a straight commaundement to all his ordinance and men of armes to assemble themselues at Pierreport in as warlike maner as might be there to attend his further pleasure and to be in a readinesse to be employed as occasion should be offered King Philip of Spaine had likewise gathered a very strong power and al things were prouided by these two mightie Monarkes as though they ment to determine all their controuersies by some one cruel bloody battell But God who ruleth the hearts of princes disposed of their intentions far otherwise then their blind affections led them For vpoÌ„ the sudden their hard harts began to be mollified and each party inclined to peace so that the place being appointed and the deputies on both sides agreed vpon they met about the midst of October following at Cercam betweene Artoys and Pycardy There were many complaints on both sides and a commemoration of sundry indignities offered on either part Each defended others doings neither was there any likelihood of better agreement so that after many contentious words their assembly brake vp without any coÌ„clusion for peace and yet for that winter approched the soldiers were not able to keep the field Peace concluded between France and Spaine both princes dissolued their armies and licenced their men of warre to repose themselues vntill the next yere But before that time by reason of newe occurrences there was a generall peace proclaimed betweene these two nations each linked with other with very strait alliances For King Philip whose wife Mary Queene of England was lately deceassed was contented to take in marriage Elizabeth the eldest daughter of Henry the French King and Pilebert Emmanuel duke of Sauoy was affianced vnto madame Margaret his sister so that by reason of these new coÌ„iunctions there insued much quietnes to all Christendome but especially to these two kingdoms who now had made an end of all their quarels contentions and seemed to study of nothing but how they might honor and solemnise in most royall maner these new marriages There was exceeding sumptuous preparation against the appointed time all the Nobilitie of France were assembled at Paris to attend the king to honor these espousals The lady Elizabeth was coÌ„ducted by the king her father to our Lady Church at the day prefixed in most pompous and stately maner and there married by the Cardinall of Burbon to the Duke of Alua was who constituted Procurator of the king of Spaine his maister The Duke of Alua marrieth the French kings daughter for his maister the king of Spaine There were all the princes of the bloud attending in their order and many cheefe Prelates and all the officers of the crowne The Duke of Alua was accompanied with the Prince of Orenge Count Egmond and sundrie other very honourable personages The marriage being finished there was exceeding feasting banquetting and cheering with dauncing masking and all other pastimes that could be imagined both to delight the eye and please the eare The king reioyced to see his daughter so honourably aduanced the Nobilitie and commonaltie were maruailously glad to remember what ease peace and tranquilitie they should enioy by this newe affinitie and all sorts seemed to triumph hoping there would be a perpetuall league and corespondency betweene these two Nations but now behold a woful mishap and lamentable mischance wherewith all this mirth and iollity was turned into weeping wailing and great sorrow so enterchangeably doo these two accompany each other so certainely do they follow one another The French king who had bin the principall challenger at tilt assisted by the Duke of Guyse Alphonse the Prince of Ferrara and the Duke of Nemours hauing borne himselfe very nobly that day and broken many staues to his great honor and high commendation would needes in the end run a course with count De Mont-gommery a valiant gentleman of France who at the first refusing The French King slaine with running a course at â—â—lt yet commanded by the king accepted the condition and offered so freely that theyr staues flying in peeces some of the shiuers getting in at the sight of the beuer pearced into the kings head greeuously wounded him that he died within eleuen daies after to the immesurable greefe of his subiects after hee hadde raigned twelue yeeres three moneths and tenne dayes CHAP. VI. Francis the second the French King The Guises authors of all the confusion in France The Guises ioyne with the Queene mother against the King of Nauarre The King of Nauarre yeeldeth to the Queene mother The Duke of Guise made Lieutenant for the King and Henrie Cardinall of Lorraine made L. Treasurer of France They incense the King agaynst the princes of the blood The enterprise of the Lord of Renaudie The hatred of the Guises towards the three Chastillons The Prince of Conde beeing discontented goeth from the Court The order of the States of France The Admirall presenteth the supplication of the Hugonots to the king The Prince of Conde committed to prison and is condemned to die The death of the King THe Kingdome of France had for manie yeares togither beene verie well acquainted with the variable and changeable estate of vnconstaunt fortune and vnder Charles the eight Lewis the twelfth Francis the first and Henrie the seconde had by wofull experience found how subiect the most flourishing estates kingdoms coÌ„monwealths are to a continuall change and alteration and therfore hauing by long obseruatioÌ„ perfitly learned that the best means to maintain her selfe in her wonted grandeur and glory was to be leagued with her neighbour Countries and to be at peace and vnitie at home beganne to haue a flexible heart and to encline to quietnesse as much as might bee so that hauing ended all quarrels and buried all wronges and indignities in the pit of obliuion and by a neare coniunction with the Spanyard her ancient and mightie enemy in the opinion of most men procured her selfe a perpetuall peace began as it were to clap her handes for ioy and seriously to tryumph in so incomparable a benefite But the fatall and ineuitable mishap of this most noble kingdome which had florished for so many hundred yeares and had been the paragon of her neighbor nations could not as it seemeth be auoyded but that it must needes take place and wanting forraigne enemies to worke her ouerthrow must needes hatch a viperous brood which by gnawing out the belly of their owne mother haue most vnnaturally sought the destruction of her who haue most tenderly fostered and brought them vp The house of Guyse the principall cause of all the sturres in France The principall cause to produce so lamentable an effect and the only means in a maner to hatch so horrible a mischiefe was the immesurable ambition of that haughtie and aspiring house of Guyse who albeit they were straungers and no natural French men yet fortune so fauoured their attempts and made some of them
