A DISCOVRSE vpon the libertie or captiuitie of the Kyng 1562. Imprinted at Lōdon by Henry Sutton for Edvvarde Sutton dvvelling in Lumbard strete A DISCOVRSE VPpon the libertie or captiuitie of the Kyng VPON the letters parentes publysshed vnder the Kynges name the viii of Apryl in the whiche it is sayde that there runneth a bruite through this realme the king and the Queene his mother shoulde bee againste their pleasure withholden and caried where it should seme good to some princes and lordes that are aboute their Maiesties but yet that the same reporte is an vntrewe and false sclaunder foras muche as their personnes are in the same libertie that at all tymes they haue been it hath been thoughte good to publysshe this smalle discourse to the ende that thereby the subiectes of the Kynge myghte the more cleerely vnderstande and put their myndes oute of all doubte and cumbre whereby they maye yealde vnto hym that obedience and feaultie which they owe vnto hym lyke good and faithfull subiectes of his maiestie Euerye man knoweth the enterprise that the last wynter was taken in hande for the hauynge the Duke of Orleaunce out of this Realme menne knowe also bothe by whome and to what ende the same was doone But least those whome this matter toucheth shoulde complayne as though men in the report offred them wrong we wyll simply sette beefore all men the wytnesse and deposition of the sayde yong Duke of Orleaunce vppon the whiche we wyll stay our selues without preiudice of his authoritie leauynge to them that shall fynde themselues greued libertie to attempt the diminishyng of his credite as to them shal seme good The tenor of the said deposition is thus The Saterday whiche was the daye his maiestie began first to come oute of his chaumber after the recouerie frome his sycknesse the Duke of Orleance being in the kynges chaumbre the duke of Nemours came vnto hym who asked hym whether he were a Hugenot or a Papist Whereunto the Duke of Orleaunce answered that he was of the religion of the Quene his mother Than sayde the Duke of Nemours myght it not please you that I spake vnto you halfe a doseyn of wordes The other aunswered yes The duke of Nemours than tooke hym asyde vnto a coffre whyche was nere vnto the doore of the kynges bedchambre and sayde vnto hym Syr I see the realme of Fraunce is vndoone and ruyned by these Hugenots and the Kynge and you bee not in suretie because the kynge of Nauarre and the Prynce of Conde wylle make theym selues kynges and wyll so handle the mattier as they wylle bothe cause the Kynge and you to bee putte to deathe Syr yf you wyll auoyde this daunger it is nedefull that you doo well aduyse your selfe And yf you wylle the house of Guyse and I wylle healpe and succoure you and wylle sende you eyther into Lorayne or Sauoye The Duke of Orleaunce answered that he would not leaue the king nor the quene his mother The other yet replyed therto saying Aduise your selfe well of that I tell you For it is for your aduantage Wherevnto the other sayde nothyng Than sayd vnto hym the duke of Nemours Doo you not verye well truste Carnaualet and Villarquier Yes sayd he Than sayd the other Tel them nothyng of this I haue sayde vnto you nor of the purpose I haue so long holden with you but if they aske you what it was that I sayde vnto you tel them that I tolde you of certayne playes and Comedies and so the said duke of Nemours lefte hym While this was a doyng the duke of Guyse who standyng afore the fyre talked with his sonne the prince of Ginuille perceyuynge that the Duke of Nemours hadde left the Duke of Orleaunce came towardes hym and sayde Syr I haue hearde saye that the Quene wyll sende the Duke of Aniew and you into Lorayn to a verye faire castell that you maye there take the ayre Vppon condicion that you would come thyther we woulde make you good cheere there Whereunto the Duke of Orleance answered I do thynke the Quene my mother woulde not that I should leaue the Kyng Wherevnto the prince of Ginuille replyed sayeng If you wyll come into Lorayne and thynke vppon that whiche the Duke of Nemours hath sayd vnto you it will come you well to passe The Duke sayd nothing thervnto The morowe after the prince of Gynuille came agayne towardes the Duke and sayde vnto hym the selfe same that he had doone before addyng further that yf he would vnderstande the meane how they woulde carye hym away he would tell hym The duke aunswered that he woulde gladely learne it The prince of Gynuille sayd They wyll carie you away euen whan it is mydnyght and wil helpe you to comme oute at a wyndowe whyche is ryght ouer the brydge in the parke and immediately they wyll sette you in a coche and so shall you bee in Lorayn afore any man bee ware thereof The Duke aunswered nothyng herevnto and so he lefte the said prince The morowe after the duke of Nemours departed and came to take his leaue of the kyng and in takynge leaue sayde vnto the Duke in his eare bethynke you of that I haue sayde and tell no body therof And so the sayde Duke of Nemours went on his way This conspiracie happenyng al togither otherwise than those whiche are reckened the heades and authors thereof looked for it is nat to bee meruayled at if men of a long tyme exercised in the feats of warre seeynge they had nothyng profited by these ambusshes and coouert enterprises nor yf I maye so terme theym by these vnder grounde woorkes yf they determyned to entre by open force and manyfest violence as men doo into a strong holde or towne Natwithstandyng yet to be sure of a backe doore as the prouerbe sayth leaste happelye theyr seconde attempte myghte speede as euyll as the fyrste The house of Guyse who a long whyle afore hadde written to one of the