spente that time in deuising murders against the noble men of his Realme and at the last determined to kill Iulian whome in the sight of men he loued and reuerenced as a father Antonius Caracalla an enimie of Alexandria bycause certayne verses were soong agaynste him commaunded all the yong men of the citie to be gathered togither vnder the colour of a muster and to be slayne and that euery souldier shuld kill his host where he lay Thus the Citie beyng replenished with murders he had no other excuse to cloake the same but to write vnto the Senate that they had euery one deserued death and that this answer ought to suffice them Lysander the chiefe Captayne of the Lacedemonians calling fourescore of the men of Miletus togither vnder the colour of societie and friendship cōmaunded them to be slaine Seruius Galba shewed the like crueltie vppon sixe thousande Spanyardes Antonius Spinola calling vnto him colourably the chiefe men of the Isle of Corsica to make them a banquet commaunded their heads to be chopt off Charles the seuenth King of Fraunce after he had reconciled him selfe with the Duke of Burgundy and confirmed the same with a matrimoniall league had also solemnely sworne to forgiue all things past sent for him to the towne of Monterell vnder the colour of friendship and there slue him There are many other examples from among the whiche I haue taken these fewe to the ende thou mayest knowe that the King beeing a yong man hath diligently learned that doctrine whiche is contayned in the .18 chapter of that Booke which concerneth the doctrine of a Prince set foorth by Machiauell Euen as it cannot be vnknowen vnto thee that the kyng the very same day that the Queene of Nauar came to the Court of Blaij Iestingly demaunded of the Queene mother adding thervnto ▪ acording to his maner a blasphemous othe if he had not behaued himselfe exceeding wel To the which the Queene answeared agayne that he had begon very well but it woulde profit little except he went forward But I will sayth he addyng hys accustomed oathes bryng them euery one into thy nette These are the Kings wordes Heereby it may bee gathered what the ende of these familiarities and friendshippes will bee shewed towardes thee and to other noble menne of the Religion Looke diligently to thy selfe and bee assured that there is no other remedy for thee to escape theyr snares than to get thee away betimes from thys Court whyche is a most fylthy and vncleane Sodome THIS Booke beyng red the Admirall aunswered with angry moode the man in whose name the same was offered That these things serued not the time that they mighte haue bin spoken conueniently in time past but nowe there was no cause remayning of suspition God had altered the Kings mynde hee woulde neuer beleeue that suche falsehoode could haue place in his Kyngs mynde nay he was perswaded that Fraunce had neuer a better King than Charles the ninth and that although the Duke of Anjou were an enimie to the Religion yet at the last hee woulde forsake that hatred for the reuerence sake of that affinitie whiche hee shoulde haue with the King of Nauar. That a league was made with Englande into the whyche also hee minded to enter with the Princes of Germany whyche professed the Religion to shewe hys affection towarde the Religion myndyng to haue in hys company one of the sonnes of the Countie Palatine and some one of the noble men of Englande whyche was zealous in the Religion That he had gyuen his fayth to the Prince of Orange and to his brother to ayde hym agaynst the Spanyardes in somuch that he was the chiefe and efficient cause of the preparation of warre into the iowe countrey That in stead of the Armie whyche was committed to the conduct of Mons Genlis a newe supply was prepared that the affayres of the lowe countrey were in good cace That the Kyngs Ambassadour dyd dayly aduertise hym of the counsayles of the Duke of Alba. That the same Nauie of which Mons Strozzi and Baron de Guard haue charge is prepared for no other end than to remoue the Spanish nauie and to goe with speede to Vlishing to the Prince of Orange that there may be open warre in the lowe countrey Finally that the Kyng did all things with greate care for the confirmation of peace by the benefyte whereof there was no doubt but that the affayres of the Religion shoulde haue good successe Wherefore hee prayed him and all others of the same opinion that they woulde not trouble his mynde with those suspitions beeyng occupied with better thynges but rather that they woulde pray vnto GOD that he woulde bryng that to good effect whyche was happyly begun to the peace and tranquillitie of the Realme and hys Churche ABOVT the same time almost Mons Momorencie was returned out of Englande hauing entred into league in the Kings name with the Queenes highnesse of Englande concerning that marriage which was intreated in the name of Henry Duke of Anjou it is vnknowen what hindered the same It is said that hir maiestie vtterly refused the matche But howsoeuer the cace stoode I am perswaded that God of his singular goodnesse prouided for hir Maiestie and also for the Realme of Englande from the whiche hee hath turned away great calamitie THE Prince of Orange hauing gotten a great armie in the which were sayd to be twenty thousand footemen eyght thousand horsemen entred the lowe countrey At whose comming the Cities in diuers places were yelded vnto hym in somuch that within a short time he had in his power foure and forty Cities the greatest part of Zeland Holland Among these cities he had Mechline In the mean time the Duke of Alba beseeged Mounts in the which was Lodowic brother to the Prince of Orange with a great number of noble French mē Shortly after thys was the cruel slaughter of the Admiral and other noble men and gentlemen committed at Paris and in other places of the Realme whiche is at large set foorth in the tenth Booke of Commentaries already translated and therefore here omitted AFTER the murder the king commaunded the King of Nauar and the Prince of Conde to come before him Who being in his presence he sayeth vnto them That after so long time of warres by which his kingdome hath bin greatly endammaged he hath found out at the length vndoubted remedies to take away cleane all the causes of warre and hathe therefore commaunded the Admirall to be slayne the wicked author of mischeuous troubles and that the same punishment was prouided in the Citie for al lewde and naughtie persons infected with vngodly superstition That he remembred what great harme he had receyued both of the King of Nauar and also of the Prince of Conde who were the Captaynes and ringleaders of desperate persons and seditiously helde warre against him to reuenge so greate iniuries he had nowe cause and occasion offered him
a truce vppon the yeeldyng vp of the towne the which being graunted composition was made that hee shoulde departe from Mountes with leaue to accompany him a thousand and fiue hundred armed men and to carry horses and other necessary cariages hauing sworne not to beare armour agaynst King Philip by the space of one yeare after So the Graue Lodouic beyng wounded returned home into Germany after the surrender of a moste fine Citie to the Duke of Alba. THEN the Prince of Orange went a parte into Brabant seyng that Mechgeline was assaulted and the mindes of the townsmen discouraged bothe by the euill successe of the affayres of France and also by the late newes of winnyng of Mountes and perceyuing that they would without al doubte incline to the Duke of Alba he went secretely away left the towne emptie The which the Duke of Alba tooke and spoyled and caried from thence a greate bootie Then he reserued to him selfe Diest Termund Rurmund and Audenarde Afterward Zutphen beyng takē by the Duke of Alba so great a feare came vpon thē which tooke part with the Prince of Orange that euen as if a perfect cōquest were made that there had bene no neede of souldiers the Duke of Alba dismist many of hys Germane horsemen Therefore dayly cities came to the Duke of Alba crauyng pardon for theyr faulte and vtterly renouncyng the Prince of Orange The Duke of Alba besieged Narden a towne of Hollande which was helde by the garryson of the prynce of Orange the which the townsmen yelded vp vpon certaine cōditions Notwithstandyng the Spaniard breakyng his fayth outragiously murdered both them of the garrison also the townsmen At the which captayne Methyne beyng displeased who came out of Spayne into the low countrey was iudged to be the successour of the Duke of Alba very angry with Frederick sonne to the Duke of Alba got himselfe to Hertoghenbosh taried there to long vntil he was sent for by the kyng to come home again after that he was admonished of those dissetions amōg the chief Captaines of the low coūtrey The calamitie of those of Nardē made the other cities of Holland more constant least they shoulde yeelde themselues to hym whom they shoulde finde a more dangerous friende than the mortall enemie THERFORE they of Harlem beyng ready to yeelde themselues to the Duke of Alba hearing of the crueltie shewed vpon them of Narden chaunged theyr purpose receyued the garrison of the prynce of Orange choosing rather to die than to yeelde themselues willingly into the power of the Duke of Alba. The garrison of the prince of Orange fortified the towne very diligently beyng before very weake of it selfe In the societie and frendshyp of the prynce of Orange the most part of the cities of Hollande do persist as Leijden Roterdam Dort the countie of Hage Enckhuyse Goude Briel the rest But Amstredam the Metropolitane citie was fortified with a very strong garrison of the Duke of Alba But al Zeland except Middelburg tooke part with the prince of Orange THE Duke of Alba besieged Harlem with a great hoste and very furiously gaue assault to the same The townesmen with wonderfull strength and courage defended themselues so aptly placyng the fortifications in the Citie that some tyme when the Spaniarde was receyued euen into the bosome of the towne was constrayned to retyre agayne both with greate destruction and also with infamie and reproch So that both partes behaued them selues very valiantly About this time began the bitter cold of winter which gaue occasion to the Spanyards to preuayle much the Marishes with the which that countrey is replenished beeing frosen with Ise But their presuming vpon the Ise did somewhat anoy them The Spanyards made a bridge vpon pyles and stakes that by the same they might passe ouer the Ise and breake into the Citie but the Townesmen so vrged them that being cōstrayned to retire vpō heapes ouer the bridge the whiche being ouercharged with waight brake drowned a great nūber of Spanyardes some report more some lesse but by certain coniecture sixe hundred was the least the Catholiques dyminishe the number and write but two hundred The Prince of Orange sending souldiers to ayde the Citizens of Harlem was disappoynted of his purpose for they wer intercepted by the Duke of Alba vnlooked for and slayne with a great