maner of aranging the horse in hay or file is now to small vse also that it were necessarie they should take the vse of Squadrons pag. 184 16 Of the vse of Camarades which among the Spanish footmen are of great accompt pag. 190 17 Of the rewards ordinarily bestowed vpon the Spanish souldiers when they haue done any notable peece of seruice which they tearme their Aduantages pag. 194 Foure militarie Paradoxes 1 That a squadron of Reistres should beate a squadron of Speares pag. 198 2 That 2500. Corcelets and 1500 Harquebuziers may more easely retire three French leagues in a plaine field then 2000. Speares pag. 203 3 That it is expedient for a Captaine to haue susteyned an ouerthrow pag. 210 4 That daily experience haue taught such meanes to fortifie Houlds as are most profitable in respect of the small charge thereof and no lesse defensible then such stately ones as the Ingeniors haue aforetime inuented pag. 215 19 That the continuation of the wicked proceedings of the warres of these daies doe make a iust cause to seeme vniust pag. 220 20 That a King of France is of himselfe mightie enough though he neither couet nor seeke other greatnesse then his owne realme doth afford him pag. 226 21 That alliances of Christian Princes with Mahumetistes the capitall enemies of the name of Christ haue euermore bene vnfortunate also that we ought not to enter any firme confederacie with them pag. 234 22 That the Christian Princes well vnited are able in foure yeeres to expulse the Turkes out of Europe pag. 245 23 Of the Philosophers stone pag. 291 24 Against those that thinke that godlinesse depriueth man of all pleasures pag. 312 25 That euery man according to his capacitie and vocation may vse contemplation pag. 334. Obseruations of diuers things happened in the three first troubles of France together with the true reporte of the most parte of the same The first Troubles That the Protestants but for the late accident at Vassie had bene preuented in the beginning of the first ciuill warre pag. 346 Whether the Lord Prince of Conde in the first troubles committed so great an ouersight as many haue giuen out in that he seased not vpon the Court or Paris pag. 350 Of three things which I noted that happened afore the armies tooke the field The one pleasant the other artificiall and the third lamentable pag. 352 Of the Prince of Condees promise somwhat rashly made to the Queene Mother that hee would depart the Realme of France and why it was not performed pag. 357 By what occasion the warre did first breake foorth betweene the two armies pag. 362 Of the good discipline which for the space of two moneths only was obserued among the Prince of Condees troopes both of hotsemen and footmen Also of the originall of Picoree or Prowlinge pag. 361 Of the reasons that moued the Prince of Condees armie to breake vp after the taking of Boisgency also how hee conuerted that necessitie into profite and of the purposes of the King of Nauarre pag. 366. That but for the forraine ayde that the Lord of Andelot brought in the Protestants affayres had bene but in bad case and many mens mindes shrewdly daunted as well through the taking of Bourges and Roan as for the ouerthrow of the Lord of Duras pag. 372 Of the Prince of Condees purposes when he sawe his forraine succour approach and how he came before Paris from whence after he had there soiorned eleuen daies and done nothing he departed toward Normandie pag. 375 Of sixe notable occurrences in the battaile of Dreux pag. 379 Of the siege by the Lord of Guize layd to Orleance also of the Lord Admirals iourney into Normandie pag. 384 The second Troubles Of the causes of the taking of armes in the second troubles also how the purposes wherevpon the Protestants had built themselues proued vayne pag. 388 That the P. of Condees attempt of three things set a proud face vpon the beginning of his enterprise wherat the Catholiks were at the first astonied pa 394 Of the most notable occurrēces happened at the departure frō S. Denis p. 396 Of the voyages of both the armies toward Lorrain but to seueral intēts p. 400 Of the returne of the two armies toward Orleance Paris also of the course that the Prince of Conde tooke in victualling marching and lodging of his men pag. 403 Of the new forces out of sundrie Prouinces that met at Orleance which inuited the Prince of Conde to vndertake the voyage to Chartres pag. 406 The second peace concluded at Lon-iumeau pag. 409 The third Troubles Of the Protestants diligent retreat in the last troubles also of the Lord of Martigues braue resolution when he came to Saumure pag. 411 That the respite which his Maiestie gaue to the Prince of Conde without sending any armie against him was a meanes for him to preuaile of a great Prouince without the support wherof he could not haue cōtinued the warre p. 415 Of the first progresse of both the armies when being in their prime they sought with like desire to fight pag 418 That both the armies endeuouring to ouercome each other could not so much as come to battaile also that the sharpnesse of the wether parted them almost destroying as well the one as the other in fiue daies pag. 425 Of the death of the Prince of Conde at Bassac pag. 430 Of the notable passage of the D. of Bipont from the borders of Rhine euen into Aquitaine pag. 434. The siege of Poicters pag. 438 Of the battaile of Montcontour pag. 442 That the siege of S. Iohn d'Angely was the springing againe of the Protestants pag. 446 That the towne of Rochel stood the Protestants in this warre in no lesse stead then Orleance had done in the former pag. 447 That in 9. moneths the Princes armie marched almost 300. leagues compassing in maner the whole realme of France also what successe they had in this voyadge pag. 449. The causes of the third peace The comparison therof with the former also whether the same were necessary pag. 454. FINIS THE POLITICK AND MILITARIE DISCOVRSES of the Lord De la Nouë The first Discourse That the realme of France doth by little and little runne into decay and is neere to a great ouerthrow vnlesse God of his goodnesse vphold it Also that as yet there be some remedies to raise it vp againe in case they may bee with speede accepted THE mindes of euery man ought to be firmely and stedfastly resolued that God is the author of all politick gouernements which he hath established to the ende that through good order all humaine societie may bee preserued and mainteyned in pietie and iustice also that it is he that vpholdeth them in their beautie force and dignitie vntill that vpon mans contempt of his lawes and corruption of their maners he powre foorth his wrath vpon them whereof doe ensue the subuertions and alterations of Monarchies and Commonwelths Those men
did neuerthelesse enter thereinto which was the safegard of the towne The L. of Ligniers did commaund therein who had in all two and twentie companies neyther did anie man spare for all remedies for fortification which are vsuall in such lowe places as are preuented The assailants also for their parts noted those places that seemed most assaultable which on euery side were so bad that it was hard to say which was worst and hauing discouered a mountaine which commanded vpon the flanke of a Courtine without farther consideration they tooke it and at the first blush it promised much howbeit the remedies there agaynst were easie For the Prince hauing but fiue field peeces and foure light Culuerines what were they able to do agaynst so many men of defence and labour as were therein And in two daies and two nights it was so crossed and entrenched that they durst not enter vpon them The French man is so sodain that he will immediatly discouer y t which cannot be found without long search And through this redinesse I haue seene the discouerers of places commit so many ouer sights that I thinke it a most profitable rule to looke twice yea thrice vpon a thing before we resolue or settle our iudgement thereof After the breach was made we knew that to giue the assault on that side was to loose our men wilfullie and as we were preparing for a new batterie in some weaker place the peace was concluded which ouerthrew all militarie actions True is the Prouerbe that there is no well to the good men for the place must be verie bad wherein they cannot find meanes to accommodate themselues Men should neuer keepe anie long siege agaynst such places in deede to let an armie lie before it 3. weekes or a moneth it may be done whiles another is leauied in fauour of the besieged During our abode there the Lord Admirall attempted a braue enterprise which was determined in manner ensuing The contrarie armie being beyond the riuer of Sein durst not I wot not why approch the Princes maine power yet would it not omitte anie opportunitie to fauour the besieged And to the same effect was the Lord of Vallet a famous Captaine sent with eighteene cornets of horsemen to surprise one of our troopes in their lodgings to hinder our forage to breake off our victuals and to keepe vs in often allarums He approched within foure leagues of the camp and lodged verie close from whence he began greatlie to molest vs The Lord Admirall haere of aduertised tooke vppon him to prouide remedie thereto And vsing commonlie to march strong for feare sayd he of want of game he tooke 3500. horse departed so earlie that by the Sunne rising he was in these horsmens quarters of whom many notwithstanding their good watch kept in the fielde were ouertaken so as there were foure cloutes taken but few men slayne The Lord of Vallet who lodged in Oudan gathered together foure or fiue hundred horse with whom albeit a thousand of ours did folow he retired in good order often making head agaynst vs as indeede he had both skill and experience Hereby we see that it is not good soiourning long in the face of a strong power of horse vnlesse a man be as stronglie lodged For before he be aware he may be surprised as it were with a sodaine storme and the same may be vpon him in manner as soone as his sentinels scoutes or discouerers for it marcheth assured seareth nothing and still sayth to the foremost On charge and follow all that thou findest In such affayres the wisest and most circumspect are sometimes ouertaken The second peace concluded at Lon-iumeau THroughout the whole troubles in Fraunce wee haue still seene it fall out that they haue spoken of peace in the middest of all the war so willing was euerie man to shew himself to like of so health some a matter as also there haue ben diuerse concluded but none worse to the Protestants than this The treatie hereof was againe begun while the Prince lay before Chartres who sent the Cardinall of Chastillon with other Gentlemen to meete with the kings deputies at Lon-iumeau where they so folowed it that the articles were agreed vpon which were sent some to Paris others to Chartres there to decide the chiefe difficulties arising therein Now as a good peace was not onely greatly desired but also as necessarie so were there few that staied to consider what maner of one this was but as if y e verie name had also brought the effect most of the Protestants were fully resolud y t it must bee accepted And to speake plainly that was it that forced the P. Admiral who saw such readinesse euen in the nobilitie to condescend therto to accept of it It was as a whirle winde which they could not resist but that it carried thē awaie True it is that the P. was of himselfe somwhat inclined vnto it but the Admiral stil doubted of the obseruation thereof for he almost perceiued that they meant to be reuenged of the Protestants for y e iniurie receiued at the iourney of Meaux Yea euen then some such of the Catholiks as could conceale nothing gaue out openly that shortly they would haue a day One of our agents also for the peace sending word that hee had oft heard such speeches perceiued great indignation hidden in some of their hearts with whom they did conferre wished it might be loked vnto as noting some singular euent Some likewise euen of the court who sometime stole speeches out of the closet sent their friends kinsmen word y t vndoubtedly they would be deceiued vnlesse they wrought surely which might haue sufficed to wakē those y t slept so soundly vpō y e sweet pillow of peace but notwithstanding al aduice y e brook which alredy ouerflowed could not be restrained It may be meruailed y t these Captains being of such credit w t their partakers could not persuade thē to that which was so profitable howbeit if we consider what these voluntarie persons were also the violent desire to visite a mans home we shall perceiue y t the anchor of apparant necessitie being broken the shippe that is driuen with such vehement windes cannot be staied Sundry whole Cornets and diuerse perticular persons euen before the raising of the siege from before Chartres were departed without asking leaue toward Xantoigne and Poictou This humour also tooke place among the footmen euen those that dwelte farthest off Many also sayde that sith the King offered the last Edict of pacification it might not be refused Other of the Gentrie gaue out that they would retire into theyr owne Prouinces for the preseruation of their families whome the enimies cruelties oftentimes murthered The footmen complayned of the want of paie and that ordinarily their victuals failed them Thus might not the Generals of the Protestants cleaue to such aduertisements as they receiued and so reiect
THE POLITICKE AND MILITARIE DISCOVRSES OF THE LORD DE LA NOVVE VVhereunto are adioyned certaine obseruations of the same Author of things happened during the three late ciuill warres of France With a true declaration of manie particulars touching the same All faithfully translated out of the French by E. A. AT LONDON Printed for T. C. and E. A. by Thomas Orwin 1587. TO THE RIGHT HONOrable his verie good Lorde George Earle of Cumberland Baron Clifford Lord Bromflet Aton and Vescie c. E. A. wisheth all increase of honour and true felicitie ANTIGONVS being asked whom he thought to bee the worthiest Captaine in his time answered Pirrhus if he were of more yeres not daring to pronounce him absolutelie the worthiest vntill he had experience to match with his valour euen so if it were demaunded at this daie who iustlie deserued the name of a politike expert Capptaine I think without preiudice to anie other that the Lord de la Noüe the author of this present treatise whose wise gouernment in time of peace being no lesse commendable than his long seruice in time of warres to the Church of God hath bene profitable is not in silence to be ouer-passed Howbeit least I should right Honorable and my verie good Lord seeme rather to blemish than amplifie the vertues of so worthie a man through the basenesse of my stile and vnpolished phrase I leaue the same to bee notefied by those whose great knowledge and ripe iudgement I doe iustlie preferre many degrees before mine owne being the rather thereto induced by the like example of Menedemus the Lacedemonian who was wont to saie that the qualitie and condition of the praiser ought to be as well regarded as that of the praised Insinuating thereby that it was vnfit verie for anie man to commend the thing wherein his iudgement might fayl or his education be therto not answerable In as much therefore as his owne works may in some measure make manifest what is to bee thought of his person I doe present them to your Honors view and patronage in this our vulgar tongue faithfullie and trulie translated out of the French desiring though not deseruing like fauourable acceptation as I had good meaning to offer the same For therein I am fullie perswaded the indifferent and not curious reader shall finde matter sufficient for the reestablishing of a ruinous common weale if it be put in practise wise counsaile for maintenance thereof and lastly approued documents requisite whether in ciuill or forraine warres which albeit they were written perticulerlie to releeue and restore the declining estate of the realm of France are also in my opinioÌ„ not vnnecessary for ours or any other that may fal into the like if God who is the protector and guider of all Realmes shoulde not continue among vs vnity and godly peace A work no doubt worthy the writer and yet at the first published without his priuitie or allowance being collected and disgested into one volume out of a heape of papers cast aside by the industrie paines of the L. of Fresnes whom as himself reporteth the miserie of the time and troubles of his owne natiue Countrie enforced as a banished man to keepe companie with the said Lord de la Noüe during his captiuitie in a forraine land dedicated to that excellent Prince patterne of pietie Henrie of Burbon King of Nauarre throrough whose roiall patrimonie together with the iust desert of the author himselfe it hath receiued friendly entertainment among the better sorte of the French Nation as I doubt not but it shall finde the like heere among vs English men being shrouded vnder the couert of your L. honorable protectioÌ„ to the which I commit the same thus crauing pardon for my boldnesse most humblie I take my leaue of your Lordship to whom I wish long life with all encrease of honour Your Honors most humble and heartie well willer E. A. To the King of Nauarre SIR it doth many times so fall out that those things which we imagine to be most hurtfull vnto vs do redound to our greatest benefit This when Chion a man in his daies of good estimation among the Greekes had tried in himselfe hee did by a Letter of his yet extant giue thankes to the contrarie winds which maugre his head had detained him at Constanâ—inople from whence hee ment to haue sailed to Athens because the sayde sâ—aie procured him the benefite of entering a league of friendship with Xenophon who during his aboade ariued there with his troopes after his returne out of Persia confessing that he had more profited in the companie of that gallant Captaine then hee shoulde haue done in the schooles of the most famous Philosophers of all Grecce After the example therefore of that so notable a personage my selfe will giue thankes to the miseries of this time because that forcing me to become a Philosopher in a strange land they haue wrought me this good to haue passed away eight or nine moneths in the companie of the Lord De la None For besides that hee is endued with all those good partes which Chion noteth in Xenophon as well in respect of his learning as also for his knowledge and experience in armes the examples of his vertues and sweetnesse of his conuersation did so helpe me to disgest both the publike calamities and mine owne perticular discommodities that during life I cannot but yeeld praise to God for so great a benefite Howbeit the thing that made me most desirous of his friendshippe was a consideration that the farther he was through his afflictions driuen out of France and from your Maiestie the more did his affection to your seruice the welfare of the whole Realme seeme to increase for whether he walkt or slept all his imaginations tended nolie to the finding out of such meanes as might best redresse the calamities that oppressed our miserable Countrie and his ordinarie deuises to the seeking out of anie thing that might aduance the reestablishing of the state in her former dignitie A matter at this day so lamentable as it seemeth rather to bee wished than hoped for Injoying therefore that sweete familiaritie wherewith it pleased him to honour mee and being on a time in his closet I chaunced to laie my hand vpon a heape of papers throwen aside in a corner as things not regarded and finding that they deserued to bee more diligently gathered together I began very gladly to reade them ouer but he would not suffer me saying they were but scriblings whereon he had employed the most tedious houres of his leasure during his long and straight imprisoment likewise that among them there was nothing worth the sight because his continuall exercise in warrefare wherein he had employed himselfe had denied him all opportunitie to endite well as also that in these discourses especiallie as neuer meaning other than to passe awaie the time he had taken no paines with the polishing or filing of them that
