soone as a king seemeth to feare any one within his Realme or to mistrust that an other may bee greater than himselfe his Maiestie is gone he is no bodie euery man hath recourse to the other Albeit we can not be free yet will we haue but one master and if that master hath another master aboue him wee straight leaue the first to runne to the last such is the nature of man As for the king of Nauarres side the beginning of these warres do proue it to be the iustest he defendeth himselfe to defend it both lawfull and naturall yea hee so defendeth himselfe as forgetting all occasions of complaint he alwaies made conscience to molest the king albeit in the middest of the wars whom he see otherwise busied against those of the league notwithstanding he knew certainly that all those iars among them would light vpon himselfe Neither hath hee so rested but so oft as he might hee hath offered him both his person and goods for the recouerie of his authoritie out of the others hands with condition afterward to submit himselfe to whatsoeuer forme of peace that his maiestie woulde prescribe he hath offered it yea euen since the last commotions notwithstanding in all this warre he hath had a thousand a thousand occasions to prooue that he is not to trust any but God and his sword I haue also very great reasons to tearme this as yet the surest First his person is a great helpe for his enimies haue done him that fauour to teach him to bee a Captaine And surely so hee is yea such a one as may compare with the mightiest that euer was and albeit it hath cost him somewhat yet hath his apprentishippe cost them more his partakers are more stedfast they regard none but him and are retained by the dutie of conscience which hath vnited them togither either for religion or because they find themselues entred into a iust cause hauing had a better proofe of his partakers hee cannot feare any greater brunts then he hath already borne neither can his enimies practise any nouelties against him And if this thirde side had couragiously assailed the other two as they both haue done it they had bin better shaken then this is Moreouer he hath atchieued right of naturall succession to this realme which no particular person doth any way challeng against him so that albeit all France were agreed to take from him the crowne when it should fal yet could ther be none that ought to haue it in his stead for it is a great aduantage to haue no certaine aduersarie These vndoubted hopes do purchase him manie seruants and retaine him manie more where in the meane time many mens mindes who are loath to see the alteration of the auncient forme of their common wealth being assured that it cannot bee compassed without violence are glad to rest vppon him who comming in by the ordinarie gate needeth not to make any breach This is at this day the order that is in the disorders of the Realme of France These are the principall factions alreadie ordered and framed Others there be that haue no set faction but so farre as may stande with the commoditie of their affaires leaning to one of the three they come in a crosse hauing seuerall purposes agreeing with the others as concerning the beginnings though to other endes Of these there are the Q. Mother the K of Spaine the dukes of Lorraine and Sauoy These doo very well agree in setting forward the diuisions of the Realme to the end to dispossesse the King of Nauarre with the Princes of the blood but not in the patition No. Each one coueteth the whole or at the least the greatest part Other Catholike Princes there bee of the house of Bourbon that remaine with the king in deed take his parte as being vnited in religion which is the onely separation of the king of Nauarre yet will neuer proceed so farre as to consent to the aduauncing of the house of Lorraine or Guize before their owne and in that case will rather support their elder the king of Nauarre as the head of their house These beare great sway in France For were the K. of Nauarre away the succession of the Crowne should light vppon some one of them which is also a great hinderance to the D. of Guizes purposes Besides all these confused and yet seuerall diuisions wherto our mishaps do seeme as I haue said to haue already giuen some shape and rule euerie of these partakers hath his particular intent and proceedings The Duke of Guize with those which truely acknowledge none of the league in France but him haue this intent and principall scope to seise vpon the estate either wholly or in part a councell which by inheritance his vncle the late Cardinal of Lorraine hath engraffed in their familie This Prince the sole author of our broiles had a father and an vncle both cunning fellowes When our diuisions first beganne in the daies of the last king Charles betweene the Catholikes and Protestants and that they perceiued that the Prince of Câ—â—de then liuing embraced the other partie themselues hauing bene the stirrers vp of the troubles set themselues on the other and indeed the late Duke of Guize was already become captaine of his faction hatching in his imagination through his brother the Cardinals practises a secret intent to vsurpe this crowne either for himselfe or his posteritie whereas in respect of the K. and his brothers minoritie but especiallie by the ciuill warres he see the way open He deceased leauing this in maner a child vnder tuition of the Cardinall his brother from whom euen with his Milke he sucked the seedes of his domesticall ambition which this yoong Eagles birde did so well disgest that in short space all men might perceiue that the least part in him was greater then his fathers loines To say the truth there are manie good partes bred in him fit for great purposes and for my part I alwaies tooke this mans birth to