strong not so much with the outward force as with plurality of suffrages which in all places they had secretly suborued by premises and corruptions And so it came to passe that there came but few to that assembly but they which were of the Leaguers faction Here Christian Reader wee may see Gods iudgements calling this great King as it were by steps to a miserable and shameful fall for his vnthankfulnes He hath forsaken one part of his subiectes and that the best part though not the greatest in number holdeth them for enemyes and wil haue none of their counsell and by the selfe same means hath opened a dore to weaken himselfe in his Parliament and committed his person into the hands of them that were assembled to dispossesse him out of his kingdome either by murther or by captiaitie making the way plaine before his enemies to rule the matter as they would without controulement Now we will leaue the King with all his courtand traine with his Leaguers to goe soft and fayre for feare of sweating too much to â—loys there to take order for their Processions Massing and other solemnities And vsed by men of that religion and there to stay for the arriuing of the deputies while we do see what things had happened in other places While and after the Edict of reunion was a casting in Iuly and the States appoynted all meanes were sought out to vndoe the King of Nauarre and with him them of the Religion The sayd king of Nauarre of his part did make himselfe ready vppon the defensiue grounded vpon all his reasons propounded often times by his declarations and vpon the grieues and iniuries proffered vnto him and vnto them of the religion It is said before how the Lord Colombieres had brought certaine companies out of Normandy vnto the King of Nauarre and in Iune before had seazed vpon the towne of Montagne This was a towne belonging to the Prince of Conde which had beene miserablie defaced in the former ciuill warres The wall and the castell being one of the strongest places in all that countrey had beene beaten downe But the ruine of the towne was not so great but within few dayes it was reasonablie repayred and made defensible by the said Lord Colombieres and other Captaynes with him The companies of the said Lord Colombieres out of that towne made dayly long roades and courses toward Nantes and against other places holden by the papists whereby dayly they greatly molested them After the Edict of reunion Duke Mercure gouernour of Britaine and others of the countrie who did holde with the League but specially they of Nants who could not away with such neighbours gathered certaine regiments of the Leaguers to make certaine roades into the lowe Poytow as well to let the enterprizes of the king of Nauarre there as to prepare the way to that armie which should folow shortly after vnder the conduct of the Duke of Neuers but specially intending to lay the siege before Montagne to gett that place out of the hand of them of the religion The Duke Mercure therefore with as great forces as hee was able to make went in person to lay siege before the said Montagne abouâ— the eight of August and lodged the regiment of Gersay at Saint George And sending from thence to view the towne a hot skirmish was begonne against them of the towne in the presence of the sayd Mercure who stood in battle aray with two hundred horses on the side of Barrillery so called because there they make barrels tubbes and such like stuffe They within the towne at the discouering of the enemie issued so furiously and did so beat them back that many men and horses remained slaine vpoÌ„ the place among whom were some of the guards of Mercure who seing that it was so hard for him to lodge his men of war in y e suburb of Saint Jamets as he had determined to doe sent them againe to their lodgings at Saint George As for himselfe in the euening hee retyred to Elison hauing sent downe the riuer Loyre from Nantes three double cannons to pont Rosseau which is a towne situated on the fall of the riuer Seuie into Loyre The King of Nauarre aduertized of Mercures inuasion into Poytow gathered such forces as he could and vpon some other occasions also departed out of Rochel the ninth of August accompanied with a hundred horses onely and the harquebusiers of his gardes and taking his iorney toward Loyre went that day to lodge at Lusson The Duke Mercure being lodged at Clisson the tenth day of August vnderstoode that the King of Nauarre was gone foorth out of Rochel and vpon the shadow of his owne feare he perswaded himself that it is to raise vp the siege of Montagne so that hauing represented vnto himselfe the accustomed diligence of the King of Nauarre in his exployts of warre he imagineth to see him alreadie whereupon he determined to retyre before he had planted his siege and returned to Nantes the 11. of August two daies before the comming of the King of Nauarre he left the regiment of Gersay to make the retyre and lodged the 12. day at Mounieres a towne situated vpon the riuer Seure The King of Nauarre at his departure from Lusson went to lodge at Bourneueau where the Lord Boulay with his companie of armed men well appoynted and a companie of harquebusiers on horseback commanded by Captaine Nede ioyned to him From Bourneueau the King went to lodge at Essars where he was aduertised that the Duke Mercure was departed and retyred to Nantes and that the regiment of Gersay was lodged at