them of the Religion as Sorges and others hee was more moderate and voyde of crueltie and sauagenes yet at length seeing that as he had taken one place he left andther and that warre was an endlesse thing there and that with long toyle of warre and lack of money his army was scattered as at length it went inuisible leauing his brother the Lord Valete there with such forces as he had left to doe what he were able so he went to the King againe and not without cause considering he was one of his most faithfullest about his person The young Ioyeuse in Auuergne walked at liberty tooke his pleasures spent the Kings money francklie and when that was done for lacke of more returnd from whence he came as wise as when he went out Thus we see that within the compasse of a yeare 6. armies haue beene sent with great preparation of all necessarie things into seuerall prouinces to warre against heauen and earth and to oppose themselues against all that is good and godly and how they are all fallen to pieces as though they had been smitten downe by the hand of the God of armies as the Lapithes and Centaures are reported by the Poets During these lamentable tempests the which did so tosse France with these sixe armyes in diuers prouinces The Princes and certaine cities in Germanie moued with compassioÌ„ pittying the miserable subuersion and ransaking of France their next neighbours sent an Ambassage to the King to perswade him if it were possible to extinguish that coÌ„bustion raised by the league by peace to restore the state of his Realme to some good stay The Ambassadours were sent by the Princes Electors of Saxony Palatine and Brandenbourg and by other Princes of the sacred empire as the Noble Princes Ioachim Frederick Marquesse of Brandenbourg and administrator of Magdebourg Iuly of Brundswik and Lunebourg William Lewis and George Landgraues of Hessen brethren Ioachim earnest Prince of Chatten with the foure principal imperial cities Strasbourg Vlmes Mersebourg and Frâ—nckefort with the ambassadours of Vtten and Issenbourg they al came except they of Vtten Issenbourg which vpon certaine vrgent affayres went back deliuering their coÌ„missions to their fellowes to Saint Germain in Laye had audience the tenth of October First they offer the commendations and seruices of their Princes and commonwealths vnto him Secondly they recite how they had beene aduertized euen by the letters of Mandolet gouernour of Lyons for the King that his Maiesties intention had been to preserue the edict of pacification stablished vpon the faith of the Maiestie of a Prince Thirdly that they vnderstand that hee had beene enforced contrary to his godly intention to reuoke the said edict of peace and by way of armes to persecute his most faithfull subiects euen the chiefest of the Princes of his blood which thing they would hardly haue beleeued if it had not beeâ—ne made knowne by his owne letters sent vnto some of the said Princes by the Lord Schemberg hearing daâ—e the 22. of October 1585. Fourthly protesting of the good affection of their Princes and common wealths toward his Maiestie they doo in their names in most humble wise beseech him that considering into what pitifull state France had beene reduced by the former warres and the good benefites which haue ensued the last peace he wil not be induced by the perswasioÌ„s of the Pope to bring in againe blood shed hatred of the Crowne of France losse of so many Princes Lords and Nobilitie and of so many his faythfull subiects which haue done to hâ—m and his predecessors so many notable seruices which thing vndoubtedly will ensue if not worse if he do not defend the edict of peace considering that by his owne declaration he confes seth that the reformed Religion will not be rooted out by the sworde Fiftly wheras he had shewed by his declaration that the edict of peace was made by ripe deliberation and counsell and published with all soleÌ„nities requisite thereunto and that the sayd edict was sworn by his brother of happy memory Duke of Alançon by the Princes and Lordes in lifting vp their handes to heauen and that hee himselfe would haue that peace to be called his peace which he made as he said voluntarily without any compulsion for that would haue it kept inuiolable there was no reason why the benefites of that peace should bee cut off by raysing warre at the Popes pleasure Last of all they doo shewe that there will ensue of the reuoking of this edict of peace a most certaine and assured subuersion of the state and Crowne of France And by the way of conclusion they beseech his Maiestie that considering the reasons by them shewed taking some pitie of his poore Realme it may please him to reiect the perswasions of the Pope and Leaguers and to preserue the edict of peace offering vnto him in the names of their Princes and Commonwealths that if there bee any meanes in them that may further a good peace and restablish his estate his Maiestie shall vnderstand how they are affectionate to procure all things which pertaine to his honour and greatnes and if it pleaseth him they will employ all their faithfull seruice in the assuring of his dignitie and royall Crowne and to the benefite of all Christendome but specially to suppresse this warre whereunto in their iudgement he had béen enforced Hauing made an ende of their ambassage they deliuered him their instructions both in Dutch and 〈◊〉 The King giueth answere the 11. of October but such an answere as he seemed rather to be offended with them for their duetie and good will of their Princes Commonwealths than to be mooued to any moderate counsell It is sayd before that in Aprill of this yere 1586. the King made great preparation of warre in prouiding fiue armies all at once at which time also they made a motion for peace vnto the King of Nauarre By this it was an easie thing to iudge that they who disposed themselues to warre so furiously could not bee brought to condescend to any moderate counsell or reasonable peace But whilest al these armies were readie and marching to doo some great exployts and to inuade the Prouinces whereunto they of the reformed religion had retyred and were strong the Q Mother also marched toward Guienne in hope to obtayne a greater victorie in assaulting the King of Nauarre with a parley than al those armies with force For she tooke with her out of the stoare of Italian trickes temptation disuniting and weakening For first she will trie the tricke of Sathan in the 4. of Mathew when he tempting Christ proffered him all the kingdomes of the earth So shée thought to win this godly and noble Prince in shewing him that if he would forsake the Sonne of God he should be declared the right heire of the Crowne in case the King should decease without issue otherwise it would be impossible to him to attayne vnto
kings death They were hanged without any scraping of the holy greasing which they had of their Bishop These murtherers left a president what trust princes may haue in the rable of Friers Monkes and shaueling Priests About the same time the Lord Rubempre gouernour for the King in Tourreyne gaue an ouerthrow to the Lord Chastre in the Countrey of Berrye About the beginning of Iuly the Lord Viques a most cruell Leaguer had besieged Pontarson a towne in base Britaine holding for the King against the Leaguers and after three assaults in the which he was repulsed he heard that the county of Thorigni was comming with great forces to rayse the siege wherupon he retired to S. Michaels mount wrote letters vnto the Duke Merceur who was then at Nantes for succour fearing least he should bee forced in the sayd mount Saint Michaell Hee that carryed the letters came with the sayd letters to the Earle of Thorigny who hauing perused the letters sent the copie of the same to the Prince Dombes who was betweene Saint Mal◠and Vitre and forthwith sent the Messenger to the Duke Merceur with his letters who after hee had seene them sent by and by an answere to the sayd Lord Viques praying him to be strong and that within three daies he would come to his aide with three thousand men to rescue him from the Earle Thorigny and to oppresse him seeing that the sayd Earle could not haue helpe from the Prince The Messenger came agayne to the sayd Earle and shewed him the answere of Merceur the copie thereof was sent immediatly to the Prince the resolution was so taken betweene them that the Prince caused all the horsemen to march speedily and to get betweene the sayd Merceur and Nantes and the Earle of Thorigny marched towards the sayd Merceur The Duke perceauing that hee was compassed betweene two armies ventured to fight with the Prince Dombes and whilest they were a fighting the Earle came vppon him on the other side hee was so beaten betweene them that he lost seuenteene Ensignes and twelue hundred of his company were slayne on the place he saued himselfe by flight into the Castell Josselin one of the strongest places in all France When the Lord Viques vnderstood of this ouerthrow he yeelded and in the conclusion he gaue his Daughter in marriage to the yonger brother of the Lord Montgomery who was kept prisoner by him He was permitted to keepe Saint Michaell for his safety About the same tyme the strong Towne of Dinan in base Normandie hearing of the sayd ouerthrow of Merceur did beat out of their town their gouernour brother of the Duke Merceur killed many of his Souldiers and among them the chiefest of his Captayns named Iahn and so yeelded vnto the King About this time also the inhabitants of Kilbeuf in Normandie took a galley of the Duke Aumale laden with his goods as it was going vp to Roan In this moneth of Iuly the Franciscan Fryers of Sanlis must needes plaie a Fryerlike part they were greatly desyrous to betray the towne and to deliuer the same into the Leaguers handes which for to bring to passe they caused many Captains of the rebels to come thether apparrelled like Countrey men hauing each of them a basket full of Cheries vppon their shoulders as though they were market-folkes to sell Cheries These Cherie mongers were receaued by the said Friers into their Fryery house where they had gathered together great prouision of armor But this thing beeing suspected by some good Citizens they notifyed it to the King Whereuppon many were taken and of the Fryers Masse-mongers Chery-mongers and treason-mongers of the Towne were hanged to the number of seauen score and so the play was ended Wee haue left the King at Saint Denis whilest wee went to see what was done in other places of the realme now wee will come to the siege of Paris and first speake of the state of the Citie There the famin had so preuailed in the beginning of Iuly that it far passed the famous famin of Saguntum Then began they to denounce war agaynst all the leane horses and skiruy iades agaynst the asses cats and dogges these things were more dayntie vnto them then the daynties of Sibaris little bread and that of Oates with huske and all was very scant it was for Princes and great Ladies and that a small quantity euery day In this extremity Fryer Henrico Caietano had sold and wasted all his money and plate and begging was there little regarded he with the rest of his Masse-mongers did bury in their stomackes their God whom they had made with fiue words in horse dung if they could get it but a strange thing there happened as had béen heard of in any age to wit the Asses of Sorboun were enforced to deuour their owne brothers flesh There were foure sorts of men who went about to remedie this extremity each one following their course Some of the best sort and stoutest stomacke pittying themselues their fellow Citizens whom they saw perish by heaps for the pleasure of few rebels by the aduise of one Renard Atturney in the Court of Parliament tooke counsell how to deliuer the Cittie into the Kings hands of whose clemency and gracious fauour toward the poore distressed people they assured themselues But beeing discouered some fled to the King who were graciously of him receaued some were taken prisoners and the said Renard with some others were executed but the goods of all were forfayted to the heads of the League The second was the Duke de Mayne who fearing greatly the losse of Paris being abroad where he made shift for good cheere though it were at other mens charge as the saying is Qui satur est pleno laudat ieiunia ventre He writeth letters to the inhabitants of Paris commending them for their great constancie promiseth them succour and great prouision of victuals within a certayne time prefixed in the letter willing them to bee patient yet and not to goe about any making of peace with the King The Friers and Iesuites tooke the copies of these letters read them in their pulpets and serued them for text to discourse vpon and to make braue and lustie sermous The third was the blind Captaine Bernardine who taught the delicate Parisiens the dyet of his countrey to wit to take Oates ground meale huske and all and therewith to make a kinde of pap such as the countrey men in Spayne doo vse for their ordinarie dyet and as they doo in France for the fatting of their hogges and here in England the Hunters doo for their houndes and that slubber sauce to bee sould to them that had money by a measure which was followed as long as Oates did last The fourth was the Priests who would also feede their mindes with idolatrous fantasies as their bodies were fed sparingly with spanish slubber wash and first to begin they perswaded them to vow to Nostra donna di Loretta a lampe
of the famine the wilâ—ull obstinacy of that damned people who will rather perish like the heathenish Saguntines then to try his clemenâ—y and fauour whom they knew to be therewith indued more then euer had béen any King in France before him hearing also of this sauage and barbarous act of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by some that fled vnto him out of the City was greatly moued so that lifting vp his hands to Heauen before his nobility protested vnto the Lord as Titus did in like case at the siege of Ierusalem that hee was not guilty of those abominations which were there committed neither of the bloud of them that so desperatly perished That hee was their lawfull King ordayned of God to gouerne them that he had proffered vnto them contrary to their deserts mercy that he might haue forced them but to spare their bloud he had delayed it to his great hinderance hoping that néed would haue caused them to consider their duty But contrary vnto duty and nature they had obstinated themselues and committed more abominations then any City euer did among the heathens This good King his eyes full of teares retyred into his Chamber full of compassion admiration and loue of iustice Compassion was not in him only as it was in Scipio at the burning of Carthage an affection procéeding of a milde nature but a true Christian mercy by the which he did féele the griefes euen of his mortall enemies and therefore gaue certaine passeports vnto many to haue dayly out of his campe a certaine alowance of victuals and liberty to his souldiours to sell some victuals vnto the besieged for necessary thinges as shooes hose apparell and other such things which did somewhat relieue them and stopped the barbarous eating one another The admirations of this strange hardnes of hart of that people brought him to consider Gods iust and secret iudgements who in his wrath hath sent euill spirits of Idolomany in the mouthes of their false prophets that as through blindnes of Idolatrie this fiftie yeres past and more they had replenished their streates with burnings murthers and massacres of the Saints and had stopped their eares vnto the voyce of Christ so they should bee replenished with error and idolatrous hardnes by the wicked Friers and Iesuites possessed with lying spirites to bring them to that thraldome and obloquie neither will that Citie euer be restored to peace and iustice vntill that the streetes thereof be washed with the bloud of that damned generation The King considering his office and charge annexed and inseparably ioyned to his Crowne to minister iustice that is to punish the offenders and transgressors and that there began the rebellion there was by the consent of most wrought the death of the King and that by the reioycing and approbation of the sayd death they had rendred themselues accessarie and guiltie of the same euen their walles houses temples all whatsoeuer they had Therefore he considering correlatiuely his office their offence could not giue ouer the siege and seeing that they refused lawfull try all by their rebellion hee would followe that which in such a case God hath ordained that is force violence and warre yet hee determined to trye fashioning himselfe after Gods Image who is long suffering whether they might be prouoked to take pitie vpon their afflicted estate Here we will leaue the King for a time and will passe into other places to see what preparations of warre be made We haue sayd how the Duke de Mayne returned from Bruxels where hee was royally receaued as a poore simple lackie as is sayd into Champaigne thence he sent to the Duke Aumale and the Vidasme d'Amiens into Picardie to gather such forces as they could and to repayre vnto him with as much speede as they might to ioyne with the Duke of Parma who was comming with great forces Wherevpon about the middest of August the Lord Iumeges vnderstanding that the sayd Duke Aumale and Vidasme had gathered forces were going toward the Duke de Mayne to ioyne with the Spanyards comming out of the Lowe Countrey met with them nigh Amiens discomfited them and slewe thrée thousand of them as the common report is among whom was the Vidasme of Amiens The Duke Aumale by flight saued himselfe within Amiens The Duke of Parma in the meane time commanded the two regiments of Spanyards appoynted by the King of Spayne to keepe home and to doo their feate as they should vnderstand when the opportunitie should serue to march forward before him For although leauing the countrey vnprouided of sufficient forces the States would take occasion to do their busines and to surprise places yet according to the prouerbe he consented to some losse for feare of loosing all The Spaniards were very vnwilling to goe to that iourney but hee put them in hope of doing some great and waightie exployts which were not for euery man to knowe and which could not be effected without their counsell and helpe making them beléeue that they were the onely Souldiers of the world At length the Spanyards as a restie horse which striueth with the rider and goeth backward afore hee will take his way forward Vpon their departure hee sent foorth euery where to shewe his iourney into France hee setteth foorth a description of his armie how many thousand footmen how many thousand horsemen how many Princes Dukes and Earles what Caesars and Alexanders there was in that armie And when all came to all there were three which are by him called Princes euen such as he is himselfe such as may be a Knight here in England which do hold some small Dukedomes of small townes in Italy either of y e Pope or els of King Philip such as are holden in flauerie as the Bassas by the Turke to wit the Princes for so hee tearmeth them of Ascoly Castel Bertran and Symay two Princes as obscure as the name of their principalities There were y e Marquesse of Renty the Earle Berlamount There were also Dons of Spayne as Sanctio Layeua Iuan Baptista Tasis Alonso Idiaques Antonio de Zuniga Pedro Gaetano and Capechuca Romano All these Dons were such as might be twentie groates in the bookes of Subsidie so great noble men they were men that could haue shewed great prowesse vpon the naked Iudiens To be short there were three great Lords Pride Vanitie and Folly who were masters of the Campe. There were also fewe Carrowssers out of Flanders Henault and Brabant hee gaue them terrible names as Amutinados that is angry men Mansferidos and other such I wot not what as would make the poore heathnish women in Italy and Spayne crosse their foreheads thinking to heare some names of diuels He setteth foorth his furniture his stable his pages the couerings of his coffers and moyles and why not the belles of his moyles But a great ouersight was committed by him that made no mention of his Curtizans that was not for lacke of good will but
the said congregation confessed that for feare of death he had consented to the abominations of Poperie and with many teares very feruently prayed to God to forgiue him exhorted the Church to take heede not to followe his frailtie willing them not to be offended with his fall and with an earnest inuocation of Gods most holy spirit promised euer hereafter by Gods grace constancie and stedfastnes in the confession of the trueth After a long and wofull warre the particular accidents whereof I here omit as hastening to my purpose and referre the reader in that respect to such treatises as are of purpose written concerning those matters at length a peace was concluded about the 27. of Iuly 1576. which was sworne vpon by the King by the King of Nauarre Monsieur the Kings onely brother the Prince of Conde and Casimire other Nobles with the lifting vp of their hands The King to wit Henry the 3. to shew how well pleased he was with this peace willed and commanded that it should bee called his peace because he had graunted it with his owne will and proper motion The King of Nauarre then had not onely a iust cause but also opportunitie to complaine of diuers iniuries done vnto him at and after the murther of Paris and also to demaund amends for his great losses yet he neuer mooued one word least by any priuate commodities of his owne the peace should haue béen hindered By that conclusion of peace the King graunted eight Townes beside them which they held before vnto them of the reformed religion to bee gouerned vnder his obedience by the King of Nauarre for the space of sixe yeares It was agreed also at the request of the reformed religion that the King should call the States of the Realme to confirme this peace and to restore the ancient dignitie of that kingdome These States were so cunningly handled that it did almost fall to the vtter vndoing of them of the religion For the Guizes with the collusion of the King made such meanes as none other might be admitted to the same States than the professed enemies of the Gospell For they caused conuocations to bee assembled in the seuerall Prouinces who appoynted such as were farre from peace with secret instructions to bee presented at the saide States without making the Townes Cities or Commonalties priuie to the same They also caused infamous Libels to be printed and proposed in their seuerall conuocations denouncing open warre vnto them of the reformed religion and vnto all that would not consent to the vndoing of them Furthermore they deuised also the meanes to interrupt that peace which of late concluded by their consent and yet so politickly that the causes should not bee founde in themselues but in the professors of the Gospell For they procured infinite iniuries and violences to be done vnto them of the Religion by their partakers hoping that through dispaire and impatiencie they would breake the peace and so the King would arme the Duke of Guize against them that in the meane time hauing the Kings power in hand he might growe in authoritie and the King decrease Immediatly after the conclusion of peace made the Guizes perceiuing that these three noble Princes had auoyded their clawes for the King of Nauarre was gone into his kingdome the Prince of Conde had auoided into Germanie Monsieur had bin set at libertie without any hope to bring them againe within their reach and that not onely they were a terror but also would be great lets to their drifts and that they were able to cut them out more worke than they would be able to patch as long as they should liue considering the name roome authoritie and power that they were of both in France and with forraine Nations To the ende that at the States appoynted they might oppresse these Princes with the rest of the Nobilitie which would not take part with them to ground a sure foundation vpon a strong Councell then sent they their agent the Bishop of Paris and the aduocate Dauid a worse man did not liue then vpon the earth to Rome the holy Citie to take good aduise and spiritual counsell of their ghostly father The Bishop of Paris and Dauid with him came to Rome the Schoole of all murthers treasons poysonings and slaughters against all the Princes and States of Christendome There assembled all the schoolemasters and teachers of the Sciences aboue saide I meane the Cardinalls among whome Sir Hugh bon companion Vicar of Rome for so was his right name afore he was Pope was the forman There was great complaints framed against the King Monsieur his brother the King of Nauarre the Prince of Conde against all the house of Burbon and the Nobilitie of France The King of Nauarre and the Prince of Conde were heretickes and relapse The King and his brother with a great number of the Nobilitie if they were not heretickes yet were they fauourers of heretickes they caused heresies to grow and to take roote by making peace with heretickes to the vtter ouerthrowe of holy Church of Rome And that it was high time that Sir Hugh Vicar of Rome should prouide for some speedie remedie to preuent the mischiefe There it was shewed to render the King and all the Princes odious how the house of Capet had alwaies withstood the holy Church of Rome and that they had supported in old time the Valdenses and Albigeoys and now that either they are ioyned with the Hugonets or els are fauourers of them But on the contrary side the house of Charles the great which was wrongfully dispossessed of the Crowne by the Papall blessing had a speciall grace giuen them to helpe holy Church and had left yet some lustie buds which are they of the house of Guize in whom is all the hope of holy Church to roote out the hereticks and to restore all things The fable of this Popish blessing heere aboue mentioned is in the Chronicles of Rhegimon a Monke of S. Benet In the time of Pipin father to Charles the great Stephen Pope of Rome being a factious and turbulent man through his ambition did trouble Italy And when Arstulphe King of the Lombards a nation not vsed to bee controulled by Priests went about to chastize him fled into France to stirre Pipin which a fewe yeares before had vsurped the Crowne of France by the helpe of Pope Zachary against the sayd Arstulphe This Pope being at S. Denis nigh Paris fell brainsicke and in his sicknes the diuell deluded him with an entusiasme making him to see in a vision Peter and Paule before the high Altar in their Surplesses by the which as he sayd he knewe them Then came in S. Denis with a leane face hauing a Censor in his hand whom Peter and Paule sent to the sayd Stephen to heale him who charged him to hallowe the sayd Church Pope Stephen could this vision to them which were present there and being about to rise out of his
Masse of that Holy ghost which appeared to your predecessors at the Councell of Laterane in the visible forme of an Owle goe againe to schoole with your Chaplaines and let vs knowe of you what the Hugonets will dóo all that while or els seeing you haue that power to binde and to loose I pray you binde them hand and foote that we may make quickly an end of them or els euery one will say to the great slaunder of holy Church that Sir Hugh is a great Pazzo for not being able to performe all that he taketh vppon In Italiō a Sot him to doo And of all loue be good to master Francis of Lorrayne deuise some good meanes that when the Crowne is set vpon his head the heauines thereof should not put him to paynes and perhaps breake his necke And then what would the world say beshrew you Sir Hugh for in following your counsell we haue lost a great Captaine and a newe King and then be sure that you will neuer be good after But now to speake in sadnesse by these instructions according to the which all the ciuill warres haue been directed euer since the yeare 1576. vntill the death of the last Duke of Guize we may iudge what wisedome and blessings are to be expected from Sir Hugh and his Chaplaines Whilest these things were at working in Rome the Guizes followed diuers wayes to interrupt the peace but now by the returne of Dauid from Rome with these aforesaide instructions they went to worke substantially and by the collusion of the King they made such meanes as none might be admitted to the States but the professed enemies of the reformed Churches For they caused priuate conuocations to be assembled in the seuerall Prouinces which appoynted such as were farre from peace were of the conspiracie of Guize hauing their secret instructions to be presented at the States without making priuie to their counsels any Townes Cities or Commonalties They spread abroad that the Edict of peace could not bee published nor admitted in Townes and Cities than the which nothing was more desired of all sorts of men except onely them of the conspiracie They caused also infamous Libels to be printed and proposed in their seuerall conuocations being of such men as knowing the reports to bee most false yet were readie to make themselues to be true As that they of the reformed religion requested the exercize of the same not for satisfying or contenting of their consciences but for the maintenance of factious and practizes against the King and to fortifie themselues that vpon opportunitie they might shake off the yoke of obedience due to the King They spread abroad also that they of the reformed religion had surprized Lachorite and many Townes and Forts in Poytow Xainctonge Guyen Languedock and Daulphine and that they had committed sundry murthers and cruelties vppon the Catholikes and therefore in the same assemblies they did denounce warre vnto them of the reformed religion and to all them which would not consent to their vndoing They procured infinite number of iniuries and violences to bee done by their partakers euery where to them of the religion hoping through impatience to cause them to breake the Edict of peace so that the causes being found in them the King arming the Duke of Guize should encrease his secret enemies authoritie and decay his owne Notwithstanding these manifolde iniuries proffered vnto them of the religion and the breaking of the peace they of their part obserued the Edict of pacification without molesting the Catholikes but stoode onely vpon the defensiue The Guizes hasting so much as euer they could their enterprizes by their partakers procured many Townes and Prouinces to rebell and to breake the peace pretending that they of the religion sought the oppression of the Cleargie Besides the practizes afore mentioned these good husbands being loth to leaue any stone vnstirred that happily might any way further their deuised plot did not sticke to attempt euen contrary meanes For in like case they followed the olde tricke of Barcocab they went about closely and vnder hand to drawe into their League them of the reformed religion promising them the exercize of their religion according to the Edict of peace and more if they would They solicited also Iohn Casimier Prince Palsgraue to enter in league with them promising to doo nothing against the reformed religion and to deliuer him Townes in their gouernments for pledges And herein if they could haue effected their desire happily they would not haue pretended so rigorous a course against them of the reformed religion as afterward they did when they perceiued that they of the reformed religion did smell detect and abhorred their treacherous ambition and that they were taken forbeu cozba If they might haue preuailed with the reformed they would haue stoode vppon some plausible Common-wealth For their intent herein was not that they cared or regarded any religion but to bring the King and the Princes of the bloud into hatred and the people into a mistiking of the gouernement And seeing their offers were reiected by the reformed they determined to roote them out assuring themselues generally of the Catholikes vnder colour of zeale of Poperie which they fayned more and more And to begin the Q. Mother according to the Gospell brought from Rome by Dauid as is aboue sayd was sent to bring Monsier her sonne to the States at Bloys which she performed Many fayre words were spent many fayre promises giuen and many sore threatnings were vttered either to entice or els to enforce the King of Nauarre and the Prince of Conde to the States at Bloys But they refused their companie knowing well what their meaning was During this time they were very busie to make Leagues and confederacies and to erect euery where fraternities which they called of the holy Ghost by such meanes to fortifie themselues as they pretended against the Heretickes but indeede to conspire the subuersion both of the King and of the Burbons which could not bee done as they thought without the rooting out of the professors of the reformed religion The secret Councell of Rome could not bee kept so close but that the King of Nauarre had intelligences what was passed at Rome and therefore sendeth a Gentleman of his to the King with remembrances to aduertise him of the conspiracie already concluded at Rome against him and his estate Monsieur his brother in like manner informed him that there were things passed at Rome against him his Crowne and state Iohn Casimier Prince palatine out of Germany sendeth in like manner aduertisements vnto the King about the same matter and besides by Praillon giueth him notice of the drifts of the Leaguers which were to let the free holding of the States by corrupting of the Deputies and by letting that none of the Princes of the bloud or any that haue cause of complayning might appeare with free accesse Thus the Guizes furthering their busines by all
