An answere to the examination that is sayde to haue bene made of one named Iohn de Poltrot calling himself the Lord of Merey vppon the death of the late Duke of Guyse By the Lord of Chastillon admyrall of Fraunce and others named in the saide examination At Caen. 1562. PRINTED AT LONdon by Rouland Hall for Edwarde Sutton dwellyng in Lumbard strete at the signe of the Cradell 1563. An Epistle A Fewe dayes after the late Duke of Guyse was hurt sodainly before the towne of Orleans the .xiiij. daye of Februarye laste past there rose a bruyte and rumour that one called Merey had done the deede at the suggestion of the Lord Admirall which was then and is yet at Caen in Normandy Lieutenant in the kynges army vnder the charge of the prynce of Conde Whereat the sayd Lord Admirall was not muche moued for as muche as he thought that this slaunder as many other woulde vanishe away of it selfe But since by the solicitation of a certain man called La Vallette maister of the campe of the light horsemen vnder the sayde Duke of Guyse goyng aboute to disvnite the Almaines and to put the Amirals armie into an vprore and trouble a copie of the confession beynge caste abrode in the sayd army ascribed vnto one called Iohn de Poltrot naming himselfe Senior of Merey signed by the hand of one called Maluaut Scriuener or Notarie by the which it appeareth that the said Poltrot being examined by the quene mother in persone in the presence of certaine lords of the counsell knightes of the order of the kings maiestie dyd greatly charge the said Lorde admyrall certayne other Lords also certayne Ministers of the worde of God to haue induced allured by wordes money the saide Poltrot to that which is abouesayde The sayde Lorde admyrall hauyng respect regard to the trouth to his honour can not attribute such an inuented accusation but to y e eneâ—ies of the rest quietnes of this realme coÌ„tinuing in their wicked wil purpose which is wholly to ouerthrow destroye the said Lorde admyrall with all those that professe the gospell bringing them into hatred to all the worlde by such craftes practises whervnto he meaneth spedely to seeke a remedye And for this cause not regarding the subtelties deceytes of the aforesaid enemies but trusting in God in his own good conscience hath not stickt to publishe the sayd confession word for word adioyning therevnto his answeres vppon euery article conteyned therein Protesting before god to answere it before all Iudges in christendom that be not suspected but indifferent offering him self to maintaine his innocencie in all sortes maners reasonable meete in the place degree that he hath in this realme to thentent that suche calumnie slaunder being discouered the trouth hauyng vanquished lyes the faultye and culpable maye be punished as the déede shall require ** The .xxi. daye of February 1562. in the campe at sainct Hyllaries besyde S. Mesmyn BEfore the Quéene mother of the kinge my lordes the Cardinall of Bourbon Duke of Etampes prince of Mantua y e Erle of Gruyeres the lordes of Martigues of Sansac of Cypierre of Losse and the byshoppe of Lymoge respectiuely lordes of the priuie counsell of the king and knightes of the order being than present Was brought one Iohn de Poltrot naming himselfe seniour of merey borne in the country of Angoumois in the lordship of Aubeterre of the age of xxvi yeares or there about who being commaunded by the said Quéene to declare truly the cause of his enprisonement who prouoked him to shoote y e dagge wherwith the Duke of Guyse was hurt on thursday last what his entent was or theirs which had caused him to doe it and what money he receyued for it or trusted for to receyue Sayd and confessed kneelynge on hys knees before the Quéene and askynge pardon these wordes folowing Deposition or confession That is to say y t about the moneth of Iune or Iuly laste The Prince of Conde beyng at Orleans and the lord of Soubize in his company whose seruaunt he is he went to the said towne of Orleans Aunswere The Lord admirall answereth truly and before God that he knoweth not when the sayd Poltrot arriued at Orleans nor when he went from thence and remembreth not that euer he saw him nor heard him speake in any maner or sort vntyll Ianuary last by occasion which afterward shalbe declared Deposition In the which place the Lord of Feuqueres the yong gouernour of Roy Captaine Brion came vnto hym and sayde that heretofore they had knowen hym to be a man to execute a matter or enterprise and that yf he would take in hande to do a good exployte which should tourne to the seruice of God and the honour of the kyng and the comfort of his people he shoulde be greatlye commended and estemed And then the Deponent requiring them to declare more and to open vnto him what enterprise they woulde speake of assuryng them that for his parte he woulde be alwayes ready to do seruyce to the kynge they than knowynge hys good wyll they remitted hym to the Lorde admyrall tolde hym that he shoulde gyue him to vnderstande more at large the matter that they had moued vnto hym Aunswere As touchyng the Captayne