so gracious with their soueraignes that they did not only contend for the superioritie with the greatest Princes of the blood but at length as ambition hath neuer any end striued with their liege Lords and through their rebellious counsels and most trayterous plottes assisted by a multitude of Guysards and Hispaniolized French draue their soueraigne Lord out of his chiefe Citie and not contented to offer so great indignitie to so mightie a potentate neuer left practising vntill they had most wickedly murthered him whose life in all dutie should haue beene vnto them more precious then their owne and with their diuellish sorceries haue so bewitched and sotted sundry of the French nation that at this day to their perpetuall shame and ignominy they will not be reduced vnto any dutifull obedience vnder their most lawfull and liege Lord. Francis Duke of Guyse and Charles Cardinal of Lorrain the two fire-brands of France One of the most notorious plotters of so many mischiefes was Francis Duke of Guyse who with his brother Charles Cardinall of Lorrain as proud subtil and as ambitious a prelate as euer was grew to that height through the benefit of their good fortune that they commanded all France and brought the greatest Princes of that natiō to be their vnderlings and by reason of a mariage between Francis the second with Mary the yoong Queene of Scottes their neece they bare themselues so loftely and so egerly stroue to aduance their house that they turned all France topsy turuy so chaunging the gouernment and altering the state that it seemed in a short time to be a meere Chaos and confusion For after the death of Henry the secōd and that Francis his sonne was crowned King these two so craftily handled the matter that ioyning with Katherin de Medices the Queen mother of France who contrary to the auncient lawes and ordinances of that Realme which permit not women to rule sought to haue the gouernment of the yoong King and to exclude Henry of Burbon King of Nauarre and chiefe Prince of the blood after infinite troubles to themselues and vnspeakeable misery to their owne Country they gat the gouernment into their hands and swayed euery thing after their owne likings And albeit the state of that kingdome had begun long before to be much afflicted and through the horrible persecutions of those whom they termed Hugonots maruellously decayed and weakned by reason of a secret diuision bred in the hearts of infinit multitudes who once dissenting in Religion could neuer after well agree in matters of state yet was the land at peace within it selfe and euery one seemed to be enclinable to their princes pleasure choosing rather to endure any affliction then by seeking to defend their liues and liberties by force of armes to bring in any intestine warres the most deuouring plague and sharpest punishment of all other but after that the house of Guyse began to rule and that their factious deuises cloaked with a zeale of mainteining the Catholicke cause had once stirred the coales the flame presently brake foorth and finding conuenient matter to nourish it withall spread it selfe in a short time ouer the face of the whole kingdome of France to the consuming of infinite multitudes of all sorts and the extreame impouerishing of the whole land There were sundry and diuers meanes to hasten this so wonderfull and lamentable alteration in France but the principall of all other was the vnexpected death of t e late King The Queene mother the King of Nauarre and the Duke of Guyse contend for the gouernment during the noneage of the King who albeit hee verie seuerely punished all such as were accounted Protestants and that principally at the instigation of the house of Guyse yet did he so politikely carry himselfe that during his raigne he kept that ambitious monster in some reasonable good order and the whole lande from tumult and rebellion but he was no sooner dead but that all things beganne to hasten to a confusion and the whole common wealth to bee daungerously infected with sundry fearefull diseases the originall whereof arose in this maner In the beginning of the reigne of Francis the second being but sixteene yeares olde there grewe a controuersie betweene Katherin de Medices the Kings mother Henry of Burbon King of Nauarre and Francis of Lorraigne Duke of Guyse touching the gouernment of the young King during his nonage The Queene-mother alleaged many reasons to strengthen her claime as the lawes of Nature which would that the mother should haue the bringing vp of her children as one hauing a most tender care ouer them and most willing of all others to doo them good the customes and vsages of sundry nations and the auncient order of the lande which made the mother Gardien of her childe and so by consequent gaue her the Regency of the kingdome The king of Nauarre on the contrary affirmed that he ought in right to be gouernour of the young king for that he was the next Prince of the blood and nearest of kinne vnto him besides that there were fundamentall lawes of that nation which did not only shut out all straungers by whom he vnderstood the house of Lorraine and of Guyse