hit on it Amongst these the first is the Queene mother vnto the king who for her credits sake and in shew keepeth her selfe on her sonnes side as she did alwaies when shee had many sonnes hold with him that was king but who notwithstanding hateth nothing more than his absolute power as beeing the worse for it When France was in peace she was faine to spin her rock at home her son left her no charge nor deling in any matter That she might recouer her authoritie she was fain to shuffell the cardes or haue intelligence with those that shuffeled them otherwise she was of no vse which her mind that could not thinke on small matters could neuer brooke And of this Princesse whose race hath ruled ruleth at this day ouer the best parts of Europe it may be saide as it was of Agrippa Vâ—â—ribus curis muâ—ebria vitia exuisse If that alreadie were not a vice in a woman it hath beene alwaies her custome in France to stirre vp one against another that in the meane while she might rule in these diuisions The mightie against the mightie Princes against Princes yea her owne children against her children For she know wel enough that our state standeth so as that a woman except it be by some extraordinarie waies is of no credite therein In the time of the late king Charles this that nowe is was then her protector whose power she did increase as much as she could to the end she might vse him to make her selfe necessarie vnto the other The king at length perceiued it but too late Since that this beeing come vnto the Crowne wherein to speake the truth hee was infinitely bound vnto her whiles he was in Polande being as well assured that except shee had wisely prouided for it there had beene such stirringes in France as perchance at his comming home hee had beene kept from getting in Shee kept her credite for three or foure yeares whilest this yoong king dreamed of nothing but the pleasures of his age and the deliciousnesse of his newe estate but since beginning to take vppon him the affirmatiue voice and to seeke to rule alone she was forced to haue recourse vnto Mounsieur her yoonger sonne who for a while vphelde her and made her to be esteemed necessarie He being deade shee chose other remedies for howsoeuer it bee shee hath euer wished two thinges The one to make him that was in possibilitie of the Crowne to bee beholding vnto her for to keepe him in when hee were come to it The other to make him in the meane while so great that he that were master of the State should bee forced to vse her helpe in brideling the other employing after this manner verie quietly both their powers one against the other that betwixt them shee might rule and be sought to such a councell as particularlie for her selfe was as full of wisedome as often full of troubles and inconueniences for the commons Nowe if after Mounsieurs death shee had founde the king of Nauarre fitte for these practises she had made her buckler of him but seeing that his religion and many other considerations did hinder her she hath cast both her eyes and her heart on the house of Lorraine and her daughters children whereunto the hatred that shee did beare vnto this Prince euen from his infancie hath beene a great helpe So that esteeming her selfe not able to bee reconciled with him shee consequently dooth feare him and is fully resolued to hinder him in all that shee can from getting anie part in France Shee can neuer doo it without the ouerthrowe of the order of the Realme For as I saide after this hatred commeth in the loue shee beareth vnto the children of the D. of Lorraine who are her daughters children towards whome she hath a secret inclination neuer ceasing day nor night to reproch vnto the king that he ought rather to loue as his heires his Nephewes his Sisters children then a stranger vnto his house so dooth shee terme the king of Nauarre The daughters of Spaine are also her daughters children vpon whome she would likewise be glad to bestowe some part of the same not being grieued in the meane while that her sons state is in trouble to the ende that he should haue refuge vnto her and that she may be imployed Now in this manner she agreeth well with the Duke of Guize to crosse her sonne to stirre vp and open the way to confusion and about the meanes to alter the order of succession in our realme but to wish that hee shoulde waxe so great that he might ouerthrow the king himselfe dispossesse him and himselfe afterward to inuade the whole state it is not likely I cannot beleeue that she desireth it Now vnder this the Queene mothers intent I comprehend also that of the Marquise du Port her little sonne sonne vnto the Duke of Lorraine who likewise hath no intelligence or hope in this our state any further then she his grandmother doth procure him to conceiue Next there is the king of Spaine who from the beginning of these wars seeing the Queene of England to knit a straite alliance with our king seeing in the same time also the Commissioners of the low countries at Paris to offer him the soueraigntie ouer their prouinces it came in his head to cast three or foure thousand crownes into the hungrie hands of the league so to set France in troubles as being assured that by these meanes he should keepe the king from thinking vpon Flanders the which he did most feare as indeed there is but the onely king of France so he be in peace that can easily take these Prouinces from the Spaniarde This is that which brought him in and consequently that somewhat ouerhastned the Duke of Guizes deuises Besides that hee feareth now extremely least the king of Nauarre should attaine to the crowne of France hee is his enimie by nature he detaineth a kingdome from him which no doubt if the others â—â—awes may growe on will bee wholly pulled away and more perchance withall Hee knoweth well enough that he being olde his children yoong his state deuided and scarse setled small matters after his death will trouble it much more a king of Nauarre if he were king of Fraunce Therfore he is glad to frame himselfe vnto those of Lorraine to finde them meanes to stirre vp coales that in the meane while he may more freely goe about his warres of the lowe countries and of Englande to molest the king of France thereby to ouerthrowe the king of Nauarre to the end that afterward the realm being left for a pray he being the mightiest might catch the greater part This is his drift as coÌ„cerning our state but that he would proceede so farre as being burdened with many other particular expences he wold yet draw his treasors drie to make the Duke of Guize king he I say who is perswaded that if it were so that the maner
