terme it those of the religion in this realm may haue by speciall priueledge and graunt in perpetuitie the keping of the townes and places which wee holde at this present and also of certayne other townes in euerye prouince such as shal be thought mete by the eight speciall persones indifferently chosen by two that youre Maiestie will depute and two that those of the religion shall name which is to be done with expedicion at the place to be agreed vpon That your Maiesties garrisons be placed onely in the frontier townes and places where garrisons hath of ancient time bene vsed or at the least as farre of as well may be from the sayd townes and places nowe presently holden by those of the religion be it in comming or going of the sayd garrisōs and that there be not lodged greater nomber of horse with their armures without the consent of these of the religion and that they come and seiourne so modestly that thereof arise no suspicion nor inconuenience It may please your Maiestie to take in good parte that wee moste humbly beseeche you that your Gouernours and Lieuetenants generall that wil passe by or visit the said townes and places nowe holden by those of the Religion may not come thyther with force nor with great companie than with their ordinarie and accustomed traine in tyme of peace and that they be admonished so to behaue them selues in the said townes and places as those of the Religiō may haue no occasion therby to enter into feare and suspicion And that the like be obserued by the Lordes of the sayde Townes and places That nothing of the sayd townes and places holden by those of the religion be rased that hath ben made for fortification sauing only so farre as they shall thinke it expedient for their suretie And that there be not required or taken from them any of their munitiōs of warre or armour whether it be artillary or other And for the greater and better efficacie of your royall authoritie and good will to the vpright and sincere obseruation of the Articles of this peace We most humbly besech your Maiestie that first in full assembly of your priuie counsell and afterward in your court of Parliament of Paris in full audience by your Maiestie the Queenes your most honorable mother spouse our soueraigne Ladies my Lordes your brethred and the Lords the Princes of your bloud the Lordes Mareschals of Fraunce and the counsellers of your priuie counsell it be confirmed and sworne that the Articles of this peace shal be entirely mainteined perpetually and faithfully obserued And that the like be done by al your presidents counsellers aduocates procurators or attorneys and euery of them in all other your Courtes of Parliaments and presidencies That for mutuall obseruation of a perpetuall obedience and fidelitie those of the Religion throughout this Realme generally together with the Catholikes renue their othes offidelitie before your officers in their places with enterchangeable condition and promise on both partes neuer hereafter to commit any slaughters one against an other generally or particularly by whom so euer the same bee commaunded without exception but to leaue the whole conusance of crimes and publike reuenge to the course of youre lawes as is agreed in these articles of peace And to the intent to come by little and little to a true entier and generall reconciliation of amitie among all your subiectes of both the religions We most humbly beseech your Maistie to ordaine that euerie yere during fiue yeares the sayd othe be renued as well by the assemblies of the estates of euerie Prouince in one of the most peaceable townes in ech Prouince as at other general assemblies of the inhabitants of euery principal Towne of the diocesse which shall be holden at sundry termes among those of the two Religions that is to say in the principal assemblie by the Deputies of either Religion aswell of the nobilitie as of the comons of the whole prouince and in the assembly of euery Dioces and Bayliwicke wher they shal promise and swere not onely to keepe firme peace and amitie mutually but also to employe their liues and goodes for your seruice specially to maintaine this vnitie and pacification against all breakers and disturbers thereof without any exception as is abouesayd Finally we hope that your Maiestie shall well like that we your most humble and most obedient subiectes continue our standing vppon our Garde without doing any force or hostilitie vnder the suspencion and intermission which it hath pleased your Maiestie to enioyne vs. At Montauban the vi day of August 1573. Thus signed Paulin Gourdon Lomasin Verlhac Ferrieres Monsegon Yollec Bressac Sainct bon Donzac Derboras B. de Narbonne Stopuihart Brecquet Drephelipon de la Source Galheuste Sebin de Lautrech P. de la Tour Decluuier P. Clement S. Chamayot Corraire Porcel Payau Rigord de Robert de l'Armoire A. Nolhac de Rosier Vuisaud Hibert Auoum du Port Reuires Roysse