Brion the sayd lorde admyrall declareth that he neuer heard him speake of the sayde Poltrot and it is not lyke to be true that if the sayde Brion had knowen of any such practise he would haue helde his peace synce that he was in the seruice of the Duke of Guyse where he is now dead And as concernynge Feuqueres the sayde Lorde Admyrall remembreth well that aboute the latter ende of Ianuarye laste and neuer before he tolde hym speakynge of the sayde Poltrot newly comme from Lyons that sometyme he had knowen hym a man of seruyce in the tyme of the warre in Pycardye whych was the cause that the Lorde Admyrall shortlye after the reporte of the sayde Feuqueres employed hym as anone shall be declared And as for the reste the sayde Lorde Admyrall doubteth not but the saide Feuqueres can well answere for his owne déedes Deposition And agayne two or thre dayes after the sayde men Feuqueres and Brion presented him to the sayd Lord of Chastillon admyrall beyng lodged at Orleans nigh vnto the house of the prince of Conde And the sayde Chastillon was then in a low hall vnder the saide lodging after the sayde Feuqueres Brion had presented him to the sayde lord of Chastillon he commaunded all that were in the hall to depart whiche thing thei did And also the said Feuqueres and Brion departed and he remained alone with the saide Lord of Chastillon who asked him by these or such like words yf he would take vpon him to go into the campe of the kyng which the sayde lord of Chastillon called the Duke of Guyse campe beyng then beside
Bogency that if he wold enterprise to go to y e sayd campe about the matter that he would declare vnto him he shoulde doe God the kyng and the common wealth great seruice and the sayde deponent askyng hym what enterprise it was he said vnto him that yf he woulde venter to go to the sayde campe to kyll the sayde Duke of Guise whiche persecuted the faythfull he should do a meritorius worke toward God and man The sayde Deponent hearing these words which semed vnto him more then he was able to doe or performe he sayd vnto the sayd lord of Chastillon that he durst not take vpon hym so great a matter The which answere being made the sayde Lorde of Chastillon pressed hym no further but prayed him to keepe this talke secrete and not to vtter it to any man Aunswere The contents of this article are vtterly false and imagined wherevppon the said Lorde admirall sheweth first that in all this confessioÌ„ he is called but Lord of Chastillon which is a name y t he telleth not scorne of or disdeineth it but yet that declareth manifestly out of what shoppe thys confession comcommeth seynge he is not so called in no place of all thys Realme nor elles where but by theym that pretend by suche crafte to beriue and spoyle hym of the state and degree that appertayneth vnto hym And secondly these words The campe of the kyng whyche the sayde Lorde of Chastillon calleth the campe of y e Duk of Guyse being then besyde Bogency shew sufficiently that whosoeuer wrot or endyted thys deposition of the poore Deponent was to muche in a passyon or affection for to do his occupatioÌ„ wel and went about no other thing but to séeke how he myght not leaue out any thinge that myght charge the said lord Admirall were it to the purpose or not Finally when it is sayde that the Lord Admirall for to induce the sayde Poltrot alledged vnto him y t he should doe a meritorious worke to god man who seeth not plainly that al this talke was forged by some one all togyther ignorant of the true religion y â— whych y e said lord admiral professeth He shuld at the least haue considered what the doctryne of the Gospel is how much it condempneth the wordes to Merito and meritorious workes before he toke in hand to conterfete the talke of a gospeler But behold howe it fareth wyth false witnesses by the Iust iudgement of God that by their owne mouthe they be conuinced Deposition And synce the sayde Lord of Soubize departynge from the sayde towne of Orleans for to goe to Lyons the sayde Deponent accompanyed hym and there contynuallye remayned wyth hym vntyll about fiftene dayes after the battaylle foughte besyde Dreux Aunswere The sayde Lord Admyrall knoweth nothyng of all thys Deposition That the sayde lorde of Chastillon wrot to y e sayd Soubize being at Lions y e he shuld send him the said deponent Aunswere The sayd lord Admirall wrote then many times to lions to the lord of Soubize but vppon hys lyfe his honour it shall not be found that euer he wrote that the said Poltrot shuld be sent vnto him whom he knoweth not whether euer he saw or knew before thought nothyng vpon him Deposition And thaÌ„ in dede the said lord of Soubize dispatched him with letters to goe to the said lord of ChastilloÌ„ gaue him a packet to carye not telling him what he wrot vnto the said lord of ChastilloÌ„ And being arriued nygh vnto y e towne of Celles in Berry in a place named Villefranche he found the lord of Chastillon there to whome he delyuered the sayde packet of letters Aunswere The lord Admiral remembreth wel that it is so but so farre of is it y t it was to