but also disabled the Queene mother by reason of her sexe which the Salique lawe did expresly exclude from all regency and succession to the Crowne The Duke of Guyse had also diuers reasons for the aduauncing of his owne title as that hee was the kinges vncle that by his seruice the whole state had bene in a maner mainteined and the land from sundry imminent perilles deliuered Besides he excepted in a sort against the king of Nauarre for that hee and his brother the Prince of Condy gaue euident tokens of their liking of the Gospel and their hatred of the Romish Religion so that if Nauarre shoulde haue the gouernement of the King it was to bee feared saide hee that the whole lande would fall into heresie Thus did these three contende with might and maine for the superiorite each of them deuising al the reasons they could imagine for the furtherance of their cause But in the ende the Queene Mother and the Duke of Guise doubting that they shoulde not bee able nor sufficient to preuaile and also fearing least that the King of Nauarre by reason of the great preheminence and authoritie that the princes of the blood shoulde by right haue besides his iust tytle shoulde in the ende preuayle and get the better agaynst them both thought it best to ioyne togither agaynst the King of Nauarre The Queene mother and D. of Guise ioine togither against Nauarre and eyther by force or by policie and fayre meanes to winne him vnto their willes and by some deuise or other to make him surcease from his iust claime and interest The better to effect this the Duke of Guise seysed vppon the king whome hee conducted and brought to the Louure in Paris with the yong Princes his
Religion would accept of any conditions But they beeing too often before beguyled with fayre wordes woulde not hearken thereto least the world should thinke that they were no longer able to maintaine their cause a speciall plotte sayd they to discountenaunce the rest of theyr proceedings The Protestants refuse a peace VVhereupon both the Catholiques and Protestants still continued to vexe each other in all hostill manner The Count de Lude and Puygalliard recouered Marans Browages and many other Islandes from the Confederates which were againe regayned by La Noue and stronglie fortifyed for the further aduauncement of the affayres of the Protestants Who preuayled also verie mightily by Sea taking manie great pryses which were no meanes to further theyr designements Whilest things fell out in this maner about Rochell the Princes the Admirall and the rest of the chiefest of the confederates had greatly encreased their forces and hasted to ioyne their troupes with Montgommerie Moubrune and other Chieftaines who had gathered a great number of harquebuziers to supply those bandes which had beene broken at the battell of Mountcounter And hauing thus reenforced their army they marched towards Lorrain there to attend the comming of theyr Almaynes And as they passed through Languedocke and came neare vnto Mountpellier La Loue one of the Mareschals of the campe was slaine as he was fast asleepe in the dead of the night through the great neglâ—gence of the Sentinels La Loue slain through the negligenâ—e of the Sentinels who beeing suddenly surprised by the garrison within the Towne were the cause of the death of this braue Chieftaine who for his valour courage and noble conduct was highly commended of all the Protestants Many townes were gayned by the Princes in these quarters as Lunell Nismes Margarite Saint Ambrose Saint Iean Saint Priuâ—te Bezouze Castillon Alâ—ts with sundâ—y other of good importance by which happy exploits the confederates did begin afresh to countenance themselues and to recouer much of their former honour and renowme When as the K. was aduertised of all their designes and how that they dayly encreased their forces surprised many castels strong holds and were now almost ioyned with their Reisters with whose ayd they resolued to returne againe into the heart of France and peraduenture once more to besiege the capitoll of all the Kingdome he dispatched forthwith the Mareschall Cossy with an armie wherein were 4000. Switzers 6000. French harquebuziers some 3. or 4000. horse and twelue great peeces of Ordinance with which forces he marched towards the princes Mareschal Cossy sent against the Princes who were incamped at a place called Saint Iean in Burgundy with some 2500. harquebuziers 2000. horse and eighteene cornets of Reisters These two armies came no sooner in view each of other but that their Enfans perdus began the game so that there was a hot skirmish on both sides The Prince of Berne and Conde were there in person each of them in the front of their Regiment and resolutely bent to go to the charge and there to make the first triall of their fortune The fight continued long and many were slaine but the Catholikes hauing the worse after they had lost Monsieur de Bellegard Monsieur de Bellegard slaine one of the Knights of the order besides diuerse others of good accouÌ„t were forced to suffer the Protestants to passe who hasting on their way after great trouble and a long and painefull iourney hauing in a maner rounded all Fraunce at the last they drewe neare to La Charitie Sancerre Antrin Vezelay and other Townes of the Religion where they defended themselues to theyr maruaylous comfort and contentation Nowe was the treatie of peace before mentioned reiterated and earnestly pursued by diuerse who perswaded the King The King perswaded to a peace that these intestine warres consumed none but his Subiectes that the murthers robberies burnings and such like miseryes woulde bee the confusion of the whole state and that who so euer gayned yet hee lost to the great impouerishing of the Crowne of Fraunce and the vtter destruction of that noble kingdome which had beene the paragon of all Europe These and the like reasons induced the King at length to condiscend to a peace which was accepted by the confederates and published in the yere 1570. to the great comfort of