practice Hamanity you who so barbarously and cruelly treat our Christian Prisoners To which Mahomet made him this witty Answer Your Excellency will be pleased to pardon our Ignorance since we have been hitherto only used to take Prisoners not having yet been such our selves in the Christians School The Pope in the mean time solicited the Crowns to join their Arms to those of the Confederates and the Cardinal of Lorrain who came to Rome to assist at the last Conclave had given Gregory Hopes that the Allyance between France and the Grand Seignior might be broken This Cardinals Esteem amongst the French having giv'n him an entire Knowledge of that Kingdoms Affairs and the Kings true Sentiments His Holiness on such good assurance believed he might successfully endeavour this Dis-union He writ about it to Charles the Ninth who answered him He should willingly enter into the League but the great Revolutions which had happened in his Kingdom permitted him not to join with the Confederates France broken and shattered into different Factions was exposed to the Plunder of the Germans and the Invasions of her other Neighbors The Lorrain Princes and other Principal Persons in the Court retired into the Country being neither able to suffer the Imperious Humour of the Queen nor submit themselves to the King of Navarre But these Princes being a little after reconciled with Annas de Mommorency Constable of France drew the King of Navarre into their Party by giving him new hopes of recovering his Kingdom and of diminishing the over-great Authority of Queen Catherine and ruining the Projects of the Prince of Conde they entred Paris guarded by their Friends and Creatures and drove all those of the opposite Faction from Court. Thus France becoming the Stage of a Civil War saw more Blood shed in most of her Towns than in the Famousest Sieges and Battels of the last Age. They no longer amused themselves with Disputes and Controversies the divided Families deciding Questions of Religion by the Sword. The first Battel was fought near the Town of Dreux the Kings Army being commanded by the Constable and the Duke of Guise and the other by the Prince of Conde and the Admiral de Coligni The Success was equal on both sides the Prince of Conde and the Constable being boht taken Prisoners The Duke of Guise laid Siege to Orleans and pressed it so close that it was upon the point of yielding when a Villain came to the Camp and watching an opportunity for the execution of his Design he slew this Prince with a Shot from a Carbine as he was returning from visiting the Works attended only by Three Horsemen The Duke of Guise's Death was extreamly prejudicial to France besides his Military Perfections which rendred this Duke the greatest Captain in the Kingdom he had gain'd the Peoples Hearts by such a Charming Sweetness such admirable Liberality and Sincerity and such Courteous and Familiar Behaviour that one could not forbear loving him His Death almost ruin'd the Fortune of his House A Peace was afterwards concluded but 't was only to give both Parties leisure to make Preparation for beginning the War afresh The Prince of Conde freed out of Prison made great Levies in Germany and soon got a new Army on Foot. He endeavoured to surprize and carry away the King as he was returning from Meaux to Paris but a Battalion of Six Thousand Switzers which guarded the Court in its March and repulsed several Attacks by the way ruin'd this Audacious Design Some time after the Constable displeased with his Nephews whom he accused of Ingratitude and Revolt gave them Battel in the Plain of St. Denis routed them and raised the Siege from before Paris The Constable who was near Fourscore years old received a Mortal Wound in his Reins by a Pistol Shot as he was in the midst of the Fight charging the Enemies with a Vigour worthy his Name and his Office. The Hugonots though vanquisht made Peace on what Terms they pleased the Queen being obliged to accept them as frighted with the great Number of Forreign and Domestick Forces that filled the Kingdom This Second Accommodation was also but a Cessation of Arms the War breaking forth again with more Fury than before The Hugonots lost a Third Battel at Jarnac gain'd by the Duke of Anjou who commanded the King his Bothers Army where the Prince of Conde was slain upon the Place Gaspar de Coligny was a Gentleman of a good Family but much more considerable by that of his Mother who was Sister to the Constable de Mommorency His Unkle whom â—ecause of his singular Merit King Henry the Second honoured with his Favour had procur'd him the Office of Admiral one of the first of the Crown Coligny had serv'd under him during the Reigns of Francis the First and Henry the Second with no little Reputation He had been employed in several Important Negotiations by which he had acquired a perfect Understanding of Affairs He was a Man of a thorow Experience but close full of Address naturally Eloquent and no less a Statesman than a Soldier tho' far more cautious than advent'rous In the Year 1522. France being almost ruined there was a