her King and elder Brother Henry and conjures them also to loyalty to throw away all private Interests and Factions and conclude in a firm peace and union The Confederates perceiving that they wanted an Head and so a main pretence to countenance their Arms to the people and that whatever they had hitherto gained was more by their dissembling then strength that also the Pope Paul II had censured them if they continued in open wars For King Henry was held an obedient son to the Bishops of Rome for which Calixtus III had sent him formerly an Hat and a consecrated Sword which they use to bless upon Christmas-Eve at night laying them upon the Altar where they say Mass And farther they recollected that upon Henries death Isabella was like to be Queen whereby they could procure no favour or benefit to themselves by opposing her peaceable desires Upon these considerations they consented to an Agreement so Articles are drawn up a Peace concluded on Donna Isabella is declared Princess of the c Las Asturias formerly of a larger extent is now â— little Province between Galicia Leon and Biscay lying upon the Cantabrian sea 'T is twofold Asturia de Oâ—iedo and Astur de Santillana As the Heirs of England are called Princes of Wales and those of France les Dauphins so are those to the Crown of Castile call'd Princes of the Asturias Upon what occasion this â—hort Scheme may shew Alphonso XI had amongst other Children Henry a Bastard Earl of Transâ—amara took the Kingdom from the Tyrant Pedro and stab'd him with his dagger he had John I. who had Henry III. Don Pedro el Cruel had amongst others a bastard call'd Constancia she was marryed to John of Gant Duke of Lancaster son to Edward III King of England Upon the death of Don Pedro sirnamed the Cruel though his bastard-Brother Henry II. seised upon the Crown and was acknowledged for King yet John of Gant Duke of Lancaster pretended the right to lye in him by reason of his Wife Constance and made some bustle about it Henry dying there succeeded his son John I. with whom and Lancaster a peace was concluded Lancaster to renounce all his Title to Castile and King John to marry his son Henry to Lancaster's Daughter Catherine which accordingly was accompish'd so both their pretensions united And for more honour Don Henry the young son was to be call'd Prince of the Asturias since which time the eldest sons of Castile were call'd Princes and the younger are titled Infantas This hapned about the year 1388. And so much by the way concerning the Title of Prince of Asturias yet do I finde Jehan Froissart who lived at this time to tell us that Henry was call'd Prince of Gallicia in his French Edition 1530. vol. 3. fol. 96. and fol. 143. In the old English Edition vol. 2. cap. 154. fol. 170. and cap. 176. fol. 214. Asturias and lawful Heir to the Kingdoms of Castile and Leon with their dependants What troubles hapned in Castile after this treaty being not considerable I shall pass over Donna Isabella now declared Heir several matches were consulted of but she secretly joyned her self with Don Fernando Prince of Girona and the eldest son living to John II King of Arragon At this marriage King Henry was greatly vext as being contrary to his desire and without his knowledge But at the long run the King becomes more pacified and at last a 1474. dying she succeeds as Queen of Castile and Leon although some busled for Joane the supposed Daughter of King Henry but she is generally thrown by as a bastard being begot of his Queen Joane by one Don Bertrand de la Cueva afterwards prefer'd for his kindness being created Earl of Ledesma Master of Santiago and Duke of Albuquerque As for Henry himself he is by all esteem'd as frigid and uncapable of such loves Not long after John II King of Arragon b 1479. dying that Kingdom was united to Castile by the fortunate former marriage of Ferdinand and Isabella Here might I descend into the troubles of Navar and tell how Don Carlos Prince of Viana took up Arms against his Father John King of Navar and Arragon Upon which quarrel began the great Factions of those of Beaumont and Grammont the first adhering to the Prince and the latter to the King and the feuds of these two potent Families was one of the main causes of the loss of Navar to the Spaniard those of Beaumont assisting Don Ferdinand in the conquest against their own King and Country Of which more hereafter In short the Prince being not able to keep the field withdrew himself to Naples for sometime thence returns endeavours new troubles upon which he is taken and secuâ—ed Upon this the Catalonians rebel and though Prince Carlos was set at liberty and c Some say he was poyson'd by his Step mother D. Joane to make way for heâ—â—â—son Ferdinando to the Crown of Arragon dyed presently after yet they continue their Treasons The people of Barcelona publickly declare King John an Enemy to his Country and so they would withdraw themselves from his obedience And the Catalonians sent to Henry IV. of Castile to desire him to take them under his protection they being resolved no more to obey the Crown of Arragon Don Henry accepts them so they set up the Banners of Castile At last after a tedious War they are vanquish'd forced to submit and King John giveth them all freely a pardon But of Spain more in the next Century A CONTINUATION OF THE REBELLIONS AND Treasonablepractices OF THE ROMANISTS Particularly in Spain Scotland and Ireland From the year MD. to MDC BOOK VI. CHAP. I. 1. John and Catherine King and Queen of Navar deprived 2. Pope Julius II. Sect. 1. John and Catherine King and Queen of Navar deprived THe Conquest of Navar being acted suddenly we year 1500 shall make the story of it but very short At the beginning of this Century we finde John d'Albret or Don Juan de la Brit and Donna Catherina King and Queen of Navar which had boasted it self a Kingdom almost DCCC years Ferdinand II King of Arragon having by his marrying with Isabella Queen of Castile enlarged his Authority and Dominions as also by his banishing the Jews and subduing the Moores to him in Granado made his Government more secure cast many a greedy a Jo. de Bussieres lib. 15. § 16. Spondan an 1512. § 21. thought upon the seising the Kingdom of Navar and then all of Spain Portugal excepted would be his own At last opportunity good enough as he thought offer'd it self which was thus Pope Julius II. a zealous Hotspur falling out with Lewis XII King of France Fernando sides with the Pope and having rais'd an Army not onely demands passage for it through Albrets Territories but the command of his strongest Castles and Fortifications and which was most the possession and custody of Prince Henry eldest son to Navar
Id. Anno 1116. § 5. Lateran and also by another Council at f Id. Anno 1119. § 11. Rhemes under Pope Callistus And after this manner was the Emperour Frederick the Second declared deprived and his Subjects quit from their Oaths of Allegiance by Pope Innocent the Fourth in the Council of Lyons the form it self being large I shall refer you to g Anno 1245. § 4. Bzovius and the h Tom. 28. pag. 431. Council it self and the i Sext. de sentent re jud C. ad Apostolicae Decretals But let us step from practice to some of their Decrees they confirm'd in their General Councils to shackle Princes in future times In the Laterane Council under Innocent the Third amongst other things 't was thus order'd by them If a Temporal Lord neglect to purge his land from Heresie being Abr. Bzovius anno 1215. § 3. Binnius c. 3. Crabbe Ib. Greg. de Haeret. C. Excommunicamus desired and admonished by the Church let him be by the Metropolitan and the other Bishops Excommunicated and if within a year he refuse to satisfie let the Pope be informed of it that he may declare his Vassals free from that obedience they formerly ought him and that Roman Catholicks may seize upon his Lands which the Hereticks being thrust out they may possess without any contradiction and keep it in the true Faith Yet let not this be prejudicial to the Principal Lord so that he do no way hinder this proceeding NEVERTHELESS LET THE SAME LAW BE OBSERVED AGAINST THOSE WHO HAVE NOT PRINCIPAL LORDS If any do dispute concerning this Council or the meaning of any word in this Canon I shall not finde my self concerned in it having our Country-man a Vindic. Concil Lateran Dr. Thomas Vane b Controvers Angl. p. 139 140. Martinus Becanus Leonardus Lessius under the name of a Discuss decreti Magni Concil â—a Singleton Cardinal b Adversus Gâ—â—l Barclaium in Praefat. Bellarmine and many others great vindicators of this great Council as they call it whom I shall leave to the consideration of the Romanists Yet I could whisper c Vindic. Concil p. 69. Dr. Vane in the ear that he is not honest enough in his answer by taking no notice of the last clause in the Canon which doth not a little enlighten the whole design And as I do not trouble my self to interpret any thing in the Lateran Canon seeing the chief of the Roman Champions Lessius Becanus Bellarmine and others declare expresly that it is meant of the Popes Authority over Kings and for their deposing so shall I not wrangle with any concerning that of Trent a Council of such Authority that they make it the standard of their Faith In the last Session of this Trent political Convention Duels were Sess 25. c. 19. censured as unlawful and indeed no honest true and faithful subject can fight one he taking to himself power of his own life and that of his fellow-subjects against Law Religion and Prerogative and declares those Princes to be held as deprived of those places where they permit them What was the meaning of the words of this Decree I shall say nothing my self but tell you that the French Church took it to deprive Kings for which they bogled at it and they had more reason to understand the meaning of it than any now yet if these grave Divines mistook the sence of that Chapter 't is no fault of mine let the Romanists bandy it out amongst themselves and either tell us the reason why that Council is not exactly received in France and so whether they be Hereticks or no in not complying with a General Council as they call it or that every part of it is in force there and how it came to be so These at this time may satisfie to shew in what a tottering condition their Councils makes Kings to stand in And if the Roman Catholicks desire any more instances I shall refer them to their famous d Discuss Decreti Mag. Concil Lat. pag. 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 c. Lessius whom in this case let them either agree to or confute fight Dog fight Bear and so I quit my self neither troubling my self whether they or Dr. e Remonstr Hibernorum part 5. cap. 10. Caron is in the right As for the Opinions of Popes themselves I shall jumble them with their Canon-law the latter being in a manner the result of the others brain and authority and Pope Agatho order'd that the Popes Sanctions should be received with the same authority Omnes Apostolicae sedes sanctiones acciptendae sunt tanquam ipsius Divini Petri voce firmatae sint Dist 19. c. 2. as if they had been commanded by St. Peter himself Nor according to Pope f Q. 17. c. 4. Nemini est Nicolas must any contradict or question the Orders of that See for according to g Possit jur Can. lib. 1. Tit. 3. Decreta Lancelottus the Popes Decrees are of equal authority with the Canons of Councils and those of h Sess 4. Decret 1. Trent determine that some Traditions are to be of equal force with the holy Scriptures I shall not here spend time in discoursing about the Priviledges said to be given to some Monasteries by several Popes Franc. Bozzius de Temporal Eccles Monarch lib. 1. cap. 21 pag. 225. with a tye by the way of the Kings good behaviour though some make use of such Records for Arguments it being plain by the practice of the Popes and their a Greg. de Elect. C. Venerabileâ—â— de Haeret. C. Excommunicamus Sext. de re jud c. ad Apostol Laws that they declare they have such Authority to depose Kings and quit their Subjects from their Oaths of Allegiance of which several Popes are so plain in their b Q. 15. C. 6. auctoritatem C. alias C. nos sanctorum Greg. de Haeret. C. Excommunicamus C. Absolutos Canon-law that nothing can be more evident whither I refer you for more satisfaction And that Popes declare that Kings may be deposed appears by their many thundrings of Deprivation against former Princes and of later times against the King of Navarre our King Henry the Eighth and Queen Elizabeth Read in c Annal. Boiar lib. 6. pag. 506. Aventin what Hadrian the Fourth saith concerning this case in his furious Letter and in d Pag. 872. Nonne Rex Anglorum noster est vassallus ut plus dicam mancipium qui potest eum nutu nostro incarcerare Ignominiae mancipare Matthew Paris how Pope Innocent the Fourth thus ranted concerning our Henry the Third Is not the King of England our Vassal nay more our Slave whom with anod I can imprison and commit to a slavish reproach And Father Parsons assured our Country-men that Pope Pius the Fifth affirm'd to him e Rog. Widdrinton's Theolog. Disput cap. 10. §
