tooke another resolution to wit to defend it to hold them play the enemies passing ouer the riuer vppon a bridge made with boates began to batter it with nine pieces of artillery the breach was made before the King had any notice thereof by reason of the great winde which was contrary and a great thick myst yet assoone as the King had any knowledge thereof he sent succour to haue rescued the Towne but the enemy giuing the assault afore the Kings forces could come and being few against many the enemy carried it away which being entred into the Towne omitted no barbarous cruelty and villany which that Sarrasenicall sauage nation could deuise there were betwéene two and thrée hundred Souldiours within the Towne gouerned by the Lord Laphin who defended that weake towne so valiantly that the enemy lost in that assault the most part of them that were at y e siege all the Garison Souldiours with their Captaines were slaine in like sorte as Leonidas with his Lacoues at Thermopylas The King tooke that losse very sorrowfully and supposing that this beginning would haue cheered and fleshed the enemy commaunded the skirmish to be giuen hoâ—ter then euer before But as the Woolâ—e pursued and hunted hauing gotten his den ouer his head will rather dye there then to get him forth and trie the matter with the hunter so these sauage rauening monsters could not be drawne out of their moore The King perceauing that nothing would encourage these fearefull warriours departed out of the campe with a good company of horsemen with ladders and marched toward Paris and caused certaine companies to draw nere the walls betwéene the gates of Saint Iames and Saint Marcel which being detected the alarum was giuen in the City the Kings Souldiours did hide themselues in the darkenes of the night being a great myst withall The Parisiens returned euery one home the Iesuites who are the most desperat and warlike of all the legions of the locustes of the kingdome of Antichrist watched all the night vpon the wal fearing some surprise and about foure a clock in the morning the Kings Souldiours lying in the towne ditch began to scale the wall the Iesuits fearing to be researched first for their horrible treasons doo sound the alarum and doo kéepe of the Kings men from leaping vpon the wall as well as they can whilest company doo run to helpe The inhabitants doo cast fagots kindled into the ditch by which meanes the Kings Souldiours being discouered did sound the retire gaue ouer the enterprise and so the King returned no more to Paris Here Christian reader thou shalt note in this City the notorious sins of the inhabitants the iudgements of God shewed vpon them and what is yet to come This City hath béen first of all the bulwark and strong hold of all Idolatry and heathenish superstitioâ—s which they haue increased of meere malicious wickednes and as it were to spight the Gospell whose voyce had been heard and had knocked at their gâ—tes many yeares They raised the alarum at the sound thereof they haue murthered the Saintes in the streates they haue shed their bloud vpon the earth like water their bodies they haue drawne by heapes and giuen them to bee meate for the beastes of the field and the fowles of the ayre they haue searched them out as it were with a lanterne that they might roote out the knowledge of God from the earth they haue made the gospel of life a hissing a by word a nodding of the head and a song of despight and contempt among them Therefore the Lord hath giuen them to a reprobate minde to commit among themselues all the abominations of the heathens and hath solde them to seducers and rauing false Prophets For beside the infinit heards of Epicures and idle bellies of idolatrous Priests Monkes and Friers about the yeare 1560. when the Gospell did knock at their gates there crept out of Spayne and Italy the vermine of Iesuitâ—s whome Sachan did burst out as vltimum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by whose desperat rage specially these sinfull people haue béen blinded and seduced to the vtâ—ermost They haue kindled and maintained to the vttermost of their power war against them of the reformed religion They were the first in all France to shew the fruite of their hellish Idolatry that haue rebelled against the King who was of their owne religion as great and deuout a Catholick as any was in the world they stirred vp and inuited to their rebâ—llion all other Cities of France by their example letters and Ambassadors and at length they haue shortned his life by an haynous parricide by the which they haue made their walls their houses their temples and themselues guilty of the damnable crime of treason hated both of GOD and man Now let vs sée the fearefull iudgements of God shewed vpon them the Lord hath executed his iustice vppon that defiled City defiled I say with the bloud of the innocents at all times by punishing them with his scourges of pestilence and dearth But after they had defiled their hands with the Kings bloud the anoynted of the Lord who represented before their eyes the image of God the Lord strooke them with the giddines of Sodome and the darkenes of Aegipt and sent euill Angels among them to vexe them with disquietnes with guilty consciences with vprores and seditions And now when the Lord during the siege had sent them mercy and fauour euen to their gates by the band of his messenger and Lieutenant Henry of Bourbon now raigning Prince of great and famous renowne They as men senseles fallen into a letargy and out of their wits would hearken to nothing but to the voyce of sedition of commotion of bloud and murther being deliuered into the bondâ—ge of â—raitors and tyrants And when the Lord had broaken the staffe of bread among them with greater rigour then in any place which euer was heard of they did not turne vnto the Lord who had giuen them bread wine oyle flaxe as Osea speaketh but multiplyed their idols worshipped diuâ—ls as Iames Clement the parricide and others euen with gréedines They did rather choose to eate the flesh of their sonnes and daughters which by the lawes of that realme is a capitall crime and to bee râ—uenged with fire then to accept grace and fauour at the hands of their King whome law nature and God had giuen vnto them Now let vs consider what by al reasons grounded vppon the stedfastnes of Gods threatnings is like to ensue thaâ— God may powre downe the fulnes of his wrath and iust indignation vppon that accursed City he in whose gouernâ—ment are the hearts of Kings and Princes doth alter the minde of the King to giue ouer that City vntill the day of vengeance Not for that he was not able to haue distressed the same longer and haue kept the Duke of Parma from approaching to it but to that end to hamper his enemies yet more in
these three riuers in one are receaued into the riuer Mayne and so altogether in one about 2. miles beneath Anger 's 3. miles beneath Pont de Sell do run into Loyre Vpon this riuer of Loyre are situated these townes following Flesche Lude Lauerdine Chastean de Loyre Vendosme Chasteaudine Betwéene Chasteaudine and Reisgencye which lyeth vpon Loyre betweene Orleance and Bloys is the Towne Forest of Morchesuoyr in that Forest was the army of the Prince scattered and as it were became inuisible as shall be shewed in the discourse following The 16. of October the whole army began to passe ouer with great discommodity For from Saint Gemes they had but three meane boats wherwith they passed into the Iland which lyeth in the midle of the riuer On the other side of the Iland to passe to the towne of Rosiers they had but two boats and few Ferry-men who were Papistes they did the woorst they could and ready at euery hand to steale away These discommodities caused great confusion at the passage which was encreased with a great number of cariages which followed the Campe. At this passage euery man did presage the euill successe which afterward ensued For although there was no want of corage yet one might perceaue a certayne sadnes vnaccustomed which caused many to say let vs goe and dye for euery man was resolued to vanquish or to dye But the Lord disposed otherwise for a more meruâ—lous deliuerance hath not béen seene in our dayes For neither did they vanquish neither dyed but euery one dranke a reasonable draught of the cuppe of bitternes At this passage did arise great diuersity of opinions among the heads for none of the Captaynes thought good that the Prince should passe ouer for the care which they had of his safety their reasons were that it was most like that the enemie would not withstand their passage but would winke at it that afterwardes they might bring all their forces together to stop their returne thinking it an easy thing with many to ouercome few For they had already newes that Ioyeuse hasted to Anger 's with all his forces which were about three hundred Horses twelue hundred of Suissers and some regiments of Frenchmen They alleaged also that there was nothing sure at Anger 's and that it was to be feared that it would be surrendered before they could aryue thither so that their passing ouer stood vpon no reason but vpon an vncertaynty to venture such an army with all the state of their defeuce There was also newes brought to them though false that Brissake had seazed vpon Beaufort a towne betweene the riuer Lotion and Anger 's whither the Prince thought to haue gone to lodge that day The 17 of October notwithstanding the reasons aforesayd the Prince passed ouer at the town Rosiers with some noble men and Captaynes where he took about thirty gentlemen of the company of the Lord Boulaye who was already passed and certayne Harquebusiers with him commaunding them to lye in ambush in a wood nigh Beaufort and commaunded the Lord Valiere who was among the said gentlemen to make semblance towardes the gates of Beaufort and to draw them who should issue out into the aduantage of them which lay in ambush in the wood But when they came to Beaufort there they found none but the inhabitantes who did profer their Towne to the Prince and assured that there came no man except the County Carauas to whom they denyed entrance Upon this report the Prince determined to passe the rest of his army grounded vpon many reasons but especially vpon the newes which he had receaued of y t Lord Clermont whom he had heard to be about Anger 's with sixe or seauen hundred men who was not willing notwithstanding that the Prince should enclose himselfe in that sleeue All this while the Lord Rohan with his company made a road toward Saumur and the Lord Laual downe the riuer toward Anger 's for he passed last of all The Prince also sendeth a trompet vnder the colour of certayne prisonners to know of Anger 's what hee might But they of Anger 's would not suffer him to goe further then the Suburbs who reported onely that they which kept the Trenches were resolued to stand to their defence manfully Few dayes the