penne then all the enemies forces could beate downe intenne yeares space That the Gentlemen that would shewe their good wils should soone see and feele by good experience how much more expedient and commodious it will bee vnto them to go to a sermon within a Towne or Village neare vnto them then to receiue a church into their house besides this that such Gentlemen dying would not alwaies leaue heires of their opinions These reasons were so firme that besides the disliking of those that were not called to counsell the most part of those that had agreed vnto it could gladly haue wished it to beginne againe But the Prince to all that opposed the promises made vnto him that in short time hee should enioy the estate of the deceased king of Nauarre his brother and that then those of the religion should obtaine whatsoeuer they could desire Yet although many alleadged to the contrary that all his promises were but words and that when those of the religion should bee disarmed and retired vnto their houses their enemies would still deuise the meanes to vexe and trouble them and that they should bee disgraced and nought esteemed Yet would hee neuer apprehended it and what paines soeuer the Admirall tooke accompanying the Prince in diuers priuate conferences with the Queene the Edict continued in force as it hadde beene decreed and nothing else could bee obtained but onely that certaine Gentlemen procured this poynt that some of the best Townes in certaine Prouinces should bee nominated for the exercise of the religion in the Baliages but this was but an accord in paper that tooke small effect The Queene of England had assisted the Prince of Conde and his adherents with men and mony during those warres who for assurance of her mony disboursed and for the retrait of her men gaue her the possession of the towne of New-hauen wherein there laye an English Garrison The Prince by his Edict hauing not made any conclusion that the Englishmen should bee payde and peaceably sent home againe they stayed in New-hauen to keepe it till they had satisfaction on the other side The Councell of France by letters dated the sixt of Iuly proclaimed warre against the Englishmen and fifteene daies after New-hauen was besieged The Englishmen driuen out of New-hauen the Constable beeing Generall of the armie wherein they drew the Prince with diuers Lords Gentlemen Captaines and Souldiers of the religion some of their aduersaries vaunting after the siege to haue driuen out the Englishmen by those that brought them thither And that the Huguenots might bee well assured not to haue any more ayde out of England the Earle of VVarwicke laye in New-hauen with sixe thousand Englishmen hauing well prouided all things necessarie for the defence of a place of such importance But the fresh water beeing taken from the Englishmen the plague was very rife among them and the batterie most furious vppon the eight and twentieth of Iuly they grew to a parley and the next day yeelded the place wherein aboue three thousande of them were deade of the plague Eight monethes after this reudition a peace was concluded and proclaimed betweene France and England The king of the age of 13 yeares and a month declared of lawfull yeares The Prince of Conde in the conclusion of peace was made beleeue that he should haue the place of Lieftenant generall by the decease of the king of his brother the king of Nauarre but after the deliuery of New-hauen the Queen hauing no more need of him to take all hope from him on that side and to breed new conceits in the heads of those of the religion published a declaration to shew the maioritie of the king as then entered into the 14. yeare of his age And to make shewe the better vnto this declaration whervnto was added a most seuere Edict against bearing of armes his subiects leagues and the pensions of forraine Princes shee caused her sonne in great solemnitie to sit in the Parliament of Roane where to shewe her child to bee sufficient and capable to adminster the affaires of the Realme she caused him to bee taught and learned by hart to vtter a lesson artificially deuised thereby to bridle the Prince assistance thereat which by many was termed his degrading The substance thereof was that his comming into the Parliament was to giue his officers to vnderstand that hauing attained to the yeares of maioritie he would no longer indure that any such disobedience should bee vsed against him as had beene shewed since the beginning of the troubles commaunded that his Edict of pacification should bee obserued threatned the breakers thereof and such as made associations and leagues which was done vppon the sixteenth and seuenteenth of August Within short time after the Parliament of Parris sent a declaration vnto the king touching that Edict of maioritie which confirmed that of pacification But the Queene caused him to speake with authoritie as hee had done before The Queens proceedings against the Court of Parliament in Parris declaring his mother superintendant of his affaires and said vnto the Deputies of the Parliament that his meaning was that they should deale with nothing else but onely to administer good and speedie iustice vnto his subiects giuing them to vnderstand that hee would haue them to knowe that they were not appoynted by him in their offices to bee his tutors nor protectors of his Realme neither yet conseruers of his towne of Parris For you are said he according to his instructions giuen made beleeue that you are such but I mean not to suffer you any more to continue in that error but commaund you that as in the times of the kings my predecessors you neuer vsed to deale with any thing but with iustice that from henceforth you deale with nothing else And when I shall commaund you any thing if you finde any difficultie therein I will bee well content to heare your aduise as you haue vsed to do vnto the kings mine auncestors and not as my Gouernours and hauing giuen your aduises hauing heard my minde to be obedient therevnto without reply In dooing so you shall finde mee as good and milde a King as euer you had but dooing as you haue done since the time you were giuen to vnderstand that you are my tutors I will make you knowe that you are none such but my seruants and subiects willing and charging you to obey my commaundements The Bishop of Valence checqueth the Parliament of Parris Here you may see howe they draue the dogges before the Lyon and the subtill practises of the Queen to establish her Regencie vnder the warrant of her sonne wholely debarring the Prince of Conde from all his hopes and to change the Parliament of Parris somwhat more vnto her will she caused the the Bishop of Valence in a large discourse to confute that which the President de Thou had propounded touching the Kings Court and that his mawrite ought
One that published a discourse of his last speechs saith that not long before hee died hee desired his mother to pursue his enemies to the vttermost and that with great vehemencie he reiterated his speeches saying Madame I pray you heartily do it And in those combats of minde hee died at Blois Saint Vincennes vpon the 30. of May 1574. in the presence of his mother set vpon a chest accompanied with the Cardinals of Bourbon Ferrare the Chancellor Birague Lansac other Lords that beheld the end of the tragical life of this Prince that was born the 27. of Iune 1550. began to raigne the 5. of Decemb. 