of them whom they murdred and had acted the same Tragedy on the other but that he was rescued by one Diego Pisador which prevention at last so enraged the people that they fell upon Pisador pursued him to his house assaulted it so that he thinking to take sanctuary in St. Nicholas Church they seis'd upon him and kill'd him with their daggers Having thus ran into mischief they proceed and rescue a fellow from execution though justly condemn'd for very heinous crimes They despised all Justice and Magistrates scorned and flouted at all Noble and Gentlemen whom like our Levellers they intended to root out and destroy all the Kingdom over which occasioned a Hat-makers wife in St. Catherines street seeing some Gentlemen go by bid her Children look at them the boys desiring a reason she replyed d Porque quando se ais gâ—andes podais dezir que vistes los Cavalleâ—os Pru. Sandoval l. 6. § 20. Part 1. â— Because when you come to manhood you may say that you have seen Gentlemen The confederate Rabble chose one Sorolla a Cloth-worker for their Captain an impudent base fellow and then the better to carry on their mischief they framed this Plot Sorolla was to hide himself in his house and they were to report about that Don Diego de Mendosa the Viceroy either had or was going to hang him This report being cunningly spread through the City the people grew mad flew to their Arms and so march'd with Drums and Colours to Mendosa's house crying out Let the Viceroy dye if he deliver us not Sorolla Mendosa defended himself all day long and by chance was thus preserved from their fury A good woman by hap espying Sorolla in his house went and told it to the Bishop of Segorbe who hastes to Sorolla's house which he caused to be broke open and the villain found had him set on a Mule himself riding by on another and so they rode to the Viceroy's house to undeceive the people who seeing him thus alive rais'd their Siege and Battery which had continued all day and most of the night This plot not fadging against the Viceroy they gave out that he was raising men to punish their insolencies upon which the people besiege his house again which forced him to send his Lady out of the City and steal out himself all the Nobles and Gentry doing the like with their Families for their own security whose houses the villains pull'd down or burn'd and plunder'd all they could lay their hands on went to the Kings Custom house broke the Records took away the Books defied the Emperour appointed XIII to govern them and for the General of their Armies chose Juan Caro a Sugar-baker The City Xativa the Marquisate of Helche Alacante and Orihucla run into the same Rebellion the latter chusing for their Lord and Governour one Palomares a poor Serving-man And now the Kingdom of Valencia seem'd to be over-run by a gang of Rebels but they had a notable shock at a place to this day call'd The Field of slaughter where they left above 5000 of their frateraity dead on the â—â—or After this they chose for their Captain one Vincent Perez a Fellow whose trade was to gather up Acorns but their chief General of all was ore a Or John of Bilbo Juan de Vilvao who made them believe that he was Doâ— Juan the onely Son to Fernando and Isabella King and Queen of Castile and Arragon and so the true heir to their Crowns though that Prince dyed young at Salamanca However the giddy people put so much credit to him that they sware Allegiance to him as their King magnifying him as their Redeemer calling of him the b El Encubicito Disguised man and one sent from God to their relief But what this Impostor was take thus He was the Son of a Jew and was carryed by his Father into Barbary the same year that the Jews were driven out of Castile A Biscan Merchant call'd Juan de Bilbao met with him on ship board 1512 as he was trading to Oran on the Coasts of Barbary and finding him to write and read well and speak several Languages as Spanish Arabick and Hebrew took him for his Factor The fellow calling himself from his Masters name Juan de Bilbao with him he lived four years till 1516 he turn'd him away for being too familiar with his Wife The Corregidor or Mayor of Oran not knowing the sault entertain'd him for his Steward This Mayor of Oran being a young man kept privately a little wanton in his house to whom this Fellow shew'd much affection and Courtship but she being trusty to her Master tells him all and that he also perswaded her to witchcraft Upon this the Corregidor hath him imprisoned and upon a Market-day set upon an Ass and so whipt through all the principal streets of the City to the amazement of the people who had a good opinion of him so cunningly did he carry himself Being thus banish'd Oran he returns for Spain lands upon the Coasts of Valencia just in these distractions under the name of Don Henrique Manrique de Ribera and here he behaved himself so cunningly taking hold of the opportunity that at last he made the people believe that he was their true King and for such they acknowledged him He carryed his business politickly kept correspondence with divers Cities in Arragon and Catalonia and might have given a main stroak for the whole Kingdom had not the valiant and loyal Marquiss of Cenete and Don Pedro Faxardo the Governour or Lord-lieutenant Adelantado Mayor of the Kingdom of Murcia with other noble Cavaliers by their valour and industry put a stop to his carreer The chiefest loss to the Rebels was in Valencia it self where Vicente Periz had almost carryed the whole City but the Marquiss here carryed himself so cunningly that he out-braved the Rebel making most of his followers disband and retire to their own dwellings This day and plot was so happy to that City that to this time 't is call'd the Thursday of Vicente Periz yet Periz received fresh supplies from Juan de Bilvao with which he grew so hardy that he fought de Cenete in the very streets of the City though to his own ruine being beaten himself taken and his head presently struck off After which the Impostor Kingling John of Bilbao was also taken by the Marquess the nineteenth of May 1522. who according to his desert was drawn hang'd and quarter'd and his head stuck upon a Lance. After which Valencia began to be more quiet and wholly submitted themselves upon the return of the Emperour Charles And thus much in brief for the Rebellion of the Kingdom of Valencia not to tell of all their Church-robbings Plunderings Burnings Devastations and Factions even in the very Cloisters and Monasteries themselves insomuch that one party in the same Covent would pray to God for the King whilst the other pray'd as heartily for the Rebels But now
how to make themselves Possessors of the Throne of that Kingdom and finding none so much capable by Right Title and Interest as those of the Family of Bourbon to thwart and oppose their designs it was their best policy to procure their ruine to which purpose take this following Narrative but in short of the Guisards against the House of Navarre being the chief of that of Bourbon which though * An 1564. § 8. Spondanus looks upon as a Fable and it may be according to Perefixe that the young Prince of Navarre might be then at Paris yet take the story though possibly with some mistakes upon the credit of Thanus and Gomberville now one of the French Academy and so let him and the present Archbishop of Paris also of the Academy bandy and rectifie it as they please Antoine de Bourbon King of Navarre at the Siege of Rouen being shot year 1562 into the left shoulder with a Musquet bullet of which wound he a little after died those of Guise consulted how to make their best benefit De Gomberville Les Memoires de M. de Nevers v l. 2. p. 579 c. Thuan. lib. 35. Mâ—moires d'Estat vol. 2. ensuite de câ—ux de M. de Villeroy pag. 35 36 c. by the said death Jane the Widow Queen of Navarre lived at Pau the chief Town in the Territory of Bearne adjoyning to the Pyrenean Mountains and with her she had her young Prince Henry afterwards call'd the Great now about 9 years old At this time Philip II. King of Castile having wars with the Africans and Moors his Recruits from Italy and Germany were to rendezvouz at Barcelona in Catalonia Now doth Charles Cardinal of Lorrain and his brother François Duke of Guise consult how to extirpate this Race of Navarre to which purpose they pitch upon one Dimanche to act as Agent for their Interest in those parts of Aquitaine where he had as his Assistants Monluc an experienc'd Souldier d'Escars Viscount d'Ortes with the Captain of Ha Castle adjoyning to Bourdeaux and several others great Favourersand Dependents of Guise But the prosecution of these designs was somewhat cool'd by the death of the Duke of Guise who was shot by Poltrot year 1563 at the Siege of Orleance Upon this though a Peace was struck up between the King and the zealous Huguenots where the later were gainers by the Agreement yet the Cardinal Lorrain carrieth on his former Contrivements against the House of Navarre making his Nephew the young Duke of Guise Head of the Plot. And to give a better colour to all they pretend Religion their Foundation so all Hereticks ought to be rooted out amongst which the young Prince of Navarre and his Mother to which Friends could not be wanting seeing the King of Spain would assist them To this purpose Captain Dimanche is dispatch'd into Spain to the year 1564 Duke of Alva to obtain the assistance of the aforesaid Forces at Barcelona which on a sudden might fall upon Bearne take Pau with the Queen her Son Henry and Daughter Catherine and to prevent any of their Escapes the Friends of Guise would way-lay them on the French side to which end they had several trusty Commanders and Forces conveniently placed thereabouts And the Princes thus taken should be conveyed into Spain put into the Inquisition as Hereticks and then they would be sure enough Thus the Guisards would have their desire and as a persuasive argument to the Castilian they told him that things brought to this pass the dispute for the Kingdom of Navarre would cease the Pretenders to it being thus in his possession Accordingly Dimanche gets into Spain waits upon the Duke of Alva who having heard and approv'd the design orders him to go to the King who was then at Monçon or Monson a Town in Aragon where they used to keep their Parlements or las Cortes for Aragon Valencia and Catalonia For this place Dimanche passing by Madrid he fell dangerously sioâ— of an high Feaver and being but badly accommodated in a poor Inn a Frenchman call'd Anne Vespier one of the Queen of Spains servants took pity on him removed him to his own house where he was better attended on and by the assistance of the Queens Physicians recovered For which kindness and other great favours Dimanche and Vespier enter into a strict Familiarity and Friendship In short Dimanche thinking to make use of him in his absence for some Intelligence discovers his business and the Plot to him Vespier being born at Nerac in Gascogne so a Vassal and Subject to the King of Navarre was guided by so much Loyalty as to resolve to prevent the ruine of his Soveraign for which purpose he had this advantage The present Queen of Spain was Elizabeth daughter to Henry II. King of France and so sister to Charles IX then reigning King of france and thus near related to the House of Navarre Vespier a servant to this Queen Elizabeth thinks upon the most convenient way to inform her of all for which he addresseth himself to the Grand Almoner and Tutor by whose means all is fully discover'd to her who resolveth to write of it to her Brother and Sister the King and Queen of France Notice is also given to Sieur de St. Suplice the French Embassadour then in the Spanish Court at Monçon with a desire to inform the Queen of Navarre at Pau that she might better consult and provide for her own safety Dimanche gets to Monçon opens all to King Philip in the mean time de St. Suplice one well acquainted with State matters and after imployed by the French Court dispatcheth his Secretary Rouleau into France with the Letters and Intelligence whereby the Queen of Navarre had means to secure her self and the Plot was spoiled by this discovery Yet Dimanche having done with Spain hasts to Paris where he is privately lodg'd in the Duke of Guise his house and for some time after at a Monastery belonging to the Friars call'd Bons hommes adjoyning to the Wood of Nostre Dame de Boulogne near St. Cloud not far from Paris And though the Spanish Money and Interest at this time had such a sway in the French Council and Court that Captain Dimanche though it was desired was not suffered to be seised on in his return from Spain whereby they might have discover'd further into the Plot by himself and his Papers yet was Philip and Guise both gull'd and the House of Navarre preserved to sit in the Throne And though the Queen of Navarre complained of this Conspiracy and desired justice of the House of Lorrain yet Catherine de Medicis one not apt to be commended in History the Queen-mother turn'd it off by telling her that it was best to forgive those injuries they could not punish And indeed the Interest of the Guises was then so powerful that it was dangerous to call them to an account Whilest these things were closely carrying on Pope Pius IV. was