slaughter one cornet of horsemen escaping away and seuen Ensignes of footemen so that seuen hundred are sayde to be slayne in that place About that tyme it is sayde that there was in the territorie of Amsterdam a Calfe cast whyche hadde two heads and two backes and double feete that is to say eyght in all the whyche lyued for certayne houres The seuententh day of Nouember there appeared a starre in the signe Cassiopeia of wonderfull bignesse and excelling in brightnesse Of this starre diuers men gaue theyr iudgements and was likened to that starre which was seene about Scorpio in the tyme of Augustus Caesar at the byrth of our Sauiour Christe And it was sayd that as that starre did signifye the fyrste comming of Christ so this did betokē his last comming to iudgemente Verses concerning thys were published abroade by the learned This Starre appeared in the fyrmamēt for the space of nyne Monethes IN THE BEGINNING of this new yeere notwithstanding the vncomfortable time of winter the furious force of warre both in France and in the lowe countrey was nothing at all diminished The king gaue straight charge and commaundement vpō payne of greate punishmentes throughout the whole Realme of France that all noble men shoulde goe to the beseeging of Rochel One payne or punishmēt was the losse of honor that is to say that suche noble men as wente not vnto this warre should be counted rusticall base and tributarie The denouncing of this payne caused the noble men yea those whiche aforetime professed the Religion to come to the warre by heapes from all partes of the Realme THERE were caried to the Kyngs Campe seauen and thirtie great peeces of ordinance and about the same time there came threescore ensignes of footemen mons Biron with all diligence and labour made ditches bulwarks rampiers rolling trenches hardelles and all munitions and engines apperteyning to the siege of the Citie In the meane tyme hee intreateth them of Rochell to gyue pledges or hostages bycause of Gadagne an Abbot which was to come vnto them in the Kyngs name to declare vnto them the kings last will and determination They of Rochel aunsweared that if it would please Gadagne to certify them of the kings pleasure by letters they woulde make an answeare but as for the giuing of hostages or the letting of any man into the Citie especially at that time they neither could nor would ABOVT the euening of the twelfth day of this moneth they of Rochel brake foorth vpō the kings Camp slaying many toke mons Grandfiefe
a noble mā caried him into the citie After certayne dayes some soldiers being priuily come from the Shippes at the firste watch when the gates were shut and beyng passed ouer the ditch were assayled by the warders of the Kings campe In this tumult the Citie was raysed and the townesmen brake foorth by whyche occasion there was so sore a fyght and skirmish that a fewe only of the townesmen beyng slayne and wounded there was of the kings part a hūdred and fyue and fyftie slayne and many sore hurt Then the Catholiques began to practise by subtil meanes to intercept them of Rochel Mons Triabalde a noble man entred into the Citie vnder a coloured pretence of fleing to them of the Citie assayeth to bring the noble men which were there but especially mons Languillier who had the chiefe authoritie ouer Rochel to defection But seeing that he could not preuaile searing least they of the town would punish him for his falsehood returned to the kings Camp at the next eruption out of the citie About this time there were new platformes made for them of Rochel but those souldiers whiche were apoynted to gyue the enterprise were for the most parte slayne in the furie of the common people the rest after examination had by the Magistrate were brought foorth of prison and hanged The Citizens of Rochel made mons l' Noe their generall notwithstanding so that the chiefe authoritie and power of other matters shoulde rest in the hands of the Magistrate And certaine other speciall thyngs befell among them the which to thys day are knowen to fewe and to me also vncertayne that I dare not commit them to writing The Citizens came alwayes thyther where they thoughte they myght fynde the enimie Therefore there was a sore battayle fought at Tadon and at Netrè two villages neare to Rochel in whych the kyngs part was put to the worst And thus they neuer suffered the enimie to be at rest The twentie day of Ianuarie mons de Guarde brought the kings nauie to the promontorie called Chef de Bois and seeking to stop thē of Rochel of their passage sunke a huge emptie Shippe commōly called the Caraque in the sea and with great waytes and towes made the same immouable and ankerfast Vpō this he reared a fort called le Eguille from whēce he thundred discharged great shot against that part of the towne which was opposite to the same Ouer against one end of the Caraque ther was another fort called Corceille oueragainst the other ende of the same a thyrde fort called the fort of the newe hauen And thus the hauē was defended on both sydes the Caraque beyng in the middest There appeared in the ocean sea a little beyonde the hauen within the vewe of the towne two Shippes whiche seemed to beare sayle as though they would ariue at the Citie Therfore the townesmen went out of the Citie euen vpon a heape to the number of fourescore hauing certayne soldiers froonting them with targets and shields intending with matter that they caried with them to fyre the Caraque The which notwithstāding they attempted in vayne beeing terrifyed with the thundring shot which flew from the Eguille for t and also with the hardnesse of the enterprise and so returned into the citie The Duke of Anoiu sente letters from the towne called Samnessan to mons le Noe and commaundeth him to signify vnto the men of Rochel in his name that the king would forgyue them both their lyues and goodes so that they woulde yeeld them selues into his hands the which if they did refuse he would by force enter the Citie execute suche punishment vpon them as they should therby be made an example for al others There fled to Rochel from the Kings armie diuers whyche aforetime had followed the Religion and were constrained by the extremitie of the tymes to fyght vnder the Kings banner By these the kings counsayle was bewrayed to thē of Rochel The syxt day of February they of the towne made another eruptiō or violet assault vnder the conduct of mons l' Noe in the which they fought so valiantly that of the Legiō of Sammartine one whole band was almost slain many also were takē prisoners whiche notwythstanding were dismist withoute paying any raunsome Notwithstanding they which were knowen to be instruments of the murder found no such fauour The eight day also the besieged townesmē gaue another assault in the which they lost only fiue but the kings part many soldiers Mons l' Noe chose vnto himselfe a wel apppoynted strong band of noble and olde experienced soldiers choise men which offered willingly their seruice THE Duke of Anjou beyng come neare vnto the city sent againe two letters to the citizens of Rochell the first concerned the noble men the second appertayned to the townesmen and forreners which were fled thyther In the which letters he declareth that the king was not so vneasie to be reconciled and vnwilling to shewe grace but that if they would repent them and craue pardon at his handes he would receyue them to his fauour againe but if they did obstinately refuse hys grace they myght assure them selues to feele the power and seueritie of their most renowmed Lord could not impute the cause of that their destruction to any other than to thē selues They of Rochell answered the Duke of Anjou wyth thankes giuing beseeching him to labour with the King that the matter myght be brought to assured peace and tranquilitie that especially they myght haue the libertie of their conscience THE fiftenth day of this month the Duke of Anjou came with great authoritie and countenance into the kyngs campe being accompanyed with his brother the Duke of Alanson the king of Nauar the Prince of Conde the Dauphin whiche were of the kings bloud the Guise Duke D'Aumal Marques d'Meyne Duke d'Bouillon Monluce Count Rochfoucalt the Lord Acier who after the death of his brother succeeded hym in the inheritance and was called Duke D'Vzes who hauing forsaken the religion tooke parte with the catholikes There were many other noble men also there was so great a multitude of noble men that to besiege and assault one citie men came from al parts of the realme with al forces that might be possible But before we come to speake of the noble siege it seemeth necessarie that we make breef descriptiō of the situation of Rochel of the most famous places therein made notable by valiant exploytes Rochel by situation extendeth it selfe so farre into the Ocean sea that it is almost compassed about therewith and it is closed almost rounde about with salte maryshes very conuenient for the making of salte but that part whiche tendeth towarde the countrey of Poictou is fyrme and fast grounde On that part standeth the temple called L'temple d' Cogne the which was fortified with a countermure and now beareth
the name of Cogne fort So that the temple was ouerthrown that the steeple might serue for a watch tower and the rest of the matter of the temple for a fort Ouer against the salt maryshes standeth the tower of Moreille whiche defendeth that region in large compasse by reason of the tall and hygh munition of the same Next after this foloweth the tower of Sannicolas the which is compassed about both with a naturall moorysh ground and also with wittie skyll for on the right hand the Ocean flouds beate vpon the same and the swelling floud of the sea filleth the dytch thereof whether at the length the floud maye come for from that place vnto Cogne gate the dytches of the citie are almost drye From Sannicolas gate to the gate d'Moulinez the Sea extendeth it selfe with all one course and leuell and to defende that part against the assaultes that myght be giuen by the nauie there was a verie strong bulwarke made which was called Sannicolas fort Next to this stoode Sannicolas gate with bulwarkes adioyning to the same and then Sannicolas tower ouer against the which was the tower of the hauen the saide hauen diuiding them both And to the ende the Kings nauie might haue no passage into the hauen there was fastened a strong yron chayne from one of the sayde towers to the other Betweene the tower of the hauen and the Lanterne tower there was reared a very strong wall made by Masons and furnyshed with ordinance The Lanterne tower serued to giue lyght in the night to saylers or to suche as came into the hauen in time of peace Next vnto this was placed a notable forte called the Citadel being no lesse strong than it was greate and large in so much that it was to that part of the citie as it were an Armorie or storehouse of Artillerie This Citadel was compassed about with a wall of mayne strength at one corner whereof the tower of Gayor hath his place Betwene