his power and authoritye with these exceptions They then saide And now they go about to make that an euerlasting and irreuocable lawe which they thrée themselues haue deuised and decréed Truly we may with better reason and truth conclude that they go about to make the king a captiue and bonâ—…man vnto them not only in this his minoriti but in his maiority also Who séeth not their sondry and contrary deuises Who séeth not that they go aboute not only to haue the king in their handes and to rule him at theyr pleasure but the whole Realme also when as in a mat ter of so great waight and perillouse they dare take vpon them to determine decre what they theÌ„selues list Dyd euer those Triumuiri of Rome namely Augustus Antonius and Lepidus which by their conspiracie peruerted the lawes and the common wealth of Rome any thing more bould and presumptiouse If they had ben moued by the loue of peace as they say and not by the outragiouse heate of sedition if they had ben moued by zeale of Religion and not by the force of ambition they would not haue begon those their counsailes with force and murder they would haue come reuerentlie and modestly they would haue declared the causes whi they could not allow of the Edict of January And they would haue intreated the kinge and quéene to consulte with their CouÌ„sail for the remedeing of those troubles to the glory of God the dignity of the king and the conseruation of the Realme And so they should haue declared that they were moued by zeale of their consciences But while they go about these things they sufficiently declare that they take Religion but for a colloure to the end that they may draw away the Kinges subiectes to take their part that by their help by the help of strauÌ„gers they may bring al things to their rule Can the Princes the kings kinsmen suffer this that strauÌ„gers shal make lawes Edictes to rule the king the whole Realme 4 They require to haue the church of Rome which they call Catholike and Apostolicall to be alone through out the whole Realme and that the vse and administration of the reformed religion should be forbidden Let this be the Edict of the Duke of Guise a straunger of the Constable Momorentius and of the Marshall of saint Andrew the kinges seruauntes Let their willes mindes and decrese be set against the authority of the kinges Edict which the king the quéene the king of Nauar the Princes the kinges kinsmen the kinges Counsel and forty chosen men out of euery court of the realm haue made Let them oppose and set this their Edicte both against the decrées of the nobility and the cominaltye by their supplicatioÌ„ which they offered to the king first at Orleans then at saint German concerning the orderinge of ReligioÌ„ after this maner theÌ„ they must nedes acknowledge and confesse that their Edict will be the cause of ciuil warres and in tyme the destruction of the realme But blinde Ambition carieth them out of the way to bind the king and the Realme to them as they saye by these merits For this I affirme that the Duke of Guise and his brethren can not deny but that while they go about to molest trouble those that are of the reformed Religion what zeale soeuer they pretende they brynge the Realme into greate perill Let them remember what happened of late almost in the same counsel to theÌ„ in Scotland There both sortes of men that is to say both papistes and Protestants liued peaceably obediently vnder the gouernement of the Quéene vntill it was commaunded by the aucthority of the Guises that no other religion should be there receyued then that which is of Rome Then a certen smal nomber of men for this cause being raised and appointed to battaile by the wisdome of the quene and by the help of the Nobility were easely put down again The which thing ought to haue made the Guises sease from their former purpose for feare of greater trroubles whiche would ensue by the meanes of those Edictes But they on the contrary part more obstinately went forwarde with their purpose to hinder the reformed religion writing sharp letters vnto the Quéen because shée shewed hirself so fauourable and perswaded with hir that it was necessary that the principal authours and many of the Noble men should be put to death Therefore to bring that to passe in déed which they vttered in woordes they sent an army of meÌ„ into Scotland with M. Brosseus the Bishop of Atniens At whose comming most seuere Edictes were made coÌ„cerning the obseruation of popish rytes and comming to Masse The Bishop said that he would soone cal those that were gone astray as hée sayd to the obedience of the Church of Rome and monsieur Brosseus said that hée would quickly within few dayes by force of armes put all the rebels to flight And as cruelty hath always couetousnesse ioyned with it they beheld considered the landes and possessions of the noble men and wrot to the Guises that they could both make the people tributary to pay vnto the Frenche king two hundred thousande Crownes and also assigne to a thousand Noble men of France which should continually maintayne warre in Scotland houses and land The Guises hearinge of the which were glad but the Quéene Osellus a noble maÌ„ of Scotland said vnto M. Brosseus that the Scotts could not be so easely coÌ„quered who if they were coÌ„strayned would craue helpe of straungees which imbracinge the same Religion would not desire to haue better occasion to banish the Popes Religion out of Scotland whereby the Kings Royall estate should come in peril But they refusing these admonitions of the Quéene Osellus said that the Quéene with hir facilitie and sufferance would marre all and they called Osellus foole and dastard Ther fore these wise men so wrought that the greatest parte of the nobility gathered vnto them an army of men and within few dayes eyther slewe or put to flight the Papistes and sacrifising priests which if this had not ben might haue liued peaceably And thus thei which before would binde Beares and which triumphed before the victory â–ª did not only dishonour the Duke of Guise but also lost the aucthoritie of the Church of Rome By this example the Guises ought to acknowledge their fault and to leaue of their enterprise also to haue no more in their mouthes these wordes One of those two Religions must be banished the realme and some muste needes giue place to other some These proud words become not subiectes and seruaunts but a king of full and perfect age And whereas they would haue no religion but the Romish religion established within the realme which they go about to defende by force of armes they bring the realme into great perill and daunger And truly it were a great deale better to kéepe both partes in peace and concord and
part was conducted by Monsieur Boisuerd a very good Captaine The Andelot taried at a village called Saintmalin there to take his dinner In the meane time a Monsieur Boysuerd chiefe Captaine of that army was conducting his souldiers to the riuer of Loyre there met him a younge man wonderfully dismayd and abashed and when he perceyued that Monsieur Boysuerd and the rest of his souldiers were protestantes he told Boisuerd that Monsieur Martyques was come with a great army of men the greatnesse whereof he said had made him sore afraide Monsieur Boysuerd regarded not this newes vntill he sawe certaine troupes of horsmen and then he sought with all spéede to defend himselfe and sought to make out of hand bulwarkes and trenches betwéene him and the enemy beside the riuer this was a good remedy but he could not haue his purpose the enemy marched so fast â—ne â–ª Then Monsieur Boysuerd with all spéede sent woord to the Andelot of the comminge of Martiques but before Boisuerd could set his men in their array Martiques rushed vpon him with a great troupe of horsemen dispersed his souldiers and made greate slaughter of them in the chase For that they had not sufficient store of horsmen Monsieur Boisuerd also himself was slaine many of the chiefe Captaines also were taken and many slaine Notwithstanding Monsieur Martiques marched forward with his army toward Saulmur with fiue hundred horsemen and ten ensignes of footemen The Andelot for all this supposed to haue the victory becausé his enemies were fewer in nomber as he thought but when he vnderstood that Boisuerd was slain and a great sort of hys souldiers also and that Monsieur Martiques had a strong army deuided into diuers parts when also he perceyued that hys armye had gotten the vantage of ground of him he shonned them and choseâ—… more conuenient ground suffering Martigues to pas by hym toward Saulmur many of the souldyours of the Andelot not knowing what the meaning hereof should be yéelding vnto him Then the Andelot gathering togi ther his men pursued with all spéede Monsieur Martigues the which when he perceiued he rode the faster tooke Saulmur which was then kept by the Garrisons of the papistes leauing behind them the spoile which they had taken from the Souldiers of the Andelot Now the bridges being stopte vp and cut awaye the Andelot was driuen to séeke other wayes to passe ouer the riuer of Lâ—…ire he sought therfore to go ouer at some shallow forde or other but he could not by reason of the wynter floudes which had caused the riuer to bee déepe in those places where otherwise there is little or no wa ter at all Notwithstanding at the last he found a place so shallow and fléete that his horsemen footemen Ordinance waggons and his whole army passed ouer the riuer without perill being moste wonderfull and the lyke seldome heard of before After this their safe passage they gaue thankes vnto God sang altogither the 73. Psalm beginning thus IN IVKY IS GOD KNOWNE HIS NAME IS GREAT IN ISRAEL And thus as they went foreward on their iorney they sawe certayne troupes of horsemen on that syde of the ryuer against whom wheÌ„ the Andelot had sent certayne troupes of horsemen he put them to flight and slew some of them After this they passing quietly on their iorney came at the last into the countrey of Poictou tooke a certayne Towne called Tuars by surrender then ioyned them selues with the Admiral which came to méete them After this coniunction of both armies they tooke a noble Citie called Partenay the Citizens willingly yéeldinge 〈◊〉 â–ª sauing certayne popisâ—… priestes who séeking to reâ—…st were slayne Then they iointly and togither besteged a noble Citie called Engolesme but when they had assaulted the same certaine dayes and were out of hope to winne it they tooke at the last a certayne yong man whiche was sent at the eaâ—…est intrâ—…aty of the townesmen to Monpensier to crâ—…ue ayde at his hands by which yong man they learned in what great necessitie the town was in Thereupon the Admirall gaue a new assault to the other side of the Town by battery made such breaches in the same that the Townsmen being voyd of al hope to defend themselues came straightway to compositioÌ„ with the Admirall for the surrender of the Towne So that this Citie came into the power of the Prince of Conde And straytâ—… after this that Noble Citie Niort came into his handes In so muche that it maye séeme wonderful that so many Noble Cities in so short while hauing so néere vnto them great ayde of the Catholikes to defend them shoulde be taken These things happened in the moneth of September Toward the ende of this Moneth a great Army being gathered togither at Orleans the Kings Edictes were théenderedout in one of the which Edictes the vse and administration of the reformed religioÌ„ was quight taken away and forbidden It contayned this summe Knowe all men that the Kinges our Aunâ—…etours of happy memory to the end they might shew themselues to be Christians and true defenders of the church haue vsed all lawfull ways and meanes to preserue the same Church and to take awaye the diuisions of Religion sprong vp by secrete sermons and by seattering abroad of râ—…probate bookes And after the vnfortunate disceasse of ouâ—… Father King Henry there were certayne Noble men stirreâ—… vp by the Ministers of this newe opinion which withdrew themselues and moued controuerâ—… and that vpon no zeale of religion but moued by ambition to haue the gouernement of this Realme vnder King Frances our brother albeit that he himselfe was of sufficient yeres by the lawes of this Realme and was able enough to gouern both for that he had authoritie and wisdome enough and also was ruled counsayled by the vertuouse and wise counsayle of the Quéen his mother â–ª of other singular Noble men which were still about him after the death of his Father king Henry who directed him in the steppes of oure Father as playnly appeared all the time of his raigne Who had no doubt brought the kingdome into that former State and condition in the which he founde it if the Lord had lent him longer life notwithstanding the state of the Kingdome was then troubled by certaine noble men who when they durst not openly bewray their myndes concerning the getting of the kingdome vnto them â–ª by the industery of their Ministers of this â—…ewe learning they caused the tumult of Ambâ—…yse vnder the collour of offering vp a supplication with a confession of faith to our brother the King who although he knewe them to be the authors of that mischiefe yet notwithstandyng with greate clemencie following the example of oure heauenlye Father he pardoned all his subiectes by an Edicte which had straied from faith and truth would come into the righte waye agayne thinking hereby to preuaile more than by the Rigor of punishments And
of crime Some goard with sword some choackt with rope some battred down There many pareÌ„ts wer dispoild of their beloued sonnes Their tongâ—… cut out wheÌ„ they shold dye for feare that they shold speak with guns And more entyse vnto their god that alwayes aydes the weake Oh Fraunce thou famous realm before and eke most populous place Thou art dispeopled wasted tourne thy owne doe thee deface Thy Cities cract thy Townes bereft thy men and nobles rackt Thy faythful subiects burnt and slaine thy welth and strength is sackt Ah pity pity for to heare how altered is thy state Through tyrannous popish cruel carles that Christ his truth did hate The Lord hath iustly plagued thee for so defacing his VVho in the end will ayd his flocke thou maist be sure of this If euer land might loth her lucke and lamed lowring state Fraunce thou hast cause for to deplore and waile thy cruell fate One of thy owne a pearle of thyne by learned treaties loo And true discourse thy mangled state le ts all the world to kno Thy Ramus here thy Phoenix France thy worthy learned clarke In volumes three conioind displaces thy broiles that he did marke And like a good and natrall child lest thinges should be forgot Hath painefully here pend thy brunts that do thy glory blot And like enough through cruell spite for these his learned paines Among the Popish crew of late dasht out was Ramus braines VVhose death ech scholler may bewaile for learning had a fall VVhen Ramus fell replet with skill thy chiefest clarke of all VVhat chief in France some may obiect ther liueth better still If I haue mist I pardon craue I speake it for good will. That I did learned Ramus lend for his sure grounded skill In learnings lore who for because he wrote in Latin stile VVhich only learned vnderstand well pew'rd with learnings file â–ª Tymme truly hath disrobed him of all his Romane tier And decked him in English clothes with zelous good desire To profit all his countrie men that they may see and vew The stormie tempestes of the French and partes of Popish crew The whole three volumes painfully Tymme hath absolued here And offers them vnto thy sight at last good Reader dere VVhich doth conteine the Ciuill warres or true Religions cause The spights of Papists that repind against Gods sacred lawes VVorthy the sight worthy the vew a mirror to beholde Of Gods elect of tirants fell of Papistes proude and bolde How God his chosen Church doth saue among her perillous foes And cancred cursed currishe kind that it oppresse with woes Therfore good Reader here embrace the founder of this frame And honor Ramus painfull pen the author of the same Giue Tym that Tymme doth wel deserue for Englishing this for thee VVhose paines do merit worthy praise let praise then be his see And waile the wracke of frushed France and giue God hâ—…rtie thanks That hath preseru'd this Royall realme froÌ„ such proud popish pranks FINIS Robertus Rollus in Historiam de Gallicae Ecclesiae statu recens editam UExata est olim priscis Ecclesia seclis Carceribus flagris ignibus ense cruce Haud minor est hodie cedes tu Gallia testis â–ª Sis dudum paribus sanguinolenta modis Qui fidei nuper multis fulsere magistri Prôh pudor indignam sustinuere necem Quoque magis possent inceptum absoluere factum Nullum papicola preteriere scelus Penè datur sceleri lex hoc qui credere posset Vix est tale nephas vnus alter erit Ante erat historia hec libris quasi manca duobus Nunc prodit numeris vndique plena suis. Si authorem spectes plena est si rem quota pars est â–ª Omnia nam tangi tempora nostra vetant Ascraei verba illa senis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quà m sunt huîc mirè consona dicta libro Nempe haec quae legimus quasi dimidiata supersunt Et quasi de domini clade relicta sui Quaeque modò aspicimus librisque notata videmus Debemus scriptis Rame deserte tuis Sed neque Tymme tua merita fraudabere laude Cuique oneris pars est pars honôris erit Τελοσ The summe of those things which are contained in these three first bookes of Commentaries IN these thrée first bookes of Commentaries we comprehende the space of foure yeares namely from the yeare 1557. vnto the yeare 1562. which was in the first motions of the ciuill warres beginning at that time which seemeth to be most fitte for this purpose the matter so aptly offering itselfe that we may very néere begin at the same time in the which Iohn Sleidan that learned man left and ended his Commentaries concerning the state of the CoÌ„mon welth and Religion First of all we set forth that great destruction and losse of men which is commonly called by the vulgar people Iacobs slaughter which séemed wholy to deface not onely the Church of Paris but also the Churches of Fraunce being now as it were but in the swadling clothes then we shew what cruell afflictions came at that time vpon the faithfull what the aduersaries did then and what our men also did We declare also that while newe deuises and practises are sought for to abolishe the Gospell quite nowe beginning to growe in Fraunce the whole kingdome being moued and troubled with newe threatenings of Edictes and punishmentes and the kings of Fraunce and Spaine being nowe in councell concerning this matter in the very league euen in the middest of their consultation when a scourge was a preparing for the Church by the solemnitie of mariage eueÌ„ at that time came the sodeine death of Henrie the king of all men vnlooked for Then howe the â—…uises had the gouernement of the Realme during the time of the nonage of king Fraunces the second how Annas Burgaeus a noble Senatour of the Parliament of Paris at that time was cruelly burned and what other persecutions there were also among which persecutions how the tumult of Ambaxian chaunced the causes and effectes whereof shall be declared After this the solemne assemblies had at the kings house at Fontisbellaquaeum to mitigate the tumultes who agréed to call a Parliament and a Nationall Councell or Conuocation to stay the controuersies of Religion of the which also we will intreate in order Also howe the king set forth an Edict promising them to forget and forgiue all former offences committed for Religions sake Then how the Guises went about to subuert and extinguish the Gospell coacting an assemblie to be made at Aurelias for the same purpose howe the deathes of the king of Nauarre and the Prince of Conde were conspired the tumult and trouble of Ambaxian being maliciously and falslye layde to their charge But while the Prince of Conde was straitly imprisoned and his death a preparing we will shew howe the sodeine death of king Fraunces the seconde happened to the great amasing