Mounieres These newes did cause him to dislodge the day following very earely least he should lose the occasion to ouertake that regimeÌ„t he went through the Towne of Montagne with much toyle and there tooke the garrison commanded by Luzerne eldest sonne to the Lord Colombieres and with extreame diligence in a little space of time came to the riuer Seure which he passed ouer speedily on foord there he found that the regiment was parted from Mounieres purposing to retyre to Pilmil Suburbe of Nantes The garrison of Montagne being forerunners to the sayd King followed with diligence and ouertooke them in a way hollowe and couered very aduantagious for the enemie by reason of three little houses wherein they had put men to flancke them There the skirmish did continue about halfe an houre vntill the sayd King of Nauarre had arriued with all his companies at whose comming the enemie was discouraged begaÌ„ to faint and flée away in disaray and there was wholly ouerthrowne The King of Nauarre tooke to mercie as many as were taken prisoners to the number of foure hundred and fiftie and suffered none to be killed but such as were slaine in the battell The master of the Camp Gersay saued himselfe by flight by the meanes of a fayre Ienet of Spayne yet hurt with a shot There were eight Ensignes taken great number of carts
he had cruelly defiled his hands with the bloud of many innocent persons vnder the colour that they were of the religion And not long before had committed an act no lesse odious and cruell than felonious for he had caused the dead body of the great Prouost of France to bée drawne through the streates of the towne after hee had béen slaine in the fight nigh the walls of the towne and that a little before his surprise as is afore said There was one Iamart of the richest sort of the towne taken who being vpon the point to be put to his ransom and to be deliuered as the other inhabitants then were was accused euen by many of the romish religion and of the towne to haue been a man of wicked life who had committed many things punishable by the lawes He was conuicted to haue been one of the chiefest doers in the sedition of the League and had vnworthley and outragiously spoken against the principall Princes of the bloud his proces was made according to the crimes committed by him This was the onely man who was iudicially executed at the surprise There were found in that towne fiue great pieces of battery carying halfe a foot and an ynch in the mouth two very long Culuerins which the Lieutenant abouesayd had caused to be cast as he sayd in dirision to salute the King of Nauarre when hee should approach the walls of Niort There were found also two meane culuerins the fiue canons were made ready a new by workemen specially called from Paris for that purpose for to bee brought to the army of the Duke of Neuers for the siege of Fonteney which was intended after the winning of Ganache This towne was full of rich men and riches by reason of the spoyle of them of the reformed religion of all the countrey round about There was sufficient quantitie of corne to maintaine an armie of twentie thousand men for the space of two yeres There was also sound twenty thousand weight of powder besides a maruelous quantitie which euery man had in particular This is a rule of Gods iustice he that spoyleth shal be spoyled he that wasteth shall be wasted The King of Nauarre gaue the gouernement of that place and of the countrey to the Lord Saint Gelays the Lorde Parabiere was appointed to dwell in the Castell To conclude this booke with the yeare Christian reader thou maist see with thine eye y e iudgements of God executed vpon his enemies generally for their Idolatry superstition and atheisme But specially vpon Henry the third for obstinacie in refusing through the hardnes of his heart to heare the Lorde Christ speaking vnto him and warning him to bee wise and feare the Lord with reuerence in refusing the counsell of wise noble Princes Senators noble men and faithful friends and following alwaies the vniust and wicked counsels of his mother of flatterers and sicophants but specially of his domesticall enemies by whose counsels and perswasions he lost his authoritie credit reputation kingdome and life as shall be said in the booke next following Thou hast seene also how the Lord out of the heauens from the habitation of his seate hath derided laughed to scorne the pride arrogancie and contemptuous presumptiousnes of the King of Spayne hath extended his mightie armie vpon him and his seruants as he did vpon Pharao King of Aegipt clothed him with dishonor as with a garment and made him ridiculous and contemptible in the sight of the Princes people and nations of the world We haue seene also how that the Lorde to punish the parricides murtherers of the saints atheisme execrable life of the Duke of Guize of his bretheren father and vncles turned him to a spirit of ambition to worke all treasons treacheries villanies commotions seditions and rebellions against his naturall King Prince benefactor and countrey couering all these execrable enormities vnder the cloake of Catholick religion and Gods glorie by the which he hath wrought his owne his children house famely bretheren and kindred sudden fall being beaten downe on a suddaine and vnawares from the top of high degree honour dignitie and wealth as with a suddaine tempest wee haue séene on the