France and Sister to Charles IX a Lady of excellent parts as appears by her writing though it may be truly said of her Memoires that she wrote them more to justifie her self and wipe off some stains then to inform posterity of what was true for all is not currant that she attests However it be having been married many years without either Children or Affection to her Husband she was at last divorced from him 1599 as being married against her will and to one that was then an Heretick and too near a kin to her besides the Spiritual Relation her Father Henry II. having been Godfather to her Husband and all these Nullities confirm'd and to the Divorse ratified by Clement VIII though Pope Gregory XIII had formerly dispens'd with them and approved of the Marriage But for all these pretences the truth of it was that this King naturally gave himself up to the pleasure of variety to which he wanted not many flattering promoters insomuch that some of his Dames of pleasure wanted but a litâ—â—e to fit in the Throne and Margaret having been thus for 27 years fruitless the people desired succession by some other means which afterwards happened from Maria de Medicis daughter to Francisco Grand Duke of Tuscamy married upon the Divorce to this Henry Margaret who yet kept the Title of Queen died 1615 who doth * Men oâ—râ—s p. 31. confess that the Contrivers of this Massacre did design it not only against the Huguenots but also against the Princes of the Bloud Royal and that they were not a little angry when they understood that the King of Navarre and the Prince of Condé were preserved from the slaughter And what vertue or goodness could then be expected in the French Court of which a late excellent Author doth give this Character Hard. de Perefixe Hist Hen. le 〈…〉 That then it never was there any more vicious or more corrupted where then Atheism Sorcery Impiety Ingratitude Perfidiousness Poisonings Murderings and such like horrible wickednesses did sway in the highest degree To which we might adde the designs of Catherine de Medicis the Queen-mother one that hath left a very bad and black Character behind her some making her the Authoress of the many miseries of that Kingdom and amongst many others I find one thus very biting against her Tres Erebi Furias ne posthac credite vates Tho. Lanâ— Consult Germ. p. 272 Addita nam quarta est nunc Catherina tribus Quod si tres Furias à se dimitteret Orcus Haec Catherina foret pro tribus una satis That th' Furies are but three now speak no more Since Catherine doth make the number four And yet should Hell cashier those three this Kate Alone would serve to plague grim Pluto's State And we might also suppose that the ill-will these Brothers of Valois bare one to another might be some advantage to these troubles and one tells us that they endeavour'd to ravish the French Crown one from Hist Hen. le Grand another on which he remarks as it were by a judgment that they all died unhappily And possibly these Garboils and miseries might be somwhat promoted by the natural humour of that Nation which is said to be very * Phil. Brist Geogr. vol. 1. p. 78. Fickle and Quarrelsom the Sieur Montaigne himself confessing and asserting That †Mettez 3 Francois au deserts de Libye ils ne seront pâ—s un mois ensemble sans se harceler esgrat ner Lâ—s Essais de Moâ—taigne l. 2. c. 27. p. 666. if three Frenchmen were put together in the wilde desarts of Libya where self-preservation might oblige them to assist and befriend one another before a months end they would be provoking scratching and falling out one with another As for the Brother Kings * Fuseb Philod lp Cosmopolit Dialog 1. p. 75 76 77 79. some think that the famous French Poet Pierre de Ronsard though a zealous Romanist did design their Characters and vices under counterfeit names in the end of his La Trançiade but whether so or not let others judge However though these accidents might make the way more easie for the following mischiefs yet we shall find that horrid League more highly carried on by those of the house of Lorrain of which pretended holy Covenant we proceed now to speak more particularly passing by in the mean time those worse then Civil Wars between the King and Huguenots where all things went to wrack and the Kingdome was almost ruined of which thus an †Tho. Daneâ—t Hist of France in Epist Dedic Dr. Pet. du Mâ—ulin's Vindication of the sincerity of the Protâ—stants Religion c. 2. p. 29 30 c. eye-witness doth testifie 1577. We found such a Wilderness in all the Countrey between Bayonne and Bourdeaux that whole Forrests and Woods were turn'd up and consumed the Towns utterly desolated the people dispersed the Churches quite subverted and the Children a lamentable thing to be recorded remaining unchristned by the space of ten years And wherever the fault lay I shall not Apologize here for the Huguenot who was too zealous in his way and too much byass'd by fury and indiscretion as it commonly hapneth to those holy people who cry up Religion with the sword in their hands as if it were lawful for subjects to rebel upon the account of any Religion or such pretence in the world But nothing here is intended against the Huguenot since 't is said in their Vindication that these troubles were neither upon the account of Religion nor between the King and them but rather a begun Quarrel 'twixt the Princes of the Blood and the Guises with their Minions the first taking it ill that the latter should sway all by excluding them from the management of publick affairs to whom as Princes of the Blood-Royal by the Custom of France it did belong especially in the Minority or indisposition of their Kings and so one time were willing to gain that which they thought their right and another time thought it best to defend themselves but of these things I shall not judge being at this time nothing to any purpose CHAP. II. The Articles of the Holy League and the Guisards Under plotting against the King SIgismundus II. surnamed Augustus King of Poland and much commended 1572 1573 for his Prudence Valour and Learning dying the people choose for their King Henry Duke of Anjou Brother to Charles IX King of France who accordingly goeth into Poland and is there * Feb. crown'd But here he stay'd not long for the same year his Brother †30 May. Charles dying year 1574 the Crown of France belong'd to him as next and so upon notice of his death he * June steals out of Poland to the no small trouble of the Natives and posts to his Hereditary Throne which he thought more worth then the other Elective yet in France he always kept the Title of King
enough to oppose his Enemies nor certain where to secure himself fearing if he left Paris it would rise against him and if he stay'd there he might be seiz'd on so zealously bent was that City for the Covenant However he gets a strong Guard about him and sends the Queen-mother to treat with the Confederates And what a grand conceit they had of their enterprise may in part be Gomberville vol 1. p. 648. seen by their Cardinals Letter to the Dutchess of Nevers wherein he tells her How pleas'd he is with the good will which she and her Duke bears to their designs which is onely for the honour of God though others traduce them as Ambitious That they shall shortly have the bravest Army that hath been in France these five hundred years That though the Queen-mother now talk to them of peace yet their demands are so many for Religion that she will not grant them c. Your most humble Uncle to serve you CHARLES Cardinal de Bourbon Chalons 23 May 1585. But in short the Treaty is carried on very cunningly on both sides and at last both Parties growing jealous of their own Force and Guise doubting the Cardinals constancy by reason of his easie nature a Peace was clapt up advantageous enough to the Covenanters for by Agreement 7 July the Huguenots were to be prosecuted several Cities and strong places given to the Guisards strong Horse-guards appointed and paid by the King to wait upon their Chieftains Guise himself is to have one hundred thousand Crowns his Forces paid and all things forgiven c. And for better satisfaction upon this Re-union of his Subjects as they call'd it the King in Parlement must publish an Edict which Perefixe calls a Bloudy one The summe of it was thus HENRY by the grace of God King of France and Poland c. 18 July Edict de Juillet How God and Man knoweth his care and endeavours to have all his Subjects of one Religion i. e. the Roman the want of which hath been the occasions of so many troubles Wherefore with the advice of his Mother and Council he doth ordain and command this unalterable Decree and Edict That in his Dominions there shall be but one viz. the Roman Religion under pain of confiscation of Body and Goods all former Edicts to the contrary notwithstanding That all Huguenot Ministers or Preachers do avoid and depart the Kingdom within one moneth That all his other Subjects who will not change their Religion shall depart within six moneths yet shall have liberty to sell and dispose of their goods That all Huguenots or Hereticks shall be incapable of any Office or Dignity That all * * Courts 〈…〉 in severâ—l plâ—â—ces by former Edicts 1576 1577. wherein half were to be Romanists and half Huguenâ—ts These were restored agâ—in by the Edict of Nantâ—s 1589. with maâ—y other favours to the Hugâ—enots mâ—ny or which have been since null'd and taken away Chambre mi-parties and tri-parties shall be taken away That all those Towns and Places formerly given to the Huguenots for their security shall by them be deliver'd up That what hath hitherto or formerly been done shall be pardon'd on both sides And that for the better preservation of this Edict all Princes Officers Governours Justices Mayors c. shall swear to keep it and their said Oaths to be registred HENRY By the King in his Council Broulart Read and publish'd in Parlement the King present De-Hevez The King of Navarre seeing himself thus aim'd at not only challengeth Guise to single Combat which the Duke answer'd only by Libels but also vindicated himself by an Apologetical Declaration drawn up by Philippe Morney Sieur du Plessis whose Pen and Learning that King used to make much use of as appears by his Memoirs and whose Life was afterwards writ by one of his Amanuenses and in whose commendations you may read a large Ode in Monsieur * Le Paâ—nasse des Poetes Francoises tom 2. fol 69 70 c. D'Espinelle's Collections King Henry III. perceiving that the Leaguers made great noise against him for not prosecuting