Prince Monpensier had gone to Anger 's to profer his seruice but within few dayes he went away discontented because they of the citie had preferred the Lord Bocage before him which thing caused some to thinke that the sayd Prince Monpensier would ioyne with the Prince of Conde considering that this warre was agaynst the League and for the same cause the Lord Auantignie was sent to him from the Prince but all was in vayne The 18. the rest of the companies passed all ouer Loyre with leasure but with much discommodity by reason of the great continuall rayne The Prince left Captaine Serpent with a stronge garrison at the Abbey of Saint Maure to fortify the passage and to fauour their repassing at their returne The 19. they departed from Rosiers to passe the riuer Lotion which lyeth betweene Loyre and the towne Beaufort a riuer narrow but very déep then specially which for the great aboundant rayne was ouer the bankes There the passage was more troublesome then at Loyre because the countrey all about is coppses and Marishes daungerous for the horsemen They of Beaufort being so mened to open the gates to the Prince did it without any delay and taking away their Gard receaued such as were placed in their stead Thether the Prince arryued the same day at euening with his army and left the Lord Laual for the safety of theyr passage of Lotion who came to the Prince the next day after The same day about noone the Lord Clermont came to the Prince at Beaufort with thirty horses his horsemen were about nine hundred lodged in the villages betwéene Beaufort and Anger 's The twentéeth day being the Lordes day they soiorned at Beaufort and the night following they began to march toward Anger 's and appoynted the rendes vous at a certayne place within a league of Anger 's The Lord Ioyeuse vnderstanding the Prince of Conde to bee at hand fearing least hee might enterprize vpon the Castell by the helpe of those few men being onely 16. in all by reason that he thought them to bee of the religion or otherwise to fauour the Prince and that thence he might molest the League and hold the whole countrey in subiection he thought that it were not good to delay the regayning of the sayd Castel but to recouer it at any price whatsoeuer Therefore he conditioned with them who were within that the Papistes which were there nine in number might there remayne if they thought it good They of the religion 7. in number should be safely conducted to y t Princes camp and that they should not bee searched Also that they might carry away what they would Furthermore that at
them of the Religion as Sorges and others hee was more moderate and voyde of crueltie and sauagenes yet at length seeing that as he had taken one place he left andther and that warre was an endlesse thing there and that with long toyle of warre and lack of money his army was scattered as at length it went inuisible leauing his brother the Lord Valete there with such forces as he had left to doe what he were able so he went to the King againe and not without cause considering he was one of his most faithfullest about his person The young Ioyeuse in Auuergne walked at liberty tooke his pleasures spent the Kings money francklie and when that was done for lacke of more returnd from whence he came as wise as when he went out Thus we see that within the compasse of a yeare 6. armies haue beene sent with great preparation of all necessarie things into seuerall prouinces to warre against heauen and earth and to oppose themselues against all that is good and godly and how they are all fallen to pieces as though they had been smitten downe by the hand of the God of armies as the Lapithes and Centaures are reported by the Poets During these lamentable tempests the which did so tosse France with these sixe armyes in diuers prouinces The Princes and certaine cities in Germanie moued with compassioÌ„ pittying the miserable subuersion and ransaking of France their next neighbours sent an Ambassage to the King to perswade him if it were possible to extinguish that coÌ„bustion raised by the league by peace to restore the state of his Realme to some good stay The Ambassadours were sent by the Princes Electors of Saxony Palatine and Brandenbourg and by other Princes of the sacred empire as the Noble Princes Ioachim Frederick Marquesse of Brandenbourg and administrator of Magdebourg Iuly of Brundswik and Lunebourg William Lewis and George Landgraues of Hessen brethren Ioachim earnest Prince of Chatten with the foure principal imperial cities Strasbourg Vlmes Mersebourg and Frâ—nckefort with the ambassadours of Vtten and Issenbourg they al came except they of Vtten Issenbourg which vpon certaine vrgent affayres went back deliuering their coÌ„missions to their fellowes to Saint Germain in Laye had audience the tenth of October First they offer the commendations and seruices of their Princes and commonwealths vnto him Secondly they recite how they had beene aduertized euen by the letters of Mandolet gouernour of Lyons for the King that his Maiesties intention had been to preserue the edict of pacification stablished vpon the faith of the Maiestie of a Prince Thirdly that they vnderstand that hee had beene enforced contrary to his godly intention to reuoke the said edict of peace and by way of armes to persecute his most faithfull subiects euen the chiefest of the Princes of his blood which thing they would hardly haue beleeued if it had not beeâ—ne made knowne by his owne letters sent vnto some of the said Princes by the Lord Schemberg hearing daâ—e the 22. of October 1585. Fourthly protesting of the good affection of their Princes and common wealths toward his Maiestie they doo in their names in most humble wise beseech him that considering into what pitifull state France had beene reduced by the former warres and the good benefites which haue ensued the last peace he wil not be induced by the perswasioÌ„s of the Pope to bring in againe blood shed hatred of the Crowne of France losse of so many Princes Lords and Nobilitie and of so many his faythfull subiects which haue done to hâ—m and his predecessors so many notable seruices which thing vndoubtedly will ensue if not worse if he do not defend the edict of peace considering that by his owne declaration he confes seth that the reformed Religion will not be rooted out by the sworde Fiftly wheras he had shewed by his declaration that the edict of peace was made by ripe deliberation and counsell and published with all soleÌ„nities requisite thereunto and that the sayd edict was sworn by his brother of happy memory Duke of Alançon by the Princes and Lordes in lifting vp their handes to heauen and that hee himselfe would haue that peace to be called his peace which he made as he said voluntarily without any compulsion for that would haue it kept inuiolable there was no reason why the benefites of that peace should bee cut off by raysing warre at the Popes pleasure Last of all they doo shewe that there will ensue of the reuoking of this edict of peace a most certaine and assured subuersion of the state and Crowne of France And by the way of conclusion they beseech his Maiestie that considering the reasons by them shewed taking some pitie of his poore Realme it may please him to reiect the perswasions of the Pope and Leaguers and to preserue the edict of peace offering vnto him in the names of their Princes and Commonwealths that if there bee any meanes in them that may further a good peace and restablish his estate his Maiestie shall vnderstand how they are affectionate to procure all things which pertaine to his honour and greatnes and if it pleaseth him they will employ all their faithfull seruice in the assuring of his dignitie and royall Crowne and to the benefite of all Christendome but specially to suppresse this warre whereunto in their iudgement he had béen enforced Hauing made an ende of their ambassage they deliuered him their instructions both in Dutch and 〈◊〉 The King giueth answere the 11. of October but such an answere as he seemed rather to be offended with them for their duetie and good will of their Princes Commonwealths than to be mooued to any moderate counsell It is sayd before that in Aprill of this yere 1586. the King made great preparation of warre in prouiding fiue armies all at once at which time also they made a motion for peace vnto the King of Nauarre By this it was an easie thing to iudge that they who disposed themselues to warre so furiously could not bee brought to condescend to any moderate counsell or reasonable peace But whilest al these armies were readie and marching to doo some great exployts and to inuade the Prouinces whereunto they of the reformed religion had retyred and were strong the Q Mother also marched toward Guienne in hope to obtayne a greater victorie in assaulting the King of Nauarre with a parley than al those armies with force For she tooke with her out of the stoare of Italian trickes temptation disuniting and weakening For first she will trie the tricke of Sathan in the 4. of Mathew when he tempting Christ proffered him all the kingdomes of the earth So shée thought to win this godly and noble Prince in shewing him that if he would forsake the Sonne of God he should be declared the right heire of the Crowne in case the King should decease without issue otherwise it would be impossible to him to attayne vnto