him in it were a good precept that at the Court and in Paris which are the two lightes that ought to lighten all France order might be first throughly established to the end all others might direct themselues according to these two most ritch presidents So long as the citie of Rome kept her self sound her inferiours florished in vertue but when she came to be corrupt the infection was spred all ouer Yet minde I not hereby to inferre that all disorders haue their originall from the rulers for many doo spring from the subiects but it is to bee perceiued that some of the principall fetch their beginning from the principall persons and so doe remaine There is yet an other soueraigne precept without the which all the rest are to small purpose and that is to seeke some meanes how to take order in the controuersies of Religion without force of armes For vntil ciuill warre be banished it is but a folly to speake of redresse because the same worketh a greater breach in the countrie in maners in lawes and in men in sixe moneths then may posbly bee repayred againe in sixe yéeres Among other the fruites thereof this is one That it hath engendred a million of Epicures and Libertines Secondly it hath made most part of the French nation so wilde cruell and sauadge that where they were before but shéepe they haue now put on the shape of Tygers These two reasons might fully suffise to perswade euery one that is possessed of any one sparke of conscience or charitie to desire and wish that we might be brought into concord by fayre and peaceable meanes For so long as discord holdeth our swords drawne we doo nothing but establish a new Kingdome of Impietie Iniustice Crueltie and Theft wherein many théeues and wicked persons do rise and grow ritch with the spoyle of the innocent and glut themselues with blood A man may truely say that if all the French nation were deuided into sixe parts wée should finde that fiue of them doe daylie mourne and pray to God to graunt peace vnto France and a good politique redresse vntill an Ecclesiasticall may bee had which disposition being in maner vniuersall maketh the difficultie to attaine to that poynt a great deale the lesse The ordinarie obiectiou hereto is that two Religions cannot possibly consist in one Commonwelth And when we aske wherefore it is annswered because of their repugnancie which bréedeth perpetuall contention But I would knowe of them whether vice and vertue good and bad bée not also contraries and yet we must not for the remedying thereof bring a whole Realme into dissention In the tyme of the good Emperours Constantine and Theodosius also when the two holy Bishops Augustine Ambrose florished in the worlde were there not in the Romaine Empire both Pagans Iewes and Arrians whom the true Christians were driuen to permit to liue after their owne rites and consciences rather then for those contrarieties to kindle cruell warres and most â—â—â—lent persecutions Are wee more wise or mightie then those Emperours or more holy and zealous then those holy Bishops I thinke wée had néede of a good Orator to perswade that So that sith they haue so farre exceeded vs in perfection wee are not to bée blamed though wée guyde our selues by their rule as well in matters of pollicie as of the Church And notwithstanding vnder the Children of Constantine there chaunced some seditions and troubles for Religion yet doth it appeare that the Arrians were euer the authors thereof for the true Church hath sieldome bene seene to vse persecution Which this excellent sentence of Augustine very well verefieth that sayth He that persecuteth is of the deuill but he that is persecuted is of God It is sayd that King Frances the first when the Suitzers were at warre among themselues for Religion counsailed them to appease such controuersies by modest conferences and gentle meanes which since they haue happely put in practise and sped well by it for thereby haue they mainteyned concorde among themselues and mightilie enriched their Countrie and yet are become neuer the worse This sole example might stoppe their mouthes that vpholde that fire and sworde must determine our debates also that gentle meanes are vnprofitable But I cannot thinke that such counsailes can procéede from any other then most cruell and hypocriticall mindes To bée briefe I thinke assuredly that if their Maiesties their Counsaile the Princes and the Court of Parliament of Paris would vnfainedly labour for a generall reconsiliation and redresse notwithstanding whatsoeuer contrarietie the same might easilie be brought to perfection Are they to be restrayned by the authoritie of the Popes precepts who by his Nuncios seeketh vncessantly to trouble France Must they feare the rage of some of the Clergie that crye out Kill murder haue no pitie vpon the Protestants our aduersaries Can the power of the Spanish Empire which they haue prouoked out of season force theÌ„ to sheath their French swords in the bowels of France Shall the feare and complaynts of the Protestants which are not without some grouÌ„d so terrefie them y t they shall desist Or may the secret practizes which tend to stirring vp of great matters feare them Truely all this should not let theÌ„ from establishing y e soueraigne law that bringeth health to al FraÌ„ce which is y e law of peace concord Only it is requisite the King be armed with his grandfathers magnanimitie to daunt all such as dare propound any pernitious Complois against the Commonwelth as also to harten those that are desirous to say do well The Queene mother likewise is to remember that she rather theÌ„ any is able to fixe the nayle in the turning wheele of deuision which would be to her life a Crowne of most excellent commendations The Princes likewise must call to minde that domesticall power acchieued by a vertuous peace is as assured and happie as that which is purchased with doubtfull and infortunate warre This great Senate which maketh such account of fame is to thinke that it shall lose the same that it hath obteyned vnlesse it bring forth such excellent Senators as with pure hart and franke speech will freely vphold as did our Cato l'Hospitall publique equitie But if to the contrary they shewe themselues obstinate and slacke in readinesse and labour they shall be the first that shall feele by the contempt and disobedience of the inferiours whom they haue suffered by warres and corruption to transforme themselues into barbarous conditions how great an ouersight it is not to cut off when they may the way to such confusions as tende to the subuertion of the whole A King by encreasing his dominion atchieueth great honor but much greater doth he obteyne by vniting and clensing it when it is deuided and infected for the first is compassed by force the other by discretion Such braue exploytes as worthie their greatnesse are to them reserued to the end in
of the Priuiledges that they haue obtained namely high parlies and will alwayes bee payed their olde billes And besides all this they are wonderous polytike to liue in the fielde But I praie you will some aunswere doe the French aduenturer sleepe in his sentinell dooth hee not plaie his parte well inough Truelie wee must confesse that he that is an vnthrift and corrupt helpeth himselfe brauelie and vnderstandeth it better than most of the Priests of Lymosin doo theyr Dominus vobiscum But in deed they can neither write nor reade Yet do they not come neere these others in the vnderstanding of this martiall practise Now a worde or two of those that had rather runne alwayes abroade than returne to theyr occupations or serue some there are that thinke such delyberations to proceede of generositie Which I cannot graunt vnlesse to a verie fewe for it is not vnlyke but among a greate number of common people exercising handie ceaftes there maye bee some that are indued with a noble minde and well disposed to vertue Setting aside therefore this small number I will speake of the rest of whome I will saie that it is more lykely that the â—ainglorie wherewith after they haue serued a while they bee pusâ—ed vp together with idlenesse and souldierlyke libertie dooth breede their vnwillingnesse to returne to their former trade of life For they imagine that such as see them trauayle and get theyr liuinges with their handie worke especially after they haue ben Corporals or Serieaunts will scorne them but withall they consider not that in seeking to eschue this imaginarie shame they doe manye times by a voluntarie constraynt plunge themselues in robberyes deceites and cousoâ—nings Necessitie saie some doe sometimes compell the poore souldior for his lyfe to borrowe of them that haue ouermuch yea according to the law of Necessitie But lykewise according to the ciuill lawes if they bee caught they paie deerelie for it It were more for theyr profite to imitate a great number of other Souldiours who after they haue valyauntly handeled their weapons doe not disdayne their olde accustomed vocations And my selfe haue knowen them in Gascogne whose stomackes are haughtie enough whome in the time of peace we shoulde see in Townes working in theyr shoppes and yet in the time of warre had charge and commande ouer companies And the same is the practise in all the Townes of France especiallie since the ciuill warres beganne For in as much as during the troubles all the Townsmen haue bene in armes also that for theyr safegards so many tooke weapon in hande it must needes followe that all this multitude in time of peace shoulde returne to theyr first trades sauing some fewe But before it was not so for it was some trouble to furnish againe those that had abandoned them And euen at this time among such of the Spaniards as liue in their bandes it is a reproch to trauayle in Mechanicall artes Wherein they haue reason because that they endeauouring to fashion maintaine and increase themselues in footemen and withall so continuing some twentie or fiue and twentie yeeres without anie care of returning into their owne Countries it becommeth them not amisse I will also aduowe that among vs he that hath some long time professed armes delighteth in them and is in the waie to attaine thereto in seeking a place among the standing companies or some other good fortune dooth but his dutie But when such commodities fayle him hee â—â—ust not thinke himselfe dishonoured though he labour for the maintainance of himselfe and his familie if he haue anie as euen to this daie they doe in Germanie Zuitzerland and Flanders All these so common exaÌ„ples should rather induce those that be gone affraie to imitate them than to doe as they doe But if anie doe thinke that the setting vp againe of their occupations doth abase them let them goe serue the Gentlemen Which in my opinion they cannot refuse to doe considering how the poorer sorte of gentlemen can settle themselues to that calling howbeit if they be out of tast herewith they must be let runne and tarie till time amend them We lykewise finde some of the bodie of the Gentrie who moued by diuerse reasons doe also set the feather in the winde and go to seeke the like aduentures Among which the youth is most to bee excused who driuen by a certaine desire to learne and to winne credite doo goe wheresoeuer occasion may serue They wanting iudgement to discerne which enterprises are lawfull and which not so soone as the winde bloweth in the sayles of theyr desires which are large doe spred them and so are easily carried awaie It is pittie so many are lost in such places where beeing neither knowen nor guided they passe vnder the miseries of the multitude Those that haue authoritie ouer them ought to be careful to counsayle them well Others there are whome pouertie driueth from home for beeing noble the exercises of Mechanicall artes and traficke woulde turne to their reproch and therefore they must seeke the liberall and honourable among whome weapons doe walke Neuerthelesse though this profession bee conuenient for them yet must they not abuse it as they that I haue spoken of For so are they the more to be blamed in that the noble Gentleman is straightlyer bound to liue vertuously than the peasant What shall hee then doe if you will not let him seeke his fortune I answere that in our France poore Gentlemen haue no cause as desperate persons to take diuerse partes considering what meanes they haue to attayne to honour and wealth First the men of armes were instituted for the maintainance of these to the end theyr valour should not perishe but bee reserued for the benefite of the state Then haue they the Ecclesticall offices whereto they may ascend as also the iusticeship which in olde time they exercised The coÌ„mendatories of Malta do also releeue some likewise the seruice of Lordes with whome not onely they were brought vp as pages but also being men they haue their maintainance is a good refuge for them Finally the bands of footmen doe retaine many Wherefore the wise should rather settle themselues to the best of these than by thinking to profite abroade to loose their liues Some will saie that death catcheth not so many as wee speake of but they deceiue themselues for I haue noted the number to be greater than we weene for of meere compassion that I take of them I would that through good instrâ—utions or other remedies the mischiefe might bee preuented Yet doe I not meane that orders shoulde be so strict that none may go forth without leaue For in such a great populous kingdome as this that lawe cannot be established And if there were but foure or fiue hundred voluntaries as well of the Gentrie as communaltie that of theyr owne perticular motions would yeerely go into the warres as foule to theyr haunt it were but a small matter not
to be spoken of But there go many more of that sorte as I haue sayd And many Gentlemen also of account and greate credite who are readie inough to march and whensoeuer they moue they incite many other Wherfore before they so do it were theyr parts well to examine the causes which being vnlawfull as being moued by nothing but their owne profite or honour they shew that they haue small care of their friends in counsailing them those things that tend more to their own particular interest than to common equitie In this case men must be wise to choose rather than willing to depart Now are we to looke what fruite our Nation reape of these martiall voyages which they take vppon them rather of iolitie than any good foundation I take it to bee verie small First in these dayes most of them through the libertie of ciuill warres beeing growen into wonderfull discordes going abroade doe nothing but laie open theyr imperfections which they should seeke eyther to amend or hide Some are blasphemers of God others adulterers quarellers and dissolute persons and many disobedient to their Captaynes of whome lykewise some do eyther for their owne profite or through ignaraunce breake good lawes and order So as when men see that the effects bee not answerable to the French name they growe of liking with them On the other side those people that are driuen to beare theyr insolencies I meane of the lawlesse not of the modest albeit euermore there bee good and valiant men mingled among the greate number doe growe to hate the whole Nation for the mallice of some thinking it incompatible and in their harts doe powre forth continuall curses agaynst the same so as although there be some Captaines Gentlemen and Souldiours who through theyr good behauiours doe become agreeable vnto them yet are they not able to suppresse the generall mislyke And heere is yet another inconuenience namelie that if there happen anie mishappe in the warre rather through the strength of the enimie than anie presumption or insufficiencie of the Captaines eyther through the disobedience or small valour of the souldiours than doe the peoples tongues euen teare in peeces those whome hauing begunne to hate they afterwarde vtterly contemne Now it is most certayne that in this counterfaite discipline losses are as common as good successe or rather more Which truelie shoulde make these that haue charge to beleeue that it is harde to escape stumbling in so rugged a quarrie Whosoeuer therefore purposeth to goe on warrefare in a foreine Countrie let him make greate account of vertue for according to the same hee shall be esteemed and many times a little shall bee accounted off Whereas contrariwise if men cary new vices especiallie such as offende no man will receiue them for seruauntes much lesse for Maisters and without affoording them anie thing will laugh at them which is yet worse they shall be feared as much as if they were open enimies This together with the miseries afore touched maketh mee to beleeue that vntill that manners and martiall discipline bee in better state among the French nation they shall atchieue small credite and lesse good will among our neighbours whome they shall goe to serue Truelie it is in vaine to thinke that force onelie can worke anie greate effects for not beeing accompanyed with iustice faith and modestie it is vnperfect But by the demonstration of vertue the heart is wonne which is a sure and glorious conquest examples whereof the Romaines haue lefte vnto vs. I knowe well inough that as well the Gentleman as the Souldiour maye obiecte to those that set them on worke manie things worthie consideration namelie that they hazarde theyr liues receiue bodilie woundes spende their goods and endure great paine for their seruice all which will neuerthelesse loose their grace and bee of no account if these deprauations continue For the people whome the Souldiours dooth oppresse will not so much excuse them for defending of them as they will curse them for deuouring them as burying the remembrance of the benefite in the smart of the euils But those that performe theyr duties to the best of theyr powers as well in fighting as in good life they loue and excuse Some will saie in these foreine warres that they they go to seeke they may learne much I confesse it But withall wee must note that from the siege of Mastricht which was the notablest in our time there escaped but tenne French Souldiours and not foure from that of Harlem in which two Townes there were enough as I haue heard I am not so ignoraunt but I knowe that the propertie of warre is ordinarilie to deuour at the least the fourth parte of those that followe it but when of the fiue partes it catcheth foure as often times it doth is it not too rauenous This haue I sayde to the end that those that goe as vnfeathered boultes into places of great noise may remember y t easely they depart but verie hardly returne agayne Those that weene that when France hath had peace for two or three yeeres she shoulde neuer haue warre agayne doe deceiue themselues For if they consider what hath passed since the yeere 1494. they shall see that shee hath not beene long in rest since To be briefe they that bee wise if they will follow my counsaile shal enter into these voluntarie purposes with leaden heeles yea euen the Gentlemen as calling to minde that to goe rashlie and put their liues in more dangerous than necessarie aduentures which they shoulde neuer doe but vppon good occasions is an argument of French rashnesse an engendering of parents teares and a weakening of the sinowes of the state But when theyr enterprises are vnderpropped with iustice and that the lawe full commaundements of Kinges wealthes doe set in foote who in respecte of alliaunces doe sende helpe to theyr confederates and vppon any other necessarie occasion doe succour and releeue the oppressed then must wee not consider of anie daungers or discommodityes For in dooing our duetyes whether wee suffer or whether wee perishe our labour or losse is alwayes well imployed Nowe will I discourie vppon a certayne polytike rule vsuallie alleadged in such lyke affayres as this Which many verie excellent persons both haue and still doe allowe to see howe the same may agree with vs. This is it A great estate replenished with warlike people ought still to haue some foreine warre wherewith to keepe it occupied least beeing at quiet they conuert their weapons each against other The maintayners heereof doe alleadge the example of Scipio Nasica who counsayled it to the Romaines Concluding that Carthage ought not to bee razed to the end still to haue an enimie whome to feare and bee alwayes busied withall For sayde he if this feare and cause bee taken awaie they be in danger to moue one against another in their owne land Heereto they adde that experience hath taught that when we haue
dishonor him neither neede we elsewhere seeke the cause of the Turkish prosperitie then in our owne sinnes the continuance whereof doe thereto minister sustenance and strength where contrariwise our amendment would bée an occasion that the Lord should pull it downe I would wish all such as are familier with Princes often to put them in minde that lawfull Monarchies which ought to be supported with Pietie and Iustice cannot bee preserued by any meanes repugnant to these vertues so to resolue them the more not to seeke any profite in actions vtterly seperate from honestie I knowe there may be some that will say that France is now so weake and brought so low that it were not meete it should for sake those leagues which seeme to retaine her enemies in any feare who would peraduenture be easely enduced to set vpon her so soone as the proppe which is to them a terror shall be taken away First the Germaines would redemaund the imperiall townes Then the Spanyard who hath sundrie both olde and new quarels would alleadge some one or other and it is to bee doubted but such mightie enémies would deale hardly with her Indeede this requireth consideration But the Germaines will aunswer That their nation is not so hot to entangle the Empire in so great a warre which they would not wish to bee mightier then it is least it should gripe them as did the Emperour Charles the Duke of Saxony and the Lantgraue Neither would they aduance the ruine of France which they knowe to bee a good counterpaize for the inner side of Christendome and a strong shield for the outer side The Spaniards do say that the long peace betweene their King France together with his affayres in the Low countries doe sufficiently declare that he intendeth not to molest her with warres For it is enough for him that she daily decayeth through her owne ciuill dissentions whereby now he no whit feareth her power which aforetime hath bene a terror vnto him So as it were rather to be beléeued that if the Princes her neighbours might see France for an vniuersall benefite to giue ouer their league with the Turkes they would like very well of so commendable a worke which they haue long desired Howbeit I referre my selfe to the matter as it is and to conclude doe say that our Kings in olde time shewed forth their affection to the rooting out of the enemies of Christendome for them selues trauailed personally together with the flower of their Subiects euen into Asia and Affricke to fight with them namely Lewes the yong Phillip August and S. Lewes as also Godfrey of Bolein with most of the Princes that accompanied him in his voyadge to Ierusalem were for the most part French men Likewise long before them what scourges were Charles Martell and Charlemaigne to the Sarazens who being the Lords of y e French nation obteyned mightie victories against that terrible people Wherevpon I conclude that vpon good occasion with condition and assurance sufficient vnto our King that none would attempt against his state I thinke we should not finde him to haue any whit degenerated from his auncesters zeale to wisedome and valour The 22. Discourse That the Christian Princes well vnited are able in fower yeres to expulse the Turkes out of Europe IT might better beséeme sundry excellent Captaines whome I take to bee yet liuing as the L. Iohn Dorie the Italian Lazarus Schuendy the Germaine or the Knight of Romegas the French man who haue bin employed in diuers warres against the Turkes to discourse of such meanes as may best serue to suppresse their power then mee who neuer sawe their streamers waue in the wind either by sea or by land neither looked vpon their frontiers Neuerthelesse sith yet they haue layd open no parte of their goodly conceipts in this argument howbeit I cannot thinke but they haue imparted some to their friends I haue thought good as well for mine owne content as also to instruct others who peraduenture haue not employed their cogitations vpon such an hautie exployt to speake somewhat thereof and that the rather because I suppose it to be most iust and necessarie to the vniuersall benefite of all Christendome Yet not that I would men should thinke I would at randon put forth any speeches depending onely vpon my owne imaginations for so might they conteyne small assurance But hauing read and ouer read the histories that entreate of their warres therwith noted what hath happened in our time I haue accompted such a ground to bee sufficient to beare vp whatsoeuer we list to build therevpon Here might I haue occasion to rehearse the originall and encrease of this tyrannous and vnpitifull Turkish Empire but sith I haue alreadie declared it in an other small treatise I will vse no repetition Such as are neighbours thereto doe bat too much feele the waight thereof neither ought they that bée farther of to bee ignorant that it is a horrible scourge of Gods vengeance which hauing many yeeres agoe ouerthrowne the florishing Easterne Empire and set deepe foote into the Westerne doth yet threaten the rest to bring it vnder the intollerable yoake therof The consideration of the greatnesse of this perrill which is so neere might bee sufficient to terrifie and waken especially those that are in chiefest dignitie to straine themselues to prouide for cōmon preseruation For the fire by little little taketh hold hath alreadie consumed the suburbes of Christendome namely Hungarie with all the great coastes of the Adriatick sea cōmonly called Sclauonia So as by sea wee haue these barbarous people at the mouthes of our hauens vpon the land in our gates Certaine it is that had it not bene for the famous victorie of Don Iohn of Austrich a most valiant and noble Prince together with the warre of Wallachie wherein died 50000. Turkes now their last with the Persian which hath cost them very deere we should haue felt their forces Al which losses notwithstanding yet do they hold the I le of Ciprus as a glorious monument of their tryumph hauing withall quite rased to the very foundations the proud forteresse of Goletta in Affrick Herein do we see y t as they haue lost men they are able for euery one get 4. where we haue lost land by our vsuall procéedings it is almost vnpossible to recouer it out of their hāds Thus do their losses breed their cōmoditie whereas ours doe leade vs to destruction Now to those that knowe them not they seeme to be on sleepe or letted for a great while whereas contrariwise they do but take breath prouide neither tendeth their delay to any other ende but to gather force wherby their first assaults may be the more furious One of the first solemne othes that all these tyrants of the house of Ottoman at their entrie into the Realme do make when they take their vsurped scepter importeth that they shall bee