onelie and yet within the space of one yeare they had neuer a one left or finally for that it was framed among the Catholikes who doo in number farre exceede the Protestants and who albeit they be not wholly in all and through al of the League do yet notwithstanding agree in this point that they wish the preseruation of their religion so seeme to fauour those that vndertake the defence thereof all which in deede do make this first faction to seeme the greatest at this time albeit that in troth it neither is neither can so continue I saide that the kinges was the lawfulest No man dare denie it So long as according to his owne will he ruled his people he onely was obeyed and so might still be if he list but this list must come vpon him betimes for if it lingereth but a little longer and that euerie man perceiue that in his dominions any man may lawfullie not onely disobey him but euen coope with him without danger he shall neuer recouer his authoritie God hath planted the meanes in his onely courage I said likewise that his faction was the weakest It is true albeit it seemeth otherwise yet it is so as by sundrie reasons we may prooue First the king who ruleth hath so behaued himselfe that euerie man knoweth that of the three heads of the three factions he is the weakest he standeth in greatest feare hee dareth enterprise least and contrariwise that he is the man against whome euerie man dare most safely and easely vndertake what they list He I say hath taken such a course that now he hath nothing left wherewith to detaine the mindes of his subiects in his obedience sauing onely the auncient regarde that they haue of their kings together with the custome of the realme which in truth are most mightie meanes in a peaceable estate and yet such a ciuill warre of foure yeares continuance onely is able as easely to subuert it as heretofore it hath don in shorter space at Rome and all other places where it hath lighted for it springeth onely of a contempt and disdaine of the Prince which are contrarie both to duetie and maiestie And then iudge you what one of thirtie yeares continuance as ours is may be able to doo Secondlie he is in his Realme the declining sunne and so weake in his declination that euen in his presence he seeth them dispute both by writings and weapons of him that shall rise after him In the dayes of the Romaine Caesars it was treason to speake of that that should happen after the Emperours death much lesse durst they name him that they thought should succeede Tiberius were able to say somewhat hereof who after a certaine sowne that he fell into in his olde age lying sicke in his bed was stifled by his heire Caligula a young florishing Prince for feare least the old man cōming againe to himselfe should put him to death only for that he was saluted as Emperour when all men tooke the other to be deceased So great was their power to keepe their autoritie inuiolable euen to their graues The Ottomans or Turkish Emperours will neuer suffer their children whose possibilities they can not endure to come neere them But if we must needes finde a domesticall example among our owne kings It is said that the mightie king Francis this mans grandfather being weake sicklie was in the beginning of May in his last yeare at his Castle of Fontainebleau where his sicknes on a time so encreased that he was thought to bee dead or not like long to liue Sodainely all the Court came running to the Dolphin Henrie who for the like gelousie of succession durst not in sixe or seuen yeares come neere his father euery one ranne to worship this new sonne so as almost no man of account tarried about the king Well the king for that time recouered and vpon the Ascention day a verie solemne festiuall daie in France beeing somewhat eased of his sicknesse this olde Prince ariseth decketh vp himselfe cōmeth out of his chamber painteth his haire his face to hide his age sicknesse appeareth himselfe in youthfull attire and in this arraie cōmeth forth to procession wherein himselfe carrieth the Cānopie ouer their Corpus Domini and at his returne vseth these speeches I will scarre them once yet ere I die It prooued true the case was altered for so soone as the kings recouerie was bruted abroade all the courtiers came dropping in by one and by one in great feare and the Dolphin yet once againe while his turne came remained as solitarie as his father had done This it was to be a king yea this it was to be feared How manie landes be there yet in the worlde wherein it is death to enquire who may pretend anie title to the Crowne after the Princes decease sith that is the thing that Princes doo couet to leaue most doubtfull Alas It is not so with our king his weakenesse hath giuen all the world leaue not onely in his presence to argue of his succession but also to some to endeuour to force him to prouide for it and to make his will as if there were no more for him to doo but euen to die His faint