Counsell giuen the king against the peace and quietnesse of his Realme The king hauing agreed with his forraine enemies with whom all men hoped a most sure and perpetuall alliance to be made was againe put in minde and counselled to redouble the hard and cruell punishments by him deuised against those of the religion who in the middle of those troubles had much increased thoughout all the Realme And so in steed of spirituall meanes to be vsed in things concerning the soule diuers euil Councellors to this Prince caused him to conceiue an extream hatred to those of the religion filling his eares with many vnworthie terrible reports against them Monsieur d'Andelot first felt it being for religion committed prisoner in Melun wherevpon many discontentments and suspitions grewe among the most noble houses whereof ensued diuers and many mischiefes which after the death of king Henry began to increase who hauing vnderstood that in the Parliament of Parris many and diuers iudgements were made touching the condemnation of such as were accused for religioÌ„ was counselled to sit in person at a Mercurialist iudgement Mercuriales and imprisonment of certaine Councellors in Parris within the Augustines because as then the Pallace was preparing and making readie for the marriages that there hee might heare and vnderstand the aduise of all his Presidents and Councellours Others of the same Councel esteemed that the presence of the king wold but abash such as seemed to oppose therin and that so those of the religion remaining without support and condemned they would in fine procure the execution of their desires But it fell out cleane contrary for that some Councellours said and flatly affirmed that it would be more conuenient to deale with lesse rigour against those of the religion vntill such time as by a free and generall counsell they had beene shewed their errour Hee that spake boldest and plainest was Anne de Bourg a man of great learning and pietie The king that neuer had heard any speech of such importance commaunded the Constable to leade du Bourg and other Councellours prisoners to aunswere their obiections swearing in great chollour that hee would see the end Wherevpon Monsieur Montgommery Captaine of the guard ledde du Bourg into the Bastille the rest into other places Meane time those of the religion were hardly pursued in euery place who during those troubles in the moneth of May caused a Sinode to be holden by all their Pastors A Sinode of the religion in Parris Deacons and ancients within the Towne of Parris wherein the Articles of the Doctrine and Discipline of the reformed Churches throughout all the Realme were written and set downe Meane time the Courtiers sought and deuised all the meanes of ioyes and pleasures they could inuent thereby to solemnise the royall marriages both of the Kings daughter and of his sister I speake not of the murther committed vppon the person of a renowmed Player of Comodies who at that time had made most magnificall preparations therewith to reioyce the Court that was slaine in the house of Reims by his owne seruants so that all his preparations were layd aside Preparation for the marriages neither yet of the Queenes Dreame nor of the apprehensions and discourses of diuers Politicians who were of opinion that this great Wheele of earthly prosperities would shortly turne about onely I will shew you that the sighes of prisoners for religion the horrible torments vsed to some of them and the earnest prayers of infinit numbers of families threatned and that wel perceiued that the peace had beene agreed vppon betweene the Frenchmen and the Spaniards thereby to make a warre with them that neuer should haue an end were the winds that hoysed vp the wonderful and strange alterations which the wise and prouident counsell of God in short time after made to appeare Marriage of the King of France his daughter with king Phillip Elizabeth of France hauing been solemnely ledde and conducted by the King her father > vnto the Cathedrall church of Parris and there most magnifically and in great triumph espoused by the Duke d'Alue Deputie for the king of Spaine his Maister The espousals done by the Cardinall de Bourbon and after fiers of ioy made for the peace the reioycings of the people glad of that rest quietnesse the Banquets Proclaimations and Ceremonies accustomed with all maiestie performed assisted by so many Noble Princes Lords Gentlemen Cardinals Officers and Domesticall seruants both of the King and Queenes houshould there likewise beeing present the Dukes of Sauoy and Alue the Prince of Aurange the Counte d'Aiguemont and other Lords of the lowe Countries in great numbers and after the sumptuous banquets playes maskes and daunces followed the last act which changed all those ioyfull and pleasant Comodies into bloodie and mornfull Tragedies wherein the king played the lamentable Prologue for that hauing published a running at Tilt to bee performed within S. Anthonies streete Atourney in S. Aâ—thoniesstreete where against the aduise of those that besought him to leaue that exercise to such as should shewe him pleasure therein he would in person be a principall actor seconded by the Dukes of Guise and Ferrare But the second day of his running hauing runne verie often the Queene desired him to leaue off saying that the Duke of Sauoy might supply his place He sent her word by the Marshall de Montmorency that hee would runne but once more and that for the loue of her Wherevppon hauing sent a Launce to the Counte de Montgommory commanding him to runne against him and the Counte earnestly excusing himselfe eyther for the respect hee bare vnto his Prince or fearing to faile as the first day hee had many times done not once touching any against whome hee ranne The King sent him expresse commaundement not to refuse him With that the Earle ranne and breaking his Launce vppon the Kinges Cuirasse The king sore hurt with a splinter of a lance a splinter thereof entered into the Kinges Vizarde not beeing well closed and by chaunce ranne into his eye so farre in that his head festered Wherewith the King presently beganne to fall by reason of the blowe but the Princes and Lordes ranne to him and ledde him into his Pallace of Touernelles where in great dolor and paine he died vpon the tenth day of Iuly He died in the flower of his age in the thirteenth yeare of his raigne and the fortie and two yeare of his age the day before his death he desired that the marriage of the Duke of Sauoy and Lady Margaret his sister should be celebrated in his Chamber and that whatsoeuer had beene accorded vnto by the treatie of peace touching the Duke should wholly bee performed His heart was buried in the Temple of Celestins in the Chappell of the Dukes of Orleans his royall Obsequies were celebrated vppon the thirteene day of August and his bodie buried at Saint Dennis in the Common
first to haue been signified to the Court of Parliament in Parris that the King ought not to permit the exercise of two religions within his Realme that the inhabitants of Parris ought not to be constrained to leaue their armes The Bishop in open tearmes seemed to charge de Thou and all his companions to shew but small vnderstanding in those affaires and much lesse conscience The twentie foure of September following by Decree of the priuie Councell the mawrite of the King or as some are of aduice the regencie and Soueraigntie authoritie of the Queene was confirmed The Pope abandoneth the Realm of Nauarre to him that could take is by force wherevnto the King opposeth At the same time an other deuise was wrought against those of the religion The Pope faining that he could no longer beare with the reformation of religion and doctrine vsed in the Realme of Nauarre and the Soueraigntie of Bearn in the moneth of September caused a declaration to bee published in Rome against Ieane d'Albert Queene of Nauarre who as then made publicque profession of the religion and had driuen the Masse out of her Countries This declaration was made in forme of an excommunication for a dispossession of all that land which as then remained vnto this Princesse by whom soeuer would take it in hand to enioy it as by conquest and his owne proper inheritance Shee was likewise cited to appeare before the Consistorie of Cardinalles within sixe moneths after for default whereof the Pope declared her hereticke her goods confiscate and abandoned as aforesaid The King formed an opposition against this papall thunder which as then was shewed but in Rome The King of Spaine hauing neither the desire nor the meanes to fall vppon that Princesse and the Councell of France esteemed it inconuenient to giue so manifest a shadowe vnto those that were of the religion The death of Charles de Cosse Marshal de Brissac that had done great seruice for the Realm of France in the warres of Piedemont made an ende of this yeare 1563. that dyed vpon the last of December Ann. 1564 In the beginning of this yeare it was permitted vnto the Clergie by an Edict to redeeme their landes that had bin alienated to the value of a hundreth thousand crownes yearely rent An Edict in fauour of the Clergie All this was but a point of cunning vsed to diue into the purses of those who during the warres and that France drowned in teares had sung and for the most part liued at their ease About the beginning of Februarie the Ambassadors of the Pope the Emperour the King of Spaine and the Duke of Sauoy came to Fountainebleau desiring that the King would cause the Decrees of the Councell of Trent to bee wholely obserued within the Realme of France for the which cause The King solicited by the Spaniard to breake the Edict of pacification the Deputies were to be at Nancy vppon the the twentie fiue of March then next ensuing to reade the same in presence of the Ambassadors of all the Papisticall and Catholicque Romish Princes assembled togither there to make and frame a generall league against the Realmes principalities and estates that had withdrawne themselues from the obedience of the Pope They likewise desired the king wholly to cease the alienating of the goods of the Cleargie alleadging it to bee preiudiciall both against him and his Realme and contrarie to the word of God that the king of Spaine and the Duke of Sauoy could not bee payed the monies due vnto them by reason of their mariages with the Cleargies mony desired that those of the religion might bee openly punished whom they disciphered according to their accustomed manner That the pardon and the edict of peace should bee made voyde that the king should doo iustice specially of those that were consenting vnto the death of the Duke of Guise And to effect these requests they added most faire and great offers thereby to cast the realme into the burning flame of a second ciuill warre Answere to the Ambassadors But the Queene and her Councell perceiuing it to bee a ticklish matter and distrusting in the promises of such men caused the young king to aunswere them that hee thanked their Maisters whom hee ment not to trouble hoping to maintaine his subiects in peace according to the institution of the Romish Church That hee had made the edict of pacification to put straunges out of his Realme that as then he could reenter into a new warre within his realme for certaine reasons which in writing he sent vnto them and that in those affaires hee would aske the Counsell and aduise of the Prince of his blood and the chiefe Lords of his Councell and of the Crowne The king of Spaine with that Ambassage deuising how hee might see his kinsmans house in new troubles tooke no order for his own in the lowe countries where as then warres beganne to bee hatched which not long after came foorth and as yet continue therein to his great shame and confusion In the beginning of March the Queene beganne the voyage of Bayonne to speake with the king of Spaine the pretence was that the king beeing Maior and about foureteene yeares of age Beginning of the voyage to Bayonne would ride about his Realme to visit his Prouinces and that his presence would bee a means to remedie many complaints and discontentments and withall strengthen and establish the edict of pacification But the effect that both approached and ensued did partly shewe the intents and secret practises of that woman and her Councell The king beganne that voyage in Champagne and Bourgongne from whence hee went to Lyons What a scita dell was built at Lyons and to the ende those of the religion should not haue the meanes to fortifie themselues therein as they had done at other times a scitadell was then begunne to bee erected and although at that time the plague raigned within the Towne yet the Queen and her Councell would not stirre from thence and kept the king there vntill that scitadell was almost finished But in the end the plague being entered into the Queens Chamber whereof one of her Gentlewomen fell sicke the king was ledde from thence While they built at Lyons to bridle those of the religion by that means to weaken their forces Defacing of Townes the Townes of Orleans and Montauban were vnwalled in other townes scitadels were made which by some were called Chastre-villaines by others the Nests of Tyrants Those of the religion indured all contenting themselues with simple declarations in paper and receiuing paper for payment For that about the beginning of this voyage the Romish Catholikes of Greuan in Bourgongne massacred diuers of the religion being assembled therein to exercise their religion Massacre of those of the religion complaints thereof beeing made vnto the Queene shee gaue faire words promising to send Commissioners to Creuan such as were honestly
could not approoue their inuentions and to conclude sent them backe againe without an answere And not long before he died sayd to the Cardinall of Est that the league shuld neither haue bull letter nor commission from him for he knewe not what they ment and that hee would not serue for a firebrand to kindle a warre which he could by no meanes quench The impatience of the league that would by no means stay the resolution of the Court of Rome publikely manifested her intent making it selfe so much more plausible as the pretences thereof made it seeme admirable and faire in that the name of one of the first Princes of the blood stood written in the forehead thereof A Prince in all other respects olde and decayed wholly without hope euer to marry to haue issue or to suruiue a king both young and lustie The people on the other side were all disposed to rebellion so that there wanted nothing but the watch-word Mean time The Cardinall of Burbon The Astronomers assured the duke of Guise of the short life of the king euery man looked into the royaltie they reckoned the kings age they would make him a king like to the King of our Stageplaies who while he is apparelled is called most noble king It was openly sayd spoken in euery mans mouth that the King dying without issue he had no other successor then the Cardinall of Bourbon and yet in the meane time the people were couertly put into the heads of the vaire vsurpation of the Capets vpon the heires of Charlemaine whereof there was diuers bookes printed and then the Pasquils ran about the Court and I haue noted some of the best which will not be amisse to be set downe herein The King I desire peace and for sweare warre The Duke of Guise Peace beeing made my hope is cleane gone The Duke de Maine By warres we obtaine both credite and riches The Cardinall of Guise Time offereth it selfe couertly vnto vs. The King of Nauarre He that reckoneth without me thinking I will indure it let him assure himselfe to reckon twise The Cardinall of Bourbon Euery man may reckon that which he thinketh to be his owne The Queen-mother This disputatioÌ„ is of no force as long as my son liueth The Duke of Lorraine Let vs neuerthelesse follow the league her pretences The Duke of Sauoy Then the king will loose both France and all his subiects The King of Spaine If France be lost I will soone finde it France Soft and faire there needeth not so many dogges for one bone such as by ambition seeme to trouble me did neuer prooue my force AN ARGVMENT BOTH WITH and against the league The King he hath no children to succeed His successor a Catholicque must bee The Realme is taxt with imposts euerie day And people mooued do seeke for vengeance still Two three or foure minions possesse the wealth The Parliament was holden all in vaine The holy league will now redresse these wrongs Thereby for to reduce our hope againe The King hee hath no childe but hee may haue Rebellion ought not to redresse our right The King can ease our case without constraint His mignons two or three are not so great And Parliament will end all difference VVhich may cut off the way vnto the league I must I will it pleaseth mee to thinke So many reasons cannot bee but good But such confused mindes haue no restraint For thou preferst degree and honour high It s true they Princes are most fortunate Comparisons with them may not bee made But they set fire in their dwelling house VVhich is an act both pittifull and straunge They are disdainde but knowest thou wherefore I dare not speake I leaue that to the King If hee say nought God knoweth what hee thinks I will not vtter word for feare of blame Onely it greaueth me so many wise And learned men in France do hold their peace The victorie is for them each man doth say Such as haue interest will them resist All is now free with horror and with death And our afflictions mortall are Behold the foolish toyes of ydle braine To thinke our wrongs proceed from wicked men And he that saith our king is fast a sleepe If he a subiect be then let him showt For mee I dare not speake in thes straunge time Least that our Courtiers ketch me by the backe I am too weake my countrie for to helpe But to destroy the subiects of our King Orit desire sheweth a want of faith For hee that honoureth not his lawfull Prince May well bee said hee feareth not the Lord. I am not borne a King my fate most hard Permitteth not such glory to my race But if I were a King such dignitie VVould cause me make my name for to bee fearde I would march foorth in armes most terrible VVith Maiestie most like for to commannd And dumpting pride of subiects â—utime Immort allize my name for euer more God should mee guide faith should be my shield The people my support the lawe my strength To die the earth with blood of traitor vile Opposing strength and force them to resist But I am not a King my heart doth faile I loue to rest and hate most bloody warre Perceiuing in our time the inconstant state VVhich giueth cause still to expect a change VVe may compare France to a Table square VVhereas foure sit primero for to playe The King on whom the losse must wholly fall Saith passe if I can and yet he hath gard game Bourbon he saith this game is tedious It werieth mee and throweth off his hat Not thinking what his lâ—â—ter card might bee Nauarre holds play and likest for to winne But Guise in hope to haue some little flush Veâ—â—eth at all Nauarre he doubleth it The Spaniards standing to behold their play And bearing part with Guisert couertly Supplyes his want with mony that he may In th' end haue all the gaine vnto himselfe To flatter lye dissemble and betraye By subtill meanes the trueth for to disguise To playe the foxe pretending holinesse To seeme denout and yet an Hipocrite To please great â—eâ— and follow at their heele Of earthly â—â—ulâ— to faine a deitie To respect state and now religion To forge a God of mans inâ—â—â—tion To aske for peace where peace cannot be had Readie to runne at euery little call Still to bee armed and saue the hereticque In stead of Catholicque Machiauel Not to regard the world that is to come Are signes of such as liue by pollicie To speake of God and yet a diuellish minde To make great shewe of rede and yet no faith To playe the polliticque despising lawe To promise rest and seeke to tyrannise To seeme an innocent and yet vniusts To shewe pittie yet filling all with blood To seeme subiect yet seeke the King to spoyle Do you call this a seruant Catholicque If to bee holy we must seeke to range In euery place to massacre and spoyle
himselfe and the meanes hee vsed to attaine vnto the same I will put this proposition that this Prince is bound and a neighbour vnto France and in that case neither ought nor may bee an enemie vnto it Hee is the sonne of that great and polliticque Prince Charles Philebert duke of Sauoy who so wisely found the means to recouer that which his father had lost The praise of Charles Philebert Duke of Sauoy The principall glory and truely as I thinke the most necessary for a Prince of his quallitie was that among so many troubles and betweene two great Monarchies striuing togither hee could behaue himselfe so well that neither the one nor the other once touched him maintaining his countrie in peace affectioned to the seruice of our kings as hee that had receiued that honor to marrie the sister of king Henry the second a friend to the King of Spaine in whose Court hee had passed ouer the most part of his greefes for his forepassed losses a good neighbour to the Switzers and other Princes of Italie to liue in peace hee permitted the free accesse of Huguenots into his Townes of Thurin and assured them a retrait into the vallies of Angrongne Lucerne Saint Martin Pragela and la Perouze without constraining them as hee might well haue done to vse the Catholicque religion and looking into the depth of diuers things hee made meanes vnto the king of Nauarre for a match to bee made betweene the Lady Margaret the Kings sister and his sonne and what hee practised for his owne benefite the same he counselled vnto others for when hee perceiued that Henry king of Polonia threatned to renue the warres assoone as hee should set foote within his realme hee disswaded him from that resolution setting before him the incertitude of warres which most commonly are sweete in the beginning but difficult to bee pursued and most bitter and hurtfull in the ende See the order of Montagu Hee desired rather to leaue some parte of his Landes vnto the Switzers then to seeke to winne them by armes Hee behaued himselfe so well in his counselles which our kings reiected and imprinted such an opinion of his wisedome greatnesse and felicitie within his subiects mindes that the Sauoyen not knowing nor beeing able to imagine any greatnesse more eleuated or happyer then that of their Duke that they said that if the king of France could haue guided his affaires in as good sorte hee hadde beene man sufficient and fitte to haue beene Great-Maister of the Duke of Sauoyes house Charles Emanuel Duke of Sanoy Charles Emanuel his sonne perceiuing that the wisedome and pollicie of his father had left his estate in good securitie with a reasonable great quantitie of treasures and yet not so much as would suffice to make any forraine warres determined to imploy that generositie naturally ingraffed in him in some goodly enterprise hee threatned Ceneua and made shewe of doing some great exployt against it but acknowledging the insufficiencie of his forces for his so high an enterprise they determined vppon a marriage and married the King of Spaines youngest daughter and with her the passions of his father in lawe The Duke of Sauoy cannot liue in peace if the king of Frāce be his enemie At the beginning it was thought hee would haue contented himselfe to haue beene friend with France allyed vnto Spaine that vppon the apprehension of the fall of our estate he would neuer pretend any thing against vs that hee would staye himselfe more vppon thinges certaine then vppon vncertaine and variable that knowing that vppon the one side hee hadde the Almaines on the other the Switzers on the third the Venecians and on the fourth the Princes of Italie hee would become friend to the Frenchmen their friends It was thought that if hee had ambition in his minde it would vanish vnder a more iust title that feeling himselfe weake hee would enterprise any thing against a mightie King nor would not breake the bond of amitie for his part due vnto him holding his estates from this Crowne which of late of meere courtesie hadde restored Sauignan and Pigneroles vnto him yet without apparant necessitie and without any reason whatsoeuer hee vndertooke the vsurpation of the territories of France bordering vppon Piedemont And yet it was not done without pretence declaration and excuse for first hee wrote vnto the Pope that the feare hee had least Monsieur de Desdiguieres should cease vppon certaine of his Townes and so in the middle of his countrie make a retraict and refuge for the Huguenots had constrained him to diuert that mischiefe generally from the Church and particularly from his owne estate which hee desired to continue in the puritie of the auncient religion vnder the obedience of the holy sea of Rome The duke of Sauoyes pretence why he inuaded the Marquisat of Saluce Hee excused himselfe vnto the King touching this breach of peace saying that the onely zeale of religion togither with the feare of the contagious neighbourhood of hereticques had constrained him ther vnto sending an Ambassador to giue him notice thereof and so to disguise that iniurie with the fairest and most counterfeit hee could deuise At the first he made shewe as if he would not hold those places but vnder the kings authoritie and by little and little he vsurped all soueragne power degrading the kings officers erected the Sauoyan crosse and threwe downe the flower deluces of France Ann. 1481. His officers couered this vsurpation with an other title and maintained that the Marquisat of Saluces is holden infest of the Duchie of Sauoy and that one of the Marquises thereof beeing a braue and valiant Gentleman disdaining in person to doo homage to Charles the sixt Duke of Sauoy being very young was for his misprision declared a traitor driuen out of his Countries and his Marquisat confiscated The Marquesse of Saluce infested into the countrie of Dauphine But the truth is that this countrie hath alwaies been infest to the principalitie of Dauphine contained in the gift that Prince Humbert made vnto the Crown of France namely that the Marquesse of Saluce had recourse vnto the king of France who receiued homage and fidelitie of him and euer since his successours did continue the dutie of vassalles vnto the Kings Charles the eight Lewis the twelfth and Francis the first From thence it proceedeth that hee which enquired and gathered into a great volume the causes and reasons of the raising of armes in the moneth of Ianuary reporteth this surprising of the Marquisate of Saluces to bee deriued from principalles of the League that dismembreth thier Crowne and Common-wealth perceiuing that neither of them could preserue it whole and intire and these are his words ABout that time the Duke of Sauoy supposing the king by reason of his departure from Parris to bee wholly ouerthrowne sent to speake with Monsieur de Guise minding to enter into League with him vppon
AN HISTORICAL COLLECTION OF THE MOST MEMORABLE ACCIDENTS and Tragicall Massacres of France vnder the Raignes of HENRY 2. FRANCIS 2. CHARLES 9. HENRY 3. HENRY 4. now liuing Conteining all the troubles therein happened during the said Kings times vntill this present yeare 1598. Wherein we may behold the wonderfull and strange alterations of our age Translated out of French into English Imprinted at London by Thomas Creede 1598. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE GEORGE EARLE OF CVMBERLAND BARON OF CLIFFORD LORD OF VVESTMERland Skipton Vipont Bromflet and Vessy Knight of the most honourable Order of the Garter all health and happinesse AMong many that haue taken in hand Right Honourable and my very good Lord to write the Stories of auncient times the warres and woorthie deedes of famous Princes it was my lot thogh vnwoorthie to be called to the translating of these last troubles of France which by the Author was in the French tongue very learnedly and eloquently set downe And sith the matter therein contained meriteth to bee well regarded and duly considered of all noble and honourable personages and the knowledge thereof profitable to be imparted vnto all Christian kingdomes it was thought verie meete and requisite to haue the same turned into our English tongue for the profit and benefit of all such Englishmen as are not skilfull in the other language what sweetnesse of phrase it hath lost being thus stript out of it owne attire I beseech your good Lordship to pardon considering that the French in phrase carrieth a peculiar grace in it self which cannot alwaies in an other speech be exprest Not what I would but what I could I haue done in the translation wishing in my heart for your Lordships sake that my skil could haue stretcht to my good will Neuerthelesse for the saluing of all imperfections therein and the intier affection which I beare to your honourable vertues In all humilitie I commend my Booke to your Lordships patronage that your worthinesse may supply what is wanting in me and shield my booke from the enuie of Satyricall carpers who beholding your Lordship to be a Protector of my simple labour will rather blush at their owne peeuishnesse then proceed any further in their mallice Thus building on hope of your honourable fauour I humbly rest Your Lordships in all dutie TO THE COVRTEOVS AND FRIENDLY READER SVch is the plentie of fine wittes in this our age right gentle and courteous Reader that nothing can passe currant without controll except it be rare in conceit or excellent for Art for my owne part I cannot boast of either yet haue I beene like blinde Bayard bold to deale in the translating of this booke which I confesse might haue well beseemed a man of greater skill notwithstanding beeing called therevnto I haue done my best to satisfie the world submitting my selfe to the correction of the learned Many faults haue escaped heerein some by my owne ouersight some through the Printers negligence which I would desire the skilfull courteously to correct with their penne or friendly to pardon through their courtesie For such as are vsed to the Presse are priuie to this that few bookes goes cleare without an Erata yet thus much I dare presume that to my knowledge no fault heerein committed hath either spoyled the sence or mangled the Storie Therefore in so great a labour as this is thinke not a small fault a great preiudice So shall you bind mee by your courtesie to bee readie heereafter both to correct this and to procure some other thing that may be more to your content Yours in all courtesie THE CONTENTS OF THE MOST PRINCIPAL POYNTS CONTAINED IN THIS HISTORIE HENRY THE SECOND THe raigne of Henry the second containeth the alteration of the Court by the death of Francis the first Warres in Scotland Practises wrought at Rome against the Emperour Reuolt in Guyenne because of exactions made vpon Salt Persecutions against those of the religion War at Bullen The notable actions of Merindol and Cabrieres The reestablishment of Guyenne Occasions of warres renued between the Frenchmen and the Spaniards The beginning of warres beyond the mountaines Preparation for warres in Picardie The kings proceedings against the Pope the Emperour and the Councell of Trent The Edict against the abuses of the Court of Rome Continuance of persecutions against those of the religion Pretences against Lorraine Councels and agreements between the King and the Protestant Princes to crosse the Emperours proceedings in Almaine and elsewhere The taking of Metz an Imperiall Towne brought vnder the King of France his subiection Warres in Luxemburg The Conquest of the Duchie of Bouillon The Emperour agreeth with the Almaines to besiege Metz and ouerrun Picardie The issue of the siege of Metz. The taking and rasing of Terouenne Hesden sacked The ouerthrow and taking of the Duke of Arscot Three royall armies which reuenge the fires made by the Emperours Armie in Picardie The Towne of Bains among others is burnt The encounter at Renty The ouerthrow of the Armie of Frenchmen in Picardie Wars in Piedmont and Sauoy The French Armie conducted by Strossy ouerthrowne and Siene yeelded Warres in Picardie and the Isle of Corsie The Emperour yeeldeth vp his Empire vnto his brother other dominions vnto his son The two kings make truce for fiue yeares which are presently broken and warres renued about Rome The Duke of Guise marcheth with an armie for the king to ayde the Pope who maketh peace with the Spaniard Meane time the Constable looseth the battell of Saint Lawrence Saint Quintin taken by assault and many other places wonne from the Frenchmen in Picardie The king assayeth to recompence his losses and following his intent long practised he recouered Calais and the Countie of Oye after that Theouuille and others On the other side the Earle of Egmont ouerthrew the Marshall de Termes hard by Grauelines A speech of peace in the meane time Charles the fift his sister Elenor and Mary Queene of England died In the end the two Kings agreed togither and the King of France began to persecute those of the religion more then euer he did but while he plaide his part death seized vpon him and laid him on the ground by a blow with a Launce Whereby ensued a maruellous alteration in France FRANCIS THE SECOND THe Court in a moment is wholly altered and chaunged by the practises of the house of Guise that withstood all men executing Anne de Bourg an excellent person vnder the authoritie of a Prince of the blood Information is made against them and the Barron de la Renaudie in the name of a great part of the Nobilitie and third estate vndertaketh the commission to take the Duke of Guise and the Cardinall of Lorraine prisoners What order was holden therein by Monsieur de Renaudie which in the end was discouered whereof ensued diuers bloodie Tragedies at Amboise The Prince of Conde valiantly maintaineth his innocency and sheweth the cowardly tyrannie of his enemies
peace which procured warres Notable exployts of Mombrun with the end thereof The state of Xaintongue New practises inuented against those of the religion The Duke of Alencon the kings brother leaueth the Court and promiseth wonders Accord betweene the Prince of Conde and the Duke Casimir ouerthrowne by the Queen-mother The miserie of Frenchmen The Germaines armie entereth into France The king of Nauarres departure from the Court. After the D. of Alencon is made general of the armie A peace is propounded which in the end is fully agreed therevpon the fift Edict of pacification was made which like the rest hatched the sixt ciuill warre Foundations of the league begun by the house of Guise Preparations and beginnings of new warre A summarie of the king his Oration to the estates The intention of the same estates discouered What the king of Nauarre and Prince of Conde answered to the Deputies of the same estates Entrance to the sixt ciuil war and the most memorable things of the same being ended at last by an ample edict of pacification The proceedings both of one and other after the peace especially after the king his mother and those of the house of Guise which beganne to stirre and constrained the King of Nauarre to looke to himselfe but chiefly after the death of the Duke d'Alencon which serued for an infantation or production of the league in Paris and elsewhere the progressions wherof are declared Pretext of the leaguers mutinie whom the king attempteth to disvnite The King of Nauarre manifesteth himselfe against them The Queene-mother maketh her selfe a necessarie Agent heerein and causeth the King to yeelde vnto the leaguers more then they hoped for so that hee abolished the last edict of pacification prepareth for warre and demaundeth money The Pope excommunicateth the King of Nauarre and Prince of Conde the which the Parliament of Parris disliketh yet neuerthelesse the king formally proclaimeth himselfe against those of the religion who prepare to make resistance The Duke de Maine his exploits for the league then those of Duke de Mercoeur The memorable expedition of the Prince of Conde towards Anger 's What those of the religion did for their defence in Poictou Xaintongue and other places and the King of Nauarre against foure armies of the league The first and last exployts of the Duke de Ioyeuse for the league against the King of Nauarre Battell of Coutras Discourse of the iourney and ouerthrow of the Rutters armie abou◠the end of the yeare 1587. A summarie recitall of the attempts of the league against the Duke de Bouillon in those seasons Fresh attempts of the league against the estates and those of the religion The warre taketh beginning at Sedan The death of the Prince of Conde The Duke of Guise commeth to Parris vpon which ensueth the battell of Barricadoes The Kings retrait and the beginning of extreame euils in France Proceedings of the King and Leaguers Assignation of the estates at Blois An edict of vnion in the month of Iuly War ordained against such of the religion as intended those estates Attempts of the Duke of Sauoy against France Assembly of the Estates and that which proceedeth the ouerture of the same The Kings Oration who would confirme his Edict of Vnion The Duke of Guise his progressions discouered wherevpon ensueth the putting to death of him and his brother Warlike exployts by the K. of Nauarre for his owne defence and of the armie of the league in buse Poictou Niort taken from the league Restitution of Ganache Dissipation of the leaguers armie A straunge confusion in the estate of France Death of the Queen-mother Behauiour of the king the league and king of Nauarre during these beginnings Truce betweene the two kings Diuers exployts and enterprises of the leaguers who are discomfited in Normandie Beausse in the Isle of France The king with a puissant armie hauing brought in diuers places of importance drew neare Parris where a Iacobin Moonke subborned of long time for the same purpose traiterously gaue him a wound with a knife whereof after some certaine houres hee died and in him failed the race of the French kings of the line of Valois HENRY THE FOVRTH DIsposition of the French after the Kings death Councels of the league Order giuen for the affaires of his armie by the new King being Henry the fourth lawfull successor to the Crowne His genealogie His proceedings and notable exployts in Normandie neare to Arques From thence hee commeth towards Paris taketh the subburbes assayeth to drawe the leaguers to fight taketh Estampes Vendosme Mans reduceth many Prouinces to his obedience and martyreth Normandie wherevpon the Parliament riseth against him 90. Stratagems of the League for maintenance of themselues Exployts by the king in Normandie Battel of Parris Attempts of the Parliament of Roan the Parisiās against the K. The siege of Paris A strange diuisiō of the Order of Sorbōne frō their soueraigne Lord within the Realm Famine oppresseth the Parisians who desire peace and cannot obtaine it through the false deuises of the heads of the league who goeth about to deciue the king and people As for the king hee goeth forward against his enemies who are sauoured by the Duke of Parma the king of Spaine his Lieftenant who being resolued not to couple with the Frenchmen intrench in a strong place and make themselues Maisters of Lani vpon Marne Their intrenchment and auoyding of fight is an occasion that the king dismisseth his armie wherevpon ensueth the entrie of the Duke of Parma into Paris The taking and reprisall of Corbeil with the shamefull retrait of the Spaniards and Wallons 91. Parris is besieged as before Dauphine reconquered to the king The Pope fortifieth the league Cheualier d'Aumale is slaine Stratagems of the Spaniards for defacing of Parris Romish attempts against the king who taketh Chartres by composition and by his Lieftenants discomfiteth the league in Prouince and Poictou Afterwards hee publisheth Edicts for the retention of two religions in his Realme The Parlaments of Tours and Chaalons condemne the buls the Popes Nuntio and Legate In the meane while the Duke of Guise escapeth out of prison On the other side the king besiegeth and taketh Noyon Ouerthroweth the armie of Sauoy at Pontcharra entereth into Normandie whither he draweth the Duke of Parma when in the meane while the mutinous Parisians hang vp Brisson Archer and Tardif For reuenge of whose death foure of the principall seditious were dispatched out of the way 92. Arrest and decree of the Parliament of Roane against the king Discourse of the siege of Roane Disposition of the leaguers armie it is ioyned and fought withall being put to flight both by sea and land The ignominious retrait of the Duke of Parma Attempts by the league in diuers parts Bayon in vaine assailed by the Spaniards Amblize and the Lorraine leaguers discomfited by the Duke of Bouillon Ioyeuse ouerthrowne with his armie before Villemur Complaint by members