be fatall and as it were a certaine token that God purposed the alteration of somewhat in our countrie He onelie is the whole league the rest of his house are not equall with him yea they all togither are not able to performe the least part of that which hee enterpriseth Full of dissimulation verie warie and discreete and greater then al the rest of his faction This dooth all the world perceiue by the effectes I haue founde it in his writings and vnder his owne hand in a matter of great importance where had it not beene for him one of the greatest of his partakers next him selfe had like to haue committed a grosse ouerfight This is his intent and purpose Now let vs see his proceedings and how hee behaueth himselfe His mischiefe was this that entring into a world of affaires there yet remained manie children in France and those in a manner of his owne age who all were capable of succession
of succession must needs be altered his daughters the kinges Nieces ought to haue the better part That which I say of the K. of Spaine may likewise be applied to the duke of Sauoy his son in law who is of much lesse power and hath no other deuises then his father in lawes These are all that either doo good or euill vnto France These are her good or bad humours These are the prosperous or contrary windes which torment trouble it And of their discordes and passions as diuerse as themselues as differing and contrarie as they are dependeth her good or euill happe Oh mightie Empire the glorie of Europe to the which the course of 1200. yeares could bring nothing but encrease thy enemies nothing but glorie there was some reason that after so manie victories thou shouldest ende by thy owne handes thou shouldest stoupe vnder thine owne force seeing destinie had not created in the world any conquerour ouer thee But leauing of this maner of speech which rather prouoketh me to weepe than to write seeing that the diuision of religion doth serue for a pretence in the alteration of our Realme and so consequently in his destruction if God suffer it so this euill being almost coÌ„mon to all the states of Europe I will slippe a little a side to speake somewhat of the generall affaires of Christendome in that which coÌ„cerneth these two great factions the one resting yet vnder the obedience of the Pope the other hauing cast it off I will not entreat hereof as a Diuine I knowe verie well that God commonly tryeth his by affections as the meanes to keepe men in their dueties and immediatly to haue recourse vnto him whom they thinke but little vppon whiles their necke is swollen vp with prosperitie Neither am I ignorant that the sonne of God pronounceth these wordes My kingdome is not of this worlde thereby teaching to the true Christians that it is not here that they ought to seeke their ease and although they finde themselues afflicted yet must they not mistrust of their cause as if God did detest them and were purposed to roote them out from the face of the earth albeit contrariwise they see the Turkes the Heathen the poore blinded ones in Popish superstitions haue all at will and conquer Realmes furnish Prouinces and them of veines of golde which neuer drie vp and their armies prosper euerie where That their good happe procureth them such men as to doo them seruice will attempt vppon those Princes liues that are their enimies euen in the middest of their Gardes Finally they scarse haue yet wished when God suffereth them to see their desire fulfilled Where cleane contrariwise hee hath laide this necessitie vppon his true seruantes that they shall take his crosse vpon their shoulders if they will followe him passe through the straight gate and after his example passe away their whole life in griefe affliction in necessitie According to these rules and tokens which cannot be applyed to any other then those that make profession of the true reformed religion it might suffice me to conclude that they whom God afflicteth after this sort are his true children whom hee will afflict but not vtterlie cast away whom he will chastice but not punish whom he vseth as his children that offended him in doing otherwise than he commanded them and not as seruantes that haue robbed him And after such a maner that although at this day throughout all Christendome the greatest potentates of the worlde bee confederated vnited and ioyned togither against them it is all in vaine God will neuer suffer that which is his to bee cast away they are his hee well may dippe them two or three fingers in the water but presently hee will stretch foorth his arme of deliuerance to pull them out of the gulph and that could I besides the indubitable trueth of that promise which he made vnto his prooue by the course of things that are passed in the church since the foundation of the world But as I haue said my purpose is not to reason like a diuine It sufficeth me to prooue that we haue not only that great supernatural piller of Gods power for our defence as an impenetrable shield against the which all the dartes of the worlde turne their points backwards but also euen in the worlde it selfe and among all humaine meanes he hath giuen vs without comparison more then our enimies so that if we suffer that they afflict vs it is but our fault because we cannot helpe our selues with that power that he hath giuen vs. All Christendome which is vnder the Popes obedience is at this day ioyned togither to roote out those of the religion Who are those wicked ones let vs iudge of their power and see whether it be so great as that we need to feare it It is the Pope it is the Emperour it is the king of Spaine there be certaine Potentates of Italie In France are the duke of Guize and his kinsmen who make the king and the realme to serue their turnes as they list