all the French and exceeding quiet of the whole lande where we may see the strange and wonderful mutabilitie of mens minds which as they are not long contented with one the self same estate so do they seldom or neuer like the better before they haue beene well scourged with the rod of their owne folly and taught by wofull experience howe to discerne betweene good and bad CHAP. XIIII Peace proclaimed in France The mariages of the King the Duke of Montpensier the Duke of Guise and the Admirall The Queene of Nauarre goeth to the Court The Admirall goeth to the Court The death of the Queene of Nauarre Peace proclaimed THe kings Edict for the establishing of a peace was no sooner published but that the forces on both sides were forthwith licenced to depart euery man to his owne house which hee had not seene for a long time before to the vnspeakable ioy of the protestaÌ„ts no small comfort to the better and honester sort of the Papists who as mariners that haue escaped some dangerous troublesom tempests and are arriued safely in their wished port held vp their haÌ„ds to heauen with giuing thanks for so vnspeakeable a blessing and earnestly entreated the almightie that they might spend the rest of their dayes in peace and quietnes The Princes with the Queene of Nauarre and sundry of the chiefe of the Protestants as the Admirall the Count Lodowick of Nassau Teligny La Noue and diuerse other withdrew themselues to Rochell for their greater securitie vntil they might see how the kings Edict would be executed Now began there a great alteration in the minds of the French all mens actions were suddenly changed as a man would haue thought after a strange wonderfull maner For where as not long before there was no talke but of hatred wrath murther bloodie broyles and most cruel and vnnaturall warres now was there nothing so much spoken of as loue amitie friendship and making of mariages The King was espoused to Isabel the second daughter to Maximilian the emperor The King marrieth whose nuptials were solemnised with great pompe and magnificence Lois of Burbon and Duke of Montpensier maried with the Duke of Guises sister Duke Montpensier marrieth and the Duke of Guise matched with the widowe of the late Prince Portion D. of Guise marieth one of the principall of the Confederates The Mareschall Cossy and Prontiere one of the Secretaryes of estate were sent vnto Rochell to treate with the Queene of Nauarre as touching a marriage betweene the Prince of Barne her sonne and the Ladie Margaret the Kinges sister a
and dignitie was mightily shaken and in a maner brought to a Chaos and confusion and hasted as it were a maine pace to a lamentable change and alteration CHAP. XIX Henry the third King of France and Polonia The Queene mother laboureth for peace which is concluded for three moneths The Prince of Conde goeth into Germany Lusignen dismanteled The King of Polonia stealeth away into France The first Ciu ll warres The Mareschall D'Anuill ioyneth with Protestants Cassimer commeth to the ayde of the Protestants The Duke of Alenson departeth malecontent from Court The ende of the first ciuill warres KIng Charles beeing dead and his brother Henry king of Polonia Henry the the King of France and Polonia declared heire to the Crowne during whose absence the Queene mother as is already sayde was proclaimed Regent the Catholikes beganne to insult more then euer before ouer the Protestants and to vse them in most outragious manner presuming vppon the accustomed good fortune of their new king and the resolute course of the Queene mother to roote out all those of the Religion and to expell them out of the territories of the Flower de Lis. The consideration whereof did maruailously dismay many of the Protestants and caused sundrie who inwardly fauoured their proceedings to plucke in their heades and keep themselues close and to expect what would bee the sequell of these newe occurrences There was great dissention at Rochell about these matters and long it was before they would fully determine what to do howbeit at length through the manifolde remonstrances of La Noue they fully resolued to continue the warres both by sea and land as they had doone in former times The Queene mother knowing that the best way to pacifie these tumults and to restraine the Confederates from any further proceeding in the warres was to vse them gently and by smoth words and faire promises to keepe them in vntill the comming of the new king sent the Abbot of Gadagny to Rochell with letters to La Noue The Queene mother writeth to La Noue in which among other things hee exhorted him to liue peaceably like a good subiect and not to vex the land with newe troubles in the absence of the king who peraduenture would bee reuenged thereof at his comming although shee knew that naturally hee was a very milde and mercifull Prince and one that would maintaine his subiects both of the one and the other Religion in peace and amitie so farre forth as possibly hee might had alreadie signified the same as well to her selfe and the principall officers of the Crowne as to sundry the greatest and cheefest Citties of the land These letters with sundrie perswasions vsed by the Abbot enduced the Rochelers to conclude a truce for three moneths The Rochelors conclude a peace for three monthâ— Mention was made before of the purpose of the Duke of Alenson and the king of Nauarre to depart the Court to ioyne with the Confederates which albeit they attempted not beeing diuerted there from by the councell of some of their friendes yet the late King had them in great ielousie and therefore kept them in a manner as prisoners setting spies to watch them and their actions and for that hee suspected the two Mareschalles of Memorancy and Cossy to bee of their confederacie hee imprisoned them in the Bastile within the Louure and discharged the Mareschall Danuill brother to Memorancy of his Lieutenantship in Languedock giuing it to the Prince Dauphin sonne to the Duke Montpencier and albeit the Prince of Conde Meru