G. Moragnes Pomyer de Chastellet de Voyau du Cros de Fulger Degau A. Gardes du Poncet du Busquet Pradelses Merlein Ymbert de la Place G. Rodyer I. Cabanie Nohesau Baches Deueunsin de Noalhan The Kings aunswere to the Deputies of the reformed Churches of the countrey of Languedoc and other places adioyning THE Kyng hauing vnderstood the declaratiōs that to him haue bene made by those of the Religion called reformed being sent vnto his Maiestie vsing toward them his clemencie and naturall goodnes hath by mouth declared vnto them the assurance that they ought to haue of his good grace fauour and protection when they shall by the effectes shewe them selues such towarde him as al good and loyall subiectes ought to be to their Prince whereunto he hath sufficiently moued them by his last Edict vnder the benefit wherof they haue all due satisfaction of that which they haue alwaye shewed themselues to desire touching the exercise of their pretensed Religion the suretie of their persons goods And for as much as they haue alway declared that they haue no other will but to satisfie the commaundements of his sayd Maiestie he hath thought good for their better conformitie to send the Duke de Vses peere of Fraunce and the Lord of Caplus Knight of his order to Monsieur de Dampuille Marshall of Fraunce his Gouernour and Lieutenant generall in Languedoc to saye to him on his Maiesties behalfe that he chuse some towne or place of his gouernement neere to Montauban and which he shal thinke fittest for the purpose and that he repaire thither and there aduertise those of the Religion called reformed that they send thither the sayd Deputies or other whom they will on their behalfe for conference to be had with them by the sayd Lord Marshall touching their quiet suretie and preseruation and other things concerning and appertaining vnto the executiō obseruing of the sayd Edict and also the course of law and iustice which his Maiestie meaneth to
Articles conteining the request presented to the French Kyng by the Deputies of the reformed Churches of the couÌ„trey of Languedoc and other places adioyning assembled by his Maiesties commaundement Also an other request to him presented by the persons of the third estate of the couÌ„trey of Prouence VVith his Maiestie answere to the sayd requests Also an aunswere of the Lord Lodouic Counte of Nassau to the aduertisements giuen him from the Kyng Translated out of French. Jmprinted at London by Henry Middelton for Thomas Cadman Anno. 1574. ¶ Articles presented to the Kyng by the Deputies of the reformed Churches of the countrey of Languedoc and other places adioyning VVith the Kyngs answere SIR we the Vicounts Barons GentlemeÌ„ and other here vnder writteÌ„ making profession of the reformed Religion both in our owne name particularly and of our adherents also as persons deputed by the reformed Churches of the countreyes of Guyenne Viuaraiz Giuaudan the Seneshalsee of Tholouze Auuergne Rouergue hie and base Marche Quercy Perigord Limosin Agennois Armaignac Commanges Conserans Bigorre Albi and Foys Lauragais Albigeois the countreys of Castres Villelongue Mirepoix Carcassois and other Prouinces adioyning assembled by the permission and vnder the safe conductes of my Lord the Kyng of Polonia your Mastiesties brother in the town of Montauban Hauing perused sundry letters missiue of your Maiestie concerning declaration of your good intention and will to reestablishe and maintaine a good and firme peace in this Realme to performe the parts of your Royall office to al your subiects and namely to those of the Religion whom your Maiestie willeth and meaneth from henceforth to enbrace entreat with all fauor protection and in the right of true and naturall subiects and to take order by way of iustice for the request that by them shal be made and presented most humbly to your Maiestie touching all the particulars that to theÌ„ shall seeme to be requisite and necessary for the maintaining of a true sincere peace We protest to this effect and with al our hart make most humble petition of that which followeth vnder the instant and oft repeted promises of my Lorde your Brother the Kyng of Polonia First we protest before God his Angels that it neuer entred into our harts before these last troubles nor since to take awaye nor withdraw froÌ„ your Maiestie our duties of most humble most obedient and faithfull subiection But with true and firme loyaltie of subiectes wee haue alway acknowledged do acknowledge that it is our vocation and naturall estate by the ordinance of God to yeeld to your maiestie all things due by a faithfull subiect to his Kyng and soueraigne Lord. If that your Maiestie haue taken in euil part and in displeasure that which by vs hath bene done protested and executed since the moneth of August 1572 vntil this present we most humbly besech you to cal to mind your letters of declaration dated the xxiiii day of