Prince of Conde and also the falsehood trechery and vniust dealing of our aduersaries may appeare as is more at large set forth in those writinges published concerning this matter Of the which matters because thou art certified alreadie most noble Emperour we will at this tyme be no longer tediouse vnto thée This one thing the Prince of Conde requesteth at your highnes hand that you will take into your custody the crowne of our yong King from those thrée priuate persones which haue brought him into so great daunger and to restraine them of their willes séeing it is manyfest that these thrée priuate persones the one of them a strauÌ„ger the other two not comparable to the Prince of Conde in no condition haue caused Ciuill warres to the destruction of the Realme And aboue all thinges this he requesteth that you would deliuer the King the Quéene and the Realm from their presumption tiranny and falsehoode and that you would helpe the states of the Realme to their authoritie and the Kinges Subiectes to peace and to the benefite of the Kings Edictes Also because vnder the couller of defendinge the King the Rokendolfe and the Rhengraue haue brought troupes of horsemen out of Germanie into Fraunce notwithstanding meaning to helpe our aduersaries whereby there cannot chuse but ensue great hurte to the King and to the realme the Prince of Conde humbly beséecheth you that by your commaundement and by the commaundementes of your noble Princes they may with all spede be called backe againe and may be seuerely straightly charged not to beare armoure against vs and also that hereafter it be lawful for none within the limmits of the empire to musture either horsemen or footemen to serue the Guises which vse not but abuse the Kinges name and authoritie The which dede most noble Emperour shal become you very wel since God hath made you a refuge for the afflicted in time of trouble and a helpe for Kings especially when they are in daunger of men by reason of their tender yeares Defend therefore our Kinge oure Quéene his mother the Kingdome and the lawes and states of the Realme from the tyrrannie of the Triumuiri Concerning the vayne assaulte that was giuen to Cesteron a Towne in Prouance by Monsuer Sommeriue a Captain on the Papistes side we haue spoken before Yet notwithstanding they came to the same place again the xxvi day of August with a greater armie with al maner of artillery better appointed carying with them from Marsiles certain great fielde péeces Therefore the Citie began to be battered with greater force of ordinance than it was before TheÌ„ word was brought that Monsuer Monbrun came with an Army of men to rayse the siege his Army contained a thousand footemen and two hundred horsemen Monsuer de Suze hearing of this went out to méete him with a company of wel appointed Souldiers and geuing the on set vppon Monsuer Monbrun he slew an hundred and fiftie of his Souldiers and put the rest to flight Monsuer Monbrun also himselfe fledde leauing behinde him two field péeces which afterward came into the handes of Monsuer de Suze At the coÌ„maundement of Baron des Adretz Monsuer Monbrun came to Cesteron minding with the ayd rescue of moÌ„suer de Adretz which on the other part had inuaded the County of Venaâ—… both to remoue the siege from Cesteron and also with the greater force to assault Prouance Against the men of Auinion which went about to resist hym Baron des Adretz preuailed and had the victory geuing vnto theÌ„ the ouerthrow at a village called Orgo Notwithstanding when Baron des Adretz heard that Monsuer Monbrun was put to flight he retourned into Dolpheny New Monsuer Someriue and his Souldiers at the returne and good successe of Monsuer de Suze and his men were not a little incouraged in so much that with greater force vehemency they began to assault the city wheÌ„ by battery they had made a great breach in the wals the soldiers began with great violâ—…ce to enter therat who notwithstanding were coÌ„strained to retire again many of theÌ„ being sâ—…ain by the faithfull But when their vitualles were wel nigh spent and that they were dayly oppressed more and more with penury and scarsitie Monsuer Senaz the lifetenaunt of the Towne Monsuer Mouens whose helpe he greatly vsed began to consider concerning the yéelding vp of the Citie and placing certaine Souldiers in the breach of the wall to kepe the Citie accordinge to the custome of warres they in the night without noyse caried out a great multitude of the Townsmen with Wemen and Children and aged persones at a certaine place to the which the enemy could scarcely come being let with a riuer and a hill which lay betwene them The enemyes scoutes were wary of the noyse and gaue intelligence thereof vnto the Army but rather thinkinge that some came to helpe them than that the faithfull went out of the City suspected nothinge and therefore held themselues still in their tentes Thus Monsuer Mouens and a great multitude of people escaped the peril But Mon suer Someriue being certyfied of the whole matter by the Papistes of the Towne entered into the Citye and there slew all that he found in the Citye both Papistes and Protestantes without respecte of persones Monsuer Mouens caried the people which he brought out of Cesterâ—… most miraculously through diuers places which were possessed by the enemy yet notwithstanding escaped their handes and came at the last to Gratianople a Citie in Dolpheny And so all Prouans when the faithfull were ouercome yelded to the Papistes by whom all kind of cruelty beside the custome of warre was committed in Cityes and Townes as at Marsiles and at Aijques and in that whole Region Many Women also in those Cityes were so outragious best lyke cruell â–ª contrary to their kind that it is almost incredible to be tould These when they had gathered themselues to gyther to a sufficient nomber would in the night as if they had bin dronke or out of their wittes go vp down the Citie searching and ransackinge the houses of the faithfull and when they had founde a woman they led her and scourged her through the Citie vntill she came to the common place of slaughter which they had prepared for the purpose and then hanged her vp by the féete the which being done they draue vp a wedge or wodden pin into the body through the shame and secrete part of the woman and so slewe her an acte most horrible and shamefull to be eyther spoken or heard Euery where robbery rapine and spoyle was committed the Senate in the meane tyme not only suffering these thinges to escape vnpunished but also approuing the same Upon the Territorie of Lions there bordereth a Region called Forestes the chief Citie wherof is Monbriso Therefore the inhabitants of Forrestes hauing Monsuer Monselas their Captayne anoyed the
the papistes which bragged as if they had already wonne the towne And oftentimes the souldiers of monsieur Sommeriue would crye out to the townes mē saying Say vnto thy God Judge me O God for that psalm was made a common ryme Therefore monsieur Bulargues remoued in the night to goe from Nismes with hys two hundred gonners and troupe of horsemen which we sayd were appointed to ayde those of Sangilles hys fellowes followed after notwithstanding with not so much spéede and thereupon hée sent vnto them to make more haste from Estegell where they taried their comming In the way to Nismes from Sangiles there aryseth euen at the first a little hil which lying out in length maketh an euen playne and then assendeth agayn with an other hill betwéene both which hilles there are certaine small valleyes and then againe that playne or leuell at the entrie whereof the towne of Sangiles is situate is bounded with the Riuer of Rosne for the space of fower and twenty furlonges and so extendeth it selfe to the Castle called the Fourques which lyeth ouer against the city of Arles the riuer of Rosne running betwene them on the other part there lyeth a very large Iland and excéeding frutefull which in the vulgar tonge is called Camargua corruptly as it is thought of Campus Marius because Marius aboade there while he warred against the people of Denmarke or else of the Gréeke worde wyth the which the people of Phocis that built the citie Massilia in Prouance called the same which Gréeke worde is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying the goodnesse and fertility of the ground By this meanes following there was a bridge made by monsieur Sommeriue and his men First they tooke certayne Shippes and tyed them syde to syde with ropes crosse the Riuer vpon which then they layed bourdes plankes and so the whole armie of monsieur Sommeriue went ouer to the other shoare of Languedoc For the ryuer called the Rosne diuidteh Prouance and Languedoc asunder Monsieur Bulargues therefore looking for his soldiours at Estegel there came ryding out of the armie of monsieur Sommeriue ten horsemen not ware of monsieur Bulargues at whose commaundement eight of thē were presentlye hemde in the other twoo with great feare fled backe agayne to the armie and made report that a great number of their enemies lay hid in the valleyes besyde Estegell Therefore monsieur Sommeriue cōmaunded the horsemen to set themselues in aray and euery one to marche from thence and the footemen to arme themselues with spéede Then monsieur Bulargues hauing placed certaine scoutes vpō the top of the hill which lay betwéene them and their enemies for from thence they might easely behold the whole armie vppon the leuell was by them tolde that the horsemen of monsieur Sommeriue were comming towardes them in battayle aray Here monsieur Bulargues being like to be ouercom easely by the greater number of his enemies deuised a way out of hand and brought all his souldiers out of the valleyes and set them vpon the top of the hill to make the greater shew to terrifie his enemies Whose pollitique deuise had good successe for so soone as the enemie sawe them vppon the top of the hill they suspected that it was a trayne made to beguile them imagining also that so small a nūber durst not come so nighe except they were sure of more ayde and that therefore they shewed them selues because they would allure them forwarde vntill they had gotten the aduantage of the place and then with a great number to ioyne battayle with them Thē they stayed euen right ouer against them and so keeping a while their battaile aray they retourned backe agayne to their campe In the meane time some were sent againe to accelerate and hasten the comming of Monsure Grill and Bari who at the last came with the rest of the Army which being ioynd with those that were before with Monsure Bulargues made the whole Army to be in number one thousand fiue hundred of them horsemen and the other fiue hundred being footemen and for the space of certaine howers they abode there still in battayle aray in the sight of the Army of Monsure Sommeriue which Army when Monsure Bulargues perceyued to be quiet they came to the towne of Sangiles that as it was appointed they might both aid the Citie and also retourne out of hand to Nismes Therfore Monsure Bulargues leauing his fellowes hard by the towne sent into the towne two hundred goonners and shortly exhorted them and the souldiers that were in the towne to play the men promising vnto them that he would not be long from them And then going out of the Citie he perceyued that the enemy had raysed their siege therfore he ran in hast to sée which waye they were gon And he sawe the Army going towardes the Rosne as though they fled away Then hée ran and told this thing ioyfully to his fellowes that thei might sée the discomfited enemy fléeing away and therfore he sayde that they must not neglecte this occasion which God had offered them for God fighteth for his be therfore saith he of good courage and let vs pursue the enemy And thus talking a while with his souldiers many of them because they were a few in number refused so to do for he had with him only a hundred twentie horsemen Then he sayd Let him that loueth me followe me And so setting spoures to his horse he and so many as were with him pursued after the enemie vntill he came within thrée hundred paces of them at the sight wherof the horsemen of Monsure Sommeriue fled by and by before the footemen which were appoynted to kepe the ordinance Monsure Bulargues making no stay put forth his horse and began to skirmish and after the discharging of two small péeces the horsemen of Monsure Sommeriue leaning their great ordinance tourned their backes and brake through the raye of the footemen so the whole Army began to flée Then Monsure Bulargues with the rest of his fellowes began to crie The victory and killed whom soeuer they met though they made no resistāce and so they made a great slaughter And by reason of the comming of more aide to Monsure Bulargues there was the greater slaughter made euery where some sleing and some pursuing and ouercomming Notwithstanding they which came last delaying the time because they beléeued not the same to be true which Monsure Bulargues told them many horsemen of Monsure Sommeriue which were on the other part of y Army and had the better horses escaped by flight ouer the Bridge and among these were monsure Sommeriue and monsure de Suze who breaking the Bridge for feare least their enemies should followe after them caused a great number the more of their men to be slayne Ther fore the scattered souldiers ran vp and downe to and fro séeking how to escape but found no way Wheruppon many cast themselues into
second wing came the Prince of Porcian and the Admirall hauing the charge of two Giddons of Launces to the number of 120. Then followed them a very strong square battaile of footemen Germanes contayning twelue Ensignes hauing a little before them 500. shot on horse Then was there a very great Squadron of Frenchmen contayning 23. Ensignes placed to kéepe the great Ordinance which were also garded with a wing of horsemen Germanes on eyther side And thus the Prince of Conde marched forward with his whole Armie to encounter with his enemie who also had his men in a readinesse First the Guise with a very huge Troupe of Launces garded the corner or poynt of the Squadron of the first Armie which was on his right hand contayning fourtene Ensignes of footemen Spaniardes and the poynt of the second Squadron which was on his left hand contayning 22. Ensignes of tall Frenchmen hauing planted before them against the enemie 14. feeld péeces of Ordinance Then the Marshal of Santandre hauing sixe Giddons of Launces came with the poynt of the third Squadron which contayned a seuen Ensignes of footemen Germanes At the other poynt of the which Germanes there were also fiue Giddons of horsemen vnder the charge of Monsieur Dan uille Betwéene which fiue Giddons and the 12. GiddoÌ„s of the Constable were placed two great Squadrons the one contayning 22. Ensignes of footemen Switzers hauing planted before them eight péeces of Ordinaunce the other contayning 17. Ensignes of Brittons French men So that in all on the Guises part there were fyue Squadrons of foote men Euery Squadron is a battaile in proporcion foure square so that betwéene euery Squadron from poynt to poynt sauing betwéene the two last there were Giddons of horsemen at Armes to gard them This battayle had his proporcion in length but the Battayle of the Prince of Conde not so much in length but more in breadth Whereuppon against the Constable the Admirall was opposite at one end against Danuille the Prince of Conde but against the other end which was the first Army where the Guise and the Marshall of Santandre were there was none opposite The Armies on both parts being placed as you heare the Prince of CoÌ„de first of all commaunded his whole Armie to make their prayers vnto God the which being done he roade round about the Army exhorted his souldiers to be of good courage and then commaunded to sound the Trompet to battayle Then Monsieur Curee Captain of the vaunfgard not staying till the great peeces which were bent against him were discharged with the rest of his troupe discharged his shot at the Swisers â–ª after whom followed the Prince of Conde and at the first encounter so charged the horsemen of the Swisers whereof Monsieur Danuille had the conduct that he both put them to the chase and also brake into the squadron of the Swisers Rochfoucant in the meane tyme standing stil and keping his ray At the first the Swisers that were the footemen both by the force of the great gunnes and also by their owne artillery withstoode the first charge giuen by the Prince notwithstanding by the often shot discharged by the horsmen they were constrayned to breake their arraye and to retire before the Launces who also brake vppon theÌ„ and caused them to forsake their great ordinance the Princes souldiers sleying and killing so much as possibly they could The Admirall also preuailed almost no lesse against the Constable and hauinge with him the troupes of the Germanes they skirmished with the horse men of Monsieur Danuill which came againe to rescue the Constable and greately anoyed them with the hayle of their shot The Prince of Conde hauing destroied and put to flight the Swisers encountered then with the next Army of french men and breakinge their ray ouer ran them and put them to flight In the meane tyme there was a sore battaile betwene the Admirall and the Constable both partes quighting themselues very valeantly Notwithstanding the Constables side being not able to make their part good the Constable himself also being sore wounded in the head with an arming swerd and in other partes of the body with diuers shot and taken in plaine fight they fled away the Prince and the Admirall pursuing the chase The Prince hauing so good successe had good hope to haue the victori for the greatest part of the enimies army was eyther slaine or put to flight the great gunnes belongyng to the second Army taken and the Constable also as is a foresaid The horsemen of the Prince of Condes parte being occupied almost euerye one in pursuinge the enemye the Armies of the Germane and French footemen of the Princes side lay open naked before the Guise Monsieur Danuille The which when Monsieur Danuille perceyued he vaunced all the power he was able to make thither ward of whose coÌ„ming so sone as the Germanes were ware they disordred themselues and fled to a village hard by called Bleinuill without any maner of resistance Then the Princes armye of French footemen being left alone a very great troupe of horsemen charged theÌ„ sore and being discouraged and made a feard euen at the first onset they turned all their backes and fled Where fore a great nomber of them were slaine in chase wyth losse of a fewe of the Guisâ—… horsemen only Thus the Princes footemen being disperfâ—… slayne the Guises by the mutable chaunce of war had good hope to foyle the Prince of Conde For almost all the horsemen of the Prince of Condes side were wholy occupyed in chasing and killing the remnante of the Switsers and FrenchmeÌ„ Whereby also it must néedes be that they were greatly disordered and out of ray Wherefore Monsieur Danuille the Constables Sonne aduaunced his power of horsemen to encounter with the Prince of Conde the rest Who being vnable so match with their enemies be gan to flée the other followed the chase And the Prince himselfe séeking to escape through a wood hard by had his horse slaine vnder him with a shot and for lacke of a fresh horse to shift him he fell into the handes of Monsieur Danuille and was taken prisoner The Admirall séeinge in euery place his men fléeinge away the Germane horsemeÌ„ also fléeing by hâ—…apes hard by according to their maner to charge their gunnes then to return againe with one force to anoy the enemy the which maner of fight bycause many vnderstoode not suspecting that the Germanes fled were afrayde and perceyuing also that they were quight discouraged bycause the Prince of Conde was taken was much troubled and greued in mind He saw also to his great grief thrée great troupes of horsemen which the Guises very pollitiquely and prudently had reseruid euen till the very pinch came in the which was the Marshall of Santandre Duke Daumale Monsieur Niueâ—…ne and other noble men which he spedily dispatched to the chase he himself tarying still behind to