other side how God according to his mercie and promise hath preserued from the suares of the enemies of his trueth First that great Elizabeth of England nurce of Gods Church the ioy of Gods people hath decked her head with a Crowne of glory hath cloathed her with honour hath established her seate with iustice and godlines hath made her the terror of al enemies of Christ and the beauty of Europ The same Gods prouidence and merciful kindenes hath also preserued Henry of Bourbon King of Nauarre and now of France from the commotions of the people and whereas his enemies haue set vppon him by land by sea by force by policie poyson and all other meanes which the angell of darkenes hath been able to teach them to swallow him alone aliue beholde the Lorde not onely hath established him in his owne hereditarie kingdome but also by the meanes of his enemies though against their wills hath made him a way to place him in that throane of Maiesty which appartained vnto him by that succession which God had ordained in that kingdome being one of the most famous kingdomes of Europ and hath made him a victorious conquerour of the wicked and the restorer of that afflicted state But also in this booke we haue séene how the Lord in whose sight is precious the death of his saints before the comming of those miseries the Lord hath taken vnto himselfe the most noble vertuous and godly Princes the Princes of Conde and Boillon and many other noble men least they should see euill daies whose names are written in the booke of the righteous Wée haue séene also how the Lorde hath turned the most wicked and damnable oath taken not at the states but rather conspiracie of Bloys to an borrible confusion and dissipation of the wicked for after that the wicked haue gone continually to wrack and confusion and neuer preuailed in any action but in wrapping themselues into miserable treasons rebellions and commotions replenishing their streates with murther and bloud The end of the fift Booke THE SIXT BOOKE THis newe yeare bringeth foorth new euents and strange full of confusions the kings death and an alteration in the succession of the Crowne of France as it shall appeare Wee haue left the royall Armie vnder the conduct of the Duke of Neuers weakened with hunger colde and hard lodging amazed with the straunge accidents happened at Bloys before the towne of Ganache there preparing all things for the batterie Also wee haue shewed what exploytes the King of Nauarre did in the meane while Now wee will returne from Niort in high Poytow to Ganache to see what would be done there The first day of Ianuary 1589. passed away with light skirmishes but without any great effect The second day they within
to passe Now therefore they must search out some way to bring such a bold and daungerous enterprise to possibilitie he that shall happily vndertake that feate ought to bee willing bold sturdie and quicke handed and a man so qualified that without any suspition may haue a speedie and sure accesse to the Kings person Many offered themselues to be the executioners of that vilanous act But it was considered that they could not passe through so many gards and doores without suspition which if they should bee taken by torments they would be made coufesse the matter and that would be a caâ—eat to him to looke more diligently to himselfe which would bring the matter to impossibilitie Many are solicited thereunto by great and fayre promises and lacked no good will but onely courage But aduising themselues of the Kings more then supersticious heart concluded to make choyse of some saucie desperat wretch who couered with the cloake of hypocrisie might pearce through all the gardes of the Kings house without any suspition or examination To spie out such a one as would vndertake to atchieue such a desperate parricide was committed specially to one Pichnard an incestuous most vilanous person This Pichnard therefore to giue some good grace to this tragedie brought in a Frier to play the diuels part such a one as might at all times assure himselfe of free accesse And for as much as among all other sects of idolatrous Friers the Dominicans were most welcome to the King he made his choyse of one of that order for the determined execution as shall hereafter be declared But we will by a digression shewe the holines of that order of Dominican Friers and others that it may appeare that it is not newe nor contrary vnto Frierie and Monkerie to bee hold readie and strong to commit all vilanie All about one time out of the bottomlesse pit of hell by a iust iudgement of God to reuenge the vnthankfulnes and idolatries of the world and to fill the measure of iniquitie of the spirituall Sodome by Antichrist there issued two frogges with lying spirits to seduce vtterly the world to wit Francis in Italy and Dominick in Spayne two misbegotten monsters in all respects one like to another saue onely in their haire and king of francie These two seducers like in hypocrisie ignorance superstition idolatrie and rage were possessed with diuers spirits of francie For Francis was a franticke sot ignorance it selfe made onely to make the world laugh with his follies and yet by his follies such was that accursed age he gat himselfe a great fame and reputation of holinesse and drewe after him an infinite number of disciples of the like humour to his Dominick in Spayne was of a hotter francie so that it may bee