the war against the Huguenots or rather against the King of Navarre told them his willingness to such a war and therefore desir'd them to put him in a way to have Moneys for the raising and paying the Armies but this they car'd not for being unwilling that he should be either strong or rich yet to stop their clamours he gave order for the levelling of three Armies to fight Navarre and his Associates Thus were their three several Interests in France at the same time I. The King and his Royalists II. The King of Navarre with his Huguenots in their own defence as a * Andr. Favyn Hist de Navarre p. 936. Davila p. 579. Romanist confesseth III. The Guisians or Covenanters designing the ruine of the two former and to advance themselves And now Pope Gregory XIII dying there succeeded in the Chair Sixtus V. who upon sollicitation of the Guisards thunders out a Bull against the King of Navarre and the Prince of Condé which being too long for this place I shall refer you to the reading of it in other * Pet. Math. Sâ—â—mma Constitut Rom. Pont. p. 901 902 903. Fran. Hoâ—oman â—ulmen Brutum Goldest Monarch Rom. tom 2 3 p. 124 125 126. Authors But because it is in none of the Editions of Cherubinus his Bullarium possibly since that time thinking it not convenient to exaspeâ—â—te that Kingdom as they have either fraudulently or politickly left out some other Bulls take the summe of it as followeth First it telleth us what a fine thing a Pope is that by his right and power can throw down and depose the greatest of Kings Then what favours and kindnesses this Henry hath received from the Pope for Gregory XIII abolished and pardoned his former sins and Heresies and gave him a Dispensation to marry his Queen Margaret and the like done to the Prince of Condé Yet for all this they have adhered to Calvinism opposed the Roman Religion and endeavoured to carry on that which they call A Refâ—rmation for which they have by Arms and Council withstood the Romanists Wherefore according to our duty we draw the sword of vengeance against these two Sons of wrath Henry sometimes King of Navarre and Henry Prince of Condé And therefore declare them and all their posterity deprived of all their Dominions Principalities Titles Places Jurisdictions Offices Goods Rights c. And that both they and their posterity are and shall hereafter be uncapable to succeed in or possess any of the premisses And we also absolve all Nobles Feudatories Vassals Subjects and all other people from their Oaths of Allegeance Fidelity and Duties they owe or promis'd to them And do hereby command and forbid all and every one that they in no wise obey the aforesaid Henries or any of their Laws or Commandments and those that do otherwise we excommunicate with the
same sentence And we exhort and admonish Henry III. King of France to imploy all his Authority Power and Courage to see this sentence executed And command all Archbishops and Bishops in France Navarre and Bearne in virtue of Holy Obedience that they cause this our Bull. to be publsh'd and effected And if any presume to oppose or infringe this sentence he shall incur the Indignation of Almighty God and his blessed Apostles Peter and Paul A. de Alexiis Subscribed by XXV Cardinals At Rome 9 Septemb. 1585. The Guisards now thought their Game half done not doubting but that this Bull would take so much effect as for ever to exclude these two Bourbons and their Posterity from the French Throne which then would be the more easie for them to ascend But the Paris Parlement most of which saw no further into the League then the specious outside look'd upon it as a thing of dangerous consequence that the next heirs to the Crown should thus so slightly be Excluded without advice either of the King or them to the violation as they thought of the Priviledges of the Gallican Church And therefore in a full body waited upon the King desiring to have the Bull torn in pieces and the Procurers of it to be enquired after and severely punish'd and affirming to the King that it ought publickly to be burnt But the King though he disliked the manner of the Bull yet at this time thinking it best neither to offend Pope Parlement or Guisards said he would consider of it and thus the business was past over though the Covenanters spred their Copies abroad with Triumph But the King of Navarre would not brook his Reputation thus to be blasted and therefore gallantly as Perefiue saith opposed himself against the Papal Bull his Answer being short brisk in an unusual stile and not yet as I know of clad in English take as followeth HENRY par le Grace de Dieu Roy de Navarre Prince Souverain de Bearn Premier Pair and Prince de France s' oppose à la Declaration Excommunication de Sixte cinquiesme soy disant Pape de Rome la maintient faux en appella come d'abus en la Cour des Pairs de France desquels il a cest honneur d'estre le Premier Et en ce que touche le crime d'Heresie de laquelle il est faussement accusé par le Declaration dict soustient que Monsieur Sixte soy disant Pape sauve sa Sanctete en a faussement menti que luy mesme est Heretique ce qu' il fera prouver en plein Concile libre legitiment assemblé Auquel s' il ne consent ne s' y soubmit comme il est obligé par ses droicts Canons mesmes il le tient declare pour un ANTICHRIST HERETIQUE en ceste qualité veut avoir guerre perpetuelle irreconciliable contre luy Proteste cependent de nullité le recouvir contre luy ses Successeurs pour reparation d'honneur de l'injure qui luy est faicte a toute la Maison de France comme le faict la necessité presente le requient Que si par le passé les Princes Roys ses Predecesseurs ont bien sçeu chastier la temerité de tels Gallans comme est ce pretendu Pape Sixte lors qu' ils se sent oubliez de leur devoir passé les bornes de leur Vocation confondant le Temporal avec le Spirituel Le dit Roy de Navarre qui n' est en rien enferieur a eux espere que Dieu luy fera la grace de venger l'injure faicte a son Roy a la Maison a son sang a toutes les Cours de Parlement de France sur luy sur ses Successeurs Implorant à cest effect l'aide secours de tous les Princes Roys Villes Communantez vrayement Christiennes auquel ce faict touche Aussi prie tous Allies Confederez de ceste Couronne de France de s'opposer avec luy contre le Tyrannie Usurpation du Pape des Ligues Conjurateurs en France ennemis de Dieu de l'Estat de leur Roy du repos General de toute la Christianite Autant en proteste Henry de Bourbon Prince de Condé HENRY by the Grace of God King of Navarre Sovereign Prince of Bearn first Peer and Prince of France doth Protest against the Declaration and Excommunication of Sixtus V. calling himself Pope of Rome doth affirm it to be false and doth Appeal from it as an Imposture to the Court of Peerage in France of which he hath the honour to be the Chief or First And as for that which concerneth the crime of Heresie and of which he is falsly accus'd by the said Declaration he doth affirm and maintain that Master Sixtus calling himself Pope with reverence to his Holiness hath lied in his throat and that he himself is the Heretick as he will prove in a General and Free Council legally assembled To which if he will not consent and submit himself as he is oblig'd by the very Canons themselves he will then hold and dclare him for an ANTICHRIST and HERETICK and so will have a pâ—rpetual and irreconcilable war against him Nevertheless protesting his sentences of no force which Nullity he will recover against him and his Successours for a reparation of the injury which is done to him and all the Bloud Royal of France as the present necessity requireth And if formerly the Princes and Kings his Predecessours knew well enough how to chastise the hair-braindness or foolhardiness of such dapper Gallants as this pretended Pope Sixtus is when they forgot their duty and pass'd the bounds of their callings by hand-over-head blending or jumbling the Temporal power with the Spiritual The said King of Navarre who is no way inferiour to them hopeth that God will assist him to revenge upon the said Sixtus and his Successors the injury done to his King the Royal Family and Bloud and all the Courts of Parlement of France And to this purpose he imploreth the help and assistance of all the truly Christian Princes Kings Cities Corporations or Associations which are herein concern'd And he also desires all the Allies and Confederates of this Crown of France to joyn themselves with him to withstand the Tyranny and Usurpation of the Pope and the Covenanting Conspiratours in France enemies to God their Country and King and the Common peace of all Christendom The same is also protested and testified by Henry de Bourbon Prince of Condé And this Protestation was fixed upon the corners of the Streets of Rome the 6th of Novembeâ— 1585. And there were several Scholars who undertook the defence of the King of Navarre amongst which were the two famous Civilians Francis Hotman and Pierre de Belloy the last of which suffer'd a tedeous imprisonment As for the Pope being of
the King in which after many fair words they demand That the King should really and briskly joyn himself with them and root out the Huguenots That he would put such persons as they should name from his Court Council and their Offices or Imployments That he would make the Council of Trent be received in his Dominions That he would grant some strong places unto the Covenanting Princes where they might keep Garrisons and make Fortifications at the charge of the Crown That he would maintain an Army near Lorrain under the Command of one of the Leaguing Princes That he would cause all the Estates of the Huguenots to be sold to satisfie the expences of the late wars and to assist the Covenanters in their future designs That he would settle the Inquisition in the chief Cities of his Kingdom and such like The King received the Propositions with a seemingly contented countenance but defer'd his Answer nor did the Duke of Guise care much whether he satisfied their demands or no the design being only to render His Majesty odious to the People as an Enemy to them and Religion and a Friend to the Hereticks And the fair and dissembling carriage of Guise for the Ease of the People Good of Religion and Scorn of the Kings pimping flattering upstart Favourites who rais'd themselves by cheating the King and the oppression of the Poor had in procuring favour and esteem far the advantage of the Kings carriage and actions whose only care was Luxury and Idleness Dancing Fooling with litâ—le Dogs pratling with Birds and such like childish gayeties All which were sufficiently known to the Guisards upon which they daily spread abroad as is usual upon such neglects and occasions their Pamphlets Libels and Lampons whilest the Zele and Honour of Guise is celebrated in every street and corner styling him the new David year 1588 the second Moses the Deliverer of the Catholick people the Prop and Pillar of the Holy Church the new Gideon the Safety of the Kingdom and such like In the mean time the secret Council of the Covenanters in Paris was not idle and having as formerly said for the better carrying on their Plots the City being divided into * Les Seize Quartâ—ers every one of which is usually govern'd by a Quaâ—tinier or Alderman XVI Wards or Quarters appointed a trusty Covenanter to supervise every Ward and the Leaguers in that Division from which number the chief and Council of the Guisards in Paris was commonly call'd The Sixteen Les Seize But Guise now perceiving the business daily to ripen for action thought this Division not close enough therefore sends back La Chapelle one of their busiest Counsellours to tell them his desire who forth with pulls out of his pocket a Map of Paris purposely divided into V Quarters every one of which had now by the Duke a Colonel appointed over it their names were Count de Brissac the Sieurs de Bois-Dauphin de Chamois d'Eschavoles and Colonel St. Paul and under every Colonel were several Captains and so to every one was given a Note what to do where any might have Arms that wanted Besides he had ordered the Duke of Aumale and other his Associates to be in readiness with their Forces at appointment And to the no small joy and encouragement of the Guisards now died Henry de Bourbon Prince of Condé poison'd he was as is