of the league and resistance made by the heads Arrest of the Parliament of Chaalons against the Popes bull and assembly of the estates of the league Proceedings of the heads of the same Death of the Duke of Parma Attempts of the Duke of Maine after his death His declaration against the king 93. The king maketh answere to the Duke And his Councell offer a proposition to the estates of the league who are turned aside out of the way of peace by the Popes Legate and Spanish Ambassadour The king is solicited to go to Masse wherevnto the leaguers apply all their pollicies ouerthrown before by the Parliament of Parris The king maketh profession of the Romaine religion wherevpon ensueth a generall truce and new practise of the leaguers to withdraw the people from acknowledging him In the meane while the tragedies of Peter Barriere are a playing who desirous to haue a part in the league conspired against the life of the king and Duke de Nemours The leaguers turne themselues on euery hand for ther owne maintenance and to ruinate those of the religion Stratagems of certaine Polititians against the king who expresseth his good will to those of the religion and looseth that which he had conquered in Piedmont 94. He bringeth the league vnder subiection enforceth rebellious townes to their former obedience namely Parris where the Parliament opposeth it selfe against the Spanyardes After certaine goings too and fro to Rome the lesse desperate Leaguers are receiued to fauour Amongst others the Parisians who are woont to chase away the auncient enemies of France published a decree or arrest against the league and the Duke de Maine What ensued vpon a fauourable declaration of the king who in Picardie pursued the remainders of this vnion During this the Vniuersitie prosecuted the Iesuites Warre is noysed in Brittain and towards the lowe Countries About the end of the yeare a disciple of the Iesuites attempted to kill the king 95. Processe against the Iesuites and their secret complots discouered Warre proclaimed against the king of Spaine Leaguers of Soisson hewen in peeces Spaniards discomfited in the Dukedome of Luxembourg Warre in Franch-Countie Beaune surrendred to the king Memorable explopts both of one and other part Duke d'Aumale executed in his image and portrature The siege of Fere. The king obtaineth absolution from the Pope Estates of Picardie 96. Marseilles reduced vnder the kings obedience The Cardinall of Austria releeueth Fere and by force of armes taketh Callais and Ardes Neuerthelesse Fere is by composition deliuered into the kings hands Afterwards Marshall Biron made diuers incoursions into Artois And the amitie betweene the king the Queen of England and the vnited Prouinces of the low Countries was confirmed The king conuocateth the estates at Roan discouering briefly vnto them his intention Henry the seconde M. D. XLVII HENRY the second of that name and the 59. King of France Pharamond the only sonne of Francis the first that died vppon the 30. day of the moneth of March in the year of our Lord 1547. succeeded in the Crowne by order of succession according to the auncient salicque lawe of the land Hee while the Nobilitie were busied to prouide for the obsequie and funerals of his deceased father and staying for his sacrying anoynting in the moneth of Aprill following made and ordained an edict An edict against blasphemers to be published against blasphemers of the name of God which action made shewe of a notable and commendable beginning yet that so laudable a worke continued no longer in force then many others had done before it Neuerthelesse it wrought this effect that thereby it euidently appeareth that succession and not the sacrying and annoynting of a Prince is the chiefe originall of royall authoritie The 16. of Iulie the Court was much troubled by a contention and memorable action that happened betweene Messieurs de Iarnac and Chastegneraye gentlemen of great account that had defied each other by reason of certaine words vsed by one of them which had procured the other to giue the lie The King in steade of ending their cause by aduise of his Councell and to constraine the offender to satisfie the offended graunted them the combat wherevpon according to the Kings appoyntment they appeared vpon the day aforesaid at S. Germaines in Laye where in the presence of the King Princes Lords and others they entred into the lists There Monsieur Iarnac who by all the company was esteemed the weaker by reason he was newly recouered of a certaine sicknesse withall despised and litle fauored ouercame the other to whom before they entered into the combat euery man adiudged the victorie and wounded him in such sort that not long after he died to the Kings great griefe who vppon that occasion expresly forbadde all combats whatsoeuer in this manner hee beganne with a bloodie tragedie and ended with the like as heereafter you shall heare The King sacred at Reims The 27. of Iulie after hee was sacried and annoynted at Reims with all the auncient accustomed ceremonies therevnto belonging in the presence of twelue Peeres spirituall and temporall The spiritual were the Arch-bishop of Reims the Bishop of Langres Beauuais Noyon Laon and Challons the temporall the Duke of Bourgongne Normandie and Guyenne the Earles of Champagne Flaunders and Thoulouse Most part of the Princes Nobilitie of the Realme being likewise present with diuers Ambassadours of straunge nations But the Ambassadours of Florence Mantoue and Ferrare came not by reason of a controuersie that fell out between them concerning their preheminence of places and for that they could not agree therevppon they absented themselues till the cause was further debated The Constable exalted Anne de Montmorency Constable of France who certaine yeares before had been bannished the Court and secretly held at Chantilly as soone as Francis the first died was repealed againe and the new king committed the principall charge of the affaires of the Realme vnto him which at that time were executed by the Cardinall de Tournon the Admirall Annebaut who as then had good leisure to repose themselues yeelding their place to him whom the king termed his Gossep one that in times past had done him many seruices as afterward hee did Mesieurs de Longueual d'Espars de Boncour de Framezelle de Antipe the Barron de la Garde the Generall Bayard and others were narrowly sought and pursued for diuers secret causes in such sort that some of them were forced to saue themselues by the gilded Gate others by meanes of their friends Warres in in Scotland The king hauing made a Progresse into Picardie went further into the Realme and caused an Armie to bee leuied vnder the conduct of Monsieur D'esse to ayde the Queene Dowager of Scotland against the Englishmen causing her to be safely conducted into Scotland to the end to impeach the vnion of both those Realmes which might bee to the preiudice of France and thereby to
