king of Mauarres defences which I will declare without choise or difference and you shall consider of them without partiallitie hatred fauour or selfe will and esteeme them as a meate rather prepared for your health then for your taste Two things gaue a hotte alarme to the league one the assembly at Mâ—â—â—auban the other the voyage of the Duke d'Espernon to the king of Nauarre which it tooke as brands to kindle her fier and beganne to send out commissions in all places in the kings name who disauouched them and prohibited the raising of souldiers The first poynt of their dislike The kings Edict of the 28. of march 1585. against the raising of men shewed the reason which mooued the Cardinall of Bourbon the Princes Lords Townes and common people beeing Catholicques to oppose themselues against the Hereticques Secondly because they were offended that the Parliament which they would haue had to bee holden concerning warres to be made against the Huguenots had been reuoked Thirdly to breake the Edict of pacification Fourthly because they stood in feare that if the king should die without children there would rise great trouble for the succession of the Crownes Reuocation of the edict of peace whereof the king of Nauarre had great hope since the death of Monsieur the kings brother by the practise of his friends and fauourers about the king Fiftly because of the great preparations for warre made both within and without the Realme that should bee readie by the fifteene of Aprill then next ensuing Nominating of associates to the crowne beeing in Anno. one thousand fiue hundreth eightie fiue to execute that which they said had beene concluded in an assembly at Magdebourg the fifteenth of December one thousand fiue hundreth eightie foure agaist religion the king and his subiects by the which it was agreed that the Queene of England should furnish fiftie thousand Rutters foure thousand Switzers and twelue thousand Englishmen The Counte Palatin Prince Casimir and the Duke of Pomeranie each of them foure thousand Rutters The Langraue of Hesse two thousand and fiue hundreth The Duke of VVitemberg two thousand The Lords of their league besides the Queen of EnglaÌ„ds forces fiue thousand Switzers The kings Protector and Councell of Scotland two thousand Scots The king of Nauare the Prince of Conde and their associates fiue and twentie thousand Harquebusiers and foure thousand horse that had sworne neuer to make peace with the king of France but with all their consents to maintaine the Prince of Orange in the lowe Countries against the king of Spaine to helpe the Emperour by all the meanes they could to get the Demaines of the Empire witholdeÌ„ by the Pope and to send their deputies from all places in the month of March to Basill and Switzerland thereto determine the differences concerning the Lords Supper Sixtly because those of the religion wold not yeeld vp the townes by them holden for the assurance of that execution of the edict of peace Seuenthly because of 〈◊〉 vniuersal abuse suffered in placing of officers in leuying of monies by inuention of excessiue oppressioÌ„s laid vpoÌ„ the coÌ„mon people And lastly against such as abusing the K. fauor authoritie had in a maner ceased vpoÌ„ his person impeached the ordinary accesse of honest meÌ„ vnto him by that means to keepe from him the knowledge of disorders that are in them disposed gouernments to their fauorers consumed the kings treasures molested the commoÌ„ people braued the Nobilitie cut off the libertie of Iustice spoyled the Clargie of their tithes extraordinary benefits perswaded the king that it was necessarie for his seruice to weaken dimininish the authoritie of the Catholicke Princes Lords Vpon those iust occasions they sayd they were forced to meet in armes not hauing meanes by reason of the suddainenesse of the thing togither with the little credite they had with his Maiestie to stay for his Commission neither yet to proceede by any other waye to make him knowe their greefes assuring him that the ende and purpose of their pretence of raysing of armes was onely for to reestablish the Church of God in her true and ancient dignitie vnder the exercise of one religion throughout all his realme to restore the Nobilitie to their honor and franchises Pretence of the League to ease the common people of the impositions inuented and deuised since the raigne of Charles the ninth not to imploy the treasures that shall be leuied but for the kings seruice to procure that from thencefoorth the Parliament should bee holden euery three yeares to desire the king to take order touching the differences of the succession of the Crowne to the end his realme shuld not be diuided into as many factions as their are titles pretended For the suretie preseruatioÌ„ of their own persons among so many publike and priuate calamities to bannish from the Court such as abused the fauour and authori-of the King protesting not to do any thing against the seruice of the king neither yet to leaue armes before their intents were fully executed and that his Maiestie had procured meanes to shunne the daunger which to auoyde they had taken armes with promise likewise that their souldiers should bee payde The king thinking by faire meanes to retaine them in their duties and to exhort them to an vnion The Kings letters to the king of Nauarre wrote to the King of
of Nauarre would yeeld at the onely report of their enterprise They brought this poore king a sleepe with many chimers foresaying he should haue forraine ayde which was as true as the sea burneth It was tolde him that all Christian Princes would helpe him that the Queene of England should haue so many Chastillian forces against her Many chimeres that she should find ynough to do to defend her selfe that the Princes of Germanie would neuer stirre for the king of N. being a Prince poore both without mony and credite and that all would in a manner melt at the apparance of those new sonnes An army by sea prepared in Portugall of 30000. men against England An. 1587. So that the warre was sworne to bee made in all places of the Realme and as then there wanted nothing but mony To the which end the king in his Pallace of Louiene caused the principall of the Cleargie the Parliament and the Cittizens of Parris to bee assembled shewing them that as by their aduise hee had broken the peace so hee desired to bee holpen by their meanes to the maintenance of his warres the charges whereof hee said amounted to the summe of foure hundreth thousand Crownes a month The Kings Oration to those of Parris the eleueth of August 1585. for the entertaining of three armies one in Guyenne the second about his owne person and the third to impeach the enterie of straungers And speaking to the principall President he saide that hauing perceiued so much zeale and affection in him to haue the last edict of peace reuoked he doubted not but hee would bee able by sufficient arguments to perswade his equalles that as long as the warres indured they should not looke for any stipendes To the Prouost of Marchants in Parris hee said that seeing the Towne He commanded him presently to call the Towne togither to leme vpon them the sum of 200000. Crownes was so much affected to the breach of peace it ought to bee as well disposed to contribute to the warres And then turning to the Cardinall of Guise he said that as the heads of the Clargie were those that had most stirred and prouoked him to warres which could not bee made without great expenses they ought not to spare their armes to helpe him considering it was not reasonable that his Maiestie should onely beare the charge of that which would redownd to the benefite of the Common-wealth But when they made certaine difficulties and that alreadie euery one confessed that there is no peace how little aduantage soeuer it bringeth but is much better then any warre how triumphant and victorious soeuer it be Pax vel iniusta vuhor iusâ—â—ssimo bello Cic ad Artic that the apprehensions of publike calamities opened the eyes and mooued the sences of the most insencible that euery man would gladly haue warre without feeling the discommodities it bringeth with it With an angrie countenance hee said vnto them Then I thinke it had beene better to beleeue mee I am in doubt that in seeking to be ridde of preaching Speeches of K. Henry the third wee doo not greatly hazard the warre But the Cleargie whose hearts more then their purses were opened to that war and considering that all the aydes which the kings of France at other times had from the Spiritualtie Read the oration made by the Cardinall of Lorraine to Charles the 6. at Fontainebleau the 28. of May. 1573. The Clergie in lesse then 15. yeares furnished 60. milions of Frankes The Clergies declaration made vnto the King the 19. of Nouember 1585. in their greatest and most vrgent affaires was out of the tithes of their reuenues that since it had ingaged in the Towne-house of Parris the one hundreth thousand Frankes of yearely rent and thereby consented to the alienation of the free farme thereof That at the kings returne froÌ„ Pologne it had alreadie coÌ„tributed 60000000. Frankes that since that it was bound for the space of sixe yeares to paye yearly the summe of one million and three hundreth thousand Frankes for his seruice with condition not to bee charged with other tithes That now the king hauing declared that this warre mooued by the solicitation of the Cleargie ought to be followed and supplyed at the charges of the Church the ruine thereof was most euident they thought good to shew the king their impossibilitie to satiffie the same the iust complaint of the great charges it had borne in the last leuying of armes besides the loosing of their rights and franchises To the which end the Bishoppe of Brien spake for all them vnto the king shewing that vntill that time the Cleargie had not spared the riches of the Alter to maintaine the honour of the sacrifice but now that their meanes were so drawne out their rents ingaged and their free farmes alienated that they could doo no more That it would bee a most erreligious thing that religion should bee defended by people without religion and that the Church nourisheth and entertaineth such as committed so many rapines sacriledges blasphemies pollutions and vnreuerent dealings towards it They besought his Maiestie by the memorie of his father by the honourable name of most christian king the goodnesse of his nature and the liuely comiseration of his spirit to be protector of her priuiledges and for a time permit her to breath Meane time hee animateth him to the execration of the Edict of Iuly which could not bee done without warre the warre not without mony and the mony could not bee leuied but by suppression of the Church or of the common people But that serued not the league would haue warres and of force the foure elements whereof the Monarchie consisteth that is the king and the 3. Estates must bee reduced into the auncient confusion of a Chaos and that they whose fathers vsed to haue warres in Affrica Asia and in the furthest parts of all the world must entertaine and hatch it among themselues Meane time the King of Nauarre beeing aduertised that preparation was made Letters of the King of Nauarre to the King to war against those of the religion complaineth vnto the king touching the peace hee had made with the league shewing him that vppon commaundement receiued from his Maiestie to bee patient and not to stirre against those that had risen against him hee to shewe dutie had so much bridled his nature that in a manner it stained his reputation and according to his Maiesties pleasure reiected the occasions which from day to day presented themselues vnto him whereby hee might reuenge the leaguers attempts and that notwithstanding his Maiestie forgetting the consideration of the particular interest which hee had in his last raysing of armes had made peace with his enemies and armed them with his forces and authoritie against the Estate his blood and his own person And hauing repeated his offer in all his declarations for the ceasing of troubles touching the difference of