of the league and resistance made by the heads Arrest of the Parliament of Chaalons against the Popes bull and assembly of the estates of the league Proceedings of the heads of the same Death of the Duke of Parma Attempts of the Duke of Maine after his death His declaration against the king 93. The king maketh answere to the Duke And his Councell offer a proposition to the estates of the league who are turned aside out of the way of peace by the Popes Legate and Spanish Ambassadour The king is solicited to go to Masse wherevnto the leaguers apply all their pollicies ouerthrown before by the Parliament of Parris The king maketh profession of the Romaine religion wherevpon ensueth a generall truce and new practise of the leaguers to withdraw the people from acknowledging him In the meane while the tragedies of Peter Barriere are a playing who desirous to haue a part in the league conspired against the life of the king and Duke de Nemours The leaguers turne themselues on euery hand for ther owne maintenance and to ruinate those of the religion Stratagems of certaine Polititians against the king who expresseth his good will to those of the religion and looseth that which he had conquered in Piedmont 94. He bringeth the league vnder subiection enforceth rebellious townes to their former obedience namely Parris where the Parliament opposeth it selfe against the Spanyardes After certaine goings too and fro to Rome the lesse desperate Leaguers are receiued to fauour Amongst others the Parisians who are woont to chase away the auncient enemies of France published a decree or arrest against the league and the Duke de Maine What ensued vpon a fauourable declaration of the king who in Picardie pursued the remainders of this vnion During this the Vniuersitie prosecuted the Iesuites Warre is noysed in Brittain and towards the lowe Countries About the end of the yeare a disciple of the Iesuites attempted to kill the king 95. Processe against the Iesuites and their secret complots discouered Warre proclaimed against the king of Spaine Leaguers of Soisson hewen in peeces Spaniards discomfited in the Dukedome of Luxembourg Warre in Franch-Countie Beaune surrendred to the king Memorable explopts both of one and other part Duke d'Aumale executed in his image and portrature The siege of Fere. The king obtaineth absolution from the Pope Estates of Picardie 96. Marseilles reduced vnder the kings obedience The Cardinall of Austria releeueth Fere and by force of armes taketh Callais and Ardes Neuerthelesse Fere is by composition deliuered into the kings hands Afterwards Marshall Biron made diuers incoursions into Artois And the amitie betweene the king the Queen of England and the vnited Prouinces of the low Countries was confirmed The king conuocateth the estates at Roan discouering briefly vnto them his intention Henry the seconde M. D. XLVII HENRY the second of that name and the 59. King of France Pharamond the only sonne of Francis the first that died vppon the 30. day of the moneth of March in the year of our Lord 1547. succeeded in the Crowne by order of succession according to the auncient salicque lawe of the land Hee while the Nobilitie were busied to prouide for the obsequie and funerals of his deceased father and staying for his sacrying anoynting in the moneth of Aprill following made and ordained an edict An edict against blasphemers to be published against blasphemers of the name of God which action made shewe of a notable and commendable beginning yet that so laudable a worke continued no longer in force then many others had done before it Neuerthelesse it wrought this effect that thereby it euidently appeareth that succession and not the sacrying and annoynting of a Prince is the chiefe originall of royall authoritie The 16. of Iulie the Court was much troubled by a contention and memorable action that happened betweene Messieurs de Iarnac and Chastegneraye gentlemen of great account that had defied each other by reason of certaine words vsed by one of them which had procured the other to giue the lie The King in steade of ending their cause by aduise of his Councell and to constraine the offender to satisfie the offended graunted them the combat wherevpon according to the Kings appoyntment they appeared vpon the day aforesaid at S. Germaines in Laye where in the presence of the King Princes Lords and others they entred into the lists There Monsieur Iarnac who by all the company was esteemed the weaker by reason he was newly recouered of a certaine sicknesse withall despised and litle fauored ouercame the other to whom before they entered into the combat euery man adiudged the victorie and wounded him in such sort that not long after he died to the Kings great griefe who vppon that occasion expresly forbadde all combats whatsoeuer in this manner hee beganne with a bloodie tragedie and ended with the like as heereafter you shall heare The King sacred at Reims The 27. of Iulie after hee was sacried and annoynted at Reims with all the auncient accustomed ceremonies therevnto belonging in the presence of twelue Peeres spirituall and temporall The spiritual were the Arch-bishop of Reims the Bishop of Langres Beauuais Noyon Laon and Challons the temporall the Duke of Bourgongne Normandie and Guyenne the Earles of Champagne Flaunders and Thoulouse Most part of the Princes Nobilitie of the Realme being likewise present with diuers Ambassadours of straunge nations But the Ambassadours of Florence Mantoue and Ferrare came not by reason of a controuersie that fell out between them concerning their preheminence of places and for that they could not agree therevppon they absented themselues till the cause was further debated The Constable exalted Anne de Montmorency Constable of France who certaine yeares before had been bannished the Court and secretly held at Chantilly as soone as Francis the first died was repealed againe and the new king committed the principall charge of the affaires of the Realme vnto him which at that time were executed by the Cardinall de Tournon the Admirall Annebaut who as then had good leisure to repose themselues yeelding their place to him whom the king termed his Gossep one that in times past had done him many seruices as afterward hee did Mesieurs de Longueual d'Espars de Boncour de Framezelle de Antipe the Barron de la Garde the Generall Bayard and others were narrowly sought and pursued for diuers secret causes in such sort that some of them were forced to saue themselues by the gilded Gate others by meanes of their friends Warres in in Scotland The king hauing made a Progresse into Picardie went further into the Realme and caused an Armie to bee leuied vnder the conduct of Monsieur D'esse to ayde the Queene Dowager of Scotland against the Englishmen causing her to be safely conducted into Scotland to the end to impeach the vnion of both those Realmes which might bee to the preiudice of France and thereby to
into Almaine whereby hee shewed as if hee woulde haue driuen the Emperour and all his adherents out of those Countries And minding to goe thither in person in the moneth of March he being in the Court of Parliament in Parris named and ordained Catherin de Medicis his wife Regent of the Realme The first Regency of Catherin de Medicis making many Edicts concerning pollitique Gouernment the ordering of Souldiers and the obseruation of military discipline thereby reforming both the abuse of the Leaders and the insolency of the souldiers so that as then you might haue seene both good and commendable orders among all the souldiers as well on this side as beyond the Mountaines France likewise abounded with Princes Lords Gentlemen and souldiers well ordred and gouerned in respect of that which after was seene in the time of Henry his sonne The Constable Genenall of the army A good order and pollicie among souldiers but not long obserued assisted by the Princes of the bloud and other Noblemen of France marched towards Victry where the Army was to assemble and besides the newe and olde companies of French souldiers there came twentie of the olde companies of Piedemont such as might compare both with the Phalangees of the Macedonians and the auncient Romanes those of Gascoigne seconded them the companies of Monsieur de Duras for the most part beeing composed of Gentlemen and olde Souldiers euerie man able to commaunde Of all this Infantery next to the Admirall Monsieur Chastillon was Coronell besides 10000. Lansquenets in twentie Companies and diuided into two Regiments conducted by Recrod and Rhingraue their Coronels with a great number of horsemen sent vnto the king by the Protestant Princes vnder the conduct of Coronell Chartel The French horsemen whereof Claude de Lorraine Duke of d'Aumalle yongest sonne of the house of Guise was Leader were 1500. men of armes euery man hauing two Archers with him all made 4500. horses 2000. light-horse and as many caliuers on horse-backe Of voluntarie souldiers both Gentlemen and others there were so great numbers that all the countrie was couered with horses but now wee must see what all these troupes effected The Duke and the countrie of Lorraine put into the kings hands The Constable beeing neere to Thoul Chrestienne Duches Dowager of Lorraine came vnto the king byding at Ginuille there to excuse her selfe of the suspitions imposed vpon her because the Emperour was her near kinsman and considering the tempest that as then threatned Lorraine shee committed her selfe and Charles her sonne into the protection of the king who sent the young Prince vnto the Dauphin his sonne where hee was brought vppe and after married a daughter of France Meane time Thoul yeelded vnto the Constable which done he parlied with the Towne of Metz an imperiall and faire Cittie they offered to serue the armie with victuals for their mony and to permitte the king with all his Princes free passage through the Towne as at other times they had done vnto the Emperour but the Constable hauing partly perswaded them by promises and then vsing some threatnings Metz an imperiall Towne surprised and brought vnder the French king in great chollor said vnto thē that the king wold haue a passage and repassage through their Towne without any conditions and that it were best for them not to hazard the contrary if they minded to obtaine the kings good will and fauour without the hurt and discommoditie of his armie Those of Metz would gladly haue resisted both by word and deed but not hauing in time prouided for themselues they were constrained to bid their libertie farewell and to open their gates to two companies of foote which drewe so long a tayle after them that in fine all meanes of resistance was wholly taken from them for that all the valiantest sousdiers in France were there in person and vppon the 10. of Aprill the Constable accompanied with diuers Princes and great Lords stayed the comming of the king who within eight daies after made his entrie into the Towne with all his armie where he stayed three daies to take order for their affaires receiued oath fidelitie of the Cittizens he likewise swearing both to them and those of Thoul to defend them against all men and to preserue their rights and priuiledges and franchises in al things whatsoeuer also to prouide for the strength and fortification of 〈◊〉 place which as then hee fully pretended to make one of the principall bullwarkes and Frontier-townes of France wherein hee left as Gouernour Monsieur de Gonnort brother to the Marshal de Brissac giuing him in charge to looke vnto the citadell and other fortifications of the Towne The French armie goeth towards Strasbourg Metz yeelded to the king the armie beeing composed of 30000. men marched into Almaine and in the beginning of May stayed two daies vppon the plaine of Sauerne the horsemen going within a myle of the towne of Strasbourg the Cittizens whereof being taught by the misfortune of Metz wroght with more pollicie for themselues sending certaine victuals vnto the armie wherewith the Constable seemed not well content thinking to put them in some feare and assoone as Pierre Sturne Goteshem and Sleidam their Deputies were departed hee sent two Gentlemen to the Councell of the Towne to knowe their aunswere where in a long time and eloquent discourse they shewed The Constables proceedings with those of Strasbourg the kings good will and meaning vnto the countrie of Almaine the causes why hee had raised an armie and beene at so great charges requiring that the souldiers might enter into the Towne to buy such necessaries as they wanted but the Councell of the Towne vsing delayes the next day the Constable vsed many speeches vnto the Deputies threatning them very hardly But whatsoeuer hee said it little auayled for those of Strasbourg put a strong Garrison into their Towne preparing themselues vnto resistance if any pretence were offered meane time not refusing to furnish the campe with victuals and all other necessaries whatsoeuer but the armie dooing nothing marched towards Hagenaw and VVisbourg where the Deputies of three of the Electors next adioyning as also of other Princes The request of the Almaine Princes to the king came to beseech the King to pitie the poore pesants to impeach the spoyle of the countrie and not to passe any further but rather to hearken vnto a peace without pressing them to a perpetuall alliance considering their bounden duties vnto the Emperour withal making a specially request for the sauegard of the territories of Strasbourg Letters of Duke Maurice At the same time beeing the eleuenth of May Duke Maurice Elector of Saxon sent letters vnto the King conteining the effect of the treatie made at Lints wherein a peace had beene propounded which the Emperour seemed to hearken vnto concerning Almaine desiring the King if his meaning were to bee comprehended heerein to declare and shewe vppon what conditions hee
villages of Picardie that had beene burnt during his beeing in Almaine They set fire likewise in an other goodly Castle belonging vnto the Queene of Hungarie then in Reux after that in Bauets The armie being past beyond Monts Hainaut Landreei Auanes le Quesnoy Vallenciennes and Cambray the Prince of Piedemont vsed all the meanes hee could to bee reuenged for those extreame losses but could not effect it the Frenchmen beeing strong and well conducted in the end about the tenth of August both the armies met neere vnto Renty where there chanced an indifferent hard incounter on both their partes Encounters of both the armies by Renty The Emperour lost about 800. or 900. men and the King two hundreth after the which skirmish winter opproaching the king dismissed his armie and that of the Emperour making towards Hesdin burnt and spoyled all the plaine countie and therein had done much hurt if the Duke de Vandosme that laye not farre from thence had not resisted him Continuance of warre In spring time the warre beganne againe betweene the two Princes and the report of the courses made by the Emperours armie gaue occasion to the Frenchmen to enterprise vppon the Castle of Cambresis which was presently taken by assault and good warre holden with the Spaniards Maruembourg was victualled by Bourdillon Lieftenant to the Duke de Neuers The king and the Queene of England intreated the Emperour and the King of France to make a peace wherein Cardinall Pole an Englishman Vaine treatie of peace trauelled much as then all flaming with fire against those of the religion who at that time were most sharply handled within the Realme of England This treatie of peace beganne with great bruit but in fine it vanished like smoke and warre beganne againe stronger then euer it was The Duke de Neuers and the Admirall de Chastillon beeing made Gouernours of Picardie because the Duke de Vandosme as then king of Nauarre and Soueraigne of Bearc by meanes of his wife was gone to take possession of his new estates tooke good order both for the victualling and keeping of the places and frontiers of the countrie notwithstanding not long after as some of the Garrisons of Picardie marching with 1500. horses of the French rereward called the companies of Nobilitie and foure hundreth footemen had in such sort ouerrunne the countrie that in fine they returned al laden with spoyles The rereward of France ouer throwne being ledde by la Iaille their Generall Haulsmont Gouernour of Bapaulme finding them inclosed betweene a Wood a Village and a Riuer whereof hee caused the passages to bee broken downe and surely kept without espials order feare of the enemie or hurt charged them so couragiously with a small company of men that in short space he made them loose both courage bootie and liues at his discretion where la Iaille was hurt aboue fiue hundreth taken prisoners some escaped and the rest slaine Those of Hannuyers and Arcesiers men much giuen to derision made it a cōmoniest saying that they had taken Nobles of France without waight but to say the truth there was as then but fewe Nobles in those troupes onely certaine Wagoners and Pages that were imployed in the muster and to make a shew sent by Widdowes and Orphanes of Gentlemen deceased or by the Lords of certaine fief rated at certaine values To assure Picardie the king went into Villiers Costerez sending the Duke of Guise further vppon the frontiers and the Admirall into the middle of the Prouince The estate of Predemōt touching the warres betweene the Emperor the king of France Now I must shew you what was done in the warres of Piedemont and other places beyond the Mountaines The Marshall de Brissac who the winter before had taken Iuree and Bielle in the spring time fortified S. Iaco tooke Crepa-cuore by means of Monsieur Saluaison by a surprise most brauely executed got Casal de Montferrat a towne Castle a place of great importāce spoyled Poman S. Saluadour and other small places not to bee holden and hardly to bee strengthened and fortied in any conuenient time The Duke of Alue hauing succeded Gonzague in the Gouernment of Lombardie about the end of Iulie entered into the field with 20000. foote 4000. horse and 40. cannons and besieged S. Iaco wherein were Captaines Birague and Vimercat who constrained the Duke to retire from Pont de Sture where he fortified himselfe hoping by famine to constraine such places to yeeld as hee durst not besiege The king sent foure thousand foote and foure thousand horse to strengthen Marshall de Brissacs forces Taking and spoyling of Vulpian who perceiuing himselfe so strong besieged Vulpian and by Kochepose ouerthrew the Dukes forces sent to ayde them by force tooke the basse Towne and soone after the Castle by composition was yeelded Vulpian had the walles rased and beaten downe and not long after Mont-Coluo a Towne and Castle yeelded vnto the Frenchmen These things were done in the moneths of September and October not long afer the Dukes troupes by meanes of an Ambascado placed hard by Iucise slewe and tooke certaine French souldiers whereby they wrought some small reuenge for their great losses at Vulpian and Mont-Caluo A particular discourse of the warre of Siene from the beginning to the end Before I leaue the affaires beyond the Mountaines it is necessarie I should say something touching the warres of Siene that fell out and kindled in this yeare beginning at the originall thereof During the siege of Metz the Emperour beeing ceased of Siene an auncient and famous Towne in the territories of Tuscane placed Don Diego de Mendosse Gouernour therein with a Garrison of Spaniards Don Diego vsing rigor more therein then was conuenient the Sienois not content therewith beganne to conspire against him hee vnder colour of fauouring the people caused the Gentlemen to leaue their armes which done he beganne to molest both the one and the other who consulting togither sent vnto the king to desire him to receiue them into his protection which hee consented vnto The Fugitiues of of Sienie in the kings name beganne to raise men throughout Italie vnder the conduct of the counte Petillane Hieronyme de Pise Maire de Sainctefior The Duke of Florence sent eight hundreth men to ayde Mendosse But the Sienois mooued at the newe extortions raised vppon them let foure thousand men cōducted by the Counte de Petillone enter into the towne that draue out the Spaniards but not without great losse on both parts part of the Spaniards hauing saued themselues without cannon within the Iacopius and in the Citadell were entred vppon by force and put to the sword Their Generall and others of the Florentine Captaines issued by composition and ceased vpon Orbitelle a place not farre from thence which they fortified The Emperour beeing returned into Almaine after the siege raised before Metz commaunded Don Garsie de Tolede Viceroye of Naples to
Emperour and the king to bring them to an agreement but nothing tooke effect each of thē seeming to haue right on his side meane time the differences touching religion began to increase such as would not receiue and acknowledge the traditions of the Pope were cruelly burnt They suffered the Turke to win diuers places in Europe and his Gallies as then came before Corse to ayde the Frenchmen were at the siege of Calui and Boniface among the Christians and holpe to conquer the Island and then returning homeward spoyled the coast of Toscane besieged Plombin and the I le of Elbe belonging to the Duke of Florence passing further executed an infinit of mischieses vpon the realmes of Naples Sicile and Calabre and so laden with great spoyles and numbers of Christians their prisoners they arriued in Constantinople other places without any impeachment so much so great was the hatred between the Emperour and the King that they had rather see the Turke inriched with Christians teasure then once to consent agree in one to inuade so common an enemie But returning to Siene Siene besicged and taken the Marques of Marignan came to besiege it with all his forces onely vpon the hope he had that Strossi beeing wounded and Monluc lying at the poynt of death being dead for it was thought they could not liue long Lanssac and Fourqueuau taken the Sienois being wholly destitute of counsell and French secorers would yeeld vnto him Strossi beeing somewhat recouered and hauing been certified of the death of Monluc hazarded himselfe with sixe companies of foote and two of launciers to come to Siene Where by the prudence and resolution of Serillac Nephew to Monluc he entered who by a stratageme of trompets caused an alarme in the Marquesse campe that thought verily some new armie had been come to set vppon them but hauing found Monluc liuing and in some better estate then he had been he returned againe yet not without great daunger Monluc hauing made many skirmishes vppon the enemie perceiued that in fine they would take the Towne whervpon hauing shewed the Souldiers and the Townes-men what he thought the Marques would do hee gaue order that euery man should be stinted in his victuals and that they should liue by prescript rules of war The Sienois very willing to followe his counsell and aduise did as he commanded The Marques hauing assayed by scaling the walles in the night-time to enter into the Citadell and the Fort of Camollia was valiantly repulsed with the losse of sixe hundreth of his men and by many skirmishes batteries intelligences and combats seeking to become maister of the towne being not able to effect his will determined to proceed with the first and surest resolution which was to constraine them by famin by which meanes his campe indured much miserie and euery moneth diminished more and more neuerthelesse in fine his perseuerance ouercame them so that vpon the 20. day of Aprill 1555. an honourable composition hauing been made and agreed vpon with Monsieur de Monluc his troupes and those of Siene the towne was yeelded vnto the Marques and after into the hands of the Duke of Florence Touching that which after happened to the territories of Siene I meane not at this present to intreate further thereof leauing that to the description of the warres of Italie from whence I must returne vnto Picardie Warres in Picardie Mariembourg being revictualled the Leaders that cōmanded in those quarters for the Emperour hauing erected an armie of twentie thousand foote fiue or sixe thousand Rutters and some Enfignes of olde bands of Spaniards caused a place called Giuets to bee fortified from whence they forraged the Country lying nearest vnto it and famished Mariembourg The king assembled his forces at Maubert Fontaine whereof Francis de Cleues Duke de Veuers was Lieftenant Generall hauing eight hundreth launciers as many light-horse about eight thousand footemen who once againe revictualled Mariembourg The 26. of Iulie the Rutters and the French light-horsemen met togither but the Rutters were presently constrained to reenter into their fort and the Count de Barlaimont General of the Emperors Armie refusing battaile the French men retired presently after the prince of Orange entred in to the kings country and spoiled the Castle of Faignolles After that in winter time Messieurs de Sanssac and Bourdillon the third time reuictualled Mariembourg The raigne and troublesome season togither with the want of victualls on both sides impeached the armies from meeting togither During this last voiage the king hauing gotten the writings and euidences whereby Iohn de Brosse Duke d'Estampes claymed a right and title vnto the Duchie of Bretaigne into his hands gaue the Count of Ponthieure in exchange thereof vnto the said Duke The Emperor resigneth all his estates vnto his son and his brother At the same time the Emperor a prince of great valour and courage as all Histories do witnesse hauing so long time borne a world of affaires troubles within his braines determined to discharge himselfe thereof and hauing sent for the Prince Don Philip his sonne vnto Brissels then king of England resigned vnto him his kingdomes of Spaine Naples Cicile and others whereof hee gaue him letters pattents commanding all his subiects to obey him Those letters being deliuered vpon the 25. of october 1555. were read in open counsel by the Chancelor And among many notable instructions aduises by the father giuen vnto the Prince his son he exhorted him to make peace with the King of France and to haue pittie vpon Christendome miserably tormented by so long and cruell warres He likewise left off the Empire and by letters vnto the Electors desired them to giue that dignitie vnto Ferdinand his brother to whom by right it ought to appertaine hauing by them bin chosen and elected for king of the Romanes Wars in the Isle of Corse About the same time the Geneuois assaied to win the Isle of Corse not long before taken from them by Monsieur de Termes and sent thither the Prince d'Aurie that assailed the port of S. Florent which yeelded by composition the souldiers issuing armed and their goods saued returning to Boniface to Iourdā Vrsin d'Aurie following after them thinking to win it but he was soone repulsed to his great losse About the moneth of the same yeare died the Marquesse of Marignā The death of the Marques of Marignā being out of fauor with the Emperor For hauing too long prolōged the taking of Siene consuming a whole armie about it he was solemnly buried at Millan the Duke d'Alue being assistant at his funerall King Philip following his fathers counsaile and solicited therunto by Mary Queene of England his wife inclined to peace which to effect after many meetings and conferences a truce for 5. yeares was agreed vpon between thē The Count de Lalain Truce for 5. yeares between the 2. Kings came to Blois to sweare the truce vnto
it happened in this warre trauersed by wonderfull deuises on all sides but to conclude the enterprises and pretences of great mightie men of this world are wholly like smoke if the fauor and helpe of the most great and puissant God of heauen doth not assist them The taking of Valence beyond the mountaines The Duke of Guise hauing ioyned his forces in Piedemont with those of the Marshall de Brissac marched towards Valence giuing out that Pauie had been taken by the Frenchmen summoned Captaine Spoluerin that had two thousand souldiers with him to keepe it to put all to fire and sword if hee entered therein by force Spoluerin that feared his skinne and the losse of his booties wrought so well with the Souldiers that they consented to the yeelding vp of the towne so they might issue with liues and goods saued which was agreed vnto and the 18 of Ianuarie Spoluerin and others of the principall Commanders being entered into Pauie were beheaded because of their cowardise The Cardinall of Trent Gouernour of Millan sent to summon the Duke of Guise to restore Valence vnto him againe as taken contrary vnto the articles of truce his answer was that the Duke of Alue hauing first brokē the truce the Frenchmen could not chuse but follow that he intended nought but warre vntill such time as that the Pope should be satisfied and touching Valence that they had iustly set vppon them because their Garrison had shotte their ordinance against the French souldiers that marched by the Towne to ayde the Pope Ostie taken againe with the fort and other places On the other side Strossi Monluc and others that were in Rome perceiuing the Duke of Alue to be gon from thence marched with 5000 foote and 600. horse to besiege Ostie which they presently took the fort yeelded by compositiō the spaniards issuing with their liues armes and goods saued taking with thē certaine peeces of artillery they likewise tooke Velitres Tuscule Marin Grotteferrate Palesan S. Ange. S. Paul Vico Valerio and diuers smal places in the territories of Rome from whence they draue the Spaniards The French armie in Italy Departing out of Piedimont the Duke of Guise hauing consulted what was best for him to do resolued within himself to martch straight forward to Rome and being at Bologne he complained vnto the Popes officers because hee sawe no preparation made for the wars saying that the king had bin otherwise promised They made him answere that there were 10000 souldiers ready prepared in the Marquisat of Ancore wherewith for that time he seemed to bee content and being arriued at Rome he mustered his troupes where he found fiue thousand Switzers their General being the marques de' Elboeuf 4000 Grisons 7000. French men and Gascons some Italian 750. lanciers and 1500. light horses The Duke de Nemours commanding the footemen Warres and taking of townes in Piedemont According to the counsell holden in Piedimont the Marshall de Brissac being in the field by composition tooke Valfeniere lying between Ast Carmagnolle which he vtterly spoyled assailed and tooke Chiauasse a Castle standing vpon a mount wherein he placed a garrison The report being spread abroad that the French men would enter into the realm of Naples the Spaniards took good order for the keeping of the places neer vnto the Marques de Ancoue but the Duke de Guise not desiring to go so farre into the country tooke Campilio besieged Ciuitelle from whence he was constrained to raise his siege hauing lost a great number of his best souldiers In Piedemont Marshal de Brissac was constrained to retire from Coni the Duke of Guise beeing ayded by the Marquesse of Pescaire Estate of Italie Strossi and the Duke de Palliane took Montfort by assault a little towne hard by Cintelle which was spoyled burnt But the Duke of Guise perceiuing his forces to diminish the Spaniards daily to increase that the Popes promises tooke no effect aduertised the king of his estate and on the otherside offered battell vnto the Duke d'Alue lying betweene Ferme Ascoli but the spaniards perceiuing that with a litle patience The spaniards refuse battaile the Pope would soone be brought to reason the French men disperse themselues or else easily be spoyled knowing likewise that some thing was to be effected in the countrey of Picardie they thought it but a point of foolish hardinesse without conuenient meanes so to hazard the estate of the king of Spaine And because that neither the Pope nor the Duke of Ferrare furnished that which had bin promised and to the contrary that the French army receiued not one penny pay of the Pope and that the Ferrarois borrowed forces of his sonne in law the Duke of Guise therewith to defend himselfe they began to consult vpon their returne into France The subtilty of the Pope but the Pope who as yet had not that he sought fearing if he should be left alone the Spaniard wold not faile to pare his nailes sware vnto the Duke of Guise that he wold neuer make agreement nor once accord with the Spaniard without the kings of Frances consent for assurance whereof hee would send the Duke de Palliane his son for hostage into France By which deuises he staied the French men to see what successe the affaires begun in Picardy would haue where the French men hauing bin ouerthrowne in battell vpon S. Lawrence day S. Quintius taken He maketh peace with the King of Spaine France in great distrust the Pope perceiuing his hopes to vanish like smoke and that the Duke of Alue approached neare to Rome hee sent Cardinall Caraffe vnto him with full power and authoritie to agree vppon a peace with the King of Spaine which was concluded about the moneth of September the Pope hauing renounced the league made with the French King who sitting between two stooles fell on the ground and all the intents of the house of Guise and others tooke no effect whereby the armie all wearied and dispearsed returned into France cursing both the Pope and all his traine Truce broken in the frontier of Picardie whereof ensued the battell on S. Laurence day where the Frenchmen with great losse were ouerthrown The taking of S. Quintins and other places The King hauing resolued to send the Duke of Guise to ayde the Pope contrarie to the aduise and counsel of the Constable and diuers Princes and Lords that disswaded besought him to the contrary and that he should rather seeke to maintaine the truce gaue expresse charge vnto the Admirall to take order for the safetie of his Townes and Forts in Picardie and to make some enterprises vpon certaine places in the lowe Countries Wherevnto the Admirall that had been of the Constables opinion although he wel perceiued from whence such resolutions proceeded not daring to refuse the commission giuen with great diligence tooke order accordingly and therevpon made
Maister of the Artillerie de Tauanes Senarpont Grandmōt Randan Allegre Creuecueur Piennes Gourdan and other Lords Knights and Captaines beeing in the armie The first of Ianuary the armie appeared before it and the same day tooke Nieulay bridge The taking of Callais and after that Risban which done they entered the Castle and then the Towne all yeelded by composition within the space of eight daies the Englishmen and Spaniards not hauing meanes in time to ayde the Towne The Englishmen greeued at the losse of such a place therevpon conceiued a mortall hatred against king Phillip Presently after the yeelding of Callais they besieged the Towne of Guines in the counte d'Oye which was taken but the Englishmen that were in the Castle draue the Frenchmen out and burnt the Towne who were presently besieged vpon the 13. day of Ianuary and hauing indured the batterie and sustained an assault the second beeing prepared they asked and receiued a composition Guines was wholly spoyled and defaced as beeing noysome to Calais as also not beeing needefull to bee kept so neare vnto it so that in fine the whole Counte of Oye was reduced vnder the kings obedience for the which great ioy was made through all the countrie of France in exchange of many a teare not long before shedde for their losse vpon S. Laurence day Parliament in Parris The same moneth the king held a Parliament in Parris wherein they granted him a subsidie of three Millions of gold for the maintenance of his warres that done hee went to visit Callais the Gouernment whereof was giuen vnto Monsieur de Termes The Duke de Neuers accompanied by the Gouernours of Iuoy Mesieres Bouillō Maubert Fontaine tooke the castle of Herbemont hard by Iuoy Exployts done by the Duke de Neuers also the Fortes of Iamoigne Chigny Rossignon and Villeneufue but by reason of the colde which as that yeare had not begunne till about the month of Februarie hee was forced to leaue the field and to enter into Garrison while the king in diuers places of the Realme made many secret leuies of souldiers commaunding his Captaines not to march with any of their troupes before they should receiue expresse commaundement from him In the moneth of Aprill A marriage between the Dauphin Marie Queene of Scots the marriage betweene Francis eldest sonne to the King Prince Dauphin de Viennois and Marie Stuard daughter to Iames the fift king of Scots of Marie de Lorraine before widdowe to the Duke de Longueuille sister to the Duke de Guise was concluded and after vppon the 28. of the same month accomplished with great solemnitie During this marriage there was a certaine motion of peace to bee made betweene the two kings at Peronne by the Duches Dowager of Lorraine and the Cardinall brother to the Duke of Guise but all in vaine for on the one side king Phillip tooke Nesle the Englishmē spoyled the coast of Normandie on the other side Taking of Theonuille the king of France determined to besiege Theonuille to the which end he sent Monsieur de Bourdillon to see what might be done he being accōpanied by Vieille Ville Gouernour of Metz with the olde troupes of the Garrisons of Metz Thoul Verdun Danuilliers in the beginning of May incamped himselfe before Theonuille fifteene daies after the Duke de Neuers came thither and then Monsieur de Guise Generall of the armie followed by the most valiant Captaines and Gentlemen of France The batterie beganne the fift of Iune with 30. great Peeces the Counte de Horme assayed to enter into it followed by certaine troupes but the passages were in such sort closed vppe that with losse hee was forced to retire The Duke of Guise going to viewe a breach seconded by certaine valiant Leaders caused a false assault to bee giuen whereby at that time the Towne hardly escaped from taking but the assaylants beeing in very small number were forced to retire with losse of diuers good and valiant souldiers presently after by the onely meanes and aduise of Monsieur de Monluc they tooke around Tower that much ayded the besieged and as they were about to myne a platforme adioyning therevnto the Marshall Strossi was striken with a Harquebu-shot whereof hee died his place beeing giuen to Monsieur de Termes The 21. of Iune the mynes beeing prepared to worke Taking and spoyling of other places the assieged demaunded a composition which was honourably graunted vnto them and two or three daies after they issued foorth to the number of one thousand fiue hundreth souldiers but most part sicke which were well and courteously vsed not one eyther troubled or spoyled at their issuing The Towne of Luxenbourg wherein were the Countes of Mansfeld and Horne was viewed but not long before Arlon was assayled forced spoyled and burnt and Chigni Villemont and Rossignill taken againe from the Wallons wherein they set fier onely in Chigni which they fortified Vieille-ville was left within Theonuille with tenne Ensignes of footemen and some companies of Launciers Enterprises in Flanders by the Marshall de Termes who in fine was ouerthrowne by the Count de Aiguemōt Because the Englishmen made diuers warres as well by Sea as by land into the countrie of France the king caused two small armies to be made and conducted by the Duke d'Aumalle at la Fere the other vnder the Marshal de Termes at Callais Termes knowing that the townes lying on the Sea-coast subiect to the Spaniards were but meanely manned because they feared not the Frenchmen on that side hee made an enterprise vppon Dunkerke a Towne lying vpon the Sea betweene Newport and Graueling in the which enterprise hee besieged Berges that was presently taken and sacked which done he went before Dunkerke which held out but foure daies and in the end was taken and pilled where they found so rich a bootie that the very boyes of the armie were thereby made rich but as Messieurs de Villebon and de Senarpont staying for Marshal de Termes that as then was sicke laye incamped hard by Graueling the Earle of Aiguemont Lieftenant Generall for the king of Spaine in the lowe Countries with all speede assembled the Garrisons and other forces to the number of sixteene thousand footemen a thousand or twelue hundreth Rutters and two thousand lanciers determining to impeach the passage of the French armie from entring any further into Flaunders and to make them leaue the siege of Graueling and the Marshall was scarse healed and entered into the armie but the Counte de Aiguemont was vppon him not once making shew to fight The Marshall perceiuing him too strong would not likewise hazard himselfe but rather began to retire towards Callais which the Earle doubting determined to stop his passage and so constraine him to fight or to make him yeeld by famine before the towne of Graueling which the Marshal perceiuing assayed to passe the riuer that runneth from S. Omers called