meanes as is aboue sayd in the Prouinces for the making of a strong league with as many as they were able they procured the towne of Montmarsan in Gascoyne to rebell against the King of Nauarre which he shortly after surprized in one night and brought the inhabitants to their duetie without any bloud shedding By their meanes also the Towne of Rause in the Countie of Armignake belonging to the King of Nauarre as the sayd King had entered into the Towne without any mistrust with eightéene Gentlemen the partakers of Guize there let the Percullis fall at his heeles and setting vppon him one offered the Caliuer at his breast But the sayd King neuerthelesse seazed vppon a Tower with his companie and made way to the rest of his traine to enter into the sayd Towne not suffering any of the inhabitants to be put to death buâ— onely him which had leuelled the Caliuer at his breast and that at the earnest sute of the Magistrates of the Towne accusing him with diuers other crimes In Ianuary the King sendeth an Ambassador to the Prince Casimier Palatine of Rhine named Vilaquier to excuse his doings with lyes surmizâ—s and slaunders as that they of the reformed religion had seazed vppon diuers and had committed murthers and cruelties vpon the Catholikes and that they required not the exercize of the religion for any conscience but for fashion sake only and that his States will not suffer him to execute the Edict of peace Vnto this message the Prince Casimier answered as shewing how the King was abused by the States which were none other but such as were enemies of his estate and perturbers of the peace vnder the name of the States and lastly willeth him not to cast his Realme into a miserable flame of ciuill warres for other mens pleasure The Prince Casimier also sendeth Butrich his Ambassador to the King to perswade him if possible were to entertaine the pâ—ace which was made so solemnely which he also willed to be called his peace The sayd Ambassador had audience at Bloys the 23. of February The 7. of March ensuing the sayd Butrich Ambassador surrendred in his Masters name the lands Lordships pensions and offices which the King had giuen him at the concluding of the peace For as much as the Guizes had spread abroad both through France Germany and other countries that the said Prince in consideration and respect of his particular profite was preiudiciall to the publike commoditie of his Souldiers The parish Priests about this time tooke the names of able men Souldiers were euery where secretly mustered according to Sir Hugh his counsell as is aforesaid The Iesuits also began to take the matter in hande to further conspiracies by rayling Sermons who by these meaues crept so deepely into the Kings fauour that he preferred the sawciest of them and them who could thunder most furiously against the reformed religion to Bishoprickes Abbeyes Prebends and other fat Benefices nourishing in his bosome from time to time the firebrands to set him and his Realme in combustion at the first opportunitie The Guizes seeing they could not win them of the religion to fauour their doings but rather that their agents were taken forbeu cozba considering also that they were not able to haue their desire vpon them fearing greatly the King of Nauarre whose wisedome vertue and valour they knewe well goe about to make him to some hatefull and to others contemptible Therefore the Admirall Villars father in lawe to the Duke de Mayne raised vp vpon him the old lye and flander reported of the Christians of the Primitiue Church vp the Pagans to the end that Sathan might bee like to himselfe to wit that the sayd King being at Agen in the night the candles should be put out That false report was spread abroad throughout France afore that any man had heard of it in the Citie of Agen. It was also reprooued for a most false lye by many Noblemen and Ladies of both religions which were then present Now the conclusion or rather collusion of the States was that they required the Edict of peace to bee reuoked the exercize of the reformed religion inhibited and Poperie to be set vp euery where The King was as desirous to graunt them as they to require the breach of the peace wherevpon fearefull persecutions were raised vp euery where great cruelties effected in diuers places vpon them of the religion and open warre denounced And for as much as the condemnation and execution of Monsieur could not be brought to passe as yet for many coÌ„siderations it was kept close and deferred to a fitter time But specially for that he might be a good instrument to be occupied against the King of Nauarre and them of the reformed religion Therefore they thought good to make him and the Duke of Guize Generall ouer the Kings forces Him I say to giue the more authoritie to the actions and enterprizes with greater terror The other was ioyned in Commission to preuent what might happen that Monsieur should not in any wise fauour the King of Nauarre nor his partakers any whit at all The King of Nauarre hauing such power as he could make in Guyen prepared himselfe vppon the defensiue and hauing a mightie power of Germaines readie to enter into France his enemies hearts were somewhat cooled and began to faint On the other side the King wanting money nothing was done By this expedition a great terror of the Germaines hauing seazed France the King now sheweth himselfe as desirous of peace as he was not long before of warre and sendeth his Mother to the King of Nauarre to treat for peace Now old Catie must shewe some Italian iuggling or els farewell Poperie After much chopping and chaunging of words the bargaine was made The King of Nauarre being at Nerack in Gascoyne receiued the peace with some restructions of the former Edict abhorring the slaughters of the Nobilitie and oppressions of the people This peace being concluded at Nerack the Guizes tooke it very grieuously as vnprofitable for the aduancing of that mysterie which did lye hidden in their braine and also for that the King went about to reforme many abuses brought in by warre and to restore the Nobilitie to ease the people of diuers charges For the Guizes would haue all these abuses to continue that in time it might serue for an olde cloake to couer withall their treacherous drifts as they did afterward at the rising of them in armes 1585. Diffidence and iealousies therefore did growe daylie betweene the King and the Guizes But the King to obtaine his intended purpose thought good to pacifie them calleth them to the Court dooth assigue them great pensions bestoweth great gifts and honors vppon them Yet they hauing alwaies a hartburning tickled with their accustomed ambition watching for the death of Monsieur determined to hasten them forasmuch as they feared him more than the King In the yeare 1579. the Guizes sent Frier Claude Mathew
abusie Iesuite of Pontamosson in Lorrayne to Rome to put Sir Hugh to worke and to lay downe some newe direction to execute the secrâ—t Councell of Rome seeing that the former deuises had failed Friâ—r Claude from thence tooke his iourney into Spayne to giue some ghostly counsell to Dom Philipporey despagna Out of this voyage came the expedition of Italians and Spanyards into Ireland vnder the leading of Captaine Saunders which there dyed mad wandring in y e woods From thence also came the lustie flight of Locusts the Iesuits into England vnder the banner of their Generall Campion to roote out the Gospell and to plant Poperie if it could be done But if not to worke some busie peece of worke to her Maiestie that the Guizes in the meane time might work more surely in France without hope of any help out of England to the King and to the King of Nauarre or to them of the reformed religion if they should stand in any neede The Guizes of their part were not idle but by sundrie practizes had renewed the ciuill warres and by the Kings consent Monsieur his brother and the Duke de Mayne were in Commission for the conducting of the Kings Armies which thing they did as well as they could with as great preparations as might bée but yet without doing any harme But because the common report went that Monsieur should passe into England and from thence should go take possession of the Dukedome of Brabanâ— which was offered him by the States of the Lowe Countrey they were content yet once againe to winke at peace that they might be rid of him hoping that he would neuer returne into France to trouble them Therefore in the yeare 1580. Monsieur before he tooke his iourney was sent to the King of Nauarre which both met at Fleyx a Towne in Perigord situated vppon the riuer of Dradogne where they concluded a peace not much varying from the former Which thing being done Monsieur hasted to his iourney Now this being done Frier Mathew the Guizes Pursiuant of méere deuotion must needs post to Rome yet once againe to visite the Stewes and to aduertize Sir Hugh what was past in France to knowe of him how the Guizes should worke vppon this present occasion There Sir Hugh stayed somewhat his wisedome afore hee would giue answere knowing not well what counsell to giue or to followe because his Armado in Ireland vnder the conduct of Captaine Saunders Doctor of Militarie Discipline and his Locusts vnder the leading of the lustie Campion had sped but so so and had a very hot entertainment His brains therefore was driuen to peruss his Christerosse so that in this dumpe Sir Hugh must take counsell of Dom Philipporey despagna Therefore master Frier must trudge ouer the world Haue with you master Frier into Spayne to eate a peny worth of Raphams Vpon this hard mischances of fortune Sir Hugh thought good that Dom Philippo should play Xerxes and whilest he is a preparing the inuincible Arinado meanes should bee made to doo away both Monsieur and the Prince of Orenge that by the death of the one the Low Countreys should be left headlesse vnable to resist the petie Duke of Parma and by the others death the drists of the Guizes might be easily executed in France The procuring of y e death of the Prince of Orenge was committed to the petie Duke of Parma petie sonne to the holy man Pedro Aloisio who for his religion vz. his abominable and monstrous whoredomes was hanged at the windowe of his owne house a holy Martyr and bastard sonne to Sir Alexander Farneso Vicar of Rome called otherwise Paulus tertius This Duke of Parma acquitted himselfe pretily well of his charge as shall bee sayd hereafter The death of Monsieur was vndertaken by the Guizes that that if GOD himselfe would not kill him they would doo it which they also performed in time Frier Mathew Iesuit carrier of the Court of the Guizes returning out of Spayne fell sicke at Barbaste in Gascoyne not for any surfet which he tooke in Spayne except it were for eating too little The poore Pardoner there was so sicke that he would haue eaten any kinde of meate if he could haue had it But his good Masters did so diet him that according to his profession he afflicted his bodie with fasting out of measure to pull downe his courage least when hee should come into the Stewes to giue ghostly counsell to the Curtizans he should doo any thing to the discredite of holy Châ—rch and to the slaundring of the holy order of Iesuits for such fasting as he vsed in that iourney would doo greater miracles in keeping a Frier chaâ—â— than all the weeping which the Iesuites doo vse can doo The King sending his brother into Brabant determined to appoynt him a Counsell But the Kings Counsell being in a manner all Leaguers appoynted him two manner of men one to accompanie him and the other to counsell him They therefore prouided that such counsell should be giuen him as either should altogether nousell him in all filthie life or els should worke such meanes as might dishonor him or put him in danger of his life Another companie was appoynted him of vertuous Noble men of both religions onely to accompanie him to countenance the matter but not to counsell him Monsieur therefore in this equipage of men of so sundrie colours and qualities taketh his iourney first into England and from thence into Brabant the yeare 1582. there to bee inuested of that Dukedome of the holy Empyre which was duely and sumptuously performed Whilest Monsieur soiorneth in the Low Countrey the partakers of the Guizes thinking y e time long were very importunate to set the Duke forward about the busines which he knewe considering the good opportunitie of the absence of Monsieur For if he should returne sayd they and finde all things peaceable it would bee hard for them to worke any thing for as much as Monsieur had knowledge of their drifts who assuredly would seeke to ouerthrowe all and being in France of such power would goe nigh to doo it To these and like perswasions the Duke of Guize was wont to answere that hee will enterprize nothing openly whilest the King had any brother but if he could see one day the last of the house of Valoys to sit vpoÌ„ the Throne he promised them with a round oath to set his hand to worke so surely that if he did not carrie away the whole yet he hoped to haue a good part of the cake In the meane time the Guizes began to sell the most part of their offices and to gather great summes of money making their reckoning shortly to haue all and to dispose of all But thinking the time long that neither sicknes nor the fortune of warre had shortned the life of Monsieur which greatly they desired they determined to do that which God would not do and to execute Sir Hughs spirituall counsell There was
one Salcedo a Spanyard which before had escaped the gibbet of Roan for coyning false coyne with his false gold and siluer wrought by Alchimie fled into Spayne and from thence into Lorrayne where the Guizes hiered him for sixe thousand Crownes which they payed him at Nancie in Lorrayne to murther Monsieur This Salcedo therefore hauing his money and his lesson without the booke went into France proffered his seruice to Monsieur afore he went into the Lowe Countrey and at the recouerie of Cambray shewed some token of dexteritie and in the Low Countrey did all that could be to creepe into greater fauour with Monsieur But withall entered in familiaritie and communication with the yongest sonne of Egmond for which cause the sayd Egmond began to be suspected both of Monsieur and the Prince of Orenge who being examined by the sayd Prince about Salcedos familiaritie answered that their communications were about Alchimie The Prince with a certaine presagious minde replied that he feared that a more dangerous Alchimie would ensue of their familiaritie admonished the sayd Egmond to call to remembrance the dealing of the King of Spayne with his father The Prince of Orenge and Monsieur departed from Antwerpe to Bridges in Flanders where they arriued the 17. day of Februarie Now this conspiracie deuised at Rome confirmed in Spayne brought from thence by Frier Mathewe the Pardoner set in readines to Nancie in Lorrayne the Duke of Parma aduertized thereof thought good with one dayes worke to dispatch these two noble Princes He thought good to bring somewhat of his owne least the Leaguers onely should haue the glorie of this murther therefore to Salcedo he ioyned two companions knowing that a string twisted is not so easily broken These two fellowes were Francisco Baza an Italian of the band of Fernando Gonzago which was in the Campe of the petie Duke of Parma and a Wallon During the time these two Princes were in Bridges Salcedo aduanced himselfe so neere Monsieur that vpon suspition he was apprehended then stayed there in the Court without the sayd Italian and the Wallon tarying for Salcedo This Italian expecting with great desire when Salcedo should come foorth asked of another whether Salcedo were within still Answere was made that he was being asked the question whether hee knewe Salcedo When the Courtier was gone in againe the Italian entring in feare would haue fled but being suddenly layd hold on was examined and confessed the whole conspiracie Salcedo which would not know the Italian before now when he was accused by Baza sayd that the sayd Baza was a muletier and a lyer But Baza answered he would shewe before Salcedo his face such proofes of this matter that his declaratioÌ„s should be found true The malcontent Wallon fled away The 24. of Iuly the young Egmond being brought to the Court to Monsieur perceiuing how Salcedo had accused him reuealed all whatsoeuer Salcedo had opened vnto him Vpon which confession Egmond was committed prisoner to the Magistrate of the towne The 28. Francisco Baza the Italian was examined vppon the Racke who confessed and reuealed horrible things The 30. this desperat Italian with a knife which he had craftily gotten first strooke himselfe in the bellie nigh the nauell and after in the breast on the left side and so killed himselfe And immediatly after by the Magistrate of the Citie was condemned for a murtherer and a Traytor The Wallon malcontent named Nicholas Hugo alias de la borde being afterward taken and examined confessed the conspiracie The King vnderstanding what was done purposed and attempted sent two of his Counsell into the Lowe Countrey to Bridges to bring the said Salcedo into France tooke the paynes in his owne person to examine him and hauing by the said Salcedo his owne confession knowne what was intended at Nancie attempted at Bridges caused the sayd Salcedo to be condemned of treason by the Court of Parliament of Paris and by their sentence the sayd Spanyard Salcedo was drawne and torne with foure Horses There were also some prisoners at Paris about that matter About the same time or not long after one Monsieur de Muy being wounded at the siege of Fere the Duke of Guize went out of Paris in post to be his ghostly father and to giue him some good ghostly counsell not to tell tales out of the schoole nor to discouer holy mysteries The Archdeacon of Toul in Lorreyne named des Rosiers had written a booke of genealogies of the Lorreyns bringing them out of the belly of the house of Eroy to the defacing and disalowing the possession of the crowne by the Valoys About the same time the King sendeth the president Brulard to make his processe and by him was condemned of high treason but afterward by intercession made was quited by recanting and condemning his booke before the Kinges counsaile The Guyzes being thus disappointed of their driftes with the losse of 6. thousand crownes faint not for all y t but follow on their course for they must néeds to see an end of Monsieur whom they thinke to be such a blocke in their way as they cannot ouerlâ—ape without stumbling dangerously There was a holy woman in Paris by name Madam sainte Geneuieue who was so holy that both the King Henry the third and Monsieur his brother would often times goe a pilgrimage to her with much Romish deuotion but with litle honesty she must do the feat for the aduauncing of the holie League and vpholding of the holy Church The Guyzes therefore to spéede well must offer a candell to that Saint of Paris to bée good to them and to doe for them that which God would not doe at their earnest prayers to repaire to Monsieur which was thenat Chasteautierry vpon the riuer of Marne in Brie and that she should haue with her boxes of Concerues This blessed Virgin therefore tooke her iourney to Monsieur ward with her holy boxes with her shée was the more welcome to Monsieur because he had not séene her of a long time he being otherwise somewhat pensiuâ— for missing of his purpose in the low Countrey and for the losse of his credit which he left behinde him at Antwerpe yet for the recreating of him selfe with his olde acquaintance they must banquet together and haue a good merry day once ere they depart Shée came forth with her holy boxes where holy dregges of Rome had béene out of the which she gaue him a bole so hard of digestion that it did him no good for it did lie so heauie vpon his heart that he neuer left vomitting of blood as long as there remained life in him and in like maner as his brother Charles the ninth did before him he died the 10. day of Iuly on the which day his father Henry the second died 24. yeares before As soone as the King was certifyed of the death of his brother he sendeth the Duke de Espernon to the King of Nauarre to aduertise him that he held
away they would burne the Papistes houses afore their departing more for feare then for loue were content to admit 4 of them of the Religion into the Cast I whom they did choose from among them that were altogether vnskilfull in warre But afterward the Foriners which are all for the most part of the religion desired to bee admitted into the keeping of the said Castell and at length it was agreed that a greater number of them of the Religion should be admitted to the keeping of the said Castell but alwayes notwithstanding the greater number was of Catholikes yet it was so kept vntill the 20. of Iuly next following About the 5. day of Iune the King sent the Lordes Claimant and Chassincourt to the King of Nauarre willing him to do nothing against the edict of peace and that his pleasure was the sayd edict to remayne irreuocable About the same time the Leaguers perceiuing the iudgements of the King and of his Courts of Parliament pronounced agaynst them the executions done vppon the persons of diuers their partakers the declarations and detections of many Gentlemen by their writinges their formeâ— cruelty vpon the Kinges subiectes misdemeanors toward their Prince might procure the hatred not onely of the people but also of their owne fauorers did set forth an Apologye such as it was to wash away their traiterous blemishes and spots in the which they do labour to make men beleeue that they are honest men and good Subiectes and that they seeke nothing but the preseruation and defence of the Romish Religion agaynst the heretikes as they tearme them First they say that they can not be attaynted nor touched of treason without condemning many Noble men with them and that the former Kinges wisedome and sufficiency of the Caâ—dinall of Bourbon were such as could haue perceaued their driftes if they had béen tending to any such thing Secondly they do disalow the déedes of Rosier for drawing theyr genealogy from Charles the great Thirdly they reckon their kindred and aliaunce with the house of Bourbon Fourthly sua quae narrant facinora quae ostentant vnlnera Fifthly they do all that they do least that France should bee reduced to that extremity that England is now in Last of all they counsaile the King to ioyne with them because say they they are armed with God his owne hand Now let the Reader consider what necessary conclusion may be inferred out of the reasons aboue rehearsed The 9. day of Iune from Chalons a towne in Champagne situated vpon the riuer Marne the Leaguers sent a supplication to the King in the which they shew their last resolution to be that they will make him condescend to these articles folowing whether he will or not First that according to the supplication presented by the states assembled at Bloys the yeare before to wit 1584. representing the whole realme he will forbid the exercise of the reformed religion throughout the whole realme Secondly that all men be compelled to professe the popish religion and that such as haue heretofore professed the reformed religion may bee enforced to abiure the same and in case they will not to be exiled out of the realme for euer Thirdly that all heretikes for so they tearme them which will not consent to their treasons or idolatrous superstition bee declared vncapable of any office dignity or publike charge Fourthly they require the townes geuen to them of the reformed religion to be taken out of their handes Fifthly that the King shall geue ouer the protection of Geneua against the Duke of Sauoye Last of all that the King shall sweare before his court of Parliament of Paris the contents of this their request reduced into the forme of an edict to be perpetually and inuiolably obserued and likewise shall cause all the Princes Peeres officers of the Crowne Senators Gouernors Magistrates to sweare to obserue and defend the sayd edict To be short they aduertized the King that they haue refused all manner of conference except it bee vpon these conditions and in case he will not do this they will make him do it whether he will or not But for the right vnderstanding of this supplication the Reader must marke that it is not Religion which they care for for their driftes are onely to spoile the King of all authoritie and power that they may at length robbe him of his royall estate therefore these thinges following are to be obserued There were there in France thrée sorts of men who as the Leaguers thought would marre all the playe to wit the Princes Nobilitie and People Of the first they feared greatly the forces the valour authoritie and fidelitie knowing very well that they were able both in power and credite to minister them play long enough to weary them and by their valour able to encounter with them euery where and that through their fidelitie they would neuer forsake the King in his néede although that otherwise they were deuided in religion considering also that they haue the chiefest interest to the Crowne As for the Nobilitie they considered that they were of thrée sorts Leaguers Catholikes and Protestants The Nobles and the Commons which doo professe the reformed religion they knewe by long experience to bee so skilfull and experienced in warre as thereby to bee inuincible and that by all their fayre promises proffered vnto them they could not bee remooued from their alleagance to their soueraigne King and Prince whom God had ordayned ouer them By this their supplication therefore couered with the hypocriticall cloake of Catholikisme they would fayne to bée rid of the Princes and Nobilitie reformed or els to deuide them a sunder that the more easily they might make them giue roume or els roote them out As for the common people reformed they suppose that they being scattered into diuers popish Prouinces could bee so vsed as that they might not flocke together but euery man in an imminent danger would bee carefull how to saue himselfe in some place of safe exile That is the cause that they crye out in their supplication banishment and exile As for the Catholikes both Noble and Common they are in hope that superstition it selfe would win them on their side But if the riddance of them of the reformed religion out of the Realme might not bee throughly done yet the King and the Catholikes being bound with an oth to execute their demaunds would at the pleasure of the Leaguers nourish an immortall warre by the which the King should consume his subiects and the subiects their King with mutuall blowes vntill the roume being either made voyde or weakened they hauing that thorne which so sore prickt them out of theyr foote might vprightly without any halting eyther set themselues in place or els easily shoulder him out who had right to it The 10. of the sayd moneth the King of Nauarre being at Bergerack a great Towne in Perigord situated vpon the riuer of Dordonne answereth vnto y
of Conde Other companies out of Brie Champaigne Vermandoys and other countries there bordering retyred to Sedan the capitall towne of the principality of Boillon Out of Burgondy and the countries about retyred to Geneua and into the signory of Berna The professers of the reformed religion out of Normandy low Britayn and Picardie passed ouer into England for their safety Good Christian Reader I beseech thee to stay here a while and learne both to feare and tremble at the dreadfull iudgementes of God and also his mercie toward his Church shewed at this time which when I do consider it putteth me in remembrance of the like euent which did happen a litle while afore the siege and destructions of Hierusalem by Vespasian and Titus his sonne That citie which here on earth had borne the Image of the true heauenly Hierusalem hauing most wilfully resisted the sonne of God stopped their eares at his voyce When it had fulfilled the measure of her iniquity and that God would make it a wonder a hissyng and nodding of the head vnto all Nations of the world for her obstinacie and vnthankefulnes a litle before the siege there was at midnight heard a voice in the Temple thus Migremns hinc at the rumor thereof all men were greatly amazed musing what should be signifyed by that warning The Saints which were there tooke that to be the voyce of God who according to the threatninges of the law of the Prophets and of Christ against that City would powre downe his wrath vpon that sinfull City directed vnto them commaunding them to depart and to geue place vnto hys wrath So the Church that was there remoued to the City Pella which was beyond Iordan in the ancient inheritance of the Rubenites where it was preserued and out of a place of safety did behold the mighty stormes of Gods tempestes which fel vpon that so noble and famous a City which by Strabo was thought to be the greatest and fayrest of all the East Euen as Abraham long before did behold the subuersion of Sodom so when the Lord had determined to powre the stormes of his anger vpon those Nations which are betweene the Loyre and the English Seas for their offences lyke vnto them of Hierusalem first hee taketh his Church which was scattered among those Nations Townes and Cities and bringeth most of them beyond Loyre some into England some to Sedan some to Geneua some to Suisserland some to Germany least the presence of them who do call vpon his name should hinder the execution of his wrath vpon his enemies for the publication of the edict of vnion commonly called the edict of Iuly although that in another forme was as it were the voyce of God heard out of the Temple Migremus hinc For those nations lying on the North side of Loyre who had conspired to destroy the Gospell of Christ haue drawen the warre from the Prouinces which doe professe the Gospell vpon their owne heads For not onely haue they felt all the former oppressions and outrages of the Leaguers but also by this edict all the burthen of this last ciuill warre raysed vp by the Leaguers hath fallen vpon them beside the horrible murthers and seditions which they haue committed among themselues by the euill Angels which the Lord in his wrath hath sent among them which also do continue still with greater calamities then euer before and is like to continue vntill that those wicked Nations polluted with idolatrie blood of the sayntes and whoredome be vtterly rooted out that God may be auenged of his enemies giuing in the meane tyme a litle rest vnto the reformed churches beyond Loyre and to make them thankful for his great mercyes who hath rewarded his enemies with euil which they had imagined agaynst his people without a cause So the Lord doth turne all thinges to good vnto his Sayntes Now the Leaguers are masters of all for the king had deliuered his royall authority vnto them and deuided his kingdome among them reseruing vnto himselfe the name of a King haue all the Countrey at theyr deuotion and do replenish all France with armes violence and boastings Now they wil play S. George they wil kil the Deuil eyther on horseback or a foote they will worke miracles or else the Deuill shall fayle them And for to begin these miracles the Duke Mercure brother in law to the King and by the last partition of the kingdome a pety King of Britayne was perswaded by his Counsell that now the publishing of the edict of vnion had of it selfe killed all the Hugonets in Poytow and that easily hee might tame all the Countrey and that bâ—ing in the field not one Hugonet durst lift vp his head therefore supposing there to haue to fight with dead men and making himselfe sure of the conquest to make proofe of his valure the 23 of August passed Loyre at Nantes out of Britayn in Poytow with two thousand men entending to roue and ransake all and hauing sacked many popish Churches spoyled the Abbeys at Saint Florent and Plainpied by Saumure like an horrible tempest did march forward sparing neither holy nor prophane thinges making hauocke of all thinges vntill he came as farre as Fontenay The Prince of Conde turned from Saint Paul Decadewalx to Saynt Ihan D' Angelye hauing assembled some friends as wel out of Xainctonge Poytow as other parts within few dayes saw himselfe to haue a lusty company as well of gentlemen as Harquebusiers on horsebacke and with that force expecting the rest tooke his iourney with as much diligence as hee could to meete with the sayd Mercure The Prince arriued at Chandeuier a towne not farre from Niort vnderstoode that the sayd Mercure was about Fontenay where he determined to giue him battaile Mercure hearing that the Prince approched with his companies so ready and willing to fight was amazed considering that it fell out contrary to the counsell giuen him before and that now be must fight with men aliue This increased his feare so much the more for that hee had not so soone heard of the Princes comming but that presently hee was certifyed that the said Prince was in battell array Whereupon he resolued to retyre home but being hardly pressed by the sayd prince he was fayne to retire to Fontenay And because the gouernor of the towne knowing not well how thinges had passed betweene the King and the Leaguers would not suffer him nor his to enter the towne yet otherwise shewing him such fauors as he might therfore he with his troups betook themselues to the Suburbe of Fontenay called the Loges The Prince desirous to see his enemy face to face aduanced toward the Suburbe in battaile aray to prooue whether he might prouoke the enemy to skirmish But the Duke would none of that play But after the Prince had kept the Duke besieged in the Loges for certaine dayes the said Duke fearing eyther at length to be forced or else that the Prince would