condition also that they shall within sixtene dayes after the publication of these Letters put of their armoure and depart from those places and assemblies prohibited and forbidden Whatsoeuer he be that shall do otherwise shal fauour support and mayntayne his obstinate subiectes he straytely chargeth and commaundeth his Magistrates and officers seuerally to execute vppon hym such punishmentes as by the Lawes are appoynted ¶ The Duke of Guise vsed these letters which were published vnder the Kynges name to the intent hée might entangle and snare his enemies by all manner of meanes possible After the besieging of Burges the Duke of Nemours with certaine troupes of horsemen came at the coÌ„mandement of the Duke of Guise into Burgundy that ioyning the inhabitantes of Dolpheny and of Auernois with Monsieur Tauuanes Liefetenant of Burgundy he might assay to winne Lions and Dolpheny And at the very first assay he wan Vienna a noble Citie néere vnto the Rosne and bordering also vpon Lions by the meanes of the paâ—… pistes which were in the towne The souldiours were coÌ„ducted by Monsieur Mogeron who after the surrender of the Towne committed great murder and rapine The losse of Vienna was very hurtful to Lions the passage being shut vp into Dolpheny and Languedoc Then Nemours picking out so many souldiours out of his owne men and out of the Burgundians and Indwellers of Auuergnois and of Forest as would make an army remoued with the same néere Lions to besiege the Citie The Liefetenant of Lions as we sayd before was Monsieur Soubize a very wyse man who with great diligence prosperously prouided for the fortyfying of the Citie Notwithstanding Nemours dyd not incampe him selfe hard by the Citie after the manner of besieging but taking the suburbes and places bordering thereaboutes sought to kéepe them from vittailes and other necessary prouision Notwithstanding the Townes men diuers tymes brake forth vpon the enemie and lightly skirmished with them But for all this the enemie at the length was in hope to winne the Citie yet their hope was frustrated to their owne dammage and hurt There came into the handes of Nemours a certayne inhabitant of Lions of a reasonable good wit and at that time of some estimation and countenance This man declared vnto Nemours certayne meanes and wayes to obtayne Lions promising vnto him that if he might be sent thither he would prepare and make an easie enterance for him into the Citie For sayeth he I when I am in Lions am appointed to watche and kéepe the citie ioyning diuers other of the Garrison with me can open the Gate vnto you and can let in such a sufficient multitude of souldiers as coÌ„ming vnlooked for may easely take the Citie Onely set me at libertie and gyue me leaue to goe into the citie gyue me my reward when I haue brought it to passe Nemours tooke his offer and after fayre promises made hée set him frée and bad him go to Lions Hée when hée was come into the Citie declared the whole matter to Monsieur Soubize gouernour of the citie who coÌ„manded the man to kéepe the matter secrete and also to flatter Nemours in hope thereof still Therefore he appointed Nemours the tyme and place where and when hée should come to the Citie watch wordes were giuen and the matter was so appointed that Nemours had great hope to haue his purpose Wherevpon he commaunded a great number of harquebusiers and certayne troupes of horsemen when the tyme was come to go before and hée himselfe followed after with his whole army In the meane time Monsier Soubize had very wel fortified the Citie in euery place and corner the which being done he commaunded him to go toe the Gate of the citie whom Nemours had put in trust for the treason the watchmen about the gate to be very hush and silent without any manner of noyse as if they were a sléepe and then to giue the watchword The souldiours of Nemours hearing the watchword came with all spéed and were let into the Citie And wheÌ„ thrée hundred of them or there abouts were entered the warders of the gate perceyuing that the whole army of the enimies followed after a pace they discharged with all spéede a great péece of Ordinance against those that were without Whereby Nemours perceyuing that he was betrayed fled backe agayne with the reste of his armye so fast as hée conld then the Townesmen fell vpon those that were entered the Citie and slew them very fewe escaping their handes After this Nemours went his way and would neuer more come so néere Lions to besiege the same Notwithstanding they had after this certayn small skirmishes betwéene them Agaynst the comming of Nemours MoÌ„sier des Adretz had gathered togither out of all Dolpheny so many souldiours as he could to helpe the men of Lions and he conducted 1500. footemen with a very small troupe of horsemen The reporte hereof caused Nemours to take a newe deuise in hande and because he vnderstoode that the army of footemen of Monsieur des Adretz wanted horsemen to garde and defend them hée determined to set vpon him with his horsemen Wherefore not farre from Beaupere he met with Monsieur des Adretz and his men and skirmishing with them troubled them sore had slain a great nomber of them if so be both the oportunity of the place also the maÌ„lines of M. de Adretz in conducting his meÌ„ had not holpen theÌ„ So that notwithstanding the greatest part escaped few were lacking Notwithstandinge for this cause the inhabitants from Vienna all a long the ryuer Rosne were greatly afeard and greatly also the newes hereof dismaied Turnon although it was strongly fortified with Garrisons of Souldiers And about this tyme the inhabitantes of Nonay sought to winne the Citie of Sanstephen beinge a very Noble and famouse Citie in the Territory of Viuaretz and this was the occasion there is in the countrey of Forrest a Citie called Sanstephen nere vnto Nonay where dyuers kindes of weapons and artillery the place being very conuenient for the same are made by Copper Smithes of which there are there great store The men of Nonay being desierouse both to haue weapones and also the spoyle of the City which was of reasonable wealth by the aduise and counsayle of their gouernour they intended to winne the same Imageninge that by reason of the nearenes of Nemours and of Monsieur Caumont a man of greate power in that Region and of diuers other noblemen which dwelt about them they were secure and careles and might therefore more easely be opprest And in déed it came to passe according to their imagination For the greatest part of souldiers and almost al the young men and boyes in the Towne hauinge the gouernour of the Towne their Captaine went out of Nonay and trauailing all the nighte wyth great spede through woodes and secret places were very early at the Citie of Sainstephen And so soone as
and grieuance of the Guises Furthermore we will declare what great alterations came to passe after this the yong King Charles comming to the Crowne As the great peace and tranquilitie giuen and graunted to the Churches by the benefite of the Kings Edictes the daily increase of the faithfull the flourishing of the Gospell in euery place the defacing of the Popes doctrine by solemne Court of Parliament the truth also embraced of many of the Nobles And here we will shewe what séedes of dissention were sowne by the subtile practises of the Guises betwéene the Nobles Then I will speake somewhat of the Actes of the parling of Possiacen Last of all I will declare the summe of the Edict of Ianuarye by which greater libertie was graunted to the Churches And bicause about that time there were great troubles of warres I will there make an ende of thys booke leauing the declaration of the rest vntill a more conuenient time Notwithstanding part thereof that is to say the explication of the first Ciuil warres shall be declared in our thrée latter bookes we looking to haue occasions offered to describe other matters which are behinde The booke of Commentaries concerning Religion vnder the reignes of Henrie the seconde Fraunces the seconde and Charles the ninth THe doctrine of Religion which in our time is amended and reformed came at the last into Fraunce But they were hardly delt withall which receyued that doctrine they were banished burnt and with all maner of torments vexed they were also called Lutheranes which name then was made a common reproch to the godly Notwithstanding all this that doctrine did more largely and vehemently spreaâ—…e it selfe abroade and the more that men were toriâ—…ented the more they came â—…o the same by flocks Many to the end they might escape the crueltie of their punishments â—… might enioy the frée vse of religioÌ„ weâ—…t vnto those places â—…n the which y same was purely publikely set forth amâ—…ng which the greatest part went to Geneua From whence many bookeÌ„s and letters being written a great number were brought to the knowledge of that doctrine The which dailie increasing more and more great matters afterwardes came to passe those things which were done in the beginning with feare and secretely were afterwarde frée and common for euery man to vse vntill such time as punishments being repressed torments taken away and the fierie flames quite extinguished that doctrine was receyued of noble men of Gentlemen and of all estates but on the other side the aduersaries of the reformed religion Resisting y same there arose great tumults which by mortall and ciuill warres vexed and much endamaged the great and noble kingdome of Fraunce But these first beginnings are particularly touched in other bookes in the which the noble and excellent triumphes of Martyrs are described I will therfore begin at that yeare since the which matters of Religion being more opeÌ„ly set forth and more vehemently againe resisted haue more happily and euidently appeared And then this was the state of the kingdome After sundrie and long warres betwéene Henrie the seconde King of Fraunce and Charles the fyfth Emperour at the length both their Legates wheÌ„ they could not by peace ende the controuersies which were betwéene them concluded a truce or peace for fyue yeares the which being shortly after broken by the Cardinall of Lorraine the warre began a freshe betwene the two kings And Fraunces Duke of Guise taketh his iourney into Italie with a great armye And Philip king of Spaine and sonne of the Emperour Charles goeth into Picardie who making hast to the towne of Sanquintine gaue the Constable which came out to mete him a great ouerthrow and toke him with a great number of Gentlemen This ouerthrowe and great slaughter of men was called Laurence day bicause it chaunced at the feast of S. Laurence â–ª After this Sanquintine was taken and certaine cities nere vnto the same So that what with the rumor of the sodeine slaughter what with the feare of the enimie which now approched to Paris the chiefe citie of the kingdome all men were wonderfully afrayde While these things were thus a working there began to be a great fame and rumor of the increase of the Lutheranes by reason whereof there followed a notable persecution against them which by the popular and vulgar name is called The winning of S. Iames streete and it was so called for this cause When the faithfull perceyued the great perill and dauÌ„ger that hong ouer the whole kingdome of France by reason of this newe plague and punishment they gaue themselues to prayer and therfore congregated themselues togither by a great number the fourth daye of September in certaine houses of S. Iames stréete in Paris and that in the night for in the daye time they might by no meanes come togither minding to heare the worde preached and to haue the supper of the Lorde celebrated But they being bewrayed the common sort of people with weapons in a great tumult ranne with all haste to this stréetâ—… of S. Iames where the faithfull were assembled who being in those houses before mentioned and séeing themselues to be compassed on euerye side with the furor and rage of the multitude had small hope to escape howbeit part of them when they sawe a waye to be made for them through a certaine gate which wonderfully opened for the safegarde of many when the houses on â—…uery side were beset repeated their former prayers and escaped by flight without harme euen as though God himselfe had gone before them the greater part were taken of the Magistrates among whom were many noble women and women of great parentage and as they were led away by the officers were shamefully intreated and vnhonestly handled of the people Now the matter being in question concerning this asseÌ„bly it was first founde that when the people were assembled togither there was a Lecture of the holy Scripture in the vulgar tongue secondly that all the congregation knéeling prayers were made by the Minister thirdly that the Minister expounded the place of the eleuenth Chapter of S. Paules first Epistle to the Corinthians in the which the vse of the Lords supper is declared fourthly that then prayers were made for the King for Princes Magistrates for all estates of people for peace and quietnesse of the kingdom and last of all that the breade end wine of the Lords supper was communicated and giuen to those which were not iudged vnworthie For these offences they were taken Being therefore taken and cruelly intreated of the people by the way were notwithstanding very vâ—…courteously delt withall in prison For théeues and murtherers and such as by the lawe deserued to die were taken out of their colde and noysome prisons and these men put into the same in their steade all men forbidden to haue any recourse vnto them Notwithstanding it was brought to passe by the singular prouidence of God bicause
more to suche a matter To whom the Bishop sayd that he prayed God that his worde might profite and take place euery where The day folowing the Constable and the Duke of Guise went together to a sermon of a certaine Monke and from that tyme their myndâ—… began to be altenated and drawne away After which tyme the Constable was angrie with the Admirall his nephew openly bicause he did freely and publikely professe the Gospel And the wife of the Constable greatly pricked him forward to this euill who was greatly offended that the familie and stocke of the Chastillion shoulde bee aduaunced hir brother the Earle Villarius being not in that estimation that she woulde haue had him Therfore she moued prouoked him wyth these prickes saying that the Admirall wente aboute to depriue him of that benefite which the Quéene had bestowed vpon him that he did instaÌ„tly persuade the Quéene to promote set forth the true religioÌ„ for the king of Nauars sake that the CoÌ„stable ought not to suffer y authoritie of the church of Rome to be diminished he being not onely the chiefe officer oâ—… the king but also such a one as had his original ofspring of the firste Christian of the kingdome of Fraunce as the poelie of his armes did verie well testifie whiche was this Protegat Deus primum Christianum that is God defende the firste christian Also the Marshall Santandrae a suttle craftie and malicious man blew in his care that by the suttle procurement of the Admirall he was put vp by the assemblie of States to be a bryber and an extorcioner By thys meanes he thoughte to staye him for he feared that the Constable would not easily be brought to their wicked religion except it were by these persuasions Therfore he proceeded saying that he whiche came of so noble a stock and hadde doone suche woorthie and notable seruice in the kyngdome of Fraunce gouernyng the kingdome fortie yeares oughte not to suffer newe religions to be brought in to the hurte of the catholike churche The lyke persuasions also vsed the Earle Villarius hys wyues brother bearing no lesse spite and malice agaynste the Admirall than his sister did and that bycause hee vnderstoode that the Admirall did disproue before those of the kings priuie counsell that whiche he had done in Narbon against Religion Therfore they withdrewe the Constable all that they coulde The whiche thyng Marshall Momorentiuâ—… fearing and foreséeing a daungerous tempest lyke to aryse by the meanes of these dissentions hée shewed to his father the Constable so muche as he could what he thought néedfull to be doone And least he shoulde be drawne awaye from the greatest parte of his strength leaste he shoulde chaunge awaye certaine frendship for that which was vncertain and leaste he should ioyne hymself with newe reconciled fréendes he repeated vnto him their olde enmities and fallings out Adding moreouer that hée shoulde peruerte and ouerthrowe the greatest foundations of his stocke and kinred when he should alienate and withdraw himselfe from the Prince of Conde from the Chastillions from the Earle of Rupefocaldensis and from the rest which professe the reformed Religion beside this he should loose thereby the good will and fauor of the king of Nauarre and peraduenture the Quéenes fauoure too It is better sayeth hee to suffer the Chastillions and the Guiles to contende togyther than for you to take parte and yet neuerthelesse you shall kéepe youre faythe Affirming also that yf the Guyses were ouercome as it is moste lykely bycause they haue procured the hatred of all the assemblies agaynste themselues then shoulde his prudence experience and goodnesse bring to passe that he shoulde be a moderatour and a iudge of the reformation of the Churche the errours of the whiche Churche he ought not to defend bycause he was the chiefe officer vnder the King and the successour also of the firste Christian that was in Fraunce Also he sayde that he ought not to count it an iniurie that mention was made of hym by those that were of the Assemblie at Paris seing that he had doone nothing but by the authoritie of Kings and of the hyghest powers and séeing also that he hadde receyued so little of kyng Henrye that there was no manne but hée woulde iudge hym woorthie of greater rewardes bothe in consideration of the office whyche hée had so long and also for the money whiche hee bestowed in the Kings seruice Moreouer hée sayde that it appeared by the Bookes of accompte that the gyftes whyche the kyng gaue hym were not so muche by the seuenth parte as those giftes were whiche were bestowed vpon the Marshal Santandrae so farre they were from being compared with the Guises gifts and with the giftes of the Duchesse of Valentien To these persuasions onely of Momorentius the Constable made answer saying That Religion coulde not be altered without the mutation of the state ciuil regiment that he was a faithfull seruant of the king and of his brethren also that he feared not to be found guiltie that notwithstanding he woulde not suffer the actes and deedes of the Kyngs deceassed to be reproued and disalowed That hée desyred that hys nephews the Chastillions might be so good Christians in verie déede as they séemed to bée in woordes also that hée dyd willingly forgiue those that had offended him whatsoeuer they had doone After this verie shortly the Chastillions Odetus the Cardinal the Admiral the Andelot came oftentimes vnto him protesting that they bare no hatred in their heartes agaynst the Guises but went only about to frustrate their practizes and deuyses whiche as it euidently appeared tended both to their destruction and of the realme also Whome the Constable saye they oughte to resiste aboue all others But they persuaded in vayne for his mynd was drawne awaye and was linked in the freendship of the Guyses by diuers that allured him therto Thus dissentioÌ„s grew dayly more and more by the meanes of Religion and openly burste foorthe insomuche that both partes sought to iniurie and to reproche one another the fauourers of the Popes doctrine calling the professours of the Gospell Huguenotes and the Protestantes callyng them agayne Papistes Herevpon came a rumour abroade of Seditions the Popes chaplains in their Sermons mouing and pricking the people forward to the same Wherfore the king sent his letters to the Magistrates of euerye Prouince the summe and effect wherof was That no man shoulde call another contumeliously by the name of Huguenot or Papist that no man shuld abuse that ho nest libertie which euery maÌ„ ought to enioy either in his own house or wheÌ„ he is in his freds house that no maÌ„ shuld enter ei ther with gret or smal nuÌ„ber vpoÌ„ other meÌ„s houses vnder proteÌ„ce of the former edicts which prohibited forbad vnlauful assemblyes That they which were kept in bondes for Religions sake should be by and by deliuered and set at libeâ—…e before the first Edicte made
