l'A And hee had no sooner begun but the Flemmings onely staying therevpon got before him which constrained the French Vangard to range themselues in order thereby to sustaine the rest of the armie where it made a braue resistance driuing certaine squadrons of horses out of ranke but the Counte hauing made a furious charge procured the ouerthrow and spoyle of the Marshall who beeing sore hurt was taken with Messieurs de Villebon Senarpont Moruilliers and Chaune and many Captains and souldiers slaine in the field The Marshals armie being composed of certaine companies of launciers three cornets of light-horses Scottish-men 14. Ensignes of French footemen and 18. Companies of Lansquenets all beeing eyther slaine or taken The number that escaped were not many that great wound renewed the former of S. Lawrence day and brake the enterprise vppon the Duche of Luxenbourg where the Duke of Guise pretended to be doing who in the moneth of Iuly tooke his course to Thierashe and so lodged at Pierrepont which he strengthened with 7. Cornets of Rutters a new Regiment of Lansquenets An army by sea of English men Flemings ouerthrowne in Brittaigne At the same time the armie at sea composed of Englishmen and Flemmings to the number of 6000. men or thereabouts hauing sayled along the coast of Britaigne in the end tooke land at Conquet which they spoyled and entering further into the countrie were ouerthrowne by Monsieur de Kersimon whereof some he slewe other he tooke prisoners and caused the rest to saue themselues by fight within their shippes where they presently hoysed sayles and put to sea Both the kings armies hard by Amiens Both the kings hauing prepared their armies no lesse puissant then at other times incamped themselues and stayed not farre from Amiens along by the Riuer of Somme where they had great numbers of strangers so that their owne subiects in comparison of them were very fewe There they made certaine courses and skirmishes but no battell of any consequence and as it seemed those two great Princes were as then come thither to make an agreement the treatie whereof was mooued and to proceed therein they chose the Abbey of Cercamp vpon the frontiers of Artois and Picardie wherefore the King of France appeased the Constable the Marshall S. Andre the Cardinall of Lorraine Moruilliers Bishop of Orleans one of the kings priuie Councell and Secretarie Aubespine The king of Spaine sent thither the Duke d'Alue the Prince of Aurange Deputies for peace Rigome de Silues Granuelle Bishop of Arras and Vigle de Zuichem President of the Councell of Estate in the lowe Countries They assembled in the moneth of October hauing sor vmpier of the differences that might fall out betweene them the Duches Dowager and the Duke of Lorraine her sonne Meane time the Constable hauing agreed for his ransome came to do his dutie vnto the King who gaue him all the entertainment that possible he might and made him lye with him as some certainly report During this meeting both the armies were dismissed the strangers sent into their countries While this treatie of peace continued Charles the Emperour and his sister Ellenor Death of the Emperour Charles the fift and Ellenor his sister of Mary Queene of England and of Cardinall Poole wife vnto King Francis died in Spaine the peace was grounded vppon the marriage of Charles Prince of Spaine with Elizabeth eldest daughter of K. Henry of Philebert Emanuel Prince of Piedemont with Margaret daughter to king Francis deceased That which prolonged the treatie was that the Q. of England demanded the restitution of Callais but about the end of Nouember she died After whom likewise died Cardinall Poole her great Councellor her death that changed the state of England wherein after that neither the Spaniards nor the Pope had more to do caused the assembly to be referred vnto the peace ensuing King Phillip hauing with great pompe celebrated the funerals of his father within the Towne of Brussels The Duke of Lorraine married with the yonger daughter of the French King stayed in Flaunders to heare what should be done by his Deputies before he passed into Spaine The K. of France to ioyne the Duke of Lorraine in alliance with him gaue him Claude his second daughter in mariage reseruing the elder for the cōclusion of peace The espousals were holden in Parris vpon the 5. of Februarie and about the 15. of the same month the Deputies changing place being furnished with large and ample instructions met at the castle of Cambresse king Phillip lying at Monts in Hanaut where the Cardinall of Lorraine went to visit him and after that the Duches Dowager Peace agreed vppon betweene two kings At this second meeting both of them seemed very vnwilling specially the Spaniards moued therevnto by newes out of Piedemont where the Frenchmen had lately receiued an ouerthrow But in the end after many arguments and conclusions they drewe vnto an agreement In the Tretie at Cercamp a marriage had beene spoken of betweene Charles Prince of Spaine and Elizabeth of France Now the Deputies perceiuing king Phillip to bee a Widdower and esteeming the alliance to bee stronger if hee espoused the Princesse which before should haue been giuen vnto his sonne they propounded that Article which to the good contentment of both the Kings was concluded and agreed vpon togither with the marriage of the Prince of Piedemont to the Ladie Margaret The King of France yeelded to the King of Spaine all that hee had taken from him both on this side and beyond the Mountaines also to the Prince of Piedemont la Bresse Sauoy and Piedemont except foure Townes to the Geneuois the Isle of Corse and Siene to the Duke of Florence retaining nothing but Callais without gaining a foote of any other land in all that long and daungerous war which had desolated so many Prouinces sacked burnt ouerthrowne so many Townes Bourges Villages and Castles been the death of so great a number of Princes Lords Gentlemen Captaines Souldiers Cittizens and Paisants caused so many rauishings and violatings of women and maids and in a word which had in a manner tormented all Europe so that in effect the king yeelded aboue two hundreth others write almost as many more places for the conquest whereof a sea of blood of his naturall subiects had been spent and shedde the treasures of the Realme consumed his lands ingaged and he indebted on all sides and which is woorse the fire beeing quenched vppon the borders not long after began within the middle of all his Realme and in euery place thereof as well is seene during the raignes of his three successors But these things are the vnsearchable and deepe iudgements of God which are not lawfull for vs to enter into but onely to worship and adore him that worketh all things with great wisedome with mercie towards his children and with most iust and fearefull vengeance against his enemies
that hee died immediately To be briefe the Protestants tooke from them all that they held about Rochel excrept Saint Iohn d'Angely where they nestled themselues The Barron de la Garde had for a while kept the sea with his Gallies but hearing of the taking of Bronage hee retired toward Bourdeaux whilest Sore for the Princes scoured the Ocean where hee daily light vppon some bootie Among other his exployts about the beginning of Iuly hee tooke a Portugall shippe laden among other marchandize with some fortie Iesuites that were trauelling toward India but they were stayed and the most part leaped ouer-boord This victorious successe of the Protestants in Poictou and Xaintongne were the occasion that to preuent any greater conquests the Prince d'Auphin was appoynted to come down into Poictou there to reassemble Puigaillards forces which now hopped but vpon one legge Succourd deputed for Puigaillard and those of the Countie of Lude to the end to come to some new practise The eleuenth of August after the two great armies lying about the riuer of Loire newes was brought vnto them of a peace agreed vpon between the king and the Princes all precedent modifications and restrictions abolilished the second Edict of peace confirmed and allowed The 3. Edict of peace this peace was receiued of all men with hope of revnion betweene the two parties through all the Realme The peace published in the Campes and Townes the armies were discharged assoone as they had conducted their straungers into Lorraine and the Princes accompanied with Countie Lodowicke in the beginning of October returned to Rochel the king by the Edict granted foure Townes Rochel Montauban Cognac and la Charite Townes for assurance to bee kept in the Princes names for the space of two whole yeares for assurance of this third Edict of pacification in the pursuite whereof Teligny after sonne in lawe to the Admiral and Beauuais la Nocle imployed themselues most faithfully with great credite and reputation of all men Touching the Admirall if there were any Commaunder on both sides that desired peace it was hee as by letters dated the second of March at Montreal hard by Carcassonne written to the king the Queen and the Duke of Anion appeared For being friend to militarie discipline abolished in those miserable ciuill warres and enemie of vices oftentimes beholding such disorder hee said that if it pleased God to send peace in France hee would desire to die a thousand deaths rather then to fall againe into those confusions The Admirall desireth peace and once againe to see such mischiefes leauing to all the rest of the commanders the praise which they obtained if in ciuil wars praise may be giuen it may be said that the Admiral trauelled much both in bodie mind hauing sustained the heauiest part of the affairs of the wars with much cōstancie fidelitie facilitie and behauing himselfe with as great reuerence towards the Princes his superiours as modestie to his inferiors he neuer spake of the king the Queen the Duke of Aniou and those whom hee knew to bee his capitall enemies but with honour without subtiltie or counterfeit speeches beeing the man among all those of the religion specially among the Commaunders in the warre who in a speciall manner reposed himselfe vppon the prouidence of God The prisoners that fell into his hands were fauourably vsed by him as courteous when hee had put vp his swoord as fierce when he held it naked in hand Pittie by him was alwaies had in singular cōmendation as also loue to iustice wherein hee continued both priuate and publike in time of peace and warre vntill hee died which made him both esteemed and honored by those whose part hee held Hee sought not ambitiously to haue commaundements and honours but shunning them hee was constrained to accept them by reason of his wisedome good gouernment in mannaging armes it might well be seene that hee had as good knowledge therein as any Captaine of his time and alwaies exposed himself couragiously in any dangers wise in counsell and valiant in fight in aduersities magnanimious and adorned with wisedome to auoydethem And to conclude hee was a man most woorthie and fitte to restore and re-establish a feeble and corrupt estate but it appeared in an vnfit time and that which after happened vnto him she weth an exterior apparance that vertue is but hardly assured heere on earth Peace concluded and published as it hath beene said the Admirall Teligny la Noue and diuers others withdrew themselues neare vnto the Princes in Rochel there with more securitie to attend the aduancement and execution of the Edict They put Garrison for the Princes in the Townes of assurance except in Rochell which was maintained in her auncient priuiledges The Emperour Maximilian the second not long after married his eldest daughter to Phillip king of Spaine his brother in lawe So that the vncle married the Neece The king married to Elizabeth of Austria Elizabeth his youngest daughter was after giuen in marriage to king Charles the ninth whom hee espoused in the Towne of Mezieres about the end of Nouember and the foure and twentieth of December going to Parris at Villiers coste Rez hee gaue audience to the Ambassadors of Almaine that desired vnto he made an answere that contented them wherewith they were honourably discharged About the same time the Princes exhibited sundrie complaints concerning the Edict by the hands of Briquemaut Teligny Beauuais la Nocle and Cauagnes Teligny was the chiefe Agent and seemed to bee highly in the kings fauour to whom he propounded the complaints of the Protestants wherevpon the king sent forth sundrie Commissioners throghout al the Prouinces of his kindome among other the Marshal de Cosse togither with Proutiere Maister of Requests who made a voyage to Rochel as well to conferre with the Queene and Admirall concerning some conuenient means to maintaine the realme in peace as for other matters that we will shortly speake of The first of Ianuary there beganne a conference betweene the Marshall de Cosse and la Proutiere with the Admirall and other Deputies for the Queen of Nauarre and the Princes at Rochel Proceeding with the Q. of Nauarre the Princes the Admiral and those of the religion in the second yeres of peace that the third edict of pacification continued touching the difficulties and interpretations of diuers articles of the Edict On both sides complaints were made touching the infraction thereof with long replies whereof ensued certaine resolutions that were to bee sent vnto the king I his assembly serued for a couerture to a parley of a marriage betweene Henry de Bourbon Prince of Nauarre and Ladie Margaret sister to the king as also to a conference with the Admirall touching the warre which the king said hee would beginne against the king of Spaine in the lowe Countries And all this propounded and deuised to drawe the Queene of Nauarre the Princes and the Admirall to the
where it was openly proclaimed throughout the Prouinces The Guisarts not content with the troubles in France mooue warres in Scotland but to their owne confusion The religion multiplieth in France euen in the middle of their persecutions and next after God submit themselues vnder the protection of the Princes of the blood determining to oppose themselues against the house of Guise who by diuers subtilties receiue and award their blowes discouer the enterprise wrought against them cause the principall Nobilitie of the Realm to be assembled at Fontainbleau where the Admirall galleth them on all sides This assembly produced an aduise and consent of a Parliament to be holden in the end of that yeare The Princes are summoned to come vnto the Court and all subtile practises vsed to get them thither being arriued at Orleans where the Court was holden They were stayed as prisoners specially the Prince of Conde the house of Guise practising the totall ruine of the Princes and all others of the religion leaue no meanes vndeuised which by the sequell is well perceiued While these actions were in hand the king fell sicke in the end the Queen his mother got the Regencie with the ayde of the house of Guise and the king of Nauarre the Prince of Conde and those of the religion are relieued by the kings death CHARLES THE NINTH I Account the raigne of Charles the ninth to be the time of wonders in France his beginning was the assembly of a Parliament where nothing was done but onely in words Those of the religion openly increasing the house of Guise began to practise against the estate many edicts were made to pacifie the troubles The Queen-mother vseth practises that ouerthrew the lawes of the realme to satisfie those of the religion an assembly was holden at Poissy which ended in words and no resolutions and lastly with mutinies in Parris The Edict of Ianuarie was made whereby the Duke of Guise vndertooke to commit the massacre at Vassy inducing the king of Nauarre to consent with him hee seizeth both of Parris and the king which bred the first ciuill warres which on the one side containe infinit exployts of warres as battels incounters assiegings defenses and taking of places on the other side spoyles and horrible murthers of those of the religion in all the Prouinces of the Realme The troubles being ended by the death of the Duke of Guise slaine at the siege of Orleans the first Edict of pacification abolishing that of Ianuarie was established After the peace the Englishmen were driuen out of New-hauen the king is declared to bee of age to gouerne without a Protector and causeth diuers Edicts to be made He is solicited by the Spaniard to breake his Edict of pacification which is weakned in diuers poynts the beginning of the voyage of Bayonne diuers Citadels builded many Townes vnwalled those of the religion sacked and spoyled in many places leagues made against them Edicts reuoking those that had been granted vnto them The shamefull entrie of the Cardinall of Lorraine in Paris Councels holden at Bayonne the kings progresse throughout France A dissembling reconciliation made between the houses of Guise Chastillon the miserable state of France a notable processe at Paris between the Vniuersitie and the Iesuites Vnder pretence of a passage to bee granted to the Spaniards to passe into the low Countries preparation was made to ouerrun those of the religion which constrained the Prince of Conde and his associates to seeke to defend themselues whereof ensued the second eiuill warres set downe with the most notable accidents therein happened Negotiation of peace which the Prince is constrained to accept This peace presently after conceiued a third ciuill warres The Prince and the Admirall hauing hardly saued themselues in Guyenne followed by diuers others The Princes first exployts edicts against those of the religion many warlike exployts betweene the contrarie armies Warres began to be in greater force in the yeare 1569. then euer they were before The Prince was slaine after the battell of Bassac the Prince of Nauarre declared generall of the armie and the Prince of Conde assistant A puissant armie of Almaines vnder the conduction of the Duke de Deux Ponts commeth to ayde them the incounter of la Roche la Belle the warres of Bearne the siege of Poictiers and Chastelleraud the battell of Moncontour What both the armies did after that The siege of S. Iohn d'Angely ouerthrowne the armie victorious Diuers exployts of wars in Poictou Guyenne Xaintongne and Angoulmois a great voyage through the Prouinces after the battell of Moncontour continuance of warres which is ended by the third edict of pacification and about the end of the yeare the king married the Emperours daughter a voyage made vnto the Queene of Nauarre for the marriage of her son with the king of France his sister Councels among those of the religion the death of the Cardinall of Chastillon The marriage aforesaid agreed vpon warres were pretended against the Spaniard the secret of the Court discouered the Queene of Nauarre went to Parris where she died the Princes and the Admirall came thither Contracts and espousals of the king of Nauarre most horrible bloodie and cruell councels and massacres of the Admirall and thirtie thousand of the religion in Parris and in many other Townes all the circumstances precedent and following set downe at large Many deuises to destroy those that were resting of the religion who in Rochel Sancerre Languedoc and other places resolued to stand in a iust defence of their cause the assieging and yeelding of Sancerre A notable discourse of the siege of Rochel from the beginning vntill the peace granted The state of those of the religion in Quercy Languedoc and other Prouinces where they ouerthrew their enemies and presently after reduced the king to such a stay that he was forced to begin againe who fell sicke as his brother went into Poland A deuise not ouer good for those of the religion The fourth troubles beganne at the massacres and ceased for a time at the peace of Rochel and began the fift by the enterprises against Rochel and Languedoc The wonderfull practises of the Queene-mother to maintaine her actions and to serue her turne by her third son against those of the religion The estate of diuers prouinces specially of Normandie where Monsieur was taken prisoner Warres in Poictou against those of the religion The Prince of Conde goeth into Almaine The sicknesse and death of the king HENRY THE THIRD THe Regents dealings during the warres in Normandie The estate of Languedoc Viuarais and Dauphine Montgommery beheaded in Parris The Prince of Conde chosen generall by those of Languedoc Warre in Poictou The arriuall of the new king escaped out of Poland The beginning of his actions The siege of Lusignen Warres in Dauphine Practises against those of Languedoc The death of Charles Cardinall of Lorraine The memorable siege of Liuron Conquests in Languedoc and elsewhere Negotiation of