of Nauarre as hee was vpon the way to goe to the place appointed for the second interuiew The sayd Lady also had made him more particular declaration and also commaunded him to make acquainted the other nobles and gentlemen which were with him and to send her answere the morrow after Which thing the said king of Nauarre shewing her to be impossible to graunt after hauing supported for so many yeares the weight of armes for the defence of the selfe same thing onely and that if so it were indeede that there was no neede to take so much payns as she did to loose it She persisted therein notwithstanding so that thereupon the sayd king of Nauarre tooke his leaue of her And the selfe same day at night the sayd king of Nauarre geuing notice to the sayd Lordes which were there at Iarnak of the kinges determination all answered with one mind and consent that it was impossible the said determination to be obeied and performed The morrow after by a common accord they sent to her the Lords Montguyon and Force to desire her most humbly to declare again whether that was the last resolution of the king For as much as they were all resolute after hauing shed their bloud and fought for so iust a quarrell to liue and die yet for the defence of the same and vpon that to finish the truce which was to end six dayes after Vpon that occasion shee sent the Lord Monpensier and the Marshall Biron to excuse her selfe that shee had not spoken so rawly and that her discourse about that matter was of aduise and not of resolution desiring that they would stay vntill the sixt day of Ianuarie next whilest she sendeth the Lord Rambouillet to the king to knowe his answere and expecting the kinges answere the truce hath béene continued according to the articles agreed vppon for that purpose Since the K. of Nauarre returned from Rochel whens he had likewise sent a gentleman to the king to notifie vnto him what was passed in that interuiew to the end that he might also know the dutie of the king of Nauarre therein Which thing likewise he hath done to the churches and to the chiefest who make profession of the religion to let them vnderstand in what maner he hath proceeded least the aduersaries should giue out thinges otherwise then they are as their manner is to doo for to sow hatred and dissention among vs to deuide vs by such crafty meanes The selfe same message hath the King of Nauarre sent to other prouinces and Lords strangers our partakers of whom wee do expect succour Now therefore knowing the state of the affaires the king of Nauarre prayeth them to giue him their aduise what is expedient to be done greatly desiring in that which concerneth the honour of God and the common quietnesse of his whole church to proceed as he hath done before not in following his owne opinion but by the common aduise and consent of all He willeth them to know that as partaker of the miseries of the griefs vexations which so many persons do suffer in their soules bodies goods being partaker of so many gronings and teares of so many poore families scattered and depriued of their commodityes he hath alwaies desired that for their deliuerance it might please God to giue vs a good peace But perceauing the crafts and deceites of our aduersaries and their hardnes of heart hee hath bent himselfe to patience finding all his paines and labours whatsoeuer light and easie in the defence of so good and iust a cause wherein hee hath felt in himselfe a wonderful great fauour and assistance of God hauing seene that which he durst not haue thought on and done that which he would neuer haue beleeued Whereupon he exhorteth them that haue remained constant expecting the goodwill and pleasure of God to perseuer and hope shortly of a good issue And them which through feeblenes or heauy burthen of euils haue fallen to keepe their hartes to God and that they will not suffer that fire of zeale whereof they do feele yet the heat to be cooled and quenched hoping for their deliuerance that by the meanes thereof and the grace of God they may reunite themselues and ioine to that body where from they are gone That they will assure themselues both the one and the other that there shall neuer be peace before affaires be established as wel beyond as on this side of Loyre and that the said king will prouide for necessarie safety in case of imminent danger for their safe retire otherwise there should be nothing done As the king of Nauarre beareth to them and all that concerne them a singular loue and affection that they would render vnto him the like that Godblessing such a correspondance of good willes we may all enioyne to his honor and glorie the fruit which such vnity and concord would bring to the confusion of Gods enemies Also other particularities necessarie to this Argument the said gentleman N. shall shew vnto them of the Religion following what he hath seene and heard by the course of the affaires being otherwise impossible to reduce them all in writing And aboue all thinges hee shall assure them of the good firme and constant resolution of the said king of Nauarre and of them who do assist him to employ their liues and meanes for the glorie of God and deliuerance of his Church At Rochel the 29. of December Henry below Berzeau The end of the third Booke THE FORVTH BOOKE IT is sayd before how the Duke of Guize in the apprehension of a great fright in a great heate went both to complaine to the King how all the heretickes of France had conspired to ioyne their forces together to oppresse his brother the Duke de Mayne almost destitute of defence and also to giue him counsell how to let such a dangerous association of them to wit by diuerting their forces And that could not be done but by sending seuerall armies into seuerall Prouinces where they of the religion were strong It is also sayd how vpon this aduise the King prouided sixe armies whereof be sent one into Poytow and another into Languedock the third into Daulphine the fourth into Auuergne and the last was a Nauie conducted by the Commaunder la Chastre and the sixt most daungerous was lead by his Mother agaynst the King of Nauarre vnder the colour of parley of peace hauing with her a legion of Italian wrenches and figges which did her no seruice Whilest the King was left alone and his forces scattered farre wide from him the Duke of Guize aduised himselfe of a dilemma that either he might easily oppresse the King or els at least might worke iollily the seduction of the people Therfore he called his brother the Duke de Mayne began to complayne greatly of the King and to impute the ill successe of his brother in Guyenne to him to wit how his brother was forsaken destitute of
crueltyes should be knowen further And also that the saincts as it were out of the middest of those prouinces which do embrace the Gospel might see that the Lord is the iust reuenger of such abominations and defender of the iust cause And that they may learne to feare him and in him onely to trust and repose themselues Here therefore Adrastia doth stay them to answere vnto Gods iudgement Now let vs come to the euents The King of Nauarre early in the morning being first aduertyzed of this preparation was not mooued at it no more was hee vpon the second warning But at the third tyme he shewed no lesser desire to fight then the enemy to whom twise before he had proffered the occasions He taketh horse rydeth forth out of Coutras to méet y e enemy commaundeth the Lord Clermont master of his Ordinaunce in all hast to passe ouer the canon for he could not do it the day before he putteth his army in battayle array placeth his artillery in the forefront so commodiously that all peeces did seruice without harming any man of his owne greatly did endomage the enemy At length hauing encouraged his souldiers to the battayle whom he found full of desire and readines caused prayers to be made from company to company About 9. a clocke in the morning the artillery began to play on both sides the ordinance of the king of Nauarre was so commodiously placed that it did wonderfully annoy the men of Armes which the Lord Ioyeuse had at his right hand and the regimentes which did flanke those men of armes Many being beaten downe with it some of the heads tooke resolution rather to goe to the charge then to die so miserably without any fight The Harquebuziers in like maner began to ioyne and there was no man on both sides who shewed not to haue a great desire to do well The Ordinance of Ioyeuse did let flye certayne shot towards the company of the Prince of Conde but without any effect saue a horse whereon a page did ride which was slayne The cause of this small effect was a litle rising of the ground which did let the free aspect and ayming of the Ordinance so that many shot did light vpon the ground About nine a clocke the light horsemen of the Lord Ioyeuse to the number of foure hundred horses conducted by the Lord Lauerdine and captain Mercure set on the horsemen of the king of Nauarre but after some fight began to wauer and to make roome The rest of the horsemen of the king of Nauarre consisted of 4. Squadrons distant the one from the other in this wise The Squadrons of the King of Nauarre and of the Prince of Conde were distant about a hundred and fifty paces The Squadron of the Prince of Soissons at the left hand of the king of Nauarre about three score paces The Squadron of y t Vicount Turenne distant so much from the Prince of Conde at his right hand The Lord Lauerdine charged the Vicount Turenne but without any endomaging of him These three squadrons where stoode the Princes of the blood standing fast did behold all this fight vntill the Lord Ioyeuse followed with his mayne force of horsemen and hauing both on the right hand and the left two great hedges of horsemen aduanced to giue the generall onset Then these three Princes marching euery one at the forefront of his squadron close first went a soft pace then began to gallop last the watch word being giuen with a loosed bridle set on so liuely euery one seuerally by himself according to his course vpon that multitude that incontinently the companies were mingled and came to handiblowes The speares which were in great number in the armie of Ioyeuse did but small seruice for they ioyned néerer It is a wonderfull thing that in a moment such a furious troupe as was that of the Lord Ioyeuse armed furnished to the aduantage flanked both on the right hand and the left with two great battaillions of footmen was ouerthrowne and vanquished by a troupe which had neither in number nor in furniture nor in armes nor in situation of the battell any aduantage at all God who gouerneth all things and holdeth in his hands the balance of victories and ouerthrowes made then courage to preuayle against multitude the iust cause against iniurie and the lawfull defence against bragging and the great preparation of warre And as the men of armes were quickly ouerthrowne trodden vnder foote and put to flight so in as little space were the footmen discomfited being set on by the regiment of the King of Nauarre where commaunded as Masters of the Campe Castelnaw Parabiere Salignake and others And at the left hand of the King of Nauarre Charboniere Preau Orges and others who all euery man right forward following the occasion of the victorie cut in péeces all that made any resistance and put to flight the rest which were on the side of copses at the right hand as on the side of the riuer Droune at the left hand And as a little before nine a clocke these two armies came to hands the quarrell was so soone decided that at ten a clock there was found not one onely man of the enemies which stood to his defence nor that was in sight but such as were laied dead vpon the ground or taken prisoners or in flight The place where the battell was fought remayned so couered with men of armes horses and armours but specially of Launces matted so thicke that they stopt the way There remayned the Lord Ioyeuse and also his brother with a great number and notablest Lords The King of Nauarre the Princes of Conde and Soissons with the rest of the armie pursued the victorie There were taken many notable Gentlemen and among others the Lord Belegarde gouernour of Xainctonge the Lords S. Luke and Montigny of Berry who commaunded ouer a companie of horsemen hee was noted in ioyning of the battell to haue pearced further then any of the companie for hee entered euen to the side of the gardes of the King of Nauarre which were at his right hand and there by them beaten downe was taken by some of the sayd gardes God gaue this notable victorie to the King of Nauarre and in that iorney did shine the valour wherewith hee hath indued him in all the speciall graces which may decke a noble and vertuous Prince and great Captain not onely for the counsell resolution diligence and wise gouernment but also in the execution of armes For doing the office of a Captaine Souldier he pressed so farre as to take the enemie by the coller The Prince of Conde also shewed himselfe valiant for he had his horse slaine vnder him the Prince of Soissons also tooke prisoners with his owne hand The horse of the Vicount Turenne was also slaine God made these Princes strong in this dayes worke according to the order of their preheminence by them to doo the execution