l'A And hee had no sooner begun but the Flemmings onely staying therevpon got before him which constrained the French Vangard to range themselues in order thereby to sustaine the rest of the armie where it made a braue resistance driuing certaine squadrons of horses out of ranke but the Counte hauing made a furious charge procured the ouerthrow and spoyle of the Marshall who beeing sore hurt was taken with Messieurs de Villebon Senarpont Moruilliers and Chaune and many Captains and souldiers slaine in the field The Marshals armie being composed of certaine companies of launciers three cornets of light-horses Scottish-men 14. Ensignes of French footemen and 18. Companies of Lansquenets all beeing eyther slaine or taken The number that escaped were not many that great wound renewed the former of S. Lawrence day and brake the enterprise vppon the Duche of Luxenbourg where the Duke of Guise pretended to be doing who in the moneth of Iuly tooke his course to Thierashe and so lodged at Pierrepont which he strengthened with 7. Cornets of Rutters a new Regiment of Lansquenets An army by sea of English men Flemings ouerthrowne in Brittaigne At the same time the armie at sea composed of Englishmen and Flemmings to the number of 6000. men or thereabouts hauing sayled along the coast of Britaigne in the end tooke land at Conquet which they spoyled and entering further into the countrie were ouerthrowne by Monsieur de Kersimon whereof some he slewe other he tooke prisoners and caused the rest to saue themselues by fight within their shippes where they presently hoysed sayles and put to sea Both the kings armies hard by Amiens Both the kings hauing prepared their armies no lesse puissant then at other times incamped themselues and stayed not farre from Amiens along by the Riuer of Somme where they had great numbers of strangers so that their owne subiects in comparison of them were very fewe There they made certaine courses and skirmishes but no battell of any consequence and as it seemed those two great Princes were as then come thither to make an agreement the treatie whereof was mooued and to proceed therein they chose the Abbey of Cercamp vpon the frontiers of Artois and Picardie wherefore the King of France appeased the Constable the Marshall S. Andre the Cardinall of Lorraine Moruilliers Bishop of Orleans one of the kings priuie Councell and Secretarie Aubespine The king of Spaine sent thither the Duke d'Alue the Prince of Aurange Deputies for peace Rigome de Silues Granuelle Bishop of Arras and Vigle de Zuichem President of the Councell of Estate in the lowe Countries They assembled in the moneth of October hauing sor vmpier of the differences that might fall out betweene them the Duches Dowager and the Duke of Lorraine her sonne Meane time the Constable hauing agreed for his ransome came to do his dutie vnto the King who gaue him all the entertainment that possible he might and made him lye with him as some certainly report During this meeting both the armies were dismissed the strangers sent into their countries While this treatie of peace continued Charles the Emperour and his sister Ellenor Death of the Emperour Charles the fift and Ellenor his sister of Mary Queene of England and of Cardinall Poole wife vnto King Francis died in Spaine the peace was grounded vppon the marriage of Charles Prince of Spaine with Elizabeth eldest daughter of K. Henry of Philebert Emanuel Prince of Piedemont with Margaret daughter to king Francis deceased That which prolonged the treatie was that the Q. of England demanded the restitution of Callais but about the end of Nouember she died After whom likewise died Cardinall Poole her great Councellor her death that changed the state of England wherein after that neither the Spaniards nor the Pope had more to do caused the assembly to be referred vnto the peace ensuing King Phillip hauing with great pompe celebrated the funerals of his father within the Towne of Brussels The Duke of Lorraine married with the yonger daughter of the French King stayed in Flaunders to heare what should be done by his Deputies before he passed into Spaine The K. of France to ioyne the Duke of Lorraine in alliance with him gaue him Claude his second daughter in mariage reseruing the elder for the cōclusion of peace The espousals were holden in Parris vpon the 5. of Februarie and about the 15. of the same month the Deputies changing place being furnished with large and ample instructions met at the castle of Cambresse king Phillip lying at Monts in Hanaut where the Cardinall of Lorraine went to visit him and after that the Duches Dowager Peace agreed vppon betweene two kings At this second meeting both of them seemed very vnwilling specially the Spaniards moued therevnto by newes out of Piedemont where the Frenchmen had lately receiued an ouerthrow But in the end after many arguments and conclusions they drewe vnto an agreement In the Tretie at Cercamp a marriage had beene spoken of betweene Charles Prince of Spaine and Elizabeth of France Now the Deputies perceiuing king Phillip to bee a Widdower and esteeming the alliance to bee stronger if hee espoused the Princesse which before should haue been giuen vnto his sonne they propounded that Article which to the good contentment of both the Kings was concluded and agreed vpon togither with the marriage of the Prince of Piedemont to the Ladie Margaret The King of France yeelded to the King of Spaine all that hee had taken from him both on this side and beyond the Mountaines also to the Prince of Piedemont la Bresse Sauoy and Piedemont except foure Townes to the Geneuois the Isle of Corse and Siene to the Duke of Florence retaining nothing but Callais without gaining a foote of any other land in all that long and daungerous war which had desolated so many Prouinces sacked burnt ouerthrowne so many Townes Bourges Villages and Castles been the death of so great a number of Princes Lords Gentlemen Captaines Souldiers Cittizens and Paisants caused so many rauishings and violatings of women and maids and in a word which had in a manner tormented all Europe so that in effect the king yeelded aboue two hundreth others write almost as many more places for the conquest whereof a sea of blood of his naturall subiects had been spent and shedde the treasures of the Realme consumed his lands ingaged and he indebted on all sides and which is woorse the fire beeing quenched vppon the borders not long after began within the middle of all his Realme and in euery place thereof as well is seene during the raignes of his three successors But these things are the vnsearchable and deepe iudgements of God which are not lawfull for vs to enter into but onely to worship and adore him that worketh all things with great wisedome with mercie towards his children and with most iust and fearefull vengeance against his enemies
minded and not passionate to inquire of the fact But in stead of keeping promise at the same time an edict was made forbidding the exercise of the religion in the kings Court An edict derogating that of pacification and that in the Townes wherein by the edict it was permitted the Ministers should not preach as long as the kings should remaine therein all eadging for reason that his presence might not indure the exercise of any other religion then that which he vsed who as then was taught to rule and Court Ladies hauing Maisters appoynted for the purpose the Court as then beginning to bee an example of all dissolution They likewise draue al ministers out of the realm that were not natural Frēchmen The king being gone from Lyons went to Roussillon wher he staying for a time was visited by the duke d'Sauoy Ther they erected another dismēbring of the edict of peace Another derogatiue edict forbidding all iustices to vse the exercise of religion in their houses freses or Castles other then in those that are appoynted in the edict That the Ministers which should haue exercised their charges in places not comprehended in the edict for the first time should bee banished out of the realme and beeing found therein againe to bee corporally punished That Priestes Monkes Friers and Nunnes that are married should bee constrained to leaue their wiues and husbands and to returne againe into their Monasteries and Couents or else to go out of the realme That it should not bee lawfull for those of the religion to hold Sinodes accusing them vnder that pretence to haue made conspiracies and raised the greatest part of the realme This edict abated somewhat of the edict of pacification From Dauphine the king went into Prouence and Marcèllis and in the beginning of winter hee entered into Languedoc and being in Montpeslier about the end of December prolonged the redeeming of the spirituall goods for the space of sixe moneths more This winter was extreame colde through all the realme of France The Cardinall of Lorraine pretending to enter armed into Parries is repulsed by the Marshall de Mont morency At that time the Cardinall of Lorraine newly returned from the Councell of Trent hauing stayed a certain time in Champagne rid to Parris with his guard openly bearing armes contrary to the expresse commaundement of the king beeing accompanied by Henry Duke of Guise his Nephewe as then but a child but yet inuested with the estate of Great-maister of France His brother the Duke d'Aumale lay not farre from Parris with a troupe of men The Marshall de Montmorency Gouernour of the Isle of France beeing a wise Gentleman and a friend to peace hauing discouered that diuers mutinous companions attended the Cardinalles arriuall in that manner to commit violence against those of the religion that daily increased and foreseeing that so bolde an attempt openly to ride in armes would breed some horrible tempest if it were not preuented sent word to the Cardinall that hee should not presume to enter into Parris with such a traine nor in that manner And because he made no account of the kings Lieftenants commandement the Marshall sent him word that hee forbadde him to enter into his gouernment with armed troupes which if hee did hee would vse his authoritie But the Cardinall not letting for that about the beginning of Ianuarie assayed to enter armed into Parris but hee found the Gouernour and Soueraigne Magistrate with thirtie or fortie men readie to resist him all men of account as Lords and Gentlemen and the Prince of Portian But in stead of beating down the Cardinall and his men hee contented himselfe to put them in feare The Cardinall his Nephewe and diuers of their followers saued themselues in the first shoppes and houses they could get into Their men of war shunning the danger with all the speede they could but not once pursued This chance made the Cardinal wholly confused and hauing stayed for a time within the Towne hee returned into Champagne staying the Kings returne from Bayonne The Duke d'Aumale his brother made more shewe and for the space of certaine weekes no other report ranne abroad within Parris and all the Isle of France but onely of leagues and associations made to bee reuenged vppon the Marshall de Montmorency who being assisted by the Admirall and other Lords held the Parisians in peace and caused his action to bee approoued both in the Parliament and by the kings Councell But this blowe renued the despight of the house of Guise against those of Montmorency and Chastillon and because the assemblies made by the Duke d'Aumale and the league hee made with the Duke d'Estampes Martignes Chauigny and the Bishoppe of Mans had constrained the Marshall the Admirall to assemble certain Gentlemen to withstand those pretended leaguers The Queen fearing least that beginning wold breed some mischiefe that might breake the voyage of Bayonne and other expedients which shee esteemed to bee most fit and necessarie for the effecting of this Councell presently dispatched letters pattrents whereby the king commauned those that as yet were not entered into Parris to approach no nearer and such as were therein to depart from thence referring the ending of this quarrell vntill his returne out of Gascoigne The Cardinall offended that no better remedie was taken in his behalfe touching that disgrace beganne another enterprise making warre against Salcede Bailiffe de Vic The Cardiwalles warre and Gouernour for the king in Marsault that had ceased certaine places appertaining to the Cardinall alleadging hee had reason to doo it because the Cardinall had put himselfe into the safegard and protection of the Emperour and had caused it to bee published without the commandement and licence of the king his Soueraigne But Salcede beeing ouerweake for so puissant an enemie fauoured by the Queene in the end was constrained to leaue both Vic and Marsault The ninth of Iune Henry duke of Orleans brother to the king departed from Bayonne The comming of the Queen of Spaine to Bayonne where not long before the Court arriued and went to lodge at Saint Iohn de Lus from whence the next day after he road to Iron the first place in the frontiers of Spaine scituate vpon the riuer of Marquery which diuided the lands of the Kings of France and Spaine And hauing past that riuer he went to meete with his sister the Queene of Spaine beyond Aruany where after the ceremonies and salutations ordinatily vsed at such meetings they tooke their way to S. Sebastians wher the Duke of Alue stayed Not long after the king went forth to meet his sister accompanied by diuers Princes Noblemen conducting her vnto Bayonne where she stayed along time The Duke d'Alua with many of the Couucell of Spaine had diuers secret conferences with the Councell of France There resolution beeing as Monsieur de Noue saith in his discourse Councels holden in Bayonne betweene the Spantards the
mouthes crying out and saying that those of the religion sought to despise and not account of the kings authoritie To be short and euill shame caused them to receiue a peace in paper couerture of a bloodie war which stayed not long to shew it selfe The peace beeing published in the Princes campe Duke Iohn Casimeir speedily made haste to returne into Almaine with all his forces VVhat ensued of this peace The Prince the Admirall and all the Lords and Gentlemen of their side with their horse and foote in small troupes returned to their houses laying downe their armes leauing the places by them holden for the space of sixe months those of least consideration thinking their enemies wold do the like They coÌ„tented theÌ„selues only to promise it alleading according to the doctrine of their church that they are not to hold faith giueÌ„ to hereticks for so they esteemed those of the religion Presently therfore assoone as they had Orleans and other towns into their possession presently order was taken that those of the religion should not bee able to set soot in them againe their weapons neuer went out of their hands but beganne to keepe the townes to make war place Courts of guard and Sentinels as in time of open war to set Captains souldiers at the entries of bridges passages of riuers not suffering any man either on horse or foot to passe without examining him sacked and murthered in the fields and townes more men in the space of six weekes then they would do during the space of sixe monthes To be short before the end of the month of May Preparation for the third ciuill warre those of the religion for the most part found themselues inclosed within townes or betweene riuers expecting nothing else but when they should be murthered and some of them that had been so instant for the peace were then constrained to acknowledge but somewhat too late that they must of force drinke the cup of their owne follies The Prince had withdrawne himselfe to his Castle of Noyers a small Town weak and vnfurnished of men where from day to day he had intelligence from all places that the passages of all riuers were stopped that almost all the D. of Anious horsemen remained about Parris with fiue or six thousand foote vnder pretence of new guards for the persons of the king his mother his bretheren and their Capitall towne that Monsieur de Tauannes was sent with great forces to take him in Noyers which made him to knowe that his affaires went not well and that there was no remedie but of force to seek to saue himselfe in some place of better assurance The Admirall not daring to remaine in his house of Chastillon sur Loing being but three daies iourney from Parris went to lye at Tanlay a small Castle belonging to Monsieur d'Andelâ—t his brother from whence hee went to lye nearer to the Prince that they might cousult together what was expedient for them to do and as hee went there happened 〈◊〉 straunge and memorable thing vnto him which was that in the way to Auxerre hard by a village called Moulin there is a pond which the â—dmirall approaching a certaine olde man one of his ancient and faithfull seruants called Grippier a man that had made many great and long voyages at sea discouering a darke cloude driuen by the winde and that came towards thaâ— pond perswaded his Maister to make haste Anotable accident and with all speed to get into the next village otherwise he said a storme was comming that would ouerthrow both him and his companie which done and thinking hee would haue beleeued and followed him in great haste hee went on before And being scarse out of sight the Admirall hauing hardly past the end of the Causies that past ouer the pond he was taken with a tempest and force of winde that many horsemen were ouerthrowe and diuers horses stricken to the ground wherewith their fell a hayle so thicke and great that the force thereof hurt many of them The winde blew away the Admirals hat which they could not finde againe but one of his Gentlemen was constrained to send him his hat he himselfe was hurt but very lightly vpon the ancle of his foote with a haile-stone So that both hee and his company confessed that if the tempest had taken them in the middle of the Causie they had surely bin vtterly cast away The tempest past the Admirall incouraged his men giuing hartie thanks to God for his deliuerance adding these words Before long time be past we shall be inuiroued with many dangers but I trust God will defend vs. Being arriued at Noyers although both the Prince and be well perceiued that their continuance in the place was a means to sharpen the euill wils of their enemies What means the Prince vsed to staie the third ciuil warre notwithstanding to omit nothing of their duties they sent diuers messengers to the king wherby they shewed themselues to be assured certified that his M. sought to apprehend them humbly besoght him to haue pittie vpon his countrie of France sacked desolated by the two former ciuill wars without seeking by the ruine ouerthrow of his realme to quench the fire which those of Guise kindled therein as also that it wold please him wisely to preuent the danger then approching The Admiral likewise wrote to the Ladie Margaret of France Duches of Sauoye whom he knew to be beloued of the Queen-mother desiring her most instantly to oppose her selfe against the desolatioÌ„ of the realm of France The answeres from the Court were shadowed with excuses protestations The Admirals Letters to the Duches of Sauoy and promises mean time Tauanes an old seruant to the house of Guise not long after made Marshal of France ariued in his armie therwith at one instant to inclose both the Prince the Admiral within Noyers the Councels resolution being to besiege force them before they could procure ayde froÌ„ any place the passages being shut vp These vnfaithful deuises being discouered vnto the prince the Admiral by diuers of those that were of the same enterprise they determined with all speed to dislodge from that place in great hast to get to Rochel that wold not opeÌ„ their gates vnto the troupes which the Marshal de Vieleuille thoght to put therin the InhabitaÌ„ts being aduertised that they shuld be spoiled because of the religioÌ„ which they defeÌ„ded togither with their ancient rights and priuiledges The Prince and the Admirall readie to be taken saue themselues which wholly exempted them from all Garrisons and other warrelike forces wherewith kings helpe themselues to vse other townes at their pleasures which to doo they were to passe the riuer of Loyre beeing very high and about the beginning of Sommer the Prince was likewise constrained to take the Princesse his wife and sixe small children with him among the which one was of the age of
answered that for the losse of such a battell their hope in the strong God of whose aide they were assured was not diminished And the next day after this parley was made the sallie aforesaid wherein Partso◠was slaine and at their returne into the towne they sung the 50. Psalme beginning The mightie God c. And not long after Martigues felt that the strong God is liuing to ayde the weake and to abate those that thinke themselues to be stronger then he During this batterie la Motte Puiols and S. Seurin with eightie horse and two hundreth foot made a braue sallie vpon the besiegers court of guard which consisted of foure Ensignes slew fiftie or sixtie of the principall wounded a great number cloyed sixe coluerins and burned fifteen barrels of powder belonging to the munition also la Motte charged the Switzers that kept the store house wherein were some hundreth barrels and more slew part of the Switzers and scarred the rest so that had they not made speede to the rescue all the powder of the armie had vanished in smoke The besieged retired with two Ensignes many drūmes weapons great bootie without losse of any one man Afterward the furie of the cannon was redoubled and the besiegers resolued to abide but not to fight but with cannon shot Finally the siege hauing continued for the space of two monethes there was a capitulation signed with the kings owne hand importing that the besieged should issue out with their goods armes and horses their Ensignes wound vp and that for the space of foure monethes after they should not beare armes for the generall cause of the religion that as well straungers as others might retire whither they would with all securitie and that they should be conducted by Biron Cosseins Now it remained that they should prouide to depart the next day being the third of Decemb. which they did euery man as well as hee might In the meane time the sicke and wounded the aged impotent and women tooke on mightily neither was there anything heard but weeping and lamentation especially at the departure which was about noone The Duke of Aumale was at the gate of Mattas where the footemen were the first that came forth The vn worthee dealing with those that came foorth of Saint Iohn d'Angelie vpon compesition vnder the leading of Captaine Serido and other Captaines to whom Marshal Vieillenille said Follow me and let your men come after you Beeing come to the midst of the subburbs the Romish Catholicquesouldiers began to discharge vppon therest and with force draue them into their lodgings where they stripped them of their armes apparrel and mony the marshal being hereof aduertised commanded his mēto follow him with their weapons readie but as he ran one way there was much iniurie offered an other Whervpon Serido went twise to complain to the D. d'Aumale and to summon him to see the kings promise performed but Aumale in liew of going himselfe commanded certaine Captaines to take order for it About 50. paces without the subburbs stood the D. of Aniou whose countenance did somwhat represse the insolencie of the Rutters but so soone as they were passed him his foot mē spoiled their cariages seized vpō their spare horses set the horsemē besides their saddles robbed them Neither did they the escaped this first spoyle go scot free for passing by S. Iulians which was halfe a league of they incurred greater iniuries then before The regiment of Sarrieu that stood there at guard suffered not any to escape but tooke from them all that they could finde euen to their hose and shooes yea sometimes to the very shirt Many were beaten murthered and slaine and some cast into the riuer Thus were the footemen intreated that vppon the kings faith royall came foorth of S. Iohn d'Angely The horsemen at their departure did Biron and Cosseyns bring foorth which notwithstanding they were stripped by their carriages armour and horses and being passed Saint Iulians three cornets appoynted for their conduct began to strip and iniurie any that scattered neuer so little yea euen at Siech whither they were that day to march diuers were robbed stripped and slaine And the next day vppon the way to Saint Cibardean this disorder continued to the contempt and infamie of the authoritie royall notwithstanding the kings safe conduct his Herault and Trumpet whom Biron had commanded to bring them to Angoulesme where both foote and horse thus hardly intreated arriued vppon Sunday the fourth of December about tenne of the clocke in the morning where they were honeftly receiued by the Lord of Mesines the Gonernour and diuers other Lords and Gentlemen that wondred at the former treacherie and aduised to complaine to the king and other principall men and to craue amends Aumale and the rest made much ado but in wordes onely so that thus the solemne promise was broken and the dignitie royall exposed to infamie neither could the Captains notwithstanding their complaints procure any satisfaction Indeede some fewe of the veriest rascals and treachers were bannished the campe and recompence promised for the loft baggage besides that the king seemed to be mightily discontent that his name shuld be so villainously prophaned but this second promise was as well obserued as the first Piles and some others accounting themselues in regard of this treacherie freed from their promise contained in one of the articles of the capitulation departed from Angoulesme and went to the Princes notwithstanding the disturbance by Vauguyon and eight Cornets of horse offered at the passage ouer Dordogne In this siege the assaylants loft aboue 10000. men of war and discharged 35000. cannon shot 25. or 30. commissaries of the artillerie were slaine by the besieged who for want of munition let 12. or 15. peeces mounted vpon wheeles stand vnoccupied many left the campe which found it selfe diminished of 18. or 20000. men yet litle esteemed in respect of the D. de Martigues and other cōmanders Whilest the Romish Catholicques armie lay spending thēselues before S. Iohn d'Angely la Chastre and others warred vpon the religious in Berry the borders with variable successe on both sides The protestants in two or three places trusting to their enemies promises were hardly intreated but they had their reuenge by weapons and valiant resistance in sundrie places where they bare out sundrie assaults forced their enemies to retire The kings armie by want of victuals and other discommodities presently after went from Saint Iohn de Angely leauing the Princes and the Admirall to thinke vpon their voyage And the king about the end of the yeare went to Anger 's assigning the Princes Deputies to bee there in the beginning of Ianuary to intreat of peace The King 1570. the Queene the Duke of Aniou and their Councell thinking that the Princes had lost courage and after the battell of Montcontour Why a parley of peace was made about the beginning of the yeare to be wholly destitute
that hee died immediately To be briefe the Protestants tooke from them all that they held about Rochel excrept Saint Iohn d'Angely where they nestled themselues The Barron de la Garde had for a while kept the sea with his Gallies but hearing of the taking of Bronage hee retired toward Bourdeaux whilest Sore for the Princes scoured the Ocean where hee daily light vppon some bootie Among other his exployts about the beginning of Iuly hee tooke a Portugall shippe laden among other marchandize with some fortie Iesuites that were trauelling toward India but they were stayed and the most part leaped ouer-boord This victorious successe of the Protestants in Poictou and Xaintongne were the occasion that to preuent any greater conquests the Prince d'Auphin was appoynted to come down into Poictou there to reassemble Puigaillards forces which now hopped but vpon one legge Succourd deputed for Puigaillard and those of the Countie of Lude to the end to come to some new practise The eleuenth of August after the two great armies lying about the riuer of Loire newes was brought vnto them of a peace agreed vpon between the king and the Princes all precedent modifications and restrictions abolilished the second Edict of peace confirmed and allowed The 3. Edict of peace this peace was receiued of all men with hope of revnion betweene the two parties through all the Realme The peace published in the Campes and Townes the armies were discharged assoone as they had conducted their straungers into Lorraine and the Princes accompanied with Countie Lodowicke in the beginning of October returned to Rochel the king by the Edict granted foure Townes Rochel Montauban Cognac and la Charite Townes for assurance to bee kept in the Princes names for the space of two whole yeares for assurance of this third Edict of pacification in the pursuite whereof Teligny after sonne in lawe to the Admiral and Beauuais la Nocle imployed themselues most faithfully with great credite and reputation of all men Touching the Admirall if there were any Commaunder on both sides that desired peace it was hee as by letters dated the second of March at Montreal hard by Carcassonne written to the king the Queen and the Duke of Anion appeared For being friend to militarie discipline abolished in those miserable ciuill warres and enemie of vices oftentimes beholding such disorder hee said that if it pleased God to send peace in France hee would desire to die a thousand deaths rather then to fall againe into those confusions The Admirall desireth peace and once againe to see such mischiefes leauing to all the rest of the commanders the praise which they obtained if in ciuil wars praise may be giuen it may be said that the Admiral trauelled much both in bodie mind hauing sustained the heauiest part of the affairs of the wars with much cōstancie fidelitie facilitie and behauing himselfe with as great reuerence towards the Princes his superiours as modestie to his inferiors he neuer spake of the king the Queen the Duke of Aniou and those whom hee knew to bee his capitall enemies but with honour without subtiltie or counterfeit speeches beeing the man among all those of the religion specially among the Commaunders in the warre who in a speciall manner reposed himselfe vppon the prouidence of God The prisoners that fell into his hands were fauourably vsed by him as courteous when hee had put vp his swoord as fierce when he held it naked in hand Pittie by him was alwaies had in singular cōmendation as also loue to iustice wherein hee continued both priuate and publike in time of peace and warre vntill hee died which made him both esteemed and honored by those whose part hee held Hee sought not ambitiously to haue commaundements and honours but shunning them hee was constrained to accept them by reason of his wisedome good gouernment in mannaging armes it might well be seene that hee had as good knowledge therein as any Captaine of his time and alwaies exposed himself couragiously in any dangers wise in counsell and valiant in fight in aduersities magnanimious and adorned with wisedome to auoydethem And to conclude hee was a man most woorthie and fitte to restore and re-establish a feeble and corrupt estate but it appeared in an vnfit time and that which after happened vnto him she weth an exterior apparance that vertue is but hardly assured heere on earth Peace concluded and published as it hath beene said the Admirall Teligny la Noue and diuers others withdrew themselues neare vnto the Princes in Rochel there with more securitie to attend the aduancement and execution of the Edict They put Garrison for the Princes in the Townes of assurance except in Rochell which was maintained in her auncient priuiledges The Emperour Maximilian the second not long after married his eldest daughter to Phillip king of Spaine his brother in lawe So that the vncle married the Neece The king married to Elizabeth of Austria Elizabeth his youngest daughter was after giuen in marriage to king Charles the ninth whom hee espoused in the Towne of Mezieres about the end of Nouember and the foure and twentieth of December going to Parris at Villiers coste Rez hee gaue audience to the Ambassadors of Almaine that desired vnto he made an answere that contented them wherewith they were honourably discharged About the same time the Princes exhibited sundrie complaints concerning the Edict by the hands of Briquemaut Teligny Beauuais la Nocle and Cauagnes Teligny was the chiefe Agent and seemed to bee highly in the kings fauour to whom he propounded the complaints of the Protestants wherevpon the king sent forth sundrie Commissioners throghout al the Prouinces of his kindome among other the Marshal de Cosse togither with Proutiere Maister of Requests who made a voyage to Rochel as well to conferre with the Queene and Admirall concerning some conuenient means to maintaine the realme in peace as for other matters that we will shortly speake of The first of Ianuary there beganne a conference betweene the Marshall de Cosse and la Proutiere with the Admirall and other Deputies for the Queen of Nauarre and the Princes at Rochel Proceeding with the Q. of Nauarre the Princes the Admiral and those of the religion in the second yeres of peace that the third edict of pacification continued touching the difficulties and interpretations of diuers articles of the Edict On both sides complaints were made touching the infraction thereof with long replies whereof ensued certaine resolutions that were to bee sent vnto the king I his assembly serued for a couerture to a parley of a marriage betweene Henry de Bourbon Prince of Nauarre and Ladie Margaret sister to the king as also to a conference with the Admirall touching the warre which the king said hee would beginne against the king of Spaine in the lowe Countries And all this propounded and deuised to drawe the Queene of Nauarre the Princes and the Admirall to the
Ienlis aduentures who had gathered foure thousand footemen and fiue hundreth horse Ienlis and his troupes defeated for the succor of Countie Lodowicke and la Noue whom the Duke of Alue had besieged in Monts In the meane time commeth the new dispensation toward the ende of Iuly wherewith the Cardinal seemeth satisfied and the eighteenth day of August is nominated for the marriage In the meane time commeth the news of Ienlis surprise and aduenture whereat the king seemeth to bee much agreeued who writeth to his Ambassadour in the lowe Countries to procure by all possible meanes the deliuerie of the prisoners taken in that surprise as also he suffereth the Admirall to send all the succour hee may to ioyne with the Rutters whom the Prince of Orenge had buried at the same time causing him to haue mony deliuered for the footemens paye who were thought to amount to foure Regiments besides some thirtie companies of men at armes The Ambassadour of Spaine seemed to be malecontent because the king went about to make war in Flaunders and for the same cause withdrew himselfe out of France the Queene-mother also played many parts in this tragedie faining not to haue knowne the kings proceedings and knowing them made as though she would haue left the Court in such manner that the Admiral Teligny his sonne in law and other Lords confirmed themselues more and more that the kings actions were correspondant to the Admirals aduice which was to make warre in the king of Spaines countries that had kindled it and pretended to make warre in France thereby in time to cease vppon it Rochel inuested prouideth for it selfe The last of Iuly the Rochelers wrote vnto the Admirall that the armie at sea approached neare them and that it spoyled the plaine Countri-men comming euery day from Xantongue and Gascon vsing terrible threatnings against their towne openly speaking of the spoyle thereof sending to aske his counsell therein specially touching the receiuing of eight hundreth men for Garrison which they sought to put into the Towne Hee made them an honourable aunswere dated the seuenth of August assuring them of the care hee had ouer them and added that hee sawe the king so well disposed to the entertainment of peace that all men had cause to commend him The Rochelers notwithstanding neglected not to looke vnto themselues and to fortifie their Towne In other Townes their ranne diuers mutterings and many were the threats of the Romish Catholicques against the Protestants which daunted some of them Others relied vppon the Admiralles presence in the Court and trusted to his answere deliuered as well by word of mouth as by writing vnto those that asked his aduice vppon all accurrences whose speeches were in effect as followeth That as concerning the Guisians whom they so vrged the King had taken order by setting them at vnitie and causing both parties to swear friendship that the marriage of the Ladie Margaret whom the King gaue saith hee not to the King of Nauarre onely but as it were to the whole Church of the Protestants to ioyne with them in an indissoluble vnion was the type of their peace and safetie Heerevpon hee often besought such as sent him any packets gaue him any aduice of the hatred of the King the Queene-mother the Duke of Anion or the house of Cuise against either himselfe or the Protestants no more to trouble him with any the passed calamities but rather to be content with their daily prayers to God to whom they were to giue thankes that hee had vouchsafed to bring all matters to so quiet an end In brief the Admiral euer like himselfe stood fast in all these motions not that hee knew not of the malice of infinite his aduersaries that inuironed him neither that beeing at Parris hee laye in the very goulf and deepest pit of death but because through constancie and long continuance he had framed himselfe to rely vpon Gods prouidence as also for the hauing secretly layed open vnto the King the very springs of the ciuill warres in France and most liuely painted foorth the practises of his secret enemies and treacherous seruants that aymed at the soueraigntie since it hath manifestly appeared hee supposed that he had left him in a faire path to preuent them For sure it is that the King albeit as then but yong had a very good wit and could reasonable wel perceiue the course of his affaires so that had not such bloodie and furious Councelles preuented and crossed his capacitie France had not incurred those calamities that since haue almost subuerted the whole estate thereof For in the end he found albeit ouer-late for his person and crown that they that termed themselues his seruants ment nothing lesse but were his most cruell enemies and such as had exiled and murthered his best subiects to the end afterward with more facilitie to ridde their hands of himselfe and so to seize vppon the Realme There happened yet an other matter as the waies of God are maruellous and vncomprehensible that more and more stopped the eares of the Admirall Negotiation of Polonia not to way so many aduertisements as daily were giuen him to depart out of Parris to take with him out of Parris such Lords Gentlemen and Captaines as the Queene-mother the Duke of Anion the Guisians and the Parrisians most vehemently hated For certaine weekes before it had been determined in the Councell to send Ambassadours into Polonia king Sigismond beeing dead to desire the Estates to chuse for their king the Duke of Anion whom the Admirall accounted an irreconcileable enemie to the Protestants The Admirall therefore perceiuing that the king was earnest to further that matter of Polonia for his brother that had great credite throughout the Realme of France iudged that the king had a good insight and desired to reduce all things to a sure and firme peace that the Duke of Anion confined in Poland his adherents would be constrained to become milder that the house of Guise destitute of such a staye and doubting the king that many times looked with a fierce countenance would bee carefull not to bee too busie that in time and not long the Queene-mother would bee constrained to leaue the conductions of the affaires of the Realme vnto her sonne wherevnto hee beganne to frame himselfe and perceiuing that the King and the Queene appoynted Iohn de Monluc Bishoppe of Valence a man of great iudgement and one that had effected many serious enterprises and at other times had trauelled into Polonia for the same purpose which voyage hee beganne the seuenteenth of August it put him in better hope Monluc to the contrarie perceiuing the tempest at hand desired nothing more then to get him out of France that hee might not bee a witnesse nor forced Councellour to the mischiefes which hee perceiued readie to fall vppon those of the religion A little before hee had wished the Countie of Rochefoucaut other Lords neuer to meddle in