enmitie towards the Duke de Espernon While the king the Queene-mother and the Duke of Guise were speaking togither the people spake among themselues euery man gaue him his iudgement what would grow thereof whispering each other secretly in the care But secrets loue and wine are nothing woorth when they are opened and perceiued The king caused foure thousand Switzers to enter at foure of the clock in the morning the eleueuth of May 1588. The Duke of Guise feared to bee preuented and the Kings eares were filled with nothing but with the pretences of the Parrissians against him hee knewe the practises that would trouble the braines of the ambitious head of the Duke of Guise the manner of his arriuall and the fauour of the people increased his distrust so that hee resolued to preuent the time of his enterprise and commaunded the Marshall Biran to cause the Switzers and Frenchmen to enter into the Towne and to lodge them in diuers quarters thereof thereby to restraine the people that prepared themselues to the execution of that whereof a yeare before they had fayled The feare of the Persian Captaine Gast with his company ceased vppon the little bridge hard by Nostre Dame Captaine Grillon lodged at Pont Saint Michael the Marshall d'Aumont placed a ranke of Harquebusiers on each side of Pont Nostre Dame Whereat the people beeing abashed shutte vppe their shoppes which they had begun to open expecting a furie wherin Monsieur de Villequier vsed all the meanes hee could to diswade them praying them not to stirre or feare any thing But all in vaine they had no eares they would not heare the artificer left his tooles the Merchant his traficque the vniuersitie their bookes the Councellors their pleas and the Presidents themselues take halberts in hand whereby nothing was heard but fearefull cries straunge complaints mournings and dispight The fearefull day of Barricadoes in Parris And God knoweth if in that publicque rising such as would take vpon them to exhort set the rest togither by the eares might not easily do what they list Among the which one of those audacious mutinous fellows spake vnto them and said How now companions shall not wee this day shrowd our selues from the shoures of raine and pull our heads from vnder the axe which the kings arme lifteth vp against vs thereby to preserue vs from thunderclaps and furies of euill counsell that seeketh the meanes to make pray of vs our wiues children Perceiue you not that the King seeth onely outwardly vnderstandeth but with his outward eares and stirreth not but by the means of such as support heresies Seditious words to mooue the people that fill their chests with the treasures that are exacted from the Cleargie and the common people Shall wee staye till they come to binde our hands and feete draw vs to the Greue there to serue for tapistrie to the gibbets that are prepared in the Town-house What further aduise needeth to bee had to put our selues in a iust and naturall defence Haue wee not alreadie heard Curtisans in the streete making partitions of our goods Did they not say that frō henceforth the K. shal no more be a Page that he shuld commaund like a Maister and that hee would be reuenged for the attempts made against him by the league Shall wee abuse our selues shall wee not thinke vpon neighbours our wiues our children and our selues These words were presently carried and approoued with common consent And although the Duke of Guise knewe by the report of the Archbishop of Lyons whom hee had sent vnto the king that the placing of men of warre in the quarters of the Towne of Parris was not against him yet hee would not trust in any thing but his sword And with that the Barricadoes a fatall and seditious inuention of the league and the onely instrument to ouerthrow her tyranny in such Townes where the people are of courage were made distant each from other thirtie foote and reached almost to the Sentinels of the Louure The Switzers were set vppon and they yeelded crying Viue Guise and Monsieur de Brissac caused them to bee disarmed and lodged in the Butcherie or new market The Sieur de Saint Paul caused the kings guard to retire holding downe their armes with their hats in hand The Queene-mother got into her Coach in great feare and went to seeke the Duke of Guise and after her Monsieur de Bellieure thereby to appease the commotion But this burning Feuer being but in his prime and like to bee much more violent the Duke of Guise said hee could not hold those Bulles that had burst foorth Meantime the King was aduertised that the enterprise would proceed further That the Duke of Guise had not pretended so hautie an enterprise to faint in the middle thereof That to make his victorie full and accomplished hee must of necessitie cease vppon the person of him that might either impeach it or make it infamous to the victors Aduise giuen to the King concerning the Duke of Guises intēt Vppon these considerations there arriued a Gentleman a familiar and domesticall attendant vppon the Duke of Guise that assured him of the resolution that was taken to enter into the Louure and to cease vppon his Maiestie which was confirmed by three other and very true For that seeing the Duke of Guise had proceeded so far the time serued not as then to dissemble as likewise his Councel found no better more assured nor expedienter means And to conclude hee bragged seeing hee had him there to holde him fast where vppon a certaine Author hath written and saith How now what sayest thou straunger In the liberal discourse to slaye a King of France it is more then all Europe can doo it is an enterprise and yet very daungerous for an Emperour if thy Grand-father had thought thou wouldest euer haue vttered such proude speeches hee would surely haue strangeled thy father thereby to impeach thy enterance into the world In a peaceable estate in a quiet Realme this onely would haue cost thee thy head but because it is in such estate therefore thou troublest it The King that could hardly beleeue it would proceed to that poynt assured himselfe and made no account of that aduise thinking the people would alwaies range themselues vnder the clemencie of their king But those of his Councell that desired to bee farre from Parris and that knew the mutinies of the people shewed his Maiestie that there was nothing more vnconstant then that multitude which in times past had constrained Philip le Bel in great haste to saue himselfe in the house of the Templiers and the Duke of Normandie sonne to King Iohn prisoner in England to weare a hood halfe redde halfe russet thereby to defend himselfe from their insolencie And desired him to remember the reuolt of the Maillotins Caboches and of those of Saint Andrewes crosse of the disposition of Salcede the letters
of the King of Nauarre the conspiracies made the last yeare about Easter and the many aduises and prognostications he had receiued by the singes hee had seene The Queene-mother was not of that mind The 13. of May. 1588. and promised to perswade the Duke of Guise and for the same cause went to find him out desiring him to quench so many fiers alreadie kindled to come speake with the King of whom hee should haue contentment at his pleasure and thereby let him see that in so vrgent an occasion hee had greater desire to serue then to ouerthrow his Crowne to repaire rather then throw downe the edifice of the estate which that commotion had most mischieuously shaken The Duke of Guise betweene hope and feare that neuer esteemed man to bee greater then himselfe as long as hee held his sword in hand making shewe of innocencie and laying the fault vppon the people said that he suffered himselfe to bee borne in that sort by them rather by force and necessitie then that he had any desire so to do That touching the Louure it was but athing falsely deuised against him that it should be a great folly for him to go thither things being in such hatefull estate and so to cast himselfe weake and in his dublet into the mercie of his enemies The Queen-mother aduertised the King by Secretarie Pinâ—rt The Queene marking the stubburnnesse and resolution of the Duke of Guise concerning her requests caused the King to bee aduertised who desiring not to stay any longer in that trance issued out of Parris by the new gate and that night lodged at Trappes It is said that being at Mon-martre he turned towards the Towne and cursing it for the infidelitie ingratitude and disloyaltie thereof in respect of all the benefits it had receiued at his hands hee sware hee would neuer enter into it againe but by a breach his seruants the companies of his guard and men of warre with the Switzers followed him and left their lodgings to those new Kings of Parris The Duke of Guise that had written to the Gouernour of Orleans The Duke of Guises letters to the Gouernor of OrleaÌ„s that he held the Louure so close shut vppe that hee would giue good account of that which was within it knew well the victorie was not performed and that his reputation would be stained if the newes of the Kings retrait were carried out of the Realme by other meanes then by him selfe hee considered that whatsoeuer is attempted against the Kings person toucheth and concerneth all his equalles that as the Prelates the Officers the Senators and Knights and all Kings are bretheren that one blood royall calleth the other that all soueraigne Rulers do blason rebelles and disturbers of estate although they helpe themselues by the same meanes He thought it good to send Monsieur de Brissac to the Ambassadour of England to shewe him the cause of the erecting the Barricadoes I make no difficultie to write whole leaues of a discourse when it is not out of purpose neyther any disgrace to the matter propounded therefore I haue set downe the same words that passed betweene the Ambassadour of England and the Counte de Brissac which were faithfully reported vnto me The Counte de Brissac accompanied with certaine Gentlemen went to visit the Ambassadour of England at his lodging in those commotions and populer insolencies to offer him a safeguard or protection and to desire him not to bee abashed nor to stirre as beeing assured of the protection of Mensieur de Guise The Ambassadour made him aunswere that if hee had beene in Parris as a particular person he would fall downe at the feete of Monsieur de Guise and giue him humble thankes for his great and courteous offers but beeing there hard by the King and for the Queene his Mistresse that had peace and amitie with the King he neither would nor could receiue any protection but from the king himselfe Monsieur de Brissac shewed him that the Duke of Guise was not come to Parris to enterprise any thing against the king or his seruice but that hee had onely put himselfe in defence that there was a great conspiracie made against him and the Cittie of Parris that the Town-house and other places were full of gibbets whereon the king had determined to hang diuers of the Town and others and that the Duke of Guise desired him to aduertise the Queen his Mistresse thereof to the end it might bee known The Ambassadour aunswered that he beleeued the Duke had willed him to say so that the highest and hardiest enterprises often times lye hidden and secret in the minds of those that vndertake them and that when they thinke good they make them knowne with such colour and shewe as they thinke best for their purpose that he could not chuse but tell him plainely that that which passed in Parris would bee found very straunge and euill thought of by all christian Princes hauing interest therein That no cloake or couer how faire soeuer it might bee could cause it to bee liked of it beeing the dutie of a subiect to continue in the iust obedience of his Prince That if there were so many gibbets prepared it would be the easilier beleeued if the Duke of Guise would cause them openly to bee shewed And againe if it were so it is a most odious and intollerable thing that a subiect by force should seek to impeach the iustice that his Soueraigne would execute against offendors That hee would promise him that most willingly and with all speed hee would aduertise the Queene his Mistresse of that had passed but to bee his Interpteter vnto her of Monsieur de Guises intents and those of his confederacie it was no part of his charge the Queen his Mistresse beeing wiser then himselfe both to beleeue and iudge what she thought good Heere endeth the second Booke THE THIRDE BOOKE OF THE LAST troubles of France containing that which passed after the Barricadoes in Parris and there trait of the king to Chartres vntill the Edict of pacification and assembly of the generall estates at Blois in the moneth of September Barricadoes the 12. of May. 1588. O Accursed and fatall day that haste defaced the beautie and pleasure of the twelfth day of May which euery yeare vsed to put vs in minde of the solemne and triumphant enterie of Charles the eight into the Realme of Naples what coale can bee blacke ynough to note thee in our Ephemerides and so leaue to our posteritie the rememberance of the shame and reproach of the rebellioÌ„ which thou breedest vp by driuing the king out of Parris and making knowne the hideous spectacles of the tyrannie of the League There is no memorie that forgetteth the remembrance of thy ingratitude no abolition that defaceth thy felony nor any defence to bee sought that might hide thy shame and there is not sufficient water in the riuer of Seine to wash away the
is much more conscience then in that which Phillip le Long demanded of all his subiects of what estate soeuer beeing the fift part of their reuenue and more reason then that tyrannicall extortion of the tenth part of all the expenses of seuenteene great Prouinces whereof the Author boasted to haue found a fountaine that wold yeeld golde in peeces as big as a mans arme This sale of offices is not so new but that it hath been vsed long since in those estates that are thought to bee most polliticque the Venetians hauing so great enemie as the king of France made a great breach in their treasures to resist him his entrance into Italy cost him aboue fifte millions of duckets which to recouer againe they inuented the meanes of selling the offices of their Common-wealth whereby they pursed one hundreth millions Offices for the imployment of the youth of France And the French king perceiuing it to be a continual spring into their coffers brought it into his Realme to support the necessitie of the most oppressed and the same necessitie hath constrained his successors to continue the means to resist the same and to honour the best families among his subiects who without this splendure would bee hidden among the rest and youth without imployment would fall into those vices that are incident to that age but let vs now returne againe to your complaints When you are forced to confesse that other causes made you to enter into the course and sauor of these rebellions you say that the king did neuer approoue nor aduance your league Hee hath loued it too much If hee had choaked this Monster of diuision if hee had not by his authoritie strengthened the furious temeritie of the Leaguers pretences hee would liue like a king command like a king and be in the Louure like a king and had not gone out of Parris like a Gouernor of a countrie that issueth out at one gate when his enemies entereth at the other Did you neuer heare that a king that had two factions in his Realme bending more to the one then to the other hath in the end beene a pray to one of them What ouerthrew Carthage two factions Barchinienne Ruine of estates by ciuil warres and Hannonienne What nourished wars in France of sixtie yeares long and made it a praie to the Englishmen the quarrell of the house of Bourgongne and Orleans What troubled England with so many mischiefes of seuen great battelles wherein aboue sixtie or eightie Princes of the blood royall of England were slaine the factions of the house of Lancaster and Yorke What impeached the Empire of Constantinople but the great faction of Prusins and Venitiens which at one blowe spoyled fortie thousand men What ouerthrew the pollicie and tranquillitie of Florence but the faction of white and blacke To the contrary what maintaineth the Empire of the Turkes