as might conueniently there shoulde be Councels Synodes or Parlings of those Churches that were not farre oft 4 That there be diligent eye and heede giuen specially to the doctrine and also the maners of Ministers 5 That no Minister vsurpe superioritie or principalitie by any maner of meanes among his fellowe Ministers but that all things bee done indifferently and soberlye among them 6 That all offences and stumbling blocks be taken away 7 That the faithfull be taught their dutie and also instructed in the puritie of the worde and in the chaste rule of discipline ▪ 8 That nothing in this discipline be rashly altered by one man or by one Church without the authoritie of the generall Councell But now when the most excellent and famous Princes Protestantes of Germanie vnderstoode of the great punishments and intollerable afflictions layde vpon the faithfull for the Gospels sake they sent their Ambassadours wyth their charge and letters vnto the King beséeching him that he woulde inhibite and staye those grieuous persecutions of the which their letters this was the effect and summe as followeth When they vnderstoode and weyed with themselues that men in all ages estates and times suffered imprisonment and bondes for professing the doctrine of the Gospell which is contrarie to those superstitions which are of the most part obserued and that for the same cause onely they were extréemely punished both in body and goodes they also knowing themselues to be members of the same heade Christ with them whome they hearde to be so cruelly handled and being perswaded that they were bounde in conscience to helpe them so much as they might they thought good for these causes to sende their Ambassadours vnto the King with those letters And that the King might not thinke that the matter is not throughly considered off of them they signifie vnto him that they knowe for a suretie that those men which were restrained from their libertie did maintaine or defende no seditious opinions nor any thing else that is contrary to the true and Apostolicall articles of the Christian faith And bicause they themselues did take no lesse labour and paine than the King himselfe to roote out and abolishe all those things which were against the glorie of God and did onely desire to defende the true inuocation of his holy name and the syncere doctrine of the Catholike Church contained in the writings of the Prophetes Apostles and Fathers and also did seuerely punishe the maintainers of false doctrine and men of impure and vnhonest lyfe and to be short bicause they themselues did acknowledge and worship one God as the hyest and Lorde of all these were the causes which had moued them to write those letters of intreatie for the releasing of those captiues out of miserie whose doctrine they knewe to be farre from all falshoode heresie and sebitious opinions the which thing might euidently appeare by their confession the which they sent vnto the King to that ende There is no man but he will confesse that many corruptions are crept into the Church and haue preuayled partly by error and partly by couetousnesse to roote out the which saye they that diuers good and godly men haue taken great paine of late and that not long since also certaine vertuous and singular learned men in the vniuersitie of Paris as VVilliam of Paris Gersone VVestelus and others had done the like and also that they themselues haue reformed errours in their dominions for the which they are not a little ioyfull Moreouer that his father king Frances of happie memorie a Prince of singular wisedome and vertue purposed to haue made the like reformation folowing herein the examples of his auncelors the Kings of Fraunce who woulde oftentimes themselues finde out the controuersies that happened in the Church The which waye he ought to followe in ending these matters rather than to suffer the crueltie of manye against their brethren and his subiectes assuring himselfe of this that he shoulde so smallye preuayle in suppressing the doctrine of the Gospell by those sharpe and cruell punishments that contrarywise the bloude which was shed for the same shoulde be the séede more and more dailye to increase the number of christians and furthermore ▪ that by this meanes namely by shedding of bloude he shoulde haue the greatest part of his faithfull subiectes cut from him Eeside all this that God doth threaten to take vengeaunce of the bloude of Innocentes vniustly shedde and will seuerely punishe those which shall reiect the perfect knowledge of his doctryne and truth Moreouer they signifie vnto the King in their letters that they did of late sue vnto him and require the selfe same thing of him that they doe nowe by their letters then and Ambassadours also and were almost perswaded by his aunswere againe that he woulde neuer more suffer the miserable Christians so to be afflicted and appressed with those iniuries Notwithstanding that they vnderstoode that the same affliction by all maner of punishment was as great in his kingdome as euer it had bene before Insomuch that in this poynt they did greatly bewayle so much as Christian Charitie required the state and condition of his good and faythfull subiectes who for this cause were onely afflicted for that they followed that doctrine which they retayned sure and firme in their Churches and in the which they grounded their fayth The which wonderfully grieued them not onely bicause they sawe that it was preiudiciall and hurtfull to them but chiefly bicause they perceyued the glorie of the most mightie God to be defaced and as it were derided And bicause Charitie with the which his subiects were beloued of men did prouoke them also to wishe their peace and tranquilitie and aboue all things to desire that the King might behaue himselfe in that thing which appertained to the glorye of God and soules health that he might not prouoke the wrath of God against him they most hartily beseech hym that he woulde prudentlye expende and weigh all the circumstances of this facte and specially that he woulde consider the causes why his miserable subiectes shoulde be so greatly troubled and that he woulde endeuour himselfe that the Church of God might be pourged from all these corruptions with the which it had bene a long time contaminated and infected in so doing he shoulde satisfie the honest desire of a great number in this poynt And bicause he coulde not come to the knowledge of those things which were of so great weyght without the hearing of the iudgementes of godlye learned men they perswaded him so call vnto hym out of hande men expert in knowledge and desirous of Gods glorie after the ensample of his Elders by whome the matters nowe in controuersie might be vprightlye and peaceably decided and determined by the rule of holye Scripture Also that whyle these thinges were in hande and vntill it were fully concluded of the matters in controuersie his subiectes which followe the doctrine agréeing
to their confession which latelye they defended might go vntroubled and vnconstreyned to doe anye thyng agaynste their conscience that nothing myght bée deuysed to put them in peryll of lyfe and goodes and that they whiche were in prison myght bée sette at libertie To conclude they affirme that they perceyue that their earnest requestes shall no lesse preuayle with him than the cryings and importunitie of the aduersaries of the truth hath done The which if it come to passe according to their expectatioÌ„ he shall fulfill the commaundement of the sonne of God who specially committeth his Church which he hath redéemed with his most precious bloude to Princes also shall shewe great mercie and compassion and be very beneficiall towardes his subiectes if so be he woulde giue them leaue to inuocate and worship God aright In reknowledging whereof they testifie themselues to be ready and vpon this condicion will constantly avide for euer the Kinges friendes To these letters subscribed the Earle of Palatine the Duke of Saxâ—…nie Marchio of Brandeburge VVolfgangus Earle of Weldentsius and the Duke of Wirtemberge The king when he had suluted the Ambassadours according to the maner and custome maketh a very short aunswere in this forme saying that he will forthwith sende such an aunswere that he trusted thereby sufficiently to satisfie them But notwithstanding the Ambassadours of the Princes were as yet scarcely departed but that the fire of persecution which séemed to be extinguished before by their comming burned the faithfull a freshe Moreouer the causes of those Counsellers who as we sayd before were taken in the Senate of Paris came now in question Iudges also were chosen which shoulde consider the cause of Annas Burgaeus but not indifferent Iudges but such as were great enimies to that which he defended And among others the Bishop of Paris and Demochares the Inquisitor were chosen for this purpose the which Iudges when Burgaeus refused desiring that he might be iudged of the whole felowship and assemblie of the Senate according to the ancient and accustomed lawe of the Senate of Paris he was commaunded by the Kings letters patents to aunswere before those iudges The which letters when he had hearde them red he affirmed that for obedience sake to the King he woulde aunswere otherwise he woulde haue made no aunswere at all therefore they demaunding of him he made aunswere to all those principall points of Popish religion which are at this day in controuersis as to the traditions of the Church to inuocation of Saints to Purgatorie to the Masse and to the rest All the which he dislyking and gaynsaying was at the last condemned by the Bishop of Paris for an heretike and bicause he had taken certayne orders as they call them the same Bishop giueth commaundement that he shoulde be disgraded and so giuen ouer to the secular power The which sentence as it was falslye giuen so Burgaeus appealed from the same to the celestiall Iudge And nowe at this time those outragious stormes of persecution did seeme to beate vpon euery corner of the church of christ The King sent new letters to euery Parliament in the which he commaundeth that the Lutheranes shoulde be most seuerely persecuted Heretofore sayth he in the troublesome time of warres the Lutheranes greatly increased but now that he had inioyed and gotten peace he wold wholy bende himselfe and all his force vtterlye to race and destroy them wherefore he exhorteth them to vse the same diligence in doing the like If they want power and stregth he promiseth that he will prouide for them a bande of souldiers to be redy to ayde theÌ„ at al néede In any wise he willed them not to be colde in their businesse as some began to be for if they were he woulde first begin with them and make them féele the smart of punishment prepared for others Therefore all the Courtes Senates and Assemblies being with this general commauÌ„dement of the King mooued they thunder out and shake â–ª both heauen and earth with newe threatnings and Edicts In the middest of this great distresse and troubles of the faithfull there was great ioye triumph solemnitie and feasting for the peace confirmed betweene the two Kinges by the knot of matrimonie all which ioy and pleasure was by and by sodenly turned into great sorrowe and wo. For King Henrie to solemnise the matrimonie willed a Iusting or running at Tylt to be prepared the which being done and diuers of his Péeres and Nobles armed in a readinesse he himselfe desired among all others to runne against Momgomerie Captaine of his garde who being very loth and vnwilling so to doe was commauÌ„ded earnestly of the King to run against him the King himselfe putting a speare into Momgomeries hande and running togither in a broade way that leadeth to S. Anthonies stréete not farre from the Castell into the which the two Counsellers of whome we spake before were put a péece of one of the Speares or iusting staues by the great force and violence of their running strake the King through the helmet into the eye and so to the brayne wherewith he was sore hurt Then the wounded King after much bléeding was caried into the house called the smal towers Manye men report that he sayde in his greatest griefe and payne that he greatly â—…eared that he had committed wickednesse and done iniurie agaynst his two CouÌ„sellers but the Cardinall of Loraine did labor earnestly to turne his minde from that opinion often crying and inculcating these wordes into his eares The aduersarie of the faith tempteth thee perseuere constantly in the faith The King by the earnest and continuall perswasion of that Cardinall had bene verye cruellye minded and bent against those Counsellers in so much that threatening he spake these wordes I my selfe will see the burning of Burgaeus It was noted of manye that the King was wounded and stayne by him whome he commaunded to carie Burgaeus to prison who was as is sayde before Momgomerie a mortall enimie at that time to the reformed Religion the which he vehementlye persecuted vpon the straite commandements and charge giuen vnto him for the same purpose But afterwarde he was brought to the knowledge of the truth became a very profitable member of the Church of christ And thus king Henrie being weary of his mortall life through extreme griefe and paine surrendred the same againe to him that gaue it in the yeare of our Lorde god M. D. LIX the. x. day of August By this sodaine chaunce the ioy and mirth was turned into sorrowe and beauinesse all men woondring to beholde so sodeyne an alteration and chaunge The Court which was séeled pergitted sumptuouslye decked and prepared for dauncing leaping and other pastyme to make a pleasant and ioyfull mariage was nowe conuerted to another vse namely to kéepe the Kings deade bodie There bewaylings were made with dolefull and lamentable songs in blacke and mourning garments the space of fortie days and fortie nightes
But notwithstanding this time of mourning and sorow the afflictions moued against the Church which séemed by that wonderfull chaunce of the King to cease coulde not be asswaged by any meanes neither did the aduersaries cease to prosecute and follow the law against these two Counsellers Therfore when Burgaeus had oftentimes appealed frō them his appeales being pronounced by the Court to bée nothing and of no force he was at the length condemned by the Bishop of Paris from whome before he had appealed and was also disgraded The which he taking in very good part as might appeare by his cherefull countenance spáke these wordes To daye sayth he it is brought to passe by the singular goodnesse of God towardes me that to the ende I might neuer more haue to doe with Antichrist the badges and markes of that great beast are taken from me Diuers thought Burgaeus vsed many appeals to put of his aduersaries that thereby he might delay the time prolong his life notwithstāding he writing letters to the church of Paris affirmed that he did it not to preserue or prolōg his life the which he wold willingly bestow for the gospels sake but rather the he might séeme not to pretermit any thing which appertained to defende his right And therfore thinking that he had not done sufficiently by his plaine and manifest answeres he writeth also a confession in the which he professeth plentifully and plainly what he thought of euery speciall point of religion Notwithstanding afterwarde by the earnest perswasions and importunitie of his friends he was brought to that poynt that he propounded and deliuered to the Iudges a certaine ambiguous and doubtfull confession in so much that then there was great hope that he shoulde be set at libertie Of the which thing when the heads gouernours of the reformed Church had intelligence being very carefull for Burgaeus notwithstanding being sorie that he should after that maner be deliuered out of prison and from death commaunded one of the Ministers to put Burgaeus in mind of his dutie And certainely their friendly admonitions did so much preuayle with Burgaeus that he by and by earnestly acknowledging his sault desired at the handes of God pardon for the same and quite altereth that which before hée had done Therefore he offereth to his Iudges againe another suppliant booke by which he reueketh his doubtfull and last confession affirming that he standeth to his first confession and requireth that he maye haue iudgement of his cause thereby and that the last sentence eyther of condemnation or deliuerance may stande therevpon That confession is truly more large notwithstanding so well deseruing to be remembred that I thought good here to insert the same ▪ And first of all in that confession he affirmeth himselfe to be a Christian that is to saye such a one as embraceth the doctrine of God the father and his true sonne Iesus Christ of one substance and coeternal with the father and also of the holy ghost who is all one with the father and the sonne being the very power of the father and the sonne Secondly that God created man after his owne Image and similitude who notwithstanding by the suggestion of the Serpent that is to say of Sathan fell from God and made not only himselfe but also al his posteritie partakers of grieuous punishmentes sinne also cleauing to hys séede vnto the ende of the worlde Thirdly that there is but one waye to saluation namely Iesus Christ who being the very sonne of God became perfect man and tooke vpon him all our infirmities sinne only excepted This seconde Adam hath fulfilled the lawe for vs and made vs thereby partakers of euerlasting righteousnesse he liued here a time on earth died and was buried and after he had ouercome death he rose againe the thirde daye ascended into heauen and sitteth at the right hande of the Father making intercession for vs daily to him vntill he shall come to iudge the quicke and the deade Fourthly that he doth leane and stay himselfe onely vpon Gods worde that is to saye vpon the bookes of the olde and newe Testament penned pronounced and vttered by the holy ghost the Prophetes and Apostles being only instruments And that this is the only and euerlasting rule of truth to adde vnto the which or to take any thing therefro is great wickednesse Therefore all the lawes and Ceremonies which Popes and others haue made cannot binde the consciences of men And when he had layde this foundation he sayth that he doth detest the constitutions of the Pope by which he woulde séeme to be more wyse than the most prudent and mightie Lorde being also most contrarie to all truth the which thing he maketh more manifest by comparing the commaundementes of God with the traditions of the Pope God sayth he cōmaundeth vs to worke sixe dayes and to rest the seuenth daye but the Pope to adde thereto his deuise exempteth certaine dayes in the which he forbiddeth to works God permitteth vnto vs the vse of all meates with giuing of thankes but the Pope forbiddeth the same Our Sauiour Christ commaundeth that they which haue not the gift of continencie shoulde marie but the Pope most seuerely forbiddeth his Clergie to marie against the custome of the auncient Church God forbiddeth Images to be set in churches but the Pope cōmaundeth the contrarie And therfore he concludeth that he is very Antichrist and very liuely described of the Apostle Paule so to be ▪ After this be answereth to euery one of the Articles of the interrogatories one by one as to inuocation of Saints to the placing of Images in the temples to the Sacraments to Purgatorie and to the rest I therefore sayeth he acknowledging by what superstitions and errours I haue bene hytherto ledde and blinded doe nowe affirme that I doe vnfeynedlye abiure and abhorre them all euen from the bottome of my heart as things contrarie to the doctrine of my Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ which is the worde reuealed by the holy spirite of God and written by the Prophetes and Apostles The which worde I receyue and embrace as the rule of my whole lyfe euen as in olde time the fierie piller led the children of Israell through the Desert to the lande of promise I protest that I will direct and frame my whole life according to the prescript rule of that word by the assistance of Gods holy spirit which shall be with me order all my wayes without the which I can do nothing and by which all things are possible vnto me Insomuch that I am perswaded that all things shall happen to the glorye of the Lord to the enlarging of the kingdome of his sonne to the building of his Church and to my soules health which I commende vnto him to whome I giue most harty thanks whom I most humbly pray in the name of Iesus Christ his welbeloued sonne that he will strengthen and slablishe me by his holy
procéede in his well doing promising vnto him great things and to the ende he might not séeme to dallie he gaue vnto him a summe of money for an earnest peny and for the newes he brought him he called him Saint Paule the Conuert To be short this fellowe perceyuing some fruite and profite to come vnto him for his treacherie and playing the Iudas part added yet to his former wickednesse another mischiefe So many as he knew to be weak and not fully seâ—…led in the ChristiaÌ„ profession he perswaded to go to the Inquisitor and to desire his friendship that they might be absolued and discharged of the punishment ensuing Also he caried with him Catchpoles to so many of the houses of the faithfull as he knew that by them they might be apprehended By this his secrete treason he made all the chiefe of the Church to flée Nowe the other which was the Painters seruant enuying his maister for due correction ministred vnto his deserts went and tolde the Iudges that he had frequented the Lutheranes companie by the commaundement and will of his maister Whome the Judges séeing to be so readye to accuse inticed him by many faire promises to bewraye such as he knewe to be Lutheranes The which request of theirs he satisfied to the vttermost saying that the common report was true namely that they satisfied their filthie lustes one with another and saying also that he himselfe had to doe with diuers yong maydens whome he named For the which cause he required that those Maidens with their mothers might be brought before the Judge face to face and the matter throughly examined The which matter at the length being manifestly proued false this wicked accuser was constrayned to confesse that he was procured by Democharis the Inquisitor and one of the chiefe of the Senate to forge these things Howbeit this slaunderous rumor did much harme for it was noysed abroade that all maner of wickednesse was committed by the Lutheranes when they came togither The same wherof being brought to the eares of the yong King made him more cruell against the faithfull And so persecution waxed hote and vehement againe the Iudges Flyes for so were the Inquisitors called flying abrode in euery corner Insomuch that for the space of nyne monethes the faithfull were cast in prison banished murthered and their houses and goodes confiscate Notwithstanding all these things God preserued the remnant of his Church and suffered not for all this the preaching of his worde to be taken away Manye therefore were then burned for the Gospels sake whose coÌ„stancie wan many to the same And among the rest which suffered for the testimonie of the Gospell there was one woman called Margaret Riche a booke sellers wife of wonderfull constancie This woman by the falshoode deceit of hir husband was betrayed into the hands of the Judges who notwithstanding was the first that instructed hir in the truth brought hir to know reiect hir former errors Annas Burgaeus affirmed that he was much encouraged by the constancy of this woman which was kept in bonds when he liued Thus the Kingdome of the yong King Frances being gouerned as it pleased the Guises who hauing gotten the superioritie thought and deuised nowe howe to bring two things to passe which séemed to be so necessary for theÌ„ that without the obtaining of them they could not get their purpose the which two thinges were these the extinguishing and taking away of the libertie of Fraunce and the libertie of the Gospell But while they went about to bring these things to passe many complaintes of them and libeâ—…s that touched the practise of these things were cast abrode namely that the Guises did not secretly go about to conspire against the kingdome that they went about in the dayes of King Henrie by subtil sinister meanes to subuert and wast the Duchie of Andegauensis and the Countie of Prouince that they oftentimes complained that the King had doâ—…e them iniurie in this thing that they went about to proue by learned men whoÌ„ they had taken to search the Chronicles that they came by true lineall discent of Carolus Magnus that Hugo Capetus of whom come the kings of Vales that now raigne vsurped the kingdome that they sayd that they hoped for a time to come at the length when they should haue more coÌ„uenient time to reason iudge of this matter And therfore that the Guises hauing practised these things in the dayes of Henrie the King had now greater hope in these days of the yong king to bring their purpose to passe that it was done against all the lawes of the Realme that they shoulde arrogate to themselues the gouernement of the Kingdome séeing the same pertained to the Princes which were the Kings neare kinsmen whom notwithstanding they had excluded froÌ„ that lawful dignitie appertaining to them that the kingdome could not be committed vnto them without great daunger specially séeing they contended for the same that it wanted not great suspition that they banished the auncient kinsfolks of the king froÌ„ the Court to the intent they might do al things as theÌ„ listed that they did chauÌ„ge the gouernors of Prouinces and Cities to the ende such might beare office as would be ruled by them that it appeared by manye things that their gouernment was pernicious and hurtfull for the kingdome as both by the freshe memorie of the late wicked acte done in the dayes of King Henrie concerning that notable viage to Naples by which the one was minded to make himselfe Pope and the other purposed to make himselfe King and also by the sundrie exactions with the which the people were oppressed when they shoulde rather haue bene eased considering the great warres and charge that they had bene at before being charged with warre a freshe carying the souldiers that were wearied in the former warres into Seotlande and all vnder the pretence of religion And here for examples sake the dealings of those were brought in who vnder the colour of custodie protection and wardship had inuaded the kingdomes of Orphantes These were the contents of those libels dispersed abrode coÌ„cluding also that it was no offence at all but well done with the sworde to resist the tirannie of the Guises While these things were published abrode and on both sides writings of defence dispersed manye rumors were brought from farre Countries to the Guises but among the rest this in especiall namely that manye had made a conspiracie to set vpon them euen in the Kinges house The Guises therefore being moued with these writings and rumors layde the cause of all these things to the Lutheranes charge and went about to perswade the King that the Lutheranes disdaining to be so greatlye afflicted had made a conspiracie to destroy him And for the more safetie of the King they caried him to Ambaxia being a litle towne and fortified with a Castell appointing watch and warde to be in euery place through