not to come within the reach of the King of Nauarre for feare of the Bastonado or Strapado or some such like thing being in good hope in the meane time that in walking and taking his pleasures in Guyenne at the Priestes costs he might make his part strong with seducing the forenamed Cities and other from the Kings obedience to his deuotion but he was as far deceaued in that as in escaping the Bastonado But now to returne to our purpose the Duke Ioyeuse was at the back of the Prince of Conde the Duke De Mayne passing through Orleans ouer the riuer of Loyre was at his right hand and as farre as Bloyse stopped all the passages least the saide Prince might passe ouer The King had sent Biron with forces into Beause which marched right against his face least hee should escape that way on the left hand the way to the sea through Britaine and Normandie was long difficulte and dangerous by reason of many townes and Garisons therein placed The Prince being thus compassed about with al these forces of enemies was in lesse daunger because that they knew not what and how things passed in his armie and supposing the same to be farre closer and stronger then it was in deede did greatlie feare to aboard it whereby he and all his Captaines had opportunitie to beguile them and to steale away from them Now to knowe well the rest of this voyage vntill the dissolution of the armie it is necessarie to know the situation of the country There is on the north side of Lorion a riuer called Loire washing the townes of Chasteau dune Vendosme Chasteaudeloy Lude Flesche and Luche which méeting with the riuer Sartre at Anger 's falleth into Loyre beneath Pont de sel The Prince at his departing from Beaufort folowed this riuer almost as far as Chasteau dune The 26. of October the Princes armie dislodged from Beaufort intending to lodge at the towne of Luche in Anjou belonging to the Lord Clermong there purposing to passe ouer y e sayd Loyre vpon the bridge into the countrey which lyeth betweene the sayd riuer Loyre and Sartre called Vaudeloyre but the riuer was so ouerflowen as though the foure Elements had set themselues agaynst that army that it did couer halfe of the sayd bridge and the Lord Clermont which is Lord of the place sounding the foord himselfe thought it were not passable whereupon they determined that day to goe to Lude There happened vnto them other things which increased greatly the amaze For newes came that the Duke Ioyeuse with greater forces than theirs pursued with great hast after them and that not long after the departing of the Prince he had seazed vpon Beaufort On the other side the countrey which before trembled for feare of them began to rise vpon them for they of the Flesche the selfesame day issued out and intercepted some souldiers and carriage That day according to the determination they lodged at Lude The 27. of October they would haue passed ouer Loyre vpon the bridge of Lude but it was so highly ouerflowen that although it was easie to passe the bridge yet at the further side of the said bridge there was another great riuer which they must néedes passe ouer by a foord for there was but a little boate which would scarse carrie three men without daunger The horsemen passed and set themselues in battell aray vntill all had passed there a great many gaue ouer their carriage they which had friends in the countrey gaue them their stuffe That day from Lude they sent the Lords Boysduly and Aubiguy towards Boysgency Mere and S. Die to finde some passage and that the morrowe after they should all méete at Orges or the Chappell S. Martine Whilest they stayed in that playne in battell aray for the safe passage of all the companies there happened a thing which would haue wrapped a superstitious soule into sundrie and fearefull thoughts for not farre thence beyond them was a Hare started by the enemies betwéene the Loyre and Lotion with a great crye after which gaue them the alarum and all prepared themselues to receaue the enemie couragiously but at length the Hare was seene with more than two hundred horses with fewe dogges That poore Hare passed and repassed among the horses feete with many stripes and yet was not taken but saued her self though she was pursued more than halfe a mile Some tooke this for an euill and some a good presage saying that if God had care to preserue that poore feeble and fearefull beast much more would hee haue care of that little flocke amazed which howsoeuer it was hollowed and pursued by all the forces of France notwithstanding would escape safe and sound in receiuing but feare without great hurt which thing also happened From Lude they at length arriued at Prillay two houres in the night this is a great towne belonging to the Prince County the Prince of Conde his yonger brother At their comming thither there was such a confusion and presse in the streates that they could neither goe forward nor backward for the space of an houre not the Prince himself vntil that the doores of some houses broaken gaue some roome The 29. day they marched through Vandeloyre and at night came to S. Arnol and the villages about not farre from Lauerdine but the sayd S. Arnol was a poore little village where was small store of lodgings so that the further they went the néerer they approached to their miseries There also newes came that the enemies followed after them as couragiously and with such hast as they went about to goe from them with great iourneys The Lords Espernon and Byron and most of the Nobilitie of the Court were at Bonaual in Beause to méete with this terrified armie The Duke de Mayn on the other side with a great armie was on the other side of the riuer of Loyre neere Bloys to cut them off by the way if by chaunce they should repasse The Townes betwéene Bloys and Orleans were all be set with strong garrisons The Lord Chastre had sent into Soloigne to kéepe the riuer of Loyre and to retire the boates and milles into the townes The Commons were set to watch readie to rise vpon them at the first sound of the Toxine The companies of the Prince were as wearie as their enemies were lustie and as men may bee wearie with courses and watches so horses much more with galloping night and day without resting The meanes to passe betweene Bloys and Amboyse fayled them all these things being knowne of all made them to haue little hope of their affayres Yet there is no doubt that if the enemie had appeared the necessitie had much increased their courage But it seemed that by a singular prouidence of God the enemies stood in such feare of these companies that he would haue them defeated through wearines that it might appeare to be Gods owne hand and his proper work to scatter them
the courses which he ranne the dangers which hee passed through to get to the Ilandes of Gernsey lying in the narrow Seas betweene England France what courtesies and Princelike intertaynment he receaued of that great Elizabeth Queene of England how with a great number of Nobility and ships of war he returned to Rochel also with great reioycing of all men he was receaued by them of Rochell is the argument of an other booke which the tyme shall produce But here be three thinges worthy to be noted First how God doth lay heauy crosses vpon his children and do compasse them with ineuitable dangers after mans wisedom both to make them see with the eye how weakly man is stayed which trusteth in the arme of flesh and worldly power Secondly to make them vnderstand how nigh he is vnto them that repose themselues in him and how safe that man is who resteth vnder the shadow of his wings by an assured trust and confidence in his promises Thirdly to shew how many wayes hee hath to deliuer his children out of those dangers which in mans reason cannot bee auoyded as this was to that end to make them tast how sweete his deliuerances bee to warne them thereby to amend their liues and to walke more circumspectly in his wayes and to bee more watchfull in the inuocation of his name and thanksgiuing Of all ancient histories this hath a similitude and liknes of the returning of the Greeks from Persia brought into their countrey by that noble Philosopher and Captayne Xenophon reported by himselfe in expedition Ciri minoris But to returne to the matter By this tyme are the Lords Laual Boulay Rohan the Prince of Conde the Lords Trimouille and Auantigny by Gods special fauour deliuered and brought as if it were by the hand into certayne places of safety Now there remayned the Lordes Saint Gelayse Clermont and others with them left in the clawes of the Lyon and a pray to the enemy to trye the selfe same presence of God and to be led by y e hands of his Angel out of all danger into a hauen of safety The head being gone the rest within a while vanished away as dust blowen in the ayre that which is marueilous without the losse of any one man of account or any other that euer could be knowen euery one had his life for spoyle which hath made ridiculous the lying pamphlets spread bâ—oad in Paris of the terrible dreadful ouerthrow of the Prince of Conde But this short discourse doth represent all thinges passed in that army For the discipation of that armye is not to be attributed neyther to the King neither to the Duke Ioyeuse much lesse to the Duke de Mayne or to any ather of that side For none of them al approched nigh to the Prince of Conde since his departure from Lude not by fiue or sixe leages neyther did they euer draw Swoord agaynst him Wheras that night resolution was taken that y e day folowing the Lord Saint Gelays should take his iourney toward Meare a towne vpon the riuer of Loyre betweene Boysgencie and Bloys in so dooing he disappoynted greatly the enemies and gaue great aduauntage to the Prince to auoyde their hands for the scape of the enemies was his person more then all the rest for they cared not for any thing else so that they might haue him dead or a liue so eagerly were they bent against him But the companies being deuided some tooke their iourney toward Orleans others toward Normandie some toward the Mayne by which meanes the enemies knew not which of them the Prince was in and so the chiefest power of the enemie was in doubt still which way to take to folow after him and in the meane while he and his little companie did slide into Briâ—ayn and from thence ouer the sea into England The Lorde S. Gelays to saue the remnant of the armie exposed himselfe as a pray to the enemie that could catch him notwithstanding without the losse of any one man but he escaped with his companie which was with him with incredible labours and losse of theâ—â— carriage and stuffe That night therefore about twelue a clock one houre after the departing of the Prince with the gardes of the said Prince who were about threeshore Harquebusiers he tooke his way to Vilelnisant where the rest of the companies were lodged to take their iourney to the Chapell Saint Martin and from thence dislodging together came to the saide Chapel one houre afore day There were about 500. horses of all sorts but not aboue 200. fit to fight and yet of them who might haue fought many should haue been faine to fight on foote for their horses were readie to fall vpon their noses and the men but a little more worth The 31. of October they ariued at the Chapell Saint Martin verie easilie and because they needed to baite their horses and refresh themselues the inhabitants saw their doores broken afore they were called vp In that vilage the Lord Saint Gelaise learned that the euening before there were two men on horseback which saide that if there should ariue any men of warre they should not stay there but passe further to Orges And as the day began to appeare the Lorde Saint Gelaise receaued letters from the Lord Aubigny wherein hee willed them to take the direct way to Ralsy where he should meete him And when they came thether the said Lorde Aubigny reported that there were no boates nor any hope to repasse Loyre for there was 800. Swartrutters of the League who had lodged at Saint Die a walled towne three Leagues aboue Bloys vpon the high way to Orleans where they thought to haue found passage There were also all along the riuer at Mir de Nonain Saint Laurence other vilages about the riuer three or foure regiments of footemen seeming therefore to them an vnpossible thing to passe Loyre that way the Lord Saint Gelays consulted with the Lorde Tiffardiere and others who concluded to goe to Orges and to some vilages thereabouts with commaundement to soiourne there not aboue an houre and a halfe There was in the Castell of Orges an olde Gentleman Papist who hearing that the Lord Saint Gelaies was in that companie desired to see him and to speake with him and knowing that his companie was wearie and weake and weather beaten asked him whether he went and what he meant to doo with his companie and swearing with a great oath told him that hee was vndone and that if hee had three times as many men as hee had within an houre if he soiorned there he and his would bee cut in pieces This Gentleman was very stout because of the Kings the Leaguers forces which hee knew to bee thereabout hee shewed him that there was great companies as well on the side of the riuer as on the side of Beause not distant from him aboue halfe a League nigh the Forrest of Marchenoyre with this
The inuention by the subtilty of the said ladie was that shee fayned to driue out of the Castell certayne pages of the Prince which the Lord Fredericke his chamberlayne had there with him They gaue aduertifement to the lord Lauall what had passed at Tilleburge also of the meanes how to enter into the Castell The 20. day at night captaine Pickard came out of Xainctes with 120. with him into the towne for succour The 21. the Lord Laual with the Lords Saint Mesmes gouernour of Saint Jhan and Bonlay and others determined to rescue the said Lady and taking about one hundred armed men and foure hundred Harquebusiers after dinner tooke their iourney toward Tailebourg and about twenty men of armes did alight downe on the side of the waren and entred into the ditch which is betweene the towne and the Castell folowed with a certaine number of shot and furiously charged the enemie in diuers places In the beginning the enemies defended themselues stoutely as well out of the houses as out of the Trenches which they had planted at the gate of the Castell They of the Castell perceauing that succour was come to them leaueled their artilerie partlie against the Trenches partly against the houses among whom the house of one Bordet was cleane beatē down The diuers charges began to amaze the enemies which without long resistance began to looke how to saue themselues and their liues by flight or otherwise There were found dead ofy e enemies side about 4. score men of our side onely sixe many were taken the other were put to flight wherof the night couered the shame y e marshes the riuer saued many the woūded and prisoners were courteously intreated many were sent away without ransome and especially the Captaine Beau Mont and Roke and others which were of commaundement during the skirmish within the towne the Lord Laual remained without the towne in battaile aray vpon the high way to Xainctes and from thence discouered some of the enemies who were issued out of the gates of Tailebourg with their colours and sought to saue themselues The said Lord commaunded his brother the Lorde Ryeulx to charge them who with twelue horses set on them whereof many were killed some wounded and some taken with foure ensignes The enemies being thus beaten the Lady Trimouil gratified the said Lord Laual with the other Noble men who had accompanied him for the assistance giuen her in such a conuenient time And although that before she would not suffer any further forces then she had to enter into the castell yet she admitted them in now and so they aduised before their departure of the meanes how to preuent like inconueniences and that it was better that this place should be kept by them of the reformed religion to the which the said Lady had no great fantasie Notwithstanding Captaiee Bousier Leutenant of the Princes gardes with certaine Harquebusiers was apoynted to keepe the said Castell and afterward there was ioyned to him the Lord Boulay It is saide before how the King vnderstanding of the Princes going to Anger 's with much adoo sent the Duke De Mayne out of Paris for Guyenne with a mightie armie that all with one voyage hee migh◠helpe to inclose vp the Prince and also in his absence to inuade Poytow and Xainctonge prouinces of Guienne for which he was apoynted Who taking his iourney from Bloys after the Princes armie was dessolued at Salonne to Poitiers vnder the colour of the lying in of his Wife soiorned there three weekes to seduce that great and populous Citie to his faction and at length when he could not obtaine his purpose by diuers expresse commaundements from the King hee departed about the fifteenth of Nouember And boasting that within three moneths hee would roote all the Hugonets out of Guyenne and Gascoyne hauing that mightie armie as we haue saide before in his way he tooke by surrender Lusignen and Mele and passing by Saint Ihan hee sent a few horsemen beyond the bridge Saint Iulion in the sight of the towne intending by that small number to draw the Lord Laual to fight who he thought would haue issued out and pursued those forerunners he thought also that the said Lord Laual would haue passed the bridge Saint Iulion and to haue taken him in ambushes with the whole companie of his horsemen who did lie in a wood and a dingle on the other side of the bridge which the said Lorde Laual could not haue repassed without hazard there to haue been discomfited The Lord Laual discouering the light horses issued out of the towne but not after the minde of the Duke For hauing put a good garde vpon the bridge he sent a few light horses onely to view the enemie and ordered the rest of his men of armes and Harquebusiers in battell aray vpon the banke of the riuer in the view of the enemie which seeing that he ventured not rashlie retyred without attempting any thing About the 28. the Duke De Mayne with his armie lodged about the towne of Saint Ihan The Lord Chassegay ensigne bearer of the Lord Laual accompanied with the Lord Orges and fiue and twenty horses more with him issued out to skirmish with the armie of the Duke They met nigh Varezes a little towne not farre distant twentie Launciers of the enemie folowed at hand by two hundered men of warre French and Jtalians The saide Chassegay was charged with these troupes and pursued to the bridge where hee stayed in the face of the enemie to fauour the retraite of his men but there he was beaten downe and taken prisoner with some others they which saued themselues gaue the alarum in the towne the forces whereof issued out but the enemie had retired About the latter end of December the Duke méeting with the Marshal Matignon about Coignake at length parted a sunder and the sayd Matignon went to Bourdeaux but the Duke being rid of the companie of Matignon who would bée but a let vnto him to bring to passe his intents tooke his iourney to sport himselfe through Perigord Limosin Quercy and Agennoys at the charges of the Priests and expences of the holy Rood hauing a great deale of money euen so much as the Sacraficers could spare to recreate himselfe when hée should finde himselfe wearie of winning of Cities and strong Holds in those countreys It is sayd before how that after the publication of the Edict in Iuly the Vicount Turenne had assembled some forces partly out of his owne land in Limosin and Perigord and partly many Noble men and Captaines of the countreys about had repayred vnto him For the persecutions had inforced many as well Gentlemen as others to forsake their houses to take armes and to repayre to such Prouinces as were of sure accesse vnto them This was the cause that Noble men and Gentlemen from about Paris Gastinoys Niuernoys countries betwéene the riuers of Loyre and Seyne which purposed to repayre to the King of
gaue occasion to the Prince to retire who carried away the spoyle and armour of that regiment with the Colonels Ensigne the Victorie was fayre but bloudy by reason of the death of the Lords aboue said The Lord Rieulx spake to the very last breath and rendered a notable testimonie to all them that were present of his faith and generositie and of his good nurture which hee had learned in the schoole of godlines so that it may be saide of him that he dyed a true Christian Knight The Prince conceaued a marueilous griefe for the death of these two Lords but especially the Lord Laual their brother who conceaued such sorrow thereby that he fell sick and dyed eyght dayes after to wit the 11. of Aprill he was opened and there was sound an apostume in his head full of yellow stinking water so in few dayes died these foure Lords and brothers to the great griefe and heauines of all good men they were buried in the Temple which is in the Castell Taillebourg Now we haue to speake of the King of Nauarre who did nothing all this time but onely in great silence viewed whereto this voyage of his enemies would come For first perceiuing that the Leaguers had a speciall quarrell to him because they knew him to be in their way and a speciall stoppe of all their trayterous intents they feared greatly his prudent counsell and wisedome He made his complaynt to the King aunswered to the articles of the declaration of his enemies exhorted the King to take heede of them proffâ—red him his seruice prayed him to let him alone with them for if it pleased his Maiestie to giue him leaue hee doubted not but with his owne power hee would so chastice them that they should be an example to their posteritie The King by letters and messengers exhorted and willed him to quiet himselfe to see his Edict of pacification to be obserued in his gouernement shewed him that their cause is but one that hee seeth the intents of the sayd Leaguers well enough and trusteth that GOD shall make him able to represse their madnes protested that he had care of the said K. of Nauarre as of his own selfe and held him as a deere brother the true rightfull heire of his Crown in case he should die without issue It is said also how the King notwithstanding this was driuen to ioyne with them whom he had condemned before and to alowe and iustifie their treasons was enforced through the pernitious counsell of his mother and not only enforced but induced to take conditionâ— and lawes at their handes to assist and arme his enemies whom he had so declared and iudged few dayes before euen traytors against his person state Crowne and life against them I say whome hee had protested to bee his faithfull subiects good brothers and cosins had receiued vnder his protection It is said also how the King of Nauarre before had forewarned the King to beware of such association shewing him the euil which would surely ensue and at length certifieth the King that hee had admitted a higher power a master and controuler ouer himselfe and that hee had weakned himselfe and strengthened his enemies Howe hee went to Saint Ihan de Cadeioux into Languedock there to aduise of his affaires and his friends with the Prince of Conde the Duke Monmorencie and other Nobles where they concluded vpon the defensiue The King of Nauarre returned into Gascoyne kept himselfe in silence abiding all the iniuries that might be possible the preparations braggings boastings attempts of his enemies euen to the great imminent danger of his person before that he would take armes in hande FroÌ„ Gascoyne he went to Bergerak in Perigrod as a time of peace where hauing soiourned for a time he tooke his iourney to Montauban knowing very well that the armie conducted by the Duke de Maine was against him and already in Perigord rauaging pilling spoyling and wasting all that they came by From thence he returned into Gascoyne againe aboute the latter end of Ianuarie 1586. And whereas he knew well that if he had ioyned all his forces with the power of the Prince and the Vicount Turenne hee had been able to stop the way of the Duke de Maine that he had not walked so long at his pleasure as he did But that wise prudent and moderate Prince perceiuing by the attempts of that armie the qualities of the leader and the disorder that was among them but specially hauing Gods fauour on his side And seeing y t Gods curse and wrath was powred on his enemies side he neuer thought it meete to trouble himselfe nor his friends about that accursed companie and villaynoâ—s rabble of rakehells knowing that God himselfe would dissipate them clothe them w t dishonour as with a garment he knew wel also that they did no more but to weaken their faction in spending in vaine the large liberalitie and intollerable expences of the Priests and Monks who entertayned the said armie At length the King of Nauarre determined to passe the riuer of Garonne to repaire into Poytow to visit the places of his gouernement about the riuer of Loyre and being returned from Montauban into Gascoyne the Marshal Matignon had besieged Castets a Castel situated vpon the riuer Garonne pertayning to the Lord Fabas about the moneth of Februarie The King of Nauarre hauing knowledge thereof accompanied with two or three hundred horses and eighteene hundred Harquebusiers did raise the siege and dined in the saide Castle that day in witnes that he accomplished his purpose for that time The K. of Nauarre from thence sent al his companies to garisons and tooke his way to Bearne to see the Ladie his sister and to take order for all necessarie things concerning the securitie and preseruation of the townes and countrey That being done he tooke his iourney to Nerak and passing through Eause which is his prouided for the safety of the same in good time for otherwise it was in danger to be lost and for that purpose there hee soiourned 2. daies There newes was brought vnto him that the Duke de Mayne hasted to let his passage ouer the riuer Garonne for all that hee tooke his waye to Nerak where he soiourned a whole day more to take order for the safetie of the towne Thereunto more aduisement was giuen him that the sayd Duke de Mayn was at Villeneufue d' Agenoys intending to stop his passage ouer the riuer Garonne There was in apparance occasioÌ„ enough to cause the sayd King to aduance and hasten extraordinarylie his voyage but notwithstanding despising all the indeuours of the sayd Duke hee would change nothing of his purpose but to the contrary hauing done at Nerak all his affayres with leasure departed not thence vntill that it was alreadie farre in the day From Nerak he tooke his iourney to Barbase and continued as though he would goe to Castelialoux Many did carefully muse the
into Rochel the last day of May being the Lords day with a marueilous reioy sing of al men which receaued much comfort of his presence there for the sayd King had alwayes no lesse vertuously than happely opposed himselfe to all the attempts and endeuours of all the armies of the enemies which had béen sent against them The same day the sayd King of Nauarre embarked himselfe to goe to visit the Nauie which was before Browage where he soiorned some dayes In the meane while there had arriued certayne shippes to the Lord S. Luke gouernour of Browage who with them went about to let that enterprize but all was in vayne so that without any great losse all the ships appoynted for that exployt were brought in and suâ—ke in the mouth of the Hauen according to the deliberation taken So the chanell by these means was barred in such a sort as the Hauen hath béen in a manner rendered vnprofitable Notwithstanding that the Lord S. Luke hath bestowed much labour to open it and at the charges of the inhabitants of the Ilands he hath drawne out foure or fiue vessels Yet is that Hauen alwayes suspected vnto ships and they néede to set markes to the ships that will enter in least they take hurt This being done the Nauie returned to Rochel without any losse except of one Captayne named Mercur and fewe Souldiers which were taken in the skirmishes that were made at the Fort aboue mentioned About the fourth of Iune the King being returned to Rochel with this Nauie and vnderstanding that the Marshall Byron with this armie approached and that Lusignen Mele and Chizay Townes not defensible had yéelded themselues tooke his iourney to Marans to consider the places whether théy were able to make head against that armie The armie lead by the Marshall Byron did consist of twelue hundred horsemen and foure thousand footemen with a conuenient furniture This armie was very small the cause was that the King at the commaundement of the Leaguers had deuided his forces into sundrie armies for sundrie Prouinces to diuert the forces of them of the religion from the Duke de Mayne as is afore said The King of Nauarre hauing well viewed the Forts of the Iles of Maran concluded to defend the places agaynst that armie The 7. day of Iune came two sorts of deputies appoynted to require of the King of Nauarre two contrary things namely the â—â—putie of Rochel required his Maiestie that hee would cause the Castle of Maran to bée rased for the reasons which they then alleaged On the other side the Gentlemen of Annix required him not to doo so for as much as the Papists would take occasion to doo the like to their houses The King of Nauarre answered to them both that thereupon he would take aduise Whilest these things were a dooing the King of Nauarre had aduertisement that the Duke de Mayne distressed Chastilion whereupon he assembled as great a companie of horsemen as he could and with the Prince determined to rescue that place which he could not bring to passe by reason of the aduancing of Byron and his armie For the armie of Byron was alreadie aduanced to Niort and hauing no néerer place than Maran to assault made his reckoning not to besiege it but onely to fright the inhabitants and about fiftie souldiers which he knewe to be lodged in the forts and in the greater of the sayd forts there was not aboue nine or ten Souldiers the sayd forts being very ill furnished which made him beléeue that such a small companie would not withstand him but surrender the sayd forts The feare indéede was great among many whereof some of them had alreadie retyred to Rochel But the Lord Iarry gouernour of the place and his Souldiers with some of the inhabitants tooke courage many did despayre of the succour of the King of Nauarre whom they thought to haue passed into Gascoyne They resolued notwithstanding to hold against that armie And on the monday the 7. of Iune at night they sent messengers to Rochel to demaund succour both of men and munition of warre and of certaine péeces They of Rochel answered that they could not conueniently spare men as for munition and peeces they would willingly let them haue so that they might haue securitie to be payed the price that it cost them This refusall of men did so feare the inhabitants that euen that night many did retyre and carried away the rest of their goods But on the Wednesday morning about foure of the clocke arriued from the King of Nauarre two Gentlemen to wit the Lord Fouqueroles and Valiere whom he had sent in great diligence they calling the gouernour the Minister of the place and some of the inhabitants assured them that the King of Nauarre was comming in great diligence for to succour them and that he would arriue euen the same day and after they had rested a while the sayd Lords went to view the Holds and entrings into the Ilands and so likewise the day following The 12. day of Iune the King of Nauarre came with fewe in companie but his troupes followed him apace The 13. 14. and 15. dayes of that moneth there entered braue companies of Souldiers as they of the Lords Puelles Granuile Drakuille and S. Foy Normands There entered also Barache the regiment of Sorlus the Lord of Neufuy vnder fiue Ensignes for the most part Perigordins and Limosins yet very well trained in Military Discipline All these companies were placed in the forts by the King of Nauarre namely the Lord Puelles was in the Bastile Drakuille in Beauregard Barache at Barnay Granuile with Saint Foy were put in the Brune and Repentne on the way to Rochel Captaine Plaune with his companie of Poytiuines was placed at Poyneuf Captaine Saint Ihan at Clousie Captaine Treille in Brault there was a company of Rochellers few in number but men resolute vnder Captaine Mot they were put to keepe the entrey of the mill in the Marsh The Lord Iarrie gouernour of Mans vndertooke to keepe the Forts Paulee Allowete and Botsblauk with his companie and some of the inhabitants The King of Nauarre commaunded all to obey the Lord Fonquereles who shewed a marueilous care and diligence in the same siege The 10. day of Iulie the Marshall Byron with a companie of horses came himselfe to view the Bastile but approaching a little too nigh he was saluted out of some small forts which the Lorde Puelles had placed vpon the high way hee had his thumb and some other fingers taken off with a shot the same shot did greatly as it was reported hurt a Gentleman who was by him All that weeke the enemie did none other thing but aduaunced himselfe toward the Bastile set his gabions nigh the farme of Angle there to place three pieces to batter the fort of Bastile In the mean time the King of Nauarre did shew a wonderful diligence as wel in fortifying the Iland as in bringing companies