In Switzerland there are certaine Cantons In Germanie diuers princes I haue named all and them by the most glorious names that I could deuise there are Popes Emperors Kings and numbers of Princes It is saide that all these terrors of the worlde are gathered togither to this purpose onely to make an end of those which professe the true religion God grant it so be it The more enimies the greater glorie But let vs search them a little nearer wee shall finde that all these men haue some particular intent which they keepe to themselues and that to â—â—intaine their vnitie they all agree onely in the generall What intentes let vs specially consider of them The Popes is manifest Luther Zuinglius and Caluin haue abridged him of two partes of his reuenues the thirde is in great danger they labour about it He would both recouer that which he hath lost if it were possible and assure against hereafter that which he holdeth The whole realme of England is slipped out of his handes if the king of Spaine could plant there againe the catholike religion it were so much recouered for him France hath neuer shewed him anie great obedience the church of France had alwaies her priuiledges by her selfe yet it is nothing thinketh hee in respect of that it shoulde bee if euer the king of Nauarre should come to bee king of it He feareth least he should come ouer the Alpes he is of the race of Bourbon fatall vnto Rome besides that hee is alreadie egged on against the Popes for his kingdome of Nauarre which most vniustly they haue passed ouer vnto the Kinges of Castile Moreouer he feareth least that a mightie Prince like vnto this doo one day bring a great reformation in religion which can not bee doone without diminishing the authoritie of the sea which notwithstanding will bee as easie for him to doo as it was for Philippe the
the league The duke of Lorraine likewise when euery bodie shall come to reape the fruit of his labour and the interest of his charges his conclusion wil not agree with the D. of Guizes proposition The Cantons of Zuitzerland are not in my opinion entred into the league because of the alliance which they haue with our king and the bonde that knitteth them togither in their countrie Notwithstanding I doubt not but that for mony they will finde forces not generallie vnto the league but particularly to the Duke of Guize yet haue they after made some difficultie thereof Of purpose haue I shewed the intent of each partaker of the league to prooue that which I haue said that euerie one of them had some particular meaning disagreeing one from another to the end that thereby I might shewe that whatsoeuer good intelligence they had one with another it were verie easie for vs to haue a better All with one course will I seeke out what are their meanes and their forces in the which I hope to finde so many wantes in respect of that which is in our handes that we would bee ashamed to suffer our selues to bee beaten I will beginne with the weakest Of which number I take the Emperour and the Catholike princes of Germanie to bee For although vndoubtedly they bee of great power yet the Protestantes their neighbours are of such force as euerie man dooth knowe to witte the king of Denmarke the Electours Palatin of Saxonie and Brandenbourgh the Landgraue of Hessia and manie other great princes and lordes so that if they woulde the other durst not seeme to haue enterprised any thing at all I haue shewed what the forces of the Cantons of Zuitzerland are and howe the generall league may haue vse of them As for the princes of Italie the Duke of Sauoy as our nearest neighbour is the most to be feared of them all But first it is but a small matter of forces that may come from him next hee rather resteth vppon sure possibilities then vppon vncerteine ones His father in lawe is olde at his death hee hopeth to get somewhat and I doo thinke that hee will rather cast his cies vpon the states of Millaine and Naples if the succession of Spaine come to bee deuided as there is great likelihood for the daughters who are as ambitious as may bee and alreadie by their father himselfe trained vp in the handling of affaires and almost put in full possession of his kingdomes will hardly bee content to bee married for a peece of money and leaue such great riches vnto their yoong brother sicklie and as they say an Idiot so that mee thinketh this Duke hath worke enough cut out already needing not to busie himselfe much about any enterprises on this side of the Mounts which enclose him in On the other side beyond them he can doo so little though hee woulde and hee findeth himselfe in a countrey so full of disaduantage that beeing of one side kept by the Germaines on an other by the Zuitzers on the other by the Frenchmen and on all sides by the Alpes such forces as hee coulde raise out of his countrie which can bee but verie small cannot bee transported to anie place where they may performe anie thing without great losse and difficultie As for his money to make good cheere at home hee hath enough but to make a great warre not so The other Princes of Italie as the Dukes of Ferrara of Mantoue of Florence and of Vrbin which are almost the chiefest bee all added to for to encrease their rolle and to say Loe what a number here is and not for any other matter If there were anie warre in Italie betwixt two mightie Princes such as were Charles of Spaine and Francis of France they might indeede much further his affaires whome they would assist If there must be an armie made vp by sea against the Turke each one of them shall well be able to set foorth a Galley or â—waine and that is all but that they may doo much in a great warre either against vs in France or in England or in Germanie or in Flanders not so Besides that as I haue noted