that might put the Protestants backward the Council to fit his purpose finds this expedient That the King of France and Spain should make a firm and inviolable League and that the King of Spain should assist with such forces as might be needful to the aid and succour for the King of France Which League was called the Holy League And that nothing might be wanting to break that famous Edict the Cardinal promises his best aid to assist their commands assuring them that the King and Queen Mother stand firmly for what they decree The Cardinal posts to Rome and endeavours all be can against the protestants Now as soon as this Council broke up the Cardinal posts to Rome and labours with Pope Pius Quartus to send to the King and Queen Mother of France to cause publickly the Decree of the Council to be observed throughout the Kingdom of France presently they begin to have it put in execution for the Embassadours of Spain Italy c. demand of the French King the Observation of the Decrees of the Council of Trent that the Edict should be disannulled and Hereticks rooted out Secret animosities in the hearts of both parties Now begin new firebrands to be cast again all their designe from first to last being to work out the poor Protestants who would be glad of peace with lives and liberty but could have it granted no wayes but in jeast in order to their more secure ruine in earnest for they never meant to be in earnest with their most solemne promises and protestations When they cannot overcome by Warre then a Peace most be made and in that Peace a damnable plot couched to destroy them when by Gods mercifull providence the Plot is discovered and they Arme for defence of Lives and Liberty and by Gods blessing grow too potent and powerfull for their treacherie and Armes then a peace againe and thus they play fast and loose till they cut the Throats of the two peaceable Protestants who were no way to be overcome but by peace The Protestants complain to the King of their daily wrongs desire justice and the performance of his promises but to no purpose Insomuch that wee may here insert a paradox in Divinity that it had been no sin in this cause to be unbeleeving nay they had no other way to be saved but by unbeliefe And thus the Edict that should have been the Cord of Peace was now a breaking in pieces by all the powers of Hell and Rome insomuch that those that were worse affected to the Edict and most forward to crush it cryed out They could not endure two Religions which seemed say they as prodigious as two Sunns And now as just Occasion was the cause of complaints soe now the Protestants sound in the Kings Ears their sad conditions and how little the Edict was like to be kept if such courses were nourish but the King heard to little purpose for it made a noise in his Eare but not in his obdurat heart for this King instead of hearing the complaints and redressing the wrongs of his to good subjects turnes his Ears forsaking the good Example of King Lewis the first of France A notable example of Justice who used three dayes in a week publickly in Person to hear the complainnts of his subjects and judge their Cause A poor woman desiring the Emperour Adrian to hear her Complaint and do her justice he answered that he was not a leisure the poore woman then replies boldly the King and Queen Mother in progress meet the Popes Minister and King of Spain and secretly confer in person together that he ought not to be at leisure to be Emperour Augustus Caesar exceedingly rejoyced to do justice and hear the causes of his subjects insomuch as the night could not allay his vigorous mind to do justice nay when he lay sick he would order the parties to appear at his bed side But this King was so far from following the Command of God or example of Heathens so far from delighting to settle his own Throne in the peace of his subjects that he seeks to overthrow his own tranquillity in his subjects ruine To which purpose the King and Queen Mother make their progress through many parts of the Kingdom and smoothly coloured their plots and conferences with the Duke of Savoy in Dauphine with the Popes Minister at Avignon and with the King of Spaine on the confines of Guienna whereby they might better cōmunicate their secret Counsells without the hazard of revealing their trust to French men whom they thought by their Alliance one way or other might reveale their secret hellish plots to the Protestants And it is to be taken notice of that now at this time was laid a Plot which Embasadors nor Councells intrusted must not know The King Q. coms to Lyons forbids the exercise of Protestant Religion and fortifies the place In this progress the King and Q. Mother comming to Lyons they forbid the Protestants the exercise of their Religion being one of the Towne assigned them for freedom the Protestants being numerous in this City the King orders a Citadell to be built not stirring out of the Towne till it was finished Now this was an Example to other Towns and did very much exasperat and hearten the Catholicks against the Protestants who with cruell Courage seize on them in sundry Towns and shamefully abuse them So that Many Protestants in many places murthered In Crevan in Burgongue the Catholicks fall on the Protestants and murther many being met together for the exercise of their Religion Curee Governour of Fendosme a Protestant was murthered by command of Cavigni Leiutenant to the Duke of Montpenseir at Tours they fell so furiously upon the poor Protestants murthering some hurting others coming from the Sermon and with great rage came into the Town with their bloody swords in their hands and being dyed with blood A gallant Gentleman murthered they proceed further falling on all they meet with murthering without destinction of sex age or Quality Drawning Killing and distroying all they could find many Protestants of Quality were murthered without any account given of their death by justice on the Murtherers Now the daily threats against the Protestants put them into a doubt of their security The sad massacres at Tours for the King and Queen Mother having concluded with the King of Spain secretly to assist one another It now fiftly falls out to discover that treacherous part which all this while lay hid under the plauseble pretences of an Edict of Liberty which indeed was that part of Hypocrisie which as a Cloak covered all their perfidious Treacherie and breach of promise That now what was written on the word of a King before the Eternall God was no more kept or observed than if it had been only written in sand the King and Q. Mother Raises an Army of Switzers pretending to defend the Protestants