1560 and had a raigne which all posteritie will admire and abhorre So this Prince liued not till hee attained to the full age of foure and twentie yeares of nature beeing very actiue vnconstant in his cogitations rash in his enterprises impatient to attend diligent to looke into other mens natures prompt of conceit of good memorie extreame colloricke secret a great dissembler and one that easily framed his countenance Description of Charles the ninth which his Tutors many times put him in minde of for in the beginning hee was courteous and easie to bee ruled They likewise made him become one of the greatest blasphemers in France wherein he became so expert that that euill quallitie in him conuerted to bee his ordinarie speech Martigues Losses and others taught him that corruption by his mothers consent specially after the first troubles They contented not themselues with those corruptions but inticed him likewise to Courtizans to whom of himself he was not much adicted and to conclude to make him the capitall enemie of the religion both shee and they which ought to haue had more care of conseruing the honour of this Prince left nothing omitted wherby to push him forward to all vice to cause him to wallow in the filthinesse that couered him on all sides hee vttered his words in good termes with a readie and pleasant speech loued Musicke and Poetrie wee haue seene reasonable good verses of his composing But his principall exercise was in hunting the pleasure whereof made him forget all other pleasures and in the end hee gaue himselfe so much vnto it that the blood of wilde beasts which to shed hee tooke a singular pleasure hauing ript vp their bellies pulling out their intrailes with his owne hands made him in a manner to become furious so that many times at his returne from hunting hee entered into such furie that none of his seruants durst once appeare in his sight vnlesse would receiue some blows In his Anagranome which was deuised by certaine persons after the massacre was found out these two words Chasseur Desloyal wherein are as many letters and the same that are in Charles de Valois Hee had composed a booke of all the parts of bunting which till this time neuer was extant hee was sober drinking no wine slept little his visage long pale and swart a long nose sharpe and quicke sight specially after the second troubles of bodie well proportioned but beginning to stoupe Hee tooke pleasure to taunt great men not sparing either mother or bretheren specially the Duke of Aniou whom hee railed at and diuers times vsed him most vnwoorthily but aboue all hee had a great quarrell to the Parliament of Parris to the officers whereof in one of his Orations made touching the complaints of the neglecting of his commaundements hee said I will that from hencefoorth you shall obey my commaundement without any more disputation touching their merites for I know what is to bee done for the honour and profite of my realme better then you do And I will that from hencefoorth you shall not loose any time to write or frame your declaration vnto mee neither yet to moderate correct nor interpret my commaundements For my meaning is that all whatsoeuer I say and do shal presently bee executed Three daies before hee died his mother hauing shewed him of the taking of the Countie de Montgommery hee made her no aunswere and when shee told him that hee ought to reioyce at the taking of him that had killed his father I care neither for that said hee nor for any thing else in this world Hee likewise reioyced that hee left no small children behinde him because said he that leauing them in their minorities they should haue ouer much to suffer adding that France as then had neede of a man Now wee must speake of his successour and see what maner of man hee was Heere endeth the Historie of the last troubles that happened in the raigne of Charles the ninth A BRIEFE DISCOVRSE OF THE GREAT AND WONDERFVL EFFECTS THAT HAVE ENSVED THE KINGS CONVERSION Collected out of a certaine Oration made touching the reduction of the Cittie of Lyons vnder the kings obedience and sent to Monsieur de Reuol Councellour and Secretarie to the King THere was neuer any straunge or new accident how acceptable and pleasing soeuer it might bee that in all places or with all men was esteemed and holden in admiration for that euery man therein will giue censure according to his owne affection I speake this in respect of the mournfull silence which the reduction of the Cittie of Lyons hath inserted into the mindes of many men and the ioye it hath infused into the hearts and very entrailes of others for that therein I neuer spake with any man that would once conceiue the true cause and reason thereof which forceth mee at this present to enter into this discourse wherein so fit occasion beeing offered if it please you to giue me audience and permit me licence to speake I will in briefe most plainly shew that it is onely the miraculous and mightie worke of Gods hand which hath wrought the same although per aduenture this kinde of argument pleaseth not such men as are onely pleased with our displeasures and in a manner faint and are ouercome with the meere ayre and sweete sauour of the flower de luce It is long since agreed and consented vnto that Henry de Bourbon chiefe Prince of the blood royall and principall Peere of France by true discent by order of succession by right of blood and by custome and law of the Realme is called to the Crowne and gouernment of France which first quallitie is in him so true and perfect that none or fewe of his famous predecessors euer had more euident titles therevnto He is a Frenchman from his Grandfathers in both families and not onely a meere Frenchman but on his fathers side of the first branch of the blood royall the like on his mothers side by his father not onely descended from Saint Lewis or Hugh Capet but from Charles and Dagobert of whom the Capets descended contrarie to the wilfull ignorance of such as would prooue his familie to bee meere straungers and by his mother from the Alberts kings of Nauarre who successiuely were of the house of France and
league And perceiuing himselfe to bee Maister of Douzy and Rocroy and by that meanes of the passage of the riuer of Meuze hee caused his troupes to enter vppon the lands of the soueraigntie of Sedan vexing the poore countrimen that dwelt in the villages with al kinds of warlike cruelties Mean time that famine plagued them within the towns the D. de Bouillon to diuert him from thence sent the Lord de Schelandre Gouernor of Iamets to make an attempt against Verdun which is the first towne lying in the frontiers of Champaigne and most tumulteously entered into the coniulation of the leaguers pretences The Duke of Guise followed him with the most part of his forces which his departure gaue time and leisure to the Duke de Bouillon to victuall Sedan and the Queene-mother in the meane time disposed the two Dukes to make a truce first for fifteene daies in the which time the Duke of Guise practised certaine souldiers more for gaine then for conscience to surprise the Castle of Iamets but the enterprise failed and the instruments therof were punished and from that time they began againe to renue their courses and spoylings more then they did before The Queene layde an other plaister vppon this sore by a second truce of a month which the Duke de Bouillon imployed in Alsace with foure hundreth horse and eight hundreth Harquebusiers therby to aduance the armie of Germains that were to meete in the plaines of Strausbourg there to bee mustred And the Duke of Guise had leisure to go vnto the King to receiue his instructions and commaundements vppon so great and vrgent an occasion Hee found him at Meaux where hee shewed him that since the Edict of Iuly and the resolution taken by his Maiestie to make warre against the Huguenots it had been so coldly begunne and pursued with so many wants that it was not to bee found straunge if the issue had been as vnfortunate as the cause iust and woorthie to bee done by a king of France that contrary to the edict they had let their hereticques continue in their houses enioye as in a publike peace their lands and goods that ought to be imployed for their destruction and to the taking away of the means that continued their crimes towards god and their rebellion against the estate That in stead of selling and confiscating thereof Borne in France and spaniolized in Rome the reuenues of the Cardinall of Pelleue were ceased vppon because in open consistorie hee had most vertuously sustained the iust occasion of the leuying of armes by the Catholicke Princes against Hereticques That in those warres the Cleargie had indured most and receiued least profit or aduantage hauing continued more for the aduancement of Mignons then for the ruine of Hereticques and that so great summes of money cut off from the possessions of the Cleargie from the nourishing of the poore from the reliefe of Pilgrims from the ransome of captiues and other necessities of the Church had serued to no other end then onely for the entertaining of the enemies of the Cleargie Hee complained of the contradictions of the edict and among other things in that the kings Councell the Court of Parliament in Parris the Iustices nor the Prouost in Parris had not sworne to the edict Of the hard measure shewed to the Townes that had desired the exterpation of heresies and the reuocation of the last edict of peace Of the ouerthrowing of the citadel of Mascon of surprising the of Valēce of the disgrace of the Sieurs de Brissac Crusilles Gessan and Antragues and of the countermaunding of the