the sayd month and to haue in your most wise consideration the most iust occasions that haue by force constraynt compelled vs to take weapoÌ„ in hand with all other thinges requisite to a iust and necessarie defence to turne your eyes to the poore decessed persones slaughtered and cruely put to death in sondrie townes places of youre realme vnder the pretence of a conspiracie but truly in hatred of the reformed religion that it will please you in pitie to looke vppon the smal remnaÌ„t escaped out of the sayd slaughters with a true remorse compassion of a father of your countrie to enter into your selfe and deeply and intentiuely to behold that benefit that your Maiestie receiueth of the singular and wonderfull goodnes of God and there vppon to meruell with vs aswel of our preseruation as of this ouerture of peace in youre realme like as a good Father would doe in his howse when after that he hath beholden in his howse some of his naturall children murdered before his face and his whole familie in manifest danger of vtter ruine he doth at length see by the grace of god all the rest of his children and his house restored to a good peaceable and sure estate If it shal be by any man thought euill and vnmeete for the greatnesse of your royall estate to make open declaration and protestation of such a griefe surely vnder the fauor and â—orrection of such as so thinketh so â—o thinke should be to do so much the more wrong first to God and after â—o your owne conscience to your hoâ—or and suertie and to your iustice â—nd office royall and to throw vpon â—oure subiects professing the religion aswel those that be murdered as these that be left alyue an euerlasting infamie ioyned with reproch of a pretenced conspiracie and rebellion wherunto next after the seruice of God we ought to haue regard aboue al other things that be nedeful for vs for by such mean also shuld in plaine termes and openly be iustified aswell the authors as executers of those murders which should be to vs reprochfull and impossible to be dissemblingly passed ouer And therfore for the first article of our request we holding vs to youre Letter of the 24. of August do most humbly beseche your Maiestie that folowing the course that was begon vppon the hurt of the late Counte de Coligny Admirall of France it wilâ— please you according to the purport of your sayd Letter to do exemplarâ— iustice vpon the sayd murders by vnsuspected Iudges thereto specially apoynted of like and equall number of both religions and namely other then those of the courtes of Parliamentes and Presidencies of Paris Tholouze Bordeaux Rouen Orleans and Lyon in which the principall presidents and councellers are reputed to haue bene the fauorers approuers practisers of the sayd slaughters at least of those that haue bene coÌ„mitted within their townes yea and within your prisons and at open assemblies and with as greate spede as may be to depute apoynt the sayd Iudges in all places wher it shal be nedfull enioyning them vppon a great paine to proceed therin spedely diligenly vprightly without maintenance without parciall wynking and desembling of Iustice for so shall your Maiestie begin to pull out of the hartes of your subiectes that be of the religion the iust and great distruste that they haue coÌ„ceyued by seing themselues giuen vp abandoned to the crueltie of murderers and so shal they the more spedely take to them selues occasion to trust in your onely worde and promise Also it may please your Maiestie to remember that in certaine youre Letters of instructions and declarations sent to the gouerners your Liefenantes of your prouinces in the monethes of September October and December there is specially reserued the punishment of those that shal be found charged with the supposed conspiracy against the persons of you and yours and with intellygences practises and conducting of matters done during the last peace which thing might
be a cause that vnder this false pretence of reseruacion we or some of vs might be here after touched enquired vppon and molested in this realme iudicially or otherwise And to mete with suche captious dealinges oppressions it may please your maiestie by expresse wordes to reuoke the sayd reseruation and declare that youre maiestie holdeth and alwaye reputeth vs for good faythfull subiectes innocent and gyltlesse of al conspiracie and rebellion with inhibition to your aduocats atourneys gennerall their substitutes and all other for euer to make thervpon any pursute processe mencion or reproch That the same declaration be made of the sayde Lord Admirall the Countie dela Roche-foucaut the Ladies de Briquemaut and Cauaignes and the others that were murdered condemned and put to death for the sayde supposed conspiracie And that all arestes and Iudgments giuen and all procedinges had or passed vnder that pretence against those ot the religion be reuersed adnulled and declared