is no doubt but that all their practises would be voide and frustrate which thinke it good and persuade themselues that it is necessary to haue a new alteration of the common weale and shoulde be a most spedie remedy to mittigate take away al perturbations The which one thing we muste with all diligence possible prouide for And thus he made an end of his oration In the repeating whereof we haue béene some what long but yet for all that the matter is worthy of repetition and not disagreing from our purpose The day following the rest declared their Judgementes and first began the Admirall and the Cardinall of Loraine made an ende But this was the sentence of the Admirall Shatillion â–ª namely that he would haue had that those supplications which he had offered to the king shoulde be subscribed of those in whose name they were put forthe who answered that they were readye either in a small or great number to subscribe those supplications which they had exhibited yea they sayde that they would assemble themselues together to the number of fiftie thousand before the kings Maiestie if so it pleased him But there can nothing be deuised more pestilent thaÌ„ the Prince to stand in feare of his subiectes to be in perill of them in like maner the subiectes to haue an euill opinioÌ„ of their Prince and to be suspected of their king Also he saide that it was ill prouided to bring vp a yong prince in that feare also to giue those occasions to the subiects of fearing At the last he concluded that his sentence was that the errors of the Church shoulde be taken awaye that the garde lately giuen to the king should be remoued and that there shoulde be called forthwith an assembly of the States Thus when the Admirall had made an ende the Duke of Guise taking occasion vpon that which he had spoken began thus saying that it was not wel saide of some that the king ought not to be so so brought vp when as he is so excellently ordered specially by the Queene his mother by whoÌ„ he is indued as it were with a certaine fulnesse of all vertues And as touching that which was spoken concerning the increasing of the Garde he said that he himself did mislike alwayes of the same vntill certaine did moue a sedition put them selues in armes which seemed to be entended altogether against the kings maiestie But wheras it is commonly reported that this sedition was not moued against the king but against manye of his ministers officers that is a vaine cloake nothing answering the matter For there is not any one of vs that euer hurt one of theÌ„ by priuate offences or harmes But they beare all that hatred against vs for the executing of our offices which we haue by the kings authoritie and leaue and therefore to speake more truely they hate not vs but the king Wherfore he said he sawe no reason why that number which was newly added to the Garde shoulde be remoued and taken away And as touching Religion he saide that he stoode to the Judgement of more learned men thaÌ„ he him self was how beit this one thing he would protest professe that no couÌ„cels at any time should so preuaile with him that they should bring him froÌ„ the ancient Religion of his elders specially froÌ„ his beliefe of the holy sacrament of the Altar Finally he said concerning the assembly of the States that he wholy referred the same to the kings maiesties will and pleasure to like or dislike of the same with him The Cardinall of Loraine begaÌ„ his sentence vpoÌ„ those confessioÌ„s which were offred to the king by the Admiral saying that they were nothing lesse thaÌ„ obedient faithful howsoeuer they boasted them selues For so long as the King will like of their opinions and sects or at least wise suffer them they will shewe them selues obedient to the king But I appeale sayth he to the Judgements of all men in this matter whether it be more méete to follow the opinions of these Jolly fellowes thaÌ„ the authoritie of the king To graunt them Churches were to allowe their Idolatry which the king could not doe without manifest perill of destruction And as concerning a generall Councell or a CouÌ„cell assembled together out of our owne NatioÌ„ I caÌ„ not sée saith he by any meanes how it should be necessarie seing that it should be called onely to reforme the maners of certaine ecclesiasticall persons the which might be done with lesse businesse a great deale namely by particular admonitions And as touching that which else appertained to Religion he saide that the same had bene so oftentimes established and confyrmed that he wished that onely to be followed which had béene hitherto obserued and appointed for so much as all assemblies of Councels whatsoeuer can appoynte no more than the obseruation of those things that haue béene kept alreadie And where as it was sayde that they which should subscribe their names to those supplications which they had put forth would assemble them selues together to the number of fiftie thousand to that he answered that the king might set against theÌ„ ten thousand meÌ„ of his Religion But it is manifest saith he of what minde they are by their railing libels which they scatter abroade in all places against euery man Among which great number of libels he saide that he had in his handes fiue and twentie which he diligently kept as a testimonie of great honour bycause he was euill spoken of by those villanous knaues trusting that they should be Monuments of his eternal and euerlasting praise Therefore he wished that those sedicious troublesome persons mighte be most seuerely punished and specially they which woulde put them selues in armes as many had begon But he said he thought it good that they should sustaine no punishment which frequented those sermons withoute armour and onely for consciencs sake of Religion which sang psalmes went not to Masse and such like Adding moreouer that he was very sorie for the sharpnesse and crueltie of those punishments which had béen hitherto vsed protesting that he would most willingly spende his owne life if it might doe any good to bring them into the right way Affirming also that Bishops and other learned men oughte to indeuour them selues to bring this thing to passe according to the commaundement of our sauiour Christ in the Gospell saying Reproue thy brother betweene thee and him c. Also he wished that the Gouernours and other Lieutenants of the Prouinces would diligently attend vpon their offices to see that none seditiously put theÌ„ selues in armor in like maner that the Bishops and curates and other Ecclesiasticall persons would haue a care and diligent eye to their charge to note and marke the abuses and errors of the Churche and to certâ—…e the King within the space of two monethes of those things
whiche they knowe that thereby it may be knowne how necessary it is to haue either a generall counsell or a Nationall counsell For it is verye profitable to call and assemble all the states together that all men may perceiue and sée how wel the Realme is gouerned And thus he made an ende When they had thus vttered their sentences and minds the King and Quéene gaue thankes to the whole assembly whose Counsell they saide they were readye to followe graunting vnto them that whereupon they had concluded namely That all the states of the Realme should be assembled togither and that if there coulde not be a generall councell there shoulde be with all speede a Nationall Councell Therefore they determined and concluded that the states of the Realme should be at Meldis the tenth day of the moneth of December nexte comming excepte it shoulde please the kings maiestie to appointe some other place And that the States belonging to euerye prouince should make in their prouince an assembly and consultation particular before that time to the ende that those things which should be debated of in the general assemblies might be vnderstoode Also that bycause it was in a maner agréed of a generall Coūcell betwéene the Pope the Emperour and the Christian princes the Bishops should come the tenth day of Ianuary next comming to the king that they might agrée conclude of the sending to the generall Councel or else of the hauing of a particular and Nationall Councell And that in the meane time the Bishops should get them to their Diocesses both to prepare them selues and also diligently to note and marke those things which lacke reformation In like maner that the Ciuill and substituted Magistrates shoulde kéepe the people in peace and obedience sparing and omitting neuerthelesse paynes and punishmentes due to offenders excepte it be to suche as put themselues in armes and moue sedition and yet notwithstanding the King to reserue vnto him selfe his power and authoritie to punishe those which are counted the authors of seditions and tumultes This was the conclusion of that consultation the which shall appéere wonderfull if we consider the state of the former times For that libertie which as yet is but little but before lesse being restored frō fiery flames and from death it selfe so preuailed before the King that it increased more and more But for all that the aduersaryes ceassed not their wicked Councels and practises what faire and paynted wordes so euer they vsed who by and by againe burst forth shewed them selues by these occasions There was a certaine seruant belonging to the King of Nauar whose name was Sagua who being come to a place called Fontisbellaquaeum and méeting with a certain souldier called Banna talked with him earnestly persuaded with him that he would not serue vnder the Guises for sayth he there are wayes deuised to punishe and handle them as they haue deserued and at the laste made rehersal of certaine things more particularly Banna the souldier hearing this went and tolde the whole circumstance to Marshall Brissacus who exhorted him to goe to the Duke of Guise To him therfore he went and tolde him all the whole matter in order Then the Guise desired him to faine friendship and familiaritie toward this Sagua and to fawne vpon him often times to repeate their former communication also to shewe him to one of his householde seruants The which this Banna did And Sagua was apprehended by the Guise There were also taken in the hands of Sagua certaine letters of Monsier Vidam of Carnutum to the Prince of Conde in the which he declared That if the Prince would take any thing in hande worthy of kinglike seruice he was ready to serue him and for his sake to spende both goods and life Upon the onely occasion of these letters the king gaue commaundement that Monsier Vidā of Carnutū shuld be takē The which was with all diligence broughte to passe by the Guises In the meane time there came from Lions frō the Abbat Sauignius letters concerning the bewrayed frustrated practises of Malignius who was said to go about to take Lions Sauignius for his rewarde receiued the Archbishopricke of Orleans By the meanes of these newe tumultes the king came from Fontisbellaquaeum to the Citie Sangerman But the cause and mischiefe of all these things was layde vpon the Prince of Conde who was openlye accused to séeke the alteration of the state of the common weale and also to be the author of the tumulte of Ambaxian Then was Cursolensis sente to the King of Nauarre to commaunde him to come vnto the King and to bring his brother the Prince of Conde with him In the meane time Monsier Vidame althoughe he was very sicke yet was he very straitly imprisoned in so much that his owne wife might not come to visite him And being straitly syfted by those whiche were appointed to examine him concerning the meaning of his letters he still made this answere namely That he did write expresly of those things which appertained to the obedience of the king and of whatsoeuer else that shoulde be done by the kings commaundement Also he saide that he was a néere kinsman and friend of the Duke of Guises yet for all that if there were any priuate controuersie betwéene him and tho King of Nauar and the Prince of Conde he woulde rather take part with them thā with him in so much that for them two namely for the King of Nauar and for the Prince of Conde he would spend both life and goods On the other part the familliar friends of the Prince of Conde with whome he was thoughte to haue conference and consultation were dayly caste in prison and the suspicions of the Huguenotes dayly increased more more for by this newe and straunge name were the faithfull of the reformed Church then called Then was there a newe Edict made That no Prince or any other man whatsoeuer shoulde contribute money armor horses and such like to the setting forth of Souldiers and that he which shoulde be founde to doe this should be counted a Traitor to the King. There was yet a seconde messenger sent to the King of Nauar that he and his brother should come with all spéede This Messenger was Cardinall Burbonius their brother Publique supplicatiōs for the peace of the kingdome were euery where forbidden And wheras the assembly of States was determined before to be holden at Meldis it was now translated and remoued to Aurelias Marshall Termensis being sente with two hundred armed men to kepe the citie At the feast of Saint Michaels order Monsier Vidam being one of the foresaide order put vp a certaine supplication by the Cardinall of Loraine as by the Chauncelor of that order desiring that according to the auncient custome he mighte be iudged of all those that were of that honorable order of Saint Michael and that for those causes onely for
Nauar that the Constable didde it not vpon the same consideration aâ—…d in that order but in respecte of his office of the Câ—…nstableship the same thyng proprely appertayning to his office But herevpon was kindeled a more fyerie contention and sharpe and bitter wordes passed on bothe partes and in suche sort that the next day the king of Nauarre made himselfe readie to depart and his caâ—…iage and sumpter horsses béeing sent before he himselfe was now readie to mount on horsebacke and with him were readie to goe all the Princes the kings néere kinsmen the Constable the Chastillions and the greatest part of the Nobles the which if it had come to passe the Guises and they of their parte shuld haue ben left only with the king And the report was that they would go no further than Paris that there calling the assemblie of states together they might fully determine concerning the gouernment of the kingdome The Quéene béeing verie sorie for this sodaine intention and purpose by the aduise of the Cardinall of Turnon called vnto hir the Constable and to the ende she mighte stay and deferre hys going she brought to passe that king Charles hir sonne two Secretaries being called to make record commaunded and charged the Constable in this necessitie to abyde with him as one of the chiefe officers that might not be spared This charge so stayed the Constable that he neuer durst as hée had promised follow the king of Nauarre for all the persuasuasions that duke Momorencius could vse who persuaded him to the same Therfore the king of Nauar was let of his purpose But it was euery where reported that the Quene for the hatred she bare vnto the king of Nauar made muche of the Guyses The which rumour broughte to passe that they which should come to Paris to the particular assemblies of the States as in other prouinces of the realme they did also came the more spéedily In the whiche assemblie many things were moued concerning the order and maner of gouerning the realme as concernyng the remouing and placing some from and to the most honourable offices concerning the Guyses accompt to make of the money whiche was spent in the tyme of king Frances the seconde concerning their euill behauiour in the tyme of king Henrie and concerning their briberie and vnlawfull receyuing of money In the whiche crime also the Marshall Santandrae the Duchesse of Valentien and others were guiltie All whiche were forbidden to be of the Kings priuie Counsell vntill suche tyme as they had made their accompt Then they whiche were for this cause assembled togither at Paris as it is declared before were forbidden to doe any thing concerning the gouernment of the kingdom but they notwithstandyng go forwarde with that whiche they had begonne affirming that the same did specially appertayne to the assemblie of States to be talked of and not to be left to the determination and will of the Princes and kings kinsmen only When the Queene heard this she was oute of meaâ—…ure troubled and fynding no better way or remedie than to be reconciled to the king of Nauarre she desired the Constable that he woulde endeuour himselfe all that he coulde to bring the same to passe And at the length the Constable béeing a meane there was a newe couenaunte and league made betwéene them namely That the King of Nauarre shoulde bee taken for the Vicegerent or Regent throughoute the whole Realme And that the Queene neuer after would doe any thing withoute his counsell and will. This and the rest whiche tended to this effect were confirmed and fully agreed vpon both by words and writings and Registred by the Kings Secretaries in publike record These conditions beeing concluded and agréed vpon all the Princes the Kings kynsmen and the Prince of Conde being for this cause sente for from Paris subscribed to the same The Duke of Guyse in lyke manner subscribed with them promising from thence forwarde to shewe him selfe morâ—… obediente to the Kyng of Nauarre Then commaundemente was giuen to the Marshall Momorentius that he shoulde with all spéed cause the states particularly assembled at Paris to be reuoked and called backe agayn and that the same whiche was done at the first concernyng thâ—… order of gouerning the kingdome should be quietly amended and corrected The which thing was wysely brought to pâ—…sse by him to the great pleasure of the Quéene and also without any offence to the king of Nauarre Among the Ambassadoures of forreyne Princes and nations whiche came into Fraunce to gratifie the newe kyng Charles there was the Ambassadoure of Denmarke called Georgius Gluchus For this man the king of Nauarre made a feaste and desired him to tell his lorde the kyng of Denmarke that be would before a yeare came came about bring to passe that the Gospell should be openly and fréely preached thoroughoute the whole realme of Fraunce â–ª For the whiche thing when thankes was giuen to God and the good intent and purpose of the king of Nauarre commended Georgius Gluchus the Ambassadoure prayed him that hée woulde take héede that the doctrine of Caluine and of the Heluetians myght not be receyued in France but rather the doctrine of Martine Luther Whyche doctrine the king of Denmarke his Lorde and the kyng of Sueuia and many other kings and Princes whose dominion and power is no lesse than theirs whiche acknowledge the bishop of Rome and his Churche doo followe To this the king of Nauarre answered that Martine Luther and Iohn Caluine did wholly disagrée from the Pope in fortie Articles and of those fortie Articles they agréed betwéene themselues in nine and thirtie So that there is but one betwene them in controuersie Wherfore sayeth he both parts must endeuor themselues mutnally to beÌ„d their minds force first of al against the Pope that he being once ouercome they may seriously togither consider confer and come to agréement in that article in controuersie and so the Churche at the length may be brought to his former puritie But the Constable when the Quéene and king of Nauar were made frendeu obteyned great fauour on bothe sydis perswading himselfe that he had not ben a lâ—…ttle beneficiall to both of them by this meanes he was verie familiar with them bothe But when he saw that in Leâ—…t flesh was commonly eaten and openly vought and solde and that there were lermons openly preached in the prince of Condes chamber heard also the Quéen opeÌ„ly say that it was the kings pleasure and hirs also that there should be godly Sermons euery day in the kings house he began to suspecte that the king of Nauarre and the Quéen had secretly agréed together concerning religion And there preached before the Kyng one Ianuâ—… Monlucius Bishop of Valentine at whose preaching the Constable and the duke of Guise were â—…euer but once and the Constable being verie angrie with the bishop of Valentine sayde that it was inough for him to come once and no