side they shoulde bring one hundred Gentlemen with armour and speare That no troops shuld come within two leagues of the place appointed That thirtie light horse on each part should sixe houres before their meeting discouer the fielde which was as playne as the sea That at the appointed houre the Queene and King of Nauarre should bee on horse backe in the place appointed where the Prince and Admirall lykewise on horsebacke shoulde meeâ—e them to intreate together of the publyke affayres In the meane time the two troopes consisting of choice men and for the most parte Lordes to houer eight hundred pates asunder the Marshall de Anuil commaunding ouer the one and the Earle of Rochefoucault ouer the other Hauing thus beheld eyther other for the space of halfe an houre each coueting to see one his brother another his vnkle cousen friende or olde companion they â—raued leaue of theyr superiours which was hardlie graunted in respect that at the first they were forbidden to meete for feare of iniuryes and affrayes But so farre were they from quarelling that contrariwise there was nothing but salutations and embracings of such as could not forbeare y e demonstration of amitie vnto those whome parentage or honestie had vnited vnto them notwithstanding the contrarie tokens that they bare For the King of Nauarres troope was clothed in cassockes of crimson veluet and redde scarfes and the Prince of Condes in white The Catholikes imagining the Protestants to bee lost exhorted them to see to themselues not to enter obstinatlie into this miserable warre wherein neere kinsmen must murther one another heereto they aunswered that they detested it howbeit if they had not recourse to theyr defence they were assured of lyke intreatie as many other Protestants had receiued who were cruellie slaine in sundrie parts of France To be briefe each prouoked other to peace and to persuade their superiours to hearken thereto Some who a parte did more deeplie consider of these things bewayled publike discord as the spring of future mischiefes Then waighing with themselues that all these greetings would bee conuerted into bloudie murthers vppon the least token of battayle that the superiours shoulde giue that the â—iseardes being shut and readie furie hauing â—ayled their sight one brother woulde scarce pardon another the water euen stoode in their eyes My selfe was then among the Protestants and I may truelie saie that on the other side there were a douzen of my friendes whome I accounted as deere as my owne brethren who also bare mee the lyke affection In the meane time as well conscience as honour bounde each one not to fayle in the one or the other Priuate amitie did as theÌ„ liue but since these great calamities had course and conuersation discontinued it is euen dead in many The Queene and Prince of Conde hauing conferred two long houres together when they coulde growe to no agreement departed each verie sorie that they had no better succesie Of the Prince of Condies promise somewhat rashlie made to the Queene mother that hee would depart the Realme of France and why it was not performed AFter the ariuall of a great number of the ordinarie bandes and parte of the olde infanterie at Paris the King of Nauarre the Constable and the Duke of Guize who contemned the Protestants as rebelles thought themselues strong inough to make them afrayde and in battayle araie marched towarde Chasteaudun The Prince vnderstanding heereof craued the aduice of such Captaines as accompanied him what were to bee done who all with one consent declared that sith they had hetherto as well in deedes as wordes set so good a face on the matter if nowe they shoulde at the beginning of the warre suffer themselues to bee shutte vp and besieged in a Towne it would bee some testimonie of cowardlynesse and greatly disgrace the Protestants affayres as well with foraine nations as with such of the Frenchmen as tooke heir partes withall considering that their power alreadie grew well toward sixe thousand footmen and two thousand horse also that by the report of the spies the enimies were not yet aboue foure thousand footmen and three thousand speares to whom notwithstanding they were not so well armed they were no whit inferiour in courage that nothing ought therefore to let them from taking the field with all speed and fighting with the enimie if occasion might so serue for they could neuer haue them at a better aduantage considering how theyr power would from time to time increase Upon this resolution ehey encamped a league and a halfe from Orleance whether the Queene sent new Embassadours to enter parley for both sides did greatly feare the vniuersall desolations ensuing of warre if once it were begun At the two first meetings they argued sufficiently though to small resolution onely it was agreed that the Catholike and leagued Lordes and Princes should depart each to his owne home and then would the Prince of Condie obey whatsoeuer the king should command for the wealth of the Realme Soone after they marched to Chasteaudun and no farther which the Protestants presumed to bee but a dissimulation Some will saie that in the sayd parlies the Prince of Conde hazarded himselfe into ouer great peril but he was still stronger than the enimie and his men too warie to be deceiued albeit in one point they ouershoot theÌ„selues vpon simplicitie which was in deliuering to y e king of Nauarre when he came to y e parley the towne of Boisgencie which was nothing worth for his fafety but was neuer restored them again this did greatly chafe them as perceiuing that thence forth they must talke with the bridle in hand Now as daily there came some from the Queene to the Prince of Conde to perswade him to peace which hee seemed greatly to desire among the rest was imploied the Bishop of Valence a man in learning and eloquence most excellent when he lyst to shew forth eyther the one or the other Hee with his fayre speech so qualyfied the Prince that he increased his desire of a good accord and finally told him that in as much as many reproched him to be the author of the war it were his part to make euident his iustificatioÌ„ by al good offers braue effects also y t if at the next enteruiew he wold tel y e Queene y t rather than to sée y e real me hazarded to fire sword he wold be coÌ„tent with his friends to depart the same shee could haue nothing to answere much lesse his enimies who had promised to returne to their habitations likewise that of this motion might ensue some good resolution that should stay all wepons which being laid downe all things might after ward be easily reestablished This sayd he departed leauing in the Prince who was loth to be constrained to fight agaynst his owne nation certaine impression to followe this counsayle which he imparted to some that were desirous of peace therefore gainsayd it not
yeelded Concord good manners and obedience to the lawes were alâ—eadie in so good forwardnesse throughout Fraunce that it seemed to bee wholie restored but discorde with her secrete driftes troubled all Concerning the seconde it was a peace but no peace neyther had it anie more than the name for in effect it was secrete warre It may be tearmed The reward of the Protestants follie because that not withstanding all aduertisements that it wold be very bad they would neuerthelesse receiue it The third was much desired in respect of the ruines past the necessitie present and that euery man was wearie of labour and trouble for as the Frenchman is vnpatient so doth he fit the warre to his owne humors And in as much as the conditions were equall or rather better than the former it ought in my minde to be tollerable to the Protestants considering withall y t there was no meanes to haue anie better Like wise for the two yeeres that it lasted fewe can complayne except at the very breach thereof which was in such horrible sort as it deserueth to be quite buried vp Nowe who so euer shall consider all these peaces in their iust obseruation hee will as I suppose iudge them to haue beene a profitable and necessarie remedie vnto all but if hee haue respect but onelie to their endes he cannot choose but name them dissembling peaces And this hath made some so time rous that they beleeue that stil there is some poison hidden vnder the faire glosse of this golde In Fraunce wee haue alreadie had sixe generall like as wee had in the ciuill warres of Burgundie and Orleance and as well the one as the other were infringed but the seauenth which was concluded at Arras was durable and holpe to restore Fraunce by which example it may bee inferred that our seauenth shoulde bee good albeit it were to be wished wee neuer came to those tearmes for to wish to bee sicke that wee might recouer health may seeme impertinent I beseech God to prouide therefore according to his good pleasure Trulie euerie man seeing the Realme flaming in warres ought to set before his eies Gods wrath and displeasure and the same against himselfe rather than agaynst his enemies where nowe some doe saie These bee the Protestants who through their heresies doo strrre vp Gods wrath against them Others doe replie They bee the Catholikes who with their Idolatries do prouoke the same And thus in these discourses no man accuseth himselfe In the meane time the first thing that wee ought to doe is in these vniuersal calamities to examine and accuse our owne imperfections to the end to amend them then to loke vpon others mens faults Likewise when we see a short counterfait peace we should saie y t we deserue no better because y t according to the prouerb when we are ouer the bridge wee mocke the saint most of vs returne to our vanities and accustomed ingratitude Howbeit it is a commendable affection which desireth peace I meane a good peace for y e bad are verie cut throats because therby pietie and vertue doth seeme to reuiue whereas contrariwise ciuill warres are the shops of all wickednesse which good men doe abhorre The time hath bene that of both parts their haue ben diuerse that toke no great delight in hearing peace spokeÌ„ of of whom some sayd That it was an vnworthie and vniust deede to make peace with rebols and heretikes who deserued grieuous punishment yea they persisted in their speeches vntill their disease were cured on this sorte If they were warriors they were inioyned to march formost at an assault or in a skirmish so to kill vp these wretched Protestants of which punishment by that time they had twice tasted they soone changed opinion As for the rest which were either cleargie men or of the long robe by telling them that they must part with halfe their rents to paie the soldiour they consented to the peace To be briefe whatsoeuer their pretence were whether pietie or iustice sure their passions were cruell Other there were euen among the Protestants which did no lesse reiect the peace as tearming it to bee nothing but treason but had it bene neuer so good they woulde haue said as much because the warre was their nursemother and rising One good waie to reduce them to reason were to propound in respect of necessitie thereof the cutting off of their paies or the leauiing of some lones of them so would they long after some good end For take from many of these people their profites and honour then will they iudge more sincerely of matters Also for counsayle in waightie matters we ought to choose those that serue God and are endued with greatest discretion for they still preferre the common wealth before their owne commodities and affections I will likewise speake of another sort of people who indifferentlie do like of all kinds of peace and mislike of euerie kind of warre who if they might be assured in quiet to eate their wortes and laie vp their crops could well enough let euerie time slide yea albeit at euerie of the foure quarters of the yere they should haue halfe a dozen good bastonadoes These haue in my opinion locked vp hidden their honours and consciences in the bottome of some coffer The good Citizen ought alwayes to beare a zeale to the common wealth also to looke farther than to liue in shamefull bondage To conclude in these affayres reason ought to be our guide which doth admonish vs neuer to enter wars vnlesse a iust cause and great necessitie constraineth vs for warre is a most violent and extraordinarie remedie which in healing one wound maketh more and therefore is not to bee vsed but extraordinarily whereas contrariwise we are alwaies to wish for peace I meane not such peace as may be presumed to be stedfast not vniust for the false on s do not deserue y e title but rather to be tearmed traps snares as was the same of the second troubles The rest may some men say were not much better because they lasted not long but I am not of that minde for A doe thinke that vntill they were broken they were moste prosâ—table so doth experience giue vs to vnderstand neither is that any better argument then to say This man was naught because he linen but fifteene yeéres but I will argue and pleade to the contrary saying they were good because men woulde not suffer them to last any longer for had they bene noisome to the Protestants they would haue â—et them haue had their course God graunt so good a one to France nowe torue with ruines and destitute of good manners that she may renue in beauty and be no longer the fable of all nations but an examplary of vertue INPRINTED AT LONdon by Thomas Orwin for Thomas Cadman and Edward Aggas 1588. In what considerations this discourse is necessarie and ought to bee published Three causes
of the subuertion of Commonwelthe Impietie Atheisme the first braunch of Impietie Psalm 14. 53. Wisdome 2. The originall of Atheisme in France Of Swearing and blasphemie the second braunch of Impietie Aunswer to those that thinke it not meet so fore to insist vpon punishment of swearing and blasphemie Leuit. 24. Of Magicke and sundrie sorts of Diuinations the 3. braunch of Impietie Infinite sorts of Magicke The decree of God against such Deut. 18. Where Magicke and her trayne doe soiourne Iniustice the second cause of the destruction of Commonwelths Esay 3. Excesse the third cause of subuertion of Commonwelths Two fountaynes of excesse The kindes thereof Adulterie The pompes superfluities of the Court Commons Gentrie and women Pride Table excesse and great furniture A coÌ„clusioÌ„ gathered of the former speeches viz. that France is in manifest perill in that the causes of the subuertion of Commonwelths doe in so many sorts beare rule therein Tokens of Gods wrath Two obseruations meet for the curious Of the Periode of Commenwelths Lib. 1. Diuinat cap. 7. lib. 4. cap. 2. Gods sentence concerning the periods and reuolutions of publick and priuate estates Deut. 28. Obiections against the maxime taken from Moses Aunswer The Maximes of Philosophers concerning the alterations of CoÌ„monwelths The application of these principles to the consideration of the state of France An other obiectioÌ„ of theirs that thinke that we ought either very gently or not at all to touch the wounds of an estate namely of our owne country Two springs of great desolation in an estate A discourse vpon the first cause or originall of the desolation of an estate A confirmation gathered in the considerations of the subuertions of many mightie Monarchies as of the Iewes Romaines Grecians and Hungarians The second confirmation taken of the affections of the nations our neighbors Obiection against that which is afore sayd Aunswer Discourse vppon the secoÌ„d cause of the desolation of a coÌ„monwelth Histories which verefie this discourse Another historie which more neerely toucheth France set downe at large in the French Anales The extreme miserie of France if once it come to dismember it self Whether the Realme could subsist though such partialities should dismember it The last part of this discourse which entreateth of the remedies The first and principall poynt Example Ionas 3. Another example Obiection against the former remedie Aunsweâ— Esay 〈◊〉 The second consideration of the first remedie afore mentioned with an aunswer to those that call it a Paradoxe Discourse vppon other necessarie remedies Reformation of sundrie abuses propounded as it were by the way That the remedies to restore France are easie The third remedie which is most necessarie Aunswer to the obiection That it is vnpossible for two Religions to consist in one commonwelth What the chiefe principall members of the state may and ought to doe in the restauration thereof Meanes to confirme the state after that it is set vpright Reasons that should moue vs hereto The notable saying of the Pagan Micipsa ought to waken those that are or ought to be best instructed The consideration of this sentence What concord is It is dispersed all ouer the world The kindes thereof and first of the domesticall Vpon what considerations it is founded Of Domesticall concord Of Ciuill concord Of the profite and pleasure that it breedeth Similitude Example in generall A perticuler example Defaults in the concord required in vs. The meanes to mainteyne concord Of publique concord A sentence A notable Embleme Another example Plut. in the life of Aratus A thirde example A fourth example Obiection against the former counsel aduice Answere ConfirmatioÌ„ by the examples of the ancient Frenchmen Another example Beginning of the discords of France The originall thereof Frutes of discorde Diuers effects according to the diuersity of the French mens passions tossed with discorde The image of France in the state of olde Greece Thucid. li. 8. How many calamities discord hath brought into France Why these mischiefes are here set downe What should teach France the consideration of her euill warres Monsters bred in ciuill warres A necessarie profitable exhortation Whether it be a hard matter to bring peace againe into France The meanes how to reduce concorde and expell dissension Whether wee must buâ—y all diffidence Of false concord Examples Offurious concord Of tyranous concord Examples Insolent concord Of hereticall and scismatical concord The conclusioÌ„ of this discourse Why true coÌ„cord doth continue Of pretended zeale wherewith they couer hatred and mallice Definition of zeale Exod. 31. Rom. 9. 1. King 18 Num. 25. Abuse of the former examples and the meanes to amend them Rom. 10. Act. 7. Markes of false zeale The iniquitie of foreiudgements Of the moderatioÌ„ that is to be obserued in foreiudgemeÌ„ts Of the insolen cie of those that call others heretikes Isay 3 Of the insoleÌ„cie of some which forget the dutie of Charitie A restraint of the former speches An other dangerous foreiudgment of zeale without knowledge Who is our neighbour An ould error renewed in our dayes Aunswer to some mens obiections Correction of the former error Mat. 5. Confirmation of this correction Luke 23. Aunswer to those that will not be restrayned by the rulé of christian charitie Against whoÌ„ we should exercise our hatred How wee ought to loue our neighbors Of connersation with our neighbours A rule to followe in this case Exposition of the place of the Apostles touching conuersation with heretickes Against offence taken of the contrarieties of religion Rules to followe Mat. 5. Rom. 14. Sith all France calleth for restauration those men are not receiueable that oppose themselues there against Rom. 8. Diuerse opinions touching the remedies for this restauration Refutation of the opinions that counsell violence Answer to a replication made by two sortes of men against the former resutation Aunswer to an other obiectioÌ„ touching straungers especially Italians out of whose destruction some thinke the peace of FraÌ„ce would growe Aunswer to an other obiectioÌ„ of those that stomacke the Lawyer the Nobilitie and the Clergie Against those that counsaile ciuill warres Consideration of the second aduice contrary to the former How we must vse this aduice Aunswer to those that thinke it vnpossible to reforme the state Disorders that neede reformation 1. Superfluitiâ— in apparell Other superfluities namely excessiue expences Of the principall remedies for this disorder Of visitations 2. Of the Clergie 3. Of the Protestants Of the lawe Meanes to apply the remedies The thirde aduice consisting of the two former The confirmation hereof Conclusion The originall of the difference that appeâ—reth betweeâ—e the auntient Nobilitie and that of our daies Why the good Politickes did carefully commend the good bringing vp of children In his treatise of the bringing vp of children Of the faults that parents commit In the same treatise Of Childrens faultes Application of the aforesayd to the French Nobility and first to carelesse ignorance and couetous pareÌ„ts Of the