Tombe for the Kinges of France Of person hee was a goodly Prince courteous milde The description of king Henry the second louing his seruaunts and men of valour Much addicted to his pleasures and to beleeue such as knewe how to please his humour who many times caused him to vse muche rigour which hee could not so soone discouer the ambition and auarice of certaine men that prouoked him forwarde were the principall causes of the continuance of warres which heretofore we haue noted specially after the breache of truce set lawes Iustice Offices and benefices to sale diued into and emptied the purses of French men by infinit exactions whereof ensued most great mischiefs The estate of France vnder this Prince Two great sinnes raigned in France during the time of this Prince that is Atheisme and Magicque Whereunto may be added the corruption of learning For that the knowledge thereof induced by King Francis the first chaunged into diuers wicked and curious mindes cause of all mischiefe specially in the forme and phrase of French Poets who in the raigne of Henry by their impure rimes filled with all maner of blasphemies conuerted an infinit number of soules These sinnes and others in great abundance still increased drawing vpon both litle and great within the Realme of France the straunge punishments which in the raignes of the successors to this Henry full well appeared Fiue sonnes and fiue daughters By Catherin de Medicis his wife married in Anno. 1533 he had fiue sonnes and fiue daughters The eldest Francis the second borne the 20. of Ianuary 1543. The second Lois the Duke of Orleans that died at the ende of certaine months The third Charles Maxemilian borne the 20. of Iune 1550. King after the death of his brother The 4. Edward Alexandre after King and called Henry the third born the 19. of September 1551. The fift Hercules after called Francis Duke of Alencon Aniou and Berri and Counte du Maine borne the 18. of March 1554. The eldest daughter was Elizabeth promised to Edward the sixt King of England but marryed to Phillip king of Spaine borne the 11. of Aprill 1545. The second Claude maried to Charles Duke of Lorraine bonre the 12. of Nouember 1547. The third Margaret married to Henry de Bourbon King of Nauarre borne the 14. of May 1552. The fourth and fift named Iane and Victoire borne at one burthen vpon the 24. of Iune 1556 and died presently after In this Historie you may behold the successe and estate of the successors to this Henry beeing his sonnes with the first whereof I meane to begin Heere endeth the troubles that happened in the raigne of Henry the second Francis the second M.D.LIX. The intent of King Henrie KING Henry by the counsell giuen him touching the rupture of the truce and by that which after ensued hauing somewhat discouered who and which they were that gaue him euill aduise concerning his estate was minded and fully resolued after the solemnization of the marriages to looke more particularly into such men therby to retaine some and send the rest vnto the places frō whence they came But the wrath of God lay vppon the Realme hauing striken the head pursued the members as heereafter it appeareth Francis the second yong in aduise The state of France vnder Francis the second The Nobilitie The Courtiers much more in yeares was wholly left to the gouernment of his mother and the vncles of his wife that ruled the land as you shal heare Part of the Nobilitie wearied with the troubles of so long warres desired nought but peace leauing all care of publike charges and casting their eyes vppon the surest side thereon to lay hold The Courtiers went which way the winde would blowe as touching the officers of Iustice most of them were friends or subiects vnto diuers Lords some good and vpright men yet resting in the Court of Parliament durst not almost proceed in any thing as beeing abashed at the suddaine blowe giuen vnto the chiefe and principall Court of Parliament the last Mercurialist The Ecclesiasticall persons The Ecclesiasticall persons held and accounted them for principall Pillers of the Church that were the greatest burners As touching the third estate the great charges and troubles of warres forepast had wholly bereaued them of al liuely feeling and moouing Two parties In the Court were two parts the one those that held with the Constable the other the Guisians The Princes of the blood had almost no care of the Common-wealth nor yet of their owne affaires The Queene-mother an Italian Florentine of the familie of Medicis and one that in 22. yeares wherin she had continued in France had some good time to knowe the humours both of the one and the other and behaued her selfe in such sort that shee onely ruled Those of Guise Which to attaine and desiring wholly to driue away the Constable whom shee did most suspect shee held on the other side and placed seruants about the King of Nauarre by them to know and vnderstand his minde Assoone as king Henry was deceased the Duke of Guise and the Cardinall of Lorraine led the King and his brethren with the Queenes vnto the Louure leauing the Prince of the Blood the Constable the Marshall the Admirall with diuers other knights of the Order and Lords that held with the Constable to attend vppon the dead body The beginning of the raigne of this young Prince promised much when suddainly they beheld Francis Oliuier a man of great reputation Francis Oliuier restored to be Chancellor restored againe vnto his place of Chauncellor that had been put out of the place by meanes of the Duches of Valentinois that wholly ruled the deceased king they were in further hope whē they perceiued this Duches to be wholly out of credit for that assoone as he was dead they caused her to yeeld vp the keyes of the kings closet with all his precious Iewels that then were giuen vnto the Queene Regent But this was onely a particular quarrell betweene women for in truth the Duches during king Henries life had been in all mens sight as Queen of France The Queen-mother that hated her extreamly was very glad to see her wholly dispoyled and driuen out of the Court contenting her selfe therewith not to leese the fauour of those of Guise who although they onely had their aduancement by the Duches meanes perceiuing her to bee as a rotten plancke left her to pleasure themselues another way They sent Bertrand from whom the seales were taken vnto Rome and tooke from d'Auancon the ruling of the Treasures Bertrand keeper of the Seales discharged of his office neuerthelesse hee continued still in the Court as beeing too well acquainted with their affaires and as yet it was not necessary to compell him to accept of any new partie The Marshall of S. Andre aduanced by the fauours of King Henry to whom he was a secret seruant and wholly
affaires the Dowries of the kings daughters and that of the late Queene Ellenor which as then the Princesse of Portingall enioyed the rest to be revnited vnto the Kings domaines ordinary receipts This reuocation was a Bowe to certaine Princes great Lords and notable personages who by such pollicie were defeated of their seruices and all rewards made vnto them by the late deceased King On the other side such as were in fauour with the house of Guise obtained other letters of exemption and by that meanes some were put out and others kept possession or else obtained some other new place The king of Nauarre solicited to come to the Court rideth thither The Constable perceiuing the King would die had sent vnto the King of Nauarre to counsell him with all speede to repaire vnto the Court and to ceise vppon the gouernment of the young King before any other This Prince not greatly desirous to deale with such affaires and as then somewhat distrusting the Constable stirred not giuing those of Guise the meanes leisure to thrust themselues into his place but certaine Princes Lords moouing him againe hee beganne to hearken vnto it communicating the same to foure of his principall Councellours being Iarnac the Bishop of Mande President of his Councell Descars his Chamberlin and Bouchart his Chancellour who were of aduise that without longer delay he should ride vnto the Court whereof those of Guise beeing aduertised promised hilles and mountaines to Mande and Descars if they could finde the meanes to staye him they mooued therewith staying till their maister was on horsebacke and onward of his iourney began to diswade him shewing him of certaine imminent daungers that were not to bee shunned by seeking to stand too much vppon his degree and that hee ought to proceede therein by indifferent meanes without seeking to hazard himselfe and to winne the good report and fauour of all men vpon this counsell beeing come to Poictiers where diuers Princes Noblemen went to meet him hee shewed many resolutions and gaue good hope and comfort vnto the Ministers of the Churches specially those in Parris Orleans and Tours desiring him that they might as yet bee ayded and assisted touching that which concerned the open profession of religion What entertainment hee had The first disliking shewed vnto him when hee approached neare the Court beeing at S. Germain in Laye was that his furriers found no place for him within the Castle and that the Duke of Guise said vnto his Marshall that it should cost him his life and tenne thousand more with him before any man should take the place and lodging which the king had giuen him to be neare vnto his person The second that not any of the Court went to meet and receiue him as the manner is specially to the Princes of the blood The third that being gone to do his dutie to the Queene-mother and after to the king those of Guise in stead of going to imbrace and bid him welcome stayed til he went vnto them and was constrained to accept the lodging of the Marshall of S. Andre who after the courtly manner had offered it vnto him not thinking to be so soone taken at his word The fourth that the next day in stead of being warned to sit in counsell no man was sent vnto him eyther to salute him or once to see what he did The fift that at the end of three or foure daies the king called him aside shewing him that his Vncle 's the Duke of Guise and the Cardinall of Lorraine had the whole charge of all affaires committed vnto them and that whosoeuer would seeke to please him must obey them in all things whatsoeuer But touching his pensions and estates hee confirmed them vnto him assuring him that whensoeuer he would come vnto the Court hee should be heartily welcome Diuers of the king of Nauarres traine perceiuing that he had quietly swallowed all those pilles withdrewe themselues or else claue to the surest side as Iarnac that ioyned with those of Guise Within fewe daies after this Prince went vnto Saint Dennis there to accomplish certaine ceremonies accustomed after the death of king Henry which done he went to Parris accompanied with his brother the Prince of Conde and some others but not many and beeing there hee sounded the aduise and minds of some whom he esteemed to be well affected vnto the Realme but he could not perceiue any thing by them Sacrying of the King as Reims Those of Guise following on their course vpon the 18. of September caused the king to be sacred at Reims and presently after the Queene-mother sent the Admirall and the Cardinall of Chastillon to the Constable to intreat him to resigne his place of Great-maister vnto the Duke of Guise to whom the yeare before king Henry had flatly denied it in exchange whereof she promised him one of the offices of Marshals of France for his eldest son The Constable resigneth his estate of great maister and the Admirall his gouernment which was giuen to Brissae The Constable resigned that office wholly into the kings hāds got the other with al speed to be giuen vnto his son the Duke of Guise was presently inuested therwith The Admirall being Gouernour of Picardie perceiuing that they sought to put him out and that for the same cause they had assayed to set diuision betweene him and the Prince of Conde and that they beganne to cut off some part of the mony that should bee imployed about the charges of the necessary fortifications of the Frontier-townes thereby to bring him in disgrace and so to thrust him out with shame preuented them and shewed the king that the same gouernment for many reasons belonged to the Prince of Gonde whose ancestors had long time held it He had no sooner spoken the word but they presently tooke him thereat as touching the resignation but not concerning the prouision for that in stead of giuing it to the Prince those of Guise got thē a new participant bestowing it vpon the Marshall de Brissac While in this sort Writings against the rule of strangers they vsed both the Princes and great Lords the meaner sort could not be content for that by diuers printed pamphlets whereof some were directed to the Queen-mother some in taunting verse and some in prose both by the behauiors past and present they fully discouered the intent of those of Guise A Target against those deuises whom they printed forth in all their colours they by those dealings perceiuing some secret matter working that their authoritie was but weakly built begā to think better vppō it which was the cause that at one time they made 18. knights of the order whereof sprang the common saying that the order of France is a collor for euery beast And because in those writings it was noted that to preuent such disorders it would bee necessarie to assemble and call a Parliament of all
to be dead although hee departed not his life till about fiue of the clocke at night not long before his death those of Guise went to shut themselues within their lodgings from whence in 36. houres after they neuer came foorth before such time as that they had a full assurance both from the Queene-mother and also from the king of Nauarre and before that they carried vnto their houses the summe of three or foure score thousand Frankes that rested in the treasor wherevnto no man resisted which made all men suppose that the Queene-mother suffered them to do it the better to maintaine her selfe in time to come A chaunge in the court Assoone as the king was dead the Queene-mother sent for the Constable vnto Estampes in all speed to repaire vnto the Court at his arriuall hee discharged the guard that were placed by those of Guise to keepe the Gates of Orleans the Prince of Conde continued prisoner in Orleans tenne ortwelue daies after the kings death he neuer hauing had the credit once to see him during his imprisonment after that he was sent with a guard vnto Han from whence hee went to Roye there to attend the issue of his proces in other sort then eyther his friendes or enemies once conceiued Deliuery of those of the Religion Those of the religion that had still remained in long continuall prayers in their most secret assemblies for certaine daies beganne to lift vp their heades being all prepared and readie to die if the king had liued but certaine weekes longer The king of Spaines troupes marching towards Bearn were countermanded and so retired without any exploit Monluc that was promised by those of Guise to be made Counte de Armignac and stayed for them in that countrie retired vnto his house as others adherents vnto them which did the like the most secret seruants that those of Guise could haue within the Court presented thēselues with al humilitie vnto the K. of Nauarre The inconstancie of the Court. discouering vnto him the certaintie of those affaires that should haue bin executed against his person But the Queen-mother would not permit that neither then nor at any time after such things should once be spoken of thereby fearing as she said some great trouble that might arise But it fell out cleane contrary for that for want of taking order therin whē time serued it grew to such an issue that both she and her sonnes hauing neuer seen any other thē mischiefs were deep sunck into them that before they died they neuer could find any certaine issue how to auoyde them The Admirall among the rest wheresoeuer hee came glorified the wonderfull workes of God Constancie of the Admarall who at that time had deliuered him out of the hands of his most mortall enemies euen at such time as they thought most to triumph ouer him Those of Guise besought the Queene to make him to bee silent yet he ceased not to offer and also to iustifie thē to be culpable of diuers poynts of treason if it pleased her to permit that iustice might bee giuen accordingly Shee not seeming to hearken therevnto desired him to thinke well of them and from that time to liue in peace assuring him to set good order among them His aunswere was that to shewe a good countenance vnto those that had purchased his death charged his honour procured the confiscation of his goods with the totall ruine and ouerthrow of his house his kinred and friends he could not do it without shewing a double hart which was a thing cleane contrary to his religion and not fitte for any honest man to do yet he remitted the vengeance vnto God that could well do it when hee should see his time seeing men would not permit him to haue iustice Those of Guise desiring not to bee farre from the assembly of the Estates wherein they feared some earnest matter would be propounded against them King Francis that had been so much mooued against those of the religion is buried after their manner caused the bodie of the dead king to bee conuaied by Sansac and la Brosse vnto Saint Denis where without any solemnitie or royall pompe it was buried The Duke of Guise as then great maister and hauing ceased vppon the last receipts of mony not long before the king died with whom hee kept companie in his life was much dispraised and euill thought of by reason of that great fault wherevnto his seruants aunswered that as then hee had no more neede of the kings helpe by whom he had serued his turne so wel but that thencefoorth hee was to looke vnto himselfe and to seeke to eleuate his house Such was the raigne of Francis the second that died at the age of 17. years lacking one month in the 17. month of his raigne the 17. day of his sicknesse and the 17. houre after midnight and because that during the short time of his raigne the seedes of ciuill dissention were sowen and scattered in France which hitherto haue endured for the space of twise seuenteene yeares I thought at large herein to declare all that had passed in this kings time the better to please the Readers mindes Heere endeth the troubles that happened in the raigne of Francis the second Charles the ninth M.D.LX. The Regencie confirmed to the Queen mother FRANCIS the second being dead without issue Charles his third brother succeeded in his place Son to Henry the second the second called Louys dying an infant borne the 27. of Ianuarie 1550. vppon the 20. of December in open Councell where the yong king was brought accompanied with the king of Nauarre and other Princes of the blood with diuers Lords and principall Councellours an order was established for the mannaging of affaires and the Regencie confirmed vnto the Queene The Parliament Two daies after the Estates assembled in a great Hall within Orleans where the Chancellor made an Oration wherin he shewed to what end an assembly in that sort was to be holdē why they had assembled what good would happen therby wholly confuting those that were in doubt to haue them meet painting them out in all their colours After that hee propounded the means to appease all troubles The Chancellors Oration shewing wherein they might relieue both the Estate and religion inclining to a Councell exhorting them on all parts to a perfect vnion and quietnesse of mind lastly he spake of the kings debts which done hee ended his Oration and so for that time the assembly came foorth The next day after certain disputations were holden to know if the Deputies might as then enter into a Councell after the kings death De Rochefort for the Nobilitie whereby it seemed all their Commissions not to bee of any force which beeing decided they beganne with Orations Monsieur de Rochefort speaking for the Nobilitie approoued the Regencie of the Queen-mother complained of the iurisdictions vsurped by the