that his glorie as S. August saith hath not takē away the veritie of his bodie but the infirmitie of his bodye If any man herevpon gather that we separate Christ frō the Supper he gathereth amisse For we do bring this honor vnto God that although the body of Iesu Christ be in heauen no where else and we in earth no where else yet notwithstanding we are no lesse partakers of his body bloud by a certaine spirituall maner instrumēt of faith than we truly sée with our eyes the sacramēts touch thē with our hands tast them with our mouthes are nourished sustained in this corporal life with their substance This truely in fewe words is our faith in this point that which we thinke is not repugnant to the words of Christ nor to the Apostle Paule destroyeth not the humane nature of Christ neither the article of the ascention nor the sacramentall institution it giueth no occasion to bring in curious obscure questions it doth by no meanes derogate frō the coniunction which we haue with Christ which is the speciall end of ordaining of sacramēts not to the end that it might be either worshipped laid vp caryed about or to be offered vnto God for a sacrifice to be short excepte we be deceiued it giueth more to the power and to the wordes of the Sonne of God than their opinion which thinke that his body must be really ioyned with signes to the ende we might be partakers of him But concerning the administration of Baptisme we say nothing at all For I beléeue that there is none of you that accounteth vs in the number of Anabaptistes bycause they haue no greater enemies against them thā we As touching certaine other particular questions in this argument of Sacramentes we trust God willing that the speciall articles being brought to some order by this modest and quiet conference the rest shall of themselues easily followe As touching the other fiue Sacraments as ye call them thus wee thinke that vntill we be better taught by the Scriptures they cannot be called by the name of Sacraments but notwithstanding we think that we haue broght in the true cōfirmation which standeth in this that so many as are baptised in their infancie and all others whatsoeuer before they come to the Lordes Supper ▪ maye be instructed in the Cathechisme We teach also true repentance whiche consisteth in the true acknowledging of sinnes and in satisfaction either publiquely or priuately of the parties offended also in absolution whiche we haue in the bloud of Iesus Christ and in amendement of life We do allowe Matrimonie according to S. Paule in all those whiche haue not the gifte of continencie and wée thinke it vnlawfull for any man to bynde himselfe with a perpetual vowe to leade a continent life and neuer to marry and we condemne all fornication lightnesse in word gesture and deede We allowe the degrees of ecclesiasticall offices euen as God hath ordeined them in his house We allowe visitation of sicke persones as the speciall parts of the Ministerie of the Gospell We teach with S. Paule that no man ought to be iudged for choyce in days meats for the kingdome of God doth not consiste in those corruptible and externall thinges The last point to speake of is of external order and gouernement of the ecclesiastical State of the which we think it lawful for vs to say by your leaue that all things are so corrupted that very hardely the notes and printes of that auncient buylding very well ordered appointed by the Apostles can be seene Of the which matter you your selues maye be witnesses whiche toke some paines not long agoe herein But we omitte these matters the whiche we thinke better not to disclose than to vtter And to conclude this Oration we proteste before God and his Angels before your Maiestie moste Christian king and before this honorable assembly that our purpose and meaning is nothing else but to bring the state of the Church to that puritie and perfection in the which it so greatly florished in the Apostles tyme and that so many of those additions as should be found either superstitious or else manifestly against the worde of God might quite be abolished and counted superfluous also that all thinges might be taken awaye whiche experience teaching bring men to superstition But if certaine thinges be founde profitable and necessarie to edification firste consider of them wisely by the auncient Canons and authorities of the Fathers then let them be obserued and kepte as it shall be thought expedient and méete for the times places and persones that so with one consent God maye be worshipped in spirite and truth vnder your obedience O King and the obedience of those whome God hath appointed to your Maiestie to gouerne the Realme For if there be any yet whiche thinke that the doctrine which we professe dothe withdrawe men from their dutifull obedience to Kinges and Magistrates we haue to answere them For this we teach that the firste and principall obedience is due vnto God whiche is King of Kings and Lord of Lordes But if our writings may not suffise to cleare vs of that crime layd to our charge we wil bring forth many examples of principalities of rules and of kingdomes that haue bene reformed by the prescript of our doctrine which may be sufficient witnesses of our innocencie To be short in this point we say with S. Paule Let euery soule submit himself to the authoritie of the higher powers ▪ Yea and Chrisostome writing vpon that place faith Yea let him submit him selfe though he be an Apostle or Euangelist bicause that subiectiō doth not derogate from the glory of God. Wherefore if it shall come to passe hereafter that any man falsely professing oure doctrine shall be found to rebel but against the least of your officers we protest before God and your maiestie O King that such kind of men shall not be of vs neither shal they finde more mortall enimyes against them than we Therfore O king our desire to aduance the glory of God our obediēce loue which we owe to your Maiestie our loue also towards our cuntrey specially to the Church of God haue brought vs into this place trusting that the most mighty God according to his accustomed mercy and goodnesse will blesse you no lesse thā he did the yōg king Iosias that by your most happie gouernmēt O Quéene by your coūsels most honorable Princes coūsellers the ancient memory of the famous Quéene Clotilda shal be renued whose diligence the Lord vsed as a meane to make himself knowne throughout this Realme This is our hope most mightie king for the which we are readie to spende our liues that obeying your maiestie in this so godly a matter we may sée the golden world where oure Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ raigneth with all honour and glory for euer and euer
Thus far Beza procéeded in his oration who with his fellowes fell on their knées and standing vp straight way againe offred vnto the king the confession of the Churches of Fraunce and then he spake thus vnto him We beséeche your Maiestie not to regarde oure rude and barbarous speache but our well wishing mindes wholy consecrated to obedience But bicause the principall pointes of oure doctrine are more plainly and copiously contained in this confession of our faith we beséech your Maiestie to receiue the the same and we trust by the leaue of God it will come to passe that when we haue conferred together with all sobrietie and reuerence we shall come to some agréement But if our iniquities be the cause that we may not obtaine so greate a blessing we doubte not but your Maiestye will consyder of all thinges and prouide for them accordingly without preiudice of any partie And here wée thinke it not good to let one thing passe namely that when Beza intreated of the Lords supper and spake these wordes As touching the distance of places the bodie of Christ is so far from the bread and wine as the heauen is higher than the earth the Prelates were so moued that by and by they began to make disturbance and to murmur but this being somewhat quieted Beza made an ende of his oration After whom the Cardinall of Turnon hauing great indignation and shaking and trembling for very anger began in the name of the Popishe Prelacie of which he was chiefe to declare vnto the king that the Cardinall Bishoppes and the reste of their fellowship by reason of the kings commaundemente gaue their consente that the newe Euangelistes for so he termed the menne of the refourmed Churches shoulde be hearde what they coulde saye but notwithstanding not withoute some offence of their consciences bycause they perceyued that they myghte speake manye things not méete for a Christian Prince to heare which might also and that not withoute cause offende the mindes of many good men â–ª Therfore he sayd that the Prelates suspecting that it woulde so come to passe had giuen hym commaundement to intreate the King that if any suche matters fell oute he woulde not in any wyse beléeue their wordes And that therefore he would reiect both the wordes and sentence of that fellowe that had spoken in the name of those of the new Religion staying and suspending his iudgement vntill the Prelates hadde otherwyse opened the matter the which if it might please him he trusted that both the king and the whole assembly shoulde vnderstand see â–ª what diffenreÌ„ce there was between the truth and a lye He required also that he might haue a daye giuen him to answere Adding that had it not beene for the regarde they hadde vnto the King and to his commaundementes they would not at the hearing of those horrible and abheminable wordes which that other fellowe vttered haue suffered him to haue procéeded any further At the length he beseeched the King that he would follow the faith and footesteps of his auncestors the whiche he prayed all the Saintes in heauen and the Uirgin Mary to graunt To this the Quéene answered that nothing was doone in this matter without due aduice and counsell by the deliberation of the Princes and the priuie Councell and by the iudgement and consent of the Senate of Paris The whiche she sayd was not done to alter any thing in Religion but to quiet the troubles that were rysen through the diueâ—…sitie of opinions in Religion and by these means to bring those that were gone astraye into the way againe Which sayth she you and your fellowes ought to séeke specially at this time by vsing good and strong argumentes Thus the mynds of the Popishe Prelates being galled and very much grieued at the first méeting with the words of Theodore Bâ—…za the daye following he writ vnto the Quéene saying bycause he feared that she was not fully satisfied by reason of certen words wherat the Prelats were offended therfore he earnestly desired of hir that he might haue libertie more plainly largely to discourse that matter which then he could not copiously declare The occasion therfore saith he of those words by me vttered was the opinion of certaine men which not wel vnderstanding our mindes thought that we went about to exclude Christ froÌ„ the Supper the which to doe were manifestly wicked seing we haue the contrary to be found in the word of God namely that that precious Sacrament was therefore ordayned by the sonne of God that he might make vs more and more partakers of the substance of his verye body and bloude whereby we might more straightly be vnited vnto him and mighte growe to euerlasting life And vnlesse it should be so it were not the Supper of Iesu Christ. And therefore it is so far from vs that we should say that Christ is absent from the Supper that none of all others more resiste that blasphemie than we But we saye that there is great difference betwéene these to say that Iesus Christ is in the Supper in that he gyueth truely vnto vs his bodye and bloude and to say and affirme that his bodye bloude is ioyned to the bread That first I haue affirmed bicause it is the principall chiefe the seconde I haue denyed bicause I thinke it to be repugnant to the truth of Christ his nature and to the article of the ascention as it is in Scripture and as the ancient fathers expounde the same This sentence and opinion gyueth more dignitie and authoritie to the worde of God thaÌ„ that which teacheth that Christe is really and corporally ioyned to signes This therefore is the declaration meaning of that which we spake which I desyre may satisfie you being ready to be taught if better be shewed To this also he added certaine testimonies of the Fathers As of S. Augustine writing vpon the. 5. Chapter of S. Iohn where he saith VVhen our Sauiour Christ saide ye shall not haue me alwayes with you he spake of the presence of his bodie For according to his Maiestie prouidence and inuisible grace that which he promised in another place is fulfilled I will be with you to the ende of the world But according to his humane nature which he toke according to that that he was borne of the virgin Mary that he was crucifyed buried and rose againe it is said Me ye shall not haue alwayes VVherfore Bicause according to his body he was conuersant with his disciples fortie dayes and as they wentâ—… wyth him ascended from them into heauen neither is heere any more Also the same Saint Augustine saith writing to Dardanus As he is God he is euery where As he is man he is in heauen And Vigilius whiche wrote againste Eâ—…yches in the yeare of our Lorde God. 500. sayth The sonne of God in respecte of his humanitie is departed from vs but in respect of his diuinitie he saith I am with
shamefully to missecal them saying that they would not leaue of their ringing and straytwaye they ranne vpon them and made haste to shut the Churche dores but one of them escaped by flight the other they toke whome they wounded so sore that he presently dyed Then they ranne vp into the Churche stéeple and toppe of the church they rang the Belles and tumultuously cryed Toc-sanctum whiche worde the people vse when they crye Alarum At the which crye the people ranne with all spéede possible from euery part of the Suburbes So that what with the crye of the people and what with the hurling of stones into the place where the sermoÌ„ was then made there was a great terrible noyse The which noyse being heard but specially Toc-sanctum or Alarum aboue the reste they whiche were chiefe of the Congregation least the whole assembly shoulde be quite discomfited thought it néedfull to prouide helpe out of hand Therefore when they had willed euery one to be quiet and not to stirre they chose out of the whole Congregation whiche was in number about 13. thousande men a certaine small number of experte souldiers willing the Minister to procéede and sent the Lieutenant his seruant for he was then there by the Kings authoritie to wil and commaunde the Priestes in the Kings name to cease the tumulte whiche they hadde begonne Notwithstanding the Arrowes and stoanes came so â—…aste aboute his eares that hee was constrayned strayte waye to returne backe agayne The faithfull fearing the Sedition like to ensue whereby they being naked and vnarmed were like to be oppressed thoughte it good before the matter wente any further to sette vpon the Popishe Priestes and to staye their rage Therefore euen at once they ranne vpon them with all their myght euen through the thicke Hayle of stoanes and arrowes and brake open the Church dores behinde the whiche they founde the deade carkas of their slaine brother and the Priests with their coherentes armed who at the first outragiously like mad men behaued them selues but afterwardes being easily repressed tamed by the faithfull part of them being constrained yelded themselues into their handes and part fled into a high tower shutting the doreâ—… faste to them from whence they casâ—… downe stones tymber arrowes many other things yea whatsoeuer in their madnesse came nexte to hande in so much that breaking the Images of their Saints as they call them in peeces which they had caryed out of the Temple least they should be violated and defiled most furiously they threwe them downe still crying Toc-sanctum Allarum But the faithfull seyng their outrage threatned them to fire them out of their holde or Tower wherevpon the Popishe Priests their coherentes ceassed at the last froÌ„ their Popishe madnesse fortie of them being sore wounded and fiftene of the authors of the Sedition being taken and deliuered into the handes of the Magistrate And thus was that sedition pacified But the congregation of the faithfull was garded safe-conducted by the same Lieuetenaunt and Centurion of the Citie least the people shoulde begin againe some newe sedition It was reported that this sedition was appointed and deuised certaine dayes before by the knowledge consent of many of the gouernours and Senators of the Citie who promised to the Curate of Sanmedarde that he should be blamelesse and escape vnpunished whatsoeuer happened It was also founde that they had caryed before into other houses fearing what woulde come to passe their Albes Crewets Censers their Chalice their Copes and precious vestments and the resâ—…e of their implementes which they sayde Masse withall The daye following the outragious multitude hauing certaine Popishe Priests their guides came into the houses of the faithfull broke chaires stooles settles and spoyled all things euen to the bare walles and set fire vnder thus they set fire on the houses on euery side vntill they were chased away by certaine horsemen and the magistrate of the citie Then were those that were before taken prisoners examined Howbeit the Senate ioyning with them such men whoÌ„ they thought méete for their purpose brought to passe that they were deliuered and many of the faithfull cast into prison as giltie of that matter whereof the other were accused and writing letters to the Queene they layd all the cause of that sedition vpon the faithfull The which notwithstanding was manifestly found false by the open voyce of the people deriding the faithfull and boasting of the fauour of the Senate But by suffering so great a fault to escape vnpunished the people of Paris which before were prompt and ready ynough of themselues to sedition began nowe to be more incouraged to worke mischiefe against the faithfull Therefore newe rumours were spreade abrode of the wickednesse of the people in that copious citie and manye of the Bishoppes and nobles of the Realme made exclamation that the Kings Maiestie was greatly offended bycause the authoritie of the Edict of Iuly was contemned the Huguenote â–ª hauing their Sermons euery where for so were the faithfull called And euerye daye complayntes were broughte of bothe partes from euery coast of the Realme But the reformed Churches dayly increased and had their Sermons euerye where whether the king gaue leaue or no And thus the kings will and pleasure not knowne great troubles were like very shortly to insue The matter standing thus the Quéene fearing what would come to passe perceiued that it was needefull to prouide a spedie remedie But the king of Nauar being also doubtfull what to doe and beyng made afearde with dayly Rumors and reportes sawe that it was â—…ie time to prouide saying that those matters coulde not be ended withoute the benefite of a more large Edicte Therefore by the authoritie and commaundement of the king the Quéene and of the king of Nauarre and by the consente of the Princes and the kings priuie Counsell the kings purseuauntes were sent to summon a Parliamente to be holden concerning this matter the. xvij of Ianuary at Sangermane Men also of singular discretion and knowledge were sent for out of all partes of the Realme The whole assembly being called together in the which also were the Princes and the kings kinsmen the king declared howe néedefull and necessarie a thing it was to prouide meanes and remedyes to pacifie so greate troubles when as euerye daye greuous rumours of Seditions did aryse Wherefore he prayed them to shewe with pure and vpright myndes such meanes and wayes to pacifie them as might be to their owne profite and for the benefite of the Realme promising that he woulde followe their Iudgementes so farre as shoulde be nedefull Therefore when the Chauncelour according to custome had propounded the cause of their assembly and had shewed the necessitye of thyngs euery man spake his Iudgement And when they hadde all concluded a newe Edicte was set forthe by the Kings commaundemente whiche was called the Edicte of Ianuarie the summe was this following FOr so much