in the right line Charles the fift which makes the second branch from the end of the first line had two sonnes Charles Duke of Orleans and Iohn Earle of Angoulesme Charles the eight dying then without children Charles Duke of Orleans successiuely came into the right line so that Lewis his sonne was found the first heir who also raigned after Charles the eight who was surnamed father of the people Lewis their dying without issue male the right of inheritance came into the branch of Iohn Earle of Angoulesme so that the lawe set the Crowne on the head of Francis the first the Earles onely sonne And from Francis it came to his sonne Henry the second from whom succeeded orderly Francis the second Charles the ninth and Henry the third his childreÌ„ one after the other froÌ„ brother to brother In this right line ended the last King of the race of Valois who died without children The law then tooke hold on the second sonne of Saint Lewis named Robert who was Earle of Clermont and married with Beatrix daughter to d'Archambaut of Bourbon by her hee had one sonne named Lewis from whom the lands were made errigible in Counte the yeare one thousand three hundreth twentie seuen After this Lewis succeeded Peter and Iames his sonnes Peter had one sonne named Charles Duke of Bourbon and Constable of France who was slaine at the taking of Rome in the yeare one thousand fiue hundreth twentie seuen And in him dying without issue male ended the line masculine of this branch Iames his vncle the sonne of Lewis had then a sonne named Iohn who espoused Catherine Countesse of Vendosme of Castres and Ladie of Conde This Iohn sonne of Iames had three sonnes Iames Lewis and Iohn The first last to wit Iames and Iohn left no posteritie Lewis sonne of Iohn had two sonnes Francis and Lewis the younger hath issue the Duke de Montpensier who liueth at this present The Prince de la Rochesur-yon the eldest of this branch died without children The eldest named Francis the sonne of Lewis which espoused Marie of Luxembourg had three sonnes Charles Francis and Lewis Charles the eldest had by the Ladie Frances of Alencon fiue sonnes Anthony Francis Charles Lewis and Iohn Anthony of Bourbon eldest sonne of Charles married Iane d'Albert Queene of Nauarre the yeare one thousand fiue hundreth fortie nine The twelfth of December 1553. was borne of this marriage in the ninth degree of the heires male after Saint Lewis Henry of Bourâ—â—n the onely sonne of Anthony Now by the decease of Henry the third the last king of the race of Valois descending by the masculine line from Philip the eldest son of king Lewis the Saint the right of the Crowne came vnto Robert his youngest sonne and from him consequently to Henry of Bourbon the fourth of that name king of France and Nauarre who at this day raigneth and of whom we are specially to speake in this Breuiarie That which the king did in his beginning This king hauing accompanied the corps of the deceased king to his tombe and put it in safe keeping to the Maister of Meulan Gisors and Clermont diuided his forces into three armies the first for himselfe with the which he marched vnto Touraine the other twaine hee committed to the Duke de Longueuille and to the Marshall d'Aumont for Picardie and Champagne Before hee had taken the way to Touraine with his troupes which were composed of twelue hundreth horse three thousand footemen and two Regiments of Switzers hee purposed to take his iourney into Normandie where the Pont de l'Arche was yeelded vnto him Then he came to Deepe won Caen vnto his side and constrained Neufchastel to bee rendered vnto his hands hauing disappoynted by his Lieftenants the succours which they had sent vnto them And hauing made a shew to besiege Roane it caused the Duke de Maine beeing called to the succor by Aumalle and Brissac to set himselfe in the field with more then three thousand horse and fiue thousande footemen who promised to the Parisians at that time to make an ende of all warre and to bring the king their enemie vnto them bound both hand and foote The king vnderstaÌ„ding that this mightie armie of his enemies increased euery day more and more by the assistance of the low countries of Picardie and Lorruine asked of the Duke de Longueuille and of the Marshall d'Aumont if they should go and meete them A notable exployt at Arques against the League And then marching toward his enemies they incamped at a certaine Village called Arques about two leagues from the Towne of Deepe And within three daies he made such entrenchments for his troups that the bancke in the lowest place was seuen or eight foote high on the one side aboue the towne where the artillerie were placed vnder the keeping of foure companies of Switzers The approach of the campe was espied by the Castle wherevppon was placed certaine peeces that shot off with great aduantage Meane space the Duke de Maine was greatly busied to thinke how hee might take againe the Townes of Gourney Neufchastel and Euison at what time both hee and his whole armie was perswaded that they might take Arques at the first But the Duke found it at his comming farre more troublesome then he imagined by reason of the newe Trenches which the king hadde made on euery side thereof for his commoditie by the which meanes hee might the better and the more easier ouer-runne his enemies at all times A sore skirmige The two armies continued there from the end of August to the midst of September And vpon the sixteenth of that moneth two fierce and cruell skirmiges was made in the which the Leaguers lost a great number of their approoued souldiers and nine or tenne of their Captaines This did truely presage and shew vnto them what successe they were like to haue in their attempts to come whereof followed nothing else but shame and sorrow to the leaguers VVhose foolish hope was also made frustrate which they hadde to chase the king himselfe into England or to kill him with all his followers or else to bring them in triumph prisoners to the Cittie of Parris The furie of these skirmiges was at last conuerted to the playing of the cannons both on the one side and the other which indured three or foure dayes togither On the Thursday the three and twentieth of September the Leaguers Armie or a part thereof containing a thousand horse and about six or eight thousand foote came to a place named la Maladerie which was strengthened with eight hundred smal shot foure coÌ„panies of Rutters Lanceknights sustained moreouer with three companies of light horsmen three companies of great ordenance and with the forces of the Princes of Conde and Counte Furthermore at the top of the Trench stood the companies belonging to the Lords of Chastillon and Maligni with a good number of the Nobilitie who were vnder