Lord Saint Luke and others going out of Niort through the countrey of Aunix and the towne Sorgeres went to batter Tonnay Charante which he tooke by composition and there vnderstanding that the companie of the Lorde Puelles was at Croixchapeau halfe the way betweene Tonney Charante and Rochel he went with the choyse of his armie to set vpon them at the breaking of the day This companie commaunded by some officer for the Lord Puelles was then at Rochel did most couragiously defend themselues but the place was such as the enemie had meanes to enclose them on euery side and to get to the top of the houses through the back side and to driue them out by setting the houses on fire great part of them was slaine in the fight other yelded themselues vpon promise of the safetie of their liues other hid themselues in the caues They were almost all killed against the faith giuen to them with like sauagenes and barbarous crueltie as the Souldiours of Debory and Charboniere were at the Mote Saint Eloy This done the Lord Ioyeuse returned to Tonney Charante vnderstanding that the King of Nauarre was gone out of Rochel to set vpon him and thence to Niort At the same time they which were at Marans did looke to be set on but he vnderstanding that some companies of the Prince had taken Tonney Charante vpon the Garison which hee had left there in hast returned thether with his Ordinance tooke it againe being kept only by a sergiant of a band who with 15. Souldiours onely had obstinatly vndertaken the defence thereof In the selfe same place he was aduertised of the euill watch and of the small company which was at the Abbey of Maillezay a very strong place thether he went with speede and the Lorde Malicorne gouernour of Poytow with him he compassed it so that it was not possible to put in new forces so that the fourth day after it was surrendered by composition After the taking of Maillezay it was thought that the Duke Ioyeuse would set on Marans but hee durst not fearing the King of Nauarre and the Prince who were in the field seeking occasion Some dayes after Ioyesue made a shew to set vpon Talmound but the Lord Saint Stephen hauing seazed vpon it first caused him to haue no great affection thereto So as his armie decayed dayly being infected with the Pestilence the King of Nauarres on the other side waxed strong The Lord Ioyeuse hauing stayed in Poytow somewhat lesser then three moneths about the 15. day of August he rode in poste to Paris to the Duke of Guize as well to informe him of his noble actes and what Kingdomes hee had conquered in winning few villages in Poytow as to minister texts vnto the Fryers and Iesuits to preach vpon vnto the sottish people of Paris to wit the notable slaughters which hee had committed vpon the hereticks in Poytow he was receaued with exceeding ioye of the Parisions he left his companies with the Lorde Lauerdine who conducted them after him all by ease But the King of Nauarre who slept not went forth out of Rochel vpon the newes of the retiring of the saide Ioyeuse with a marueilous celeritie and passing through Marans with some horsemen pursued the remnant of that armie so liuely and that with few men that he discomfited three companies of men of warre conducted by the Marquis Renel tooke their Ensignes and many of them with a great number of Gentlemen This being done he pursued after Lauerdine which conducted the footmen with two culuerines but with the fauour of passages ouer the riuers saued himself in the Haye in Tourenne where the king of Nauarre besieged him but hauing neither Ordinance nor footemen forsooke him and went to Monsoreau vpon the riuer of Loyre in Tourenne where he made a Fort vpon the riuer and there he staied 15. daies to expect the companies which were brought to him out of France by the County Soissons Whilest these thinges were passing thus in Poytow the king about the 23. of Iune vnderstood that the army of Germans both great and strong was in readines to take their iourney into France whereupon the King determined to prepare not onely to defend himselfe but also to inuade the enemie Therefore he sendeth his commissioners into all Prouinces to assemble all his Nobilitie with all their forces and them to deuide into three seuerall armies wherof the rendes vous of the one vnder the conduct of the Duke of Guyze comprehending the Nobilitie and others who were knowen notorious leaguers was giuen the 20. of Iuly in the towne of Chaumont in Bassignye The second armie vnder the conduct of the K. himselfe was of the Nobilitie in the which hee had most trust out of Picardy France Normandie Britayne and other Prouinces betweene Seyne and Loyre The rendes vous was appoynted at Saint Florentine in Bourgony between the cities of Troyes and Auxer the first day of August The third vnder the conduct of the L. Ioyeuse was of the Nobilitie of y e coūtries beyond Loyre and the rendes vous was assigned at Gien The Duke of Guize with his armie of conspirators and Leaguers should stop the passage to the Germanes vpon the borders of Lorreyne specially should hinder them frō taking their way through Champaigne on the north side of the riuer of Seyne The King of Nauarre about the beginning of Iune vnderstanding that his armie of Germanes was in readines to departe out of Germanie to come to his succour sent Ambassadonrs to the King humbly to intreate him to take some pitie of his kingdome and poore subiects both to shew him some wayes of peace and also because that heretofore the saide King had acknowledged the heads of the League to be his enemies and to haue raysed all these vprores not so much against the house of Bourbon as against his owne person he requested the King to vse his and the Germane forces against the common enemie of the Realme But the King hauing many disloyall seruants both about his person and in his counsell who were greatly addicted to the league they disloyally betrayed him making him beleeue that if he should accept the King of Nauarre his offers and so change his mind it were the nearest way to rayse an vniuersal rebelliou of all his subiects against him and that this Ambassage of the King of Nauarre did proceed not from loue and duetie but frō feare and dread who saw his manifest ouerthrowe at hand by these three great and mightie armies which he was setting in a readines The Duke of Guyze with his conspirators aduertized by his special friends which hee had alwayes about the Kings person who were priuie to al his secrets of this Ambassage and proffers made by the King of Nauarre was not a little amazed fearing that the King now was better aduised hauing a fit opportunity to reuenge himselfe vpon the pride arrogancie iniuries proffred him by them considering that
thousand more entring already into France with foure thousand Rutters which were euery day expected he must needes prouide money for them For these shameles Mercenaries who sell themselues to dye at other mens commaundement neuer considering the iustice of the cause will make no warre longer than they are fed with money Considering the great charge which he through euil couÌ„sell had drawen vpon his armes he gathered a great summe of mony vpon the Courts of his Parlâ—aments wherewith he payed those Souldiers But whilest the K. was so busie to fight against the God of battells his Sonne whome he had anoynted vpon his holy hill Sion and pollâ—d his iudges and Magistrates that they might recouer money with aduantage by peruerting indgement Beholde a preamble of that rebellion which followed against him in Paris the moneth of Maie next ensuing There was a certaine Masse Priest Parson of Saint Seuerine at the lower ende of Saint Iames streate named Preuost who preached most seditiously against the King and certain other Lords who were his faithfull seruaunts without any respect of persons degree or dignitie This Priest being threatned to be had before the King a certaine notarie made a great assembly both of armes and men for to defend the Priest The King being aduertized of this misâ—emeanour commanded one of the porters of his chamber accompanied with two Archers of his garde to goe to the sayd Notary to bid him come to speak with the King They which were assembled in the Notaries house seeing the sayde company to enter into the house set vpon them with great violence and enforced them to saue their liues by flight â—rying arme arme and so put al the side of the Vniuersitie in such a wonderfull commotion that there was nothing else to be hoped but a tragicall euent and afterwarde vntill the 8. day of the sayd moneth the whole Citie was in an vprore keeping watch al night at the corners of the streates Now to returne to the course of the history The King hauing three great mighty armyes and no money to entertaine them turned himâ—elfe to the olde shifts broughâ— into France by the Cardinall of Lorreyne and paltring Italians who came with the Q. Mother and gouernd King Henry the second father to this King at their pleasure when they were disposed to make him a slaue to their passions For the ninth of September the King went to Parliament for to establish fifteene Edicts among the which there were three notable the first was of the establishing 27. Secretaries The second was to choose the sixt chamber of enquests consisting of twenty counsellers and two presidents The third was the creation of the Masters of accounts with two presidents out of the which estates he made his reckoning to pluck two Millions of golde Where thou mayest see gentle Reader in what miserable state France was then from the highest to the lowest The Leaguers secretly agaynst the king They openly made warre agaynst God distroyed his subiectes to bring to passe his owne subuersion and to hide the treasons of his enemies refusing to harken vnto any motion of peace proffered him by the king of Nauarre or to any good counsels and for to maintayne this his enterprises iustice must be peruerted by plurality of offices which is one of the principallest pillers of kingdoms by the which magistracy is vpholden mans society entertayned As concerning the armies which were in hand that which should bee lead by the king himselfe consisted of foure score and eight companyes of men of armes and ten thousand footmen twelue thousand Swissers 4. thousand Rutters he caryed twelue double Canons and two thousand Pioners and about the 1. of September the companies began to repayre to Montereau faut Yoynne with commaundement to stay there abouts about Sens in Bourgony vntill his comming and then to repayre all to S. Florentine there to be mustered The king sent to Marshal Biron to Montereau to view the place where they should campe for the king had determined to campe alwayes and for that cause all the Lords had prouided tentes He tooke for his counsel the Lords Villeroy and Bruslard secretaries the Dukes Espernon Danuile Retes and the Marshals Biron and Aumont The Prince Soyssons was with the king of Nauarre and the Prince County was in NormaÌ„dy Mayne Aniow to gather as many companies as he could to ioyne with the Germans knowing well that these great armies were specially prouided to destroy the house of Bourbon vnder the colour of defending the popish religion The Duke d'Aumaule was appoynted Colonel of the Swissers this armie went not further Eastward then Sens from thence turning South and West ward and crossing the Countrey of Auxeroy and Gastinoys passed Loyre into Berry after the determinatiun of the Germanes was knowne As for the third armies thus is it the Duke of Guize Lorreyne at the beginning of September were at Nancy there they had between 20. and 25000. men among them were many horsemen there they receaued 400. Launces of the Duke of Parma all olde Souldiers 2000. footemen Italians and betweene sixe or seauen hundred light horses they made no great account of the Italians the sonne of the Lord Antragues gouernour of Orleans about the 15. of September brought vnto the Duke of Guize beside horsemen about 700. footemen when a little before all the companies of the Leaguers of Britayn sent vnto him by the Duke Mercure vnder the conduct of the Lord Hault Boys were discomfited by the King of Nauarre nigh Monsoreau vpon Loyre as is before reported The army of Germans for y e king of Nauarre when it departed out of Germany was of fiue thousand Rutters fiue thousand Launceknights armed with corsâ—ets and launces sixteene thousand Swissers foure thousand harquebusiers on horsebacke and about thre hundred horses of French men But after they had passed the mountayne of Sauerne the further it went forward the more it did encrease for the Lord Mouy brought two thousand Harquebusiers French men on horsbacke The L. Villeneufue Cormon one thousandand the Lord Lours one thousand The Lord Chastilion the 22. of September brought to it fifteene hundered Harquebusiers about 200. horses so that the totall summe myght amount to 34. or 35. thousand besides the companies which the Prince County brought afterward They had 16. pieces of ordinance to wit foure great culuerines eight field pieces and three peeces which were taken from Salabrine The Lieutenant of the King of Nauarre was the Prince Bullion assisted with a counsel consisting of these which follow the Lordes Guitri Oneaulx Cleruan Beauuoys la Nocle Vezins Digoyne Louet Ramboillet Laube Cheuorles Huguery and Beauuieu This army was the terror of the one side and the hope of the other and yet both were disappointed of their expectation For God shewed to the one part that he hath means ynough to chastife whom and when he pleaseth to the other part hee shewed that they are not safe who do
the Duke of Neuers who had shewed them the wrong that they did to their ancient aliance which they had with the King so to beare armes against him he shewed them the danger wherein they put their Common-wealth to be troubled by the occasion which they had giuen him to remember their enterprize but that they might easily remedie it by retyring themselues from so many discommodities and necessities whereunto they were reduced Also that if they would determine to retyre home he would make meanes to the King in their behalfe to giue them money with all the securitie which they might aske Also that after hee had so spoken to them the sayd Lord of Neuers brought them to the King who shewed them a very angrie countenance reproouing them very sharply for the offence done against their aliance and their othes so to arme themselues against him That it was he which was King of France that he did weare the crowne vpon his head that hee was not a spirit that it was hee himselfe who ventured both his person and all his meanes against them who had imployed their forces he thought that they had béene circumuented vnder a false pretence but now when they saw it they could not pretend any ignorance hee assured them also that hee would see them pursued by the way of iustice before theyr Lords To these things they are reported to haue answered that they had borne these armes to support the crowne of France and to oppose themselues to the wicked practises of the Leaguers whom his Maiestie heretofore both by words of mouth and also by his edicts had declared his enemies And that beeing euery way dulye informed of the truth of this matter they could do no lesse then to satisfy the iust request of the King of Nauarre first Prince of the bloud who was most faythfull vnto him for to accompanie him in such a iust quarell They said also that they added all which they thought might haue serued for that purpose Notwithstanding whether they were amazed at the word of the King whether they were already wonne by money at their returne they chaunged the mindes of their felowes who then openly began to mutiny and to aske two or three moneths wages or else to haue leaue to depart The Baron Oneau with all the Colonels emploied them selues very faithfully shewing them what wrong they did to themselues and to their nation to picke quarrels for to separat themselues from them and the Frenchmen which they could not do with a good conscience The morrow after the Duke Boyllon with the Baron Oneau and other Lords of the Counsel went to the quarter of the Swissers to see how to remedy that disorder The matter was pleaded with many wordes but at that time there was nothing done The Colonels and Captaines determined to send once more to the king to haue pasportes to send to the king of Nauarre to know to know of him whether he did beare armes against the crown of France and that if he should deny it they would serue him for money if to the contrary they would take their leaue from him with entreatie to be content with that which is past This answer was receaued as wordes for they themselues were sufficiently enformed of the good and right affection of the king of Nauarre towardes the king his crowne and estate and though they had not knowen it yet was it not time now to enquire thereof This answere also was not regarded but that they made this quarrell mooued from some where else The alleaged also their necessityes and that without money they would not passe further As these thinges passed in the army they of Estempes made a sally by night vpon the Swissers but without any notable effect At the same time the enemyes gaue an onset vpon the footmen but by reason they were succored by the Lord Chastilion they did but a litle hurt saue that they tooke prisoner the Lord Cormon who was incontiuently brought to the Duke Espernon they vsed him to bring to passe that whereby the army was afterward disbanded The 15. of Nouember the army remoued toward Chartres and there was put in question whether they should proceed further or returne backe it was agreed that they should make one dayes march yet further to fauour the comming of the Prince County of whom they had newes by the Lord Essars who had seene him in returning from the king of Nauarre The next lodging was within two litle Leagues of Chartres the Duke Espernon with the kinges aduangard was at Bonauall which was the only passage which rested for the armie to passe if they would haue gone further along the riuer of Loyre from thence departed the Lord Chastilion by the common consent of all to goe to receaue the Prince County who came the 20. of Nouember to Prunay where all the Nobles came to meets him There they represented vnto him all the great discommodities which they suffered For the king was on the one side vpon the border of Loyre the Leaguers were on the right hand of them and if the army would turne backe they mustrepasse the way they came and fighting with the Duke of Guyze on the one side they should haue the kings army at their héeles All reasons wayghed it was concluded to returne backe as speedily as might bee and with great iourueyes to recouer the head spring of Loyre Some of the Germans thought good at midnight next folowing to depart and proposed it in the Counsell by Huguery◠but on the one side the way was not yetresolued on the other side they had no tyme to aduertize the whole army and also it was not thought honorable to depart in the night as though they had béen carryed away with terror The departing therefore was deferred vntill the 24. of Nouember and that it should bee by day Whilest these thinges were a dooing the messengers of the Swissers returned and gaue to vnderstand that at this third time they had found some alteration in the discourse hee had with them and that the king had commaunded them to repayre to the Duke Espernon so that it seemed by theyr discourse that they were ashamed that euer they were entered into any negotiation with the King so there was some hope to stay them To the same end Huguerie was sent to the Baron Oneau to propose that it was necessary for the contentation of the Germans to trye by all meanes to stay the Swissers it was alleaged for a principall reason that the same huge body going away would cary with them some companies of Rutters who might moue the others and render them more vnwilling to do that which they were requested The matter being proposed in the counsell some thought theyr departure to be not greatly hurtfull bringing these reasons to verify their opinion first that it was a bodie so heauy and so vnwealdye to remooue that by this action the enemy might driue the whole armie into
be shewed in his place So he made the world beleeue that he had been the onely instrument by the which that armie had receaued all the harme which they receaued And whereas the Kinges onely pollicy had vndone that army yet made he the world beléeue by his horsecorsers whom he sent to walke the said Dutch horses whom bee vsed for sowers of false rumors that not onely the king had willingly let them to escape but also had geuen them the meanes to retire some into Germany and some into Languedock and from thence to the king of Nauarre so that the pulpits of Fryers and Iesuits in Paris and other cities did sound nothing else but of these newes extolling the valour wisedome and glory of the Duke of Guyze with procuring to him much popular authority and good will and making the King hatefull among the Catholikes for glosing and dissembling with them and fauouring the heretikes to that end that when oportunity should be offered the sayd Duke of Guyze might easily bring to passe his enterprizes and the king should not be able to let him Now let vs know what became of the fragments of this armie First the promise was not obserued to them for a great number of theÌ„ were slaine robbed and spoyled in dyuers places The Duke of Lorreynes eldest sonne called Marthuis de Pont accompanyed with the forces of the League set on them in diuers places and enuaded the county of Montbeliard where hee committed horrible cruelties putting all to the sword with execrable whoredoms and abominations Many dyed in the way many dyed when they came in place of safety euen of the cheefest noble men The Lords Boillon Cleruaut and Vau with many other noble men retyred to Geneua where after so many labours and greeues they dyed in the Lord. The like happened to the Swissers whose Colonels and Captayns who were the authors of the first parley and capitulation with the king were punished by their seignories so that few either of the Germans or Swissers returned home or escaped vnpunished It is said before how that France in this yeare was groaning vnder the burthen of seuen great armies besides many particular assemblies wherof it is said how Ioyeuse and his armie was made sure at Coutras and their reduced carkasses were left in perpetuall infamy not for their death but for the causes of it The Germans haue made shipwracke vppon the Rockes of Lancy in Mosconoys the eight of December and after The kinges armie was broken against the banke of Loyre and from thence scattered euery man home The Leaguers are excluded out of Daulphine where the Catholikes and they of the reformed religion after much bloodshed at length agreed to liue like good fellow cityzens vnder the lawful gouernment of theyr king and so the yeare is ended and Christ raigneth for euermore The end of the fourth Booke THE FIFT BOOKE THis yeare is notable not so much by reason that it was holden by the Mathematicians to bee fatall to the world as by reason of the great and tragicall euents which happened to many great and Noble personages For this yeare dyed the Duke of Boillon and other Nobles at Geneua The Prince of Conde at Saint Ihan d'Angelye The Duke of Guyze and some of his partakers The inuincible armado of Spaine intending to haue inuaded England was beaten both by God and man And last of al the famous enterprize atchieued by the French King Henry the third with the famous victories of the Church of God in the principality of Boillon against the conspirators and enemies of mankind of the League It is said before how after the capitulation of the King with the army of Germanes at Lancy in Masconoys the Duke of Boillon the Lordes Cleruaut Vau and others retired to Geneua where these three especially dyed Not long after their aryuing there the Prince of Boillon fell sick the 27. of December feeling in himselfe his end to be at hand that he had to passe to a most blessed life carefull for the state of the Church of God gathered in his Soueraigne principalitie of Boillon disposed of his affayres as followeth He made his soule heire generally of all his goods holden as well in Soueraigntie as otherwise the Lady Charlote de la mark his sister vpon condition y t she shal neither alter nor innouate any thing in the state nor in ReligioÌ„ the which there she shal maintaine as it is established Also that she shall not marrie without the aduise of the King of Nauarre the Prince of Conde and the Prince Monpensier her Uncle vpon paine of forfeiting the right of those Soueraignties from the which in case she should otherwise doe he vtterly excludeth her And in case the said Lady of Boillon should decease without heires the Prince of Monpensier her Uncle is substitute as next to inherit and after him the Prince Dombees his sonne conditionally that they shal change nothing in the state nor Religion vpon paine of the like forfeiture And in case the said princes should make there any innouation he doth substitute the King of Nauarre and in like case the Prince of Conde in case the first should fayle in the performance of the premises The said Lord Boillon made executor of his Testament and the Lord la Noue the which done the first of Ianuarie he was deliuered out of this mortall liâ—e to enter into the full enioying of the societie of God being the day of his natiuitie and the 25. of his age This was a Prince of great auncient and famous nobilitie issued by the father side out of the stock of that renowmed Argonante Godfrey of Boillon who was crowned King of Ierusalem a noble and vertuous man his Mother was one of the most vertuous women of our age daughter vnto the Prince Monpensier and sister vnto this Prince now at this yeare liuing her vertue godlines and constancie in the confession of the true doctrine shall be in an euerlasting remembrance For shee being very oftentimes requested by her Father a great deuout Catholick to forsake the Gospell and to returne to poperie at length she agreed vnto him with this condition that if the popish Doctors could bring better proofes for their religion then the ministers of the reformed would for hers shee would fulfill his will Whereupon a disputation being obteyned at the hands of King Charles the ninth and the matter being reasoned betweene two Doctors of Sorbonne and two Ministers of the Gospell for many dayes in her presence her owne husband sitting as moderator it fel out that in stead of that which her Father looked that she should haue been conuerted to popery she was confirmed in the trueth by whose singular wisdome and speciall care afterward the Churches of the Soueraigntie of Boillon were reformed This Principalitie of Boillon is a small countrey holden in soueraigntie yet commonly vnder the protection of the Crowne of France between the riuers Mose and Moselle a
had beene still in the Loure and knowing that there rested nothing more to doo but to haue his person for a gage of the Crowne determined to besiege the Loure and to bring out of hand the Artilery before the gate But vnderstanding that he was issued out and gone already a great way of hee remayned Master of Paris séeing that the Master and the seruants had yeelded him the lodging Hetherto wee haue conducted the King to Trappes and his forces are sent packing and the Duke maketh merrie in Paris in hope likewise to be Master of all the rest The Duke and his partakers perceauing how the King had giuen the slip and auoyded their bloudie hands doo scratch their heads and see their error for although the ouerthrow was great yet the victorie was not full the enterprise not well executed and the King being not taken the issue thereof was doubtfull and full of perplexitie For their consciences doo represent before their eyes the perfidious rebellion which they had committed as to haue not onely dispossessed him of his house of whome they holde all that euer they had but also to haue sought to murther him whom God had consecrated to represent before their eyes the image of his Soueraigne iustice to destroy their Prince who had loued them so tenderlie their benefactor who had cherished them as a Father his owne naturall Children They accurse their negligent folly in that they had not beene more watchfull to attend vpon his person feare seazed their hearts when considering the greatnes of their offence doo also knowe that yet hee will haue meanes inough to bring their dooings to iudgement and to take reuengement of them according to the haynousnes of their offence To be short they are very sory not for that which they had done but for that they haue not done worse But the Duke of Guize considering well that the stincking fame of his villanous fact would flee abroade vnto the eares of forraine Princes who will thinke themselues interesâ—ed in this iniurie and that they will not forsake such a mightie Prince in his distresse hee thought good that the execution done this day might be reported vnto Princes neighbours and friends of the Crowne in such a manner that whatsoeuer was therein most odious and damnable might bee either concealed or else coloured Therefore among others he forgot no courtesie and honest offers to the Lord Ambassodor of England to whome he sent the Lord Brissak accompanied with some others to offer him a protection and to pray him not to bee dismayed and not to remoue thence with assurance of safetie The Ambassador answered that if he had been as a priuat men in Paris hee would haue gone to prostrate himselfe at the feete of the Duke of Guize for to giue him most heartie thankes for his courtesies and honest proffers but being there nigh the King for the Queene of England his Mistresse who had aliâ—unce and couenant of amitie with him he could not nor would not take any protection but of the King onely The Lord Brissak shewed him that the Lord of Guize was not come to Paris to enterprize any thing against the King or his seruice but that hee hath resolued himselfe vpon the defensiue and that there was a great conspiracie against him and the Citie of Paris and how the towne house and other places were ful of gibets whereon the King had determined to hang a great number of the Citie and others The Lord of Guyze prayed him to aduertize his Mistresse of all these things to the end the worlde might be informed of the trueth The Ambassador answered that he could easilie beleeue that he saide as he thought but that hauty and hard enterprises oftentimes doo remayne incommunicable and closely shut vp in the hearts of them who doo enterprise them which also when they thinke good doo produce them forth with such colour as they iudge most fit for their aduantage And that he would say freely that whatsoeuer had passed in Paris would bee iudged very strange and wicked by all the Princes of Christendome who were interessed in it and that no colours were they neuer so fayre could make it to seeme good being the simple duety of a subiect to remaine in the iust obedience of his Soueraigne And that if there were so many gibets prepared it would bee beleeued more easily when the Lorde of Guyze shoulde bring them in sight And graunt that so it were yet is it a hatefull thing and intollerable that a subiect would let by force the iustice which his Soueraigne will execute with strong hand He promised him that willingly he would aduertise the Queene his Mistresse of all that which he tould him but to serue him as an interpreter of all the conceites of the Duke of Guyze and of them of his part it was no matter belonging to his charge The Queene his Mistresse being wiser then hee to beleeue and iudge what would please her Maiestie vpon that which he would write vnto her The Lord Brissake seeing that neither by fayre offers words nor prayers the Lord Ambassadour could be mooued to allowe their actions ended his speaches with threatnings saying that the people of Paris had a quarrell to him by reason of the crueltie which the Quéene of England had shewed to the Quéene of Scots To this word of crueltie the Ambassadour answered I arest you vpon this word of crueltie my Lord no man euer named a iustice well qualified crueltie Moreouer I beléeue not that the people of Paris haue any quarrell to mée as you say for vpon what occasion seeing that I am here a publike person who neuer molested any bedie Haue you any armour sayd the Lord Brissake If you did aske it me sayd the Lord Ambassadour as as of him who hath béen sometime friend and familiar of the Lord Cosse your vncle it may be I would tell you but being that which I am I will not tell you You shal be searched here sayd Brissake ere it belong for it is thought here is armour and it is to be feared you will be forced I haue two gates in this house sayd the Ambassadour I will shut and defend them as long as I may that it may appeare to the world that vniuftly in my person they haue violated the right of Nations To that Brissak replied but tell me in good friendship I pray you haue you any armour The Ambassadour answered seeing you aske me as a friend I will tell you as a friend If I were â—ere as a priuate man I would haue armour but being here as Ambassadour I haue none other armour then the right and faith publike I pray you sayd Brissak keepe your doores shut vp I ought not to doo it sayd the Lord Ambassour for the house of an Ambassadour ought to be open to all goers and commers considering that I am not in France to dwell in Paris onely but to bee nigh the King wheresoeuer he be