this imaginarie flemish war but rather with speed to return to their houses telling them that they had no great cause to relie too much vpon the faire shewes of the Court neither to soiourne long there considering the enuie and mallice that most of the greatest and generally the whole cittie of Parris did beare them but God would not suffer them as then to hearken to this good counsell In the meane time the Barron de la Garde posting from Brouage to the Court The Rochelers stand vpon their guarde returning in great haft wrote the 14. of August to the Rochelers exhorting them to giue credite to the king to his mother and to the D. of of Anion not to mistrust the soldiers that lay round about withal promising them for his part al fauor intreating them to intreat his men well that came to their Towne for their necessaries Heerevpon they grew the more warie and with like quoine and as good speeches payd this spie who writ himselfe their most assured friend The 17. of August Henry king of Nauarre and Ladie Margaret of France sister to the king in the euening were conducted to the Louure The espoufals and mariage of the king of Nauarre and Lady Margaret and the next day married by the Cardinall of Bourbon in the sight of all the people vpon a great scaffold made before the gate of the great Church of Parris That day passed ouer in banquets daunces and maskes with strange mixsture of those of the religion with the Catholicques wherat diuers were no lesse mooued then at the bloodie butcherie which alreadie they began to doubt and that happened not long after While euery man imployed himselfe to bee merrie and make good cheare diuers that were sent for by the King the Queene-mother and the Duke of Guise that they might bee the stronger part arriued in the town The conclusion hauing beene made not long before and then fully performed as well in Parris as at S. Cloud wherin the Dukes of Anion and Guise were the principall actors not to suffer the Admirall to depart but rather to dispatch him in Parris with al such as wold defend him The Queen-mother with two or three of her most faithful and secret seruants had a counsell a part the end whereof tended not onely to kill the Admirall Counsell against the Admiral and his adhereÌ„ts but also to set other at strife that they might rule with more ease Those of Guise pretended to extirminate the Admirall and causing those of the religion to be massacred by the people in the kings name to saue such as they might to make the king his mother his brother so much more odious so by little and little to aduance their desires The Marshall de Montmorencie beeing come to the wedding perceiuing such confusion and doubting the Ambuscadoes of the house of Guise mortal enemies both to him and his vnder pretence of riding out to hunt went home to his house which fell out well for him his absence beeing cause that his bretheren were not slaine The 22. of August as the Admirall came out of the Louure where all that morning hee had beene with the Marshall de Cosse Vpon fryday the Admirall was hurt and Tauanes to end a quarrell between two GentlemeÌ„ going to dine in his lodging accompanied with twelue or fifteene Gentlemen being on foote about one hundreth paces from the Louure and reading a petition one shot at him with a harguebuze the bullet whereof tooke away the forefinger of his right hand and hurt him in the left arme He that shot it had a horse readie at the back-doore of his lodging whereon being mounted he escaped at Saint Autâ—omes gate where finding a Ienet of Spaine held readie for him he tooke poste and got him to a place before appointed for his retrait The doore of the house being burst open the harguebuze was found therein with a Lacquey an other seruant it was knowne that one Chally a Steward of the kings house and a dealer in the Duke of Guises affaires the day before had brought that harguebusier into that house belonging to Villemeur Tutor to the Duke recommeÌ„ding him most earnestly vnto the Hostes that the same Fryday in the morning the Harguebusier naming himselfe Bolland one of the kings guard but it was Maureuel sent his Lacquey to desire Chally to prouide that the Duke of Guises Groome of the stable should prouide the horse that hee had promised The Admirall brought to his lodging shewed most singular pietie constancie patience vnder his Surgeans hands was visited by diuers Lords and Gentlemen of the religion the king of Nauarre and the Prince of Coude asking licence of the king to depart as beeing but hardly assured within Parris The king complained to them of the mischiefe happened swearing and promising to vse and execute such iustice vppon the offender that the Admirall and his friends should thinke themselues satisfied In the meane time he stayed them with promise shortly to take order therein and presently commaunded pursuite to bee made after the offendor on the other side willing the Prouost of Merchants in Parris to appoynt certaine men to bee readie prepared to execute what should bee giuen them in charge by the Duke of Aniou caused all the gates to bee shut swearing and blaspheming as his manner was that hee would not that they which had done that fact should so escape suffering two gates to stand open for such as passed out and in where a great watch was holden that no man might passe through without licence and faining to take order for all things touching that search caused all the towne to rise in armes As also hee appoynted sundrie Lords and Gentlemen Protestants to bee lodged in the Admirals quarter and round about him for feare said hee least lying scattered abroad in the Towne they migh encur some danger but there should be defended by the soldiers of his guard Maureuel was but easily pursued and Chally went to the Duke of Guises chamber where no man sought for him Two houres after noone the king went to visite the Admirall to whom in presence of the Queene-mother the Admirall made a long declaration wherein hee forgot not to maintaine his fidilitie to the seruice of the countrie of France of others miseries of the same by reason the peace could not bee well obserued specially touching those of the religion whereof he specified some particularities desiring the K. to do iustice vpon the offendors to haue regard vnto his faith and promise and to the quietnesse of the realm The king made aunswere that he accounted him an honest man a good Frenchman and one that loued the increase of the Crowne that he esteemed of him as of a most discreet excellent Captain and that vpon that opinion he had so farre entered into his former resolutions that his whole desire was to haue his Edicts of peace fully
businesse The kings excuses to his friends The king sent his excuses to the Pope and to the Duke of Alue touching the rumor of warres in the low countries he called the Spanish Ambassadour and shewed him that all the former counsels tended onely to the rooting out of the Huguenots and that hee ment to continue in peace and good correspondence with the king of Spaine to whom he sent a Gentleman purposely with letters of his owne hand to assure him of his intent On the other side vpon the foureteenth of Septemb. there was a precept sent to the Gouernours of the Prouinces to inquire of al such protestants as during the troubles had borne any office in the armies or townes of warre In Prouence Precepts against the Protestants through the discretion of the Countie of Tende there was no murther committed neither in Bourgondy through the subtiltie of the Guisians who purposed to lay all the hatred vpon the king notwithstanding themselues were the executioners in Parris and that their seruants Troyes in Champagne had shed the blood of sundrie innocents as also in sundrie other Townes Some murthers but indeed but few were committed in Auuergne and Dauphine Picardie and Brittaine were reasonably quiet The two and twentieth day of September there was a new precept sent to the Gouernors and Lieftenants of Prouinces for the disgrading of all protestants from their estates and publike offices which they exercised notwithstanding they were content to renounce their religion except such as had inferiour offices whom the king permitted to enioy them in case they would abiure according to a forme deuised by the facultie of Sorbon and adioyned to the same precept .. Excusers of the massacre Besides all this they hired certaine writers to excuse the massacre and thereof to publish their bookes both in Latine and French Some Lawyers were dealers that way but they met with those that so tooke them vp that afterwards a hundreth times and a hundreth they condemned such purposes The Rochelers spent the whole moneth of September in consultations vppon new letters from the king the Quesne-mother the king of Nauarre the Duke of Aniou and Biron also vpon sundrie negotiations for the receiuing of the said Biron for their Gouernour who to that end was come within halfe a daies iourney of their Towne Their finall resolution was this not to accept of Biron before the whole armie at hand were cassuered and quite scattered retaining the free exercise of religion and that Biron should not bring them any other troupes In the beginning of October those of Sancerre were inuested by certaine Garrisons that beganne to molest them but they made so braue a sallie that hauing forced the barricadoes of their enemies slaine 45. of them in the streets and houses scattered the rest and taken some prisoners What entertainment the King of Na. the Prince of Conde had after the massacre they were released of thē for a fewe daies The Rochelers at the same time were sūmoned either to accept of Biron who wold haue entered with certain troups without causing the armie to retire or else to accept the war while they consulted therevpon Let vs see what entertainment the king of N. and the Prince of Conde had within Parris their enemies not cōtent to haue led thē to the Masse after abiuration of the religion made thē be assistant at the ceremonies of S. Michael published in their presence so many precepts and libels made and deuised against the innocencie of the massacred constrained them to heare the means deuised for the extirping of therest Besides their said enemies ayded themselues by the Cardinall of Bourbon vncle to those two Princes to induce them to acknowledge and do homage to the Pope in such sort that messages dated the third of October were sent in their names whereby they desired to bee receiued into the bosome of the Romish Church The Pope sent them his pardons vpon the first of Nouember To returne to the Rochelers that persisted in their determination About the beginning of October the enemie beganne by sundrie means to cut off their victualles and prouision vnder pretence of relieuing the Nauy that might depart farre ynough from them but they soone blew vp that myne Then was there an other aduise which was this Diuers Gentlemen and good souldiers were withdrawne thither for succour who purposed to set a large price vpon their skinnes to any that should assayle them and many others likewise were departed the Realme Heervppon the king by his letters pattents of the eight of October saith that as a good housholder he pittieth his subiects that liue in penurie out of their own houses and so emoyneth his Gouernors of Prouinces throughout their iurisdictions by publike proclamation to call home such as were absent whose goods hee decreeth to be confiscate in case they returne not within a certaine time limitted them The same day the Barron de la Garde intruding himself by letters to threaten the Rochelers had his aunswere That they were the kings faithful seruants though hee were none who wrongfully molested them with his Gallies and would not retire That they prayed God to mollifie the Barrons heart that hee might not trouble them but set them at libertie That they were resolued to maintaine themselues in their priuiledges to keep their towne safe from like murther as were committed in other Towns which they accounted innocent from the crime of rebellion wherewith the Barron charged them That so long as they heard and beheld such and so horrible nouelties and were by the Barron so boldly intreated as they had beene they might and would iustly poure foorth their complaints to God and the King Whilest Biron and others did thus but in vaine solicit the Rochelers there was at Parris contriued an Edict of the tenth of October in the name of the king of Nauarre wherein he prohibited all publike exercise of any but the Romish religion throughout his countries But his subiects of Bearne euen at the first discouering manifest falshoods in that writing withall knowing that their soueraigne was in his enemies hands neither had about him any seruants but such as were foisted in by the Queene-mother or the house of Guise made no account of that paper but vsing all lawfull meanes to auoyde surprises did with many difficulties beare themselues in that estate wherein the Queene had left them hoping if their king might once escape prison he would tell them another tale The one and twentieth day of October Troubles befallen the Rochelers and how they remedied the same Biron writ by du Vigean to the Rochelers who would not graunt this Deputie entrie albeit hee came vppon safe conduct to Tadon a village neare vnto the towne when he had his answere in like terme as the former He going the next day to lye at Sigongnes which was three leagues thence certaine souldiers of the companie of Saint Stephen forced his lodging slewe
many prosperous sallies beeing alwaies prouided of a neare and sure retrait In the beginning of Februarie the Duke of Aniou Generall of the armie royall beeing come to Saint Maixant sent his letters to la Noue to summon him to deliuer vppe Rochel with promise of life and goods withall importing that if within three daies after his appoynted arriuall in his campe this were not performed he was resolued with his whole forces as well in camped as to come after him not to linger any minute but to besiege the Towne to force it and so to punish those that should be taken that their execution might bee an example to all others Now did the Rochelers beginne better to consider of the defensiue and to labour about their fortifications but because the campe vsually hindered their men from cutting and bringing in of faggots and other conuenient stuffe La Noue informed of their roâ—des vpon the sixt of Februarie layd an ambush both of horse and foote so fitly that suffering their skirmishers to come well forward hee inclosed them between his troupes and the towne and then cut in peeces all that were so insnared Besides not so content hee set vppon the lodging of Captaine Portes companie where he slew sixtie souldiers without losse of any more then one that day he returned with fortie prisoners who the next day were sent backe without ransome in regard that al the mony that wold be made of theÌ„ would neuer counteruaile their expeÌ„ces for a few daies yet such as were found to be murtherers were woorse entreated In the towne there were at that time a good number of Gentlemen horsemen eight companies of the Inhabitants nine of strangers besides the Maiors companie and one of Voluntaries formed by la Noue and consisting of twentie Muskettiers fiftie fiue Pike-men each in his corcelot at proofe and 30. harguebuziers of this companie two parts were Gentlemen and such as had born office in the wars The D. of Aniou arriued within 7. leagues of Rochel wrote vnto the Nobilitie Inhabitants two letters dated the 10. of Feb. wherin he exhorted theÌ„ to yeeld A notable skirmish The Duke of Aniou his letters with their answers threatned theÌ„ in case they refused Herevnto did the Rochelers answer in al humilitie declaring the necessitie of their defensiue intreating the D. to prouide for the tranquilitie of the realm to take such order that they might serue God in the exercise of their religioÌ„ As for the gentlemeÌ„ their answer imported that albeit they were affected to the kings seruice yet that through the malice of flatteres as could brooke no peace they were brought into his disgrace withall they shewed a reason for their taking of armes which was not voluntarie but necessitie that inforced them thereto as finding no better meanes to preserue both spirituall and temporall but to retire into the Forts places of defence their liues vntil it might please the king to take some order by a lawful assembly of the Estates and generall Councels They also besought the Duke of Aniou to consider of their iust complaints and not to impute vnto them that which proceeded of other mens faults and so offered to the king and him all obedience and seruice The next day the Duke arriued in the campe accompanied with his brother the Duke of Alencon the king of Nauarre the Prince of Conde and Dauphine the Dukes of Longueuille Bouillon Neuers Aumale and Guise the young Countie of Rochefaucaut the great Prior and other great Lords who tooke their lodgings at Nieul a long league from Rochel where they remained vntill the peace This one thing stood the Rochelers in good stead that in the enemies Councell they had many heads that shewed as many and diuers imagations and purposes Monlucs iudgement of the siege of Rochel Heereto will I adde the same that Monluc toward the end of his remembrances hath written to this purpose and of this whole enterprise in these words See all the world is come to Rochel my selfe among the rest am bidden to the banquet but when I resolued to go I made account to die and there to take my graue Beeing come I wondred to finde there so many people of so diuers humours that would haue been loth it should haue been taken The siege was great long and gallant well assaulted and better defended I will not stand to write all that was there done for I was but one neither will I speake hardly of any Monsieur who after was king and was General in that siege so far honouring me as to vse some conference wherby to gather my aduise knoweth well ynough I told him frankly what I thought This siege may teach all that were then present or that shal come heereafter that in those daies Towns of such importance must betaken by famine and inclosing by little little One great ouersight was there committed and that was the aduenturing of so many men in the assaults and a greater in keeping so bad watch to keepe the towne from succour of powder which came in by sea For to say my minde as others whatsoeuer shift the Rochelers could haue made wee had had them they cannot denie it I say with the halters about their neckes for the succours that the Countie Montgommery brought was retired and wee readie to buckle with them for all things failed them but at the same time my brother the B. of Valence was in Poland to procure the election of Monsieur for their King which hee archieued and the glorie thereof I thinke due to him alone but that caused all men to thinke vpon capitulation which at the last was compassed The Polonians Deputies came thither to salute him for their king All the troupes retired and leauing many dead and the Rochelers Lords of their Towne prepared to come to the feast of this new Crowne By Monsieurs speeches at his departure it seemed he had no great liking of this kingdome yet do I thinke it was a great honour to him and vs that so remote a kingdome should seeke a king from vs. This is Monlucs iudgement Now let vs coÌ„sider some particularities of this siege ContinuatioÌ„ of the siege of Rochel so far as the purpose of these collections may bear The town besieged both by sea land about the middest of Februarie continued her skirmishes vntill all was readie for the batterie â—he assailants from the Carraque discharged many cannon shot into the Towne and straight in case any vessell offered to passe in the night or mistes but of many hundreths none took either to kil or hurt except some two or three persons The 23. day of February after many consultations and messages the Lords of Byron Strossy Villequier and the Abbot of Gadaigne held a parley at Coignes gate with la Noue the Lieftenant generall Mortiers and Morisson Deputies for Rochel The Abbot discoursed of the kings intent and clemencie alleaging that heereafter
mother and his bretheren But the freedome of the Ministers being impatient to staye the resolution of a Councell made them to preach openly whereby they so much tempted and altered mens consciences that suddainly the ceremonies traditions of the Church were abated and the temples seased vpon destroyed And the Constable beeing descended of the first Barron and first Christian in France opposed himselfe against this diuersitie of religion in one realm The Edict of Iuly made at S. Germains in Laye 1561. The assembly at Poissy The murther of Vassy the 1. of Mars 1562. The battaile of Dreux the 19. of Decēber 1561. The Constable was first taken then the Prince of Conde The king of Nauarre was slaine at the siege of Rouē 1562. The Duke of Guise slaine before Orleans the 24. of Febru 1563. 1. Edict of peace Anno. 1563. Reconciliatiō betweene the D. of Guise and the Admirall 1566. Counsell of the Duke of Alue The enterprise at Meaux at the feast of S. Michael 1567. The battaile of S. Denis on S. Martins euen 1567. VVhere the Constable was slaine The second Edict of peace at Lōiumeau which from the time of king Clouis had bin holden maintained in paritie and integritie vnder the ancient faith of their forefathers The Cardinal of Lorraine on the other side tooke the matter in hand and counselled the king to make an Edict against those of the religion the presumption of certain men was such that they cōsented to the disputation at Poissy wher in place of remedie we found but an increasing of our miseries After that the Edict of Ianuarie so much renoumed in all the troubles and solemnized by the Huguenots folowed the breach whereof by the means of Vassy caused both parts to fall to armes vpon the plaines of Dreux which gaue the name to that me morable battell not onely for the number of men there assembled being 1900. foot 2000. horse for the kings part 4000. horse called White-coates 6000. foot of the contrarie as for diuers other accidents that therin were marked besides the taking of two of their chiefe leaders For the Prince of Conde that imputed the first motions of his imprisonmēt of his separatiō frō the fauor and presence of K. Francis the 2. to the practises of the Duke de Guise that euening of the battell was his prisoner accepted the halfe of his auncient enemies bed that was offered vnto him a right discription of this variable world wher you see one triumphing the other captiue Among so many prosperities that inuironed the Duke of Guise by the death of the king of N. Generall of the kings armie followed by all the Catholicque Nobilitie Tutor cōductor of the king Queen-mothers whole affaires death being iealous that the Capitall citie of the realme at his arriuall had cried Viue Guise Viue Guise with as great ioy gladnes as euer they cried Viue le Roy dispatched him out of the way by Poltrots means that slew him at Orleans therby finished the first ciuill war at which time the Prince of Conde was deliuered out of prison the Constable brought the first Edict of peace By this peace France had means to breath and her subiects to liue in some assurance but the corrupted humours that caused the disease of the estate were not so wel disiested but that ther rested some remnants whereby it might be feared it would fall into a much more dangerous sicknesse which happened 3. years after whē the most troublesome alterers of estate renued the fire which although it were not vtterly quenched yet it was half cōsumed The Queen hauing performed that generall visitation of all the kings Prouinces at Moulins taken vp the quarrel between the houses of Guise Chastillon and made thē friends caused 6000. Switzers to be sent for vndera fained sear of the D. of Albes passage throgh France with whom she had conferred at Bayonne wher they concluded that to liue in peace it was best for her to fish after great Samons to leaue the frogs The Admiral perceiuing it determined rather to saue himselfe by his armes then with his legs and went so near vnto the king that he had almost taken him at Meaux and so caused him to retire to Parris being conducted by Pfiffers regiment And the Prince of Conde tooke the town of S. Dennis assieged Parris burned the milles And in fine the two armies met fought before S. Dennis wher the Protestants retired the K. had the victorie but it cost him the life of the Constable beeing one of the valiantest Captains in al Europe who hauing commanded in 7. battels died in the sight of the citie of Parris and of his king at the head of an armie victorious by his cōduction hauing cut his enemies in the cheeks that had wounded him in the face he was by a Scot shot into the raines with a Pistolle so died of the seuenth wound he had receiued in that seuenth battel being of the age of 60. and 7. yeares This death procured an other little peace cōmonly called the lined peace which continued but 6. months and made a war that The Prince of Conde slaine at Bassac the 21 of March 1569. The battaile of Montcontour the 3. of October 1569. The 3. Edict of peace An. 1570. indured for the space of 2. whole years wherein the Prince of Conde died and where the Princes of Nauarre and Conde the Dukes de Guise and Maine were Captains the one of the protestants armie vnder the conduct of the Admiral the other for the defence of Poictiers vnder Monsieur the kings brother General of his Maiesties armie whereby the battell of Moncontour happened where all the protestants footemen were slaine and the Rutters spurs were not sharp ynough to make their horses flie but Monsieur not pursuing his victorie suffered his enemies to range meet togither again who in short time were foūd strong ynough to constrain him to the wars or else to make another Edict of peace with more aduantage then the two first This peace being sworned by al those that had any publike authorite therin caused the Frenchmen to feele the sweetnesse of tranquillitie to be much different from the sharpnesse and bitternesse of ciuill diuisions Therein the king the Queen-mother his bretheren and the Princes did nothing but breath and aspire vnto contentment nothing was spoken of in France but only assurance and of remoouing their wars vnto the frontiers or within the bowelles of forrain countries and euery place was filled with marriages bankets c. But this goodly shew was put only a presaging of the torment that ensued and Saylers iudged that those great calmes would in the end cause some great tempest For presently after ensued the great and terrible day so full of blood teares and sorrow where without respect The massacre vppon Bartholomewe day Ann. 1573. so many
And put both liues and goods in straâ—ngers hand And to our countrie furious Tigers seeme If leaguers lawe hath so ordained it To drowne my selfe I rather would desire Then for to liue an Vtheist in my heart And outwardly shewe a christian Although this age hath much abridged the libertie and freedome of writing which appeareth in our ancient Hystoriographers Prossart Monstielet Phillip de Comines yet wil I neither for feare nor flatterie two Historicall plagues seeme to couer the trueth of this discourse I confesse that in such places as of themselues are discommendable I haue added of mine owne to make them more notorious and in such actions as are woorthie praise wherein vertue coÌ„science valor consisteth Ispare no coÌ„mendation but in things indifferent I am constrained to suspend my iudgement rather then to enter into many vntrueths wherin if I should vse partiallitie I could not chuse but varrie from the matter My squadron is the trueth Plato and Socrates are my friends but I esteeme trueth before all things This Historie is a plea neither with not against the league I will not set roses among thornes there is neuer any vniuersall plague but some escape it and among so many and diuers actions it is impossible but there must be seuerall colours I will report the problemes debated on both sides I will shewe you their propositions which are neither so cleare nor apparant but there is alwaies some contrarietie I will set foorth in open shewe the occasions of the league the kings reasons and the king of Mauarres defences which I will declare without choise or difference and you shall consider of them without partiallitie hatred fauour or selfe will and esteeme them as a meate rather prepared for your health then for your taste Two things gaue a hotte alarme to the league one the assembly at Mâ—â—â—auban the other the voyage of the Duke d'Espernon to the king of Nauarre which it tooke as brands to kindle her fier and beganne to send out commissions in all places in the kings name who disauouched them and prohibited the raising of souldiers The first poynt of their dislike The kings Edict of the 28. of march 1585. against the raising of men shewed the reason which mooued the Cardinall of Bourbon the Princes Lords Townes and common people beeing Catholicques to oppose themselues against the Hereticques Secondly because they were offended that the Parliament which they would haue had to bee holden concerning warres to be made against the Huguenots had been reuoked Thirdly to breake the Edict of pacification Fourthly because they stood in feare that if the king should die without children there would rise great trouble for the succession of the Crownes Reuocation of the edict of peace whereof the king of Nauarre had great hope since the death of Monsieur the kings brother by the practise of his friends and fauourers about the king Fiftly because of the great preparations for warre made both within and without the Realme that should bee readie by the fifteene of Aprill then next ensuing Nominating of associates to the crowne beeing in Anno. one thousand fiue hundreth eightie fiue to execute that which they said had beene concluded in an assembly at Magdebourg the fifteenth of December one thousand fiue hundreth eightie foure agaist religion the king and his subiects by the which it was agreed that the Queene of England should furnish fiftie thousand Rutters foure thousand Switzers and twelue thousand Englishmen The Counte Palatin Prince Casimir and the Duke of Pomeranie each of them foure thousand Rutters The Langraue of Hesse two thousand and fiue hundreth The Duke of VVitemberg two thousand The Lords of their league besides the Queen of EnglaÌ„ds forces fiue thousand Switzers The kings Protector and Councell of Scotland two thousand Scots The king of Nauare the Prince of Conde and their associates fiue and twentie thousand Harquebusiers and foure thousand horse that had sworne neuer to make peace with the king of France but with all their consents to maintaine the Prince of Orange in the lowe Countries against the king of Spaine to helpe the Emperour by all the meanes they could to get the Demaines of the Empire witholdeÌ„ by the Pope and to send their deputies from all places in the month of March to Basill and Switzerland thereto determine the differences concerning the Lords Supper Sixtly because those of the religion wold not yeeld vp the townes by them holden for the assurance of that execution of the edict of peace Seuenthly because of 〈◊〉 vniuersal abuse suffered in placing of officers in leuying of monies by inuention of excessiue oppressioÌ„s laid vpoÌ„ the coÌ„mon people And lastly against such as abusing the K. fauor authoritie had in a maner ceased vpoÌ„ his person impeached the ordinary accesse of honest meÌ„ vnto him by that means to keepe from him the knowledge of disorders that are in them disposed gouernments to their fauorers consumed the kings treasures molested the commoÌ„ people braued the Nobilitie cut off the libertie of Iustice spoyled the Clargie of their tithes extraordinary benefits perswaded the king that it was necessarie for his seruice to weaken dimininish the authoritie of the Catholicke Princes Lords Vpon those iust occasions they sayd they were forced to meet in armes not hauing meanes by reason of the suddainenesse of the thing togither with the little credite they had with his Maiestie to stay for his Commission neither yet to proceede by any other waye to make him knowe their greefes assuring him that the ende and purpose of their pretence of raysing of armes was onely for to reestablish the Church of God in her true and ancient dignitie vnder the exercise of one religion throughout all his realme to restore the Nobilitie to their honor and franchises Pretence of the League to ease the common people of the impositions inuented and deuised since the raigne of Charles the ninth not to imploy the treasures that shall be leuied but for the kings seruice to procure that from thencefoorth the Parliament should bee holden euery three yeares to desire the king to take order touching the differences of the succession of the Crowne to the end his realme shuld not be diuided into as many factions as their are titles pretended For the suretie preseruatioÌ„ of their own persons among so many publike and priuate calamities to bannish from the Court such as abused the fauour and authori-of the King protesting not to do any thing against the seruice of the king neither yet to leaue armes before their intents were fully executed and that his Maiestie had procured meanes to shunne the daunger which to auoyde they had taken armes with promise likewise that their souldiers should bee payde The king thinking by faire meanes to retaine them in their duties and to exhort them to an vnion The Kings letters to the king of Nauarre wrote to the King of
France in generall receiued by that bastard peace made at Nemours with the heads of the league of the good entertainment they receiued after they had been proclaimed rebels and traitors to his Maiestie Hee said that to strengthen the league the king had commaunded him not to stirre nor prepare himselfe to warre that the people might euidently see who were the first perturbers of the peace That the permission by him giuen to them to in croch so much vppon his authoritie was the onely continuall feuer of this estate That hee sawe no more but by the leaguers eyes nor vnderstood any thing but onely by the eares of his enemies Exhortation to the king of N. to become Catholicque And as the Queene sought to assure him of the kings and her fauour and that both of them had more desire to see him conuerted and protected vnder so faire and assured hope of the chiefe Crowne of all Christian Princes rather then any longer to shrowd himselfe vnder protections of warres dispised of the greatest part of France to be the principall occasion of his friends griefe He said againe that by the kings commandement not to arme himselfe against those the soght to fight with him he had hazarded his life to keep his promise to satiffie those that soght to reduce himto extremities neglected the care of his owne preseruation saying Madame you cannot accuse mee but of too much fidelitie I complaine not of your faith but of your age that doing wrong to your memorie hath made you forget what you promised me The sharpenesse of wordes was somewhat asswaged at the third meeting wherein the Queene-mother strained the corde that brake both the accord and harmonie of their conference for she tolde him that the last and onely resolution of the king was neuer to make peace nor take truce with him if hee became not a Catholicque Wherevnto hee answered that he would neuer haue thought that a Princesse of so good iudgement wold haue taken so much paine to come vnto him onely to propound that wherewith his eares were continually filled beeing meanes of more honourable troubles if it were not ended in manner by him required which was by a generall Councell to whose iudgement hee submitted himselfe promising also to cause all the rest of his friends to doo the like As they continued in this proposition euery man giuing his censure there passed many words whereby to perswade him happily to returne to the Church of God The Queene-mother shewed him how much that change would make his estate more free more assured and more conuenient for his It is said that the Duke de Nemours said vnto him that there hee could not raise any impost It is true said hee and so there are no Italians among vs. degree that his conuersion would drawe him into his Maiesties sauour without longer seeking to court the Maiors of Rochel where hee could not doo as hee would Wherevnto hee answered that the consideration of his particular contentment yea and the winning of thirtie Crowns should neuer cause him shamefully to leaue the religion which for the space of thirtie yeares hee had professed and that hee did what pleased him in Rochel because that therein he did nothing but what hee ought to doo In the end their discourse changed to the propounding of a truce that stayed vnresolued for diuers difficulties therein found as also because of the aduise the Queene had receiued that her presence was necessary in Parris to quench the fires which the Archleaguers wherof we spake in the first booke beganne to kindle grounding the alarme vppon conference had with the king of Nauarre Both of them agreed to a peace confessing that both the Catholicques and Huguenots were wette with the ship wracke they had indured that it was not conuenient to drawe them into it again that their wounds were not as yet healed that they ought not to bee set togither by the eares and that it was requisite to haue a peace The Queen-mother wold haue a truce the King of N. a peace The Queene-mother would haue no truce that should promise a peace vnlesse the king of Nauarre would assure them of his conuersion The king of Nauarre would haue no truce that produced not the effects of a peace and the ruling of his conscience by a nationall Councell She would no truce if the king of Nauarre did not countermaund his forraine armie Hee would not agree to the second poynt of a truce if hee were not assured of a good peace In respect whereof hee offered that great assembly and raising of Rutters and Switzers vnto the king to helpe him to recouer the obedience and authoritie due vnto him In this maner their interview ended without any resolution and the Queene-mother in all haste tooke her waye to Parris vppon the aduise giuen vnto her concerning the last poynt of dispaire that was to be executed therein For the Duke de Maine being aduertised that she went to the king of Nauarre to make peace made haste to Parris to shewethe king that her trauell to that end was against his edict that such peace could not bee good ingendring in religion the effects that are contrary to the tranquillitie of Catholicque consciences He found the Parrisians more mooued then euer they were to rise vp in armes he sawe the secret articles of the sixe Archleaguers to fight against heresie These secret articles were sworne in the house of Reims neare the Augustins to reforme the Court the insolencie of the kings minions They enterprise they sappe they myne they beate downe but all in words their counsels are euill grounded their daungerous attempts are more difficult to execute then to resolue The Rattes found it expedient that to preserue themselues from the Cat they must hang a bel at her eare but none of them durst vndertake to do it they must cease vppon the king but who would bee so bolde Read the Dialogue of Manant Maheutre Fol. 104. They sent vnto the Townes some of their consort who vnder certaine secret pretences went from Towne to Towne to see the leaders of the league and to discipher the secret meanings of his intents Manant saith that at that time among them they spake not of that enterprise but onely tending to their defence if in case they were assayled and that the inuention of Barricadoes was resolued vppon aboue a yeare before they The first resolution of Barticadoes about Easter 1587. tooke effect But hee that wrote the treatie of the causes of the troubles of the moneth of Ianuarie 1589. saith that the league perceiuing that if the Huguenots were driuen out of France and the onely Catholicque religion maintained therein it should haue no more cloaks to couer her shame they thought it good to let the Huguenots remaine on the one side and on the other to torment the king For said they if our ground bee the royaltie wee must