saide nor done any thing began in that kinde of rhetorick which hee was wont to vse among the seditious of Paris when he sharpened them against the King at the last rebellion in May of the same yeare onely altering the name of King into the name of hereticks So that as there was that day many good words cast away without dooing any good so there was many cruell bitter and seditious words vttered in the Kings presence to prouoke him to crueltie and slaughter by it to lull him asleepe to cast him into securitie to take away from him all mistrust the more easily and at some conuenient to oppresse him The 18. of October the King came into the hall with the body of the States for the second session where he began to say as followeth Sirs I haue testified vnto you on Sonday last the desire which I haue alwaies to see during my raigne all my faithfull subiects reunited in the true Catholick Romish religion vnder that authority which it hath pleased God to giue me ouer you and hauing to the same effect made my edict of Iuly last past that it might be holden for a fundamental law of this realme to binde both you and your posteritie to the intent that now the same may be confirmed before me as made by the common consent of you al and that no man may pretend ignorance of the nature and ofspring of it and that it may haue the marke of a fundamentall law of the realme for euer I will that this edict bee now read with a loude voyce and bee knowne of all and after that sworne vnto by all the States to the which thing I will sweare first of all that my holy intent may be knowne both of God and men The King hauing ended his speach commaunded Ruze one of his Secretaries of estate to reade with a loud voyce the declaration which he had made the same day vpon his edict of reunion Wherein he first sheweth his great and feruent desire which hee hath had from his youth and the noble acts which he hath done for the rooting out of heresie also how he hath vsed all gentle waies to call the hereticks to the holy Church againe But considering that all this would not serue but onely to make them more obstinate he dooth declare himselfe to haue made the edict of reunion for an irreuocable lawe of the realme condemning already by this his declaration all such as will not sweare nor obey the same as guiltie of high treason This declaration being read then followed the edict of reunion by the same Secretary which being done the Arshbishop of Bourges made a long exhortation to the States vpon the solemne oath to be taken by the King and required also to be taken by his subiects for the obseruing of the saide edict This faire and learned sermon about a naughtie matter and to couer their dissembling heart First did speak of the truth and of lying then shewed the vse of an oath the necessitie the forme and qualities thereof Secondly he speaketh of the Church which he saith in some respect to be visible and in some respects inuisible and that it is gathered of diuers nations and degrees of men without acceptation and distinction of persons He saith that it is called the Church of Rome in none other sence then that it imbraceth the word of God and true doctrine which S. Peter there taught to the which all other Churches haue vnited themselues by a generall and vniuersall consent hee saith that the triumphant and militant Church is but one in effect And that this Church is grounded onely vpon the stone which is Christ the true foundation and head corner stone thereof and that it hath sustained many assaultes which haue not preuailed He saith also that out of that Church there is nothing but death and that hee who will not holde the same for his mother cannot haue God for his Father Out vpon the heretick â—â—e vpon fowle hereticks so many words concerning Note the Church so many heresies or else they make great iniurie to the Hugonets whose death they doo conspire here in this assembly for holding so much in a manner as this saucie Bishop dâ—re speake here before one of the greatest Potentates of the world I lictor colliga manus caput obnubiâ—o quadrupedem constringito c. Loe the omnipotent power that shauelings haue they can make heresie good doctrine and true doctrine heresie when they list These things being spoken by an Archbishop are no heresie being spoken by another man as Theodorus Beza or some other which they doo not fancie there will bee picked out nineteene heresies a quarter and a halfe Thirdly he sheweth what a great matter vnion is but specially in the Church therefore hee exhorteth them being of one faith lawe and beliefe vnder one Sauiour in one and the same Church of one nation and tongue to vnite themselues for the defence of the same holy Church Fourthly he preuenteth by an obiection that whereof they may be charged saying we meaning the Priestes doo not proclayme waâ—re no no saith he the Church dooth not thirst after bloud but we doo desire them who are out of the way to returne into the right way and if they bee obstinate wee doo desire that they may be cut off as gangrâ—ned and putrified members See here godly Christian reader what hipocrisie goeth about to doo this Bishop would faine see the Kings horses to swim in the bloud of them Note of the reformed religion and bloweth the trompet giueth the watch word to the onset vnder the colour of reuniting the Catholicks yet hee would not for all the goods in the world that men should thinke that it were done by his approbation consent and counsell and therefore he saith that the holy Church seeketh not to spill bloud but that they that are in error may be coÌ„uerted into the right way Now my Lord shall I bee so bould to speake one word to your Lordship what way will you follow to conuert them from their errour as you say they are in my Lorde Bishop will answer that hee will first shewe them their errour and then teach them the certitude of his doctrine Then my good Lord I pray you be not angry why haue you denied this way to the King of Nauarre to the reformed Churches of France which onely thing they haue desired When once you haue followed that way and haue conuerted them of errour and taught them a better way if they shew themselues obstâ—â—at cut them off as rotten and gangrened members in deed But belike this is the methode which you will follow against them you will drawe a forme of aâ—iuration in the first part you will make them to abiure and renounce that forme of doctrine which they say is grounded vpon Gods worde the infallable rule of veritie then you will lay downe your fantasies traditions flowing out of the darke
illumination of your owne brayne and that you will make them beléeue for an vndoubted truth vpon your single asseueration and all the reasons which you bring for the confirmation of these your fantasies you lay downe sic volo sic iubeo I pray you my good Lord tell me whose voyces be these But what if they will not take your sic volo sic iubeo for reasons which may induce them to subscribe to your abiuration and will not suffer themselues to bee cut off neither being not conuincted of error but stand to defend themselues against an vniuersall contumelie iniurie and violence What will you doo My Lord Bishop hearing this newes what will they neither beléeue vs neither suffer themselues to be burned for our pleasures Now all my Lords religion is turned into madnesse his zeale to rage his authoritie to tyrannie and his mildnes that holy Church doth not couet after blood is turned to murther Then my Lord in his furie and in the trance of his hart he crieth Open the Kings Arseuall bring foorth his Ordinance gather together his men of armes and footmen and if néede bee the whole Realme set vpon them kill them slash them cut them spoyle them murther them and worse if you can This is not to warre quoth my Lord no no holy Church thirsteth not after bloud But here is good play which I doo offer you seeing that you must néedes to warre there is in France many legions of diuells of your haire put on your carnall armour for the spirituall armour you haue lost long agoe let your Myter serue you for an Helmet your Rochets for Corslets your Surplesses for shirts of male your Crosses for pikes your Crosier staues for Launces your red roundaches which the Cardinalls doo weare vpon their heads for Targets your Holy water tassels for Clubbes put on your Spectacles too that you may the better aime at your enemie call vppon all the he Saints and she Saints which the Popes haue deified with thousands of Ora pro nobis set you all in battell aray be fiue against one méete the heretikes if you dare in y ◠plaine open field I aduise you though you be desperate enough not to come within their reach least that with bastinadoes the pockes and the gowtes be wrong out of your rotten boanes against your wills But to returne to the purpose he exhorteth the States to vnite themselues and to sweare the foresayd edict which speaches being ended the King tooke the word thus Sir you haue heard the contents of mine edict and vnderstand the qualitie of the same the greatnes and worthines of the oth which you be about now to sweare And seeing that I perceiue your iust desires to agree with mine I will sweare and doo sweare before God in a good conscience the obseruing of this mine edict as long as God shall continue my life here and will do ordaine that it may be kept for euer as a fundamentall law of this realme and in witnesse of the correspondence and vniuersal consent of all the States of my Realme you shall now sweare the obseruation of mine edict of vnion all with one voyce you Churchmen laying your hand vpon your breast and the rest lifting vp their hands to heauen which thing was done with great reioysing and acclamation of all men crying God saue the King Now by this hee in his owne person and his subiects haue sworne an immortall warre in his Realme of which thing he commaundeth an act to bee made in writing to serue for a perpetuall remembrance of the fact The act is such as followeth This day the 18. of October 1588. the King sitting at Bloys in the assemblie of his generall states of his Realme hath sworne in