him that he would with all carefull speed powerfully to provide for their common safety assuring him that she would imprint his willing care into the Kings minde that he should never be a loser by it The Prince of Conde possesses Orleans The Prince of Conde being on his journey to Court news was brought him in the way how things were carried That they had taken the King and brought him to Paris Then presently the Admiral advances towards him and overtaking him they make a stand and there consulted what to do whereupon seeing their own danger the Duke speedily hasted to Orleans and possessed it And this was the beginning of the first Civil War CHAP. II. The Contents THe Prince of Conde publishes a Manifesto laying down the Reasons of taking Arms. Burges and Orleans are the Potestants refuge The King declares against the Prince The Armies meet but engage not The Prince and Admiral dispose of their Armies into Garisons The Kings Army takes and sacks some Towns takes Burges on conditions The Queen Mother unmasks her self causing the Protestants to be proclamed Rebels The Prince and Admiral delivers up Roan Diep and Haverdegrace to Queen Elizabeth of England The Kings Army besieges Roan where the King of Navar is slain and the City stormed and sacked for three days together with cruel murdring De Andelot joynswith the Admiral The Prince of Conde and Admiral advances to the City of Paris The Kings Army advances for defence of the City The Protestants march toward Normandy to receive Queen Elizabeths supplies The Kings Army follows them they joyn Battel where both Generals are taken Prisoners The Admiral with his Army marches to Normandy The Duke of Guise with the Kings Army besieges Orleans the Duke slain before it The Admiral returns from Normandy and enters Orleans A Treaty is begun and Peace concluded at Orleans with free liberty for Religion which is publickly proclamed THe Divisions thus increasing made way to erect a Theatre for a sad Tragedy for the Prince of Conde published a Manifesto and sent Letters also to the King Parliament of Paris Protestant Princes of Germany and to all other Christian Princes The Prince of Conde prints a Manifesto of the grounds of his proceedings The Reasons laid down by the Prince of Conde for his taking Arms. were these The defence of the famous Edict of Toleration which was made by the King being the high Road to Peace if duly observed which could not but be kept without horrible breach of faith and assured ruine of the French Nation in regard there were so many of the Nobility and Gentry of the Nation that were Protestants and daily came in to the Religion And those of Noble birth that were in power dignity or otherwise above others thought it not meet to suffer the cruel punishments and Massacres daily inflicted on some and threatned to others since God had given them power to help themselves And further it was declared that the Duke of Guise a new-come Foreiner translated from the Forests of Lorain should usurp such power in France such dominion and command as the Princes of the Bloud must lose their proper interests to be his slaves and vassals against all the Laws of the Nation further declaring That if the King should cause an observation of the Edict for Religion already signed and that Arms might be laid down on the Kings part they were ready to do the like and would speedily lay down their Arms To this he added the Queen Mothers singular care as it was reported and as indeed she did outwardly shew for preservation of peace and pulling down the powerful rage of the Guisans which indeed she so dissembled that on the very account hereof it is certain above twenty thousand Catholiks joyned themselves to the Protestants in defence of their cause Burges Orleans proves a Sanctuary and hiding place in time of Gods These flames being begun could not so easily be extinguished mauy cruelties being committed on the bodies of the poor Protestants without mercy such as will no question draw out tears from the eies of serious Christians being such sad examples of crueltie as cant be believed should have proceeded from any that had known that ever Christianity had been in the world nothing being drunk more eagerly then the blood of the poor Saints Yet in this callamity God provided a place of refuge for such as he pleased in mercy to preserve from their cruelty For Bourges and Orleans being kept by the Protestants The King declares against the prince of Conde did greatly administer comfort to many distressed Christians that fled theither Hereupon the King at Paris declares against the Edict and the Prince of Conde The Queen Mother now arms those she privately huggs in the bosom of ther affections The Prince of Conde desires to lay all private interests aside for preservation of the Publick efusion of blood But the King of Navar the Duke of Guise the Constable and Marshall of St. Andre by an Edict banishes the Protestants out of Paris and sudenly advances towards the Prince of Conde with twelve thousand foot and three thousand horse