the true Religion with holines of life least in the middest of these troubles of warres the care of true godlinesse be quight extinguished The best weapons that may be had to fight against our enemies is holines of life and godly prayers If these be wanting our words shall runne through our owne sides And because saye they we sée before our eyes such horrible calamities we following the approued custome of the Church haue appoynted by a common decrée of all men that in all congregations their should be fasting and sollemne prayers for certaine dayes which we admonish you to vse modestly deuoutly and godly and also that God should be prayed vnto publiquely and priuatly to send a happie successe of all these troubles to the glory of his name and to the peace and tranquillitie of his Church They wrote letters also in the name of the whole Synode to Frederike County Pallentine at Rheine whom the refourmed Churches of France had found alwayes in time of cruell persecution a fréend and ready to helpe at néede This was the coppie of their letters We are not ignorant that the basenes of our condition is such that we should not trouble you with our letters but notwithstanding both the experience which we haue had of your singuler clemency and humanitie and also the waight and sharpenes of our miseries and calamities do constrayne vs in these our extremities to flée vnto you for ayd séeing that of long time you haue professed the trueth and haue had a singuler care to pro mote the glory of God and to mayntaine and defende those which professe the trueth of the Gospeel in what place soeuer they are First of all therfore we pray vnto God omnipotent and to the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ which will haue Kings and Princes to bée Nourses of his Church that he will vouchsafe to confirme and strengthen your highnes in true fortitude constancy by his holy spirit which fortitude you haue hitherto aboundantly shewed with great commendation in setting forth and promooting the woord of God in your Churches And we giue you most harty thankes for those benefites which we receyued of you within these few yeares oftentimes intreating our kynges on the behalfe of our bretherne which were afflicted for the doctrine of Christ. And now we being gathered together of late out of all partes of the Realme for a common Counsell or Synode gladly call to mind the benefits which you haue shewed vppon vs and so much the more willingly also because at this time the truce being broken by which we began to enioye the benefite of the Kinges Edict we stand in great néede of your clemency We foresée the great tempest and calamities of our Churches like to ensue the state of your Churches of Germany in that Ciuill warre comming into our mind the which troubles and calamities being ended by God so happely who hath promised without all doubt to helpe his seruants there is no cause why we should feare Notwith standing we cannot chuse but be very carefull for our flockes commited to our charge But to make the matter more playne because we know that ye vnderstand already our care by certaine Noble men we will not be tedious vnto you Thus much we ad concerning our Churches namely That there is such a conspiracy made against our Churches that except God in his mercy do prouide for the same there is like to ensue no lesse calamitie and confusion than there hath happened long agoe to the Orientall Greeke and Affrican Churches For to conclude the matter in few wordes when the Duke of Guise and they which haue conspired with him perceyued that by the Edict of Ianuary men had leaue fréely and openly to preach the Gospell and that they were restrayned of crueltie which till that time they had declared by all maner of punishments many of the Kinges officers Noble men imbracing the doctrine of the Gospell they made a conspiracie with the enemies of the true Religion to kill in euery Citie the professors of the Gospel Of which their conspiracy we haue had manifest arguments First by the horrible slaughter committed at Uassi it may appeare and then by the cruell and bloudy murther of the men of Sens the Bishoppricke wherof pertayned to the Cardinall of Guise so great slaughter of them being made that for the space of fower dayes there was such killing and steying of men women children without any respect of person that the only remembraunce therof cannot but cause teares to bée shed Yea the dead bodies of such as were slayne came swimming down the Riuer of Seine to Paris requiring as it were their buriall and complayning of this tiranie or rather calling for vengeanee of God and man And now although we know it rather to be our dutie to pray for our enemies and for those which do persecute vs than to accuse them yet notwithstanding we trust that you will interprete to the best these complaints of our iust grief of our manifold calamities And for so much as those our aduersaries to leaue no thing vndone that might be to our destruction haue required your Realme of Germany to ayd and assist them we earnestly pray and beséech you for the loue which you beare to the Church of Christ that you will bend all your might to withstand and put away this euill least Germany imbracing the same truth of the Gospell which we do be euill spoken of for séeking to hurt and anoye vs And we intreat your honour by the tender mercy of God that you will vouchsafe to be a meane for vs to the King and Quéene that there may be some consideration had of our Churches and that you would helpe to mayntayne and defend so iust a cause the time requiring the same Concerning the Letters which the Prince of Conde sent to the refourmed Churches of Fraunce we haue spoken before in the which he willed them when they sawe warres to begin to prepare themselues to the warre with a good courage Whereuppon in many places they obeyed his commaundements some prospering very well in their affayres othersome not hauing so good successe They fortefyed with men and munitiō so much as they could the Cities And after the inhabitants of Towers of Blais and of Angewe had so done also the men of Poicters did the like and then the Normans which fortefied diners Cities tooke their chiefe Citie called Roane But at Burdeux and almost through but Gascoyne except in certaine meane townes the faith full were molested by Monsiere Monluce the Lieutenant who delt very cruelly with the faithfull euery where but specially at Bourdeux By the meanes of this Monsire Monluce there was a great slaughter committed vppon the faithfull at Tholoz and the rest of the multitude which were many in number and had escaped this gréeuous murther brake out of the Citie being a necessary place of refuge both for them and also for
he attempted no maner of force because of the letters that came in the meane time The sixe and twenty day following the Guises the Constable and the Marshall of Saint Andrew departed from their Campes And by by word was brought to the Prince of Conde that those thrée accordinge to the forme of the peticion were departed from their armie home to their houses When the Prince of Conde vnderstoode this he came to the King of Nauar to Baugence with a fewe only attending vppon him Wherevppon he was brought through the middest of the host in al the hast to a village called Talsiac wher the Quéene aboade and betwene Baugence that Uillage Talsiac were placed certain Garrisons of soldiers When he came to the Quéene he was of her very louingelye entertained and had many faire promises made him and by request easely obtayned leaue of her that certain of his fellowes might come vnto that place both to the end they might salute her and also that they might conferre and talke togither concerninge concord and peace In the meane tyme woord was brought to the frendes and fellowes of the Prince of Conde that the Guises the Constale and the Marshall of Saint Andrew abode still at Chastellodune which was not far distant from Talsia where the Quéene and the Prince of Conde abode and certaine letters also of the Dukeeof Guise to the Cardinall of Loraine his Brother were taken by the way and brought to them Of which letters this is the summe word for word as they were written I send vnto you this messenger in all hast possible to certefie you that all thinges were yesterday finished And know you this also for certaine that many are blinded and deceiued very much Our Mother and her brother sweare that they will not forsake vs and that they will followe no other Counsell than the Counsayle of such whom you know To be short the reformed Religion if we behaue our selues wisely as we mean to do will haue a fall Ye and our Admirall shall haue euill successe All our power remayneth still whole but theires is broken and dispersed our Cities are rendred vp againe without any maner of mencion of preaching or of the administration of Sacraments This messenger which I send vn to you is trustie There came also to the hands of the Prince of Conde by the meanes of one of the kyng of Nauars houshold seruaunts a note in writing of the Duke of Guises left with the Kyng of Nauar for a remembraunce to this effect Let there be no obligation made for Religion See that the pledge be kept in any wise Concerning the rendering vp of the Cities let there be no delay Order the matter wisely Suffer them in no wise to come any neerer to Orleans Let vs be diligently certefied and admonished of all things These forewarnings greatly troubled the Prince of Conde and his adherents they sawe that he was fallen into the handes of his enemies so that there was great daunger on euery side Notwithstanding his friendes thinking it not good to delay the matter and to suffer the Prince to be in perill when they had giuen the Captaines charge to be vigilant and to haue their souldiers in a redines came to the Queene The principall wherof were these the Admirall the Andelot Monsuer Porcia Monsuer Rochfocald Monsuer Rohan Monsuer Genluis Monsuer Grammontius Monsuer Soubizius and Monsuer Piennius These saluted the Quéene and were very louingly entertayned of her She gaue vnto them thankes for their great diligence and paines for her and the kynges prifite at that time insomuch that she sayd they had pre serued her life and the kyngs the which their merits deseruing honour pryce the sayd she wold neuer or get Then they declared to the Quéene with what fidelitie they had serued the Kyng with their body goods vnder the Prince of Conde they shewed vnto her the equitie of their cause which at that time was in controuersie and their earnest care also which they had for the preseruation of the kynges dignitie and the peace profite of the whole Realme Whereuppon they most hartely prayed and beséeched the Quéene that they might not preferre the immaginations of a few men before those things which appertayned to the glory of God and the safetie of the Realme For God saye they will defend euery good cause and seuerely punish all kind of wickednes which are committed against the Kyngs Edicts abusing the Kinges name therunto For himselfe also the Prince of Conde protested that it séemed very straūge vnto him that some shuld be had in such estimation and no regard at all to be had of him which was not only néere of kin to the king whereas the other were straungers and but seruants to the kyng but also had offered all maner of indifferent conditions and submission Wherefore he sayd it was now high time to prouide some remidies to resist and repell those calamities at hand The Quéene being before instructed concerning euery thing what answere she should make began not to answere to those things which were spoken by the Prince of Conde but to declare That the number power and authority of those was very great which followed and imbraced the Church of Roome and they haue the sword in their hands sayth she and are fully determined to defend that Religion which all former kings haue receiued and imbraced so that they meane this shal be the principall condition among the rest for concord and peace That there be no other Religion obserued followed throughout the whole Realme than the Catholique Religion of Roome But the Prince of Conde in the name of the rest replied that they did not plead their owne priuate cause but whatsoeuer had ben done by them vntill that day was done first for the defence of the kynges libertie and authoritie and secondly for a common wealth and herevppon they put themselues in armour at the first by the Quéenes commaundement for the which cause they did not care if they spent their goods liues so that the kyngs Edict might be obserued and kept wherby euery man might haue leaue to vse the reformed Religiō and the libertie of their conscience without the benefite wherof they thought them selues to be but dead Insomuch that if they in whom so great a number of faithfull did repose their trust for the handling of these matters should so much ouershoote themselues and forget their dutie that they should agrée to those thinges which were so repugnant to the glory of God and the common profite of all men it could not be auoyded but that they should be counted of all men forsakers contemners of the glory of God of the kings dignitie and safetie of the cōmon peace tranquillity of the realme The which rather then it should come to passe shoulde cause them to forsake the realm before they would agrée to those so vniust
men of Lions all that they could Wherevppon the men of Lions hauinge the Baron des Adretz the Generall came with an army to suppresse them and being entered in that Region they besieged the head Citie Monbriso and the Townesmen refusing to yéeld vp the Citie being encouraged to fight by their Captaine Monselas at the length their city was battered downe and taken by force then the souldioure that got the victorie shewed such crueltie that the streats of the citie were couered with dead carcasses Baron des Adretz himselfe vehemently encouraging the souldier to murder There remayned a fortresse in the citie into the which Monsieure Monselas with certayne of the chief citizens sled The same notwithstanding being shortly after taken partly by force partly by surrender Mon sieur des Adretz after hée had vewed all places of the castle sent in certayne souldiours to murder and spoyle who presently tooke Monsieur Monselas and his souldiours that were with him and cast them downe hedlong from the top of the houlde The which cruell kynde of death made many to mislike of Baron des Adretz the rather because hee had giuen his faith as it is reported to Monselas and to others with him to saue their liues Thus the citie Monbriso was sacked and rased and the whole Region therabout spoyled And Baron des Adretz returned againe to Lyons in the moneth of August About this tyme in the Region of Languedoc there was much businesse The inhabitants of Tolouze at the prouocation and setting on of Monsieur Monlace oftentimes assaulted the citie of Montauban into the whiche we sayd before many of the faithfull fledde from diuers places but by the singular Industrie vertue and constancy of the men of Montauban the inhabitants of Tolouze preuayled nothing at all Notwithstandinge the faithfull were thrust out of Pezenac and out of certaine other Townes by Monsieur Ioyse Liefetenant of Languedoc But Monsieur Sommeriue had very good successe in his affaires in Prouance as wée declared before the which gaue courage to the papistes to set vppon the faithfull that were in Languedoc Therefore Monsieur Ioyse Liefetenant of Languedoc Monsieur Sommeriue Fabricius of Auinion and Monsieur de Suze with others consulted among themselues determined to make so great a power as thei were able and to ioyne togither in one with as much spéede as they could to ouercome the faithfull in Languedoc All Prouance belonged to the charge of Monsieur Sommeriue to whom because of his victorie and late good successe of warre many came from diuers places Monsieur Fabricius had a great armye which came vnto him some being Italians and some comming out of the Townes territorie of Uenais And a great number attended and followed Monsieur de Suze out of Dolpheny But Monsieur Ioyse was of greater power thaÌ„ the reste who had out of the mighty cities Tolouze and Narbon both a great number of Souldiers and also all manner of artillerie and other necessaries for the war. These also were ayded by the men of Auuernoys they had hope to receyue helpe of the Spanish borderers from whom came diuers bandes whose Captain was Petruâ—… Lapia a notable theefe who came from the Mountaynes of Pyrren But the faythfull had many wel fenced and fortefied Cities â–ª land and ground enough with sufficient store of cattell Notwithstanding in men and other necessaries for warre their enemies were mightier In so muche that the Papistes perswading themselues to haue the victory thought it best to ioyne battayle out of hande Monsieur Ioyse setting vpon the faythfull on the one side and the men of Prouâ—…nce and of Auernoys on the other side Therefore while great armies were a prouidinge euery where Monsieur Ioyse Liefetenant of Languedov first of all remoued with his army with Monsieur Forquenoz LieftenaÌ„t of Narbon Their armies coÌ„tained seuen thousand footemen and a thousand horsemen they had sir great Canons and many other small péeces They pitched their Tentes the fourth day of September at a Uillage called Lates being a myle from Montpellier In this place he aboade lookinge for his fellowes thinking himselfe so sure to winne Montpellier that thei deuided the spoyles among them â–ª as if they had already wonne the Citie Thither came the Bishop of Montpellier whose name was Pelisser This man being sometime well accounted of among learned men and one that knew the trueth but now hauing forsaken the same became a notable enemie bought and sold Montpellier to certayne Marchaunts which only wayted vpon him for the pray At Montpellier beside the ordinarie and accustomed Garrison of the Towne there were certayne rescuing armies belonging to the churches contayning the num ber of eight hundred horsemen whose Captain was Iacobus Bellodine borne of a noble house who afterwarde was called Acierus according to the name of the territorie of his Lordship and did very notable seruice in the ciuill warres following and also twelue Enseignes of footemen After they vnderstood that the enemie had encamped himselfe they intended to breake out vppon them the same day to the ende they might take a better vewe of them and so they came néerer the enemie with twoo hundred horsemen and fiue hundred Gonners vnder the charge and conducte of Monsieur Ays of Nismes The enemie being ware of their comming rushed out of their tentes to méete them with all spéede and thus the battaile began to waxe hot on both parts the men of Montpellier fighting with such a courage that they constrayned the proude enemy to retire and flée backe euen to their tents from whence they discharging certaine great péeces but in vaine the faithfull retourned safe into the Citie againe with losse of two of their men only whereas on the other part there were slayne 100. For this good beginning and happie successe the faithfull caused publique and sollemne thanks to be giuen vnto God the which being done they prouided diligently for the safetie and fortefying of the Citie and at the commaundement of Monsuer Bellodine the Suburbes in the which there were certaine great Churches and great stoore of houses were with the diligent labour of the people throwne downe And after this there were certaine Skirmishes dayly betwéene both partes the Protestantes most commonly hauinge the victory Insomuch that Monsuer Ioyse was discouraged from befieging the Citie before he had more helpe and aide from his fellowes Notwithstanding because hée would not in the meane while spend the time in vaine he intended to assault a Castell which is in the I le of Maguelon For in that part bordering vppon the Sea coast there is a certaine Fen or Marshe which the Sea at certaine times ouerfloweth being of a great compasse both in length and breath in the which also there is a certaine Ileland lying out in length almost thrée miles and vppon this Ileland there standeth a Castell both of great antiquitie and also of sufficient force the which at that time the