his faith and word of a King to obserue this present lawe in all that shall concerne his Maiestie Also the Lords Cardinalls of Bourbon Vendosme Princes of Soyssons and Monpensier Cardinalls of Guize Leuoncourt and Gundy Dukes of Guize Nemours Neuers and Retes the Lord Kéeper and many other Lords aswell of his Counsell as Commissioners of the three estates of his Realme haue sworne to kéepe and entertaine inuiolable the sayd lawe as well in their proper names as in the names of the Prouinces which haue sent them to the said assemblie of the States This thing being done the King testified the great desire which he had to make an end of this assemblie and to prouide for all his subiects vppon their iust complaints and grieues and for that end promised not to depart out of Bloys vntill the finall end of the said estates commanding likewise them of that assemblie not to depart by any meanes whereof they gaue him most humble thankes The assemblie dismissed the King the Quéenes Princes and Princesses Cardinalls Prelates and other Lords with all the deputies of the States went to the Church S. Sauiour there to sing te Deum where they were alwayes accompanied with a generall voyce of the people crying God saue the King shewing an extreame ioy and gladnesse for their owne calamities and miseries which they had sworne Now good Christian Reader consider well three things in this history to see Gods wrath iustice and mercy the thing which they haue done the miseries which haue followed and the gracious godnes of God in vpholding the ruines and miserable fall of that kingdome For first in this session Gods wrath drawing them to work to sweare and to reioyce in their owne dreadfull destruction they haue degraded and disherited the Princes of the most noble and ancientest family of the world from that inheritance and preheminence which God Nature and Law had appoynted vnto them whose auncestors haue gouerned that kingdome with iustice and equitie aboue thirteene hundred yeares And now without cause contrary to Gods ordinance Lawe and Nature to plant another family vnknowen in France within these threescore and ten yeares the performance of this most vniust exheredation and degradation they haue sworne to execute an oath more damnable than witchcraft ioyning to that iniurie the persecution of the true church of God But O thou most highest rayse vp thy selfe bruse them like a Potters vessell What hath followed that execrable oath First the most wretched and infamous death of the chiefest authors of this coniuring and witchcraft Secondly an vniuersall rebellion against him who sware first and ministred the oath to others I am not a Prophet nor the sonne of a Prophet yet thus much I dare affirme grounded vpon the nature of Gods iustice who sayth that who shall do those abominations shall die the death That peace shall neuer be restored to France as long as there is one left aliue of that damnable and accursed company who with that abomination haue poluted the land either in their mind haue giuen approbation vnto that accursed execration and vntill the Lord hath washed away the polution of their execrable deede with their owne blood Last of all here we haue
whence his slacknes in repressing and punishing by time those offences Specially when remembring the fauours that hee and his predecessors had giuen to that famely but he aboue all had more esteemed them then the Princes of his bloud had made him his fellow and companion in all the exploytes done against them of the reformed religion whome hee had fauored with diuers great dignities pardoned him of so many grieuous offences which he would not haue forgiuen to his owne brother to be short he loued and imbraced him as his own soule this incredible vnthankfulnes and treacherie did moue him to great indignation But specially what griefes and sorrowes did this â—nhappy King conceaue in his heart not onely to 〈◊〉 so vnthankfully rewarded of them whome hee trusted most but for that he in the space of 20 yeares had seen so many warnings giueÌ„ both to his Brother Charles the ninth and to himselfe of their aspiring working not onely by the Princes of the bloud by the King of Nauarre by many Lords Gentlemen and learned men in France but also by the Princes of forren nations and specially by the Princes of Germany who from time to time had proffered their seruices and their assistance vnto him for the repressing of their insolent presumptuousnes And namely when he considered how halfe a yeare before when he was in a manner dispossessed of his kingdome Authority after his flight from Paris how his faithfull subiects of all callings and degrees resorted vnto them both to shew him the vnsufferable indignities which he had receaued of that house and also to proffer him their seruice and assistance When hee called to minde how often and how faithfully the King of Nauarre had proffered him his forces and that in such sort that if it had pleased him but to holde vp his hand onely and let him alone with them he with his owne forces and charges would set him at hearts ease from any danger or sâ—ur of the League He I say as a man which is willingly and wittingly lead to his fatall destruction and fall had neuer regarded nor considered all these things vntil now when being destitute of all meanes and deliberation and scarse knowing whome to trust hee is with too late repentance driuen to shift for his owne life as well as hee may which he seeth is most certainely to be taken away within foure and twentie houres if he dooth not preuent the conspiratours The King in this agony and heauy sighes not considering the causes of these blowes and terrors of death full of sorrowes and indignation dooth determine with himselfe as well as hee can to preuent the treasons of his domesticall enemies in this wise The keyes of the Castell were brought euery night vnto the Duke of Guize as being great Master of the Kings house but the saide Duke of Guize the 22. of December the night before his death prouided not so wisely but that the keyes fell into other mens hands then them of his side So the King tooke the keyes of his house in his custody he also caused a rumour to bee noysed abroad that the day following hee will goe on pilgrimage to the Church called our Lady of Clery situated betweene Bloys and Orleans And according to his prudence he prouided that as well in the Castell as in the towne they of the League might not stir with any force against him for within the Castell he doubled his gardes In the towne hee tooke order that night that the gardes of the towne gates should not in any wise open the saide gates vntill they should haue expresse commaundement from him to the contrary so both the Towne Castell and keyes thereof are made sure in that night and all this was done vnknowne to the Duke of Guize The Lord grand Prior that night made a match to play at Tenis with the Lord Ianuile sonne to the Duke of Guize to whome he gaue his word that the next day very early hee would take him in his bed for that end So the King hauing dispatched many things but specially prouided to make all things sure which he thought needefull to preuent the determination of the Duke of Guize which was vpon the poynt of execution retired into his closet where he was all night to doo many needefull dispatches The same night hee wrote to the Duke of Neuers who was in the army at the siege of Smache hee wrote to Lyons and to diuers other places where hee thought it necessary for the assuring of his affaires and the preseruation of his person The same night the Duke of Guize Frier Lewis the Cardinall his brother and the Archbishop of Lyons to take opportunity to commit their parricide concluded to sit in counsell the next morning early The 23. of December the Duke of Guize the Frier Cardinal his brother the Archbishop of Lyons the Marshall Haultmont and others came to sit in counsell in a chamber nigh to the Kings chamber being but a narow aley betweene them The K. being in his closet with certaine Lords and gentlemen sent for 7. or 8. of those 45. Pensioners or gentlemen y t were daylie attendant vpon him very early in y e morning to whom he vsed some speaches about his affaires so greatly importing him so nearely touching his person abouâ— the assured aduise intelligences which he had receiued of the enterprize against his person State They prostered most willingly their ready seruice to execute his coÌ„maundement in such a iust cause and defence Within a while after the Duke of Guize being in the counsell chamber before they began to sit was called to come to the king He saw at his first comming the guards more carefully disposed than of custome so that as it happâ—neth oftentimes y t vpon the instant of great aduentures the mind of euery man is to him as a Prophet of y e euent or a heauy presage of his mishappe euen as hee had iudged of the enterprize of an other man by calling to remembranâ—e of that which he had in his owne mind and tâ—e stroke which he receaued by that which he intended he entred into a motion of extraordinary mistrust so far that his countenance changing at that calling his heart waxed cold as though he had been ready to fall into a swound whereupon hee sent to the L. Pre one of them who did waite in the K. chamber to aske some raysins which were brought him Afore his going out of the counsell chamber hee sent a page to his chamber to fetch him a handkercher his secretary had bound fast in one of the corners thereof a small bill written contayning a warning to get him out or else hee was dead The handkercher was brought but it was not deliuered for it was intercepted with the remembrance when the page came vp againe with it The Duke of Guyze being about to goe vnto the king when hee went forth of the counsell chamber into the