they will neuer be so deepe in the league but that they will feare more the encrease of Spaine then the decreasing of Rome The Duke of Parma as he is Duke of Parma may be of the number of them but in respect that hee commandeth ouer the forces of the king of Spaine in the lowe countries surely hee is a great captaine without doubt he hath gotten great reputation and credite bee it amongest the Armies which hee commandeth ouer bee it amongst the countries where he maketh warre yea a credite by inheritance the remembrance of his mothers gouernment being most agreeable amongst them But withall hee were but vnwise as well as the Duke of Sauoy if he had not certaine purposes to himselfe or if hee would sticke more to vaine possibilities then to certainties For my part I beleeue that hee is not resolued to haue laboured all this while in Flanders for an other But there is a farther point in this matter which is that as long as he shall make war there as Lieutenant to the king of Spaine he may do much harme but if once hee take the way to make himselfe lorde of it as he may easily in that which he holdeth after the good mans death seeing hee can onely perfourme it by gentle meanes and the good will of the people hee is not to be feared any more but must needes withdraw himselfe out of the league As for the Duke of Lorraine hee is a great lorde but a pettie Prince take away from before his eies the hope of possibilities which they made him conceiue in France for his sonne which only hath brought him in with the league hee will eftsoones take that side which may breede his owne quietnesse and not seeke any quarrell Hee is verie wise and therefore I beleeue that our stirrings in France proceede not from him at this time NotwithstaÌ„ding there is no doubt but that hee employeth himselfe in this generall matter against vs but I thinke that in this point there resteth this benefite viz. as long as he shall hinder the growing vp of the Duke of Guize his cosin as he must needes do for his sonnes sake he doth vs more good then otherwise he could do vs harme now he hindreth him in respect of the crowne the which at length agreeing and hauing some intelligence with the Queene mother vnto the king his mother in lawe hee will rather demand for his sonne then for the other And I holde it for a most true principle that the duke of Guize our capitall aduersarie is alreadie so farre in that he must needs either be king or be vndone altogither there is no meane for him betweene these two extremities Marius Cinna Pompey Lepidus and Anthonie may be examples hereof As soone as a man hath aspired
one by one it shall bee founde according to the common saying That all is not golde that glistereth But if they bee yet nearer obserued in grosse it will stande well with that iudgement which I giue of them They shall be all founde farre distant in places and Countries The greatest and strongest part is in Spaine and Italie yet they bee distant foure hundreth Leagues by lande the other is in France but it is such a small thing that if the power of Spaine and Italie shoulde not ioyne together to helpe it it woulde bee soone smothered vp Wee shall see that each of these partakers which enter into this generall League doo bring but the least part of their wishes vnto the generall intent all the rest beeing for their owne particular wee shall finde that the most of them tende in manner to one thing the king of Spaine the Duke of Lorraine or Sauoy and of Guize to the Crowne of France Wherein it cannot be chosen but that there be some gelousies and that the same thing which vniteth them seuereth them againe We shall see also that they haue contrarie purposes one to another as those which I haue obserued of the Duke of Parma and the Duke of Sauoy And in fine wee shall marke that of the two last viz. the King of Spaine the Pope who are as it were the pillers of this league the one is extreme old and so sicke that euen this yeare hee hath giuen ouer all manner of businesse yea so farre foorth that manie are of opinion that age hath bereaued him of his senses The other which is the Pope can make no reckoning of his power but so long as hee shall liue and considering his age hee cannot liue long leauing perchaunce such a successour as will rather busie himselfe to builde vp his owne house then to pull downe another mans that wil rather deuise new practiseâ— then follow his Predecessors Thus haue you by whole and piece 〈◊〉 seene all our enimies forces Now if against their generall meanes we oppose ours generally if wee gather together those of the Queene of England of the king of Nauarre of the king of Denmarke of the Princes of Germanie of the states of the lowe countries and of the Cantons of Switzerlande what a power shall we finde If we vse ours against them by reason of the commoditie we haue to ioyne our selues without any let France England Germanie both high and low and Switzerlande ioyning one to an other shall we not sooner ouerthrow all their practises than they can take them in hand We I say whom our religion may knit surer togither then them as beeing better than theirs wee that haue no other purpose but to defend our selues and maintaine our rightes which vnited vs togither who haue no particular intent that might breed any gelousie amongst vs or beeing contrarie might diuide vs. There is no doubt of it let vs them see the proofe It is three yeares agone since the king of Spaine cut downe all the Forestes of Italy to builde his Carraquâ—â—â— buyeth all the moores of Affrica to make Galley slaues turneth the Indies vpside downe with digging and seeking to finde out an the Goldmines as though he had no more to do hereafter It is three yeares agone since he had no other speech but of Ankers of Cables of