heart and the libertie to offende haue brought all to that passe that at this day a Frenchman may as bouldlie as a Spaniard say I am not on the kings side whereas thirtie yeare agoe such a word had beene blasphemie yea euen parricide Finally his want of courage is so dishonorable that my selfe being in a forraine lande in the presence of a mightie Prince confederate with the Crowne of France where there was some speech of our estate did heare one discoursing thereof vse these words That our King stoode but as an o in Ciphre which of it selfe can doo nothing but being added to anie other number encreaseth the value thereof I heard it and with great griefe blushed thereat euen for the shame of our Nation albeit the diuisions of our Realme which force vs to extraordinarie remedies had carried me thither for an other purpose then the particular seruice thereof neither was that speech any hinderance to the matter that I came about Thirdly he cannot assure him selfe of any of those whom he thinketh to be on his side for they are daunted because they see him quailed They dare not fixe themselues about him because they see him totter They dare not earnestly oppose them selues against those that warre against him because they see him suffer it and yet scarse so bolde as to complaine In this sort are all his Counsaile all his townes and all his subiectes growne into factions And I do verelie beleeue that among all those that are about his person hee perceiueth none except some one or two that are his owne creatures that hee dare assuredlie trust as hauing some other particular meaning then he or taking part with some one or other of his enemies For so
each after other of mariage and of children which might haue beene enough to haue daunted him howbeit all this notwithstanding beginning to feele his owne courage he was nothing astonished but for a time disguising his drifts he was content onelie to lay anker hold and in the meane time to insinuate himselfe into the Catholike faction according to the instructions of his familie wherein fortune was his friend besides he is of great valour some of his enterprises haue good successe so that togither with the fame and memorie of his father he by by framed himselfe through the ciuill warres which his vncle the Cardinal still kindled by one meanes or other to bee chiefe of the Catholike faction carrying fauour to those townes especiallie which the massacres had continued verie seditious and troublesome and he stood stil in feare of a Protestant Prince whose citizens hee entreated with great familiaritie courtesie and popular behauiors the chiefest and most assured tokens of a mind that aspireth to tirannie The late king Charles deceased without issue and this king married but hath no children moreouer he seemeth that the Crowne wanteth heires in direct line and that the Collaterals are called whereupon he draweth neere and already sheweth tokens that hee craueth a part It was giuen out in hugger mugger that he is the very stocke of Charles the great those of Valois are of the house of Capet who vsurped the Crowne of France from his house whereby there was some likelihood that he would scarce tarrie the death of the king now raigning and his brother the remnants of the children of France before he pleaded his succession against the Collaterals but would euen preuent them Nowe was there nothing more against him then peace for leaning onelie vppon the factious Catholikes and seditious townes faction he should therby lose his credit except the controuersie were renewed against the Protestants For as it is a plaine case that as ciuill warre nourisheth diuers factions in a state euen as certaine it is that a long peace ouerthroweth them all except the kings so as his onely remedie consisted in stirring vp of coales and returning vs vnto our ciuill weapons and then to enterprise according as occasion might serue And in deede in the yeare 1578 hee made such a league as this last but then was the king in his full authoritie and Monsieur his brother aliue who retained a number of french mindes and so consequently kept him short of a manie It was straightwaie quenched and wee rid of it for a little warre against the Huguonets which soone after was appeased Thus was France quiet for two or three yeares during the which it was incredible how many matters his troublesome ambitious cōsequently couragious stomack endured suffering himselfe to be pulled downe and eate and dronke in diuers maners so to eschew all suspition of this practise which during the time of the peace and the kings ablolute authoritie he so cunninglie dissembled that many which knew not the last reasons of this obstinate patience the token of a long and prophane practise did euen contemne him In the ende Monsieur the kinges brother who was a great blocke in his waie died He bare him some displeasure vppon other occasions for as he practised somewhat about the state of Flanders so this man hauing priuate intelligence with the king of Spaine plaied him some badde partes thereabout so that if he had liued I haue heard some saie that he would haue beene on the duke of Guizes iacke in whose time at the least it had beene hard for him to haue enterprised anie thing in France This death whether it were by chance or through any practise came well on his side I saie through any practise because the araigments depositions of the lord of Salcede haue kept many in doubt of such a matter Immediatly vpon Monsieurs buriall when there was none but the king left hee thought that hee had gotten fit occasion to atchieue the practise which his father and vncle began thirtie yeares agoe which him selfe also with so great labour had nowe brought to this passe Some were of opinion that about the same time hee had