more to suche a matter To whom the Bishop sayd that he prayed God that his worde might profite and take place euery where The day folowing the Constable and the Duke of Guise went together to a sermon of a certaine Monke and from that tyme their myndâ—… began to be altenated and drawne away After which tyme the Constable was angrie with the Admirall his nephew openly bicause he did freely and publikely professe the Gospel And the wife of the Constable greatly pricked him forward to this euill who was greatly offended that the familie and stocke of the Chastillion shoulde bee aduaunced hir brother the Earle Villarius being not in that estimation that she woulde haue had him Therfore she moued prouoked him wyth these prickes saying that the Admirall wente aboute to depriue him of that benefite which the Quéene had bestowed vpon him that he did instaÌ„tly persuade the Quéene to promote set forth the true religioÌ„ for the king of Nauars sake that the CoÌ„stable ought not to suffer y authoritie of the church of Rome to be diminished he being not onely the chiefe officer oâ—… the king but also such a one as had his original ofspring of the firste Christian of the kingdome of Fraunce as the poelie of his armes did verie well testifie whiche was this Protegat Deus primum Christianum that is God defende the firste christian Also the Marshall Santandrae a suttle craftie and malicious man blew in his care that by the suttle procurement of the Admirall he was put vp by the assemblie of States to be a bryber and an extorcioner By thys meanes he thoughte to staye him for he feared that the Constable would not easily be brought to their wicked religion except it were by these persuasions Therfore he proceeded saying that he whiche came of so noble a stock and hadde doone suche woorthie and notable seruice in the kyngdome of Fraunce gouernyng the kingdome fortie yeares oughte not to suffer newe religions to be brought in to the hurte of the catholike churche The lyke persuasions also vsed the Earle Villarius hys wyues brother bearing no lesse spite and malice agaynste the Admirall than his sister did and that bycause hee vnderstoode that the Admirall did disproue before those of the kings priuie counsell that whiche he had done in Narbon against Religion Therfore they withdrewe the Constable all that they coulde The whiche thyng Marshall Momorentiuâ—… fearing and foreséeing a daungerous tempest lyke to aryse by the meanes of these dissentions hée shewed to his father the Constable so muche as he could what he thought néedfull to be doone And least he shoulde be drawne awaye from the greatest parte of his strength leaste he shoulde chaunge awaye certaine frendship for that which was vncertain and leaste he should ioyne hymself with newe reconciled fréendes he repeated vnto him their olde enmities and fallings out Adding moreouer that hée shoulde peruerte and ouerthrowe the greatest foundations of his stocke and kinred when he should alienate and withdraw himselfe from the Prince of Conde from the Chastillions from the Earle of Rupefocaldensis and from the rest which professe the reformed Religion beside this he should loose thereby the good will and fauor of the king of Nauarre and peraduenture the Quéenes fauoure too It is better sayeth hee to suffer the Chastillions and the Guiles to contende togyther than for you to take parte and yet neuerthelesse you shall kéepe youre faythe Affirming also that yf the Guyses were ouercome as it is moste lykely bycause they haue procured the hatred of all the assemblies agaynste themselues then shoulde his prudence experience and goodnesse bring to passe that he shoulde be a moderatour and a iudge of the reformation of the Churche the errours of the whiche Churche he ought not to defend bycause he was the chiefe officer vnder the King and the successour also of the firste Christian that was in Fraunce Also he sayde that he ought not to count it an iniurie that mention was made of hym by those that were of the Assemblie at Paris seing that he had doone nothing but by the authoritie of Kings and of the hyghest powers and séeing also that he hadde receyued so little of kyng Henrye that there was no manne but hée woulde iudge hym woorthie of greater rewardes bothe in consideration of the office whyche hée had so long and also for the money whiche hee bestowed in the Kings seruice Moreouer hée sayde that it appeared by the Bookes of accompte that the gyftes whyche the kyng gaue hym were not so muche by the seuenth parte as those giftes were whiche were bestowed vpon the Marshal Santandrae so farre they were from being compared with the Guises gifts and with the giftes of the Duchesse of Valentien To these persuasions onely of Momorentius the Constable made answer saying That Religion coulde not be altered without the mutation of the state ciuil regiment that he was a faithfull seruant of the king and of his brethren also that he feared not to be found guiltie that notwithstanding he woulde not suffer the actes and deedes of the Kyngs deceassed to be reproued and disalowed That hée desyred that hys nephews the Chastillions might be so good Christians in verie déede as they séemed to bée in woordes also that hée dyd willingly forgiue those that had offended him whatsoeuer they had doone After this verie shortly the Chastillions Odetus the Cardinal the Admiral the Andelot came oftentimes vnto him protesting that they bare no hatred in their heartes agaynst the Guises but went only about to frustrate their practizes and deuyses whiche as it euidently appeared tended both to their destruction and of the realme also Whome the Constable saye they oughte to resiste aboue all others But they persuaded in vayne for his mynd was drawne awaye and was linked in the freendship of the Guyses by diuers that allured him therto Thus dissentioÌ„s grew dayly more and more by the meanes of Religion and openly burste foorthe insomuche that both partes sought to iniurie and to reproche one another the fauourers of the Popes doctrine calling the professours of the Gospell Huguenotes and the Protestantes callyng them agayne Papistes Herevpon came a rumour abroade of Seditions the Popes chaplains in their Sermons mouing and pricking the people forward to the same Wherfore the king sent his letters to the Magistrates of euerye Prouince the summe and effect wherof was That no man shoulde call another contumeliously by the name of Huguenot or Papist that no man shuld abuse that ho nest libertie which euery maÌ„ ought to enioy either in his own house or wheÌ„ he is in his freds house that no maÌ„ shuld enter ei ther with gret or smal nuÌ„ber vpoÌ„ other meÌ„s houses vnder proteÌ„ce of the former edicts which prohibited forbad vnlauful assemblyes That they which were kept in bondes for Religions sake should be by and by deliuered and set at libeâ—…e before the first Edicte made
by manye of the nobles was not altogether hidden but euidently ynonghe appeared to all men that woulde sée the same FINIS The translator to the Reader THus gentle Reader endeth the firste part of these CoÌ„mentaries faithfully collected and gathered by that singular learned man Petrus Ramus of Fraunce who himselfe bycause he was a zealous professor of the Gospell and an enimie to Antichrist was slaine in this last horrible butcherly murther in the yeare of our Lorde God. 1572. The speciall cause that moued the sayde Petrus Ramus to spende his trauaile in penning these Commentaries in the Latine toung was as you maye perceyue by hys preface in the beginning of this Booke that all Christian Realmes might be certifyed of the true originall and cause of all the warres troubles and sheding of Innocente bloude that haue beene from the yeare of our Lorde God. 1557. vntill this present daye To the ende therefore that his desire might be the better satisfyed when I had considered the worthinesse of his trauaile and what great fruite woulde spring of the same to al that will vouchsafe to spende sometime in reading of this worke for that all men vnderstande not the Latine toung I thought good to translate the same into Englishe that none of our Countreymen might be stayed from the taste of such fruite as will growe thereof And as I haue spente sometime in translating this firste parte so I meane God willing to goe forwarde with the other two partes the seconde beeing nowe in hande and shall bee printed if God permitte against the nexte Terme In the meane tyme I beseech thee right Christian Reader contente thy selfe with this accept my labor and requite my good will with diligent reading of the same Before the which I shall desire thee to correct with thy pen suche faults as I haue here caused to be noted In so doing no one sentence I trust shal seeme obscure vnto thee Faultes escaped in Printing Line 2. Page 9 For it reade he Li. 19. pa. 12. for might defende reade might séeme to defend Line 18. pag. 17. reade acknowledging of the truth Line 16. pag. 40 for other wile reade otherwise Line 22. pag. 43. reade as though it had bene Line 5. pag. 73. read we will not deny Line 8. pag. 73. reade name of the Church Line 4. pag. 76. for is sodaine reade is so highe Line 31. pag. 112. for there reade Then. Line 3. pag. 124. reade must not therefore Line 25. pag. 125. in these words and if that leaue out if Line 23. pag. 164. bring in these words might be solde from them Line 32. pag. 194. for Prophetes reade properties Line 5. pag. 167. for although reade as though Line 1. pag. 239. for only thee reade only thrée Line 18. pag. 235. for they shall reade shall they Line 20. pag. 235. for doth reade doth not NOte here good Reader that these faultes escaped in Printing are not so escaped in al the Bookes of this impression but in some Least therefore they to whome those should happen might be troubled in the reading with obscure sense I thought good to make a generall note of all THE INDEX A. Affliction of the Churche after the death of King Henrie 47. Affliction rysing of false reportes 50 Affliction somewhat ceaseth 61. Agronia assaulted 161. Ambaxian Tumult 2. Andelot put in pryson 23. Andelot answereth 23. Andelot escapeth pryson 110. Andelot in fauour againe 24. Annas Burgeus defendeth the gospell in the Parliament house 26. Annas Burgeus caryed to pryson by Mongomerie 27. Annas Burgeus examined 32. Annas Burgeus condemned 33. 39. Annas Burgeus disgraded 35. Annas Burgeus confession 36. Annas Burgeus taketh his iudgement thankfully 39. Annas Burgeus Oration 4. Annas Burgeus burned 43. Annas Burgeus bringing vp 44. Angell speaker for the Comminaltie 121 Apologie for the faythfull Captiues 9. Arrogant threatnings of the Constable 11. Augusta a cittie in Germanie 131. Authoritie of Godâ—… worde 199. Authoritie of the Church 227. B. Baptisme 75. Beza his prayer 189. Bishoppe of Nauntes author of the Tumult 17. Bishoppes of Rome sowers of discorde 82. Bookes of sclaunder 100. Brosaeus Generall of the Armie that went into Scotlande 61. C. Cardinall of Loraine an enemie to Burgeus 39. Cardinall Poole 95. Cardinall of Loraine seeketh to get fame by keeping Lybelles of reproch 104. Cardinall Ferrer sent from Rome to hinder the Nationall Councell 166. Calabria persecuted 63. Christ our righteousnesse 68. Christ God and Man. 68. Christ hath two natures 69. Christ dyed for sinne 69. Christ our Aduocate 71. Church what it is 72. 217. Churches denyed to them of the reformed Religion 124. Commendation of the protestantes 25 Communion with Christ and the Fathers vnder the law 18â—… Comparison betwene the doctrine of the Gospel and papistrie 37. CoÌ„fession of the french church 63 Confession of Annas Burgaeê° 36. Confession of the church of Flanders offered to king Philip. 166. Confirmation 204. Constable proudly threatneth 11. Constable drawne away from the Prince of Conde 140. Constable misseliketh of the profession oft he Admirall ibidem Controuersie betwene Charles the fifth and Pope Clement 91. Contention betwene the Queene and the king of Nauarre 136. Consubstantiation 203 Couetousnesse the beast of Babylon 93. Couetousnesse of Priestes 122. D. Democharis the inquisitour sitteth vpon Burgaeus 32. Democharis a slanderous inquisitour 50. Denises to abolishe the Gospell 1. Discipline of the Church 73. Disputation at Posiat 179. Doctrine of the lawe 71. Duke Arscotus a Brabantine 8. Duke of Guise an enimie to the Andelot 23. E. Earle Villarius an enemie to the Admirall 141. Ecclesiasticall Disciplne 72 Edict of Castellobrian 24. and. 12. Edict of Iuly 150. Election diuine 67. Election of Ministers 74. Example of two false brethren very notable â–ª 48. Excommunication 74. F. Factious names 118. Faith and good vvorkes 167 Faith coÌ„meth by the holy Ghost 70. Faith attaineth righteousnesse 70. Faithfull sclaundered 7. Figures of the Lawe 71. Forewarnings of desolation 92. Fruites of Popishe Sermons 22. G. Geneua a Sanctuarie for the Godly 4. Generall Councell not looked for 90. Generall Councell a vayne remedie 187. Georgius Gluchus Ambassadour out of Denmarke 139. God omnipotent 65. Gospell hath diuers professors 85. Good workes 71. Guises rule the Realme 50. Guises persecutors of the Gospel 51. Guises no Princes 60. Guises make claime to the crowne of England 62. H. Huguenotes a name giuen to the faithfull 59. I. Iacobes slaughter at Paris 1. Iacobus Sillius speaker for the Nobilitie 122. Ianus Contachus moueth controuersies 45. Ignorance of Priestes 122. Iniuries done to the faithfull 17. Innocencie of the Prince of Conde 147. Inquisitors of Fraunce called Flies 50. Intercession of Saintes 71. K. King Hentie the second set against the Protestantes 26. King Henrie threatneth Burgaeus 27. King Henrie slayne 34. Kinges duetie 100. King of Nauarre and the Prince of Conde sent for to the King. 107. King Fraunces dyeth 112. King of Nauar yeldeth his authoritie to the Queene
at the last the streates and the riuer were filled with dead carcasses There was nothing so cruell which the furious multitude did not attempt To this tumultuous and sedicious citie did the Guises bring the king first of all to the Castell which appertayned to the King then the King entered the citie without any maner of kinglike pompe to the Castell called Lower All thinges falling thus out according to the desire of the Guises they now seriously studie and beate their braynes concerning the order of their warres and they communicated their busines with the Kinges counsell which they had almost renued chusing such as they knew were for their purpose and putting out others cōmaunding also Michael Hospitall the kings Chaūcelour to get him home to his house requiring them to prouide for the mayntenaunce of the warres euen as if they should haue delt with the forreyne enemy They sent also Ambassadours into Spaine into Italy and into Zwitserland to haue helpe and ayd from thence Euery where but specially at Paris there was pressing out of souldiours the Marchants and the shaueling Priestes setting forth many souldiours armour goonnes and all maner of furniture being prouided for the warres On the other part the Prince of Conde séemed to be very carefull and disquieted with these commotions musing what successe his enemies should haue and of the euent of the imminent warre being very lothe as it shuld séeme to warre wyth them Wherupon he cau sed the Edictes concerning the maintenance of peace to be proclaimed least any mā for religions sake or for any other cause should make a tumult and declared to the magistrates of the towne and to his Centurious that he desired nothing more than to haue all men liue according to the prescript of the Kings Edicts He wrote also daily letters to the King to the Quéene and to the King of Nauar hys brother beséeching them to take héede and sée that all things were done peaceably and by cōmon consent if it might be admonishing also such as had the gouernment of the Common wealth to be ware least by the ambition of the Guises and of his adherents the King and the Realme were broughte into great pearill and danger for the auoiding whereof so many meanes of late were vsed protesting héerewyth that he desired rather to sée the very extréeme end than warre and that he wished specially that the king in that hys tēder age and hys realme also might be accordingly prouided for Notwithstanding the willes and purposes of hys aduersaries so manifestly appeared that he was admo nished by diuers prudēt and wise men which attended vpon him that it was his part to séeke all that he could to let and hinder them least they did turne to the ruine and subuertion of the whole realme and of the reformed church For there came vnto the Prince of Conde of all estates some from all partes of the Realme and very many also of the Noble men as the Admirall the Andelot his brother and the Cardinall Odette the Earle of Rochefoulcaut the Prince Porcian Piennes Crusol Soubiz Mouy Sanli Estern and manye others which came to the Prince in great number to Orleans These men perceiued wel inough the horrible and wicked enterprises of the Guises and their adherents the manifest violating of the Kings Edicte the iniury offred to the yong King and to the Quéene his mother and the conspiracies of straungers againste the Kings kinsmen and therfore they thought it their duty to prouide for these mischéenes Whervpon after deliberation had with the Prince of Conde they earnestly persuaded with him to take vpon him the patrociny and defēce of the realme for that the right of gouerning the realme during the time of the Kings minoritie pertained vnto him the King of Nauar hys brother neglecting his duty in that behalfe They prayed and most earnestly beséeched him being of the Kings bloud that he wold not forsake the captiued King in such time of perill that he would not suffer the Kings Edictes to be violated and contemned of strangers of whose violence he him selfe not long agoe had experience and principally that he would not permit that true Religion wherof he hym selfe was so zealous a professor to be suppressed so furiously by warre This thing they being the kings faithful subiects most humblely beséeched him that he wold vauchsafe gladly to take in hād they promising to shew them selues ready at all times to shewe all manner of lawfull obedience and to spend their goodes and their liues to in so iust a cause The Prince of Conde being moued in conscience with this plaine declaration of his duety and hauing so oftentimes called vpon the mother Quéene by his letters he at the last toke vpon him the defence of thys cause and the charge so earnestly offered vnto hym Wherevpon the Prince of Conde and the Noble men made a league betwéene them selues for the defence of that cause and then caused the same to be put downe in wryting the eleuenth day of April in maner and forme folowing WE Lodowic Borbon Prince of Conde and the greatest Parte of the Nobilitie of Fraunce whose names are subscribed to this League esteeming nothing more precious next to the honor and glory of God than the obedience of our King and the conseruation of the Crowne aed Dignity during the time of this his Minority established by the Authority of the Quene and by the high Court of Parliament and seeing the presumption and boldnesse of certaine of the Kings subiectes to be such that not only they dare beare armoure contrary to the Kings Edictes to destroy his subiectes because by the benefite of the Edictes they come together to heare the word of God and to call vpon his holy name but also haue taken into their custody the King the Queene and her sonnes againste all Lawe bothe of God and the Realme seking hereby so farre as we can perceiue vnder the pretence of the Kings authoritye to deface true religion and to destroy the greatest part of the Kings Subiectes which in dede were the way to get the Kingdome into their owne handes VVe therefore I say for these causes to restore so much as we may first of all the Kings maiesty to his dignity the Quene to her authority and may also maintaine and kepe the Kings faithfull subiects in the liberty of that Religion and conscience which is licensed and geuen to them by the Kings Edicte made by the iudgements and consents of the Princes the Kings kinsmen and of the Kings counsel and also of the whole assembly of Parliament which ought to abide firme and immutable in this tender age of the King are constrained according to our duety and office as the Kings loyall faithfull subiects to take the sweard in hand the which is the only remedy geuen of God at this time to remedy and resist so muche as we may these outrages and vnlawfull actions For the