They find the Prince strong enough to encounter them contrary to ther expectations and De Andelot and Boucart strongly urged to engage the Kings Army the Queen with subtilty and treacherous pollicie beguils the Protestants But the Queen Mother abuses them with her subtile treachery telling them the hopes of agreement was too near for them to undo all by a too hasty ingagement in so much that she fed them with hopes till the Catholick Army increased in strength both with French and forein forces Thus the Queen having delayed and protracted all hopes of Issue by battle the Prince of Conde maintains his Army about two months in such peace to the Country as was not in the least found to be outragious by spoyling or robbing such was the Christian and carefull discipline of the Prince and Admiral of the Protestant Army which in France was the greater wonder because whoring robbing and blaspheming was the usual attendants and constant harbingers to the Catholick camp which could not be avoyded because the King could not keep to so strickt a discipline as the Prince of Conde and Admiral The Prince and Admiral disperse the Armie into several Provinces The Prince of Conde and Admiral wisely prudently like valliant carefull Commanders take all waies to use their present power for future advantages and ensuing Storms so they send out to several Provinces men of approved fidelity to the Protestant cause which proved next to Gods blessing a great help to their success in possessing many strong holds in sundry parts of France as Roan Deip Angiers Blois Vendosme Tours Poictiers Ragency Maus Angoulesme Chalon upon Soan Maskon and the most part of Daulphin The Kings Army secures what they had and falls upon several Towns taking and miserably sacking them which
Protestants in France during this Civil War they are so sad they need no comment An unparralled murther but indeed that which follows is not to be paralleld for perfidious treachery Breach of the faith of a King and Court and for hellish and unheard-of cruelties sad murthers in cold blood upon Lords Gentlemen poor Ladies Rivers swimming with bodies and died with blood Indeed the most sad Tragedie that ever was yet acted upon the theatre of the world by Turks Heathens or Christians CHAP. IV. The Contents THE King and Queen Mother lay siege to Haver de grace which surrendered on Henourable tearms The King is declared out of his minority and swears to observe the Edict of Pacification but keeps not his oath nor promise The Council of Trent meet a League is made between the King of France and King of Spain called the Holy League the Cardinal of Lorain posts to Rome to desire the Pope to cause the French to observe the decrees of the Council of Trent Great heart-burnings arise The Protestants dayly complain to the King of their injuries desiring him to keep to his covenant but to no purpose The King and Queen Mother in progress rides through the Nation and secretly confer with the Popes Messenger and the King of Spain They come to Lyons and forbid the exercise of the Protestant Religion Many Protestants cruelly and inhumanly murthered by the Catholicks in several places The King and Queen Mother treacherously leavie six thousand Switzers to destroy the Protestants Letters are intercepted which discover a bloody plot against the Prince of Conde the Admiral and all the Protestants The Prince Admiral and Principal Protestants seize on Troys Lyons and Tholouse The King and Queen Mother forced to ret reat to Paris Thâ—â— beginning of the second war the King sends an Herauld to the Prince of Conde and Admiral Their answer The Principal of both Parties treat but to no purpose The Prince and Admirals answer to their Demands The Protestants never embrace a more sure ruin then a peace with the King The Armies meet and engage the success The Prince of Conde and Admiral march to join with Prince Casimir who had raised twelve thousand men for their aid The Duke of Lorrain made General of the Kings Army Prince Casimirs Noble Declaration in defence of the Protestants The Prince of Conde's Gallant speech to the Army A gallaut Resolution in a free Contribution through the Princes Army Prince of Conde and Admiral join with Prince Casimirs Army The Prince of Conde besieges Chartres The Queen Mothers treachery and speech a peace concluded but full of Treason Guile and hypocrisie The Protestants no sooner dismiss their Armies and deliver up their Garrisons but are speedily filled with Souldiers of the Kings A bloody Cabinet Council erected by the King They plot to cut off the Protestants but are discovered The Kings Army suddenly begirts the chief of the Protestants but they escape with their families to Rochel The Queen of Navar comes to Rochel with horse and foot Cardinall Castillon flies to England disguised The Prince of Conde and Admiral publish a manifesto to all Christian Princes the Queen of Navar declares for the Protestants A bloody Edict is published by the King that none should profess any other Religion but the Romish the King of France strangely declares to all the world That he meant not what he said WE concluded the latter part of the second chapter with a Peace concluded at Orleans whereupon was publickly proclamed a free liberty for the Protestants according to the Edict of Pacification Now the King and Queen Mother endeavour to reduce Haverdegrace to their obedience which the Protestant party had delivered up to the Queen of England as aforesaid The Kings Army besieges Haverdegrace To which purpose they lay siege the Town holds out a good while till at last being sore streightned and no hopes left of relief they come to conditions of surrenders but before Hostages were delivered and English Fleet of sixty brave Ships appears under sayl fleering directly to the Port but the Earl of VVarwick like a true hearted Englishman