was discouered and that the forces that should haue met in time and place sayled The Cardinall of Lorraine saued himselfe in great haste and fledde from the Court and yet he kept his credite in the Court being able to do as much absent as present To the contrary the Prince and his partaker fell into great difficulties by prouoking the hatred and collor of the king against them because through their meanes hee was constrained to go from Meaux to Parris with great feare although hee had sixe thousand Switzers about him besides horsemen the Prince at his approaching hauing betweene foure and fiue hundreth horse at the most neuerthelesse it was put into the kings head that he sought to attempt against his person so that from thenceforward he alwaies had a secret grudge against them This entrie into the warre hauing had but a hard beginning for the Prince other effects recompenced the defaults of his former fortunes but more by the particular motions and dispositions of certaine Gentlemen and Inhabitants of Townes then any Precedent deliberation whereby it fell out that those of the religion seized vpon Orleans Auxerre Soissons and other places The generall leuying of armes in one day by the Prince and his participants did no little abash those of the contrary part as also that with so small a number of horse he durst approach so neare sixe thousand Switzers whom he had charged betweene Meâ—â—x and Parris yea and ouerthrowne them if the Harquebusiers on horsebacke whom hee attended had kept their appoynted time or if he had bin strengthened with 150. horse out of Picardie that came certaine houres too late But the Prince not daring to venture vpon so great a troupe of Switzers The Prince retireth to S. Dennis that seemed a forrest therein perceiuing too much hazard and too small aduantage for him and his troupes went vnto Saint Dennis with his troupes where not long after hee had more company so that in fewe daies hee found himselfe to be 2000. horse and 4000. Harquebusiers strong which not long after were dispearsed Monsieur d'Andelot sent with 500. horse towards Poissy and Pontoise to hinder those of Parris that haue their victuals brought them by water Many companies of foot marched toward Argentueil Pont Charenton and other places bordering on the same The rest of the troupes were sent part to meete the troupes of Guyenne that should enter into Orleans surprised by Monsieur de la Noue and part into other places where need required So that the Prince and the Admiral staying at S. Dennis with certaine Gentlemen could not haue aboue 800. horse and 1200. Harquesiers The Constable had within Parris aboue 3000. horse 12000. foot and the sixe thousand Switzers with artillerie and warlike ammunition as much as he would desire yet stirred not fearing the hard resolution of the Prince his traine who by their troupes dispearsed seized vpon the passages both by water and land wherevppon the Parrisians not vsed to fasting beganne to complaine The Prince hoped to constraine them to fight and that his forces being vnited if hee might bee victor to bring his enemies vnto a more assured peace then that hee made before and if hee were ouerthrowne the places which hee held vppon the riuer of Marne and Seyne would serue him for his retrait staying for the Rutters that beganne to stirre with his forces of Guyenne The Constable to the contrary hauing taken the view of the Princes lodging and forces determined to giue them battell assuring himselfe to ouerthrow theÌ„ without resistance for that besides his number of men being tenne for one he had great store of Ordinance and pikes and a faire fielde well fitting for his troupes and cannons All these disaduantages notwithstanding disswaded not the Prince but that hee the Admirall Ienlis and other leaders of the religion issued to assayle them The battell beeing giuen vppon the tenth of Nouember 1567. The battell of S. Dennis continued almost three quarters of an houre night separating them the issue beeing such that those of the religion that had aduanced themselues aboue a quarter of a League entering with most strauge furie vppon their enemies wearied with striking their horses being breathlesse or hurt namely that of the Prince slaine vnder him and the Admiralles horse hauing borne him twise through the thickest of his enemies forces beeing a very strong horse in the mouth and in the beginning of the fight had broken his curbe and yet neither of those two leaders hurt were constrained to recuile but retiring in good order most of the Constables foote did little seruice but the Princes playde their parts the horsemen on both sides fighting with great courage The Constable himselfe was wounded to death and died within short time after and before hee died Death of the Constable connielled and desired the Queene to pacifie those troubles with all the speed she might but shee followed other counsell whereof shee and her sonnes haue had leisure to repent them and died before shee had reeled vp her spindle The Prince thinking his enemies would haue set vppon him againe to bee reuenged vppon a handfull of men that had held them play vnder their noses speedily sent for Monsieur d'Andelot who about midnight returned to S. Dennis and it was well for those of Parris as their leaders affirmed that hee came no sooner for if hee had it would haue fallen out hardly with them After a little breathing the leaders determined that it would bee necessary for them to abate some of the Romish Catholicques pride and opinion of their aduantage by shewing them that those of the religion had sufficient courage and called them to performe the battell Wherevppon the next day in the morning they entered into the field with their small armie marching towards the subburbes of Parris and there stood certaine owers in order of battell burning a village and some Windmilles in the open face of the Parrisians that neuer once issued foorth being busied to burie their dead to heal their wounded to suruey their corners and companies and to bee short thought it no wisedome to hazard themselues against those whom they perceiued to bee strengthened and so resolute to fight But the Prince perceiuing that the losse of one man would bee more to him then one hundreth to his enemies that daily increased that to stay longer so neare Parris wold be the ouerthrow of his smal campe the next day marched forward towards Montereau where the forces assembling at Orleans and Estampes ioyned with him To the contrary the kings armie Both the armies in the field their exployts till the end of the yeare whereof was Generall Henry Duke of A niou brother to the king a young Prince beeing as then about the age of sixteene yeares assisted with a great number of Lords Gentlemen and Captaines followed after the Prince seeking occasion to giue him battell The Protestants troupes of Guyenne and Poictou composed
some rumours whereby the Duke de Montpensier and Martigues may bee aduertised of our departure in manner of a flight euery man seeking to saue one for this will easilie bee beleeued In the mean time let vs prepare and encourage our men to the field so that if they drawe after vs as vndoubtedly they will in hope rather of spoyle then of battell we may valiantly encounter them so shal we giue them such an ouerthrow that wee shall not need to feare any troupe that may dare to meete vs for one months space but that we may at ease either passe the riuers or get into Germanie Martiques by this passage purchased great honour but d'Andelot more commoditie by his by bringing himself all his troupes into safetie wherby within eight daies hee ioyned with the Prince Then was there sundrie consultations about their affaires how to imploye both men and the time whilest they leuyed a mightie armie for the duke of Aniou and that the duke of Montpersier assembled diuers troupes in Anion and the countries thereabout to go to it in earnest The Prince bringing some cannons out of Rochel set vpon such townes of Poitou and Xaintongue The Princes first exployts as were but weake and meanly furnished with Garrisons seizing vpon Nyort Fontenay S. Maixaut Saintes S. Iohn d'Angely Ponts and Coignac Depuys Blay and Angoulesme whereof some were gotten easily and others by force and assault To be short within two months space the Prince and his partakers of poore vacabondes as they were at the first became so wealthie that they were able to continue a long war In al these places they lodged some thirtie companies of footmen and seuen or eight cornets of horse which was a great sauing for the fielde and they formed a most pollitieque militarie order as wel for the French as for the conduct of their armie Thus throgh necessitie togither with occasion they of the religion found meanes to make vse of both and the Admiral was wont to their aduenture to attribute the ancient prouerbe of The mislocles saying to his familiers Had we not been lost we had been lost Meaning that had they not committed an ouersight they had not had so great a recouerie as that which did farre surpasse their former condition The delaies of the Romish Catholieques stood the Prince in great stead But if in time they had foreseen that those whō he had caused to dislodge in so great hast went to settle themselues farther off The delay of the one serued for the others good and made speede to impeach them by all apparance the Prince had remained inclosed within Rochell and the wars had not cōtinued But god by those obscure beginnings made an entrie into the notable iudgements which after that appeared It may be that the ioy they had at Parris to see the Townes and Prouinces left which had made so long and hard war against the Parrisians during the first second troubles made diuers of their harts so much in flamed that they disdaind their enemies that were so far off esteeming that Rochel alone could not resist them but y◠within 3. month after they shuld be inclosed therin which discourses are commonly made when our prosperitie is geater then we expect The Q. and her Councelors presently caused an edict to be published at Parris Edicts against those of the religion by y◠which after a long declaration made touching things happened to the realme by of the religion the king among other things declared that the Edict of ianuary by the which he promised the exercise of religion was but prouisionall vntill his Maioritie and that hee was not determined to haue the Edict made before that touching the religion should be any more obserued For which causes beeing atiained to the said age of Maioritie hee fore bad all exercise thereof in the countries of his obedience commaunding without reuocation that there should be no other exercise of religion but onely that of the Romish Church vpon paine of losse of bodie and goods And vppon the same paine commaunded all the Ministers of the religion to depart out of the Realme within fifteene daies after the publication thereof commaunding neuerthelesse that those of the religion should not in any sort be troubled for their consciences so they would liue peaceably in their houses At the same instant an other edict was published certifying that from thencefoorth the king intended not to bee serued with any offices beeing of that profession from that time forward discharging them of all their offices commaunding them to yeelde them vpto him within fifteene daies after otherwise hee would take some stricter order therein These Edicts had been long hatching but their hope was to intrappe the Prince and the Admirall The effects of such edicts wherein hauing failed to get mony of the Cleargie and the third estate the Queene and those of Guise serued themselues with this deuise which was to no great end For that besides the great charges of the Duke of Anious armie wherewith the most dearest Catholicques were twise greeued and offended before the warre was halfe ended diuers of the religion entered into the field who otherwise would haue stayed the rest and quietnesse promised them by the king and not haue left their houses But at this alarme they assayed to ioyne with the troupes further the commaunders sent certaine declarations into England and Almaine to shewe that they were not pursued as seditious persons or such as desired a Crown as their aduersaries reported but onely because of the religion which the Romish Catholicques sought to extirminate France which serued thē well for the furtherance of the leuie of Rutters which the next yeare came into France vnder the conduct of the Duke de Deux Ponts Also there were many about the king the Queen and the Duke of Aniou that desired nothing else but to see all the countrie flaming with fire some to robbe and spoyle without punishment others to execute their vengeances and reuenges the Pensionaries of Spaine to cause the Frenchmen to cut each others throat those of Guise by litle and litle to attaine to the aduancement of their deseignments which discouered themselues in the end of the raigne of Henry the thrid as you shall read After these Edicts the Duke of Aniou made preparation for all things necessarie for his voyage and so puissant an armie whereof by the king hee was made Lieftenant generall That which increased the Princes troupes was the Regiment of foot which Monsieur d'Acier brought out of Dauphine Prouence and Languedoc not long before the Prince had written vnto him as also to diuers Captaines in those Prouinces that they should vse all the means they could to prouide him a certaine number of men therewith to withstand the armie royall that came to assayle him that the Princes Lords and other commaunders might not indure so great disaduantage to bee assieged within a towne
M. de Chiuerny M. de Beliure M. de Villeroy Ad consilium de rep dandume capite est nosse rem public in that cloudenesse of his affaires and whereof hee had most need In the middle of those treasons of the league hee dismissed those that neuer gaue peace to any passiō against the course of publike vtillitie that had nothing in their minds which age had not made rich graue constant and quiet that could yeeld firme and infallible resolutions that knew the present estate that foresawe what would happen that followed not opinions but reason and that haue stayed long in the sterne of the French ship had fought against the waues windes and first troubles of the torment of the League Then the seales were left in the hands of Monsieur de Monthelon Aduocate of the Court of Parliament an honest man and one that had no other passion that draue him forward but onely religion The Duke d'Espernon although hee stayed so long from the Court that it could not be said The Duke d'Espernon Gouernour of Aniou and Poitou that he rule the voluptuous minde of the king his Maister could not so much absent himself but that the cōspiracies of the league made him apprehend the greater mischiefes they would breed in a contented estate and hauing receiued the power from his Maiestie to command in the Prouinces of Aniou Thouraine Poitou Angoumois and Xaintonge road from Loches to Angoulesme vppon aduise giuen him that the League had conferated with certain of the Inhabitants thereof to deliuer the towne vnto them there hee was receiued with all the honor that the people might giue to the Lieftenant of a King and with as much ioy as if the King himselfe had been there but those faire daies continued not long without cloudes this goodnesse was soone followed with a terrible torment this publike reioycing with a straunge trouble for although hee shewed sufficiently both in words and effects that he had nothing so deare as the conseruation of Catholicque religion and the excution of the Edict of vnion which hee had caused to be published the people neuerthelesse were perswaded by the impostures of certain leaguers that his intent was to cause certaine troupes of Huguenots to enter into the Castle and to surprise the Towne A tumult in the presence Chamber of the Duke d'Espernon The Maior of the Towne beeing altogether a Leaguer conspired vpon Saint Lawrence day to take the Duke of Espernon and to kill him and for that purpose vpon the same day they entered into the Castle vnder pretence to present certaine Posts vnto him that came from the Court and therewith entered into the high chamber where discharging two Pistolles they cried kill kill but the Gentlemen of his traine put themselues in defence and presently draue the traitors backe their leader beeing hurt with a Pistolle that gaue him but seuen houres respite to take order for his affaires with that an alarme was giuen in the Towne and presently the people made Barricadoes rose in a mutinie raged and stormed but they were like prisoners kept in a strong Tower for the Duke d'Espernon held the Castle and had the Citadell at his commaundement whereby both through the one and the other hee could let as many forces enter to relieue him as hee should need A vainte mutenie made by the people Captaines for the league summons the Duke d'Espernon The people perceiuing that he held the Castle and that the Lord of Tagens came in all haste to help him that the Lord of Bordes their prisoner Captain of the Citadell would not redeeme his libertie at the price of his place that the Sieurs de Mere dela Messeliere de Marquerolle Desbouchaux sommoning them had found them resolute rather to diethen yeeld they determined to fall to an agreement Which Nonsieur de Tagens Cousin to the duke d'Espernon agreed vpon which appeased their strife and therewith they layde down their armes the dead bodies were honourably buried and the prisoners on both parts released The Duches of Espernon who before the commotion was gone out of the Castleto heare Masse in the Iacobins Church had beene stayed in the Fryers Couent and threatned to serue for a Gabion if shee caused not her husband to yeeld vppe the Castle was by the Lieftenant generall of the Towne Tumults appeased ledde to the said Castle because the gate was as yet rampierd with stones shee was constrained to go vppe by a lather and to creepe in at the window The second day after this reuolt beeing the twelsth of August one thousande fiue hundreth eightie and eight they proceeded to the election of a new Maior who with the Sheriffes presented himselfe vnto the Duke d'Espernon to excuse the folly of the people and hee as if hee had not been offended thereat receiued them with the best countenance he could and sent them away well pleased onely that hee would not suffer the body of the Maior principall of the rebellion to be buried with the state that belonged to his office The Historie of Gauerston printed at Parris in the yeare 1588. About the time that the Maior made the first tumult in his vtter chamber he was in his own chamber staying the time to go to Masse shewing the Abbot of Elbene and Monsieur de Marimon a most infamous libell printed not so much against him as against the honor of the Ma. of the king Which was the Historie of Pierce Gauerston whose life and fortune was therein compared to the life of the Duke of Espernon and the conclusion thereof was that as the Gascon Pierce Gauerston loued and onely fauoured by Edward the second king of England preferred to all offices in the Court inriched with the treasures both of the king and of his subiects at the peoples request was bannished and exiled out of England and after that beheaded so the Duke of Espernon would play the like tragedie in France vnder Henry the third king of France This libel was answered by a discourse imprinted at Parris which the Lord of Mandelot would not suffer to bee solde in Lyons because it did liuely describe the tragicall actions of estates made a most odious comparison of a good and religious Prince with a bloody hypocrite and tyrannicall Prince saying that Edward and Henry were all one Hee said that Edward a man of no gouernment Hist Angl. subiect to his pleasures of a vilde mind litle caring for the affaires of his Realm spent and prophaned the treasures of his country appoynted for the preseruation of religion and gaue them to Gauerstone his Mignion oppressed his subiects with great and excessiue exactions solde and ingaged part of his lands and demaines vsed his Nobles vnwoorthily not caring for men of good reputation beeing a great hypocrite thinking to couer a great number of inormities by building and erecting a Couent of Iacobius his Barrons constrained him diuers