the whiche and the nexte poynt towarde the Kings campe were framed dyuers bulwarkes and fortes as the newe gate bulwarke and platfourme the forte of the Castell the place of Cockslem and the bulwarke called l' Euangile nowe battered downe At the other fourth corner of the wall was a very strōg bulwark called Cogne bulwark Many other fortes were reared which are to be seene in the platforme belōging to this discription Also it is to be noted that the hauen called Chef de bois where the Kings Nauie roade is two myles distant from the gate of Rochell THE Duke of Anjou therefore being receyued with tryumphant peales of the great fielde peeces went to Neullj to abyde there where he tarryed the whole time of the siege with the rest of the Princes and greatest part of the nobles The same day hee tooke a viewe of the walles of the Citie and mustred the Armie The day folowyng the townesmen brake out at three seuerall places of the Citie and hauyng slayne an hundred of their enimies returned into the Citie agayne with losse of a fewe of their men Then was there a place appointed from whence the walles of the citie might be conueniently battered the batterie being layd to the gate of Cogney and by the cōmaundement of the Duke of Anjou a countermure was made and fortified with hurdels to beare and defende the shot Also he forgot not to practise subtily mischief vnder the pretēce of parley to the end the city might be assailed with two engins namely by outward force by inward craft deceit For the citizens did not wel agree among thēselues some enclining to peace of the which the duke of Anjou at that time had made an offer vnto them others thinking it better to stand manfully to their own defence saying that the offered peace was nothing but a snare to betray them according to the olde maner Captaine Norman going to spoile rob with two galleys toke a ship laden with fifty tun of wine of Burdeux and fiue and twentie tunne of wheate and returned with his men in safety into Rochell hauen notwithstanding that he was assayled by mons d' Guarde wyth great force THE Duke of Anjou hauing taken a viewe of the Bulwarke whiche bordered on the sea coaste and mynding to returne into the Kyngs campe sent before hym two hundred horsemen commaunding them to skyrmishe wyth the townsmen that hee in the meane time might passe by with the more safetie Whyle these and certayne troupes of the townesmen were in skyrmish at that place certayne horsemen ouer whom mons Grandrise a noble man was captayne carying behynde euery of them a foote man with callyuer shot set vpon the Kyngs souldiers vnprepared in another part of the campe of whom they slue many and tooke some prysoners and brought with them certayne horses into the citie SHORTLY after they of Rochell beyng dyuersly sollicited were contented at the length to parley wyth the Kyngs Lieftenants mons l' Noe with Pierrez Mortie and Maurisson beyng chosen for this purpose came into the Kyngs campe and so entred into parley with mons Biron Strozzi Villequier and Gadagne and to this parley also came the Countie d' Retz and at the length certayne of the chiefe townesmen GADAGNE hauyng spoken at large to mons l' Noe and to hys felowes of the singular good wyll of the Kyng towardes them of Rochell offered at the last to them in wryting the summe of those conditions vpon the which the King woulde come to composition of peace the whiche conditions were these Fyrst that the inhabitants of Rochell though they had grieuously offended his maiestie for that they beyng abashed with a certayne vayne feare woulde not obey his commaundements oftentimes sent vnto them were notwithstanding freely pardoned so that they woulde receyue mons Biron into the citie and would obey hym Secondly that he wold graūt vnto thē the free vse of Relygion according to the forme of the pacificatorie Edict in the which he woulde haue nothyng neyther diminished nor altered for thys he would make them most ample and large assurance Thyrdly that he would gyue vnto those whiche woulde departe to any other place full leaue and libertie to depart and to carry theyr goodes whether soeuer they woulde or otherwyse to vse them at theyr owne pleasure They which were deputed for Rochel made answere that they had hytherto in no poynt disobeyed the kyng but had euer shewed themselues hys faythfull subiectes That by the daungerous and troublesome state of the tyme they were constrained to this necessarie defence of thēselues least they should fall into the handes and willes of theyr enimies as others had done which had imbraced with them the same religion That they desired of the king this one thing namely that they might enioy the libertie of their consciences by the benefite of the Edict of peace But seing the cause in hād was not their alone but belongyng
were called the Rochellians complayning of the same vnto the messengers that were sent vnto them The same day the duke of Anjou went downe into a mine A souldier knewe him who by and by discharged at him his peece with the shot whereof he slue a noble man which stoode hard by him and some of the haile shot ran through the ruffe of the shirtband of the duke of Anjou and yet he had no harme but not without great peril of his life The Rochellians had intelligence giuen them that treason was a working agaynst them vnder the colour of a parley whereby they were admonished to looke diligently about thē and to be in a readinesse Notwithstanding the Ambassadors of peace come at the day appoynted and by common consent truce is taken the which notwithstanding was not obserued the townsmen complayning that the kings souldiers had taken a view of their ditch to their dammage So that the truce being broken a freshe battaile began betwene them wherein seuen of the kings side were slaine and of the townesmen one yong man About the Euening by the Maiors commaundement al the Citizens and other townesmen which were there present were called togither to heare the principal poynts and conditions of the kings peace There came into the kings campe Ambassadors from Polonia for the ioy of whose comming many peales of greate gunnes were shot off mons l'Noe returned to the parley with the townesmen in the name of the Duke of Anjou the kings ordinance shooting off in the meane time Shot also was discharged from the sea coast into the Citie and at a window a nurse with a yong infant was slaine The Ambassadors concerning the peace making returned agayne But the purpose of the Catholikes was in time of the parley to blowe vp a myne This the townesmen vnderstoode wherevpon all men at the Maiors commaundement were readie in armour Therefore they determined to deferre the matter vntill the parley were ended They had great hope to preuayle in the breaking vp of the myne About the Euening fire was set to the myne the whiche beeing blowen vp ouerthrewe the wall notwithstanding to such aduauntage for the townesmen that the enimie could not so easily enter as before he might haue done also one of the kings great Gunnes fell into the ditche In the meane time the ordinaunce in the ships vpon the sea coast were not vnoccupied The cause of another parley was for that the Rochellians sayde that they had not theyr owne cause alone in hande but the cause of other of their brethren also requyring that they which had borne armour for the same cause might bee prouided for by the same benefite of the Edict They of Nisme and of Montauban and others whiche had taken their part were easily admitted to the same benefit But at the first the Duke of Anjou excluded them of Sanserre and Daulphine He greatly withstood the Sanserreans whome he thought might easily be ouercome being farre set and separated from the helpe of theyr fellowes About that time the rysing of them of Daulphine hauing Mombrune and other noble men theyr captaynes was very weake and of small power Notwithstanding he promised that he would haue consideration of them both and that they shoulde bee partakers of the same benefit with the Rochellians Neuerthelesse in the Edicte it selfe of the which we will make mention anon he speaketh nothyng at all of them notwithstanding the condition of the Rochellians This also was the kings drift namely that by priuate Couenants and agreements he might diuide the religious one from another Therfore he thought it good to take peace with the Rochellians to shune the reproche of the foyle as though by constraynt he had raysed his siege Also the presence of the Ambassadors of Polonia vrged him before whom he thought it not conuenient for his dignitie to sustain so great dishonour and therefore he prouided for the same by a speciall remedy least with shame his armie should be constrayned to depart after so long a siege specially such honorable famous personages of a strange countrey being present The Duke of Anjou sayd that both at their instance and also at the intercession of the Rochellians he forgaue muche The Rochellians both earnestly desired to be deliuered from the extreame troubles of the long siege and also were very carefull for that which should folowe afterwarde Therefore at the last they concluded with the Duke of Anjou The couenants whereof ye shall heare anon THE Duke of Anjou sendeth to the King the agreement made with the Rochellians that he might confirme the same by his authoritie might cause it to be drawn in forme of an Edict In the meane while truce was taken for sixe dayes The townesmen come into the kings campe bring wine vnto his souldiers and receiue meate and other food of them again they saluted also talked friendly one with another notwithstanding watch ward was kept diligently within the citie to awake those which were secure vpō trust of a large peace a tumult was raised of purpose by captaine Norman euen as if the enimie had bin come At the last the kings forts and bulwarkes were ouerthrowne and the great gunnes caryed away The townesmen also for ioy made bonfiers in diuers places of the towne and certayne noble men had free leaue to go from the kings campe and to enter into the citie The tenth day of Iune monsieur Biron hauing certayne Heraldes of Armes attending vpon him entered into the citie and in euery corner and principal streate of the town proclaymed the Edict of peace in the kings name The same day Shippes laden with Wheate and other victuall came into the hauen with the scarsitie and penurie whereof the Rochellians beganne nowe to be vrged The tenure of the Edict now foloweth as it was set down and signed by the King. CHARLES by the grace of God king of France to all present or to come greeting Our intent hath alwayes bene and is after the example of our predecessours to rule and gouerne our realme and to receiue of our subiectes their obeysance to vs due rather by gentle by louing manner than by force Wherefore our most deare and welbeloued brother the King of Polonia hauing full vnderstanding of our will and pleasure hath appoynted and deputed certayne of the chiefe personages of our priuie counsell being with him to heare and vnderstande the complayntes griefes and supplycations of the Maior Sheriffes and Counsellers dwellers and inhabitants of our towne of Rochel Gentlemen and others that are there abyding And for as much as it is so that now in the end our most deare brother the sayd king of Polonia according to our pleasure and good will hath by the aduice of our most deare and welbeloued brethren the Duke of Alencon and King of Nauarre our most deare and welbeloued cousins the Prince of Conde and Prince Dauphine the Dukes of