hee hauing committed so many hainous acts against the Crowne and his soueraigne Lord that hee was vnwoorthie too bee esteemed the kings subiect but to receiue punishment according to his deserts blaming the kings too much gentlenesse therein to whom might bee applyed that which was of olde time spoken of by Charillans who being greatly praised for his courtesie equally shewed to all was thus answered by Archidamidas the Spartane that such a Prince deserued small praise that shewed himselfe fauourable to wicked persons But such matters pertaines to other discourses and not to bee intreated of in so briefe a collection as this is Vpon this receiued grace the Duke de Maine wrought the yeelding vp of Soisson Pierfont and other places to the King Now among all the chiefe leaguers there onely remained the Duke of Aumale who had not time ynough to make his peace with the King The Duke of Aumale executed in his picture Things fell out so contrarie on his side that lawe was prosecuted against him in the Parliament of Parris which found him guiltie of treason in the highest degree so that his image or likenesse being made it was drawne in peeces with foure horses and his goods and lands confiscate to the King It hath been said that his faire house at Annet was iudged to be raced to the ground and the woods all about the same cut downe in detestation of the said Dukes treasons But this article was not executed This Duke of Aumale went since that toward Albert. Cardinall of Austridge came into the low Countries to succeed in his brothers charge who was Arch-duke of Ernest of whō he was honourably receiued and royall entertained so that he might say with the renowmed Greeke I was lost if I had not been lost and since he hath made sore warres against the Frenchmen Certaine members of the league as some of the sixteene of Parris diuers principall Councellours and Agents of that side togither with some Preachers and seditious writers durst not shewe themselues knowing lawe to bee proceeded against them Th. Towne of Fere besieged While the Cardinal of Austrige made his voyage from Spaine into Italie to become Gouernour to the low Countries taking with him Philip of Nassau Prince of Orange who had a long time beene kept prisoner among the Spaniards the King besieged Fere the onely place possessed by his enemies in Picardie before the taking of Capelle Chastelot Cambray and Dourlans hee set there all the succours that could enter in where a great number of Spaniardes were slaine then gaue he leaue to the most part of his horsemen to refresh themselues because the Earle of Fuentes hauing set garrisons in the Towns for a new conquest was retired into Hainaut The king being willing more and more to plant quietnesse in his realme made an edict the same time whereby all persons that were fled might returne againe to their lands and houses where their passed faults should neuer bee sought after but wholly forgiuen those onely excepted that were confederates in the murther of the deceased king In middest of these matters Ossat and Perron the Kings Agents towards the Pope demanded and obtained a bull of absolution hauing aforehand made all the submissions obeysances and accustomed reuerences promising that the King had performed the penance and accomplished the conditions to him prescribed This bull was committed to Alexander d'Elbene to bee carried into France to bring thereby in the kings behalfe confirmation and approbation of all that which had been done by his Agents one of the which namely Ossat for recompence of his seruices wonne a Cardinals Hat Perron being but a Ministers sonne in the Lord of Bearns land became by his worthy seruices Bishoppe of Eureux a Courtly Poet and a new Diuine was sent with good hope to see that hee should continue as hee had begunne that is to say to oppose himselfe against those of the religion and to drawe by his example all other that hee might by their praaching and writing to maintaine the vocation and doctrine of their Ministers and the publicke articles of the inreprehencible perfection of the Romaine Church Hee was carefull to keepe promise vnderstanding that the Pope had an eye ouer him The estates of Picardie In the moneth of Nouember the King assembled within Amiens all the estates of Picardie of Boulongne Vermandois and Thierafche to take counsell for the affaires of Prouence Certaine Captaines were there beheaded hauing been by their couetousnesse cause of all the losses afore mentioned The siege of Fere continued those within it being more restrained yet neuerthelesse resolued to hold the same to the vttermost poynts of extremitie The garrisons of Peronne Amiens and other places that held for the King beganne againe in Ianuarie their former courses against the enemies countrie still killing and sleying certaine Spaniards and Wallons The king was at this time in great care touching the countrie of Prouence by reason that a man of great authoritie named Casaux commanded within Marseille who made means to the Spanish king that this goodly Towne might bee solde vnto him Charles Dore of Geneua was now approaching with certaine gallies for the Spaniardes The Duke of Guise drew also neare with certaine troupes but knowing well Casaux euill will toward him retired to the port of Thoulon where a farre off he thought on such affaires whereof proceeded the death of the said Casaux who was suddainly stabbed as he was going forth of his owne lodging to runne toward one of the gates which they were readie to open to the Frenchmen the sixteenth of Februarie The Duke of Guise his troupes beeing mingled among the rest in the Cittie was cause that all the Spaniardes with their adherents ranne their waies Marseille brought to the kings subiection Thus was Marseille deliuered out of their hands and brought to the kings subiection togither with all other villages thereabout that might any way annoy them The arriuall of the Cardinal of Austriche in Flanders caused the King to summon the Nobilitie of Picardie and Normandie to be present in the Towne of Guise there to be readie according as need required There he forbad by an expresse proclamation the transporting of gold or siluer coyned or otherwise out of his realme In the beginning of March the Cardinall gaue such order that the besieged within the Towne of Fere were succored with some munition And for his first exployt against The Cardinall of Austriche releeueth Fere winneth Carl◠and Ardres with maine force France in the beginning of Aprill did so dispose of his armie at that time most mightie so dexteriously secretly that in few daies he besieged assailed and with plain force won the town and Castle of Calais in spight of al the kings forces and the resistance of the besieged there died in the taking thereof a great number of the Nobilitie of France especially in the Castle whereinto they had sent a good supply