such recompences Of the small order obserued by the Frenchmen in respect of rewardes A meane how to establish this disciplines The Reisters actiue with the Pistoll what aduantage they seem to haue of the Speares What aduantage the speare seemeth to haue ouer the pistoll especially head to head Which of the 2. Squadrons should haue the aduantage Answer to the obiection that the Reistres haue diuers times suffered the speares to beate them Ouersights of the Reisters Of the effect of two Squadrons when they come to charge Why moste men do reiect this Paradoxe Proofes hereof may be performed by the notable examples taken out of the stories of our time The first example The second example That such restraites may be made when the arte of warre and in struction of the Soldiers is ioyned with bould resolution Of the ordering of the battailes Answer to the obiection against the former aduice How the battailes should beare themselues either to fight or to retire Aunswer to another obiection founded vpon the impossibilitie Aunswer to two other obiections A meane to proue what assurance is in this paradox also a remedie to the difficultie propounded there against The generall ground of this paradoxe The perticuler ground hereof Example of Captaines that haue benefited by the ouerthrowes that they haue susteyned An other example in Cesar The vse of these examples The first cause of presumption The second cause The third cause The effectes of pride enflamed through our owne bad nature and the discourses of our frendes flatterers Remedies against these effectes In his treatise of profit to be taken of enemies An exhortation to Captaines with a description of the good which the vertuous do reape whiles the viti ous and ignorant doe empaire and confound them selues Where to costly fortifications doe serue To whom those of smale expense are profitable Forteresse which haue so much Against those that like of such expenses How to helpe our selues with the Ingeniors deuises and yet auoide excessiue expenses An aduise vpoÌ„ the meanes to fortifie with smale cost The way how to descend a place that is besieged Against such as thinck water to be hurtfull to rampiers of earth The Duke of Burgundy an Image of such as haue no delight but in troble and coÌ„fusion The meanes which doe seeme necessary to be houldeÌ„ in the consideration of the present estate of the Realme to restablish it The miseries of warres especially ciuill Examples of these miseries of Warre Other miseries of ciuil warres The straÌ„ge offence of the most of those that beare armes in such warres An exhortation to those Frenchmen that are banded one against an other To the Souldiers To whome the aforesaid calamities are to be imputed The state of warres in ould time coÌ„demne those of our dayes The ambition of Princes and common welths cause of great calamities Whar considerations ought to moderate the desires of princes Answer to the obiections of ambitions Counsailers Aunswere to an other obiection touching the mightinesse of Prinses Consideration of the greatnesse of a king of France The extent of the realme The fruictfulnesse The people The contry Aunswere to those that emblason and abase France because of her miseries Of godlinesse Of Iustice Of the tresury Of the Frenchmens concord Of Martiall discipline Of the chiefe martiall Capteyns What meanes the King hath to defende him selfe against any Prince his neyghbour that list to assaile him Of the restoring of order in France What the groundes of publike actioÌ„s ought to be The grouÌ„d of confederaties with Turkes The originall of the Turkes their increase behauiours gouernments as well in respect of the soules as of the bodies What Christian princes were the first that repented their confederaties with the Mahumetistes Ihon Paleoiâ—gue Answer to the obiection of such as vnder coulor of couenants euel kept among some Christian princes doe alowe of conâ—ederaraties of Infidels so as therin men be wise and circumspect What treaty may be made with Turkes also what difference is betweene such treaties and true alliance with the danger of stedfast consederaties with tirants Other latter examples of the danger that is in confederaties and trust to Turkes Other examples How many mishappes haue bene hatched out of the confederaties of Christians wihch the Turkes The originall and occasion of the alliance of the French Kinges with the Turkes What seruice the Turkes haue done to France How â—ore this league hath blemished the glory of the French nation How farre such confederaties doe preiudice christiaÌ„ religion Whether confederaties with the Turkes be lawfull Answer to an obiection grounded vpon the consideration of the Turkes prosperitie Aunswer to those that thinke it no time now for the Frenchmen to breake their league with the Turkes The conclusion of this discourse The excuse occasion of this discourse A brief Description of the Turkish dominion Of their hatred and conspiratie against ChristeÌ„dome why they suffer Christians among them The meanes to suppresse the Turkes insoleÌ„cie also the cause why it is propounded Against those that thinke the Turkish tirannie to be so farre of as it can neuer reach vnto them How terrible the Turkes power is at this day and why To whome it belongeth to suppresse the tirannie of the Turkes What letteth princes from thinking therof also the meane to set this matter in hand Who they are that ought to begin to sette the rest on worke The Pope The Emperor The King of Spayne How other princes may be induced to ioine with the three asorenamed Reasons for the leagne betweene France the Turkes Answer to the reasons and allegations aforesayed That it is requisite to vnite Christian princes before they meddle with the Turkes Of the vnion of princes with their subiectes and the ceasing from all acts of hostilitie and ciuill warres within their lands Of the necessitie of peace in the Low couÌ„tries and how the King of Spaine may and ought to graunt it Vpon what consideration the enterprize against the Turke ought to be of great commendation among all Christian princes Hauing treated of the fouÌ„dations of this warre it is here spoken of the proceeding thereof and first of the generall assembly for the entire resolution of the affaires Of the meanes to continew the warres diuers yeares Of treasure to maintaine this warre Of forces necessitie for the executioÌ„ herof Of Martiall discpline Of other preparatiues requisite to beginne withall Against those that thinke the Turkes easy to be subdued Of the great power and habilitie of the Turkes Of the manner how to assiuill the Turkes in what places and with what power How longe our auncestâ—rs were in their warre also whether it bee harder in these daies then in those What was the cause that our forefathers lost the aduantage they had of them were driuen out of the east The warres of those princes that succeded Godfrey and others against the Turkes Why the time is now conuenient to sett vpon
of the trueth that he rather noteth the faults of that side where vnto himselfe leaned then of the others and commendeth in those against whome he bare arms anything that he findeth worthie cōmendation as earnestly as the desarts of those on whose side he fought in such maner that our age may thinke it self happie that in the middest of her most furious passions and partialities she could recouer this platforme of obseruations of the historie therby exempted from the vniuersal contagion of hatred fauor As also it is to be hoped that this exāple may wakē sūdry others who seeing how agreeable a voyce the same that is ruled by reason is in respect of taunts and inuectiues full of bitternes which as the small belles of the Choribantes are good for nothing but to trouble the most settled braynes will endeuour in their writings to set forth that which God may haue giuen them for the instruction of the posteritie rather then the vehemencie of disordinate affections whereof our age reapeth but too much reproach and hurt I will strayne my selfe no farther in the perticuler setting downe of the fruits that may be reaped in this booke as well for common commoditie as priuate benefite for they doe sufficiently appeare of themselues Howbeit in as much as it may so fall out that the author considering what small accompt hee made of his writings in liew of reioycing in the commendations that hereby shall redound vnto him may finde fault that I haue thus published them of mine owne head and withall that I haue therevnto set his name which hee chose rather to make famous by armes as thinking it according to the auncient error of the French Nobilitie no honor that men should know how farre he honoreth or esteemeth of learning either els vpon some perticuler hatred against this booke as still putting him in minde of his captiuitie I doe presume Sir most humbly to beseech your Maiestie to aduowe my doings and to bee my warrant in this that I haue preferred the publique commoditie before the perticuler desire of the Lorde of la Noüe who although hee bee but a bad valewer of his owne workes is neuerthelesse so affectionate a seruant vnto you that he can no way mislike any thing that hee shall finde to like you as also to the ende that France receiuing this booke as it were at your hands and adioyning the authors desart to your aucthoritie may loue and credite it the better True it is that the ouer vehement mindes shall not finde these discourses to their appetities For so farre are they from fauouring their passions that in deede their only scope tendeth to the abolishing of the same But all those that doe in pietie behold this poore state fallen from her ancient felicitie all those that mourne because France which was wont to be the terror of the whole world is now become a reproach to the same all those that are wearie of bathing their swords in the blood of their brethren parents and friends To be briefe all good Frenchmen that bee good seruaunts to the King and his Crowne will take great delight when they shall see their good entents aduanced forwarde with such holy and wise aduices as they shall finde in this booke For the author hereof hath not after the maner of some both auncient and late Philosophers wasted his time in forging an Idea of Vtopian perfections but hath onely studied so to accommodate himselfe to our tast and disposition and propounded his counsailes with so euident a facilitie and profite that if wee profite not thereby whether in publique or priuate wee can blame none but our owne stubbornesse and negligence For in my opinion that man shall bee ouer farre out of taste of all good reading that shall not in these discourses perceiue a spirite free from all passions and partialities dedicated wholy to the honor of God the seruice of his King and the peace of his Countrie This is it that hath embouldened me to offer them vnto you Sir thinking that as well in consideration of their argument as in respect of the great bonds wherein the author standeth your most bounden they doe by right apperteyne vnto you Not daring therefore to passe the strict prohibition whereby my insufficiencie forbiddeth mee to offer any thing of my owne I do most humbly desire your Maiestie to receiue them as some acknowledgemēt of my vowed seruice And I beseech God Sir after so many deaths wherewith you haue bene beset euen from your infancie from which he hath preserued you to graunt vnto you a long most happie life in perfect peace and assured tranquilitie to the glory of his most blessed name the honour of your Maiestie and the contentaiton of all good French men your faithfull and affectionate seruants From Lausanna this first daie of Aprill 1587. Your most humble obedient and faithfull seruant De Fresnes ¶ The Argument and somme of euery seuerall discourse herein conteyned 1 THat the realme of France doth by little and little runne into decay and is neere to a great ouerthrowe vnlesse God of his goodnesse vphould it Also that as yet there be some remedies to raise it vp againe in case they may bee with speede accepted Pag. 1. 2 That by Concord small things doe encrease and by discord great things doe decay pag. 28. 3 Of the inconstancie whereby many doe vse to hate condemne and detest their neighbours because of their contrarieties in religion pag. 45. 4 What meanes and proceedings are most fit to vse in the redresse of an estate pag. 53 5 That instruction or good bringing vp are necessarie for all young gentlemen pag. 71 6 That the reading of the bookes of Amadis de Gaule and such like is no lesse hurtfull to youth then the workes of Machiauell to age pag. 51 7 That our ouer small consideration of the good things that wee haue and our ouer eager couetousnesse of the good things which we haue not doe multiplie our miseries pag. 85 8 That the pouertie of the French Nobilitie proceedeth not so much of the warres which haue continued these fiue and thirtie yeeres as of their owne ouersight in the mispending of their goods pag. 101 9 That the Frenchmens great affection to forraine warres is at this time more hurtfull then profitable pag. 115 10 Of three false opinions that misleade sundrie of the Nobilitie pag. 128 11 Whether there bee any meanes so to reforme the musters of France as to reape any seruice of the same pag. 145 12 Of the multiplying of priuate quarels with the abuses therein committed which greatly want reformation pag. 157 13 That his Maiestie ought in time of peace to enterteyne at the least foure regiments of footmen reduced into the number of 2500. men as well for the preseruation of martiall discipline as to bee alwaies assured of a great bodie of olde Souldiers pag. 169 14 Of the French Legionaries pag. 176 15 That the ancient
the same to employe themselues So did Charles the 7. to whom the reestablishing of good order and auncient customes in his Realme through wisedome was no lesse glorie then was the recouerie thereof from the English nation partly by force and partly by fortune Now in case discord were banished from among vs peace established and a good reformation begun yet must wee as I thinke beware how wee reenter into any forraine warre but vppon either great necessitie or a iust and good occasion but rather to kéepe peace with our neighbours for otherwise it is not possible to restore good maners and order For so doe I imagine that in sixe yeeres it may be halfe reestablished and in tenne altogether Great and strong bodies that are well founded and haue some good parts yet sound doe rise vp againe as woonderfully as they were ouerthrowne The chiefe is to begin well for a good beginning is halfe the worke Neither is there any doubt but God will prosper our endeuours whē he seeth vs wel disposed to take away the euill to restore that which is good The feeling of our miseries ought sufficiencie to mooue vs as also should the bad reputation whereto we are growen among all Christian nations who now doe hate vs as much for the vices that they impute vnto vs as in tyme past they commended vs for our vertues Now they stand no longer vpon the reproouing of the French inconstancie and insolencie as in tyme past They passe on a great way further yea so farre as all whatsoeuer disordinate or dissolute behauiour whether in maners or in politique gouernment is attributed thereto This mightie kingdome which heretofore was the refuge of the oppressed and a schoole of all learning and honestie whether our bordering neighbours sent their youth to bee instructed is now by them tearmed a denne of dissolution which they feare to come néere Such as trauaile forraine Countries can if they list to confesse it be good witnesses of the reproches wherewith we are taxed Yea which woorse is often tymes the common voyce attributeth like imperfections both to the good and bad I am ashamed to write what I haue heard euen of such as are very modest who spake rather of compassion then reproach Let vs cōsider how many kingdomes haue through farre lesse disorders then ours bene destroyed And sith God through his patience doth yet giue vs space to rise againe let vs not let slippe occasion but spéedely take hold thereof least our ingratitude and negligence procure the taking of those remedies from vs which we may haue despised In the meane tyme let vs not faint for I suppose there is no Estate in Christendome that yet hath better matter then we but it is now so mixed together as if a man should make a mangle of Diamonds Rubies Iron Lead Gold Siluer Marble Brasill Pearle Corrall Tyle and Slate But each thing being reduced into order and applyed to his owne vse the inferiour matter would serue to make most beautifull and excellent workes wherein the superiour being gathered together and adioyned would also shine as most ritch ornaments God who hath preserued our auncestors from so many destructions and giuen power and counsaile to our Kings in their greatest extremities vouchsafe to defend vs from the mischiefes which threaten vs and encrease the vertues of our King and graunt him grace to be the restorer of his kingdome The second Discourse That by Concord small things doe encrease and by discord great things doe decay THis most excellent sentence so common among many nations and which experience hath so often taught to bee true was heretofore alledged by one Micipsa a King of Numidia who lying vpon this death bed taught his children that the most soueraigne meane to preserue themselues and the Realme which he left them consisted in the obseruation of this rule Himselfe liued many yéeres in peace and prosperitie ordering his doings with great discretion and giuing the worlde to vnderstand that he knewe how to vse such things as tended to the encrease of an estate and could withall iudge of those that might demiuish the fame As also that which ensued his death was a great helpe to confirme that which he had sayd in his life tyme for his children either forgetting or contemning his instructions continued not long without debate among themselues which bre◠their vtter ruine In this example it were good to note some words spoken by this King before he pronounced this sentence as Salust reporteth I leaue vnto you saith he to his children a Realme both strong and stedfast if you be good but very weake if you be bad for by concord doe small things encrease and by discord doe they runne into decay Wherein his entent was to shewe that of goodnesse that is of vertue procéedeth Concord and thence prosperitie and contrariwise of vice groweth hatred of hatred discord and so destruction This deserueth to be considered to the end not to bee ignorant in the causes that bréede goodly effects neither in such as engender the contrary Truely I cannot but woonder of the knowledge that the heathen had of many good rules which carefully put in practise doe greatly helpe mans life wherein also they haue reuealed their wisedome notwithstanding me thinkes that to the ende well to knowe wherein the perfection of vertue doth consist we ought not so much to depend vpon thē as to seeke it in the wisdome of God from whēce all other barbarous prophane nations haue from time to time collected some small parcels which bréede light to their vnderstandings beautie to their works There shal we finde the soueraigne concord to be the same which we ought to hold with God for the man that careth not for the contrarying of him can hardly agrée with men in any thing y t reason which ought to be his guide cōmaundeth But for y t the discourse of this poynt apperteyneth rather to the Deuines then to a politicke man I wil hold my peace notwithstanding I think y t the cōsideration of supeeriour matters doth greatly auaile to y e displaying of the inferiour Wee shall not as I thinke néede many words to declare what Concord is which resembleth not other liberall artes or sciences whereof fewe men haue knowledge for it is very cōmon neither is there any but may make some tryall thereof Wee may in fewe words say that it is a cōmendable affection which bindeth strictly ioyneth vs with our like in all necessarie honest dueties Without such consent it were very hard for any societies either great or small long to continue by reason of those contrarieties which as naturally do méete in those persons wherof the same be composed would procéed to alteration if by this holy vertue they were not ruled If we cast our view vpon vnsensible creatures we shall see that the agréement of the elements among themselues doth mainteyne thē in their
remedie But for the first who liue in so ioyful and pompeous vnion together I doe not thinke it either méete or honest to ioyne with them or to participate with them in sacking murthering and robbing the innocent much better it were to eschue such concord But who be those that haue so liued The hystories do tell vs and furnish vs of examples enow both old and new I will content my selfe with the alleadging of one onely which is of Caesar Borgia Pope Alexander the 6. his bastard sonne who in horrible wickednesse was equall with the tyrants of olde time who also is the goodly patterne that Machiauel propoundeth to teach Princes how to rule This man replenished all Italy with bloud and vice found but ouer many defenders and adherents to assist him Truly that man had but a slender discretion and lesse vertue that coulde haue sought to liue in such a tyrannous concord Heere might wee place a Democratie vtterly depraued as was the Athenians wheÌ„ SoloÌ„ was condemned to death Likewise a corrupt Oligarchie as also was y e Athenians when the Lacedemonians established y e 30 gouernors who afterward grew to be tyrants murthered all the best citizens Next will I heare set downe the Senates tribunal seats of iustice most part of the Senators whereof haue consented to coÌ„mic al iniquity Such a one did y e Romane Senate resemble in y e time of Nero for all such detestable cruelties as he practised yea euen when he slew his mother did they vniuersally a 〈…〉 e accounting them as workes of pietie and healthsome to the common wealth But had it not rather bene impietie for a man to haue laboured to be of their order and so to haue prophaned himselfe in such a false concord Now will I speake somewhat of men of warre in a common wealth who are as it were the gard therof wheÌ„ passing the bounds of discipline they doe confederate and vnite themselues together and so taking vppon them the spoile and robbing of the people vpon mallice rather than necessitie doe destroie all Of this vnion a man may say that the greater it is the more noisome hurtfull For the last example of false concord which also is no lesse peruitious than the first I will set downe the same that was among the Bishops assembled at two or three Councels holden vnder the children of Constantine the great For the saide Bishops being in manner al Arrians or men infected with some other heresie did by a common consent condemne the Councell of Nice which was the most notable that euer was holden those that continued the soundest in points of religion That which was concluded in their assemblies was a plaine conspiracie against the truth no holie vnion of wils notwithstanding they shrouded themselues vnder that beautifull title Of all which matters here deducted euery man especially they that rashly do ship themselues simply into all ports may learne not to suffer themselues to be circuÌ„uented with outward shews which for the most part intangle the wisest that hereafter they be not forced to vse this phrase I thought it not Wee are also to note that notwithstanding those that vnite themselues in maner afore mentioned are sometimes of opinion to perseuere a long time they neuertheles do deceiue themselues because euill thinges bee of such a nature that many times when they are growen to a certain degree not gouerned with any thing that good is they 〈◊〉 turne to ouerthrow one another But the concord that continueth is the same that is between honest men which also proceedeth froÌ„ the motions of an vpright reason illuminated from aboue which maketh â—s affectionate one to another for being fed with so perfect a radicall humour it remayneth euer quicke and fresh as the trees that are planted along the riuers sides God grant therfore y t we euen we FrenchmeÌ„ may haue the same continually lodged in our hearts to the end to helpe to restore our Countrie to her auncient beautie The third Discourse Of the inconstancie whereby many do vse to hate condemne and detest their neighbours because of their contrarieties in religion THE onelie disputations holden about this matter in diuerse Countries within these few yéeres were sufficient to ingender great hatred yea euen among néerest kindred But when to the contention of wordes they ioyne déedes from whence haue proceeded infinite iniuries then are the passions coroborated and many mens heartes so poisoned that in the time of peace they caÌ„not satisfie their hatred against such as agrée not vnto their religious opinions neither their cruell reuenge in the time of warre In this matter when we come to demand what cause hath and yet doth ingender and bring forth these extremities many doe sufficiently declare that it is the zeale that euerie one beareth to his own religion that causeth them to be persuaded that all doctrine thereto repugnant is spotted with impietie and therefore they abhorre both it and all that professe it Now to the end not to stumble in this so rough a waie I haue thought it nothing amisse to open the signification of the word Zeale as also to shew the fruites that should procéede from so good a trée Zeale in my opinion is an ardent affection of the soule which tendeth to the honour of God and the saluation of our neighbour whereof it also followeth that it is offended when he is dishonoured Moses and Saint Paule did greatly declare the zeale that they did beare euen to Gods people when the one of them said Lord forgiue them this trespasse otherwise blot me out of the booke which thou hast written And Saint Paule who wished to be separated from God that his brethren according to the flesh who glorified God might bee brought into the waie of saluation By these speeches which some take to bee excessiue we are to vnderstand the vehemencie of their affection Likewise may Helias and Phinees bee vnto vs examples of the wrath that some conceiue when they sée impietie and wickednesse to abound Fâ—â— it moued the one of them to put to death all the Prophettes of Baal and the other Zambry and the Madianite And suche zeale is commended in the holy Scriptures because it was guided by the wisedome of God In this miserable worlde wherein we nowe liue are there fewe to be found that imitate Moses and Paul either that followe the examples of Helias and Phinehes notwithstanding many would vse the same for a cloake to their violent passions as peraduenture not considering that those wer perticular actions procéeding of inward motions or expresse commandements and so not to be made consequents Moreouer those dayes had especiall reasons for such kinde of iudgements which cannot well agrée with ours But the lawe of Charitie which is perpetual and the foundation of the two aforenamed wishes ought to reduce vs to the same practise and so might we