their concord enemie of ciuill descention they make their profit of our losses they aduance themselues vnder the couerture of our warres grounded for the most part vpon the foote of a flie and there is nothing that hath so much increased nor as yet doth more increase their alcaron then our diuisiō which euery day giueth them sufficient christians heads to triumph vpon in stead of stones or other spoyles as Thuracan did with the heades of the Albanois League a continuall feauer to an estate To be short that hurt which a continuall feuer is to a mans bodie the same are Leaguers vnto a Realm the Prince that nourisheth and entertaineth them is no lesse odious then the Phisitian that hatcheth and couereth a disease The Common-wealth is a ship the Leagues and factions are the holes and leakes by the which while those that are in the ship are at strife the water entereth in such aboundance that it causeth the ship to finke and all that are within her A wise Pilot shuld calke stop those leakes and diuisions reseruing the rurther for himselfe without trusting to any other neuer being factious nor head of any parties but all king and alwaies Maister of the ship and doubt not but these drone Bees that eate vppe the honie of all the rest and these composers of the league which make so great a ruine for two or three months of spring-time had ouerthrowne themselues if the king had not nourished them Machiauille chap. 20. of the Princes with the fairest flowers of his authoritie And who euer counselled a Prince common father of his subiects vnlesse Machiauel chap. 20. of the Prince it were Machiauel to entertaine partiallities among them You are sorrie that the king doth not as willingly imbrace the pretences of your League as you do and that hee hath not suffered you to make a table of his backe whereon to playe at dice for his Crowne You haue somewhat to say to those whom the king hath aduaunced so the heeles murmured because they had not the place of the head the Asse would clime vpon a cushen of veluet to faune vppon his Maister like a Spaniell puppits would play vppon kings cabbins Know you not that they are like counters in the kings hand whereof hee maketh one to bee a hundreth some a thousand and others tenne thousand Do you not shew more fauour and credite in your bankes towne of your seruants then to an other and vse you not to say that you may doo with your owne as pleaseth you is the king countable to your humours If he holdeth the Crowne of God and the auncient lawes of this Realme wherefore seeke you to bee his Tutors and to hinder him from distributing the honours and recompences thereof at his pleasure It is no reason to prescribe or limit him whom or what hee shall cherish loue and aduance if you conferre things present with those that are past you shall finde no Prince but hath had some whom hee specially fauoured and that the iealousie nor enuie of others farther from his fauour hath not beene strong ynough to erect Barricadoes against them as you haue done The League hath no iust cause to take armes But seeing all your complaints are ridiculous your reasons without foundation and your discourses without assurance what inchantment hath made you to rebell Say that this great disorder knowne to bee in the Court of your king hath put that wilde fire into your heads which hath mooued and tolde you therefore to remedie it you must driue him our you must assayle the Louure or torment his seruaunts to reuenge your selues against the Duke of Espernon being at Roane I will not so much excuse the king or think that hee hath not committed some faults nor say as the Parasite Anaxarchus that Alexander had reason to kill Clytus or that the two Goddesses Dice and Themis are alwaies at their sides to keepe them from committing iniustice certainly there were many faire and shining vertues in this Prince Optimum est pati quod emendare non
whence the said Cardinall of Bourbon were so issued because of the nearnesse of his person The Genealogie of Heary of Bourbon King of Nauarre S. Lewis Robert Lewis Iames. Iohn Lewis Iohn The king of Nauarre alleadged for his reasons the genealogie and discent of the house of Bourbon saying Saint Lewis king of France had two sonnes the eldest Phillip the third surnamed the Hardy and Robert the youngest Earle of Cleremont of this Robert of Beatrix daughter of Archambaut of Bourbon was borne Lewis Earle of Clermont and first Duke of Bourbon created by king Philip de Vallois which Lewis espoused Marie Countesse of Hainaut and had two sonnes Peter and Iames the Masculin kinde of Peter is wholly extinct there resteth none of his side but the houses of Lorraine of Sauoy by the females Of Iames de Bourbon younger sonne to Lewis and of Iane de S. Paul his wife issued Francis Charles Anthony Henry The Duchie of Bourbon 1327. Iohn de Bourbon Earle of Marche of Iohn de Burbon Catherine Count esse of Vendosme issued Lewis de Bourbon Earle of Vendosme of Lewis de Bourbon and Ieane de Laual his Wife issued Iohn de Bourbon of Iohn de Bourbon and Isabeau his wife issued Francis Earle of Vendosme of Francis Earle of Vendosme and Marie of Luxembourg Countesse of Saint Paul issued Charles de Bourbon of Charles de Bourbon and Francis d'Alencon his wife issued Anthony de Bourbon king of Nauarre the eldest son Francis Duke of Anguien Charles Cardinal of Bourbon Iohn Durke of Anguin Margaret married to the Duke de Neuers and Lewis de Bourbon Prince of Conde Of Anthony de Bourbon the eldest issued Henry de Bourbon now king of Nauarre and Catherine Princesse of Nauarre his sister Wherefore it is euidently seene that the king of Nauarre is a degree behinde the Cardinall of Bourbon for hee is in the tenth and the king in the eleuenth degree but it is seene that hee is sonne of the eldest house of Bourbon and therefore by consequent preferred to all the rights of the house royall Paul Aemil. in pud Crasso Anno. 11110 â—olidin Hist Angl. By a statute in the Court in the yeare 1341. By a statute in the yeare 1517. Filius Fratris Fratri aequiparatur ita succedit atque parter si viuerer All the Doctors concluded in fauour of the Nephew against the Vncle that saith hee is the eldest by the disease of his father whether it bee in the direct or colaterall line in successions vndeuided as Realmes Empires Duches Earledomes and that is obserued in France England Spaine Portugal Almaine and Sicile So Archambaut had the Duche of Bourbon from his vncle Hannon Artus Duchie of Normandie froÌ„ king Iohn his Vncle third son to Henry the second king of England Lewis Earle of Neuers the Earledome of Flaunâ—ers from his Vncle the daughter of Guy Vicount of Limoges the Duchie of Brittaine from Iohn Earle of Montfort his brother Henry d'Albert sonne of Catherin the Earledome of Foix from Iohn Viscount of Narbonne and his heires Richard sonne of Edward Prince of VVales was crowned without contradiction and Yorke Henry de Bourbon succeeded in the right that Anthony de Bourbon his father had in the house of Bourbon by the succession of his auncestors the title of eldest sonne not beeing lost nor extinct in the father but continueth and is transported to the sonne The right of eldest is perfectly ingrafted in the eldest assoone as he entereth into the world is made a man which right being in him hath continued in his posterie by the custome and common obseruation of the Realme The reason that some alleadge to prooue that this right was neuer gotten in the father is not to bee respected for although there were but onely and sometimes hope his sonne is permitted to claime it and to seeke the possession as it falleth out although the son of the eldest is a degree further then the Vncle neuerthelesse being entered into the place of his father hee ought to bee preferred further the right of preferment is not gotten by our selues onely but by the right and person of others so that as long as there testeth any thing of this elder house an other cannot take place in any sort whatsoeuer The king of Nauarre hath another reason against the which there can bee no argument that may preuaile which is that the Cardinall of Bourbon his Vncle at the contract of marriage betweene the said king of Nauarre and the Ladie Margaret of France acquitted remissed yeelded and transported vnto to the said king all and euery right name voyce and action present or to come that in any case might appertaine vnto him as beeing issued out of the house of Bourbon expresly acknowleging the king of Nauarre his Nephewe for the true son heir successor and representation in all respects of the eldest house And so to thinke by denying his own deed to attain to the vaine hope of the succession of the Realm comprehended vnder the generall declaration of the elder house of the saide deceased king of Nauarre there is no likelyhood So the king not to displease the League that occupied the principall places of his thoughts declared the Cardinall of Bourbon the first Prince of the blood although hee knewe that by iustice and the lawes not onely of this Realme but of all the best gouerned estates that euer was the king of Nauarre was onely capable of that prerogatiue and the good Prelate perceiued not that vnder that quallitie of first Prince successiue heire to the crown which the league procured vnto him it pushed forward her tyrannie with al the force shee might thereby to vsurpe the royaltie giuing to a king of sixe and thirtie years of age a succession that hath past the climaticall yeare of sixtie three To be brief it may be said of the League as Cicero said of Caezar and Pompey it presenteth vnto vs the picture of the Cardinall of Bourbon but will erect the Image of a straunger The League tooke away the Kings Councell The affaires of the League hauing had in her poope the winde the authoritie of the king and fauour of all the people floating most proudely in the maine seas without feare of winds or waues fearing that the kings great goodnesse would not long continue that the wise Councellors that were about the king would giue him aduise and withdrawe him from the shipwracke wherein they would reduce his authoritie ceased not to blow in his eares that his Councell set a darke cloud before his eyes thereby to impeach him from seeing what is the dutie of a good king hyding the truth froÌ„ him and staying at nothing but that which might content either passion or auarice The king to please them is constrained to pull his eyes out of his head to depriue himselfe of the light that he receiued by the wisdome of his Councellours
M. de Chiuerny M. de Beliure M. de Villeroy Ad consilium de rep dandume capite est nosse rem public in that cloudenesse of his affaires and whereof hee had most need In the middle of those treasons of the league hee dismissed those that neuer gaue peace to any passiō against the course of publike vtillitie that had nothing in their minds which age had not made rich graue constant and quiet that could yeeld firme and infallible resolutions that knew the present estate that foresawe what would happen that followed not opinions but reason and that haue stayed long in the sterne of the French ship had fought against the waues windes and first troubles of the torment of the League Then the seales were left in the hands of Monsieur de Monthelon Aduocate of the Court of Parliament an honest man and one that had no other passion that draue him forward but onely religion The Duke d'Espernon although hee stayed so long from the Court that it could not be said The Duke d'Espernon Gouernour of Aniou and Poitou that he rule the voluptuous minde of the king his Maister could not so much absent himself but that the cōspiracies of the league made him apprehend the greater mischiefes they would breed in a contented estate and hauing receiued the power from his Maiestie to command in the Prouinces of Aniou Thouraine Poitou Angoumois and Xaintonge road from Loches to Angoulesme vppon aduise giuen him that the League had conferated with certain of the Inhabitants thereof to deliuer the towne vnto them there hee was receiued with all the honor that the people might giue to the Lieftenant of a King and with as much ioy as if the King himselfe had been there but those faire daies continued not long without cloudes this goodnesse was soone followed with a terrible torment this publike reioycing with a straunge trouble for although hee shewed sufficiently both in words and effects that he had nothing so deare as the conseruation of Catholicque religion and the excution of the Edict of vnion which hee had caused to be published the people neuerthelesse were perswaded by the impostures of certain leaguers that his intent was to cause certaine troupes of Huguenots to enter into the Castle and to surprise the Towne A tumult in the presence Chamber of the Duke d'Espernon The Maior of the Towne beeing altogether a Leaguer conspired vpon Saint Lawrence day to take the Duke of Espernon and to kill him and for that purpose vpon the same day they entered into the Castle vnder pretence to present certaine Posts vnto him that came from the Court and therewith entered into the high chamber where discharging two Pistolles they cried kill kill but the Gentlemen of his traine put themselues in defence and presently draue the traitors backe their leader beeing hurt with a Pistolle that gaue him but seuen houres respite to take order for his affaires with that an alarme was giuen in the Towne and presently the people made Barricadoes rose in a mutinie raged and stormed but they were like prisoners kept in a strong Tower for the Duke d'Espernon held the Castle and had the Citadell at his commaundement whereby both through the one and the other hee could let as many forces enter to relieue him as hee should need A vainte mutenie made by the people Captaines for the league summons the Duke d'Espernon The people perceiuing that he held the Castle and that the Lord of Tagens came in all haste to help him that the Lord of Bordes their prisoner Captain of the Citadell would not redeeme his libertie at the price of his place that the Sieurs de Mere dela Messeliere de Marquerolle Desbouchaux sommoning them had found them resolute rather to diethen yeeld they determined