employ the said Poltrot about thys matter now in question that contrary wise the said lord of Soubize sent word that he shuld send him againe bycause he was a man of seruice as the letters shall declare and specifye Deposition And when he had sene the letters he commaunded him to go to tarrye hym at Orleans and so he dyd Aunswere The sayd lord Amirall sent him not to Orleans but he gaue hym leaue to goe thyther bycause he sayde he had busynes to doe there Deposition And shortly after the retourne of the said lord of Chastillon vnto Orleans this Deponent presenting himself to y e said lord of Chastillon to know vnderstand his pleasure he asked him if he remembred the talke that he had w t hym the somer before this Deponent answering said y t he remembred it verye wel but it was to venturous a thinge The said lord of Chastillon saide vnto him y t if he wold execute the said enterprise he should do the most notable and most honorable thing for the seruice of god the comoÌ„ welth y t euer was done gaue him courage to put the same in execution froÌ„ the which ons againe he wold haue excused himself But than euen at y t instant came in Theodore de Beze another minister of a smal stature somwhat bigge w t a blacke berd y â— which spake vnto him many things demaunding him if it were not a blessed thing to cary his crosse in this world as Christ had caried it for vs after mani discourses words they said vnto him y t he shuld be the most happiest man in this world if he wold execute the enterprise which y e lord Admiral had moued vnto him bicause he should ryd a tirant out of this world for the which acte he shuld win heaueÌ„ be among y e blessed â—aits if he died in so iust good a quarel By the which persuations the said deponent graunted vnto them saide to the lord of Chastillon y t he was ready to consent to al the sayings of the saide ministers and that he woulde than the wyll of God and woulde go to the campe of the said Duke of Guyse to endeuour to put the said enterprise in execution For the which he was greatly commended esteemed as well of the sayd Lord of Chastillon as of the sayd Ministers thei told him that he was not alone that had done such exployts because there were many other y t had taken vpon them the like charge namely y e saide lord of ChastilloÌ„ said vnto him y t there were more then fifty other gentilmen of good houses that had promised him to put in effect other lyke matters and furthwith caused his steward to geue him .xx. crowns for to go to the campe at Messas where then the said Duke of Guyse was to thende he might thinke deuise y e meane way how he might bring his purpose to pas Aunswere The sayd lorde admirall answereth truly before god man that the foresaid words be falsely wickedly inuented And furthermore to thentent that all the world may know how he behaued himself towarde the sayd Duke
of Guyse he declareth frankly frely that before these last tumults he knew some that were determined to kyll the sayd Duke of Guyse because thei were displeased with him But so farre of is it that he inticed them thervnto or allowed it that rather contrariwise he did disuade and tourne them from their wicked purposes as madame de Guyse her selfe knoweth whome he sufficiently aduertised thereof in tyme and place where True it is that after the murder at Vassy after taking of armur for to maintain y e authoritie of the kynges decrees and lawes and to defend the poore oppressed men agaynst the violence of the sayd Duke of Guyse and his adherentes he hath counted pursued them as publyke enemyes of God of the kyng of the rest quietnesse of this realme But vppon hys lyfe hys honour it shall neuer be founde that he allowed that anye man shoulde attempt on this sort vppon the person of the sayde Duke vntyll he was certainelye aduertised that the sayde Duke of Guyse the Marshall Sainct Andre had hired suborned certain persons to kil the prince of Conde him his brother Dandelot as the sayde Lorde Admyrall not longe ago declared amplye vnto the Queene before Paris and synce vnto the Constable at Orleans And seyng thys he confesseth that synce y â— tyme when he heard one say that yf he could he would kyll the Duke of Guyse yea euen in his campe he dyd not dissuade or withholde hym from it But vppon hys lyfe and honoure it shall neuer be founde that he soughte or induced any man to do it neyther by words money or promises by himselfe nor by anye other directly nor indirectly And touching the twentye Crownes whereof mencion is made in the article before he acknowledgeth it to be true that at his last retourne to Orleans about the end of Ianuary last after that the saide Feuqueres had tolde him that he had knowen the sayde Poltrot for a man of seruice he determined to employ and vse hym for the vnderstandynge of newes from the campe of his sayd enemies for this cause he gaue hym .xx. Crownes hauing no other words or talke w t him nor ons making any mencion of killing or not killing the sayde Duke of Guyse For namely if the said Lorde admyrall had had any suche enterprise in hand he would in no wyse haue