scorning to dishonour his Nation with such perfidious treachery as most of the French acted he sends word to the Admiral of the Fleet Honourably surrendred that the Town was to be surrendred that day being the seventeenth day of July and so performed his Contract to his great Honour I cannot compare this noble act to any but that brave Roman Consuls who being taken by the Carthaginians in Africa had liberty given to return to Rome to effect the release of some Prisoners and in them his own in exchange promising to return prisoner if he could not Now when he came to the Senate he perswades them not â—o accept of the conditions and so according to his promise returned and was miserably tormented to death Oh that it might be said so of our Charls the Ninth that he had but been regardful of his Oaths and covenants then had not we been partakers of such a sad spectacle of cruelty by reading this bloody Tragedie The Catholicks now after this peace at Orleans feared the greatest visible power rested in the Prince of Conde So the Queen Mother treads in her old paths of deceit intending by her cunning subtilty to cut off all pretences of right to the Government by the Princes of the blood The King declared out of his minority and swears in the presence of God to olserve the Edict of Pacification to which purpose she causes the King now but fourteen years old to be declared King and past his Minority She carries his Majestie to Roan and there the fifteenth day of December 1563. they went Solemnly with all the Lords of the Court and Officers of the Crown to the Parliament Where in the presence of the Counsellours he received the usual Ceremonies used in France at the Coronation the Parliament publishing the Declaration of his Majority the King there publickly protested and swore in the presence of Almighty God That be would for ever after duly observe the Edict of Pacification threatning all opposers for such was his express will and pleasure Thus all things seem in a peaceable way one would now think so much blood expences of treasure and a consumption of his subjects would weary any nation and make any King rejoice For a peace is the more sweetned by the effects of a Civil war already felt for two extreams illustrate each other The peace not kept But alas this peace succeeds not the hopefull expectation of his peaceable subjects in many places it was not observed The Council of Trent meets The King of Spain and France make a league and call it the Holy league And now assembles that Council known by the name of the Council of Trent who meet for the maintainance of the Catholick Religion Now the Cardinal of Lorrain being an active Agent to forward any design
and so stood ready to embrace a peace to which purpose was sent Beavois and Teligni the Admirals Son and with them Monsieur de la Chossetire the Prince of Navars Secretary and so on the eleventh day of August 1570. was a peace concluded according to the Edict of Pacification in January A peace concluded with free Liberty That every one should have free liberty of conscience to use and profess the Reformed Religion Rochel and Montauban was to be held in the Princes name for the space of two years by the Protestants The Articles of Peace were afterwards published and Registâ—ed in the Parliament But alas we shall see that this Sun-shine of Peace like the poor Traveller in the sable sooner makes the Protestants cast off the cloak of their security than all the blustering storms of the Kings Warlike forces could For by embracing a peace they hug in their bosoms and nourish in their hearts their own calamities and know it not by reason it is printed and gilded with the name of peace Several Protestant princes sends Embassadours to congratulate with the King and his peoples tranquillity in the peace concluded The King olemnly gives his faith for ever to observe the Edict Not long after this peace thus concluded several Princes of Germany that had respect to the Protestant Religion among whom was the three Electors the Palsgrave the Duke of Saxony and the Marquess of Brandenburgh all sent their several Ambassadors to the French King to congratulate this happy peace and to shew their joyful resentment of the same promising that if any new commotion should arise they would assist him to the uttermost against the Contrivers and authors thereof To this Embassage the King replies by words and afterwards subscribes to a Book with his own hand giving his faith by both That he would for ever most sacredly and faithfully observe the late Edict of Pacification But alas his heart was too many leagues from his mouth his promises are no better than if written in water with ones finger being too far short of truth and intention which is sad to confider that the King should have no way to keep his faith but to break it that oaths and promises which should ty devils fast is the onely way to levell all faith and engagements For now it is to be taken notice of that wheras before the Kings age made his Authority fit only to advise and countenance now he manages affairs with his own Council and command for being now come to the years of 22. he displaies himself on the Theatre of the World in such a splendid equipage that all might see him to be of a fierce resolute nature and above all an absolute dissembler as one of the French nation very well observed and if he did not yet this History will sufficiently evidence The Armies dismissed and the Princes and Admirall go to Rochel Now this peace being thus concluded the Armies are dismissed and the Strangers retire to their own Country after which the Princes retired to Rochel for now to effect the deep and bloody plot nothing wanted but the Art of perswasion to entice the Princes Q. of Navar the Admiral and Principal Protestants Lords to come to Paris nothing more desired for their the