to fall to an agreement Which Nonsieur de Tagens Cousin to the duke d'Espernon agreed vpon which appeased their strife and therewith they layde down their armes the dead bodies were honourably buried and the prisoners on both parts released The Duches of Espernon who before the commotion was gone out of the Castleto heare Masse in the Iacobins Church had beene stayed in the Fryers Couent and threatned to serue for a Gabion if shee caused not her husband to yeeld vppe the Castle was by the Lieftenant generall of the Towne Tumults appeased ledde to the said Castle because the gate was as yet rampierd with stones shee was constrained to go vppe by a lather and to creepe in at the window The second day after this reuolt beeing the twelsth of August one thousande fiue hundreth eightie and eight they proceeded to the election of a new Maior who with the Sheriffes presented himselfe vnto the Duke d'Espernon to excuse the folly of the people and hee as if hee had not been offended thereat receiued them with the best countenance he could and sent them away well pleased onely that hee would not suffer the body of the Maior principall of the rebellion to be buried with the state that belonged to his office The Historie of Gauerston printed at Parris in the yeare 1588. About the time that the Maior made the first tumult in his vtter chamber he was in his own chamber staying the time to go to Masse shewing the Abbot of Elbene and Monsieur de Marimon a most infamous libell printed not so much against him as against the honor of the Ma. of the king Which was the Historie of Pierce Gauerston whose life and fortune was therein compared to the life of the Duke of Espernon and the conclusion thereof was that as the Gascon Pierce Gauerston loued and onely fauoured by Edward the second king of England preferred to all offices in the Court inriched with the treasures both of the king and of his subiects at the peoples request was bannished and exiled out of England and after that beheaded so the Duke of Espernon would play the like tragedie in France vnder Henry the third king of France This libel was answered by a discourse imprinted at Parris which the Lord of Mandelot would not suffer to bee solde in Lyons because it did liuely describe the tragicall actions of estates made a most odious comparison of a good and religious Prince with a bloody hypocrite and tyrannicall Prince saying that Edward and Henry were all one Hee said that Edward a man of no gouernment Hist Angl. subiect to his pleasures of a vilde mind litle caring for the affaires of his Realm spent and prophaned the treasures of his country appoynted for the preseruation of religion and gaue them to Gauerstone his Mignion oppressed his subiects with great and excessiue exactions solde and ingaged part of his lands and demaines vsed his Nobles vnwoorthily not caring for men of good reputation beeing a great hypocrite thinking to couer a great number of inormities by building and erecting a Couent of Iacobius his Barrons constrained him diuers
which is of the third estates of the land which represent the whole Realme Although since that time the name of Parliament is applyed to the companies of Soueraigne Courts that haue the ordering of causes both criminall and ciuill That first age of our Monarchie although rude and simple that held our kings like puples vnder the Maiors of the Pallace assembled the Parliament as often as the publike affaires of the Realme required The kings of France were not seene but once a yeare Aymon lib. 4. cap. 30. and the kings that as then retained the grosse vapors of the Daâ—ubian ayre and of the Orientall France were neuer seene but once euery yeare vppon the first day of May in their Parliaments that is in the assembly of the third orders or estates of their Realme in a place called the field of Mars where the king was borne in a Chariot of flowers Aymon li. 4. cap 30. drawne by foure oxen after the rusticall manner and there placed in a royall throne assisted with his Nobilitie hee heard the complaints of his subiects gaue order for all things that were to bee done that yeare and dispatched the Ambassadors of forrain Princes Vnder the second lyne of the kings of France The estate of France in the second line of the kings of France the Empire inlarging it by force and the kings leauing that seuere greatnesse to haue conuersation with their subiects the estates assembled more commonly not at a certaine and fixed day but according to the opportunitie and necessitie of their affaires therefore Pepin that had caused Childeric to bee shorne put into a Cloyster desiring to establish his vsurpation by the vniuersall consent of the people caused the States to bee assembled at Soissons that confirmed it and another time at Compiegne since that time the diuisions and iealousies of the Princes made those assembles to bee more difficult the kings contented themselues with the Parliament as an abridgement of the three estates wherein there was Prelates Noblemen and Deputies of all townes with the Councell of Parris to determine all things that belonged to iustice the Bailiffes and Stewards euery man in his iurisdiction administring the causes of the Common-wealth but when ignorance auarice and cupiditie entered into that first order that an euerlasting and continuall obscuritie had infolded the beautie of lawes men waxing more malicious and thereby fell into diuers deceits and frauds brablings and quarrellings tooke place Bailiffes and Stewards not administring iustice with such integretie and seueritie as was conuenient and our kings hauing not meanes in their Parliaments that alwaies held about them to bee still imployed in hearing particular mens suites the affaires of estate that daily increased as the Monarchie augmented King Philiple Bel caused the Pallace to bee made where soueraigne iudgements should bee giuen Since that Philip surnamed the Long ordained that it should bee composed of a certaine number of persons Controuersies vnder the raign of Philip le Bel. Vpon this President he tooke the order of knighthood one or two Presidents the first President beeing the Counte of Bourgongne a Prince of the blood eight Clarkes and twelue Lay-men foure Maisters of Request two chambers of Requests wherin were eight Lay-men eight Clarkes as Iudges and foure and twentie Atturneyes he called Clarkes men with long gownes married and vnmarried and the rest Laye-men Noblemen or GentlemeÌ„ The Parliament that serued only for iustice hindered not the assembly of the estates for the benefit of the Common-wealth not at a certaine or ordinary time as in England euery three yeares This is a false surmise of the Author Reasons and necessittes vrging the assembly of the Estates but as often as it pleased the king and no other to summon them for one of these three occasions The first when the succession or right of the Crowne was doubtfull and in controuersie or that it was necessarie to prouide for the ruling and gouerning of the Realme during the captiuitie or minoritie of the kings or when they were troubled and wanted the right vse of their memories and sences The second when it was necessarie to reforme the Realm to correct the abuse of Officers Magistrates by troubles and seditions and to reduce things to their first order and integretie The third for the necessities of the kings and their Realmes in those assemblies of the Deputies of all the parts of the Realme they shewed the people in what estate the kings affaires were and they were courteously mooued intreated and exhorted to graunt subsidies aydes and assistances vnto their kings which otherwise would haue contented themselues with their rents and reuenues to maintaine the glorie of royall dignitie they neuer vsed to impose any subsidies or tallages without the consent thereof and said not as Lewis the eleuenth said that Frunce was a medowe that vsed to bee mowed thrise a yeare so for one of these three causes the estates haue been seene to assemble in diuers places and times The yeare 1327.1380 Frosard li. 2. chap. 58.60 In the yeare 1484. In the yeare 1356. In the yeare 1412. Philip Earle of Vertus They assembled in Parris to chuse a Regent during the minoritie of S. Lewis an other time in the same place to prouide for the gouernment of king Charles the sixt in his minoritie and at Tours for Charles the eight that Lewis the eleuenth had left in infancie They assembled in Parris for the libertie of king Iohn prisoner in England and for the phrensie of Charles the sixt whose gouernment was referred to his two Vncles the Dukes of Berry and Bourgongne They assembled at Auxerre to sweare a peace betweene the children of the houses of Orleans and Bourgongne and by their aduice the marriage of the Counte of Vertus brother to the Duke of Orleans with the daughter of the Duke of Bourgongne was made among the ioyes of this peace the Dukes of Orleans and Bourgongne were seene booth vppon a horse sporting themselues with the other Princes to witnesse their amitie and reconciliation yet it was but a fained peace Monstrelet lib. 1. chap. 59. They were againe assembled in the raigne of Charles the sixt at Parris vnder Francis the second at Orleans and vnder Henry the third at Bloys to appease the difference of the new religion abuses desolations excesse to take order for the administring of iustice to rate the monies and to institute the offices for the gouernment of the treasures in the two last the Deputies required two things one the extirpation of heresies but without wars by a free legitimate Councell the second the easing of the poore people by taking accounts of such as abusing the fauour and libertie of the king had inriched themselues by the oppression of his subiects to the end that the blood being drawne into an other part might be brought into the emptie vaines to quicken the head and animate the most
which should be eyther vniuersall or nationall a most soueraigne and assured remedie prooued heretofore against more pernicious herefies then these of our time whereby the bodies of Common-wealths haue bin purged of their infected blood and filled againe with good and viguerous humours Chiections against the instruction asked by the king of Nauarre Others that commaunded both the minde of the king and all the estates said that trueth once debated and determined ought not to bee brought in question againe that it was no reason that the apperite of some newters that had withdrawn themselues from the common societie of the Church to play their parts alone and to induce the madnesse of their euill timbered braines should seeke to trouble all Christendome by assembling of a Councell the resolutions whereof can bee no other then those at other times assembled trueth hauing but one face And therefore counselled his Maiestie to prouide that his successour might bee of no other religion then his owne and to assure all his Catholicques therein that feared nothing so much as the establishing of the King of Nauarre in the succession of the Crowne of France The king had promised by his Estict to take an order touching his successor but at that age wherein hee liued and in the young and lustie yeares of the Queen his wife he hoped that God would blesse him with some masculine line that might auoyde the difference of those ambitious persons And therefore hee tooke no pleasure to heare any speech of that which in his minde seduced to imbase his authoritie and to make his graue before he was dead For that assoone as a Prince hath declared who shall bee his successor his testament is made and then in his Realme he is accounted but as the sun that goeth downe euery man casting his eyes vpon him that shall succeede It was a capitall offence in Rome to seeke to knowe what should bee done after the death of the Emperour and the Emperours of Turkie cannot indure the sight of the children their successors but send them farre from the Court and neuer see them but when they are first borne or else when they are circumcised There are diuers well gouerned peaceable Monarches wherein such are punished as are ouer serious to inquire what may happen after their Kings death The Parliament holden in England 156â— The Parliament of England that solicited the Queene to nominate her successor among those houses that aspired therevnto receiued no other aunswere from her but onely that shee was of opinion that they sought to make her graue before shee was dead And to cut off such seditious curiosities she caused an Act to bee made that no man should presume to speake or dispute of the succession of her kingdome Ne quis assirmet vel existimet vel coniectet cui nam regnandi ius debeatur The death of king Francis the first 1547. The iealousie of him that is to succeed is incredible and so much distrustfull that the father cannot indure the hope of his sonne the gold of this Historie is too weake therein to place the Orientall pearles which I finde in so many notable discourses that are made concerning this last motion hee that wrote the free and excellent discourse so called rehearseth this domesticall example of our kings that the great king Francis beeing weake and sicke in his Castle of Fontainbleau about the begining of the moneth of May in the same yeare that hee died his disease increased so much that they esteemed him eyther dead or that hee would not long continue aliue Wherevppon all the Court in great haste ranne to seeke the Dauphine prince Henry who for the same iealousie of succession durst not come in his fathers presence for the space of sixe or seuen yeares before in such manner that most of all the chiefe Courtiers had left the king euery man going to worship that new son Meane time the king recouered his health and his disease beeing somewhat cured there was a Procession to bee made which is yearely obserued with great solemnitie through out the Realme of France against which time the olde King rose vp and came out of his chamber his face and haires dressed and combed not as if hee had neither beene sicke nor aged withall putting on certaine youthfull garments and in that sort was present at the processions and beeing returned he vsed this speech I will once againe put them in feare