trusted the said Poltrot for when he sent him to y e camp of y e said duke of Guyse about y e matter foresaid it was not w tout mistrusting him for asmuch as it séemed vnto him that he made the meane way to easie to enter into the sayde campe as the saide lord admirall declared vnto Monsieur de Grammont who at that tyme was present neuerthelesse he letted not to send him for to vnderstande newes of the sayde campe saying these very wordes that he should be rather tryed proued than nourysshed maineteyned Vpon this same article also Thodore de Beze declareth most truly as foloweth for his dyscharge be fore all christendome To wete that seyng manye so animated moued against the sayde Duke of Guyse for the murther committed at Vassy yet he was neuer of the mynde or aduise at that tyme to procede against the sayde Duke but by way of ordinarye iustice where of he calleth them to witnes that haue séene heard him speake at that time which also was y e cause why he was at Monceaux in the coÌ„pany of other appoynted by the reformed church of Paris for to require iustice for y e said murder at the kings maiestie the quene his mother of y e late king of Nauar beseching theÌ„ most huÌ„bly to prouide w t al diligence against the troubles which alredy thretened this realme are hapned since indede And herevpoÌ„ the answer y â— it pleased y e quene to make him was such that thei of y e reformed church wer coÌ„tented satisfied w t it for the hope y t was geueÌ„ them y â— good spedy iustice shuld be don vpoÌ„ the traÌ„sgressers But sone after the said duke of Guise his coÌ„plices hauiÌ„g taken armour the matter brought to such a state y â— right iustice could take no more place which is more y e persoÌ„s of the king quene being vsed handled as euery man knoweth he coÌ„fesseth to haue at y â— time aswell publikly in his sermoÌ„s as by letters words warned aduertised aswell y e prince of Conde as thadmirall al other lords men of all coÌ„ditioÌ„s qualities professing y â— gospel of their duty for to briÌ„g theÌ„ to maintein by al meanes possible y e authoritie of y e kings lawes ordinances thinnocenâ—ie of y e pore oppressed And since he hath alwayes coÌ„tinued yet now coÌ„tinueth in the same minde exhorting not w tstanding euery man to vse his armour and weapons w t the most modestie y t is possible to seke next to y e honour of god peace concord aboue al things so that thei suffer not theÌ„selues to be deceiued Of the which things he taketh to witnes all those which haue hard him publikly or particularly such as wyll say the trouth And furthermore as concerning y e Duke of Guyse because he hath taken him for the chief authour main tainour of these troubles he confesseth to haue manye tymes desyred prayed God eyther to tourne the heart of the sayde Duke of Guyse whyche thyng not withstanding he coulde neuer hope for or elles to deliuer this realme from him Whereof he calleth to witnesse all those y t haue hard his sermoÌ„s praiers and namely madame de Ferrare knoweth what he tolde her both w t mouth and heart and what he hath often tymes wrytten to her hereof But it shall not be founde that euer he named the said Duke of Guise publikly not y t euer he spake to the said Poltrot in person nor by any other nor that euer he knew him or had to do w t hym in any thing then muche lesse that he did counsell him to do it The sayde Theodore de Beze sayth more ouer y â— it shall neuer be found that euer he hyred or suborned any other man to do this deede wherein he acknowledgeth not withstanding a iust iudgement of god threatening the like or greater punishment vnto all the sworne enemies of his holy ghospell and those that are the causes of so much miserie calamitie in this realme And for the verifiing of his answere beside the forsayde things he taketh his aduantage vpon y e very termes ascribed vnto y â— sayd Poltrot deponent For thaÌ„ks be to god he is not so ignorant or euill instructed in his charge calling as to apply y e scripture so euil in that which is there said to cary his crosse muche lesse to saye that men winne heauen And therfore he sendeth all this
wordes Houardot Vnderstandyng those wordes he knewe it was the gard of the Suyssers drewe backe and rode on the spurre vntill the next day nyne of the clocke in the mornyng And perceyuynge that his horse was wery and sore trauailed he lodged in a ferme where he rested vntyll the next morrowe that he was taken and brought as prisoner Answer This article appertaineth particularly to the said Poltrot and therfore he referreth it vnto hym praising god in the meane while for all hys iuste iudgementes Deposition And vpon that which the said quene mother examined him whether any other were consenting to the said enterprise beside y e lord of Chastillon the said ministers He said y t he was neuer spokeÌ„ to of it by any other persoÌ„s theÌ„ by the said lord of Chastillon the sayd Theodore de Beze and his fellow but yet he thinketh that he lord of Roche foucaul knew some thing of the matter forasmuch as when he arryued at the said Ville â—ranche besyde the toun of Celles the