practised somewhat against the kings life others that hee grounded him selfe only vpon some vaine hope and protestations sent him out of all quarters which assured him of the kings speedie death But howsoeuer it was he did not thinke it conuenient the state should be quiet at the Princes decease as knowing verie well that in France a king neuer dieth because that so soone as one is gone there is an other straightway in his place who at his entrie would ouerthrow whatsoeuer the purposes that any man could commence against him and therefore that it was requisite he should beare weapons against the heire euen before the kings death and so be armed with the late kinges name and authoritie According therefore vnto these fatherly preceptes and with his owne domesticall meanes he began to trouble this Realme againe in the yeare 1585. beginning first with the king whom because he could not by any persuasions induce to make warre vpon the king of Nauarre he thought to cōstraine by force His pretences are that the king hath no children so as the Crowne is like to fall vnto Heretiques whereby hee and all other the Catholikes of France are put in a fright especially seeing the Protestant Captaines so noting the king of Nauarre are in fauour and haue their secrete intelligences with the chiefest and those that are neerest about the kings person This hee spake of the Duke of Espernon who was lately returned out of Guienne where he had seene the king of Nauarre Finally verie fitlie vsing the feare that he had put the king in corrupting all his Councell and al that were about his person hee causeth warre to be denounced to the king of Nauarre and the Protestantes which lasteth yet to this day through the whole course whereof I imagine that he seeketh no more but some occasion once to attempt as his fact at Paris well testifieth for as he weeneth he needeth no more but that Well the warres being thus open against the king of Nauarre euen by the kinges aduise consent and authoritie yet will it not suffice These are daylie labours This Prince is stout of great valour he hath goods plentie and manie friendes There is nowe nothing to be gotten of him but stripes As for his person it is safe enough if they neither murder nor poison him as God forbid they should And for his townes twelue Realmes of France will neuer be able to take them all Yea had he lost all but his sword when soeuer God should call him to this Realme yet were that enough How many kinges haue there beene fecht both out of prisons and Monasteries to their sacring In our dayes wee haue seene Charles the seuenth who was banished into the Mountaines of Auuergne crowned Lewes the twelfth was yet in manner
either of them is to them profitable But the verie worst that I see in this practise is that hee can in no sort beare with the kings long life wherof he had need to take heed I beleeue that if hee had stayed but a while longer in Paris the matter had beene dispatched But howsoeuer it is I suppose that that is the thing which at this time dooth most trouble the one and scarre the other He that shall now call to mind that he that is now king of France is the same person that wan the battails when he was but seuenteene or eighteene yeares old who neuer came in place but hee had the victorie whose valor and reputation euen in the spring of his youth purchased him forraine Crownes yea crownes ouer the most warlike nation that wee knowe in the worlde cannot but hee must acknowledge that the onelie slacknesse and mistrust of his owne power which through the impression of others haue seised vpon this sometimes so valiant a heart is the whip wherwith God at this day scourgeth our realme Of this Prince wee must needs say that had hee beene borne in a good worlde had hee had seruants worthie himselfe which had loued his mightinesse had they not euen in his nonage caused him to take the affaires in hand with paine and pleasures with ease which maketh him now to hate the one and loue the other had no man since ceased his gouernement and molested his minde God had vndoubtedly indewed him with great good partes whereby he might haue compassed great matters but his mothers passions who sought to aduāce him to the end he might stand her in stead with her other sonne thrust him forth to labour when he should haue giuen himselfe to pleasure glutted him with honour before he had any stomacke to euill and brought him out of tast with ambition before he had any minde of it Besides al this if a man may lawfully note any imperfection in him this is it that he hath beene somewhat giuen to loue his ease and rest which is a common vice not in Princes onely but also in most men In fine comming to the crowne he found the realme full of licentiousnesse which the long ciuil wars had brought in and replenished with factions and disobedience he found all his greatest lords infected with seuerall purposes in lieu of one generall minde that they ought to haue beene off for his seruice and hereto was his owne patience a great furtherance as hauing this imperfection that hee found no resistance if he were not crossed or if he liued in peace hee would deale absolutely with great maiesty but if he met with neuer so little difficulty he alwaies preferred a soft and feareful remedie before boldnesse and seueritie whereto also the mind of one of his chiefe counsailers of estate who hath likewise had most gouernement ouer him ◠hath beene a great helpe to inure him Hee is the first king that euer the captaines and gouernors of his holds compounded withall or demanded money of to giue them vp I meane not those onely whom the ielousie of the ciuil wars had made partial but the others also that haue alwaies takē his part He is the first king whom men might boldly without feare offend For