the Porters and Warders of the gates had carelesly suspecting nothing lesse thaÌ„ the comming of the enemie opened the gates of the Citie they violently rushed in and oppressed and slew a great number of the Townesmen as they were making of them ready to arme and defend them selues Their purpose was to retourne back agayne to Nonay with as much spéede as possibly they could when they had gotten them armour and weapons and taken the spoyle of the Citie But when by the example of their Gouernour the soldiours gaue themselues to spoyling of houses and spent the time in vayne vppon dalliance with women they gaue great occasion â—…o Monsure Caumout which was not farre from them to worke their destruction For he being certified of their delay and securitie gathered togyther by and by so great a multitude as he could from the places thereaboutes alarme being sounded in euery streat and corner Therefore the men of Nonay béeing busied in their pray in so much that they neyther remeÌ„bered to departe nor yit suspected the comming of their enemies in so great number were sodeynly hemde in with a great number of souldiours which came vnder the charge of Monsieur Caumout and falling into their handes were slayn for the most part of them with their Gouernour and the rest fled And when Monsieur Caumont vnderstood the matter hée marched with his army taking with him certein fielde péeces towards Nonay and finding the same voyd of any garrison and greatly amased with much feare grief after hée had battered the walles at the length tooke the Citie And then shewed extréeme crueltie killing rashly both Papist and Protestant togyther with women also and children which murther most cruelly continued for the space of two dayes But when it was reported that Monsieur des Adretz was comming by Turnon with a very great hoaste Monsieur Caumont remoued in the night and causing great sileÌ„ce to be kept throughout all his armye he stale away secretly And what soeuer the souldiour at his departure could not carry away that hee spoyled as corne and wyne such like casting the corne abroad in the streates knockinge out the heades of Toonnes of wyne and setting fier on diuers places of the Citie I my selfe which haue written these things am also an eye witnesse of this horrible crueltie being present at the same and carying yet and shall do while I liue certayne markes by woundes in my body to remember the same Nonay being desolated with this horrible murther Monsieur Sainmartin a Captaine Liefetenant of the Region of Viuaretz came within few dayes after with a garrison of souldiers and repayred the broken walls and fortified the same so well as hée could Monsieur des Adretz hauing gathered an army entered into consultacioÌ„ about the besieging of Vienna whether Nemours was come with the greatest part of hys army and remoued his army which hée had taken out of Dolpheny and Languedoc to Uienna myndinge to besiege a citie in the vtmost partes of Viuaretz called Saincte Columbe but he bare at that time a false and trayterouse mynde as experience afterward declared Therefore after certaine small skirmishes they entered into parley with Nemours and Monsieur des Adretz was let into Uienna and comming out from thence agayn shewed manifest tokens that his mind was altered And he agréed with Nemours to yéelde vnto him forthwith Roman and Ualentia cities of Dolpheny Therefore he remoued his army from Vienna and appointed Nemours to be at Roman that day where he himselfe had giuen his fayth at the self same time to be and he himselfe went to view and win other cities When his other fellow captaynâ—… vnderstood of this as Cardet Lieftenant of Ualentia Blacon Bari Mouens and others they admonished Monsieur Cursol of the same and they with the help of Mouents tooke Monsieur des Adretz while he was at Valencia thei hauing sitt occasion offered them therunto And then the subtil lying in wayt of Nemours being detected and bewrayed who came with his souldiers at the day appointed to Romane he returned agayne to Vienna disappointed of his purpose And so the treason of Baron des Adretz being discouered he was brought to the citie of Nemaus in the prouince of Languedoc but because of the benefite of peace which was concluded by an Edict he escaped present and deserued death In the meane time the Duke of Guise hauing augmeÌ„ted his army and prouided all things necessary for war remoued from Paris and went to besiege Orleans in the moneth of Ianuary The Admirall was gone from Orleans with the greatest part of his army and with al the troupes of Germane horsemen to ioyne with the English men leauing to kepe and defend Orleans his brother the Andelot with the other part of the army For the Admirall stood in great néed of money Of the which when the Guise vnderstood he sought all that he could to draw away the Germanes from tâ—…king part with the Prince of Conde because they were discouraged from the Guises because he warred against religion and because the faithfull contended for no other cause than to deliuer the King from captiuitie and to defende the Edicte which concerned the reformed religion the Guise affirmed and protested that hée neyther mayntayned warre against Religion nor kept the Kinge nor any of his Captyues And for this cause he procured the Kings letters in the which the King and Quéene declared to the Marshall of Hessen and to the Germanes which ayded the Prince of CoÌ„de vnder hys conduct that neyther of them were captiues This is the summe of their letters In consideration of the great frendship and vnity which hath bin heretofore betwene the Germane Princes and the Kinges of France our auncetoures and in respect of the mutuall loue which the one hath alwaies shewed towardes the other to the profit and commodity of both parties it could not but séeme wonderful and straunge vnto vs that certaine of those Princes of Germany our frendes should ayde and helpe our subiectes which haue lifted vp the swerd against vs and haue seditiously brought our Realme into great troubles But we thinke that it commeth hereof that those seditious persons haue deceiued the Princes with a false couller and pretence making them beleeue that we are captiued and that they for the duty and obedience which they owe vnto vs haue gone about to deliuer vs from the same In the which opinion euen at this day also they go about to perswade and retaine both the Captaines and also the Souldies of those Germanes whom for the cause and pretence aforesaide they haue broughte into this Realme of whose goodnesse and estimation we are so perswaded that we doubt not but that they will for very grefe and sorow be offended that they haue bene so deceyued For these causes we signifye declare to the Marshall Hess the Captaine generall of those Germanes and to the vnder Captains and souldiers that
the Images as done againste all order and the publique authority of Magistrats They refused also the letters of the Duches of Parme as to helpe any thing at all the offenders herein Therefore gatheringe togyther a great number of Souldiers to serue their turne they toke many in all places of the protestantes and cast them into prison and after examination put them to death After this also Norcam Manques of Berge a notable enemy to the reformed Religion came with foure bandes of horsmen v. Ensignes of footmen minding to besiéege Ualencia toke as he came a Towne called Sainctaman and committed their most cruell tyrannye as rapine murther and the defiling of Uirgins beside most horrible kindes of torment then practised Thys was done in the moneth of Nouember By these cruell actes of the papistes which threatned extreame destruction the protestants sawe that it was now hygh time to prouide for themselues Therefore dyuers practised sondry wayes meanes for theyr defence but God altering and orderinge all thinges by his prouidence would not suffer theÌ„ to come to good effect Great was the multitude of people and great was their courage but they wanted Counsayle and Captaynes to guyde them There were sufficient men enough which could haue gouerned them and conducted them both with wisdome and pollicie agayn the number of Noblemen was not smal that fauoured that side who if they had taken parte with them there had bene good hope of victory and to haue had more quiet gouern ment But such as were of highest calling standing stil as lookers on and séeking neyther to defende nor to resist the one nor the other all good occasion to bring any thing happely to passe was lost The whiche brought great ruine to the protestantes of the lowe Countrey and great calamity to those noble men themselues So hard perillouse a thing it is for a man to séeke to serue two maisters so coÌ„trary the one to the other The grea test part of the Nobilitie professed the reformed religion and yet there was scarse one of them which came at any tyme to the sermons of that Religion Wherefore we must néedes confesse that our sinnes haue caused the Lord not to finish that good worke which he had begonne Herevpon came the pitiefull calamitie of the churches of the low countrey The Protestantes therefore were both destitute of counsaile and also of a goide but the Catholiques waÌ„ted neyther of them both Wherefore their cities were dayly fortified with garrisons and they besieged as is sayd before Valencia which was quight voyde and destitute of any Captayne There came diuers bandes of Souldiours also as scattered shéepe to ayde the Protestants at ValeÌ„cia and that with good courage and while they vainly looked for a Captayne the greatest part coÌ„ueyed themselues away Therefore al this mouth was spent with diuers troubles and diuers cities of the pro testantes were wonne and the inhabitants therof put to flight Antwerpe being vnder the authoritie and gouernement of the prince of Orange was not pertaker of those troubles that other places felt But the foolish men being weary of peace and ease and as though there were not at Antwerpe troublesome heades ynough they sent for Matthâ—…us Illyricus and for Flaccus Spangenberge and other to contende with the men of the reformed religion about the Supper of the Lord and the presence in the Sacrament All things growing daylye from euill to woorse the Protestantes offered vp at diuers tymes Supplications to the Magistrates to whom most humbly and reuerently they committed themselues and their cause promising vnto them a great summe of money vppon condition that they might be in safety Also when dyuers of the Princes of Germany had sought to intreat the matter and could not obtayne that which they wisshed Brederode and certayn noble men confederat with him offered vp a Supplication the eight day of February which consisted of these speciall poyntes That the agreement made betweene him and the Duches of Parme in the moneth of August might be obserued and kept that the libertie of Religion might be graunted and that the soldiours gathered togither contrary to the forme of the othe might be dismist To this within a while after the Du chesse of Parma made answere That shee neuer ment to graunt the publique administration of the Religion nor the vse of Sermons Sacraments and Consistories and as fos the interpretation of the agreemeÌ„t that saith shee dependeth vpon mee Concerning the Request to haue the souldiours dismist all men may see whereunto that tendeth VVherefore sayeth shee I pray and com maund euery man vppon payne of the Kinges displeasure to goe home to his owne house This aunswere made Brederode and his fellowes to doubt to feare the calamitie lyke to ensue And when they had taryed in vayne thirtéene dayes at Antwenpe they got them home to Uian a towne in the borders of Holland and thyther strayghtway a great many fled The reste of the moneth of February was spente with diuers troubles the faithfull Protestants beinge dayly anoyed and vexed more and more with proscriptions banishments and such lyke All this while was continued the siege of Valence which at the laste by the letters of the Duches of Parma wherein shée promysed all clemeney and fauour was surrendered to Noircarm the xxiii day of March. After the which it cannot be expressed what great cruelty was showeÌ„ vpon the townsmen the chief both of the Citie and also of the Church were taken prisoners and among these two ministers the one called Guido Bresse the other Peregrine Grage and certayne other honest Citizens were put to death for that they had Sermones in the Citie without the Kings will and pleasure and had also vsed the administration of Sacramentes In the middest of these garboyles it was reported that Fraunces de Tolede Duke of Alba was comming with a great army to ouercome and subdue all the lowe Countrey otherwyse called Belgio IN this yéere also â–ª the Churches of Fraunce were not a little troubled occasion being taken of the cruel murther committed in the lowe Countrey the whiche the Cardinall of Loraine thoughte fitte for his purpose to afflict and destroy the Churches of Fraunce with the help of the Duke of Alba of whose comming he was truely certifyed by the letters of Granuellan The same Cardinall also procured the Popes letters and the letters of King Philip to the Quéene putting her in minde therby of her promyse of the holy league Therfore this yéere they mynded to worke the vtter ruyne and destruction of the Churches of Fraunce So that they hauing theyr consultations at Marches and at Monseaux at whiche places the King and Quéene moste commonly aboade determined to prouide out of hande bandes of souldiers and to require the helpe and ayde of the Switzers all the which they determined to do vnder the collonr that the Duke of Alba with the Spaniardes ment to giue some
attempte againste the Realme of Frannce or that they mynded to defende Callice against the Quéene of England They sought also other meanes and waies to quarell and contende with the Protestantes mynding to deale with them as giltie of the Edictes broken and to examine those which had done anye thing contrarye to the Edicte specially againste that which was made at Rossillon that is to saye which had gone to anye other places to beare Sermons than to those which were appoynted them by the Kings commaundement or if the Noble men had entertayned any other to the hearyng of the sayd Sermons beside those that were within the compasse of their Iurisdiction and suche like offences As these transgressions had anexed vnto them the pain and punishment of exile so their purpose was to seeke a reformation of these things by seuere putting the same punishmentes in execution according to the tenour of the Edict But least they might séeme to haue no regard to the Counsaile of the Duke of Alba which was It is better to haue one Salmons heade than the heades of a thousand Frogges they went about to snare and catch those Noble men which imbraced the reformed religion as the Prince of Conde the Admirall the Andelot the Rochfoucault and other Noble men And this séemed a present waye to bring the same to passe if so be the Kinge sent for them as standing in néede to haue their aduise in those thinges that concerned the gouernment of the Realme Nowe if they should haue refused to come vnto the King than had he good and iust cause to complaine of them as none of his friendes And if so be they shuld haue neede to vse any force they had at hande two and twentie Giddons of horsemen and certaine Switsers also of which they had already gotten six thousand In the meane time the Prince of Conde the Admiral and diuers other Noble men of the reformed religion were verye carefull For beside these flying rumours bothe the dayly newes of the comming of the Duke of Alba and of the ayde of the Switzers and also the manifest preparation of horsemen with the euident state of all things else caused them to haue a great care For concerning that Holy League made betwéene the kinge of Fraunce and Spayne to destroy the religiō The prince of Conde was fully certifyed by the Prince Rochsuryon the Prince of Condes néere kinsman and of the Kynges bloude of the house of Borbou who a little before hys death exhorted the Prince of Conde to prouide remedye in time for so greate troubles The Noble men aforesayde being very carefull and withall vncertain what to doe fearing least if they should obey the kinges commaundement whose name they perceiued their aduersaries to abuse they shoulde sodainely be oppressed or leaste they shoulde be accused of rebellion if so be they sought meanes to restite the force of their aduersaries they determined I say to séeke all wayes and meanes to appease and quallify these troubles and to certifie the King plainely of their will and mynde herein In the meane time bycause they perceyued their enemyes to be in a readynesse they sente diuers mesiangers to the reformed Churches within the Realme to prepare thēselues and to haue a diligent consideration of all theyr actions They certified diuers of the princes of Germany concerning their affaires requiring aide of them if neede should require This was in the monethes of Iuly and August of this yeare The Spanishe armies aryued at Nice a Citie of the Duke of Sauoy mynding to passe through Pedemont Sauoy and the Countie of Burgundy where the Prince of Orange hadde occasion offered him to finishe notable exploytes if he would haue taken his time but as he dyd in the lowe Countrey so did he nowe leaste he myghte séeme to attempt any thing against the king but within a while after he was very homely requighted by the Duke of Alba. Philbert Duke of Sanoy required of the inhabitantes of Bernoy a great parte of the territory which they had sometyme taken from his Dominion by war and the matter between them was oftentimes solemnly debated in an assembly of the Switzers the men of Bernoys affirming that the same Region was giuen vnto them by the Lawe of Armes and that they had lawfully receiued the same Notwithstanding at the same time when the Spanishe armyes were loked for which came with the Duke of Alba the men of Bernoys communed with the Duke of Sauoy and agréed with him vpon certain conditions and graunted vnto him the thrée Dominions or Lordships that were next to Geneua ▪ By reasō of this agréement the administration and vse of the reformed religion was vsed in those Dominions euen as the men of Bernoys themselues would desire Concerning the purpose and connfaile of the Prince of Conde of the Admirall and of others of the reformed religion we haue spoken before The Prince of Conde therefore by dyuers messengers prayed and intreated the Kinge concerninge the séeking of a reformation for those troubles which were lyke shortly to ensue Declaring vnto him that the comming of the Swirsors into the Realme againe was so perillouse that it would cause the people seditiously to rise The Admirall went often tymes to the Constable his vncle and talked with the Quéene whom he knew to be at Chantilly the Constables house and fréely declared vnto her that if the faithfull were so handled wherby they had iust cause to suspect that war was a preparing for him they could not any longer be kept in peace Notwithstandinge the Quéene and the Costable pretended a notable cause why it was néedefull to haue the aide of forreiners for say they the Spaniardes beare an olde grudge and hatred against the realme of Fraunce so that we haue good cause to feare least they hauing occasion set vppon vs but the King will reforme all thinges so for the faithfulles sake that all men shall sée that he will deale vprightly and iustly towardes all men After this also the Queen made these promises in her letters to the prince of Conde Notwithstanding there came sixe thousand Switsers in the beginning of September and a greate number of horsemen were armed and prepared And the Prince of Conde was fully certified that the Duke of Alba which was already come to Belgio had moued the King of Fraunce in the name of King Phillip to go forward with the holy league and withall had perswaded him to take present occasion to bring his purpose to passe At this time the Cardinall of Lorraine was with the King and a great number of his adherentes also Notwithstanding all thinges waxing dayly woorse and woorse the Prince of Conde and the rest of the péeres and Nobles which professed the reformed religion sawe that ther was no longer stay to be made but that they must of necessity when they could do no good by their letters come before the king themselues and declare vnto him the present daunger