Thore the vicount of Turin Montagu and many others were secret fauourers of his excellency in this action yet for that they were not discouered the king suffered them to remaine at their libertie and sent the Prince of Conde into Picardy to looke to the gouernement of that Countrey The Prince of Conde sent into Picardy from whence he secretly conueyed himselfe into Germany who beeing aduertised of that which had passed at Court touching the Duke and the King of Nauarre and that there was a purpose to clap him vppe likewise secretly conuayed himselfe into Germany and forwith made profession of the Religion and so practised with the Princes and the rest of his friendes in that Countrey that hee leauied a great power of Reisters for the ayde of the French Protestants which when the Mareschall Danuill vnderstood hee beganne to drawe neere to those of the refourmed Religion then hee was accustomed to doo and finding many discontented pollitikes readie to ioyne with him resolued from that time forwarde to follow the matter with more earnestnesse and to further their cause all that euer hee might Henry of Burbon Prince of Conde accompanied with many of the Nobilitie of both Regions beeing at Heppenhem in Germanie and seriously busied in gathethering of forces to enter France for the releefe of his associats was enformed of all the Proceedings as well of the Protestants as of the Mareschall Danuill and the rest of the discontented pollitikes and vnderstanding that he was chosen generall ouer both sorts accepted thereof promising to employ all his credit power and authoritie to maintaine them against all their enemies vnder the obedience of Henry the third of that name King of Poland and of France Which when the Queene mother vnderstood shee thought it best to offer a treatie of peace and to holde all sorts in quietnesse vntill the comming of her Sonne out of Polonia whose presence shee supposed would bee a sufficient weapon to fight against all these practises and deuises Hereuppon she wrote letters to the Confederates and especially to the Rochelors to mooue them to embrace this negociation of peace whereby they themselues might liue in greater securitie The Queene mother moueth a peace and the whole Lande bee freed from ciuill and intestine warres They returned a dutifull answere desiring her maiestie to deale with the Prince of Conde who was elected the cheefe of the reformed Churches and to whome vnder the Kings obedience they hadde submitted themselues and in the meane while furnished their Citties with all necessaries for theyr better safetie With which answere the Queene mother beeing nothing well pleased sent the Duke Montpencier into Poictou with very great forces who hauing taken Maraus Noille Noue Charante and diuers other strong places planted his siege before Fontenay a Towne of very great importance which in the ende hee tooke by composition and so gained all base Poictou to the exceeding preiudice of the Confederates Hee likewise besieged Lusignen which beeing valiantly defended by the Lord of Fontenay held out for a long time yet yeelded at the last vppon reasonable conditions after it had beene besieged three moneths and twelue daies hauing lost some three and twentie Gentlemen and two hundred common souldiers Lusignen dismanteled the Catholikes spent seauen or eight thousande cannon shot and left some eight hundred of their men dead before the Towne to make satisfaction to
warres caused it to bee secretly spredde abroade among the people that hee was descended from Charlemaine and therefore had some right and title to the Crowne of Fraunce And as though hee meant one day to put in his clayme had so ordered the matter that great numbers of the Nobilitie and sundrie of the principall Citties of the lande were wholie at his deuotion but hee was cutte off in the middest of his hope as is alreadie sayde before Orleaunce and all his deuices came to naught sauing that he left behind him a sonne as hautie as aspiring and as ambitious as euer was the father Henrie duke of Guise his ambitious turbulent nature and one that attempted greater matters then euer did any of that line This man beeing growne into great credite with Charles the ninth and likewise with Henrie the thirde so aduaunced himselfe by their fauours that he gaue the lawe to Fraunce and did euery thing as he lysted And practising those rules which his father and vncle had left him was euermore deuising howe to trouble the state and to holde the King at continuall strife with his subiects as the readyest and speedyest way to compasse that which that factious and turbulent house had so greedily gaped after for these many yeares VVhereupon hee pondering with himselfe that if this late reconciliation which was made betweene the King and his subiects shoulde continue that the King of Nauarre and the Prince of Conde with their adherents and associates would quickely growe mightie and so with theyr power and authoritie easily ouerthrowe all his councelles and that in such sort as hee should neuer bee able to accomplish and fulfill his intended purpose thought it best and most expedient for his aduantages to beginne newe broyles and sturres and with a sixt ciuill warre to bring France againe into a Chaos and confusion The better to effect this and to lay as sure a foundation as might bee for so badde a buylding it was deuised that the Bishop of Paris and a certaine Aduocate called Dauid as craftie as wilie and as wicked a fellowe as anie lyued in those dayes shoulde bee sent to Rome The Bishop of Paris the aduocate Dauid sent to Rome to haue the direction of the Pope and his Cardinalles howe it were best to beginne and afterwards most circumspectlie to proccede and go forwardes in so hautie and weightie an enterprise There were many bitter complaints and sharpe accusations framed agaynst Henrie the third the French King against Monsieur his brother the king of Nauarre the Prince of Conde against the race of the Valoises the Burbons Accusations against the houses