A True report of the taking of Marseilles by the fauourers of the league togither with the rescue therof by the kings faithful subiects Wherin may be seene the woonderfull prouidence of Almighty God in the deliuerie of them that trust in him from the trecherous and bloudie deuises of their aduersaries Lately translated out of French AT LONDON Printed by Iohn Windet for Edward Aggas The true report of such occurrences as fell out at Marseiles the 8.9.10 dayes of Aprill Also an aduertisement concerning the same IF it be lawfull for any man to peruert al order of Iustice lawe then must it necessarily bee lawefull in atchiuing a kingdome sayd he who ouerthrewe the estate of Rome thereby euidently giuing to vnderstande that such as can brooke no peace neyther be content with their owne do highly estéeme the violation of laws and contempt of Iustice also that there is nothing so holy or sacred but they will profane neyther any wickednesse or trecherie so great but they will commit for the atteyning to soueraignitie and after the atteyning thereof for the mainteynaunce of the same whereof him selfe soone after shewed the experience as had done also Silla and Marius before for ambition and auarice are passions and euen principall grounds of all mischiefe procuring the transformation of men into all formes and coulours euen as feare forceth the Chameleon whereby the infernall furies doe driue them to spare neither parents nor friends no not God himselfe whose name they do abuse to the end with greater facilitie to deceiue so as a man would suppose that being euen consumed with zeale to Gods house they were Helies which séeke nothing but reformatiō in religion or that touched with the miseries of the people they be Moses who endeuoreth only to deliuer them from this oppression But entring into déeper consideration of their dealings we finde thē to be rather Berchomanes or Noyses of Candy as the successe doe shewe though ouer late for the weale of those who with Esopes horse hauing admitted the snaffle and sadle must of force passe on in the carrier The shéep saith Archidamus euer singeth one song but the ambitious person neuer leaueth altering of tunes vntill hee hath atchiued his purpose Cratenus and Antigonas proclaimed nothing but libertie to the Athenians but hauing once obtained the mastrie they fell into an other phrase Those men that trouble this estate doe proclaime onely zeale to Catholike Religion affection to the reformation of the estate and reliefe of the people yea if we will beléeue them those are the only causes of their taking of armes but if we looke into their actions not onely passed but also present wee shall finde that vnder this so faire a pretence they séeke with Absalon to steale away the peoples heartes to the ende so to vsurpe the estate euen alreadie the most incredulous doe beginne to smell it out yea and to feele it to their great damage verie well perceiuing that the reunion which they speake of is not ment of the Protestants to Romish Religion but of their owne estate to the house of Lorrain whereto they haue long sought to perswade the world y t it doth appertaine that it is not y e reformation but the vsurpation of the Realme neither the reliefe but oppression of the communalty and therfore do with one accord séeing their goods embeselled their houses burned their wiues and daughters defloured and so many murders committed exclaime of them declaring that although their pretenses were true yet were the medecine more daungerous and intollerable than the disease and that they are craftie Phisitions that drawe so much bloode and do so extremely purge their patients to the end the same neuer recouering they may become their heires But least any shoulde suppose that I speake all this without cause or of any particular passion I will prooue it by that which passed at Marseiles this present moneth of Aprill euen in such manner as an honourable person hath set it down in a letter to a brother of his as followeth Brother I writ vnto you at large eyght daies ago since which time we haue had wonderful occurences in this towne of Marseiles whereof although you may haue heard before the receipt of these presēts yet I thought good to write vnto you the perticularities trueth of al to the end you may with vs praise God for the fauour he hath shewed vs. Knowe you therefore that the first Consull of this towne being gone to the Court about two moneths since where he yet remaineth the second Consull named Lewes de la Motte de Aries tooke the gouernement vppon him in the absence of the Lord great Prior which Consull hearing of the late troubles of this realme and in this countrey prosecuted by the Lorde of Vins he cast with himself how to prepare a way wherby he might vsurpe the soueraignitie of Marseiles and to that entent hee secretly practised the sayde Lorde of Vins to ioyne with him as assuring himselfe that the pretence of warre and league against the contemners of Romish religion whereto these people