sayde Roche foucault shewed him a good countenance and said he was welcome Aunswer This confession is manifestly contrary to that which before he declared against Feuqueres and Capitain Brion and yet wrongfullye and without cause as the said lord Admyrall thynketh And as for that which concerneth the erle of Rochefoucault he aunswereth truely that if he had knowen any thing of such an enterprise he woulde not denye it but he neuer hearde any talke of any suche thing before it was done and referreth it also to the iudgement of all vpright men whether the contecture of the saide Deponent bee well grounded or not and whether it appeareth not that the sayde Poltrot hath beene rather procured to accuse the said erle of Rochefoucault by som manner of meane than to testifye the truth Deposition And as touching the Prince of Conde beyng therevpon demaunded saith he neuer knewe that he was priuy to the sayde enterprise neyther that he knewe any thyng of it and thynketh in his conscience that he neuer knewe of it But contrary wyse the fyrst time that the sayd lord of Chastillon spake of this enterprise the said Deponent asked hym if the prince of Conde wold haue him to do it the said lord Admyrall aunswered and said that he needed not aske any thing as concerning the prince of Conde Ansvver The sayde lorde Admirall perceyneth by this article the crafte and subtiltye of his enemies goyng about by al meanes to separate hym and al this army from the Prince of Conde lieue tenaunt generall for the kynge in the said army But he is assured that such practises by the grace of God shall returne and fall vppon their owne heades Furthermore he douteth him not but will beare alwayes witnes of the integritye honestye and innocencye of the sayde prynce not onely in thys deede but also in all that is taken in hande done saide or written by hym in this warre and denieth plainly and expressely the ende of the saide article referring hymselfe to that he hath answered before Deposition Likewise he declareth that Monsieur Dandelot neuer spake to hym of it nor the lord of Soubize but contrarye wise when the said Deponent declared vnto him the first talk that the lord of Chastillon hadde with hym of which he hath before spoken the sayd Soubize said vnto him that it oughte not to be done by that meanes for yf God would punish the saide Duke of Guyse he wold do it another way not vsyng such maner of doyngs Answer The sayd lord Admirall thinketh in his conscience that the saide Poltrot had neuer suche talke with the sayde Soubize for he neuer vnderstode any thing therof and also douteth nothing of the innocency of Monsieur Dandelot his brother nor of y e said Soubize Deposition And also the said Deponent hath aduertised and warned the quene to beware and to take hede to her selfe because y t synce the battail besyde Dreâ—â— the said lord of Chastillon with the capitains and souldiors being with him beare her euill wil saying that she betraâ—ed them bicause she promised theÌ„ before Paris many thinges which she hath not perfourmed Answer The said lord Admirall saieth that this aduertisement and warning can not procede but out of a wicked mind which desireth nothyng elles but the continuaÌ„ce of the present miseries and calamities of this realme for proofe of his fidelity faithfulnes he cannot haue better witnes thaÌ„ the quene her self with y e seruices that he hath done heretofore protesting before gâ—d that by his grace no euill entreating made him euer nor shal nâ—uer make him forget the duty and obedience that he oweth vnto their maiesties to his countrey he douteth not but the intent mind of the lordes capitaines and other of his army is so likewise Deposition Sayeng more ouer that there wer many persons as well in the traine of the court as folowing this campe which were sent by the saide lorde of Chastillon to execute the lyke enterprises yet he neuer hearde them named whom the Lorde of Chastillon would haue to be kylled but onely in generall woordes he hearde hym say that after the said duke of Guise shoulde be kylled he woulde cause the lyke to be doone to all those that successiuely would rule and leade the army and also that there muste bee slayne sixe or seuen knyghtes of the order not otherwyse namyng them but that he vnderstode it commonly by the capitaynes and souldiors beyng at Orleance which hated greatly the lorde Duke of Montpensier and monsieur de Sansaâ— and that if the sayd duke of Guyse were slain together with the sayde knyghtes of the order to whome they bare euyll wyll they woulde than come to the courte to submytte theym selues to the grace and pardon of the kynge and would doo what he would commaund them Ansvvere The sayde lorde admyrall answereth to this article as vnto the next before it leauing it to al meÌ„ to iudge that know him whether it smell lyke a trouthe that in case he had taken in hande suche enterprises he would haue discouered theym vnto suche a man as the sayd Poltrot is And as touchyng that he sayth that he heard it sayde of the capitaynes and souldiours the sayd lord admirall ought not to aunswere to it and yet beleueth it not to bee true specially seynge there is not so greate occasion nor appareÌ„ce of hatred against them which are named in the said Article Deposition He saith moreouer that being in y â— town of Bloys with the said duke of Guyse whyle the Campe was at Messas he found in the gardens of y e said town nigh vnto y e king who thaÌ„ playd at the mallet the ball a maÌ„ of a mean stature w t a red berd red hose and a ierkyn of lether cut which had a dagge ready charged and spande in his hande whome sometyme he had seene at Orleance in the saide lord of Chastillons hall Ansvvere