of Valois and Burbon all the princes of the blood and the auncient Nobilitie of Fraunce they were all either heretikes or fauourers of heretikes and by their late pacification entended the vtter subuersion of the holie Church of Rome There it was shewed to make the King and all his Princes the more odious howe the house of Capet had alwayes withstoode the Bishoppes of Rome and had in olde time maintained the Valdensis and Albigeons and nowe were either Hugonots or else great fauourers and abettors of them But on the contrarie that the house and lynage of Charlemaine which was wrongfully dispossessed of the Crowne had a speciall grace giuen them by the Papall benediction to support and helpe holie Church and that yet there were some of that ofspring left and those stoute maintainers of the Papall dignitie meaning those of Guise and such as had alwayes like notable Champions valiauntlie defended the Romaine fayth and therefore it was expedient nay most necessarie for the preseruation of the Catholike Religion to roote out the houses of Valois and Burbon and to restore the ofspring of Charlemaine which was endewed with all excellent vertues and throughly furnished with most notable gifts requisite for the execution of all commendable and honourable attempts The Councel holden at Rome for the rooting out of the blood Roiall of France And for the more speedie accomplishment hereof it was resolued that the Guises with their partakers should procure newe commotions in the lande and nourish the warres by all possible meanes that might bee That they should league the Nobililtie by oath to persecute the Gospel and to choose for their heade and principall of their league Henrie Duke of Guise whom the King shoulde bee counsayled to let alone and suffer him to proceede as he liked best seeing he was a man of that iudgement that knewe well enough what hee had to doo The Queene mother likewise should bee sent to perswade Monsiour her sonne to beat the assembly of the States which should bee holden at Blois Whither the king shoulde solicite the king of Nauarre and Prince of Conde to come by all the faire wordes that could be deuised And in the meane while there should be sundrie cunning fellowes and such as were most deuoted to the league sent abroad into the seueral prouinces who should secretly labour that such Deputies might be chosen as would further the designements of the Leaguers all that might be During which priuie practises the Friers and Iesuites shall incense the people agaynst the Hugonots by their seditious Sermōs The priests in their parish churches shal secretly take the names of all the able men for the warres and in their shriuings shall charge them to prouide them of all such weapons as shal be appoynted them by their captaines The States shal sweare to obserue and obey whatsoeuer shal be concluded And if Monsieur the king of Nauarre the prince of Conde and the rest of the princes of the blood do not appeare at the said assembly they shall be condemned as rebels and likewise all other that shal any way oppose themselues against the proceedings of the said States who shal sweare their obedience to the Sea of Rome and to obserue the Councell of Trent and withall a request shall be made to the king that if any man shall resist and refuse to giue his allowance thereto that he shall appoynt the Duke of Guise his generall and giue him authoritie to pursue him to the death who hauing so great forces shall cause them to be in a readinesse to march towarde Blois assoone as the assembly of the states is begun All things being thus contriued there shall be certaine commissioners chosen to enquier of the life and deedes of Monsieur and certaine iudges appoynted to condemne him for ioyning himselfe with the Heretikes and so his processe shal be drawene forthwith after the godly example of the king of Spaine who put to death Charles of Austrich his naturall sonne As soone as Monsieur is condemned then shall the forces march to strengthen the execution and shall set vpon all the Hugonots and put as many of them to the sworde as they can come by and the Duke of Guise beeing so strongly appoynted shall seyze vpon the persons of the King and Queene mother and by
his bodie The death of Henry the 3 the French King not withstanding all the remedies that could be deuised or imagined hee yeelded vp his life into the handes of him that gaue it him hauing reigned fourteene yeares and seuen moneths And this was the ende of Henrie the third the French king and king of Polonia and the last of the house of Valois who being bewitched with the sorceries of his mother and inclyning to euill by his owne bad disposition opposed himselfe agaynst Gods true religion and being giuen ouer to worke his owne destruction followed the wicked counsailes of his notorious and sworne enemies who spake him fayre to his face but inwardly hated him and neuer ceased persecuting of their deuelish deuises vntill they had brought his state to confusion and procured his vntimely death and destruction CHAP. XXVI Henrie the fourth the French King ouerthroweth the Leaguers in two seuerall battels Great famine in Paris The Duke of Parma entreth into Fraunce relieueth Paris From whence he flieth againe in great haste into the Lowe Countryes The Pope excommunicateth the King VVho causeth his Bull to be burned at Towers The great Armie of the Germianes The Duke of Parma goeth the sâ—conde time into Fraunce and preuayleth greatly agaynst the King The Leaguers seeke for peace The King encline to Poperie His coronation Paris with most of the great Citties of Fraunce turne to the King IMmediately after the death of Henrie the third Henrie of Burbon King of Nauarre and the true inheritour to the Crowne of Fraunce both by his owne right and by the last will and testament of the late King The princes Nobles and souldiers take their oath of obedience to Henry the fourth was proclaimed King of Fraunce by the name of King Henrie the foorth and so acknowledged by all the Princes Nobles