new Agreement made The Admiral at the same time negotiated a Marriage between the Princess Margaret the Kings Sister and Henry King of Navarre Anthony his Father dyed some years before of a Wound receiv'd at the Siege of Roan The Admiral came to Paris to assist at the Marriage followed by so great a number of Gentlemen and Vassals that the King himself could scarce have found so Magnificent a Train He was received with extraordinary Testimonies of Confidence and Friendship He had often private Conferences with the King in which 't was known they treated of making War upon Flanders and this we have since understood obliged Philip the Second to stay in Italy for fear of some Surprize from the French. In the mean time there was a Rumour whether grounded on Reallity or invented by the Queen who was laying a Snare for the Admiral as her Enemies would have it that the People he had without any Order or Permission brought to Paris under pretence of being present at the King of Navarre's Marriage conspired against the Royal Family The Queen whether the better to conceal her Design or really fearing some secret Plot caused the Guards of the Louvre to be doubled Whilst these things ware doing the Admiral returning from the King to his own House was wounded in the Right hand by a Shot from an Arquebush which was by some People said to have been done by the Procurement of the Queen or the Duke of Guise The Duke of Guise was accused because the House in which the Assassin had planted himself belonged to one of his Creatures who had some time before left it empty to prevent the discovery of this Action These Suspitions were strengthned by the irreconcilable Hatred there was between the Prince and the Admiral and
he was only chosen to govern some Houses in quality of Prior which Employs he for no other reason accepted but he might not disobey his Superiors Cardinal Caraffa having been named Soveraign Inquisitor heard of his Merit He sent him to Bergamo to order the Process against certain Hereticks For besides his extraordinary Piety he was very Learned in the Holy Scripture and in Divinity which he had a long time taught in his Order with the Title of Doctor Cardinal Caraffa well satisfyed with his Activeness and Fidelity which were of proof against Sollicitations and Menaces sent for him back to Rome where his Service was very useful to him in the same Functions This Cardinal being after Julius the Third and Marcellus the Second who both reigned but a very little while advanced to the Churches Throne under the Name of Paul the Fourth gave the Bishoprick of Nepi to Michael Ghislieri so was he call'd amongst the Dominicans and Two Years after honoured him with the Sacred Purple though Cardinal Charles Caraffa his Holynesses Nephew opposed his Promotion He afterwards made him chief of the Inquisition giving him far greater Power than any who had before him filled that place and extoll'd his Capacity in the presence of all the Cardinals He made himself many Enemies by Honourably asserting the Interests of Religion but was nevertheless chosen Pope the Fifth day of January Anno 1566. Those who seem'd the most contrary to his Election were the first to give him their Voices He shewed so much indifference therein that when according to Custom they came to ask him whether he consented to what the Conclave had done in his behalf he for some time doubted whether he should accept it and received the Tiara with as much Moderation as he had testified little desire to obtain it In the mean time this Man full of Humility without Estate without Birth and without Favour supported only by his Innocency and the uprightness of his Intentions manifested no less Greatness of Soul than Zeal and Devotion At his Entrance into the Pontificat he set about restoring the Discipline which had been long corrupted A Work undoubtedly Laborious but which he Gloriously accomplisht by being himself the first in diligently observing his own Ordinances and severely punishing the obstinate and Refractory By proposing Recompences only to those who endeavour'd their amendment the Court of Rome was in so short a time purged of all the Vices which dishonoured it that 't was scarce credible he alone should have performed what several of his Predecessors never durst attempt The Respect and Veneration that was had for him prevented his Orders and every one amended his Manners through the Sole Fear of displeasing him The Corruption was grown so great in the whole Ecclesiastical State that Wisdom and Modesty rendred Men contemptible and nothing made them valued but Libertinism But Pius the Fifth took such good order therein that Virtue regain'd the place whence Vice had driven her The Banditi were become so formidable by their Assassinates and Robberies that the Towns themselves were not safe from their Insults This Holy Pope caused these Thieves to be punished with so much Severity that his Subjects enjoyed a Calm and Repose the like of which had not yet been seen in any State of Italy He had so little Ambition to advance his Family that 't was only at the Instant