ingenious and sweete not pompious with arrogancie nor furred with artificialnesse not boulstered with blasphemies not fantasticated with nouelties nor false nor ridiculous as those of the eloquent Orators of the league and if you take away but two or three bookes issuing out of the shops of these Apothicaries wherein neuerthelesse there is nothing to bee redde but olde fables well composed vnder a goodly and a faire couerture you shall finde that as they desire not to doo well so they connot speake well and all the harmony of their writings is but a rude discord of the strings of some olde viole and a building of diuers peeces weake and very feeble The Orations pronounced in this assembly are not in such manner and although there are some that sauour of the kennell from whence they issue yet I esteeme this Historie would thereby be much bewtified but we will reserue them for a larger volume for that the breuitie wee haue promised in the beginning permitteth mee not at large to induce them heerein That onely of the king full of liuely affection of true magnanimitie of reasons pertinent and very likely is like liuely portratures of the beauties of France and the euill fauourednesse which the League hath borrowed vppon her face ought to be placed herein in her proper originall splendure as not being a long preambulation or discourse such as Theopompus Ephorus and Anaximenes vsed to the Captains when they receiued their charge and that it is time rather to doo then say but a discourse woorthie the Maiestie of a King of France and of Henry the third that had that great aduantage aboue all the Princes of his time to aunswere promptly wisely and aptly to all important occasions that were presented that like an ignorant Pilot committed not the guiding of his shippe to his mates and neuer spake by an other mans mouth had within himselfe the knowledge of mannaging the rurther and the wordes that gaue the vnderstanding of his will The places then beeing appoynted and filled according to the greatnesse order and degrees of euery man all the Deputies standing vppe bare-headed the King beganne in this manner to make his Oration by a graue choise of goodly wordes and with a tongue truely ledde by his passions and that yeelded no other sound then the naturall harmonie The kings Oration to the estates MY Lords and friends I will beginne with an humble supplication vnto God from whom proceedeth all good gifts and holy operations that it will please him to ayde me with his holy Spirit conducting me as it were by the hand in this serious action therein to acquit that which I take in hand as woorthily as the worke is holy desired attended and necessary for the vniuersall good of my subiects which is the restoring of my estate by the generall reformation of all the parts of the same which I haue sought as much or rather more then the preseruation of my own proper life Ioyne with mee therefore I pray you in this most instant request which I now make vnto him beseeching him that he wil more and more strenthen that constant desire by him alreadie for that cause rooted within my heart and that likewise hee will take from you all particular passions if there bee any that reiecting all other parts but that of your king you haue no regard but imbrace the honour of God the dignitie and authoritie of soueraigne Prince and to restore the countrie in such manner that there may ensue so laudable and fruitfull a resolution accompanied with so good effects that my estate may receiue his ancient splendure And this will be a worke woorthy of the place wherevnto I am called and witnesse both your capacities and loyalties He whom I haue now inuoked to ayde both me and my estate that is the searcher of all our hearts if it pleaseth can bee a witnesse that assoone as hee appoynted me to be commaunder ouer you an incredible greefe entered into me touching your publike and particular miseries together with a care that euer since hath much increased in mee to procure some wholesome remedies with as happy an end as therein it is much more then necessary What greefe thinke you hath penitrated in my entrals within these fewe yeares since age and experience haue made more capable to apprehend the desolation oppression and ouerthrow of my poore people withall seeming vnto me that my raigne should bee reserued for a light of the iust wrath of God which I acknowledge iustly to hang ouer our heades both for mine and the sinnes of my subiects in generall For this cause I stroue as much as I could to fluffe vp the corruptions and disorders that had made so violent an habitation there and to resist the euilles which had not all been done by mee and which by my onely means if remedie might be had I will appease For I would say without boasting of my selfe that there hath been no meanes to reforme the depriuation of my estate but that I haue called it to minde thereby to establish the same if I had been as well assisted as I was by you good Madame and as necessitie and my good will deserued but I cannot sufficiently shewe how much I haue been ayded by my good mother the Queene which cannot in any sort bee declared and I must say that among so many assistances and strickt obligations whereby shee holdeth all my subiects tyed vnto her that therein they haue aspeciall and my selfe a particular cause that with you in this notable assembly you should yeeld her most humble and hartie thankes Which is that shee is not onely the cause that by the grace of God I am now in this world to bee your king but by her continuall and holy instigations laudable actions and vertuous examples shee hath in such sort ingraued in my soule a right and true intent to the aduancement of the honour of GOD the preferment of his holy Catholicque and Romish Church and the reformation of my estate that the intentions which I haue heeretofore declared wholly tending vnto all good things wherevnto more then euer I was I am resolued proceedeth onely from her not once complaining of the labours indispositions or discommodities of her age in any thing wherein she hath perceiued or found the meanes to aduance this estate hauing so oftentimes preserued the same that shee not onely deserueth the name of the Mother of your King but also of your estate and kingdome Now my principall care and pleasure beeing wholly set to restore this goodly Monarchie and iudging particular remedies not to bee conuenient for the time I determined to assemble my generall estates wherein as in all other things for the good of this Realme it pleased her much to incourage mee knowing that by assembling them I should not leese one houres time what generall oppositions soeuer entered into my my minde and with the which many men peraduenture thought I should bee so
himselfe and the meanes hee vsed to attaine vnto the same I will put this proposition that this Prince is bound and a neighbour vnto France and in that case neither ought nor may bee an enemie vnto it Hee is the sonne of that great and polliticque Prince Charles Philebert duke of Sauoy who so wisely found the means to recouer that which his father had lost The praise of Charles Philebert Duke of Sauoy The principall glory and truely as I thinke the most necessary for a Prince of his quallitie was that among so many troubles and betweene two great Monarchies striuing togither hee could behaue himselfe so well that neither the one nor the other once touched him maintaining his countrie in peace affectioned to the seruice of our kings as hee that had receiued that honor to marrie the sister of king Henry the second a friend to the King of Spaine in whose Court hee had passed ouer the most part of his greefes for his forepassed losses a good neighbour to the Switzers and other Princes of Italie to liue in peace hee permitted the free accesse of Huguenots into his Townes of Thurin and assured them a retrait into the vallies of Angrongne Lucerne Saint Martin Pragela and la Perouze without constraining them as hee might well haue done to vse the Catholicque religion and looking into the depth of diuers things hee made meanes vnto the king of Nauarre for a match to bee made betweene the Lady Margaret the Kings sister and his sonne and what hee practised for his owne benefite the same he counselled vnto others for when hee perceiued that Henry king of Polonia threatned to renue the warres assoone as hee should set foote within his realme hee disswaded him from that resolution setting before him the incertitude of warres which most commonly are sweete in the beginning but difficult to bee pursued and most bitter and hurtfull in the ende See the order of Montagu Hee desired rather to leaue some parte of his Landes vnto the Switzers then to seeke to winne them by armes Hee behaued himselfe so well in his counselles which our kings reiected and imprinted such an opinion of his wisedome greatnesse and felicitie within his subiects mindes that the Sauoyen not knowing nor beeing able to imagine any greatnesse more eleuated or happyer then that of their Duke that they said that if the king of France could haue guided his affaires in as good sorte hee hadde beene man sufficient and fitte to haue beene Great-Maister of the Duke of Sauoyes house Charles Emanuel Duke of Sanoy Charles Emanuel his sonne perceiuing that the wisedome and pollicie of his father had left his estate in good securitie with a reasonable great quantitie of treasures and yet not so much as would suffice to make any forraine warres determined to imploy that generositie naturally ingraffed in him in some goodly enterprise hee threatned Ceneua and made shewe of doing some great exployt against it but acknowledging the insufficiencie of his forces for his so high an enterprise they determined vppon a marriage and married the King of Spaines youngest daughter and with her the passions of his father in lawe The Duke of Sauoy cannot liue in peace if the king of Frāce be his enemie At the beginning it was thought hee would haue contented himselfe to haue beene friend with France allyed vnto Spaine that vppon the apprehension of the fall of our estate he would neuer pretend any thing against vs that hee would staye himselfe more vppon thinges certaine then vppon vncertaine and variable that knowing that vppon the one side hee hadde the Almaines on the other the Switzers on the third the Venecians and on the fourth the Princes of Italie hee would become friend to the Frenchmen their friends It was thought that if hee had ambition in his minde it would vanish vnder a more iust title that feeling himselfe weake hee would enterprise any thing against a mightie King nor would not breake the bond of amitie for his part due vnto him holding his estates from this Crowne which of late of meere courtesie hadde restored Sauignan and Pigneroles vnto him yet without apparant necessitie and without any reason whatsoeuer hee vndertooke the vsurpation of the territories of France bordering vppon Piedemont And yet it was not done without pretence declaration and excuse for first hee wrote vnto the Pope that the feare hee had least Monsieur de Desdiguieres should cease vppon certaine of his Townes and so in the middle of his countrie make a retraict and refuge for the Huguenots had constrained him to diuert that mischiefe generally from the Church and particularly from his owne estate which hee desired to continue in the puritie of the auncient religion vnder the obedience of the holy sea of Rome The duke of Sauoyes pretence why he inuaded the Marquisat of Saluce Hee excused himselfe vnto the King touching this breach of peace saying that the onely zeale of religion togither with the feare of the contagious neighbourhood of hereticques had constrained him ther vnto sending an Ambassador to giue him notice thereof and so to disguise that iniurie with the fairest and most counterfeit hee could deuise At the first he made shewe as if he would not hold those places but vnder the kings authoritie and by little and little he vsurped all soueragne power degrading the kings officers erected the Sauoyan crosse and threwe downe the flower deluces of France Ann. 1481. His officers couered this vsurpation with an other title and maintained that the Marquisat of Saluces is holden infest of the Duchie of Sauoy and that one of the Marquises thereof beeing a braue and valiant Gentleman disdaining in person to doo homage to Charles the sixt Duke of Sauoy being very young was for his misprision declared a traitor driuen out of his Countries and his Marquisat confiscated The Marquesse of Saluce infested into the countrie of Dauphine But the truth is that this countrie hath alwaies been infest to the principalitie of Dauphine contained in the gift that Prince Humbert made vnto the Crown of France namely that the Marquesse of Saluce had recourse vnto the king of France who receiued homage and fidelitie of him and euer since his successours did continue the dutie of vassalles vnto the Kings Charles the eight Lewis the twelfth and Francis the first From thence it proceedeth that hee which enquired and gathered into a great volume the causes and reasons of the raising of armes in the moneth of Ianuary reporteth this surprising of the Marquisate of Saluces to bee deriued from principalles of the League that dismembreth thier Crowne and Common-wealth perceiuing that neither of them could preserue it whole and intire and these are his words ABout that time the Duke of Sauoy supposing the king by reason of his departure from Parris to bee wholly ouerthrowne sent to speake with Monsieur de Guise minding to enter into League with him vppon
of prouiding for the good of France and other countries His securitie imboldened his enemies both neare and farre of within and without the Realme to innouate much and in that he would not lay to his hand when he ought to haue done he at last found the gate shut against him perceiued himselfe driuen out of his own house and those whom many waies he had too much supported established in his place who gaue him right downe blowes vpon his head whereof he should haue bin warie in time Men talke diuersly touching his departure some iudging that he left the world too soone in respect of France her good others deeming the contrarie Howsoeuer it was his decease was to the whole Realme a beginning of particular calamities aboue all the rest as the Historie of king Henry the fourth of the race of Bourbon will giue testimonie Heere endeth the troubles that happened in the raigne of Henry the third This is to giue the Reader to vnderstand that there is certaine Titles gone Henry the fourth that should haue bin Henry the third A BRIEFE RECITALL OF THE MOST MEMORABLE THINGS which came to passe in Fraunce vnder the Raigne of Henry the fourth since his first comming to the Crowne vntill the middle of the yeare 1598. The Frenchmens disposition after the death of Henry the 3. ALthough there were great sorrow greefe and lamentation made in the royall armie for the death of king Henry the third as much signe of ioy and gladnesse was there seene on the other side among the leaguers throughout al the Citie of Paris for the same in singing of songs and making mocking times therevpon The Duke de Maine with his Court and many others which since the execution of Blois wore black scarfes in signe of sorrow did heerevpon cast them aside and wore in stead of them scarfes of hopeful greene Then was there great feasting masking and other sportfull games made among them wherein and whereby the murthered king was cursed and banned in most horrible sort At that time the image and portrature of the traiterous Moonke which kild the king was by the commaundement of the chiefe of the league artificially framed in Brasse and other paintings wherewith they garnished both their houses Churches Then was he cannonized and among the supersticious prayed vnto as a new made Martyr whom they called by the name of Saint Iaques Clement All such as were knowne to bee of any kin vnto him were greatly inriched with almes gifts and publicke contributions Councels of the league The Duke de Maine which as yet durst not name himselfe king caused that title by proclamation to bee giuen throughout all Paris to the Cardinall of Bourbon beeing then prisoner stamping mony and gold as the coyne of king Charles the tenth The Duke disguising his vsurpation by his new and rediculous title of Lieftenant generall to the Estate and Crowne of France and perceiuing that the declarations made by the lawfull king did shake in the beginning of his proceedings a great part of the league published and sent abroad an Edict dated the first day of August in his owne name and the generall Councell of the holy vnion of Catholicques established at Parris who stayed there for the assembling of the estates of the kingdome to revnite as he said all Christian Frenchmen in the defence and conseruation of the Apostolicque Romane and Catholicque Church for the holding vp of the royall estate