trap was laid for their destruction and doubtless this mock-peace had never been embraced if it had pleased God to have given them an insight to the bottome of this unheard-of and unimaginable depth of Treachery and Deceit which being hatcht and brought forth in the Hellish Court of the Cabinet Council we shall too soon see the speedy and sad effects of it the Lord knows it will too soon come to the birth of their bloody hopes and cruel desires for as vengeance persues blood at the heels so a hideous storm of cruelties succeeds this peace The Peace though fully concluded of between the King and Protestants yet was not fully observed in all places according to the Edict So that the Princes and Admiral to give a reason why they stood at such a distance from his Majesty send to Court Theligny Briquemault Beauvais La Nocle and Cavannes They are no sooner come but the King welcomes them to the Court and professes that it is his Royal pleasure that the full Observation of the Edict was no less than he really intended and therefore to scatter all mists of doubt from the Princes and Admiral he desired that they would acquaint him of his real resolutions for their good The King and Cabinet Council plots the ruin of the Protestants being desirous to get the Princes Admiral to Paris and so to cut them off And now they begin their Politick Maxim Parvi sunt Arma foris nisi sit consilium domi That policy is of more force in Military affairs than valour They now to the Trade of Politick treachery the King and his Cabinet Council meets and their Result is With speed and secrecie by Serpentine Labyrinths and enfoldings to bring the principal Protestants into the Not of destructior A Wor being thought too hazardous and weak to effect therefore must the principle of Machevil take place in their judgements and practice i. e. To effect their desires though they swim through a Sea of blood For now they have hopes that their plot might take effect in regard that their private actings were now mannaged by those that were jointly concerned in the effects of their desires and hoped to have some share in eheir bloody success The King by fair carriages intends to slide into the Protestants affections and so draw them to Paris and cut them all off which was the plot laid for them To which purpose a good opinion of the Kings sincere intentions for the Protestants good must be fixed in the minds of the Princes of the blood the Queen of Navar and the Admiral so that all their foul actings might seem so fair as no tincture of suspition should enter into their thoughts he penetrates their hearts with shews of love but his own heart is filled with deceitful plots and treacherous Resolutions endeavouring so to insinuate into their good natures that he might lodge in their hearts good thoughts of his bad intents so that all carriages must be screwed up to the highest pin of affection and love as we shall shortly see conferred on them by an outward confluence of all favours that the least doubt might not have any footing to the prejudice of their bloody aims hoping by this means to have their desires and success to lodge under one roof All their plot being to get them to Paris the Theatre of this most horrid and cruel Tragedy ensuing unarmed and then by further progress to put in execution the practical part of their bloody plot so marshalling their affairs that all the Protestants shall be immediately cut off in the bloodiest war that ever was known Now the plot being laid the Gin being set they fall to
from the King and Queen Mother as was not fit to be published The King for a secure mannagement of the Wars against the King of Spain The Kings strange plot to surprize Rochel gave Commission to Strozzi and the Baron de li Guard to rig forth ships from Burgess and Rochel and to surprize any Vessels that were going through the English Seas to the aid of the Duke of Alva in the Low-Countreys the Spanish Embassadour complains hereof but these two Captains had secretly and privately an underhand Commission to seize on Rochel and by open or secret force to get into their power for his Majesty although all was carried fair on against the Duke of Alva The King also gave command to the Admiral to send Espials into Peru and Island in the New found World which being plentiful of Gold the Spaniard had possessed himself thereof and there to attempt what he could against the King of Spain which business according to his Majesties command the Admiral undertook committing it to one of his Gentlemen who with a certain Portugal skilful in those navigations he had joined in Commission The King heaps unexpressible favours on the Admiral and Friends Now the King heaped unexpressable favours on the Admiral Count Rochfoucault and Theligni with the rest of the principal Protestants and chief Noblemen of the Religion for what ever was taken from any of them in time of the Civil Wars was now most lovingly restored by the Kings command and if any one that the King could learn was a friend to the Admiral to him he did shew singular respect even to the height of an unimaginable dissimulaeion He commanded one time to be given to the Admiral one hundred thousand pounds of his own treasury in recompence of his great losses When the Cardinal of Chastillon formerly fled to England disguised and having great Revenues and Wealth his death being known to the King he did give to the Admiral all the fruits of the whole year with all his rich and costly Houshold-stuff and though all former Admirals in Council and publick Ceremonies had ever given place to the Marshall of France yet for the Admirals greater honour it was the Kings will and pleasure that he should sit next Monseiur de Momorancy who was the first Marshall and above all the rest The K. desires the Duke of Savoy to favour the Protestants The King also writes to the Duke