assignations giuen vnto him for the restoring of the charges by him made in that last raising of souldiers The king to the contrary had well considered how the insolent passion of the league could not finde a firmer footing within all the articles contained in the treatie of Nemours and that it aspired to some greater matter Hee knew well it had demaunded Townes for assurance against the Huguenots in the Prouinces where they had no cause to feare them neither in soule nor bodie That the surprise made by the D. d'Aumalle of the towns of Dourlan Pontdormy and the intelligence discouered at Bollogne were som of the operations of the medicine which they had takē to auoyde this monarchie of vigor strength That for to fortifie themselues with numbers of Townes and participants it had caused a Citadell to bee erected at Vitry le Francois therein to place an Italian in whose countrie a Frenchman cannot so much as obtaine the base office of a Sergeant That the Duke of Guise would not receiue the gouernment of Raucroy vntill his Maiestie had promised him they should hold it in his owne name That it had prodigally spent the 100000. crownes raised for the building of the Citadell in Verdun not desiring other fortresse thererein but the hearts of the people abused with pretences and goodly apparances of the intents of this conspiracie The contrarieties of the edict being well wayed and debated on both partes the Duke of Guise turned his pursuites vppon the meanes to assayle the Huguenots in the same places where they had receiued the foyle in Poitou Dauphine and in the countries of the Duke de Bouillon desired the king to cast his eyes vppon decaying religion if the armie of straungers should beare the triumph into Allemaigne both of France and of the Catholicke Church and to imbrace the conseruation thereof without esteeming any thing to bee difficult or daungerous for so memorable a victorie calling to minde that he was a king of a people that neuer feared any thing but the falling of heauen and assured thēselues to ouercome all whatsoeuer that durst assayle or set vpon them heere on earth The King whose intent was onely to liue and raigne could not consent to warre The Kings oath the 10. of Ianuary 1587. notwithstanding the oath hee made when hee instituted the order of the holy Ghost nor the last resolution sent to the king of Nauarre by Monsieur de Rambouillet that hee would not permit or suffer other religion in his Realme then the auncient Catholieque faith and abolish that which they called reformed yet he desired most earnestly to haue had a good peace therby to diuert the miseries which the armie of strangers would bring with it but when hee perceiued himselfe not strong ynough The kings resolution to make the King of Nanarre and the Duke of Guise to consent by reason of their differences and that hee could not sustaine the one without oppressing the other that hee had not the courage to bee indifferent between both without leaning to the one or to the other and to bee short that hee durst not vse the authoritie of a King hee was constrained to suffer all the heads of the league to counterfeit with him If hee consented to the libertie of reformed religion and restored them the Edict of peace hee thought hee heard
vpon such as were rather Knights then Noblemen The Queene-mother shewed her selfe therein to bee a woman when shee called all sorts of people to that degree without discretion making one collor for euery mans head receiuing into that order of the greatest Monarches in the world such as meane Princes would not haue bestowed better places in their houses then to make them Groomes of their stables what order soeuer they weare about their neckes The first article of the institution cōtaineth that the number of knights shal be of sixe and thirtie Gentlemen both of name armes without reproach whereof the King shall bee one that should be called bretheren and companions of the Order In the 48. article it is ordained that at the disease of any of the bretheren of the said Order there shall be an election made of another knight of the same conditions as aforesaid and that by the greatest numbers of the voyces of the Soueraigne and bretheren of the Order and that the Soueraignes voyce should bee counted for two When Princes are too much addicted to such as they fauor that they thrust their meanes ouer liberally into their owne pleasures those that perceiue themselues eleuated into such authorities not to descend but therein to maintaine themselues do willingly conspire against the Prince himself raising the subiects seeking to get al that Ambition Iealousie two plagues among great men wherof alreadie they haue obtained great part thinking they can haue no better nor sufficienter lodging then the place of those by whō they were preferred The aduancemēt of the Maiors of the Pallace caused great mutations in the estate of France about the end of the first geneologie of our Kings Seian perceiuing himselfe so strong enterprised against Tiberius Perennius against Commodus Eutropus against Theodosius Belissairius against Iustinien and Artaban against Xerxes desire to commaund is an ouer daintie morsell which to taste wee tread vnderfoote and suppresse both respect dutie honour and conscience such disorders arme mens hearts to resolution their weapons to mutinies and their armes with Iron Lastly when a king without reason putteth great Princes and Noblemen of his Realm to death bannisheth the honest and wise men of his Councel nourisheth partiallities and diuisions fauoreth warres to impouerish his people loueth none but strangers and distrusteth his subiects suffereth the peruersion of his lawes the corruption of iustice the inuention of new subsidies against the ancient form equallitie without doubt he giueth the first shaking ouerthrow to his estate prouoketh his subiects to conspire rise and mutin but whatsoeuer may bee said the principall motiue to sedition is iniustice which is a great crime Whē kings or their Lieftenants conuert their Soueraignes authorities into iniuries insolences iniustices and reward the good wils of their subiects with outrage violences The Switzers rose vp slew Grisler Landberg their Gouernours The sure guard of Princes in the house of Austria for their violent behauiour wherin they were esteemed the first scourges of Tyrants When the K. despiseth great personages to fauor men of base condition or when he oppresseth altogither ouerthroweth the meaner sort to eleuate the greater it is a fault both in the one the other the remedie is equallitie the mother of peace nurse of cōcord not that which maketh a platonical cōmunion of al things but that which iustly considereth ballanceth the merits qualities of euery man The K. should cause himself to be beloued of al without despising or hatred of any man if it be possible Such as perceiue kings to be like figtrees that grow vpō the top of an vnaccessable hill and that the fruits thereof serue onely for food vnto crowes kites and other foules of the ayre and that they are put from publike charges by such as are not capable thereof doo willingly rise and such as haue great authorities to commaund despise the meaner sort in such manner that the despight of the first and the insolencie of the last stirreth vp seditions But tell me if it pleaseth you my Maisters of Parris vppon which of these causes do you begin your rebellion or whether it bee of pride that you raised your reuolt Tarquin Neron Demetrius Ptolomee Lucullus Muleasses Phocas Heliogabal Vitellius Gallus Gallien Roboan Cofroas Iul. Apostat Chilperic Thomas Lewis 11. Poptelking of Polonia Maximin Caracalla Perseus Lewis de Bauiere Pertinax Isaac Frotho Ferdinand King of Naples Berot a Span yard Maior of the Pallace Iean Constance Ladislaus Lewis Plaints of the Parrisians Disorder in iustice and promises Hath the king rauished your wiues like Tarquinus hath he burnt your houses like Nero haue you seene in his apparrell the supersluities of Demetrius king of Macedonia in his recreations the pleasures of Ptolomee at his table the disorders of Lucullus in his pastimes the luxuriousnesse of Muleasses king of Tunnes haue you marked in him the miserablenesse of Maurice and Phocas the confusion and monstrous prodigallitie of Heliogabalus and Vitellius or the toyes of your Emperors Gallus and Gallien Hath hee ransomed his subiects like Roboam despised the seruice of God like Cofroas renounced Christianitie like Iulien the Apostate pilled Churches like Chilperic abolished holy ceremonies