all the mutenous leaguers continually about his eares if hee made warre against the King of Mauarre he had fiftie thousand straungers vpon his backe that would constraine him to ouerthrowe the league Wherevppon hee desired the Duke of Guise to yeelde to a peace not to abandon the Estate of the Realme for a praye vnto straungers to procure the ease and contentment of his king the comfort of the people the freedome of the Cleargie and the dignitie of the Nobilitie by other meanes then by such as would ouerthrow the honour of his soueraigntie bring his subiects in dispaire robbe Churches and sucke the blood of those fewe Gentlemen which forraine warres had left within the Realme to desend it from ciuill warres To the which peace hee mooued him by honourable promises and aduantages both to his house and partakers but hee found his heart altogether resolued vnto warres rather desiring a battell then a disputation and neyther minded to indure miserie nor yet to procure the remedies thereof So that to conclude the Duke of Guise would haue warres and aunswered the king resolutely that hee was not in the minde to haue any peace adding further The Duke of Guise would haue warre that if hee were constrained therevnto it should alwaies bee done with exception of the religion and the assurance of him and his Whereby peace for that time was vtterly bannished yet Priam for all that issued not out of Ilion before hee sawe the Grecians vnder his walles and then hee beganne to stirre himselfe and to resume the generous courage which hee had lost among the pleasures of Vincennes The state of the Court in An. 1586. and 1587. at the marriage of Monsieur de Ioyeuse since which time the Courtier had not striken one blowe with his sword but onely in quarrell of Arioste and had rather spend one hundreth Crownes in dauncings and in Maskes then one one hundreth solz in powder and in flaskes The long rest had made the most valiant like vnto a horse whose warlike courage abateth by lying long vppon the litter but necessitie founded them an alarme and made them perceiue the blacke cloud that began to fall vppon the state For the King that should haue beene very incensible if hee had not had some feeling marched in proper person diuided his warre into three parts that is to Chaumont in Bassigny to Saint Florentins hard by Troye and to Guyen Foure hundreth launciers two hundreth foote all Italians The first armie beeing composed of fiue and twentie companies of men at armes twelue Ensignes of footemen of the Regiment of Escluzeaux sixe of Ioannes and sixe of Gie with diuers blankes for commissions at the Duke of Guises pleasure troupes of strangers sent vnto him by the Duke of Parma The second was ledde by the Duke de Montpensier and in the third that went for Guyen the king himselfe was in person which three armies in all might comprehend the number of sixtie eight companies of men at armes tenne thousand foote twelue thousand Switzers and foure thousand Rutters The Duke de Ioyeuse ledde an other armie into Guyenne against the King of Nauarre and the Duke of Lorraine had braue and goodly forces vppon the frontiers The Duke de Bouillon was Lieftenant for the King of Nauarre in the armie of Rutters and Almaines Duke Cazemire excuseth himselfe that were conducted by the Barron of Othna and composed of nine and twentie Cornets of Rutters three and twentie Ensignes of Switzers and fiue thousand Lansquenets armed with corslet and pike besides eleuen Cornets of French lanciers and tenne companies of Harquebusiers on horsebacke so that the armie might be in all about thirtie thousand men not accounting the fifteen hundreth harquebusiers foure hundreth horse brought by the Lord of Chastillon Beholde poore and miserable France couered with the haire of afflictions and charged with a heauie burthen Miseries of France vnder the which it must eyther languishor die Beholde it readie to bee a pray to a people different both in manners and speech all the furies of hell raunged in her fields and horrour confusion and impunitie thundered and battered in all places which euery man iudged to bee a scourge for the great and horrible crimes committed therein Hee that seeth France troubled and vexed in that sort may well say that the iust iudgement of God hath brought it to so great desolation through the aboundance of sinnes that fill vp the measure of her iniquities for which causes the scourge of God hath discipated and seduced into ashes many more flourishing estates then euer it was Lust and desolatenesse ouerthrew the first Monarchy of the world prodigallitie tooke away the life and force of the second ambition and discord dismembred the third The ruine of the 4. Monarches Assiria Asia Persia Rome impietie and iniustice vnfeathered the fourth and impietie iniustice and desolation will reduce France into a fatall and certaine destruction The Ministers of pietie are no more chosen as they ought to bee and it is no maruell why there are no more Athanasians and Hillarians therein seeing that the spirituall liuings which are the Schooles and fountaines from whence godlinesse should spring and examples of the true seruice of God are holden by men of armes or Courtiers and which is woorse by women childrē This impietie which hath slidden into religion hath formed many Atheists that speake disdainfully of godly prouidence that flatly deny it that by beleeuing ouermuch beleeue nothing at all whereby the souleresteth in their bodies without any apprehension either of the second life or of the latter death Others serue God but for a fashion and by maner of acquittance and curiously forge diuers sorts of errors and vnder I knowe not what kinde of hypocrisie and dissimulation suffer themselues to be borne away by superstitions which traungely abuse and offend the most holy Maiestie of God it is the monster with sixe hornes that hath gotten so much credite among the common people and that thrusteth it selfe into the Pallaces of Kings it is the means to trafficque and deale with the diuell to giue vs the detestable fruit of the Cupidits which torment those miserable Sorcerers who most easilie deface the diuine caracke out of their soules prostrate the same at the pleasure of the stinking gate of hell This vermine that remaineth free without looking into in the time of Charles the 9. had attained to the number of 30000. as their chief leader cōsessed but since that time it hath had so great ascope that such as deal with it in great houses are called Philosophers and Astrologiers and now Almanackes serue as rules and cannons for mens actions To this impietie we must adde the most execrable blasphemies which proceed frō the mouths of great men yea and from the poorest Pesants in France that haue euery day new words to spit out against the heauens and to despight the iustice and prouidence of
had taken order for the affaires in Picardie and reuoked all occasions of distrusts neuerthelesse knowing him to bee come onely with 14. or 16. horse wee refused not to admit him to our presence to prooue if with him wee could end and cease those causes of distrusts and troubles in Picardie Wherein perceiuing that wee could not preuaile and that our said Towne euery day more and more increased and was filled with strangers that followed and attended on e e The king had giuen too much libertie to secret assemblies wherein vnder pretence of reestablishing good order rest and quietnesse to the people and of greeuing at publike calamities that notable deuise of Barricadoes was determined in their heads and hearts capable of all liquors wherein they distilled the despising and disdaining of the Prince contrary to the respect and dutie to a Magistrate Periculum est si coetus consilia secretas consultationes esse sinas Tit. Liuius the said Duke that the searches wee had commaunded to bee made through our said Towne by the Magistrates Officers of the same were in a maner but half done for the fear they were in as also that the hearts and mindes of some of them were more altered and hardened d d The king did all by halues he commaundeth the D. of Guise not to come and yet hee commeth hee is offended at his comming and yet he letteth him stay and the Duke of Guise perceiuing that the king commaundeth him no more like a king obeyeth him no more like a subiect hee enterpriseth his pretences because sufferance giueth courage vnto his enterprises Quis eum metuat qui per segnitiem patitur hebescere aciem suae authoritatis and the ordinary aduertisements day lie brought vs that there would bee some great matter effected in that Towne We determined to cause the said searches f f Those searches were necessary but they were not made in time seeing things had proceeded so farre that a king of France had his hart free of iealousie distrust in his Capitall towne against a Duke of Guise he ought to haue dissembled or discouered the mischiefe This search discouered the fire couered vnder the ashes of desire of peace and whē those wounded hearts knewe the myne to bee discouered that the kings distrust suspected their pretences they iudged that hee which first began the mutinie should be maister and therefore it had bin better for the king to haue dissembled and withholdē his seueritie Res enim monebat cauere magis quā quod in illos statueret consultare Salustius to bee more exactly done in all the quarters of the same thē before they had bin to the end we might bee truely certified of the true estate thereof cause the said straungers to auoyde that were not auouched as they ought to bee which to effect wee were determined to make certaine Courts of guard of the Citizens and Inhabitants thereof which we appoynted to bee erected in foure or fiue places of the Towne with certaine companies of Switzers and those of the Regiment of our guard that were lodged in the subburbes of the Cittie And also to command certaine Lords of our Councell and knights of the order of the holy ghost g g The King being aduertised that at the noyse of the Duke of Guises arriuall at Parris that diuers souldiers and men of factions came thither to bee readie at the sound of the basen that the name of that Prince was the Load-stone that drewe the Iron hearts of the league vnto it caused his guards to be strengthened and searches to bee made But as if he had not bin assured without the aduise of the Duke of Guise he aduertised him therof who fearing to bee preuented tooke that search as a pricke to hasten his pretence hee spake but the word and presently Parris bended it selfe against the Louure as if it had beene against the fort of an enemie and they went with their heads bended against the kings forces as in times they did against the Englishmen and Bourguinions Quô quô scelesti ruitis Furôrne caecus an rapit vis acrior An culpa Horat. to go into each quarter with the Quarter-maisters and other Officers of the saide Towne by whom the common custome is to make such searches the better to ayde authorise and assist them therein as it hath been done diuers times heeretofore whereof wee aduertised the said Duke and all the Inhabitants of the Cittie to the end they should not sound alarme and so doubt of our meaning therin which in the beginning the Inhabitants and Townes-men made shew not to dislike Neuerthelesse not long after things fel out in such sort by the prouocation of certaine persons h h The king esteemed not of the conspiratie pretended the yeare before within Parris and those that perceiued their boldnesse as then vsed to be without censure and their crime without punishment began to kindle the fire that hatched vnder the ashes of their rebellion and first cried in the streetes Laye hold on the Tyrant the Huguenot and the Pollititian words sufficient to moue the most modest and stirre the slowest vnto fury in such attempts wher the respect of the Prince or the vncertaintie of the euent retaine the generall there must alwaies bee some seditious fellow that crieth beginneth the play for the people are like a sea that neuer stirreth without winde and therefore in their commotions there must bee men purposely appoined Qui imperitos animos impellāt libertatē ac speciosa nomina praetexantur Tacitus that sowed put into the harts mindes of the said Inhabitants that wee had caused the said forces to enter into the Towne there to establish a Garrison of straungers and to do them further wrong in such manner that in short space they had so animated and mooued them against our said Souldiers that if we had not expresly commanded their Leaders not to attempt any thing against the saide Inhabitants and rather to indure and suffer all the extremities of the world thē to commit any trespasse in that behalfe wee are certainly perswaded that it had been vnpossible to haue shunned a generall spoyle of the saide Towne with a most great effusion of blood i i The kings meaning was to distribute his forces in the towne not to hurt it but to holde it in obedience and to hinder the pretences that beganne to bee practised vnder the conduction and fauour of the Duke of Guise But the distribution was not well ordered and the places of most importance were not speedily ceased vpō by the kings forces Maubert one of the most important places in the Towne able to commaund the rest and that ought to haue beene first entered into stood voyde and serued the Towns-men as a campe therin to raise the most beastly troupes of their mutinie both to defend assayle in such manner that assoone as certaine of the rebelles had
good then possession of euill The difference in religion should mildly be agreed vpon Hee is not euill instructed in the principals of faith but hee is not sufficiently informed touching the Ceremonies he beleeueth constantly in the onely word of God contained in the booke called cannonicall the Catholicque taketh the interpretations of the word of God made by the Church for an infallible rule of his saluation and not like the Huguenot by the particular sence but by the vniuersall consent of the Church assembled togither vnder a legitimate head which is the Pope accord these two tunes make them beleeue in the traditions that since the time of the Apostles haue beene brought into the Church our Ceremonies in the administration of our Sacrament and in the election of Ministers and they are pleased and wee shall haue no more neede of warres If they say they will haue no other Iudges to determine their differences but the holy Scriptures which of it selfe is easie ynough without interpretations or Commentaries and that if it bee darke in one place it is opened in another tell them that it is not so easie plaine nor open but that diuers men do stumble in the vnderstanding thereof that it is not so cleare as that without interpretation it can discide all the controuersies of our faith that as God in the old lawes would haue a Moyses to iudge the law so he wold haue Ministers his successors that they shal determine difficulties of the doctrine of the Gospell Make them to agree with vs therein your difference will soone be ended and you shall bannish wars schismes in France To those reasons the league opposed theirs and said Your arguments are of no consequent you say that the Huguenot is not to bee pursued by armes because hee is not declared hereticque by cannonicall proceedings that hee is no hereticque because hee is not stubborne that hee is not stubborne because hee desireth instruction turne ouer the lease and you shall finde that the Huguenot ought to bee pursued by armes in that he hath beene condemned for an heretique by all the Councells specially of that of Trent that all nouelties are odious to the Church that he is an heretique for that knowing as it wer with his finger touching his error he staÌ„deth stubbornly in defence Obstinacy sence reprooued is the punishmeÌ„t of his infidelitie it is then to no end that he should aske instruction when there is no hope of amendment it is a tree without fruite and good for nothing but to bee cast into the fire To this poynt those that loued peace The warres for religion consâ—steth of a great number of Catholiques how deare soeuer it were cried out and said Will you then haue a new recourse to fiers punishments and remedies which wee haue alreadie tried to bee more proper to kindle and spread abroad then to quench and stop the euill Do you not as yet perceiue that God detesteth the terrible persecutions vsed against them in all the Courts of Parris that the Princes Gouernours of Townes Magistrates and officers of iustice haue with their owne bloods payed vserie for the vnmeasurable shedding of Christians blood that since the Magistrate left punishing and that the Prince hath pursued them by armes there hath died at the least a thousand Catholicques to kill a hundreth Huguenots The king is become a Captaine at his owne costs in the battels of Iarnac and Moncontour hee hath continued for the space of tenne or twelue yeares togither to make warres against them and in the ende after hee had vsed all meanes and attempted all extremities hee perceiued it was in vaine for him to kil to make men beleeue that the Gospel is not planted with other tooles then the word and peaceablenesse that it increaseth by suffering and not by persecution Iesus Christ planted his Church by miracles Mahomet by force and violence Religion is not the cause but the pretext of the warre The Talmud with her toyes and the Alcaron with her impostures detest the Christians furie that kill each other the first saith that Iesus Christ increased the Church by vertue of miracles and Machomet by force of armes Wee know well and if wee confesse it not wee are traitors to our countrie and of all others the most incencible that religion is not to be preached by drumb and fyfe and that of a hundreth that beare armes there is not tenne but haue an other intent then onely religion We know that this warre is a meere war against the estate that nothing was said touching the king of Nauarres conscience vntill it was euidently seene that by the death of Monsieur the kings brother hee was the next in succession to the Crowne and that it is most certaine that the League buildeth the assurance of things present by those that are to come that vpon the imaginatiue feare and of the succession of a Prince of an other religion the king beeing in the flower and strength of his age they dispute of the right possession and establish their vsurpation The Monarchie passeth to an other branch of the blood royall The Cardinall of Bourbon because the king hath no children because we should haue some they present vs an olde Prince an olde tree without fruit a hollow oake which serueth but for a support to the iuyce of the League and to the hopes of the Duke of Guise that climeth vnto the royaltie by his meanes Duke of Guise who vnder colour to powre water vppon those flames to place order in disorder and reformation inabuse suffereth men to burne in flame and ouerthrow all things Wherefore from hencefoorth the king must looke vnto that which as yet resteth whole and intire within his Realme that hee should make peace with the Huguenots that he should help himself with their forces which are Frenchmen against those Hispaniolized mindes that will eyther vsurpe the Soueraigntie of this estate or else conuert it into cantons like the Switzers To giue peace to the Huguenots to ayde himselfe with their forces to ouerthrow the Catholiques to stirre vp the Pope the king of Spaine and all Italy and in a word to constraine France to reuolt The king ought not to doo it and it is too much perill for himselfe Obiections against the League too much miserie for his people too much iniurie to the Church whereof hee is the eldest sonne hee should call wolues to helpe which in the end would deuoure the sheepe hee should serue himselfe with foxes that in fine would kil thee geese the king should bee Lent and the king of Nauarre the enterance into Lent or as we say Caresme prenant and then Huguenots would be ledde in triumphs through the Realme If the king should do it it would bee openly said that hee supporteth and aduanceth hereticques that seeking to do for himselfe hee doth for them hee will put Catholicques in dispaire and his crowne in hazard
which is of the third estates of the land which represent the whole Realme Although since that time the name of Parliament is applyed to the companies of Soueraigne Courts that haue the ordering of causes both criminall and ciuill That first age of our Monarchie although rude and simple that held our kings like puples vnder the Maiors of the Pallace assembled the Parliament as often as the publike affaires of the Realme required The kings of France were not seene but once a yeare Aymon lib. 4. cap. 30. and the kings that as then retained the grosse vapors of the Daâ—ubian ayre and of the Orientall France were neuer seene but once euery yeare vppon the first day of May in their Parliaments that is in the assembly of the third orders or estates of their Realme in a place called the field of Mars where the king was borne in a Chariot of flowers Aymon li. 4. cap 30. drawne by foure oxen after the rusticall manner and there placed in a royall throne assisted with his Nobilitie hee heard the complaints of his subiects gaue order for all things that were to bee done that yeare and dispatched the Ambassadors of forrain Princes Vnder the second lyne of the kings of France The estate of France in the second line of the kings of France the Empire inlarging it by force and the kings leauing that seuere greatnesse to haue conuersation with their subiects the estates assembled more commonly not at a certaine and fixed day but according to the opportunitie and necessitie of their affaires therefore Pepin that had caused Childeric to bee shorne put into a Cloyster desiring to establish his vsurpation by the vniuersall consent of the people caused the States to bee assembled at Soissons that confirmed it and another time at Compiegne since that time the diuisions and iealousies of the Princes made those assembles to bee more difficult the kings contented themselues with the Parliament as an abridgement of the three estates wherein there was Prelates Noblemen and Deputies of all townes with the Councell of Parris to determine all things that belonged to iustice the Bailiffes and Stewards euery man in his iurisdiction administring the causes of the Common-wealth but when ignorance auarice and cupiditie entered into that first order that an euerlasting and continuall obscuritie had infolded the beautie of lawes men waxing more malicious and thereby fell into diuers deceits and frauds brablings and quarrellings tooke place Bailiffes and Stewards not administring iustice with such integretie and seueritie as was conuenient and our kings hauing not meanes in their Parliaments that alwaies held about them to bee still imployed in hearing particular mens suites the affaires of estate that daily increased as the Monarchie augmented King Philiple Bel caused the Pallace to bee made where soueraigne iudgements should bee giuen Since that Philip surnamed the Long ordained that it should bee composed of a certaine number of persons Controuersies vnder the raign of Philip le Bel. Vpon this President he tooke the order of knighthood one or two Presidents the first President beeing the Counte of Bourgongne a Prince of the blood eight Clarkes and twelue Lay-men foure Maisters of Request two chambers of Requests wherin were eight Lay-men eight Clarkes as Iudges and foure and twentie Atturneyes he called Clarkes men with long gownes married and vnmarried and the rest Laye-men Noblemen or GentlemeÌ„ The Parliament that serued only for iustice hindered not the assembly of the estates for the benefit of the Common-wealth not at a certaine or ordinary time as in England euery three yeares This is a false surmise of the Author Reasons and necessittes vrging the assembly of the Estates but as often as it pleased the king and no other to summon them for one of these three occasions The first when the succession or right of the Crowne was doubtfull and in controuersie or that it was necessarie to prouide for the ruling and gouerning of the Realme during the captiuitie or minoritie of the kings or when they were troubled and wanted the right vse of their memories and sences The second when it was necessarie to reforme the Realm to correct the abuse of Officers Magistrates by troubles and seditions and to reduce things to their first order and integretie The third for the necessities of the kings and their Realmes in those assemblies of the Deputies of all the parts of the Realme they shewed the people in what estate the kings affaires were and they were courteously mooued intreated and exhorted to graunt subsidies aydes and assistances vnto their kings which otherwise would haue contented themselues with their rents and reuenues to maintaine the glorie of royall dignitie they neuer vsed to impose any subsidies or tallages without the consent thereof and said not as Lewis the eleuenth said that Frunce was a medowe that vsed to bee mowed thrise a yeare so for one of these three causes the estates haue been seene to assemble in diuers places and times The yeare 1327.1380 Frosard li. 2. chap. 58.60 In the yeare 1484. In the yeare 1356. In the yeare 1412. Philip Earle of Vertus They assembled in Parris to chuse a Regent during the minoritie of S. Lewis an other time in the same place to prouide for the gouernment of king Charles the sixt in his minoritie and at Tours for Charles the eight that Lewis the eleuenth had left in infancie They assembled in Parris for the libertie of king Iohn prisoner in England and for the phrensie of Charles the sixt whose gouernment was referred to his two Vncles the Dukes of Berry and Bourgongne They assembled at Auxerre to sweare a peace betweene the children of the houses of Orleans and Bourgongne and by their aduice the marriage of the Counte of Vertus brother to the Duke of Orleans with the daughter of the Duke of Bourgongne was made among the ioyes of this peace the Dukes of Orleans and Bourgongne were seene booth vppon a horse sporting themselues with the other Princes to witnesse their amitie and reconciliation yet it was but a fained peace Monstrelet lib. 1. chap. 59. They were againe assembled in the raigne of Charles the sixt at Parris vnder Francis the second at Orleans and vnder Henry the third at Bloys to appease the difference of the new religion abuses desolations excesse to take order for the administring of iustice to rate the monies and to institute the offices for the gouernment of the treasures in the two last the Deputies required two things one the extirpation of heresies but without wars by a free legitimate Councell the second the easing of the poore people by taking accounts of such as abusing the fauour and libertie of the king had inriched themselues by the oppression of his subiects to the end that the blood being drawne into an other part might be brought into the emptie vaines to quicken the head and animate the most
noble partes of the bodie In the first the wicked Councellours and administrators of the publike treasures were examined and openly named with a most shamefull defamation King Henry the third perceiuing this remedie to bee necessary that ouer much practising and deuises was seene to bee in all estates of the Realm and that hee could not defer the purgation thereof he consented to the convocation of all the estates of the Realme and declareth what had alwaies bin his fatherly care towards his subiects how he had respected their good rest and tranquillitie with all affection that might be found in a Prince that hath nothing dearer nor in more speciall recommendation that hee knew well to to his great griefe that the effects had not been correspondent to his desire by the renuing of troubles happened in the middle of a peace well established vnder the which he had begunne to prouide for reformation and re-establishment of many things which the miseries of warres had brought out of order This if for the small time that the peace did indure the people had alreadie begunne to taste some acceptable fruite it was easie to iudge that i◠would haue been much more felt without so suddaine an alteration That wee must must impute it to the iust punishment of God that ceased not to laye his scourges vppon this Realme that it might bee knowne to bee vnwoorthie of the benefit of a peace wherewith hee vseth to indue and blesse those to whom hee will shewe any speciall fauour That the more men proceed forward the more they perceiue all things to fall into such disorder and confusion that in short time if order be not taken therein there will not be any more steppes of the auncient force and greatnesse of this Realme seene or perceiued which in times past were so admired by forraine nations That for the same cause his Maiestie thought it conuenient for the loue and fatherly affection that hee beareth to his subiects to thinke vppon the meanes that might bee deuised to finde a remedie for the same That after hee had ripely considered therevpon hee esteemed no better meanes could bee vsed then the same that had beene practised by his predecessors who among the great disorders happened during their raignes they were not comparable to those of his time because they surpasse them They had recourse to an assembly of the estates general of the Realm which at this day would bee more necessary and requisite then euer it was For that cause therefore hee commaunded that the principall personages of euery Prouince Baliage and Stewardship should by the fifteenth day of September assemble the Towne of Bloys there in open assembly to make their petitions and to shewe their griefes to speake freely without medling with any practises thereby to fauour the particular passions of any man whatsoeuer which will bee most fit and conuenient meanes to quench and abolish such diuisions as are among his subiects specially among the Catholicques and to attaine to a good and an assured quietnesse whereby Catholicque religion shall bee so well established and all heresies purged and extirped out of his Realme that his subiects should haue no more cause to feare a change neyther while hee liued nor afer his disease The kings commissions beeing sent and published in euery Prouince the third orders that is the cleargie the Nobilitie and the deputies of the people assembled in the principall Towne of euery Prouince and Corporation to conferre of their declarations complaints greefes and of the meanes they should vse to propound them in the assembly to chuse their Deputies that might speake for all the Prouince When the king sent his commissions the league likewise and it may bee by the same meanes caused their memorials and articles to bee giuen to euery Baliage and Stewardship most affected to their factions that they might set them down with the rest of their requests Wherevpon the author of the treatie made touching the causes and reasons of bearing armes by the league made in Ianuary 1589. saith that those memorials were sent to the most passionate leaguers The names of the Deputies is to be seene in a discourse imprinted vpon this matter following by Iamet Mettayer That they might procure to be appoynted Deputies by the Bailiffes so that in a manner all the Deputies of the third orders were altogither participants with the league and their remembrances formed to require that which they had beene certified of before and that the credite of the league was such that the Marshals Harbengers for the king durst not refuse lodging to such as were marked with their Pater nosters I would set downe the names of the Deputies to giue the Reader free choise destinction of such as were found to be sent by special procurement others that had no other intent but onely the zeale of the augmentation of the Catholicque and Romane religion the honour seruice of the king the reformation of disorder and the comfort of the poore people but that is to bee seene in a particular discourse printed to the same end wherevnto I referre the Reader Meane time wee will go before to marke out the lodgings for this assembly for all the Deputies are on horsebacke to meete at Lewis where the king would bee Heere endeth the third Booke THE FOVRTH BOOKE OF THE HISTOrie of the last troubles of France from the assembly of the estates and the peace of Chartres till the breaking vp thereof beeing the sixteenth of Ianuary 1589. And the troubles that beganne in the same moneth at Parris and in other Townes WHen folly rauisheth and vsurpeth the ordering cōduction of a great serious matter it is a hazard if euer it fall out to the contentment of him that taketh it in hand It is a poynt of folly in the Duke of Guise to seeke the kings good will seeing that of a proude minde hee had separated himselfe from it by an vnreconcileable offence Folly to suppose that the peace of Chartres had healed the continuall bleeding woundes of the Barricadoes folly likewise to come to Blois seeing the king would not go to Parris therfore it was the assembly at Bloys that must make the bridge betweene the extremities of their desires There they played subtiltie one with the other he that should be deceiued thought vpon nothing else but to deceiue the partie that deceiued him The Duke of Guise was glad of the meeting of the estates because he was assured that among so many Deputies hee should finde a sufficient number to authorise his cause and giue a hard plunge or rather ouerthrowe to the Kings power And the king thoght that with his royall authoritie he should haue credite sufficient with the three Estates of his Realme and courage ynough in his heart there to punish the Duke of Guise for all his vaine and glorious enterprises each of them trauelled for the aduancement of their desires the Duke of Guise
Maiestie and your estate against all men to obserue and inuiolably to holde that which is contained in your Edict of vnion at this present redde and published to the glory of God exaltation of his holy name and to the conseruation of his Church and this Realme of France The kings oath for the obseruation of his edict This Oration made the king spake and said My Lords you heard the tenor of mine Edict and vnderstood the quallitie thereof togither with the greatnesse and woorthinesse of the oath which at this present you are generally to make The oath of the Spiritualtie Ex consilio Triburienfi And for that I perceiue all your iust desires conformeable vnto mine I wil sweare before God with a good and safe conscience the obseruation of this my edict as long as God shall lend me life in earth and I will and command that it shall bee obserued in this my Realme for a sure and stedfast lawe and in perpetuall memorie and witnesse of the vniuersall correspondence consent of all the estates of my Realme you shall presently sweare the obseruation of this my Edict of vnion all with one voyce each Ecclesiasticall person laying his hand vpon his breast and the rest lifting their hands vp to heauen An act of the protestation of the oath And to the end that a memorie of so solemne an oath may bee more pithily set downe to all posterities hee commaunded Monsieur de Beaulieu to make an act thereof which done the ioy was so great that nothing could bee heard among them but crying Viue le Roy all the assemby followed his Maiestie into the Church of Saint Saueor wherein thanksgiuing they sung Te Deum Laudamus The kings clemencie in taking away the Barricadoes at Parris Mortales recidinae There the Prouost of Merchants in Parris vnderstood from the King that the Parrissians offence had beene very great but that hee hadde forgotten it that hee made his Edict for the common good of all French Catholicques and also the comfort of his poore people the miseries whereof caused him to remit the memorie thereof withall willing him to bee assured thereof as beeing spoken from the mouth of his king with commaundement to bee very carefull least the Cittie of Parris should fall into the like fault which vnto them would prooue both mortall and vnreparable A report running in the Parliament house And because the Deputies that came last thither brought newes that all the Countrie of France were of opinion that vnder pretence of that assembly there would be some publike and notorious vengeance wrought against the principall estates and that this report ranne from chamber to chamber it was determined among them to enquire thereof and to knowe the kings intent the Archbishop of Ambrun spake vnto him and gaue to vnderstand the great feare that diuers of the estates were in by reason of the report that ranne among them touching a tragedie as they thought to bee prepared confirmed by the aduise of strangers specially such as litle cared for the peace and tranquilitie of this estate Salus populi suprema lex est The king made answere that the safetie of his subiects would be his owne defence that hee cherished them as a father doth his children that he knew the suretie and libertie of the estates that they ought to bee assured of his word that the occasion of troubling them should neuer proceed from him that it was an open offence once to enter into distrust of their king and that reports were deuised by those that could not loue their King but onely seeke the meanes to cause him to bee hated of his people The Archbishop of Lyons of the counsell from the peace of Chartres Likewise the familiarities entertainments and shewes of amitie and good will by the King continued to the Duke of Guise and the Cardinall his brother and for the loue of them both to the Archbishop of Lyons that had beene of the Councell from the time of the peace concluded at Chartres caused those reports to cease and made the prognostications in that behalfe sent from all places wholly fabulous which were that the issue of the Parliament holden in Bloys would bee horrible and bloody And I beleeue if that the league for her part had vsed no means to kindle the ashes that as yet laye hotte within the furnace that the fire of the kings chollor had neuer been kindled The intent of the league The League therefore assured on that side set those on worke that were of her sect in that so solemne assembly to effect their secret pretences which was so to incroch vppon the king that they would leaue him but onely a vaine shadowe of royall authoritie vnder the conduction and direction of her tyrannie and withall to exclude the king of Nauarre from his royall succession The league declareth and blameth the kings actions The bridge to passe vnto the first poynt was to make his actions odious and intollerable to reproach him for his liberallitie his mignions his edicts his dissimulations and the long oppressions and troubles of the people to the end that consenting to the suppression of estates and offices hee might thereby procure the hatred of all such as had any interest therein that is the most apparant families of the third estate and not seeking to redresse it hee should bee dedeclared not a father but an enemie to his people not a King but a Tyrant in his Realme and that the people would presently confine him in a Cloyster The King was continually solicited with many petitions thereby not so much to make him see the euill but rather to threaten him that he shuld yet find it much greater if speedie order were not takē They set before his eies the extreame coldnesse of the greatest part of all the Catholicques in loue Petitions made to the king at the beginning of his raigne The king ought to reuenge the dishonours done against God and obedience towards him by reason they were most straughely oppressed with excessiue impositions and subsidies constrained to liue in company with such as had burned Churches prophaned the Altars massacred the Priests and robbed and taken away their goods They brought him to defend the Church not to esteeme so much of the wrongs committed against the state as of the iniuries done vnto religion not to suffer any feare to enter into his minde concerning the enemies of GOD which more and more increased by a certaine kinde of distrust which constrained him to shewe contumelious passions not breeding peace but rather seruitude and so to dissemble the iniuries committed against God which to preuent hee should reuenge himselfe like a King bannish those that counselled him onely for the aduantage of heresies and imbrace such as had strayed out of the right way and desired to enter into it againe to vse his sword of authoritie against the obstinate and to remember