are wonderfully addicted would cause them to like of whatsoeuer his attemptes And for the atcheiuing of his purpose he also practised two of the captaines of this towne as good as himselfe who easily condiscended to his aduise especially the one called Captaine Boniface who conditioned with him that first hee should make away his brother named Generall Boniface a man accōpted worth threescore thousand Crownes further for the better compassing of his enterprise he purposed to sease vppon the foretresse called Our ladie of the garde before he did innouate any other matter and therefore the 8. of this present moneth hee went to the sayde foretresse vnder coulour of séeing whether it were sufficiently fortefied the captaine thereof although he held nothing of the towne yet séeing it was the Consull permitted him and thrée more to come in he beeing entered tooke the sayd Captaine by the coller offering the dagger to his throat in case he once stirred against him and so caused the gate to be opened and brought in souldiers to his behoofe neyther would he suffer the sayde Captaine to go downe into the towne lest the people should haue notise of his procéedinges Thus finding himselfe maister of the saide foretresse he purposed the next night to put his practise in execution and to the ende not to faile of his promise to the said Boniface he caused the aforesaid general Boniface who the same morning was riding to Aix to the Lord great Prior to stay at the gate and so procured him to tarrie vntil the next morning vnder pretence of sending by him a letter of very great importance for the kings seruice to the saide Lorde great Prior The poore generall not suspecting anie harme the rather because he had lately Christened his child did willingly alight and staie his iourney vntill the next day but before the morning trauayled an
other way then hée thought for for the same euening about eight of the clocke the said Consul togither with 4. of his confederates came and knocked at the said generals gate demaunding to speak with his gossip who immediatly came downe to y e gate where after vsual salutations he deliuered him the said supposed letter to the L. great Prior saying to them that were with him do your office which was the watch word and so presently they fell vppon the said generall and gaue him foure or fiue blowes with their daggers who being so wounded got vp into y e haule where presently he fel downe dead this done his said brother not being far off entred the house méerely and as enheritour began to rifle and sease vppon what he list while the Consul for his part was not idle for straight-way with a troupe of 25. Hargabuziers he rapped at the Protestants doores and all that hee founde he imprisoned in Saint Iohns Tower that done with all expedition hée wrote a letter to the Lorde of Vins the tenure whereof ensueth My Lord these presents may be to assure you that without dissimulation the towne of Marseiles hath openly embraced the partie of God and the estate to the ende to make full profession of the Catholike faith where euery one is resolued with whatsoeuer their meanes to cleaue to the league of the Christian and Catholike Princes also to you whō to the same effect wee beseech to come vnto vs and if you take the way of Aix you may come to Porneux or Fumeau but if you take any other take the way to S. Iaquaries or Gemenes for we doe send to all the villages to assist you with victuals aid and fauor and in case they do otherwise we wil rote them out yea if neede be we will bring the Canon denouncing your enimies to be ours and those to be our friends that be yours or shall assist you taking you into our protection like as also we commit our selues to the protectiō of al Christian Catholike princes to yours This daye was the fort of Our ladie of the garde taken and subdued vnto your and our deuotion Thus beseeching God the King of Kinges to haue you in his holy keeping From Marseiles this eight of Aprill Your affectionate friendes and seruantes Nicolas Roque Consul de Aries Consul Gorgone Captaine Antonye Cornich Captaine Charles of Casane Captaine Boniface Captaine Taron Cap. Tanse THe next morning he deliuered two protestantes to the people to be murdered whom the children dragged vp and downe the towne while the honester persons remained shut vp in their houses aswel to eschewe the viewe of such cruelties as for feare least such Catholickes as had any thing to lose might haue the like entertainment besides their doubt y e the Lord of Vins had alreadie brought his power into the towne their opinion that whatsoeuer this Consull had done was without anie commaundement from the king for euen his familier friendes before knewe not of it thus he raigned al that day and the next night The next day the people knowing that the Lord of Vins his power was not yet entred the towne tooke heart together with the chiefest among them determined to talke with the consul to enquire by whose authoritie cōmandement he wrought