of diuince seruice like Thomas Emperour of Constantinople Hath hee driuen away and displaced his fathers seruants like Lewis the eleuenth hath hee tormented his subiects and the Suffregans like Popiel that was eaten with rats Hath he put any of his subiects to death without iusticie like Maximin hath hee falsified his faith like Bassianus Caracala hath hee broken the treaties of peace like Perseus Hath hee despised learning like Lewis de Bauiere or men of warre like Pertinax Hath hee raised Subsidies and impositions vpon the fruites of gardens like Isaac Emperour of Constantinople vpon beasts and members of men like Frotho King of Denmarke or vppon vrines like Ferdinand King of Naples Hath hee giuen great offices vnto straungers like Ochozias King of Iuda who to please Athalie his mother being a Samaritane filled his Court with Samaritans or like Lewis le Debonnaire that made a Spaniard Maior of his Pallace And among so many examples of a iust distrust to mooue your commotions hath hee built a Tower for his dwelling place inuironed with profound ditches full of water not to enter therein but by a Draw-bridge like Denis the Tyrant of Sicile Hath hee done nothing woorthie memorie no more then the two last kings of Constantinople and Hungarie And if hee hath done nothing proportionable to so strange defections tell mee you Parrissians wherein hath hee so much displeased and mooued you I vnderstand you well he hath made intollerable leuies of monies and straunge subsidies hee hath placed men of ignorance and anarice in the seat of Iustice hee hath oppressed his subiects by a thousand means to inrich his mignions hee hath subuerted the order of his treasures and inuented the practise of
hee vsed to impeach the reducing of Ausonne do sufficiently discouer their pretences And when it pleaseth your Maiestie to haue further declaration hereof with the generall consent of all your subiects wee will bring diuers sufficient proofes which at this present would bee ouer long to set downe and which for diuers good causes wee will now omit This common opinion of the intelligence that the said Duke de Espernon and Mousieur de la Valette haue with the Hugunots and the high estate whervnto it hath pleased your Maiestie to aduance them maketh your good subiects to feare specially the Catholicques that if your fauor should once bee withdrawne from them as it is impossible that their insolent behauiors can long time be indured by so great and wise a King not finding any entertainment among the Catholicques they will take part with Hereticques and thereby deliuer all the Prouences and strong places that are in their possessions into their hands whith whom alreadie they haue so great intelligence in such manner that France that may shortly be deliuered of heresie should become more subiect to their tyrannicall dominion then euer it was The Dukes answere Vpon the taking of Dauphine The Duke de Espernon replyeth by his Councell and saith that hee tooke Valence and other places in Dauphine and put out those of the league that had no authoritie therein to place his Maiesties souldiers if that deserue not an excuse I referre it to the iudgement of all honest men I would to God he had also taken Chaalons Dyon Montreuil and all that acknowledgeth not your Maiestie within the heart of the Realme and yet hee hath not done it without cause and lawfull excuse which hath beene often debated before your Maiestie and your Councell The fauour which he bare to hereticques As touching the other poynts of their accusation touching the fauour which the League saith the Duke d'Espernon beareth vnto Hereticques your Maiestie knoweth and can disprooue their vntrueths if they bee so in this that as touching the ouerthrow of the Rutiters there was not any man that trauelled so much therein as the saide Duke d'Espernon who onely by your Maiesties good pleasure and authoritie hauing effected the disvnion of the Switzers The King of Nauarres complaint against the Duke de Espernon caused their confusion and by that meanes gaue the Duke of Guise occasion to set vppon them at Auneau for the which hee is so much commended to the disgracing of your Maiestie and the honour of that victorie that is due vnto you By this your Maiestie may iudge the truth of all their accusations that knoweth the particularities of the voiage to Guyenne what was done by the Duke d'Espernon and what followed all contrary to their declarations Whereby I dare say the King of N. was so much displeased at the said D. of Espernon that there is not any man in France with whom he is more offended The League addeth that the D. of Espernon his brother are the authors of the disorders in all the good gouernments and pollicie of France that they haue gotten into their Coffers all the treasures of the Realme that they haue aspired to the principall offices of the Crowne separated from it diuers of those that would serue it both well and wisely and besought the King seeing he knew them to be the cause and original of the mischiefe that it would please him to bannish them both of his Court and fauour and discharge them of all the gouernments and offices that they hold within this Realme without any desert The Duke d'Espernon saith that all whatsoeuer they say are but chimeres and inuentions maliciously deuised for the iustification whereof The Dukes offer to testifie the truth of his innocencis hee will gage his head to bee layde at the kings seere if it bee found that hee once so much as dreamed thereof And to the contrary hee reputeth all the causes of miseries vppon the heads of the house of Guise Who hath brought disorder saith hee in the treasures whereof you make so great a matter but your predecessors you that follow their steps Who constrained the king to exact vppon his people but onely the warres which the vnmeasurable ambition hath renued put them vpon the Kings charges let the chamber of accounts be examined there it shall be seen who without contradiction hath handled and gouerned the treasures of the late kings Henry and Francis the second let the most auncient Histories be pervsed to see what house in France hath risen from a most meane beginning to a high and great estate I will name no man euery man knoweth sufficiently what house it is that would thrust his head into the cloudes Gifts of the king without importunitie and with his foote spurne off the kings Crowne wee most humbly call his Maiestie to witnesse as our king the author of our beeing our Protector and our good Maister if wee euer were importunate with him for any benefit we haue receiued at his Graces hands and whether all whatsoeuer wee haue both riches and honour haue not proceeded from him of his free and voluntarie libertie Wee praise God that wee cannot bee accused to bee Pensionaries to the king of Spaine or to haue receiued mony from him to make war against our king and impeached him from taking into his protection the gouernment of the lowe Countries nor by force to haue taken the monies of his generall receipts robbed the waggon of Bourges and in time of open peace constrained the mony of Normandie to bee conducted by a hundreth men of armes euen to the Gates of Parris It shall not bee long of vs that this reformation should not bee performed in France wee will absent our selues from the Court and from the presence of the king Now my Maisters the reformers let vs see some goodly beginning of your policie Is your ambition deuises practises or inuentions The Duke d'Espernon is forbidden the Court. to attain to the highest dignitie therby any thing ceased Haue you left Paris restored it into the hands of her naturall king and Princes No but to the contrary you haue made Melun and Corbeil to reuolt in the very sight of his Maiestie and all the best townes in this Realme which by false perswasions you haue ledde out of the right way And to conclude wee will refuse no condition that may restore and establish this Realme to peace and tranquillitie and as wee do most willingly craue your Maiesties presence in a time wherein wee ought not to doo it thereby to giue no cause of dissiking to our enemies so will wee bee alwaies readie to yeelde vnto your Maiesties hands both liues and goods The Kings answere to the request of the league with all estates charges gouernments places and Castles that it hath pleased you to commit vnto vs vppon condition that our accusers will doo the like And if