to be made Notwithstanding hee to whom this charge was committed was taken at Lions by the Lifetenant Mandelot and was kept in warde certayne monethes THE Queene was much troubled in mynde and very carefull for the auoyding of diuers dangerous straytes For she did perceiue that they of the religion were not only sproong vp in great number but also that they were more wyse and by the late successe also of matters more constant and couragious and that therefore shee should haue a sore conflict with them To these were added new enemies who hauing no regard to religion but only a care of ciuil affayres would haue the gouernment reformed and in better state And she was not ignorant how that the most famous of the nobles were both authors and also instruments of that counsaile Shee knew that hir sonne the Duke of Alancon was an enemy vnto hir gouernment furthermore that the King of Nauarre and the Prince of Conde were very angry with the perill and dammage which they had receyued in their owne persons therefore the ambicious woman suspected that they also were of this counsaile to remoue hir from the gouernment of the Realme The Kings health bring past all hope of recouerie and the neere approachyng of his death was giuen out by his soothsayers whose helpe and counsaile the Queene greatly vsed which caused hir to feare least according to the custome of the lawes and ordinances of the Realme the gouernement of the same should bee set ouer vnto the Duke of Alancon whereby the counsailes and deuises of hir enemyes had an open way made for them to take effecte To take away these inconueniences the woman by long experience of matters and by gouernement in great affayres being more circumspect and subtil than the wisest purposed to prouide all meanes and wayes She ioyned pollicie and force together that she might not faile to bring hir purpose to passe She pretended the kings name in all causes in euery place whom notwithstanding shee made very seldome priuy to hir counsailes bicause he was sicke as she pretended She very carefully prouided that the kings armies should bee in a readines at hir commaundement vnder the colour of warre against Languedoc the which was certainly sayde to be prepared excepte they of the Religion in Languedoc would receyue these conditions commaunded in the Edicte of Rochell And the Countie D'Retes hauing receiued a great summe of money gathered souldiers together in Germany Also the end of hir policies was that the authors of the new sturres should be destroyed by a new murther Aboue the rest d'Anuil withstood these mischeuous deuises who being far from the Courte seemed plainly to make delay notwithstanding that he was oftentymes commaunded in the kings name to come at what tyme he being in a great and large countrey most fitte conuenient for his purpose by reason of the power of them of the religiō seemed to be in possibilitie to enioy both the kings armie and also the noble cities therin he beheld dayly other enemies whō the queene sawe to be lesse appliant to do iniurie Therfore there came oftentimes letters of the king to d'Anuil that eyther setting all excuse asyde leauing the prouince in peace he would come vnto the king or els veryly that he should be apprehended amidst these communications of peace And for this purpose M. Sansulpis and M. Villeroy were sent to d'Anuil vnder the colour of peace speciall commaundements of the Queene concerning this matter being giuen to M. Suz and Mongeron who in those partes were of great authoritie among the Catholiques On the other parte the Queenes enemyes had their secret counsailes the ende whereof was that an assembly of States might bee had euen by meere commaundement and that the gouernement of the Realme might be restored to a better state concerning the which matter what we know wee wil speake anon Therfore while the Queene sent often messengers into Languedoc concerning peace both d'Anuill was diligent in his affayres and also they of the Religion wished peace Neuerthelesse they of the religion made new delayes dayly by those cōmunicatiōs of peace which they called a collation and messengers were sent to and fro from the Courte into Languedoc These things thus continued from Ianuary vnto the moneth of March. AT THE laste Henry Valoys came into Polonia and was receyued with great pompe of the Polonians And after that the royall Funeralles belongyng vnto kings was celebrated for Sigismond who notwithstanding dyed in Iune in the yeere M.D.Lxxij the newe king was crowned in a great assembly of the nobles and people of Polonia at Cracouia by the Arche bishop of Guesuen the eightenth of February of this present yeere M. Mombrune towarde the ende of the moneth of March came with his armie into that parte of Daulphine which lyeth vppon the coast of the Riuer of Rosune and tooke certayne smal townes as Loriol Liberon Ale◠Gran and Roynac and repayred the decayed walles of Liberon and Loriol After this he made an inroade and inuasion of all that countrey violently assayling the gates of Valence of L'Crest and of Montile And he conspired against the most noble Cities and specially against Montile the which conspiracies the Catholiques turned to the destruction of many Vppon this occasion the noble men of the Religion which lay in corners vntill the tyme seeing the present perill that king ouer their heades came and ioyned themselues with Mombrune VVE SAYD before that Orange was taken by Glandag to giue occasions of warre Whilest he was absent Berchon by the helpe industrie of certayne of the Citizens of Orange tooke the Castell and the Citie notwithstanding parte of the townsmen were sore afearde and they also of the Religion which dwelt there aboutes as if Berchan would haue restored the Romishe Religion and euil entreated them of the religion Neuerthelesse he going about no new thing gaue thē to vnderstande that hee helde the Castell and the Citie in the name of his Prince that all Citizens without difference of Religion might liue peaceably according to the forme of the Edicte And so their neighbours of Auinion which seemed to be in possibilitie to get that Citie to the which they bare alway a priuie grudge were put out of all hope to obtayne the same Berchon was sayd to be very familiar with Cardinall Arminiae the Popes Legate but not without great suspicion of a summe of money receyued ABOVT the same tyme the Catholiques thought that they had occasion offered them to get Nismes by treasō There is a little towne neere vnto Nismes called Margaret of the which M. Santaial a noble man had the gouernement with a strong garrison who by the meanes of certayne of the Catholiques of Nismes delt with a certain captayn of the townsmen named Deron and promised a great summe of money to tell him by what meanes he might get the Citie The captayne by and by bewrayed this matter vnto M. Sanroman
the Liefetenant who commaunded him to offer diligently hys traueile vnto Santaial to couenant with him for his rewarde and to appoint the day and the manner of the enterprise Then Deron without delay vnder colour of a priuy escape spake with Santaial receyued his reward and prescribeth the day the manner how hee might bring his purpose to passe The which being done he enformed Sanroman of the whole matter The manner of this treason should be thus namely that one of the gates of the citie should be lefte open for Santaial to enter Therfore the gate was left open according to couenant on the day appointed the warders vsing greate silence notwithstanding all things were prepared to receyue the enemy But none of the Catholiques appeared hauing intelligence of deceyt notwithstanding that for this purpose bandes of the catholiques were come out of the countrey of Viuaretz Daulphine and from diuers other places About the same time also D'Anuill should haue bene taken by treason which was bewrayed and the traytor hanged These were two practises of great wayght to furder the Queenes purpose if they had successe according to hir mynde ABOVT the same time they of Villeneufe of whom we spake before slue certaine bandes of the Catholiques without losse of any one of their men and tooke a little towne called Aubenac not far from the Riuer of Rosne and slue the Garrison almost which remayned of those that were slayne of Lions CHRISTOPHER sonne of the Counte Palatine ioyned himselfe with Graue Lodowic who vntill that day had borne no Armour accordyng to the forme of the othe whiche hee tooke at Mountes Who brought an armie of two thousand horsemen vnto his brother the Prince of Orange And while he taried at Mastricte the space of two monethes looking for his footeband of Gascoines and practising by counsail in the meane tyme to take the Castel of Andwerp was at the last very sore charged with the kings power in the territorie of Mokens within the dominion of Cleueland two myles from Nijmegen And hauing vntill the euening valiantly withstood their force tooke Sig. Lasso a man of great fame among the Spaniardes The daye following about the breake of the day the kings partes giuing a freshe assaulte at what tyme the Graue Lodowic had sent away parte of his horsemen to prouide forrage and the Launce knightes came on very slowly to the battaile the Spaniardes gotte at the laste the victorie but not without bloudshed the chiefe Captaynes Christopher and Lodowic being loste in that conflicte whose death was doubted a long tyme Notwithstanding this is certayne that they had receyued so many woundes before they were slayne that they being diligently sought for among the deade bodyes of suche as were slayne coulde not bee knowen Thys slaughter happened the seuentene of Aprill of thys present yeere About the beginning of Februarie there brake forth newe bandes of newe men in the countrey of Poictou which called themselues Politikes and Malecontentes of the which some professed that they sought the reformation of the realme other some the reuenge of their parentes and kinsmen which were slayne in the furies on Saint Barthelmewes day These ioyned themselues with those of the Religion who almost about the same tyme had begoon warre a freshe in the conntrey of Poictou hauyng Monsieur L'Noe theyr Captayne ALSO at the same instante almoste Countie Mongomeri comming out of England into Normandy tooke Sanlo and Charent townes neere vnto the Sea coast and in Normandy the lower he tooke the towne called Donfro Therefore these newe commotions of the Politikes and of the Religious caused newe musters of men in those partes and it was sayde that this was the beginning of