and such as made no account of him the Duke of Espernon by letters assured him that a great conspiracie was intented against his person The Duke de Maine commaunded a Gentleman to shewe the king that the Duke of Guise sought most ambitiously to climbe aboue the degree of a subiect that hee practised some secret matter contrary to his Maiesties seruice Al this agreeth with the Kings authoritie and that the execution thereof would shortly bee performed The Duke of Aumale sent Madame d'Aumale his wife to shew the king of a secret Councell holden vnder a prodigious attempt against his person The King determined to put the Duke of Guise to death The kings heart by these aduises beeing stirred vp with a newe force and liuelier courage and minding to preuent the Duke of Guise discouered his intent to foure of his friends whom hee knewe to bee as much affected to the suretie and welfare of his Maiestie as wholly estranged from the pernicious Councell of the League and shewed them that he was fully resolued to quit himselfe of the Duke of Guise who as a new world was alreadie worshipped of all the people Introductiō◠against the duke of Guise They set before his eyes the register of this Princes actions those specially that offended the king and his estate namely the edict of vnion wherwith hee armed himselfe as with a target made of Diamonds That the Duke of Guise holding no other quallitie in France then onely of a meere subiect had erected a League raised men of war practised with straungers without authoritie aduise or permission from the king enterprised vpon townes and troubled and broken publike peace That by the Edict of vnion hauing sworne to leaue all leagues and associations as well within as without the Realm he ceased not to continue his practises and deuises with the Cardinall Morosin and the Ambassadour of Spaine assuring them that hee ment not to leaue off the good intelligence hee had with their Maisters That hee had not broken but rather confirmed and continued the particular confederacies sworne with the Gouernours of the townes of France and others therby still to maintaine the souldiers on his side against the seruice of the king That by his billes hee had declared that he had not taken armes but for the seruice of God and of the King and yet by the surprising of townes in Picardie hee had impeached the aduancement of the armie that should haue passed into Guyenne against the Huguenots and in all places exclaimed against the Kings actions esteeming him fitter to were a sacke then a Scepter That hee had declared that hee bare no armes but for the assurance of the Catholicques in France and of their religion and to impeach the succeson of the king of Nauarre to the Crowne and yet the King had beene aduertised by the saide King of Nauarre that the Duke of Guise had sought his fauour so farre as that hee offered him his sonne in hostage and that he with seuenteen Princes of his house would come to visit him as farre as the riuer of Loire to doo him seruice and to make him the greatest and peaceablest king of France that euer was the Bailiffe of the Mountaines of Dauphine and Monsieur de Bethune beeing imployed in those affaires and a great person of estate that neuer could indure such Petti-Maisters after the king of Nauarre hauing discouered that this practise could not bee for the good and quietnesse of this Realme aduertised the Queen-mother That after the pardon of his treasons for associating and practising with the enemies of this Realme graunted vnto him by his Maiestie many letters had beene intercepted tending to great purposes to trouble both the King and his estate That the taking of the Marquisat of Saluces was done by his aduise and that then when his Maiestie complained of that iniurie and that it was requisite to continue peace in France and to make warre against straungers who in a brauado sought to dismember the estate hee stood against it and saide they ought rather first to heale the interior vlcer then to enter into warres that any waye touched the superficiall euill That his participants publishing his praises aboue those of the King caused it to bee sung about the streetes and in the Townes that helde with the League that the Duke of Guise had constrained the King against his will to make waarre against the Huguenots and that hee had solde the Marquisat of Saluces to the Duke of Sauoy to the end that vnder pretence of recouering it againe hee might diuert the warres from Guyenne That in stead of ayding his Maiestie and to imploy their liues and meanes in reducing the Townes holden by the Huguenots his Captaines and men of warre stayed at Blois vppon assurance giuen them of a commodious change That hee had caused bookes to bee imprinted thereby to breake the lawfull succession of the Crowne in fauour of the house of Lorraine That his seruaunts vppon the day of the Barricadoes in Parris perswading themselues that as then hee hadde mounted to the highest degree of his greatnesse saide openly throughout his lodging that it was no time to make any more delaies for such were their proper termes and that there rested nothing to doo but to conduct their Maister to Reims That hee caused triumph to bee made in Parris as if it had beene in a Towne new conquered that his Lacqueys had more credit with the people then his Maiesties principall seruants that hee boasted both by word of mouth and writing that it was in his power to hold the king that is to stay him prisoner or else to vse him woorse That he boasted to haue stayed the sacking of Parris and that he could arest the king beeing in the middle of fiue or sixe thousand men and all of them the kings friends and yet hee entered into Parris but with eight horse hee was so well assured of the good wils and mindes of the Inhabitants that receiued him with the cries and open reioycings which onely belong vnto a soueraigne Prince That the king had no meanes to appoynt a Knight of the watch within Parris nor to dispose of the Bastille at his pleasure That hee had so intised the states to fauour his ambition that the Deputies spake nothing but what pleased him and had no other billes nor petitions to present but such as had been first examined and perused by his Councell and that it seemed that this assembly at Blois was wholly made to seale a contract of some new royaltie and that alreadie diuers said that he made too long delay to execute his intent That hee spake not but with authoritie like a king vsing words full of brauadoes disdaine and threatnings against his Maiesties subiects That hee spake in all affaires as if hee were chiefe soueraigne that hee had constrained the king to prouide a succescor as if hee lay at the poynt of death That hee had
hereby preuented being also depriued of the plain of the Isle of France by the taking in of S. Dennis Now vpon intelligence giuen to the Duke de Maine that the extreame want of victualles would constraine Parris verie shortly to yeelde vnto the king answered that the taking thereof should bee very preiudiciall vnto him who would scatter his armie by that conquest in such sort that soone after the league should make a good match thereof But the kings minde or intent was not to possesse Parris in such sort as his enemies imagined For although the same were in a manner vnpossible by reason of the smal number of his people yet would he not see and behold much lesse procure the ruine of his chiefe and capitall Cittie although that many therein especially the chiefest deserued for their offences most greeuous punishment Hee tooke much pittie on the great number of people misled by euill counsell and hoped that their afflictions would giue them warning that if the Dukes of Maine of Parma comming to their succors would hazard themselues to a battell their discomfiture would constraine the besieged to acknowledge it But the miserie of the Parisians was so great that some of them were inforest to yeelde the other would rather indure an hundreth deathes by famine So that within twelue or fifteene weekes there was an extreame desolation among them They eate vp both their mooueables and their mony The souldiers had license to bee so bold that they broke vp their walles and defiled the chastitie of many families The principal men of the League rose vp and tooke to themselues the relicques of their Churches The anucient Iuels and the Crownes of the kings of France were put in the font Those householders which were rich were subtilly spoyled the subburbes ruined the Cittie become full of sorrow and need the rents of the chamber of the Cittie lay dead the lands all about vntilled and desolate An hundreth thousand persons died with hunger with nakednesse with pouertie in the streetes and in the Hospitals without all mercie or reliefe in the space of three moneths The Vniuersitie was conuerted to a desart place wherevnto all the Pesants resorted for lodging and the Cloisters of the Colledges were conuerted into stables for beasts VVithin the great hall of the Pallace there was none found but Leaguers and forgers of newes In the streetes grasse did growe plenteously and the shoppes for the most part were shut in continually In stead of Chariots and Coches appeared on the one side certaine troupes of men of warre who were more imployed to fight with hunger then with any other enemie on the other side an horrible desolation The besieged could by no meanes come by victuall but through the mercie of the Kings Garrisons which hee had set within Saint Dennis in the Fort of Gourney at Cheureuse and at Corbel The most part of the furie of this famine fell vpon the third estate as for the Cleargie who for the most part were well prouided they preached nothing but patience And the Prelates before mentioned vttered still vilde things against the king and his followers and in all their sermons assured the poore famished people that the Spanish succours would come very speedily On the one side those whom they called the sixteene on the other the fortie with the factious sort that wore long gownes wrought in the wheel The Parliament which continued as it were slaues both to the Spaniard to the Guise published an Edict the fifteenth day of Iune wherin it was prohibited vnto all of what estate quallitie dignitie and condition so euer they were not to speake of any composition with Henry of Bourbon on paine of death but thereby were inioyned to oppose themselues against him by all the meanes they might and not to spare any practise whatsoeuer ye◠though it were to the very spilling of their heart bloods Moreouer this court ordained that all the Inhabitants of the Towne should bee obedient to the Duke of Nemours Gouernour of the I le of France in all things which they should bee commaunded to do on his behalfe and that this Edict should bee read and published throughout all the streets and lanes of Parris to the end that more should pretend cause of ignorance But the people who could not liue by paper nor the windie promises of the Duke de Maine and his Preachers after they had eaten dogges and cats horses asses mules hearbes rootes and all that they could imagine to get in their necessitie came in a shole to the Pallace requiring peace of the councell there assembled where they made among them a certaine tumult but the Captaines who were before aduertised of their comming at last appeased The Parifiās desire peace and cannot obtaine it them the people beeing content by the meanes of certaine small comforts for the space of nine or tenne daies but in the end there assembled to the same place a greater troupe of people then before euery one prouided with weapons boldly demaunding that they might either haue peace or bread Then a certaine Captaine of Parris named le Glois ranne foorth vnto them to send them away with faire words but it is to bee remembred that famished bellies haue no eares VVherevpon they required him in the field with his own Oration where hee was so beaten that within a small time after hee departed the world The Cheualier d'Aumalle beeing followed by his adherents went among the multitude causing all the gates of the Pallace to bee shut and imprisoned a great number of them of whome there were some afterward hanged The chiefe of the leaguers perceiuing that in the end the discontented multitude would worke their confusion if in time they did not preuent them The chiefe of the league seeketh to de ceiue both the king and the people assembled themselues togither with the principall of their Towne and after many writings notwithstanding the diuision of the Sorbonnists and the act made in the Leaguers Parliament were resolued that the Bishoppe of Parris and the Archbishop of Lyon should go to seeke out the king to conferre vpon means of pacification This was done in the beginning of August but before they departed they would haue leaue of the Legate to the end they might not be excommunicated by the Pope Before they had obtained it the Legat made a consultation with Panigarde Bellermin and Terius Rector to the Iesuites comprised in these articles that is to say If the Parisians did runne into excommunication being constrained by famine to yeelde themselues to an hereticall Prince If the Deputies going to such a Prince to seeke his conuersion or to better the condition of the Catholicque Church were comprised in the excommunication of the bull of Pope Sixtus the fift The Doctors answered to these articles no. Deputies of the leaguers sent to the King and his aunswere Then went the Deputies to seeke the king at Saint Anthonies in the
field who hauing heard the Bishops Oration tending to a generall peace or perticular to Parris if the Duke de Maine would not seeke for a general made this answere after he had shewen how their Councel had infolded them in contraduction asking peace for him which would not acknowledge him saue onely for King of Nauarre that it was his will and desire to haue peace for the comfort of his people but not according to that which the Deputies held for expedient declaring that he loued the Cittie of Paris as his eldest daughter and that hee would doo more good for her then shee required at his hands prouided that she would seeke his fauor and not the Duke de Maines or the King of Spaines That the Deputies proceeded very ill and contrarie to the dutie of their Ecclesiasticall charges in suffering the Parisians to die so miserably while they sought vnto the Duke de Maine for a generall peace sith vppon that voyage though perhaps it would not bee long it might the while cost the liues of twentie thousand persons dying with meere hunger Then did hee dechipher with a maruellous good grace the ambitious practises of the king of Spaine and his people The most wicked and horrible disloyaltie of the chiefe of the league discouering the vanitities of their badde purpose hee drew his discourse into diuers articles to the Bishoppe of Parris the Archbishop of Lyons who in their excuses accused themselues more and more before a most noble companie of Princes Lords and Gentlemen of France who were attending round about the King Moreouer hee shewed that the report of the Spanish succoors for Parris made him nothing dismaid and caused them clearely to see wherevnto the Spanish forces tended and that it was not for nothing that the Prince of Parma tooke his way into France staying but till hee might bring his purposes about Parris and the kingdome beeing morsels too big for king Philips mouth the which hee told vnto them in a short and pithie speech discouering in diuers sorts the blindnesse of the Spaniards in their attempt for France He allowed them eight daies to thinke vppon the yeelding vp of Paris and the articles of peace for the whole kingdome adding that his dutie constrained him in the end to do iustice vppon those that were chiefe of the mutinies exhorting the Deputies to make a faithfull report of that which hee had aunswered The Bishop of Parris had before alleaged in his Oration the constancie of the people of Sancerre dispraising therein the victorie gotten by those of Gaunt to extoll the Parisians But the king auswered that such allegations were impertinent for those of Sancerre were resolued to indure the extremities of their siege because their enemies would haue depriued them without mercie both of their goods liberties religion and their liues But contrariwise said hee I will surrender to the Parisians the life which Mendoza the Spanish Ambassador doth at this present take from them by their sore famine As for the religion all these Princes and Catholicque Lords shall witnesse vnto you how I vse it nor wil I constraine them against their conscience were it neuer so litle either in the exercise of religion or otherwise Concerning goods and liberties I giue them to my subiects So that the comparison with those of Gaunt is not good The Parisians haue well shewen what hearts they haue hauing suffered me to possesse their subburbs I haue fiue thousand Gentlemen that neuer feared those of Gaunt The duke de Maines wicked proceedings beside I haue God for mee and the iustice of my cause After certaine other discourses witnessing the kings good conscience and the litle feare he had of the leaguers forces the Deputies tooke their way toward the Duke de Maine who sent them backe againe to his Maiestie with declaration that he desired nothing more then peace At the same time hee sent letters to those of Parris by one of his owne Secretaries euen at the said Deputies heeles aduertising his partakers not to bee discouraged for all the answere which he sent to the king and that hee would sooner die then make peace with him These letters beeing intercepted they were a great reproach to the Duke by reason of his vnconstancie but he made no other excuse but onely that they were surprised As for the king hee indured both before and after that which the Parisians vttered out of their rebellious mouthes that they had brought victuals for the Duke of Nemours and others which made them render him euill for good nor made hee any strong warre against his chiefe Cittie hauing an intent to preserue it if he could But hauing vnderstood that the Duke de Maine at his returne from Bruxelles accompanied with Balagni and Sainpol drewe toward Parris with certaine troupes The king departed from his armie with a small troupe of horsemen without any carriages seuenteene leagues outright to incounter with his foes and came but one houre too late to haue met with them The king goeth to meete his enemies who hearing of his comming were speedily constrained to cast themselues into the towne of Laon. Then the D. with his troupes made such haste that at last they came as farre as Meaux where hee reported that hee would fight with the king which occasioned him to repaire to his armie with a small troupe of horsemen onely whom hee pursued as farre as Meaux But hee found the Duke inclosed betwixt two riuers where hee stayed for the Prince of Parma at whose arriuall the battell was the second time published aduancing themselues to the Towne of Claye and the Castle of Fresnes about sixe leagues from Parris where they lodged about the ende of the moneth of August The king supposing hee should then haue battell with them after hee had recommended himselfe vnto God according to his custome in such affaires departed from Parris on the VVednesday the nine and twentieth of that moneth assigning the Rende-vous to all his armie for the next morrow in the plaine of Bondi which is at the end of the forrest of Liuâ—i the right way toward his enemies On the Friday following hee chased their forriers from the Towne of Chelles who beganne to marke out their lodgings and gaue a charge to a certaine troupe of eight hundreth horsemen whom he constrained to retire euen till they came within their armie On the morrowe beeing Saturday by eleuen of the clocke the first of September the Kings armie were all in battell array The Duke of Parma got vp vppon an hill to behold them and after he had throughly noted them hee said to the Duke de Maine that this was not the armie of tenne thousand which he tolde him might bee ouerthrown so easilie for hee sawe by estimation more then fiue and twentie thousand in the best manner prouided that euer hee beheld And indeed they consisted of eighteene thousand men on foote as well Frenchmen as straungers and of fiue or six
were bound hand and foote in the countrie of Dauphine and that many which should not haue forgotten his braue exployts but stretch out their hands for the relieuing of that distressed countrie and to make head against the Spaniardes euen at their very gates forsooke him in his neede thinking by their enuious deuises to eclips the glorie of this great Captain and commander crossing all his purposes that he could not recouer himself long time after hauing been depriued of all necessarie means to begin in which he did accōplish about four yeares after with no lesse courage and magnanimitie then before Thus haue wee briefly runne ouer that which the whole Historie doth more at large mention our intent beeing onely in this breuiarie to touch and passe ouer things as it were in a word The king considering that his enemies which required a prolonging of this truce sought no other thing then meanes to continue the Realme in miserie resolued no longer to beare the same wherefore hee caused in the beginning of this yeare a declaration to be published and imprinted containing an Oration of the mischiefes and vnfaithfull practises of the Leaguers which vnder a continuing of truce soght to establish their tyrannie He prescribed a moneths libertie as wel to the chiefe of the leaguers as to the Clargie cities towns Communalties yea to al men generally within the same to acknowledge him their king submit thēselues to his gouernmēt as it was requisite and in so doing he would place them again each one in his charge benefices lands and priuiledges The time once past he would reuoke his grace and fauour accounting them to be rebelles and guiltie of high treason for contempt of this kingly offer The report of this declaration and the preparations which the king made to chastise their stubborn opinions amazed the very principall of the league the most part of the rebellious townes and commons The Duke de Maine did now beat his braines to auoyde this danger but hauing no forces neither of his owne nor from others sufficient to remedie the same these matters fell out otherwise then he thought The Lord of Villeroy sent his opinion plainely to the Duke in letters which were intercepted and since that imprinted describing in most fit termes his owne insufficiencie and miserie Certaine Townes partaking with the Duke sent to the king crauing truce for two moneths more but he refused to graunt it The Leaguers townes forsake their rebellion This vnion then intangled by so many oathes deceits conspiracies and fellonies were seene to faile and part asunder the most obstinate beginning now to conceiue foresee their finall ruine if they perseuered in their former rebellion The preuentials taking example by the rigorous gouernment of the Duke d'Espernon against whom they had obstinately resisted beganne to abace their Pecockes plumes Those of Meaux in Brie a small iourney from Parris yeelded themselues to the king the eleuenth day of Ianuarie by the meanes of the Lord of Vitri their Gouernour who hauing drawne great summes of mony out of the treasures of Spaine wherewith hee builded a gorgious house forsooke the league and deliuered the Towne to the king with al the artillerie which the Duke of Parma brought thither from the low Countries Moreouer the Inhabitants of Meaux exhorted the Parisians by a pithie letter to follow their example They obtained of the king as also Vitri did euen whatsoeuer they would request The Parisians beganne to looke one vppon another and the kings Atturney generall in the Parliament made a long Oration in the open audience whereof the whole sum was that they should no longer stay from acknowledging their king except they would prepare themselues to indure greater miseries then before which wold produce a generall subuertion The Lord of Bellin Gouernour of the Cittie for the leaguers was of the same minde To preuent this eminent destruction of the league the Duke de Maine through enuie wrought such meanes that Bellin was put out of office and driuen out of Paris what time himselfe drew into the Cittie an armie of Spaniardes Italians and Wallons vnder the commaund of the Duke of Feria thinking to keep for the king of Spaine his good Cittie of Paris But the parliament more carefull for that which was to come ordained that the Duke de Maine should be required by one of the Presidents and sixe Councellours to prouide for the quiet of the Cittie within a month in such sort that a happie peace might make an end of all these disorders and that the king might bee by them acknowledged An act made by the Parliament of Paris against the Spanyards And during the time that they sought vaine excuses and strengthened the garrisons the Parliament made an act the fourteenth day of this month containing these words The Court with ful consent hath vowed and protested to oppose themselues against the euill and wicked purposes of the Spaniards and against such as would seeke to bring ayde or protect them within the Realme of France ordaining that all garrisons straungers shall depart the Cittie of Parsis and declaring their intent to hinder with all their might that the Lord of Billin should abandon or forsake the said cittie nor any Bourgeous of the same but either hee to stay with them or hee and they to depart altogither And wee inioyne the prouost of the Merchants to warne all the Citizēs togither to take counsel on things necessarie to ioyne with the same court for the better executiō of the said act And that the said Court shall forbear all other matters till such time as the said act is put in execution receiued Those of that bodie which had been before the greatest sustainers of the league were now the first that humbled themselues herevnto The Ambassadour of the Spanish part wrought at Rome an other occasion to hinder the accord twixt the Pope and the king of France who alleadged that the Kings penitence at S. Dennis was not sufficient to obtain absolution of the papall seat sent the Duke of Neuers with great presents to bee giuen to him and his son He parted from Rome the 15. of Ianuarie who met vpon the way the Cardinall of Ioyeuse and the Barron of Senescay who were speedily trauelling toward the Pope in the Duke de Maines name The shifts of the leaguers of Rome Their courtlike salutations was then forgotten both on the one side and other The Cardinall had audience the 24. of this month who demaunded succors for the league and 200000. Crownes otherwise all would bee vtterly lost But the Pope answered that vntill then the K. of Spaine had furnished the league both with men mony and promised so to continue As for the mony which they demanded he excused himselfe by means of warres with the Turkes Six daies after the Cardinal hauing by an other Oration shewen the meanes how to sustaine the league the Pope made answere he could
resolue on nothing till first he had taken aduice with the king of Spaine for the most expedient meanes to maintaine the Catholicque religion in France Leaguers receiued into grace thorow the mercie of their gracious soueraigne The Duke of Neuers was most royally receiued at Florence at Venice and at Mantoue from whence hee came into France Many memorable things came to passe in the month of Februarie On the one side the King cōstrained those of Milon and the Castle of Thierri to acknowledge him for their soueraigne Lord on the other he receiued into fauour the Cittie of Orleans Lyon Roane Poictiers Bourges Haure de Grace Ponteau de Mer Vernueil at Perche Pontoise Riom in Auuergne Peronne and Mondidier in Picardie agreed that they of Amiens and Abbeuille should remaine newters which shortly after acknowledged him because they would not open their gates to the Duke of Aumale one of the Captaines of the league nor to his troupes The Bishop of Orleans for his better obtaining of the kings pardon for al the Cittie procured that certaine mutinous persons of the league should bee whipt and the rest banished As for the Duke de Maine they tooke a packet of his letters that was sent to the king of Spaine containing a complaint of his miseries Hee sent Zamet his Agent to the king to vndertake his affaires but the kings aunswere was that hee would not deale with the Duke of Maine as with the chiefe of a faction That if he wold craue pardon of his soueraigne Lord he wold receiue him as his kinsman and allie The leaguers townes made their seueral intreats each one vpon their declaration obtained of the K. much more fauour then they looked for as much may be said of all the rest in particular which in great numbers submitted themselues to the king whom he receiued in gracious sort giuing them for the most part authoritie charge and was himselfe most liberall vnto many while his faithfull subiects and seruants of the religion were most hardly vsed and spightfully intreated in diuers Prouinces of the Realme Now resteth the Principall Cittie to bee spoken of that is the faire Cittie of Parris which was brought to the kings obeysance by meanes of the intelligences which they had within with the Lord of Billin their Gouernour the Earle of Brissac and others the two and twentieth of March The Duke de Maine had trust vp his baggage certaine daies before to be packing to Soissons There was once resistance made at the New gate by certaine Lance-knights who were torne in peeces and a Court of guard of the Leaguers toward the Pallace whom the Cittizens soone put to flight The Neapolitans made shewe as if they would proffer fight refusing to agree except it were by the consent of the Duke of Feria and Don Diego d'Euera their Generall They accepted soone after without resistance whatsoeuer it pleased the king to offer them as vnto their Captaines to witte that all of them should enioy their armes and so depart with bagge and baggage out of the Cittie from thence to haue safe conduct out of the Realme toward the borders of Picardie after they had promised the king neuer to beare armes in France against his seruice Heere was a thing woorthie to bee noted that foure thousand men on horse and foote entering armed into this little world of Parris should put the league to silence keepe so well the order prescribed vnto them and be so obedient that no souldier left his rancke to commit any outrage or violence That no Burgeous or Inhabitant was indomaged nor so much as wronged in his reputation person or goods that all the people mingled themselues presently with the men of war and other that entered with the king in such familiaritie as if they had alwaies dwelt togither filling the streetes with ioyful applaudes and maruellous reioycings euen as if they had escaped the hands of the hangman to beholde the face of their deare father or best beloued friend The Kings troupes entered the Cittie about foure of the clocke in the morning and within two houres the shoppes were all set open the Citie appearing so peaceable as if there had neuer been any change The most paine which the kings seruants had was to keepe the people with faire intreaties who required no other thing then to bee medling against the Spaniardes Neapolitans and VVallons who were in number nine hundreth men or thereabout to bee reuenged on them calling to minde the great iniuries which they had receiued by their meanes in times past All their Churches and Temples were filled soone after with praiers and songs of thansgiuing to God according to the order and custome of the same Cittie which was newes most pleasing and agreeable to the Inhabitants As much was done in all other places of the kings obeysance and namely in diuers parts out of France In short time after Bastille was yeelded and hee which commanded there for the league sent away with his souldiers The Cardinal of Plaisance the Popes Legat being sick at Paris had his safe conduct to bee gone who died soone after and so likewise did the Cardinall of Pelue This was the cause that other dispearsed Leaguers and seditious Preachers fled away some heere some there vnder the wings of the king of Spaine or toward the Duke de Maine who was gone to Soissons The most part were confounded with despight and sorrow The other do as yet bite on the bridle in Spaine and the lowe Countries and from one moneth to another followe their companies There were some found that hazarded themselues to enter into Parris but it was to be drawne to the gallowes where they receiued the guerdon due to their villainie The Parliament of Paris beeing established soone after this yeelding published a decree the thirtieth of March in these termes The Court hauing the twelfth day of Ianuarie last required the Duke de Maine to acknowledge the king whom God and the lawes hath giuen to this Realme for the establishing of peace and vnitie whereto hee would giue no eare through the deuises of the Spaniards and their adherents and God hauing since of his infinit goodnesse deliuered this Cittie of Parris from the hands of straungers and brought the same to obedience of her true naturall and lawfull king after solemne thansgiuing to God for this blessed successe would imploy the soueraigne authoritie and iustice of this Realme for the preseruation of the Catholicque Apostolicque and Romaine religion to see that vnder the false colour and pretext of the same straungers do not possesse the estate Calling all Princes Prelates Lords Gentlemen and other subiects to the grace fauour and clemencie of the king and to a generall reconciliation and to repaire that which the libertie of the warres hath altered or taken from the authoritie of the lawes foundation of the royall estate rights and honours of the Crowne These things hauing beene in deliberation all the
finally had indeuoured to kill the king by the meanes of Barriere who was executed at Meleun as hee deposed a little before his death These considerations were cause that the first resolution taken by the Vniuersitie of Paris since the Citties reduction was to require the banishing of the Iesuites To this effect a supplication was presented to the Court of Parliament who hauing a certaine time despised the authoritie thereof in the end constrained by an act made the seuenth of Iuly containing that the indightment which was to be giuen against them should be heard the Monday following in a publicque audience to be iudged in open field they did that day entertaine their Aduocates and men of law in the great chamber before the audience were readie who did declare that to defend the cause on their behalfe he was constrained to say many hard things against diuers that were knowne to bee the kings true seruaunts and for this occasion they requested that the cause might bee pleaded within doores This deuice was made to hinder the people from the cleare knowledge of the corrupt and pernicious purposes of the Iesuites pretending to make all Europe subiect to the Spaniards but for as much as they had obtained their request this inuention had no such successe as they looked for For all their pleadings which were done close within doores was afterward openly published in print where the Aduocates of the vniuersitie men learned and deepely affectioned to the Romaine Church did particularly represent and discouer to the full the horrible wicked and insupportable malice of that sect But the deciding of the matter was suspended Gods prouidence reseruing the same to an othertime which came sooner then many looked for The Spaniards being desirous to continue the fire of discention in France instantly solicited the Duke de Mercoeur Warres in Britaine one of the chiefe of the league and an vsurper of a part of the Duchie of Brittaine alwaies to continue warre His sister Loyse of Vaudemont king Henry the thirds widdow did all shee might to make his peace Certaine troubles hapning in the meane time broke all that was done The Spaniards which were Maisters of Blauet a Fortresse almost inuincible had builded during the Sommer of the yeare 1594. a strong Fort neare vnto Croysil to stoppe◠he enterance to the port of Brest which would haue beene better for them if they had made another right against it and on the other side of the hauen Sir Iohn Norris Captaine Forbisher To hinder them came the Marshall d'Aumont and S. Iohn Norris Generall of the Englishmen to whom was sent a supply by sea vnder the conduct of Captaine Forbisher they soone became Maisters of Quimpercorencin and of the Towne and Castle of Morlay Soone after they assailed the Spaniards new fort and slew foure hundreth souldiers that kept it not without losse of their own men among other the said Forbisher The king on the other side deliberating to make war out of his own realm against the Spaniards agreed with the States of Holland and their confederates to beginne in the Duchie of Luxembourg where the Marshall of Bouillon who married one of the daughters of the deceased Prince of Orange and Earle Philip of Nassau assayed to enter in the moneth of October where they found all the passages shut vp and Earle Charles of Mansfield making head against them especially on the troupes of Holland The king on the other side sought to ouerrunne the frontiers of Picardie and gaue the estates of Artois and Hainaut to vnderstand that if they fauoured him so little to suffer the Spanish forces to molest Cambray and the countries adioyning that hee would then make warre vppon them incontinent This message beeing sent in writing from Amiens by a Trumpetter about the midst of December the estates knew not what to say vnto it and before they would make answere they opened the matter vnto the Arch-duke Ernest the king of Spaines Lieftenant in the lowe Countries whom they intreated that the warre might not continue perceiuing the desolations that were like to follow therevppon and that which had alreadie afflicted them but this Prince who deceased shortly after could neither doo any thing for himselfe nor in their behalfe The seuen and twentieth of December as the king was returning from Picardie to Parris readie booted and spurd within a chamber at Louure hauing about him his cousins the Prince of Countie the Earle of Soissons the Earle of Saint Paul and thirtie or fortie other Lords Gentlemen of his Court there came also in the Lords of Ragne and Montigni who had not as yet taken their leaue of his Maiestie And euen as hee was receiuing them Iohn Chastill attempteth to kil the king hurts him in the mouth and is for the same put to death and in Princely manner kissing them for his farewell a young stripling named Iohn Chastill of a small stature and about eighteene or nineteene yeares of age a Drapers sonne of Parris who was slid into the chamber among the preace drew neare vnto the king before hee was almost perceiued of any bodie and suddainly would haue smote him in the bodie with a knife which hee had in his hand but by reason that his Ma. was verie readie to take vp the Lords which were on their knees before him in his stooping hee strooke him in the face on the vpper iaw on the right side therewithall cutting out one of his teeth Presently this miserable catiue was taken and after hee would haue excused the deed incontinent vppon examination hee confessed the whole trueth voluntarily and without compulcion The king commaunded the Captaine of his guard that had taken him after that hee had throwne his knife to the ground to let him go saying that hee freely forgaue him But afterward vnderstanding that he was a scholler to the Iesuites he said And must it needs be that the Iesuites should bee confounded by my mouth This Parriside beeing brought vnto the Bishops prison freely declared the circumstance of his euill intent discouering many of the Iesuites secret practises Among many other things hee remembred that he heard the fathers of that holy societie say that it was lawfull to kill the king that hee was excommunicate out of the Church that hee was not to bee obeyed nor to be taken for their king vntill such time as he was allowed by the Pope The Court of Parliament cōdemning this Chastil of treason in the highest degree caused him honourably to be brought naked in his shirt before the principal gate of the Cathedrall Church in Parris holding in his hand a taper of waxe lighted of two pound waight and there on his knees to confesse and declare that most wickedly and traiterously hee had attempted this most inhumane and most traiterous parriside hauing hurt the king with a knife in the face That by false and damnable instructions hee had maintained by argument that it was lawfull to