confess'd by all and with him might that Branch have ended but that his Princess imprison'd upon suspicion as guilty of her Husbands death a little after was brought to bed of a young Prince and was call'd Henry The King of Navarres Life had formerly several times been attempted of which D' Aubigne will afford you a couple of odd stories And in this Year * Tom. 2 l. 5. ch 5 Monsieur de Calliere will tell you of another design against his person and we need not question but that his death be it any way would * Hist d M. â—u Matignon p. 219 220 221. have been very acceptable to Guise and his Party who about this time did †spread abroad that he was really dead whether to encourage their Associats to dismay the Hâ—guenots or that they knew of some Attempts * Ant. Colynet p. 214 against his Life and hoped they would accordingly take effect let others judge In the mean time the Parisians carry on their Plots and all things being now in a pretty readiness they resolve to take opportunity of the time of Lent it being the Kings custom then to go in Procession in the habit of a Penitent amongst the Whipping-Friars without any other Guards or Retinue and thus they thought they might without much difficulty seize on him clap him up in a Cloyster then the Duke of Guise to summon the States-General tell them of the Kings unfitness to rule and so the League might sway all as he pleased But Poulain discovering this to the King he feigned himself sick went not abroad that day and so escap'd the snare yet the Covenanters proceed make a secret Muster of their Forces which they find to be about XXX thousand stout men and perceiving their designs discover'd but by whom they could not tell thought it not fit to waste time or give the King opportunity to seize upon any of them or prevent their Contrivances wherefore they send to Guise to come without fail who promiâ—â—th and in the mean time sendeth many Officers to lurk secretly in the City against his coming The King inform'd of this adviseth for his own safety but the Factions at Court did somewhat weaken the Determinations yet he gets some Companies to strengthen himself in the Louvre procureth what Friends he can secretly to joyn with him yet after all he perceived himself not able to cope with his Enemies though they were somewhat cool'd at his Preparations About this time His Majesty being at Bois de Vincennes accompanied 5 May. not with abovn six or sevee the Sixteen design'd to intrap him in his return then to Alarm the City by giving out that the Huguenots had surpriz'd him and in tended his death thinking by this trick to raise up their Confederates but Poulain discovering this the King sent for his Guards and so this also fail'd In this designed Treachery Catharine Dutchess of Montpensier and Sister to Guise was an active Instrument The King being also inform'd by the same Poulain that the Duke of Guise was now resolved to come to Paris and the Covenanters ready to receive him sendeth several Messengers to him with express command not to approach to which he giveth cunning and doubtful answers with an intent to disobey and accordingly with all possible haste attended with but a very few of his Gentlemen and Servants not keeping the High road but through by and private passages that he might not meet any other of the Kings Prohibitions and so seem publickly to disobey His Majesty enters the City the people running mad with joy
King yet is not to this day held or reckon'd amongst their Kings And the better to make all cock-sure the Duke of Mayenne sendeth forth an Edict or Declaration wherein He desires all to stick close to the Holy Union for the preservation of Religion and the Crown And seeing it hath pleased God of his mere goodness singular providence and justice to deliver us from him who had joyn'd himself with the Hereticks contrary to the holy admonitions of the Pope Therefore waiting for the liberty and presence of our King and Soveraign Lord we desire and command all year 1590 good people to joyn themselves with us and to swear to die in the Roman Religion SENAULT Paris 5 Aug. 1589. And the Parlement of Tholouse is as brisk as any for no sooner had they news of the Kings murther which was committed on the first of August but they put forth a Decree wherein They command all to unite in defence of the Roman Religion That all Bishops within their Churches give thanks to God for the deliverance of Paris and other places Ordain that the first day of August shall for the future be every year celebrated with Processions and publick prayers in acknowledgment of the great benefits they received that day Forbid any to accept or allow of Henry de Bourbon for their King or to assist him du TORNOER Tholouse 2 Aug. 1589. Nor is it the French onely but other busie people will not by any means allow this Henry to be King Amongst the rest I find our Father Persons or Creswell if not both layeth it as a grand fault upon Fit manifestissimum nullo jure neque Divino ne ue Humanno Regis Gallia nomen aut dignitatem Navaâ—raâ— posse competere Responsiâ— ad Edictum Râ—ginae Angliae sect 2. § 148 153. p. 184 190. Queen Elizabeth for acknowledging him to be King of whom they are so confident as to affirm that 't is not possible for him to be truly King of France by any Law either Divine or Humane But to return to France where the war is carried on vigorously but to the loss of the Covenanters to whose aid Pope Sixtus sends Cardinal Cajetano as Legat into France and with him amongst other Scholars came Bellarmine but what was most powerful they brought with them Bills of Exchange for large summes of money to be disposed of as the Legat thought best for the advantage of the Cause King Henry IV. being inform'd of the Legats coming caused to be publish'd that if he came towards him that then he should be received with all honour aad safety but if he went towards his enemies the Covenanters then none should acknowledge him for a Legat or receive him under pain of Rebellion But Cajetan after many turnings and windings at last arriveth at Paris where he is received in great pomp lodged in the Bishops Palace richly furnished with the Kings goods taken year 1590 out of the Louvre In the mean time the Kings Parlement met at Tours declareth against the Legat on the contrary the Paris Parlement or Rump with the Sorbone Doctors stand for him order all to acknowledge to him and that he being then the Supreme Spiritual Authority in the Kingdom no power there could meet and act in opposition to him For the Legat did not a little fear that the Royallists considering how much the Pope favoured the Rebels would chuse a * Jac. Fuligott vit Card. Bellarmin â— 2. c. 9. Patriarch for that Nation which would have spoil'd his Holinoss markets And now concerning this Legat the Pens on both sides are more busie then the Swords Amongst the rest who expected to gain by these Troubles was the King of Spain who also had assisted the Leaguers and for their further encouragement sets forth a Declaration the summe of it being Philip by the grace of God King of Castile Leon Arragon c. Is sorry for the Troubles and Heresies in France Therefore commands all Christian Catholick Princes to joyn with him to extirpate Heresie and deliver the most Christian King of France Charles X. that France being once cleared of Heresie they may proceed to purge other Heretical Countries all which being exterminated they may recover the Holy Land from the Turks Protesteth that he designs nothing but the exaltation of the Roman Church the repose of all good Catholicks under their lawful Princes the extirpation of all Heresies the peace and concord of Christian Princes to obtain which he is willing not onely to imploy his means but his life also Juan de Vasquez Madrid 8 March 1590. A little before this some of the Royallists spread abroad such like Propositions as these following That Henry of Bourbon might or ought to he King That with a safe conscience the people might assist him and pay Tribute That an Heretick though relaps'd and put out of the communion of the Church may have right to the Crown of France That the Pope of Rome hath not right to excommunicate Kings That now it is not only lawful but necessary to make a Treaty or League with the Bearnois and his Hereticks Which Propositions were presently condemn'd by the Sorbone Doctors the Decree of theirs was confirm'd by the Cardinal Legat and subscrib'd 10 Feb. Spond an 1590. § 3. and sworn to by the Bishops and Curats Yet their courage was somewhat cool'd by the Kings success nor was the League prosecuted with that eagerness as was expected by reason that the Duke of Mayenne and the Spaniards mistrusted one another besides the great jealousies amongst the Covenantiug Chieftains themselves every man seeking his own Interest all expecting to make themselves great and several designed the Crown for himself Adde to these the unwieldiness of Mayenne their General being very fat heavy and slow in all his actions and one that spent much time in eating and sleeping And the truth is the most vigorous and earnest promoters of the League were the Priests and Women the first acting as well by the Sword as their Seditious Preachments the later encouraging and gaining by their boldness and insinuations nay so zealous were they in this Caus that from the highest to the lowest they were not asham'd to act any thing to gain Proselytes so that the King suppos'd that what his Armies wan in the Field they lost by these Love-tricks several of his Officers being now and then wheedled over to the League when they came under the lieur of such attractive baits at Paris Yet the Leaguers were quite crest-fallen after the King had totally routed Mayenne and his great Army at the battel of * 14 March 2590. Yory of which Du Bartas hath a long Poem But as a little before when Henry conquered the same Duke at * Septemb. 1589. Arques the better to keep up the hearts of the people and Parisians the Dutchess of Montpensier had the confidence to publish abroad that the Covenanters were Conqueronrs that Navarre himself was taken and
Queen Elizabeth 454 455 456 Francis Duke of Anjou his death 502 Suspected by poyson Ibid. Causes the Guisard to rejoyce Ibid. Don Juan d'Aquila lands in Ireland with Spanish forces 658 c. L'Auspespine the French Ambassador in England plots the murder of Queen Elizabeth 450 B BAbington's treasons against Queen Elizabeth 445 446 Baldwin II Emperour of Constantinople deposed 279 Fran. Baroncello his pranks at Rome 306 Cardinal Baronius bad Principles 78 The Barricadoes 523 Pierre Barriere his plots against the King 589 Becket vid. Thomas Cardinal Bellarmines bad Principles 68 69 Berengarius murther'd 192 John of Bilboa his imposture 360 361 Birket constituted Archpriest of England 720 Blois the Assembly of the States-General meet there 527 The D. of Guise rules all there ibid. Boniface VIII Pope his life and actions 282 c. Cardinal Bourbon declar'd King 562 Bow at the name of the Pope and Virgin Mary 40 Richard Bristow's bad Principles 62 66 C CAelestine V Pope 282 283 Alphonso Carillo Archbishop of Toledo chief of the Rebels against Henry IV King of Castile and Leon 337 338 c. Catherine Queen of Navar deprived 343 344 Robert Cecil threatned in a Letter from the Romanists 707 708 Charles III le Gross Emperour depos'd 185 First dated his Letters from the year of Christ 186 Charles III le simple King of France deposed 203 204 Carlos I King of Spain chose Emperor called Charles V 353 His going from Spain into Germany opposed by the Spaniards 353 354 Chastel stabs the King 596 Childerick II King of France and his Queen murdred 160 Childerick III King of France deposed 165 166 His Subjects absolv'd from their Oaths of Allegiance by Pope Zachary Ibid. Clement VIII thanks the Irish for their Rebellion 651 Sends a Letter to Tyrone the Rebel 655 Fryar Clement kills Henry III of France 547 The Prince of Conde poysoned 521 Conradino King of Naples beheaded 281 Constantines Donation a meer cheat 117 118 c. Constantine V Emperour of Constantinople murdred 169 170 The Covenant vid. League Council of Sixteen vid. Paris Culene King of Scotland murther'd 211 D DAndalo in a Chain under the Popes Table 307 Deodato Duke of Venice his eyes put out 183 Desmond ' s Plots against Ireland and