carrier Touching the first that are so violent in their opinions and propound nothing but sword and fire I cannot me think like of them For notwithstanding they seeme to desire the generall benefite yet doe they indeede rather seeke their owne contentations and perticuler profit Wherin seeing reason resisteth their vehemēt nature they haue recourse to force with the which if it lay in them they would not helpe themselues much better then a mad man with a sharpe sword It is straunge to see that men in the gouernment of brute beastes can vse moderation and patience and yet in the regiment of their like endued with reasonable soule and which are persuasible nothing may serue but cruelty In the correction of things hurtfull we are sometymes forced to shewe rigour which is not to be blamed if the causes so require and that withall wee put away all desire of reuenge But to guide the instruments of rigour with enuious passions is the way to marre and ouerthrowe all And this haue we throughly experimented in our poore countrie who is so oppressed with those calamities which through the rage of her owne children she hath suffered that now she doth clutter but with one wing And what is the cause thereof but these vyolent counsailes from whence are procéeded murders manslaughters beginnings of warres depopulatiōs wrongfull cōdemnatiōs sackings and other mischiefes with which meanes some say that we should helpe our selues for the sauing of the state from destruction and expelling the inconueniences alreadie happened Howbeit in the ende we haue found such remedies to bee farre worse then the sicknesse and more meete to encrease thē to decrease the disease They are not therefore to bee termed remedies but rather most cruell reuenges and destructions which haue rauished and caried away whatsoeuer the most excellent commodities of this realme namely the flower and aboundance of men What can those men now say that take such felicitie in the warre are so readie to perswade it for now I protest that they sée that notwithstanding it hath bene sixe tymes renewed it bringeth vs no commoditie but rather plungeth our France in all desolation But what will some passionate Catholicke say How can wee roote out those of the new opinion if wee may not helpe our selues with our weapons Truely my maisters may we aunswer first it were requisite you should proue it a iust matter and for the common commoditie to polute your hands in the bowelles of your fellowe countrimen before you bee permitted to make such a butcherly slaughter Were it not better for you by clemencie to bring them to concord and by good examples in life to endeuour to cōuert them It may be also that some Protestant offended at things passed will say Wee must haue no peace with these Papistes that haue done vs so much mischiefe before our swords haue made cruell reuenge To them would I priuatly say Why are not you yet wearie hauing tasted so many paines miseries but that you must reenter againe into newe Let vs rather make warre against our imperfections then mainteyne them in our land and endeuour to mollifie the hearts of those that hate vs by instructions seruices mutuall dueties and so will God send vs an assured peace Thus me thinkes wee should aunswer those men that are so sharp set vpon blood When vpon euill will we seeke warre it must needes be vniust but when to repulse crueltie and defend our innocencie wee are forced to beare it it is excusable because necessitie constrayneth But among all the Frenchmens furies there haue none bene so terrible as the massacres They were say some the last remedies to restore France to vnion And yet did neuer any thing happen that so farre disunited it Hereby wee might bee taught to refraine therefro because such vyolent waies in liew of restoring doe destroye And when all is sayd such counsailors deserue not the name of reformers but of deformers If the correction of any abuse come in question some are not content with the rooting of it out but they must also spoyle driue away and kill those whome they pretend to bee the abusers without destinction of person or trespasse And if the Italians who are mightely multiplyed in France bee spoken of they wrappe them all in one offence and say that they must be thus and thus vsed But they should first thinke that as among the French there bee both good and bad so are there among them of both sortes And a man may affirme that such of them as applye their mindes to goodnesse doe prooue most excellent as also those that are giuen to mischiefe are aswicked Moreouer is it possible to imagine any greater confusion and vniustice then for the punishment of some tenne or twelue guiltie persons to giue in pray a thousand innocents to vnbridled furie If some Italians haue brought wicked customes and inuentions into France watch them and finding them guiltie punish them but doe not imitate them for so might ye afterward be ashamed to condemne them Some accuse them to bee the aucthors of impositions and extraordinary taxes which haue almost oppressed the whole communaltie It is a cursed crime and those that are so vnthankfull to France where they are susteyned and growe into welth as to be the occasions of causing it to be eaten vp and so oppressed are vnworthie to dwell in it But we must marke well who they bee and not impute the fault of a fewe vnto all What must we then doe For sooth we must not repose any credite in them but in the gouernment of the state vse such Princes Lords notable persons as alwaies haue bene accustomed to counsell our Kings Neuerthelesse if peraduenture there chaunce to bee some among them who in respect of their singuler vertue and fidelitie might deserue to perticipate in the chiefest honors whereto the histories do testifie that in tymes past diuers straungers haue atchieued who would debarre them And herevpon I would demaund of them what Frenchmen were more affectionate to the estate then one Iames also Theodore Triuolsse one Prince of Melphy one Duke Horatius Fernesius aboue all the valiant race of the Strossyes of whom the last who deserued to march in the first ranke of y e best Frenchmen did voluntarily sacrifice his life for the turning aside of those ciuill warres that began againe to threaten our France I would wish we had halfe a dosen such straungers euen in our priuie councell They haue will some man say I speake of those that traficke al the greatest Farmes of the Realme I do not meruaile thereat sith they are giuen them If a Frenchman could find any such commodities in Italie he would post thether apace The best remedie for that is to preferre our owne nation before them This is not yet all for these men can in fiue or sixe yeres make thē selues ritch Truely if they atteyne to their wealth with either our publique
their estate wherein is no correspondent proportion kept I thinke I should not doe amisse though I declared that which might seeme better to be concealed For as well our forreine neighbours doe imagine thrise more then there is and say that wee are so affected to our King that we will according to our callings imitate his liberalities and expences This therfore that I now speake tendeth only to make vs wiser and more readie to repayre our domesticall decayes as well to eschue other mens scoffes as to expell sundrie cares out of our mindes and relieue those wants that oppresse vs. Now although it bee so that all doe agree in the confession of this pouertie yet when wee come to shewe how it commeth there is a contrarie difference therein For one saith one thing and another another yea euery one seeketh to accuse the vyolence of the long warres which as Monsters doe deuoure all rather then them selues Thus doe wee see how readie each one is to seeke starting holes whereby to cléere himselfe of his fault in liewe that he ought with vpright iudgement to examine from whence such disorders doe proceede To excuse a mans selfe is a very common matter and such as euery one is willing to doe because the excuse seemeth somewhat to blot out the spottes that may blemish his good renowme But because to accuse bringeth shame it is neuer put in practise vntill it needes must whereof it falieth out that that matter lyeth long hid in ignoraunce which ought sooner to haue bene knowne The prouerbe falleth out many tymes true which sayth That the euill which we knowe well is as it were halfe healed Let vs therefore seeke the cause of our owne and that will be to vs a readie way and preparation to finde remedie Those that doe attribute it to the ruine and charges of warre doe say that there be yet liuing many honorable persons that haue seene in what wealth and prosperitie the French Nobilitie liued vntil the tyme of Henrie the second For so long as we had peace there was nothing to be seene among the Lords Gentrie but liberalitie magnificence visitations with other such honest expences y e witnesses of wealth And yet all this notwithstanding they sould no landes as well for feare of reproach as also because of the moderation vsed in such things Likewise whensoeuer there was any warre proclaymed it will hardly bee beléeued what goodly furniture euery one caried with him as appeared in the voyadge into Germanie But as nothing in this world is long permanent so in the warres that were renewed in the yeere 1552. betweene the Emperour Charles the fifth and King Phillip which lasted seuen yeeres it was driuen to great expences as well for the selfe honor as in respect of the loue it bare to so good a Prince as was King Henry Then ensued the vniuersall ciuill warres all ouer the Realme comparable to violent streames which so encreased the ruine thereof that now all that the Nobilitie is able to doe is to maintaine it selfe liuing miserably in it owne house And hereof is growne the pouertie thereof These be their reasons which also I will not vtterly reie◠For I will still confesse that these stormes haue bred part of our pouertie but that it is wholly procéeded thereof I doe not aduowe and I will hereafter shewe that it had other helpes of greater importance to set it forward So as their argument concludeth but in parte Now let vs examine what may haue bene the ruine in the first warres It was not great for the Nobilitie that then serued were neither euill paide neither destitute of honest rewards procéeding of the Kings liberalitie True it is that some perticulers being too forward did in parte vnfeather themselues as also that the frontier Nobilitie encurred some losses But the greatest number continued in good state In the ciuill warres there fell out more losses which neuerthelesse lighted not vpon vs. Besides that in our pettie peaces since concluded it had still meanes to repayre the breaches Withall that France is so fruitfull and well peopled that whatsoeuer the warre wasteth in one yéere is repayred againe in two Sith therefore such discommodities haue still bene accompanied with some remedies as also that they haue assayled but the least parte of the Nobilitie wee are not to accompt this mischiefe either so vniuersall or great But in my opinion the cause why all the blame is layd vpon the warres is first because the same is by nature hurtfull secondly that the vyolence that moueth it is horrible and terrefieth and thirdly because men are glad to haue a shroude to hide their euill husbandrie or els artificially to pleade pouertie as the couetous doe A man that hath had a long continuall agew being cured thereof will remember it a long tyme and feare the like disease and yet the corruption of the humours whereof it proceeded did growe by little and little through his intemperance of life whereof he tooke no heede The like doe wee in thinges breeding our pouertie For some there are that wee finde out by and by and they make vs to lament but others which are neither so common nor agreeable with vs wee let easely slippe as if wee were insensible and will not knowe them And I dare affirme that if the ruines of warres and martiall charges that so wee complaine of haue brought vs fower ounces of pouertie our foolish and superfluous continuall expences which wee doe not greatly repent vs of haue procured vs twelue In this proposition we are to consider that the French Gentleman doth excéede in any thing whereto he is affected and will spare for nothing Then that most of them spend not in one thing only but in fower or fiue so diuers are their minds and that is the cause that drieth vp the liueliest springs of ritches Now one of the principall thinges wherein they ouerflowe is apparell wherein they haue neither rule nor measure yea custome hath wonne so much that a man dare not almost appeare in any good companie vnlesse he be guilt like a Challice for thereby many perswade themselues to bée the more honored The Courtiers were they that brought in these inuentions who in the meane tyme doe sharpe pennance for their labours in that there is no yéere but such large expences doe sende at the least one dosen of them into the Litter who for the pleasure of seeing themselues a fewe daies couered with silke and siluer must many moneths after beare the griefe of finding themselues houselesse or so haled by Usurers as they could not be worse in y e gallies Two other things there be besides the ritches of apparell which greatly encrease charges The one that men will haue diuersitie the other that from two yéeres to two yéeres the fashions doe chaunge and must be renued who so doth not frame himselfe hereto is laughed to scorne To be briefe either the hand
hauing liued licentiously vpon the spoile now are loth to return vnder the yoke of the laws which represse insolencie withal vnderstanding y t their good mother Nurce is else where are yet desirous to goe and sucke her breasts Some of them likewise are allured by foreine paie and others because they will not become artificers at home will liue abroade lyke souldiours These are the ordinarie causes that make them to take the fielde although most of them pretende the winning of honour As also since the beginning of these diuisions orders haue not bene so straightlie obserued as afore time for who so list may departe and no man taketh anie care thereof as if they were euill humours that purged away Now these men that make account that they cannot liue but in the warres and doe so vowe themselues thereto that they make of that profession which shoulde bee as it were extraordinarie such a perpetuall vocation as they exalt it aboue all others are greatlie deceiued as not knowing or at the least not willing to knowe that man ought principallie to shoote at peace and tranquilitie to the end to liue more vprightly For so long as the same beare swaie all thinges as well publike as priuate are in farre better order than when the confusions of warre haue as it were reuersed all manners and lawes In this my saying I meane not neuerthelesse to condemne the lawfull warres whereinto necessitie constrayneth men to enter for theyr defence for so is it no blemish to vse them Neyther will I anie whit contemne the ordinarie bandes of Princes and common wealthes because they bee the gardes of the lande who also for the most parte doe liue in rest But they of whom I minde to speake will neuer bee in peace neyther doe they care when they serue or wherefore so as they may finde fatte pastures There is a pretie Spanish saying which manye times they bee and I haue translated it thus Warre is my Countrie my harnesse my house I am readie at all times to fight for a souse What more could a bad Phisition and a worse iudge which wish the Citie to be full fraught with maladies mortalitie and strife to the end to haue good doings saie For these men likewise seeke nothing but alteration of estates that they may gorge themselues with the destruction of the same In this our age wherein wee liue it is impossible for anie to exempt themselues from warre because ambition couetousnesse and reuenge are as fruitfull as euer they were to ingender the same and when it comes good men doe swallowe it lyke a most bitter pill But to delyght in so troublesome a custome is to do as he that seeketh to be tormented continuallie vpon the sea Whome a man may iudge to be verie crooked and peruerse Moreouer these perpetuall warriours doe as much as in them lie shake off all such dueties as are most requisite in a good Citizen as that to their Countrie wherein they staie no longer than it is troubled c. to their parents whome some doe after they are growen prowd by armes disdaine because of their pouertie Concerning the perticular care that euerie one ought to haue to the erecting of a familie to the end to leaue children to his Countrie they neuer thinke of it as seeking rather to haue some bastard by their gentle gossips that followe them for whom afterward they take but small care These imperfections be the dependaunces of that choice of lyfe wherein the most of those that haue embraced it doe wrap themselues and finallie after long labour if they can attaine thereto they perish against some rocke or vpon some coast as a rouers ship There are will some man saie some that rise thereby true but not one of the fiftie And hee that woulde gather a Catalogue of those that suffer shipwracke vppon that hope must haue a long roule Another obiection is this many beeing brought vp â—ong in the warres and scarce knowing of whence they are cannot but followe that trade whereinto they are fashioned This were not to bee blamed if hauing reaped some fruite of their labours they would as some doe staie themselues when they are meetelie well But incessantlie to runne heere and there as rauens after carren that they haue smelt is as a man shoulde saie to transforme themselues into rauenous beasts or foules of praie The French souldiour ought in warre to serue his king and his Countrie and when peace commeth he must seeke if hee may to get into the entertayned bandes whereto if hee cannot reatch hee should not neuerthelesse vppon a desperate minde cast himselfe headlong into vnconsiderate enterprises as if the Realme were not able to keepe him or himselfe to finde meanes whereby to liue in the time of peace It is a wofull matter to thinke vppon the number of men that so cast awaie themselues For the pettie piracies of Perow doe swallowe vp aboue fiue hundred euerie yeere and other foreine warres more although the groundes bee vnlyke so as in fiue or sixe yeeres eight or nine thousande braue souldiours do shrinke awaie who might better haue serued some other time if they could haue had the patience to staie the necessitie of the common wealth I haue heard that at the battayle which Sebastian king of Portugal lost hee had certayne French harquebuts with him as also that in the armie of the Moores that ouer came him there were some lykewise Is not this a mad lusting after warre to runne so farre to seeke it yea and to serue vnder Infidelles I thinke when those men fall into anie premeditated perill they bee somewhat touched with repentance for theyr rashnesse but it is then verie late Those who for profite onelie doe flitter about like a birde at the call are more to bee excused than they that I haue spoken of For when some Captaynes haue spedde and the souldiours passed ouer their necessitie they returne home agayne although it many times fall out that as well the one as the other are defrauded of theyr hope in that the paie proueth so small and rare that they are not able to holde out yea and in place where paie is rifest the souldiours taste but little thereof It is onelie for a fewe Colonelles and Captaines who beeing licorous of such foode doe deuoure it and leaue the souldiours in lyke case as Colliers and Smiths who are all blacke and full of sweate while none but their masters that set them on worke doe gather the profite Which custome is farre different from that of our auncestours who appointed to the Captaines the honour and to the souldiours the siluer But of all that profite by payes none doe so well helpe themselues as the Reysters And to saie the truth wee are but clownes in respecte of them though some thinke themselues more actiue For they are so perfecte in Arithmetike that they neuer ouershoote themselues in accounts Lykewise they keepe possession