of Savoy that for his sake he would please to be favourable to the Protestants under his Dominion it should ly upon him as an acceptable favor It is not to be thought what kindnesses the King shewed to the Protestants even to the great amazement of the Catholicks and rejoicing of the Protestants The K. so far dissembles that by his shew of respects to the Protestants the Catholicks suspect him who poor souls thought all true that he said but this love proved bitter hatred like Judas kiss nay the King did so carry it that the Catholicks began to surmise and say that the King did not only favour the Protestants but would himself turn one shortly And in regard there was a mighty enmity betwixt the Duke of Guise and the Admiral by reason of a report fixed on the Admiral as if he should be an instrument of his Fathers death The Admiral and Duke of Guise reconciled and the Admiral declared not guilty of the Duke of Guises death the King therefore to make up all breaches and in order to a perfect peace he prescribes a perfect form of Reconciliation the foundations whereof was laid six years ago in the Town of Molins where the King summoning the principal estates of his Kingdom did on consultation and deliberation declare and pronounce the Admiral not guilty of the death of the Duke Guise a thing his Majestie was before bound in conscience to do but now was acted and done as a piece of good policy this block being taken away as an advance for the Admiral to the Court. But as we said before the most solemn bond and ty for a secure peace is the Lady Margarite Sister to the King of France to be given in mariage to the Prince of Navar who was Son to the most virtuous Queen of Navar. who also had all the last civil war been General of the Protestant Cause and couragiously defended it to his Eternal Praise which mariage the King did declare That he did it for the effecting and establishing a durable peace and as a signal testimony of his loyall affections to the Protestants And yet in the mean while the Papists in Roan murthered divers Protestants and grievously beat others as they came from a Sermon Many Protestants murthered in Roan And in regard that it was objected That the King of France his Sister was of the Roman Religion and the Prince of Navar a Protestant it could not well be effected to a good purpose To which the King answered he would free her by a Dispensation from the Pope that no Impediment might stand in the way to so great a good as a sure peace betwixt him and his Subjects nothing being more delightful or desired by him As soon as this was spread to the Courts of Forein Princes it did amaze the Popish Party that ever the King should proceed in behalf of Hereticks But on the contrary it did exceedingly possess the hearts of the Prince The K. plot takes effect and Admiral and all forein Princes of the same Religion with exceeding joy being such a large demonstration of the Kings affection and as a Seal of fidelity to all he promised and did also drive out of their hearts all jealousies of plots or secret Contrivances but the Admiral which had most reason and was most backward to believe all reall yet he at this time was now most forward to believe and most ready to be confirmed not only by this but also by a Letter which the King sent him by his Son Theligni The Admiral at last perswaded and deluded by a Letter from the King under the Kings own hand and Seal assuring the Admiral That whatever he should do in the Business of the war in the Low Countries against the King of Spain should be by his Majesty allowed of and ratified as if done by his special command such was his alluring baits and pretences of good will and trust to the Admiral And thus the poor Protestant Princes are too much perswaded of the Kings faith who intended their ruin without remedy we shall shortly see them come to Paris and embrace the mountains of treacherous pretences of faith and affection and so be swallowed up in their Enemies malitious and unparallel'd cruelty for all the huge promises of the Kings stood but as an Earnest till their plot was ripe and then they are more swift to shed blood than real to what they promise and truly such a piece of Kingly tteachery is not in any age to be
leaving with one La Gross his Chirurgion was by degrees poisoned and swelled so that the wonderfully and narrowly escaped with his life But these Gloves that poisoned this virtuous Queen were ordered in such a secret sort and just proportion that having worn them a while a violent Feaver seized on her which ended her life in four daies And thus died this Noble Queen bewailed exceedingly by all the Protestants for I find her Enemies say The Queen of Navar in part described She was a Lady of a noble Spirit invincible courage many degrees above most of her Sex qualities besides her Chastity and Magnificence worthy Eternal praise She was one that dived into the deep Mysteries of Divinity which raised her illustrious mind to a high pitch of Christianity being also very judicious of a ready wit invincible in adversity absolute in her actions capable of Counsel comprehending things with great vivacity of Spirit delivering her mind with an admirable grace either by word or writing her comprehension of deep things was of a treble magnitude above any of her sex neither can my pen drop her praise but her infinite merits and if it were possible for any pen to erect Trophies of Honour to the peerless challenges of her immortal praise the lustre of her incomparable merits would be the truest guide in the darkest night This noble Queens Death gave way to the Prince her Son to be King of Navar The Q. death intitles her Son the P. to be K. of Navar. to whom the Kingdome came This unhappy death was looked on by many as very ominous portending a sure prognostick of some unfortunate Catastrophe many bing struck