of all the Catholicques of the Realme This was an invectiue against the King couered vnder colour of religion and a summoning of all those which profest the Romaine religion to withdraw themselues from the obedience of their lawfull and soueraigne Prince and a conuocating of his partakers into the Cittie of Paris on the seuenteenth day of Ianuarie next insuing that they might determine togither without passion saide hee and without respect of any mans interest such remedie as they should in their consciences thinke requisite for the preseruation of the religion and the royall estate But while the Cardinall of Bourbon named by the League Charles the tenth was prisoner they vsed other speeches but after his death they not daring to deny but that the Crown appertained to king Henry the fourth vsed the colour of religion to blinde the simple And soone after by this meanes there arose other changes notwithstanding the king of Spaine gaue not ouer the prosecuting of his enterprises in France As for the warre of Sauoy and Piedemont wee will speake briefly about the ende of the yeare following Against this declaration made by the Duke de Maine The kings answere to the Duke de Maines declaration the king published an other wherein he discouered the deceits of his rebellious subiects namely of the chiefest sort also the fâ—lonie committed by the Duke de Maine in assembling the estates of his kingdome wherin he manifestly vsurped his royal authoritie confuting his excuses and vaine coulour to the same maintaining his right in claiming the Crowne And for the state of religion hee declared that if without the conuocating of a Councell there might bee found far better and easier meanes to come vnto that instruction or admonition which they pretended to giue him to withdraw him from the exercise of his religion to that of the Romaines hee was so farre from reiecting such a meanes that to the contrarie hee did desire and imbrace it with all his heart As wee suppose said hee that wee haue sufficiently witnessed by the permission which wee haue graunted to the Princes Officers of the Crowne and other Catholicque Lords which do follow vs to send their Deputies to the Pope for the more easie and speedie performance of the said instruction or admonition Beside the K. doth accuse the leaguers that they had hindered the said instruction or admonition Hee doth largely discourse of the dutie of true Frenchmen promiseth to receiue the said instruction and for answere to the chiefe poynt of his aduersaries declaration he doth on the other side declare that this pretended assemblie of Parris is enterprised against the lawes the good and publicke quiet of the Realme and that all which shall bee therein concluded is meere abuse and of no effect or force Hee likewise pronounceth the Duke de Maine and all that should therein assist him guiltie of treason in the highest degree Hee doth furthermore offer pardon to the Citties Communalties and persons which haue beene seduced by the Captaines of the League And hee doth exhort them to acknowledge their dutie A declaratimade by the kings Councel to the estates of the League The Princes and Catholicque Lords who were of the Kings Councell published the same time a declaration and sent it about the end of Ianuarie to the estates of the League By the same they required that Deputies might be assigned on both sides to determine togither of the most readiest means for the asswaging of the troubles and the preseruation of the Romaine Catholicque religion and the state The Duke de Maine and his adherents answered that they were readie to send their Deputies so that they on the Kings side would with a good conscience ioyne themselues to the Catholicke Romaine Church vnder which cloke of reconciliation they did carefully hide their furious actions and former rebellion The Popes Legat made on his part an exhortation to the Catholiques fraught with reproach against the King who was on euery side defamed and euill spoken off by his enemies All his discourse beeing imprinted tended all to this poynt to perswade all Frenchmen that the king beeing of long time cut off from the bodie of the Church had bin most iustly pronounced vncapable of the Crown Soone after they did disanull those acts of Parliament that were made at Tours and at Chaalons against the monitaries of Landriano and the assembly at Chartres which they called a conuenticle they sung their Maisters praises damned the Parliament of Chaalons which had condemned their bulles magnified the estates of the League which wholy reiected so obstinate an hereticque with full purpose neuer to bee subiect vnto him declaring that in deed the Pope had so commaunded it to be In this assembly of Parris appeared the Duke of Feria for the King of Spaine who also made an Oration exhortarie to elect a new King then presented he his Maisters letters tending to the same effect with promise to aide and succour the Leaguers by all meanes possible For this had hee great thankes giuen him in the name of all the rest by Cardinall Pelué Archbishop of Reimes who was a slaue to the house of Guise While the Spaniards and their Pentioners indeuoured with all their power to continue France in her miseries hoping by meanes of these estates of the League more and more to intangle the affaires of the Realme yea to throwe them headlong into such confusion that in the mean space they might haue leisure to set forward their purposes against the Lowe Countries England and France it selfe the king was solicited from diuers places by Councellors both neare about him and farre off openly to forsake the profession of the reformed religion and to imbrace from that time forward the Romaine ceremonies The summe of their solicitations was that to expulse the Spaniards to recouer Parris and the other of the leaguers townes he must be inforcst to take away from the chiefe of that side the onely colour of Papisme by meanes whereof they would continue their rebellions And while the king openly imbraced his accustomed religion those of the contrarie side an hundreth times in greater number might follow the house of Guise and other chiefe Leaguers who by meanes of the Spaniardes and the Pope might well finde means to maintaine and augment the discentions through all the corners and in the middest of his kingdome the which was well woorth a Masse and that it were not good to let it bee lost for a few ceremonies nor to bee subiect to so many censures and to bee couerted by euery bace person that would controll the kings pleasures and hinder his recreations after so many troubles And for as much that such a voyce was spredde abroad by the notable aduertisements of other Councellours Ciuill and Ecclesiasticall it seemed to them that the king would incline therevnto and the Deputies of the Princes and Lords of his Councell communicating with those of the League to preuent the election
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
returning from Orleans were drowned with three Marchants of Dauphine Besides that diuers were put to death the hangmaÌ„ or executioner by Montare called Gossop seruing the peoples humour and executing either without lawe or processe such as they deliuered vnto him to be put to death The leuen and twentieth of May 1562. the Counte de Montgommery accompanied with fixe score horses entered into Bourges wherein many secret conspiracies were vsed and executed against those of the religion and kept it for the Prince bringing from thence great summes of mony for the payment of the Souldiers vnder the Princes conduct taking the great Tower likewise into his custodie In the month of Iune after Monsieur de Iuoy was sent thither by the Prince with two thousand foote to prouide for all things necessarie against the Towne shuld be besieged as the enemie determined to do it Three Corners of Argolitiers came thither likewise who beeing arriued therein they vsed to make certaine sallies by which meanes the Towne of Meun sur Loire was taken to the great periudice of the Priestes the Monkes and Images As likewise they forced the Castles of Saint Florent and Coudrai the Gentleman of the place dying with feare Iuoy hauing made an enterprise vpoÌ„ Issoudun preuailed not wherevppon his troupes beganne to mutin against him which being appeased the fifteenth of August the armie of Triumuirat approaching to Bourges Iuoy and the Sheriffes were summoned to yeeld the Towne vnto the King The Sheriffes referring the matter vnto Iuoy hee made refusall wherevppon ensued diuers issues and skirmishes coÌ„monly to the great disaduantage of the enemies and there was an open combatte