to be of no effect and value and to haue bene geuen vpon false sclanderous information and that the persons decessed shal be restored to their good renounes and their heires to their goods and rights of inheritance And that their children which for hatred to their fathers are imprisoned or put or holden in any other distresse be spedely deliuered and restored to their former honor libertie into the hands of their next friendes And to ordeyne that those to whome their estates dignities charges and offices subiect to the finances haue bene giuen shall be bound to pay the finance to the sayd heyres as shall be awarded by two of the kindred or friendes knowen and neuerthelesse that their goodes money taken shal be restored them the withholders constrayned there vnto by all wayes of iustice That likewise al declarations ordinaunces and rules made against those of the Religion since the xxiiii of August last past be reuersed reuoked and declared of no effect and value And to extinguish the memorie of the said iudgements and arrestes the execution of them that likewise the sayd declarations ordinances rules be rased and withdrawne out of all registers of Courtes as well soueraigne as inferior and that the same iudgements arrestes and executions declarations ordinances and rules be taken away cancelled defaced That also all monumēts markes and tokens of the said executions be destroyed together with the Bookes and infamous actes against the personages memory and posteritie of the said persons deceased and executed and that namely specially shal be defaced suppressed as much as shal be requisite there shal be prohibited all proceedinges generall and ordinary as well by arrest of the Parliament of Paris in memorie of the said slaughters as by an other arrest of Tholouze reuersed by arrest of you priuie counsell touching the taking of the town house in the sayd first troubles and that all bee done in the presence of foure speciall persons whereof two shal be of the Religion hauing continued in the same during the troubles And the record examplified word by word of the proceeding herein shal be expedited and deliuered to those which shall haue expresse charge of procuration for that intent That it be declared that those of the Religion haue iustly and vpon good occasion taken armes withdrawen them selues made warre in these last troubles as being therto cōstrained by violence done wher with they haue ben terrified and put in feare And forasmuch as by the hearing of the word and by Ecclesiastical discipline your subiects are the better bolden in dutie of their subiection first toward God and next to your Maiestie and to their other superiors whom it hath pleased you to appoint ouer them they most humbly with most entire affection beseech your Maiestie in this behalfe to extend to them the most of your fauour and therin to ordeine that of your graunt and perpetuall benefite the exercise of their Religion and Ecclesiasticall Discipline and namely of their Synodes conferences and cōsistories Ecclesiasticall be freely permitted to thē for euer in all parts of this Realme as well publikely as priuately comprising therin by speciall name the libertie of honest seemely burial without difference of time in the same common Church-yardes about which matter many of the Catholiques haue oftentimes stirred vp great riots and debates in the townes where the sayd exercise was not permitted And that al exemptions from the exercise of the sayd Religion limitted in the townes and places as well of the Queene your Maiesties honorable mother as of my Lord the Kyng of Polonia your Maiesties Brother and other within your dominion be reuoked declared frō henceforth of no effect And to preuent all suspiscions that oftentimes heretofore haue bene raised touching the collectiōs made leuied among those of the religion for the charges and maintenance of the ecclesiasticall ministerie It may please your maiesty from henceforth to exempt those of the religion from the payment of tithes in those places where the sayd exercise shall be for as much as the tithes of their owne nature are apoynted for the sayd ministerie That none of the religion shall be sommoned or constrayned by youre officers vniuersities colledges and Comunalties to any ceremonie and contribution contrary to the sayd religion and that so much as the case shall require there be expresse prohibicion in your courtes and vniuersities in any wise to exact of them atteyning to any office and degre the othes accustomed in the churche of Rome contrarie to their sayd religion That all the houses rents and reuenewes of colledges and scholes appoynted for the instruction of youth shal be accompted and holden as ordeyned for euer for your subiects that will be there receiued without making difference of religion neyther as touching the Rector or Regent nor for the Scholers and officers consultes of townes places