Wherfore they appointed the day to go vnto the King and because they might the more effectually declare the matter before the King and also escape the perill and lyinge in wayâ—…e of the Cardinall they determined to go with the greater number that armed to defend themselues Therefore a hundred and twenty noble men hauing the Prince of Conde theyr Captaine came to Mâ—…nceaux to talke with the King and to offer vp vnto him a supplication in the name of all the faithfull the suâ—…ine whereof was this That for so much as the King had made an Edict to kepe his subiectes in peace and concorde which was necessary both for them and his Realme they most humbly beséeched him that the same might bee better obseruid and kepte than it had bin aforetyme And forso much as vntill that same day they had made the same complaintes afore in vain and that often times they now at that time trusted séeing there were so manifest perill of such greate troubles at hand that he would effectually declare that he made account of the faithfull as of the rest of his subiectes who being abused and iniuried haue no other refuge to flée vnto in their extreame calamities than to his grace their soueraigne Lord and King. The Cardinall of Lorraine vnderstoode of the comming of the prince of Conde with the rest of the nobles declared vnto the King and Quéene what great perill and daunger it was vnto their persons for the Prince of Conde to come vnto them with so greate a power of men intending he sayde nothing else than to take the king his mother and his whole family that then he might doe what him lyst The King and Quéene beyng made afearde wyth these rumors remoued to Paris being garded with the bandes of the Switzers The Prince of Conde being sory for this feare of the King and Quéene stayed at Rozoi a village therabout to the which place the Marshall Momorencius was sent declaring vnto him the causes of his comming saying that he was very sory that he was fallen into so great suspition To whom the Prince deliuered a Supplication and prayed him to deliuer the same to the King and to certifie him of his whole intent and meaning Then he came to Clay whether the Kinge sente vnto him the Chauncellour Hospitall the Marshall Vielleuil Moruilliers to whome when he had more at large declared the cause of his comming he sent letters agayne to the King in the which he protested his fayth and reuerent mynde which he bare towarde the King refuted the sclaunders of his Aduersaries by which they wente about to make hym hated of the King declared also that he was readye to render all obedience to the King for whose sake he sayd he woulde spende his life and goods notwithstandyng he sayde he sawe wicked and vngodly men abusing both the Kinges name and also his age and will whome alone he thought to be the causers of all these troubles and therefore woulde gyue place to none of them vnlesse he ment to shewe himselfe a traytor to hys King and Countrey The Prince of Conde also declared his reasons more particularlye and put downe this in writing as the summe of all his petitions First That accordyng to the firste forme of the Edicte all other interpretations and exceptions taken awaye the faythfull maye enioye their Religion and that all the Kinges Subiectes what Religion soeuer they be of may accordyng to their degree and callyng beaâ—… office vnder the King and bycause both the people and the Nobles haue bene oppressed with tributes vve desire saythe hée that it maye please the Kynge to ease vs of the same After this he remoued from Clay to the Towne of Sandionyse bycause the same beyng néere vnto Paris he might the more conueniently haue conference with the king But all was in vayne the Cardinall of Lorayne inflaming the mindes of the King and Quéene against the Prince of Conde and agaynst the cause of the faithfull But bycause the Prince of Conde woulde if it myghte possible be bring somewhat to passe he made this last request of the King That it would please him to haue some consideration of peace and mens consciences and that all thinges hereafter might be ordered not at the pleasure of their aduersaries but by the Kings will but by a firme and infalliable Edict But the Papistes thinking the Protestantes to be quite done and out of harte with vnaduised rashnesse rushed to warre again the Constable very immodestly and contrary to his gray heares behauing himselfe at Paris euen as thoughe already they had gotten the victory Therefore besyde the Souldiours which they had alreadye gotten and prepared there was choosyng and mustering of men at Paris and manye were preste to the warre in so much that a man might thinke that the Prince of Conde woulde easily now be oppressed and ouercome hauyng so fewe men wyth him notwithstanding within fewe dayes a great number came to him oute of all partes of the Realme and the faithfull in all quarters armed and prepared themselues The. viii Booke of Commentaries concerning the state of Religion and of the common wealth of Fraunce vnder the Raigne of Charles the ninth WAR being thus a fresh begonne all men wayted and looked for new thinges to come to passe NotwithstaÌ„ding these affayres of warre in dyuers places had diuers successe The Catholiques had many mo Cities and Armies of souldiours than the Protestants had howbeit they agayne far excéeded the other in courage and boldnesse being as men after long oppression by iniuries brought into pâ—…rill of their lyues and goodes The Protestantes had but a few cities in their possession Lions a towne of notable force â—…ell from them which by the diligence of the Gouernour of the Towne was out of hand very strongly fortified with new garrisons of men Then went the faythfull to wracke being robbed spoyled and murthered the souldiour the townesman furiously running vp and downe the Citie ransacking the houses of the faythfull their Temples wer set on fire which were very costly builded in two conuenient places yea the honest Citizens went to wrack in euery corner of the citie Howbeit many escaped by the meanes of the castell of Sansebastian the which notwithstanding was appoynted for the destruction of the faythfull but the kéeper was their friend Geneua was their Sanctuarie and refuge in this extréeme tyme of trouble Notwithstanding diuers Cities tooke parte with the Nobles of the reformed Religion as in Dolpheny Ualencia Vienna Roman and Montill In Languedoc Nemaux Montpellier notwithstanding the papistes held the Castell of S. Peter but afterwards were dryuen out of the same by Monsieur Mouents Castra-Albien certaine Cities also of Rhodes of Seuenas and of the territorie of Viâ—…aretz also by the industrie of Uicount Burinquet they had Montaulban and all that bordered vppon the same Moreouer Orleans and the Cities and townes therunto adioyning was
heere inserted though as yet we are not come to that yeare to the ende the reader might the better vnderstande the order of all the actes and affaires of the lowe Countrey After the foresayde slaughter of the Parrisians there courage was somwhat quailed that they durst no more so boldly set vpon the Prince of Conde But the Prince of Conde when he had soughte and intreated peace by messengers sent vnto the King and coulde not obtaine the same and beyng as yet vnable to giue any greater enterprise sent into Germany for aid to the princes For there were prepared great Armies both of horsemen and footemen Germanes their generall Captaine being Câ—…simire Duke of Bauire son of Frederike county Palatine And bycause the prince of Conde wanted great ordinaunce the princes of their owne proper charge prouided reasonable store of great gunnes for him At the length the prince went himself with his army to méete the Germanes that ioyning with them in time he might haue occasion to bring notable thinges to passe Goinge therefore from Sandionise he marched towardes Lorraine being the ready way into Germany The prince being absent the Catholikes armyes which men commonly called the Kings armie had the more libertie to increase their power to whom beside their domesticall ayde came certaine bandes of horsemen and footeâ—… men out of Italy The Catholikes chefetaine General was Alexander Duke of Anion a yong maÌ„ the kings brother but he had vnder him to guide him dyuers expert Captaines as Mons. Martigues 〈◊〉 Lessay and others They wanted greatly the Marshall Brissac who dyed before the troubles of this seconde warre and to whom the charge of the warre was principally committed The Kinges brother hauing gathered his whole Armie together determined to marche also towarde Loraine that he mighte either staye the Prince of Conde from ioyning with the Germans or else by meanes or other might anoy him and to the ende also he mighte ioyne with those Germans which came to ayde him vnder the charge and conduct of Captaine Saxon Baden Thus for space of certaine dayes whilest one of them laye in wayte for another there was nothing done but certaine small skirmishes made the kings brother alwayes refusing to ioyne battaile While these things thus procéeded on both parts by martiall affayres the Catholiques soughte also to preuaile by Edicts and with thundering threates Therfore the vse of the reformed religion was forbydden in all places of the Realme all Ministers were commauÌ„ded to depart the Realme within fiuetene dayes vpon paine of death notwithstanding leaue was graunted to such to abide still at home as coulde be contented to forsake the exercise of the reformed religion agayne it did not appoint any manner of punishment for any diuersitie of opinion concerning Religion so that the holders of them did kéepe their conscience secrete to themselues and did not publishe the saide opinions abroade nor ioyne with the fauourers of the Prince of Conde also all suche as bare anye office and fauoured not the Catholike religion were commauÌ„ded to forsake their offices â–ª and to liue as other priuate Subiectes And straite after this the Senate of Paris sent oute decrées by which they condemned the most parte of the nobles as guiltie of treason but specially the Admiral Whose office was taken from him and giuen to Mons. Martigues a very wicked and vngodlye man but yet a valiant Captaine The Armies pursued one another at Lorain while they wayted for the comming of the Germaine horsmeÌ„ And the Kinges brothers Armie was dayly increased with newe aide to whome within a while after the Cermanes came and ioyned themselues they were in number a thousand and CC. horsemen But all thys while whiche continued the space of two monethes there was no notable attempte gyuen the more was behinde against winter By the sufferance and fauour of the Quéene of Nauar there were armies prest out of the Region of Foix which is within the dominion of the Quéene of Nauar and adioyning to the mountaines Pirenei and they came to Montanbane where other Armies also by the industry of Vicount Burniguet and other noble men were gathered together out of the Territory thereaboutes After this by the diligent trauaile of Monsiuer Monents Monbrune Ponsenac and of other Noble captaines there were diuers other bandes of souldiours footemen gathered out from among suche as were banished out of Prouance Forests Bourgondy Dolpheny and out of Languedoc the which were minded to go together and to ioyne with the Prince of Conde And when they were in Auuergne the Noble men of that region at the Kings commaundement and by the furtherance of the Liuetenant went about with all the power they were able to make too staye the Armyes of the protestantes Wherupon they méeting together ioyned battaile at Cognac a village néere vnto the towne of Gainat The faithfull vnderstanding of the lying in waite of their Aduersaries at the first drew backe Then being incouraged by their Captaynes but speciallye by Mons. Mouents they did not onely encounter with the enemie but also caused them to flée and slewe a greate number of them at which time the foresaide Gannat was a conuenient place of refuge for them Bicause the protestants wanted great gunnes and were lothe to linger their iourney taken in hande they left Gannat as they went to wrecke their anger they set fire on the house of Haulltefull a noble man and one of the chiefe of the Catholiques who was also slayne among the rest of the common souldiers Mons. Pezenac of the protestantes side was very sore wounded in that battaile in so much that he shortly after-died This happened the. viii of Ianuarye After this the protestantes Armye passed peaceably on their Iourney and came into the midest of Fraunce And while they wayted for the comming of the Prince of Conde with the whole armie they through the incouraging of Mouentâ—… wan a Noble Citie called Blays The protestants in Dolpheny were often times skirmished withall by Baron des Adrctz that traytour and Apostata but to small purpose THe Duke of Aniou lingering and delaying to ioyne battaile the Prince of Conde ioyned himselfe with the aide that Casimire brought out of Germany and then sought all occasions to encounter with the enemy And for this cause he determined to besiege Chartres a noble and faire Citie in the region of Belloge beyng rl Myles from Paris He began to besiege this Citie about the ende of February at what tyme he battered the walls of the citie with the great gonnes that came out of Ger many the citie was neyther well fortified nor yet well gouerned by any skilfull Captayn for the chief gouernour of the citie was the County Daulphin of the Kings linage and of the house of Borbon being a very yonge man and the sonne of Monpensier Therefore the King and Quéene were sore afrayd least this noble citie shold be wonne and Monpensier being
Arci retourned with all his souldiers againe beset the house and then slew all Cipieres men But when they could not find Cipiere among the slaine carcasses ' Baron de Arsi sent for the consulles demaūded of them where Cipiere was for the consulles had caried him away to another place and promised that if they would tell him where he was hée would saue his life for he him selfe he sayd was carefull for him But so soone as Cipiere was deliuered vnto him hee stabbed him in with his Dagger And thus the young man with many woūds was slaine and the dead carcasse much deformed with diuers hacks and cuttes In the same Moneth also one of Monsure Cipieres seruants was slaine in the day time before the Castell of Lower at Paris I am ashamed truely to repeate all that I could concerning the butcherly murthers cōmitted The whole Realme was replenished with sobbing sighes and pitifull teares of widowes and fatherlesse children No place was frée from bloudshed yea widowes before the bloude of their slaine husbandes was through cold were pertakers also of the same Cup. Honest young women before their husbandes faces were defyled and forced and afterwardes caryed away from their husbandes by the rude and ruffianly Souldiers Within the space of lesse than thrée Monethes ther were more than ten thousand Protestants slaine as hath bin well approued by iuste accountes where as in the former warre there were scarse fyue hundered slaine in sixe monethes space This was the goodly end of the peace made and confirmed by the Catholikes The rememberance wherof deserueth to be cronacled for euer that all posterities may sée and knowe with what deceites with what falshood treachery treason furor and brutish madnesse all humanitie set aside Antichrist abusing the outragious furyes of Kinges and Nations goeth about to establishe his kingdome These things were done in the Monethes of Aprill May and Iune These great calamities caused the Prince of Conde to complayne oftentymes by his letters vnto the king but he receyued nothing againe but bare wordes without effecte and he was dayly admonished both by messengers and also by the nearenesse of the kings Garrisons to looke to himselfe Whereupon after notice gyuen to the King by his letters he came to Noyers wyth his wife and children which is a little towne in Burgun dy And the Admirall being beset with garrisons round about where he was remoued to Tanlay whiche was within the libertie of his brother the Andelot and néere to the Castell of Noyers The Andelot was in Brittain The Cardinall of Lorraine was sore offended and gréeued that he fayled of his purpose in takinge of the prince of Conde and the Admiral which might haue ben done so easely and conueniently But he ment to assaye agayne by other meanes thinking it best to sée what he could doe by plain force notwithstanding so craftely and couertly that his lying in wayte might not be perceyued Therefore he sent some to Noyers to measure the altitute or height of the castle minding this way too take the prince of Conde and the Admiral who came oftentymes thyther to conferre with the prince And the Spye which was sent to Noyers was wonderfully taken by the seruaunts of the Prince of Conde as hereafter shal be declared Moreouer to weary the prince of Conde there came letters vnto him in the Kings name straytly chargyng him to make payment of a great sūme of money which the king had payed to the Germane horsemen that were souldiours vnder the prince of Conde The summe amounted to 900000. Franks which was exacted of the faythfull beside the great expences of the warres for payment of the which the prince of Conde and diuers other Noble men stood bound to the king Notwithstanding the King signified vnto him that he vnderstood not the sayde money was required of all those of the reformed religion but only of those which had borne armor vnder his conducts And this was vrged agayne with new letters To the which letters of the king the prince of Conde made aunswere that in this matter he was greatly vrged and to much burthened complayning of the subtill dealing of his aduersaries in that they went about too offer vnto him and to all the reste of the reformed Religion open and manifest iniuries The Edictes sayeth he are by them broken the faythfull are worse entreated than if they were straungers and the most wicked creatures in the whole earth they are neyther in sauetie in their owne houses nor in the fields My house is garded with garrisons of souldiours which was neuer séene before that any of the princes the Kinges kinsemen should be so handeled Moreouer of late a certayn Spye was takē which came to take the measure of the height of the Castel of Noyers ▪ wher I lye that I might sodenly and ere I was ware béé taken And vaunte is made abroad by the Catholiques that after Haruest Grape gathering there shal not be left one Huguenote in Fraunce without excepting of women and children yea they presume so farre that they dare saye that if so be your bighnesse wil haue peace they will make them a new King of a Monke Furthermore by the sufferāce of the Lieuetenants of the prouinces there are many conuenticles and brotherhoodes which they call Confra ternities of the Holy Ghost by which many thinges are wrought contrary to the peace Wherefore among so many iniuries I beséech your Maiestie and all other Christians to way and consider I haue and do behaue my selfe and not only I but also all that are of my profession Therefore if your Maiestiè suffer the Edicte so violently in the sight of all men to be broken and the offendours to escape vnpunished it cannot be but there will ensue moste gréeuouse troubles This letter was sent by Theligny a noble man whom he commaunded to declare diuers other particular mat ters which I meane not heare to repeate About this tyme the King sent to the Lieuetenantes of euery prouince a certain forme of an Othe according to the which the professours of the reformed Religion but specially the Noble mē should be caused to swear To this the Noble men made excuse and sayd That by this peculiar othe they should haue great iniury done vnto them as though thei were not to be counted in the number of the rest of the Kings subiectes whiche also was done contrary to the expresse wordes of the Edict in the which as the prince of Conde is acknowledged too be the Kings faythfull kinsman and seruaunte so are they expressely called the Kings faythfull seruaunts Therfore thei beséeched the kinge the they might not bée constrayned hereunto more than other men if al other men of the contrary religion were vrged so to sweare they would not refuse they sayd to doe the like séeinge they could not doe to much in shewinge their obedience to the King. And because this Othe was published in
to be certifyed and persuaded and to assist vs with your aide and fauour In the meane time the mother and hir children commend themselues to your Maiestie to whom thei wishe most happy preseruation This letter was written the xv of October Certainly England did greatly fauour the cause of the faythfull as may appeare by the second demonstration of their good will in time of extreame perill binding the Frenchemen vnto them for euer by the great benefits and good turnes bestowed vppon them For they gaue liberally to such as were exiles and banished meÌ„ places to dwell in and very much comforted succoured the poore néedy and oppressed in these tumultes and garboyles of ciuill warres But to returne to our former purpose The Prince of Conde ioyned himself with the Army of Monsieur Acier the first day of Nouember at Aulbeterre and then out of hand they consulted concerninge the pursuing of Monpensier of which when they had agréed they tooke certain troupes of horsemen of the first Armie and the greatest parte of harquebuziers whiche came out of Languedoc and then the Admirall went toward a certain village called Bertrizi where it was reported the enemie aboade but when they had diligently enquired out the matter it was founde that hée was departed from thence with great spéed and so with losse of that iorney the Admirall retourned backe agayn to 〈◊〉 to the Prince of Conde To whom when hée was come agayn they determined and decréed togither to séeke all occasions of battail and sâ—… straightway they pursueâ—… Monpensier who with great expedition traueiled toward the Duke of Aniou For the Duke of Aniou with the reste of the army was at Chastelleraud in the territorie of Poictou who had also with him greate store of great Gunnes Therefore the Admirall wyth the first Army pursued Monpensier who was not farre from the Duke of Aniou in so muche that the Duke of Aniou béeing moued with so greate celeritie remoued his Campe néerer the Citie and more strongly encamped himself his souldiers the Admirall not bidding him battaile but extending his army and displayng his Ensignes in great quantitie of ground Notwithstanding this day there was nothing don The day following he marched his army more néere but first of all he gaue knowledge thereof to the Prince of Conde who sending before him his footemen came vnto him with the troupes of horsemen of the seconde Army but as he was comming on from the Admirall met hym and tolde him that he coulde not cause the Duke of Aniou to ioyne battaile with him bycause he had incaÌ„ped his souldiers within certaine valleys inuironed with hils and also by reason of a thicke myste which was so foggie that one of them coulde scarsly discerne and knowe another Therfore this day also was spent with charge and discharge of thundering shotte one agaynste another The Prince of Conde had taken a very strong castle called Caâ—…uigny by surrender which was situate near to the riuer of Vienna This castel he battered downe to the hard ground bycause it should not afterward stand the enemy in any stéede Then the Prince of Conde to the end he might entice the lingering Duke of Aniou to battail after deliberation had of the matter retired backe agayne with the Admirall and went asyde passing ouer the riuer agayn In the meane tyme