ropes and sayles since hee threatneth the Ocean if it doth not vse his shippes gently since that hee chargeth the windes to fauour them and all this to make vp a mightie and spanish that is to say proud armie by sea whose shadowe alone may cause not onely the masts of ships but also all the toppes of the steeples of England to stoope For these three yeres space he is with child of an armie And to speake the truth as these great peeces of worke are not soone brought foorth nor with ease so he bestoweth much time labour to be deliuered of it but things commonly are lesser at their birth then men thinke of Then in the end it shall be borne in Biscay weaned at Conquet and finding it selfe right against Englande it shall haue strength and stature enough to receiue the order of knighthood Doth not this proue that in one only place viz. Englande we are able to resist the most dangers of our enimies It is three yeares since hee threatned it hee hath not yet so much as made it afraid Tush when will he be able to hurt it It is as long since the Duke of Guize who in a maner plaieth with the king and the realme of France his power being holpen with money out of Spaine with the forces of the Prince of Parma and all the Catholike states maketh warre against the king of Nauarre in which space there hath beene eight armies by land leuied to that purpose and the ninth by seas Of nine of them thankes be to God eight are gone backe againe without doing any thing the ninth hath been quite ouerthroweÌ„ in a battaile Now if it can not be said that this poore Prince was in the meane while assisted eyther with one pennie or one man the money helpes which his friends had sent him being not yet come as far as vnto him is it not a certaine proofe that this people hath more facing than doings It is twenty yeares since that the low countries are set vpoÌ„ by the same king of Spaine with all the forces that he could make out of his countrie out of Italy and all those that he could get out of Germany He hath bin alwaies fortunate in it Almost all the battailes that haue bin fought there he hath wonne What hath he done They are yet at this day in such a case as if they can once haue good correspondence one with an other he is to begin of new in danger of loosing his labor his paines his charges that he hath laid out in that country Iudge you now if so it were that the king of Denmark the Princes of Germany the Cantons of the Switzers which they durst not meddle withall had brought their helpes forces to make these violent dealings of the king of Spaine in Flanders and England to cease and those of Guize in France how long to mans iudgmeÌ„t were they able to stand before vs I leaue more to conclude hereupon that I speake not of In the mean while although we haue mo forces then they that we haue better meanes of intelligence one with an other yet doo they agree better one with an other then we do are stronger than we are Let vs returne that reproch vnto our negligence and not attribute it vnto their industrie to our base minds and not to their courage God hath put into our handes the meanes both to liue at rest to defend our selues froÌ„ their tyranny yea to bring them vnder the yoke if wee would so doo But to make an end of this speech diuine like euen as I haue
Verelie beleeue that the griefe which I conceiue to see thee suffer through euill counsaile those bolde partes which are onelie attempted vppon confidence that thou wilt suffer them doo wrest this both out of my heart and my penne I knowe that all those which are about thee haue hither to betraied thee that that which thou hast done against thy selfe thou hast done it by taking that counsell where by contrariwise other princes do most commonly erre that is by beleeuing of counsaile I was present when it was tolde thee that all thy townes all thy people all thy prouinces were alreadie the duke of Guizes all thy men were his They told thee it but none other then themselues that tolde thee it were belonging vnto him and tkey did tell thee it to no other end but onely to sell thee and betray thee vnto him The strongest armies of the league which are against thee haue beene in thy court in thy counsell in thy priuie chamber So that it was verie hard but that thou shouldest be hindered by so many thinges contrarie to thy good purposes But seeing that God in this last danger where into hee had brought thee hath takeÌ„ away al excuse occasion of doubt let this at the least giue thee a mind to loue thine owne selfe more theÌ„ thou hast done to will earnestly thy own good thy rest thy highnesse and when thou shalt wish it thou shalt by consequent wish thy realmes withall I wil end in thee thou firebrand of the war which hast turned to the destruction of thy king and countrie those great graces which God had giueÌ„ thee for to haue bin able to haue done worthie seruice as well to the one as the other Doost thou not thinke to bee punished one day for the parricide which thou coÌ„mittest against thine own mother for so many euils that thou art cause of or which thou dost thy self to her who hath done thee so much good so many euils I say the which thou mightest haue remedied either by desiring lesse or by desiring more wisely or at least by bringing in thy desires at length into some coÌ„passe Nay nay thou needest no other punishment theÌ„ thine own practises They are thy torment Poore soule thou art almost forty yeres old yet darest thou not take vpoÌ„ thee the name of a king wheÌ„ wilt thou bring it to passe Thinkest thou to make easily an end of those which can barre thee from thy vaine hope For these thirtie yeares men haue lost their labor in making war against theÌ„ I wil abate thee ten vpon the bargaine thou hast yet twentie left What a king art thou like