making their pulpets the trompets of murther treason and rebellion for beside that they did inuaigh against the King in all manner of vile tearmes and interpreting all his actions maliciously to the worst they also forbad the people vpon paines of spirituall and bodily punishment for if they did it was a capitall crime to pray for the King Also the inhabitantes of the citie of Rhemes in Champaigne published an infamous libell comming forth out of the Iesuites forge bearing this title A grieuous lamentation of the inhabitants of the citie of Rehmes vpon the death of the Cardinal Archbishop of Rehmes peere of France and what may he not be if they would That libell was sawced with infamous inâ—ectiues vnworthy and outragious speeches against the king by their language the authors thereof did testifie sufficiently their consent in the rebellion of other towns and cities And seeing that the priests Iesuites and Friers did say such a masse at the funerall of their Bishop it was no marueile if the ignorant people who beleeued them answered Amen And for as much as among those rebellious countreys and cities there were none of the reformed religion vpon whome they might spew their gall they called their owne Priestes Parsons Vicars and Curates for to subscribe vnto their rebellion charging them vpon payne of death not to pray in their massing for the King But such as kept an vpright heart to their Prince and would not conient to their prohibition but in their prayers or otherwise did wish well to the King were executed as male factors and great fauour was shewed them vpon great intreatie of friends if they might escape with depriuation of their liuings or imprisonment and cary away their liues for a pray And by such iniuries shewed vnto their owne priests they placed such as were fit to serue their turnes in kindling more and more the fire of sedition The third taske appoynted to the Fryers and Iesuites was to render the King of Nauarre and them of his part execrable in the eares of all men that by the consent and generall misliking of all men if it were possible he might be excluded from his right of succession The occasion was thus The 26. of December the King of Nauarre had surprized the towne of Niort in Poytow of the taking it of the said Kings gracious goodnes and clemency shewed vnto the inhabitants his deadly enemies which had committed great outrages vpon them of the reformed Religion against his owne person against the Princes of the blood and of late agaynst the Lord Valette an officer of the Crowne of France as it is sufficiently spoken of before These writers of lies to testifie to the world whose Children they are did set foorth such ridiculous falshoods and execrable calumnies and that with as much assurance as they tell vs of their lies and lying miracles which they did worke with their holywater among the sauadge people of Giapane whether they be sure that no man will send to enquire about the truth of the matter with so bolde and impudent faces they did auerre most manifest lies which out of any parte of France might bee disprooued within foure dayes The shamâ—les pamphlet went abroade with this inscription The execrable cruelties committed by the heretiks against the Catholicks of the towne of Niort in Poytow The fable sayth that they of the religon would neuer haue taken that towne without the intelligences of the politicks that is to say of them which fauour the king which were within the sayde towne It is sayde in the Pamphlet that the Kinges officers of Iustice were slayne that the Maior and the Aldermen of the towne were hanged That many were hanged onely for that they would not denie their religion also that all the Priests and Monkes were hanged for companie Also a Priest was opened aliue before his fellowes by terror to make him denie God and his noble partes were pulled out but they remayned as constant as rocks for all those cruelties and valiantly suffered martyrdome That there were innocent persons killed in such great number through the towne euen betweene two or three hundred persons so that the streets flowed with blood and dead bodies That the heretikes as the fable sayth tooke a woman which reprooued them of their cruelties whom they would haue enforced to deny the Masse which thing shee refusing they filled her belly with powder and then set fire to it to make hir burst so that sayth the lyer there is nigh three hundered martirs there put to death which are now in heauen These holy Martyrs may be called in one word holy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All this lying lybell is easily confuted euen by the inhabitants themselues by the Magistrates by the Priestes who there do liue in liberty of their Religion and by all the people who will testify that there was no such thing nor otherwise then is recited in the discourse of the surprise of their towne but will testify of the Christian mildnes clemency and moderatnes of the King of Nauarre and surprisers to haue béene far greater then euer they could haue expected or had deserued at his hands But this grosse kind of lying was spread abroad to hasten the rebellion of the Citties and to render the people vntamed and hard harted agaynst true and dutiful obedience whatsoeuer might fall hereafter as if to fall into the handes of the King of Nauarre and of them of the Religion were to fall among sauage beastes mad Tygers and cruell Lyons The King considering that the more he endeuored himselfe to winne the rebels by gentlenes clemency and promising of impunity the more hardned obstiuate insolent and bolde they became Seeing that he must be driuen by force to chastise their rebellions first he procéedeth against them by order of law And for as much as the Dukes de Mayne Aumale and Cheualier Aumale he as if it were subroged in the places of the Duke of Guyze and the Cardinal his brother the King doth first and chiefly proceede iudicially agaynst them three by proscription as attaynted of fellonie rebellion and high treason First the King doth shew himselfe to be a King ordayned and geuen of God hauing receaued of God that sword and power which he had not by vsurpation but by lawfull and naturall right of succession Secondly hee doth shew the great benefites which hee and the Kings his predecessors had bestowed vpon them and namely that he hath spared their liues whom he might iustly haue punished for their diuers attemptes fellonies and disobedience for the loue which hee had vnto them and their house He sheweth also how he had since this their last rebellion sent vnto them diuers of his faythfull seruants with letters and euen Heraulds of arms to let them vnderstand his good will and readines to put vp all iniuries offences and to receaue them to his fauour But that in stead of humbling themselues and of accepting his gracious fauour
but one he seazed also vpon many other weake Townes in that champian countrey where hee stayed very long doubtfull of minde what to doo whether he should go néerer to Tours or goe backe To goe further he feared the King of Nauarre being so nigh a neighbour to goe backe shame his great bragges and promises made to the rebels of Paris would not suffer him Concluded therefore to stay in Beausse where lodging and victuals for the taking were to be had without money liuing in hope and watching still for some conuenient occasion to execute his damnable purpose vpon the Kings person by the intelligences which hee had with the Leaguers of the Court and of the Citie of Tours During his soiourne in Beausse he made the like bragges and promises to the Nobilitie and people as he had done in Paris The Wallons which were in his armie considering that nothing was done and lacking money determined to retyre home but with much adoe were stayed vpon promise that great forces were expected from the Duke Aumale out of Picardie and that shortly they would goe about their busines handsomely like good fellowes and that one houre would make them men for euer In the latter end of April the Leaguers of Poytiers began to stir against the King and to make that great and large Cittie sure for the League holy vâ—ion vpon the newes thereof the king sent the greatest part of such forces as he had to rescue that piece which was of great importance The Leaguers aduertised the Duke de Mayne who was about Vendosme of the state of the affaires and how the King was left destitute of the greatest part of his forces now imploied about the reuolt of Poitiers how that he might come easily and without finding any resistance to lodge in the Suburbs of Tours or the Abbey of Marmonstier neere by and that they would so prouide within the citie that by the helpe of his frendes the King might be dispatched or deliuered into his hands aliue The Duke de Mayne vpon these intelligences setteth order for the safe keeping of Vendosme and marched toward Chasteaurenault the towne Caâ—tell hee battered he layeth also the siege before Saint Oine nigh Amboyse where the Countie Brienne was appointed by the King for the keeping of that place intending the night following by stealth to haue resorted to Tours to execute y e enterprise of the Leaguers which were in the court and the Citie vppon the Kings person And that hee might be sure to worke safely he had sent into Picardy to the Duke of Aumale his cosin praying him to send him such forces out of Picardy as he might putting him in hope by some new supply of succour to bring to passe the thing which they had most desired but the towne of Gaulis which by the means of the Lord of Thore was reduced to the Kinges obedience hindered that this new supply could nether be so great as was expected nor could come in any time to do him seruice Of these forces of Picardy it shall be spoken hereafter but for this time wee will leaue this great Duke to batter Chasteaurenault and Saint Oine and will shew what was done in other places at the same time The King considering that the enemy with a puissant army was on his armes and stayed for nothing but to know what assistance he might haue of the Leaguers of the court and of the cittie to worke his feat knowing also the infidelity of his subiectes and seruants both in the court and in the cittie and on euery side and almost dispossessed of his Crowne and Kingdome is enforced for the safety of his person to cast himselfe into the armes of his mortall enemy as he was made beleeue by the Sycophants who alwayes had béen most in eredit with him but in very deed his most profitable and necessary frend if long before he had vsed him Truce therfore at length is concluded betweene the two Kings and among other things it was agréed that the King of Nauarre should haue the Pont de Sel a Towne vpon the riuer of Loyre betweene Saumour and Nantes tight against Anger 's for the safety of his passage But some difficulty beeing made at the surrendring of the said Pont de Sel by the Captayne the King graunted him the towne of Saumour vpon Loyre The sayd towne was receaued for the King of Nauarre by the Lord Plessis Marlin to whom the sayd King gaue the gouernment thereof But now before wee proceede further to shew the accidents which happened after this vnexpected reconsiliation of these two Kinges wee wil search out what hath happened in other countreys After the death of the Guyze the Duke de Mayne sent into the Prouinces but specially into Normandy to perswade the people that the Countrey men might arme themselues without any leaue or consent of the Nobility who were not of their side for the defence of the Catholike religion their liberty he hired specially in Normany the priests monks Friers Iesuits such rabble of woolues with summes of money in their Sermons to stir the people to rise agaynst their Soueraygne and to take counsell agaynst the nobility The means or arguments which these Atheists both for money will ryse agaynst God his ordinance and set the world in an vprore to pollute the earth with bloud were these The King sayd they with great vehâ—mency and amplifications hath murthered the Cardinall of Guyze imprisoned the Primat of Lyons and hauing touched two of the Lords annoynted and layed handes vppon two chiefe Pillers and rulers of holy Church ouer whom neither hee nor any of his had any power or iurisdiction agaynst fayth and promise and hauing violated the publike faith at the States at Bloys the King was no more childe of the Church was excommunicat banished out of the Church and cast out of the communion of Catholikes and therefore the people were not bound to obay him any more but that it was lawfull to persecute him by all meanes possible as the holy faculty of Theologie had also of late determined but rather that it was lawfull to murther and to destroy the King and persecute them by all means possible that wil not league themselues and beare armes against the King They dayly preached also that the King was a protector of heritikes and had intelligences with them and that he sought nothing more then to stablish heresie in his kingdome And for as much as examples do both moue and encourage to doo or discouraging from dooing they encourage the simple and ignorant first declared themselues enemies to the King renounced his obedience gaue forth vilanous vnworthy and traiterous speeches of him so as nothing more vile may bee named and spoken These were the deuout prayers of such despisers of God and all godlines in their Pulpits to the which the People said Amen But after the truce was taken betweene the two Kings then they had a large