great matters and that many noble men would come vnto this warre But whereunto this came we will shewe by and by Almost at the same tyme namely the last of February there was great feare in the Courte It was tolde the Queene that there was certayne troupes of horsemen seene ryding to and fro neere vnto Sangerman where the king at that tyme lay This so sodayne feare caused the number to bee thought the greater M. d'Guitri a noble man was Captayn ouer those troupes which cōtayned fiue hundred horsemen The Queene tolde the king hereof being at the poynt of death and caused him to bee remoued out of hande from Sangerman to Paris And shee sent messengers vnto M. d'Guitri to know of hym in the kings name what his entent was Who deliuered vnto the messengers certayne petitions concerning the reformation of the Realme and the restoring of the authoritie of the states and so within fewe dayes after departed not knowing what would ensue thereof In the meane tyme the Queene apprehended many in the Courte and in diuers places of Paris whom shee thought to bee giltie of this conspiracie among which of the nobilitie was M. Coconass and d'Mole of Arles one of the familiar frendes of the Duke of Alanson Also at the same tyme the Marshalles Momorencie and Cosse were in the Courte They within certayne dayes after were at the commaundement of the king and Queene apprehended by the Kings Garde and were openly in the sight of all men caryed into the Castell of Bastill The Queene also caused Rumors to be spred abroad that they were the authors of a bolde conspiracie concernyng the intercepting of the King and the settyng ouer of the kyngdome to the Duke of Alancon to the ende they might rule all things as they themselues lusted Therefore she commaunding the household seruants of the king of Nauar and of hir sonne the Duke of Alanson to be taken away caused them to be kept close prisoners that they might go no whether nor do any thing without keepers She depriued D'Anuil also of the gouernment of Languedoc as accessarie to the sayd conspiracie and she sent the Prince d'Alphine the sonne of Monpenser into Daulphine with great power to bee gouernour of Languedoc and she wrote vnto the Senat of Tholose concerning the same depriuation of d'Anuill Also shee commaunded the Lord d'Acier by hir letters who was an enemy to d'Anuill to ayde d'Alphine in the custody of Languedoc to bring vnto him all the power hee was able to make All these things were done in the kings name Mombrune about the very comming of the Prince D'Aulphine slew fiue Ensignes of footemen at a towne called Pontereaw In the meane tyme D'Anuill lay still doing all things in the kings name neyther did he enterprise any thing any whit the more when he vnderstood of the imprisonment of his brother But the kings letters which Prince d'Aulphine sent vnto the lord d'Acier were intercepted at Pusin and came to his handes and by that hee perceyued the treason wrought against him then began he more openly to deale with them of the religion and to talke also with mons Sanroman to take certayne cities but somewhat to late For he lost the more noble cities by his
grounde belonging to the fame was remoued out of his place and houses that were strongly builte and trees also that were greate and talle were ouerthrowne Also the Suburbes of Lyons called Aguilot was almost quyte ouerthrowen with this vyolence of waters and the greateste parte also of the stonewoorke of the Brydge vppon the Riuer of Rosne An armie was prepared to goe to Burdeaux and to the famous hauens of Broages the charge whereof was committed to Mons Strozzi and to Baron d'Guarde The rumor concerning the warre to come encreased more and more euen as fame is woont to preuent things to come But it was giuen out that thys warre should bee in the lowe countrey Therefore the Spanish Ambassadors made often complaints vnto the King as though by his maiesties commaundement warre should haue bene taken in hande against the Kyng of Spaine his soueraigne But the Kyng excused him selfe with wonderfull dissimulation insomuche that they of the Religion by so doubtfull an aunswere deemed that the Kyngs mynde was fully perswaded concerning the warre of the low countrey About the same tyme also Lodowic Nassau brother to the Prince of Orange came to the Courte accompanying the Queene of Nauar and entred into league with the Kyng in his brothers name the same being subscribed and sealed At such tyme as the Nauie was preparing in the Occean Sea appointed with six thousand footmen and a great number of peeces there went a common ieste abroade that the Nauie went into the Isle of Florida to fetch golde but in very deed the simpler sorte of the commen people sayde that this preparation was not only by the Kings sufferance but also by his expresse commaundement for the lowe countrey This preparation pleased the moste parte of the people very well and all men of both partes were ready to ioyne together in the same warre with so good will as if they had neuer felte the calamities of warre On the other parte a great number of Catholiques and of those of the Religion accordyng as they were ioyned together by affinitie and acquaintance went to another warre namely into Italy against the Turke against whom he seeking to winne the Isle of Malta they bended their whole force power Therefore men went thither with a great trayne of noble men of France among which Marques d'Menie brother to the Duke of Guise was one Notwithstanding the greater parte went to the warre of the lowe countrey Captaynes being sent into all parts of the Realme to gather such Soldiers as would serue in that war of their owne accorde and their wages was payde them out of the Kings treasurie THE delay of this mariage seemed to be very long to all men but especially to thē which looked for desired the same the cause whereof was made the Popes prohibition notwithstāding the kings letters oftentimes sent for licence and his request to the Cardinal Alexandrin for the same purpose THE fyrst day of May in thys present yeare Pope Pius the fyfth dyed the which offered hope to the King as he sayd to obtayn of the new Pope licence to ende the mariage Yet notwithstanding the Queene of Nauar plainly shewed hir selfe not to regarde any suche lycence for the which cause were made so many delayes and shee complayned hereof oftentimes vnto the King. SHORTLY after the Popes death being noysed the King commaunded the Cardinall of Loraine to goe to Rome to be present as it was reported at the Popes election The King sayd that hee had giuen him in charge to procure the Popes dispensatiō that once at the last that mariage might bee finished The Cardinall promising faithfully to accomplishe the Kings commaundement concerning the Pope altogether renouncing the Courte seemed in the iudgement of the wyser sorte besyde common reportes to prouide for his owne safetie least he him selfe should bee in daunger in so great fauour of them of the Religion or in the proclayming of a new war. All which things were so handeled by the craftie dealing of the Queene mother the King also framing both his countenance and also his speach accordingly that euen the moste fine wittes in the courte thought that there was nothing but truth ment IN the moneth of May there was a Synode at a noble Citie in Languedoc called Nismes of the reformed Churches To thys Synode by the benefite of the Kyngs letters came the Ministers and chosen men of the reformed Churches from all partes of the Realme The question was moued concernyng ecclesiasticall doctrine At this Synode were present Theodore de Beza Anthonius Chandoeus Nicolaus Gelazius and dyuers other learned and famous men Gelazius was chosen to bee the moderator of this Synode THERE was at this tyme a great famyne in Languedoc and about the Sea coast being of it selfe a very fruitefull soyle and it continued so sore that dead bodyes starued with hunger laye in the streetes For thys cause the Synode brake vp theyr sittyng at Nismes and appoynted a vacation bothe for that victualles wanted to serue so great a multitude and also to prouide for the poorer sort least they should be at charge for lawe matters THE peace which men nowe more largely enioyed had almost losed the reynes of al libertie in so much that he which now professed the Religion seemed to differ nothing at all neyther in speache nor in manners from the Catholike And now there beganne to be a great famine of the word of God mens myndes being annoyed with tedious curiositie and in many also of luke warme zeale in suche wise that a great number of those of the Religion could nowe scarsely abyde to heare a Sermon of ordinarie doctrine as not eloquent and courtly inough Thus by peace and ease things commonly waxe worse and worse Is it then any maruell if the Church be oftentimes afflicted and ouerwhelmed with troubles and calamities when it abuseth peace and the happy successe of things THERE is vpon the sea coast of Flaunders a citie called Vlishing standing verie conueniently for trafike and entercourse to Andwerpe The townesmen of this citie being wearie of the crueltie of the Spaniards slue the Lieftenant which was set by the Duke of Alba to kepe the towne and certaine of his garrizon and tooke the citie And when the Duke of Alba sent a newe supply to recouer the towne they valiantly repulsed them and set them selues at libertie By their example many cities of the lowe countrey were incouraged and the noble townes of Zeland and Holland were sayde to fauour the Prince of Aurenge and to desire libertie THE Queene of Nauar being poysoned to death with a payre of perfumed gloues as is sayde in the tenth booke the King Queene and the whole court seemed to take hir death very grieuously The King to put away all suspition of poyson commaunded that the dead body should be ript vp by phisitions and so the causes of hir death found out The phisitions taking a viewe of the