to be at those yeres end being 60. yeares old Thou hast bin heard scoffing at the cardinall of Bourbon whom thou hadst perswaded to haue been one at that age scarce wilt thou come sooner to it yet must many things come well to passe for â—hee Thou wilt ouerthrow the king of Nauarre a vaine labour I am sure both for thee and thy children dreame rather to saue thy selfe from him his clawes are greater than thine but I grant it thou shalt ouerthrow him and it were so how wilt thou do to raigne If after his ouerthrow France lyeth open to the spoyle as it can hardly choose art thou stronger then the king of Spaine hast thou more right than he hath More than the Duke of Sauoy who is sonne vnto a daughter of France and nearer of bloud than thou is married also vnto a daughters daughter of France More than the Duke of Lorraines sonne thine elder the sonne likewise of a daughter of France and the kings Nephew If contrariwise the estate be kept whole and found howe wilt thou lawfullie take away the right from the Catholike Princes of the bloud which shal be remaining who are yet in number enough and young enough to liue as long as thou except thou shortnest their liues Moreouer before all this commeth to passe who can perswade thee that the king who reigneth now will not keepe thee from reigning thou canst not so long as hee shall liue thy first blowes must beginne with him that canst thou do well enough thou must make him awaie for he hindreth thee tenne thousand times more than the king of Nauarre and except this bee thy first intent thou hast no iudgement in thy practises For thou canst not possibly whilest he is aliue bee a king neither continue long so in taking the course that thou dooest but thou purposest to reigne What then poore wretch except this bee it that driueth thee on except some great and mightie ambition dooth puffe vp thy minde such a one as sometimes possessed either Marius Sylla or Caesar thou shouldest be accursed enough heereafter for hauing wrought so much mischiefe in the worlde to no ende Ambition is the plague of humaine societie notwithstanding it hath alwayes most gloriouslie set foorth by manie and woorthie deedes all such as haue beene possessed with all Let vs blame ambitious men yet doo wee admire them If thou canst beare so woorthie a minde as to looke for a kingdome there will bee found heereafter some bodie that will saie that thou wert woorthie to haue beene borne a king sith thou couldest vndertake to haue beene one Such mischieues and calamities as thou must needes breede to bring it to passe shall not be paraduenture imputed vnto thee but it shall be said that fortune would by these meanes make thy comming notorious that thou wert too great to come foorth by an ordinarie gate and that thou must needes haue ruines to receiue the and make thee roome Nec aliam venturo fata Nerâ—ni inuenere viam Thou shalt also be found fault withall but many that shall finde fault with thee will wish to be like vnto thee otherwise thou wretch if vpoÌ„ a villainous mind thou hast no other end of the euill which thou doest then to hinder the benefite and quietnesse of all the world what will our posteritie say of thee who amongest them will not call thee the scourge of our age But seeing thou canst not be king thou hast no minde to be it it is enough for thee to trouble and diuide our estate to the end thou maist keepe the better part for thy selfe Thou shewest thy selfe yet more wretched Had not God endued thee with sufficient vertue for to deserue an honorable portion at their handes to whom all by right doth belong who would haue beene alwaies so glad to haue thee about them as their kinsman as thou art and in steede of a good and profitable seruant as thou mightest haue bin Hadst thou not rather haue beene beholding to thy Prince for thy good in bestowing thy seruice vppon thy countrie then to a forraine Prince in ouerthrowing it quite Marke what thou doest thy father and thy grandfather haue allotted vnto the king of Spaine his part in Italy and thou wouldest allot him it in France Sic ne patrissas Yet is not this
faire and manie other kinges of Fraunce enemies to the Popes vsurpations Thus his chiefest interest is to cut this Prince short of his hope For his part hee dooth what hee can hee thundreth hee stormeth he curseth hee declareth him an heretike a rebell finally not capable of the Crowne of France as though it lay in him to take it away or to giue it For the execution of this Bull which in deede of it selfe could doo but little against the bulwarkes of Rochell if that were all he armeth all Christendome yea euen the Cardinall of Bourbon to whome hee sendeth a hallowed sworde of the race of Saint Paule hee promiseth money vnto the Guizians hee promiseth but hee sendeth not as hauing not yet paide that which his Popedome did cost him according to the Romish stile To conclude as it belongeth to him hee worketh myracles with his Crosier staffe and his purpose and drift is to animate all the worlde against the heretikes among whom hee comprehendeth the Queene of Englande and the king of Nauarre his principall enemie to his thinking whose ouerthrowe hee looketh for by the meanes of this vniuersall league As much or more occasion hath hee to complaine of the high and lowe Germanie as of Fraunce and Englande but hee thinketh that after that the king of Spaine and those of Guize shall haue chasticed that is to saie vsurped France and Englande in driuing out the heretikes that is to say the true princes and lawfull lordes after that they shall haue tamed the lowe countries they may without any gainesaying ioyne their forces with the Emperors so to constraine either by friendship or force the Princes of Germanie which are Protestants to come againe vnder the