Iulian Forme stain The eighteenth of December Anthony de Minard President in the Parliament of Parris was slaine with a Pistole as in the euening he returned from the place to go to his house but it could neuer bee knowne from whence it came no more then of the death of Iulian Ferme Agent for the house of Guise slaine hard by Chambourg where the king laye and sound with certaine notes and memorials cocerning the liues of certaine notable personages some were imprisoned and in great danger for the death of Minard and among the rest one Stuard a Scot who although he was of the linage of the Queen as then raigning was cruelly tortured yet could they not drawe any thing from him that once might preiudice himselfe or any other About this time the Elector Palatin hauing sent his Ambassadour vnto the king to craue that the Councellour du Bourg might bee giuen to him to serue him in the towne of Heidelberg the Cardinal being greatly moued at the death of Minard wrote vnto the Court of Parliament that they should presently proceed with their proces against du Bourg but before it proceeded so farre expresse Proclamations were once againe made and published against bearing of armes Anne de Bourg executed for religion The 20. of December Anne de Bourg hauing constantly perseuered in the consession of the faith concerning those poynts which at this day are in controuersie and debate touching religion was degraded and the next day the Iudges caused to the number of sixe or seuen hundreth men as well horse as footemen and all armed to set vppe Gibbets and to carry wood into all the places of Parris there vnto appoynted And in this sort vpon the 23. of the same moneth du Bourg was led to S. Iohn in Greue and there hanged which done his bodie was burnt and consumed to ashes Presently after other were burnt in Parris and many other places for the religion and many meanes inuented to massacre such as passed along the streets not doing reuerence vnto the Images as then newly set vppe at all the corners of the streets and euery passenger was constrained to contribute their money to the boxes presented vnto them therewith to beare the charge of the waxe-candies Extraordinary rigors that were set vppe to burne before them otherwise it cost thē their liues They went likewise from house to house to gather mony for the maintenance of the officers and suings of proces against such as were found faultie therein and whosoeuer refused or delayed to put his hand into his purse sped but hardly for it The vsurpation of the insupportable dealings of the house of Guise awaked the French men These proceedings altogither vnsupportable the threatnings against the greatest personages in the Realme the putting backe of the Princes and principall Lords of the Realme the despising of the Estates of the land the corruptions of the Courts of Parliament adicted to the part of the newe and straunge Gouernours that ruled both the king and Queene the common treasors the offices and the benefices diuided and giuen at their commaundement and to whom it pleased them their violent and of it selfe vnlawsull gouernment against the lawes of the land and the order of the Realme mooued most great and maruellous hatreds against the Duke of Guise and the Cardinal of Lorraine and caused that diuers not being able longer to indure so great oppression beganne to vnite themselues to gither thereby to determine vppon some iust defence that so they might erect the auncient and law full gouernment of the land Whervpon counsell was asked both touching lawe and conscience of diuers Lawyers and Diuines wherof the greatest part concluded that men might lawfully oppose and resist against the gouernment vsurped by those of Guise and if need were take armes thereby to repulse and withstand their violences so that the Princes who in that case are borne as lawful Magistrates or ony one of them would take the matter vppon him beeing therevnto required by all the Estates of the land or else by the greatest part thereof The first that with earnest zeale determined vppon this matter of so great consequence were not all of one opinion for some of them mooued with a true zeale of seruing God the king and the Realme beleeued verily that they could not do a more iust and vpright worke then to procure the abolition of Ferrany and the reestablishment of the Estate and withall to open the way to some meanes of comfort and reliese to those of the religion There were some that were desirous of change and the rest prouoked by euill will and hatred conceiued against those of the house of Guise for hauing done some wrong and outrage eyther against themselues their friends or allies But in effect their onely and finall intent was to inforce themselues wholly to worke the meanes to cease that vnlawfull gouernment and that the Estate of the realme might bee established as it ought to bee But for that in this intent both generall lawfull and commendable there chanced diuers particular and defectiue discourses it is not to bee wondred at if that there happened a confusion in the pursuit and that if the euent fell out but badly for those that tooke it in hand specially such as mixed their particular passions with the consideration of the common profit of the land For as touching those that onely determined to release and free the Realme of France from the yoake of strangers although the greatest part of them are dead in the pursuite thereof as well then as since that time in the raignes of the two kings ensuing and that as yet that debate not being determined yet are they gon out of this world with that most singular contentment in their mindes to haue most couragiously sacrificed and yeelded vppe their liues to reduce their countrie into a true spiritual and corporall libertie Difficultie in a great enterprise In these first enterprises there appeared an other great and doubtfull difficultie which was how they should beginne to addresse themselues vnto the king for that besides his minoritie hee had no great vnderstanding and it was impossible to speake vnto himselfe about such affaires considering his whole affection desire was to bend himselfe vnto the counsel of those two whom they sought to withdrawe and separate from him To present the matter vnto his priuie Councell would be as much as to allowe their aduersaries to bee their Iudges and so euidently to worke their own confusion to haue recourse vnto the Parliaments it would lesse auaile and yet more daungerous so that in fine the surest way was found to bee by ceising vppon the persons of the Duke of Guise and the Cardinall of Lorraine by some deuise and vnder the name of some one or some number of the principall members of the Estate to demaund an assembly of a Parliament to the end that they two might there yeeld an account