expecting the libertie and presence of king Charles the tenth Orders giuen to the king for the affairs of the armie King Henry the fourth which soone after the death of his predecessor had signified to the Princes and Lords in the armie his full intent vnderstāding that many of the Nobles made diuers bad attempts caused the principall of them to bee assembled before whom hee called vnto mind the recommendations of the oathes which the deceased king had caused him to make before them all for the tranquillitie of the Realme after his hurt perceiuing himselfe to drawe toward his end The first and chiefest poynt whereof was to maintaine the Frenchmen in the libertie exercise of the two religions that is to say the Romaine and the reformed Churches vntill such time as by a good and generall Councell it were otherwise determined These promises by oath he renued vnto them againe which appeased the controuersies And because hee might not securely stay at Paris by reason of this suddaine change and the sicknesses which afflicted the royall armie the king by aduise went into Normandie as well to receiue the succours which came from England as also for the fortifying of certaine places and passages which was fit for his purpose The league remooued on the other side and then the Earle of Randan one of the chiefest of them had surprised in Auuergne the Cittie d'Issoire about the tenth of August The Parliament of Bourdeaux published a decree the 19. of the same moneth whereby all those of their side were inioyned to keepe inuiolably the Edicts made by the holy vnion concerning the Apostolicque Catholicque and Romaine Church and all the declarations by them made Three daies after that at Thoulouse tearing the picture of the deceased K. bodie in peeces they ordained by an act made by the generall consent of the leaguers that euery yeare vpon the first day of August they should in making processions and publicke prayers acknowledge vnto God the great benefits which as vppon that day they receiued by the fearefull death of Henry the third whereby the happie deliuerance of Parris ensued with many other distressed Cities in the Realme forbidding al persons to acknowledge Henry of Bourbon king of Nauarre to be king of France whom that Court thoght a most vnfit man to succeed in the same kingdome because said the edict of the notorious and manifest crimes expressed against him in that bull of excommunication which was giuen out by Pope Sixtus the fift His genealogie The enuie of which partiall Parliament hath constrained mee once againe to set vnto your sight in briefe sort the true genealogie of King Henry the fourth Lewis the ninth surnamed the Saint beeing the 44. king of France came to the Crowne in the yeare 1227. and raigned till the yeare 1270. he had foure sonnes two of the which namely Peter and Robert died without issue and before their father The other twaine that suruiued was Philip and Robert the second of that name Philip surnamed the Hardie third of that name successiuely left these following from the father to the sonne from brother to brother and the nearest of blood to the nearest of blood Philip the fourth called the Faire Lewis the tenth surnamed Hutin Philip the fift surnamed the Longe Charles the fourth termed the faire Philip de Valois Iohn Charles the fift surnamed the wise Charles the sixth called the welbeloued Charles the seuenth Lewis the eleuenth Charles the eight all descending from Saint Lewis
chambers assembled hath declared and doth declare all acts decrees ordinances and oathes giuen made or readie to bee made since the 29. of December 1588. to the preiudice of the authoritie giuen to our kings and lawes of the Realme to be set and extorted by force and violence and as such we reuoke repeale and disanull them ordaining that they shall remaine abolished and of no force and especially that which hath beene made against the honour of the deceased king Henry the third as well those in his life time as since his death to be nothing forbidding al persons to speake of his memorie otherwise then wel or honourably And further wee ordaine that the detestable murther committed vpon his royall person shall bee informed and proceeded against extraordinarily against all such as shall be found guiltie therein And the saide Court hath reuoked and doth reuoke the power heretofore graunted to the Duke de Maine vnder the title of the Lieftenant generall of the estate and Crowne of France Forbidding al persons of what estate or condition soeuer they be to acknowledge him by that title or to shewe him any obeysance fauour comfort or ayde on paine to bee punished as guiltie of treason in the highest degree And on the same paine inioyneth the said Duke de Maine and other Princes of the house of Lorraine to acknowledge king Henry the fourth of that name King of France and Nauarre for their king and soueraigne Lorde and to giue vnto him such seruice and obedience as to him is due And that all other Princes Lords Townes Communalties and particularities shall giue ouer the pretended part of the League whereof the Duke de Maine was made chiefe and to render vnto the King all obedience and fidelitie on paine to haue the said Princes Lords and Gentlemen to bee disgraded of their Nobilitie and to bee declared outlawes both them and their posteritie with the confiscation of bodie and goodes racing and destroying of their Townes castles and manners which shall bee disobedient to the commandement and pleasure of the king And this Court hath broken and repealed and by this present do breake and repeale all that which hath beene done inacted and ordained by the pretended Deputies of the assembly held in this Citie of Paris vnder the name of the generall estates of this kingdome as of no effect or force beeing made by priuate persons who were for the most part practisers with the factious sort of the Realm and partakers with the Spaniards hauing no lawful power or authoritie Forbidding also the said pretended Deputies from henceforth neuer to take the like vpon them againe and no more to make assemblies either in this Citie or any other on paine to bee punished as disturbers of the publicke peace and guiltie of treason toward his Maiestie And wee enioyne all these pretended Deputies which are at this present within the Citie of Paris to depart each one to his owne house there to liue as subiects vnder the kings lawes and to bee sworne to their fidelitie before the iudges and Magistrates of those parts It is also ordained and by these presents were doo ordaine that all processions and solemnities tollerared during these troubles all occasions of them shall cease and in steade of them the two and twentieth day of March shall bee for euer solemnized on the which day generall processions shall bee made after the accustomed manner assisted by the said Court of Parliament in their scarlet robes in remembrance of the most happy deliuerance of this Cittie on that day from all her miseries and the bringing thereof vnder the kings obedience with thanksgiuing vnto God for the same At the same time the king published a declaration wherein all the shifts and deceits of the Captaines of the league were discouered and his loue and great good will toward the Parisians to whom hee forgaue all matters past restored all their customes and priuiledges obtained new fauors and shewed a most fatherly affection towarde them which was most pleasing to the people which drew many other townes from the league to humble themselues to his highnesse Three weekes after the Rector of the Vniuersitie the Deane and the Doctors of Sorbonne the Deanes and Doctors of other faculties in briefe all the members officers and substitudes of the Vniuersities of their owne minde assembled went all to humble themselues to the king which was then in the Chappell of Bourbon where they all fell prostrate on the ground before him acknowledging him their onely true and naturall Prince shewing with a most heartie affection well witnessing their loue that they were readie to take what oath it pleased him to confirme them to his subiection hee receiued them and with great benignitie sent them away The moneths of April and May were spent in receiuing and answering supplications from the Townes and Commons in diuers Prouinces and in drawing Lordes Gentlemen Captains and other principall members of the league vnder the kings subiection who pardoned all in such sort that the League resembled Isopes Choffe Warre in Picardy against the league There remained some Townes in Picardie which were solde through the meanes of the most factious of that part The king besieged Laon and certaine other Townes which the Spaniards assayed to warrant and keepe But their succours hauing been ouerthrowne in diuers incounters where they lost more then fiue hundreth men at last Laon yeelded to the king and so likewise the others Soissons and Fere excepted which were possest by the Duke of Maine and the Spaniardes who also at the same time became Maisters of Chapelle a little Towne in the Duchie of Thierasche The Duke of Maine ranne to Bruxelles for fresh supplies He receiued a good summe of mony but not sufficient to withstand the kings prosperous proceeding who then receiued into grace and fauour the Duke of Guise and his brother giuing since to the said Duke the gouernment of Prouence The Duke de Maine who could do nothing in Picardie hauing left good garrisons within Soissons hee closely trauelled into the Duchie of Bourgondy that hee might assure those places to himselfe which hee knew yet to hold for the league Now let vs turne againe to Paris where they beganne a new warre The Iesuites hauing in former times stood against sundrie purposes of the Vniuersitie whom they had set out in their colours shewing that this sect is the most execreable of al others by the helpe of such which had to do with those people for the executing of their great and most vnfortunate enterprises And in the end since the day of the Barricadoes had imperiously commaunded within Parris vsed infinit practises to aduance the Spaniards in France kindled the fire of sedition in all the principall towns in the kingdome defaming in their sermons and confessions the memorie of the deceased king and the Maiestie of him now raigning whose fame was by them spotted in the vildest manner they could deuise and
into Almaine whereby hee shewed as if hee woulde haue driuen the Emperour and all his adherents out of those Countries And minding to goe thither in person in the moneth of March he being in the Court of Parliament in Parris named and ordained Catherin de Medicis his wife Regent of the Realme The first Regency of Catherin de Medicis making many Edicts concerning pollitique Gouernment the ordering of Souldiers and the obseruation of military discipline thereby reforming both the abuse of the Leaders and the insolency of the souldiers so that as then you might haue seene both good and commendable orders among all the souldiers as well on this side as beyond the Mountaines France likewise abounded with Princes Lords Gentlemen and souldiers well ordred and gouerned in respect of that which after was seene in the time of Henry his sonne The Constable Genenall of the army A good order and pollicie among souldiers but not long obserued assisted by the Princes of the bloud and other Noblemen of France marched towards Victry where the Army was to assemble and besides the newe and olde companies of French souldiers there came twentie of the olde companies of Piedemont such as might compare both with the Phalangees of the Macedonians and the auncient Romanes those of Gascoigne seconded them the companies of Monsieur de Duras for the most part beeing composed of Gentlemen and olde Souldiers euerie man able to commaunde Of all this Infantery next to the Admirall Monsieur Chastillon was Coronell besides 10000. Lansquenets in twentie Companies and diuided into two Regiments conducted by Recrod and Rhingraue their Coronels with a great number of horsemen sent vnto the king by the Protestant Princes vnder the conduct of Coronell Chartel The French horsemen whereof Claude de Lorraine Duke of d'Aumalle yongest sonne of the house of Guise was Leader were 1500. men of armes euery man hauing two Archers with him all made 4500. horses 2000. light-horse and as many caliuers on horse-backe Of voluntarie souldiers both Gentlemen and others there were so great numbers that all the countrie was couered with horses but now wee must see what all these troupes effected The Duke and the countrie of Lorraine put into the kings hands The Constable beeing neere to Thoul Chrestienne Duches Dowager of Lorraine came vnto the king byding at Ginuille there to excuse her selfe of the suspitions imposed vpon her because the Emperour was her near kinsman and considering the tempest that as then threatned Lorraine shee committed her selfe and Charles her sonne into the protection of the king who sent the young Prince vnto the Dauphin his sonne where hee was brought vppe and after married a daughter of France Meane time Thoul yeelded vnto the Constable which done he parlied with the Towne of Metz an imperiall and faire Cittie they offered to serue the armie with victuals for their mony and to permitte the king with all his Princes free passage through the Towne as at other times they had done vnto the Emperour but the Constable hauing partly perswaded them by promises and then vsing some threatnings Metz an imperiall Towne surprised and brought vnder the French king in great chollor said vnto thē that the king wold haue a passage and repassage through their Towne without any conditions and that it were best for them not to hazard the contrary if they minded to obtaine the kings good will and fauour without the hurt and discommoditie of his armie Those of Metz would gladly haue resisted both by word and deed but not hauing in time prouided for themselues they were constrained to bid their libertie farewell and to open their gates to two companies of foote which drewe so long a tayle after them that in fine all meanes of resistance was wholly taken from them for that all the valiantest sousdiers in France were there in person and vppon the 10. of Aprill the Constable accompanied with diuers Princes and great Lords stayed the comming of the king who within eight daies after made his entrie into the Towne with all his armie where he stayed three daies to take order for their affaires receiued oath fidelitie of the Cittizens he likewise swearing both to them and those of Thoul to defend them against all men and to preserue their rights and priuiledges and franchises in al things whatsoeuer also to prouide for the strength and fortification of 〈◊〉 place which as then hee fully pretended to make one of the principall bullwarkes and Frontier-townes of France wherein hee left as Gouernour Monsieur de Gonnort brother to the Marshal de Brissac giuing him in charge to looke vnto the citadell and other fortifications of the Towne The French armie goeth towards Strasbourg Metz yeelded to the king the armie beeing composed of 30000. men marched into Almaine and in the beginning of May stayed two daies vppon the plaine of Sauerne the horsemen going within a myle of the towne of Strasbourg the Cittizens whereof being taught by the misfortune of Metz wroght with more pollicie for themselues sending certaine victuals vnto the armie wherewith the Constable seemed not well content thinking to put them in some feare and assoone as Pierre Sturne Goteshem and Sleidam their Deputies were departed hee sent two Gentlemen to the Councell of the Towne to knowe their aunswere where in a long time and eloquent discourse they shewed The Constables proceedings with those of Strasbourg the kings good will and meaning vnto the countrie of Almaine the causes why hee had raised an armie and beene at so great charges requiring that the souldiers might enter into the Towne to buy such necessaries as they wanted but the Councell of the Towne vsing delayes the next day the Constable vsed many speeches vnto the Deputies threatning them very hardly But whatsoeuer hee said it little auayled for those of Strasbourg put a strong Garrison into their Towne preparing themselues vnto resistance if any pretence were offered meane time not refusing to furnish the campe with victuals and all other necessaries whatsoeuer but the armie dooing nothing marched towards Hagenaw and VVisbourg where the Deputies of three of the Electors next adioyning as also of other Princes The request of the Almaine Princes to the king came to beseech the King to pitie the poore pesants to impeach the spoyle of the countrie and not to passe any further but rather to hearken vnto a peace without pressing them to a perpetuall alliance considering their bounden duties vnto the Emperour withal making a specially request for the sauegard of the territories of Strasbourg Letters of Duke Maurice At the same time beeing the eleuenth of May Duke Maurice Elector of Saxon sent letters vnto the King conteining the effect of the treatie made at Lints wherein a peace had beene propounded which the Emperour seemed to hearken vnto concerning Almaine desiring the King if his meaning were to bee comprehended heerein to declare and shewe vppon what conditions hee