Articles with Francis I. King of France 385 386 Proclaim'd Traitour 390 His death 392 Devils abused 27 28 The Devil confess'd his sins and loved the Mass 28 Pray'd for that his sins might be forgiven 136 S. Dominick his lying stories 5 Donald V King of Scotland imprison'd 183 Duffe King of Scotland murder'd 208 209 210 Duncan King of Scotland murder'd 215 E EDict vid. Vnion Edmund King of England murther'd 205 Edmund Ironside King of England murder'd 214 Edward King of England sirnamed the Martyr 206 207 Edward II King of England his deposing and murther 309 310 Edward VI insurrections in the North and West against him 408 409 Queen Elizabeth leaves out the word HEAD and is stiled onely Supreme Governour 400 Her Vindication 410 411 c. to 423 Her commendations by Forraigners 411 Defended from cruelty in putting some Romish Priests to death 413 414 416 Declared in a Bull of Pope Pius V Excommunicated Deprived and Deposed 419 Her mildeness and mercy towards Romish Priests 419 420 421 422 423 Who were put to death for Treasons not for Religion Ibid. Deposed by Pope Paul IV Her murder designed by Pius V 426 Her Subjects absolv'd from their Oath of Allegiance by his Bull 427 to 431 Insurrections in the North against her Government 432 Attempts to kill her 445 446 Several plots against her 675 676 c. Empire its troubles by the Papal arrogancie 303 England not subject to the Papal Power 233 234 Equivocation 190 Exorcisms used by the Romanists to inveigle the ignorant people 446 447 448 449 St. Ericus IX King of Swedland kill'd 252 Erick VI King of Denmark beheaded 279 Erick VII murdred ibid. Ethus King of Scotland imprison'd 183 Exorcisms cheating 27 F FAbritio Duke of Venice his eyes put out 183 Felton condemned for Treason not for Religion 419 Esteemed as a Martyr by the Romanists 433 Florence wicked designs against it by the Pope 331 332 c. Folly of Heathens 1 2 Formosus Pope his troubles 196 197 His body drag'd out of the grave and his fingers cut off 197 198 France the holy League and Covenant there 483 More stirs there upon the deaths of the Guises 529 The people's Declaration 530 S. Francis his childish stories 2 3 4 Frederick I Barbarossa his troubles 254 c. Frederick II Emperour troubled and depos'd 266 G GAlla Duke of Venice his eyes put out 183 Father Garnet his life 696 to 707 The story of his straw 704 705 Gerberg a Nun drown'd in a Wine-vessel 178 Gibbelines their Story 270 Giovanni Duke of Venice banish'd 183 Men held for Gods 1 2 God abused and blasphemed 29 30 Gradenico Duke of Venice murder'd 183 Gregory I against a Vniversal Bishop 154 Commendeth the murther of Mauricius 155 156 Calls himself servant of servants 156 Delivers Trajans soul out of Hell 157 Gregory VII his power 218 219 c. Deposed by a Synod at Worms 220 By another at Brixen 226 Dyeth and is Sainted 227 Gregory XIII his explication of Pius V his Bull against Queen Elizabeth 435 436 Jac. Gretser his bad Principles 69 Guelfs their story 270 Guisards several designes against the House of Navar as the chief of that of Bourbon 488 489 490 Their under-plottings against Henry III of France 494 495 496 to 502 Their designes against the House of Bourbon 502 And to make themselves next Heirs of the Kingdom 502 503 c. Look upon Cardinal Bourbon as first Prince of the Bloud rather then the King of Navar 507 Duke of Guise holds a Treaty or Conventicle with some Spanish Commissioners and others and the agreement at that Cabal 505 Has a meeting of the Chieftains of the House of Lorrain at Nancy 520 Presents several propositions to the King ibid. Comes to Paris has the acclamations of the people 522 The Queen-Mother sent to treat with him 524 His insolent demands 524 Refuses to swear Allegiance to the King and plots to take away his life 528 Is kill'd at Blois ibid. Cardinal of Guise kill'd by the Kings order ibid. Gunpowder-Treason vid. Treason H LOng Hair of great value 167 Hare occasion'd the taking of Rome 187 Harenscaran punishment what 256 257 Heaven abused with lyes 29 30 Henry II King of England his troubles by Thomas a Becket 235 236 c. His grief and penance for Beckets murther 247 248 Henry IV King of Castile and Leon his miseries by his proud rebellious Nobility 337 c. They make a League against him ibid. Designe to kill him 340 Henry IV Emperour his troubles and deposition 218 219 c. Deprived 220 224 225 His strange Humility and Submission 222 Crown'd at Rome 226 Depos'd by his son 228 229 His poverty and death
away the Sword III. That he was unfit to govern the Kingdom then the Earl of Benevent took the Scepter out of its hand IV. That therefore he was deprived justly of his Royal Throne then was the Statue thrown down from the Seat with many unworthy and outragious speeches by Diego Lopez brother to the Earl of Placencia This done the other Lords with Henries young brother Alphonso who had stood a little off as spectators mounted the Scaffold took and lifted Alphonso upon their Shoulders crying out Castile Castile for the King Don Alphonso so the Trumpets sounded and they all went to kiss his hand as their true King Poor King Henry received this news patiently saying with the Prophet Esay I have nourished and brought up children and they have despised me But although these treacherous and disloyal servants have so wrong'd and scorned me by the Statue which they have degraded and thrown away all respect and duty which they owe unto me yet they cannot keep me who am the true King from having strength and courage to chastise and disperse them For I hope in our Lord Jesus Christ who is the just Judge of Kings that their wickedness shall be destroyed and mine innocencie made known to the whole World And then considering how many Places and Nobles revolted from him and the powerfulness of his enemies he would oftentimes say Naked I came out of my Mothers Womb and the earth must receive me naked no man can become so poor as he was born And if God doth now chastise me for my sins he will comfort and preserve me hereafter for his infinite power killeth and giveth life hurteth and healeth giveth kingdoms and taketh them away lifteth up Kings and throweth them down again even as he pleaseth Yet did not the disconsolate King absolutely despair but sent to all places he had any hopes in to assist him against the Rebels and amongst the rest Don Garcia Alvares de Toledo Earl of Alva de Tormes was very active for his service In the mean time the Conâ—ederates lay siege to Simancas upon the River Duero in Leon which was valiantly defended by Don Juan Fernandes Galindo and other Royalists And here the very boyes and Lackeys shew'd their zeal against Rebellion for understanding that the Archbishop of Toledo was the chief of the Faction in deâ—ision of him and the League they made an Image representing him which they named the New Don Opas the Apostate The Reader may here understand by the by that about the years 712 713 714 Julian Governour of Ceuta in the Streights on the African shore falling out with his Lord Roderigo the last King of the Goths in Spain in revenge joyns himself with the Moores with them enters Spain routs his Prince and by this treachery the Moores became Masters of all that Continent excepting the mountanous parts in las Asturias Biscay and Navar and so retain'd it for many hundred years till by degrees they were beaten out And thus was the name and rule of the Gothick Government lost In this wicked treachery against their own Country and Christian Religion was as a principal Actor Opas or Oppa Archbishop of Toledo who joyned himself with unbelieving Moores to the shame of himself and the loss of Christianity in those parts And this is that Don Opas to whom these boys alluded The Image of the Archbishop being in all sort prepared one of the boys sat down as Judge and the Treason being palpable commanded the Image to be imprisoned and at last pronounced sentence against it thus Whereas Alphonso Carillo Archbishop of Toledo following the steps of the ancient Bishop Opas the ruine of Spain for that he had betray'd the King his Natural Lord rebelling against him and detaining his Money Towns and Fortresses which he had committed to him is therefore condemned to be drawn up and down the streets and publike places of Simancas a Trumpet to go before proclaiming that the King did command this justice to be done to the Traytor Opas as a recompence due for his Treacheries and Treasons and that then it should be burn'd This sentence pronounced aloud we need not question but the young Judge was obey'd in every thing Then was the Image carryed out of the Town attended on with above three hundred boyes and burned with a great deal of triumph in the very sight of the Confederates Army which at last despairing of taking the Place rais'd the siege King Henry we may well suppose was not idle having in a little time got an Army of near upon an hundred thousand men This vast strength terrified the Leaguers so they fell to private plots and instigated one Juan Carillo to kill the King but this Carillo being taken prisoner in a skirmish and perceiving he could not live long by reason of his wounds was sorry for what he had undertaken desired to speak with the King ask'd pardon of him had it confess'd how his life was sought after and revealed to him other wicked practices against him and the next day Carillo dyed of his wounds The King with his potent Army might have quel'd all before him but through his love to peace and carelesness he lost all opportunities allowed of a Conference where it was concluded that every man should lay down his Arms and return home a Truce to continue for five Months and that in the mean time Commissioners should treat of a Peace Thus the King lost his cause his Army by his negligence wasting and slipping away Nor did the Confederates disband according to promise De Villena watching all occasions to see if he could get the credulous King into his clutches In the mean time Don Alphonso led a miserable life with the Leaguers and suspecting either their bad intentions or the success of his cause would willingly have agreed with King Henry and go to him but they kept him strictly threatning to a Petiturum veneno nisi râ—â—aret Jo. â—arian l. â—3 cap. 9. poyson him if he receded from his Government Both parties now seem'd weary so another peace is clapt up but very dishonourable to the King considering what an Army he lately had But this quiet lasted but a while they flee to Arms both Armies meet by Olmedo in Old Castile where the Archbishop of Toledo appears in his Arms upon which he wore his white Stole poudred with red Crosses The Battel is fought and both parties year 1467 cry victory but the Kings party daily wasted insomuch that most forsook him and like a private Gentleman hew as content to skulk up and down accompanyed with some b Mariana cap. 11. ten horsemen At last after some trouble Alphonso dyeth about XVI years old upon this the Confederates consult about a new Head they generally year 1468 agree upon Donna Isabella his Sister send to her to accept of the Government and they would proclame and Crown her Queen She upon good advice refuseth all such profers declaring her obedience to