meete the Spaniards as then comming vnto Rayonne and with them to enter into Bearn The Viscounte d'Orthe Gouernour of Bayonne had commaundement from the King to put the Towne if neede were into the king of Spaines hands thereby to serue him for a passage for his armie to enter into the countie of Nauarre where hee was to wast and destroy all the land and then to proceede with the ouerthrow and vtter extirpation of all the Gentlemen and Lords who in those countries had fauoured the King of Nauarre or the enterprise of Amboise But a great part of those Lords and Gentlemen not minding to sell their skinnes so good cheape raised armes to the number of seuen or eight hundreth horse well mounted with fiue or sixe thousand footmen who were all appoynted so soone as Marshall de Termes should haue past Limoges to inclose him betweene two riuers whereof hee beeing aduertised and remembring Graueling hee retired in all haste vnto Poictiers giuing aduise vnto the Court what had happened vnto him whereat those of Guise beeing abashed and perceiuing the king to waxe weaker and euery day sicker then other determined with desperate minds to kill the king of Nauarre who not long before being aduertised thereof made his complaint vnto the Queen-mother which notwithstanding his enemies would not leaue off but by all means sought to effect it if it had not been for the Cardinall of Tournon that gaue them counsell to stay their enterprise vntill the Constable with his sonnes and Nephewes were come vnto the Court least that by killing the one they should chance to mooue a greater daunger and to stirre those vp that might procure farre greater trouble then the Princes could effect Meane time the king of Nauarre tooke great care to looke vnto himself yet all that he could do would not haue preuailed if his enemies had set vppon him The kings disease increasing more and more thâ—â—uke of Guise beganne to vtter his chollor against the Phisitians the Cardinall sent on Pilgrimages But no man can striue against God and vsed Friers Priests at Parris other places to make processions the king made a solemne promise vnto all the Saints in Picardie specially to our Ladie of Glery as they terme her that if it pleased them to helpe him he would wholly purge his Realme of all those Hereticques But as then began his more ruine and his Feuer still to increase wherat those of Guise being abashed what countenance soeuer they shewed assayed to perswade the Queene-mother that the kings bodie should be kept from buriall after his death vntill such time as they had taken order for their affaires and caused their vniust actions to be allowed by open Parliament to the end that no man might call them to account heereafter But that was vnpossible for that too many people daylie attending when the time would bee at the same time the Vidame de Chartres prisoner in the Bastille hauing beene carried from thence to remaine within his house in Saint Anthonies streete presently vppon his arriuall thither hee fell sicke and died The Bailiffe of Orleans was committed vnto the custodie of his mother in lawe And those of the religion as then were drowned in most ardent prayers teares and fastes thereby to obtaine some ayde and succour at the handes of God against so many imminent daungers that as then hung ouer their heads The Queen-mother establisheth her authoritie to sustaine those of Guise The Queene-mother perceuing her eldest sonne at such extremitie taking counsell with her selfe as also of those of Guise sent for the king of Nauarre willing him to come vnto her Chamber where beeing come and thinking to enter a Gentleman spake vnto him in his eare that at any hand hee should bee carefull not to refuse the Queen whatsoeuer she should demaund otherwise it would cost him his life Beeing entered hee found the Queene to bee accompanied with the Duke of Guise the Cardinall of Lorraine and a Secretarie who with a countenance framed vnto her passion made great complaints and declarations vnto the King of of Nauarre as touching things past discouering her minde likewise concerning things present and to come concluding that her meaning was and so she would haue it that the said king of Nauarre shuld release vnto her all the right and title that he might in any sort pretend or claime vnto the Regencie and gouernment of the king and of the Realme and neuer seeke to enioy require or once desire it and that if the States would giue it him hee should remitte it wholly vnto her and because it should be firmely holden by them shee said hee should confirme it vnto her by writing vnder his hand then her meaning was hee should reconcile himselfe vnto her Cousins of Guise and so deface the opinion by him conceiued against them saying that they ought to leaue all quarrelles and from thencefoorth liue in peace seeing the greatest and woorthiest Lords and Princes of the Land beganne to shew them the way After some excuses and effectuall aunsweres made by the King of Nauarre in the end he yeelded the Regencie vnto the Queene The Regencie of the Realme yeelded to the Queen-mother that he should be Lieftenant for the K. in France to take order for al the Marshal affaires and to receiue the packets which hauing opened and read hee should send theÌ„ vnto her againe and that nothing should be done without the aduise of him and the other Princes of the blood who from thencefoorth should otherwise be respected that done shee caused him to imbrase her Cousins of Guise and mutually on both parts to forget all quarrelles past From which time forwards they all beganne to salute and imbrace each other as if they neuer had beene at mortall strife Reconciliation of those of Guise with the king of Nauarre All this was done before the arriuall of the Constable and his Nephewes Further they caused the sicke king to say vnto the King of Nauarre that of his owne minde and wholly against the willes or consents of those of Guise hee had caused the Prince of Conde to bee committed prisoner asking his counsell and desiring him to beleeue him and for the loue of him and of the Queene his mother to deface and wholly remit all the euill will and opinions that in any sort he might conceiue of them which after serued them to some good end Those of Guise not well assured The feare of those of Guise notwithstanding all that had beene past obtained of the Queen-mother that the guardes of the Gates of Orleans might bee made stronger impeaching the entrie of many persons and commaundements made in paine of death that not any man whatsoeuer should speake vnto the Prince of Conde without expresse licence and commaundement from the Queen-mother or else that hee brought her signer The death of King Francis the second The 14. of December about noone they esteemed the king