greatest princes of Germanie and one of that religion whyche is called Protestant to entreate hym to enter with theym into somme conference of the Ausburgh confession wherein they gaue hym somme hope they woulde gladly bee instructed wente theyr wayes into Lorayne and frome thence to a lyttell towne neede vnto the Rhyne called Sauerne In the whyche place they hadde suche communication with the sayd prince the fyftenthe syxtenthe and seuententhe of Februarye as after they hadde all promysed to folowe the Relygion of the Gospell In the ende the sayde Duke of Guyse in token of the fauour he bare to that Religion prayed hym to doo so muche with the other Protestantes princes that for as muche as of olde auncientie the house of Lorayne hadde bene of the Empyre By that meane bothe hee and his bretherne myghte also bee aduowed as Prynces of the Empyre hauynge theyr voyces and consentes in all Commyssyous Imperyall that by that meane they myghte withdrawe and exempte theym selues frome
vnder the kynges subiection offryng theimselues to signe and subscribe vnto the said Confessyon of Awsburghe and that they woulde putte theym selues in the rolle and numbre of the sayde Protestantes Wherevnto the sayd prince was so wyllyng to putte to his healpyng hande hopyng by this meane to wynne the sayde house of Guise to the religion of the gospell as he fayled not to put foorthe the same in a dyete a lyttell whyle after holden by sundry of the sayde princes in the toune of Brouxell about the begynning of Marche folowyng and was neuer the lesse refused of the other princes for many consideratiōs but chiefly by reason of the newes of the horrible bouchery of Vassy as the sayde prince since that tyme hath expresly wryten vnto the sayd Duke of Guyse sendynge hym woorde that the sayd companie was muche offended and prouoked against him by occasyon of that cruell murther and prayed hym that he woulde sende hym the trewe certaintie with a full declaration of his intent and purpose therin without any disguysing For suche are the propre woordes of his letter Vpon this departyng frome the court in taryeng while the winter ouerpassed it was determyned betwene the sayde Duke of Guyse the Constable and marshall saynct Andrewe that duryng their absence euery one of theym should practise with the greatest numbre of gentlemen and other men of warre as muche as in theim lay to cause theim meete togyther in armes at Nantheull and neere to Parys aboute the laste of wynter in the moneth of Marche This practise coulde not bee so closely conueyed but that the Quene was quickly aduertised thereof not onely by some of this realm but also by certain strange princes Who could so well appoynt her the tyme as they tolde her afore hande that it was in the month of Marche that execution woulde bee done yea that more is a certaine gentleman stranger gaue the kynge of Nauarre so sure foretokens as he tolde hym that they would go about to wynne hym to thintent they myghte helpe themselues with hys title and authoritye for a season but in the ende laughe hym to scorne Wherupon the sayd kynge of Nauarre brought hym to the Queene to cause her vnderstande the sayde aduertisementes and to preserue her from suche enterprises Well this practise neuerthelesse goyng on for the beehoufe of the sayde kynge of Nauarre and GOD wyll Those vnto whome the appoyntemente was geuen fayled not to fynde theym selues with all their force in tyme and place so as the sayde Duke of Guyse commynge to Nantheull at the appoynted season was by and by mette with the Constable the Duke of Aumale the Marshall Saincte Andrewes and others of theyr faction Among whome were the Lordes of Mezieres and of Courtenaye by whome men maye coniecture the peryllous poynte and daungerous enterprise by this that makynge theym readye to go to the place of this assemble they putte theym selues in suche ordre as like personnages are wonte to dooe when they shall entre the battayle or any daungerous aduenture shriuynge them selues to a prieste and receyuyng theyr housell as it is reported after they hadde well and deuoutely hearde theyr Masse Whyle this was in hande the prouost of the Marchauntes of Parys who is one of the principall mynisters and instrumentes of this faction hadde so ordered all mattiers and prepared the waye to brynge these troupes into the towne of Parys that the quene beeyng aduertised that theyr determynation was for to goe thyther sente sundrye tymes vnto the sayd duke of Guyse that he woulde comme to her in her house at Monceaulx where he shuld be very welcome forbyddyng hym expressly the entraunce into Parys with suche a company meanyng thereby to auoyde those troubles and inconueniences whych she foresawe woulde come to passe specially remembryng the execution and boucherye newely commytted in the towne of Vassy vppon the whiche moste instantely menne cryed for Iustice to the Kyng and her who harde nothynge but Playntes and Lamentations in euery place where they wente in this Realme concernyng that crueltie Hytherto than it appeareth that this enterprise of puttyng on armour was apoynted on long afore hande by the duke of Guise as the Quene her selfe the kyng of Nauarre were right well informed for the day of meetyng was iustly kepte wherein men came thether from all partes in open armour and order fitte for the warr where as before their cōming to gether the realme was in a deepe reste and quietnesse tyll suche tyme as harnesse was putte on contrarye to the kynges proclamations and so continued against the expresse plesure and prohibicion of the Queene so often renued Finally tyll the sayd Duke of Guise made his entre into Paris in open armes against the very