Request of the Sacred Colledge that he gave the Hat to his Nephew Michael Bonelli his Sisters Son who had also taken the Habit of St. Dominick though he loved him tenderly as being a Person of great Wit and Virtue He took from him the Office of Treasurer of the Church worth ten Thousand Crowns a Year some time after he had given him it and sold it to Cardinal Cornaro for Four Hundred Thousand Franks which were employed in Equipping the Fleet of the Holy See. His Nephew willingly parted with it offering him also whatever was left him of his Benefits for so Holy an use as that He entertain'd a young Bononian that was his Kinsman named Paulo Ghislieri who had a great inclination to the Wars and could not have fail'd of succeeding in it But the Pope understanding that he had an habit of Lying would not see him but banish'd him from Rome with Prohibition of ever returning thither whatever Intercessâ—â—n the Princes and Cardinals made in his beâ—alf By so admiâ—able a Conduct â—e merited the Esteem of all the Christian Princes though no Pope of a long time had so little Condescendence for them or more vigorously oppos'd all their Enterprizes against the Honour or Interest of the Holy See. He rejected the Counsels of those able Politicians who pretended to govern the Church according to the Wisdom of the World and said that the Vicar of JESUS CHRIST ought to be ignorant of State-tricks and to demand of GOD alone Strength necessary for the supporting this Burden This sole Confidence gave him such an Authority that he alone engag'd the King of Spain and the Venetians in the League and gave the Form and Motion to this long and difficult Work. THE CONTENTS OF THE FIFTH BOOK HUgh Buoncompagno chosen Pope under the Name of Gregory the Thirteenth His Birth and Fortune Designs of Gaspar de Coligni Admiral of France Condition of the two Fleets Louchali's great Ability Unwillingness of the two Generals to Fight Each of them slips an Opportunity of gaining the Victory The Turks shut up in an Harbour The Christians will attack them Don John carries back the Spanish Fleet into Sicily The Venetians Complaint against him 'T is refâ—rrâ—d to the Council of Ten to treat secretly a Peace The Turks make themselves Masters of a little Place and Fort. The Republicks Complaints to the Pope Great Contests at Rome about augmenting the Navy The Pope grants Don John the Liberty of Haly's Son. This Prince sends him back to his Mother without any Ransom A witty Saying of the Bassa of Negrepont Prisoner at Rome The Pope exhorts the French King to enter into the League Reasons of the Power and Greatness of the Realm of France Causes of its last Misfortunes Peace and Alliance between France and Spain Henry's lamentable Death Jealousie between Catherine de Medicis and the Cardinal of Lorrain Conspiracy of Amboise Death of Francis the Second King of Navarre declared Regent during the Minority of Charles the Ninth Duke of Guise assassinated before Orleance Battel of St. Denis Anne de Momerency Constable of France mortally wonded Battel of Jarnac Prince of Conde slain after the Fight Conduct of Admiral Coligni Cardinal Ursin Legat in France Conditions on which the Emperor will enter into the League Peace concluded at Constantinople between the Grand Seignior and the Venetians Copy of the Treaty sent to Venice All the Christian States offended at this Agreement The King of Spain receives the News of it with a great deal of Moderation The Pope drives from his Presence the Venetian Embassadour who came
though the King had made them both promise him to keep quiet till his Majesties Return to Paris there was yet great likelyhood that the Duke of Guise attempted to destroy him Those that suspected the Queen said the Admirals Fortune and Authority created a Jealousie in this Princess That she began to fear a Man she had raised too high That she despair'd of re-setling Quiet in the State during the Life of so redoubted an Enemy and that beside the miserable Condition of the Kingdom the Murthers Battels and Perils her self and Children had been exposed to all which she laid to his Charge she yet fuâ—ther mortally hated him because of the shameful Discourses with which he blemisht her Honour That since she could neither punish him by Law noâ— Force he had recourse to Stratagem That she was as skilful in these sort of Intrigues as he could be That she had drawn him and the chief of his Party to Paris on the occasion of her Daughters Marriage the more securely to destroy him That he had been lur'd to Court by the Project of the Low-Gountry War and the fair shews of Confidence and Esteem That she had consequently pressed the young Duke of Guise to revenge on him his Fathers Murther to which this Prince was too much inclin'd having only refus'd to do it for fear of displeasing the King and losing the Friendship of the Nobility who would after this Action have look'd upon him as a Man without Honour or Faith That the Queen had eas'd him of this Scruple by representing to him that he would do a signal Service to the State in exterminating its most formidable Enemy