meanes of reuenge and let the heretikes alone for a time The King whom Gods iustice did vrge and pursue for the hardnes of his hart in so obstinating himselfe against the Gospell and other offences which do issue out of that spring seemed to be touched with the readines of his good Subiectes but not to any purpose moued to follow their good counsell but thanketh euery one as though hee had no neede at all of their counsell and ayde The Leaguers now vnderstanding by their spials the pusillanimity of the King and his inclination to some composition and peace with them though disaduantagious by his slender and fearfull answere to their vnreasonable demaunds in their supplication do now conceaue a good hope not onely to amend the former fault but also to make themselues a way more plaine and easier then euer they had before to performe shortly their enterprises And as they haue had recourse alwaies to the Q. Mother by whose meanes they haue found a present remedy in all faultes committed and offences geuen to the King but now y t at their request she had besotted him by her sorceries shee must make an end of her good worke begunne This accursed woman hath béen the dishonor of womankinde the subuersion of the whole kingdome the slaughter of the nobility the butcher of the commons and the vndooing of her owne children The Leaguers then hauing such an intercessor who vnder colour of a motherly counsell will bring them neerer to execute their rage vppon the Kinges person and to vsurpe his estate do send this old Medea to make a negotiation for them as much to their aduantage as shee can Therefore that they may strip the King cleane out of authority they do thrust in their demaundes the articles concluded at Nancy spoken of before She must vrge the Kinges consent to these articles following for which intent shee went to Nemours a towne in Gastinois In these demaunds they woulde faine make the Kinge beleeue howe all that they doo is for the preseruation of the popish religion and that they desyre greatly a reunion of the Catholiks whereof he should be the head First they doe demaund that all generally shall promise and sweare to imploy their persons goods and meanes for the conseruation and defence of the king of his estate and authoritie and of the children which it shall please God to send him and that against all manner of men By this demaund they lull the king asleepe They shall sweare also the rooting out of heresie and doe require prouision to be taken that no heretike Prince or suspected of heresie or fauourer of heretikes may enioy the Crowne whatsoeuer right he may pretend thereunto and that this may be confirmed by an oath of all men Also that the king shall sweare to defend the Leaguers who doo call themselues Princes against the heretikes and their fauourers By this artcile they will exclude if they may all the Princes of the house of Bourbon whome they will easily finde either heretikes or fauourers Note of heretikes Secondly they demaund that it may please him to sweare to the obseruation of those demaunds and that hee will permit in their custodie the townes and Cities which are graunted them during six yeares and that in all other townes which shall ioyne themselues to the Leaguers nothing be innouated and that they may not be punished for any offence or rebellion committed Furthermore they doe demaund that if during the six yeares there should happen any vocation of gouernours and Captaines in the saide townes and Cities that then the Leaguers may name such as they think good and that the king shall stablish such at their request This is to dispossesse the king of his holds towns and cities and therin to place such as shall bee at their deuotion whome they may trust Note Thirdly they doe require the publishing of the councell of Trent and the obseruing of the same and that the King shall forsake his aliance which he hath with princes and nations heretickes and that hee shall giue ouer the protection of certaine townes knowen to bee the receptacle of heretikes By these they meane the Germanes the kings of Denmarke and Scotland Note the Queene of England the cantons of Swissers the townes of Geneua Sedan and Iamets that of one side he might be destitute of friends to defend him against his enemies and that the one of these Cities might be the more easily subdued by the Duke of Sauoy and the other two by the Duke of Lorreine Last of al that the goods and lands of the heretikes be solde and to imploy the mony to make warre against the heretikes but specially to maintaine one armie in Poytow vnder the conduct of the Duke of Guyze and the other in Daulphine conducted by his brother the Duke de Maine The king knew very wel except he had been talpacoecior y t these articles were against the dutie of faithfull subiects and that of the princes mentioned in the said articles there was but one to wit the Cardinall of Bourbon that all the others being strangers did handle him cunningly at will vnder faire colours and made him their mouth to speake for them He knew very well that all that which they say in their articles of the preseruation o◠his person crowne and estate were but wordes and a couering of their trayterous drifts he perceiued well that the desire which they pretended to haue of the ease and preseruation of Cities was but a flattering bayte on the one side to alienate them from his obedience and on the other side to make them affected ready to the execution of their enterprizes As for the nomination of gouernours and captains in the sayd townes which they would haue to be reformed to them to place therein such as they would think good he vnderstoode well that in plaine tearmes they meant to abridg y t small store of authoritie which they had left him and to make him their inferiour He saw well enough that the degraduatiō and disheriting of the lawfull Princes from the succession of the crowne vnder the colour of heresie or fauouring of heretikes was but a meane to put the Crowne vpon their owne heads Also that to breake the aliances which he had with the forraine Princes and nations whome they called heretikes was a thing no lesse vniust than pernitious to his estate whome by such means they wrapped into a heape of newe troubles and that such a demaund was arrogantly to command their King and Soueraigne To be short the king knew very well that in all these things they sought but the easier way to their greatnes and the means to debase his authoritie and to hasten the fall of his estate Yet as a man bereft of wit destitute of wisdome and courage and bewitched with the pernitious and poysoned counsells of Circe his execrable and accursed mother without considering any thing the greatnes of the
without any other care then to conferre louingly with them about the necessary thinges for the preseruation of their Cittye The Maior had in his possession all the keies of the Cittie the inhabitantes made their accustomed watches and by halfes with two companies which were vnder the commaundement of the Lord Bordes whereof the most part were inhabitantes of the Citty Vppon request made vnto him by the Maior and Aldermen concerning the necessary fortifications for the safety and increasing of their Cittie the said Lord promised to lend them to that effect such a summe of money as they should thinke good And to aduaunce the worke the said Lord commaunded the Maior and the Lieutenant Nesmond to make the proiect by the counsell of Captaine Ramel son of Augustine mayster of the Kings workes In the meane while the said Lord caused the edict of reunion to be published in the Cittie and according to the same did prepare to war agaynst them of the religion to let them from gathering subsidies and tallages to represse their courses furthermore had made an enterprise agaynst one of their best places And for a beginning of y e performance of these things had commaunded his cosin the Lord Tageus to take with him all the companies of his light horses and the companyes of the Lords Sobelle and Cadilan with all the footmen and troops which he had brought with him And besides all this for to win the hartes of the inhabitantes he caused euery day all sorts of publike exercises of Romish poperie to be done in all their chiefe Idoll Temples in the Cittie He had also promised to the gray Fryers to helpe the reedifying of their couent and temple of the same For the warre defensiue and offensiue agaynst them of the religion hee obmitted no meanes he had no indsturie nor diligence For his pastimes he would go euery day without mistrust of any man to the Tenis court situated in one of the furthest partes of the citty Euery morning he would get vppon his horses himselfe to exercise them in the sight of great assembly of people with a very small company of his men about him It is sayd how the King to conuay the Lord Espernon his trusty and faythfull seruant out of the ielousies dangers of the Leaguers haâ— sent him into Guyenne to keepe such townes there as did wauer into his obedience The towne of Engolesme was aboue all the townes of that Countrey inclyning to the League so disposed by many Gentlemen therabouts who were leagued and deuoted to the Duke of Guyze The Duke Espernon as it is sayd went thether to make it sure to the kings obedience The newes comming to the towne of the determination of the saide Duke the complices of the conspiracie of the League considering that neither to admit him nor to exclude him was a safe way for them considering that the King might recouer the town at all tymes by the citadel which was kept by the L. Bordes a faithfull seruant to his Prince did immediatly send one who was y e Maiors brother to the court to know by the Oracle of the Leaguers what was to be done in such a doubtfull matter The Duke of Guyze with his counsell to wit his brother the Cardinall the Archbishop of Lyons did sit vpon the death of the Duke of Espernon they did condemne him to die They answered to their partakers to admit him and bid him welcome but to rid him out of the way if it can bee done by any meanes the reuenge they neede not to feare for they are in good hope that the master shall followe him shortly and if not yet they wil finde out some shift to excuse the matter and will find him guiltie of his owne death else they will so worke that the King shall haue little leasure to thinke vpon the reuenge They writ also to their complices gentlemen of the countrey as to Mere Massilieres Maqueuile Boucheaulx to the Baron Tonnerak Caze and Fleurak They caused also Vileroy the Kings Secretary to write his letters to the Lord Aubeterre to repaire to the Maior of Engolesme with al his power at such time as they should haue warning by the â—aid Maior in the meane while they expect the Oracle of the Leaguers the Duke Espernon is lulled a sleepe and cast into a dangerous security by the Maior and the rest of the conspiratours they make him beleeue that they loue him as their owne soule by the which dissimulation hee vnarmeth himselfe sendeth his forces abroad to warre agaynst Christ At length Souchet long desired commeth from the court geueth the answere that Espernon must die by all meanes possible biddeth them to put asyde all feare of reuenge for the causes afore shewed Now then it must be executed out of hand afore the returne of the Lord Tageus with the Dukes forces for then shall they not be able to put in execution y t iudgement hauing any forces about him or else because he will goe forth to war agaynst the heretikes according to his deliberation The tenth day of August the Lord Espernon very early got him on horsbacke to goe to his ordinary exercises with few of the nobility with him The maior with certaine of the inhabitants of the cittie were all that morning with him The sayd Lord lighting downe of his horse embraced the Maior and with great curtesy asked him whether hedelighted in horses Thence the sayd Lord returned to his lodging and went into his closet to change his shirt intending to goe deuoutly to Masse in the Chappell of Saint Laurence in the church of Saynt Cibert where his Almoner had prepared all the tooles ready to finish that misticall play this was about 7. a clocke The Maior on the other side with his complices who were gone to see his riding onely to spie what strength he had about him went home to put on his armour to charge his pistoll to take order about nine of the clock that the toxin should be rung and to appoynt at the same time certaine firebrands of sedition to goe about the streates crying that the Hugonâ—ts had seazed vpon the Castell The Maior also did craftily entice the Lord Bordes gouernour of the Citadell into his house vnder colour to discouer him a certaine enterprize against the king and when hee had him in his house kept him as prisoner Betweene eight and nine a clock the Lord Espernon being in his closet and knowing that the Abbot of Elbeue and the Lord Mariuault were in the next wardrobe staying there to accompany him to Masse sendeth a Page to call them to him into the Closet which when they had done hee â—hewed them a place in a booke sent him from Paris full of defamations against the honour authoritie of the King lamenting the vnbridled licence of this age hee prayeth them also to sit by him to vnderstand out of his own mouth his resolution and platforme of war against
the Lord Argence As they were all ready there to signe the agreement behold a new commotion of the people who will not compound the reason was the arryuing into the towne of the Baron of Tonnerak with diuers gentlemen of the League also of captayne Caze Marshall of the lodgings of the L. Aubeterre who do assure them that the sayd Lord of Aubeterre will come with succour to them the next day morning with three hundred horsmen and fiue hundred footmen The Abbot by these occasions was enforced to get him to the castle agayne with greater danger then at the first by reason of the raging of this Leagued people For they brought him by force before the Citadell to forbid the Souldiers to discharge the ordinance agaynst the towne which thing notwithstanding in a while after they continued to do because that the people assaulted the castell continually vppon a vayne hope incited by those leagued gentlemen newly come The chiefest officers of the King and Bourgeses of the Citty hauing duly considered in the Bishops house the danger wherin their citty stood if so many strangers on euery syde should come in ioyned themselues with the cheefest Gentlemen agaynst the rest who were stubburne They sent agayne 2. of the chiefest Bourgeses to the Lord Espernon to beseech him that it may please him that the Lord Tageus his kinsman newly arryued in the Suburbs with his companies might signe and seale the agréement to the which they added onely that they who were detayned prisoners in the castell should be comprised therein and set at liberty according to the fayth which he had geuen them promising of their part to do the like to them whom they did detayne and all that which had been taken in the houses should be restored The Lord Espernon graunting vnto them their demaund sent againe the Abbot who went forth with them of the towne to the Lord Tageus to make him seale the composition which was done about foure a clocke in the euening Within a while after the trenches were broken the people went away the Lady Espernon was conducted by the sayd Abbot into the castell with all the prisoners detayned in the towne The Lord Bordes entred the Citadell the conspiratours and Maiors fellowes who were prisoners in the castell were set at liberty Mere with his complices went forth out of the towne and retyred into theyr houses vnder the conduct of the Lord Maumont captayne of light horses The dead on both sides were quietly buried and namely the Maior whose corps with the corps of his brother were freely deliuered to their friends to be buried When the agreement was concluded it was nine and thirtie houres that neither the Lord Espernon nor any of his had eate nor dronk There was no more powder for the shot he had determined the night following to issue forth vpon the enemies for to seaze vpon the well hee also looked that night to be rescued by his men to be short by the singuler goodnes of God he escaped a perilous snare of the Leaguers a marueilous great danger for the which to auoyde hee shewed himselfe both valiaunt and watchfull and if he would be thankfull to God for so great deliuerance and consider from whence for what cause these blowes came he should doe the part of a right noble man About the selfe same time that these things were done at Engolâ—sme against the Duke Espernon the Lorde Autragues gouernour of Orleans sent to the King to protest obedience with excuse that the things which he had done in fauour of the League had been for none other cause then for zeale of the Catholick religion but perceiuing that the chiefe Leaguers passed further then he thought he wholly doth renounce detest y â— League and vpon that protestation he was receaued in fauour by the King Whilest the King after hee had sent his writtes to the Prouinces Townes and Cities to make thoyse of their deputies men of wisdome discretion and louers of peace to send with speede to the States preparing all things to resort with a soft pace to Bloys to the States It is said also how the Leaguers peruerted all things suborned all the most vile and accursed traitors that could be picked out in all France It is said also how least that execrable company might be spied or crossed they had obtained by the edict of reunion that none of the reformed religion or suspected to fauour the same and that none of the Princes of the bloud shoulde bee admitted to that house least they shoulde bee spyed when they should go about to make processe against their lawfull King and naturall Prince The King considering the shortnes of the time reiourned his estates vntill the beginning of October following whatsoeuer other causes did moue him so to doo But toward the latter end of September he and his mother accompanied with the Duke of Guize with all their traine ariued at Bloys The Princes of Monpensier County and Soyssons did appeare at Bloys and for because the Prince County had ioyned himselfe to the army of the Germanes the yeare before his company was greatly suspected and many of his friends went about to perswade him to send to the Pope for an absolution but in that following the counsell of his best friends and seruants he did it noâ— The Prince of Soyssons had alreadie obtained a Bull of the Pope containing a pardon for hauing followed the part of them of the religion with a Renuoy for his absolution to the Legat of Venise who was also at the States hee made great difficulties in the matter so that they of the assembly had once resolued to require the King not to suffer the saide Prince to bee admitted but at length it was found good to stay their sute for that time Whilest these things aboue said do passe so diuersly in sundry places the great and mightie armie appoynted for Daulphine vnder the leading of the Duke d' Mayne dooth march and at length arriued in Liomoys there continued long daring not enter far into the Prouince of Daulphine for feare of scalding but soiourned vpon the borders betweene Liomoys and Daulphine as a man that came onely to see whether he could make the hereticks afraide or not The King arriued at Bloys with all his traine maketh readie all the solemnities fit for that assemblie whilest the deputies and assignes of the Prouinces doo make readie their instructions and hast to the place appoynted The King hauing more trust in his subiects then his subiects were to be trusted of him doth expect honest wise and indifferent deputies such as would seeke onely the good of the Common wealth But the Duke of Guize had so laboured of long time and so reduced the people that there was almost no citie towne nor prouince in all France but the complices of the Leaguers vnder colour of zeale of religion preuailed in sending such as were altogether factious and desirous of innouations
againe rather to their priuate present and sure commodities then to attempt dangerous enterprises Grounded vpon these reasons the seruants do determin vpon the death of their Lord the anoynted of the Lord and a man reuerenced of so many Nations is condemned to die by the bloudy swordes of them who might haue said that whatsoeuer they haue besydes their béeing they haue it of him and his predecessors liberality whose Grandfather came to begge to the dore of his auncestors Rise vp O Lord defend thyne Ordinance and the powers which thou hast appointed The 24. day of December is appointed for that cruell execution their desperat parricide is sealed with an oth so they depart The King ignorant of this sentence of condemnation geuen against him yet prouoked both by the old and new iniuries proffered him daily by the Duke of Guyze did meditate how and watched for the opportunity as by one blow to rid himselfe out of that danger and feare wherein he saw himselfe and perceauing well by the partialities and partaking of in a maner the whole assembly of the States and that contrary vnto his expectation for he thought by the consent of the States to haue conuicted condemned and executed both the Duke and few of the chiefest of his partakers he was in danger that which he pretended would be wrought against him either directly or vndirectly by the sayd estates determined to follow an extraordinarie way and to preuent his enemy knowing the Prouerbe to bee true 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and knowing the cause so to do to be lawfull thought the course taken for the execution would be diuersly iudged yet hee thought to follow a iust cause some what vnlawfull necessity enforcing him so to doo might be well interpreted in a man of his degree and calling he pronounceth therfore sentence of death against the Duke of Guyze and few others Here Christian Reader thou seest the subiect and seruant to haue condemned appoynted to the slaughter his Lord and Prince only through aspyring vnlawfully vnto his Scepter and Throne Here thou seest the soueraigne power ordayned of God for to reuenge the euill doer to haue condemned his seruant for diuers crimes committed the procéeding is extraordinarie but necessarie and not at all to be condemned considering the circumstances but it is to be wished that it could haue béen done otherwise by ordinarie course Marke also Gods iustice vpon carnall men destitute of the right knowledge of God fellowes in a manner and companions of one affection of one minde of one consent in persecuting the Sonne of God in deuouring the innocent as if they would eate bread the Lord sent euill Angels among them to scatter them their counsels and power the one is possessed with an vncleane spirit of ambition the other bewitched with a spirit of hatred against the trueth of God is made secure and flacke to preuent the euill betunes vntill he is enforced to followe that course which commonly men will condemne vpon his companion his friend and familiar who went into the Temples of their Gods to take sweete counsell together O the depth of Gods iudgments how deepe and vnsearchable be they The Kings counsell and determination could not be kept so secret the King hauing so many Leaguers about him to smell his breath but the 22 of December as the Duke of Guize had set downe to dinner he found vnder his napkin a little bill wherein was written that he should take héede for they will play a shrewd play with him In the same bill he wrote with his owne hand a mocking answere thus They dare not and so cast it vnder the table The Leaguers neither could not keepe their breath so warily but that their determination tooke flight abroad For the same day the King receaued diuers aduertisements of this perilous conspiracie and determination of the Duke of Guize against his person But specially y e Duke de Mayne brother to the Duke of Guize sent Alphonse Corse expressedly to the K. to aduertise him to take heed of the Duke of Guize his brother it was an easie thing sayd he to carrie a rope of Beades about his necke but for certaine hee knewe very well that his brother had a shrewd enterprise in hand against him He knewe not when the execution would be but he knew very well that it would be shortly and that he was in doubt least this warning should come too late and warned him in these words that his Maiestie should beware of a furious and desperate minde The Duke Aumale likewise sent his wife to Bloys to the King to aduertise him of the same daunger and conspiracie against him and that the conspirators were vpon the poynt of the execution Also one of the conspirators themselues mooued in conscience disclosed vnto him the whole conspiracie the day appoynted the tokens the names of the conspirators but in such a short time that the King had scarse opportunitie and time to escape and preuent that imminent danger The King also had intercepted not long before many letters wherein in plaine tearmes the Leaguers had vttered their determination The King hauing receaued so many messengers of death and reduced to this extremitie doth perceiue that he is beaten with his owne rod. For calling to remembrance the great iniuries which hee and his brethren had receaued of that house euen from their infancie acknowledging now that all the former troubles as hee confesseth in a certaine letter of his to the Lord Tageus in his Realme haue béen by their practises and procurement how that hee hath seene all the euident tokens of their aspyring to his estate their clayming of the Crowne by their fayned geuealogies set foorth in the sight of the world He remembreth also the decay of his authoritie among all his subiects to haue béen their worke by the diffamatorie Libels dispersed abroade with diuers slaunders and calumnies He acknowledgeth the practising of the deliberation of Rome about the rooting out or disheriting the royall bloud in France in the houses of Valoys and Bourbons to set vp the house of Lorreyne Among other things he reckoneth the seditious preachers as Iesuites and other vncleane foules of that colour hired by them of Guize and Lorreyne to stirre vp sedition and steale away the people from his obedience thereby to strengthen their partes He calleth to remembrance the taking vp of armes against his will in the yeare 1585. the raising vp of the tumult in Paris against his owne person the letters of Guize intercepted wherein he discouereth his minde so deepely that thereby he might see euery veine and hole in their braine and hearts the saucie parts and manifest attempts which both hee and his partakers had vsed toward him in his owne presence both in words and behauiour the consideration also of these aduertisements from so many parts did cause great passions in his minde But did not consider from whence these blowes did come neither from
alley which was betweene it and the kings chamber encreased his mistrust and would haue gone back yet neuerthelesse he did not He had beene perswaded long before that the Lorde Loignak had vndertaken to kill him so that of all other he hated him most and mistrusted him greatly and entering into the kings chamber he saw the same Lord Loignak sitting vpon a coffer hauing his armes a crosse and supposing that he stayed there to set vpon him for he shewed that hee was touched with a violent apprehension of mistrust although the said L. Loignak did not stir yet the Lord Guize notwithstanding did set vpon him setting his hand to his sword did draw it halfe for he had his cloake as commonly he was wont to haue in scarâ—e wise and vnder the cloake his sworde which was the cause that he could not draw it cleane out of the sheath before that some of them who were there seeing him to enterprize such a violent fray at the Kings chamber doore preuented and killed him there Beholde thou vngratious man thou hast hidden all thy conspiracies vnder a cloake of religion and so hast prophaned a prophane religion say then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou vnthankfull slaue of ambition hast thou thought to murther thy naturall prince ordayned of God to commaund thee Say then or if thou wilt not I will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It could not be done without some rumor which was heard out of the counsell chamber whereupon the Cardinall his brother entred into mistrust and conceauing a great feare made haste to get out but he met one of the skottish guardes who had charge to arrest him He tooke that arrest very straunge and made shew to resist but seeing the rumor and daunger hee ceased from his resistaunce and yeelded The Archbishop of Lyons at this alarum went forth furiously and would know more and as he said would succour the Duke of Guyze but he was arrested by some of the guardes and his fury was so cooled that from a woolfe he was turned into the forme of a lambe yet retayning still wooluish conditions so these two Fryers the deuills ghostly fathers remayned both prisoners The graund Pryor was gone very early to awake the Lord Ianuile to to play the match which they had made the day before and found him in his bed and after he had made himself quickly ready but whether it were that he saw the graund Pryor followed incontinently with some of the guardes or some other matter hee began sodaynly to mistrust and went about to slip into a doore of his chamber and to make some resistance seeking to get forth with his sworde in hand against some of the guarde but considering the danger he yeelded him selfe to the sayd guard The graund Pryor seeing that by these new euents the match was broken off went his way At the same instant one Pellicart secretary vnto the Duke of Guyze was taken with al his papers writings by the which many secret counsels of the sayd Guize were discouered to the King with the names of the chiefest of the League as wel of the princes and Nobles as of the priests and townes The king of the Fryers to wit the Cardinall of Bourbon who was at bed was desired by a captayne of the guarde to rise and so was his person made sure The Marquesse d' Albeuf likewise and many other of the partakers of the Lord of Guize were taken and put in places of safety That day the king made a fayre hande for he caught a number of cruell beasts and vncleane foules as Woolues Foxes swine wilde Boars Apes and such like But the loosing of some of them afterward was the cause of his vndooing and death For either through feare of the Popes excommunication or to asswage the displeasure of his subiects or some other cause â—lse he did set at libertie the Archbishop of Lyons which was one of the chiefest counsellors deuisers and procurers of his death These exployts being done at Bloys a gentleman was speedely sent into Poytow to the Lord of Neuers with commaundement to seaze vppon the Lord Chastre gouernour of Berry who was greatly suspected by reason of his great familiaritie with the Lord of Guize But the layd Lord Chastre was aduertized by his friends of all that which happened at Bloys before the gentleman sent by the King arriued at the camp whereupon he went to the Duke of Neuâ—rs saying that he was aduertized how the Duke of Guyze had beene put to death which thing made him beleeue he had enterprized somewhat agaynst the king Hee sayde that he had been alwayes seruant to the Duke of Guize for his particular but that if he had enterprized against the king that hee was neuer made priuie to it And forasmuch as the loue which the said Duke of Guize had borne vnto him might happily make him to be suspected by the king he yeelded himselfe willingly into the hands of the sayd Duke of Neuers for to iustifie his actions Afterward the Gentleman went from the king to the sayd Duke of Neuers who informed him of all that which is aboue sayd and within a while after the Lord Chastre went to the king The King had some speeches with the sayd Lorde Chastre of all that had passed touching the particular of him the Lord Chastre of long continuance which hee woulde forget and vppon the promise which the saide Chastre made to remaine his faithfull seruant commaunded him to make sure the townes of his gouernement to his seruice and to prepare himselfe to goe to Orleans against them of the League which thing the saide Lorde Chastre promised to doo A little while after the death of the Guize the King went to see the Queene his mother and shewed her what was done that morning whereof at the first she was greatly moued yet remembring the iust occasions which the said Duke of Guize had giuen him to seeke reuenge shee prayed God that it might bee well done and willed the King to aduertise the Popes Legat that which was done For a while after the King sent the Cardinall Gundy to shew to the saide Legat the attempt of the Duke of Guize against his person and estate which thing had enforced him to doo that execution he shewed that in it he had followd the Popes his masters counsell who aduised him so to doo if by no other meanes he could auoyde such enterprises Where it is saide that the King dooth aleage to the Popes Legat his masters counsell and consent the matter goeth as the common report gooth It is most certaine that Frier Sixtus and his Chaplines with his predecessors before him had been and were then the chiefest authors setters on and maintainers of the League in France and that by all meanes so that it were not with money for to meddle with the purses of these ghostly fathers is sacriledge and to tirannize the holy Church did fauour foster and further all the