others who were taken prisoners And because the night drew neere apace the Prince thought good with all speede to assault the other companies of rebels who were at Commeaux who were about a thousand or twelue hundred men conducted by the Lord Beaulieu This company had trenched and fortified themselues and therefore the most part of thē were y e cannons priests monks fryers Iesuites of the Citie of Sees and many persons of the countrey round about who would shewe some proofe of their valour and how they could fight better with a Caliuer then with their Portisse but at length it was found that they had more skill in iugling a Masse and making of Gods then in handling their weapons among them was the Parson of Vimonstier a desperate and sedicious Priest The Lord Beaulieu was their captain who at the first onset the sayd Lord Beaulieu was taken among the first in the forcing of the Fort who being carried away by the Captaine Chauuayne before the Prince sayd that there were within that Fort at the least seauen hundred well armed and appoynted The Prince vnderstanding that commanded the Lords Bakqueuile Archand to get into the Fort and for that purpose he left them the Culuering and went that night to Escouche where he arriued about eleuen of the clocke in the night And assoone as he was gone the rebels of Comeaux vnderstanding how their fellowes had sped yéelded with their liues onely saued who were immediatly disarmed and brought to Escouche to the Prince There the Duke soiourned all the next day being the 21. of Aprill to take the view of the prisoners who were in great number of all qualities of persons The same day the Lords Hallot Bakqueuile Beuil Bellefontayn and Archand went abroad with their companies to see if they could méet with any ranging Rebells where they mist not much to haue taken the Baron Vernier The sayd Baron and Brissake with the rest of their complices retyred in great speede to Argenton fearing to be as kindly hit on the hips as their fellowes had béen The 22. day the Prince leauing the Lords of Harcourt of Saint Mary Venoix and Sassay at Escouche went to Courcy where hee vnderstoode that the Lord Pierrecourt was lodged with some Launciers not farre of he mounted straight on horsebacke and went to finde them out but he had dislodged a little before they came to the place Here Christian Reader marke the presence of God in the assisting of a good cause and handled by persons of lawfull calling First thou seest how the King heretofore in the warres against the K. of Nauarre had not prospered but all things haue fallen to his owne charges dishonour and shame because he persecuted him without a cause and such persons were put in trust of his affayres and aduanced themselues forward intending vnder that colour to supplant their master Now when the King hath a iust cause in hand and put men in trust that are lawfully called bearing a true and vnfayned heart to the King kingdome Crowne and Countrey such as bee the Princes of his bloud and other of the true Nobilitie of France the Lord also is of his side and fighteth for him maketh him victorious and restoreth to him his authoritie by steps as it shall appeare hereafter Secondly here is a notable thing happened which neuer did happen vnto any Captaine that euer I haue read saue vnto that noble Athenian Conon that a Captaine had obtayned three noble victories in one day but vnto this noble Prince of ancient and noble rase Thus the Prince Montpencier by these victories gaue a tast vnto the rebels of the cup of their treasons and so did driue them into Townes and Holds that afterward it was rare to see any rebels abroade except it were when they had neede priuilie to steale out to robb their nigh neighbours of their goods Hauing done this exployt he purposed to bring the artillerie from Courcy and returne to the Citie of Caen intending shortly after to be in the field agayne and to carrie by it vntill he had subdued the countrey to the Kings obedience agayne By a pertinent digression I haue shewed what noble and profitable exployts the Prince Montpencier hath done in Normandy against the Rebels now we will returne to continuance of the narration interrupted It is sayd before how the King seeing himselfe in extreame danger made truces with the King of Nauarre and deliuered him the Towne of Saumour for his safe passage and repassage ouer the riuer of Loyre which he committed to the Lord of Plessis Marline Few dayes being expired after the deliuering of the town of Saumour the King of Nauarre went thether to the great contentation and reioysing of all the inhabitants and of all the Nobility round about well affected to the Kings seruice and good of the realme Liberty was geuen by the K. of Nauarre to all the inhabitants concerning religion indifferently as hée had done in other places The King of Nauarre hauing ordered all things at Saumour about the 17. day of Aprill went foorth and besieged the Castell of Brissak the Lord thereof beeing a traitour and a rebellious Leaguer and tooke it by composition The 18. the King of Nauarre passed all his Forces beyond the riuer of Loyre ouer the bridg of Saumour and within few dayes ioyned with other forces which stayed for him gathered out of Normandy Mayne Anjou Perche Beausse and other countries beeing betweene Loyre and Seyne intending shortly to see face to face the army of the rebels conducted by the Duke de Mayne Thus the King of Nauarre greatly iniuried and offended so often and at the request and for the pleasure of the Duke of Guyze assaulted now commeth to rescue out of danger captiuity and death him that had persecuted him so long with all the forces of a mighty kingdome he commeth I say with a chosen army not onely great in number but also in valour so that euery common souldier might haue supplyed the roome of an Officer Goe on O great King put on the armor of God follow his calling this day thou hast obtayned a greater and more famous victory then at the day of Coutras in ouercomming the desire of reuengement which vpon diuers occasions might haue risen by the frailty of mans nature The 21 the King of Nauarre hauing passed ouer the riuer Loyre and ioyned with his forces gathered out of the Countreys abouesayd setteth forth a declaration shewing the causes of this passage First hee sheweth that hee is called to enter into this action by God by nature by the lawe and by the iust approbation of his Prince which causes do moue him to determine to imploy his lyfe his meanes power for the reestablishing of y e Kings authority restoring of the realm and for the defence of good Subiects within the same decayed and oppressed by the treasons of the Leaguers vnder the colour of godlines and iustice Secondly he protesteth
doo leauing of all suspitions and despising the counsell of many who would haue him to differ that interuiewe vntill another time considering also that there was no apparance of danger he passed ouer the riuer at the bridge of Saint Saphorine went to méete the King accompanied with the Marshall Hautmont and many of his nobilitie and his gardes leauing the rest of his forces to stay for him at the passage He found the King staying for him in the alley of the Parke of Plessis there was so great throng as well of Courtiers as of the inhabitants of the Citie who ran thether from euery where that the two Kings stayed the space of halfe a quarter of an houre stretching their armes one toward another before they could touch one another so great was the preace for the place though very spacious would not receaue the multitude so that the trées were loaded with men to beholde that blessed méeting The embrasings the salutations were reiterated diuers times of both Kings with a shew of mutuall ioy and contentation The reioysing of all the Court and of the people was incredible for all men did crie by the space of halfe an houre God saue the King a voyce that had not been hard either at Tours or in any place else where the King had béen in more then foure moneths before Another acclamation followed the first God saue the Kings God saue the King and the King of Nauarre all men praised God and blessed that happie and long desired reconsiliation The two Kings parting thenâ—e entred into counsell where they were the space of two houres and after the counsell they tooke their horses and roade together accompanied with the Court vnto Saint Anne which is halfe the way to the Suburb called Roches the streates were so full of people that it was hard for them to passe all the way sounded with acclamatioâ—s and voyce of ioye for the hope which euery one had conceaued that these two Kings being so vnited would ouercome their enemies and restablish the state of the kingdome and would end the miseries which had vexed France so long The said King of Nauarre departed from the King at Saint Anne repassed Loyre where his troupes stayed for him lodged at the Suburbs of Saint Saphorin nigh the bridges end The morrow after being the first day of May about sixe a clock in the morning the King of Nauarre entred into the towne to goe to salute the King All that morning was employed in counsell vntill ten a clock that the King would goe to Masse where hée was accompanied by the said King of Nauarre vnto the Church doore from thence hée went to salute the Princesse of Condy and County staying for the Kings returne from Masse Afterward the said King of Nauarre as long as hée made his aboade there oftentimes visited the