hee hauing committed so many hainous acts against the Crowne and his soueraigne Lord that hee was vnwoorthie too bee esteemed the kings subiect but to receiue punishment according to his deserts blaming the kings too much gentlenesse therein to whom might bee applyed that which was of olde time spoken of by Charillans who being greatly praised for his courtesie equally shewed to all was thus answered by Archidamidas the Spartane that such a Prince deserued small praise that shewed himselfe fauourable to wicked persons But such matters pertaines to other discourses and not to bee intreated of in so briefe a collection as this is Vpon this receiued grace the Duke de Maine wrought the yeelding vp of Soisson Pierfont and other places to the King Now among all the chiefe leaguers there onely remained the Duke of Aumale who had not time ynough to make his peace with the King The Duke of Aumale executed in his picture Things fell out so contrarie on his side that lawe was prosecuted against him in the Parliament of Parris which found him guiltie of treason in the highest degree so that his image or likenesse being made it was drawne in peeces with foure horses and his goods and lands confiscate to the King It hath been said that his faire house at Annet was iudged to be raced to the ground and the woods all about the same cut downe in detestation of the said Dukes treasons But this article was not executed This Duke of Aumale went since that toward Albert. Cardinall of Austridge came into the low Countries to succeed in his brothers charge who was Arch-duke of Ernest of whō he was honourably receiued and royall entertained so that he might say with the renowmed Greeke I was lost if I had not been lost and since he hath made sore warres against the Frenchmen Certaine members of the league as some of the sixteene of Parris diuers principall Councellours and Agents of that side togither with some Preachers and seditious writers durst not shewe themselues knowing lawe to bee proceeded against them Th. Towne of Fere besieged While the Cardinal of Austrige made his voyage from Spaine into Italie to become Gouernour to the low Countries taking with him Philip of Nassau Prince of Orange who had a long time beene kept prisoner among the Spaniards the King besieged Fere the onely place possessed by his enemies in Picardie before the taking of Capelle Chastelot Cambray and Dourlans hee set there all the succours that could enter in where a great number of Spaniardes were slaine then gaue he leaue to the most part of his horsemen to refresh themselues because the Earle of Fuentes hauing set garrisons in the Towns for a new conquest was retired into Hainaut The king being willing more and more to plant quietnesse in his realme made an edict the same time whereby all persons that were fled might returne againe to their lands and houses where their passed faults should neuer bee sought after but wholly forgiuen those onely excepted that were confederates in the murther of the deceased king In middest of these matters Ossat and Perron the Kings Agents towards the Pope demanded and obtained a bull of absolution hauing aforehand made all the submissions obeysances and accustomed reuerences promising that the King had performed the penance and accomplished the conditions to him prescribed This bull was committed to Alexander d'Elbene to bee carried into France to bring thereby in the kings behalfe confirmation and approbation of all that which had been done by his Agents one of the which namely Ossat for recompence of his seruices wonne a Cardinals Hat Perron being but a Ministers sonne in the Lord of Bearns land became by his worthy seruices Bishoppe of Eureux a Courtly Poet and a new Diuine was sent with good hope to see that hee should continue as hee had begunne that is to say to oppose himselfe against those of the religion and to drawe by his example all other that hee might by their praaching and writing to maintaine the vocation and doctrine of their Ministers and the publicke articles of the inreprehencible perfection of the Romaine Church Hee was carefull to keepe promise vnderstanding that the Pope had an eye ouer him The estates of Picardie In the moneth of Nouember the King assembled within Amiens all the estates of Picardie of Boulongne Vermandois and Thierafche to take counsell for the affaires of Prouence Certaine Captaines were there beheaded hauing been by their couetousnesse cause of all the losses afore mentioned The siege of Fere continued those within it being more restrained yet neuerthelesse resolued to hold the same to the vttermost poynts of extremitie The garrisons of Peronne Amiens and other places that held for the King beganne againe in Ianuarie their former courses against the enemies countrie still killing and sleying certaine Spaniards and Wallons The king was at this time in great care touching the countrie of Prouence by reason that a man of great authoritie named Casaux commanded within Marseille who made means to the Spanish king that this goodly Towne might bee solde vnto him Charles Dore of Geneua was now approaching with certaine gallies for the Spaniardes The Duke of Guise drew also neare with certaine troupes but knowing well Casaux euill will toward him retired to the port of Thoulon where a farre off he thought on such affaires whereof proceeded the death of the said Casaux who was suddainly stabbed as he was going forth of his owne lodging to runne toward one of the gates which they were readie to open to the Frenchmen the sixteenth of Februarie The Duke of Guise his troupes beeing mingled among the rest in the Cittie was cause that all the Spaniardes with their adherents ranne their waies Marseille brought to the kings subiection Thus was Marseille deliuered out of their hands and brought to the kings subiection togither with all other villages thereabout that might any way annoy them The arriuall of the Cardinal of Austriche in Flanders caused the King to summon the Nobilitie of Picardie and Normandie to be present in the Towne of Guise there to be readie according as need required There he forbad by an expresse proclamation the transporting of gold or siluer coyned or otherwise out of his realme In the beginning of March the Cardinall gaue such order that the besieged within the Towne of Fere were succored with some munition And for his first exployt against The Cardinall of Austriche releeueth Fere winneth Carl◠and Ardres with maine force France in the beginning of Aprill did so dispose of his armie at that time most mightie so dexteriously secretly that in few daies he besieged assailed and with plain force won the town and Castle of Calais in spight of al the kings forces and the resistance of the besieged there died in the taking thereof a great number of the Nobilitie of France especially in the Castle whereinto they had sent a good supply
where it was openly proclaimed throughout the Prouinces The Guisarts not content with the troubles in France mooue warres in Scotland but to their owne confusion The religion multiplieth in France euen in the middle of their persecutions and next after God submit themselues vnder the protection of the Princes of the blood determining to oppose themselues against the house of Guise who by diuers subtilties receiue and award their blowes discouer the enterprise wrought against them cause the principall Nobilitie of the Realm to be assembled at Fontainbleau where the Admirall galleth them on all sides This assembly produced an aduise and consent of a Parliament to be holden in the end of that yeare The Princes are summoned to come vnto the Court and all subtile practises vsed to get them thither being arriued at Orleans where the Court was holden They were stayed as prisoners specially the Prince of Conde the house of Guise practising the totall ruine of the Princes and all others of the religion leaue no meanes vndeuised which by the sequell is well perceiued While these actions were in hand the king fell sicke in the end the Queen his mother got the Regencie with the ayde of the house of Guise and the king of Nauarre the Prince of Conde and those of the religion are relieued by the kings death CHARLES THE NINTH I Account the raigne of Charles the ninth to be the time of wonders in France his beginning was the assembly of a Parliament where nothing was done but onely in words Those of the religion openly increasing the house of Guise began to practise against the estate many edicts were made to pacifie the troubles The Queen-mother vseth practises that ouerthrew the lawes of the realme to satisfie those of the religion an assembly was holden at Poissy which ended in words and no resolutions and lastly with mutinies in Parris The Edict of Ianuarie was made whereby the Duke of Guise vndertooke to commit the massacre at Vassy inducing the king of Nauarre to consent with him hee seizeth both of Parris and the king which bred the first ciuill warres which on the one side containe infinit exployts of warres as battels incounters assiegings defenses and taking of places on the other side spoyles and horrible murthers of those of the religion in all the Prouinces of the Realme The troubles being ended by the death of the Duke of Guise slaine at the siege of Orleans the first Edict of pacification abolishing that of Ianuarie was established After the peace the Englishmen were driuen out of New-hauen the king is declared to bee of age to gouerne without a Protector and causeth diuers Edicts to be made He is solicited by the Spaniard to breake his Edict of pacification which is weakned in diuers poynts the beginning of the voyage of Bayonne diuers Citadels builded many Townes vnwalled those of the religion sacked and spoyled in many places leagues made against them Edicts reuoking those that had been granted vnto them The shamefull entrie of the Cardinall of Lorraine in Paris Councels holden at Bayonne the kings progresse throughout France A dissembling reconciliation made between the houses of Guise Chastillon the miserable state of France a notable processe at Paris between the Vniuersitie and the Iesuites Vnder pretence of a passage to bee granted to the Spaniards to passe into the low Countries preparation was made to ouerrun those of the religion which constrained the Prince of Conde and his associates to seeke to defend themselues whereof ensued the second eiuill warres set downe with the most notable accidents therein happened Negotiation of peace which the Prince is constrained to accept This peace presently after conceiued a third ciuill warres The Prince and the Admirall hauing hardly saued themselues in Guyenne followed by diuers others The Princes first exployts edicts against those of the religion many warlike exployts betweene the contrarie armies Warres began to be in greater force in the yeare 1569. then euer they were before The Prince was slaine after the battell of Bassac the Prince of Nauarre declared generall of the armie and the Prince of Conde assistant A puissant armie of Almaines vnder the conduction of the Duke de Deux Ponts commeth to ayde them the incounter of la Roche la Belle the warres of Bearne the siege of Poictiers and Chastelleraud the battell of Moncontour What both the armies did after that The siege of S. Iohn d'Angely ouerthrowne the armie victorious Diuers exployts of wars in Poictou Guyenne Xaintongne and Angoulmois a great voyage through the Prouinces after the battell of Moncontour continuance of warres which is ended by the third edict of pacification and about the end of the yeare the king married the Emperours daughter a voyage made vnto the Queene of Nauarre for the marriage of her son with the king of France his sister Councels among those of the religion the death of the Cardinall of Chastillon The marriage aforesaid agreed vpon warres were pretended against the Spaniard the secret of the Court discouered the Queene of Nauarre went to Parris where she died the Princes and the Admirall came thither Contracts and espousals of the king of Nauarre most horrible bloodie and cruell councels and massacres of the Admirall and thirtie thousand of the religion in Parris and in many other Townes all the circumstances precedent and following set downe at large Many deuises to destroy those that were resting of the religion who in Rochel Sancerre Languedoc and other places resolued to stand in a iust defence of their cause the assieging and yeelding of Sancerre A notable discourse of the siege of Rochel from the beginning vntill the peace granted The state of those of the religion in Quercy Languedoc and other Prouinces where they ouerthrew their enemies and presently after reduced the king to such a stay that he was forced to begin againe who fell sicke as his brother went into Poland A deuise not ouer good for those of the religion The fourth troubles beganne at the massacres and ceased for a time at the peace of Rochel and began the fift by the enterprises against Rochel and Languedoc The wonderfull practises of the Queene-mother to maintaine her actions and to serue her turne by her third son against those of the religion The estate of diuers prouinces specially of Normandie where Monsieur was taken prisoner Warres in Poictou against those of the religion The Prince of Conde goeth into Almaine The sicknesse and death of the king HENRY THE THIRD THe Regents dealings during the warres in Normandie The estate of Languedoc Viuarais and Dauphine Montgommery beheaded in Parris The Prince of Conde chosen generall by those of Languedoc Warre in Poictou The arriuall of the new king escaped out of Poland The beginning of his actions The siege of Lusignen Warres in Dauphine Practises against those of Languedoc The death of Charles Cardinall of Lorraine The memorable siege of Liuron Conquests in Languedoc and elsewhere Negotiation of
The Admirall resolueth to goe into Normandy The Admirall on the other side receiued new promises and assurances of the Rutters and withful determination to fight marched vnto Iarqueau which as then was in his power and the tenth day after tooke Sully and the Castle by composition Touching the Duke de Guise beeing hard by Orleans it was resolued that the Admirall with the Rutters and some French Gentlemen should march towards Normandie thereby to constraine the enemie to separate his forces and to giue the Rutters mony that should be brought out of England leauing all the footemen with the rest of French horses ledde by Duras Bouchauanes Bussy Saint Cyre Auaret and others for the defence of the Towne vnder the gouernment of d'Andelot The good will of the Rutters towards those of the religion The Rutters at that time shewed themselues so voluntarie that they left their waggons at Orleans and caused their boyes to carry their necessaries vpon the waggon-horses whereof they made a Cornet of foure hundreth indifferent men The Duke de Guise on the other side tooke order for the defence of the Townes of Normandie and at the same time a thousand extortions were cōmitted against those of thereligion specially in Parris where diuers strange murthers were cōmitted There was likewise a declaration sent vnto the Rutters in the name of the King and all the Princes of the blood to cause them to leaue the Admirall But that serued to as much effect as the Queens letters to the Admirall that answered her in other sort thē they expected On the other side the Prince hauing sayled to escape out of prison and one that sought to helpe him beeing executed yet hee lost not courage but to the contrary spake with bolder courage then euer hee did his nature beeing such that in aduersitie he seemed most inuincible The Admirals voyage into Normandie The first of February the Admirall departed from Orleans with foure thousand horses better furnished then when he fought the battell but not any carriage only thirtie waggons lightly ladē The fourth of February he came before Eureux where the Inhabitants were cōtent to suffer him to march peaceably before the Towne the which passing through a straight hard by Bernay a smal Towne certaine Pesants conducted by a Gentleman of the countrie vnder colour of their great number sought to resist him But to theirs and others their likes costes and ouerthrowes who after the taking of Roanc had committed many outrages and at the Admiralles arriuall assembled themselues togither who hauing stayed certaine daies at Dines was desired by the Inhabitants of the Towne of Caen to ayde them against the Marquesse d'Elboeuf and a new knight of the Order named Renouart who with their troupes molested the Towns-men continually taking some of them prisoners The Admirall busied with other matters sent them Monsieur de Mouy not long before deliuered out of prison with his company and some Argolitiers and hauing receiued mony out of England Artillerie powder fiue companies of English and two of Frenchmen he battered the Castle of Caen vppon the first of March and the next day tooke that strong place by composition The Duke of Guise approached to Orleans But in the meane time let vs returne to the Duke de Guise that approached Orleans about the fift of February the next day with most resolution and by the faintnesse of the Lansquenets that forsooke the place hee wanne the Pertereau wherein they of the Towne left foure hundreth good French souldiers some taken the rest slaine and without the valiant resolution of the Gouernour and the Gentlemen that were in it they had receiued more hurt The ninth hee tooke the Tourelles by surprise and caused great quantitie of Artillerie to bee brought from Parris and Nantes to batter the Isle and the Towne they within shewing maruellous resolutions to rampier and fortifie themselues The Duke of Guise slain by Poltrot bofore Orleans Thursday the eighteenth of February hauing appoynted what order should bee taken touching the assayling the Isles about nine of the clocke at night hee wrote vnto the Queene that within foure and twentie houres after hee would send her word of the taking of Orleans wherein hee would not spare any man woman or childe whatsoeuer and that after hee had kept his Shrouetide therein beeing as then vppon the three and twentieth of February hee would in such sort spoyle and destroy the Towne that the memorie therof should be extinct for euer But man purposeth god disposeth for that the same day as the Duke of Guise about euening returned from the campe to the Castle of Coruey where hee lodged minding to execute that which hee had written vnto the Queene a young Gentleman of Angoulmois named Ich◠Poltrot Sieur de Merey hauing long time before determined to giue the blowe and made his friends of Lyons and other places priuie thereof stayed for him in the way as hee returned to his lodging accompanied with two Gentlemen one going before him the other speaking with him mounted vppon a mule Poltrot that rode vpon a Genet of Spaine went so neare the Duke that beeing about fiue or sixe paces from him hee discharged his Pistolle laden with three bullets seeking to strike him on the shoulder where his armour could not defend him as hee did doubting hee wore a priuie coate which done he fled away and the next day hauing ridden all night hee was taken and committed prisoner Poltrot executed and not long after tormented with hotte tonges to make him confesse and then torne in peeces by foure horses Diuers confessions were published to bee made by him touching this deede thereby to accuse the Admirall and others as if they had mooued him to do it but besides the constant and resolute answeres of the Admirall it was euidently knowne specially at the execution that Poltrot did it of his owne motion and particular intent thereby to deliuer France and specially Orleans from the violence of the Duke of Guise that died the foure and twentieth of February not hauing holden his Shrouetide as hee thought within Orleans but rather in his turne receiued another reward then eyther hee or his expected The motion of peace mooued before his death was presently renued and after many meetings and assemblies Motions of peace renued after the death of the Duke of Guise the Queen-mother exceeding glad of the death of the Duke of Guise whom shee doubted more then all the rest hauing giuen a thousand courteous entertainments vnto the Princesse of Conde the seuenth of March an assembly was holden in the Isle of Boeufs hard by the Towne whither the Prince and the Constable as yet prisoners were brought to make some agreemēt The Constable at their first enterance said that if they spake touching the edict of Ianuary hee could not indure it and in trueth it was as much to condemne him and all his partie of treason to
brother This deuise ouerthrowne des Adrets made a voyage into Languedoc and returning into Dauphine Nemours to coole his courage shewed him the Princes commissions giuen to Monsieur de S. Auban ouerthrowne with his troupes at Tarare to commaund in Dauphine and his commission to Adrets to goe to Orleans which seene des Arets vsed many practises to establish the Duke de Nemours and about the end of December sought the meanes to make him Maister of Valence and Romans The tenth of Ianuarie by aduise of the Nobilitie hee was taken prisoner and kept in Nismes vntill the peace when hee was set at libertie without absolution or condemnation and beeing at his owne house hee left the religion and after that openly bare armes against all such as maintained the same but in that alteration finding no good successe but rather shame and dishonour hee was constrained to with drawe himself vnto his house despised both of friends and enemies The second siâ—ge of Grenoble In base Dauphine Monsieur de Crossol recouered Serignan and Aurange On the other side vpon the seuenth of Ianuarie la Coche surprised the Tower of Lemps and discouered a great practise of Maugiron to enter into Grenoble for the which hee caused certaine traitors to bee executed Whereat Maugiron beeing offended ouerranne the countrie of triefues contrarie to his faith and promise At the same time those of Grenoble receiued certaine losses yet they victualled their Towne with corne and other munitions expecting a newe siege which happened vnto them about the end of February the enemies campe beeing eight thousand foote and horse with two great battering peeces whereof the bullet beeing of Brasse wayed about fiftie pound and three faire field peeces La Coche had nine Captains some Gentlemen with sixe hundreth good souldiers besides the Cittizens The batterie beganne the first of March and continued three daies and three nights after that they offered a scalado where they lost many of their souldiers They within the Towne but fiue onely with Monsieur de S. Muris a Gentleman much lamented Not long after the siege was raised and the Towne freed At the same time a smal troupe belonging to Captaine Furmeier surprised Romette a small place walled A notable exploit of Captaine Furmeier lying two myles from Gap punishing certaine boot-hallers that lay in it As Furmeier sent his footemen to enter into Romette at the sound of the belles which the boote-hallers for certaine houres before had rung in a steeple wherein they saued themselues and from whence they were thrown headlong downe the Garrison of Gap both horse and foote issued to ayde them But Furmeier accompanied with foureteene others on horsebacke was so bolde to stand against all that troupe marching in order of battel which was presently separated and put to flight The first that beganne to runne was Captaine Andre a Piedemontois in such sort that Furmeier and his companions had worke ynough to strike and laye vppon them killing them euen to the gates of Gap which continued with a short bridle vntill the peace proclaimed which made those of the religion to reenter And thus the affaires of Dauphine passed in those times Prouence Sommeriue maketh war against his father and all his adherents The Counte de Tande perceiuing the horrible discipation of all Prouence and that Sommeriue his sonne gaue such libertie vnto the bloodie and desolate companies of souldiers thereby to commit the most cruell murthers and villanies that euer was heard of whereby infinit numbers of houses and families were destroyed and wholly ouerthrowne came to Manosque where hee assembled all the men hee could vnder the conduction of Cipierre his sonne Colonel of the horse and of Cardet his sonne in lawe leader of the foote who dealt in such manner that all the Townes beyond the riuer of Durance continued vnder his gouernment onely Petuis which they besieged but all in vaine Meane time Sommeriue hauing gathered his forces and hauing been at Aurange by intreatie of Fabrice and de Suze hee came to Manosque which by Captaine Coloux was yeelded vnto him and hauing made a muster of fiftie Ensignes of foote and certaine Cornets of horse the sixteenth of Iulie 1562. hee besieged Cisteron wherein were the greatest part of all the families of the religion that had fledde out of other places of Prouence with eleuen companies of foote vnder Monsieur de Beanieu Nephew to the Counte de Tande Furmeier came thither likewise with three hundreth men Cisteron besieged Sommeriue caused the passages to be kept by one of his Captains named Bouquenegre a valiant souldier but verie cruell and dissolute if euer there were any in Prouence but hee was surprised in a village by twelue souldiers and one of his seruants whose wise he entertained and not long after found guiltie of diuers murthers and violences committed was hanged in the publike place of Iustice by his said seruants hands Bonquenegre hanged dying as hee liued The eleuenth of Iuly Sommeriue caused three assaults one after the other to bee giuen vnto the Towne which continued from three of the clocke after noone vntil euening but he had a most braue repulse The next day the town made certaine skirmishes and about eight daies after offered battell to Sommeriue which he refused And at that time they vsed such rigor vnto each other that no man was put to ransome About the end of the month Sommeriue fearing des Adrets that had gotten the battell of Vaureas went to incampe himselfe within three myles of Cisteron On the other side Cardet with all his forces approached vsing all the meanes hee could to reassemble the troupes but it was impossible wherevppon the Counte de Tande wanting victualles caused the campe to rise whereof part were placed in Cisteron vnder the gouernment of Senas the rest sent to des Adrets that promised in short time to come and visit him with great forces but hee did not The second siege of Cisteron The 27 of August Sommeriue with one hundreth and two Ensignes of foot and great store of horse besieged Cisteron round about and vnderstanding that Mombrun came to ayde the Towne sent Suze to meete him who vppon the second of September surprised and ouerthrewe Mombrun and 500. men the Towne inclosed on all sides but onely in one place which lyeth vppon high and desart Mountaines the way whereof is so straight that two hoâ— semen can hardly ride in ranke Vpon the foureteenth of September Sommeriue made a cruell batterie so that about tenne of the clocke in the morning the breach was of one hundreth and foureteen paces without flancard or raueling to defend it Besides that two demy Coluerins that shotte from the Friers strake the souldiers in the Towne when they came to the breach which notwithstanding although the besieged seeking to rampier the breach were striken and hurt and some borne into the ayre with cannon shot both men and women
The Princes had sixe thousand horse Frenchmen and Almaines sixe thousand Harquebusiers foure thousand Lansquenets sixe cannons two coluerins and three other peeces hauing left therest at Lusignan Before the battell two Gentlemen bearing armes in the Dukes campe beeing strayed came to some of those of thereligion Notable aduertisement neglected hauing certaine ditches betweene them and hauing protested vnto them that they bare no malice vnto the Princes willed them to aduertise the Admirall to keepe his armie from fighting because the Dukes armie was very strong by reason of new strength but that hee should driue off the time for the space of a moneth because all the Nobilitie had protested not to stay any longer but that if they were imployed within that time they would doo their best to aduance his seruice That it was daungerous to striue against the French furie which in short time would be abated and by that meanes the Duke with his Councell should bee constrained to seeke for peace and to graunt it with aduantage to those of the religion which aduertisment giuen those two Gentlemen retired Those of the religion went presently to the Admirall to certifie him therof which counsell liked him well They shewed it likewise to others of the principall commaunders whereof some reiected it not and desired it might bee followed but the greatest part esteemed it to be but an artificial deuise to put them in feare adding that although this aduise seemed to bee good yet it was not to be accounted of because it proceeded from suspect persons and such as vsually exercise deceits commonly such as are neare to any mischiefe despise the good counsell wherewith men seeke to relieue them The Princes Councell assembling to resolue vpon their proceedings some sayd it was best for them to get to Ernaux and to set the riuer which runneth by it Euill counsell followed between both the armies and to depart about nine of the clocke in the euening and to march all night that they might get thither in safetie because the Duke was at hand Others replyed that those nightly retraits put feare into such as make them imbasing their reputations giuing courage to the enemies and that it were best to depart about the breake of day This second aduise beeing the woorst was followed The Admirall as then was in great distrust fearing that the Rutters would mutin for want of pay and that three or foure of his Regiments of far countries would leaue him because they had alreadie asked him licence to depart He knew likewise that diuers Gentlemen were retired vnto their houses wherefore to hold the armie in vnitie hee besought the Princes that were at Partenay to come thither which they did bringing with them one hundreth and fiftie good horse The next day in the morning the horsemen were readie mounted to ryde to Ernaux all in white cassockes the better to know them if they should bee forced to fight But then the Lansquenets refused to march except they might haue mony And within a quarter of an houre after Blind auarice cause of a great mischiefe fiue cornets of Rutters said as much by which meanes aboue an houre and a hafe past ouer before they could bee appeased whereby the troupes could not haue the meanes to get a place wherein they could hardly haue been fought withall And hauing marched a quarter of a league they discouered the Dukes armie aduancing it selfe in such manner that all the leisure they had was to range themselues in order and to place themselues in a valley in couert from the cannon shot After this ensued an other mischiefe in the Princes armie which was that the Admirall perceiuing the Dukes vantgard to set forward wherein was nineteene cornets of Rutters in two squadrons and to come right vpon him hee sent to the Countie Lodowicke that commaunded the battell that he should send him three cornets of horse which the Countie did but hee himselfe led them and at that instant beganne the battell hee remaining in fight whereby the bodie of the battell remained without a head not knowing how to gouerne it selfe it is thought that if the Countie a wise and valiant Gentleman had beene there the body of the battell had mades good resistance The body of the battell without a head seeing that being so discouered it had almost put the dukes battell to fight The fight hauing continued almost three quarters of an houre the Princes as yet very young beeing not long before retired and with them diuers others vnder colour of safer conduction of their persons the Admirall likewise beeing hurt in the face at the first conflict in the ende the Princes horsemen were constrained to leaue the field part of the foote beeing slaine the rest flying to saue themselues The artillerie and Ensignes of the footemen were taken Countie Lodowicke was pursued a whole league Notable retrait but made a gallant retraict with three thousand horse in one maine The rest of the troupes hauing gotten away before the leaguerors made shew many times to set vpon the Countie but hee alwaies turned so brauely vpon them that they durst not ioyne In this manner hee marched towards Eruaux and from thence to Partenay where they arriued about tenne of the clocke at night fiue houres after the ouerthrow where the rest likewise came The Princes in this battell of Moncontour lost four thousand Launsquenets ' fifteen hundreth French souldiers and great numbers of pages and other boyes of the horsemen about three hundreth and many horses dead or hurt of men of name there were slaine Puigreffier Autricourt Biron brother to him that ledde the Dukes vantgard and Saint Bonet Cornet of the Admirals launciers La Noue and Acier taken prisoners the Rutters carriage was sacked only the horses which the boyes saued but the French carriage being further aduanced towards Partenay and Nyort was saued of the Dukes troupes there was not many footemen slaine but of horse about fiue or sixe hundreth and twise as many more wounded most part of them dying not long after and of men of name the elder Rhingraue the Marquesse of Bade and Cleremont of Dauphine The number of slaine on both parts The Duke caused the dead to bee buried and commanded the villages and townes neare there abouts to burie such as lay nearest vnto them Such was this daies chance whereof diuers discourses haue bin published whose vanities I haue not vndertaken to tet downe contenting my selfe to haue approached nearest vnto the trueth which of it selfe will sufficiently be desended The Marshall de Rez was presently willed by the Duke to ride to Tours to certifie the king and the Queene of his victorie wherewith all Europe was presently filled and as the report is made greater by passing through many mens mouthes nothing was then spoken of in Italie and else where but of the vtter ouerthrow of all the Princes armie Consultation in the Dukes councel what was to
May. Second parley of peace I said before that the first aunswere made by the king to Messieur de Teligny de Beauuais and la Nocle Deputies for the Princes to parley of a peace at Anger 's was such that after it the warre was rather increased then diminished For those of the religion perceiuing that they sought onely to ouerthrow and destroy them determined to proceed and to make of necessitie a vertue And as time breedeth changes those that happened were to their aduantages in such sort that their courages were increased and their hopes fortified The king the Queen and their Councell perceiuing that since the losse receiued before Saint Iohn d'Angely they found themselues new to beginne determined to beginne a parley of peace wherein for their part Biron was imployed with charge as like wise Teligny Deputie for the Princes to say vnto the Admirall that the king and the Queen his mother desired more then euer they did to receiue him into their fauours with many such like words whereof the effects may well bee seen in the discourse of the yeare 1572. The king was greeued that the continuance of warre bereaued him of his pleasures ouerthrew the loue and obedience due vnto him fouraged his countrie diminished his treasures and consumed his forces His wicked Councellours ceased not to kindle in his heart the fier of rancor and desire of reuenge against the Admirall his associates and all those of the religion because of the iourney of Meaux in the beginning of the second troubles and of so many resistances as they had made The Queen his mother was much offended because that from the beginning of the first troubles it was discouered that her intents were to rule and to cause the one part to spoyle the other Her chiefe obiect beeing wholly against those of the religion specially against the Admirall and other commaunders There was too much paine and daunger to bring them to her bow by dint of sword murtherers and impoysoners durst hardly approach the Princes applyed themselues to the time and from their youths beganne to know the friends and enemies of rest and quietnesse of France On the other side the Queen of Nauarre and the Admirall as also diuers great Lords of their part affected to the good of the Common-wealth and foreseeing that the ingrafted enemies thereof desired nothing but the weakning of the same by the meanes of ciuill warres there to erect their practises and to open the way to their ambitious deuises desired by an assured peace to see some end of the miseries of France hoping that mens mindes being somewhat cooled good counsell would bee taken for the benefit of the Common-wealth to the vtter confusion of the secret and open enemies thereof the diuine prouidence of the almightie God and ruler of the world directeth our affaires partly according to our desires but for the most part it guideth all things in such manner that calling to mind that which past after vntill the death of the Duke of Aniou which was Henry the third wee cannot marke nor say otherwise but that the iudgements of God are vnsearchable and that his waies are impossible to bee found out To returne vnto the Princes they were constrained after the battell of Of the great voyage made by the Princes after thâ—ir tourney of Moncontour vntill the peace Moncontour to keepe themselues farre from the Dukes armie to assure their troupes to stay their enemies about townes and so to consume them while they strengthened themselues and became busier then before thereby to constraine those that tooke so much pleasure in war to seeke for peace This counsel was good because of the improuidence of the Romish Catholicks who without resistance suffering this smal snowball to retire in time it became as great as a house for that the authoritie of the Princes drew and moued many people The Admiral by his prouidence surmounted the occurrent difficulties and the Rutters to the number of three thousand horse for the field gaue reputation to the armie They indured much vntill they entered into Gascon where they strengthened themselues with Harquebusiers beeing most necessarie for them specially to defend the horsemen nightly surprises much vsed in that countrie because of the nearenesse of Townes and Castles They were mingled among the Cornets of Rutters and other French troupes in such sort that both plaine countries and couert they were alwaies ready to defend theÌ„ Staying of the Princes Armie The longest way that this demy armie made was towards Agenois and Quercy where it stayed almost all the winter and by the good entertainment it receiued there both great and little spedde wel In this voyage the Princes abandoned the enemies countrie for a pray vnto their souldiers and whosoeuer would hazard wanted no meanes those Prouinces were so abundant Monluc went about to hinder their passage ouer Garonne but the diligence of la Loue that ledde the Princes light-horse hauing taken those places that serued for resistance forced him in all haste to retire to Agen so that in the moneth of December 1599. all the armie passed ouer Garonne at Saint Maries port without impeachmeÌ„t at the second time for at the first Monluc had broken their bridge The twentieth of the same moneth Captaine Piles ioyned with the Princes armie and hauing obtained three Cornets made them flye that followed him so neare La Loue and his Argolitiers made diuers courses and picorees into Agenois and the countries thereabout The first forces that ioyned with the Princes were those of the Countie Montgommery comming from Bearn and it is not to bee doubted if he were welcommed at his returne The two and twentieth of December Bole a strong Towne was taken that done Exployts of this armie in their voyage that armie went to lye at the Bastille Saint Surin two leagues from Thoulouse The next day and others ensuing beganne a manner of war most violent by reason of the burnings that were permitted to be made about that great Towne onely vpon the houses of Presidents and Councellours of the parliament it beeing alleaged that they had been most earnest and as it were inraged to burne and massacre those of the religion beheaded Captaine Rapin that brought them the Edict of peace from the king and committed diuers insolencies oppressions for the which as then it was requisite to punish them for that omitting that occasion it would possible not be found againe The Marshall d'Anuille Gouernour of Languedoc la Valette and diuers others of account were within Thoulouse accompanied with fiue hundreth Gentlemen and 9000. harquebusiers as well straungers as of the countrie wherewith they made many sallies with diuers effects yet neuer went farre from their walles for fear of some surprise after Thoulouse had receiued those small checkes the armie went towards Carmaine Thoulouse checked a small towne which was forced and such as resisted put to the sword The like was done to those