for my part that which another would peraduenture in a king terme clemencie and mercie and which particularly he would commend in this man because he neuer sought greatly to reuenge such iniuries as many had committed against him I would sometimes especially when it doth exceed call negligence which is preiudiciall to his maiestie and which if it be not to be reproued is not at the least greatly to be cōmended in a prince Albeit this is to be granted that when these miserable wars began againe God had put sundrie good motions in his minde and hee was entred into a way fully to reforme his realme and relieue his people so as those of the league had neuer committed other trespasse in France then this breaking of his good intents yet haue they heaped a wonderfull burthen of cursses vpon their owne heads Wel now to returne to the present estate wherein he now standeth and his purposes vndoubtedly he hath such as are most lawful for they tend onely to the preseruation of his life maintenance of that authoritie which God hath giuen him howbeit in the cōduct of them he hath a very bad cause cruell to his people noisome to his realme and dangerous to himselfe as the effect doth sufficiently shew This mightie prince doth as well know whereat the D. of Guize shooteth as another and hee hath reason sith it is at himselfe that he chiefely aimeth albeit being miscounsailed he hath hitherto taken but a crooked way to withstand it Indeed he is in some sort to be excused as hauing no one about him whose counsaile is not preuented either by desire or feare and hauing on his side almost none but himselfe When the D. of Guize had thus armed himselfe vnder the name of the holy league a name but too well knowne alredy in France they straightway propounded vnto him a most false principle viz. that in his realme there were but two factions The Huguonets the Catholikes that vnlesse hee woulde take vppon him the gouernement of the one he should haue none to take his part so according to the prouerbe betweene two stooles the taile goeth to the ground That the Huguonets were the weakest and therefore that consequently it were best for him to ioine with the catholiks for in so doing he should win to himself all the credit which the house of Guize had alredie gotten which would be their destruction and his preseruation that for the atchiuing hereof he must shew himselfe most passionate cruell to the heretikes make war vpon them in earnest yea exceed al men in wishing their harme and that by that onely meanes reclaiming al the catholike faction to himself taking vpon him to be head thereof he might with ease both ouerthrow the house of Guize which he both feared hated by war rid himself of the Huguonets and their captaines to whom he wished no great good This was their counsaile which is to the great preiudice both of his realme and himselfe he hath hitherto beleeued God grant he may now consider of it perceiue that the effects therof in lieu of making him as hee was perswaded captaine of the catholike faction haue now brought him to be the onely minister of the D. of Guizes passions in such sort that so soon as the other did but stir against him he beleeued that to diminish his credite meanes he must needs shew himself very busie against Huguonets thervpon with notable commissions terrible edicts mighty armies shew himself rigorous to those that feare honor him and which offer him no iniury fauorable to those that deuour him at his owne gate Thus so soone as he had
one by one it shall bee founde according to the common saying That all is not golde that glistereth But if they bee yet nearer obserued in grosse it will stande well with that iudgement which I giue of them They shall be all founde farre distant in places and Countries The greatest and strongest part is in Spaine and Italie yet they bee distant foure hundreth Leagues by lande the other is in France but it is such a small thing that if the power of Spaine and Italie shoulde not ioyne together to helpe it it woulde bee soone smothered vp Wee shall see that each of these partakers which enter into this generall League doo bring but the least part of their wishes vnto the generall intent all the rest beeing for their owne particular wee shall finde that the most of them tende in manner to one thing the king of Spaine the Duke of Lorraine or Sauoy and of Guize to the Crowne of France Wherein it cannot be chosen but that there be some gelousies and that the same thing which vniteth them seuereth them againe We shall see also that they haue contrarie purposes one to another as those which I haue obserued of the Duke of Parma and the Duke of Sauoy And in fine wee shall marke that of the two last viz. the King of Spaine the Pope who are as it were the pillers of this league the one is extreme old and so sicke that euen this yeare hee hath giuen ouer all manner of businesse yea so farre foorth that manie are of opinion that age hath bereaued him of his senses The other which is the Pope can make no reckoning of his power but so long as hee shall liue and considering his age hee cannot liue long leauing perchaunce such a successour as will rather busie himselfe to builde vp his owne house then to pull downe another mans that wil rather deuise new practiseâ— then follow his Predecessors Thus haue you by whole and piece 〈◊〉 seene all our enimies forces Now if against their generall meanes we oppose ours generally if wee gather together those of the Queene of England of the king of Nauarre of the king of Denmarke of the Princes of Germanie of the states of the lowe countries and of the Cantons of Switzerlande what a power shall we finde If we vse ours against them by reason of the commoditie we haue to ioyne our selues without any let France England Germanie both