Monsieur Bocard was comming to the Prince of Conde with the rest of the army and with good stoaâ—…e of great Ordinance when he had takeÌ„ Pont a strong and well fenced citie The Duke of Aniou vnderstanding of this determined to set vpon Monsieur Bocard he being yet a good way of from the Prince of Conde and passing ouer the riuer of Uienua he came to a certain Towne called Pamprui where Monpensier taried for him with the first army The Prince of Conde also was mynded to ioyne himselfe with Monsieur Bocard that if it were possible by this occasion hee might procure and allure the Duke of Anion to battaile Therfore the Prince of Conde came to that place the xvii of November was no farther then half a league from Monpensiers camp And by and by ther was a smal skirmish betwéen them which was but short by reason that night approched The Duke of Aniou was froÌ„ thence aboute a league Monpensier as though he had encamped himselfe made certaine fiers to deceiue the enemy and in the dead tyme of the night came towardes the Duke of Aniou at Iazenail By the breake of the day the Admirall sent Monsieur Briguemauld with certaine Troupes of Horsemen as scoutes to view the coste and hee himselfe aboade there still the Prince of Conde being not far from him Then Monsieur Briguemauld when he came to the place froÌ„ whence the enemy was fled found certain tentes empty and horses tyed with cariage which they had left behinde them and riding a little farther he might discern the enemy going forward then he sent Monsieur la Loe with twenty Horsemen to take a better and more certaine viewe of them who when he had ridden more neare gaue knowledge to Briguemauld that they were their enemies who straighte way with the rest of the horsemen rode against them at the sighte where of the Souldiers of Monpensier were so terrefied that thei forsoâ—…ke their cariage and fled towarde Mongontour hee leauinge his purpose to ioyne with the Duke of Aniou And it séemed now that they had occasion offered them to giue notable attemptes if so be the Admirall had not altered his purpose fearinge least the Prince of Conde on the other part should be troubled with the Duke of Aniou because hee hard oftentymes the sounde of the gonnes For the Prince of Conde fought with the Duke of Aniou with whom hee skirmished diuers tymes euen at his campe Notwithstanding this was not done without sheadinge of bloud six hundred of the Duke of Anious Souldiers being wanting and of them fiueteen captains And if they had not bene preuented by night it was to be feared least the battaile had bin more blou dy by the rescue of the Admirall The next day again the Prince of Conde came with his whole power to the same place but in vain The Duke of Aniou marched with his army to Poictiers and the Prince of Conde with his army to a towne called Mirebell within foure miles of Poictiers which straight way was yelded to the Prince of Conde where he taried eyght dayes Then the Admiral when he hard that certain bands of Souldiers taried at the citie Pontauzane tooke all his horsemen both with lawnce and shotte and trauailed in the night set vppon the whole Legion of the which the Brissac was Captaine and slewe thrée hundred of them There was also the greatest part of the enemyes horsemen whom he durst not set vpon both for that he knew not where the Prince of Conde was and also because there were great showers of rayne which muche anoyed them Therefore
with the late Duke of Deux Pons was sicke in this time at Angoulesme of a hotte Ague the same pressyng him so sore that within few dayes he dyed in the sayd towne The Countie du Lude gouernour of Poyctou hauing assembled certaine troupes aswel of Touraine Aniou as of Poyctou departed from the Towne of Poyctiers and the twelfth of thys moneth of Iune planted hys seige before Nyort wherein was gouernour the lorde de la Brosse The first daye of the siege the lorde de Pluuean wyth his Regiment of footemen and hys companye of lyghte horsemen entred the Town in despite of the Lorde de Lude who notwythstanding those succoures began his batterie the next mornyng on the side of the Toure de la Pigalle and followed it forthwyth wyth an assaulte whiche was so valiantlye repulsed that he séeynge the breache filled vp with suche spéede remoued his batterie and forced a breach in an other place albeit he durst not make it good with an assault but vnderstanding of supplies of succour at hande raysed his seige the xxii of the moneth of Iune He had foure Canons and two meane péeces Comming againe to Poyctiers he lefte within S. Meseut the lorde de Anuony maister of the Campe of the Regiment of the late Countie Brissac wyth such companies as he had wyth the said Regiment wyth two Canons two field peeces and certaine other munitions leadyng the rest to Poyctiers At this siege the lord de Pluueau was lightly hurte with a shotte and soone healed againe Of the du Ludes syde were slaine the Captaynes Flogeat Gorbon a Gentleman of Sainctonge Fresouet la Marche the Captayne Colonel of the sayd Regiment the maister of the mines and Morlou guider of the artillerie cariage with a great number of footemen The Lord of Teligni was sent for to go to the reskue of Nyort with foure cornets of Reisters with certayne other cornets of Frenchmen and the regiment of footmeÌ„ of the Lord Bricquimiâ—… the yonger Notwithstanding afore he came there the siege was raised wherevppon they went to the saide S. Mesent to intercept the artillerie which in the ende they abandoned as hereafter shal be noted The Princes armie being in the countrey of Perigueux was still pursued but farre off by the catholiques kéeping on the left hand The Princes entred by composition within the towne of Branthome thei tooke also two Castles in the sayd Countrey the one belonging to the Bishop of Perigueux and therfore commonly called the Bishops castle the other called la Chapelle in which wer killed about two hundred and thrée score men with like number of the popular sorte withdrawne thyther and thereabout Upon the beginning of Iuly the Princes army departed from the countrey of Perigueux drawing to Confluence or Confolance a little towne vpon Uienne Neare vnto the which is a Castle called Chabaucy then in question betwéene the Uidame of Chartres and the Lord de Montluc within the castle was a companie of footmen whose Captaine refused to open the gates to the vittailers of the Princes army and therefore the vauntgard came and besieged them and the same day battered and tooke the Castle by assault putting the souldiours to the sword The Captayne onely was taken who promised for his raunsom twenty thousand Frankes and withall to cause to be sent home â–ª M. Pierre Viret minister of the gospel taken prisoner in the territories of the Quéen of Nauarre The castle after it was taken the sixth day of Iuly was burnt to the ground Within two dayes after the Lorde de Mouy entered by composition the towne of S. Genays in Poictou One chéefe couenaunt in the composition was that the Towne promised to pay ten thousand Franks so that their goods were not put to the pillage or spoyle wherein they were duely dealt withall as they also payd truely their money You haue heard how the Kings brother pursued the princes Camp into Perigeux who now séeing as it séemed into their seueral purposes turned away and passing by Lymosin and Berry came into Touraine Being at Loches he licenced a great number of his horsmen to recreate themselues abroad vntill the first of October by which occasion his camp so diminished as he had not about him of the French nation aboue a thousand e or xii C. horsemen and very few footemen almost all the Captaines went to relieue increase ther companies The princes being aduertised that the town of Chastelleraut conteyned not aboue thrée score souldioures in garde dispatched thither the Lord de la Loue with his re giment of horsemen and a company of Harquebuziers on horsebacke At his first comming hée sommoned the towne which withont much resistance was rendered vnto him reseruing onely that their goods should not be sacked nor any the inhabitants hurt vpon which agrée ment the gates were opened and the Lorde de la Loue entered at one gate and the lord Uilliers Knight of the order and Gouernour of the Towne â–ª issued out of another Upon the end of this moneth the Lord de Sansac with iiii or v. M. footemen and certaine horsemen of the Catholiques besieged the towne of Charite he battered it so vehemently that within small tyme hee made a breach and sodeinly marched to the assault from wheÌ„ce he was repulsed with the losse of v. C. men the reste retiring from the assault to the artillerie whereof one of small experience let fall his match within a cask of caÌ„non pouder which in a moment flusht vp suche a general flame and fire that it burned a great number of the said souldiours and blew one on the other side the riuer of Loere vpon the grauel and so burned him to death in euery mans sight They that defended the town made great resistance and gréeued many of the Catholiques by their sallies whiche they made out of the Towne whereupon the Lord de Sansac not able to force them was constrained to raise his séege hearing withal that the Princes had prouided to succour them with thrée or fower thousand horsmen which notwithstanding was rather incertayn than a true report After the takinge of the Castle of Chabaney the princes army tooke way to Luzignan a strong castle and as it is said builded louge since by Mellusigne the garde of this castle were two hundreth souldiours vnder the Lord de guron captaine and kéeper of the same who beinge sommoned to render it refused by reason whereof it was besiéeged the fourtéenth daye of the sayde moneth when the battery began very furiously with sixe Cannons on that side to the parke they within beinge sore shaken with the cannons and almost iiii score of their souldiours slayne a breache being beaten open and flat and the regiment of footeme in order of battayle ready to offer the assault began to faint in hart demaundinge Parley and immediatly rendered the place vnder this coÌ„position that the said Lord Guron with the Lord de Cluseaux should depart with bag and
founde desolate directing his way from thence to Nyort to besiege it certaine forerunners of his campe were come alreadye to the gates to terrifie those that were within the towne At this alarum the Lord de Mouy with certaine horsemen issued spéedely oute of towne who were no sooner without the gates than the other were retired almosâ—…e out of sight whervpoÌ„ he returned and being one of the lasâ—… to gouerne the retraite as he was at point to enter the towne one Montreuell yelded to him not long afore vnder colour of religion discharged a Pistolet vpoÌ„ him and hurt him sore in the head flying immediatly well mounted vpon the selfe same horse which the Lorde de Mouy had giuen him who notwithstanding hys hurte determined not to deparâ—… the towne albeit being specicially aduised by his friendes to be caryed where hys hurt may bée cured he left Nyort the seuenth day of October and came to Sainctes and from thence he was caried to Râ—…chell where within fewe dayes after he died to the griefe of the armie for he was of stayed councell in any cause of estate of great spéede and iustice in execution and of long experience in maâ—…ters of warre as witnesse his actes as well in the battaile of Dreux as other places of worthy memory the rest appointed vnder him within Nyort left also the towne together with the Lorde de lâ—… Brosse gouerner there retiring with iii. hundred shot to Rochell This was the same Lorde de la Brosse who with the ayde of the Lorde de Pluuâ—…au made head agaynste the Countie de Lude at the siege aforesayde The Kings brother finding the towne forsaken entred without let whether also came very shortly after the King â–ª the Quéene mother and Cardinall of Lorain being then néere Chynon they began there to deuise and deliberate vppon their present buâ—…nesse accompting it of speciall purpose to recouer the Castle of Lusignan wherein was gouernor the Lord de Mirambeau that afore the Protestants had either renued their strength or well assured their present companyes In this minde they dispatched forthwith certein to summon the castle who so preuayled with perswasions to the gouernour that easily inoughe he gauâ—… vp the Castle onelye with lyues and goods saued certein dayes afore the battell there were bestowed in this holde fiue Cannons which discended to the catholikes by couenaunt this was iiii or â—…ue dayes after the battell of Mâ—…nt-gontour Nyâ—…rt beyng thus abondoneâ—… the Princes wente to S. Iean de Angely the ix of this moneth and so to Sainctes and bicause they gathered that the catholikes woulde besiege it they determined to man it with greate numbers of men of warre causyng to enter forthwith the horsemeÌ„ of the Lord de la Motte with câ—…rtein footemen likewise captaine la Mures companye beyng of the regimen of the Lord de Uirieâ—… At that time was gouernour the L. de Oryoll a gentleman of Sainctonge who after was content to giue order to the pollicie and state of the towne leauing the consideration of matters of warre to the Lord de Pilles whome the Prince established there for that purpose and who as yet was not fully cured of the hurt in his thigh receyued at the siege of Poyctiers He with the Souldiourâ—… and the rest of the inhabitantes resolued to defende the Towne and endure the siege The morow after the Princes came to Sainctes there made their armie passe ouer Charante The â— of the said moneth the lord of Montbrun and Myrabell departed from the Campe to go into Languedoc a iourney pretended longe time before so that they might leade thither their regiments and for this cause at the siege of Poictiers as is aforesaid the Lord de Pontais Marshall of the Princes Campe as well in their owne name as for other Colonelles Captains and Gentlemen of Daulphine were sutors for leaue to go for a certaine time into Daulphine and the more to enforce their motion â–ª they shewed how long they had followed the campe and that their Souldioures wearied with so continuall warre â–ª stoode in néede to be reléeued with the freshe aire and fellowshippe of their Countrey and lastly as their generall feare to be so euill wintered as the yeare before dryue diuers numbers to retire without order to the townes holden by the Religion in Uiuares where they had sure aboade so if they be not some what reléeued of their long and lothsome trauayle alwaies in a campe it is also to be feared that by litle and little they do not abandon their Ensignes leaue their Colonelles in the fiéeldes without Souldiours The same being already reuealed vnto them by certain numbers of their soldioures they could do no lesse than coÌ„mend their sute with humble request in themselues for leaue and liberty to depart now that the siéege of Poyctiers is raised The Princes aunswered that they could not order their request and satisfie the time togyther bicause they were as yet vncertaine what would bée the ende and issue of the siéege and therefore they thought it conuenient that they taried till the ende of the moneth of September hoping after thei had sene the resolute procéedinges of the catholiques to bestowe their armye in garrisons to rest all winter This aunswere qualified their requestes with expectation of the end of September When the army being returned from the countreâ—… of Touraine and soiourning néere to Fay la Vineuse their sute was eftsoones put vpon new â—…earmes for which cause the Gentlemen Captaines and Colonelles of those countrey men assembled to deliberate vppon the motion some were of opinion to pursue in generall a leaue and libertie of the Princes séeing their time of Septem ber is expired But others Iudged the presente season most inconuenient to entreate for leaue consideringe the state and disposition of the warre euery day enclyâ—…ing to battaile where they were bound in duty to bée â—…nlesse they would deface the honoure of their actions passed Which last opinion so settled into the moste of them that they resolued vniuersally both to mortifie their desire to go home and also to giue ouer to attempt further leaue attendinge eyther by battaile or by some happy peace to make themselues frée of the warre and so returue and remaine quietly in their houses And thus the Lord de Montbrun and Mirabell remayned in the Campe vntill the tyme wherein they thought to execute their enterprise wherein after they had communicated with the Lord de Verbeleâ—… brother to the Bishop of Puy in Auuergne and many other as weâ—… of Dauphine as the countreys thereabout as of purpose to haue their company in the voyage they went to An goulesme to the end to tary there for their furniture and strength This being known in the campe many came to Angoulesme to assiste the voyage so that they were in all aboâ—…te foure hundred horsemen in verye good pointe to fight with certaine nombers of shotte on horsebacke with the which the saide Lord
caused all or most of his troupe to remaine still afore the sayd Castell to withstand that no man should enter till hée sent new forces from S. Flour whether as he spéedely repaired so he dispatched from thence certain numbers of footemen to ioyne with the troupe he had left afore the Castle with charge not to departe till it were taken M. de Sallians to whom both the place and charge belonged lay very sicke who in respecte of his small strength hauing not aboue sixe souldiours and withall doubting spéedy surcours made no great resistance but yéelded the Castle by composition to haue onely their lyues saued which albeit was faithfully promised yet trayterously performed because both her husband was killed and she led prisoner to S. Floure charged to be the onely cause of the lord of S. Hierans hurt The taking of the towne of Oryllac whereof is spoken before amazed greatly them of Auergne wherefore hauing gathered people from many partes determined to besiege it afore they within could haue meane to fortifie themselues And for this purpose the Lord Rocneâ—…onne Gouernour of Puy and the graund Priâ—…r of Auergne with their regimentâ—… of footemen came to Mar zillas in Roargnes attâ—…ding ther as it was said certain caÌ„nons which should be sent from Rhodes to batter Oryllac In the meane while also the Lord de Saint HeraÌ„ with no lesse diligence aduaunsed at S. Flour the other forces and also the Nobilitie of Auergne whom he summoned speedely to repayre thither Albeit hearing in the heat of his diligence of the princes comming to Argentall he let fall his enterprise The men of Auergne fearing the princes would sease vpon the low countrey called la Lymagne and there to winter in respect of the generall fertilitie of that place drew in troupes of paysants and coÌ„munalties into the straites of the mountaines by which they imagined the army should passe and there hewing down great numbers of trées bestowed them athwart the high waies to trouble the passage of the horsemen The rest of the countrey were bestowed by the lord de Saint Heran in townes and Castles to the ende they should not be sodenly taken the princes beguyled their opinion as not passing that way but directed their ioâ—… ney ouer Dordone and so into Quercy and beneath Cadenat passed the riuer of Lot and so from thence arriued at Montauban in Nouember 1569. The Lord de Mirabell and Foulques â–ª hauing remained about Oryllac â—…nee the charge they had neare to Rolliat tooke way about this tyme with their troupes to ende their voyage who passing the Riuer of Lot beneath Cadenat and after they had trauersed the mountaines of Rouarges and Sauennes arriued without let aâ—… Priuas and Aulbenas townes in Viuarez holden by those of the Religion The siege continued all this whyle afore S. Iean de Angely where the King the Quéene mother and Cardinall of Lorraine were in persone The morrowe after that the breache of the Fort was assaulted the Kinge procured the protestantes to be commoned withall to the ende to render the Towne by composition Wherin they vsed this persuasion the rather to entice them that his Maiestie had determined to erect a puissant army to make war in Allemaigne wherein as they might steade that seruice in special turne so his Maiestie was carefull not to spill men of such experience and value otherwayes if they would not embrace his Maiesties offer and composition he would thunder vpon them all his forces till he had won the Towne They answered as before that they would not render the town till ther were a peace assured to the profit and quiet of the whole Reaâ—…e whereupon the King required to speake with the Lord de Personne as well in the causes concerninge the Towne as to send him to the princes in the meane and matter of peace Whereunto the protestants condescended and sent out of the Towne the Lorde de Personne receyuing in his pleadge and hostage the Lord de Guiteniers After the King had conferred with the Lord de Personne they grew to capitulations as followed First that if the Lord de Pilles were not succoured within ten dayes to render the Towne to the Kinge their liues and goodes saued 2 That for the assurance of this there shuld bée deliuered in hostage two Knightes of the order they to be sent either to Rochell or Angoulesme at the protestants choice 3 That during this space of the x. dayes truce should be betwéene them with charge that neither they should fortifie in the towne nor they without vpon their trenches nor yet approche the walles of the towne 4 Lastely that in the meane while the Lord de Personne should go to the Princes with a Gentleman of his Maiestie to treate of peace According to the which the saide L. de Personne with the Kinges Gentleman went to the Princes in the Gentlemans place the Lorde de Guitiniers was sent out of the towne to the campe They which the princes lefte as you haue heard at Sainctes to defend the towne maintained their charge till now And hearing that Sainct Iean d' Angely was in parley and at point to yéeld fearing with all that it was their lotte and turne to be besiéeged next They forsooke the towne retired to the other Garrisons which were thereaboute wherein the Kinge forgot not to embrace the oportunitie sending forthwith certaine companies to sease vppon it to the end that by that meane the way might be cloased from them of the Religion beinge at Angoulesme and Coygnac to go or come to Rochell Likewyse they of Rochell shoulde be bard to sende succoures to them The Lorde of Bricquemau laye all this while in the towne of Boâ—…rg dieu in Berry as hath bin said by reason of his sicknesse During whose aboade there hys troupes made ordinarye warre vppon the Garrison of Chasteau-roux vpon Indre wherin the Lord of the place retained thrée companies of footmen for the catholikes Ther were often incursions and enterviewes betwéen them the same continuing almost sixe wéekes in which time were killed of the one and other side almoste two hundreth men After the saide Lorde Bricquemau was restored to health he retired in this moneth of Nouember with his troupes to Charite During the siéege of S. Iean d' Angely the Towne of Nimes in Languedoc was taken by the Religion the fiuetéenth of this moneth and by this meane there is a mylne in the towne neare to the walles and to make it grynde there comes a spring or fountaine not farre of through a sluse or creuishe in the wall dressed with grates or barres of yron They of the Religion in that Countrey practised intelligence with the miller by whose aide they pluckt vp by night the said yron grate and so conueyed into the towne by that creuish and channel about a hundreth souldioures who hid themselues within the myll attending the houre to execute their enterprise in the meane while they sent from