King and tooke counsell together for the common benefit of the realme The same day the said King of Nauarre obtained of the King for them of Sedan ten thousand Crownes for to helpe them in their affaires with letters written vnto the Duke of Lorreyne commaunding him to make warre no longer vppon Sedan declaring that they were vnder his protection Whilest these things were a dooing at Tours the Duke d' Mayne did batter Chasteaurenault but vnderstanding of the interuiew of the two Kings at the selfe same houre of the interuiew hée brake the siege and in haste retired to Vendosme The King as is before said stoode in great danger to be either murdered or else deliuered to the enemy by the intelligence which the Duke d' Mayne had with some traitours which were of his counsell in the Court and in the Citie Now by this blessed reconsiliation here is a great change to bée séene on a suddaine for by this the King is put out of feare liueth out of danger of the rebels is fortified by ariuall of this mighty Prince and army vnlooked for the hearts of all good subiects are herewith encouraged and the conspiratours are terrified for the Duke of Mayne being at Vendosme and in the territory there abouts with a mighty army of traitors had committed such insolencies vppon the people of their owne League and vnion that the countrey was replenished with outcries curses and imprecations Feare therfore of the King of Nauarre and of some insurrection of the people of the countrey constrained him first to place part of his army in garisons in the townes of Beausse Anjou Mayne and Perche to make hauock of all that he left behind and afterward to returne to Paris The Duke d' Mayne hauing so deuided his army with one part of the same giueth to himselfe many alarum in that retire to Paris It is said before how about the beginning of Aprill the King considering the reasonable proffers of the King of Nauarre who in his great prosperity and when he might haue enlarged his authority farre and wide throughout al France proffered peace and ayd vnto the King to his great disaduantage at length necessitie inforced the saide King to conclude a truce with the King of Nauarre for a whole year beginning at the 3. day of Aprill 1589. and ending the same day of the same moneth in the yeare 1590. inclusiuely The conditions of the said truce were agreâ—d vppon and promised to be obserued by the two Kings the 26. of Aprill First in publication of the same truce the King with a long discourse doth protest of his consiancy in the Catholick religion and opposeth the proofes which he hath shewed from his youth vp as well in his priuat profession and exercises as in pursuing the contrary religion by all meanes and restablishing the said romish religion in places where it had béene abolished against the calumnies false reports and slaunders of the Leaguers On the contrarie sheweth how his enemies haue taken the pretence of religion and discharging the people of sundry exactions to make associations to strengthen themselues to replenish the realme with tumults and confusions whereby they haue giuen opportunity to the heretickes to abolish the Catholik religion and to enlarge theirs and they themselues haue by sundry cruelties and extortions oppressed his subiects of the Catholick religion he complaineth that the Leaguers hauing attempted against his person and proclaymed an open war against him and his authority who through their iniuries haue enforced him to call the King of Nauarre to his naturall and lawfull defence against their rebellions and treasons Secondly he declareth how the King of Nauarre acknowledging his duty toward his Maiesty and pittying the miserable state of the realme subuerted brought to a lamentable confusion by the Leaguers hath instantly required peace of him Whereupon by the aduise of the Princes of the bloud officers of the Crowne and Lords of his Counsell he hath concluded a truce and ceasing from all hostility throughout the whole tralme therein comprehending the County of Venisse and state of Auignon belonging to the
to consider the Lordes prouidence in releeuing of the afflicted States and tottering kingdomes that he whom they had sworne should not raigne ouer them him I say the Lord hath set vp and annoyuted him with the oyle of grace and wisedome and said that he shall raigne ouer them that it may appeare that his Scepter is of God And wheras likewise they haue sworn the rooting out of Gods truth the Lord wil make it florish vnder their noses vnder the authoritie of him whome they haue reiected Here also is another thing worthy to be noted that the Lorde in all ages for to restore peace iudgement iustice and religion in any decayed state hath raysed vp Princes endued with heroycall giftes and graces called by the ancients Nemesis by the Prophet Psal 51. the principall spirit of force constancie iustice wisedome counsell and godlines by the which crooked things are made straight and all things reduced to their order For as fortitude in an hot and vnwise nature is transformed into a barbarous cruelty rage so the same being in a wise nature gouerneth the victory with mercy and mildâ—nes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ad benficentiam The experience teacheth vs that if God had not giuen his principall spirit to this King now there raigning to direct the valiantnes of his courage and the prosperous successe of his victories with clemencie and mildenes one fourth part of France by this day had beene reduced into a miserable wildernes But thou O great King issued out of Noble race gird thy loynes with force and might goe on still and follow the Lord who goeth before thee and leadeth thee by the hand to restore the decayed ruins brought into that kingdome by the obstinate and vnwise counsels of the Valoys and the accursed snares of Sycophants whom they haue fostered and nourished in their bosoms by the bloud of theyr subiects and the fatnes of their people It is said before how immediatly after the making of y e edict of reunion the Duke Mercure out of Britayne with certayne companies inuaded the low Poytow intending to lay the siege before Montagne and how hee was defeated and ouerthrowen by the King of Nauarre after which ouerthrow the said K. being strengthened with new forces of the Lords Trimouille and Boulay intended to haue rescued the Lord Espernon who stood in great daunger in Engolesme by a conspiracy of the Leaguers but vnderstanding that the tumult there was pacifyed went to Rochel where he appointed an assembly of the reformed Churches of France there to take aduice by a generall meeting what they had to do agaynst the cruell and neuer heard of conspiracie of the King and the Leaguers who had sworne the vtter subuertion and vndooing of the King of Nauarre and reformed churches hee sendeth therefore in the moneth of September his messengers into all Prouinces of France willing them to send theyr commissioners and deputies to Rochel in Nouember next The King of Nauarre hauing done all necessary dispatches for that thing in y e latter end of September departed from Rochel intending to lay the siege before the castle of Beauuoyre lying vpon the Sea in the low Poytow and passing not farre from Niort some of his company aduaunced very nigh vpon them that issued out of the town not much further then their Suburbs The Lord Valette great prouost of France who alwaies had followed the King of Nauarre and a gentleman named Peray set vpon them and gaue them a hot skirmish wherein the said Lord and gentleman were slaine fighting most valiantly The Lieutenant of the towne beeing a most seditions Leaguer with other of his fellows shewed themselues no lesse then insoleÌ„t in committing great indignities vpon their dead bodies whom they caused to bee drawen through the streetes of Niort by the common people From thence hee tooke his iourney toward the sayd Beauuoyre as is sayd a Towne and Castell vppon the Sea a place of great importance as well for the situation as for the commodities thereof because it holdeth the Iles about in subiection out of the which great reuenues are receaued by reason of the salt and other commodities The King lodged his footmen in the Suburbs of Clisson There he receaued newes that certayne regiments of footmen of the enemies had passed Loyre at Saumure which thing caused him to dislodge in great hast to goe to charge them but the enemy being aduertised therof repassâ—d the Loyre before that he could come to them Therefore he tooke his way toward Nantes and in the low Goleyn with all his army There the Lorde Trimouille presented him the Captaine Bonneueau whom he had discomfited and taken at Doway a walled town The sayd King went to lodge at Vretow a little league from Pilmil suburbe of Nantes and there passed his army vpon the caulsies ouer the riuer Seure the other part of his army passed the sayd riuer by a Foord at Mounieres and came to lodge at Tousche Liuosiniere The morow after the fourth of October he passed before the Castell of Maschecow which he viewed the Marquis Belisle beeing within did let flye a shot of Culuerine Passing further with his companies of men of arms his light horsmen and Harquebuziers compassed the castell of Beauuoyre wherin was in garison a company of footmen who at the arriuing of the King forsooke the Towne and retyred into the Castell The Towne beeing deliuered to him he left within the towne his Harquebusiers and he with his troupes went to lodge at Saint Geruays within halfe a league of Beauuoyre There arriued vnto him the Lords Montluet and Plessis from Rochâ—l with a faire company of nobility After they had embarked in the hauen of Rochel two canons two culuerings gabions and other munition of warre which they had conducted to Saynt Gyles hauen distant from Beauuoyre about seuen leagues But this furniture could not arriue at Beauuoyre in fifteene dayes after the siege was begun by reason of contrary windes and continuall rayne with the discommodity of the waies the countrey beeing very moorish The souldiers were in the water to the mid legge with other great discommities notwithstanding they ceased not to make trenches vnto the very ditch out of the which he drewe great store of water so that the platformes being made the Ordinance brought with much ado being placed and leuelled he began the 21. of October to batter and after 30. Canon shot they who were within seeing the forces prepared against them did choose rather to prooue the clemencie of the said King in yéelding then to stay a greater batterie and the extremitie of an assault which infallibly would be giuen them therefore they would parley and yeeld The capitulation was such that they should render their Colours should goe foorth with armour and baggage but their match out They went foorth about 53. persons and were safely conducted to the Iland Bouing whether they sayd they would retyre The King of Nauarre lost at that