with amazement at this sudden treochery and bloody death concluding it to be a sad Fore-runner of some mischief to come But that which made many Protestants cast away all fear was the Kings loving carriage to them insomuch that things at this time looked with a peaceable countenance throughout the Kingdom of France Now the day of marriage between the Lady Margaret and the King of Navar was appointed which was a great day of joyful hopes to all the Protestants and made all things seem more serene and calm on their side in that also the Guisans and the rest of the chief Catholicks shewed great discontent thereat for all good men judged it an assured pledge of the Kings fidelity and of peace in as much as he shewed such outward joy and declared It was not so much for the wedding as that he said it was for a strong knot of Peace and would tend to a general satisfaction of peaceable Spirits and for the Good of the whole Nation August the 17. the King of Navar The K. of Navar and Lady Margarite maried with great joy on both sides but greater sorrow succeeds and the Lady Margaret was maried with great Solemnity before the great Church of Paris on a Scaffold in sight of all the People and there was a certain form of words so ordered as agreed with both parties which by the Kings commandment was pronounced by the Cardinal of Bourbon the King of Navars Uncle and so was this mariage solemnized with the joy of all good men being kept with Banquets dancing and Masques with a strange mixture of Papists and Protestants together Thus the poor Protestants thought with joy to welcome their own comforts but alas their hopes are frustrate in a contrary success of their expectations and the Kings promises After this the Bride with great magnificence accompanied with a great confluence of Gallants was led to the Church to hear mass The Bridegroom misliking these Ceremonies did with Henry Prince of Conde the Admiral and other Noblemen of the Protestants walk and wait without the Church door for the Brides return The Queen Mother Dukes of Anjou Guise plot But the Queen Mother and her bloody Companions with the Dukes of Anjou and Guise consult about the last Tragical act which was to kill the Admiral and to divide the Protestants thus-like moles under ground they drive on their Hellish designs in Secrecy The King to delude the more speaks publickly The K. publickly declares that he gives his Sister in Mariage as a ty of Union and peace The Admiral of the Kings fleet endeavours to surprize Rochel That he gives not his Sister in mariage to the King of Navar only but as it were to the whole Church of the Protestants to join with them in a undissoluble union and as a ty to their peace and safety Oh! painted ruin whither at last will the fury of thy bloody Chariots drive thee Now while these things proceeded thus at Paris Strozzi as aforesaid Admiral of the Kings Fleet rides before Rochel and at select times sends Captains and Souldiers into the Town under pretence of buying necessaries for their Fleet and sometimes did come ashoar himself but the King had given him Commission to seize on the City although as before it was given out that he say to entrap all the supplies going from Spain to the aid of the Duke of Alva in the Low Countries The like Treachery was used in another part of France by Gonzague Duke of Nevers with a party of Horse neer to La Charite where a bridge passes the River Loyre which the Protestants then had The protestants at Lyons had their names put in a bloody Book this Gonzague requests Liberty of the Town to muster shewing the K. Letters which indeed he had The Governour of Lyons commanded he names of the Protestants to be written in a Book which in regard of their Horrid cruelties committed and devillish Bucheries committed in this City was justly called the bloody Book The Admiral The Admiral desires to depart Paris but the K. desired his stay which on some other grounds he did but sad complaints and great suspition of treason came to his cars but he believes it not after the mariage being then the time he appointed and desired to return to his own house did move the King about his departure but so great was the Court revellings that the Admiral coul not have private access to his Majesty to deal in State-matters Rochel at this time was in a manner besieged with Souldiers arriving hourly giving out terrible threats against the Town which made the Protestants begin to cry to the Admiral for succour and relief for indeed the Admiral was as a nursing Father to them in other Towns also was heard secret murmurings terrifying the most cleer-sighted Protestants giving too sure cause to think a bloody and terrible spectacle would be shewed beyond present conception which will shortly be seen in a horrible manner The Admiral knew not what to answer to all these sad complaints that uncessantly flowed in as one wave on the back of another and all to get him from the Court He answered to all the King had made us swear before him to be Friends the Lady Margaret is given in mariage