before I die And it was true for suddainly the chance turned for that assoone as the news was spred abroad that the king had recouered his health all the Courtiers by degrees repaired vnto him much abashed and in great feare and then the Dauphine for his part was left as naked without company as his father had beene before There the king shewed himselfe like a king and so hee ought to behaue himselfe like a king Non legiones non classes perinde sunt firma imperii munimina vt numerus liberorum Tacit. But to the contrary the king not onely permitted a conference touching the succession but suffered his subiects to rise vp in armes for the triall thereof and that before all the assembly there should bee a proposition put forth touching the excluding of the lawful successor Is not this as much as if they should compel him to make his testament and to striue as though hee were at the poynt of death Wherein you may beholde the extremities of the League that seeking to ouerthrow the estate would beate down the supporters with al the Princes of the blood who being aliue it is vaine for them to seem to lay hold on the tree or once to digge the myne of their pretences for neither armes nor fortresses do so well defend and maintaine an estate as the number of children of the Princes familie which is the meanes to breake a perpetuall order of succession as long as they liue choaking the ambitious hopes of such as would ouer throw and subuert it Then the League can neuer attaine vnto the end of their course nor their forces remooue the Crowne of the branches of Valois and Bourbon to the house of Vaudemont if first they procure not the degrading of all Saint Lewis race Propositions made the fourth of Nouember 1588. The king to please the inraging appetites and desires of the League consented they shuld determine of that which the greatest part of the league had alrea die resolued which was the condemnation of the king of Nauarre it was first debated among the Cleargie where by them without great resistance it was determined that this Prince should be holde for an hereticque and their leader a Relaps excommunicated depriued of the gouernment of Guyenne and of all his honors vnwoorthie of all successions of Crownes and royalties which they appoynted to be signified to the rest of the estates the Archbishop of Ambrun the Bishop of Bazas the Abbot of Citeaux and other
sent his letters pattents sealed with the great seale vnto the Inhabitants of Romorantin forbidding them not to administer victualles nor amunition to the company of Monsieur de Souuray and they had expresse commaundement to send vnto him That in presence of the Queene-mother hee had refused his Maiestie to subscribe to the ordinance which hee ment to publish concerning certaine treasons as then practised and pretended That his only intent was in his person as a supposed branch of the house of Charlemaine to reestablish the greatnesse and vsurped authoritie of the ancient Maiors of the Pallace to the ende the king should onely beare the name and that hee might deale with him as Charles Martel did with Chilperic Some that were present at this Councel the more to stirre vp the kings minde by the auncient perill of an vnrecouerable fall from his authoritie to shewe him that his Maiestie was to remember the dreame he had before the League beganne which was that the Lyons and wilde beasts by him nourished in his Castle of the Louure deuoured him The kings dreame or vision and that beeing mooued with this vision hee had caused them to bee killed and among the rest one Lyon being the most furious beast of them all Lastly they put the King in minde of Salcedoes processe which had discouered all the pretence of the Councell holden at Nancy the first article whereof was to cease vpon the Kings person of the Councell of fiue persons holden at Parris in the time of Lent in An. one thousand fiue hundreth eightie seuē wherin the Duke de Maine couertly inuayed against his Maiestie Of the memorials taken about the Aduocate Dauid of the letters sent by the Queene of Denmarke to her sonne the Duke of Lorraine which were found about the Abbot of Billy comming from Rome and withall the attempt of the Barricadoes was not forgotten therewith to end their Councell Considerations that stayed the kings minde But three things caused the kings minde to wauer and to staye long before hee resolued vpon it one the respect of the Pope the second his oath made touching the protection of the states and the third the troubles that this execution would breed by their meanes that fauoureth the Duke of Guise Touching the first it was shewed him that his holinesse beeing aduertised of the Duke of Guise at the erecting of the Barricadoes had ceased vpon the Bastille and Bois de Vincennes hee said vnto the Bishop of Parris that the enterprise was ouer bolde that it touched the estate and that the offence would prooue vnrecouerable That his holinesse had often written vnto his Maiestie that hee should assure himselfe of the estates what meanes soeuer hee made and that in these so apparant daungers there is no remedie whatsoeuer but it may bee vsed that hee needed not to inquire if it were lawfull to be done and that it was for the same cause that his Maiestie had obtained a Confessor by him to bee resolued of all things touching or concerning the holy Sea of Rome That the heads and authors of factions are so odious vnto Princes iealous of the quietnesse of the estate that therein they pardon not their owne blood as king Philip that pardoned not Charles his owne sonne that sought to surprise the low Countries And the Duke of Guise when speeches were vsed touching the disobediences of the Duke of Aniou deceased had alwaies this example of extreame iustice readie to produce It is knowne why the Cardinall of Caraffe was strangeled Pope Sixtus at this day liuing in the first yeare of his pontificates put to death the Counte de Pepoly one of the most famous families in all Italie because hee kept certaine banished persons his kinsmen secretly in his house In this Realme of France Iohn Earle of Harcourt of the blood royal of Scotland Lewis de Luxembourg Constable of France Iaques Counte de la Marche issued from the house of Castille diuers others of as great quallitie and estate as the Duke of Guise haue indured shamefull ends because they practised and made secret leagues with forraine Princes and kings The Pope thoght that the Duke of Guise had borne armes for the religiō but after the Barricadoes once erected hee beleeued it not and although religion were the cause of the warres yet should it not bee lawfull without the kings authoritie The example is both good and memorable in the Historie of the king of Spaine called Leoncilde both an hereticque and an Arrian This Barbarian pursued the Christians and pardoned not his owneson that had bin instructed and conuerted vnto Christian religion by Leander Bishop of Tolede hee banished him out of kingdome This young Prince being mooued at the miseries and persecutions of the Christians in his countrie Qui contra genitorem quamuis hereticum talia cogitarer didtwise raise armes against his father at the first he was ouerthrowne and sent into exile at the second time he was put to death and slaine vpon Easterday S. Gregory Archbishop of Tours in this example noteth the effects of the iudgements of God condemneth the boldnesse of this Prince that The king is not bound by oath nor obligation vnto his subiects rebelled against his father and his king although both an hereticque an Arrian Touching the oath which is the second consideration that stayed his Maiestie and which is neuer broken nor neglected but repentance followeth it was tolde the King that euen as betweene the bond-man and the Lord there is no obligation to bee made that there can bee no strickt promise betweene the subiect and the Prince that the promises made are not to bee obserued that if faith bee not to bee holden with him that cannot iustly bee called an enemie and that hath no authoritie to make warres who by the lawe is termed a theefe or a rouer the Prince is not bound to keepe his promise with a meane subiect who by his rebellion hath first violated his owne faith vnto his Prince Necessitie hath no lawe wee must vse time as occasion serueth that is when necessitie compelleth and when men break their faith and promise In great assemblies great examples of punishing rebelles are done and executed as at the marriage of the Emperour Zeno with the daughter of Ardaburis where the Bridegome was slaine Balisene and the Emperours father in lawe committed prisoners The kings of England and Polonia haue often summoned Parliaments therein to take and surprise the Lords that had rebelled against them Our kings haue arested them beeing at their bankets These great motions haue alwaies some extraordiry event but necessitie and publike vtilitie doth authorise them A league grounded vpon the good will of the people The third obiectiō of this vnresolued resolutiō was the great credit which the Duke of Guise had gotten among the people wherevpon it was shewed the king that as the said Princes part had no other credit but among the multitude
of prouiding for the good of France and other countries His securitie imboldened his enemies both neare and farre of within and without the Realme to innouate much and in that he would not lay to his hand when he ought to haue done he at last found the gate shut against him perceiued himselfe driuen out of his own house and those whom many waies he had too much supported established in his place who gaue him right downe blowes vpon his head whereof he should haue bin warie in time Men talke diuersly touching his departure some iudging that he left the world too soone in respect of France her good others deeming the contrarie Howsoeuer it was his decease was to the whole Realme a beginning of particular calamities aboue all the rest as the Historie of king Henry the fourth of the race of Bourbon will giue testimonie Heere endeth the troubles that happened in the raigne of Henry the third This is to giue the Reader to vnderstand that there is certaine Titles gone Henry the fourth that should haue bin Henry the third A BRIEFE RECITALL OF THE MOST MEMORABLE THINGS which came to passe in Fraunce vnder the Raigne of Henry the fourth since his first comming to the Crowne vntill the middle of the yeare 1598. The Frenchmens disposition after the death of Henry the 3. ALthough there were great sorrow greefe and lamentation made in the royall armie for the death of king Henry the third as much signe of ioy and gladnesse was there seene on the other side among the leaguers throughout al the Citie of Paris for the same in singing of songs and making mocking times therevpon The Duke de Maine with his Court and many others which since the execution of Blois wore black scarfes in signe of sorrow did heerevpon cast them aside and wore in stead of them scarfes of hopeful greene Then was there great feasting masking and other sportfull games made among them wherein and whereby the murthered king was cursed and banned in most horrible sort At that time the image and portrature of the traiterous Moonke which kild the king was by the commaundement of the chiefe of the league artificially framed in Brasse and other paintings wherewith they garnished both their houses Churches Then was he cannonized and among the supersticious prayed vnto as a new made Martyr whom they called by the name of Saint Iaques Clement All such as were knowne to bee of any kin vnto him were greatly inriched with almes gifts and publicke contributions Councels of the league The Duke de Maine which as yet durst not name himselfe king caused that title by proclamation to bee giuen throughout all Paris to the Cardinall of Bourbon beeing then prisoner stamping mony and gold as the coyne of king Charles the tenth The Duke disguising his vsurpation by his new and rediculous title of Lieftenant generall to the Estate and Crowne of France and perceiuing that the declarations made by the lawfull king did shake in the beginning of his proceedings a great part of the league published and sent abroad an Edict dated the first day of August in his owne name and the generall Councell of the holy vnion of Catholicques established at Parris who stayed there for the assembling of the estates of the kingdome to revnite as he said all Christian Frenchmen in the defence and conseruation of the Apostolicque Romane and Catholicque Church for the holding vp of the royall estate expecting the libertie and presence of king Charles the tenth Orders giuen to the king for the affairs of the armie King Henry the fourth which soone after the death of his predecessor had signified to the Princes and Lords in the armie his full intent vnderstāding that many of the Nobles made diuers bad attempts caused the principall of them to bee assembled before whom hee called vnto mind the recommendations of the oathes which the deceased king had caused him to make before them all for the tranquillitie of the Realme after his hurt perceiuing himselfe to drawe toward his end The first and chiefest poynt whereof was to maintaine the Frenchmen in the libertie exercise of the two religions that is to say the Romaine and the reformed Churches vntill such time as by a good and generall Councell it were otherwise determined These promises by oath he renued vnto them againe which appeased the controuersies And because hee might not securely stay at Paris by reason of this suddaine change and the sicknesses which afflicted the royall armie the king by aduise went into Normandie as well to receiue the succours which came from England as also for the fortifying of certaine places and passages which was fit for his purpose The league remooued on the other side and then the Earle of Randan one of the chiefest of them had surprised in Auuergne the Cittie d'Issoire about the tenth of August The Parliament of Bourdeaux published a decree the 19. of the same moneth whereby all those of their side were inioyned to keepe inuiolably the Edicts made by the holy vnion concerning the Apostolicque Catholicque and Romaine Church and all the declarations by them made Three daies after that at Thoulouse tearing the picture of the deceased K. bodie in peeces they ordained by an act made by the generall consent of the leaguers that euery yeare vpon the first day of August they should in making processions and publicke prayers acknowledge vnto God the great benefits which as vppon that day they receiued by the fearefull death of Henry the third whereby the happie deliuerance of Parris ensued with many other distressed Cities in the Realme forbidding al persons to acknowledge Henry of Bourbon king of Nauarre to be king of France whom that Court thoght a most vnfit man to succeed in the same kingdome because said the edict of the notorious and manifest crimes expressed against him in that bull of excommunication which was giuen out by Pope Sixtus the fift His genealogie The enuie of which partiall Parliament hath constrained mee once againe to set vnto your sight in briefe sort the true genealogie of King Henry the fourth Lewis the ninth surnamed the Saint beeing the 44. king of France came to the Crowne in the yeare 1227. and raigned till the yeare 1270. he had foure sonnes two of the which namely Peter and Robert died without issue and before their father The other twaine that suruiued was Philip and Robert the second of that name Philip surnamed the Hardie third of that name successiuely left these following from the father to the sonne from brother to brother and the nearest of blood to the nearest of blood Philip the fourth called the Faire Lewis the tenth surnamed Hutin Philip the fift surnamed the Longe Charles the fourth termed the faire Philip de Valois Iohn Charles the fift surnamed the wise Charles the sixth called the welbeloued Charles the seuenth Lewis the eleuenth Charles the eight all descending from Saint Lewis