fought betweene Captaine S. Martin the Huguenot and the Monke Lichelieu Maister of the Triumuirats campe Bourges in Berry the Monke was thrust into the bodie with a sword and lost his coate armour which Saint Martin bare away The twentieth day of the Month a strong batterie was made and in one day they shot at the least a thousand cannon shot but because it preuailed not much the Duke de Nemours was imployed to perswade the besieged and beeing at the wall to speake with them making many goodly promises which hee assured vppon his faith one of the Souldiers within the Towne said openly vnto him that the faith hee then offered was the same which he had holden to the Barron of Chastelnau had it not been for certaine Gentlemen he had as then been slaine That which constrained the Triumuirat to parley with the Towne was because the Admirall issuing out of Orleans about Chasteaudun had surprised burnt the powder munition that was sent theÌ„ from Parris and for that cause vsed such means with Iuoy by the Counte Rhingraue and the Queen-mother that vpon the last of August and the next day he graunted to their request and yeelded vp the Towne to the great disliking of his souldiers whereof part with the Captaines la Porte S. Martin that hurt Richelieu S. Remi and Brion Maister of the campe went to the Duke of Guise and from thence to the siege of Roane where they were slaine the rest had part of the bootie The rest of the Souldiers and Captaines got to Orleans with many difficulties and losse of 30. or 40. men Iuoy had great displeasure at the Princes bands both for his faintnesse and the loosing of the place beeing of so great importance Wherevppon hee withdrewe himselfe vnto his house much greeued for his misfortune specially because hee had left great store of Houshold-stuffe and other necessaries within Bourges and among the rest a Chalice set with diuers rich and precious stones which hee was constrained to giue vnto the Queene-mother who with great deuotion receiued it of him and kept it as a most rich Iewell as likewise many other precious lewelles of the holy Chappel which were kept from the hands of little theeues to bee the better and safelier kept by her Monterud Lieftenant to the Prince de la Rochesuryon in Berry hauing armed himselfe with letters from the Triumuirat contrary to the capitulation made with Iuoy draue those of the religion out of the Towne their houses beeing ransacked and at their issuing some of them were robbed some beaten and some slaine within the Gates An edict beeing made that forbidding those of the religion that stayed in the Towne not to speake or assemble togither aboue two in a company and so Bourges remained in that sort vntill the edict of pacification The third of Aprill 5562. those of the religion in Mans ceased peaceably vppon the Towne Le Mans. Charles d'Agennes Bishoppe of the place retiring vnto a Castle where hauing fortified himselfe he coÌ„mitted many murthers spoyles vppon the people Their affaires within the Towne holding in a meane vntill the moneth of May that for want of a man of authoritie and well affected to the religion and to the estate of the common and particular commoditie of the people the souldiers beganne to fall to extremities and in fleed of assayling their enemies in the field they busied themselues in the Towne to breake downe Images and Priests Altars to the great disliking of the Ministers and other peaceable persons shewing them that it was against the edict of Ianuary the treatie of association holden in Orleans the declaration which those of Mans not long before had made sent vnto the king by Monsieur de Mortier From the â—hurches in the Towne they ranne vnto the Villages bordering about it and adding euill to euill committed certaine spoyles which caused the Pesants to fall vppon them and to slaye some of them as they retired laden with their praye Those that remained within the Towne were diuided some commaunding in the Castle others within the Towne Those of the religion beeing abashed at the insolences of the Captaines and souldiers newes was brought that the Triumuirats armie was as then at Blois and that the Duke de Montpensieur made preparation to assayle them They likewise had intelligence that of three Captaines that commanded within the Cittie two of them had secret conference with the enemie which considered as also that the Towne was weake and slenderly furnished of men the twelfe of Iuly it was confusedly and in great haste forsaken about eight of the clocke at night at which their issuing were found to the number of eight hundreth men all armed that by Captaine la Mothe Tibergeau with great difficulties were conducted vnto Alancon The other two Captains presently yeelded vnto the enemie those that saued themselues at Alancon tooke diuers parties some not accustomed to beare armes stayed there others went to finde the Counte de Montgommery or the Duke de Bouillon For the Ladies and Gentlewomen some withdrew themselues to Deep or to New-hauen or else into England The next day after the Towne so forsaken such of the Romish religion as had absented themselues from thence entered againe and then beganne a terrible trouble verie fewe of the
Prince of Conde being prisoner demaunded nought but libertie and his minde being peaceable and courteous to such as knewe how to vse him would not much stand as the Queene thought vppon certaine articles Wherefore fearing least the Admirall as then busied in Normandie beeing at Orleans should seeke the ratifying of the edict of Ianuary that might breake the accord and renue the warre whereby would ensue her disgrace shee vsed all the meanes she could to preuent him in such sort that vppon the seuenth of March there was a conference holden between the Queene the Prince and the Constable as yet prisoners referring their further deliberation to the next day because the Constable hadde said openly Subtiltie of the Constable that hee could not consent to the re-establishing of the Edict of Ianuary wherein hee vsed a fine shift for that if hee should haue auouched it hee hadde prooued both himselfe and all his partners guiltie of treason in hauing violated and broken the Kings Edict The Prince euill counselled permitted certaine articles to be drawn where in trueth hee should haue holden onely vnto the saide Edict but nothing beeing resolued at that time hee obtained libertie to enter into Orleans there to conferre with his Councell where hee asked the aduise of the Ministers as then assembled therein from diuers places beeing to the number of seuentie twoo persons What was done by the Ministers for preseruation of religion who by their Deputies vsed all the meanes they could to perswade him to stand to the Edict of Ianuary not derogating any thing thereof shewing the daungers that might thereof ensue that done they presented him with certaine articles requiring that hee would demaund the obseruation of the Edict without any restrictions that iustice should bee done for the massacre at Vassy Sens and other places wherein there was not found the least poynt of hostilitie to bee committed by those of the religion as also of diuers others most manifest ruptures of the said Edict besides the exploits of warre The rest of the articles concerned the conseruation of the discipline of the Churches and the reestablishing thereof which notwithstanding the Prince was so much perswaded by the Queenes and others promises after that to make an other and a better agreement shewing him that the restrictions and moderations which as then were set downe were done at that time only to content appease those of the Romish religion by reasonable means to obtain a greater libertie withal that there were many that sought for peace what price soeuer it cost that hee consented vnto the exceptions contained in the new contract causing them to bee redde before the Nobilitie willing no man to giue his aduise therein but onely Gentlemen bearing armes as hee saide it openly before the assembly The improuidence of the Prince that beleeued the promises of his enemies in such manner that the Ministers from that time forward were neuer called to deale therein by which meanes the Edict of pacification was concluded vppon the twelfth of March drawing the exercise of the religion from the subburbes of all the Townes in the Realme and referring it to the houses and Castles of Gentlemen and in some small number of Baliages not comprehending the Townes which as then held for the religion wherein the exercise was left free