high and low and Switzerlande ioyning one to an other shall we not sooner ouerthrow all their practises than they can take them in hand We I say whom our religion may knit surer togither then them as beeing better than theirs wee that haue no other purpose but to defend our selues and maintaine our rightes which vnited vs togither who haue no particular intent that might breed any gelousie amongst vs or beeing contrarie might diuide vs. There is no doubt of it let vs them see the proofe It is three yeares agone since the king of Spaine cut downe all the Forestes of Italy to builde his Carraquâ—â—â— buyeth all the moores of Affrica to make Galley slaues turneth the Indies vpside downe with digging and seeking to finde out an the Goldmines as though he had no more to do hereafter It is three yeares agone since he had no other speech but of Ankers of Cables of ropes and sayles since hee threatneth the Ocean if it doth not vse his shippes gently since that hee chargeth the windes to fauour them and all this to make vp a mightie and spanish that is to say proud armie by sea whose shadowe alone may cause not onely the masts of ships but also all the toppes of the steeples of England to stoope For these three yeres space he is with child of an armie And to speake the truth as these great peeces of worke are not soone brought foorth nor with ease so he bestoweth much time labour to be deliuered of it but things commonly are lesser at their birth then men thinke of Then in the end it shall be borne in Biscay weaned at Conquet and finding it selfe right against Englande it shall haue strength and stature enough to receiue the order of knighthood Doth not this proue that in one only place viz. Englande we are able to resist the most dangers of our enimies It is three yeares since hee threatned it hee hath not yet so much as made it afraid Tush when will he be able to hurt it It is as long since the Duke of Guize who in a maner plaieth with the king and the realme of France his power being holpen with money out of Spaine with the forces of the Prince of Parma and all the Catholike states maketh warre against the king of Nauarre in which space there hath beene eight armies by land leuied to that purpose and the ninth by seas Of nine of them thankes be to God eight are gone backe againe without doing any thing the ninth hath been quite ouerthroweÌ„ in a battaile Now if it can not be said that this poore Prince was in the meane while assisted eyther with one pennie or one man the money helpes which his friends had sent him being not yet come as far as vnto him is it not a certaine proofe that this people hath more facing than doings It is twenty yeares since that the low countries are set vpoÌ„ by the same king of Spaine with all the forces that he could make out of his countrie out of Italy and all those that he could get out of Germany He hath bin alwaies fortunate in it Almost all the battailes that haue bin fought there he hath wonne What hath he done They are yet at this day in such a case as if they can once haue good correspondence one with an other he is to begin of new in danger of loosing his labor his paines his charges that he hath laid out in that country Iudge you now if so it were that the king of Denmark the Princes of Germany the Cantons of the Switzers which they durst not meddle withall had brought their helpes forces to make these violent dealings of the king of Spaine in Flanders and England to cease and those of Guize in France how long to mans iudgmeÌ„t were they able to stand before vs I leaue more to conclude hereupon that I speake not of In the mean while although we haue mo forces then they that we haue better meanes of intelligence one with an other yet doo they agree better one with an other then we do are stronger than we are Let vs returne that reproch vnto our negligence and not attribute it vnto their industrie to our base minds and not to their courage God hath put into our handes the meanes both to liue at rest to defend our selues froÌ„ their tyranny yea to bring them vnder the yoke if wee would so doo But to make an end of this speech diuine like euen as I haue
begun it I beleeue that it is the same God and the same Lorde who will not haue vs to hold our deliuerance as from our selues neither from our owne arme but from him alone Mee thinketh that my minde is nowe much eased when that after I haue runne ouer all Europe which is altogether almost troubled and afflicted with dissentions in religion I returne vnto France which I thought onely to haue beene plagued with this euill God visiteth not it onely neither is it alone threatned other places haue their part I returne then to her againe better satisfied then I was to conclude this discourse which I began for her sake This visarde this vaile which had bleared vp first the kings eies and after him all the Frenchmens is at length pulled away When the league began first three yeares agone there were men yet that were either so without shame or without sense as that they excused this rebelling they shadowed it with a zeale of religion with a care least that after a good catholike king there should succeede him a Huguonet This serued the traitors pretence that were about the Prince whom they knew so dedicated and passionate towards his owne religion that euen with this worde they stopped his mouth they tooke away from him all manner of replying together with all the meanes that he might vse to iudge what he had to do about this matter But nowe I do not thinke that there is any bodie in all the realme nay not the veriest Iesuite that could excuse the Duke of Guizes attempt at Paris against his owne king What a maner of one it was I desire no other discourse then his owne the very same which he hath published Now if one