wher the sayd scholers and Colledges shall be bound to receiue rectors regents of both religions for the satisfaction instruction of both sortes without fraud or parcialitie That the mariages of Priestes Ecclesiasticall persons that now bee or hereafter shal be of the said Religion be declared lawfull and likewise their children issuing of their mariage for their inheritance and other rights of lawfull legitimation And that as well the father as the children be declared capable of publike offices estates and administrations That the deciding of mariages that is to say whether they be lawfull and perfect or no shal be from henceforth determined by the consistories and others of the religion or at least by their superior Iudge of your Iustice being a man of the same Religion That the gardians of Orphanes whose father was of the Religion shal be bound to cause them to be instructed and taught in the Religion of their Fathers at the least vntill their age of discretion like as your Maiestie hath at other time heretofore ordained That the same benefit of the exercise
with any thing what soeuer it be shal be bound to verifie theyr accomptes of their dealinges by those that haue had generall authoritie ouer them and to the sayd councels prouincial And that the like be done of all those that haue had the handeling charge administration of money during the former trobles since the yeare 1567. And the remaine that shal be found due by the sayd accomptantes and other detters of the sayd moneys shal be employed to the acquital and discharge of those of the religion for charges by occasion of the trouble and maintenance of the warre And this done the sayd accomptantes shall remaine acquited of their sayd administration and dealinges and wholy discharged thereof bringing the aquitance of those that had the commaunding of them in these last trobles made by the aduise of the sayd councels Prouincial and according to their rule so as in time to come neyther they nor their successors shall in any wise be put to answere therfore forbidding to al your chambers of accountes other Iudges ordinary or extraordinary all Iurisdiction and conusance and to youre attorneyes generall or perticular al power to sue for the same That also those of the religion remaine acquited and discharged for all actes of hostilitie leuyeng and conducting of men of Warre founding and taking of artilerie and munitions making of pouder and saltpeter takinges dismantellinges and rasinges of townes and Castles enterprises against the same burninges and destroyings of Churches and houses and fortifications and reparations of Townes places holden in their holding generally of all that hath bene by them don and practised during the aforesayd and the former trobles although the same be not perticularly expressed and declared so as for any of the thinges abouesayd nor other that haue happened in the sayd trobles none of them nor of their posteritie in generall or in perticular be charged nor in any wise reproched with any matter of Rebellion Disobedience or Treason notwithstanding all declarations Edicts and ordinances which your Maiestie may haue made to the contrarie and that the same according to the case may be reuoked and declared of no effect and value as wel in this respect as in respect of all other thinges proceding or depending vpon the sayd trobles That all thinges taken by priuat persones without publike authoritie Magistrate Gouernoure Consull Captaine or other by their commission or by the assemblies of the Comunalties on both parties and against the rules of the sayd assemblies be restored to those to whome they apertaine if the things be found remaining in their former kinde and if not then the value by iuste appraisment And as touching moueables and other thinges taken by hostilitie although they be found remaining in their kinde they shall not be chalenged nor subiect to restitution That the fruites of this present yeare that haue ben taken and leuied vntill the daye and date of these present Articles be declared not to be subiect to any restitution on the one part or the other to the intent to stope all variances processe that by this occasion may arise amonge your subiectes That these of the Religion be not constrained nor drawen into that lawe for payment of impositions ordinarie and extraordinarie assessed by the Catholikes during the present and former trobles but shall thereof remaine acquited and discharged And for asmuch as in all places where we haue warred for our defense the charges haue bene so expressed and importable that the moste part of vs are greatly in detted and charged It may please your Maiestie to giue vs leaue to haue an imposition and taxe to be sett among all vs of the Religion at the least to the some of sixe score thousand poundes payable in two yeares to be employed to the ful discharg of our sayd deftes And for the leuyeng thereof