and all whatsoeuer the Prince and his adherents had done in those warres acknowledged and auouched to bee for the seruice of the King The Admirals wisdom but to no effect Two daies after the Admirall wrote letters from Caen vnto the Queen touching the accusation made against him concerning the death of the duke of Guise committed by Poltrot He besought her to command that the prisoner might bee safely kept that the trueth of the action might bee knowne Meane time hee sent her a breefe aunswere touching the intergatories of Poltrot shewing by many and great reasons that hee was neuer made priuie to the pretence or conceit of Poltrot touching that action whose death notwithstanding hee acknowledged to bee the meanes to reduce France vnto a quiet estate The Queene esteeming it not conuenient for her affaires to suffer the Admirall to liue in peace but by this meanes seeking to entertaine hatred among the Nobilitie to raigne and gouerne in the middle of their deuisions made no account of those letters Those that with her had the processes of Poltrot to examine perceiuing that the dispositions of the prisoner had no apparant ground within three daies after sent to Parris that they should dispatch him out of the way that it would bee daungerous to keepe him and that hee would deny what hee had said Wherevppon his proces was made hee was diuers times examined and according to the torments giuen him they found diuersitie in his speeches And beeing condemned vpon the eighteenth of March to be pinched with hotte tongues hee openly declared that the Admirall knew nothing of his intent to kill the Duke of Guise Neuerthelesse certaine Captaines of Parris deposed that hee had confessed the contrary vnto them after the first drawing of the horses But vpon his variable depositions Proces and execution of Poltrot the quarrell betweene the houses of Guise and Chastillon whereof ensued the infinite mischiefes of the yeares ensuing The Admirall hauing ranged his enemies in Normandie to a good poynt as then had a stronger armie then hee had before The Admirals meanes made frustrate by the substiltie of the Queene wherewith hee constrained the members of the Triumuirat to fall to reason whereof ensued the quietnesse of France but the articles of the peace being almost all agreed vppon on both parts at the Princes request hee issued out of Caen vpon the 14. of March onely with his horsemen the Vantgard whereof being ledde by the Prince of Portien that tooke the way towards Lisieux the rest passing by Falaise and Argentan into Perche In the way such as would resist his army were set vppon and punished And the three and twentieth of the same moneth the Admirall beeing arriued at Orleans with all his forces found that the Edict of pacification had beene agreed vppon signed and sealed in his absence fiue daies before hee arriued The next day hee gaue his aduise in open Councell before the Prince and among other things shewed that they were to remēber that from the beginning of the warres made by the Triumuirat they had alwaies offered the obseruation of the Edict of Ianuary Parris only excepted and that considering the estate of their affaires those of the religion had more means then they had before to defend themselues from the violences of their enemies of three authors of those warres two of them beeing dead the third prisoner and a good pledge for the Princes assurance that the Churches were restrained to one Towne in a Baliage and other such exceptions was as much as if they should striue against God and ouerthrowe more Churches by the dash of a
France in generall receiued by that bastard peace made at Nemours with the heads of the league of the good entertainment they receiued after they had been proclaimed rebels and traitors to his Maiestie Hee said that to strengthen the league the king had commaunded him not to stirre nor prepare himselfe to warre that the people might euidently see who were the first perturbers of the peace That the permission by him giuen to them to in croch so much vppon his authoritie was the onely continuall feuer of this estate That hee sawe no more but by the leaguers eyes nor vnderstood any thing but onely by the eares of his enemies Exhortation to the king of N. to become Catholicque And as the Queene sought to assure him of the kings and her fauour and that both of them had more desire to see him conuerted and protected vnder so faire and assured hope of the chiefe Crowne of all Christian Princes rather then any longer to shrowd himselfe vnder protections of warres dispised of the greatest part of France to be the principall occasion of his friends griefe He said againe that by the kings commandement not to arme himselfe against those the soght to fight with him he had hazarded his life to keep his promise to satiffie those that soght to reduce himto extremities neglected the care of his owne preseruation saying Madame you cannot accuse mee but of too much fidelitie I complaine not of your faith but of your age that doing wrong to your memorie hath made you forget what you promised me The sharpenesse of wordes was somewhat asswaged at the third meeting wherein the Queene-mother strained the corde that brake both the accord and harmonie of their conference for she tolde him that the last and onely resolution of the king was neuer to make peace nor take truce with him if hee became not a Catholicque Wherevnto hee answered that he would neuer haue thought that a Princesse of so good iudgement wold haue taken so much paine to come vnto him onely to propound that wherewith his eares were continually filled beeing meanes of more honourable troubles if it were not ended in manner by him required which was by a generall Councell to whose iudgement hee submitted himselfe promising also to cause all the rest of his friends to doo the like As they continued in this proposition euery man giuing his censure there passed many words whereby to perswade him happily to returne to the Church of God The Queene-mother shewed him how much that change would make his estate more free more assured and more conuenient for his It is said that the Duke de Nemours said vnto him that there hee could not raise any impost It is true said hee and so there are no Italians among vs. degree that his conuersion would drawe him into his Maiesties sauour without longer seeking to court the Maiors of Rochel where hee could not doo as hee would Wherevnto hee answered that the consideration of his particular contentment yea and the winning of thirtie Crowns should neuer cause him shamefully to leaue the religion which for the space of thirtie yeares hee had professed and that hee did what pleased him in Rochel because that therein he did nothing but what hee ought to doo In the end their discourse changed to the propounding of a truce that stayed vnresolued for diuers difficulties therein found as also because of the aduise the Queene had receiued that her presence was necessary in Parris to quench the fires which the Archleaguers wherof we spake in the first booke beganne to kindle grounding the alarme vppon conference had with the king of Nauarre Both of them agreed to a peace confessing that both the Catholicques and Huguenots were wette with the ship wracke they had indured that it was not conuenient to drawe them into it again that their wounds were not as yet healed that they ought not to bee set togither by the eares and that it was requisite to haue a peace The Queen-mother wold haue a truce the King of N. a peace The Queene-mother would haue no truce that should promise a peace vnlesse the king of Nauarre would assure them of his conuersion The king of Nauarre would haue no truce that produced not the effects of a peace and the ruling of his conscience by a nationall Councell She would no truce if the king of Nauarre did not countermaund his forraine armie Hee would not agree to the second poynt of a truce if hee were not assured of a good peace In respect whereof hee offered that great assembly and raising of Rutters and Switzers vnto the king to helpe him to recouer the obedience and authoritie due vnto him In this maner their interview ended without any resolution and the Queene-mother in all haste tooke her waye to Parris vppon the aduise giuen vnto her concerning the last poynt of dispaire that was to be executed therein For the Duke de Maine being aduertised that she went to the king of Nauarre to make peace made haste to Parris to shewethe king that her trauell to that end was against his edict that