of Mouy who slew some tooke some prisoners and sent away the rest faster then they came as in deede they were mounted to the aduantage vpō Spanish horses fit for such retraits Immediately after this incounter While the Duke tooke his ease the Princes seized vppon sundry places the D. licensed his armie to refresh themselues vntill the beginning of Octob. putting his footemen in Garrison in such places as bordered nearest vpon Guyenne The Princes in the meane time kept the field tooke Tiuiers S. Sulpice Brantonne Chasteau l'Euesque la Chapelle Confolant Chabanez and S. Genais some by force others by composition The Countie du Lude Gouernour in Poictou had promised the Duke to do wonders and while the Princes armie lay in Limosin followed by fiue thousand foot and some cornets of horse he besieged Nyort a town of consequence wherein Puuiaut valiantly entred with certaine horse and foote in despight of the assailants that were repulsed in three assaults and certaine scaladoes and after in the beginning of Iuly constrained to raise their siege hauing lost aboue fiue hundreth men before the towne not accounting foure Cornets of horse belonging to the Countie which la Noue not long before had ouerthrowne at Fontenay halfe a league from Nyort Terigny beeing sent to ayde the besieged was the cause that the Countie hasted his retrait lodging the rest of his armie at Saint Maixant Lusignon and Mirebean meane time the Princes approached Poictou and the 12. of Iuly tooke Chastelleraud by composition and three daies after battered the strong Castle of Lusignon that vpon the 21. of the same moneth was yeelded vnto them by composition establishing the Barron de Mirebeau for Gouernour therin with two Ensignes of footmen great store of cannons and sufficient amunition to resist a puissant armie Two daies after they marched towards Poictiers tooke Couhe where the Garrison of Catholicques chose rather to burne themselues in dispaire with in the Castle then to yeeld thēselues to Verac Lord of the place that held them besiesieged Sanssay Viuonne and other little places neare thereabouts therby to inclose those of Poictiers and to impeach them of victuals Before we depart from the siege of Poictiers Diuers exployts of war let vs adde some notable accidents that happened in diuers places In the month of Iuly Castillon sur Loing Chasteau-Regnard places belōging to the Admirall were surprised and the Admirals mooueables carried to Parris where part were solde in the open outcrie the best stoien and conueyed away by those that finde nothing either too heauie or too hotte Certaine horsemen to the number of fortie departing from the Princes campe after the taking of Strossy lodged themselues within Regeane a Castle belonging to the Bishop of Auxerre but they were presently besieged battered and slain within it onely captain Blosset and some other that escaped Amōg those on whom they exerciled most horrible vengeance was one of Auxerre surnamed Coeur de Roy who beeing taken prisoner was ledde to Auxerre and there presently stripped slaine and hewed in peeces The murtherers pulled the hart out of his bodie and cutting it in peeces was layde on the coales and eaten by certaine of his desperate enemies that during his life had threatned him with that canniball entertainment Horrible crueltie behold how zeale transporteth these Romish Catholicques The Lord of Terride Gouernor of Quercy was sent into Bearne Foix and the lād of Nauarrois there to bring al into the kings obedience in case the Q. of Nauarre and her sonne the Prince The Countie of Montgommeries exployts in Bearne against Terride would not forsake the religious side Terride accompanied with Negropelisse S. Colombe and diuers others had easily seized vpon all and had laid siege to Nauarron in the only place that held for the Q. The Princes hauing notice thereof dispatched away the Countie of Montgommery to withstand him who with 200. horse went and receiued the forces of the vicounties in Gascon so that in the month of Iuly with a smal armie of foure thousand shot and fiue hundreth horse with great diligence and vnwoonted speed which was the safetie of his voyage as deceiuing the Garrisons of the enemie namely the troupes of the Marchal d'Anuil◠Monluc Gohaz and others that with 1000. horse and 4000. shot marched but a daies iourney from the campe he came safe with one daies iourney of Nauarrin forced Terride who had lyen incamped from the beginning of Iune to raise the siege saue himself in Orthez by reason his troupes for their more commodious victualling lay disbanded The Countie followed Terride and to abridge him of all means to reassemble or muster his men besieged assaulted and forced the town with great slaughter then did he as suddainly plant the cannon found in the Towne against the Castle Terrides refuge who terrified with such terrible charges yeelded with the safetie of his life togither with six knights of the Order and many Captaines who all enioyed the benefit of the compositiō except 5 Colombe the Barron of Pordiac Gohas Fauas and some others that were executed because they were found to be the Qu. subiects consequently guiltie of treason for seizing vpon her places causing the most part of her subiects to reuolt seeking to deliuer the land into the dominion of a new Prince This mishap of Ter. being bruted abroad so terrified other the towns strong holds that the vsurpers making their packs in time Na. Foix Bearn were suddainly subdued to their princesse al fauing the town of Peu the principall wherin cōmanded one named Pere who had promised Monluc to defend it had executed some officers slaine the ministers yet vpon the sūmons of a trumpet sent by Montgom he departed with speed leauing the town to the right owner In the mean time Monluc practised some trecherie with Captain Bassillon who had born out the siege of Nauarrin against Terride This practise discouerd Bassillon was slaine Monluc cōming to seize vpō Nauarin was forced to retire whervpon ioyning with la Vallete he forced the town of Mont-Marsan where he discharged his rage vpon the besieged who were in maner all put to the sword Montgommery furnishing the places of his conquest came to Nerac and for a fewe daies warred vppon the next Garrisons and there with all speed returned to the Princes armie with some plentie of quoine gathered in his conquests and fiue hundreth horse that followed him The Duke d'Aniou considering how much the passage imported which the Princes had gotten vpon the riuer of Loire at la Charitee not much fortified since the taking resolued to take that place from them The siege of la Charitee by Lansac and the issue which was well aduised for that winning it hee should bereaue them of all meanes to molest the Prouinces on this side the riuer of Loire and reserue vnto himselfe the sinues of the warres with infinite commodities for the refreshing