to grant vs necessary meanes of constraint as it were for youre owne money It may please your Maiestie to grant to those of the Religion which in the trobles passed haue bought any thing Temporall of Eclesiasticall persons truly payd the price therof that they may continue the possession and enioying of the thinges by them bought for the assurance of their Money vntill they be recompenced by the sayd Ecclesiasticall persons or other that will or may redeme the same with this condition that they shall leaue the possession immediatly after such repayment to them made Now Sir resteth the principal point namely the meanes of a true iuste suretie for the holding enduring assurance and perpetuall inuiolable mainteyning of your Maiesties promises and ordinances touching al the matters aboue sayd by a firme and continuing peace wherin we are most sorie and much agreued to propounde and to demaund of your Maiestie by our most humble supplication such meanes as seme to vs pertinent and reasonable yea necessarie to the establishment for euer of a good and firme peace in this Realme For we had rather that these meanes had bene offered vs of your Fatherly good will and fauor and of your owne proper motion But for asmuch as it pleaseth your Maiestie to permit vs and to do vs that honor to demaund it of you we most humbly beseech your goodnes that it be your good pleasure for the commoditie of your estate the reste of your consience the greatnesse and assurance of this Crowne and the common benefite and quiet of your Subiectes to contracte an vnitie League of new promise coniuncti on and Amitie to endure with all the Princes Potentates and estates of Almaigne and Swisserland that be of the Religion and the Queenes of England and Scotland to this intent with one common hand and consent to maintaine vnitie aswell betwene them and their Subiectes as betwene your Maiestie and all your Subiectes entierly both those that be called Catholikes and those that be named of the Religion reformed this to be don in all ciuile and humaine thinges That al these allies promise swear to mayntaine the sayd vnitie coniunccion and amitie for the common continuing of all in the sayd estate and communitie of all Ciuile humaine thinges in like manner as if they were all of one religion and this to be done in euery estate of the Countries Landes and Seignories of the sayd Kinges Princes Potentates or common weales That they swere and promise that none of the sayd Lordes Kinges or theyr successors Princes Potentats or common weales shal breake the sayd vnitie nor violate the publike faith and promisses as well betwene the sayd allies as betwene any of their subiectes that those which shall obserue it on their part may by all wayes of force constraine him or them that shall doe to the contrarie And that they be bound to do the like at the only request of those whō it shall concerne truely obseruing the sayd vnitie of whether soeuer religion they be That for eschewing a conspiracy of a Sicilian euensong as they
so great sumes of money hitherto leuyed of your people haue bene imployed and to cause the men of warre to be well payd hereafter which is the onely meanes to make them liue in order vnder good rule and warlike discipline and the people of the sayde thirde Estate will praye to GOD for the preseruation and increase of your highnesse in all prosperitie and health ¶ The Kings aunswere to the Deputies of the third State of the three Countries of Dolphine Languedocke and Prouence THE King hath taken in very good parte the complaintes griefes and requests made by the deputies of the third state of the Countries of Languedocke Dolphine and Prouince and assureth them that he will relieue thē as soone as his affaires may giue him leaue It maruelously greeueth his Maiestie that his poore people haue suffered so many wrong full troubles For the appeasing whereof he hath caused his Edict to be proclaymed intending to haue it kept and will to the vttermost of his power reache out his hand yit further to a greater pacification And his sayde maiestie doeth all his subiectes to vnderstand that he is charged with allowances to the Princes his bretherne and of the Ladies his Sisters with the interteynement of the Queene with the dowries of his mother and of the Scottish Queene with the allowances of the old Queene Elinor of the Duchesses of Berrey and Ferrara wherwith the kyngs his Grandfather and Father were not charged ouer and besides an infinit masse of dettes wherof the sayd kyngs his Graundfather and Father left him in arrerages which things haue ben the cause of his further charging of his saide people to his great grief Made to Villiers-Cotterets the 18. of October 1573. ¶ The aunswere and aduertisement of the Lord Lodowicke Earle of Nassau to the Kyng THe Lord Lodowicke Earle of Nassau for the zeale which hee hath of the good successe of the kynges Maiesties affaires