sayd of him as of Caligula vrceus conflatus ex luto sanguine immanitate oppletus For his owne Friers doo write of him that whilest he was in his mothers wombe she dreamed that she was deliuered of a Dogge that held a burning Torch wherewith he kindled a fire in the world and set it to combustion What this mad Dogge did in France the horible murthers which he caused to be committed vpon the Albigeoys who after the cruell conflicts of the Waldenses with Antichrist had restored the Gospell in Guien Gascoyne and Languedock but specially in the territorie of the Citie Alby as also the raging follies which was committed at Tholouse were incredible to report except his owne disciples had written them in his legend His disciples after him haue shewed no lesse furie and rage in diuers respects but specially vppon the most noble Emperour Henry the 7. of the noble house of Bauierne who did poyson him with the powder of beaten Diamonds mingled in his challice when they did minister to him such a communion as they had deuised of their owne For that cause onely that the good Emperour wished had some speaches about the reforming of the Church But the accursed rage of the Inquisition which doth consist most of Dominican Fryers hath so farre surpassed all the tyrants that euer were that O yee Busiris Perillus Phalaris Nero Caligula Domitian Heliogabalus and thou vnnaturall house of Otheman and yee that are famous for any notorious wickednes reioyce for your infamy is iustified by the raging cruelty of these Atheistes Sorcerers Negromancers Idolaters Enchaunters and Parricides the accursed Dominican Fryers and the whole rabble of Friery and Monkery against the Church and Christian Princes I leaue off the hipocrisy enchauntments and sorceries which these companions played at Berna and Orleans no maruaile therefore if wee heare neuer a pleasant tale but of the deedes of Friers wee neuer laugh but at theyr follies we neuer wonder but at their impudency we are neuer astonished but at their furie we neuer tremble but at their rage we neuer see a mery play but a Frier playeth the Deuils part Pichnard therefore considering all things as is aforesaid thought good to pick out such a one as was brought vp in Dominiks schoole well practised and exercised in the affaiers of their order Whereuppon he solicited one Iames Clement another S. Dominicke in all respects in ignorance exceeding so that he knew no more then his Portiforia such a one as for his lewdnes and for beeing taken often tymes in stewes and whorehouses had béen by the order of their discipline diuersly punished This Frier Iames was in great fauour before with the lady Montpencier sister to the late Duke of Guyze being her confessor not for any good quallity in him but because hee was a lusty sturdy ghostly father among Ladies of her religion could giue her such good counsell as could please her well Pichnard perceaued this companion to bee a fit instrument to execute their damnable and deuilish sentence made motion of the matter to him The Frier although very desirous of the Kings death yet willing that it should be done rather by another then by himselfe feared to thrust himselfe into that assured danger of a present death was vnwilling to heare any more of that Fryer Iames is called in There were the Dukes de Mayne Aumale Nemours the Lordes Rosne Sagonne Brissak Boysdaulphin Villeroy and such good Catholikes and to fill the messe there was Pagarola Fryer Sixtus his Chaplaine a very louing Priest and one that can write very louing letters to the Curtisans of Rome to giue them such spirituall counsell as he can skill They had poore silly Frier Iames Clement vnder benedicite there they shewed to this accursed parricide what a good deed he might doo to deliuer holy Church from the tiranny of Henry the third who was become an heretike and that with one blow hee might procure peace to the whole realme and a blessed quietnes to the holy Church They shewed vnto him how his order had done many times such good seruice to holy Church as in ridding away the Emperour Henry the 7. who intended to persecute
the Duke d' Mayne his battaile was much like to the kings the Duke d' Mayne with his Cornet which might bee of two hundred and fiftie horses was in the middest of two Squadrons of Launces of them that were come out of Flanders which might be of twelue or thirteene hundred horse The Duke of Nemours with his Squadron of two hundred and fiftie horse for his safety set himselfe in the middle of these Squadrons of launces The Knight d'Aumale likewise thrust himselfe into that companie thinking himselfe there to be safe so that there was in that huge company about eighteene hundred horsemen marching in a front On the sides â—t this great huge companie were two regiments of Swissers lined with French foote men There were two other Squadrons of Launces the one of light horsemen French Italians and Albaneses on the right hand the other on the left side of Wallons and Spanyards in the middle betweene both were French-footemen and Lance-knights The two wings were two great companies of Rutters which might bee on the right wing seauen hundred horse and on the left side fiue hundred they had on their left wing two Culuerins and two bastard Culuerins The king perceauing that the enemy would not come forward went toward them and hauing marched about a hundred and fiftie paces got the aduantage of the sunne