according to the prescript of the kings Edicts At Orleans they of both Religions liued peaceably and according to the Edict of January the priests openly in their churches vsed their superstitiouse rytes and ceremonies and the faithfull on the contrary part went out of the Citie to heare sermons The which notwithstāding continewed but a short time as shal be declared anon when occasion is offered to speake of the same The Prince of Conde had sent the causes in writing that moued him to warre of the which we haue spoken before to the King and Quéene and to the king of Nauar his brother praying and beséeching them that vpon the conditions which he propounded vnto them the whole matter might be peaceably ended and concerning the same matter also he wrote to the Senate of Paris that his writings and letters might be kept in the publique Commentaries and Register of the Senat for a remēbrance whatsoeuer might chaunce afterward After the which letters the Quéen answered the Prince of Conde the second of May by hir letters agayne In the which shée sayd she was glad that the Prince of Conde shewed himselfe to be desirouse of peace and concorde whereas otherwyse ther was cause why shée should greatly sorrow and lament for that shée being a woman to whom by the common consent of the States the gouernment of the king and realme was committed was nowe in the middest of so great troubles to be ryd out of which shée trusting to the Prince doubted not but that hée would do all that hée could for the good will and obediēce sake which hée did owe vnto the King and for the profite and quietnesse of the whole Realme and would not refuse any reasonable condicion for the establishing of peace and concord Therefore shée sayd that hée should do very well if so be he would come vnto the King and to her out of hand putting of his armour and trusting to the promises of her fayth which should be as sure vn to him as any obligation if so be hée would remember the friendship and loue which shée alwais bare towards him who loueth him as tenderly as the mother loueth her childe Therefore shée sayeth that hée shall doe very well if so be hée come boldly to the Court that hée may ende all matters at once before the King and hir The Senate of Paris also sent letters of aunswer to the Prince of Conde the fiueth day of May to this effect following Wée haue receyued your letters with the forme of your declaration the which we could not reade without our great sorrow and grief Séeing that wée know you to be a Prince and the Kings neere kinsmā of one of the most noble stockes of the kings kynred neyther do wée doubt but that your nature and disposition is agréeable to your offspringe as it is commonly séene in the best Princes if it be not alienated and drawne away wyth euill counsells And although it be our office onely to deale in the principal poyntes of the law yet neuerthelesse seeing you haue made special complaints vnto vs wée thought it not good to let you want all that wée are able to do in that point but fréely and truly to set before you our opinion and iudgemēt wherby you may know how reuerētly according to our duty we estéeme of you We haue considered and do perceyue that your complaintes do consist in two principall poynts The first principall is that it hath bene told you that the kyng Quéene were captiued in the custodie of certaine of the Nobles which attended vpon them and that many of his Connsellers were with threatninges made afeard Wee beséeche you that you would not any more beléeue these reportes séeing it is so manifest and euidently knowne to all men that it cannot be doubted of how that the King of Nauar your Brother a man of great wisedome and such a one as is very carefull for the preseruation of the king and his dignity is with the King and Queene who will not without all doubt suffer any maner of violence or iniury to be offered to the King being both of kyn to the Kyng as well as you also charged with the king by his office Beside this the Cardinall of Borbon is with them who hath no lesse care for the safetie of the king and the Realme than you haue Moreouer there are with him other Princes his kinsmen men of wisedome which are bound both by their office and also by the bond of loue to defende the kyng with a great sort of his Counsell also which if the kyng were so shamefully misused would lay their heades together to remedy the same because if in this poynt they should fayle to do their dutie they might be sure to be euill spoken of among all men In that therfore they do so diligently séeke with one consent the pre seruation of the state and would haue you to be ioyned with them you may thereby certainely perceiue how false those reports haue bene the which reports would greatly haue offended and gréeued the mindes of your bretherne if that they had not here tofore declared their fayth and great good will for if they should so behaue themselues towards the king it wold greatly redownd to their reproch and shame If you will wey and consider these things you shall find that those reporters do vnto you and to them also great iniury séeing that ye are bretherne This also we woulde haue you to vnderstand that we haue none otherwise confirmed letters concerning the libertie of the King and Quéen then the very truth thereof hath caused vs least you should thinke that we had done any thing rashly or through feare We feare no man in the executing of our office in doing whereof we haue only a consideration of the kyng specially in those thinges which do belong to the obediēce of the kyng and to the profite of the Realme being ready for these causes to spend our life and goods Know you also for suertie that all dew reuerence obedience is shewed here to the King and Quéene And because we vnderstand by your declaratiō that you find fault with certaine of vs as though we forsaking the Kinges lawfull Counsell were present at certaine secret Counselles Know you also this for a certaine that none of vs were present at that counsell which was kept here extraordinarily by the aucthoritie of the king of Nauar your brother but only by the slat commaundement of the Cardinal of Borbō your brother also and the kéeper of the Citie neyther did we heare sée or perceyue that anything was done there which did not appertaine to the obedience of the King. The other principall poynt of your complaints concerneth Religion The which truely is no lesse straung and wonderfull vnto vs Of the which we perceyuing that you haue ben otherwise infourmed than it is haue thought good to certifie you of the trueth You knowe that
that Edict The Ministers of the Gospel after their othe had authoritie giuen them by the Magistrat to preache in all Prouinces they had also places for the preaching of the word and for the administration of Sacraments grauÌ„ted vnto them in the 〈◊〉 of the Cities al things else peaceably and without any â—…umult Our aduersaries enuying that all things went forwarde so well sought daylye newe occasions to moue troubles At the length their Captaynes the Constable and the Marshall of S. Andrew thinking it good to delay the tyme no leager wrote letters to the Duke of Guise to come with ayde and a power of man to the Courtâ—… and hauing gotten the King of Naâ—…ar on their syde there was great hope that they should haue all things at their pleasure Then the Duke of Guise comming with a great Armie of footemen and a troope of horsemen made hast toward the Courte and by the waye as he came hée â—…uelly handeled the reformed Churches which peaceablely vsed the benefite of the Edict at Vassi setting sodenly vpon a great number of the faithful which were gathered togither to heare the word of God he slew maÌ„ woman and child without all pitie or mercy Thus beginning his busines he went forward on his iourney without feare and came to Nâ—…antuil the house of his territory or Lordship whether the Constable and the Marshiall of Santandre came And when they had deliberated of the matter and had opened the causes of their complaynts some of them bewayling the decaye of their aucthoritie and rule which thei had in the daies of Kyng Fraunces the second other some repining that they must make their accompt according to the decrée of the States at the length they determined to arme them selues And thus of their owne priuate authority they put them selues in Armes to mayntaine their ambition and couetousnes which notwithstandinge they couer with the cloake of Religion they came to the Kyng and Quéene with an Army of men and made them subiect to their power and tooke vppon them the gouernement subtillie foreséeing that there was no better way to make the people to take their part than vnder the pretence of Religion and the name of the Kyng so to abolish the Lawes and constitutions of the States and the Edict it selfe Therfore from that time forward hauing gotten Paris into their hand and brought the Kyng captiue thither they left no kind of mortall crueltie vnshewed no one corner of the Realme was frée from the Ciuill warres which they had stirred vp insomuch that the lamentable remembraunce of things past and of the great destruction like to come would make a man to tremble Nothwithstanding the Quéene being certified of these thinges was very carefull to let and stay their purpose and to frustrate their deuises sent for the Prince of Conde to come to Monceaulx and prayed him to resist the violent force and crueltie of these men by force of Armes and for this cause she appoynted him to be Captaine generall and named certaine men vnto him whose helpe and furtherance he might vse But the Prince of Conde delaying the matter for feare of tumults and vproares was preuented with the expedition and hast of his enemies who had so gotten the Kyng and Quéene into their handes that they abused their willes at their owne pleasure deludinge and abusing also the facillitie and sufferance of the king of Nauar they séeke thereby coullers to hide their tirranie The which sufferaunce notwithstanding of the king of Nauar although his full consent were ioyned therwith as it ought not by any meanes to restraine or deceiue the king of his libertie euen so it can be of no force to excuse the vnbrideled ambition and presumption of the Guises For in giuing authority the simple and bare ratefying is not sufficient but the ciuill lawes do shew that it is néedefull to haue expresse commaundement Furthermore the Kyng of Nanar hath not this authoritie to rule and gouerne the Realme without the Quéene and neither of them haue any such authoritie that they can set ouer the same to any other without the consent of the States Moreouer as touching the tractation of warre and artillerie the Quéene her selfe during the time of the Kynges nonage can do nothing as of her owne authoritie séeing this thing pertayneth to the States who notwithstanding haue not decréed and appoynted this warre but the Guises which haue caused the same to be in euery corner of the Realme Is there any man in the whole Realme that can or ought to take vnto him such power and authoritie as to gather Armies of men and to moue warre to the detrement and hurt of the Kyng and the Realme as the Duke of Guise now doth And this is the seruice that the Triumuiri namely the Duke of Guise the Marshiall of Saint Andrew and the Constable do to the Kyng their soueraigne Lord in this his tender age in the which he is subiect to many iniuries that is to say their wicked actes by which they go about to ouerthrowe the Kyng with the kingdome Which are the causes O Emperour that we put our selues in Armour and haue chosen the Prince of Conde to be our Captaine who shewed him selfe willinger to take so notable a matter in hand being moued the runto by no lesse good will toward the King and the realme than we were The Quéene also her selfe both perswaded and commaunded him to take this warre in hand to deliuer her from that iniury which both she and the king sustayned as appeareth by her expresse wordes in letters to be séene the Coppies wherof we haue sent vnto thée O Emperour Notwithstanding al this the Prince of Conde which was the last which put himself in armes and that at the commaundement of the Quéene neuer ceased to séeke peace and concord offering all indiffereÌ„t and reasonable conditions that might be as That hée would put of his Armour depart from the Court and would go also if néede were out of the Realme so that his aduersaries would do the like and that the Edict of Ianuary might be obserued Also he prayed and doth pray and beséeth by his letters al Christian Princes that are in League and amitie with Fraunce to be meanes for the making of peace and concord and with them all Noble Princes of the Empire whose godly and commendable indeuours for peace and concord were notwithstanding hindered by the Guises who in the meane time sought by al meanes possible to be ayded by straungers And it is manifest that the Prince of Conde hath sought so many waies to establish peace and concord as they haue sought by all meanes possible to hinder the same as may appeare by the last Parley betwene the Quéen the prince of Conde at Baugence they séeking by Treason to circumuent the Prince of Conde Wherefore by the demonstration and knowledge of al these thinges both the trueth and equity of our cause and of the
being weary of his lyfe through extréeme payne desperately dyed The Quéene the King of Nauars wyfe being very carefull for his health who shewed hirselfe alwaye very modest and constant both in doing her duty with all obedience notwithstanding his euill dispositioÌ„ towardes harlots and also in firme abyding in y truth being also very carefull for the vertuouse education of her children but specially for the trayninge vp of her sonne in the reformed Religion whom the Guises went about to nussell in all kind of wickednesse Therefore the Prince of Conde wrote letters of comfort vntâ—… hir certefying her that a great many at Orleans were sore agréeued for the death of hiâ—… husbande This therefore was the ende of the Kinge of Nauarrâ—… who after that hée had forsakeÌ„ the defence of the trueth was the cause of many troubles â–ª being so muche more hurtfull to the church as hée might haue ben profitable if it had not ben the purpose of God to declare that hée himselfe is the only authour builder preâ—…eruer and defender of his church and not man how noble so euer hâ—… be for herein standeth the glory of God. The Prince of Conde had oftentimes intreated the Quéene of Englandâ—… while there was some hope that peace might be had by intreaty â–ª that her hignnes would be a helpe to him therin but at the length the matter being brought to be tryed by force of armes as we shewed before hée required of her highnesse money and â—…ouldiours to maintayne warre Therfore about this time when there was a rumor spred abrode of the comming of the Germanâ—…s and of the â—…ide out of England to helpe the Prince of Conde there was a writing published in the name of the Quéene of England who also had sent Ambassadours to the king about the same pacification but they little profited yea returned almost without any answere In the which she both layed to the Guises charges that they were the authors and causes of all the warre and also affirmed that she would take vppon her as it became her the defence of the Kynges cause And also that all Christian Realmes and Princes ought both to be moued to compassion and pitie at the afflicted and troubled state of Fraunce at this time and to moue thom to haue a deepe consideration and care to prouide remedies by which not only the Kyng a child the Quéene his mother and all the Kynges sonnes her children and so all the people of Fraunce may be deliuered and frée from present trouble but also to euell and rent vp by the rootes so great a mischiefe least the same should spred it self to other nations Notwithstanding sayth she there is no man to whom this common care doth more specially appertain than vnto me which being both of my selfe inclined to care and also confirmed and prouoked thereunto by the iudgements of my Counsaylers haue hitherto gone about by all meanes to do the best I could to stoppe and preuent the first beginnings of the great mischiefe like to ensue And why I ought thus to do both the commiseration and pitie of the kyng my welbeloued brother a child and my neighbour of the Quéene his Mother of all the Kynges children and of so great a people and also the present perill of conueying the same warre ouer the Sea vnto as all men of sound iudgement eyther hare or â—…ls where both beholding and talking of these things and also praysing this care of it selfe very commendable may sufficiently declare and shew my mind in this matter worthy of commendation Notwithstanding it séemeth reasonable to setforth in open writing how and after what maner I haue behaueâ—… my selfe herein that all men my sée how I haue delt with my neighbours and how I meane to deale hereafter First all men might sée how greatly euen since the beginning of my raigne I haue desired that euery Christian might enioye prate and concord when as because of the same I haue willingly departed from my right and haue let go some part of my auncient Dominion for a time when as otherwise they for whose sake I haue receiued this losse recouered and receiued by and by all that was taken from them And yet notwithstanding â–ª all men remember and know in how short tyme after and for what iust and manifest causes I am constrained seeing that I am offered great iniury and violence to proclayme also my selfe open warre both to deliuer me and my kyngdome from perill and also to frée my neighbours which fled vnto me for succour froÌ„ open tirrany In the which matter notwithstanding how vprightly I haue delt all men may sée first by exhortations to abstayne from warre then by open declaration that I mynded to deliuer my selfe and mine from violence and wrong after that by all maner of good gouernement and disposing of matters and last of all by the very 〈◊〉 and end of the thing it selfe After the pacification of those troubles to the end I might leaue nothing vndone to make true and assured peace concord â–ª I made a firme and euerlasting League with the Quéene of Scots my welbeloued Sister and my neere neighbour In the which matter how sincerely and truly I haue behaued my selfe God knoweth sundry benefites and gifts whith I bestowed vppon the Guises Uncles to the Quéene of Scottes and vppon their seruants may sufficiently declare my great good will herein beside the mutuall and fréendly communication also which I had with the same Quéen of Scots But amoÌ„g these deliberations and communications concerning peace beside the lacke which I had of the fruite of peace I am also constrayned to haue a study and care for those new troubles in the kingdome of Fraunce raysed vp by those which haue alwayes shewed themselues to be enemies towards me and what they haue done to make new suspicions betwéene me and the Quéene of Scottes for the same Quéene of Scottes sake I haue alwayes hitherto kept silence At the beginning when I knew well enough if these troubles should prenaile it would not only come to passe amidest the Ciuill dissentions that the kyngdome of Fraunce should come into great perill of destruction as now it is but also that other Christian Realmes especially my owne Realme should fall into the same perill both for the néerenes of the places and also because the authors of those troubles are my enemies I vsed all meanes that I could both by Letters also by Ambassages that there might some wayes be taken for peace and concord betwéene both partes Notwithstanding one part refused the same and bursted forth into open violence and mortall warre yet I ceased not from my purpose and good intent But when I sawe that the desire of crueltie dayly more and more enereased and that euery where bloudshed butcherly murther was committed and which was most perillons that the young Kyng and his Mother were sodenly besieged and came into their
in no perell hereafter by any maner of meanes eyther for wearing armour or for Religion commaundinge that all sentences pronounced againste him for these causes to be voyde and of none effect and that his goodes substance which hath bin brought into our treasury be giuen restored to him again and commanding also the watch ward about his house to cease whatsoeuer hath bin ordeyned and decréed in our Parlements for this matter notwithstanding Also that it shal not be nedefull for the said T. R. our suppliant to haue any other argument or proofe to declare our will and pleasure herin but these our letters only Notwith standing prouided that he be no author of seditions of rapines or of spoyling of Churches nor that he secretly conuey to our enemis either money or armour and also vpon this condition that he liue euer hereafter Catholicly and come not to the seruice or rytes of the new Religion that he neuer hereafter beare armour against vs nor do ayde and assiste those that are our enemyes any maner of way But as by these meanes snares were layed to trap entangle the simple and héedelesse sort as shortly after appeared in many when they were come home so there was no staye of excommunications thoondered out at Paris at Tbolouze and at Bordeaulx and in other places where the papistes ruled against such as were counted Huguenotes strayt charge being geuen to al meÌ„ to detect such persones the payne appointed threatened to suche as should conceale any such so suspected and a rewarde promised to him that would detect any such person the Kings Attorney being commaunded to inquire and â—…nd out such causes and to bring them with all spéede before the Senate Then after the publishing of those letters of warrant from the King whereof we spake before the Senate or Parliament of Paris decréed that all those men which came from Burges Poytiers Meaulx Roane Lions and from other Cities which were kepte by the Prince of Conde to Paris should be taken and that they should be punished according to the prescript of the Kings Edicte which commaundeth al men of the new Religion to goe out of Paris notwithstandinge that they had gotten the Kinges letters of warrant and had made a Catholique confession as they terme it of their fayth Roane being wonne as we declared before the army of the Guise came to Paris about the beginning of Nouember the rumour increasing more and more concerning the ayde of the Germanes and of the Englishe men which should come to the Priuce of Conde very shortly Therefore Roan being fortified agayne the breaches of the walles being builded vp and a Garrison left in the towne the Duke of Guise retourned backe agayn with his armie to Paris In the meane tyme came the armies out of Germanie to Orleans sent by the protestant Princes vnder the conduct and charge of the Marshall of Hessen They were thirtéen enseignes of horsemen contayning in iust number 2600 and eleuen enseignes of footemen contayning thrée thousand souldiours Then the Prince of Conde when hée had gathered togyther an armye mynded to remoue from Orleans and to goe to Paris But before his departure from thence hée published a writing in the which he cleareth himselfe from being the author of the first motions and of the ciuill warre deryuing and laying the same vpon the Guises his fellowes and protesteth that dutie moueth him too enter into warre to deliuer the Kinge and the whole Realme from those iniuries and violence This which followeth is the summe of his letter I haue hitherto sufficiently sayeth he by many writings published and sent abroad euidently declared that the Guises the Constable and the Marshiall of S. Andrew are the authours and the first and true causes of those troubles which we sée at this tyme to be so hote outra giouse in the Realme because they tooke disdayne that they should be remoued from the gouernement whiche they vsurped in the dayes of King Fraunces the seconde and were offended at the decrée of the States of the Realme in which thei are commaunded to make an accompt of the excéeding number of giftes which they had receyued in the former Kings dayes and of the ordering and bestowing of the Kings money greatly refusinge not onely to be deliuered from this account but also vsing their former subtilties to enriche and set vp them selues by the ruine and decay of others After that I shewed the diuers Counselles and secret deliberations had they couering their conspiracies with the cloake of Religion and how they began to arme them selues by their owne prinate authoritie contrary to the expresse commaundements of the Quéene and the Decrée of the States breaking the common peace how they contemning the Quéenes authoritie the decree of the States by which they were commaunded to goe home to their owne houses came with an army ofmen and tooke the King and Quéene into their handes perforce with so much grief to the King that hée declared the same with teares openly I haue also declared and will euer euidently declare that I haue for iust and necessary causes and by the expresse commaundements of the Quéen her selfe as may appeare by letters sealed with her owne hand armed my selfe and haue ben nominated and elected by her to take vpon me the defence of this cause as can testifie Monsure Jarnac Monsure Soubize and moÌ„sieur Pordillan to whoÌ„ shée expresly declared that it was her will that the Kings faithfull subiectes should obeye mée and that they should at my commaundement withstand the counselles and practises of the Kinges aduersaries to restrayne their licenciouse willes And as for me if I should not take the sword in hand the King and Quéenes Maiesties and the Realme cannot choose but be ruled by the wills of the aduersaries whom experience hath shewed of late to be the tyraunts of Fraunce And now although I haue the testimonie of a good conscience towardes God and the Quéen who hath power and authoritie to gouerne the Realme and although I haue already declared all my actions and the trueth of my cause by diuers writings yet neuerthelesse because my aduersaries according to their wonted wicked custome do send abroad into forreyne nations many false reportes and sclaunders in writing impudently burthening mée with false lyes making mée the authour and cause of all these troubles I which desire to haue a good name and report among all Christian Princes Nobles and among the Kinges faythfull subiectes which desire to kéepe my honor and dignity thought good after many other to publishe this writing also To the ende all men may vnderstand how carefully euen vntill this present daye I haue laboured sought by al meanes possible to mitigat and pacefie those troubles raysed by their wickednesse not onely because I know what great destruction will come thereby but also because I haue a singular care and desire both to stablish the