fatned by the confiscations of the goods of those of the religion and by borrowings neuer to be repayed hauing made offer of all that hee had to the house of Guise was receiued into their band The Constable sent home The Constable perceiuing that the king in open Parliament had declared that his meaning was that from thence foorth al men should haue recourse touching matters of estate the crowne and of his house vnto his two Vncles the Duke of Guise and the Cardinall of Lorraine and that by consequent his mortall enemie entered into his place and doing that which wholly apperteined to his offices of Constable and Great-Maister of France yea and in the presence of the Spaniards and other straungers who before had made so much account of him about eight daies after the kings death went to present himselfe vnto the king deliuering vppe the seales to him committed by King Henry and hauing been certified from the king that the charge of the treasures and other affaires concerning the estate were as then committed to the Cardinall and to the Duke of Guise the commandement of all things that belonged vnto the warres and that for his part the king permitted him leaue to depart and go vnto his house saying hee still retained him of his Councell and that whensoeuer hee would come vnto the Court hee should bee welcome he thāked the king for suffring him so to retire beseeching him that as touching his comming vnto the Councell his Maiestie would excuse him for two causes the one because hee could not serue vnder such men ouer whom he had alwaies commaunded the other for that beeing holden and accounted for an olde and simple man his counsell would not bee necessarie otherwise he offered both life and goods to serue the King Which done he went to see the Queene mother that handled him very rudely reproching him that he in presence of the king with smiling countenance should say that he had neuer a childe that in any thing resembled him but onely his bastard-daughter that married with the Marshall de Montmorency Yet for the loue of her deceased king and husband she said she was content to remit her owne particular quarrell for which if it pleased her she could haue caused him to loose his head yet she exhorted him not altogither to leaue the Court but to come thither sometimes He denied the accusation which she alledged touching her children affirming it to be false desiring her to haue in remembrance the many seruices by him done to her and to the Realme and not to regard the euill report of such as were his enemies that shuld not do him all the mischief which they pretended And so hauing taken his leaue and brought his maister vnto his Tombe he withdrew himselfe vnto his house The Princes of the blood scattered Touching the Princes of the blood the Prince of Conde was sent into Flanders there to confirme the peace to whom was deliuered a thousand Crownes to beare his charges The Prince of la Roche Suryon was sent thither likewise to beare the order of France vnto the king of Spaine and at his returne appointed with the Cardinal of Burbon to cōduct the Princesse Elizabeth into Spain The Parlimēts were appointed at the good pleasure of those of Guise The Cardinal de Turnō an old enimy to the Cōstable to al those of the religiō was repealed from Rome reestablished of the priuy councel The Kings Officers of his house chaunged part of the old officers of the kings house were discharged part sent home vnto their houses with half their pensions to giue place to others And to cōclude there staied not one in the Court that fauoured the Constable The Prouinces of the Realme and the frontier Townes were filled with Guisians and all Gouernours and men of warre commaunded to obey the Duke of Guise as the king himselfe All the Parliaments were aduertised Those of Guise haue charge of all that the Cardinall had the whole ordering and disposing of the treasures and of the estate The Queene Mother aduanced aboue all obtained the monies proceeding of the confirmation of Offices and the priuiledges of Townes and corporations whereof shee gaue a part to whome it pleased her although such summes ought not of right to be exacted vnlesse the Crowne fall into an other braunch First Edicts The first Edicts were made against such as bare Armes namely Pistols and Bastinadoes then against long Cloakes and great Hose It was a common saying in euery mans mouth that the Cardinall was a fearefull man if there were euer any in all the world hauing vnderstood by a certaine Magician in Rome that by enuie and then when he should be most in credit his enemies would cause him to be slaine with a Bastianado for that cause hee had procured that Edict being alwaies in great distrust euen at the time when all men were in most subiection to him Among so many affaires the 14. of Iuly Letters Pattents from the king confirmed the Commission vnto the Iudges appointed to proceed in iudgement against Anne du Bourg Proces against Anne de Bourg and other prisoners and foure other Councellours that were committed to prison Du Bourg stedfast in religion was hotly pursued Bertrand Cardinall and Archbishop of Siens beeing one of the principall wheeles of this criminall Chariot and the Cardinall of Lorraine the leader therof Those of the religion perceiuing themselues to be at the point of a more violent persecution by expresse Letters vnto the Queene besought her by her authoritie to commaund the leauing off to persecute them in such great rigor Shee promised the Prince of Conde Madame de Roy his mother in lawe and to the Admirall to cause the persecutions for to cease so they would leaue their assembling togither The Queen-mother promiseth to doo for those of the religion and that euery man wold liue according to his own conscience secretly and not to the hurt of others Shee had been most earnestly mooued by the letters of one named Villemadon that knew great part of his secrets putting her in minde of her great affection vnto pittie at such time as shee was barren exhorting her not to withdrawe the Princes of the blood from the mannaging of the affaires of the estate thereby to aduance and make Kings the house of Guise Those letters were written the 26. day of August and wrought with so great effect that from thenceforward for a certaine time the Queene seemed to hearken vnto the comfort and ease of those of the religion meane time those of Guise to make their gouernment seeme agreeable to al the people and to leese nothing in the kings name published letters of the reuocation of all alienations made Alienations made by king Henry reuoked as well for life as yeares beeing for recompences of any seruices past except those sales whereof the monies had beene imployed for the kings great vrgent
assured because of their victorie that they durst not beginne The Duke of Anious retrait from before Chastellerand The Duke not hauing all his armie togither and perceiuing that the siege was raised before Poictiers presently after the assault giuē to Castellerand by the Italians fearing to bee surprised in all hast caused his artillerie to bee drawne away and by mans strength besides horses to passe the riuer thereby to set it in safetie The eight of September toward euening it was resolued that the whole armie should retire into a strong place called la Celle beyond the riuer that passeth by Haye in Touraine six leagues from Chastelleraud At this passage they left two thousand shot and some cornets of horse to stay the Princes forces from assayling the Princes armie at that time too weake to hold out against them The Duke with the rest of his troupes was lodged in a place of great aduantage In this retraict the Maisters of his campe vsed such diligence and good conduct as deserued to bee noted among the most notable feates in all this war and was the principall meanes of the Dukes victorie which soone after hee obtained at Chastellerand where he had at leisure reassembled all his forces before dispearsed and scattered abroad The Princes aduertised of this suddaine retraict of the Duke followed him and marched all the night so that beeing first passed the riuer they drew straight to the port of Pilles there to passe the riuer of Creuse and so to set vpon the maine battell But the guard which the Duke had before placed in the same place forced them to skirmish almost all the day the Admirall perceiuing the place too hot seeking other passages found one somewhat higher vppon the right hand where all the armie did the next day passe ouer the Creuse betweene the port of Pilles and Haye in Touraine in full resolution to force the Duke either to fight or else to retire into the Cittie of Tours where the king then was The Corps de Garde at the port of Pilles fearing to bee inclosed retired in great haste to the Dukes armie where still there arriued men from all places both the armies set thēselues in battell array but betweene them there ranne a brooke inuironed with marishes and bogges very discommodious for any generall fight because no man could passe but by one and one as also the artillerie could not bee brought without daunger of losse The Duke lodging in a village called la Celle wel trenched flangued and fortified hauing on the one side a riuer and on the other a wood feeling himselfe yet too weake would not come downe into the plaine the Princes not able to force him in so strong a hold hauing for the space of two daies with continuall skirmish sought to bring him to the field for want of victualles returend ouer the Creuse and so ouer the other riuer named Vienne the thirteenth day of September and were lodged at Fay la Vineuse and within two daies after the Duke came also within foure leagues of the same place A traitor executed The 21. was Dominique d'Albe the Admirals Groome of his chamber put to execution as beeing conuicted to haue promised la Riuere the Captaine of the Duke of Anious guard for the summe of one hundreth Crownes which hee had receiued in hand with assurance of the place of a Groome of the Dukes chamber and some other large rewards to kil his maister the said Admirall with poyson which the said la Riujere deliuered him The Prince of Orenge departing from this place vppon a necessarie iourney into Germanie passed with a small traine by la Charitee and Vegelay and so following on his way arriued without disturbance at his iourneyes ende leauing his two bretheren Lewis and Henry with the Princes Eight daies before the execution of Dominique the Parliament of Parris had published a decree against the Admirals life accusing him of rebellion and treason with promise of reward of fiftie thousand crownes of the summe to bee leuyed vpon the Towne-house of Parris to any that could bring him in aliue or dead the same they also executed him in picture as they did likewise the Vidame of Chartres and the Countie Montgommery The battell of Moncontour won by the Duke of Aniou The Duke of Aniou hauing gathered all his forces and passed Vienne vpon the six and twentieth of September came to Loudun within three myles of the Princes campe which beeing in a countrie much fouraged and of bad cituation were counselled to go to Moncontour wher they might haue good lodging and great store of victualles The carriage marched on the one side and the Admirall and his armie on the other side not thinking that the Duke would so soone approach but beeing neare a village named Saint Cler the one not knowing of the other the Dukes vantgard conducted by Monsieur Biron met sidewaies vppon the Princes armie Hee perceiuing occasion giuen gaue a charge with a thousand launces vppon Nouy that made the retrait for the Princes with three hundreth horse and two hundreth Harquebusiers this small troupe was presently ouerthrowne and put in disorder with losse of about thirtie or fortie horse and almost all the foote This furious charge being done with great force and vppon the suddaine with the noyse of foure cannon shots bredde such feare in the Princes troupes that euery man beganne to bee abashed and without a certaine passage whereon aboue twentie men at a time could not passe that stayed Birons launciers all the Princes armie had in a manner been wholly ouerthrowne at that first charge The Admirall running to that disorder shewed himselfe vnto his men and reassembled them in such sort that at his comming were giuen two or three great charges and recharges of fifteene hundreth or two thousand horses at once and such as passed were soone driuen backe againe by the others There the Counties Lodowic de Nassau and VVolrad of Mansfield behaued themselues valiantly The two armies placed themselues in battell one heere the other there about a long musket shot distant from each other that of the Princes beeing soone vnder couert to passe that place no man durst be so bold for the danger that might ensue because diuers squadrons would soone haue spoyled such as had ventured But the Dukes artillerie beeing there and the Princes alreadie at Moncontour his cannoniers tooke the aduantage and hurt some squadrons of the enemie which notwithstanding brake not ranke but held firme vntill night by which meanes each man retired The next day in the morning the Duke would visit Moncontour to put the Princes in feare But hee found them in the subburbes well fortified hauing no meanes to come at them but by one way where hee gaue a skirmish both of horse and footemen The Dukes armie was composed of eight or nine thousand horse and seuenteene or eighteen thousand foote comprehending fixe thousand Switzers and fifteene peeces of artillerie
May. Second parley of peace I said before that the first aunswere made by the king to Messieur de Teligny de Beauuais and la Nocle Deputies for the Princes to parley of a peace at Anger 's was such that after it the warre was rather increased then diminished For those of the religion perceiuing that they sought onely to ouerthrow and destroy them determined to proceed and to make of necessitie a vertue And as time breedeth changes those that happened were to their aduantages in such sort that their courages were increased and their hopes fortified The king the Queen and their Councell perceiuing that since the losse receiued before Saint Iohn d'Angely they found themselues new to beginne determined to beginne a parley of peace wherein for their part Biron was imployed with charge as like wise Teligny Deputie for the Princes to say vnto the Admirall that the king and the Queen his mother desired more then euer they did to receiue him into their fauours with many such like words whereof the effects may well bee seen in the discourse of the yeare 1572. The king was greeued that the continuance of warre bereaued him of his pleasures ouerthrew the loue and obedience due vnto him fouraged his countrie diminished his treasures and consumed his forces His wicked Councellours ceased not to kindle in his heart the fier of rancor and desire of reuenge against the Admirall his associates and all those of the religion because of the iourney of Meaux in the beginning of the second troubles and of so many resistances as they had made The Queen his mother was much offended because that from the beginning of the first troubles it was discouered that her intents were to rule and to cause the one part to spoyle the other Her chiefe obiect beeing wholly against those of the religion specially against the Admirall and other commaunders There was too much paine and daunger to bring them to her bow by dint of sword murtherers and impoysoners durst hardly approach the Princes applyed themselues to the time and from their youths beganne to know the friends and enemies of rest and quietnesse of France On the other side the Queen of Nauarre and the Admirall as also diuers great Lords of their part affected to the good of the Common-wealth and foreseeing that the ingrafted enemies thereof desired nothing but the weakning of the same by the meanes of ciuill warres there to erect their practises and to open the way to their ambitious deuises desired by an assured peace to see some end of the miseries of France hoping that mens mindes being somewhat cooled good counsell would bee taken for the benefit of the Common-wealth to the vtter confusion of the secret and open enemies thereof the diuine prouidence of the almightie God and ruler of the world directeth our affaires partly according to our desires but for the most part it guideth all things in such manner that calling to mind that which past after vntill the death of the Duke of Aniou which was Henry the third wee cannot marke nor say otherwise but that the iudgements of God are vnsearchable and that his waies are impossible to bee found out To returne vnto the Princes they were constrained after the battell of Of the great voyage made by the Princes after thâ—ir tourney of Moncontour vntill the peace Moncontour to keepe themselues farre from the Dukes armie to assure their troupes to stay their enemies about townes and so to consume them while they strengthened themselues and became busier then before thereby to constraine those that tooke so much pleasure in war to seeke for peace This counsel was good because of the improuidence of the Romish Catholicks who without resistance suffering this smal snowball to retire in time it became as great as a house for that the authoritie of the Princes drew and moued many people The Admiral by his prouidence surmounted the occurrent difficulties and the Rutters to the number of three thousand horse for the field gaue reputation to the armie They indured much vntill they entered into Gascon where they strengthened themselues with Harquebusiers beeing most necessarie for them specially to defend the horsemen nightly surprises much vsed in that countrie because of the nearenesse of Townes and Castles They were mingled among the Cornets of Rutters and other French troupes in such sort that both plaine countries and couert they were alwaies ready to defend theÌ„ Staying of the Princes Armie The longest way that this demy armie made was towards Agenois and Quercy where it stayed almost all the winter and by the good entertainment it receiued there both great and little spedde wel In this voyage the Princes abandoned the enemies countrie for a pray vnto their souldiers and whosoeuer would hazard wanted no meanes those Prouinces were so abundant Monluc went about to hinder their passage ouer Garonne but the diligence of la Loue that ledde the Princes light-horse hauing taken those places that serued for resistance forced him in all haste to retire to Agen so that in the moneth of December 1599. all the armie passed ouer Garonne at Saint Maries port without impeachmeÌ„t at the second time for at the first Monluc had broken their bridge The twentieth of the same moneth Captaine Piles ioyned with the Princes armie and hauing obtained three Cornets made them flye that followed him so neare La Loue and his Argolitiers made diuers courses and picorees into Agenois and the countries thereabout The first forces that ioyned with the Princes were those of the Countie Montgommery comming from Bearn and it is not to bee doubted if he were welcommed at his returne The two and twentieth of December Bole a strong Towne was taken that done Exployts of this armie in their voyage that armie went to lye at the Bastille Saint Surin two leagues from Thoulouse The next day and others ensuing beganne a manner of war most violent by reason of the burnings that were permitted to be made about that great Towne onely vpon the houses of Presidents and Councellours of the parliament it beeing alleaged that they had been most earnest and as it were inraged to burne and massacre those of the religion beheaded Captaine Rapin that brought them the Edict of peace from the king and committed diuers insolencies oppressions for the which as then it was requisite to punish them for that omitting that occasion it would possible not be found againe The Marshall d'Anuille Gouernour of Languedoc la Valette and diuers others of account were within Thoulouse accompanied with fiue hundreth Gentlemen and 9000. harquebusiers as well straungers as of the countrie wherewith they made many sallies with diuers effects yet neuer went farre from their walles for fear of some surprise after Thoulouse had receiued those small checkes the armie went towards Carmaine Thoulouse checked a small towne which was forced and such as resisted put to the sword The like was done to those