That 't was the greatest Sign of Fidelity he could shew the King And in fine that the Duke of Guise engaged not in it till he had first got an Order written and signed by the Princesses own Hands But whether it was the Queen or the Duke of Guise or neither of them that were the Authors of this Enterprize the Admiral was no sooner carryed into his House but the Hugonots ran thither in Crouds filling the Town with Complaints and Murmurs They had the Confidence to accuse the King as well as the Duke publishing that none ' durst have committed such an Attempt without his Majesties Protection and yet the Queen had so carefully concealed it from him that he knew nothing of it till News was brought him of the Accident befaln the Admiral He went presently with the Queen to see him testifying his Displeasure and Sorrow and promising to make an exact Enquiry into it and severely to punish this Assassination He left also his Guards about his House as well for the Honor as Security of his Person but understanding at his Return to the Louvre that the Hugonots suspected him to be privy to it and accordingly were so impudent as to threaten him he fell into a terrible Transport which the Queen Mother who absolutely Govern'd him diligently fomented taking hold of this favourable Moment to make him resolve on a suddain Extirpation of his Rebellious Subjects and ridding himself of an Enemy so much the more dangerous in that he was irreconcilable They were perswaded at Court that as soon as the Hugonot-Lords were departed they would begin a new Rebellion much more Bloody than any of the former and would call in Strangers to their Assistance The Admiral himself could not forbear letting slip some little Menaces when the King comforting him about his Wound told him It was not dangerous I care not answered he coldly for losing the use of a hand for provided I keep my Head I hope all will go well It was said by some that the King held afterwards a Council with the Queen and some of their intimatest Confidents in which 't was resolved no longer to endure these Insolencies but forthwith to dispatch the Hugonots and commit the executing of it to the Duke of Guise and that the King not to awaken their Distrust sent him out of Paris on pretence of some Discontent but he returned according to Agreement the One and Twentieth of August at Night accompanyed by the Duke of Angoulême the Kings natural Brother glad of the opportunity of serving his Master and also to Revenge himself without fear of Punishment But there went at the same time a Report that the Admirals Friends assembled in his House had taken very wicked and detestable Resolutions he having himself by a very pathetical Discourse incited them to rise up in Arms That being all animated by the same Fury they cryed out to go immediately to attack the Louvre and destroy the King the Princes his Brothers and the King of Navarre whose Death they had resolved though he were of their own Religion because the Admiral feared his Wit and Courage But whilst he loses time in being too curious to take his Measures he delivers himself up to his ill Fortune and the King informed of his Practises hastens the Punishment of the Rebellion Some endeavour'd to make it be believed that this Conspiracy was a Story invented by the Queen Mother who foreseeing the Horror the destruction of the Hugonots would cause endeavoured by these Calumnious Reports to mitigate the Peoples Indignation However it was the Duke of Guise about one of the Clock in the Morning forc't open the Admirals House A young German Gentleman who had been bred a Page with the Dukes Father and was ambitious of the Honor to give him the first Blow entred his Chamber The Admiral rising out of his Bed conjur'd him to have Respect to his old Age and his Infirmities and grant him his Life But the German reproaching him with Treason and Apostasie mortally wounded him and caused him to be thrown out at Window to the Duke of Guise who guarded the entrance into the House 'T is said Coligny fell down as dead but hearing the Duke of Guise calling to have him thrown out he made some resistance against those that went to take him up and cast him forth into the Street desiring them to let him dye in quiet whereupon they dispatcht him The Rabble vomiting out a Thousand Curses against him dragg'd him for some time in the Dirt they tore him asunder and filled the Town with pieces of his Body A young Parisian cut off his Head and carryed it on a long Pole into all the Publick Places and the Trunk of his Body was hung up by the Feet on the common Gallows Thus ended Gaspar de Coligni Admiral of France who was raised to so great a Fortune that his Court was no less than the King 's He made himself redoubted by France and Spain and though he made not War upon King Philip he created him Trouble enough by stirring up the Low Countries and Germany and under-hand protecting the Prince of Orange He often imposed on the King his Master a Necessity of making Peace and War but what renders his Memory most durable is that having been twice taken Prisoner by the