hauing not long agoe talked freely and plainely with the Lords of Schombert and Fregouza at Frankford and afterward with the sayd Lord Schombert at Cassel thought that his Maiestie shold haue had intelligēce of all as well by the letters of the sayd Lord Schombert as by word of mouth of the said Fregouza hoping also that hee would haue taken all things in good part according as it proceeded from a hart that was at his commaundement Neuerthelesse the sayd Earle perceiueth by instructions from the sayde Fregouza lately roturned vnto him and vnderstandeth throughly by his wordes that his Maiestie taketh all things as though hee had ment to bridle him in his owne Realme VVherein notwithstanding it was the said Earles intent but to shew his Maiestie freely and vprightly the only meanes whereby he knew he might attaine to the thing that he pretended which was to knit a firme friendship and good league with the Protestant Princes and to put away and bury the euill report that went of his Maiestie as well by common deuises of pictures as by reprochfull Bookes and finally to assure him selfe of good aid against the kyng of Spaine in whō he espieth dayly diuers euill meanings towards him And forasmuch as his Maiesties sayd mistaking of things hath caused the sayd Earle to feare least he were not informed of the thing which hee woulde faynest haue him to know and which hee thinketh in sound conscience to be the fittest waye to bring the thing to passe which his Maiestie pretendeth he hath dispatched to him the Lord Chastelier to informe him more particularly of his meaning and of the thinges which he seeth to be expedient for the compassing of his desire Humbly beseechinge his Maiestie to beleue that his so doing is not vppon any peculiar passion or for any affection that he hath to any other thing than to see him in better estimation and reputation than he is among strange Princes and Potentates and further of from the destruction that preaseth hard at his heeles The meanes for him to come to the foresayd ends with the sayd Protestant Princes and to recouer the reputation wherof the former outrages haue bereft him is that his Maiestie should first and formest surcease his warres against them of the Religion which is the true and onely ground woorke whereuppon he may build his reputation new againe whatsoeuer he listeth besides with the Protestant Princes For otherwise it is impossible for him to preuayle And it is no brideling of his Maiestie but a receiuing of fauour at his hand when the sayd Princes may so trust in him as in them selues and shall see in good earnest that there lurketh none euill meaning towardes them which thing cannot be so long as his Maiestie shall persecute them of the same Religion in his Realme whereof the sayde Princes make profession and whereuppon they ground themselues By reason wherof they can neuer hope for any stedfast friendship or league with his Maiestie so long as he sheweth him selfe so sore against them in the chiefe poynt namely Religion which is the thinge that ouer ruleth the doinges of men VVherefore it is requisite to giue his Maiestie a Blanke wheron he might contitinually set his eye that first and formest he let the Protestants alone in peace And to the end that his Maiestie shoulde thinke that these be no discourses in the aire the sayd Earle beseecheth him to remēber that the same had ben the welspring of all his reputation and to call to mind what he had sayd to his hignes the first day of his comming to Bloys in the euening and many other times duringe the treatie of the king of Nauarres mariage namely that forasmuch as his Maiesty had labored so much to set peace among his subiectes and freely graunted the Protestāts the exercise of their Religion the sayd Lords and Princes desiring to be mayntained in like libertie bare him so hartie good will that in deuising ere whiles among themselues whō they might wish to be their Lord if the case shoulde so fall out as to come to election they desired his Maiestie with one mind wishing his auauncement and increase and hauing not any thing more common in their mouthes than his prayses VVhereuppon the sayde Earle sayd vnto his Maiestie that he hoped one day to see the imperiall Crowne vppon his head and that his Maiestie might beleue that that saying of his came not of himself but of such as hauing the authoritie and power to do it made their full accompt to chuse him to be kyng of Romanes VVherin his Maiestie should haue this aduantage that wheras other Princes were wont to buy and purchace it by all meanes and to offer all maner of condicions of aduauntage that they could deuise for the purpose like as the Emperour now present his Maiesties father in law had neuer ben chosen without earnest sute and solemne promises made wherof one among many other was that hee sware to maintaine euery man in freedome of conscience and exercise of the Religion