himselfe therein considering that the vse of the rest is more necessarie for him If he fighteth once in a moneth it is all neuerthelesse if he list he may daily put in practise other good gifts to the benefite of others and his owne commendation It is no small matter to be accompted a Souldier but when honestie is thereto adioyned it is much more And thus are we to make our perticuler profession to leane to the generall vocation that is to liue well whereunto all men are bound And whosoeuer forgetteth this vniuersall rule to stay himselfe onely vpon the obseruations there vpon depending it should seeme that he is rather led by profit or 〈…〉 bition wherevnto men of all sorts doo aspire than by anie true affection to vertue Hanniball of Carthage was one of the most famous Captaines that euer were yet being destitute of pietie and faith and withall a cruell and deceiptfull person it bred him the name to bée a most wicked man How much greater commendation deserued Scipio Africanus who was both an honest man and as good a Captaine withall This neuer boasted so much in his valiancie as to despise the thing that made him not onely a true Citizen but also a good householder For to bee iust to his friends and terrible to his enemies are no such contraries but that they may very well concurre together because the originall of them both proceedeth from one spring Well I will confesse that in a man of warre prowesse is commendable but in the well borne Gentleman his studie exercise and pleasure should shoote at all the vertues especially at those that are most to bee preferred considering that Nobilitie is a participation in all those good thinges I thinke no man will gainsay but Pietie Truth Temperance and Iustice must march before Fortitude notwithstanding she also helpeth the rest For the vngodly lying dissolute or vniust person whatsoeuer goodly cloke of prowesse that may bee giuen him is neuerthelesse eschued and hated as being much more hurtfull to his friendes then dreadfull to his enemies although he knowe neuer so well how to helpe himselfe with his weapon For this cause ought Noblemen first to learne those thinges that are most necessarie and so by degrees to discend to those that may better be forborne so shall they escape this error which stayeth them vppon one simple prize and hideth from them many other more precious wherein they haue no lesse interest It might peraduenture beseeme a poore Souldier who hauing nothing hath by his weapon and desert hath atchieued meanes to liue neuer to depart the bounds of prowesse but highly to extoll it as euery artificer will doe his arte But the Gentleman to whome as well this as many other waies are yet open wherein to exercise himselfe and to atteyne to honor yeeldeth himselfe as it were prisoner yea euen guiltie in seeking to march only vnder the one sith he is bound to walke in all I remember an aunswere to this purpose once made at the Court to one whose continuall talke was of warre yea euen in the tyme of peace When the warres begin againe said one to him you shall be set on worke but now seeing you are destitute of ciuill and peaceable conditions I would wish you to shut vp your selfe in a chest so to keepe you from rust vntil tyme serue either els to temporise at this time The former error is somewhat tollerable because it may be amended and it is to bee hoped that he which will endeuour to doe one parte of his duetie being better taught will employe himselfe in the rest but he that abuseth that one onely vertue that he hath chosen is wonderfully out of the way And whereas Gentlemen do weare their swords girt to their sides first they do it in the defence of their Countrie and next to employ them vnder the authoritie of the lawes to defend the weake and innocent from the vyolence of the oppressors also to preserue their owne persons from outrage So farre is the practise now from following the sayd rules that contrariwise many as well noble as vnnoble doe vse them to doe more harme to their friends then hurt to their enemies This is a goodly valiancie that serueth onely to destroye it selfe and villanous are the Tryumphes which are erected of the spoyles of Peasants also of the weapons and blood of neighbours and companions Some man will say that Fortitude is an other maner of thing and shineth principally in the warres I graunt it but not in these which seeme it to be vnperfect in all places Valiancie among other things consisteth in vanquishing rather then to flee and in sustaining of labour freely Concerning the first poynt what doe we see Losses ordinarie and victorie rare And as for the second there néede but two daies rayne and fower and twentie howers want to raise a w 〈…〉 egiment into a mutinie Thus by litle and little many doe wander and stray from this vertue notwithstanstāding they aduow that they haue ambraced it And if the French Princes Lords famous Capteynes and Gentlemen which doe well vse the same doe not endeuour to restore it into the former dignitie and to take away the abuses they shall many tymes finde themselues as well at the Court as in the field farre abused And our nation which heretofore hath through true Valiancie gotten such fame shall behold it selfe slaue to those that heretofore haue obeyed it This may suffice to shewe that Nobilitie ought to ayme at all vertues and not at one alone Likewise that they must not peruert that vertue which ought to be the piller of their armes I would haue made some description of this vertue of Fortitude which cannot bee too well knowne to those that exercise the same but that Aristotle in his Ethickes hath largely discoursed therof wherevnto they that delight in reading may haue recourse especially well to vnderstand the difference betwene such as is true in deede and that which doth but beare a shewe thereof onely I will say this by the way that he setteth downe fiue kindes of counterfait Fortitude The first that which is grounded vpon hope of reward the second vpon feare of punishment the third vpon experience the fourth vpon wrath and the fifth vpon ignorance of daunger But the true is when a man in the middest of the greatest daungers and most terrible things yea euen of death sheweth him selfe stedfast and without feare whereinto he hazardeth himselfe in a iust and honest cause and of these there be few and yet to be truely possessed with Fortitude he must be such a one The second false opinion is not so hurtfull as the first howbeit it molesteth many and to no purpose in causing them to seeke felicities rather apparant then true and to iudge amisse of the condition of many I mislike not that men should commend that kinde of life that any hath chosen because it liketh the
prohibition not to hurt each other vnto his maiestie to whom onely belongeth the graunt thereof Whosoeuer shall by himselfe or by any other strike a Gentleman with aâ—udgell shall after satisfaction be also punished by limited banishment or some other grieuous payne because it is a boyish iniurie If the partie iniuried practise any trecherie for the recouerie of his honor the superiour shall force him to amends for his cowardlinesse Likewise for those who in the Prouinces through their quarels shall make any great assemblies or with open force pursue their aduersarie because such are but sparkes wherewith to kindle warres Many other such like articles may be hereunto added which digested into order would beare some grace But after some good resolution taken for their well obseruing they may soone enough bée reuealed For this tyme it may suffice to runne ouer these small peeces which I haue layd together to awaken many good wittes that I knowe in France to the ende they may say better then I haue done correct that which I haue set downe and shew the great ones that it is their dueties by all meanes to seeke to reduce the Nobilitie into the way from whence it hath strayed for so long as it shall remaine wandring both in word and deede it shall still prophane Uertue and Armes and wast it selfe whereas contrariwise if good discipline may force it to reenter into the carrier of our auncesters easely it may atteyne to the end therof where the crownes of true honor are distributed The thirtenth Discourse That his Maiestie ought in the tyme of peace to enterteyne at the least fower regiments of footmen reduced into the number of 2500. men as well for the preseruation of martiall discipline as to bee alwaies assured of a great body of olde Souldiers WOrthely is King Charles the seuenth commended for his so profitable establishment of the men of Armes whereof he was the author Neither doth the great King Frances deserue lesse praise in that imitating the auncient discipline he could finde meanes among his owne subiects to forme a mightie bodie of footmen wherewith the more to furnish out his warsare For before there was but small accompt made of them as is aforesayd But since the setting downe of good rules and that the exercise thereof hath ensued they haue fashioned themselues and are growne more obedient and valiant Harquebuts came but little before into vse which haue made them very terrible and so necessary as they may not be missed Sith therefore the experience of many warres haue taught that it is not possible to prosecute them well without a good number of footmen were it not a great ouersight not to lay any foundation of them Considering that a meane hath bene found how to forme so strong a one of Horsemen For the same reasons that moued our auncient Kings to ordeyne the one may vrge them that now raigne to establish the other In olde tyme the chiefe differences of warre were decided in the plaine field where now they consist in surprises assaults and defence of Houlds Wherein the Harquebuts and Pikes are not only profitable but also necessarie Now if wee list to consider the number of Footmen that France mainteyneth in the tyme of peace they will seeme to be fewe in respect of the Horsemen who in the tyme of King Henry the second were aboue sixe thousand speares For excepting the Garrisons of Citadelles and Castles which are there to bee settled the rest is a small matter But for the procuring of a well ordered warfare it is requisite there be some proportion betwéene the parties and sortes of men of warre whereof it consisteth as there is betweene the meÌ„bers of a mans bodie For either superfluitie or want doe breed deformitie And notwithstanding the men of armes doe in dignitie surmount the others yet doth it not thereof ensue that they should in quantitie so farre excéede The arme is more honorable then the legge yet is the legge as massiue and great as it yea and as profible in his function In my opinion therefore it seemeth there were some reason in tyme of peace to entertaine fower regiments of footmen of sixe hundred in each so to concurre with the force of the Ordinances notwithstanding the same now consist but of 4000. Speares I will not stand to shewe what neede France still standeth in of an armed arme for all men of iudgement doe sufficiently know that the Eagles of Austrich would come and eate vp her Chickens if martiall order were extinct But many doe thinke the French nation to be so well enured to warres that they neede but stampe on the ground as Pompey sayd to bring foorth whole legions armed Howbeit they are deceiued neither is there any trust to be reposed in that For if discipline and enterteynment faile the more men there be the more is the disorder and confusion Such as suffer themselues to be abused with the noyse of many Drums with the sight of many Flagges wauing in the wind and with the view of a field couered with men doe not wéene themselues to bée deceiued because they thinke that euery one should be as readie to doe his duetie as he is to make a bragge but at the proofe we many times finde that a small troope of resolute enemies doth ouerthrow all this Haue not wee also within these twentie yeeres sufficiently felt the spoyles that a disordered multitude doth worke euen to their friends All these experiences might perswade vs that a few olde Souldiers doe profite more then a great sort of rawe and vnskilfull I knowe that no man will say but wee ought alwaies to maintaine a good number of men of armes but for Footmen some thinke that in time of peace they may well enough be spared because the Realme for want of habilitie had néede to spare many things But I will say that if the Realme bee poore it will bee contemned if it be contemned the more will practise against it which ought to moue the mightie well to vnderproppe it with counsaile and force I will be aduised how I will thinke our pouertie to be such as not to be able to maintaine fower thousand Speares and fiue and twentie hundred Footmen in ordinary besides the garrisons and warders of Castles Wee might doe more but when a little will suffice a great deale is superfluous Now doe I wish that the bodies of regiments should still bee in force to the ende the arte of warre bee not forgotten not in speculation but in practise as also to preserue many men of commaundement I haue guided companies of 60. men which in my opinion would bee sufficient in time of peace For when occasion should fall out to augment them putting into euery companie the full number they will in two moneths as well through the diligence of good Capteynes as by vertue of good orders bée trayned to doe good seruice But so will not the newe leuyed
regiments For if the Colonell bee a man of small experience he maketh but bad choyse of Capteynes and they of Souldiers Then as well the one as the other guyding them selues rather after their owne phancies then after any good militarie order it is not to bee meruailed though such bad beginnings haue worse ends The like may also happen to this warfare for if the Colonell louing the Court will not remaine with his companies and the Capteynes do for the most part keepe home likewise that as well the one as the other to the ende to furnish themselues doe make their prouision of halfe their Souldiers pay all will bee corrupted In a matter of such importance we ought to be very diligent and the more that abuses doe multiplie the more seuerely are they to be looked vnto The fower regiments afore mentioned would I wish to bee put in garrison in the frontiers of Picardy Champagne and others of protection there to serue as well for the custodie of some places of importance as Metz and Calais as also to bee Schooles where young Gentlemen growne from Pages and other youth might goe to learne the arte of warre but the chiefe ende indeede is to haue alwaies a storehonse of old souldiers readie prouided for euery neede For so soone as warre were proclaymed and the King shall haue cōmaunded to encrease the companies to their full number amounting to two hundred a peece we should within some sixe or seuen weekes be able to bring forth into the fielde two thousand Corcelets sixe thousand Harquebuts which ioyned with a parte of the men of armes would beare a good brunt vntill the comming of the rest of our power Now if euer it is necessary to reforme our footmen sith the ciuill warres haue so corrupted them y t either they cannot or will not almost obey onely breeding terror where they march and scath where they continue In these daies when a yong man commeth newly into a regiment of Footmen I presume that he learneth some feates of warre also to be the more couragious but it is to bee feared least in the same Schoole he get as great imperfections which darken all the good that he had learned as I haue shewed els where Where cōtrariwise these fower regiments would be as it were great springs from whence would flowe none but fayre and cleere water which shedding it selfe all ouer the Realme would clarifie those that are troubled For discipline being established and obserued such as followe the same shewing themselues euery where gentle to their equalles obedient to their superiours courteous to the commōs and stout against the proud especially against their enemies should cause all men much more to admire them therefore then for their bigge lookes besides the fame of so braue an institution being spred abroad all noble harts will detest the accustomed corruptions and withall desire to submit themselues to the same Had I not heretofore seene the like effects proceede of the like cause I would not speake so boldly as I doe I remember that in the beginning of King Henry the seconds raigne when certeyne Capteynes and Souldiers that had lyen two yéeres in garrison in the townes of Piedmont returned into France they were greatly esteemed because they shewed them selues so ciuill and courteous nothing iniurious and speaking so orderly of the exercise of armes which caused many young men to runne thether in hope of the like instructions Yea my selfe haue seene the Earle of Charny one of the most vertuous and honestest Lords of this land weare the Corcelet and goe to warde as duely as one of the meanest Souldiers euen in the tyme of peace Now may some good husband obiect that this multiplicitie of Capteynes and Companies will much augment expences which though they be ordinarie doe neuerthelesse growe grieuous in the ende also that it were better to mainteyne but tenne compleat To whom I will aunswer that my entent is not to forme one full regiment for alwaies as affayres growe on it shall bee but one regiment but I looke to lay the foundation of many which being good all that shall be built thereon will take the like goodnesse that is to say Valour As also it would followe thereof that we should haue thrise so many men which is one of the drifts that I tend vnto For as hath bene aforesayd these fower bodies should maintaine eight thousand Souldiers all which being incorporated therein might be tearmed olde They should moreouer be shops out of the which we might fetch Capteynes for our footmen for in three or fower yeeres exercise euen in the tyme of peace a man of any capacitie might grow worthie to commaund through often conference of the 〈◊〉 of warre and practising the offices of those that deale therein 〈◊〉 also by continuall viewe of some image thereof before his eyes As for the charge I confesse it would amount vnto about fower thousand crownes at the most by moneth But withall we should mainteyne a hundred or sixe score men of commaundement whereof many might in tyme doe such seruice as could not bée recompenced What braue Colonels haue the Infantery bred within these fiue and twentie yeeres of whom I will name but a fewe as Charry Gohas Causseins Sarlabous Pilles Mounans and the valiant Montbrun It is to bee thought that this good order will raise vs vp more such Wee shall doe our maister no hurt in giuing him counsaile to spend a handful of money to reape againe so good interest for it The Colonels of these regiments being well and without fauour chosen must also wee subiect to dwell fower or fiue moneths of the yeere among them neither may the Capteynes haue leaue to bee absent aboue three or fower moneths at the most For when the officers be away discipline is neglected and obedience lost Likewise were it requisite the assignations of payment were certaine to the ende the Souldier bee not corrupted in being driuen to seeke his liuing abroade Thus would 15000. crownes by moneth suffice which is such a somme as our Kings sometyme doe giue to some one man in one day Likewise where our Souldiers will now a daies weare no Corcelets the same might by this meanes be brought againe into vse and estimation which is more easie to bee done then men weene for but then the Capteynes must begin who haue reiected the vse of the Pike for they must bee enioyned to take it againe together with the Millan Corcelet If they will they may also haue the Sword and Target of proofe against assaults and skirmishes In the Companies one quarter should bee Corcelets and that should neuer faile and the rest Harquebuts And notwithstanding this were not a fit proportion which requireth to consist of as many of the one as of the other yet must we come as neere it as wee may Also the better to bring our Souldiers into tast with the sayd Corcelets they should haue those that
Romaine Empyre exalted to that greatnesse whereto it grewe It vsed these orders and auncient names vntill the barbarous nations ouerthrew it for then were many things confounded and buried vp euen in the arte of warre Afterward the bands of Souldiers were termed by sundrie other names as yet they be But our great King Frances desiring to strengthen and establish his realme by al practisable meanes deuised to establish legions to the end as occasion might serue to haue men alwayes readie not to be forced to begge for aide The Lord of Langey sayth that in euerie Prouince he tooke order for one consisting of 6000. men who all should once in the yeere meete seuerally to be mustered Now as this mightie Prince after the imitation of his elders instituted this braue order according as the disposition of his people and affaires could beare so I suppose that after his example we shoulde seeke to redresse some small bodie of these olde and great relickes fit to offende and defend as well in the field as otherwise whose maintainance would in the time of peace be of small charge for it were but a follie to secke in euerie point thereof to restore the auncient institution considering that France being so much weakned cannot be able to sustaine so heauie a burthen and therefore must haue no greater charge than it is able to beare If his Maiestie would entertaine foure legions and that after the auncient manner I thinke it would be too much as well in respect of the charge as for the oppression of the people for one moneths wages for 24000. men would amount to 250000. frankes besides that their march to fro at the assemblies would now that souldiours are so farre out of order endomage the people a hundred and fiftie thousand To be briefe this warfare would yerely amount to 400000. franks which al would not make the men much better than those y t are ordinarily leuied when wars come on Hoâ— beit the sound of this great number of people dooth at the first dazell mens eies but we must not trust to them better it were to practise the Spanish prouerbe that saith Poco y bueno which is A few and good But I woulde wish wee might haue three established one in Picardie one in Champagne and one in Burgundie each consisting of 2000. men and this establishment would be erected principally to these ends First to induce the Gentrie to inroule themselues among the Infanterie secondly to reestablish Corcelettes therein and thirdly to helpe to fill vp the bodies of our armies Concerning the first point experience teacheth that nothing hath more corrupted our Infanterie than that our Gentrie haue with drawen themselues therefro disdaining not onely to beare the harquebut and pike but also many times to take anie charge Wher by are entered pettie Countrie Captaines deuoid of all respect of honour and such as seeke to inrich themselues with the generall spoiles of our warres Yea if any olde regimentes haue obserued some sorte the auncient discipline yet are there many disorders crept in among them The cause that maketh the Spanish Infanterie at this daie to be in such estimation is for that their Gentry are so willing to serue therin yea rather than among the horse For there will they serue out theyr apprentishippe of warre to the ende to attaine to be Captaines which degree they make as great account of as we doe of the Colonelship of a whole regiment It were therefore good to commit the charge of the companies to notable Gentlemen who lykewise might choose to bee their Liuetenants and Ensignes such other Gentlemen their neighbours of whome there be enow in the Prouinces as might be capable therof Thus through theyr credites they might bring in for souldiours other that beare the same title of Gentrie as themselues The Lord of Langey witnesseth that the Captaines of the legions of Normandie and Picardie were all men of good houses and nameth the Lordes Bacque-ville Cantelow Mally and Lanny with others bearing office Wherefore to restore into honour such as we would establish it were requisite the Colonels thereof were of person valorous in warre experienced knowen in Court and worth 12. or 15000 frankes rent co the ende through their owne estimation to bring the office into credit And although I heare yoke wealth with vertue yet doe I make it but as her handmaide for the exercise of liberalitie which is necessarie among souldiors We see that in the lowe Countries the chiefe Lordes doe not disdayne to take the regiments as the Earles of Egmont Arembergue Barlaimont the valiant Marques of Renty with the gallant Earle Charles of Mansfield As touching the second point for the reestablishing of Corcelets Pikes I haue alreadie shewed that the Infanterie that is thereof vnprouided is vnperfect howbeit that there are meanes to remedie it Whereof the most soueraigne in my opinion is to bring men to it voluntarilie rather than by compulsion which may easily be done if the Gentrie through obedience will begin to leade the waie to the rest who will not bee behinde when they shall see their Captaines which command them take vpon them the vse of the same weapon that they appoint to them It were good also that the orders of the said legions were such as the third part of the men of whome they should consist to be pikes and the fourth harquebuts so should the three legions containe 4500. corcelets and 1500. harquebuts Now to come to the third point I saie that this number is sufficient to make three battailes wherof eueÌ„ one would withstand a regiment of Germains for although it should contain but 1200. corcelets yet doe I suppose it â—urst fight with two thousand considering the qualitie of the men therein contained Neither doe I doubt but we should finde 1050. Gentlemen in euerie one who being placed in the three first rankes what man can saie but they would giue a â—aliant onset Such an opinion haue I of the French Gentry that being lead by a good and skilfull Captaine I assure my selfe they would passe through fire and water Thus would these three legions deserue to haue place in the right and left winges of the army because their bodies would bee both bigge and stronge enough to stand Such as will medle with warre especially in the field must not deceaue them selues but thinck that armies without battailes of Pikes are as armes and legges without bodies which are most necessary to beare vp the said members Now let vs see whether this smale principle and order that I would lay in time of peace may in time of warre make them as good as I haue described them For my parte I thinck they will not want much Which neuerthelesse I referre to the iudgement of those that haue more skil than my selfe after they haue seene the end of this discourse They are to remember that I fit the shooe to the foote that