countremoūdyngs and forbiddyngs by the Kyng and the Queene his mother Nowe lette vs see what folowed The abouesayde capitaynes of this armye beynge at Paris they beganne to holde a councell as though the same hadde bene a councell royall makyng to assemble the presydentes the councellours the kynges officers the shriefes or hed officers of the Toune euen as though they had had the kynges Superioritie in their handes notwithstandyng that the quene were nothynge at all aduertised hereof neyther that she had any vnderstanding or communication with that whiche passed in the said councel so as her will appoyntmente whiche she had determined to go on with her voyage towardes the toune of Bloys increased with her more and more to th end she myght withdraw her selfe to some place where she shoulde nat be compelled if happly the reportes and aduertisements which she had harde afore should be founde true Now are we come presently to the knot and chiefe poynte of this question For the Quene who was with the Kyng and the duke of Orleance her children in his house of Fountainbleu and beeyng in her way towardes Orleance goyng on of her iorney hauyng sent folkes to Amboise to cause the yong Duke of Aniow her sonne to be brought vnto her to Orleaunce and hauynge no force in the worlde aboute her neither of horseman nor of footeman sodeynely arriued the forsaid capitains of this enterprise with an armie of horsemen in faire armure planted themselues afore the said Fountainbleau and rounde about Nowe I aske those that vnder the kynges name publyshe those letters patentes whereof afore mencion is made whether to compasse a yong kyng of the age of a leuen or twelue yeares beyng onely accompanied wyth hys mother and hys little brother with pistolyers harquebusiers be not properly the same thing that in good termes men call the besieging of the kyng or yf that terme mislyke theym what other worde they coulde deuise for the namyng of such an acte But let vs be content yet that all thys bee esteemed as a thynge of none importance We wyll onely see what folowed of this siege layde afore Fontaynbleau it is well knowen that the Queene abydyng constantlye in this her pleasure
noble menne of his companye as others to requeste all menne that camme to hym that they woulde comme stronge and welle accoumpanyed Those that are aboute the kyng waste his good and sucke out the small remnant that was in his treasure to satisfie theyr creditoures The noble menne that are at Orleaunce are there vpon their owne costes and charges yea almoste euery gentylman that there is Those of the faccion of Guise payne themselues to cause straungers come into the realme wythoute hauing eyther compassyon of the poore haried people or respect to the manifest peryll that thereof maye folowe Those of Orleaunce protest that althoughe strangers would come to theyr succours yet they would rather spare the countrey of the Kynge and his poore subiectes thanne theyr owne proper lyues To be short those at Orleaunce offer to laye downe all weapon and to take leaue of the prince to wythdrawe theymselues euerye man to hys owne condicyonallye that they whyche detayne the kyng and the quene hys mother woulde first putte of their armour and gyue good exaumple The house of Guise and theyr companions lette not to saye dayelye in the hearyng of all the worlde that they wyll rather see the ashes of all the realme than to go from the kynges personne the dystance of .i. league Now lette all men iudge what lykelihode here is nay rather what infamye it is thus to prophane and abuse the name of the kyng and to make hym say by his letters patentes that his dere and welbeloued coosyn the Prynce of Conde is prisoner at Orleaunce and that for the delyuerie of hym he is constrayned to calle together his ban and ariere ban But lette vs admytte that it were so Yf the Prynce of Conde be withholden prysoner what rebuke haue they caused the kynge to receiue and what iniustice haue they don to declare the said prince a rebell and culpable of treason because he came not to the courte nor laid doune weapon whanne they sente to hym so to doe For in good logicke they bee thynges repugnaunt to bee kepte agaynste his wyll as a prysoner in a toune and to deserue to be proclaimed a rebell bicause he commeth not thence These thynges considered it is easye to conclude fyrste that the kyng and the Queene hys mother wyth the Duke of Orleaunce haue by a deuise of longe tyme handeled and contriued bene violentlye and forceablye seased caried awaye and possessed agaynste their wyll and pleasure by those who thorough theyr insaciable greedinesse declare how fayne they woulde bee hys successours Secondarily that the aboue sayde letters patentes in the whyche it is sayde that the kynge is in his full libertye and the Prynce a prysoner is none other thanne a manifeste reproch agaynste the maiestye of the name of the kynge the whyche by this meanes is wyckedlye vyllanously and shamefully defiled and layde abroade to all straunge nations to bee mocked defamed and taunted And that for thys respecte none canne bee holden nor esteemed to bee a trewe Frenche manne a good subiect and faythefull seruaunt to hys maiestye Onelesse wyth all those good and honest meanes possyble and accordyng to the degree of hys callyng he doe endeuour hym selfe to restore hym to his full power and lybertie and to delyuer hys name from that reproche and vnwoorthynesse whiche they haue caused hym to receiue in this his minoritie Wherwyth we truste his maiestye beynge comme to full age wyll fynde hym selfe touched as well to the vengeaunce of his enemies as to the iuste rewardyng of hys good and lawfull seruauntes and subiectes FINIS