should aske what in my minde will ensue vpon it hee should trouble me shrewdly I haue saide elsewhere that nothing is more dangerous for a king then the empairing of his Maiestie that there is nothing which diminisheth it more then if hee shewe that hee feareth some bodie in his realme it is a kinde of feare to suffer presumpteousnes and not punish it Yet when it is but a common presumption which concerneth particular ones the cloke of gentle clemencie sometimes doth excuse thnorousnesse but if it bee towards the Prince himself if it doth violate the holy respect which men owe to the sacred person of the king whosoeuer suffreth them is no longer king If this vnexcusable trecherie be pardoned if the king letteth it slippe vnder silence it may be well said Sceleris finem putas gradus est And there is no doubt but that within these two yeares there will be such bold and villanous actions committed as that this shall bee counted but for a light tricke of youth I am of the reformed religion thankes be to God who hath vouchsafed to make me such an one me I say who through the forgetfulnesse of his great benefites had made my selfe altogether vnworthie of this latter one which is not to be compared with any other neuerthelesse if so it were that the king should thinke that the king of Nauarre and wee with him had attempted such treacherous and detestable practises against his life and estate that with good conscience hee might not pardon vs. God forbid that vnder pretence of this quarrell I shoulde counsell him to call vs to him to forget our offences and to vse our helpe to bring him out of those troubles whereinto hee is put daylie by his owne folkes But not as a Frenchman not as a ChristiaÌ„ but as a man I dare wel counsel him What counsaile him nay prophecie that if this argument of the wrath of God against him doth not stirre him vp to wish his owne good and with his owne good the quietnesse of this realme the way of peace the meanes to become a king to take away all part takings out of his realme except his owne and as the Scepter belongeth to none but himselfe not to suffer it to bee broken in peeces and euerie one most vnwoorthilie to carrie away a morsell of it himselfe being the first and most true cause of his mischiefe let him bee assured that in steede of taking it away from him God will encrease it double folde vnto him I will not only speake of those of the league I doo yet speake of our selues That which others do through wickednes we do it by necessitie yet notwithstaÌ„ding al is a like to him in regard of his crown it is as well spoyled and pulled a sunder by the one as by the other his people as much troden downe by vs as by the league And were it not that we defend our selues wher they set vppon vs that where wee are pursued they pursue that where wee submit alwaies our selues vnto him the others would submit him vnto them it might be well said that the harme which we doo perforce vnto his realme is as great as that which they doo for their pleasure and to satiâ—â—ie their ambition For this euill alas there is but one remedie let him onely take vpon him to remedie it hee may be a peaceable and absolute king obeyed feared beloued dreadfull if he list But what do we wish that God should put the power into his handes except first hee hath the will in his heart Mightie Prince why doost thou not beleeue thy selfe thou hast nor so faithfull a counsailour I haue hearde thee heeretofore blame the king of Portugals fault who aduentured all his state vppon one battaile as iudging wisely that there is nothing more miserable then a disherited Prince Oh! where hast thou laide vp thy wisedome thou venturest thy selfe vppon lesse a hundreth times then a battaile Who hath bin able to perswade thee that these men who haue no other desire then thy death no other scope then thy crowne will lay downe their weapons which they haue vowed against thee onely when they see thee bitterly bent and verie cruel against those of the religion No no thou must giue ouer thy crowne else thou shalt neuer haue peace with them and I beleeue if thou couldest giue it ouer without danger of thy life withall thou hast enough about thee that haue such brasen faces as to counsell thee thereto They haue driuen thee out of Paris which neuer the Englishmen the Spaniards nor the Germaines did thy great grandfathers yet by thy letters patents thou shewest vnto thy people that in stead of reuenging thy selfe of it it seeme thâ—thou thinkest it verie long vntil they haue pardoned thee Thou commaÌ„dest theÌ„ to pray to God for this reconcilement there is then belike no other daÌ„ger to lift vp any mans hand against his king Beleeue theÌ„ that he that durst to day make thee flie wil dare to kil thee to morrow But is not this oh mightie king an aduenturing of thy selfe when thou lettest thy subiects perceiue that it is so easie a matter to atteÌ„pt against thee wheÌ„ in stead of reueÌ„ging thy selfe thou praiest that those may be