felouies trecheries and treasons of the Duke of Guize The King hauing a perfect knowledge of these their dooings yet by policy he obtained Frier Sixtus and his Priests both his consent and hands to iustifie his actions which he entended to bring to passe vpon the persons of the Duke of Guize and others his adherents if the Pope after the fact if Soltan Solyman out of the capitall of Rome would thunder his vaine boults not excommunication but of proscription which this Antichrist most arrogantly doo vsurp vpon Princes He wrote therefore to Frier Sixtus that he had a number of rebels of all degrees as well of the nobilitie as of others who had conspired against his life and state whether that hee might make such a slaughter of them by surprise as hee made at Saint Bartholmew in the yeare 1571. and kill them by all meanes possible seeing that he could not follow against them any extraordinarie course Frier Sixtus and his harpies about him supposing that the King by rebels vnderstood the King of Nauarre and others of the nobles with him and of other degrees and that he had so fetcht in his head whereby he hoped to drawe them into his snare were as ready to further him to that exployte as the King was ready to doo it Frier Sixtus answered in his name and of his Ianissaries that hee might destroy them by all meanes possible for in extraordinarie dangers extraordinarie course might be taken This is that which he alâ—ageth to the Legat touching the Popes counsell and consent The Legat vpon this newes was wonderfully amazed for beside that hee feared his owne skin hee had also assured all Italy of cleane contrary euents then those which he saw to haue fallen out The same day the Legat was prayed to make intercession with the King for the Cardinall of Guize which thing hee promised to doo Men cannot by any meanes prolong the time of their ende many haue thought that the sauing of the life of the Cardinall of Guize might haue been easily obtained But as a haughtie courage which thinketh to bee nigh to some great and extraordinary prosperous fortune cannot easily quiet himselfe when he seeth himselfe debased and carried away farre from his expectation So this man fallen from so high and moued with his domesticall losses could not quiet himselfe but by hot words hee threatned to performe more theÌ„ euer his brother entended whose chiefest setter on he was This his raging minde wrapped him in the selfe same punishment with his Brother being founde and iudged culpable of the selfe same crime of treason Here marke Christian reader a notable example of Gods iustice for the King would easily haue pardoned him and spared his life but Gods iustice bringing him to iudgement forsooke him in the perturbation of his heart to prouoke his Soueraigne King whome hee had offended in the highest degree against his will to make him drinke of the cup of Gods wrath So that the King seeing his threatnings which discouered plainly the damnable thoughts of his heart caused him the same day to bee strangled as it is reported with a tippet of silke which he was wont to weare about his neck to put a difference between him and the common sort of traitors for they are strangled with ropes of hempe but this traiterens Frier was choaked with a holy tippet of silke in the selfe same place where he was arested prisoner These executions being done vpon the conspiratours the King went to goe to Masse into the temple of Saint Sauiour which is in the court of the Castell There the Popes Legat did walke and talke long with the King sometime smiling in the sight of a great number of people which did marke it Among whom many seeing the ioyfull countenance of the Legat thought that hee was not greatly sory for that which had passed there that morning although that his great familiarity with the house of Guize would haue giuen occasion to expect of him the contrarie But all that was but to make faire weather which the King fearing himselfe vpon the heate of the Kings reuenge to haue sustained the same punishment with his companions which he had no lesse deserued then they had Now we haue to speake somewhat of the conspirators who were of fiue sorts In the euening all things were as quiet at Bloys as they had béen before saue the close and hidden sorrow and murmuring of many who had not foreseene such a suddaine tempest to fall vpon the house of Guize Brissak and others to mollifie the Kings displeasure which they supposed by the guiltines of their consciences the King to haue conceaued of them that in time they might escape out of his clawes made an oration gratulatory for his good successe in escaping that conspiracy but specially did clawe him in that place where he did most itch to wit exhorted him to continue the warre against them of the reformed religion vsing great outragious wordes and inuectiues leauing them no hope of merrie This oration was followed of many such others not for loue to the K. but for three speciall causes First that with such holy water the King being blinded they might flye out of his hand Secondly that by setting the King agaynst the King of Nauarre and the heretikes as they tearmed them hee should haue his forces scattered and his person beeing the weaker by it they might at some opportunity surprise him Thirdly they feared least he would vpon this occasion ioyne the King of Nauarre and so to haue béene able to take reuenge vpon all the sort of the conspiratours therefore they thought good to blow the coales to let all reconsiliation The same day the King sent to the assembly of the states to let them vnderstand that it was his pleasure that the states should continue with a full determination to follow their reasonable counsels in all things The 24. of December the King dispatched diuers messengers into dyuers Prouinces with these instructions following The first troubles raised vp by the Lord of Guyze in this realme in the yere 1585. haue shewed sufficiently an other meaning in him theÌ„ the zeale of the Catholike Religion wherewith he hath couered his actions to abuse them who are more ready to embrace nouelties then wise to consider the euents For hauing couered his entents with the cloake of the catholik religion and the rooting out of heresy all his exploits haue béen executed in the catholik townes and in the best which he could seaze vpon to lay downe a stedfast foundation of the drifts long before notoriously forecast for the â—surpation of the crowne The King sheweth that by the meanes of the rising of the sayd Duke he was enforced to let him haue the best part of his forces and meanes whereby he hath not béene able to oppose himselfe to them of the religion as he was willing to doo whereby heresy sayth he hath taken deeper root in the Realme then euer it had
publike reuenger of Gods lawe and executer of his iustice who commandeth him that his eye shall not take pitie vpon such abominable contemners of Gods ordinance and iustice whose Image his person represented fearing men more then GOD and vnder the colour of clemencie consented to their crimes and through impunitie approoued their misdéedes God a righteous Iudge turned this his pusillanimitie to a snare and a blocke of offence by the which he wrought his owne ouerthrowe and miserable end Now leauing the euents which followed this tragedie played at Bloys we will fetch other matters and exploits which were done in other places that varietie may not onely delight the Christian Reader but also stirre him vp to feare tremble and reuerence Gods iudgements For not onely at Bloys he powred mightie streames of his wrath vpon the wicked but also in other places the Lord at the same time fed his enemies with shame clothed them with dishonour and rewarded them with confusion and in all places deliuered his Saints It is sayd before how at the making and concluding of the edict of reunion in Iuly last it was agreed that two mightie Armies should be mustered and made vp with as much readines as it could be done the one should be conducted by the Duke of Guize into Guienne and the other vnder the leading of the Duke de Mayne into Daulphine there to roote out them of the religion But yet the Duke of Guize aduised by his counsell to wit the Cardinall his brother and the Bishop of Lions altered his purpose for three causes First the cause of religion which he pretended was not the marke that he shot at neither did he greatly care which of the two went backward or forward Secondly he perceaued how he went to cast himselfe into the hazard of warre which is vncertaine but specially agaynst such a Captayne who hetherto had remained inuincible and knewe with fewe how to ouercome great multitudes and mighty forces whom hee feared as the slaue doth dread his Lord whom he hath greeuously offended Therfore he thought good not to hazard that way but to reserue himselfe to a better opportunity which would be offered him ere long The third cause was that if he should absent himselfe farre from Paris it might be that the King would enterprise it there uppon and carry it away from him Also if he should absent himselfe from the Court he were not able easily to bring to passe his intent nor giue the blowe which he had in minde long before Therfore another is to be sent yet it must not be any suspected person As for the Princes they are partiall in this cause and being of great authoritie of themselues are not to bee armed with power for els they may marre the play The Marshals Byron and Haultmont are good noble men good French men and valiant they are Royals and therfore we will haue none of them For it were not good to arme them with such forces for if wee say they should in the meane time execute our enterprise whilest they had such an armie they might marre all and begin a new tragedie vpon the players of the former Therefore such a Generall must néedes bee appoynted as may flatter with both sides and that will turne to the strongest part and if he should be lost in the battell it maketh no matter who that should be The Duke of Neuers of Nation an Italian an Atheist by religion a Spanyard by faction a Leaguer and a Royall both by policie and dissimulation in Nobilitie nouus homo For here is to be noted that in Italy there is no ancient Nobilitie remayning except it bee the Vrsins and Colomuae and some of the Patrilij in Venice For all the rest perhaps some fewe excepted are families raised vp within these few hundred yeares out of Colliers as the Medicis Porters and Chimney sweepers during the vniuersall rebellion of Italy against the Emperours vnder the factions of Guelpses and Gibelius and the Popes bastards also are the stockes of many families which now are accounted of the chiefest Nobilitie there as the houses of Parma Vrbines c. This Duke of Neuers hanging about the skirts of the Q. Mother maried the onely heires of the noble and ancient familie of Neuers whose father was slayne at the battell of Dreulx being of the house of Gonzages neuer heard of before these eight score yeares The noble Princes of the royall blood the ancient Nobility of France are no men but set behinde the doore they may not lead the kings armies not for lack of sufficiencie Why then Because they are suspected by the League to be true to their king good louers of their country and too naturall to their kings subiects and fellow Citizens Whilest therefore the States doe continue at Bloys and Rochel the Kings armie in Nouember taking their iourney into Poytow with great preparatioÌ„ intending as wel to recouer the places occupied by them of the Religion as also to beat the king of Nauarre in which doing not only they should make an ende of the warre by rooting out vtterly them of the Religion but also should recouer the losse of the honour of the armie which a moneth before had beene buried at Coutras by the King of Nauarre This armie was great and strong consisting of Frenchmen Swissers and Italians hauing a great number of armed men And as it marched forward so still it increased For light horses and Noble men with other qualities out of all partes out of the cities and communalties of the Prouinces neere about as well of the one as of the other side of the Loyre did voluntarylie ioyne themselues to it And among others out of the low Poytow were the Lords of Roches Beatault of Bourneueau Boucherie and Saint Andre with their companies The Duke of Neuers as is sayd before was generall assisted with the Lord Chastre and Sagonne two notable traytors Leaguers and Lauerdine loyall and faithfull to his Prince with other Lords and Captaines Ordinance munition and all kinde of preparation of warre was great The greatest part of this armie as well of the heads and commaunders as of the Nobilitie and others which did obey were Leaguers and leagued who thought that they could neuer worke mischiefe enough It is an incredible thing to heare the mischieues hauock and oppression which this armie did where it passed through but specially to them of the reformed religion who were found before them both in their houses and abroad the people men and women euen in diuers places the very cattell did flie before this armie as before a thundering tempest euen as a flock of sheepe before a heard of woolues sauage beasts or monsters neuer seene before Sultan Soliman Siech Selymogly did neuer cary greater cruelty sauagenes barbarousnes and terror into Austrich and Slireland when he came downe with three hundred thousand men to the siege of Vienne than did this râ—bble of turkish broode monstrous Cyclops God-contemners
he had cruelly defiled his hands with the bloud of many innocent persons vnder the colour that they were of the religion And not long before had committed an act no lesse odious and cruell than felonious for he had caused the dead body of the great Prouost of France to bée drawne through the streates of the towne after hee had béen slaine in the fight nigh the walls of the towne and that a little before his surprise as is afore said There was one Iamart of the richest sort of the towne taken who being vpon the point to be put to his ransom and to be deliuered as the other inhabitants then were was accused euen by many of the romish religion and of the towne to haue been a man of wicked life who had committed many things punishable by the lawes He was conuicted to haue been one of the chiefest doers in the sedition of the League and had vnworthley and outragiously spoken against the principall Princes of the bloud his proces was made according to the crimes committed by him This was the onely man who was iudicially executed at the surprise There were found in that towne fiue great pieces of battery carying halfe a foot and an ynch in the mouth two very long Culuerins which the Lieutenant abouesayd had caused to be cast as he sayd in dirision to salute the King of Nauarre when hee should approach the walls of Niort There were found also two meane culuerins the fiue canons were made ready a new by workemen specially called from Paris for that purpose for to bee brought to the army of the Duke of Neuers for the siege of Fonteney which was intended after the winning of Ganache This towne was full of rich men and riches by reason of the spoyle of them of the reformed religion of all the countrey round about There was sufficient quantitie of corne to maintaine an armie of twentie thousand men for the space of two yeres There was also sound twenty thousand weight of powder besides a maruelous quantitie which euery man had in particular This is a rule of Gods iustice he that spoyleth shal be spoyled he that wasteth shall be wasted The King of Nauarre gaue the gouernement of that place and of the countrey to the Lord Saint Gelays the Lorde Parabiere was appointed to dwell in the Castell To conclude this booke with the yeare Christian reader thou maist see with thine eye y e iudgements of God executed vpon his enemies generally for their Idolatry superstition and atheisme But specially vpon Henry the third for obstinacie in refusing through the hardnes of his heart to heare the Lorde Christ speaking vnto him and warning him to bee wise and feare the Lord with reuerence in refusing the counsell of wise noble Princes Senators noble men and faithful friends and following alwaies the vniust and wicked counsels of his mother of flatterers and sicophants but specially of his domesticall enemies by whose counsels and perswasions he lost his authoritie credit reputation kingdome and life as shall be said in the booke next following Thou hast seene also how the Lord out of the heauens from the habitation of his seate hath derided laughed to scorne the pride arrogancie and contemptuous presumptiousnes of the King of Spayne hath extended his mightie armie vpon him and his seruants as he did vpon Pharao King of Aegipt clothed him with dishonor as with a garment and made him ridiculous and contemptible in the sight of the Princes people and nations of the world We haue seene also how that the Lorde to punish the parricides murtherers of the saints atheisme execrable life of the Duke of Guize of his bretheren father and vncles turned him to a spirit of ambition to worke all treasons treacheries villanies commotions seditions and rebellions against his naturall King Prince benefactor and countrey couering all these execrable enormities vnder the cloake of Catholick religion and Gods glorie by the which he hath wrought his owne his children house famely bretheren and kindred sudden fall being beaten downe on a suddaine and vnawares from the top of high degree honour dignitie and wealth as with a suddaine tempest wee haue séene on the other side how God according to his mercie and promise hath preserued from the suares of the enemies of his trueth First that great Elizabeth of England nurce of Gods Church the ioy of Gods people hath decked her head with a Crowne of glory hath cloathed her with honour hath established her seate with iustice and godlines hath made her the terror of al enemies of Christ and the beauty of Europ The same Gods prouidence and merciful kindenes hath also preserued Henry of Bourbon King of Nauarre and now of France from the commotions of the people and whereas his enemies haue set vppon him by land by sea by force by policie poyson and all other meanes which the angell of darkenes hath been able to teach them to swallow him alone aliue beholde the Lorde not onely hath established him in his owne hereditarie kingdome but also by the meanes of his enemies though against their wills hath made him a way to place him in that throane of Maiesty which appartained vnto him by that succession which God had ordained in that kingdome being one of the most famous kingdomes of Europ and hath made him a victorious conquerour of the wicked and the restorer of that afflicted state But also in this booke we haue séene how the Lord in whose sight is precious the death of his saints before the comming of those miseries the Lord hath taken vnto himselfe the most noble vertuous and godly Princes the Princes of Conde and Boillon and many other noble men least they should see euill daies whose names are written in the booke of the righteous Wée haue séene also how the Lorde hath turned the most wicked and damnable oath taken not at the states but rather conspiracie of Bloys to an borrible confusion and dissipation of the wicked for after that the wicked haue gone continually to wrack and confusion and neuer preuailed in any action but in wrapping themselues into miserable treasons rebellions and commotions replenishing their streates with murther and bloud The end of the fift Booke THE SIXT BOOKE THis newe yeare bringeth foorth new euents and strange full of confusions the kings death and an alteration in the succession of the Crowne of France as it shall appeare Wee haue left the royall Armie vnder the conduct of the Duke of Neuers weakened with hunger colde and hard lodging amazed with the straunge accidents happened at Bloys before the towne of Ganache there preparing all things for the batterie Also wee haue shewed what exploytes the King of Nauarre did in the meane while Now wee will returne from Niort in high Poytow to Ganache to see what would be done there The first day of Ianuary 1589. passed away with light skirmishes but without any great effect The second day they within
otherwise could not withstand if they should be pressed All things being well considered they determined to hearken to so aduantagious proffers with hope thereby to make the K. of Nauarre priuie to their affaires and for that intent to send Captayne Robiniere with a passeporte that was concluded and sealed on both sides the sixt day at night The seuenth day the truce was agreed and hostages were giuen on both partes and all acts of hostilitie ceased The same day the Lord Robiniere departed with a trompet of the D. of Neuers to goe to the King of Nauarre The gouernour in the meane while was greatly carefull to take heede that no man should goe foorth to visit or frequent with them of the armie and also that none of the enemies should enter into the towne To preuent all inconueniences hee made a diligent watch both day and night vpon the breaches so that hee himselfe tooke his meales and did lie thereon notwithstanding the hardnes of the winter The eleuenth day of Ianuarie the Lord Robiniere returned from the king of of Nauarre and brought with him the Lord Rinuile to the Lord of Neuers who after he returned to the king of Nauarre obteined leaue to enter into the towne with the Lord Robiniere By them they within the towne were enformed how the king of Nauarre had marched forward very nigh intending to succour them and to venture a battel for that end but that he fel sick with a dangerous disease which had hindred the execution of his enterprize They reported also howe that the said King of Nauarre had sent the Lords Chastilion Rochefocault Trimouille Plassak with the greatest partes of his armie to trie how they might enterprize vpon the enemie but considering that nothing could bee attempted without great disaduantage they were faine to returne backe For the Lorde of Neuers had lodged and trenched himselfe in so aduantagious a place that the towne could not sayle but fall into his hands except it were rescued by the winning of a battell which thing the time prefâ—xed could not permitte being already almost expired Notwithstanding the twelfth day at night the Lords Chastilion Plassak Trimouille went to view the armie so nigh that in the darke night some shot of Ordinance was giuen out for a token of the alarum toward the Porrieres The Duke of Neuers vpon this alarum feared greatly least the Lord Plessis seeing that helpe nigh would haue receiued some succours within the town interpreting the tearmes of the agreement to his aduantage But the saide Lord Plessis would haue done nothing of dangerous consequence much lesse against his promise The 14. of Ianuarie the Lord of Neuers perceaued that they within the town went faithfully to worke for euery man disposed himselfe to depart also he vsed much courtesy toward theÌ„ who were besieged prouiding carts for them whereof they had need to carie as well their bagage as theÌ„ which were wounded caused them to issue foorth out of the sight of y e army least they should bée molested by any man The said Lord of Neuers was in his own at their comming forth with a small companie he commaunded their matches to be kindled saluting very courteously euery man There were some souldiers hurt whome they could not carrie away he commaunded them to stay with assurance to be dressed and otherwise courteously vsed All the companies were safely conducted vnto the Abbey Brilleybant the companies of the King of Nauarre being lodged at Palneau halfe a league thence to whome they ioyned themselues easily the regiment of the Câ—unty of Beaupre was left there in Garison So then the saide Duke of Neuers hauing receaued the towne of Ganache as is aboue said on a sodaine that great and furious army was broaken to pieces as smitten with the finger of God Many there dyed many were hurt they of the League liuing in great mistrust either did dissemble their actions or retired to such places of safetie as they thought most fit the artillery returned into the places from whence it was taken The Lord of Neuers went to Bloys withall the rest of the armie as remained with him whereof a part was sent to the Marshall Haulmont who in the Citadell fought with the inhabitants of Orleans within a few dayes after the Lord of Neuers went from the court to his house of Neuers So all the lowe Poytow which had béene terribly threatned with that tempest was deliuered by this sodaine and vnexpected alteration For the execution which was done at Bloys vpon the person of the Duke of Guize was as an horrible thunderclap not onely vnto the leagued which were in the army of the L. of Neuers of whom the most part did consist and to others who were in multitudes in most partes of the realme but also vnto all others of that confederacie which were out of the realme For the newes fléeing as farre as Lorreyne the forces of the Duke of Lorreyne which had blocked Iamets in y e soueraignty of Boillon euer since the moneth of Aprill before were so amazed by the vnexpected losse and surprise of that support that they taking sodainely bagge and bagage as men frighted out of their wittes brake the siege and retired away so that God there deliuered his Church after a long and daungerous triall which shall induce the posteritie to feare and admire the iust iudgements of God who within a moment and by euents not forséene by mans wisdome dooth turne vpside downe the counsels of the wicked to the ioyfull deliuerance and comfort of his saints Righteous O Lord are thy iudgements all thy waies are righteousnes and trueth The army of the King of Nauarre returned to Niort and Fontenay It is said before how after the surprising of Niort the King of Nauarre repayred to the saide towne the 27. of December and soiourning there a while there he gathered the greatest part of his forces and about the 6. day of Ianuarie in this yeare 1589. the said King departed with such forces as he had from Niort toward the towne of Ganach intending to succour them who were besieged therein or else to fight with the Duke of Neuers if he would haue let him But God who gouerned all things with an vnsearcheable wisdome disappointed that enterprise by that dangerous sicknes which fell vpon him The cold was very extreame and as he is a most laborious Prince after he had béen long on horseback all armed a great cold came vpon him so that he was enforced to light downe of his horse and goe on foote with a swift pace and violent motion to get him some heate and a little after hee had eaten a strange extraordinarie cold tooke him with a great feauer About the 9. day of Ianuary it was incontinently perceiued that it was a pleuresie This happened at a little village called S. Pere there he was enforced to stay without any meanes to transport him to any other place by reason of the
naturalis libertatis conuoâ—ationis trium ordium huius regni Whether the people may with a safe conscience take armâ—s vnto theÌ„selues and make collections and contributions for the defence and preseruation of the Catholick Romish religion against the haynous practizes and attempts of the aforesayd king and all other his adherents and against the breach of publike faith committed by him at Bloys in the preiudice of the aforesayd Catholicke religion and of the edict of holy vnion and of the naturall liberty of the assembly of the three Estates of the Realme The seauenth day these priestes of Apollo after a generall procession of all the orders of the said facultie and a Masse of the holy Ghost adsit reuerentia auribus sung in the sayd colledge of Sorboune at the request of the Prouost Escheuins Consuls Catholick citizens of the Citie of Paris the maisters of the said facultie assembled to the number of threescore and tenne hauing debated these questions as they say by the holy scripture but specially by the Cannons and decrees of the Popes al with one consent either extreamely wicked or else most pernitiously ignorant or both rendred this oracle out of the bewitching hell of Apollo to wit The people of France may doe all things which are propounded in the questions against their lawfull king and his adherents onely they required that this their oracle of rebellion might be sent to Rome there to be sealed by the pope and be burned with the mark of the spirit of diuels and beare the Image and print of Antichrist The eight of Ianuary the said Vrban came to knowe the answere of the oracle which he brought to the counsell of the citie and after they had perused it taking it for an answere of Vrim and Thumim and a voyce of God by whose authoritie they were put at liberty to doo what they would with armed hand brought it to the Senate of Paris which was the second Maiesty of France and with drawen swordes required of the same to approoue the said oracle The Senate flatly denied such a wicked vnnaturall and diuelish act to bee lawfull and worthy of the ancient loyalty of France requiring to take some deliberation vpon it and whilest they satte vpon it the mutinous rebels impacient of delay brake open the gates of the Pallace and seazing vpon the whole bench casting them into prisons so now the Senate being carried away in a triumph all reuerence of Magistracie being troden downe the Temple of iustice is poluted forsaken and vsurped by robbers The ninth day of Ianuary the seditious doo in hast choose a new counsell to the number of seauen and forty who should administer the State in stead of the kings prime counsell of the most vilest and factious persons in the citie as Rowland Compan the villanous and incestious Picheuard Louchard Rue Clerke Oliuer Seuault others of such like sortes men neither of abilitie authoritie wisdome nor counsell but onely because they had solde themselues to the League to worke all manner of villany and shewed themselues bitter enemies vnto the King This new Senate of conspiratours firebrands of Hell to replenish the Citty with confusion and mischiefe considering â—â—at to preserue an vnity among their company of robbers they must needes haue a head and rather then they should haue none they will make one of an old blocke they aduised themselues whom they might make that would vphold their misâ—eedes To take some of the Princes of the bloud they knew well them to bee wise ynough from leauing their lawfull vocations to become heades and leaders of theeues murtherers and traytors Therefore they concluded to continue the rebellion in the house and family where the conspiracy the mother of this rebellion sprang out was nourished and entertayned these 40. or 50. yeares continually The Duke de Mayne was thought to be most fit as one who in so vile an enterprise should succeede his brother considering that he was brought vp and nourished in the same schole learned the same bookes and had proceeded in the same degrees as his brother had done was well acquaynted with such matters from his infancy will and ambition boyling in him as hot as euer it did in his brother after his brothers death not much inferiour in fauours of partakers to his brother though not equall in haugtines of mind He therefore by the earnest sute and solicitation of his agent and partakers is made the head of the rebellion and inuested in his absence of that proude and new title of Lieutenant Generall of that state and Crowne of France which is a Periphrase of this word King The Duke de Mayne now beeing made manipulus furum must play the King for he doth assemble all the Captaynes of the sedition as namely the aforesayd counsell newly established with the Dukes Aumale and Nemours with other seditious persons few in number nothing in countenance nor authority to hold the States of the Realme as they did tearme them assembled of the Princes Nobillity and Commons when as there was not one Prince nor any communalty but few seditious persons The Dukes Aumale and Nemours and Cheualier Aumale were made gouernours of Paris to lead the seditious people to do such outrages and robberies as neuer were done yet in any towne or Citty in this world These three Captaynes of robbers and murtherers dayly went to the houses of them which were knowen to be the Kings friends depriued them of their authorities if they had any put them in Prisons ransacked their goods lodged their robbers whom they called garrisons in their houses whereof many by a wise and prouident mynd foreseeing the horrible tempest and thunderclaps which would fall from heauen vppon that sinke of traytors fled out of their houses carrying their liues for a pray The Ladie of Monpensier sister to the Duke de Mayne the Ladyes of Mayne Aumale 〈◊〉 Nemours beeing then in Paris caused a booke of the riche men to be geuen them so that there was no day but they sent some of these Captayns to raunsake and cary away the goods of some rich Marchant or other vnder colour that they were royals heretikes or fauorers of them After many robberies and murthers committed in Paris the seditious people were lead by their Captayns vnto the Loure the royal house where they committed such outrages vppon the goods mouable which did partayne to the King that the posterity will scarse beleeue it They violated the seale of France the sacred instruments of Soueraigne iustice brake it to pieces trampled it vnder foot they did breake and dragged in the stréets in a most spitefull sort the armes of France Valoys and Bourbons The tenth day whilest these things were dooing at Paris the King caused an expresse commaundement to be published at Bloys that all the partakers of the house of Guyze should depart and retire to their houses with pardon of their offences so that they would remayne faythfull seruants