they might shew all the arguments that might be to the king of theyr obediēce Therfore the men of Sanserre assembled togither with monsieur Candaillet and testifie that they will yeelde vnto the king all obedience requiring one thing onely at his handes whiche was that they myght haue lybertie of lyfe and conscience according to the fourme of the Edict for the faythfull perfourmance whereof they sayde that they woulde yeelde vnto hym an hundred of theyr chiefe Citizens for pledges Thys was the begynning of greate dissention among the Citizens whiche almost oppressed the Citie in thys first beginning Monsieur Candaillet returned to the Court being accompanied with fiue of the chiefe Citizens of Sanserre of which two were Catholikes and three were Religious These had commission subscribed with the handes of the chiefe Citizens that they woulde allow and confirme whatsoeuer they did according to the fourme of the same The Messengers of Sanserre so soone as they were come into the Court had spoken to the King and Queene whether it were by threatnings or vpon hope of certaine rewards craued pardō of the king in the name of al the citizens of Sanserre whose persons they represented as though they had grieuously offended agaynst him beseeched the king that he would send M. Fontene to Sanserre with a power promising to vndertake that he should be welcom to the Inhabitants therabouts Therfore mon. Candaillet goeth before to tel them of Sanserre of the comming of mon. Fontene The which when they heard wondring at the matter being greatly offended therwith they assemble thēselues togither to consult of the same and at the last accord That forsomuch as the Messengers had don that thing by the kings perswasion against the forme of their cōmission they might lawfully refuse and reiect their act and agreemēt They send out to meet with mon. Fontene and to tel him that they are sory for the rashnesse of their deputies in that they had caused him to come vnto Sanserre certifying him withal that they knewe hys great good will for the which they gaue hym thankes promysing that they woulde yeelde vnto him great honour and woulde moste friendly entertayne him so that he would come to theyr citie in tyme of peace But forsomuch as it was a troublesome tyme they beseeched him to take it in good part that they could not suffer him to come into the citie Notwithstandyng Mons Fontene came to Cosne a towne two leagues from Sanserre that from thence he myght the more conueniently prosecute hys businesse The Deputies also of Sanserre were returned from the Courte Then contentions began to growe among the Citizens about the receyuyng of Monsieur Fontene For the Deputies perswaded with certaine of the chief citizens to receyue Mons Fontene into the citie shewyng the daunger which otherwise might come vnto the towne On the contrary parte others but specially forreners thought it not meete to receyue him Monsieur Fontene vnderstandyng that he was most of all resisted by forreners to enter into the citie wrote vnto them affirmyng that there was no cause why he should betray theyr safetie but rather that he had a care for the same Notwithstandyng that it was not meete that through theyr counsayle the miserable townsmen should runne into peril and that they ought not to be the procurers of them to resist the kyng seyng if they would they could not Therefore if they would determine to go to any other place he woulde bryng to passe that they should be safecōducted whether soeuer they would for the faythful performāce wherof he sayd they should haue pledges The forreners sent two Deputies to M. Fontene by which they desire that they may haue the libertie of cōscience and the peace and tranquillitie giuen vnto them by the king according to the prescripte of the pacificatorie Edicte affirmyng that they had done iniurie to no man but came vnto Sanserre vpon purpose to shunne those murders which were committed in other places and were receyued into the citie with the good leaue of the townsmen Therfore that there was no cause why theyr abode shoulde be greeuous or offensiue to any man so much that they shoulde departe to any other place To this monsieur Fontene more angerly answered that he would satisfie the kings commaundement in doyng that which shoulde be for the purpose and also for the kings dignitie Therfore that which could not be brought to passe by pollicie was assayed by force Therefore those townesmen whiche thought good to admit monsieur Fontene into the towne in the kings name by subtill deceite tooke the castell and tooke with them into the same monsieur Racam the brother of monsieur Fontene But when monsieur Fontene was come with his armie more neare to the citie to put a more strong garrison into the Castell behold the townsmen which were of the Religion gaue a violent assaulte vpon the castel by whiche they put the warders to flight and tooke the same euen the same day At that time they of Sanserre coulde not with courage inough bende thēselues to warre notwithstanding being admonished by present peril they began to arme themselues with courage and to make preparation for theyr owne defence THe affayres also of the lowe countrey accordyng to the order of the storie begon are not to be omitted but briefly touched The Prince of Orange hauyng an armie well appoynted prospered well in his affayres in the low countrey of Flaunders hauing gotten into his handes the most noble cities about that time that the murders were committed at Paris Therfore when he had taken Mechgeline Audenard and constrained Louen to pay vnto him a great summe of money he came to Mountes with all his power both to helpe his brother the Graue Lodouic and also to deliuer the towne compassed with a strayte siege by the Duke of Alba. The Prince of Orange arriued with greate speede to the Duke of Alba his campe whose cōmyng by apparance should haue brought great detriment to the Duke of Alba being hemd in on euery side by his enimies notwithstanding the Prince of Orange beyng slowe in biddyng battayle by reason of the importunate calling of the souldiers for wages departed without any attēpt giuen And retyring the Duke of Alba deuised to worke him some secrete mischiefe For the whiche purpose he sente after him fiue hundred well appoynted souldiers with calliuer shot and a troupe of horsemen to follow the pursuite who settyng vppon the Princes campe in the night and killyng the watche made greate slaughter with a Canbusadow vpon hys armie killyng many and wounding not a fewe When horrible newes of the Frēch slaughters came to the eares of the Graue Lodouic by whiche he and his fellowes were not a little troubled and beyng out of hope to haue succours from his brother the Prince of Orange the Duke of Alba also dayly more vehemently assaulting him the enimie beyng repulsed the Graue Lodouic began to intreate
the ditche placed horsemen and footemen in conueniente order and commaunded a most strayt kynde of watche and ward in suche wise that it was not possible by any meanes that any man should goe out or come into the Citie When the townesmen sawe them selues to be thus inclosed they sente to diuers places for succours but specially into Germanie and into Languedoc But what came thereof we will shewe in order hereafter VVE sayde before that Harlem a towne in Hollande was beseeged by the Duke of Alba in winning whereof the Spanyards and contrariwyse in defending of the same the Prince of Orange hys souldiers tooke great paynes The wall being battered downe with shot was so fortifyed agayne by the garrison in the towne that trenches beeyng conueniently made by woonder labor round about within the Citie the inner partes of the Citie were deemed more fyrme and strong than the very walles were before Whilest this Citie was beseeged and valiant actes shewed on both parts many things in the meane time diuersly fel out The seauen and twentie day of Ianuary the Spanish nauie was taken by the Flisshiners notwithstanding it escaped away agayne with great slaughter IN THE meane tyme the Prince of Orange laboured by all meanes possible to vittayle them of Harlem beyng oppressed with famine and by due and conuenient arriuall from the bordering Cities ther aboutes as frō Leyden and Delfe and by the benefyte of the hard colde winter the way beeing frosen hard with Ise he brought to passe that victuals were conueyed to the townesmen In the beginning of March a new supply of Spanyardes to the number of fyue ensignes came into the Camp. The Flisshiners encountered happily at Ternese with the nauie of the Duke of Alba. THE Prince of Orange according to the variable chance of warre or rather by the manifolde prouidence of the Lord of hostes going about to succour them of Harlem with shippes Countie Bossu the Kings Liefetenant of Hollande encountering with him and being of more force tooke certayne shippes wherevpon ensued a new slaughter vpon the Prince of Oranges part by the meanes of them of Amsterdam ABOVT this time also the Reisters whiche were vnder the paye of the Duke of Alba taking with them the footebande with shot made an inroade in the territorie of Leyden robbing and spoyling the same and carying away a greate bootie VVITHIN fewe dayes after they of Harlem brake foorth vpon the kings armie as they were triumphing vpon the successe of their victories and were celebrating the feast of Easter and slewe a greate many and wounded many and for the good successe heereof they brake foorth agayne the daye following vppon the Duke of Alba hys campe and hauyng slayne certayne and disturbed the campe they returned into the Citie agayne But when they brake foorthe in the euenyng of the same daye and came in the dead time of the nighte vpon the Reisters Campe the Reisters were wyth feare so astonyed hauyng not yet breathed synce theyr late Conflictes that leauyng theyr Tentes they betooke them vnto theyr heeles most cowardlye they of Harlem following the chase and making a great slaughter of their enimies Notwithstandyng the townsmen hauing this successe not mynding to assaile the rest of the army for that they sawe them selues vnable to make their partie good retyred into the Citie agayne THE Kinges power wherof the Countie Bossu was generall and the power of the Prince of Orange striued who should be Lords of the Sea wherevpon diuers conflictes were had betweene them bycause the preheminence of the water might eyther helpe or hinder the towne of Harlem Therefore the Orengians wente about to winne the rampier thereby to stoppe the entercourse and passage of Amsterdam by whyche vittayles were carried into the Duke of Alba his campe But the men of Amsterdam came foorth and skirmished wyth the Orengians and beholde as they were buckeling togeather a greate number of Rusticall laborers were discouered The Orengians suspecting that the Spanyards were come were discomfyted and so for feare leauing eyght of theyr Shyppes in the power of the enimies were slayne by heapes by them of Amsterdam the reste cowardlye ranne away Thus the other practise to ayde the beseeged in Harlem was made frustrate the County Bossu defending that sea coast with the Spanish nauie But when the Duke of Alba had supplyed fresh soldiers in the roome of such as were slayne picking them out both from among the Reisters and Burgundians and also out of the old seruitours of the garrisons of the lowe countrey and thē procuring a more strayt seege notwithstandyng the constante seeking of the Prince of Orange to succour there came in the meane tyme a sore famine vpon them of Harlem for it is a Citie both copious of it selfe and was also replenished with a garrison of soldiers The Prince of Orange being only busily occupied in delyuering of Harlem leuied so greate an armie as hee coulde out of Hollande and Zelande minding to breake into the Citie to helpe the besieged The generall of this armie vnder the Prince of Orange was VVilliam Bronchorste Lorde of Battēburge He came at the last with his power to the duke of Alba his camp hauing slayne at the first onset the rereward of the Reisters encoūtred couragiously with the rest of the armie But the duke of Alba his part taking vnto thē courage so defended them selues that they did not only repulse the Orengians but also destroyed them with a great slaughter For it is sayde that there were a thousande and fiue hundred slayne the enimie hauing taken in the spoyle fourtene ensignes tenne fielde peeces and thirtie waggons Also the Lorde of Battemburge him selfe was slayne THVS the Duke of Alba hauing a great victorie folowed more vehemently the siege of Harlem Then they of Harlem being brought to great distresse by the siege whiche dured eyght monethes and by the sore famyne yeelded vp the towne vpon euyll conditions as that they shoulde submit them selues to the will and pleasure of the conquerer And to the ende the souldiers shoulde not haue the spoyle and bootie of the citie he commaunded two hundred and fortie thousande crownes to be gyuen vnto them Then the Spaniardes shewing all crueltie vpon the townesmen tormenting them by all manner of meanes The Duke of Alba commaunded sixe hundred of the souldiers to be hanged three hundred were brought out of the citie halfe naked and cast into the water a sight most pitifull and an acte with barbarous crueltie moste detestable seeing that the greatest parte of victorie consisteth in lenitie and mercie This happened the eleuenth day of Iuly NOw to returne to Rochell The Rochellians perseuered in their defence notwithstanding that they were nowe by no small occasion weakned And as the matter then seemed to require they committed the whole ordering charge of the war to certayne approued mē namely to mons Normā Riuier Charle Essarz Garguole reseruing