One that published a discourse of his last speechs saith that not long before hee died hee desired his mother to pursue his enemies to the vttermost and that with great vehemencie he reiterated his speeches saying Madame I pray you heartily do it And in those combats of minde hee died at Blois Saint Vincennes vpon the 30. of May 1574. in the presence of his mother set vpon a chest accompanied with the Cardinals of Bourbon Ferrare the Chancellor Birague Lansac other Lords that beheld the end of the tragical life of this Prince that was born the 27. of Iune 1550. began to raigne the 5. of Decemb. 1560 and had a raigne which all posteritie will admire and abhorre So this Prince liued not till hee attained to the full age of foure and twentie yeares of nature beeing very actiue vnconstant in his cogitations rash in his enterprises impatient to attend diligent to looke into other mens natures prompt of conceit of good memorie extreame colloricke secret a great dissembler and one that easily framed his countenance Description of Charles the ninth which his Tutors many times put him in minde of for in the beginning hee was courteous and easie to bee ruled They likewise made him become one of the greatest blasphemers in France wherein he became so expert that that euill quallitie in him conuerted to bee his ordinarie speech Martigues Losses and others taught him that corruption by his mothers consent specially after the first troubles They contented not themselues with those corruptions but inticed him likewise to Courtizans to whom of himself he was not much adicted and to conclude to make him the capitall enemie of the religion both shee and they which ought to haue had more care of conseruing the honour of this Prince left nothing omitted wherby to push him forward to all vice to cause him to wallow in the filthinesse that couered him on all sides hee vttered his words in good termes with a readie and pleasant speech loued Musicke and Poetrie wee haue seene reasonable good verses of his composing But his principall exercise was in hunting the pleasure whereof made him forget all other pleasures and in the end hee gaue himselfe so much vnto it that the blood of wilde beasts which to shed hee tooke a singular pleasure hauing ript vp their bellies pulling out their intrailes with his owne hands made him in a manner to become furious so that many times at his returne from hunting hee entered into such furie that none of his seruants durst once appeare in his sight vnlesse would receiue some blows In his Anagranome which was deuised by certaine persons after the massacre was found out these two words Chasseur Desloyal wherein are as many letters and the same that are in Charles de Valois Hee had composed a booke of all the parts of bunting which till this time neuer was extant hee was sober drinking no wine slept little his visage long pale and swart a long nose sharpe and quicke sight specially after the second troubles of bodie well proportioned but beginning to stoupe Hee tooke pleasure to taunt great men not sparing either mother or bretheren specially the Duke of Aniou whom hee railed at and diuers times vsed him most vnwoorthily but aboue all hee had a great quarrell to the Parliament of Parris to the officers whereof in one of his Orations made touching the complaints of the neglecting of his commaundements hee said I will that from hencefoorth you shall obey my commaundement without any more disputation touching their merites for I know what is to bee done for the honour and profite of my realme better then you do And I will that from hencefoorth you shall not loose any time to write or frame your declaration vnto mee neither yet to moderate correct nor interpret my commaundements For my meaning is that all whatsoeuer I say and do shal presently bee executed Three daies before hee died his mother hauing shewed him of the taking of the Countie de Montgommery hee made her no aunswere and when shee told him that hee ought to reioyce at the taking of him that had killed his father I care neither for that said hee nor for any thing else in this world Hee likewise reioyced that hee left no small children behinde him because said he that leauing them in their minorities they should haue ouer much to suffer adding that France as then had neede of a man Now wee must speake of his successour and see what maner of man hee was Heere endeth the Historie of the last troubles that happened in the raigne of Charles the ninth A BRIEFE DISCOVRSE OF THE GREAT AND WONDERFVL EFFECTS THAT HAVE ENSVED THE KINGS CONVERSION Collected out of a certaine Oration made touching the reduction of the Cittie of Lyons vnder the kings obedience and sent to Monsieur de Reuol Councellour and Secretarie to the King THere was neuer any straunge or new accident how acceptable and pleasing soeuer it might bee that in all places or with all men was esteemed and holden in admiration for that euery man therein will giue censure according to his owne affection I speake this in respect of the mournfull silence which the reduction of the Cittie of Lyons hath inserted into the mindes of many men and the ioye it hath infused into the hearts and very entrailes of others for that therein I neuer spake with any man that would once conceiue the true cause and reason thereof which forceth mee at this present to enter into this discourse wherein so fit occasion beeing offered if it please you to giue me audience and permit me licence to speake I will in briefe most plainly shew that it is onely the miraculous and mightie worke of Gods hand which hath wrought the same although per aduenture this kinde of argument pleaseth not such men as are onely pleased with our displeasures and in a manner faint and are ouercome with the meere ayre and sweete sauour of the flower de luce It is long since agreed and consented vnto that Henry de Bourbon chiefe Prince of the blood royall and principall Peere of France by true discent by order of succession by right of blood and by custome and law of the Realme is called to the Crowne and gouernment of France which first quallitie is in him so true and perfect that none or fewe of his famous predecessors euer had more euident titles therevnto He is a Frenchman from his Grandfathers in both families and not onely a meere Frenchman but on his fathers side of the first branch of the blood royall the like on his mothers side by his father not onely descended from Saint Lewis or Hugh Capet but from Charles and Dagobert of whom the Capets descended contrarie to the wilfull ignorance of such as would prooue his familie to bee meere straungers and by his mother from the Alberts kings of Nauarre who successiuely were of the house of France and
filthinesse of thy vilany nor wood ynough to burne the Registers and memories of this sedition But can we speake of the Barricadoes without remembring this incomprehensible motions of Gods prouidence which doth equally shine and appeare as wel in the establishing as pulling down of Empires dealetha swel with their fall as with their continuance And who will not say Read a notable discourse vppon this matter in the 2. Booke intituled the constancy and consolation of publicque calamities Henry the third a most religious Prince He led rather the life of a Monke then of a K. He hated the Huguenots that this great motion the spring of all the miseries ensuing was not a blowe of the hand of the inscrutable wisedome of God to punish the king and his Realm Hee that would debate this proposition by the circumstances of the kings person needeth not to seeke the causes thereof neither in the East nor in the West but onely to ground them vppon the eternall wheele of Gods iudgements What apparance was there for subiects to arme themselues and reuolt against a king what pretence could bee so close but in the end it would open and bee discouered The cause of religion which is one of the most violent passions of the people and the most assured meanes to alter an estate was so cleare and pure in him that many iudged his life to bee religious blamed his actions which was fitter for an Hermite then a Prince He kept more in a Monasterie then with his Councell he spake oftner with Iesuites Capucins and Fueillantins then to his Secretaries He detested nothing more then Huguenots and there was not any Huguenot in France that had receiued any commaundement at his hands he was more spoken and disliked of among them then any of the house of Lorraine they beheld him not but as the commet of their miseries and neuer remembred him but when they spake of S. Bartholomewes day that which they had indured at the hands of the duke of Guise was but roses in respect of that they had suffered at Iarnac And the Huguenots declared his life Moncontour Rochel and Parris in such manner that it were an extream absurditie to beleeue that he fauoured Hereticques and that hee would ouerthrow that religion whereof hee made so open profession He was assisted by the Princes of his house Therefore hee had no cause to feare any thing to bee done against him by the Catholicques and yet those are they that in the Capital Towne of his Realms Barricadoed themselues against him He had all the Princes of the blood for the defence of his Crowne for when the King of Nauarre for the libertie of his conscience had taken armes it was no longer but while they would constraine him and breake the decrees of peace that permitted him to bee free of conscience not to oppose himselfe against the Monarchie nor to an Anarchicall confusion of this estate The rest of the Princes that knew well that the reasons of the league were not so much to reforme the Realme as to ouerthrow it and therewith to bring them within the compasse of those ruines held themselues near vnto his Maiestie all the Nobilitie of France at the least nine of ten partes more particularly bound vnto his seruice for their honours dignities offices and benefiâ—s as also the iustices of the Realme not beeing of the minde to accomodate themselues to the humors of the Princes of the league and esteemed the essentiall forme thereof to be opposite and an ouerthrowing to the estate The GentlemeÌ„ of France foreseeing that the royaltie cannot be ouerthrown but that the Nobilitie must likewise beare the same burthen and that the subiect that refuse the obedience and faieltie of his Prince will not bee long before hee seeketh to free himselfe of the rents and reuenues hee oweth vnto the Lord of the soyle The greatest persons of the Cleargie consented not to those new mutinies acknowledging that their profession is more honoured and beautified vnder a King The chiefe of the Cleargie then by the confusions of a democration estate The king likewise had named and chosen them at his pleasure so that the obligation of his fauour retained them in his seruice Learned men published his prayses and in his raigne there were more bookes printed and dedicated to his Maiestie Learned meÌ„ then in the raigne of the great King Francis and his successors although most iustly hee was named the father and restorer of learning Some Preacher onely flattered sedition thereby to winne estimation among the commoÌ„ people desirous of a change In all the towns throughout euery Prouince there were officers who besides their naturall subiection were more bound to him by oath that he had taken of them giuing them charge of his treasures the power of his lawes and administration of his iustice with the order of pollicie they desired nothing more then the greatnesse of their King his rest and quietnesse beeing their onely preferment for that without libertie and peaceablenesse with his long life and prosperitie their offices were of little force as hauing exposed their fortunes to the hazard of the terme of his life I And yet he was not well assured in Parris n such manner that his Maiestie had not any thing more at his commaundement then men of that quallitie that only feared the perill of his holy and sacred person and the changing of this Monarchie Who would then beleeue that a king yea and a king of France in the middle of so many assurances in the brauest time of his raigne in the Capitall Cittie of his Kingdome among so many Princes Knights of the Order in the face of a Parliament the thunder against sedition and colonie of iustice and royaltie hauing in his power the Bastille and the Arsenal at his deuotion the Prouost of Merchants the Sheriffes and the Colonnelles and sixe thousand men of warre placed in the streetes and quarters of the Towne where hee desired should bee besieged in his Pallace of Louure by a people whom hee had so much cherished and inriched with the spoyles of his other subiects and by himselfe stirred vp vnder the false alarme of a Garrison sacking and spoyling constrained to saue himselfe by flight from the furie of his mutinous subiects Incluctabilis fatorum vis cuius fortunaÌ„ mutare constituit consilia corrumpit Velleius lib. 2. de Caesar es varo And can wee that haue seene and beheld it remember it without considering that the eternall power of him that ruleth all the world made the Spirits iudgements counselles and conductions of those that might diuert the mischiefes proper and fit to aduance them and suffered them to take effect to shewe his wrath striking the head to make members languish O fatall and once againe accursed day of Barricadoes the birth day of our miseries and funeralles of our ioys that vnloosed the windes to those stormes of blood
the light of the pietie of France son of that victorious Henry whose memorie shall liue for for euer and brother to those two Catholicque Princes Francis the second and Charles the ninth whom God hath taken to his mercie But But yet againe that which toucheth you nearest remember that you are that renowmed Henry that being but Duke of Aniou and brother to the king did so valiant an act in the defence of the Church wonne so many great battels and so many times daunted the enemies of the Catholicque faith that you haue filled al Christendome with the wonders of your victorious name And we think if that like your Grace that your M. hath not so soone forggotten that great and solemne oath that you made at your coronation not onely to maintaine christian and Catholicque religion but to aduance it as much as possible you might without tollerating any other And if euer any oath lid binde a Prince to maintain keep his faith this hath so straightly bound you to the defence of this religion that you cannot permit any other without breach of conscience and paraduenture make a doubt of the right you haue vnto the Crowne For you know well that you haue agreed and contracted with Iesus Christ that you accepted the Scepter vppon this condition to be defendor of his Catholicque religion and in that solemne oath as a gage and earnest-penny you receiued his holy bodie and dranke his precious blood And now fayling in this religious oath thinke you he hath not good cause to be offended against you knowe you not that all the euils wee haue suffered proceeded onely from his iust wrath and see you not that hauing giuen you this Scepter vppon such conditions hee threatneth to take it from you if you keepe not the holy promise you made so solemnely vnto him And euen as God summoneth you to the obseruation of the faith that you haue giuen him your subiects by the same meanes solicite and inuite you to obserue the conditions wherevppon you were made king and which you cannot infringe breaking your oath but if you must also loose the title of most christian King and wee doubt not that setting these things before your eyes that reuiuing the memorie of your predecessors continuing the first prudence and vertue but you shall haue that great good fortune in your time to see your people reduced to the sheepfold of the holy and Catholicque Church whereof you are as a father and protector By this meanes those great Kings of Ierusalem Dauid Salomon Abis losaphat Ezechias and Iosias obtained the blessings of God and a happy successe in all their affaires hauing with so great care dilligence restored the puritie of religion and reeftablished diuine seruice that was neglected And wee also hope that following their steppes you will reduce all France to the Catholicque religion and for the recompence of your holy intent you shall haue that blessing of God in your time to behold your Realm as flourishing as euer it was And as it shall bee most acceptable vnto God so will it be most honourable to you and to your Crowne and you shall sufficiently perceiue that at this day there is no King Prince Potentate or Common-wealth I except certaine Barbarians and the Turke whose detestable manners and customes ought to bee so odious that the onely name should bee a horrour vnto vs that suffereth their subiects to liue in any other religion then that which the Magistrate by the disvnion of the Church holdeth for onely good and holy And surely such are not woorthie to bee heard that will so much restraine the power of the Prince or Magistrate to say that hee cannot constraine his subiects to the faith but that hee ought to suffer them to liue in libertie of conscience as they say for this opinion hath alwaies generally been condemned and reprooued by all Christians but only by the Manickiens and Donatists that were of opinion that wee must not constraine any man for his religion but suffer euery man to liue in libertie and after his owne santasie and those which at this day in a manner by force pull from you this libertie of their religion permit it not to others For in the places of Christendome where God permitteth that they should bee Maisters and hauing the authoritie in their hands they are so farre from permitting Catholicques freely to liue in the libertie of their consciences that to the contrary the diuers sects that are among them for that alreadie they are banded and diuided among themselues an euident signe of their ruine at hand cannot indure each other And there where the Caluenist is Maister the Lutheriau dareth not liue freely yea and when they change Magistrates of diuers opinions religion changeth according to his pleasure as we haue seene sufficient of such changes in England and in many places in Germanie And what should not this bee a shame and too great a slaunder to a good christian and faithfull Catholicque to bee found lesse affected in his religion that is approued by so long and continuall succession then these new christians in their opinions that are as it were but one night olde It is then a generall and certaine maxime and approoued by the Church and by all Common-wealths that the Magistrate ought and may continue his people vnder one faith as it is sufficiently seene by so many godly lawes and constitutions of Christian and Catholicque Empires and by the kings your predecessors whose examples ought to bee holy and inuiolate vnto your Maiestie Such were the reasons of the League by the vehemencie whereof the king disposed himselfe to warre reseruing alwaies a continuall thought to rid himselfe thereof But the Queene that sawe so many accidents to hang like leade ouer his head that thought the great and proude Spanish armie would land in Brittaine and that all the territories of Italie would fall vppon him to defend the Catholicqueleague did so much that the king dissembled the wound in his heart and said that hee had no more remembrance of the hard dealings that had past that he had no other intent but that of the League which was to extirpe heresie Vppon this assurance the Duke of Guise caused his merchandises to bee liked and to bee more esteemed then they were woorth or then hee hoped Wherevppon hee entered into a treatie with the Queen-mother and with her resolued vppon certaine articles vppon the fifteenth of Iuly which the king approoued receiued and signed within three daies after which were as followeth THe Articles agreed vppon and signed at Nemours the seuenteenth of Iuly 1585 the kings edicts made touching them and the declarations his Maiestie hath since made vppon the edict shall inuiolably be kept and obserued according to their forme and tenour And to cease and for euer to take away the distrusts partiallities and deuisions betweene the Catholicques and the Realme there shall bee a perpetuall and vnreuocable