Verelie beleeue that the griefe which I conceiue to see thee suffer through euill counsaile those bolde partes which are onelie attempted vppon confidence that thou wilt suffer them doo wrest this both out of my heart and my penne I knowe that all those which are about thee haue hither to betraied thee that that which thou hast done against thy selfe thou hast done it by taking that counsell where by contrariwise other princes do most commonly erre that is by beleeuing of counsaile I was present when it was tolde thee that all thy townes all thy people all thy prouinces were alreadie the duke of Guizes all thy men were his They told thee it but none other then themselues that tolde thee it were belonging vnto him and tkey did tell thee it to no other end but onely to sell thee and betray thee vnto him The strongest armies of the league which are against thee haue beene in thy court in thy counsell in thy priuie chamber So that it was verie hard but that thou shouldest be hindered by so many thinges contrarie to thy good purposes But seeing that God in this last danger where into hee had brought thee hath takeÌ„ away al excuse occasion of doubt let this at the least giue thee a mind to loue thine owne selfe more theÌ„ thou hast done to will earnestly thy own good thy rest thy highnesse and when thou shalt wish it thou shalt by consequent wish thy realmes withall I wil end in thee thou firebrand of the war which hast turned to the destruction of thy king and countrie those great graces which God had giueÌ„ thee for to haue bin able to haue done worthie seruice as well to the one as the other Doost thou not thinke to bee punished one day for the parricide which thou coÌ„mittest against thine own mother for so many euils that thou art cause of or which thou dost thy self to her who hath done thee so much good so many euils I say the which thou mightest haue remedied either by desiring lesse or by desiring more wisely or at least by bringing in thy desires at length into some coÌ„passe Nay nay thou needest no other punishment theÌ„ thine own practises They are thy torment Poore soule thou art almost forty yeres old yet darest thou not take vpoÌ„ thee the name of a king wheÌ„ wilt thou bring it to passe Thinkest thou to make easily an end of those which can barre thee from thy vaine hope For these thirtie yeares men haue lost their labor in making war against theÌ„ I wil abate thee ten vpon the bargaine thou hast yet twentie left What a king art thou like to be at those yeres end being 60. yeares old Thou hast bin heard scoffing at the cardinall of Bourbon whom thou hadst perswaded to haue been one at that age scarce wilt thou come sooner to it yet must many things come well to passe for â—hee Thou wilt ouerthrow the king of Nauarre a vaine labour I am sure both for thee and thy children dreame rather to saue thy selfe from him his clawes are greater than thine but I grant it thou shalt ouerthrow him and it were so how wilt thou do to raigne If after his ouerthrow France lyeth open to the spoyle as it can hardly choose art thou stronger then the king of Spaine hast thou more right than he hath More than the Duke of Sauoy who is sonne vnto a daughter of France and nearer of bloud than thou is married also vnto a daughters daughter of France More than the Duke of Lorraines sonne thine elder the sonne likewise of a daughter of France and the kings Nephew If contrariwise the estate be kept whole and found howe wilt thou lawfullie take away the right from the Catholike Princes of the bloud which shal be remaining who are yet in number enough and young enough to liue as long as thou except thou shortnest their liues Moreouer before all this commeth to passe who can perswade thee that the king who reigneth now will not keepe thee from reigning thou canst not so long as hee shall liue thy first blowes must beginne with him that canst thou do well enough thou must make him awaie for he hindreth thee tenne thousand times more than the king of Nauarre and except this bee thy first intent thou hast no iudgement in thy practises For thou canst not possibly whilest he is aliue bee a king neither continue long so in taking the course that thou dooest but thou purposest to reigne What then poore wretch except this bee it that driueth thee on except some great and mightie ambition dooth puffe vp thy minde such a one as sometimes possessed either Marius Sylla or Caesar thou shouldest be accursed enough heereafter for hauing wrought so much mischiefe in the worlde to no ende Ambition is the plague of humaine societie notwithstanding it hath alwayes most gloriouslie set foorth by manie and woorthie deedes all such as haue beene possessed with all Let vs blame ambitious men yet doo wee admire them If thou canst beare so woorthie a minde as to looke for a kingdome there will bee found heereafter some bodie that will saie that thou wert woorthie to haue beene borne a king sith thou couldest vndertake to haue beene one Such mischieues and calamities as thou must needes breede to bring it to passe shall not be paraduenture imputed vnto thee but it shall be said that fortune would by these meanes make thy comming notorious that thou wert too great to come foorth by an ordinarie gate and that thou must needes haue ruines to receiue the and make thee roome Nec aliam venturo fata Nerâ—ni inuenere viam Thou shalt also be found fault withall but many that shall finde fault with thee will wish to be like vnto thee otherwise thou wretch if vpoÌ„ a villainous mind thou hast no other end of the euill which thou doest then to hinder the benefite and quietnesse of all the world what will our posteritie say of thee who amongest them will not call thee the scourge of our age But seeing thou canst not be king thou hast no minde to be it it is enough for thee to trouble and diuide our estate to the end thou maist keepe the better part for thy selfe Thou shewest thy selfe yet more wretched Had not God endued thee with sufficient vertue for to deserue an honorable portion at their handes to whom all by right doth belong who would haue beene alwaies so glad to haue thee about them as their kinsman as thou art and in steede of a good and profitable seruant as thou mightest haue bin Hadst thou not rather haue beene beholding to thy Prince for thy good in bestowing thy seruice vppon thy countrie then to a forraine Prince in ouerthrowing it quite Marke what thou doest thy father and thy grandfather haue allotted vnto the king of Spaine his part in Italy and thou wouldest allot him it in France Sic ne patrissas Yet is not this