the protestants in Quercy and the countries round about gathered his troupes dispearsed in Garrisons besieged tooke Saint Gemmes in high Quercy The Lord of the Towne notwithstanding his composition for life and goods was carried prisoner to Cahors and there executed at the instance of many his enemies whom hee had hardly intreated His men saued themselues in a rocke where they could not possibly bee indammaged and after ioyned with succours that came from Montauban A fewe weekes after the Admirall besieged Brifenel a small Towne in high Rouergue wher Montilliere gallantly withstood him and slew some hundreth of his men but at the last departed with life and goods Albeit in exchange the Adm. in May lost Soreze surprised by escalade Montesquiou within two leagues of Thoulouse Also toward the end of Iuly the BarroÌ„ of Fougeres took Lâ—desue a Bishops sea and a rich Towne scituate in the mountaines of Languedoc at the same time that Captain Graue seized vpon Mas Sainctes Puelles within one league of Castelnau Darry The Duke of Aniou had before solicited those of Montauban to send him their Deputies with articles for peace intreating them in the meane time to desist from all hostilitie This was one meanes to disvnite the Prouinces and so to get them one after an other At the first this seemed to grow to some course but it was easily remedied and the siege of Rochel togither with the election of Poland made voyde many of their deuises Marshall d'Anuille Gouernour of Languedoc tooke armes also against the protestants assembled six Cornets of horse Marshall d'Anuille besiegeth Sommieres wher he looseth his Armie fiue thousand harguebuziers besides the companies of Lyonnois and Volunatries his footemen amounting to ten thousand that led foureteen battering peeces wherewith hee pretended to besiege Nismes But Sommiere a small Towne neare to Bezieres and Montpeslier wonne from the Barron of Ioyeuse by Captaine Gremian brake this purpose and an other enterprise of the Marshals against Vzes so that seeing himselfe frustrate before hee came to Nismes hee besieged Sommieres both the Towne and Castle made a reasonable breach and gaue an assault repulsed by the besieged who slew aboue one hundreth of his men and wounded many more But in his second assault hee had yet woorse successe Herevpon came to him his brother in law the Countie of Candale with his company of one hundreth horse and twelue companies of Gascons who gaue the third assault wherein three hundreth of the hottest left their liues The besieged stood in want of many things but their neighbours sent one hundreth and twentie souldiers who with much ado got in brought all that they could to succour and strengthen them One of the hundreth and twentie beeing lag was taken and brought before the Marshall to informe him of all that he knew Albeit they racked and tormented him that he grew as bigge as a tunne and so died vppon the torture yet could not his tormentors wrest out of this souldiers mouth any word preiudiciall either to the besieged or to the protestants The besieged hauing holden out foure months suffered fiue thousand cannon shot that had beaten downe all their defenses and layde their wals in the dust craued composition but the Marshall would haue them by force and to that end gaue foorth a general assault committing the leading to Candale whom hee exhorted to reuenge the death of his Captaines and souldiers This young Lord who before had seemed desirous that matters should haue been otherwise ordered marched resolutely to the breach where hee performed the dutie both of a valiant Captaine and couragious souldier but after a little fight wherein hee saw a number of his souldiers ouerthrowne himselfe was slaine in the place The besieged hauing performed all that was to be desired in valiant men in Aprill did accept of composition for life and goods and so the Marshall sending hostages to Nismes for their safetie they came foorth with the drum sounding the Ensignes displayed their matches lighted and in the cock hauing seuen daies respite to carrie away their goods and to retire where they list The Marshall vnderstanding that Mismes in great resolution expected his comming and withall considering that hee had lost two thousand fiue hundreth of his best men cashiered the rest of his troupes who scattred euery way The Admirall warring in Gascon had other successe for he took Terride Flaugnac and all that the protestants had gotten in Gascon beyond Garonne Then did hee besiege Caussade a small towne kept with sixe hundreth small shot Caussade subuertech al Admirall Villars purposes vnder the coÌ„duct of Puiols who forced the Admirall after great losses to forsake the place after which repulse he did nothing woorthie memorie The Vicountie Gourdon vnderstanding that part of the Adm. troups after this siege marched towards Rochel watched them at the passage ouer Dordogue cut in peeces one company and made the rest to runne On the other side the Barron of Grandmont whom the king of Nauarre had sent into Bearne to replant the Masse was taken and most of his men defeated by the countrie people The estate of Viuaretz and Dauphine In the meane time the estates of Languedoc met at Anduge where they formed an order and rule for the warre and administration of iustice In May the protestants chusing the Lord of Saint Romain for their Generall surprised Villeneufue in Viuaretz Marshall d'Anuille vnder colour of iustice seizeth and selleth all the protestants goods that he may In Dauphine the protestants took Orpierre Serres and other places in the Bishoppricke of Die also Meuse and other villages in the mountaines vnder the leading of Mombrun who with his courses exploiâ—s driue his enemies to feare him The K. hoping by the peace granted to Rochel Montauban Nismes to take some rest hauing reuoked the edict of 1570. sent his brother into Poland found al new to begin for those of Quercy Lanquedoc their neighbours did immediately protest against this edict Complaints against the pacification granted before Rochel which they termed captious a preamble into new massacres considering that their capitall enemies authors of all disorders remained sole Councellours and Gouernors of the K. and his estate that all the French Churches were debarred the publike exercise of religion to them so solemnely graunted by the Edict of 1570. that al the contents of this pacification of Rochel and whatsoeuer was otherwise promised was but a collection of words without effect that there was no speech of iustice against the massacres but an abolition of all that was past which was the absoluing of the threatned that all Ecclesiastical discipline was taken froÌ„ the protestants whom thereby they ment to plunge in all Atheisme that this treatie was formed with some particulars without their commission whose aduice could not preiudice the generall cause of al the Churches to whom they had promised not to do or graunt any thing without
French men had their throats cut wher the king of N. doubting himselfe not to be secured in the chast imbrasings of his first nights espousals was constrained to alter the forme of his religion And because he had escaped that danger and finding himself healed of his continuall fears and distrusts he said that in changing of religion he had done it by constraint hee was oftentimes accused of Apostacie At that time Rochel the begā to refuse the Garrisons which the K. would haue placed therin was the refuge of the Huguenots Rechel besieged Anno. 1573. whervpō Monsieur besieged it and in 6. months brought it to such extremitie as that if the planting of the flowerdeluce in the furthest parts of Septentrion had not diuerted him he had been Maister therof at such cōposition as had pleased him The King of Polonia Sigismod when he died left 5000. horses in his stable For the Polonians sent Ambassadors vnto him to offer him the Crowne of Polonia and to inuite him to the possession of a great rich and puissant Realme great because it is in compasse twise as much as France rich by reason of the abundance of all things necessarie for mans life renowmed for armes and horses and puissant for the honour of the Nobilitie being most valiant and braue warriours hauing more Gentlemen therein then are in France England and Spaine Thither he went being accompanied by the king himself as far as Lorraine from whence for his better assurance Coronation of the K. of Polonia Letters of regent granted the Queene-mother till the K. comming out of Polonia In Parliamēt the 3. of Iune 1574. he passed through the territories of the Princes of Almaine that were much greeued offended at the murther cōmitted vpon S. Bartholomewes day from thence he arriued at Cracouia and there vpon the first day of Penthecost he receiued the Crown the next year after vppon the same day hee was crowned king Meane time king Charles his brother that died in the flower of his age declared him to be his successor and his mother regent till his returne commaunding the Duke of Alencon his brother and the king of Nauarre not to alter any thing in the state and to perswade themselues that kingdomes are onely gotten eyther by vertue or succession and not by reuolting or tyrannie As this great king of two great realms as earnestly looked for of the Frenchmen as lamented of the Polonians was desired of the Catholciques for the effects The returne of the king of Polonia into France His nature The warres for the common-wealth vndertaken by Monsieur the malcōtēts An increase of Monsieurs reuenewes the 28. of May 1576. An agreemēt with Monsieur made at Ioinuille The K. made this peace to seperate his brother from the Princes The 4. Edict of peace in May. 1576. Aiguemortes Beaucaire Perigueux Le Mas de Verdun Nions Serres Yssoire Seine la grād Tour. The king called this peace his peace D. Casimire wold not dislodge without assurance of paiment and the obseruation of peace The league of Peronne they had perceiued to be in him touching the religion so was he also loued of the protestants that knewe him of nature to bee a true Frenchman estranged not only frō cruell actions but also from most seuere intents and hoped vnder his raigne to finde a more moderate and peaceable season But God to punish our sinnes had otherwise ordained for at the kings returne the wars likewise returned which began to flame burst our vpō the frontiers against the Marshall of Amuille who perceiuing himselfe altogither frustrate of any hope of euer being reconciled to the king practised with the towns of Longuedoc seduced Monsieur that made himselfe Generall of this new confusion vnder pretence of a quarrell for the Common-wealth and vsed the forces of both the religions The king of Nauarre that could not forget the bloodie day that had consumed so many of his seruants and perceiued not himselfe so much imployed as his inferiours in matters of estate abandoned the honorable captiuitie of the Court and those that had followed him with all the Princes of his house ioyned themselues togither for his protection Whereat Monsieur was greeued and perceiuing himself to be left alone with his Catholicques he had recourse to the kings fauour by the increase of a new degree of honour and reuenue giuen him by the king The king of N. the Prince of Conde procured strāgers ayde not as they protested therby to shake off the yoke of the Monarchie or to deuide thēselues into as many Cōmon-wealths as ther are Prouinces in France but to liue in obedience vnder the king freedom of conscience and thereby to obtain a peace which was made between the king Monsieur his brother the K. of Nauarre and the Prince of Conde whereby the free publike and generall exercise of the religion was permitted vnto the Protestants in all the places and Towns which as then they held they being declared capable to haue their places in Parliaments and chambers of iustice seuerally all iudgements being made against them for any enterprise whatsoeuer declared voyde the memorie of the heads of their part taken away and the cruell day of S. Bartholomew disauowed And for the better assurance and performance of the conditions they had eight Townes deliuered vnto them with the conditions of their gouernments This peace which was thought would haue long continued beeing made with so greate solemnitie not with dissemblers but with a king that as yet had giuen no occasion of distrust was soone weakened and shaken for that the same conditions that had made it were the means to vnloose it For the Prince of Conde perceiuing that he reaped not the fruit of his desert and that the gouernment of Picardie was denied him was the first that found himselfe offended and that shewed himself discontent desiring the Duke Cazimir not to abandon the frontiers of Lorraine vntill hee perceiued that peace to be wel confirmed and obserued The Catholicques to the contrary being greeued at the libertie which the Huguenots had obtained thereby to make their religion increase fructifie and that the Rutter had not as yet put vp his Pistolle into the case besought his Maiestie to restraine that pernitious licence of the Edict of peace but perceiuing him not to be sufficiently moued to cut off that which as thē begā but to spring vp nor to take knife in hand therewith to shed his owne blood they began to assemble at Peronne to moue all the rest of the towns vnder pretence of diuers occasions not litle wondred at of the people which were for the honor increase of the Catholike religion for the suretie of the estate and Crowne of his Maiestie the vtter extirpation of Heresies and for the reuocation of the Edict of peace wherein they swore obedience and seruice to the Generall that should bee appoynted ouer this fellow
had any other respect then only to God and seruice to the king And that assoone as his Maiestie by his Edicts had consented to the libertie of mens consciences he presently left armes and countermanded his troupes togither with the forrain aydes of his friends and confederates That for that cause hee is not enemie to the Catholicques as the report goeth That hee maintaineth those of Bearn in the small libertie they had when the Queen his mother died and so in all places of the kingdome of Nauarre then resting vnto him where hee found the exercise of Catholicque religion he neuer permitted any change That the consultation in Magdebourg which the league so much spake of that they caused it to bee preached openly in the Churches was an imagination and woorthie such reports for that it would be found that neither there nor in any other place it was euer holden And that in the extract of forces by them therein set downe they induce the Ambassadors of the Elector Palatin of the Prince of Orange the one beeing dead aboue a yeare before and had left a sonne within yeares vnder the wardship of the Duke Casimir the other about foure moneths before that was slaine at Delft by Balthazard Girad That the declaration by them made of his incapacitie to the succession of the Crowne was the thing that touched him most yet vntill then hee had least minde of it contenting himselfe with the hope that God would long time preserue his Maiestie for the good of his Realme and Common-wealth and would in time giue him issue to the great greefe of his enemies not seeking to iudge the king or Queene to bee barren in the flower of their ages That those which in their declaration and protestation named him to bee desirous of the kings death a perturber of the State and sworne enemie to all Catholicques had falsely wickedly lyed and therevppon besought the king that the quarrell might bee descided betweene him and the Duke of Guise one to one two to two or tenne to tenne without troubling himselfe or suffer the people to indure any longer vexation The Queen-mother that held with the Duke of Guise more to crosse and trouble him to make an entrie into the disorder and confusion of all affaires then to aduance him Princes fauourers of the league gaue the king to vnderstand what power the league was of shewing him that therein hee had to do with the Pope the Emperor the king of Spaine the Duke of Sauoy certaine Princes of Germanie the Catholicque Cantons of Switzers all the house of Lorraine and all the chiefe Towns in France that had entered therin al resolued to expose their persons in the middle of all perils as the last anker to preserue religion frō shipwracke And shee gaue him so hotte an alarme with those first assaults The surprising of the Citadel of Lyons the 2. of May 1585. and knew so well how to vse the occurrence of the taking of the Citadell of Lyons wherof the Captain had bin driuen out vnto her purpose that the more the king thought vpon it the more hee perceiued himselfe to bee weakned and the leaguers aduanced Hee thought that the ramparts defences of his Estate were alreadie abated hee beleeued that alreadie the Duke of Guise held him by the collor it seemed vnto him that his Pallace of Louure was besieged with great paine they could hardly make him come foorth of the Capucins sell it was no more he that wan the battelles of Iarnac and Moncontour generositie wanted and his heart began to faile Herein diuers Polititians noted a great fault in the Estate which after produced great accidents Many imbarked them selues with the league being made beleeue it was for the kings person but perceiuing the contrary left it Caezar onely opposed but the authoritie of his face against his mutinous legions but it was with a liuely and bolde assurance not doubtfull nor trembling If the king had shewed himself to the league not couered with a Penitents garment or habit of an Hermit not by faire and plausible meanes but with constancie courage and resolution woorthie a Maiestie royall hee had well made them knowe him to bee king the true and onely Image of God that had thunder readie in his hand to consume and confound such as rose vp against him the warre would bee ended The armie of the Duke de Guise which at his first rising and in the flower thereof was but a thousand horse and foure thousand foote had been dispearsed in lesse then a month and the Cardinall de Bourbon had confessed to the Queene-mother that if the king had banded his authorithie against him all his attempts had been cleane ouerthrowne Feare is a plague to valiant mindes but when the heart of the chiefe commander is possest therewith his authoritie is abated it dimisheth falleth and vndermineth it selfe for feare in flameth the courage and causeth men so much more boldly to enterprise their wicked actions as that they are assured they shal not be punished Also the king letting slip this reuolt rather speaking faire then commaunding and yeelding rather then opposing thereby drew all the mischief of those toubles vppon his owne head He desired the Queen-mother to beare some of his blowes This is the opinion of the Author that made the tiberal and excellent discourse fol. 22. The last request of the Princes of the league The Edict published in Parliament the king being present the 18. of Iuly 1585. The K. fearfull disarmeth himselfe to cause the league to disarm them selues and to procure the Duke of Guise to leaue off his armes and to assure him of his fauor and that he would giue him what part of his Realme soeuer hee would aske to let him liue in peace This Prince of great hope wise and valerous and one of the greatest Captains that France in long time had bred perceiuing that so hardy an enterprise had alreadie taken so good effect and made so great a change pursued it and perceiuing the king to yeeld vnto him hoped more then he either thought or ought to do And there vppon presented the king with another request wherein very wisely hee motioned his owne interest togither with the common cause signed by himselfe and the Cardinall of Bourbon tending to this end To desire him to make and sweare an vnreuocable edict for the extirpation of heresies To take by force the Townes holden by those of the new religion To reuowne the protection of Geneue to authorise their warres to reconcile them vnto him to be of their league and of a king to become a participant Therevppon with all speede the peace was made and cast into a mould the king suffering himselfe by that feare to bee so much carried away And by the edict hee prohibited the exercise of the new religion reuoked all other edicts that fauoured it commaunded the Ministers out of the land and all
at Moncontour and brought honourable markes of his courage from the battel fought against the Rutters Caezar vsed so great diligence in trauelling that hee departed from Rome Hic diligeÌ„ce and within three daies after he arriued at Rhosne The Duke of Guise made such speedie iourneyes that when some thought him to be fiftie leagues off hee was found to bee in a manner at their heeles The promptnesse of his exploits Caezar had no sooner begun an enterprise but he finished it with speede The duke of Guise was so vehement and hastie to execute his enterprises that many esteemed his celeritie to bee a kinde of rashnesse Veni vidi vici His dissimulation Caezar vsed dissimulation wisely and happily to serue him for aduantage The Duke of Guise was so expert therein that hee dealt in his exteriour affaires as hee thought good to hide the secrets of his heart and although hee desired nothing so much as the raising of armes by the league yet hee made his bretheren beleeue when they prouoked him to take occasions offered that it was not his desire wisely dissembling it to the end that if the effect had not fallen out as they desired hee might impute the fault vnto their Councelles or at the least obiect against their pursuites or else he did it to the end hee might holde them stricktly bound and ingaged vnto the enterprises which of themselues they counselled him to take in hand His foresight His cunning and slights Com. de Caezar Lib. 1. of ciuill wars Caezar was maruellous expert in the science of taking occasions when time serued and to vse them to his aduantage whatsoeuer it cost him oftentimes hee made shewe to agree to that which he sought to impeach as the meanes which the Switzers desired of him to passe through France wherein hee made a good shew and countenance vnto their Ambassadors that made suite vnto him for the same vntill hee had meanes and force to withstand them The Duke of Guise was an excellent cunning Prince to vse both time and occasion and his subtilties were notable stratagems against the most violent effects of his enemies The Reisters bare with them into Saxen and Pomerland the effects of his so subtil practises by their incounters at Auueau and Vimory Caezar with a small force and wholly contrary to militarie reason enterprised all things and durst set vppon the forces of Scipio and Iuba beeing ten times greater then his owne His armie were of more courage then number The Duke of Guise saide with Caezar that high enterprises ought speedily to bee done and not long consulted vppon and with a small handfull of men determined to oppose himself against the furious armie of the Almains he discommended and disliked the monstrous multitudes full of disorders and confusions that forme and frame a most daungerous confidence in the hearts of the greatest cowards that trusting to their great numbers despised the power of their enemie he had a small number of souldiers ruled and gouerned within certaine limittes that need no great quantitie of ammunitions nor retrait His courtesie towards his souldiers Dux plerumque in opere in agmine gregatio militi mixtus in corrupto ducis honore Tacitus His credit with his souldiers Caezar flattered and fauoured his souldiers terming them companions and calling them by his owne name The Duke of Guise knowing the humour of his souldiers and that there is nothing which so much inflameth the heart of the souldier to a desire of honour and glory then when he is noted and marked by his Generall hee fauoured his souldiers and honoured his Captaines promising them more then hee could do and neuer denied them any thing that lay in his power Caezar had such credite among his souldiers that they offered him in the beginning of the ciuill warres to follow him at their owne expences and many of his souldiers that were taken prisoners offered rather to die theÌ„ to bee constrained to change parties and sooner to indure most extream famine then to yeeld vppe the Townes they held for him witnesse the honorable siege of Salone wherein beeing vexed with famine and constrained to cut off the haires of their wiues heades thereof to make stringes for their bowes hauing placed their women and childreÌ„ vpoÌ„ the wals to make shew they made so furious an issue that therewith they put their enemies to flight The Duke of Guise ordinarily termed the father of men of war so much respected and beloued of his souldiers that neither for want of pay nor discommodities there was euer any mutinie seene among his troupes and fewe or none were euer found that during his life forsooke him to serue vnder any other Generall And yet the Captaines that were brought vp vnder him are still imployed The execution of his commaunds Facta non dicta mea vos milities sequi voloâ—nee disciplinam modo sed exemplum etiam à me petere Liuius His strange ambition Caezar neuer sent to any place where hee might go himselfe nor commaunded that to bee done by other which by himselfe might bee effected The Duke of Guise alwaies beeing first at any exployt neuer trusting to any thing but his owne watchfulnesse and diligence the enemie found him alwaies before them with a magnanimitie and resolution rather to die then to bee vanquished Caezar suffered himselfe to bee wholly led by the furious passion of ambition to make himselfe great by the ruine of the Common-wealth of Rome The same vice was the cause that the Duke of Guise lost the greatest part of his praise Caezar enterprised to ouerthrow the lawes and orders of the Common-wealth passed the Rubicon entered Italie with armes tooke the treasures of the Common-wealth vsurped the office of perpetuall Dictator wan towns by force The Duke of Guise enterprised to trouble the order of succession caused the drumbe to strike vp in the midle of peace tooke the kings towns placed Garrison therein and fortified himselfe He could not indure acompanion Caezar could not indure a companion in his gouernment The Duke of Guise for the same cause mooued the great trouble of Barricadoes and constrained the king to quit him the place His debts Caezar when hee passed Rubicon hazarded either to winne or loose all The Duke of Guise by a popular fury hazarded both his life his honour and his place Caezar was indebted a million of gold more theÌ„ he was worth The Duke of Guise to accomplish his enterprises died poore and almost as much indebted Caezar vsed the fauour of the people and the tribunes for the whing of his ambition His purposes grounded vpon the common people His popularitie The Duke of Guise found the principall support of the League to consist in the good wil of the people and in the multitude being desirous of nouelties Caezar marched alwaies bare-headed to make himselfe more common gentle and amiable The Duke of Guise to commaund great men
lodging and aboue sixe hundreth of the leaguers slaine without any losse except fiue souldiers and about eighteene or nineteene hurt And hauing knowledge that the Leaguers intent was not to fight but to retire they followed theÌ„ the more close shutting vp all their passages as well to preuent the bringing of victuals as their escape for which there was good reason Vppon the riuer their ships and vesselles were beaten part whereof was taken and part suncke by the Holanders By land they were inclosed in their campe intrenched and fortified yet would they not issue foorth although the necessitie of victuals was extreame great among them and that all warrelike order shewed their insufficiencie They were moreouer intrenched within a wood where also two thousand Spaniards and VVallons were lodged to intercept the kings passage who neuerthelesse in the sight of their enemie broke throgh their trenches where all this great troupe was ouerthrowne except some fewe which by their swiftnesse tooke the groues beeing more amazed then desirous to reuenge The daies following they continued their chasing by skirmiges till the tenth of March at what time the king after hee knew where they pitcht their campe chose out such forces as hee thought necessarie and set vppon them by fiue of the clocke in the morning within a quarter which the leaguers supposed most strongest There was ouerthrowne without any great resistance twentie two Cornets of horsemen It is thought that it was there where the Duke of Parma had his arme hurt with a musket shot other say it was done in the former charge Howsoeuer it were the Leaguers lost at the same time two thousand horse which by the victors were carried away with all their baggage leauing slaine vpon that place more then two thousand and fiue hundreth men and many taken prisoners They retired towards Fescamp where hauing within fewe dayes selt the force both of hunger and thirst at last they fledde shamefully toward Parris and from thence to Brie at last they came to Artoys wherwithin few months the Duke of Parma with his troupes melted like waxe in the sunne Sfondrate sawe his people also confounded Roane beeing brought to great extremitie bought of Villars his Rotelier the corne hourded vp in his Garners whereof hee made a maruellous masse of treasure which hee imployed for a small space till such time as hee was slaine by the Spaniardes neare vnto Dâ—rlans Thus was France the thirde time deliuered out of the handes of herenemies Those of the house of Guise and other chiefe Captaines of the League that sought new troubles being nothing sorrie for the Duke of Parmas ill successe set themselues with the Spanish Agents to get into their handes newe bags of Spanish golde in consultation touching the assembly of their estates to the end to elect a King or a Queene to wit the king of Spaines daughter who was to marrie with one of the principall Leaguers And although the Duke de Maine wrought with the others in the same wheele yet had hee a contrarie intent As for the most part of the Parliament of the leaguers of Parris and the third estate they all desired peace and some end of these troubles The Leaguers forces in diuers parts In many other parts of the Realme and namely in Languedoc and Brittaine the Dukes of Ioyeuse and Mercoeur two principall Leaguers continued their warre doing great domage to the Kings subiects In Iuly the Duke de Maine tooke Ponteau de Mer while the king practised his enterance into Paris which as then found no good successe beeing broken off by the Marshall de Bâ—rons death who was slaine by a cannon shotte at the siege of Espernon On the other side the Duke of Nemours purposed the building of a little Monarchie at Lyons being possessed by intelligence of the Citie and Castle of Vieruâ— which were solde vnto him Hee attempted to do much more by helpe of the forces comming from Sauoy but in vaine at that time The King was very watchfull to preuent the enterance of forraine forces giuing order within his Realme for all his most vrgent affaires distributing his troupes heere and there in places most conuenient And for as much as his Nobilitie had been greatly hazarded at the siege of Roane and in the seruices following hee dismissed a great many and retained a certaine number of the most deliberez Others which went farre off to assayle the League in diuers places perished for the most part The Spaniards which were very curious to recouer their great losses with some memorable act some certaine monthes after the The spoyle of Bayonne attempted in vaine by the Spaniards Duke of Parmas discomfiture they attempted the taking of Bayonne by the helpe of a puissant armie which came vnto them as well by water as by land Long time before this the Gouernour of Fontaraby had from his Maisters intelligence that a Doctor of Phisicke called Blancpignon had often receiued letters in couert termes to further the Spaniards affaires consisting in the surprising of the Cittie and the expulsing of all the kings officers and seruants in the same This Doctor conferred with a Spaniard which had long time dwelt in that Towne and those two brought their treason to such a poynt that a fleet of certaine ships and an armie by land were made readie for the executing of their purpose But God would that the Lacquey which was sent to Fontaraby with letters speaking of Phisicke and curing of the sicke was taken by the Lord de la Hilliere Gouernour of the towne who hauing with all speede apprehended the Doctor and the Spaniard in fewe houres preuented all their mischiefe But that which hee had deliberated heerevppon which was to giue a strappado to the enterprisers could not bee performed because of the obstinate resolution of the Spanish prisoner who would not write such letters as was of him required but rather chose to die then to set pen to paper for the intrapping of his countri-men and heerevpon with the Doctor hee was beheaded whereof followed the discipation of the Spanish armie Amblize and the Leaguers of Lorraine ouerthrowne by the Duke of Bouillon In the month of October the Duke of Bouillon Marshall of France ouerthrew before Beaumont the Lord of d'Amblize high Marshall of Lorraine and the Dukes Lieftenant generall accompanied with two thousand foote and eight hundreth horse Amblize was himselfe slaine in the field with more then seuen hundreth others his artillerie won all his Cornets and Ensignes taken and foure hundreth Launce-knights sent away vnarmed The Duke of Bouillon did this valerous exployt with foure hundreth horse and two harquebuziers But this was much to bee noted hee lost not in all that fight any one man of account and beeing himselfe something hurt hee left the pursuite of his foes to his Lieftenants who beeing ayded by a sallie of shot comming out of Beaumont they made a happie ende of their prosperous beginning That also which
a good harguebuze shot in length the heads of the fugitiues was seen floting vpon the riuer This vanquished armie consisted of 600. horsemen and 4000. foote togither with 1400. lance-knights which was a part of a greater number that was raised in Almanie by the Emperors commandement as it appeared by the original of the commissions which were found after the discomfiture By the confession of the vanquished they lost at that time about 3000. men three cannons two coluerins They also had from them 22. Ensignes carried from thence 43. prisoners They on the kings side lost only ten men foure of the which being not very well known were for want of heed slain by their own fellows The town of Villemur hauing indured 2000. cannon shot saw themselues finally deliuered hauing in all lost but 17. common souldiers The body of Duke Ioyeuse was the next day drawne out of the water and carried into Villemur there to bee interred The royall armie consisting of fiue hundreth horsemen and two thousand fiue hundreth hargue buziers beside those that were within the Towne of Villemur withdrew themselues in good order into their Garrisons after they had giuen thankes vnto God in all the Churches neare adioyning for so miraculous and prosperous a victorie Now although the leaguers affaires were in great disorder yet did not their principall Captaines cease to make many reports before the people wherewith they besotted the most subtillest assuring them that shortly they would so prouide by the assembly of the estates at Parris that they would proceede for the election of a newe king adding that as for him whom in disdain they called the Bearnois that raigned partly by those named Catholicks was not to bee receiued or suffered any longer and to this effect was their counsell published according to the affection of the new made Pope the King of Spaine The peoples complaint in open Parliament And whilest the Spanish king made payment of their pentions by a day assigned many of the Moonkes being of one opinion left the Duke de Maines affaires perceiuing that in the end his pretended Lieftenantship would intangle and bring them from the greatest to the least into a pitte of vtter subuertion and confusion beganne to lift vp their heads and to seeke after conditions of peace At length in the open Parliament of the Leaguers at Parris they cast in many billes of complaints and the principall of the Cittie cried out in such sort that an assembly of the Citizens was held in the beginning of Nouember where they spake so openly for the ending of their troubles that the Duke de Maine beganne to shake But in the end to strengthen his affaires hee came into the lower house desiring the assembly to commit the deciding of that poynt to the estates conuocated for that month And hee added in the end of his Oration these words staying for the Estates I pray them that haue set things so forward that they would send to the king of Nauarre to intreate with him that hee would depart vpon this proposition if hee will not do it I shall haue occasion to beleeue that hee is euill affectioned to our side and well pleased with those that are enemies to our religion Notwithstanding these threatnings it was agreed vpon in the said assembly that they should send toward the king staying for the renuing of the Estates to the ende agreement might be made that traficque and marchandize might be free as well for Parris as other Cities of the kingdome The Duke that could not resist their wils in this matter fained to giue his consent therevnto In middest of these matters the Popes Legat strengthened by the principall leaguers and according to his intelligences with the Spaniards whose Pentioner hee was continued the troubles of France by his bulles so that it prouoked the Parliament of Paris sitting at Chaalons to proclaime an edict the 18. day of Nouember which was published euery where among them the which for a remembrance to all posterities I haue here in this place set down at large An act of Parliament made at Cha alons against the Popes Bulls and the assembly of the Leaguers Estates Vppon this which the kings Atturney generall hath declared to the Court that the rebellious and seditious to execute their euill and wicked purposes which they haue of a long time attempted to depriue the lawfull successors of this kingdome from the Crowne not beeing content to fill this Realme with murthers massacres robberies and spoyles but haue aboundantly brought in the most cruell and pernicious Spaniardes enemies to this Realme perceiuing the Inhabitants of the rebellious Townes to beginne as from a long lethergie and trance to come againe vnto to themselues and to enter againe into the way of obedience wherein God and nature both binde them towards their lawfull King thereby to kill and mortifie all poynts of loue and charitie that should bee working in them and to bring this Realme into greater trouble and diuision then before by proceeding to the election of a new king And to giue some colour to the same they haue published a certain writing in forme of a bull giuing power and authoritie to the Cardinall of Plaisance to assist and authorize the said pretended election wherein the rebellious and seditious sort discouered openly that which till then they had kept close All which they did vnder pretence of religion to couer their wicked and damnable enterprise This is a thing that all good Catholicque Frenchmen ought to detest and abhorre as a matter directly contrary to the word of God holy decrees Councels and liberties of the Gallican or French Church the which openeth a gappe to all ruine and subuersion of all humane societies and pollicies instituted of God namely in this renowmed and flourishing Monarchie the ouerthrow of the ground of the law wherein principally consisteth the true order of the lawfull succession of our kings For the preseruation whereof all good and true borne Frenchmen ought to spende their liues rather then to suffer the same to bee altered or violated as the foundation on the which the certaintie and quiet of the estate is builded The Court in allowing this request made by the kings Atturney generall hath and doth receiue him complaining of the abuse committed in the obtaining of the said bull the contents publication and execution thereof and all the rest that should follow the same and hath and doth holde him well relieued and doth order that Philip by the title of S. Onuphrius Cardinall of Plaisance shall bee assigned in the same to aunswere to the said appeale and the decree made in the Cittie of Chaalons by publicke proclamation shall haue as full strength and effect as if it were done on his owne person or in his owne house And in the meane while the said Court doth exhort all Prelates Bishoppes Princes Lords Gentlemen Officers and all the kings subjects of what estate condition or