Colonels Captaines and souldiours in the Campe after the ancient maner of choosing the Romane Emperors giuing him their oaths of fidelitie and obedience with protestation to assist him to maintaine his royall and princely authoritie against all traitours rebels and leaguers to the vttermost of their powers The Prince Montpensier being then at Audly a towne vpon the Riuer of Seyne caused likewise all his army to take the like oath exhorting them to defend constantly the late kings wil and valiantly to oppose theÌ„selues against al seditious persons despisers of gods lawfull ordinance traitors to their King sworne enemies to their own couÌ„try This Henry of Burbon King of Nauarre and now the French king and so hereafter he shall be tearmed considering the strength of his open enemies and fearing the treacherie of many in the Campe who were deuoted to the league knowing that they might be a meanes to distresse him beeing so neare vnto a great number of his euill willers who were likely to double their rage by reason of this exploit done vpon the late Kings person The French King retireth toward Norman de thought good to licence so many as he suspected to depart the campe and determined to retire with the rest into Normandie somewhat further from his enemies and to gather as great a power as hee could of his trustiest and most assured friends and in the meane time to view the attempts and preparations of the Leaguers The armie of the D. de Maine The D. de Maine besides all the bands which he had collected of the French rebels receyued certaine Swart Rutters vnder the leading of the Duke of Brimswicke The Duke of Lorraine sent his sonne likewise called the Marques of Pont. with certaine companies of horsemen with this great armie which amounted to the number of 25000. men The Duke de Maine marched towards Deep where the King lay with some nine or ten thousand men who vnderstanding of the approach of the enemie tooke the field with those forces which he had and encamped at Arques about two miles froÌ„ Deepe where he stayed not long but that the enemie appeared in fight at a village not far off called Martinglize The king sent out forthwith his light horsmeÌ„ to discouer between whoÌ„ the foreruÌ„ners of the Leaguers there were many hot skirmishes On the 19. day of September the enemie passed ouer a little riuer which ranne betweene both Armies and put himselfe in battaile array very well ordered strongly appointed and marched directly towards the king The Lord Billing with two thousande shot was appointed to charge first and the Duke de Maine stood behinde him with a strong battaile readie to succour as need required The king had quickly ordered his battailon hauing disposed of all things in as warlike maner as he could deuise sent forth his light horsemen to charge the enemie who were backed with the Prince of Conde led by the Lord Montaret His battailon of footemen was flanked with his owne cornet wherein were the Lord Graund Pryer of France the Count Rochfaucoult the Count Rossy his brother the Count Rochford with diuers other Gentlemen of great reckoning and such as were neerest about his person and hauing called vppon God to ayde him in his iust and righteous quarrell so furiously charged the enemie that hee left fiue hundred dead vpon the place at that instant The rest seeing the slaughter of their fellowes and the furie of the kings souldiers began to shrinke and in a short time to flie away in great feare and disorder The Principall men of the Leaguers which were slain were the Lord Saint Andrew Sagne Collonell of the light horsemen the Lord Saint Vidal Lieutenant of the Ordenance the Lord Vienuille Count Billing Temblecourt Sauelak and diuers others were taken prisoners The king lost the Count Rossy brother to Rochfaucont and the Lord Bake Ville a Gentleman of very worthy and commendable parts and not past some thirtie or fortie others The Duke de Maine seeing his bad lucke retyred his beaten troupes towards Picardy the king being strengthened with the forces of the Prince of Soysons Duke Languauille and Mareschall Haultmont besides foure thousand Englishmen newly sent him out of England The Lord VVillowby vnder the leading of the right noble and valiant Lord VVillowby departed from Deepe coasted the enemie til he came to Menlau and then returned toward Paris supposing that by that meanes hee should draw the Duke to follow him and so bring him to a battaile The king bringeth hiâ— army before Paris The King comming to Paris about the 28. of October determined to assault the suburbs and hauing prepared all things in a readinesse for that purpose assailed them the first of Nouember following where hee founde some resistance but the courage of the Souldiers redoubled with the presence of the Prince was such The suburbs of S. Germaines takeÌ„ that they quickly gayned them and slew aboue a thousand and fiue hundred of their enemies there were also taken fourteene ensignes and thirteene peeces of Ordenance The king seeing the Leaguers attempted nothing but
the Citie in verie terrible and furious maner and hauing ouerthrowne their Towers battered their houses and made a sufficient breach they were readie to giue an assault and to assay the getting of the Towne by maine force Ligneres one of the Knights of the order was Captaine of the Towne who endeuoured by all meanes to keepe the same in despite of the Confederates and with great celeritie repayred in the night whatsoeuer had beene broken and throwne downe in the day and so wisely and politiquely preuented all the stratagems of his enemies that it was not possible for the Prince to effect his intended purpose But the King vnderstanding that they could not long holde out and being not able to remooue the siege thought it best to offer the Prince a peace which after manie meetings was at length concluded The principall effect whereof was The King offereth a peace which is accepted by the Prince that euery man should quietly enioy his Religion and from thenceforth neuer bee