these broyles others began to report throughout the towne y t the Consull did al of his owne head in purpose to bring in the Lord of Vins to make him master of y e town so that the people not vsed to such subiection minding to maintain their liberty began to quaile in that good opinion which before they had conceiued of the Consull which he perceiued or at the least greatly feared therefore for a remedy answered such as demaunded the reason of his doinges that it was because hee had notice of some intelligence which the Protestants had practised in the towne for y e preuenting whereof he had procéeded to the shutting of them vp in S Ihons tower which hee could not so well performe but y t the cōmons had gottē those y t were slaine out of his hands Furthermore that he thought good there shuld be after dinner a méeting of the most honorable in y e towne house there to determine therof also that the same should be generall so it was at the last concluded Howbeit séeing the people begin to quaile to the ende stil to flesh them on he deliuered them an other prisoner whom he procured to be slaine and dragged all about the towne therby wéening to encorage the people to prosecute their cruelties and desired them stil to continue in their affection to the Catholike faith hauing before made proclamation that all men should weare crosses in their hats whē he perceiued that euery one resolued to appeare at the said assemblie he his confederates hoped y e same to be the readie way to become the strongest and thereuppon concluded among themselues to cut the throts of all that came to that purpose to place 60. Harquebuziers in y e town house also to strenthen the bodie of the gard y t was beneath The heads of famelies not fearing any such matter went boldly to the towne house the whole assembly consisting at the least of 500. persons al in one haule easie to haue ben enclosed made away The Consul oftentimes ran in out as one vncertain what to do but in the end resolued to propound to the whole assēbly his iustificatiō wherupon by their coūtenances gathering y t they misliked his propositiō he thought it expedient to go forth then to murther thē al howbeit god as it may be said not permitting the execution of such crueltie so alienated the sences and tooke away the wits of all the assembly that in liew of reprouing his doings they made no aunswere to his motion as séeming to them that he had reason in all that he had done and so they brake vp and departed w tout other resolution neuertheles being out of y e house gathering their wits togither they began to feare the comming of y e Lord of Vins and therefore resolued among themselues at night to ioyne with the watch notwithstanding they had no such cōmandemēt so to become the stronger on the otherside y e said Consul knowing y t the Lord of Vins could not that night bring in his power fearing to bée ouer reached commanded the M. of the great Priors galley of Tholouze to prepare the said galley purposing if matters went amisse togither with his associats to enter y e said galley so to depart he also sent to y e Duke of Florēce 4. galeys which as y t voice went staied in y e Iles to conduct the Duke of Neuers to Luke willing them to send him 200. souldiers for the kings seruice augmentation of y e Cath. faith which they granted him in cōsideration of his trauel taken y e day before
against the protestāts but god so quickned y e minds of good men y t they taking armes displaced y e body of the garde set others in y e roome yet w tout violence so to sée what y e captains of y e town would do of whom two wer partakers in y e cōspiracy but they seing so many new mē which wold not obey thē began to quaile as did also the Consul aforesaid because wheresoeuer they became they still found such as would resist them which caused the said Consul to get into the watch of Canaillon turning tossing all night like a moth about a candle and so comming within the view of the Tower of S. Iohn he drew thitherward and so to the chaine where he purposed to receiue the 200. Harquebuzieres which y e forenamed 4. Gallies of Florence brought thither at the break of day but in that place he found fiue hundred harquebuziers whom whē he beheld he purposed to embarke himself in a Squiffe so to haue fled to the said Gallies but he was by them stayed and word sent to the gard of the Lodge of his being at S. Iohns wherupon thither resorted a band of mē who demanded of him by whose authoritie he committed these murders but he séeing himselfe thus cast away could make no answere and so was conueyed to the towne house where at y e same instant euen before his face they chose 24. of the chief men of the town to order their affaires togither with y e yongest Consul who was but an idiot and they so chosen did immediatly appoint new Captaines who had quickly assembled fiue or six thousand Harquebuziers in the towne and the same once armed and the town assured to the king they presently dispatched a messenger to the Lorde