and winde and perceaued that his enemies were in number more then they thought for the king perceaued that they were fiue thousand horsemen and eightéene thousand footemen The rebels were glistering with gold which they had gotten out of the coffers of the Citizens of Paris Rhemes and other townes by violence and robery and out of the king of Spayne his coffers and also out of Saint Peters treasure The kings army was glistering with yron and stéele there were in the kings army to bée séene a terrible sight of two thousand Gentlemen in complet armour from top to toe burning in affection to doo their king and Countrey good seruice for the conseruation of their wiues children houses and goods The King was in the front of his Squadron with a great bunch of white feathers on his Helmet and another bunch on his horses forehead The Princes Earles and knights of the holy Ghost and other principall Lords and Gentlemen of the chiefest houses in France were in the fore ranke The king exhorted all his company with great modesty with their humble prayers to commit themselues vnto God and to shew example to others began to conceaue a feruent praier which done the king walked vp and downe willing them to doo the like and encouraging them like valiant men to stand to the defence of a iust cause As soone as hée was come to his place the Lord Mariuault brought him newes that certaine companies of Picardie vnder the conduct of the Lords Humiers and Mouoy with other Lords and Gentlemen to the number of two hundred horse were within two miles of him But the king fully resolued to giue battaile with that power which he had would not delay any longer but sent commaundement to the Lord Guiche to cause him to shoote with the Ordinance which thing hée did straight waies whereby the enemies receaued great hurt for the king had discharged nine Canon shot with great effect before the enemy could begin After thrée or foure voleyes of shot had passed on both sides the 1. Onset Squadron of their old light horsemen compounded of French men Italians Albaneses consisting of fiue or sixe hundred horses came to giue the charge to the Marshall Aumont carrying with them the Lanceknights who were on their side But the Marshall Aumont willing to begin set vppon the enemy so hardly that he enforced them to scatter and to flée with great confusion and feare whome he chased to a little wood on the back side where the said Lord Marshall stayed attending the Kings comming as hee had in charge During this chase the company of Rutters on the right hand of the 2. Onset battaile of the enemies marched to haue seazed vppon the artillerie but they were met with light horsemen who made them quicklie retyre Then the Squadron of Launces Wallons and Flemmings marched 3. Onset on to haue charged with a fresh charge the saide light horsemen fighting with the Rutters but the Baron Byron shewed himselfe in the field and gaue the onset on the reregard because he could not set on the forefront there in the conflict he was hurt in the arme and in the face but at length the enemy was deâ—eted and scattered The Lord Montpencier séeing a great army of seauen hundred Spanish Launciers and thrée hundred Harquebusiers on horseback with corselets and murrions with thrée great standards that were vnder the gouernement of the County Egmond aduaunced toward them and gaue them such a charge as that albeit he was vnhorsed yet quickly getting vp againe brake their aray put them to flight and aboade there Master of the field There was a frantick Franciscan Frier of Biscay called Frier Mathew de Aguirre who runne vp and downe with his GOD whome they call Crucifix in his hand all his wit was in his Crucifixes head and incouraging the rebells and running against the Hugonets as though he would haue frighted them and wrought some myracle with his Idoll or played the bulbegger in a cloyster but a shot of Ordinance did beate him downe and his God so that there he ended his frantick fit At the selfe same time the great Squadron of the Duke d'Mayne came marching to the battailion hauing on the left wing foure hundred 4. Onset Harquebusiers on horseback who gaue a volley of shot within fiue and twentie paces of the Kings Squadron the same volley being ended the head of the enemies Squadron set on the Kings Squadron The King receaued the enemy with such a constancy and courage that after a quarter of an hower of hard fighâ—ing hauing before played the part of a king and great Captaine in commaunding and ordering of things now hee playeth the part of a lusty and braue Souldiour So that in such a great and furious assault he behaued himself so valiantly that he brake and put in disaray that terrible Forrest of Launces and at length after he had put them to flâ—ght with great confusion and terror he followed the victory and being lost in the chase caused a great heauines in his army vntil that within a while they spyed him comming all berayed with the bloud of his enemies without any hurt receaued And as the king was returning from the chase to his company with fifteene or sixtéene horses he was set on by two battailions of Swissers enemies and three companies of Wallons and certaine other who did weare redd crosses The king did set vpon them with his small number tooke away their Cornets and killed those that carryed and guarded them When the King had come to his place againe the whole armie in token of