troubled for their consciences This being agreed vpon though contrarie to the liking of manie of the Princes best friends and principall Captaines who still cryed out that the King would breake his promise as soone as he espied his aduauntage and proclaimed in the Campe before Charters the Armie brake vp and euerie one was licenced to depart home into his owne Countrey CHAP. XI The third ciuill warres The battell of Bassac where the Prince of Conde is slaine The Prince of Nauarre chosen Generall of the Protestants The death of Dandelot The death of the Duke of Deux-ponts A great victorie of the Protestants Monsieur dissolueth his armie The siege of Poictiers NOw was France once againe reduced to a quiet estate and who would not haue thought but that after so many bastonados The third ciuill warres euery one would haue bin glad to haue nourished the same by all possible meanes and to haue learned by their former miseries to beware how they entred into new troubles But such were the wicked counsels of some turbulent spirits that they could not endure any quietnes but gaue daily occasions to fill the whole land full of new broyles and vprores The two late reconciled factions were continually very iealous each of others proceedings one blamed the other for not accomplishing such conditions as were agreed vpon and so solemnly sworne on both sides The Catholiks alledged that the Protestants had not put all their strong townes into the kings hands according to the tenure of the Articles of the peace lately agreed vpon that Rochell did fortifie it selfe and would not receyue the Catholikes into their former offices and dignities The complaints of the Catholiks that they rigged shippes and made themselues strong at sea and that without the kings knowledge that Coqueuille leuied many soldiers for the ayd of the prince of Orenge contrarie to the pacification made before Chartres All which things could not be atteÌ„pted without the knowledge of the confederats that which was most strange of al they practised to leuy soldiers in Germany other places The Protestants complained The complaints of the Protestants that they could not be permitted freely to vse their consciences according as it was conditioned That the Catholikes did still retaine the Switzers and the Italian bands and placed sundry strong garrisons in those townes which were of the Religion and that such which had liued in exile could not returne to their houses without imminent peril of their liues Alledging withall the horrible murthers robberies and other execrable facts committed vpon the persons and goods of those of the reformed Churches These with some others were the reasons which animated both parts to stirre coales and to begin the warres afresh The Catholikes knowing Rochell to be a verie strong place sought by al cunning deuises to make themselues maisters thereof and with fayre promises intermingled with threats laboured to perswade them to receyue a garrison of the Catholikes but they would in no case agree thereto but still droue them of with newe delayes Tauannes was commaunded to surprise the Prince of Conde The prince of Conde in danger to bee taken by Tauannes who was then in Noyars But hee beeing aduertised thereof departed in great haste with the Princesse his wife the Admirall and some hundred horse and passing ouer the Loyer went into Poictou where increasing his forces by the comming of Verac Soubize Anguilier Saint Cyre and Puuiant at last arriued at Rochell in despite of all his enemies whither not long after came the Queene of Nauar Conde commeth to Rochel whether the Queene of Nauarre also repaireth with the yong Prince of Barne her son Where there was forthwith a Councell helde for the managing of their future actions The rest of the Protestant Captaines as Dandelot Mountgommery La Noue and others being aduertised of all these sturres gathered what forces they could and marched towards Rochell with great speede taking by the way Partenay Niort and Maile which proued afterwarde very aduantagious for the Confederates Angolesme Pons S. Iohn d' Angely and Tallebourg were likewise surprised by those of the reformed Religion so that now many good townes were againe at their deuotion and commaundement Monsieur made lieutenant for the King his brother The King being aduertised of all these designements declared Monsieur the Duke of Aniou his brother his Lieutenant generall who dispatched forthwith Letters and Messengers into all parts to assemble Bannes and Arierbannes and to command all gentlemen and others to be in a readinesse at the time appointed at Estamps where he had proclaimed the Rendeuous there to attend the further pleasure of his excellencie The protestants assembled souldiours on all sides especially in Languedoc Prouence and Dauphiuy vnder the conduct of Colonell Acier Montbrun and Saint Romain who had gathered some sixteene or seuenteene thousand footmen and seuen hundred horse and were marching toward the Prince who expected their comming at Chalons This new supply did maruellously strengthen the confederates and encouraged them to proceed on in their enterprise and to seeke their enemies who now were growne to an head and readie to march vnder their leaders and conductors After many attempts on eyther side and that both the Armies had endomaged each other by the taking of sundry townes and afflicting the poore Counâ—ry with a thousand miseries both Generals resolued to trie their fortunes by an entire battaile as soone as occasion was offered With this resolution Henrie Duke of Aniou hauing intelligence that the Lorde Pilles was comming towarde the Prince of Conde with a newe supplie of souldiours led his armie through Poictou Lymosin and the Countrey of Angoumois and discended alongst the Riuer of Charente as though hee woulde take Chasteaunef there to passe ouer the water and to barre Pilles from ioyning with the Prince VVhich when the Confederates vnderstoode they passed Charente at Cognac with purpose to preuent the Armie of the