yoke of his obedience that after that being no great likelihood that the Suitzers woulde obstinate themselues against such great forces seeing their Cantons are alreadie deuided they altogither might easily assist the Duke of Sauoy to recouer Geneua and to sacke that towne which they call the spring and fountaine of all heretikes of Christendome It is there that hee concludeth the ende of his desire and of his holie leagues enterprise Which I haue seene written by Pope Sixtus himselfe in a letter intercepted about the beginning of these troubles in France sent from Italie into Spaine And as for him this is his pretence that is his intent grounded vpon that generall hatred which hee beareth to the heretikes but especially vnto the king of Nauarre and the Queene of England of whom he hath receiued harme enough alreadie or is afraid to receiue more The king of Spaine hath three particular purposes for the which he wisheth this generall league The first to compasse the warres of the lowe countries which are helde by those whome hee calleth heretikes and against the Queene of Englande who is likewise of their number The seconde his hereditarie desire to ioyne France vnto his dominions which hee thinketh he may nowe the more easily doo in respect of the right that belongeth vnto him through his wife a daughter of France and his daughters gotten betwixt them for as for him hee thinketh not that the Salike lawe the honour of our kings was made for him The last the ouerthrowe of the king of Nauarre whome hee purposeth whatsoeuer it costeth him to remooue as much as hee can possiblie from the crowne for manie reasons that hee hath to feare this great enimie whome God keepeth for to be one day the destruction of his house For the benefite of these three purposes hee is come in and hath much solicited this generall league which strengtheneth to h im his title of war against England of enmity against the king of Nauar ministreth to him opportunity to enterprise vnder hand against the state of France whilest he fauoureth the affaires of the Duke of Guize his partner with whom except it were for this he could haue no intelligence that might yeeld him any profite by his meanes in France he doth hope to ouerthrow the king of Nauarre also he hopeth to vse the hauens of Picardie and Normandie against England the low countries being sure enough afterward that the king of France being dead his lawfull successor dispossessed and the realme left as a pray he shal be able easily to deuide their part vnto those of Lorraine being stronger then they and thus may we see that he turneth the general pretence of this goodly league to his particular benefit and purpose euen as though it had beene onely made for his domesticall affaires The Emperour would galdly that all the other Princes of Christendome which are of the religion were ouerthrowne to the end the whole bodie of the league might come to set him free from the protestants which are his neighbours but because it is yet a long peece of worke and that it were not good for him to bestirre himselfe much least he should waken those mightie princes which are stronger then himselfe he rusheth not far in amongst them no more then the other princes of Germanie I haue discoursed enough of the duke of Guizes intent and purpose which is to make himselfe alone king of France if it be possible or at least 〈◊〉 the better part such a purpose as willingly admitteth no fellow for the which a man wil not lightly labour for another This I doo heere note onely to shewe that to helpe himselfe in Fraunce by the meanes of Spaine to the furtherance of his enterprise in recompence thereof himselfe to helpe the Spaniard to recouer his lowe countries to see the Queene of England to whom he wisheth euen death it selfe whom likewise he knoweth to be the only support of his enimie quite ouerthrowne he wil haue notable intelligence with the king of Spaine but to yeelde him wholy the crowne of France and to holde it of him by homage if he be able to vsurpe it or to giue him ouer the better part I beleeue he will not In the meane while these pretences being grounded vpon nothing else then the diuision of religion wee must confesse him to bee one of the chiefest pillers of this holy league The princes of Italie haue no other purpose at al then their owne preseruation being enclosed on one side by the Pope on the other by the Venetians on the thirde by the king of Spaine besides deuided and their States so small that they haue smal leasure to think of any other matter thē to maintaine themselues and for this reason only are they come into the league But they are not so good catholikes but that they feare more the encrease of the house of Spaine then the decay of their religion Such as haue beene in their countries do know this The Duke of Sauoy is also comprehended in this generall vnion so long as his father in law shall liue he will haue the same enterprises that he hath if he dieth he wil haue others as I shall shewe anone which altogither doo synpathise with those of