The sayd lorde Admyrall can not tell what the sayd Poltrot myght see at Bloys and therefore ought not to answere to it but he knoweth verye well that he and all hys army beare accordyng to their duetie a singuler affection obedience and reuerence to his maiestie as his true and faithfull subiectes and seruants and that they haue nothyng in this worlde so deare vnto theym as the prosperitie and wealth of their prince and kyng Deposition And furthermore that he sawe in this campe fower men well horsed whose names he knewe not but he knoweth them if he see them whych wer in the hall at Orleance when he spake with the said lord of Chastillon the laste tyme and the sayde lorde of Chastillon asked him if he would be knowen vnto the said men who also had promised him to execute other enterprises But this deponent fearyng to be descried prayed the sayd lord of Chastillon not to discouer hym vnto them And sayde that if they woulde geue him libertie to walke about the campe he trusted to fynde them out and to shewe them Ansvvere The said lord Admirall saith that calumnie and false report was forged in the same shoppe that the other were and for to haue certaine true knowledge therof they shold haue suffred y e said Poltrot to walk about the campe with a good sure gard about hym Deposition Being demanded what the said lord of Chastillon departing froÌ„ Orleance to go into Normandie went to doo worke said that he purposed to go to ioyne with the Englishemen and to bring them to Orleance that at his departyng he promised his brother monsieur D'andriot that if the said duke of Guise wold come to besiege the said towne of Orleance he wold come with succour and wold seke to gyue hym battaile Ansvvere The sayd lord Admirall answereth that his enemies sekyng so curiously all meanes to destroy hym vnder the colour and pretext of iustice shoulde haue sought out thynges by some other of his counsell than by the sayd Poltrot or other suche as he is And also the said Poltrot was not at Orleance whan the sayd lorde Admirall departed from thence at the lest that he knewe of and therfore could not testifie any thynge but by heresaye what he had promysed vnto the sayd monsieur Dandelot his brother And furthermore the sayd lorde admirall sayth that it shall not be founde that he euer dyd it and that he had rather dye than to thynke ones to doo any thyng contrary to the dutie of a true and faithfull subiecte and seruant of his maiestie as he wil shewe it at all tymes when nede shall require Deposition Furthermore beyng demanded of the maner of the deathe of the late marshal saint Andre and after what sort he was killed said that he heard say at Orleance of many gentilmen that forasmuch as the sayd Marshall Saint Andre had first geueÌ„ his faith to a yonge gentylman of a highe stature with a lyttle abern bearde and afterwarde the seconde tyme had geuen his said faith to the prince of Portian the said gentylman to whom he had fyrst geuen his fayth killed hym with his dagge and more the said deponent sayde not The mynute he hath signed The .xxii. of the said moneths and yere this present confession or depositions being made yesterday by the said Iohn de Poltrot before y e quene and the lordes of the counsell and knightes of the order were red and repeted agayne to the saide Poltrot in the whiche his confession after an othe by him takeÌ„ he persisted saying that it coÌ„teined the truth and in witnesse therof signed euery leafe of the minute thus signed P. Maluaut Ansvvere If the said Poltrot either for feare of deth or by any other subornatioÌ„ or persuasion hath persisted in his false inuented confessions The said lorde admirall they that by them be charged with him haue more reason to persist in their answers which contein the pure and plaine truth And for as much as the verificatioÌ„ of all this matter dependeth vpon the bryngyng of the said Poltrot face to face before theÌ„ whom he hath charged the said lorde admirall with the other aforenamed after hauynge refused the courtes of parliament all other iudges which haue manifestly declared themselues their enemies in these present tumultes most humbly besech the kings maiestie to appoint coÌ„maund y â— the said Poltrot may bee wel safly kept in place where he may neither be put in feare nor suborned vntill it shal plese god to grauÌ„t the long desired and necessary peace in this realme and that by this means the whole matter may be verified and ended before vpright