vnto him Hee sent Cotteblanch Prouost of Paris and the president Neuilly to Paris to see whether they could reduce that seduced people to their dutye the Lords Vilaguier and D'Abin did the like but neither of them could do any good About the fifteenth day these strange alterations beeing done in Paris vnder colour of the authority of the States there called and holden by few seditious persons letters were sent from they sayd assembly of rebels there vnto all citties of their confederacy to go forward in the like outrages and furie as they had done And first to autorise their seditious procéedings with great honourable tytles they call their letters a declaration of the Princes Catholikes vnited with the three estates of France touching the Massacre committed vppon the persons of the Duke of Guyze and the Cardinall his brother First they doo warne their fellowes to beware of any manner of instructions giuen vnto them by the King himselfe or any others contayning any excuse of the execution committed at Bloys vppon the Duke and Cardinall his brother Secondly they doo aduertise them that they haue as yet of that broode the Dukes de Mayne Aumale Mercure and Nemours and that the Duke de Mayne hath a great armie in readines to defend them Thirdly they go about to cléere the Duke of Guize of the crime of treason saying that it is but calumnies of hereticks denised against that house the space of 25. yeares So with them to spye from time to time the trayterous attempts and Note secrecies of the house of Guize is heresie and a worke of heretickes Fourthly they accuse the King of violating the publike faith and prophaning their corpus Domini as they tearme it vpon the which hee had sworne the edict of reunion But in déede the King swore the edict and not to suffer himselfe to bée murthered by the Duke of Guize Note At length they doo aggrauate the death of the Cardinall of Guize and the imprisonment of the Cardinall of Bourbon and Archbishop of Lions and exhort their companies to vnite themselues and to followe theyr example In the first page of this letter was this marke in the other side the Image of the Duke of Guize Now wee will leaue these confusions of Rebells assembled vnder the colour and name of the States of France to procéede further to fill the measure of their trespasse and will goe to see what the King doth at Bloys and elsewhere Immediatly after the death of Guize the King thought good to make Orleans sure of his side The Citadell in the middest of all these tumults and rebellions of Cities was and did hold for the King And the Lord Antragues who a little before had giuen ouer the League did all that euer he could doo to hold the Citie in the Kings obedience But the inhabitants being seduced afore hand by the Leaguers partakers of the Duke de Mayne encouraged by the conduct of Captain Breton and others who did promise to the inhabitants readie succour from the Duke de Mayne tooke weapons and by the confidence which they had in their riches and strength of their walles did openly reuolt It is commonly said that the Citie of Orleans is the Citadel of France as well for the commodious situation of the same vpon the riuer Loyre as for the fortifications thereof These reasons among others caused the King to trie by gracious and fayre meanes to bring them backe to their duetie But reason not preuayling with a people carried away with passion and seduced by the louers of alteration from the obedience of their King he was compelled to trie by force the meane of the Citadell He therefore sendeth the Marshall Haumont with forces as well of footmen as of horsemen with him hee sendeth part of his gardes and the Swissers The inhabitants on their side goe about by all meanes possible to rid themselues of the Citadell as of a heauie burthen they doo besiege it within the towne side doo trench themselues and couer themselues with horsmen and platformes doo vndermine it to blowe vp that Fort which nothing els but onely one of the gates commonly called Porte-bamere they make issues out and euen vpon the Swissers with some successe they doo thunder and rase that Fort with shot of Ordinance on the inside thereof They of the Kings side doo what they can there is a great number slaine on both sides The Lord Antragues promiseth notwithstanding to the King to keepe during the space of a moneth the out side although it were but broken walls and ruines during the which time he might call backe the armie which was in Poytow at the siege of Ganache vnder the conduct of the Lord of Neuers The inhabitants made two Mines vnder the Citadell but they were vented by them within About the 17. of Ianuarie there went forth out of Paris thrée thousand men well furnished but young souldiours and not trained vp in warre to goe to succor Orleans but they were discomfited by the Lorde Montigny and other Gentlemen who charged them betwéene Estampes and Orleans many of them were slaine the remnant were turned home naked The Duke d'Mayne about the last day of Ianuarie sending some supply of succour to Orleans stayed so their estate which did seeme to hang a side that they tooke courage partly by ruines partly with shot of ordinance and other meanes so wrought that they of the Kings side were inforced to giue ouer the ruines that rested of that which was called the citadell By these meanes Orleans remained hardened at the deuotion of the League So good Christian reader thou séest how the right of God and man is turned vpside downe their popish religion which they would séeme so much to honour reuerence and defend they haue most wickedly prophaned vsing it for a couering of their rebellion thou séest how the reuerence of all soueraigne power and authoritie is blotted out of the minds of them the respect of all lawes troden vnderfoote the sanctuarie of iustice violated and poluted thou séest here a damnable and diuelish anarchie the séeds and foundation of a barbarous and intollerable seruitude laied downe in France by the Duke d'Mayne and his partakers in a manner in like sort as Mahomet began his rebellion against the empire of the Romans Therefore yée O Noble Princes and Nobles of all the Kingdoms of Europe all men who are the louers of vertue and ciuility desirous to resigne to the posteritie good lawes christian libertie and discipline vp make hast to runne vppon these accursed enemies of all mankinde put out by time that fire which dooth threaten all authorities and powers of an horrible cumbustion Now there remaineth but thrée things for the League to bring to passe to set vp and dedicate their Idoll which they haue made to wit the Duke d'Mayne and to finish that piece of worke which his brother the Duke of Guize had brought almost to an end if he had
not béen ouerthrown by the way They follow on their accustomed course and method vsed by them these 14. or 15. yeares to wit to seduce the people more and more to make the King hatefull to his subiects that hee may bee forsaken of all men if it be possible and to render the King of Nauarre abhorted of all men in hope that if they could bring to passe any thing vpon the Kings person by these meanes the said King of Nauarre may be excluded from his right of succession The first poynt to performe was left to the assembly of the pretended states as it shal appeare hereafter the other two pieces of work were committed to the Iesuites Friers and other of like sorte de bacchandi calomniandiperitissimis for their dignitie runneth most of all vpon these two common places Whether the King considering the great necessities which hee should haue of money to maintaine a dangerous and long warre against the rebels and traitors had sent his coÌ„missions vnto his threasurors and receauers of his impost to continue the receauing and gathering of tallages and impost as they had done the yeare before or else that the rebells in Paris vsurping the name of the thrée estates of France had forged such a thing I am vncertaine But so it is that if they did not deuise yet they did vse his action to steale away the hearts of the people from his obedience and thereby to make their part stronger to aâ—ure the Kings subiects to ioyne hand with them in their rebellion For immediatly after the Duke d' Mayne came to Paris they set foorth a declaration bearing the name of the Princes Citties and commonalties vnited with the thrée estates of the realme where in deede there was not one Prince onely the Dukes d' Mayne Aumale Nemours and certaine other seditious persons of Paris Anious Roen Orleans and Abeuile with their generall counsell which consisted of seauen and forty persons most vile and for their wickednes picked out of the sinke of that rebellion whereof we haue spoken before First they doo still hide their damnable rebellion vnder the olde ragged gaberdine of defending the popish religion and because the poore people had béen of long time oppressed with diuers payments and greatly impouerished by long continuance of warre vnto the defence of popery they ioyne this plausible snare to wit to ease the people of the former accustomed payments Secondly vsurping the royall authoritie they forbid all manner of officers to gather any payments money tole impost or tallage for the King but to pay vnto their officers the tallages according vnto the rate of the yeare 1576. Thirdly they commaund that in case they haue payed the saide somms vnto their commissioners and the Kings officers should come to demaund the saide sommes or should goe about to compell them to pay the same sommes they to apprehend them and to bring them vnto the next prisons and there processe to be made as vpon publick extortioners Last of all they commaunde all officers and receauers of the Kings demaynes woods graines farmers of salt garners receauers of tenths and others whatsoeuer to bring pay and deliuer the same to none other then to them or their officers and that vpon paine of death It is said before that after the Oracle giuen out by the facultie of Theologie in the colledge of Sorboun the seditious brought it to the Senate of Paris to bee alowed inregistred and published who vppon the refusing of such a disloyall treacherie were all brought to prison and there as malefactors detayned Now vpon the Dukes comming to Paris they were called and offered either to remaine still in prison or else to doo two things First to alowe and approue the resolution of Sorboune Secondly to sweare to the new vnion which was a confederacy of the rebells This Senate in olâ—e time so famous and honorable for feare of this dangerous conspiratie of the Leaguers and rage of the people against their alegeance and loyaltie doo fall to this composition with the generall counsell of the citie aboue saide and the pretended states to wit the Senat shall ioyne with the rebells and sweare with them to persecute their King by all meanes without any respect of person or dignitie for the execution done by him vpon the persons of the Duke of Guize and the Cardinall his brother the 23. and 24. of December which they doo tearme with an odious name of massacre This excerable rebellion nowe hath gotten credit by that so famous and reuerent Senat the second Maiestie of France in olde time so renowmed The 30. day of Ianuarie all the chambers of the Senat with all the officers appertaining to that court to the number of 326. gathered together in the presence of the Duke d' Mayne the generall counsell aboue saide and the pretended states did sweare and subscribe some with their owne bloud as Catelina in olâ—e time in like case that forme of vnion which they had concluded the day before whereof the somme followeth First they doo sweare and promise to God to his mother to the Angels to al the hée saints and shee saints of Paradise to employ their liues their goods and all their meanes to the defence of the Catholick religion and doo protest that all that which they doo in this vnion is for the setting foorth of Gods glory and for the defence of the holy Church Secondly they sweare to defend the citie of Paris with the state there established also other cities of their association which then were or might be hereafter Thirdly they sweare to defend the Princes to wit the Dukes d' Mayne and Aumale for so they loue well to be called the Priestes Lords and Gentlemen vnited with them both in their persons and goods with the liberty of the states of the realme Last of all they sweare to pursue by al meanes possible them that haue violated the publick faith broken the vnion franchizes and liberties of the states meaning the King in committing the massacre so they cal the iust punishment of the Duke of Guize and the Cardinall his brother without any respect of persons dignity or prerogatiue whatsoeuer and also al them who shall fauour and assist the King by any meanes with promise neuer to forsake one another As this rebellious people did rage in the Senat house in the counsell of the citie and in their pretended states so the people are set at liberty to commit al outrages violences the poorer sort are against the rich the vile person against the honorable the wicked against the vertuous the ignorant and blinde against the learned to be short there is nothing but an infernall horror The Iesuits Friers other vncleane fowles of like feathers doo rage no lesse in the places and charges appoynted vnto them to wit in rayling most villanously against the King and slandering the King of Nauarre and them of the reformed religion for the causes aboue saide
the Kings gardes seazed both vpon the Towne and Castle the which Towne notwithstanding it was without walles yet being situated on high and in a strong place by nature hee vndertooke to fortifie the same by the helpe of them of the religion who did so resort thether from euery where daily that the sayd Lord Requien waxed strong there as hee is a valiant man employed himselfe with them of the religion to make warre against the rebelled Leaguers for the Kings seruice About the 23. of February the King of Nauarre being at Chastelerault tooke occasion to seaze vppon the Castle and the Towne of Argenton in Berry by the meanes which followe That place doth pertaine to the Lord Monpensier but it was graunted to the Lady Dwager of Monpensier sister to the last Duke of Guize by her contract of marriage hauing that honour shewed her to haue married the Duke of Monpensier Prince of the bloud and father to this Duke yet liuing In the beginning of this last warre of the League the castell of Argenton strong and well furnished was made sure for the League the towne remayned at libertie as being not strong and commaunded by the Castell But after the death of the Duke of Guize the garison of the Castell was increased double intending thereby to assure the towne also the garison vnderstanding of the taking of Chastelerault which is not farre of by the King of Nauarre fearing that which afterward happened vnto them they sent to the Duke d'Mayne for succour who sent certaine Captaines with their companies from Orleans They of the towne refusing the association of the rebellion of the Leaguers and willing to remaine faithfull to the King doo aduertise him of all their estate and good wil towards him doo require succor of him as well against them of the Castell as others which did approach to seaze vpon their town The dispatch could not bée in so short space but that in the meane time they of the towne and of the Castell fell at variance vppon the matter each party trusting in the succour which they hoped for The King of Nauarre aduertised of al this and of the succour sent they there by the Leaguers nigh aduaunced with certaine troupes of horsemen determined to make them agrée and vsing his accustomed celerity it fell out with him so happely that hee preuented them in a moment who were sent from Orleans sending before some of his gardes who entred on a suddaine into the towne to the great amaze of the garison of the Castell At the ariuing of the gardes of the king of Nauarre there was a hot skirmish and some were killed on both sides few of the King of Nauarre his gardes but many more of the garison but when the Leaguers of the Castell saw the companies of the King of Nauarre first they were amazed and shortly after conceauing a great terror yéelded the place After that the King of Nauarre had taken possession of that place he appoynted the Lord Beaupre gouernour there where he established the exercise of the reformed religion with liberty and safety in stead of the romish religion as in other places The King of Nauarre returned to Chastelerault where considering how the King was in great danger both abroad and at home how hée had euill counsell giuen him pittying his estate and considering that hee could not bée moued neither to make nor to accept of his seruice for his defence considering also that the Leagued rebels waxed strong and the King weake he putteth forth a protestation bearing date the fourth of March wherein he sheweth that notwithstanding his affaires and estate of them of the reformed religion was neuer stronger who within thrée yeares hath borne the fury of ten mighty armies whereof some had béen beaten to cloutes the others haue béen scattered as dust in the ayre hee doubteth not but the same God will strengthen him with the same force and will defend alwaies hereafter his iust cause and innocency yet hee dooth proffer them that if the King will hearken vnto peace hee was neuer so willing to imbrace it Furthermore hée proffereth himselfe to heare reason and to bée taught by a conference and a counsell promising that if he be conuicted by the word of God to be in any error he will reuoke it and bring all them of the reformed religion to doo the like But to bring him out of that religion wherein he hath béen borne and brought vp euen from his cradell with the dint of the sword he warneth them that therein they haue taken a contrary course by which they will neuer preuaile Last hee dooth adiure all the states by the name of God by the ashes of their ancestors by the loue of their natiue countrey to counsell the King to this ordinary course or else to deuise some better if they can by the which they may stop the subuersion of their countrey About this time came the excommunication rowling from the capitall and thundering like vnto a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the olde Comedy pronounced against the King for the execution done at Bloys vpon the persons of the Duke of Guize the Popes champion and the Cardinal the saide Popes Chapline and the imprisonmént of the Cardinal of Bourbon and the Archbishop of Lyons shot out of the belly of Frier Sixtus at the sute of rebels With the stinke of this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Frier Sixtus came forth out of the bottomles pit of hell a number of Iesuites and Friers and such misbegotten monsters to raile to accurse defame their lawfull and naturall King and Prince ordained of God without any remorse of conscience Many of the Leaguers who after the death of their Captaine had hanged downe their heads had retyred to such places as they thought sure far them some other who had forsaken their faith their promise and oath giuen to the League now considering foure accidents which had happened and seen to fauour the affaires of the rebels doo rebell a new doo forsake their King whom God nature thankfulnes and nobility commaunded to dye at his feete First the vnseasonable lenitie or rather pusillanimitie of the King who had stated the execution of iustice for such notorious and hainous treasons committed not against him but against GOD in his person whome God had consecrated to that high dignitie vpon the heads onely of Guize and the Cardinal his brother and in the imprisonmēt of six of the chiefest without proceeding any further Secondly Fryer Sixtus his excommunication by the which they supposed though not in conscience but in passion onely themselues to be set at liberty to doe whatsoeuer without any grudge of conscience Thirdly the beating away of the kings garisons and forces out of the citadell of Orleans by the Duke de Maine therein supposing in a manner for so is the blindnes of mans passion to haue conquered all France Lastly the euill counsell of leagued dissemblers and dissembling traytors whom
so charged that they stood little to the fight for the Prince leading the maine Battaile beginning to appeare they fled and left behind them Touschet Angeruile and Normandiere their chiefest leaders who were taken prisoners and brought before the Duke who were redeliuered into the hands of those that had taken them till such time as hée should call for them againe All the companies of these rebels were hewen in pieces the Prince lost not one man there was none hurt of his side but only the Lord Chammont in the head and in a short space after cecouered That same day the Prince Montpencier came to Falaize where the enemies made a shew as though they would haue set open the gates for him intending some surprise against him The Prince hauing no Ordinance to force theÌ„ tooke his way to Caen where he entred about y e seauenth day of Aprill all the faithfull Citizens welcomming him with these salutations often reiterated God saue the King and my Lord the D. Montpencier in token of an vnfained ioy they kept that day holy day The Lord Beuuron accompanied him to his lodging which was the house of the presideÌ„t Aubigny thether came the L. Verune to do reuerence to the Prince who receaued him courteously and highly commended him for his loyall seruice to the King in kéeping the towne within his obedience The said Prince soiourned in Caen about ten dayes to set all things in a readines as well for the safety and defence of the Citie as for to assault the enemy and to scoure the country During the Princes soiourne there ariued the County Thorigny and afâ—er him the Lord Longannay with a great troupe of Gentlemen who were courteously receaued and imbraced with great thankes for their good affection toward his Maiestie promising to aduertise the King of their duetifull seruice and to requiâ—e it in particular as occasion would serue About the 15. of April the Prince Montpencier hauing done al things that were there to bée done and gathered such forces as hée might and by the aduise of the Lord Saint Cere he concluded to warre vpon the rebels and to make them to leaue that which they hold so fast in the countrey and because they had the chiefest townes he resolued to carry a long some pieces of artillery to force them if possible he might Therefore he sent away before Monsieur de Hallot Batreuile Archand with the regiment of Monsieur Tracy the companies of the Captaines Saint Denis Maillot Radier Chauuaine Daulphin Roqueuile Glaize and other voluntary Captaines to attempt vpon Falaize The Sonday to wit the 16. of Aprill hée like a good Catholick caused a procession to be made and a sermon and a certaine forme of prayers to bée dayly said for the safegarde of the King and the good successe of his affaires against the rebels The 17. the Prince hauing appoynted officers ouer his treasure money victuall and artillery departed with two Canons and one bastard Culuerine hoping at the least to drawe the enemy to the field ariuing at Falaize he lodged at the Abbey Saint Iahn On the other side the ringleaders of the rebels as Brissak the Lords of long Champ the Barons of Eschaufour and Tubeuf assembled the flower of their rebell forces within the towne of Falaize The 18. of Aprill they laid their Artillery to batter and hauing beaten downe thrée towers they sent a Sergeant and ten Souldiours to view the breach but séeing that they would haue enticed them to enter into the towne to haue intrapped them and considering that the wall was yet too déepe the Prince sounded the retraite And vnderstanding that the rebels had taken from about Aigle Orbeck Sees Argenton Vimonstier and other places néere thereabout a company of more then sixe thousand Gantiers wel appoynted for Muskets and Harquebuses as might bée among these peasants they intermingled some seauen or eight hundred good Souldiours such as they could come by some also of the Nobility of the weaker sort to these companies of rebellious robbers resorted a great number of Priestes CaÌ„ons Monkes Friers Iesuites and such stinking poysoned vermine the Lord Brissak accompanied with the Barons of Eschaufour the Lords Vieupont Roqueuual Beaulieu and Annay and other Captaines receaued them and conducted them the right way to Falaize to them repayred the Baron Vernier with his forces from Damfront The Lorde Pierrecourt also came with such forces as hée could make out of Ponteau de mer and Ange and Houfleur supposing to haue inclosed the Prince betwéene the Towne of Falaize and these great forces and so to haue surprised him and his power The Prince hauing intelligences of the enterprize prouided for them remooued his artillery from the trenches and sent away his cannon to Courcy and with the Culuerine resolued to encounter the enemie in the plaine field The enemies had lodged in three seuerall villages not farr distant a sunder betweene Argenton and Falayze to wit Pierrefit villiers and Commeaux The Prince Montpencier appoynted the County of Thoriguy and Longaunay and the Lord Vickes the elder brother to lodge betweene the said villages and Argenton there to stay them if they should seeme to recoyle back He sent also the Lords of Bakqueuile Archand and Benuron with their companies to enuiron them on the other side The 20. day y e prince himself ayded with the L. Hallot Creueceure his brother with the whole armie and being on the top of a hil commaunded the Lords of Emery and Surene Marshalls of the field to aduance the infantry which was on the left hand with the Culuerine which they did these footemen were lead by the Lords of Saint Denis Maillot Radier Roqueuile Chauuayn Daulphine Glayze and others all so well resolute to encounter with that rabble of rebels that they made no delay but skitmished straight with a hot on set on both sides but assoone as the culuerin had begun to play in their faces they began to bee amazed and Brissak himselfe caused his Cornet to turne bridle and retyred from the danger with a number of horsemen as hardy as himself The rebels notwithstanding stoode to the fight but when the Culuerine roared once againe and they sâ—w the Lord Vaumart one of their chiefest leaders with fifteene others carried away with the shott they began to quauer Then the prince commaunded a fresh charge hee marching formost of all his companies which was giuen so hot and fierce that al the rebels were put to the chase to yeeld and to fall downe before them whom God had armed with authoritie and force to reuenge that most damnable rebellion This first encounter was vpon two thousand who were lodged at Pierrefit they were all slayne or takeâ— prisoners few onely excepted The prince hauing assemblâ—d his troupes agayne immediatly set vpon the third village named Viliers where were another company of rebels conducted by the Baron Tubeuf they were all put to the sworde saue the Baron Tubeuf and a few
the Sonne of God So the Lord knoweth who are his Herein also appeareth euidently the mercifulnes of God who worketh all things to the best and comfort of his children For when as the Rebels and murtherers supposed that by the Kings death they might easily make an alteration of the state and transferre the Crowne vpon the head of the Duke de Mayne and so disappoynt the Princes of Bourbon of their right of succession the Lord turned al their counsels vpside downe For the Lord mooued the King lying on his death bed when he was in perfect memorie and farthest as the manner in such a case from all manner of affection and parciality to pronounce his sentence and decrée or rather supplying the person of God to proclayme the King of Nauarre right heire and successor of the crowne and by the inuocation of the glorious name of GOD bâ—und the Princes péeres Nobles Captaines and Souldiours to yéeld him dutifull obedience so that God himselfe hath béene the iudge of his cause giuing sentence on his side by him whome he appoynted his officer in that behalfe It will stand Thus much of the vnworthy death of so great a King in whom ended the issue of the noble house of Engolesme according vnto the fatall period of great Noble and mighty families which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wherein we haue to note the whole family excepted onely Francis the first as Henry the second Francis the second Charles the ninth Francis Duke of Aniou and this last King Henry the third 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 per sanguinem ruit and haue died of an vntimely or violent death because they were polluted with that accursed woman Catherine Medicis Pope Clement his sisters brothers daughter And so making an end of the Epitasis of this vnnaturalltragedie played by leaguers we will make an end likewise of this 6. Booke Here endeth the 6. Booke THE SEVENTH BOOKE NOw we will follow the Catastrophe and last act which although it be full of Calamities yet it is like to bee ended with a ioyfull and happie successe The King beeing dead great heauines and sorrowe seazed vppon men of all degrees the Campe was full of sorrow and lamentation the wise saw this to be new seeds of a world of euils which wil worke the vtter subuersion of France On the other side great reioysing was seene among the rebels and traitors authors and procurers of the murther their ioye they shewed diuers waies but speciallie with contumelies and sarcasmes demaunding one of another whether the Friers knife was sharpe enough or not The rebels in Paris certified of the assured death of the King and supposing that the army had béen greatly dismayed replenished with teares and lamentation conceaued a good hope to do some great and notable exploit and imagining that it were easie in this mourning of all men to defeat the Kings forces all that night the Duke de Mayne did muster and prepare a mighty army and early in the morning issuing out of the Suburbs was so receaued by the Kings forces that he was enforced to retire within the Citie with blowes and dishonor That morning being the third of August but by the right calender the 23. of Iuly the King of Nauarre who was appointed the Kings Generall lieutenant by the King after that hee had receaued the wound assembled the Princes Lords Nobility and Captaines to deliberat how to remedy those great euils and to put out that combustion which the rebels had kindled in all partes of the realme First there was a capitulation made and concluded betweene theKing and the said Princes and Nobles Lords gentlemen and souldiers that there should be no innouation made in the Romish religion but the same should stand and be exercised peaceably without any interruption And that the reformed religion should be contained with all liberty in the exercise thereof within the places where it was then at that present time established prouided that the Romish religion should bee there exercised also without any disturbance And that men professing these two religions liuing peaceably like good subiects should be protected by the Kings authoritie in their liues goods liberties and franchizes vntill that by a nationall Councell some good and peaceable order should bee taken for some reconsiliation or vniformitie touching religion Which thing the King promised by the faith of a Prince to kéepe inuiolably and with as much speede as might be to prouide that a Councell and méeting of the learned might be assembled This order being concluded and the obseruation thereof promised by the King all his Princes Nobles Lords Gentlemen and Captaines promised vpon their othes all duetifull fidelitie and obedience vnto the K. and to assist him with their liues goods and meanes as well in the defence of his royall authoritie agaynst all traytors rebels and Leaguers which goe about to vsurpe the state as in the execution of the exemplary punishment vpon them who haue procured or committed that haynous disloyaltie felony and treason vpon the Kings person last deceased and all others who shall be knowne consenting knowing or accessarie to the same This order being taken as the readiest and most expedient to vnite the subiects with the King being promised and sworne the King of Nauarre was saluted declared proclaymed and crowned King of France and Nauarre by the name of King Henry the 4. And whereas in this historie hée had béen discerned from the King of France by the title of King of Nauarre now in the course of this historie following he shall be simply named King without any other addition or title This noble King being proclaymed King is crowned and put in the possession of the Crowne of France due vnto him by right not with triffling childish and Monkish cerimonies with holy oyle holy water holy toyes and holy trashes but after the ancient manner of the Emperours of the Romanes in the Camp by the whole army Princes Péeres Nobles and Captaines of the kingdome Here Christian Reader is to be noted Gods most gracious fauour toward France and prouidence toward this great King for except the Lord had prepared this heroicall Prince to restablish this decayed state which was cast downe headlong into such a depth of miseries by the Leaguers as in mans iudgement it was impossible that it could euer haue been vnited againe but rather reduced into a lamentable desolation But the Lord in his mercie beholding from heauen his holy habitation with his lightfull countenance after so many tempests hath raised vp lead by the hand and placed by his own authoritie and power this great Prince on the Throan of that state whom hee hath endued with wisedome prudence fortitude moderatnes modestie iustice and pietie to bee able to heale the deadly wounds of that sickly state to pacifie the controuersies of religion to lodge therein iustice and iudgement so long exiled out of that common wealth and to restore peace so long wished and desired Againe