And his Countryman Paulus Melissus seems as it were to bestow his whole time in her c Poet. Germ. vol. 4. pag. 342 418 425 428 440 441 443 452 462 468 478 486 493. praises and at last endeavours to go as high as his wit could reach so far will he have her above all other Goddesses d Id. pag. 475. Te Venerem te Junonem te Pallade quisquis Dixerit haud abs re dixerit ille puto Quin idem Charin Musam te dixerit imo Musa es Musarum tu Charitumque Charis Ignoscas Regina minus quam par sit aequum Dicenti laudis copia quanta tui est Divitiis Juno forma Venus Indole Pallas Dote Charis cedit nomine Musa tibi Junones Veneres Charitas Musasque Minervasque Omnes una simul tu superare potis Cui culper si te Divis ex omnibus unam Natam Pantheiam virgo Britanna loquar Amongst the Belgians e Poet Belg. vol. 2 pag. 681 718 719 721 Janus Gruterus so famous for his Learning is her great admirer And of later days f De laudibus vica Elizabetha Adolphus van Dans hath wrote a whole book in her Commendations Nay Johannes Bochius of Bruxels who was so inveterate against her Government and Religion that he assisted Richard Verstegan in the composing of his lying and bloudy Theatre yet cannot let her pass without this grand applause g Poet. Belg. vol. 1. pag. 800. Pallas Juno Venus nemorosae in frondibus Idae Discrimen formae cum subiere suae Inter formosas si tu Dea quarta fuisses Vicisses reliquas O Dea pulchra Deas Quam Juno jejuna foret quam pallida Pallas Quam Dea vana Venus quam Dea sola fores How ready she was to answer Ambassadors and other people in several Languages on the sudden Historians do h Edm. Howe 's enlargement of Stow pag. 813 814 815. testifie at large But one thing I finde Recorded of her which is not usual that when three Ambassadors viz. the Imperial French and Swedish addrest themselves to her at the same time she on the sudden i Rog. Ascham Epist Sturmio answer'd each of them in different Languages the first of them in Italian the second in French and the third in Latine k Epist dedicat ad artem Gram. Vossius l Hist Belg. l. 1. Meteranus m Lib. 82. l. 119. Thuanus and a world of other Learned Writers have weilded their Pens in her Commendations and though some Popes have endeavoured as far as in them lay to over-cloud her Reputation by commanding the Commendatory expressions in her behalf to be dasht out of n Index librorum Prohibitorum Cambden and some other Writers yet I finde Pope Sixtus V a very Zealous Assertor of his Pontifical Chair to bestow upon her and Henry the Fourth of France this following noble Character a Persaepe auditus est cum dicerat toto orbe se unum virum â—oeminam videre dignos nisi labe sectaria infecti essent qui Regnarent quibus cum ipse de ingeâ—ribus rebus consilia quae animo agitabat communi caret Navarrum Elizabetham Reginam intelligens Aug. Thuan. Hist lib. 82 and Perefixe Hist Henry le grand part 1. That amongst all the Princes of the world he could finde but two viz. Queen Elizabeth and Navar setting aside their opinions in Religion who were worthy to Rule and with whom he could most fittingly consult and take advice Having thus somewhat hinted on her Commendations and at last brought the Pope himself to be an Advocate for her Discretion Prudence and good Government we may now the more exactly perceive where the Shooe pincheth and what is the cause of the ill will against her Not denying but that she as well as the best of Monarchs might have some miscarriages and oversights in such a long Raign as she continued especially since the Earl of Leicester and some others had the Fortune to sway in her time it being granted that Robert Dudly was as great an Oppressor as ever breath'd for a Favourite and so let him and all such never be mentioned but with ignominy As for her Religion whether Haeretical or not As the Question is too large to be here discuss'd so is it nothing to the purpose seeing Religion doth not intitle one to Kingdoms nor is Dominion founded in Grace a Pagan having as much right to his Goods and Territories as the best of Christians to what is his As to her personal concerns no question but she thought her self in the best and surest way to her Salvation And as she was a Princess of great Ingenuity and Parts understood many Languages read many Books and was so studious as to translate some her self out of Greek Latine and French so we need not doubt but thus furnisht and industrious in Learning she was able to give a good account of her Religion and to vindicate it and her self And as for Religion as it related to the publick it hath had famous Champious and Martyrs to justifie it and to wipe off all the pretended blots of Schism and Heresie which malice or ignorance could throw upon it for a farther proof of which it being not material to my History in hand I shall refer the Reader to Bishop Bramhal Bishop Morton Dr. Hammond Mr. Hooker Mr. Mason and suchlike Learned Defenders of our Church Certain it is that every Kingdom is supream within it self and 't is as true that the Religion in England was reform'd in a peaceable and legal manner by the greatest Authority in it viz. the Prince Parliament and Convocation of Divines Regulation here did not begin at the wrong end it was not carryed on by any b Vid Chr. 〈◊〉 Câ—ta 〈◊〉 Relig. â—â—ag 11. Rebellious Leagues or Covenants The Soveraign was free and not fought to a compliance and as we may suppose the reasons to be just so are we certain that it was acted by the highest Authority in the Kingdom which is according to the Laws of God and Mâ—n and the practice of other Potentates both ancient and modeâ—â— As 〈◊〉 â—he alteration it self we may suppose it was done with dâ—e â—â—â—sideration being acted by such a considerable Body and Authâ—rity and not on a sudden but by degrees as they found just occasion to reject and admit And as on the one hand we may suppose it was agreeable to the Majority of the Laity considering it past their Representives the Parliament nor opposed by any considerable number after so year 1559 may we justly conclude it conformable to the sentiments of the Clergy seeing that the Parishes Headships of Colledges and Halls in the Universities with the Prebendships Bishopricks and the other Dignities of the Church in England and Wales did then amount to the number of very neer ten thousand Yet of all that number of Preferments adding to them the Lord
also 1563. Spondâ—n §. 48. 49 50 51. Davila p. 191. sollicited to use his Authority against the Queen of Navarre which would give a greater color and encouragement for others to attaque her accordingly because she was of the Reformed Religion He falleth to work publisheth a Citation or Monitory against her concluding that if she did not turn a Romanist within six moneths he would deprive her of her Dominions and give them to any that would conquer them At this the French King is not a little troubled looking upon it as a thing of dangerous consequence as the common cases of all other Kings nor did he like that any third party should have any pretence to seize upon those Territories which lay so near to and convenient for Spain whom possibly he might suspect though it is said that Philip complemented Queen Jane with an assurance that he would protect her and her Dominions against any that should assault them Besides this another thing happened which did not a little perplex the King the Council of Trent as they call it being now ended Cardinal de Lorrain desired the Pope to use his Interest with the French King that it should be receiv'd and approv'd of in his Dominions that he would root out the Huguenots that he would break the late Peace made with year 1564 them that he would punish the Accessors to the death of Guise c. And that these Petitions might carry the greater awe an Embassadour is sent as from the Pope the Emperour the King of Spain and the Duke of Savoy to demand them from Charles who is not a little puzled how to behave himself in this case For to refuse the Council of Trent would render him suspect to the Pope to receive it would be against the Liberties of the Gallican Church to make war against the Huguenots would not advantage him as he had found by experience and he did not much care for Forein assistance to extirpate them quite was not probable to be done and if he should he must destroy many of his nearest Relations however so weaken and impoverish the Kingdom that at last it might bâ—come a prey to a third party As for the death of the Duke of Guise Poltrot who shot him was executed for it and though he had accused Admiral Coligny Beza and some others as Instigators of him to it yet they had publickly disown'd it both by Oath and Declarations besides Poltrot did vary in his Accusations and so his Credit not possitively to be stood to However the King by his cunning doubtful Answers and Delays wheedled all these things off to the no small trouble of the Guisians who hoped for a war and troubles that being the only way to raise themselves and carry on their designs Yet was not the House of Navarre free from danger for Pius V. advised 1568 Spoâ—d § 26. the Queen-mother to seise upon their Dominions seeing Queen Jane was an Heretick or if she approv'd not of this that he might by his Papal Authority appoint one of the Family of Valois to be King of those Territories that for his part if neither of these liked her he was resolved to give to the King of Spain that part of the Kingdom which Jane possessed I suppose he did not mean all those Territories in France which for her Son she governed as Queen of Navarre but only that little spot of ground which lieth North of the Pyrenean Mountains in Gascogne which the French do call the lower Navarre having St. Jean-Pied-de-Port St. Pelage and a few other little Towns in it But which of them the Pope meant is no great matter for both of them if gain'd must be won by the Sword which it seems at this time Philip had no mind to whereupon this went no further then a vapour and so I leave it But nothing can more clearly demonstrate the intent and design of the year 1572 Guisards then the Massacre of Paris a slaughter so much the worse because of its long contrivance before the action viz. almost * Davila p. 346 350 355 356 357. two years for so long was it concluded on before where the †Id. p. 370. Duke of Guise was very urgent and earnest that the young King of Navarre and his young Cousin the Prince of Condé the next Heir to the Crown after Navarre should be both slain with the rest but others though cruel enough oppos'd this as not willing to imbrue their hands in the Bloud Royal which would seem so abominable all the world over But whether at this time the Guisards had any design to secure themselves of the French Crown I shall not say any thing though that they had afterwards is apparent and confest by all Historians And thus much by the way though one might enlarge himself on this bloudy story by observing how the King endeavouring a vindication of himself did make the thing worse by his many Contradictions as appears by his * Vid. Ernest Varamund de Furoribus Gallicis Letters and Declarations Sometimes declaring how sorry he was for the death of his Cousin the year 1572 Admiral how the Massacre was acted without his knowledge how it was contriv'd and done only by those of the House of Guise upon some quarrel between them and the Admiral that it was not in his power to hinder it he having enough to do to secure and guard himself his Queen his Brethren the King of Navarre c. in his Palace the Louvre that he is for peace and desires all to keep the Edict of Pacification c. Othertimes he declareth that the Massacre was done by his express will and commandment that it was acted for the security of himself and Friends that the Admiral and Huguenots had plotted and determined to destroy him his Queen his Brethren the King of Navarre c. Now orders all of the Reformed Religion to be turn'd out of their Imployments Places and Estates and then that they shall be * Davila p. 735. massacred after the same manner all France over c. And as a forerunner to all these slaughters happened the sudden death 12 June of Jane the stout Queen of Navarre who being come to Paris upon earnest Invitations about her sons Marriage was as is commonly believed poisoned by order of the King and Queen-mothers private cabal Certain it is though all the rest of her body was dissected and open'd to view yet the King would * Thuan. l. 49. not by any means let her Head be touched he knowing as †p. 364. Davilla saith that the poison of the Perfum'd Gloves prepar'd for her had only wrought upon her Brain But for all this the Marriage went on and was solemniz'd between 18 August the young King of Navarre for now Henry after the death of his Mother took upon him the Title of King being before only call'd Prince and Margaret Daughter to Henry II. of