great Prior then lying at Aix very sorowfull for the losse of a town of such importance whom they desired spéedely to come to them and in the meane time they seazed vppon the fort of our Lady of the gard which was soone yealded when they that kéept it perceiued the towne to be lost so Claud. Boniface was also brought to the towne house the rest saued themselues The Consul being degraded from his hood office was committed to the kings prison with the said Boniface The Lord great Prior ariued about a leuen of the clocke at night immediatly they began to prosecute the processe of the Consul and his adherents which was not perfected before ten of clock the next night and within one houre after the saide Consul and Captaine Boniface were both hanged before the gate of the late general Boniface the people hauing continued in armes from the time they were apprehended vntill their execution This was the end of these two Traitors who were punished according to their deserts and reigned but 48. houres The saide Consuls practise tended to become Lord of the towne and not to vse the Lord of Vins power except vpon necessitie being also determined to sacke the same and he had chosen for himselfe and his chiefe adherents thréescore houses the rest should haue fallen to his souldiers but God would not permit such mischiefe who as we may say wrought mightely and sauing vs preserued also the Protestants whom y e Lord great Prior did set at libertie the same night that he arriued By this little may we euidently sée that the words and writings of these men are no perfite images of their euents and therfore y t we must rather haue recourse to their actions which do more liuely expresse them and as effects do necessarily plead their cause The dog and the Woolfe are very like but their déeds do bewray the difference the one being by thē knowne for a kéeper the other for a murderer of the flock and saith great Alexander oftentimes such as outwardly are clothed in white do vnderneath weare purple garmentes so many times these preachers of religion and reformation of the estate doe inwardly hatch Atheisme and destruction of the countrie and herein we sée that it is not religion but ambition neither the welth but subuertion of the estate that causeth them to take armes This Consuls zeale was tyranny ouer Marselles and the religion of Captaine Boniface was successour to his brother the rest of these zealous people togither tended to the spoile of their town and destruction of their countrie But nowe to enter into consideration of this hypocritical Consuls pretence The Protestants saith he had intelligēce in the towne The like speech vseth the Cardinal of Vaudemount in the discourse of the taking of Verdū which he hath procured to be printed Antragues vseth the same language to exclude the duke of Montpensier out of Orleans whether is maiestie sent him Neither is it to be maruelled that they all agrée in one phrase as being wholly possessed with one the same spirit who hath ben a lyer from the beginning But least they should be daunted at ouer strait examination of matters I woulde aske them what intelligence the protestants had in Chaalon Diion Rheins Maisiers and Argenteau It is all as true as the league of Magdeburge in Germany lately concluded by the Lorde of Segur as they say with the County Palatine who dyed 8. years before Segar euer set foote in Germany also with the protector of Scotland who deceased 5. yeares before yea as true as that the protestants brake the crosse of S Martins in the field néere to Paris whē within few nights after the Captain of that quarter surprised one that was making an end of the breaking thereof thereby to prouoke the people to sedition They must vse some better colours in their affaires for God by his iust iudgmēt hath vndoubtedly giuen them ouer to a spirite of astonishment and therefore O poore nation beware least they vnder the like pretence abuse thée in the same maner Consider in what predicamét this zealous reformer doth constitute the king the princes of his blood and generally al that follow not his faction when he depriueth them of their titles of Catholike Christian appropriateth the same to his like This is the honour that he yeldeth to his maiestie for his so often aduenturing his life in such a quarrel Thou shal not slander the law the Prince or the people and yet these great zelators do not onely in words but also in writing continually slaunder the king yea so far forth that the Cardinal of Vaudemont endenoreth to perswade the king that he mindeth to vse the help of the protestants Turks for the subuertion of Catholike religion let vs therefore enter into the view of this Consuls conscience who for the establishing of his tyranny renting this flower from the crowne of France purposeth to vse the weapons of the Lord of Vins though but as a scafolde which builders vse and which when the building is done they pul downe againe and these trecheries do they learne of that euill spirite that