in the right line Charles the fift which makes the second branch from the end of the first line had two sonnes Charles Duke of Orleans and Iohn Earle of Angoulesme Charles the eight dying then without children Charles Duke of Orleans successiuely came into the right line so that Lewis his sonne was found the first heir who also raigned after Charles the eight who was surnamed father of the people Lewis their dying without issue male the right of inheritance came into the branch of Iohn Earle of Angoulesme so that the lawe set the Crowne on the head of Francis the first the Earles onely sonne And from Francis it came to his sonne Henry the second from whom succeeded orderly Francis the second Charles the ninth and Henry the third his childreÌ„ one after the other froÌ„ brother to brother In this right line ended the last King of the race of Valois who died without children The law then tooke hold on the second sonne of Saint Lewis named Robert who was Earle of Clermont and married with Beatrix daughter to d'Archambaut of Bourbon by her hee had one sonne named Lewis from whom the lands were made errigible in Counte the yeare one thousand three hundreth twentie seuen After this Lewis succeeded Peter and Iames his sonnes Peter had one sonne named Charles Duke of Bourbon and Constable of France who was slaine at the taking of Rome in the yeare one thousand fiue hundreth twentie seuen And in him dying without issue male ended the line masculine of this branch Iames his vncle the sonne of Lewis had then a sonne named Iohn who espoused Catherine Countesse of Vendosme of Castres and Ladie of Conde This Iohn sonne of Iames had three sonnes Iames Lewis and Iohn The first last to wit Iames and Iohn left no posteritie Lewis sonne of Iohn had two sonnes Francis and Lewis the younger hath issue the Duke de Montpensier who liueth at this present The Prince de la Rochesur-yon the eldest of this branch died without children The eldest named Francis the sonne of Lewis which espoused Marie of Luxembourg had three sonnes Charles Francis and Lewis Charles the eldest had by the Ladie Frances of Alencon fiue sonnes Anthony Francis Charles Lewis and Iohn Anthony of Bourbon eldest sonne of Charles married Iane d'Albert Queene of Nauarre the yeare one thousand fiue hundreth fortie nine The twelfth of December 1553. was borne of this marriage in the ninth degree of the heires male after Saint Lewis Henry of Bourâ—â—n the onely sonne of Anthony Now by the decease of Henry the third the last king of the race of Valois descending by the masculine line from Philip the eldest son of king Lewis the Saint the right of the Crowne came vnto Robert his youngest sonne and from him consequently to Henry of Bourbon the fourth of that name king of France and Nauarre who at this day raigneth and of whom we are specially to speake in this Breuiarie That which the king did in his beginning This king hauing accompanied the corps of the deceased king to his tombe and put it in safe keeping to the Maister of Meulan Gisors and Clermont diuided his forces into three armies the first for himselfe with the which he marched vnto Touraine the other twaine hee committed to the Duke de Longueuille and to the Marshall d'Aumont for Picardie and Champagne Before hee had taken the way to Touraine with his troupes which were composed of twelue hundreth horse three thousand footemen and two Regiments of Switzers hee purposed to take his iourney into Normandie where the Pont de l'Arche was yeelded vnto him Then he came to Deepe won Caen vnto his side and constrained Neufchastel to bee rendered vnto his hands hauing disappoynted by his Lieftenants the succours which they had sent vnto them And hauing made a shew to besiege Roane it caused the Duke de Maine beeing called to the succor by Aumalle and Brissac to set himselfe in the field with more then three thousand horse and fiue thousande footemen who promised to the Parisians at that time to make an ende of all warre and to bring the king their enemie vnto them bound both hand and foote The king vnderstaÌ„ding that this mightie armie of his enemies increased euery day more and more by the assistance of the low countries of Picardie and Lorruine asked of the Duke de Longueuille and of the Marshall d'Aumont if they should go and meete them A notable exployt at Arques against the League And then marching toward his enemies they incamped at a certaine Village called Arques about two leagues from the Towne of Deepe And within three daies he made such entrenchments for his troups that the bancke in the lowest place was seuen or eight foote high on the one side aboue the towne where the artillerie were placed vnder the keeping of foure companies of Switzers The approach of the campe was espied by the Castle wherevppon was placed certaine peeces that shot off with great aduantage Meane space the Duke de Maine was greatly busied to thinke how hee might take againe the Townes of Gourney Neufchastel and Euison at what time both hee and his whole armie was perswaded that they might take Arques at the first But the Duke found it at his comming farre more troublesome then he imagined by reason of the newe Trenches which the king hadde made on euery side thereof for his commoditie by the which meanes hee might the better and the more easier ouer-runne his enemies at all times A sore skirmige The two armies continued there from the end of August to the midst of September And vpon the sixteenth of that moneth two fierce and cruell skirmiges was made in the which the Leaguers lost a great number of their approoued souldiers and nine or tenne of their Captaines This did truely presage and shew vnto them what successe they were like to haue in their attempts to come whereof followed nothing else but shame and sorrow to the leaguers VVhose foolish hope was also made frustrate which they hadde to chase the king himselfe into England or to kill him with all his followers or else to bring them in triumph prisoners to the Cittie of Parris The furie of these skirmiges was at last conuerted to the playing of the cannons both on the one side and the other which indured three or foure dayes togither On the Thursday the three and twentieth of September the Leaguers Armie or a part thereof containing a thousand horse and about six or eight thousand foote came to a place named la Maladerie which was strengthened with eight hundred smal shot foure coÌ„panies of Rutters Lanceknights sustained moreouer with three companies of light horsmen three companies of great ordenance and with the forces of the Princes of Conde and Counte Furthermore at the top of the Trench stood the companies belonging to the Lords of Chastillon and Maligni with a good number of the Nobilitie who were vnder
the Marshall of Birons charge The Leaguers beginning then a bloodie skirmage it was most valiantly held out by the kings troupes at what time in the first assault Monsieur Sagonne a principall man of the Leaugue was slaine with diuers of his horsmen the rest were put to flight But they comming with a fresh supply the kings wearied souldiers were forced to retire There the Switzers who was of the Regiment of Monsieur de Soleurre vnder the Collonell Galati did stay and withstand the furie of the Leaguers being ayded by certaine harguebuziers which were lodged in places of aduantage and by the Cannon which played vpon the Leaguers And while this second charge was preparing the Leaguers Lance-knights drew near vnto the trenches declaring that they would yeeld themselues to the king And after some speech on both sides though many French Gentlemen were of an other opinion they were at last receiued But while the kings Maiestie with Monsieur de Biron and their troupes of horsemen fought here and there these Lance-knights perceiuing clearely the great power of the Leaguers The falshood of the Leaguers Lance-knights togither with the Switzers iudged in themselues that the king was alreadie halfe vanquished and vpon this imagination they began to turne their weapons against him Then receiuing the words they lighted vppon the Marshall de Birons troupe and beating away the most part of the souldiers there they tooke the Ensignes of the Switzers and Lance-knights belonging to the king then deliuering this Trench to the Leaguers it was suddainly repaired by them but they held it not very long For the Duke de Montpensier beeing come thither with his Cornet of Horse and an other company of the vantgard of his men of warre being also assisted by Monsieur de Chastillon with a fresh supply of fiue hundreth harguebuziers The Leaguers were constrained to depart both from Maladere and the Trench where the king speedily brought two great peeces of Ordenance which he caused to be shot off among the thickest of the Switzers his enemies who with certaine of the horfmen made a retrait in the which they were mightily damnified by the great shot neuerthelesse they neuer turned their faces to looke backe whereby they might see from whence their hurt came This day the Leaguers lost a great number of souldiers and men of warre among whom were diuers of their chiefe Gentlemen and many were taken prisoners The King lost also sixe or seuen Gentlemen with the Earle of Roussie and a fewe footemen There were many hurt by the traiterous practise of the Leaguers Lance-knights On Sunday the foure and twentieth the Leaguers armie raised themselues about midnight and vpon the Tuesday following they came vpon the other side of the Towne of Arques and set semselues right against the place from whence they were parted assaying to batter it with cannon shot But the king found the leaguers so much worke by continuall skirmiges and hampered them in such sort that vppon the eleuenth day after their comming thither they were faine shamefully to withdraw themselues from the Towne of Arques vpō the news which they receiued that the Earle de Soisson the D. de Longueuille and the Marshal d'Aumont were comming within twentie leagues of Arques with their troupes to strengthen the king in his forces While these affairs were in hand the leaguers to make the Parisians beleeue great things and dreame of wonders sent the Ensignes thither which they had taken from the kings Switzers and Lance-knights as a token of the good successe which they had against his Maiestie Wherevppon there was a certaine pamphlet imprinted at Parris wherein it was published that betweene Arques and Deepe where the king of Nauarre was besieged the Duke de Maine had wonne from them foureteene Ensignes of the footemen and eight Cornets of their horsemen were by him slaine These grose fables were set out to feed the people with vaine fancies and to pinch the purses of those that were readie to beleeue it and that bare a good desire to haue it so The king thought at the first that this retrait was but a pollicie wrought by the Duke de Maine that bending himselfe to entercept his succours before they came vnto him hee might the easier subuert them and afterward returne with more strength and furie then before For this cause the king resolued with himselfe to ioyne the Earle of Soisson and the others togither After the which leauing the Marshall of Biron at Deepe his Maiestie with foure hundreth horse met and ioyned with his succours within fiue myles of the leaguers armie who with them incontinent passed ouer the riuer of Somme The Duke de Maine was faine for his credits sake to couer this his shamefull retrait with a quaint excuse He therefore published abroad that he was constrained speedily to go down into Picardte to possesse himselfe of those Citties which hee was bound by the agreement made at Arras to deliuer to the Spaniards Vpon this newes the king determined to stay the returne of the leaguers beeing perswaded that the Cities of Picardie would not be drawne to consent in any wise to submit themselues vnder the Spanish troupes Hauing then prouided for his affaires in Normandie and gathered togither those succours which the Queen of England had sent vnto him he departed out of those parts the one and twentieth of October with full purpose to awaken the Leaguers in Picardie and to constraine their chiefe commaunders to auoyde that countrie where by treason they had taken the Towne of Fere and after deliuered it to the Spaniards This done his Maiestie by casie iourneyes drew neare vnto Parris and incamped himselfe within a league thereof vpon the last day of the same moneth The same day hauing knowne what trenches the enemies had made round about the Subburbes on that side where hee was by the aduise of his warrelike Councell they concluded to assayle them on the morrow by breake of day by three seuerall companies and in three sundrie places The first companie consisted of foure thousand Englishmen two French Regiments and one regiment of Switzers who were led by the Marshall de Biron to assaile that side of the subburbes called Saint Victor and Marceau The second companie hauing two Regiments of Switzers foure of Frenchmen and foure of strangers were all vnder the conduct of the Marshall d'Aumont for that part of the Subburbes called Saint Iaques and Saint Michael The third companie consisted of tenne Regiments of Frenchmen one Regiment of Launce-knights and one Regiment of Switzers who were commanded by the two Lords Chastillon and la Noue Each one of these troupes were winged with a good number of hardie Gentlemen on foote well armed and appoynted to assist the rest of the footemen if any cause of resistance were and these set vppon that part of the subburbes called Saint Germaine Bussi and Nesle These had at their taile two cannons and two coluerins the king commaunded