Ouerseer of them a Great-maister or Steward of the Hospitall and sixtie two seruants There were religious persons proportionall to that great number first eight Obseruants of Castille 20. Obseruants of Portugall nine and twentie Friers of Castille Their Cleargie men ten Friers of Portugal 9. Augustins of Castille 14. Augustins of Portugall sixe Friers of Portugall of the Order called del Pagna twelue Carmes of Castille nine Carmes of Portugall eight Fryers of the third order of S. Francis in Portugall two and twentie Iacobins fifteene Iesuites of Castille and eight Iesuites of Portugall so that besides the number of fighting men there was almost tenne thousand that had nothing to do with armes An armie how great soeuer it bee and well conducted if it hath not prouisions and amunitions accordingly it receiueth but blasone shame and dishonor but the king of Spaine tooke not that great enterprise in hand without prouiding as great furniture as should bee requisite whereby the Generall had no cause to feare any want to put the armie out of courage Munitions and prouisions For they had eleuen thousand Quintals of Biscat foureteen thousand one hundreth and seuentie Pipes of Wine sixe thousand fiue hundreth Quintals of Bacon three thousand foure hundreth thirtie three Quintalles of cheese eight thousand Quintals of dried fishes of all sorts Rice to furnish euery vessell with three Quintals for sixe moneths six thousand three hundreth and twentie vesselles of beanes and pease eleuen thousand three hundreth ninetie eight roues or measures of oyle twentie three thousand eight hundreth and seuentie roues of vinegre and eleuen thousand eight hundreth and fiftie Pipes of fresh water besides the victuals and the necessaries of houshold that were in great number and of all sorts as platters goblets pots funnels and vessels of wood candlestickes lanterns lampes falots candles of waxe and tallowe plates of lead and Oxe hides to stoppe holes made with great shotte bags of leather canuaffe and buckeram hoopes for pipes and barrels eight thousand sadles of leather fiue thousand paire of common shooes eleuen thousand paire of shooes with strings cords nayles horses waggons wheeles milles apple trees and all whatsoeuer belongeth eyther by water or by land twelue great peeces for batterie and twelue field peeces with bagges of calues skins for powder and bullets The armes reserued for store were seuen thousand caliuers and their furnitures one thousand muskets tenne thousand launces one thousand partisans and halbardes sixe thousand pikes more pickaxes payles Their armes and other instruments then would serue for seuen hundreth pioners With this number and in this manner being prepared the armie departed out of Lisbon vnder the conduct of the Duke de Medina Sidonia assisted with two and twentie Lords of Estate Councell and experience eightie pages and tenne young Gentlemen or knights and seruants in great number But it had scarse entered into the sea sayling towards the Grongnes in Gallicia but there rose a storme with so great force that it was constrained to put to land and there staye till winde and weather serued hauing lost in that storme three Gallies of Portugals and many of them so scattered and brused that they were not seruiceable for that voyage The storme beeing ceased and the winde bettering about the two and twentieth day of the moneth of Iuly the Generall caused them to set sayle so fortunately that in lesse then fiue daies after they discouered the point or end of Cornwall and at the same time they were seene from Plimmouth by the Admiral of England and Sir Francis Drake Viceadmiral that made them turne their faces and gaue them such a skirmish and that so neare that the shippes were in disorder and a great gallion lost wherein was found a part of the treasures that the armie brought with it all the instructions that the Duke of Medina had what hee should do hauing conquered England At the last it got as farre as Calais where it should haue ioyned with the Duke of Parma but the armie of England that sought to impeach it followed it and that so neare that it was forced to leaue her anker-hold and confusedly to flie away Their principal Galleasse among other vesselles was by the streame cast vpon the sands hard by the Hauen of Calais and there with her ordinances was left for the Gouernours of Calais the rest of the shippes were strongly beaten with cannon shot and by the English shippes scattered abroad in such sort that in those skirmishes the armie was lessened of twelue shippes and aboue fiue thousand men Which done it made towards the North seas passing betweene Norway The scattering of the Spanish armie Scotland so towards Ireland where those Northen seas being as the risen according to the time of the year were very tempestious vsed the rest of the army very hardly for it drowned and sunke seuenteene great vesselles vpon the coast of Ireland and spoyled brake and ouerthrew diuers others in such manner that of one hundreth and thirtie shippes there were scarce thirtie that returned into Spaine The coppie of a Letter sent to Deepe touching the encoumer of the English and Spanish armie and howe the Spaniards had wonne the victorie The report of the successe of this Fleet was giuen out cleane contrary to that which happened vnto it or then was trueth and the innocency of diuers men was so great that they assured and affirmed for certaine that the Spaniards had the victorie for the which they made fiers of ioy and printed whole discourses thereby to couer the shamefull flight of the Duke de Medina that could make no other excuse vnto the king his Maister of that ouerthrow but the infidelitie and ignorance of the Sailors and the little experience they had of those Northen Seas the want of ayde from the Prince of Parma and the great stormes and tempests vpon the seas This great ouerthrow abashed not the league that more vnpatiently then euer it did pursued the execution of the Edict of vnion it sawe that the king by words and oaths not common but solemne had sworne in the Cathedrall Church of Roane in presence of the Cleargie Princes and Lords of the Court that hee had sent vnto the Bishoppes touching those affaires that their Priestes in euery Diocesse should cause their parisioners to make profession of their faith that the Huguenots should abiure their errors in open Courts of Parliaments Courts royall and publike places to make them obserue it but not contenting themselues therewith they would haue the Edict christened with the speciall name of a fondamentall lawe and because it could not bee done but by the third estates of France they besought the king to hold Parliament as by the said articles of peace hee had promised De Commines lib. 5. cap. 4. The authoritie which the Senate had among the Romanes the same authoritie hath the Parliament deuised by the first familie of the kings of France