when the legions should be perfected vp to their ful bodies such persons as should be added coulde in short time bee trained Heereto I saie that it is greatlie to bee presumed that such wildinges as shoulde bee grafted into this free and well pruned tree by taking theyr releefe therefro woulde come in short space to beare the lyke fruit And lyke as good Pilots and shippe maisters do soone make their Mariners fit for nauigation so well taught Captaines doe soone giue their souldiours good instructions Some will saie that our legions cannot be good for want of maintainance I confesse they might be the better but we must withall consider that it would cost aboue 900000. Frankes by yeere which is the reuenue of a good Prouince whereas after my rule set downe they shall not spend in time of peace aboue 16800. crownes which to a king is but foure sets at Tenis or the bad luck of two houres play at Primero Wel warre being proclaimed and the Colonels charged to fill vp their number of men they should wish their Captains to put in as much Gentrie as they might and wee must thinke that by their credite many would be willing yea as many as I haue sayd that is 150. to euerie legion Afterward they should also choose other good soldiours enow fit for the pike Corcelet although many were but so so yet hauing so proud a head they should shew themselues wretches if they would not followe so good guides As for harquebuziers they should neuer be aboue fiftie in a companie and we shall finde of them thousands It were also requisite his Maiestie should deliuer to euerie legion flue hundred Corcelets for the which he to paie part of the mony aforehand to the merchants and appoint paiment of the rest at the musters And so doth the K. of Spaine sometimes when he Ieauieth anie Germaine regiments For he prouideth the most part of armour otherwise the Captaines shoulde not be able to doe it on such a sodaine During the warres they should be maintained as the ordinarie hands and at their feete as also they should obey the generall of the Infanterie Likewise their Captaines being men of honour and able to liue as also sufficiently instructed by their Colonelles of the infamie growing of disordered militarie proulings pilferies should studie how to keep their cōpanies as compleat as might be and not excessiuely to rob them as some do yea to helpe their poore souldiours in their greatest necessitie but withall when the warre were ended they should be paide their charges If this order might come to perfection the king could hardly be surprised by anie euimie whatsoeuer for in 6. weeks the foure regiments afore spoken of together with these three legigions may be brought into the field and their bodies furnished with 14000 braue souldiours whereof to make foure goodly battailes of pikes which are so necessarie Also if part of the men of armes and light horse were ioyned vnto it it would be a meetly sufficient army of our own natiō to defend our borders vntil strangers might be leuied I know some wil peraduenture saie that few meane soldiours will serue in such bands wherein we looke to haue all chiefe officers taken out of the bodie of the Gentrie but for preuenting this inconuenience I thinke it were not amisse to leaue some honours for the vnnobls if by vertue they may growe worthy the same as the Serieant maiors office the Lieuetenantships of companies meane serieants roomes Thus may they be contented But the Lieuetenant Colonell the Captaines Ensignes should alwayes be Gentlemen Concerning the difficultie ordinarily propounded which in deed is not small how to induce the common soldiours to take the pike I suppose it would soone be decided when they should see as I haue said the Captaines gentry practise the same weapon vpon occasion to fight ioyne with the body of the battell sauing such as shall be appointed to lead the shot as also to imitate the Spaniard who alloweth the Corcelet greater pay than the simple harquebuze I haue heretofore heard some Princes counsailours who sought to make their maisters too thriftie mislike the maintaining of many militarie officers in the time of peace and peraduenture there be yet some of them that may saie that it were more meete to hyer one hundred good souldiers that might keep a frontier towne than to enter into charges for that which I haue propounded To these will I make no answere but euen referre them to the Marshalls Montmirencie and Biron two olde Captaines of Fraunce who vnderstand more of the arte of warre than my selfe and if they condemne me I yeeld but I imagine that I shal not loose my plea for euen of themselues I haue heard that the good Captains make the good souldiours because they be the preseruers of good order discipline which others do soone neglect yea euen contemne vnlesse they be bound thereto But will some man replie can your selfe well performe the thing which yee tell others may be done so easily Truly I think that it properly appertaineth to those which now beare the title of Colonels of the Legionaries and are better seene in the arte of warre than my selfe to labour in it and to reape the honour therof As also I beleeue that in France there be 1000 Gentlemen more sufficient than my selfe and can better discharge it Nowbeit that they shall not thinke that I would set downe things that cannot be practised and like vnto paradoxes whereof I will discourse and yet are so strange I saie that if my King should command me to try such a matter notwithstanding I coue◠not anie offices whether great or smal I would thinke within two yeres to forme such a bodie as therewith I durst wrastle with anie other regimēt whatsoeuer so it were of such a nation as beare vs no great good will And I assure my selfe the Zuitzers who helpe themselues with the pike as well as anie souldiours in the world would be gladde to haue the assistaunce of such a legion This is my opinion Wherein if I ouershoote my selfe let men consider that I am a French man whose eares doe so gloe with hearing my nation set at naught that I would wish it to do that which I know it is able if it were holpen to the end men might perceiue that industrie and valour are not quite perished in France The fiftenth Discourse That the auncient manner of aranging the horse in haie or file is now of smal vse Also that it were necessarie they should take the vse of squadrons THe Frenchmen who are verie readie to embrace nouelties and to abandon olde things haue not alwaies so obserued that rule but that they haue continued steadfast in some auncient customes which they haue accounted ineete to be retained But growing to a more diligent examination it appeareth that as in some they haue left the worse to embrace the better
or make peace for a hundred yeeres with their neighbours that they might worke at leisure Some man may say it is but a small matter for the Kings who in the ciuill warres of Flanders and France haue each of them spent aboue 70. millions of golde But I will to the contrary conclude by the same reason for hauing wasted such innumerable summes a little will be found to be a great deale If we shall looke all France ouer I thinke wee shall scarcely finde except a fewe Castles any towne halfe finished after the engeniors rules Some doe beare themselues herein like vnto certaine Brides who being perswaded that a gowne of cloath of golde will make them more beautifull then one of taffatie doe thereby force their husbands to consent that half their dowrie be consumed in beautifull ornaments for their mariages but afterward they haue sower sauce to their sweete meate as being driuen to a long pennance for their sumpteous vanitie It were much more profitable for both to know what were méete and to goe no farther When I compare the townes that were besieged in the time of King Frances his sonne Henrie with those that haue bene assaulted in our ciuill warres I am forced to confesse that these last haue bene better defended notwithstanding they haue bene assayled with greater arte and yet most of them were neuer furnished with any of these stately fortifications which sheweth that so many great expences are superfluous sith they bring foorth no better fruite then those that are lesse The ingeniours will say that notwithstanding men fortifie but with earth without any of their supporters of Stone or Bricke which are no lesse beautifull then necessarie yet still they followe their precepts Wherto I aunswer that in many things men may helpe themselues therewith howbeit they are rather to sticke to newe experiences which haue taught very good kindes of fitting and defending themselues The first is the same that I haue alreadie mentioned namely fortification with earth which cost tenne times lesse then great Masondrie and is neuer a whit worse For proofe hereof I will alleadge the towne of Gaunt which in two yeeres was finished and furnished with Rauelins ditches counterscarpes although it be of as great circuite as Paris within the walles and cost not aboue 300000. Florins But if the King of Spayne should haue made this fortification according to the written rules he must haue spent aboue sixe millions and twentie yeres at the least In diuers places the townes haue bene taken before they haue bene a quarter fortified after these great platformes The second thing which experience hath made many to allowe of is to losen the Bastions from the Courtines yea and to carie them without the ditch For although they be not defended with the Artillerie from any lowe Casemates yet doe the Harquebuzery sufficiently shield them from the Curtines which is a continuall anoyance that cannot bee taken away where the flankes of the Bastions may bee pearced or broken when the shoulders are weake Also if one of those rarelines that I speake of should chaunce to bée taken yet is not the place therefore so lost but that the enemie may very well be put backe where contrariwise it is a necessarie consequence to those that haue ioyned them to the Rampiers The third is the vse of intrenching which is a marueilous profitable remedie though smally practised in times past but in our ciuill warres men haue learned to vse it very well Though they bee weake and but ill made yet doe they preserue from being forced on a sudden and procure some reasonable composition But if they be large and well made either they wholy preserue or at the least doe giue a moneths respite which is a soueraigne purchase to the besieged when the enemie must winne it by little and little during which time they may light vppon some fauourable accident for themselues Hereto will I adde one sleight which practise hath taught namely to striue for a drie ditch after the Counterscarpe is wonne and so to defend a Rampier a fewe daies though the enemie be lodged in the Parapet For with sundrie pollicies haue men learned to fight each with other some more some lesse as hath bene seene in diuers Sieges both in the Lowe countries and in France All which inuentions doe consist as much in remouing the earth as in any other manuall defence Now will I shewe how I would the place which I propound should be prouided for presupposing y e situation to be in y e plaine as are the situatiōs of most of the townes in Flanders First I would not haue the Rampier raised too high For such as are so vnreasonable high as they are in most places about Bruxelles Tournay Orleance and Rochell are rather Mountaines then Rampiers and bee within as I thinke thirtie foote high For herein they be hurtfull that being wonne there is no more meanes to defende because the defendants cannot entrench behinde to any purpose when their trench shall bée so ouer awed As for the ditch I would wish it to bée full of water if it might bée so to eschue surprizes as also that it is more troublesome to the assailant then the drye Counterscarpes doe after a sorte serue and the couert way to them should bée large Likewise I would thinke an other pathe to be profitable which should be behinde or vnder the first being sixe foote broade and as many high Which should serue to the ende that when the Counterscarpe chaunced to bee wonne by vyolence as was that of Vulpian in Piedmont where all the Souldiers were drowned and slaine the defendants might saue themselues As for the Rauelins they would be fitly placed without the ditch and made so large that they may beare a good entrenching For so shall the enemie although he haue wonne the poynt haue a fortnights worke But the inner ditch if it were possible should be drye to the ende the Souldiers might in the beginning of the Siege bee kept there for issues which I thinke to bée necessarie for the besieged as well to the encrease of their courages as in respect of y e great hurts which the enemie shall thereby receiue For these are meetly safe enterprises for a cunning Captaine and will amaze the assailants when they shall finde themselues assailed Whosoeuer vndertaketh to assault such a place must of necessitie begin with the Rauelin which is a most assured warning that he will beate the Courtine on that side Wherefore omitting all other matter they must fall to entrenching whereby in time they may make as it were a newe towne in case they haue people enow and a skilfull Ingeniour I suppose that in a place where there are Souldiers a Rauelin should hold out one month at the least yea euen against the Prince of Parma who is the skilfullest assaulter of townes that I know The rampier and passage of a ditch full
a few dayes after This quailed their oâ—rages and hope of all the souldiours in his armie to see themselues depriued of so notable a Generall Insomuch that the Queene beeing wearie of so many miseries and notable slaughters vndertooke the treatie of peace and thence foorth was there nothing but patleyes on eyther side vntill it was concluded wherein the Lorde Prince of Condie and the Lorde Constable were the chiefe instrumentes and dealers Nowe let vs speake of the 〈◊〉 Admiralls expedition who fearing the forcing of Orleance â—e solued wholie vppon diligence as also in sixe dayes hee marched 〈◊〉 〈…〉 ie leagues with his power of horsemen who consisted of two thousand Reisters fiue hundred French horse and one thousande â—â—arqâ—ebuziers on horsebacke as also they had onelie one thousande and two hundred horses but no cart for their carria 〈…〉 In this sort we vsed such diligenee that sometimes we preuented the fame of our comming in diuerse places where wee ariued The sayde Lorde Admirall beeing come to Cane assaulted it with the helpe of certaine English men whome the Earle of Warwicke Beauois la Nocle who were in Newhauen had sent him The Castle being furiously beaten did yeelde vppon composition Therein was the Marquez of Elboeuf to whome wee vsed all curtesie Our Reisters also receiued their paie which they liked better than the Normandie Cidre and as wee prepared to returne to sucâ—our Orleance the Prince of Condie writ to the Admirall that the peace was concluded which news conuerted his desire to fight into another desire namely to visite his house This was the end of the first ciuill warre which had continued a whole yeere A tearme that seemed rather long than short to the natural impatiencie of our nation which in some places ouerflowed in cruelties more meeâ—e for barbarous people than Frenchmen whereof the Protestants did indure the most part And this peace did many good men like of a great deale the better because it ended all these inhumanities The second troubles Of the causes of the taking of armes in the second troubles Also how the purposes where vpon the Protestants had built themselues proued vaine MAny are the writings that haue beene published in iustification of the leauie of armes in the yeere 1507. as also others contrariwise to condemne them whereof such histories as intreate of things passed haue at large discoursed to the which all such as gladly woulde exactly search the particularities of all these publike actions are to haâ—e recourse For my part I am content briefly vpon this point to touch some such as are as true as the same that haue ben published which I haue learned of those that on the one side had in part the conduct of the affaires The edict of pacification concluded before Orleance had greatly satisfied almost all France as well in appearance as in effect because thereby all miseries ceasing euerie man inioyed rest with safetie of bodie libertie of minde Howbeit the hatred enuy of some as also the mistrust of others was not quite extinguished but lay hidden and vnperceiued But as time doth commonly bring all things to perfection so these seeds together with many worse brought forth such fruit as returned vs into our former discords the chiefe of the religion who looked to the safetie as well of theÌ„selues as of other made a general collection of all that was wrought stil practised against them affirming that vndoubtedly their enemies endeuoured by little and little to vndermine them then euen at once to giue them their deaths wound Of the causes that they alleaged some were manifest and some secret Concerning the first they consisted in the razing of sundrie townes and the building of Citadels in the places were they had their publike exercise also in murthers in sundrie places coÌ„mitted the slaughter of diuerse notable Gentlemen whereof they could haue no iustice In the ordinarie threats that shortly they should not lift their heads so high especially in y e comming of Suitzers albeit the Duke of Alua was already passed into Flanders vnder a cloked feare of whose passage they were leauied And for the secret they propounded certaine intercepted letters comming from Rome Spaine wherin the purposes that should be put in execution were more plainly discouered The resolution concluded with the Duke of Alua at Bayon to root out all the Huguenots in France and the Rogues in Flaunders whereof they were aduertised by such as were not doubted of All these things with many more that I omit did greatly waken those that were loth to be taken sleeping and I remember that the chiefe of the religioÌ„ met thrise at Vallery Chastillon whether came 10 or 12. of the notablest Gentlemen to determine vpon these present wars also to seeke some lawfull honest meanes of safetie among so many terrors without proceeding to the vttermost extremities Howbeit rather by the counsaile of the L. Admirall than of anie other euery one was desired a while to haue patience for that in so waightie affaires as these which brought with them many mischiefes men ought rather to be drawen by necessitie than to runne headlong vpon will withal that in short time they should see more But at thirde meeting which was within a moneth their braines were better heat as well vpon the considerations aforesayde as thorough new aduices giuen them namelie one which the Prince and Lord Admirall did affirme to proceede from a Courtier greatly affected to the Protestants who assured them that there had bene a secret counsayle holden wherin it was determined to seaze vpon them two the one to be put to death the other to be kept prisoner at the same time to place 2000. Suitzers at Paris two thousand at Orleance the rest to bee sent to Poictiers Then to disanull the Edict of pacification and to make an other vtterlie contrarie thereto and not to doubte thereof This was easie to be beleeued and the rather for that alreadie they see the Zuitzers who they had beene so ofâ—en promised should bee sent backe march toward Paris Wherevpon some more sensitiue and impatient than the rest grewe into these speeches What shall wee tarrie vntill they come and binde vs hande and foote and so drawe vs vnto their scaffoldes at Paris there by our shamefull deaths to glutte others crueltie What aduice shall wee yet expecte Doe wee not alreadie see the foraine enemie march armed toward vs and threaten to bee reuenged on vs as well for so many iniuries done to them at Dreux as also for those harms which in our defences we haue done to the Catholikes Haue wee forgotten that aboue three thousand of our religion haue since the peace endured violent deaths for whome whatsoeuer our complayntes wee can haue no redresse but friuolous aunsweres and fraudulent delayes Yet if it were our Kings will wee shoulde bee thus iniuried and contemned wee might peraduenture the better beare it But sith