vnsuspect iudges and in case that any of the said iudges of the parliament or any other will forthewith procede in iudgement and execution of the sayde Poltrot and by that meanes take froÌ„ the said lord admiral from al thother the true meane way to iustify themselues of the said fals accusations they protest of their integritie innocency honest reputation and stand against the said iudges and againste all other to whom it shal appertayne Geuen at Caen in NormaÌ„dy the 12. day of Marche 1562. Thus signed Chastillon La Rochefoucault 〈◊〉 Bâ—ze A copy of the letter sente to the quene by the said lord Admiral with the foresaid aunswer MAdame two daies since I saw an examination whiche was made to one Iohn Poltrot catling himself the lord of Merey the 21. day of the last moneth who confesseth to haue hurt the duke of Guise by the which also he chargeth y t I should procure him or rather forced hiÌ„ to do that he hath done because it is the thing that I moste feare in this worlde least the said Poltrot shold be put to execution before the truth of this matter be knowen I most humbly beseche your maiestie to commaund that he may be well kepte And in the meane tyme I haue set forth certaine articles vpon euery one of his which me thinketh deserue an aunswer the whiche I sende vnto your maiestye by this trompet whereby all men of good iudgement may almost be certified of the matter And more ouer I saye that it shal not be found that euer I sought that man nor any other to do such a deede But rather contrarywyse I haue alwayes stopte and not suffered asmuch as laye in me that suche enterprises shoulde bee â—utte in execution And thereof haue I often tymes talked wyth the Cardinall of Lorayne and Madame de Guyse and namely with your maiestye whome it maye please to be remembred howe contrary I haue bene thereunto sauyng within this fyue or syxe monthes that I haue not muche ben against those which shewed them selues to haue such a mynde And that hathe bene synce there came certayne personnes whiche I wyll name when tyme shall serue which sayd that they were procured to come to kyll me as it shal please your maiesty to remember what I sayde vnto you at Paris going out of the Myll where we commoned together whiche thyng also I haue tolde vnto the Constable and neuerthelesse I may say and that truly that for myne owne part I neuer soughte procured nor practised wyth any man aboute suche a matter And I wyll reporte me vnto all those whiche haue sene suche enterprises putte in effecte beefore me howe muche I mocked suche doynges And beecause I will not trouble your maiesty wyth any longer letter I most huÌ„blye beeseeche the same ones againe to commaunde that the saide Poltrot be wel and diligently kepte for to verifye of this matter the truthe Also that beeyng broughte to Parys as I heare saye I feare leste they of the court of parliament wil put him to execution and al for to leaue this calumnye and false accusation in my necke or els lest they should procede against me for this dede which thing they cannot do beyng my parties and refused as they be And in y e meane time think not that which I say is because I am sory for the duke of Guise for I think it is the greatest good turne that euer could happen to this realme and to y e church of god and particularly to me and to al my house and also if it please your maiesty it shalbe the mean to set this realme at rest and peace whiche thing al we of this army desyre according to y â— whiche we haue required of you as sone as we were aduertised of the death of the said duke of Guyse Madame I praye god geue you moste parfit helth with happy and long life From Caen the. 12. of March 1562. FINIS
confession into the forge from whence it came being readie also to submitte himselfe generally and particularly concerning al that he hath done sayd in this present warre to the knowledge vnderstandynge of all vnsuspect Iudges as well in thys realme as ells where vpon paine to be punished as the most wicked offēdour vpon the earth yf he be founde a lyer or culpable in this aunswere Deposition The which xx crownes he receiued and came to the said campe at Messas where he presented himselfe vnto the sayd Duke of guise and sayde that he repented him selfe that he had caryed armoure agaynste the Kynge and that he would from hence forthe render hymselfe vnto hym The whyche thynge the sayde Duke of Guyse toke in good parte and sayde that he was wellcome And when the said Duke departed from Messas to goe to Blois thys Deponent went thyther and retourned wyth hym Aunswere The said Lord Admirall beleueth it to be so forasmuch as the said Poltrot told him the same thinge not at Orleans where he neuer sawe him synce he sent hym to the saide Campe to knowe vnderstand newes but in a place called Neufuille as afterwarde shall be declared And the saide Lord Admyrall remembreth well that the said Poltrot bringing report of that he had sene and knowen in the said campe said that he went to Neung to one whom he called senior de Lstang who presented him to the said Duke of Guise Deposition And certaine