a Phil. Briet Annâ—l Spond § 1. signs of poison which some b Andr. Favyn p. 926 935. think was administred by the Covenanting Faction yet at his Funeral the Duke of Guise could c Journal du Hen. III. Mart. 25. shew as troubled and melancholy a Visage as any His death reviveth the hopes of the Guisians for perceiving the King having been about nine years married without any probability of having Children for all the assistance of * Journal 23 Jan. 1579. Spond anno 1583. § 11. hallowed Shirts and Smocks and so the Line of Valois to end with him and though the next related to the Crown was the House of Bourbon yet here they had rais'd a doubt whether the Uncle or the Nephew was to succeed whether Cardinal Bourbon or the King of Navarre were next Heirs and the Guisards made it their business to raise up the Cardinals right by his Interest thinking to secure their own designs for it was his main plot to get Navarre excluded And this might the better be perform'd seeing he as also his Cousin the Prince of Condé the next Heir after Navarre was a Protestant and so it would be an easie matter to get him declar'd incapable of the Crown as an Heretick And as for Charles Cardinal of Bourbon being crasie infirm and none of the wisest and one that was rul'd in all things by Guise was the more fit to make a Property of and if he should come to the Throne Guise did not doubt but to manage his Affairs so well that being already very popular with the Romanists he might secure the Succession to himself having got many to vaunt much of his Pedegree and Relations However things went it was good at the beginning to act under the feeble Cardinal as the first Prince of the Bloud as they call'd him And that the Cardinal look'd upon himself as so is confirm'd by this story which they tell us That a little after the ' foresaid death of the Duke of Anjou King Henry III. asked the Cardinal Journal Sâ—â—t 158â— that supposing himself should die whether he would take upon him the Government and precede the King of Navarre To which the Cardinal reply'd That upon his death the Crown did belong to him and that he was resolv'd not to lose his right At which 't is said the King laught and jeer'd him Yet Guise carry'd on his business so well that he gain'd a multitude of Followers some being Male-contents others that loved trouble and mischief as their Lawyers some led by Interest as their Priests and Jesuits and others persuaded by an holy Zele thinking Religion was now at the last gaâ—p and no way to recover her but by entring into this Holy League and Covenant Yet the designs of the Guisards were not carried so closely but the King had some hints of them which did not a little trouble him However to prevent all danger he had some thoughts of joyning with Navarre yet with a desire that he should turn Romanist for which purpose he sends the Duke of Espernon to him to persuade his Conversion but in this Navarre desired to be excus'd however offers him the Assistance and Forces of the Protestants to be when he pleas'd at his service either to secure him from or to quell the Covenanters The Leaguers inform'd of these Consultations take opportunity thence to bespatter the King calling him Heretick giving out that he design'd the ruine of the Roman Religion that for that end he was joyning himself to the Huguenots and in proof of this they made no small noise of his receiving the Order of Garter from the English Queen Elizabeth by the Earl of * Thes urnâ—l by a mistake saith Warwick Derby whom they calumniated as the worst of all Hereticks And the better to possess the peoples heads with mischief and Sedition they kept in pay divers Priests who daily taught their Flock That Princes ought to be depos'd who do not sufficiently perform their Perefixe Hist Hen. le Grand duty That no Power but what is well order'd is of God That that which passeth its due bounds is not Authority but Usurpation That it is absurd to say any should be King who knoweth not how to govern And we need not question but from these Heads they framed what Interpretations pleas'd them best and of all they themselves must be Judges And so I meet with a Batchelour in Divinity of the Sorbonne who at that time publickly maintain'd in Disputation publish'd and dedicated to the Abbot of Cluny this Position That It was lawful for any man private or otherwise to depose or kill any Ant Colynâ—â— p. 23. King or Prince which were wicked evil men or Hereticks But the mischief fell upon the Disputants head for the King offended at this strange kind of pretended Divinity intended to call him to an account but was prevented by another accident for the Sorbonnist was found shot to death in the Court of the College but by whom I know not yet the story supposeth by some of his friends the Leaguers thereby to prevent his Trial and some further discovery it may be of those who set him on work In these Divisions and divers Interests we may suppose France to be but in a bad condition every Faction pretending and striving to be greatest and amongst the many Lampons that then flew abroad this following was held not amiss wherein as in a Play each party speaketh his own desires and aims LE ROY Je desire la paix la guerre je jure LE DUC DE GUISE Mais si la paix se faict mon Espoir n' est plus rien LE DUC DE MAYENNE Par la guerre nous vient le credit le bien LE CARDINAL DE GUISE Le temps s'offre pour nous avec la couverture LE ROY DE NAVARRE C ' il qui compte sans moy pensant que je l'endure Comptera par deux fois je m' en assure bien LE CARDINAL DE BOURBON Chacun peut bien compter ce qu' il pense estre sien LA ROYNE MERE La dispute ne vaut pendant que mon fils dure LE DUC DE LORRAIN Poursuivons neantmoins la LIGUE ses projects LE DUC DE SAVOYE Le Roy donques perdera la FRANCE ses Subjects LE ROY D' ESPAGNE Si la FRANCE se pert je l'aura tost trouve LA FRANCE Tout beau il ne faut pas tant de chiens pour un os Et ceux la ont bien mal ma puissance esprouvee Qui pour l'Ambition me troublent le repos THE KING Peace I desire all war I ' d have repell'd DUKE OF GUISE But by a peace my hopes and plots are quell'd DUKE OF MAYENNE We 'll make our selves by war gain glory thence CARDINAL OF GUISE And we 've occasion cloak'd with fair pretence KING OF NAVARRE Who plots without me thinking I 'll remain So unconcern'd
and all these as a security of Albrets good behaviour to him and to be restored again when Ferdinando thought good King John thought these demands unreasonable justly suspecting a difficulty of ever outing the Castilians if they were once so strongly setled in his Dominions especially at this time when the Factions of the two Families Gramont and Beaumont had made some disturbance with him at home and the last of them wishing too well to Fernando Add to this there was no necessity of such demands for passage seeing they might march several ways into France without troubling Navar. Thus Albret fearing the worst by smelling out the designe thought to strengthen himself by joyning interests with the French King The backwardness of Navar being known Pope Julio falls a Bulling with the consent of his Cardinals declaring John d'Albret and Catherine his Wife with their Posterity for Hereticks and Schismaticks so deprived of all Royal Dignity and Honour freely giving their Kingdom and Dominions to Ferdinand or any that will take the pains to have them Ferdinand now thinking that the Popes blessing and cursing gave him right and title good enough to the Kingdom And having his Army ready in Alava a little Province between Biscay and Navar made it march on a sudden under the command of Don Fadrique de Toledo Duke of Alva Grand-father to Don Fernando d'Alvarez de Toledo Duke of Alva so noted in the Netherlandish Histories and who after that in a little time conquer'd Portugal to the obedience of his Master Philip II. For the Narrative of which I shall refer those that desire to read it to Jeronimo Conestaggio of Genuoa But the Portugais 1640 make quicker work in regaining of it from Philip IV. And so they might without a wonder if they surpass the Castilians so much in courage as b Antonio de Sousa de Macedo relates it a Lusitania liber l. 3. c. 9. But to return the Castilians made such haste that they entred Navar before Albret expected them which so amazed his unprovided Court that he presently b July 22. 1512. fled for it into France leaving his Queen Children and People to shift for themselves All hopes thus lost the Queen with her son Prince Henry and three Daughters two days after quits Pamplona to follow her husband whom having overtaken she thus amongst other speeches tartly upbraids c O Roy vous demeuâ—erez Jean d'Albret ne pensez plus au Royaume de Navatre d'Autant que pour avoir esté superfluement boâ— vous en avez esté moins estimé des vostres vous estes pardu vous vostre Royaume L. de Mayerne l. 25. pag. 1191. O Roy vous demeurez Jean d'Albret ne penses plus au Royaume de Navarre que vous avez perdu par vostre nonchalance Olhagaray p. 455. O King King thou shalt remain John d'Albret and never think more of the Kingdom of Navar for that having been superfiuously good you have been the less esteem'd of your subjects and have undone your self and your Realm Thus the Kingdom of Navar became an easie prey to Ferdinando from which time it hath continued an Appendix to the Crown of Spain whilst the French are forced to be content with its empty title As for Albret though he was a lover of splendour and learning himself being well skill'd in Heraldry and a great Collector of Books for his Libraries yet he made himself cheap by being two good-natur'd and too familiar even with the meanest of his Subjects so that when it came to a stress his former freedom rendred his name of Majesty contemptible Nor gain'd he a little Ill-will by his wholly affecting the French modes and humours too light and Airy for a Mountanous rough-hewn people especially such who breath nothing but the Spanish air but which was most his preferring many Strangers or Forreigners not onely by giving them good Estates but by intrusting them with the greatest Offices and Places in his Kingdom whereby the Natives grumbled to see themselves so neglected and sleighted To these we might add the Factions amongst the Nobility but that which was the fountain of all was his giving of himself up so much to his a Vid. Michel Baudier Hist du Cardinal Ximenes pag. 106 107. pleasures that he wholly neglected the Government not troubling himself with the management of any thing in it nor caring how things went right or wrong so they would but let him alone to his own fancie so thus like some other Kings he had the Title others the sway and Authority so that he himself lost nothing by the want of these his Dominions seeing he carryed the name of King along with him whilst the Spaniard took the trouble and care of Government upon him And all such are but pictures of Kings Francis I. King of France who succeeded Lewis XII to whom our Albret fled who for his great love and care to the Church Learning and his people is so renown'd by all Historians upon his death-bed with his blessing gave his son Henry II. these two Rules First fear God Then be careful for the good of your subjects Upon which excellent advice the famous French Antiquary Lawyer and Poet Steven Pasquier by the folly of Latinizing names call'd Paschasius compos'd this following Epigram Nato haec Franciscus dixisse novissima verba St. Paschas Epigram lib. 5. vid. Delit. Poet. Gal. vol. 2. pag. 971. Fertur in gemitus prosiluisse pios Imprimis venerare Deum Charissime Fili Mox tibi sit Populi cura suprema tui Dixit occubuit Duo ne Praecepta putato In duo peccat qui peccat in alterutrum Nam cui nulla Dei cuâ—a est nec cura suorum est Et cui non populi est cura nec ulla Dei est Frances whilst death was closing his heavenward eyes Bequeath'd unto his Heir thus his advice First worship God dear son Then see you bend Your ways as most to your subjects good may tend This said he dyed Nor think these Rules but two For who breaks one must break the other too Since who loves not God loves not his own affair And who slights his peoples good for God can't care Thus was Albret the loss of himself and Kingdom it being a certain Rule that subjects take their influence from the actions of their Princes an active vigorous and valiant King infusing courage into his meanest vassal whilst the negligent and effeminate and all such are observed to be too good natur'd and so negligent which in a King is worse then tyranny renders the people unactive and though jealous yet careless which stupidity makes them more stubborn because they see themselves tyrannized over and abused by such base-spirited cringing favourites as usually domineer under the Protection of such breathing Statues of Kingship But to return And yet who can be but troubled at the sad fortune of poor Albret who dyed of grief