thousand horse among the which he had foure thousand Gentlemen of the chiefe houses in the Realme Hee had also sixe Princes two Marshals of France and many gallant Captaines The leaguers being not disposed to fight intrench thēselues in a strong place The Duke of Parma tooke then a resolution the which saued himselfe and all his armie which was not to fight at al. And following this opinions his people changed their swords and launces into pickaxes doing no other thing all the euening long and that Saturday night but to intrench and fortifie themselues within a great Marsh into the which they were all withdrawne The daies following they had diuers skirmiges made vppon them but they kept still within their trenches And soone after they besieged and battered with nine peeces the Towne of Lagne vppon Marne which was a little weake towne and kept with two or three hundreth men which for a space valiantly defended themselues but in the end they were ouerthrown by great multitude of the besiegers This place was not passing halfe a little myle from the Marsh and hard at the back of the Spanish armie by meanes whereof the chiefe of the leaguers caused a bridge of boats speedily to be made wherewith they did as it were ioyne the place And the eight of the same moneth by breake of day the most of their footemen passed away by the same causing nine peeces of Ordenance to bee shot off the riuer beeing betweene them the breach was made before the king could haue knowledge thereof by reason that the winde was turned contrarie and the blustering so great that the sound of the cannons could not bee heard in the royall armie After the taking of this the Dukes of Parma and of Maine seeing the weaknesse of the place did dismantle it And although the king to draw them vnto fight fained as though hee would assaile Parris and published a purpose to scale it beeing departed from them in the euening the tenth of this moneth with a good troupe notwithstanding they would not stirre out of the Marsh VVherfore the king by aduise of his Councell dismissed his armie and fortified the Townes which hee held about Paris chiefly those on the riuer of Seine sending a part of his troups into Touraine Normandie Champagne and Bourgongne and kept notwithstanding a sufficient armie to amaze his enemies Some haue boldly written that the king was then very ill counselled and in fauour of the Prince of Parma who in fewe daies had beene inforest to fight or to haue fled that it was not possible for so great an armie as hee had to continue long in a Marsh where they should indure much harme That Parris and the league were now in safetie That the fault came through part of the Nobilitie induced therevnto by certaine enemies to the religion and the kings prosperities who was forsaken at his need Other some also being accustomed to fish in troubled waters would not it should bee yet cleared and others pretended to serue the king as it seemed best vnto them alwaies to see one confusion rise of another The Duke of Parma commeth to Paris and taketh Corbeil By meanes of which proceedings the Dukes were incouraged to go out of the Marshes to enter triumphantly into Paris whereof the Duke of Parma named himselfe the deliuerer And to make his valour appeare the greater hee departed incontinent to besiege Corbeil about halfe a daies iourney from thence vpon the riuer of Seine Captain Rigaud commaunding ouer certaine companies of footemen behaued himselfe so valiantly that he slew a great number of the leaguers As for the Duke of Parma after the heating of his troupes of whom many were slaine he lost much of his reputation For it was there wher his armie was so weakned and during the time hee rested in that place the king got togither his troupes addressing them to new purposes which brought the league into greater incumbrances then before The king of Spaines Agents thought to fill his good Cittie of Paris so the Spaniard called it in his letters with Spanish companies and VVallons But on the one side they had nothing to eate and on the other so soone as those of Guise and other Captaines of the league moreouer the sixteen and the fortie of Paris sawe themselues somewhat at large they began to giue the Duke of Parma thankes for his good will and intreated him to go with his people to Bruxelles againe This request or secret commaundement fell out verie well for the Duke for on the one part his armie in all mens sight was seene daily to waste and himselfe did plainely behold that hee stood in the midst of an vnconstant multitude and that it was not good for him to put confidence in faithlesse peple The leauing of his forces there to glut Paris euen as Antwerp had bin was to turne all vpside downe and build a new and perilous matter for the Spaniards that the king watcht to giue them a shameful ouerthrow if they should separate themselues neuer so little Therefore hee determined to get him gone with all speed possible hauing consumed a world of money leauing the Leaguers Captaines more altered with the gold of Peru then euer they were before The Duke of Parma returned to Bruxels hauing done nothing but growne unto shame and euill report with the Leaguers Of all his forces hee had great neede for the king ceased not to runne vpon him pursuing him to the verie frontiers of Arroys and diminishing his armie euery day more and more to signifie vnto the Spaniards that France could not bee ruinated or taken but through their owne follie Now assoone as they were thus departed Corbeil and other small townes which they had taken were againe recouered by the kings troupes the which brought the Parisians into new confusions The D. of Parmas comming serued to no other end but to fil their purses and to intangle and bring all their affaires to a remedilesse end In diuers parts of the kingdome as in Brittaine Prouence and Languedoc the League stirred and did many outragious and wicked acts working desolation to the great preiudice of the kings subiects but it little aduantaged the Leaguers whose armies consisted of such people that sought no other thing but disorders Also they could neither grow nor continue but by the confusion of others which they raised by their forces bad purposes for whereas they fained that they wold haue the Spaniard to ioyne with them it was for no other thing but to draw into their hands his double Pistollets in lieu whereof they would present him a new nothing betwixt two dishes And if hee shewed himselfe discontent they would helpe to throwe him out of those places which hee had vsurped as it came to passe soone after In the beginning of this year the king continued his inclosing of the Parisians which were fallen into their wonted distresses as before The Queen of England with
Fere yeelded to the king by composition The Cardinall following this new won victorie besieged the strong Towne of Ardres in the beginning of May who for all that euer they could doo within the Towne hee became Maister thereof the 23. of the same moneth seuen daies before Fere wes yeelded to the K. vpō composition The Sene shal of Montenemart leaguer and Aluaris Osoro a Spaniard indured with their souldiers all the extremitie that could be thought or imagined euen till they saw the water two or three foote high within the Towne before they would yeeld or giue ouer after they had sustained a thousand greefes the space of fiue months The composition was honorable and for the profit of the besieged who went foorth with their colours spredde their drummes sounding their weapons and baggage drawing forth with them a double cannon markt with the armes of France They went forth the 22. of this month and retired to Cambrises The rest of this Summer was spent in small exployts in the countrie About the end of the month of August the Marshall of Biron followed with certaine troupes on foote and on horsebacke passed the riuer of Sone and the first day of September hee entered within Artois repaired the Castle of Ambercourt constrained diuers villages to redeeme themselues with a great summe of money And beeing accompanied with fiue Cornets charged the Marquesse of Vuarambon Gouernour of Artois who by reason of his forces to wit fiue to sixe hundreth horse in battell thought to haue got the glorie slew those which durst stay put the rest to flight tooke the Marquesse prisoner of whom he had fortie thousand Crownes for his ransome gaue a great alarme to all the countrie after ward chased the Earle of S. Paul seized and spoyled the Towne and diuers other places The Pesants which would haue spoyled the Towers and Steeples of the Churches were rudely handled in respect of those that stayed in their houses who felt onely the smart of this tempesteous warre by contributions for the prouision of victuals All this was done in eight daies The Cardinal intending to take the Marquesse sent the D. of Arschot in his place who while he entered into Arras had the Frenchmen on the other side who by a harguebuze shot from the Town set fire on a litle village And for that it was full of good booties the Marshall would not they should loose their praie and therefore conducted them to the frontiers of Picardie Thus beeing discharged the 21. of the same moneth they entered the borders of Banpaulme spoyling Hebutere Benuiller Courcelles and other places robbing the Pesants of their goods that durst not striue against them The Duke of Arschot incampped neare to Arras within a cannon shot and beeing carefully intrenched hee deliberated to hazard nothing knowing that he was to deale with a hardy Knight and one of the most resolute warriors in Europe The Frenchmen set fire on all places round about and getting more booties then before returned with easie iourneyes toward Bethune and Theroenne from whence they brought many prisoners and cattell then they retired and camped in the plaine of Azincourt without any resistance at all in this second voyage which continued ten daies The Duke of Arschot supplied with eight hundreth footemen ioyning with the Colonell of Burlots Regiment departed from Arras the fift day of October and incamped at S. Paul where the Marshall of Biron leauing them entered seuen daies after with his horsemen into Artois who with his footemen stayed at Moucy S. Esoy The thirteenth day he remooued to Cōfirmation of aliance betweene the King the Queene of England and the lowe countries Donay then hauing spoyled the countrey hee retired into Picardie within foure or fiue dayes after The Duke of Arschot hauing taken againe the Castle of Ambercourt discharged his Army setting his companies into Garrisons Certaine weekes before the Marshall of Bouillon had bene sent for into Holland to confirme as he did at Haye the aliance sworne betweene the King the Queene of England and the vnited Prouinces The like was done in England about the end of September The Spaniards in Brittaine defied Duke Mercoeur seeing him to continue truce with the Prouences of Poictou Aniou and Maine began to fortifie themselues at Blauit more then before and in other smal Townes which they helde Whilest the Kings Troupes were in Picardie he made his entry into Roane the 20. day of October where he was receiued with such pompe that the expence thereof was esteemed to amount aboue the value of foure hundred thousand Crownes at the Townsmens charges Throughout all France nothing was spoken of so much as how meanes might bee found to defend themselues against the Spaniards and to be reuenged of the manifold iniuries which the Realme had indured vnder the League But the Duke of Austrich on his side was not al this while idle but suffering the rigor of winter to passe which was wonderfull wette hauing had many great floods of waters wherof followed much hurt especially at the bridge at Paris which one night fell downe at the latter ende of the yeare at which time it was the death of three huundred persons drowned in the water and by the fall of the buildings made himselfe ready for the spring The King being stil desirous of the peace of his Kingdome about the end of Sūme◠gaue order to haue all the Nobilitie of the Realme assembled togither in a generall Councell which he determined to hold at Roane at the beginning of Nouember at that time there to be present to prouide for the publike benefite of the countrey of France In opening this matter he first made them an Oration the which to cut off briefly we will incert within this Page following If I would said he claime the tytle of an Orater I should haue learned some eloquent and long Oration and haue studied how to pronounce it with all pleasing grauitie But my Lords my desire aymeth at two more glorious titles which is that I might bee called the Restorer and Deliuerer of this decayed estate for which cause I haue assembled all you this day You know what belongs to your owne care so do I of mine for since it pleased God to call me to the Crowne I found France not onely neare hand ruined but almost vtterly lost from the Frenchmen I vowe by Gods grace by the prayers by the good counsaile of my faithfull Subiects that make profession of Armes by the sword of my true Nobilitie from which I do not distinguish my Princes because the faith of a Gentleman is our fayrest tytles by my paines and labour I haue kept it from losse Let vs saue our selues therefore from ruine Participate my deare subiects with me in this second glory as you haue done in the first I haue not called you as my predecessors were wont to do to confirme my owne will I haue caused you to be assembled to receiue your counsailes to