daies after he returned to Orleans to the said lord of Chastillon and there excused himself vnto him from taking in hand so great a charge bycause that the saide Duke of Guyse vsed not to goe out of his house but w t a great companye But the sayde Lord of Chastillon encouraged hym more then he dyd before said he knew well ynough what he had promysed hym and that he might not make ani excuse in the matter And furthermore caused the sayde Theodore de Beze and the other minister whyche before had spoken to hym to gyue hym dyuers instructions whyche so troubled hys mynd that he accorded and consented to do what they would And for to confyrme him in thys wycked mynde and purpose the saide Lorde of Chastillon gaue hym with hys owne handes a C. crownes of the sunne in a paper for to bie him a horse if his were not good ynough for to saue himselfe after he had done the deede The whiche C. crownes this Deponent receiued and came to the sayde campe at Messas to fynde the meanes to put the sayde enterpryse in effecte Aunswere It is true that the said Poltrot comming againe to Orleans to make hys report of things found not the said lord Admyral there who was already gone on hys iourney towarde Normandye which thing is sufficient to proue that the rest of the former article is no lesse false inuented True it is that Monsieur Dandelot hauinge heard hys report of newes at Orleans sent hym to the said lord Admirall his brother then being ariued at y ◠village of Neufuille sixe or seuen leagues from Orleans in his said viage to Normandy accompanied w t Monsieur de Traues bi whom he sent him word that he was determined to stay the said Poltrot because he semed to make a doubtfull and an vncertaine reporte of newes Yet neuertheles the said Lord Admirall hauyng heard hym Iudged that would serue their turne for to vnderstand certayne newes of the enemyes campe and for this cause he delyuered him y e hundred crownes whereof there is question aswel for to horse himself better as for to vse diligence requisite in such aduertisementes and commaunded him to repaire in his absence to the said Monsieur Dandelot his brother More the said lord Admirall remembreth well now that the said Poltrot went so far in making his report of newes that he said it was an easy thing to kyl the said Duke of Guyse But the said lord Admirall staid not vppon that talke because he thought it a thyng to vain and folyshe and vppon his lyfe and hys honour he neuer opened his mouthe to prouoke hym to take it vpon hym Vppon the selfe same Article Theodore de Beze aunswereth that he cannot remember that he euer sawe the sayde Poltrot and he neuer knew him nor knoweth hym yet and muche lesse that he euer spake to hym about suche an enterprise Deposition And synce the sayd Duke of Guyse being come w t the armie in thys place of S. Hylary besyde S. Mesmine he folowed him hauing bought of Mōsieur de la Mauuoisiniere a spanishe Genet at the saide place of Messas for y ◠sūme of a C. crownes that he gaue him the horse wherevppon he rode before And lodged certaine daies in the Castell of Corneil .ii. or .iii. leagues frō the cāpe at s Hilaryes differring to execute the said enterprise vntill he saw the towne of Orleans sore laide vnto that they went about by al meanes to take it fearing than y ◠many honest men being in the towne shuld be slain spoiled he fully determined w t himself to kepe his promise And to do this act on thursday last y e xviii of this present moneth after he had dined in a ferme halfe a league frō the house where the saide Duke of Guise was lodged it came into hys mind to execute y t day y e said enterprise in dede the said Duke passing the ryuer of Leret for to go to Pontereau he accompanied him folowed him to the said Pontereau than returned by the brydge village of Olyuet where the Suyssers were lodged there taryed the coming of the said Duke of Guyse at the passage of the sayd riuer of Leret intending whether he were well or euill accompanied to execute his enterpryse as he dyd And hearing a trōpet blowen at the retourne of the sayde Duke of Guyse whan he woulde enter into the boote to passe the water he approched neere vnto the Ryuer and after that the sayde Duke of Guyse was landed beynge accompanyed onelye wyth one gentyllman that wente before and another that spake vnto hym rydynge vppon a lyttle Mulette he folowed hym behynde and whan he approched nigh vnto hys lodginge at the corner of a strete where there were manye wayes turning this way y t way he shote hys dagge at him charged w t thre pellets about vi or vii pase of thinking to strike him in the shulder bycause he thought he had bene armed on the body and by by set spurres to his spanishe genet whervpon he rode and saued himselfe swiftly passing ouer muche wood that was cut down rode that night about x. leagues in the countrey thinking to conuey himselfe far frō Orleans But god would that the darkenesse of the night turned hym out of his way and came againe to the village of Oliuet into the myddes of y e gard of Suissers where one of the sayd Suyssers spake vnto him these