vnto tyranny Aut Caesar aut nihil I haue spoken heretofore of his meanes they are indeede great enough in France because the side of the catholikes is great amongst whom he is of great credit and his assurance being his chiefest strength that the king wil put vp al his presumpteousnesse But as for him I doubt not but that as his particular purpose tendeth to our state so if he had in his chests the ducats of the Indies he would make a breach in them afterward doo much harme vnto others But he is extreme poore and indetted the seconde token of a man that commonly aspireth vnto nouelties Besides that he hath too manie that stand against his purposes not only of his enimies as the king of Nauarre and the princes of the bloud but of his owne friends as the heires of Spaine of Lorraine and of Sauoy and those of his owne house which doo pretende as much right to the vsurping of our crowne as he doth and to the which seeing hee must needes vse them for his turne as he dooth hee must needes likewise giue some part of his pray if hee can praie vpon any thing which will breede him infinite gelousies so that all the power me thinketh of this partner can stretch no farther than to the dissipation and dismembring of our realme yet shall hee bee faine to haue helpe thereto For that he should make warre either against the Germaines or Englishmen he will hardly do it or at least it will neuer be before hee hath made an end of his matters in France which is a long peece of worke And vpon that I will obserue one most true qualitie of our nation that is that such is our nature that we can be cōtent vnder a king that is already established to deuide our selues we will make ciuill warres and vproares but if there were none or that we were to prouide for the Crowne wee would neuer suffer the renting a sunder of it For if a prince should nor find himselfe to set foot in the whole he would hardly be suffered to diuide it except he were a mightie Prince neere vnto it as the king of Spaine who by his strength and by the meanes of his Countries might hold the part that hee had ketched vp yet were it hard for him Finally I will vse but two testimonies to shewe that this mans power is no such great matter The one that in the beginning of the league when his fire was most kindled when men thought that at a word of his mouth all France would set vp their crestes hee neuer found himselfe accompanied with a thousand French horsemen and foure thousand footmen at the most yea all those vanished away in one moneth notwithstanding that he had prodigally spent all the money which hee receiued out of Spaine and his owne in gathering them together The other that being since entred into the warre a small armie of reisters consisting of foure thousande fiue hundred horsemen and of three or foure thousande Lansquenets with a fewe Switzers did passe in spight of him through his gouernment euen to the verie heart of France did beate him and beate him againe in their passage as often as they saw him albeit that he had called about him all his friends partakers and power and that he had besides all this the best part of the kinges albeit likewise that a yeare before he had boasted that he would fight with the Germaines euē vpō the Rhynes side and that it stood him greatly vpon for his credite so to doo But yet without doubt if men should suffer this head of a saction to growe on and except God had bridled him he is the greatest the ablest and the most daungerous enimie that such states as make profession of the religion can haue There are yet behinde two of the worst to wit the Pope and the king of Spaine The first is the brawlingest the most seditious of all and yet neuertheles the weakest It is a common thing Acutum reddere qui possit ferrum 〈◊〉 ipse secandi To speake the truth he serueth for nothing else but to edge their kniues The Popes they cannot tell an houre before they are whether they shal be Pope or not Before they come to that they are most commonly pettie Italian Cardinalles for gelousie keepeth the greatest from it who during the Cardinalship had no farther practises then to catch some annate or benefice Those that are able to stirre vp coales are not lightly preferred Italy hath fared the worse for it Last of all none can come by it without paying well for it and they are all such good husbandes as that they leaue as little as they can to their successour insomuch that the newe Pope hath enough to doo for the three or foure first yeares to pay those which haue solde him his See and afterwarde to liue And it is an extraordinarie thing when they passe nine or tenne yeares else straightwaies they say Exiit sermo interfratres quod discipulus iste non moritur For they are verie olde when they are chosen so that ere they can do any harme they are carried to their graues And as for this man if there were no more but he we should not neede to feare anie thing else then Bulles and leade which hurt none but those that are afraide of them The king of Spaines gold were much more to bee feared whome I haue kept for the last as the greatest of all and the first moouer who maketh all the others to mooue But hee for his part hath likewise manie discommodities which bind his handes and of this one because all Europe ringeth of his name wee must say somewhat the more This Prince is sonne to Charles the fift that great troubler of the worlde who hath tossed all so much topsie turuie so long as hee was in it who was happier by the meanes of his Lieutenantes then by himselfe who had eyther for his friendes or for his foes at sundrie times all the Princes of his time a mightie Prince notwithstanding vigilant a warriour if euer there were any and painefull in the warres besides full of courtesie and humanitie and such a one as truely was woorthie of the name of Caesar and woorthie of the Empire This same was brought vp in affaires by his fathers euen from his cradle yet was he much more happie than he and his good happe consisteth in this that as long as his yeares could encourage him to great matters hee neuer mette with any that crossed him His father had at one time the great Francis of France the great Henrie of England Solyman in the East part and the Princes of Germanie which thoroughly exercised his witts So that on what side so euer he turned himselfe hee founde businesse enough Besides that he found all the Countries rounde about him as strong and as like to set vppon him as he vpon them That was it that made his fortune so