woulde haue made a sufficient armie by this meanes also the catholikes power was weakned Vicount Pauline was made Lieftenant of Montauban and mons Sanroman of whome we spake before being come from Switzerland to Nismes was made Lieftenant of the same after he had taken his othe The comming of Sanroman brought to passe that the discordes of the captaynes disagreeing among them selues hitherto being appeased their affayres had more happy successe in Nismes and in the cities adioyning therevnto all men obeying with all their heartes the commaundement giuen by him and also by the Senate Therefore nowe at the last necessitie and experience the schoolemistresse of fooles taught the religious for their necessary defence a new kind of order not vsed in the time of the former warres and more conuenient And these things wer handled very well in the assembly or conuocation at Milliaud These things being thus prouided to establish a certaine order the men of Languedoc also determined in this conuocation to require certaine things of the king for the confirmation of peace for the former Edict did not satisfie them as we saide before neither did the name of peace so moue them by and by that without consideration and respect all conditions were receiued bycause the light credit of the Princes afore time taught them to beware Therefore they sente vnto the king Mons Yolet Philip Cherenac and others whiche were actiue and prudent men The summe of their message was To giue thanks vnto the king for singular good will which he declared that he had to establishe peace in his kingdome That the same remedy was so necessarie the kingdome by so long warres being in decay and almost ouerthrowen that it could not be any longer deferred without present destruction That they were minded to shew all obedience to their Lord king But bycause the tragicall and lamentable memorie of the murders lately committed on S. Bartholmewes daye doth shewe how dangerous a thing it is for the king theyr soueraigne to be ruled by the euill counsayles of wicked counsaylers they most humbly beseeched his maiestie not to thinke it strange that they to whom it specially belonged sought the most conuenient wayes for the establishing of peace That it was lately broughte to passe that the king by the practises of euill counsaylers contrary to hys good nature declared him selfe by his publique letters to be the author and chiefe cause of that wicked fact the whiche notwithstanding a fewe dayes before he openly detested the contrary shew whereof was too shamefull in the sight of al nations That they were perswaded of his own good will towards them but they greatly feared least his mind shoulde be led by his counsaylers as aforetime and that therfore they would prouide for them selues and seeke to saue their liues and the liues of their friendes beeyng taught by the pitifull example of their fellowes THESE things being vttered First of al they require that for the securitie of peace and to auoyd newe troubles they might keepe those Cities whiche they had already in possession with their owne garrisons of men and the same to haue their wages payed them out of the kings treasurie Secondly that beside those Cities the king woulde giue vnto thē two Cities in euery prouince of the Realme which might be thought most meete and conuenient in the iudgemente and opinion of foure men two of the whiche foure to be Catholiques and the other two Religious and the same two Cities also to haue garrisons of the Riligious maintayned in them by the kings pay Thirdly that the vse of the reformed Religion bee free through out the whole Realme without exception of any place for al those which shal require the same of the king Fourthly that they of the Religion may haue graunted vnto them new parlaments in euery prouince and that by suche iudges as imbrace the reformed Religion Fifthly that to maintayne the ministers of their Churches they may haue leaue togather those tithes which arise of their lands Last of all that they whiche were the authors of the murder committed on Saint Bartholmewes day mighte be punished as murderers spoylers and disturbers of the common peace These seemed to bee large petitions and in very deede their speech to the king extēded farther in so much that the Queene saide in displeasure and anger That the prince of Conde him selfe if he were aliue and were euen in the very middest of the kingdome with twenty thousand horsemē and fiue hundred thousand footemē had also in his hands the chiefe Cities of the Realme would not craue the one halfe of those things Wherefore shee came to euery one of these messengers sought to win thē sometime by faire promises otherwhile by threatnings But it was so prouided in the assembly at Milliaud that the messengers of themselues should do nothing but only offer the letter vnto the king should refer the kings answeares vnto the Senate that the whole matter mighte bee allowed by the authoritie of the same Dayes of respit wer takē for a moneth a halfe so the messengers being honorably receyued into euery Citie returned home againe The Catholiques coulde scarsely be perswaded but that the most mightie princes fauoured the cause of the Religious and pretended that the great libertie which the Religious had was the cause why they so thought The king was said to desire peace being warned by the successe of the warre at Rochell and in Languedoc In the meane time preparation was made for the voiage into Polonia the Queene and the new King prouiding al things for great magnificēce notwithstanding they had not money according to their wil. About the same time in the which the Ambassadors of Polonia wer at Paris a very bold wicked fact was cōmitted Ther was a certayn Citizen in Paris of greate wealth named Nantoilet a Catholique one of the chiefe magistrates of the Citie To this mans house came the new king of whom he was very courteously entertayned But the Duke of Aniou being in the house begā to quarel with the said Nantoilet first with words at the whiche the other had great marueile Then his seruāts begā to spoile caried away his plate iewels brake opē his cofers and caried away a greate masse of money Thus the outrage of murders brake the raines of shame running into all impudent boldnesse AFTER that Harlem was taken the Prince of Orāge tooke Alcmar a Citie of Holland the Citizens being deuided within thē selues at what time one gate was takē by that part which held of the Duke of Alba and bāds both of horsemen and footemen sent from the said Duke wer now within the vew of the Citie Notwithstāding the Prince of Orange putting to flight the sayd power enioyed the Citie The Flisshingers tooke the Castell Ramekins the fifth of August Also the sayd Flisshingers the thirtenth day of the same moneth encountered with the nauie of the
Duke of Alba which loused from Antwerpe to carrie victuall to Middelburge part whereof they chased away and the rest came to Middelburge Furthermore the Prince of Orange tooke the towne of Mounts in Brabant The twentith of September the Orangians fought wyth happy successe vpon the coast of Amsterdam in the whiche fyght the Duke of Alba had a great ouerthrow with losse of a great number of his Shippes and also of his men The eleuenth day of October the Orangians after a long battayle fought vpon the sea got the victorie of the King of Spaynes nauie of whome they slue a great number and tooke the County Bossu Lord Admirall of the whole nauie In the beginning of December the Duke of Alba forsaking his authoritie of gouernment in the low countrey being Brussels by the authoritie and cōmission of the kings letters put ouer his said office to Lewis de Requizence great Commaunder of Castile and then prepared for his returne into Spayne THE new King of Polonia notwithstanding that the Ambassadors of Polonia made great hast found dayly new delayes to deferre his iourney whether it wer for the pleasure and delight which he had in his owne countrey or for greefe to leaue a more noble kingdome the assured possession whereof his mother had promised vnto him The king him selfe vrged his departure in somuch that it is reported he sayde in anger That eyther he or himselfe must needes goe into Polonia For the secret grudges of emulation which was in eyther of them could not be so couertly restrayned but that often times they brast foorthe The Queene loued the Duke of Aniou more than the king whose great towardnesse she greatly feared It is certainly reported that the Queene sayde to Henry beeing very carefull cōcerning his departure Be of good cheere only goe thou shalt not remayne long in Polonia By the rumor heereof many thought that the Queene meant little good vnto the King and that hereof that euill which happened within a while after vnto him proceeded the whiche verily I would not set downe if so be the same had not bin obiected vnto the Queene hir selfe by letters written by certayne Courtiers whiche knew well ynough the affayres of the court Yea it is most certayne that the Quene was so addicted vnto hir sonne Henry that she hated hir other two sonnes HENRY hauing couenaunted and agreed with hys brother concerning those thinges whiche appertayned to their affayres departed at the length from Paris the eyght and twenty of September The king sayd that he would bring him on his way to the boundes and limits of hys kingdome The which he could not performe for that he fel sicke of a soare feuer at Vitri a towne in