fruites proceede of this aduice Thus betweene the wisedome of some and the rashnesse of others there was as it were a discordant concorde betweene them for a fewe daies yea euen vntill the greate game was playde which was so rude that the Protestants were forced to forsake theyr lodgings He therefore y t vpon this example shoulde goe about to builde auie greate or aduenturous purposes might peraduenture commit an incurable errour For the matters which wee would compare doe not alwayes in euerie parte resemble besides that these accidents are such as it is much if a whole age bringeth forth two or three Of the most notable occurrences happened at the departure from Saint Denis IT doth many times fall out y t 〈◊〉 mightie Captaine albeit he cannot attaine to his purposed intents doth neuerthelesse in his proceedings shew forth such valour y t men cannot but commend him as they did the Prince of Condie for his braue exploits during his aboade at S. Denis Due of his purposes tended to bring the Parisians into such want of victuals other wise so to moâ—est theÌ„ y t as well themselues as such others as were thether retired should he forced to hearâ—en to peace Here of grew the enterprises of Charenton bridge S. Claude Poyssy whereby to bridle the riuer which neuerthelsse were to small purpose was like to haue bred the destruction of the Protestants Some would metuaile how such excellent Captaines who could not be ignorant what great armies had afore time w 〈…〉 ning to performe the like attempt lost their labore as did that of Duke Charles of Burgundie which I thinke they had not quite forgotteÌ„ wold vndertake such an enterprise But they did it as finding themselues in place where occasion inuited them to attempt that which the coÌ„mon voice cried vpon them to do Moreouer they supposed that to lie stil enterprise nothing would be a great diminishing of their credit besides that seeing their people so well disposed they accompted most difficult enterprises easie to be compassed The Prince of Condies second intent was to draw the army that layin closed in Paris to battel in hope that the same being won the warre would be at end which his purpose spedde no better than the former As for the third he made account that albeit he were forced to abandon S. Denis yet the townes which should be seazed as well vpon the riuer of Marne as of Seine might faour support him in the placing of his power vntil the comming of his Germaines whoÌ„ he had seÌ„t for for to assist him But this purpose also in respect they could surprise but two viz. Lagny Montereau as the rest vauished in smoke The L. Constables attempts were brought to better effect His first purpose was after the refreshing of his power to force the Protestants to battaile thinking that he must needs ouercome them in respect of the aduantages he had them at which hee had almost done He also made account to disappoint them of their lodgings and to send them farther from the Parisians who had no great onlight that such good husbands so diligent to cleere them shoulde looke to their accomptes But death debarred him that benefite and to saie â—roth if hee had liued and had his health hee would haue made them to haue made more hast than they did Truly as wel the one as the other bare themselues as great Captaines but tending to diuerse endes viz. to defend and offend theyr actitions likewise were in parte different It well be seemed the Protestants to bee oft on horsebacke to enterprise sometimes to some purpose sometimes desperatelie him that their heartes or hope were not yet daunted and therefore bringing their small armie well resolued into the fielde they shewed themselues before the suburbs of the citie burning a village and some windmilles within view of the towne so to testifie them that all the Protestants were not all deade also that there was yet some exercise prouided but no man issued by reason as it is to be presumed of the losse of the Lorde Constable This the Protestants bragge preserued their credit how be it perceiuing that their soiourning there would be their ouerthrow the next morrowe they raised their campe and marched toward Montereau whither they sent for the rest of their power that Iay at Estampes Orleance to come to them which greatly increased their armie Of the voiages of both the armies toward Lorraine but to seuerall intents SO soone as the French power which y e P. of Condie expected were ioyned w t him the contrary armie wherof the D. of Aniow was generall dailie increasing followed him at the heeles Diuers Catholiks my good friends haue assured me that vpon anie fit occasion he meant to haue fought for the olde Captaines that counsayled him therto very wel foreseeing that if the Protestants should ioyne with their Reisters who were alreadie setting forward the war would grow long or els they must fight an vncertaine battayle were vpon these considerations earnestly princked thereto But withall when they beheld the importance of their Generalls person who rested vnder their weapons also the dispaire of their aduersaries the same did somewhat stay them They vsed two cunning pollicies as well to stay them as to surprise theÌ„ for in warre such subtilties are allowed at the lest they are practised The first was a parley of peace wherein y e most notable of the PtotestaÌ„ts as the Car. of Chastillon were imploied which stil cooled the heat of the battell The other was two abstinences from wars each for 2 or 3. daies to the end as it was said the better to confer of the articles propounded The one was neere to Montereau the other by Chaalons but the last had like to haue ben verie preiudicial vnto y e Protestants by reasoÌ„ the P. of Condy staied in a very bad lodginge sore scattered while the Catholiks armie did approch had it not ben for the County Brissacks enterprise against certaine cornets of harquebuziers on horseback whoÌ„ he ouerthrew the said Prince had still soiourned there 2. daies where vndoubtedly he had bene fought withal peraduenture surprised by his aduersaries who were very strong the rather through the ariual of 1500. Burguignion speres who under the conduct of the Earl of Arem bergue one of the famousest Captains of the low countries were ioyned vnto him But when during the abstinence he see such slaughter hee thought it no greate safetie to trust to wordes therefore in 3. daies space marched aboue 20. leagues through the rain so bad waies that it was to be wondered how the carriages and artillerie could follow for there was nothing lost either in the one or the other so good was y e order so greate the diligence Monsieur his armie seeing this departure pursued no farther yea some of them boasted that they had driuen the Protestants out of the
realme others hauing better foresight perceiuing that they could no longer be stopped from ioyning with their Germains thought it best to let them go then to seeke how to keepe them from comming in again But there were some likewise they no small number that laide great fault in diuerse of Monsieurs counsailors for suffring them so to escape with out battaile saying that the Admirall had secret intelligence with them which was a very false imagination wherat himselfe vsed to scorne many times he assured me there was no such matter neuerthelesse he would endeuour still to maintaine thē in y e suspition Now will I rehearse some stirs follies of the Protestants during their small abode in Lorraine as also the voluntarie liberalitie whereof they made demonstration in the middest of all their pouertie that there inuironed them an action which I take in these daies to be vnpractiseable Many were persuaded as also the voice so went that they could not set foot in Lorrain but they should heare the Reisters cockes sing but hauing there soiourned 4. or 5. daies they had no more speech of them than when they were before Paris which bred sundrie mutinies euē among some of the nobilitie who in their ordinarie speeches did somewhat rudclie gird at their Generals so great is the impaciencie of our nation But they vnderstanding hereof endeuoured to remedie it Likewise as men can hardlie abandon their naturall inclinations so the perswasions which their heads vsed were different for the P. of Condie beeing of a pleasant disposition did so conuenientlie gird these chollerike and busie persons that hee made euen those that most exceeded either in the one or the other to laugh On the other side the Admirall with his graue speeches did so shame them that in the end they were forced to appease and quiet themselues At the same time my selfe asked him of his best counsayle in case Monsieur should followe vs We would march sayd he towarde Bacchara where the Reisters should make their assemblie also that it were not for vs to fight without them and that after the enimies first heat was somwhat quailed But what if the Reisters were not there would some man saie what coulde the Protestants then doe I thinke they coulde haue blowen theyr fingers for the weather was verie colde Now was all the Towne soone conuerted into mirth when as they vnderstoode certainelie that Duke Iohn Casimire a Prince endued with all Christian vertues and one to whome the Protestants are highlie bound did march and was at hande Then was there nothing but singing and leaping yea they that had most cried out did leape highest These their behauiours did verie wel verefie the saying of Titus Liuius that y e Gauls are soone angrie and so consequently soone merrie againe which passions if they be not after the imitation of the sages moderated by reason do easilie exceede The Prince of Condie vnderstanding by his agents in Germanie that the Reisters looked vppon theyr ioyning with him to finger at the lest 100000. crowns was in greater care than before he had bene for his mennes mutinies because hee had not 2000. There was it expedient for him to make of necessitie vertue and as well himselfe as the L. Admiral being in great credice with the Protestants employed all their cunning credite and eloquence to perswade euerie man to depart with whatsoeuer his abilitie would beare toward this so necessarie contribution wherevppon depended the contentation of those whome so diligently they had waited for Hereof thēselues gaue the first example in giuing their own siluer vessel The ministers in their Sermons exhorted heereto and the most zealous Captaines prepared their men for in so extraordinarie a matter they had neede to vse all kindes of instruments There did sundrie of the Gentry shewe a greate readinesse to discharge themselues loyallie But the chiefe brunt of this battaile appeared whē they came to vrge the scholers of Lady Picoree whose propertie it was to be readie to take and slacklie to forgoe howbeit partly by loue partly by feare they quit themselues better than men looked for yea this liberalitie was so generall that euen the souldiours lackies and boies gaue euerie one somewhat so as in the end it was accounted a dishonour to haue giuen but little Some such of these there were as made the Gentlie ashamed in parting more voluntarilie with their gold than they had done with their siluer To bee briefe the whole beeing gathered together there was in monie in plate and in chaines of golde aboue foure score thousand Frankes which came in so good season that without it they could hardly haue appeased their Reisters I knowe that many of them were vrged to giue by example shame and persuasions but certainlie a great part did it vpon zeale and affection as appeared in that they offered more than was required of them Was it not a deede worthie wonder to see an armie vnpaide and vnprouided of all meanes who thought it a meruaile to part with their smal commodities for their owne wants now not to spare to furnish others therwith who peraduenture did giue them no thanks Now would it be vnpossible to doe the lyke for that all Gentlemanlike actions are almost out of vse Of the returne of the two armies toward Orleance and Paris also of the course that the P. of Condie tooke in victualling marching and lodgiug of his men AFter the ioyning of the Reisters there needed no long consultation to knowe what were best to be done For the generall voice imported to transport the warre to Paris This did some desire peraduenture the rather to the ende to see their owne houses but the most part knewe it to be the best waie to attaine to peace neither were the Generalles ignorant that to continue the warre their armies could not misse artillerie pouder money and other commodities that are to be wreasted from the marchant and the artificer whereof vnlesse they drewe towarde Orleance which was their nource mother they should be depriued which made them to yéeld to the common desire In this good minde did the Protestants returne beeing of opinion that the enimies armie would coast them as well to debarre them from dismantelling diuerse small and weake Townes as also to spie occasion to intrappe some one of their troopes Then did Fraunce abounde in all sortes of virtualles and yet were they to vse greate arte and diligence to feede an vnpayd armie of aboue twentie thousand men whom the Countrie fauoured not as they did the other beeing but meanely furnished with munition The Lorde Admirall had an especiall care aboue all things to haue expert commissaries and to cause them to haue carriage according to the Protestant want and was wont when so euer there was anie question of forming the bodie of an armie to saie Let vs beginne the shaping of this monster by the bellie Nowe because our horsemen did commonlie
to force their enemies withdrew to their lodginges as also did the Princes who hauing considered that their staie might be hurtfull as also that they wanted pouder marched by great ionrneis vnto La Charitee and other townes their partakers there to furnish themselues anewe with all commodities necessarie Shortlie after there was a truce taken betweene both armies which grew to a peace wherevpon euerie man laid downe his weapons It had bene verie noisome lieng so long in the field in heate in colde in bad wayes and almost alwayes in the enemies lande where the verie peasant made them as sharp warre as the souldier which inconueniences many times troubled that great Captaine Hannibal when he was in Italie It is therefore a braue schoole point to marke how men can fit their counsayles to necessitie such labours are in the beginning so odious that they make the sculdiours to murmure against their owne Captaines but being a litle accustomed hardned in these painful exercises they begin to grow into a good opinion of themselues when they see that they haue as it were ouercome y t which terrefieth so many chieflie the delicate These be the braue galleryes beautifull walks of the souldiours then their bed of honour is the graue wherinto a harquebuze shot may haue ouerthrowen them But in truth all this is worthie reward commendation namely when they that tread these pathes and endure these labours doe maintaine an honest cause and in their proceedings shew themselues replenished with valor and monestie Now if anie man in this woful warre laboured sore both in bodie minde we may saie that it was the Admirall for the waightiest part of the burthen of the affaires and military labours did he with great constancie and facilitie beare as also hee bare him selfe as reuerentlie among the Princes his superiours as modestie with his inferiours Godlinesse he alwayes helde in great estimation and bare greate loue to iustice which made him to be esteemed honored of all that part which he had taken he neuer ambiciously sought offices or honors but in eschuing them was in respect of his sufficiencie and honestie forced to take them When hee dealt with weapons he shewed himselfe as skilful in them as anie Captaine of his time and alwayes couragiouslie hazarded himselfe to all daungers In aduersities he was noted to be endued with magnanimitie and inuention to get out and shewed himselfe alwayes free from glosing and dissimulation In summe he was a man worthie to restore any weake and corrupt estate Thus much I thought good by the waie to saie of him as hauing knowen and kept his companie yea and profited in his schoole and so should doe him iniurie if I should not make true and honest mention of him The causes of the third peace The comparison thereof with the former also whether the same were necessarie NOne of the three ciuill warres lasted so long as this which coÌ„tinued two whole yeres where the first was ended in one yere the second in sixe moneths and many doyet thinke that had not y e Protestants draweÌ„ toward Paris it would not haue bene done so soone of which experience they haue gathered this rule that to purchase peace war must be brought beere this mightie Citie which I also take to haue ben one of the chiefe causes to help it forward for y e stripes which threaten the head do greatly terrefie the Catholike strangers hauing also wasted innumerable coin had left such want that they knew not how to furnish paie Ruine and robberie was rife euerie where Moreouer good hap seemed to begin to raise vp those that had ben wearied For the Princes armie had made a braue head against the Kings at Rene le Duc. Gascogne LaÌ„guedock Daulphine held sorer than war before Bearne was recouered in Poictou Xantoigne the Protestants had spead well in ouerthrowing the two old regiments and taking sundrie townes Al these things gathered together which other secret perticular oceasions disposed y e King and Queene to grant to the peace which was published in August The Protestants also desired stood in great need of it for hauing neuer a crowne wherewith to satiffie their Reisters their necessitie would haue driuen them to abandon the Princes as by the Countie of Mansfield they gaue them to vnderstande Likewise seeing them neere their owne Countrie it was to bee feared least they would haue resolued so to doe which falling out would haue beene the ouerthrow of their affaires Many other discommodities which I omit vrged heereunto among the rest the misrule of our souldiours was such as it could not be remedied Insomuch that the Admirall who loued good order and hated viâ—e did many times since saie that he had rather die than fall into the like confusions againe and to see so many mischiefes committed before his face To bee briefe the peace was accepted vpon tollerable conditions also for y e assurance thereof was added that which in the former they neither durst demand nor coulde obtaine namelie foure townes The beginning of this communication was after the siege of S. Iohn d'Angelie wherin were emploied the Lords of Thelignie Beaunois la Nocle gentlemeÌ„ endued w t diuerse vertues who faithfully discharged their duties and if before when the Protestants affaires were at a latter hand the Catholiks had offered smaller conditions I thinke they would haue bene taken But when they saw that they would not graunt them anie exercise of religion but onely a simple libertie of conscience it brought them into such despaire that they made of necessitie vertue And as time breedeth alterations so those that ensued turned so far to their fauour that their courages were raised and their hope corroborated The best time then to treate of peace is when we haue the aduantage in war But that doth ordinarilie so puffe vp men that they will not heare thereof howbeit either earlie or late the king did wiser to graunt it for the continuation of warre depriued him of his pleasure supplanted the loue and obedience due vnto him forâ—aied the Countries sacked the treasurie consumed his power But may some man say the king of Spaine hath not done so in Flanders Truely may another aunswere he hath not wonne much and per aduenture in the end for the ceasing of these troublesome tragedies hee will followe the same counsaile that his neighbours haue done Now albeit peace was necessarie for the Protestants yet haue this â—shap almost euer ensued that the same haue not continued neither so much as beene established according to the couenant I will speak first of that which was framed before Orleance lasted foure yeeres and a halfe was nothing neere so profitable for them as the edict of Ianuarie howbeit it followeth not but that it was at that time acceptable for theyr affayres were not in state to refuse it and time discouered the fruit that it
The causes of good discipline The notable perticularities of the same The begining of disorders The remedies applied Discontentment in the Princes armie Of the taking of Burges and the counsaile to besiedge Orleance The reasons of those that counsailed the fiedge of Roan rather then of Orleance The taking of Roan Of the ouerthrowe of the Lorde of Duras troupes The execution of the Prince of Condes purposes staied through the succour that the Lorde of Andelot brought in The Princes armie marched toward Paris A Camisado enterprised against the suburbes of Paris also the retreat of the Princes army A notable battayle 1 The countenaunce of both the armies 2 The Generositie of the Suitâ—ers 3 The Lorde of Guizes patience cause of his victorie 4 The long continuance of the battell 5 The taking of the two generalles of the armies 6 The retraite of both the armies How the Lord of Guyze intreated the Lord Prince of Conde The foundation of the Duke of Guizes hope The Lorde Admirals resolution the Siege of Orleance and the notablest perticularities of the same The wouÌ„ding and death of the Duke of Guize whereof ensued the pacification of the first trobles also what the Lord Admirall did in Normandie The causes of the taking of armes in the second troble The resolution to take armes also the difficulties in the beginning Of the successe of the Princes attempts The first A generall taking of armes vpon one selfe day The second Their courage in setting vpon 6000. Suitzers The third The taking of Saint Dennis The Prince of Condies first entent to force his aduersaries to harken to accorde The second and third cotent The Lord Constables purposes The meanes that were practised to ouerthrow the Prince and his armie The behauiors of the Princes armie in Loraine A notable historie A meane to attaine to peace The Lord Admirals care for the entertainement of the armie Of the lodging of the armie The march Into what Difficulties the Protestants were reduced during the ciuill warres The beginning of the siege of Chartres A counter enterprise of the Lord Admirales during the seege Of Chartres The second peace cause of more mischief then the warre it selfe Part of the Protestantes causers of their owne mischiefe The notable reuolution of these warres also of the Princes retrait The Lord of Martigues braue resolution to gette to Saumure What helpe the towne of Rochel was to the Prince and his who therby became maisters of a large country The arriuall of the Queene of Nauarre and her children in the armie also of the troupes of Daulphine The ouerthrow of the Colonels Mouuans and Pierre-gourd Of the power of both the armies which albeit they desired it could neuer haue opportunitie to ioyne The Duke of Aniâ—ous armie lost a braue opportunitie to ouerthrowe the Lord Admirall an d 〈…〉 Andelot Aduice vppon the aforesaid aduenture The Prince lost the occasion to ouerthrow the enemies Auantguard Of the iourney of Iasnueil A pleasant chance which troubled many The extreame could kept the 2. armies from executing their pretenses The Lord Admirals enterprise voide of his pretended effect The retract of both the armies through the extreamitie of the colde The Earle of Brissackes bould enterprise and what came of it What happened before the battaile of Bassac The euell keeping of the passage and their smale diligence to ioyne together cause of the ouerthrow shortly ensuing The battaile of Bassac with the taking and cause of the Prince of Condees death The praise of the Prince of Conde also what happened after his death The lets to keepe the Duke of Biponts army from ioining with the Princes Of the ioining of the Germaines with the Princes The occurrences betweene both the armies at Rochell The purpose of the Princes army before the siege of Poictiers also the taking of Lusignan The cause of the siege of Poictiers The notablesâ— perticularities of the siege of Poicters Vpon what occasions the siege was raised from before Poicters Diuers causes of the ouerthrow of the Princes armie at Montcontour The charge sâ—irmishes about Saint Cler. A notable aduertisement giuen before the battaile but not followed The Counsells and difficulties in the Princes armie whereof ensued the meanes to the aduersaries armie to assaile them The battaile fought and wonne by Monsiers army Ouer sight of MoÌ„sieurs army after their victorie A notable counsaile houlden by the chief Captaines of this armie and so their resolution What helpe Rochel hath ministred to the Princes and their warlick affaires CoÌ„modities of warres by sea also the abuses therein committed By what meanes the Princes armie was restored Of the forces that ioyned with the Princes The voiage of the Princes armie The meeting of both armies at Rhene le Duc. Of the third peace Of the behauiors of the Lord Admiral during the three first ciuil waries Sundry causes of this mention of him this third peace as well on the one side as on the other When they beginne to breake of peace also what is to be noted therein Consideration vpon these th 〈…〉 pacifications of the ciuill warres The diuers affections of those that long after warre and how they haue bene prouided for Against such as like of euerie peace and mislike euery warre