was presently found out notwithstanding they lost not courage but to maintaine their credit with the Catholiques they caused certaine rigorous edicts to bee made in Scotland against the religion whereof ensued a tumult appeased by the Q. Dowager and the Noblemen of the countrie Therevpon king Henry being dead and the gouernment of France in their hands they sent the Bishop of Amiens and la Brosse their faithfull seruants into Scotland who at their arriuall would constrame euery man to go to Masse telling the Q. Dowager and Monsieur d'Oisel that their sufferance had spoyled all saying that from thencefoorth they wold vse force not sparing any man And therevpon sound diuers means to alter the Esate of Scotland and although the Queene Dowager propounded diuers peaceable and sure means they two would deale as they thought good but in the end the Lords Gentlemen of the countrie threatned troubled by such newcome fellowes rose vp in armes desired ayde of the Englishmen their neighbors in such sort that in short time they draue out the Priests reduced la Brosse into a small corner compelled the Bishop to saue himself in France The Queen of England before she entered into armes had desired those of Guise not to proceed in so hard and violent maner wherevnto they not being desirous to hearken vpon the 24. of March she made a long discourse wherein she shewed that she litle esteemed of all whatsoeuer those of Guise their adherents shuld enterprise or vndertake against her person or Estate and withall made it euidently knowne that her only desire was euer should be to liue in peace amitie with all Christendome They sought both by Ambassadors and messengers to ease the mischiefe by them deuised but by no meanes could effect i◠so that in fine things of themselues grewe to such an end that in the meane time it may be said that the violence vsed by those of Guise gaue such a blowe vnto the Papacie with in the realme of Scotland that euer after it did nothing but languish and consume and in the end was wholly extirped and so remaineth Touching France during those executions of Amboise as also before that those of the religion still increased both in zeale and number Aduancement of the religion in France in all the places of the Realme and yet not without great hinderance by diuers persecutions and by the meanes of some men that could no more content themselues to vse it secretly whereof ensued their open assemblies and that within some Churches Those of Valence Montelimart and Romans in Dauphin beeing the first The Duke de Guise beeing Gouernour extreamely offended that those of whom he thought to be most feared began to take that course which most displeased him to stoppe their intents and purposes first hee sent Iohn de Monluc Bishop of Valence who before by meanes of his Sermons had done more hurt then good vnto the Pope and because Monluc did not proceed with any effect and that Monsieur de Cleremont Lieftenant for the Duke of Guise was esteemed to be too fauorable Mangiron a cruel man an extream enemie to those of the religion had the charge giuen to him wholly to roote thē out at the beginning he proceeded therin with great subtiltie with diuers of his Agents playing many seuerall parts and in the end hauing found the meanes to driue certaine Gentlemen out of Valence that maintained those of the religion he beganne to play his part sacking their houses as if the towne had beene taken by assault Proceedings of Maugiron against those of the religion in the Parliament of Grenoble in Dauphine to strengthen him they sent him sixteene Ensignes of the olde troupes of Piedemont and some Companies of launciers On the other side Truchon chiefe President of Grenoble ayded by diuers Councellours went to Valence and passing through Romans caused 60. of the principallest to bee cast in prison while Maugiron pilled those of Montelimart to whome hee had both sworne and promised not to do any wrong neither in publike nor in priuate that had good means to impeach and hinder him from his pretence if by faire words hee had not wonne them To returne vnto the Presidents and Councellors of Grenoble they caused two Ministers in Valence to bee beheaded and hanged three of the principall Cittizens of the Towne The rest of the prisoners went out by the Goldē gate with abiurations whippings bannishments and great fines wherewith the Iudges and kings Atturneyes made themselues rich At Romans they hanged two men and whipped one whom they after sent vnto the Galleyes The estate of the religion in Prouence In Prouence two Gentlemen beeing bretheren Sieurs de Mouuans named Anthony and Paulon de Richiend hauing made open profession of religion in the time of King Henry Anthony was traiterously massacred by those of Draguignan in Anno. 1559 whereof Paulon could neuer haue iustice Not long after Captaine Chasteauneuf beeing sent from Nantes to Prouence by Renaudie and his companions to assemble those whom they thought meete to assisist them in the enterprise of Amboise the Deputies of 60. Churches in that Prouince being assembled at Merindol Paulon was chosen Leader of the troupes of Prouence which hauing accepted hee made a diligent inquiry through all the countrie and found two thousand men that had good means to horse arme and entertain themselues besides a great number of Gentlemen and other voluntarie Souldiers And as when the time of marching approached his Councell were of aduise that the troupes should seeke to enter into Aix there to erect the religion and so to giue occasion to those of Guise and others to mollifie their persecutions when once they should perceiue men rising in all places of the Realme to withstand their rigors This enterprise discouered Mouuans determined to make a way through the plaine countrie where hee made warre against the Images which were beaten downe in euery Church causing all the relicques of gold and siluer to bee molten and to sell the vessels and other to yes belonging vnto the Masse the mony whereof euen to a halfe-penny was left in the hands of the Consuls and others of euery place A most admirable militarie Discipline but yet truly and seuerely executed at that time wherevppon Mouuans pursued by the Counte de Tande with a great power retyred in good order into the high countrie where hee expected newes from Renaudie meane time the Counte beeing a wise Gentleman as any of his time dealt so wisely therin that by agreement made between them it was ordained that Mouuans might surely and freely retire without any hurt or displeasure neither great nor small hauing beene hurt either in word or deed in all Prouence the Mages likewise not once complaining of any thing done vnto them for whatsoeuer had past with promise to cause iustice to bee done touching the mother of his deceased brother Captaine Paulon surnamed the Barron de la
his subiects within sixe months after to make profession of the Catholicque religion or to depart out of the Realme dispearsed the tripartite chambers of Parliaments ordained that the Towns giuen in hostage to those of the religion should bee yeelded vppe and not onely commended but approoued the warre by the Princes begunne acknowledging it to bee done for his seruice This edict authorised them Articles drawne at Nemours the 7. of Iuly 1581. but the articles that were secretly drawne at Nemours were not altogither for their aduantage and yet there was nothing in them that displeased them but onely the condition that bound them presently to leaue the league And although they demaunded no other sureties then his Maiesties word yet they asked the Townes of Chaalon Thoul Verdun Saint Disier Reims Soissons the Castle of Dyon the Towne and Castle of Beaune Rue in Picardie Townes giuen in assurance to the League Dinan and Conq in Brittaine to bee deliuered vnto them And the king payde 2001006. Crownes and two thirds for the strannge forces leuied by thē discharged thē of one million sixe thousand three hundreth fortie eight Crowns three deniers which they had taken vp of the kings receiuers and 100000. Crowns to build a Citadel in Verdun besides the wages of their guards of Harquebusiers on horsebacke which he gaue to al the princes of the league Consider now I beseech you if these great comfortors of the people these Timoleons and these Arates that caused their defence of the Common-wealth to bee published in all places that detested the great increase of tallages and inuentions of imposts in these affaires did once thinke vpon the people See how in three moneths they made the people so leane that they left them neyther flesh blood nor bone and oppressed them more in that time then euer they were in three whole yeares before by ordinary charges besides the violences pillings burnings and many other insolences incident to warres For the poore Pesant that knewe not what the league ment that neuer came at Peronne nor at Nancy where it was first deuised was forced to pay the millions of golde which that three months warre had prodigiously spent and to support the seuen and twentie Edicts that by that meanes sprung vppe to the great disturbance of polliticque gouernment and iustice and to confirmation of the kings treasures And yet in the meane time all their Orations and their great and long discourses made vnto the king tended to no other end but to renue the wars But I would to God that most christian kings had answered them with the same words that Cleomenes vsed to the Ambassadors of Samos who by along and vehement Oration exhorted him to make warre against Policrates After they had made him wearie to heare them and their owne tongues to speake hee answered them in fewe words which made them much abashed saying I remember not what you said at the beginning of your Oration much lesse in the middle and as for your conclusion I will not graunt vnto it there needeth not so many words I can do nothing touching your demaund I will haue peace and neuer make warre but against those that refuse peace Thus should a king of France haue said vnto his French subiects and not suffer himselfe to be consumed by them in such sort as you shall heereafter heare Heere endeth the first Booke THE SECOND BOOKE OF THE last troubles of Fraunce containing that which passed from the beginning of the wars after the Edict made in Iuly 1585. vntill the Barricadoes of Parris and the Kings retrait to Chartres in the Month of May. 1588. There are degrees to ascend vnto the royaltie and not to descend without falling NO man can mount and descend both at one time There are some high places wher you cannot descend without falling The kings authoritie neuer faileth without his ruine and decay Assoone as the king bended himselfe and the honour of his Maiestie to the leaguers desires hee perceiued his authoritie ingaged to the pleasure and will of another by the edict of Iulie which of a king as hee was made him a participant and in estate like a scipher which of it selfe is nothing without it bee ioyned to other figures And to the contrarie caused the league to bee of more account then before so that the light hee gaue vnto it was the losse of his owne From that time his respect power and feare vanished he spake no more to the league but as equall to equall and receiued the lawe of those that ought to receiue it of him The league did not any thing without the King This peace made a great vnreparable breach in his honor by the which all the impunities of the league passed with great assurance and her bold enterprises which of theselues wold haue bin ouerthrown became more assured For assoone as the fauourites thereof perceiued themselues to bee feared that their first sailie had gotten credite in the hearts of good Townes put feare into the kings minde procured fauour with his Councell that the zeale of religion kindled the most colde mindes and that the thing which deserued punishment had obtained recompence They determined from thence to vndertake their first enterprise but knowing well that in a manner hauing pulled it forcibly out of the kings hands it hatched but a rotten egge who by that leuie of men at armes being much offended wold neuer cease vntill he were reuenged that so great a wound would neuer be so well healed It was impossible that the king should forget the leaguers enterprise but there wold be a scar specially because it was in a maner but three or foure daies since that by so many Edicts hee had declared them rebelles and manifest traitors they determined not to assure themselues but in and by their armes But armes are nothing without mony and mony cannot bee had but by leuying it vppon the common people to whom there rested nothing but their tongues and voyces to complaine to constraine them was the meanes to bring vppon the league the same furies imprecations wherewith the Husband man the Marchant and the Artisicer detested the enterprise and pretence of the first troubles and make their quarrelles most fearefull and odious for no other reason then onely because of the greefes oppressions which they receiued to send into Spaine the spring was not stopt but that liked them not so well so that there rested no other means then onely to serue their turnes with the kings commissions and to make him chiefe author of the warres the means of entertaining thereof Therefore presently they caused him to determine warres in all places of the Realme against the Huguenots hee was not onely aduised of the importance but of the facilitie thereof affirming it to bee but three daies workes and that the strongest places would parley for a peace assoone as hee sounded vppe the drumbe and the king