Champaigne most menne thinking that he was poysoned Therefore the king tooke his leaue of his brother and went no further who wente through Germany as his iourney lay and was curteously entertayned of the Princes of the same notwithstanding he hearde them in euery place greeuously detest the murders of Fraunce the principall cause whereof was layd to his charge in obeying the wicked counsayles of hys mother About the same tyme Frauncis Hotomanus a famous Lawyer a man endued with godlinesse and singular learning published a booke which he intituled Francogallia and dedicated the same to Frederic Countie Palatine In the same booke the sayde Hotomanus declareth with exquisite reason what was the state of the kingdome of France in olde time bringing the same to memorie againe out of the ancient antiquities of the historie of France And he declareth that although the Frenche Gaules tooke in olde time theyr kings from the Nobilitie and therefore chose them suche kings as were come of kingly race had bin royally trayned and brought vp whether the same were of the number of their childrē or of their neere kinsmen yet neuerthelesse the kingdome of France of olde time was wont to be gyuen not by right of inheritance as a priuate patrimonie but by the iudgemēt free electiōs of the people For proofe wherof he bringeth many things out of the expresse words of the Testamēt of Charles the great out of the elections of Pharamund of the sonnes of Pipin of Charles and of Charlemain of Chilperic of Clothar of Ottho and of other kings of whome he hath made a lōg catalogue alleaging the very wordes of the histories notwithstāding so that the kingdome shuld be deuided by the decree consent of the states one while to one sometime to moe of the sonnes of the kings And that as the authority to choose kings so also the power to displace and depose them from their rule was in old time in the handes of the states of the people in the publique assembly of the Realm Therefore that kings wer created in France by fyrme lawes not tyrāts ordeyned with free authoritie power to do what soeuer them listeth For the which matter he bringeth many examples namely of the two Childerickes which kings were deposed frō the kingdome by the decree of the states of Theoderic which was displaced with Ebroin his Lord great master of Chilperic of Charles the grosse also of Ottho which was chosen king in stede of Charles the sonne of Lewis the stutter and he taketh the credite of their iudgements and most vrgent causes out of the very midst of the historie He sheweth also what things were specially handled in the solemne assembly of the states and also what was the authoritie of the same And first of al concerning the creating or displacing of a king secondly concerning peace warre and common lawes thirdly concerning greate honors high offices and gouernments of the common welth Fourthly concerning the assigning of the patrimonie in part to the children of the king being deceased and concerning the appointing of dowry to daughters finally concerning al those things which appertayne to the weale publique The power of the sayd assembly of States was such saieth he that without the authoritie or sentence of the same the king coulde determine nothing but must folowe the authoritie and will of the States which said authoritie and will were called The decrees of the states And now when as this kingdom of France hath cōtinued almost a thousand two hūdred yeeres ther are said to be in al this time only three houses of kings that is to say of the Merouins who taking their originall of Meroue continued that stock two hūdred fourscore three yeres of Charlouins who springing frō Charles the great grew in that stocke three hūdred thirty seuē yeres of Capenites who beginning at Hugh Capet haue now held the kingdome fiue hundred fourescore yeres The which Hugh Capet got the royal dignitie that Charlouins being deposed namely Lewis the fifth the .xxxj. king of France the .xij. king of the stocke of the Charlouins his children being dead in warde And then hee proueth by many examples that the royal dignitie stood
of the Prince of Orange in Belgie Mountes receyueth succours Mechgeline yeelded by the Prince of Orange to duke of Alba. The calamitie of them of Narden Harlem persisteth in defiance of the duke of Alba. Succors sent from the Prince of Orange intercepted by the Duke of Alba A monstrous Calfe A new Star. Cassiopeia is a signe in the fyrmamente whych hath twelue stars and is figured like a woman sitting in a chaire Commandements to beseege Rochel Preparation for the seege They of Rochell are assayed by letters An irruption by thē of Rochell Another eruption Treason practised against Rochell Mons le Noe general of Rochell The fort called le Eguille 41. The fort called Corceille 42. The fort of the new hauen 43. The Duke of Aniou vseth subtill perswasions to peace Backslyders frō the kings power A violent assalt by them of Rochell A legion cōmonly conteyneth 6000 footemen and 732. men of Armes A band conteineth sometime more mē and sometime lesse Letters hortatorie frō the Duke of Aniou to peace A topographicall descriptiō of Rochell Salte maryshes 16. Cogne fort 10 The tower Moreille 13. Sannicolas tower 18. Sannicolas forte 19. Sannicolas gate and the bulwarkes 20. Sannicolas tower 21. The tower of the hauen 22 The Lantern tower 23. The Citadel 1 The tower of Gayor 2. The newe gate bulwark platforme 3. The forte of the Castel 4. The place of Cockslem 5. The bulwark le Euangile 6 Cogne bulwarke 9. Mons Grandrise skirmisheth wyth the kings campe Mons l Noe hardly escapeth death Another assaulte The kings souldiers begin the assaulte Duke D'aumall slayne Truce taken for a parley The siege of Sommiron Monsieur Candale slaine Sommiron yeelded vp vpon good conditions Villeneufe in the territorie of Viuaretz is taken by them of the Religion D Anuil abstaineth frō war. Diuers cities in Languedoc takē by policie Pusis taken Mons Sanroman chosen to be generall by them of the religion Monbrune armeth himselfe in Dauphine The securitie of monsieur de Gordes Of the affayres of Sanserre The negligence of them of Sanserre The seege of Sanserre The courage of the Sanserreans in defēding thēselfs An Engine was a foure square thyng made of boordes and quarters for men to goe vnder to defend thē selues from stones shot The Sanserreans send for succors Concerning the affayres of the lowe countrey The Prince of Orange vittayleth Harlem A famine in Harlem Harlem surrendred vp to the Duke of Alba. Crueltie shewed at Harlē MARCHE Palereau An earthquake April The extremitie of the kings campe The Cazemates taken and forsaken againe A signe in the ayre Smoke made in the Citie The scaling ladders are ouerthrowne The victorie gotten by women Mongomeries nauie within sight of Rochel Maye Mons Cossine slayne The forte l'Euangile almost wonne Letters concerning peace Iune Letters of Mongomerie to the Rochellians A new kinde of fishe in the time of the siege came to Rochel Duke of Aniou chosen king of Polonia Occasion of peace The Duke of Aniou is in peril of his lyfe Truce broken Peace concluded betweene the king and thē of Rochel The Edict proclaymed The Edict of peace made the .11 of August An. 1573 Euery souse is .i. peny ob Englishe The pounde Turn ys is about two shillings sixe pence English A Franke or pounde is about two shillings sixe pence English A Liard is the fourth part of a souse A Deniere is the twelfth part of a souse The Sanserreans come to composition Preparation for the viage into Polonia Nantoilet robbed by the new king of Polonia The affayres of the lowe Countrey The Ramekeins Castell taken by the Flissinners Bycause the countrey of France was called in olde time Gallia or Gaule and was afterward by the Francones of Germany cōquered he caleth it here by the name of a compounde word Francogallia and the people Franco Galli that is to say French Gaules The Coronation of the King of Polonia Two noble men beheaded The death of king Charles ¶ TO THE READER FOrsomuch as in this historie we haue in diuers places briefly touched the affayres of the low countrey wee thought it necessary to adde to the ende of this worke this Epistle following which contayneth a summe of the tumults of the low countrey The same being at the first published in the Dutch tong in the yeere of our lord M.D.LXXIII in the moneth of September afterward by a certaine Dutchman turned into Latine and sent vnto vs with this title as followeth ¶ A Supplication to the Kings Maiesty of Spain made by the Prince of Orange the States of Hollande and Zealand with al other his faithful subiects of the lowe Coūtreyes presently suppressed by the tyrannie of the Duke of Alba and Spaniardes By which is declared the original beginning of the commotions and troubles happened in the saide lowe countrey MOst Soueraigne Lord your Maiesties most obedient and lamenting subiectes of the lowe Countreyes as they haue often pondered with them selues the natural affectiō and fatherly good inclination whiche your Maiestie hath since the time that your grace by the power of almightie God receiued the dominion and regiment of the sayde countries alwayes and continually shewed so haue they had a sure hope and vndoubted affiaunce that your Maiestie as well vppon their daily complaintes and lamentations as vpon the pitifull declarations and remonstrances of some christian Princes and Potentates vnto your Maiestie mercifully haue considered of our pitiful and most miserable suppression wherwith wee by reason of the great and vnsupportable force arrogancy and wicked regiment of the Duke of Alba are suppressed and mercifully haue regarded the most miserable ruine and destruction of these your natural lowe countreys who alwayes haue bin most faithfull and obedient both to your Maiestie and also your Graces predecessours Not doubting but that your Maiestie woulde greeuously haue been moued that hee vnder pretence of protecting and defending the Romish religion vnder the colour of your Maiesties name shoulde presume to frustrate and breake all the priuileges customes rightes wherunto your Maiestie and your predecessours haue sworne persecuting your faithfull subiectes in body and goodes and destroying your countries in none other sort but as if he had declared himselfe to bee an open enemy of your Maiestie and the subiectes of the same Therefore haue they alwayes earnestly attended that your Maiestie no longer suffering the sayde force woulde haue prouided some conuenient meanes for the safegarde of your countreys and deliueraunce of your poore and suppressed subiectes and haue a respect to the duetifull office of a king whom the almighty God the king of all kings hath placed and ordeined as a protectour of the righteous and a fatherly pastor of the people vnder your subiectiō to defend and preserue them from all force and violence and likewise to remember the manifolde and faithfull seruices which your saide countries and subiectes haue from tyme to time most faithfully don to your Maiestie and your