Archbishop of Lyons of Bourgongne Reinold Earle of Forest Peter of Tarentaise that after was Pope of Rome Henry and Lewis Eales of Villars Montluel Charles d'Alencon Ame Iohn and Hugh de Talaru two Charles de Bourbon Cardinals Andre Cardinal of Espinac Francis de Rouen sonne of a Marshall of France Anthony of the auncient house of the Earles of Albon that were Dauphins de Viennois and Earles of Auuergne Peeces of money quoyned by the Archbishop of Lions with this deuise on the one side Prima sedes And on the other Galiarum And in trueth it is the principall sea of France the most famous and most auncient and in times past the Archbishop had a priuiledge to quoyne mony there are yet certaine peeces of mony to bee seene with their stampe and in the time that the kings of Bourgongne had that authoritie ouer the sea which the kings of France now haue the Archbishoppes were the first and most worthie instruments of their kings Councell Frideric Barbarousse in the time of Lewis le Ieune amplified their priuiledges by his letters writing to the Exarches or Lieftenants or chiefe Councellours of his Pallace of Bourgongne because that part of the Realm of Bourgongne that lyeth on this side the Mont Iura was as then Emperour of Rome The king seeking to withdrawe the Archbishoppe of Lyons out of the league promised him the custodie of the seale of France made him one of his priuie Councell before beeing onely of the Councell of estate recommended him vnto Pope Sixtus the fift and made him beleeue that the Lord of Gondy was sent expresly to fetch him the Cardinals Hat The Kings fauours shewed to the chiefe of the League Hee continued his fauours hee renued and amplified them to all those that had any credit in the League thinking that by the signes of his good fauour those Salmonees that would counterfeit Iupiters thunderboults would acknowledge and withdrawe themselues out of the confusion of their pretences Hee did nothing without them hee disclosed his secrets vnto them thrust his soule into the deepest part of their passions yea and seemed to bee as much mooued as they to the aduancement of treaties most liberally thrusting all his fauours and authorities vpon them and their participants so that there was none of them how farre soeuer in degree among them The Cardinall of Bourbon declared to be chiefe Prince of the blood See the treatise of Ianuary 1589. but felt some part of his benignitie He proclaimed the Cardinall of Bourbon to be the first Prince of the blood royall that is hee ratified the first Article of Ginuille made in Anno. 1585. which was wholly to exclude the king of Nauarre from the Crowne and auoyded that great disputation and argument of the Vncle and the Nephew so much written and disputed of both with tooth nayle thereby to trouble the auncient order of the succession and make the good Cardinal of Bourbon to serue the League on both sides This poynt deserueth some small view of their processe Those that sustaine the right and title of the Cardinall alleadged all these reasons first that the lawe of the Realme or the Salicque law that referreth the succession to the heires Masles referreth also the prerogatiue to raine to enjoy the Crowne to the next of the blood to the king that dieth without children Francis de Valois Duke of Alencon died with this prerogatiue of first Prince of the blood and first of the succession at his decease had no nearer kinsman theÌ„ the Cardinal of Bourbon that was in the tenth degree of consanguinitie from him by consequent succeeded in the prerogatiue of the Duke of Aniou as one cannot be heire to a man if he be not his heire by law so hee ought to haue that quallitie at his death at the which time the hope of succession was ioyned therevnto And as the succession inheritance of the Realm permitteth but one onely heire so this prerogatiue permitteth but one lawfull heire Quoniam sororem c. De iure de lib. This right of prerogatiue neuer rested but in the person of one of the Princes of Valois by the priuiledge of first begotten those of the house of Bourbon neuer had it because they could not represent the chiefe branch of a house from whence it did not issue the colaterall ingendring not the colaterall In such manner that Anthony de Bourbon although he had all the right of the house of Bourbon hauing not nor by any means would haue the right of elder the auncienter house beeing Valios yet liuing could not obtaine the prerogatiue of the first Prince or any hope to attaine vnto it nor yet to transferre it to Henry his sonne To say it commeth to the house of Bourban there beeing no other familie of the Masses but that house liuing and by consequent to him that hath all the preheminence of the right therein by vertue of succession and so to Henry sonne of Anthony as beeing the head of that house and representing his father eldest and first Prince of all that familie it is most certaine that this prerogatiue did not fall from the person of Francis Duke of Aniou Jus suitatis Eghinar din â—ita caroli to the familie of Bourbon for if it were so it would follow that all the Princes of that house should succeed in the same prerogatiue and that he which dieth should cease the whole reuenue of that familie and not the nearest So you cannot say that Anthony king of Nauarre being descended of the eldest house the right falleth to him seeing it is a thing cleare and without difficultie that the familie of the eldest is preferred before the familie of the youngest for in colaterall successors they consider the nearnesse of the Parents to the last that died ceased and the nearest in degree alwaies excludeth him that is further distant in Consanguinitie so Charlemaine comforming himselfe to the lawe of the Realme after the death of Charles his eldest sonne and Pepin the youngest iudged the Crown to Lewis his middle sonne that after was called le Debonnaire as brother and next heire to Charles his eldest sonne and not to Bernard sonne to Pepin the youngest sonne that was but in the second degree vnto him although in paternall inheritance he represented the person of his father Like case the prerogatiue that Francis Duke of Aniou had fell and proceeded to the Cardinall of Bourbon not because hee is of the house of Bourbon but next kin to the Duke of Aniou because hee descendeth of the Capets and of the blood royall of Hugh Capet And as the house of Bourbon at this day is reputed to haue this right because the said Cardinall of Bourbon that is issued from the same obtained it so if the said Cardinall were issued out of an other house so it were royall the familie of Bourbon should not be admitted to this prerogatiue but that from
whence the said Cardinall of Bourbon were so issued because of the nearnesse of his person The Genealogie of Heary of Bourbon King of Nauarre S. Lewis Robert Lewis Iames. Iohn Lewis Iohn The king of Nauarre alleadged for his reasons the genealogie and discent of the house of Bourbon saying Saint Lewis king of France had two sonnes the eldest Phillip the third surnamed the Hardy and Robert the youngest Earle of Cleremont of this Robert of Beatrix daughter of Archambaut of Bourbon was borne Lewis Earle of Clermont and first Duke of Bourbon created by king Philip de Vallois which Lewis espoused Marie Countesse of Hainaut and had two sonnes Peter and Iames the Masculin kinde of Peter is wholly extinct there resteth none of his side but the houses of Lorraine of Sauoy by the females Of Iames de Bourbon younger sonne to Lewis and of Iane de S. Paul his wife issued Francis Charles Anthony Henry The Duchie of Bourbon 1327. Iohn de Bourbon Earle of Marche of Iohn de Burbon Catherine Count esse of Vendosme issued Lewis de Bourbon Earle of Vendosme of Lewis de Bourbon and Ieane de Laual his Wife issued Iohn de Bourbon of Iohn de Bourbon and Isabeau his wife issued Francis Earle of Vendosme of Francis Earle of Vendosme and Marie of Luxembourg Countesse of Saint Paul issued Charles de Bourbon of Charles de Bourbon and Francis d'Alencon his wife issued Anthony de Bourbon king of Nauarre the eldest son Francis Duke of Anguien Charles Cardinal of Bourbon Iohn Durke of Anguin Margaret married to the Duke de Neuers and Lewis de Bourbon Prince of Conde Of Anthony de Bourbon the eldest issued Henry de Bourbon now king of Nauarre and Catherine Princesse of Nauarre his sister Wherefore it is euidently seene that the king of Nauarre is a degree behinde the Cardinall of Bourbon for hee is in the tenth and the king in the eleuenth degree but it is seene that hee is sonne of the eldest house of Bourbon and therefore by consequent preferred to all the rights of the house royall Paul Aemil. in pud Crasso Anno. 11110 â—olidin Hist Angl. By a statute in the Court in the yeare 1341. By a statute in the yeare 1517. Filius Fratris Fratri aequiparatur ita succedit atque parter si viuerer All the Doctors concluded in fauour of the Nephew against the Vncle that saith hee is the eldest by the disease of his father whether it bee in the direct or colaterall line in successions vndeuided as Realmes Empires Duches Earledomes and that is obserued in France England Spaine Portugal Almaine and Sicile So Archambaut had the Duche of Bourbon from his vncle Hannon Artus Duchie of Normandie froÌ„ king Iohn his Vncle third son to Henry the second king of England Lewis Earle of Neuers the Earledome of Flaunâ—ers from his Vncle the daughter of Guy Vicount of Limoges the Duchie of Brittaine from Iohn Earle of Montfort his brother Henry d'Albert sonne of Catherin the Earledome of Foix from Iohn Viscount of Narbonne and his heires Richard sonne of Edward Prince of VVales was crowned without contradiction and Yorke Henry de Bourbon succeeded in the right that Anthony de Bourbon his father had in the house of Bourbon by the succession of his auncestors the title of eldest sonne not beeing lost nor extinct in the father but continueth and is transported to the sonne The right of eldest is perfectly ingrafted in the eldest assoone as he entereth into the world is made a man which right being in him hath continued in his posterie by the custome and common obseruation of the Realme The reason that some alleadge to prooue that this right was neuer gotten in the father is not to bee respected for although there were but onely and sometimes hope his sonne is permitted to claime it and to seeke the possession as it falleth out although the son of the eldest is a degree further then the Vncle neuerthelesse being entered into the place of his father hee ought to bee preferred further the right of preferment is not gotten by our selues onely but by the right and person of others so that as long as there testeth any thing of this elder house an other cannot take place in any sort whatsoeuer The king of Nauarre hath another reason against the which there can bee no argument that may preuaile which is that the Cardinall of Bourbon his Vncle at the contract of marriage betweene the said king of Nauarre and the Ladie Margaret of France acquitted remissed yeelded and transported vnto to the said king all and euery right name voyce and action present or to come that in any case might appertaine vnto him as beeing issued out of the house of Bourbon expresly acknowleging the king of Nauarre his Nephewe for the true son heir successor and representation in all respects of the eldest house And so to thinke by denying his own deed to attain to the vaine hope of the succession of the Realm comprehended vnder the generall declaration of the elder house of the saide deceased king of Nauarre there is no likelyhood So the king not to displease the League that occupied the principall places of his thoughts declared the Cardinall of Bourbon the first Prince of the blood although hee knewe that by iustice and the lawes not onely of this Realme but of all the best gouerned estates that euer was the king of Nauarre was onely capable of that prerogatiue and the good Prelate perceiued not that vnder that quallitie of first Prince successiue heire to the crown which the league procured vnto him it pushed forward her tyrannie with al the force shee might thereby to vsurpe the royaltie giuing to a king of sixe and thirtie years of age a succession that hath past the climaticall yeare of sixtie three To be brief it may be said of the League as Cicero said of Caezar and Pompey it presenteth vnto vs the picture of the Cardinall of Bourbon but will erect the Image of a straunger The League tooke away the Kings Councell The affaires of the League hauing had in her poope the winde the authoritie of the king and fauour of all the people floating most proudely in the maine seas without feare of winds or waues fearing that the kings great goodnesse would not long continue that the wise Councellors that were about the king would giue him aduise and withdrawe him from the shipwracke wherein they would reduce his authoritie ceased not to blow in his eares that his Councell set a darke cloud before his eyes thereby to impeach him from seeing what is the dutie of a good king hyding the truth froÌ„ him and staying at nothing but that which might content either passion or auarice The king to please them is constrained to pull his eyes out of his head to depriue himselfe of the light that he receiued by the wisdome of his Councellours
vnto their libertie hee would destroy and ouerthrow all the Catholicque Churches in Italie The feare of this mischiefe caused him to tollerate an euill otherwise vntollerable pernicious necessitie to haue peace is the most straight band of humane commodities thereby to shunne warres that maketh fathers without childen children Orphans women widdowes Churches without exercise of religion or godlinesse and the world without God without lawe or without faith to bannish warres that change a most christian Realm into a Commōwealth of Atheists Frēchmen that are peaceable and tractable into Scithians and Canibals liuing only by blood this bloodie ciuill warre that maketh the earth a hell and men the diuelles it is most iust and reasonable to appease the differences of religion by peace seeing warre cannot effect it That ancient world of the church which in respect of ours beeing of Iron and brasse might iustly be called golden permitteth this libertie Peace accorded such false concords and made good musicke diuers Princes and Estates which at this day flourish in great honour suffer euery man to liue according to his conscience and manner of religion without any alteration of their estates by such discipline Detestation of massacres They consider that the schisme is begunne that the greatest part of Europe is diuided that diuers good Towns in France make profession of this religion there is no more remedie that wee must leaue this conuersion to the prouidence of God They content themselues that their subiects obey them and that they vse their religion according to their mindes they doo not therefore make a barbarous galemawfre of the members of their subiects they massacre them not they kill them not and beleeue that whatsoeuer wee haue done heretofore is not lesse horrible to the minde then cruell to the will the League replyeth and said Trouble not your selfe so much with tying these examples togither they serue for nothing there is no proportion of one Realme with the other in this poynt that which is good for the Frenchmen is not good for others We must not so much stand vpon the consideration of things that are alreadie done as of those wee should doo France neuer had two religions shee could neuer indure them Arians could not dwell therein the Alligers were not tollerated with them and the Lutherians and Caluinists would not long continue among them if the League bee in force Let your Grace remember what a Chrisostome of France said vnto you at the last Parliament holden in Blois and now giue the like authoritie to his arguments that they then had when they made you take armes to purge the heart of Europe of the poyson of heresie France said hee hath beene such that after it had publicquely receiued the Christian faith vnder Clouis it hath alwaies maintained it in one course immutable iuuiolable France neuer indured the peruerse opinions of faith within her brest France while all Christendome was moued by the pernicious diuisions of so diuers opinions and with so many and different sorts of heresies that vntill this time haue raigned hath alwaies continued constant and vpright not once bending it selfe to any false doctrine France hath been the succor and defence of christian faith and the terror of the enemies thereof And to conclude France hath beene like a rocke or vnexprignable sort of christianitie And how much should it now bee fallen from his auncient honour how much reputation should it loose how much should it want of her first fidelitie towards God if changing her firmitie constancie touching faith it should liue long in such diuision and indure before her eyes in times past so iealous of the vnion of christian beleese and libertie but rather an intollerable libertie to liue vnder diuers religions Your Maiestie looking into the memorie of things past may sufficiently perceiue that as long as France hath been vnited vnder one christian religion shee hath made her glorie and renowne spred through all countries shee hath caused her valor in armes to be prooued felt in all places of the world shee hath alwaies beene victorious ouer all the enemies of Catholicque religion and hath done so many honourable actions achieued so great and happy conquests against Insidels that it wanne such glorie among the Asians Africans Indians Persians Tartarians Moores Sarrazins and others that all the christians in Europe are by them called Frenchmen for that because those strange nations haue onely felt the armes of Frenchmen they haue also comprehended all the Latine churches vnder the name of France Frenchmen But since France hath been diuided rent with two religions let vs see how much it hath loft of her auncient renowne shee that commaunded a great part of Europe that conquered countries farre distant from her that at her onely name made diuers warrelike nations to tremble is found since this vnhappy and vnfortunate diuision to bee reduced into such extremitie that in the middle of her brest she hath receiued forraine powers shee hath in a manner receiued the lawe of her neighbours and of her enemies and that cruell turning her sword against her owne intrailes and although shee was inuincible in respect of all other nations she is now her self so imbased vanquished and ouerthrowne which is the fruit that this venemous plant of new opinion hath induced which seemeth to be at the poynt readie to giue more daungerous thrusts if according to the expectation which your obedient people haue conceiued of your wisdome pietie it pleaseth not your Maiestie speedily to take order therein Remember that your Grace beareth the Scepter of the great king Clouis that first ruled this Monarchie vnder the publike profession of this religion which at this present is put in question within this Realme Remember that you are successor to that great Childeberg that being able to indure such persons about him that had any wrong opinion of christian religion made wars vppon the Visigots that were infected with the heresie of the Arrians and in the end constrained them to ioyne and vnite themselues to the holy and Catholicque Church Remember that you beare vpon your head the crowne of that Charles who for the greatnesse and valor of his actions deserued the name of great and by the vertue of his armes aduanced christian religion and defended the authoritie of the Apostolicque sea against such as persecuted the same Remember that you hold the place of that most woorthieking Philip Auguste who with so much zeale affection imployed his armes against Albigeois hereticques that had sequestred themselues from the Catholicque vnion Remember that you sit in the seate of that renowmed Prince Saint Lewis that spared not his treasures his forces nor his own person for his desence and aduancement of the faith of Christ and by his christian actions deserued the crowne and surname of Saint and without prolonging time to rehearse them all Remember that you are Nephew to that great king Francis