but newly ended Frances the Duke of Guise being murdered the chiefe and most expert Captaines dead finally the Constable hymselfe a man of a most spightful and cankered stomack against the Protestantes was afraid and trembled at the remeÌ„brance of the bloudy slaughters that were before committed and was very loth to fight againe a fresh any new battailes Wherefore they take another way and deuysed new fetches and sleightes to compasse that which by open force they could not atchieue Of which deuises the Cardinall of Lorraine an olde enemie of the reformed Churches had coined great store and put them foorth to be practised The Counsaile at Trent that had bin often before renewed by great diligence was now again summoned Thither went the Cardinalâ—… of Lorraine in the name of all the Popishe Prelates of Fraunce hauinge before he tooke his iourney by the helpe and counsaile of some of the counsailours of Paris deuised and protested a grenous and sharpe accusation againste the Admirall as though he had commaunded Merae to kill the Duke of Guise and giuen him money for that purpose Mere was now already dispached out of the waye with extreame punnishment as we haue before declared and a wryting published abrode in the tyme of war of his examination wherein the Admirall was called the aucthor and procurer of that murder The Admirall as also is exprest in the former booke had made aunswere to that wryting in which his aunswere he first requested that Merae might bee kept a liue to the entent the accuser mighte appeare face to face with the accused accordinge to order of Lawe and iustice But after that execution was done vppon Merae he complained that the same was done in such poste haste to the end all meanes to purge himselfe by the accuser beinge taken from him preiudicat and hurtfull opinions of false accusations mighte be conceyued against him But the Cardinall laboured by all meanes possible vnder pretence of that accusation to procure hatred againste the Admirall and had replenyshed many mennes mindes with displeasure and malice against him alwaies laying abrode and shewing the horror and vnwoorthines of that murther so shamefully committed by treason vppon so woorthy and noble a man. And besides a great number that were welwillers and followers of the dead Duke he stirred vp the harts of forrein Princes against him and wrote to the Emperour Ferdinando of the same matter and to diuers other Princes of Germany And this was the cause and beginning of many and great troubles â–ª The Kinge of Spaine also being moued thereunto by the often letters of the Cardinal did write vnto the King that there was no peace to be obserued and kept with such betrayinge Traitores that had defiled themselues with the bloud of a man so notable and famouse The Admirall wrote to the King to the Quéene his mother and as much as he can purgeth himselfe and shifteth of his accusations complaininge that they were but iniuries offered vnto him by the Cardinall of Lorreine and publisheth abrode for his owne defence a certaine writinge as hereafter followeth Those thinges saith he which I aunswered to the accusation of Merae in my former writing gyuen vp to the Queene the Kinges mother and published abroade throughout the whole kingdome ought to be sufficient to discharge and free me of all kinde of blame with all men of wisdome and discreation and not before them only which haue had triall and knowledge howe I haue led my lyfe heretofore but with them also which knowe and vnderstand howe naturall and vnfayned the hewe and colour of truth is and how simplye and plainly she vseth to tell her tale Especially seeinge I did so earnestly request that my accuser Merae might be reserued to appeare against me VVhich certainly I would neuer haue done had I not bin therto moued by an assured cleare conscience of my iust cause and innocencie This my request was not in vaine nor to cloke the matter for I did not aske it by violence forcibly nor yet for a fashion slightly but only for this one end and purpose that the truthe mighte be knowen and made manifeste to all the world But this request beeinge denied me I did verely thinke with my selfe and esteeme all the iudgementes that the parliamente of Paris had giuen againste me as void and of none effect vvhose entent was as by the hasty and spedy execution of my aduersary it did appeare to pres me with false and preiudicial surmises al meanes of reprouing conuincing mine accuser being quight cut of I haue therefore done that which my duty requyred and requested that the matter might be handled and knowen according to order of law And whereas besides the letters I seÌ„t to the Quene of this matter I haue newpublished this writing abroad I haue not done it with out great and waighty cause and the aduise and counsaile of wyse and pollitique men For by that my request I was in good hope to haue stayed the spedy expedition of the execution which the Iudges being very sore bent against me did hasten and helpe forward all that they could Also by this meanes I thought the end of the broiles and troubles that were then being vncertaine to haue satisfied the desires of many men which desired to know the matter especially of forreiners and straungers amongst whom I was euill spoken of by infamous Libelles and false malicious sclaunders vntill such time as I hauing my aduersarie before me might haue better occasion more clearely to purge my selfe Moreouer I did know for a certainty not only that Merae had vtterly denyed and renounced his former accusation against me whereby it was manifeste that he did that which he did by plaine force and threatninges but also that his priuy and secret confessions were in my ememies handes by which â—…e did declare me to be innocent and guiltles of the matter All other accusations therefore wherewith Merae did charge me and yet if he had flatly and without all doubt pronounced me as guiltie my aunswer all men know might be ready â–ª that forasmuch as I could not bee suffered to talke with him all these thinges which are obiected against me were violently extorted and wringed out of him eyther in hope to escape death or els to moderate and lessen the torment and furie of his punnishment I hold and take as forged and faigned seeing that it may appeare by the testimony of many good and very worthy men that Merae had often tymes said that he had declared before the Iudges that I was cleare and free from all maner blame in that matter and that when he was drawen and had to execution he expresly and openly said that those accusations against me were written and penned downe by my enemies before them only who had left no way in this cause vntried that might seeme to further my accusation and for their sakes in winning of whose fauour al men might
to make their coÌ„federacy also to raise stir vp newe broiles and troubles which otherwise they could not haue done without the authoritie and assent of those estates All the noble men being thus encensed againste the reformed religion yet nothing was attempted against it by open force and warlike manner neyther could they haue done it without great daunger consideâ—…inge the Estate of thinges at that present time Wherefore this was the wily and craftie fetch of the Cardinall of Lorreine that nothing should be done openly againste the Edict but that they should by litle and little assay it and as it were vndermine it priuily till the time were come wherein they might set forth and declare that sacred league and that they might by the Kinges authority vtterly ouerthrow destroy the Edict In the meane tyme the people should be borne in hand and made beleue that the Edict as concerninge Religion was not perpetuall but at pleasure and for a space till such time as the Kinge might conuenientlye bringe the whole Realme to one only vniformitie of Religion And that the King especially and his Brother might be enflamed against the reformed Religion And last of all that no occasion that might séem to make for the accomplishing of these matters should be let passe but that al waies meanes that might in any wyse â–ª further them should be practised warely and with great discretion and pollicie The deuises that were vsed were these It was talked openly abrode and that very much among the courtiers that it was the Kinges and the Queene his Mothers will and pleasure that the Edicte should be dyligently obserued and executed and in the meane tyme by the Cardinalles deuise and the Quéenes commaundement ther were priuie and secret commaundements sent out to certaine picked and chosen men for this purpose that they should not feare to violate and breake the Edicte in any thing whereof they had occasion offered them And if so bee that any of the Protestantes that were wronged contrary to the prescripte order of the Edicte did complaine thereof as verie manye did at leÌ„gth with great sute hauing leaue to shew their griefs and wronges they alwayes receyued this aunswere that it was the Kinges will and commaundement that his Edict for and concerning Religion should be euery where obserued and kepte and that whosoeuer were found guiltie of the breach and violating thereof should be greuously punnished and as this was his pleasure so they were bidden to take héede least that they themselues who did so much complaine of wronges and iniu ries done vnto them had first transgressed against the Edicte and then malicioufly and falsely accused others for it So by this meanes a great noÌ„ber of such as complayned were feared and shaken of with threateninges and angry wordes and many of them also were throwen into prisons and clapt fast into yrâ—…ns as authoures of false accusations and workers of sedition trouble And if so be I should go about to repeate here perticular examples of such matters it were but in vaine being the office rather of a iust and full historie then appertaining to our purpose which in writing these short briâ—…fe Commentaries we haue taken in hande But notwithstaÌ„ding all this those that were appointed by the protestaÌ„ts sued still that their matters might be had in question and examined and at length obtayned it and Commissioners choise fellowes appointed for the purpose in so much that the matter was so handeled that new deuises and fetches were brought in to oppresse entangle the trueth so that what soeuer was brought in by the protestaÌ„ts against their enemies was either iudged manifestly false or else not so euident true that the offender thereby should be punished and if so be a Papist had ben conuinced and found gilty by and by there was one speciall cause or other deuised whereby it was proued that that which was done was done accordinge to law and equitie yea and the capitall and chief faults were turned vpon the protestaÌ„ts heads against whoÌ„ they had ben commited whereby there was quarrels piked and occasion taken to enterprete and expound the Edict at the pleasure and liking of the Papistes so that hereby the faythful were euery day more and more afflicted through the factions inclinations of the people waxing euery day more cruell and hautie by reason of so great impunitie and winking at mischief When the Cardinall of Loraine was returned home into Fraunce from the Councell of Trent the Papistes were marueloufly thereby encouraged and emboldend to attempt and enterprise new matters but they had their lesson giuen very subtilie by the craftie Cardinal to cloake and dissemble their intent and purpose of abolishing the Edict And yet they were not content that they which were offenders went scotfrée without punishment but they also stayed for the Kings letters warrants whereby their impunitie should not endammage or be hurtful vnto them and that thei might haue licence to offend hereafter worse then they had donâ—… before and that by warrant of the Kinges will and commaundement There were therefore new interpretations of the Edict solemnely published which should be of the same force and vertu that the Edict for Religion was as hereafter shal be declared The Prince of Conde being ofteÌ„ moued requested by the protestants had diuers times coÌ„playned both to the King and the Quéene his mother declaring that the Edict was many wayes violated and broken and thereby the faithfull gréeuously wronged and spoyled But alwayes against all the Princes complaintes was holdeÌ„ out as a buckler of defence the Kings pleasure mynd for the expounding and interpretation of the Edict and that this his pleasure might be more manifest and better knowen all the Kings Counsell was commaunded to repaire to Paris and certayne of the chief of the parliament of Paris with them To this assembly also the Prince of Conde was commaunded to come accompanied with diuers of the Noble men that were professours of the reformed religioÌ„ Which done euery man spake his mynd and the Papistes voyces being more in number and preuaylinge there was a Decrée enacted wherein was comprised vnder the name and auctoritie of the King the interpretation of the Edicte in this forme VVhereas we haue endeuoured to prouide remedies for those broyles and troubles which haue many wayes shaken and afflicted our kingdoâ—…e and haue for that purpose giueÌ„ out and graunted our Edict of peace wherin was graunted to those our subiectes that professe the new Religion free libertie and licence too exercise the same we doo now eftsones wil and commaund that it be holden and accompted as firme and ratified of all oure leege people and subiectes For our purpose and intent was thereby to giue vnto those our subiectes the benefite and commoditie of peace and quietnesse the which our Edict we doe promise in the faith and honor of a King shal be kept and obserued
faythefully to mayntayne and kéepe the peace Monsieur de Anuill was therby more earnest and hâ—…te and did straightly charge the Consuls of the Citie for so they in that Countrey do cal their chief Officers that they should leaue of their sute and enterprise otherwise they should be sure to smart for the common peoples faultes wherewith they being terrified made answere that they were ready to obeye him in whatsoeuer it pleased him to lay vpon them and calling the commons togither to an assembly did bitterly and very sharply rebuke them for their stubburnes But the commons on the other side protested that it was agaynst all law and right and that it was done con trary to the tenor and forme of the peace concluded that they would rather complayne to the King of the tyranny of thâ—… President Finally that they would not for any cause commit themselues their goods their wyues and children into the handes of the Lieuetenant being as he was so sore incensed and angrye against them But whilest wordes went too and fro amongest them there begaÌ„ a whot contention betwixt the Magistrates and the commons The people being set on a furie chased away the Magistrates and forthwith fortified and â—…ensed the citie and no entrance would be graunted to M. de Anuilles garrison Who coÌ„plaining to the King of the matter receyued commission from him to punnishe the offenders very seuerely with commaundement also that the Townsmen should receiue in the Garrison The King also sent thither Monsieur 〈◊〉 a noble man with charge that they should eyther receyue such Garrison as the Lieuftenant the Anuill should appoint or els to be greuously punnished who comming thither to the Citie was forthwith receiued in by the Citizens who declared vnto him that they had not committed that fact in way of rebellion but were ready to obey the King their chiefe soueraigne Lord and gouernour that it happened through the rashe and hasty dealing of the Magistrats that the commons being moued and stirred vp with feare of further harme to ensue had behaued themselues otherwyse against them then became them finally that they did willingly and gladly submit them selues their children and goodes to the Kinges will and pleasure So vppon this M. Ramâ—… being entered the Citie certified M. de Anuill of the Townsmennes minds who straight waies comming thither accompanied and garded with certaine bandes of horsmen and footemen was very reuerentlie and humbly receyued of the Citizens But he was no sooner entered the Towne but he immediatly began to vse and handle them as enemies The Citie was spoyled of all her priuiledges the walles razed the Noble men diuersly fined and punnisht many of them beheaded their Minister haÌ„ged their goodes giuen ouer to the Souldiours for a pray and a spoyle the furiouse Souldiers were let loose vppon the honest matrones and Uirgines of the Citie to the number of 800. Citisens were banished to be short that worthy Citie was vtterly wasted spoiled made desolate of the greatest parte of her inhabitantes by the cruell and detestable villany of the Anuill Aboute this tyme there came newes abrode of the Kinges prograce throughout the whole Realme and forsooth there was a cause of this prograce deuised and that was that it stoode the Kinge vppon to take a suruey and a vew of his whole kingedome that he in his owne person might heare and receaue the complaintes of his subiectes and with present remedy help and ease their gréeâ—…ed mindes and that with his presence hee might confirme and encourage euery on to do his duty And though this cause was pretended yet the Quéens had another fetch purpose in her head Whereof the Cardinall of Lorraine both knew and was also authour and first inuenter of it although for other causes hee was not in this prograce the marke she shot at as it is reported of diuers that were more thorowly acquainted with the matter was the King himselfe as it being ignorant of it that the sacred league with the King of Spaine which was begon in the Counsaile of Trent might bee ratified and confirmed and that in the meane season the tender mind of the youug king might be by all meanes possible prouoked and stirred vp against the reformed Religion and al thinges were of set purpose so ordered in euery Citie where the Kinge should come that the Protestantes might complaime as long as they would but al should be in vain and to no purpose yea and they themselues rather accompted and taken for the causers and authours of troubles then obtain any thing where by to redresse their wronges and iniuries Whilest preparation was made for this iourney there came a coÌ„maundement from the King to all those Cities that were holden of the Protestantes in the time of warre VVhere as now after pacification of all former troubles therâ—… is nothing that we more wish and desire than that peace and quietnes may be restored in al partes and quarters of our kingdome wee do now will and commaund to the intent all occasion of new broiles may be remoued and quight taken away that all such munitions fortifications and bulwarkes as were made and built in the tyme of warre for the defence of your Cities bee quight defaced and taken away that all our subiectes hereafter may quietly and without feare of further danger kepe and maintain our peace especially for that our faith and promise sufficiently declared in our Edicte ought to be to all true and faithfull subiectes in sâ—…eede of a sure wall and sheild of defence c. So by this meanes all kind of munition and fortifications was defaced in diuers Cities as in Orleans Mountaubane valence and diuers other of the most famous Cities in France to the great discommoditie and destruction of the whole Realme And that chiefely in 〈◊〉 a moste necessarie and profitable Citie to the whole countrey yea and that in the moste daungerous times of the Kinges and kingdome especially in the tyme of Charles the vii 〈◊〉 the Englishmen were conquerers farre and neare and when all Normandy and Paris the Metropollitane Citie of the Realme were wâ—…nne and vanquished togither with the Countries to them adioyning all the Kingdome in an vprore with enemyes then was Orleans a chiefe and special place of succour and refuge both for the King and all his Notwithstanding these Cities were defaced and marked with the tokens and blemishes of Rebellion for that in tyme of trouble they had preserued a nomber of good and true subiectes especially Orleans was shamefully spoiled and made almoste a poore simple Oraunge or Uillage and a Castle builte at the gate it leades to Paris to gouerne and kepe vnder the Citizens and a very cruell Carrison of Souldiours placed there And yet for all this the administration of Religion was not left of there Like crueltie was exercised vpon Montaubane bycause they had manfully and couragiously defended themselues against the assaultes