such peace could not bee good ingendring in religion the effects that are contrary to the tranquillitie of Catholicque consciences He found the Parrisians more mooued then euer they were to rise vp in armes he sawe the secret articles of the sixe Archleaguers to fight against heresie These secret articles were sworne in the house of Reims neare the Augustins to reforme the Court the insolencie of the kings minions They enterprise they sappe they myne they beate downe but all in words their counsels are euill grounded their daungerous attempts are more difficult to execute then to resolue The Rattes found it expedient that to preserue themselues from the Cat they must hang a bel at her eare but none of them durst vndertake to do it they must cease vppon the king but who would bee so bolde Read the Dialogue of Manant Maheutre Fol. 104. They sent vnto the Townes some of their consort who vnder certaine secret pretences went from Towne to Towne to see the leaders of the league and to discipher the secret meanings of his intents Manant saith that at that time among them they spake not of that enterprise but onely tending to their defence if in case they were assayled and that the inuention of Barricadoes was resolued vppon aboue a yeare before they The first resolution of Barticadoes about Easter 1587. tooke effect But hee that wrote the treatie of the causes of the troubles of the moneth of Ianuarie 1589. saith that the league perceiuing that if the Huguenots were driuen out of France and the onely Catholicque religion maintained therein it should haue no more cloaks to couer her shame they thought it good to let the Huguenots remaine on the one side and on the other to torment the king For said they if our ground bee the royaltie wee must
by the marriages of daughters capable by succession to the kingdome of Nauarre And for such hee was esteemed and accounted vntil the death of the Duke of Alencon the kings brother VVhen presently the good olde Cardinall of Bourbon was titled in the head and made beleeue that in the age of sixtie yeares hee should liue and succeede a king who beside his yong yeares and strength of bodie liued not in any such disordered maner whereby hee should once haue occasion to thinke vpon his successor for it was shewed him that hee was the first Prince of the blood and that the right of inheritance and succession consisted in his person But when this deuise was found too weake and the absurditie too much discouered thereby seeking to impugne or deny the king of Nauarre to be the chief and eldest branch of his house in the right and title of his father who in a manner liued in him besides the reuocation by his vncle made vnto him of all rights names voyces and actions whatsoeuer both present and to come that might appertaine or belong vnto him as beeing issued from the house of Bourbon expresly acknowledging the said king of Nauarre his Nephew for the true sonne heire successor and representation of the chiefe branch of the said house they inuented other obiections and subtile pollicies that vnder those pretences they might bleare the eyes of the common and simple people affirming the Crowne of France to bee vacant and so belonged to the first Conqueror aâ—leaging for reason that as in the populer successions of common people such as are of the kindred and familie of any houses beeing in the tenth degree of consanguinitie cannot bee heires of their kinsmans lands so farre in discent from them and therby the inheritance falleth into the Lords hands and that so the house of Bourbon had no title or any right to the Crowne of France as beeing in the tenth degree of consanguinitie from it wherof they caused diuers discourses and whole volumes to bee written But that not beeing able to bee beaten into the heads of true Frenchmen nor once set footing or enter into the opinions of the commun people altogither incapable of such Sophisteries they beganne to enter into an other course of iniuries accusations and inuections wherein they contented not themselues onely to crie out and make war against the said king and to produce and cause to bee published a perpetuall incapacitie in his person and that without the Popes consent but they accused him of treason they condemned him they named him vnwoorthie and incapable to rule in France they assembled all the estates of France at Blois wherein a manner they vtterly reiected him euery man shewed to bee his enemie if not in his right and title yet touching the religion which hee then held and finally went about to frame his proces But to the contrarie those that pursued him were themselues executed before they heard their condemnation or iudgement In this maner the fire beganne to bee kindled in all the foure quarters of the realme and the blow was of such force that all neighbour Princes were mooued there at such as were offended arming themselues to bee reuenged and the people in a manner led by a furie helping them and with them turned their faces against the king whereof the Towne of Parris was the first and by example therof all the Towns in lesse then 6. weeks made that great strange coÌ„motion that continued for the space of fiue whole yeares ensuing Shee mooued them to this dissention by the smooth and speciall reasons by her alleaged against heresie periurie and tiranny coniuring them by dutie to their countrie and by the loue they ought to beare to the preseruation thereof to ioyne with her in so iust a cause and to passe one of these two waies hauing no other meanes either to bee vanquishers or die in the quarrell rather then to submit themselues to the king And among the rest the Cittie of Lyons neuer inferiour to any Cittie in the world touching fidelitie and obedience to their kings that had no other obiect then onely zeale of religion in the defence whereof it espied many euident and mortall signes suffered it selfe to bee borne away among this troupe not once considering or apprehending the multitude of miseries by her after that indured And in this manner the warres beganne with so straunge an alteration and motion of all estates yea euen of the very pillers of the land and the reuolt was such that in fine the royaltie of the king was reduced to a small corner of the countrie about Tours and Blois where without doubt the league had buried it if suddainly the king of Nauarre had not ayded him who therevpon tooke courage againe hauing on his side the Hercules of France scourge of rebels to their Prince but when this disordered and great mutinie beganne somewhat to decline and that the presence and authoritie of the Soueraigne Prince held the most assured within the bounds of their duties and that Parris perceiued it self in way and course of extreame desolation suddainly the king was slaine And then O the great and deepe iudgements of God hee that about three moneths before had passed ther riuer of Loire onely with foure hundreth horse a thousand shot and certaine pikes was presently made chiefe soueraigne and commaunder of a most faire and great armie to whom the Magistrates and Officers of the Crowne and all the Nobilitie yeelded their obedience thereby seeking to impeach the desolation and ouerthrow of the whole estate and to preferre the dutie of naturall fidelitie before the vaine hope of straungers and the last hazard of the rest and suretie of their liues and goods And so behold him king that not seuen moneths before had been depriued of the title of the first Prince of the blood and of the hope of the name Sacrying and Crowne of the Princes his auncestors that had so many times beene driuen from the Court that in foure yeares had seene tenne armies and tenne Generals to a king marching before the heads of the forces of the greatest Prince of the most warrelike nation in all the world against him that after the ouerthrow of a great forraine power had withdrawne himselfe into a corner of the Realme without land men or mony and a Prince altogither poore vnlesse it were in hope He that had been declared vnable for the Crowne that had beene made one of the Cardinall of Bourbons retinue that was no more acknowledged to be of the race or progenie of S. Lewis as beeing ten degrees in consanguinitie from it he that the countrie of Spaine esteemed the subiect of all our miseries who in the life of â—ur kings was the only argument of all the tragedies that had been acted in the countrie of France he that thought not to haue succeded a king being in the flower of his liuely and gallant youth that had bin an occasion to