Lords Clermont Antragues one of the Captaynes of the Kings gards who deceased nigh the Kings person The Lord Tischombert who had borne great charges in warre and now would needes serue as a souldier in the Kings Cornet The Lord of Longauluay in Normandy of fourescore yeares of age the Lord of Creuay Cornet bearer to the Prince Montpencier the Lord Vienne Lieftenant to the Lord Benuron the Lords of Manuille Fequers Valoys and twentie Gentlemen more at the most There were hurt the Marquesse of Neste the Earle of Choysy the Lord d'O the Earle Lude the Lords Montluet Lauergne and Rosny and about twentie Gentlemen more without any danger of death The King going to chase the enemie and hauing deuided his companies as is aforesayd left the Marshall Byron with the rest of his forces to conduct them and followe after him Here good Christian Reader thou hast to note certaine fatall periods of things to wit the circumstances of the persons time and place in the execution of Gods iustice vpon his enemies The 23. day of December 1559. Claude Duke of Guize and Charles Cardinall of Lorreyne his brother in the raigne of Francis the second procured Annas du Borg one of the chiefest Senators of the Court of Parliament of Paris to be burned for the Gospell at Saint Ihan in Greues in Paris The 23. of December as their Calender is now which was the day of the natiuitie of Henry of Bourbon which now raigneth in the yeare 1588. the last Duke and Cardinall of Guize were slayne at Bloys when they had concluded to murther the King the next morning following that day The fourth day of March 1561. Claude of Guize father to this last tooke armes agaynst the edict of Ianuary and committed the cruell murther of Vassie by the which breach of the peace were ciuill warres raised vp in France and euer since haue béen entertayned and nourished by his posteritie which warre was his vndoing The same day of the same moneth in the yeare 1585. the last Duke of Guize sonne to the sayd Claude tooke armes against the King which was the beginning of these last ciuill warres of the League by the which they haue procured their owne vndoing and of many others The same day of the moneth the Duke de Mayne brother to the sayd last Duke of Guize and heire of the Captainship of the rebellion made a shipwracke of all his forces at Saynt Andrewes plaine without hope euer to recouer the like forces Claude Duke of Guyze in December in the year 1561. fought the first battell that was giuen in all these ciuill Warres with Lewis of Bourbon Prince of Condie Prince of famous and blessed memory in the plaine of Dreux with an vncertaiue issue but in equall losses so that to this day it is vniudged who had y e victory but well knowen that the Duke of Guyze had the greatest losse The Duke de Maine fought agaynst Henry of Bourbon the fourth of that name now King of France and Nauarre at the plaine of Saint Andrew next adioyning to the other and the places not distant passing a mile a sunder with a reparable losse The Lord Rendan a rebellious Leaguer in Auuergne with such power as he could make in the sayd countrey but specially in the Townes of Rions and Brion rebelled and holden in the same rebellion by the Iesuits besieged Isoire a great and populous towne in the said Auuergne because it continued in the Kings obedience The Lords Chasseran and Rochemayne willing to do some honorable seruice to the King and good to their countrey gathered such power as they could of the Kings subiectes to rescue the sayd towne of Isoire from falling into the handes of the rebels and with a meane power trusting in GOD the defender of his Ordinance and wayghing the right of the cause marched towards Isoire The sayd Lord Rendan vnderstanding of their approach raysed vp the siege and went intending to meete the sayd Lordes Chasseran and Rochemayne and at the same day and time of the battell at Saint Andrewes playne meeting in a playne field not farre from Jsoire tried the quarell by the sword There the sayd Rendan was ouerthrowen and aboue fourescore Gentlemen of his were slayne on the place all his footmen cut to pieces the artillery bagge and bagage with many prisoners taken so the Towne of Isoyre was deliuered from the danger of the enemie retayned and confirmed in the Kings dutifull obedience It is said how after the victory the King deuided his army into foure parts three of them were appointed their quarters to follow the chase and the Marshall Biron to follow after the King with the residue of the army The King hauing taken this order followed after the Duke de Mayne but finding the bridg broaken was faine to go thrée miles about to passe the riuer afoord and in that way he found many straglers whom he tooke prisoners which was a good turne for them or else they had béen slaine by others he came so fast after the Duke d' Mayne that hee did misse him but a little but vnderstanding how he was receaued in Mant the king lodged that night at Rosni as is said very simple The fift day the Duke d'Mayne very early fearing to be besieged there retyred from Mante to Pontoyse where he soiourned few dayes to take some sure order for the safety of the Towne and after went to Saint Denis The same day the King sent to sommon the Towne of Mante which deliuered the keyes of their towne to his Maiesty receaued and acknowledged him their king and prince and continued there vntill the twentie day of March to refresh his army wearied with so many labours and hardnes of winter to take counsel of the course which he was to take hereafter and to expect certaine munition of warre which was comming to him from Diepe The Citie of Paris first author of this warre had conceaued an assured confidence of all prosperous successe by the vaine bragges which the Duke d'Mayne did cast foorth afore hee went out with the army The Friers Iesuites increased this vain confidence in their pulpets by assuring them either of a certaine victory or else of recoyling of the King as farre as beyond Loyre so that euery day they looked for the King dead or aliue and all his spoyles to be brought for a spectacle and to bee solde and bought among them or else to heare of his flight as farre as the riuer of Loyre This great confidence made them to liue very secure and carelesse in prouiding for the Citie besides that they rested much vpon the great multitude which is within the sayd Citie there beeing great bablers and boasters for the Parisien is as Epimenides speaketh of the Cretayns a lyer euill beast and slothfull belly The towns also which then did hold round about their Citie as Pontoyse beneath vpon the same riuer Charonton Meaux Laguye Corbeil Melun Montereau aboue vpon the riuer
done soiourning in Compeigne about fifteene or sixteene dayes The King soiourned in Compeigne for these causes following First to espye what the Duke of Parma would attempt for after the taking of Corbeil hee looked daily that he would haue returned backe to recouer it for which cause the sayd King had sent for his forces to be in a readines at a dayes warning intending vpon such occasion to trye the quarrell with a dayes worke Secondly to expect the Nobilitie of Picardie whom he had inuited to reconduct home the Duke of Parma as is sayd Thirdly that by his neighbourhead he might represse him from attempting vpon any places which were vnder his obedience Fourthly hee stayed in Compeigne without interrupting the soiorning of the Duke of Parma in Brie to geue leasure to the rebellions Prouinces to prooue what difference there is betwixt the milde good iust and fatherlike gouernment of a vertuous and lawful Prince and the cruell bondage of heathenish sauage and barbarous tyrants The sayd King during his abode there among other deliberations concluded to pursue the said Duke of Parma in his retire grounded vppon iustice to wit a wil and desire to punish him who had offended as far as God should geue him power and lawfull means to do it for as much as the D. of Parma beeing not prouoked with iniurie or vniust dealing had not only against the law of nature maintained and assisted the rebels in his realme enemies to all iust and lawful superiority but also had committed horrible murthers and crueltyes contra ius supplicum innumerable whoredoms Sodomitries hereditarie to the papall house of Pharneses all maner of vilanies vpon his faithful Subiects and also the necessary defence of his estate and safety of the places which in that countrey were vnder his obedience Uppon this iust resolution the twentith of Nouember the King with his forces departed from Coeuures in Picardie hauing with him of the Nobility of that countrey about fiue hundred horses beside his own forces and began to march directly against the said Duke of Parma It is said how the Duke of Parma departed from Paris and made their abâ—ad in Brie the causes also of that soiorning there haue béene opened what euents also haue happened during that time Now the sayd Duke perceauing that all his practises in seeking to supplant his friend would not frame vnderstanding of the Kings preparations for to accompany him into his countrey and that the King was all ready at the doore began to feare yet more then euer before séeing the tempest which would follow and wished that the Duke de Mayne had made more speed to send him the succour promised wished also that he might be quit in ceasing the clampering noyse of his Moiles belles and in the meane time about the 23. day of Nouember hee remoued to the towne of Phismes vpon Voisle there within a wall he determined to expect the comming of the Duke de Mayne who was comming with speed The King in this retire of Parma to Phismes arriued and met a certain companie of Spanish footmen whom hee put all to the sword without the losse of any of his men The Duke de Maine with his forces repairing to Parma seeing all this exploit and durst neuer rescue them that exploit done the King went to take his lodging in the Towne Feres in Tartenoys The 25. of Nouember the Duke of Parma accompanied with the Duke de Maine departed from Phismes tooke his way to Pontauers which is a towne situated vppon the riuer Esne where he had determined to lodge the night following The King hauing about eight hundred Launciers and so many Harquebusiers on horseback sent the Baron of Biron with fifteene light horses to view the enemie In the meane time the King tooke 25. horses and kept to the right hand by a wood seeking to iudge by sight the enemies marching But the Baron of Biron brought newes that the enemy was departed from a Village named Bazoges and marched toward Pontauers The King immediatly with all his forces following the enemie entred into the said Village where he found few Farmers and husoandmen armed and ready to fight in his Maiesties behalfe of whom the King learned more particular newes concerning the enemy The Kings Captaines but specially the Baron of Biron still pursued them and meeting with straglers payed them their wages for their comming so farre and gaue many onsets when occasion serued alwaies to the enemies costs The 27 the King sent the Lords Fronterack Chicot and Dauers on the top of Saint Martins hill to view if the enemie had put any ambushes at the hilles foote but they saw them in the open plaine marching apace toward Pontauers the way beeing without ambushes the King sent the Baron of Biron with a troupe of horsemen and he with an other company followed after commaunding the Lord la Now to send him ten out of euery company and to rest the remnant The King made fiue smal squadrons of fiftie horses in euery one of al these companies There was a hot alarum geuen in the enemies camp and gaue a dozen onsets on the enemies But whilest these things were a doing the King spied on an other side behind 300. Harquebuziers on horseback who conducted the carriage of tronkes and baggage and fearing the retyre of the enemy would haue brought him out too farre from his forces retired intending to charge these companies of Harquebuziers One of the Kings Gards beeing fallen into the enemies hands cried for helpe whereuppon the Baron of Biron charged them and slew twelue or thirteene of them but his horse was killed whereby he was put in great danger if he had not béene rescued by the King This fray beeing begun there was a great alarum geuen in the enemies campe which began to march toward the King But he considering that it was better to hazard few common souldiers theÌ„ the Nobilitie caused the companies on horseback of the Captaines Saint Denis and Saint Foelix to light and to charge the enemy there was a hot skirmish begun The K. in the meane time retired with his nobillity to a Village called Longauall thether also the Harquebuziers retired after they had fought a long space and in the retire Captain Saint Foelix was slaine with a shot the Souldiers retyred so leasutely that they did draw the dead corps with them by the legges When the King had passed Longauall toward Pontarsie the Harquebuziers of the enemy came to the wall and in a brauing fury sâ—rooke with their swoords vpon the gates of the towne but being saluted with the Harquebuziers within with shot through loope holes and seeing many of their fellowes fall vpon the place they retired and sound the means by the guiding of a man of that Town to seaze vpon an other gate and entered about sixe of them Captaine Bonmouoyr set vppon them and killed two of them the other retired The Harquebuziers tooke their horses forsooke
that towne and followed after the King who was before to take his lodging about Pontarsy situated vpon the riuer Esne beneath Pontauers and the enemy presently entred the said Towne of Longauall Part of the Enemies followed after the King and seeing a Wood betweene the sayd Longaual and Pontarsie stayed there mistrusting some ambushes but at length passing through they met with the Baron of Byron who charged them so roughly with a small company of horsemen that he layed downe vpon the ground thirtie of them The King commanded Captayne Langemis to light and set a fresh on them who killed a great number of them and then retyred into the towne of Pontarsie The enemy went not to Pontauers that night but encamped in the plaine field with great feare of an alarum vnderstanding that the Duke of Neuers with fiue hundred horses out of Champaigne and the Lords Gyury out of Corbeil and Parabelle out of Melun with good and Iustie companies of horses were expected that day to come to the King euery man accompted him happie that might returne into Brabant in a whole skinne there to prooue whether they had forgotten the art of Carrowsing the chiefest trade of that countrey The 28. day in the morning thirtie harquebusiers of the enemies hauing lost their way went into the Towne of Longaual enquiring for the Duke of Parmas quarter whom the inhabitants disarmed and throwing them vnder the bridge drowned them The same day came to the King the sayd Duke of Neuers and Lords Gyury and Parabelle with eight hundred horses all well appoynted The 29. day the King went out of Pontarsie with one thousand horses intending to giue his enemies a fresh charge and to carrie away the Rereward but their Ordinance being stucke fast in the myre the whole armie remayned all that day in battell array in that place where their Ordinance was and there also encamped themselues all the night following so that nothing could be enterprised vpon them The 30. day of Nouember the King determined to did the enemie fare well with a fight of horsemen the Duke of Parma with a good will would haue spared that curtesie and bee glad to get out of the Realme without so much adoo In the morning very early the sayd Duke marched toward Marle a towne nigh the head spring of the riuer Oyse from thence to get Larbre de Guize and so to leaue the realme of France The King commanded all his horsemen to be in a readines and directly to march toward Cressie with all furniture yet without baggage or carriage And being first of all arriued at the rendes vous vnwilling to ouerslip any opportunitie to see his enemie that day which hee thought should bee the day of their separation sent the Lord Baron of Byron to march before and hee himselfe to followe him within the distance of a hundred paces onely with fourtie gentlemen The Lord Longaual followed the King with fiftie horses and the rest of the Cornet As they had marched a good space there appeared at the side of a Wood about sixe score horses vnder the leading of Colonell Baste who came in hast to charge the Baron of Byron the sayd Baron gaue so resolute a charge that he made them to retyre to theyr maine battaile and when the enemie had ioyned with their fellowes they came agayne to giue a fresh charge in the which the sayd Baron of Byron his horse was killed and he in great daunger to bee slaine but the King did gather them quickly that were scattered and with them caused the rest of his troupes to come forward which being in battaile aray and ioyned with them that had bin gathered out of the skirmish gaue such a fearefull charge that all the rereward of the enemie thought vpon nothing but vpon the meanes how to saue themselues leauing their dead armed vpon the place If all the Kings companies had come in time enough there had not returned so many home to play at carrowse as there did The first day of December the D. of Parma entred the dominions of the low countrey He had neuer so much neede of his Nurce about him with clowts as he had during the space of these last fiue dayes of Nouember most of his companies accompanied him home as well as they could part of them remained with the Duke de Mayne vntill that tempest was ouer past The first day of December the Lords of Neuers Giury and Parabel who were come fresh and strong to the King departed from the Castell of Nisy and pursued the enemie marching toward the Larbre de Guize but what exployts were done that day we haue nothing to speake off for lack of instructions During this retraite the Duke of Parma was so distressed that he was very greatly disappoynted of his lodgings As he tooke no compassion at Corbeil of them which suppliant fell before his knees so pitied he no more his owne Souldiers who could not make so good speede in running away as he could doo but left them to y e mercie of the Peasants of the countrey with whom they found no more fauour then with their master Of foureteene or fifteene thousand men which he brought into France there returned not home aboue eight thousand and they were in a manner in as great miserie as their fellowes who returned into Spayne from the conquest of England in the yeare 1588. The first day of December the King went to Saint Quintins situated vpon the riuer of Oyse where he was royally receaued with great reioysing and comfort of all men And when the King had stayed there a few daies he heard that the Lord Humiers with other noble men of Picardie had taken the towne of Corbey situated vppon the riuer Some and in the middle way betweene Amiens Peronne and Dourlan three great townes in Picardie which haue continued in their rebellion During the time that the King soiouâ—ned in Picardie and pursued the Duke of Parma the Marshall Byron tooke fiue strong Townes and aboue twentie Castles in Normandie and Beauuoyâ—in wherein the Rebells had layed strong garrisons By these narrations Christian reader thou mayest see what the rebels enemies both of God and man hauing drawne vpon theyr owne heads a stormie winde of tempest least they should not haue calamities enough according to the measure of their offence they sent for the Duke of Parma to deliuer them who comming into the land gaue them an egge and deuoured the Hen and where they were beaten by themselues with scourges now this deliuerer did bruse them with barres of yron It pleased God in whose hands the harts of Kings and Princes are to turne the Kings will from hindering the sayd Duke of Parma from dooing all that he durst or could doo that God might giue the King to vnderstand what therehence hee had hereafter to feare as long as he playeth the parts of a right King and that hee is his aboundant reward Secondly that it might euidently
vnderstanding of a great number of boates as great as lighters laden with corne monie and other prouision of war going from Chasteauthierij downe the riuer of Marne to victuall Paris set forward with great diligence to ouertake them which hauing done with great speede were sunk in the middest of the riuer to the number of fifteene of the greatest sorte with all the prouision that was therein few small boats of the lesser sort escaped towards Meaulx The same day the King vnderstanding of some companies of the enemies who were lodged in certaine villages betwéene la Fere and Chasteauthierij being the greatest part of the forces of the enemies departed early from Senlis to Crespij a towne in Valoys But for all the Kings secret and sudden departure yet by that time he had passed fiue miles he vnderstoode that his comming vpon coniecture being blazed among the enemies they had fled and passed beyond the riuer Marne with great amaze and terror this is according to the saying of the wise that sayth that the Kings countenance scattereth the wicked The 22. of Aprill the King from Crespij where he was returned tooke his way to Chauny intending to take the Castles of Manican and Genlis and for the better effecting of his purpose he caused two great Canons of Ordinance to be brought from Compiegne But they who were in Manican Castle did not attende but left the place and fled before hee arriued there The 24. of Aprill the King caused the said Ordinance and more which was brought from S. Quintins to bee brought before Genlis but at the sight of the Ordinance the sayd Castle of Genlis yéelded vnto the King About the same time two regiments of garrisons of the Leaguers were repayring to the Duke de Mayne whereof the Kings garrison of Saint Goubin hauing intelligence issued foorth vpon them and put many to the sword The Duke de Mayne had receaued seauen companies of Germanes being nine Ensignes who most wickedly as Mercenaries and slaues to their owne couetousnesse had for money consented to defend one of the most notable Rebellions that euer had béen hated of God and detested of all good Princes of the world Them the Duke de Mayne in the diuision of his armie as is aboue said had placed in certayne Villages betweene the riuers of Marne and Oyse intending to place them in Meaulx and Soyssons and as they marched they came to Coussie where they supposed to bee receaued but the gates of the towne being kept fast agaynst them and hearing a rumour of the Kings comming such a sudden feare fell vpon them that they fiercely ranne into the Forest hoping thereby to saue themselues The garrison of S. Goubin hearing of this amaze of the enemie sent fifcie men on horsebacke conducted onely by a Sargeant went foorth and taking about fourescore peasants of the countrey with them marched into the Forest This small company was greatly encouraged by hearing of the arriuall of the King from Genlis and pursued after these companies and charged them so roughly terrifying them with this voyce Viue le roy Immediatly the enemie supposing the King to haue been there indeede in great terror fled away without any resistance This small companie little thinking of any such good successe couragiously pursued them slewe them and tooke them in a manuer all except about threescore men who flinging away their weapons and armour the better to saue themselues retyred into the towne la Fere. Their Colonell was slayne and all the Ensignes taken saue two onely About 29. of Aprill the Lord Humiers knowing that the companie of horsemen of Mountcaure had assembled in a Village not farre from Corbeil departed out of the sayd Towne of Corbeil to charge them As he went about that exployt he met by chaunce the companie of horsemen of Dourlay whom he charged in that skirmish most part of the enemies were slayne part were taken prisoners and few by flight saued themselues The company of Mountcaure were in y e village playing some at cardes some at â—ice some drinking and some sléeping garded negligently with a small watch the Lord Humiers hauing done this exploit ceased not to prosecute his former enterprize vpon the said Mountcaure his companies who marching forward and comming to the village where they were set vpon them vnlooked for like a sodaine tempest which should fall sodainly from heauen whom finding busied as is aforesaid easily discomfited them killed them and tooke them without any resistance The King hauing in a little space eased that part of Picardie which bordreth vpon Brie of the insuries of the rebels beaten the enemies which executed intollerable oppressions betweene the riuers of Oyse and Marne as is said was aduertised that the enemie was in fiâ—ld in Britaine his Maiestie tooke his iournie thetherward with a small companie and had there that successe which followeth The Lord Tremblay did commaund in a towne in Britaine named Monconter where is a castell of reasonable strength wherin he had set a garison and departed thence to goe to doe some exploit fifteene leagues off about the beginning of May. The enemie aduertized of the absence of the said L. Tremblay tooke the said Monconter but they of the castell held out attending the succour which was comâ—ing from diuers parts vnto them The L. Tremblay hauing speedy intelligence of that which was past in Monconter tooke his iourney with 50 light horsemen resolued with that small companie to enter into the Castell with ladders which he perfourmed And after out of the sayd Castell he made diuers issues vpon the enemies in the Towne with terrible slaughter of them Many of the nobility of Britaine beeing then at Renes vnderstanding of the sturre of Monconter in the absence of the Prince D'ombes who was a little before ridden foorth about eighteene miles from the sayde Renes mustered vp immediatly so many as they might procure vppon the sudden which was about one hundred and fiftie horse men wel appointed and commaunded straight waies all the garrisons thereabout to march toward the sayd Monconter intending either to rescue the said towne out of the enemyes hand or else to let their further enterprises their forces came to two hundred footmen wel furnished these companies bring in all three hundred and fifty men came about two furlougs from the said towne of Monconter there to stay for other companies who came from other places for the same purpose Whilest these preparations were a making the Lord Saint Laurence Marshall of the army of the rebels vnder Merceur had entred into Monconter with three hundred horsemen well appointed and one thousand Harquebuziers intending to fortife that towne agaynst the King But in the meane while the King in proper person with sixe score horses onely had marched so farre as Londiak intending to search out the enemy The Lord Saint Laurence aduertised of the Kings comming considering that there was mustering round about knowing in his conscience the Kings iust
two thousand Harquebusiers French considered howe daungerous a thing it was to engage his armie before a towne vntill he were master of the field the enemie being farre stronger and fauoured of the countrey who on a sodaine might be assisted with a multitude of Pesants long before armed and addicted to him considering all these difficulties the sayd prince made a stay about the towne of Guingcamp as well to repayre the fortifications of the said towne as to attend the bringing of two Canons and two Culuerines drawen from Brest to Lagnon with certaine powder and munitions brought from England to Pinpoll to the ende that these things being in place of safetie the said Prince might sollow the better his other enterprizes The seauenth of Iune the Duke Merceur arriued at Corlay distant three Leagues from Guingcamp There is a Castell belonging to the Lady Guimeney sister to Boysdaulphine Lieftenaunt to the Duke Merceur they fayned as though the sayd Castell did holde for the King intending thereby to haue drawne the Prince to some disaduantage for the eight day the Castell rendred without the sight of the Canon and the gouernour remayned with the enemie From thence the Duke sent a trompeter to the Prince about certaine prisoners taken at Corlay who signified to the sayde Prince that hee had charge from the Duke to entreate him to appoynt some day and place for the battaile The Prince did greatly reioyce to heare these newes and would not returne answere by the mouth of a Trompetter which might be disanowed but by his writing signed with his owne hand in the which the said Prince least the Duke should alleage any matter either to delay or auoid the battell doth referre to him the choise of the place for the encounter so that it might be able to receaue both armies The Duke Merceur remooued from Corlay the eighth of Iune and came to Saint Giles two small leagues from Chasteau Laudran The same day also the Prince departed from Guingcamp about three a clocke in the morning and lodged that night at Chasteau Laudran where the Duke Merceur his Trompetter met him and deliuered an answer to the sayd Prince from Merceur signed with his owne hande wherein this malapert companion hauing altogether troden vnder foote all reuerence of superiority sheweth the cause of his rebellion to bee both to withstand the Prince called with lawfull vocation and an hereticall King for the defence of the holy catholike religion do assigne the thurseday next at ten of the clocke in the morning and the place most fit for that action betweene Corlay and Guingcamp The Prince to prouoke this cowardly Captaine through impaciency or otherwise to battell sheweth the causes of his comming into Britayne to be to punish him and his complices for their traiterous rebellion against the King and for the opprobrious imputations and tearmes which he geueth to the King and to him hee saith that therein he lyeth this was the ninth day Merceur hauing receaued this prouocation fell to sweare fume brag that he within three dayes would geue the Prince battell And on the ninth day of Iune beeing Wednesday dislodged and that day encamped himselfe at a Village called Quelnec a league and a halfe from Chasteau Laudran situated at the foot of a hill which by deepe ditches hedges and inclosures bordereth vppon a little Heath of two miles compasse The Prince hauing discouered the enemy mounted on horsebacke and goeth to make choise of the place for the battell findeth about three quarters of a mile from the saide Quelenec a large playne skirted with copses w t a little hill and the ground raysed with ditches aduantagious to the enemies who by three large passages might enter into the same heath The tenth of Iune the enemie within a quarter of a league of the Heath sheweth his whole army in order of battaile vpon the top of an hill The Prince on the other side put his troups in order within the heath and by the aduise of Sir Ihon Norris disposeth the same in three battails wherof the English footemen made two and the Launceknights the third that day was spent in light skirmishes wherin the Princes men followed the enemie euen into the maine of their armie The eleuenth day the enemie drew his armie to the foote of the hill and placed his artillerie vpon the side of the heath in a place of such aduantage as commaunded the whole heath and bordreth all the hedges with shotte By that time the enemie had done all these things the Princes armie marched into the heath in order of battaile and presently sent two hundred footemen to view the enemies countenaunce whome they charged put them from their hedges and barricadoes and slew diuers of them Vpon the retraite of these two hundred men the Duke put foorth fiue hundred Frenchmen and three hundred Spaniards to repossesse the places whome he followed with the great of his armie The Prince perceiuing this and remayning on the heath with the L. Hunaulday commaunding the auangard hauing his regiment of horse on the right hand and Generall Norris the Lords of Poigny Pruneaux Mommartin and Bastenay gaue order to put foorth three hundred footemen commaunded by Captaines Anthony Wingfield and Murton and the English horsemen lead by Anthony Sherly The Prince also commaunded to be drawen out of the battaillon of the Launce-knights one hundred men shot and pikes and one hundred and fiftie shot lead by the Baron Molak backed with fortie light horse conducted by the Lord Tremblay appoynted to force y e enemie from the place which they had taken All these set valiantly vpon the enemie whom they enforced to flee many were slayn and the rest saued themselues within the defence of their artillerie where the whole strength of the Spaniards with the rest of the armie was placed During this skirmish there was a great number of shot placed vnder the hedges which hauing meanes to doe hurte stoode quiet as though they had fallen asleepe or else had béen placed there onely to keepe the hedges least the Prince should come to cut them downe and cary them away In this skirmish don Roderigo chiefe marshall of the Spaniards and a Spanish captaine two hundred French Souldiers and threescore Spaniards were slaine The Lord Tremblay tooke the Lord Guebrian Colonell of the foote men of the enemie This charge did so amazethe enemie that the Princes men were suffered to disarme the dead and to leade away prisoners within ten paces of their canon and retired at their â—ase without any proffering to follow Long Lieftenaunt to Captaine Dolphin receaued in his body fiue Harquebuses shott the English men behaued themselues valiantly in that charge the residue of that day they spent in light skirmishes The twelfth day the enemie made a great shew to come foorth to battell but at last sent out some number of shot to skirmish agaynst whome Anthony Sherley with fifteene horse and few footemen made head and