fill his Gorget the Protestant Army forced to retire and run down his male At last the Protestants Army being worn out with a tedious march was forced to retreat and with the Prince the Count of Nassaw Count Volrade all which without any disorder meet that night at Partenay the K. besieges St. Jean d'Angeli which brav Pilles did keep After this bloody Battel the King Queen Mother and Duke of Anjow sit down before St. Iean d'Angeli which was kept by that famous renouned commander Armand Sieur de Pilles whose same spread it self throughout all France by his stout resistance of the Kings power and valorous keeping of the place for against the continuall assaults of the whole Army His excesding valor his brave Soldiers kept it for two months and one time in this seige a truce was made that if in certain dayes relief came not they should yeeld on conditions Relief by a handsome policy the day comes and St. Severin with forty horse deceives by policy the sentinells and Kings Army and as friends passe all to the relief of the Place After many bloody assaults and great loss to the Kings Army the place not able any longer to continue did at last deliver up on honourable rearms Yields on honourable terms To depart with their Goods Arms Horses and ensignes displaied and for four months should not carry armes in defence of the Protestant religion But as Monseiur de Piles made his seige famous so the Catholicks made themselves infamous But dishonourably kept by the King by his Majesties breach of faith given for as they advance to receive the articles of the Kings promise and their own deserts they are spoyled of Armes Apparell and Monies rob their baggage take away their Horses and spoil their Men. Nay a Regiment quartered at St. Jultan halfe a League off under the command of Sarrien fals on Beats Kills Murthers and destroyes many They are murthered casts some into the River and he that can make a safe escape to Angoulesme is happy though he have nothing else but his shirt Whereupon Mounseiur Piles was freed from his engagement by a non-performance of the Kings promise 10000. men lost at the siege and five thousand canon shot spent The King lost at this seige Sebastian of Luxembourg Duke of Martignes and governour of Brittain five thousand cannons shot spent ten thousand men of War lost twenty five or thirty Commissaries of the artillery which was slain in their charge many crept away from the Army and such hot service insomuch that the Camp decreased eighteen or twenty thousand men The K. disbands the Army In the year 1570 for many reasons and after much consultation had the King did resolve to disband his army which accordingly was don The Princes Army increases Now the Protestants labour to gather Strength by the Industrious pains of the most incomparable Prince of Navar who passing the expectation of his age presently Armes the nobility and others in those partes on whom his father the King of Navar had great influence by reason of their near alliances and neighbour hood whereby the Princes Army was now again got to such a degree of strength That they were masters of the field The K. Armie meets and Marshall de Cosse General The King seeing things go contrary to his desire and expectation summons his Army together and in regard the Duke of Anjou was sick the charge of the Army was delivered to Marshall de Cosse the Armies never came so neer as to give battel but often skirmishing and little likelhiood there was for the King to conquer the Protestants by force which opinion as it was grounded on good reason so was it increased by newes which came to the Court that Prince Casimir was raising new forces for aid of the Protestant Princes which indeed put the Catholicks in a great doubt and fear of any success against them The K. Cabinet Council meet and plot a peace and ruin together Now begins the bloody game for the King Queen Mother Duke of Anjon and Cardinall of Lorrain meets privately together and according to their disposition and custome fall a ploting holding it the best way when they could not mend it to think of accommodation and giving liberty to the Protestants Who might better have enjoyed it by war than by peace as the Issue proved If it had pleased the Lord to discover the inside of their treachery which though fatal to the poor Protestants yet so dishonourable to the King of France and the French Nation that it cannot but draw down Gods just Judgements upon them The secret Council thought this way of peace might be the quickest and safest way to their designs of destroying the Protestants better than by War for if they could cut off the chief supporters of the Protestant cause the rest would follow and so they aim at an opportunity to gain a peaceable though bloody access to their persons which in time of War their Sword could not reach so by this means hoping to cut off the Root the Branches would wither Indeed it had been well if it had fallen out that the branches had naturally withered but ah sad and doleful we shall see a horrid and bloody Tragedy which will astonish any heart but flint to hear and read this sad and miserable story and truly it makes my heart bleed to think of the sad cruelties and unparalleld massacres of Gods people And now they discover their Inclinations to peace which they knew at all times would gladly be embraced and acceptably welcom to the Protestants if covered with Liberty and Lives the things they only desired For if they had delighted in any thing but Allegiance or fought for any thing but liberty they would not now incline to peace in the midst of their unlimitted power but poor souls they had been far more happy if they had dyed like men in Warr than murthered in their Bods like Dogs This third war was sharp and thought the greatest in regard of the Kings unfaithfull dealing in the breach of his promise that he should give a free liberty for religion and engage to keep it binding himself thereto by Oath yet the same King speedily after breaks all oaths and promises declaring that solemn engagement before God to be void and that what he then promised was not so meant by him and therefore proclaimes it death for any man to professe any Religion but the Romish and Catholick Now the Princes and Admirall in the behalf of themselves and Protestanrs did declare in the sincerity of their hearts that they desired nothing more then the performance of the Kings edict and socurity to enjoy their Liberties Lives and Families Thus having given as succinctly as possibly I can the most remarkable passages of this War we shall now come to the last Tragicall part of the most unheard-of treachery and bloody massacre