license our noble men to exercise their new religion freely wee will that it be so vnderstood that this benefit do reach to themselues only and their families and that this was our entent and purpose the very forme and tenure of the wordes therein do sufficiently proue VVherefore wee forbid and prohibit all and euery of our noble men to giue any licence to any other whosoeuer do vse the benefit of the Edict vnlesle he bee of the nomber of his or their subiectes and that who so shall do to the contrarie him or them we take and denounce as Traitours to our maiestie and do appoint for them such punnishment as is due and fit for traitours rebelles VVe also will and commaund that none of the new religion shall as they were accustomed gather togither or sommon any assemblies or conuenticles in waye of Sinodes any more hereafter and that who so fayleth herein be punished accordinge to the greatnes and estimation of his fault And where as very many treading vnder foote the holy ordinaunces of Religious houses haue forsaken their former lyues of priesthood and monachisme either in the time of the former wars and trou bles or els after the pacification of them contemning the vow of religious chastitie haue throwen themselues headlong into the state of most detestable and accursed mariage we will and commaund that all such men be by imprisonment enforced and cōpelled to forsake and renounce their wiues and the women likewise their husbandes and so to returne to their former kind of life or els to be punished with perpetual exile and banishment and within the space of ii monethes to depart the boūds and limites of our Realmes and Dominions The neglec toures therof by this our sentence we adiudge if hee be a man to the gallie there to remaine for euer a gallie slaue if a woman to perpetuall imprisonment and this our declaration we will and commaunde to bee established and in as full force and authoritie as the Edicte it selfe The protestants were greatly endamaged by these exceptions for they who were scatered abroad through the Prouinces and could not conueniently repayre to those Cities that were appointed for preachinge were by the first article forbidden to resort to any other places to heare sermons for thei that sought or resorted to any such place were both in great danger as thei went and were also charged to be violaters of the Edict Yea the noble men themselues were in great perill trouble And where the assembling of Sinodes and collections of money were forbidden there were all meanes and waies of bringing any thing to passe taken awaie and the authority of discipline quight defaced ▪ which being maintained by Counsaile was the chiefe and greatest instrumente whereby the Church was preserued The ministerye also was almost destroied all thinges that made for the reliefe sustenance of the ministers being by these exceptions taken awaye For the vse amongst the Protestantes was to contribute and giue their money togither wherew t their ministers liued were mainteined And as for the cōmaundment wherby they were enforced to returne to Monkerie and the disannulling and destruction of such mariadges as they had cōtracted euery mā may sée how daūgerous hurt full they were and of all men to be detested and abhorred so full farst and stuft are the papistes budgettes with sleightes and subtilties to ouerthrow religion Whiles these exceptions and breaches of the Edicte were by the papistes vnder pretēce of the Kings name forged and inuented others of their side committed diuers actes of extréeme outrage and boldnesse in violating it In Towers a famouse town of Fraunce there was a Congregation beautified and furnished with a great number of faythful Christians But because they had not libertie by the Edict to practise the reformed religion within the Citie it self there was a place appoin ted for them by the Kings commaundement at the castel next to the citie called Loray whether when the congregation had one day resorted to heare a Sermon and great number of all ages and sortes of men women were there sodeynly they suspectinge no suche thing heard a great shout and outcrye of the papistes who rushing burst in vpon them with weapon and armour and besetting all the passages round about flew violently vpon the naked and vnarmed Assemblie and murthered and slew all they met with And many of them as they sled stragling here and there were slayn many also were sore wounded both men and women and their Minister thrust thorough euen in the very pulpit Like crueltie also and fury was exercised within the Citie with all maner rapines pillage slaughters and hauockes that might be The brute and rumour of this so great villanie and mischief amazed and feared all the Congregations round about them and cōming to the Prince of Condes eares it maruelously moued stirred vp his mynd with the often remembrance of so many mischieues committed against them by the papistes without checke or controlement the shamefull and cruell violating and wresting of the Edict did gréeuously vexe him Wherfore he complaineth of the matter to the King and the Queen in diuers letters wherof some were set out in print which we meane here to repeat bycause they conteyned in them the whole matter of all the rest Whereas I haue diligently and thorowly wayed considered of the last aunswere I receyued from the Quéene concerning my letters I sent to her wherein I admonished her of such things as séemed to be prepared for the disquieting and disturbing of the whole Realme and publique profit thereof whose euil beginnings being full fraught with horrible murthers and slaughters past and augmented with shameful hauock and robberies which are but newly committed that without all manner punishment do foretell and warn vs of very greeuous troubles hanging ouer our heades and like to ensue and when I had with good héed and aduise pondered eche poynt and article of all her aunsweres and especially that which cōteigned the causes of the Interpretation of Rosillon And doe now perceiue that this mischief doth not onely steale vpon vs by little and little but violently doth inuade and ouerflowe vs and all through the disobedience and contentious factions of the Kings officers and the great indignation disdaine that a great number of his subiectes haue conceyued agaynst him which surely doth arise and spring of this because that whereas they sée the Edicte violated and are dayly oppressed and afflicted with all manner rapines slaughters and all other kind of outrage violence yet can get no redresse nor remedie of their griefes by the law but are driuen to suche a pinche and desperation of mynd that I cā not but greatly feare the daunger of tumultes and insurrections and that they will endeuour themselues through indignation of the iniuries don vnto them heretofore by force to put awai violence and by armour and weapon
attempte againste the Realme of Frannce or that they mynded to defende Callice against the Quéene of England They sought also other meanes and waies to quarell and contende with the Protestantes mynding to deale with them as giltie of the Edictes broken and to examine those which had done anye thing contrarye to the Edicte specially againste that which was made at Rossillon that is to saye which had gone to anye other places to beare Sermons than to those which were appoynted them by the Kings commaundement or if the Noble men had entertayned any other to the hearyng of the sayd Sermons beside those that were within the compasse of their Iurisdiction and suche like offences As these transgressions had anexed vnto them the pain and punishment of exile so their purpose was to seeke a reformation of these things by seuere putting the same punishmentes in execution according to the tenour of the Edict But least they might séeme to haue no regard to the Counsaile of the Duke of Alba which was It is better to haue one Salmons heade than the heades of a thousand Frogges they went about to snare and catch those Noble men which imbraced the reformed religion as the Prince of Conde the Admirall the Andelot the Rochfoucault and other Noble men And this séemed a present waye to bring the same to passe if so be the Kinge sent for them as standing in néede to haue their aduise in those thinges that concerned the gouernment of the Realme Nowe if they should haue refused to come vnto the King than had he good and iust cause to complaine of them as none of his friendes And if so be they shuld haue neede to vse any force they had at hande two and twentie Giddons of horsemen and certaine Switsers also of which they had already gotten six thousand In the meane time the Prince of Conde the Admiral and diuers other Noble men of the reformed religion were verye carefull For beside these flying rumours bothe the dayly newes of the comming of the Duke of Alba and of the ayde of the Switzers and also the manifest preparation of horsemen with the euident state of all things else caused them to haue a great care For concerning that Holy League made betwéene the kinge of Fraunce and Spayne to destroy the religiō The prince of Conde was fully certifyed by the Prince Rochsuryon the Prince of Condes néere kinsman and of the Kynges bloude of the house of Borbou who a little before hys death exhorted the Prince of Conde to prouide remedye in time for so greate troubles The Noble men aforesayde being very carefull and withall vncertain what to doe fearing least if they should obey the kinges commaundement whose name they perceiued their aduersaries to abuse they shoulde sodainely be oppressed or leaste they shoulde be accused of rebellion if so be they sought meanes to restite the force of their aduersaries they determined I say to séeke all wayes and meanes to appease and quallify these troubles and to certifie the King plainely of their will and mynde herein In the meane time bycause they perceyued their enemyes to be in a readynesse they sente diuers mesiangers to the reformed Churches within the Realme to prepare thēselues and to haue a diligent consideration of all theyr actions They certified diuers of the princes of Germany concerning their affaires requiring aide of them if neede should require This was in the monethes of Iuly and August of this yeare The Spanishe armies aryued at Nice a Citie of the Duke of Sauoy mynding to passe through Pedemont Sauoy and the Countie of Burgundy where the Prince of Orange hadde occasion offered him to finishe notable exploytes if he would haue taken his time but as he dyd in the lowe Countrey so did he nowe leaste he myghte séeme to attempt any thing against the king but within a while after he was very homely requighted by the Duke of Alba. Philbert Duke of Sanoy required of the inhabitantes of Bernoy a great parte of the territory which they had sometyme taken from his Dominion by war and the matter between them was oftentimes solemnly debated in an assembly of the Switzers the men of Bernoys affirming that the same Region was giuen vnto them by the Lawe of Armes and that they had lawfully receiued the same Notwithstanding at the same time when the Spanishe armyes were loked for which came with the Duke of Alba the men of Bernoys communed with the Duke of Sauoy and agréed with him vpon certain conditions and graunted vnto him the thrée Dominions or Lordships that were next to Geneua ▪ By reasō of this agréement the administration and vse of the reformed religion was vsed in those Dominions euen as the men of Bernoys themselues would desire Concerning the purpose and connfaile of the Prince of Conde of the Admirall and of others of the reformed religion we haue spoken before The Prince of Conde therefore by dyuers messengers prayed and intreated the Kinge concerninge the séeking of a reformation for those troubles which were lyke shortly to ensue Declaring vnto him that the comming of the Swirsors into the Realme againe was so perillouse that it would cause the people seditiously to rise The Admirall went often tymes to the Constable his vncle and talked with the Quéene whom he knew to be at Chantilly the Constables house and fréely declared vnto her that if the faithfull were so handled wherby they had iust cause to suspect that war was a preparing for him they could not any longer be kept in peace Notwithstandinge the Quéene and the Costable pretended a notable cause why it was néedefull to haue the aide of forreiners for say they the Spaniardes beare an olde grudge and hatred against the realme of Fraunce so that we haue good cause to feare least they hauing occasion set vppon vs but the King will reforme all thinges so for the faithfulles sake that all men shall sée that he will deale vprightly and iustly towardes all men After this also the Queen made these promises in her letters to the prince of Conde Notwithstanding there came sixe thousand Switsers in the beginning of September and a greate number of horsemen were armed and prepared And the Prince of Conde was fully certified that the Duke of Alba which was already come to Belgio had moued the King of Fraunce in the name of King Phillip to go forward with the holy league and withall had perswaded him to take present occasion to bring his purpose to passe At this time the Cardinall of Lorraine was with the King and a great number of his adherentes also Notwithstanding all thinges waxing dayly woorse and woorse the Prince of Conde and the rest of the péeres and Nobles which professed the reformed religion sawe that ther was no longer stay to be made but that they must of necessity when they could do no good by their letters come before the king themselues and declare vnto him the present daunger
we spake before these forces assembled he made march his vauÌ„tgard out of Chynon the sixe and twenty of this moneth vnder the conduct of the Lord Montpensier himselfe following with the battayle lodging neere Lodune the princes campe drue towardes Partney the xxix of this moneth whom the Catholiques followed néere to prouoke them to battayll as in respect of the aduantage fauour of certayn townes which they held thereabout eyther the camp was within the view of other both of equall desire to gayne Mont-gontour vsing like diligence the rather to obtayne it For which cause the Admirall made his footemen aduaunce all night his horsemen being in poynt of battell the last daye of September in the very first discouery of the morning vppon a playne wythin a league of the town of Mont-gontour There the Admirall sente the Lorde de La-loue and de La-noue with seuen cornets of horsemen and Captaine Normauts herquebuzears on horsebacke to Mont-gontour to know if the Kinges brother were there who finding no body returned with spéedy report to the Admirall accordingly who made marche forthwith the footemen of the battel then the artillery and so the footemen of the vauntgard as wel French as Almaines folowing them himselfe with the horsmen of both the one and the other Nation Hée left in the taile the Lord de Mony with charge to gouerne the retract with fiue cornets of French horsmen two cornets of Reistres and a company of harquebushears on horsebacke of Captain Montarnaunt a prouinciall The catholikes coasted them very near expecting their artillery which was not yet come The Admirall passed ouer a little Riuer halfe a league from Mongontour very vneasie to marche ouer by reason of a marrish a long the brink of it the same making it impossible on all partes sauing in a little straight or gutter beneath certaine houses a long the highe waye there lacked no more but the Lord of Mouy his troup whom the catholikes with xl cornets of horsmen charged togyther with a voley of canons discharged also vppon them It was thought this charge was giuen by the Lord de Tauannes gouernour for the King in Burgon it was withstanded a little by the Lord de Mouy who vnable to sustaine it thorowly in respect of the multitude retired the Admirall seing his perill gaue backe with the horsmen and returned with no lesse fury the charge vppon them that had laide it vpon the Lord de Mouy who in the mean tyme retired with the rest of his troupe with the losse of some fewe amongst the which was the Lord de Entrichaut ensign bearer to the Lord S. Auban Dauphynois the artillery was by this at Mont-gontour and the footemen of the battaile very neare who séeing that charge turned backe to the fight as also the Lorde de la Noue and la Loue with their cornets all that daye passed in skirmishing without offer of other charge The Catholikes shotte vehemently which albeit an noyed much the Admirall yet he lefte not the fiéeld till night and then retired with those of the Religion to Mont-gontour and the catholikes encamped vppon the place The next morrow being saterday and first day of the moneth of October the said army issued out of Mont gontour and lodged in the Uillages thereabout leauing the Lord de Mouy with his regiment of horsemen and two regimentes of footemen within the towne to gard the passage There were certaine lighy skirmishes alâ—…eit neither of long fight nor much losse they moued by certaine disordered shot of the catholiques who thought to winne the Suburbs on their side but being repulsed their purpose was also intercepted and they forced to returne without any other thing doing The Kinges Brother seeinge that syde closed from him â–ª and that he could not easily wade the riuer of Viue the fame beinge his onely impediment to followe the Princes Campe determined to passe aboue the head of the riuer in a Uillage beneath Mirebean In the meane while the Princes hauing bin at Niort to sée the Quéene of Nauar returned to the campe the second of October where they drewe into counsayle with resolution to take the way to Partney and Niorte and giue battayle to the Catholikes if they assayled them in the way sommoning for this purpose the whole army to be ready by the dawning of the day and euery Colonell and Captaine to labour accordingly in his charge The Catholikes were also of opinion to go to Nyort and besiege it and by that meanes to prouoke the princes to battell The Princes campe according to the order resolute aforesayd was in a perfect readinesse ringed in battels and squares pitching the nexte morning the third of October vpoÌ„ a little hill néere to Mont-gontour well disposed as is aforesayd to giue battell if the enemye aduaunced who also began to appéere and discouer on the left hand vpon another round hill from the bottom whereof they might easily discerne the disposition of the Princes armye which when he had well viewed he retired his marche as though he ment to draw directly to Nyort vsing notwithstanding suche order as his rings and companyes néere together The Admiral bearing an eye to their doings espied their pollicie and purpose of procéeding wherein as he suspected that thei shot at his aduauntage as labouring to win way vpon him made descend forthwith the Princes armye from the hill where it was setled of purpose to gaine and occupie the plain afore them whervpon the Catholiques in place to march forward commaunded a sodain stay holding their pikes vprighte ringing them in square and mean battels turned face to their vauntgard winning by that meanes the hill from whence the princes army were but now descended And being maisters in this forte of the hill aboue the opinion and expectation of the Admirall began to dispose theÌ„selues to the shock And at the first descending from the hill they ordered ringed their footemen in the valley or side of the foote of the said hill not without great discretion iudgement kéeping by that meanes their footemen in couert defended from the storme of the artillerie which discharged vehemently as well on the one as other side In the meane while the Kings brother dressed and disposed two batteries not sparing his body to trauell from one battell square to another with persuasion to the souldiours to haue good hart the like also dyd the Princes visiting in person euery ranke aswell of horsemen as footemen whose pleasant aspect specially in the prince of Nauarre gaue cause of singular courage to the souldiours whose stomakes besides they were firmely setled in the goodnesse of the cause yet they séemed to redouble in desire the rather at the gracious view and persuasions of the yong Prince Immediatly after two of the clock in the afternoone the vauntgarde of the Catholyques went to the charge with a square and wing of 18. cornets of Reisters and great numbers of horsemen as well
the kyngs name with the most dishonorable spot of periurie and breache of faith it was in other impressions afterward omitted And it was further then declared that albeit the king had in many Edictes before that time permitted the fréedome of Religion yet his meaning euer was to reteine and cause to be reteined of all men the onely Romishe or Popishe Religion within his Realme After many ouerthrowes on both partes giuen and receyued wheras the end of this third warre was thought likely to be the harder by reason of the breach of faith in the yéeres before and on the other side the state of the Realme by reason of the wast that the Cities were brought vnto and the extreme pouertie of the meane people and his husbandmi did require some treatie of composition the king sent messengers to the Admirall to signifie vnto him in the kinges name that the king himselfe had at length founde out a moste sure waye of peace and concorde namely that the armies of both parties ioyned togither should go into the lowe countrey against the Duke of Alua which had bin the authour of the late calamities in Fraunce He signified further that he had great causes of querels against the king of Spayne and this principally that he had inuaded and helde by force sodenly slaying all the souldiers there an Islande of the newe found world called Florida which had bin taken by the French and kept vnder his dominion and likewyse the Marquesdome of Finall the inhabitantes whereof had but a litle time before yelded themselues to the kinges subiection and allegeance He saide that the most stedfast band of concord should be that forein warre and that there could no other better meane be deuised to drowne the memorie of the former dissentions in eternall forgetfulnesse To the performance herof he said it was a matter of most apte opportunitie that Lodouic Counte of Nassaw brother to the Prince of Aurange had bin now two yéeres in the Admiralles camp to whom the Admirall gaue principall credit in all things and that by him and his fellowes of the lowe countrey other whom he vnderstoode to fauour his part it might easily be brought to passe that certaine Cities might be surprised and thereby great aduantage be attained to the atchieuing of the warre The Admiral hearing these things was maruellously troubled For albeit he doubted not of the kings fidelitie yet therwithall many thinges fell into his minde to be considered as the power of the Cardinall the rest of the Guisians who were well knowne to haue bin at all times most affectionate to the king of Spayne For the Duke of Guise had lefte a sonne a very yong man called Henry to whom the Quéene had giuen al the offices and places of honor that his father had borne before being vnfit therto by age and against the ancient lawes and customes and also through the traiterous infidelitie of certaine of the kinges counsaylers whom she knewe for their affection to Popishe Religion to be moste addicted to the Spanish king and that diuers of them had great yéerely pensions of him and did disclose vnto him the affaires of the Realme He remembred howe hereby it came to passe that the same kinges Embassadour which among strange nations séemed vtterly incredible was admitted into the priuie Counsell of Fraunce and that one Biragio a Lumbard and as it is reported a traytour to his owne countrey otherwise altogither vnlearned and specially ignorant of the ciuill lawe was yet for the subtiltie of his witte aduanced to so ḡreat honour that he executed the Chauncellers office Michaell Hospitall being displaced a man knowen to be such a one as there was not in all degrées of mē any either more wise or more learned or more zelously louing his countrey Herewithall he considered the slaunderous cauillations of his aduersaries to whom hereby might seme an occasion giuen as if the Admirall were of a troublesome nature and could not abide any quietnesse nor could long reste at home without some tumultuous stirre Herevnto the messengers replied as they were able therewithall alleaged this cause of so sodaine hatred against the Spanishe king that one Albenie late returned out of Spaine had infourmed the king the Quéene mother for certaintie that king Philip a few monethes before had poysoned his wife the French kings sister and had spred rumors of hir throughout all Spaine such as for the honour of many persones are méete not to be disclosed But nothing moued the Admirall so much as the cherefull earnestnesse of Lodouic of Nassaw who assone as he was aduertised of that purpose of the king omitted nothing that he thought might serue to encourage the Admirall therevnto The Admirall perswaded hereby nothing fearyng the infidelitie of those of the Courte gaue his mynde to hearken to composition And so was the thyrde ciuill warre ended and the peace concluded with the same conditions that were before that euery man should haue frée libertie to vse and professe the Religion Within few moneths after this diuers princes of Germanie that fauoured the Religion refourmed and among those the thrée Electors the Palsgraue the Duke of Saxonie and the Marques of Brandeburge sent their Embassadours into France to the king to gratulate vnto him for the newe reconciliation of his subiectes And bicause they accompted it greatly to behoue themselues that the same concorde should remaine stedfast and of long continuance they promised that if any would for that cause procure trouble or make warre vppon him either within his own dominiōs or without they and their followers should be ready to defend him To this embassage the king first by wordes afterwarde by a booke subscribed with his own hand answered and gaue his faith that he would for euer most sacredly and faithfully obserue his Edict of pacification Hereby so much the more willingly the Admirall suffered him selfe to be drawne to the said purposes for the lowe countrey although oftentimes calling to minde the nature of the Quéene mother he vsed to saye to diuers and specially to Theligny to whome he afterwarde maried his daughter that he greatly suspected the rolling wit of that woman For saith he so soone as she hath brought vs into that preparatiō against the lowe countrey she will leaue vs in the midst Neuerthelesse the Counte of Nassaw writeth to his brother and they conferring their aduises together sent messengers to the king that if it please him to deale with the matter of the lowe countrey they will shortly so doe that he shall by their many and great seruices well perceiue their affection and deuotion towarde him The king writeth againe to them in most louing termes saying that their message most highly pleased him and he gaue to them both his harty thankes About the same time Maximilian the Emperour pitying the estate of the prince of Aurange as he said treated by his Embassadours with the king of Spaine and had in manner