indeuours and by practises at Rome to ouerthrow indomage and make the D. of Neuers voyage for the king vnprofitable whom hee had sent to acknowledge his dutie to the Pope As for the Preachers belonging to the League publicke and priuately before and after the truce their discourses at Paris and other places were that the Masse which they sung before the king was but a deceit that it was impossible the King should bee conuerted that the Pope could not recatholize him that it was lawfull for the people to rise against him and his officers that it appertained to the Sorbonnists to iudge whether the Pope oght to receiue him as king And if peraduenture hee should do it neuerthelesse hee might bee held for an hereticque and one excommunicate that it was lawfull for any particular man to kill him that should say hee was revnited to the Catholicque Romaine Church These and such other propositions were made and spredde both within Paris and other places In regard of the declarations made by these estates of the League to keepe the fauour of their partakers to giue a secret touch to the kings Councellors as if they were not right Catholickes and to bring the Realme into far greater trouble then before they in their assembly the eighteenth day of August made a declaration containing these words among many others With one consent and aduise wee haue decreed established and or dained and by this present doo decree establish and ordaine that the holy and sacred generall Councell of Trent shall bee receiued published and obserued purely and simply in all places and iurisdictions of this Realme as at this present in the generall bodie of the estates wee do receiue and publish it Their oath Moreouer the same estates deuised the forme of an oath in these termes Wee promise and sweare to continue vnited togither for the defence and preseruation of the Catholicque Apostolicque and Romaine religion and to bring if it be possible this kingdome so long time afflicted to his auncient dignitie and renowme and neuer to consent for any perill or cause whatsoeuer shall come that any thing shall bee done for the aduancement of heresie or to the preiudice of our religion for defence whereof wee promise to hee obedient to the sacred decrees ordinances of our holy father and the sacred sea of Rome without euer falling away from the same Their diuision vpon the principall point But they were not vnited togither in respect of the principall poynt which was to acknowledge one king The Parisians and other townes that held for the League desired that the king of Spaines daughter might bee married to the Duke of Guise and so beeing ioyned by matrimonie they might be crowned King and Queene of France The Duke de Maine who was solicited to aduance the house of the Popes Legate made shewe to agree to so great an honour done to his Nephew but hauing accorded vpon the generall for his particular profit hee demaunded things impossible or at least so difficult that it might bee well perceiued that not esteeming the Popes or King Philips will nor the consent of the estates and chiefe of the League hee said as the Cardinall did in the Conclaue I chose myselfe Impossible it was that euer hee should come to aduance his Nephewe to the Crowne Peter Barriere attēpted to kill the king and is executed for the same These contentions produced the truce aboue mentioned which the Duke of Maine and his Councellours forged to breake a blowe with the partakers of Spaine and to draw new treasures into their purses This wrought the confusion of France on the one side on the other the Prelates and Sorbonnists which with the watch-word receiued from Rome had drawn the king to the Masse imagined in this sort to fish for a golden world But the leaguers thought to bring in new troubles and pernicious practises for in middest of these businesses the sixe and twentieth day of August Peter Barriere Alias Bar borne at Orleans was committed prisoner at Meleun where hee finally confessed that hee was seduced by a Capucin Fryer at Lyons by the Curat and Vicar of a certaine Parish in Paris and also by a Iesuite closely to follow the king and to murther him with a two edged knife the which was found about him He had beene intised to this parriside and was resolued to doo it chiefly about two months before and further confessed that two Priests by him nominated were also come from Lyons for the verie same intent and that he set himselfe the forwardest for the execution thereof to the ende hee might get the greatest honour thereby Hee was drawne through the streetes of Meleun where then the king was they cut off his right hand holding the murthering knife therein and after burned the same After this was done they broke his armes legges and thigh bones and in that sort laide him vppon a wheele where hee languished certaine houres till hee died then was his bodie consumed to ashes and throwne into the riuer his compleces or confederates so disguised themselues that they could not bee found or taken The Duke of Nemours Tragedie At this time was the Duke of Nemours within Lyon from whence hee would not stirre to go to the estates of the league although the Pope had giuen him commaundement the other chiefe Captaines thought it meete and his friend and seruants desired him to go hee vouchsafed not so much as to send vnto them knowing that the leaguers cast their eies altogither vpō the Duke of Guise and that the Duke de Maine his brother by the mothers side crost all his purposes and would worke all meanes for his death A certaine bolde Eryer of Lyon perceiuing well that this yong Prince pretented to bring some new matter to passe within the league whereby at least hee might haue some great hand in the gouernment by the aduice of two or three Councellours who were of his complecies hee compassed Lyon with many fortresses which held on his side at Toissai Vienne Montbrison Chastillon de Dombes Belleuille Tisi Charlieu and other places Quirieu forsaking him hee bought it with a great sum of mony at the hands of the Lord of Saint Iulian which was Gouernour thereof This done Lyon was inclosed as well by water as by land The Lyonnois did not withstand neither his prodigallities nor his Councellours nor his men of warre which forraged the plaine countrie receiuing the guerdon of their reuolt from the kings obedience In the end acknowledging themselues they rose vp against the Duke of Nemours assisted by the counsell and presence of their Archbishop sent by the Duke de Maine and the eighteenth of September they tooke holde of Nemours who was seene three times at deaths doore committing him to close prison where hee continued certaine moneths and at last escaping by cunning meanes spoyled of his succours chased from his Fortresses hee went and died farre from France in