obteyned that the Prince should haue all his goodes restored vnto him but with this condition that hée should haue no house within the territorie of the lowe countrie but settling his refidence and dwelling elsewhere he should fréely enioy all his reuenewes Which matter being reported to the Frenchâ—… king he immediatly sent messengers to the prince of Aurange willing him to looke for nothing by that dealing of the Emperour saying that it was but a fraude and guilefull deuise intended for this purpose only to breake vp his leuying of souldiers that he had begon in Germanie and assuring him that if he would credite and followe him he would giue him aide sufficient to recouer his estate The Prince of Aurenge perswaded by these promises of king Charles continued his musters and determined a whyle to beare the charges though they were heauie to him whyle such things as were necessarie for the warre were in preparing In the meanetime Lodouic in disguised apparel went to Paris to the king Forasmuch as the season of the yéere by this time séemed not commodious to leuie an armie for the winter was at hande by assent they deferred the matter till the next Sommer These thinges thus hanging the Prince of Aurenge his captaines by Sea did oftentimes set vâ—…n the Spaniards and Portingals such ships as they tooke tâ—…y brought into the hauen of Rochel which then was in the power of the Prince of Condees part and there they openly vttered and solde their prizes to the men of the towne and other merchantes of France whervpon the Embassadour of Spaine made often complaintes to the kinges priuie Couâ—…sell And forasmuch as they thought it very auaileable to this enterprise that Elizabeth Quéene of EnglaÌ„d might be brought into league with them the king committed the dealing in that matter to the Admirall For a few monethes before the king had with moste swete alluring letters gotteÌ„ him to the Court where he was most honorably enterteined and to take from him all occasion of distrust vpon his aduersaries or of otherwise suspecting of the kinges or Quéene mothers affection towardes him first all the Guisians of a set purpose departed the court Then the king gaue the Admirall free libertie to take with him what companie and with what furniture he would and bicause it was thought that he had more confidence in the Marshall Cosse than in the rest therefore the king commaunded the saide Marshall to be euer at hand with the Admirall to assiste him in the kings name if any nede were The matter of the league with Englande the Admirall so diligently and industriously handled that within shorte space after by Embassadours sent and by faithe giuen and receiued and othes solemnely taken on both parts it was confirmed Concerning the procurement of other leagues and amities such as might séeme to further the enterprise of the low countrey the Admiral also trauelled in the Kings name and by his commaundement and had in a maner brought al these things to an end And of all those leagues the first and principall coÌ„dition was that the libertie of Religion shoulde continue and that the king should most diligently and sincerely obserue this Edict of pacification Though these things séemed to be handled secretly yet by the letters both of Biragio the vicechancellor of whome we made mention before and of Moruilliers whom for his hypocriticall leanesse children commonly called the Chimera or bugge of the Court by aduertisement of Cardinal de Pelue a maÌ„ most fit either to inuent or execute any treason they were caried to the B. of Rome who by aduise of his Cardinals sent by by one of their number called Alexandrine in the midst of most sharp winter into France with these instructioÌ„s to persuade the king to enter into the societie of the league of Trent whereof the first principall article was that the confederats should ioyn their powers make war against the Turkes Heretikes meaning by the name of heretikes al those Princes that did permit the vse of the reformed Religion within their dominions The Cardinall Alexandrine was honorably receiued in the Court but yet dismissed without atchieuing his purpose For so was it bruted among the people and commonly beléeued throughout Fraunce albeit he himselfe secretly séemed to returne very mery and chéereful to the Pope and as it is reported did somtime say that he receiued such answere of the king as was néedeful not to be published that the King Quéene mother had largely satisfied him Forasmuch as it was thought a matter greatly auayling to the enterprise of the lowe countrey to sende certaine shippes into the English Seas that if any ayde should be sent into the lowe Countrey to the Duke of Alua out of Spayne it might so be stopped Strozzi and the Baron de la Garde were appoynted for that purpose to whome the King gaue in commaundemente to rigge forth certayne Shippes of Burdeaux and Rochell well armed and well appoynted and to prouide with al spéede all things néedefull for those Shippes The Ambassadour of Spayne somewhat moued with this preparation made diuers complaintes to the Kings Councell on the behalfe of the King his master and yet neuer receiued any other aunswere but that the King thoughte it not likely and that he woulde sende Commissioners to Burdeaux and to Rochell with letters and commaundemente that there shoulde be no preparation made to the Sea and if any had bene made it should be enquired of What instructions were secretly and closely vnder hande giuen to these two Captaines of that nauie we do not certainely knowe But this no man can doubt of but that they had commission to distresse all such Ships wherein any Spanishe Souldiers should be transported into the lowe countrie and that all this preparation to the sea was ordayned against the Spanishe King and the Duke of of Alua. And moreouer that the Admirall at the same time receiued commaundement from the King to sende Espials vnto Perâ—… an Islande of the newe founde worlde most plentifull of gold aboue all the other nowe béeing in the Spaniardes dominioÌ„ to learne if there were any good enterprise to be attempted or atchieued for the getting of it Which matter was committed to a certaine Gentleman one of the Admiralles trayne who went thyther accompanyed with a certayne Portingall a man most skilfull of those Nauigations whome the Admiral had ioyned with him by the Kings commaundemente and is not yet returned Nowe it cannot be expressed howe many and howe great tokens of most louing minde the King at that time shewed to the Admirall and to the Counte Rochfoucault and to Theligny and to the rest of the chief noblemen of the Religion First all such things as in the former warres had bene taken away in the Townes Fermes and Castles of the Admirall and d'Andelot the Kyng caused to bée sought oute and restored If there were any other whome the Kyng vnderstoode to be
Souldiers into the towne vnder colour of buying things necessarie sometime he came thither also himself The like was done at y same time in an other part of France by the horsmen of Gonzague Duke of Niuers neare to the town of la Charite whiche hath a bridge ouer the Ryuer of Loyre and remained till that time in the power of those of the Religion by reason of the great number of them there inhabiting This troupe was of those horssemen whiche the King hath accustomed to kéepe in ordinarie wages in euery countrey whereof the moste parte were Italians countrimen to their Captaine Lewes Gonzague to whome the Quéene mother had giuen the daughter and heire of the Duke of Niuers in mariage They requested of the townesmen that they might make their musters within the towne saying that they had receiued warrant from the King so to do and shewed the Kings letters therfore At Lions the gouernour of the towne commaunded a viewe to be taken of all those that professed the Religion and their names to be written in a boke and brought vnto him which boke shortely after according to the successe was called the bloudie boke After the mariage ended at Paris whiche was the time that the Admirall had appointed to returne to his owne house he moued the King concerning his departure But so great was the preparation of playes so greate was the magnificence of banquets and shewes and the King so earnestly bent to those matters that he had no leysure not only for waightie affaires but also not so much as to take his naturall sleepe For in the French Court Dauncings Maskings stageplayes wherein the King excéedingly delighteth are coÌ„monly vsed in the night time and so the time that is fittest for counsell and matters of gouernance is by reason of nightly riottous sitting vp of necessitie consumed in sléepe So great also is the familiaritie men and the women of the Quéene mothers trayne and so greate libertie of sporting entertainement and talking togyther as to foreine nations may séeme incredible and be thought of al honest persons a matter not very conuenient for preseruation of noble yong Ladies chastitie Moreouer if there come any Pandor or bawde out of Italie or any Scholmaster of shamefull and filthy lust he winneth in shorte time maruellous fauour and credite And such a multitude is there begon to be of Italians commonly throughout all Fraunce specially in the Court since the Administration of the Realme was coÌ„mitted to the Quéene mother that many do commonly call it Fraunce-Italian and some terme it a Colonie and some a common sinke of Italie These madnesses of the Court were the cause that the Admiral could not haue accesse to the Kings speach nor entrance to deale in waightie matters But when they that were sente from the reformed Churches to complaine of iniuries commoÌ„ly done to those of the Religion vnderstoode of the Admirals purpose to depart they did with all spéede deliuer to him their bookes and petitions and besought him not to depart from the Court till he had dealt in the cause of the Churches and delyuered their petitions to the King and his Counsell For this cause the Admirall resolued to deferre his going for a while till he might treat with the Kings Counsell concerning those requests for the King had promised him that he would shortly entend those matters be present with the Counsel himselfe Besides this delay there was an other matter that stayed him There was owing to the Rutters of Germanie which had serued on the part of the Religion in the last warre great summes of money for their wages in whiche matter the Admirall trauelled with incredible earnestnesse and care Concerning all these affaires the Admirall as he determined before hauing accesse and opportunitie for that purpose moued the Kings priâ—…ie Counsell the 22. of August which was the fifte daye after the King of Nauarres mariage and spente much time in that treatie About noone when he was in returning home from the Counsell with a greate companie of noblemen and Gentlemen beholde a Harquebuzier out of a window of a house néere adioyning shot the Admiral with two bullets of leade through both the armes When the Admirall felte himselfe wounded nothing at all amazed but with the same countenance that he was accustomed he sayde throughe yonder windowe it was done goe sée who are in the house What manner of trecherie is this Then he sente a certaine gentleman of his company to the King to declare it vnto him The King at that time was playing at tennise with the duke of Guise Assone as he heard of the Admirals hurt he was maruellously moued as it séemed and threw away his racket that he played with on the grounde and taking with him his brother in lawe the King of Nauarre he retired into his Castle The Gentlemen that were with the Admirall brake into the house froÌ„ whence he receiued his hurt there they found only one woman the kéeper of the house and shortely after also a boy his lackey that had done the déede and therewithall they founde the harquebuze lying vpon the table in that Chamber from whence the noyse was heard him that shot they founde not for he in great hast was runne away out at the back gate and getting on horssebacke whiche he hadde wayting for him readie sadled at the dore he rode a great pace to S. Anthonies gate where he had a fresh horsse tarying for him if néed were and an other at Marcels gate Then by the Kings commaundement a great number rode out in post into all parts to pursue him but for that he was slipped into bywayes and receyued into a certaine Castle they could not ouertake him At the sute of the King of Nauar and the Prince of Conde other the King by and by gaue commission for enquirie to be made of the matter and coÌ„mitted the examining thereof to thrée chosen persons of the Parliament of Paris Thuan Morsant and Viol a Counseller Firste it was founde that the same house belonged to a Priest a Canon of S. Germaine whose name is Villemure whiche had bene the Duke of Guises scholemaster in his youth and still continued a retayner towarde him Then the womaÌ„ which we sayd was found in the house being taken brought before them confessed that a fewe dayes before there came to hir one Challey somtime a master d'hostel of the Duke of Guises house and nowe of the Kings Courte and commaunded hir to make muche of the man that had done this deede and to lodge him in the same bed Chamber where Villemure was wonte to lye for that he was his friende and very familiar acquaintance and that Villemure would be very glad of it The name of him that shot was very diligently kept secret Some saye it was Manreuet which in the thirde ciuill war tratorously slew his Captaine monsieur de Mouy a moste valiante and noble Gentleman and straightway
a King too maintaine in his Realme diuersities in religion but that he shall leese the good will and beneuolence of his subiectes yea and they which are of a contra◅ie Religion to his desire nothing in their hart more than the change of the King and of his estate For the reason abouesayde the Duke of Guise to bring the matter to this passe shall take paines to persuade the nobilitie and others infected with the sayde newe opinion to returne of themselues and of their owne frewil to the Catholike Religion and to abiure and renounce the new without any more expresse commaundement from the king For how so euer it be his maiestie is resolued to make his subiects liue in his Religion and neuer to suffer what so euer may betyde that there shall bee any other forme or exercise of religion in his Realme than the catholike The said Duke of Guise shal cōmunicate with the principal officers and magistrates hauing the principall charge and administration of iustice in cities of his gouernement his Maiesties declaration to the intent they should knowe his minde and the good end wherevnto he tendeth for the vniting and quietnesse of his subiects to the intent the sayde M. de Guise and the sayde officers and Magistrates should with one concorde intelligence and correspondence proceede too the effect abou◅ sayd so that fruit and quietnesse may thereof ensue such as his Maiestie desireth not only for himself but for the whole Realme The Baylifes and stuardes which are not in religiō accordingly qualified shal within one moneth resigne their offices to gentlemen capable and of the qualitie required by the Edict which may keepe and exercise the same And too the intent this should bee done his Maiestie doth nowe presently declare them depriued after the sayde moneth if they do not then resigne that they shall haue no occasion or colour of excuse to delay their resignations and yet permitteth them in the meane whyle to resigne without any fine paying Al Baylifes stuardes shal be resident at their offices vpon paine of losse of the same and if they can not so be then they shal be bound to resigne Al Archbyshops and Bishops shal likewise bee resident in their dioces and such as for age and other disposition of person can not preach the word of God nor edifie the people and do other functio◅s appe◅taining too their charge and dignitie shal be bounde to take a conductor to comfort them and to employ them selues to the duetie of their charge To the which conductour they shal appoint an honest and reasonable pension according to the fruites and r◅uenue of their liuing Also persons and vicars shall be resident at their benefices or else shall bee admonished to resigne them to such as will be resident and doe their duetie Archbyshops and Byshops shal take information of thē which holde abbeyes prioryes and other benefices in their dioces of what qualitie so euer they are and how they do their duetie in the administration of them wherevpon they shall make processe by worde vnto the Gouernours which shal sende them to the King to prouide therin as reason shall moue him They shall c◅pell the curates actually to abide at the places of their benefices or else shal appoint other in their steades according to the disposition of the Canons At Paris the iij. day of Nouember 1572. Signed Charles LETTERS OF M. DE GORDS THE KINGS Lieutenant in Daulphine too certaine of the Religion in his gouernement wherby he exhorteth them too come backe againe too the Religion of Rome and howe the King is determined too suffer none other SIr I am sufficiently aduertised of your behauior but you shuld remember what aduertisements I haue before sent you too returne too the Catholike Religion of your selfe which is the best holde stay that you can chose for your preseruation and health putting frō you all those which persuade you to the contrary who woulde abyde to see any commotion or disorder rather than abate any poynt of their opinion And by this meanes you shall make euident too the King the wil which you say you haue to obey his Maiestie counsailing you for as much as I desire your well doing that this is the best for you to do without loking for any more open commaundemēt otherwise assure your self there can but euil come of it and that his Maiestie would be obeyed And thus I pray God to aduise you and giue you his holye grace From Grenoble the sixt of December 1572. Your entire good friend Gordes THE ANSVVERE OF THE GENTLEMEN Capitaines Burgeses and other being in the towne of Rochell too the commaundementes that haue bene giuen them in the name of the King to receyue garrisons WE the Gentlemen Capitaines Burgeses and other nowe being in this towne of Rochell doe giue answere too you Mounsier N ▪ and to such commaundementes as you giue vs in the name of his Maiestie that wee can not acknowledge that that which is signified vnto vs and the Proclamation which you require that we shuld cause to be published do proceede from his Maiestie And thereof we call to witnesse his Maiestie himself his letters of the. xxij and. xxiiij of August his owne signet and the publishing of the same letters by the which his sayd Maiestie layeth all the fault of all the trouble lately happened and of the cruell slaughter done at Paris vpon those of the house of Guise protesting that he had enough to doe too keepe himselfe safe within his Castell of Louure with those of his Garde And we shall neuer suffer our selues to be persuaded that so foule an enterprise and so barbarous a slaughter hath at any tyme entred into the mind of his Maiestie much lesse that the same hath bene done by his expresse commaundement as the paper importeth which you haue exhibited vnto vs nor that his maiestie hath bene so ill aduised as himself to cut of his owne armes or too d◅sile the sacred wedding of Madame his owne sister with the sheding of so much noble and innocent bloud and with the shame of so cruell a fact to disteine the nation of Fraunce and the bloud royall which hath heretofore euer among all nations borne the name of franke and courteous nor that he hath had minde to deliuer matter to writers to set forth a tragicall historie such as antiquitie hath neuer heard speake of the like and such as posteritie can not reporte without horror But that it was first layd at Rome and afterward hatched at Paris by the authors of all the troubles of Fraunce And howsoeuer it be wee are readie too maintaine that out of the mouth of his Maiestie doth not proceede hote and cold white and black and that he doth not nowe say one thing and by and by an other as he should doe if the paper that you present vnto vs had passed from him protesting that he will inuiolably keepe his Edict and immediatly breaking