the Realme in the kings minoritie For though by the lawe of Fraunce neither the inheritance nor the administration of the Realme is graunted to women yet through the cowardly negligence of Anthonie king of Nauarre the sayde Gatherine de Medices the kinges mother against the custome of the Realme was ioyned with him in that office of protectorship She fearing the presumption and fierce pride of the Guisians wrote to the Prince of Conde with hir owne hand which letters are yet remayning and at the assemblie of the Princes of Germanie at Franckeford holden vnder Ferdinande the Emperoure were produced and opēly read about ten yeares past wherein shée earnestly besought him in so great hardnesse and distresse not to forsake hir but to account both the mother and the children that is both hir self and the king and the kyngs brethren committed to his faith and natural kindnesse that he should with al spéede prouide for their common safetie assuring him that she would so imprint in the kinges mind his trauel taken in that behalf that he should neuer be loser by it Within few daies after the Duke of Guise well knowing howe great authoritie the name of the king would carie in France and to the intēt that he would not séeme to attempt any thing rather of his own head than by the priuitie of the king hauing atteined fitte partners to ioyne with him in these enterprises he got the king into his power Which thing being knowen abrode many hard incombrances ther vpon sodainly rising a great part of the nobilitie of France maruelously troubled with it the Prince of Conde by aduise of his friends thought it best for him to take certaine towns furnish them with garrisons which was the beginning of the first ciuil warre For the Prince of Conde alleaged the cause of his taking armour to be the defence of the kings Edict wherin cōsisted the safetie of the common weale and that it could not be repealed without most assured vndoing of the nation of Fraunce destruction of the nobilitie by reason of the excéeding great multitude of those that dayly ioyned themselues to that Religion Of which number suche as being of noble birthe were in power dignitie wealth and credite aboue the rest thought it not méete for them to suffer the punishmentes and crueltie accustomed to be extended vpon the professors thereof beside that they helde them discontented that the Duke of Guise a newe come a straunger translated from the forestes of Loraine into Fraunce did take vppon him in Fraunce so great courage and so high dominion and power Thereto was added the Quéenes mothers singular care as was reported for cōseruation of peace and repressing the rage of the Guisians Upō whiche opinion it is certayne that aboue twentie thousande men hauing regarde onely to the Quéenes inclination ioyned themselues to the side of those of the Religion and to the defence of their profession which at that time had beūeged the force of the kinges power ▪ After certaine battailes and many losses on both paris the Duke of Guise slaine within a yéere peace was made with this cōdition that they of the Religion should haue frée libertie thereof and should haue assemblies preachings for the exercise of the same in certaine places This peace continued in force but not in all places during fiue yeares for in the moste townes and iurisdictions the officers that were affectionate to the Romishe side whom they commonly call Catholikes did all the displeasures they could to those of the Religion Therfore whē Ferdinando Aluares de Toledo commōly called Duke of Alua was leading an armie not farre from the frontiers of Fraunce against those of the lowe countrey which embraced the reformed Religiō against the will of the king of Spaine the Quéene mother caused to be leuied and brought into Fraunce sixe thousand Switzers for a defence as she caused it to be bruted but as the successe hathe proued for this intent that the Prince of Conde the Admirall and other Noble men of the Religion if they escaped the treasons prepared for them and listed to defende themselues by force and trie it by battaile might bée sodeinlye oppressed ere they were prouided For the courtiers whiche then had the managing of these matters did not at that time wel trust the souldiers of Fraunce Many things pertaining to the course of that time and the renewing of the warre must here for hast to our present purpose be necessarily omitted When the warre had endured about sixe monethes peace was made with the same conditions that wée haue aboue rehearsed that all men should haue frée libertie to followe and professe the Religiō reformed ▪ For this was euer one and the last condition vpon all the warres But within fewe dayes or monethes after it was plainly vnderstoode that the same peace was full of guile and treason and finally that it was no peace but most cruel warre cloaked vnder the name of peace For forthwith al those towns which they of the Religion had yelded vp were possessed and strengthened with garrisons of souldiers of the contrary side sauing onely one towne on the sea ceast of Xantoigne commonly called Rochell For the men of that towne about two hundreth yeares past had yelded themselues to the kinges power allegeance with this condition that they should neuer be constrayned against their will to receiue any garrison souldiers Also the Prince of Conde and the Admirall were aduertised that there was treason agayne prepared to entrappe them by Tauaignes a man giuen to murther and mischiefe which had lately bin made Marshall of Fraunce and that if they did not spedely auoyde the same it should shortly come to passe that they should be deceiued and taken by him and deliuered vp to the crueltie of their aduersaries Upon the receit of these aduertisementes they immediatly make haste to Rochell carying with them their wiues yong children which was the beginning of the thirde ciuill warre the most sharpe and miserable of all the rest There was at that time in the court Charles Cardinall of Loraine brother to the Duke of Guise whiche as is aboue saide was slayne in the first warre one accompted most subtill and craftie of all the rest but of a terrible cruell and troublesome disposition so as he was thought intollerable euen at Rome it selfe This man they of the reformed Religion reported to be the most sharpe and hatefull enimie of their profession and him they abhorred aboue all other for the crueltie of his nature and named him the firebrand of all ciuill flames He at the beginning of the third ciuill warre persuaded the king to publishe an Edict that no man professe any Religion but the Romishe or Popishe and that whosoeuer would embrace any other should be cōpted as traytours In that same Edict printed at Paris this sentence was expressely conteined and for the strangenesse of the matter and for that it stayned
the kyngs name with the most dishonorable spot of periurie and breache of faith it was in other impressions afterward omitted And it was further then declared that albeit the king had in many Edictes before that time permitted the fréedome of Religion yet his meaning euer was to reteine and cause to be reteined of all men the onely Romishe or Popishe Religion within his Realme After many ouerthrowes on both partes giuen and receyued wheras the end of this third warre was thought likely to be the harder by reason of the breach of faith in the yéeres before and on the other side the state of the Realme by reason of the wast that the Cities were brought vnto and the extreme pouertie of the meane people and his husbandmi did require some treatie of composition the king sent messengers to the Admirall to signifie vnto him in the kinges name that the king himselfe had at length founde out a moste sure waye of peace and concorde namely that the armies of both parties ioyned togither should go into the lowe countrey against the Duke of Alua which had bin the authour of the late calamities in Fraunce He signified further that he had great causes of querels against the king of Spayne and this principally that he had inuaded and helde by force sodenly slaying all the souldiers there an Islande of the newe found world called Florida which had bin taken by the French and kept vnder his dominion and likewyse the Marquesdome of Finall the inhabitantes whereof had but a litle time before yelded themselues to the kinges subiection and allegeance He saide that the most stedfast band of concord should be that forein warre and that there could no other better meane be deuised to drowne the memorie of the former dissentions in eternall forgetfulnesse To the performance herof he said it was a matter of most apte opportunitie that Lodouic Counte of Nassaw brother to the Prince of Aurange had bin now two yéeres in the Admiralles camp to whom the Admirall gaue principall credit in all things and that by him and his fellowes of the lowe countrey other whom he vnderstoode to fauour his part it might easily be brought to passe that certaine Cities might be surprised and thereby great aduantage be attained to the atchieuing of the warre The Admiral hearing these things was maruellously troubled For albeit he doubted not of the kings fidelitie yet therwithall many thinges fell into his minde to be considered as the power of the Cardinall the rest of the Guisians who were well knowne to haue bin at all times most affectionate to the king of Spayne For the Duke of Guise had lefte a sonne a very yong man called Henry to whom the Quéene had giuen al the offices and places of honor that his father had borne before being vnfit therto by age and against the ancient lawes and customes and also through the traiterous infidelitie of certaine of the kinges counsaylers whom she knewe for their affection to Popishe Religion to be moste addicted to the Spanish king and that diuers of them had great yéerely pensions of him and did disclose vnto him the affaires of the Realme He remembred howe hereby it came to passe that the same kinges Embassadour which among strange nations séemed vtterly incredible was admitted into the priuie Counsell of Fraunce and that one Biragio a Lumbard and as it is reported a traytour to his owne countrey otherwise altogither vnlearned and specially ignorant of the ciuill lawe was yet for the subtiltie of his witte aduanced to so ḡreat honour that he executed the Chauncellers office Michaell Hospitall being displaced a man knowen to be such a one as there was not in all degrées of mē any either more wise or more learned or more zelously louing his countrey Herewithall he considered the slaunderous cauillations of his aduersaries to whom hereby might seme an occasion giuen as if the Admirall were of a troublesome nature and could not abide any quietnesse nor could long reste at home without some tumultuous stirre Herevnto the messengers replied as they were able therewithall alleaged this cause of so sodaine hatred against the Spanishe king that one Albenie late returned out of Spaine had infourmed the king the Quéene mother for certaintie that king Philip a few monethes before had poysoned his wife the French kings sister and had spred rumors of hir throughout all Spaine such as for the honour of many persones are méete not to be disclosed But nothing moued the Admirall so much as the cherefull earnestnesse of Lodouic of Nassaw who assone as he was aduertised of that purpose of the king omitted nothing that he thought might serue to encourage the Admirall therevnto The Admirall perswaded hereby nothing fearyng the infidelitie of those of the Courte gaue his mynde to hearken to composition And so was the thyrde ciuill warre ended and the peace concluded with the same conditions that were before that euery man should haue frée libertie to vse and professe the Religion Within few moneths after this diuers princes of Germanie that fauoured the Religion refourmed and among those the thrée Electors the Palsgraue the Duke of Saxonie and the Marques of Brandeburge sent their Embassadours into France to the king to gratulate vnto him for the newe reconciliation of his subiectes And bicause they accompted it greatly to behoue themselues that the same concorde should remaine stedfast and of long continuance they promised that if any would for that cause procure trouble or make warre vppon him either within his own dominiōs or without they and their followers should be ready to defend him To this embassage the king first by wordes afterwarde by a booke subscribed with his own hand answered and gaue his faith that he would for euer most sacredly and faithfully obserue his Edict of pacification Hereby so much the more willingly the Admirall suffered him selfe to be drawne to the said purposes for the lowe countrey although oftentimes calling to minde the nature of the Quéene mother he vsed to saye to diuers and specially to Theligny to whome he afterwarde maried his daughter that he greatly suspected the rolling wit of that woman For saith he so soone as she hath brought vs into that preparatiō against the lowe countrey she will leaue vs in the midst Neuerthelesse the Counte of Nassaw writeth to his brother and they conferring their aduises together sent messengers to the king that if it please him to deale with the matter of the lowe countrey they will shortly so doe that he shall by their many and great seruices well perceiue their affection and deuotion towarde him The king writeth againe to them in most louing termes saying that their message most highly pleased him and he gaue to them both his harty thankes About the same time Maximilian the Emperour pitying the estate of the prince of Aurange as he said treated by his Embassadours with the king of Spaine and had in manner
obteyned that the Prince should haue all his goodes restored vnto him but with this condition that hée should haue no house within the territorie of the lowe countrie but settling his refidence and dwelling elsewhere he should fréely enioy all his reuenewes Which matter being reported to the Frenchâ—… king he immediatly sent messengers to the prince of Aurange willing him to looke for nothing by that dealing of the Emperour saying that it was but a fraude and guilefull deuise intended for this purpose only to breake vp his leuying of souldiers that he had begon in Germanie and assuring him that if he would credite and followe him he would giue him aide sufficient to recouer his estate The Prince of Aurenge perswaded by these promises of king Charles continued his musters and determined a whyle to beare the charges though they were heauie to him whyle such things as were necessarie for the warre were in preparing In the meanetime Lodouic in disguised apparel went to Paris to the king Forasmuch as the season of the yéere by this time séemed not commodious to leuie an armie for the winter was at hande by assent they deferred the matter till the next Sommer These thinges thus hanging the Prince of Aurenge his captaines by Sea did oftentimes set vâ—…n the Spaniards and Portingals such ships as they tooke tâ—…y brought into the hauen of Rochel which then was in the power of the Prince of Condees part and there they openly vttered and solde their prizes to the men of the towne and other merchantes of France whervpon the Embassadour of Spaine made often complaintes to the kinges priuie Couâ—…sell And forasmuch as they thought it very auaileable to this enterprise that Elizabeth Quéene of EnglaÌ„d might be brought into league with them the king committed the dealing in that matter to the Admirall For a few monethes before the king had with moste swete alluring letters gotteÌ„ him to the Court where he was most honorably enterteined and to take from him all occasion of distrust vpon his aduersaries or of otherwise suspecting of the kinges or Quéene mothers affection towardes him first all the Guisians of a set purpose departed the court Then the king gaue the Admirall free libertie to take with him what companie and with what furniture he would and bicause it was thought that he had more confidence in the Marshall Cosse than in the rest therefore the king commaunded the saide Marshall to be euer at hand with the Admirall to assiste him in the kings name if any nede were The matter of the league with Englande the Admirall so diligently and industriously handled that within shorte space after by Embassadours sent and by faithe giuen and receiued and othes solemnely taken on both parts it was confirmed Concerning the procurement of other leagues and amities such as might séeme to further the enterprise of the low countrey the Admiral also trauelled in the Kings name and by his commaundement and had in a maner brought al these things to an end And of all those leagues the first and principall coÌ„dition was that the libertie of Religion shoulde continue and that the king should most diligently and sincerely obserue this Edict of pacification Though these things séemed to be handled secretly yet by the letters both of Biragio the vicechancellor of whome we made mention before and of Moruilliers whom for his hypocriticall leanesse children commonly called the Chimera or bugge of the Court by aduertisement of Cardinal de Pelue a maÌ„ most fit either to inuent or execute any treason they were caried to the B. of Rome who by aduise of his Cardinals sent by by one of their number called Alexandrine in the midst of most sharp winter into France with these instructioÌ„s to persuade the king to enter into the societie of the league of Trent whereof the first principall article was that the confederats should ioyn their powers make war against the Turkes Heretikes meaning by the name of heretikes al those Princes that did permit the vse of the reformed Religion within their dominions The Cardinall Alexandrine was honorably receiued in the Court but yet dismissed without atchieuing his purpose For so was it bruted among the people and commonly beléeued throughout Fraunce albeit he himselfe secretly séemed to returne very mery and chéereful to the Pope and as it is reported did somtime say that he receiued such answere of the king as was néedeful not to be published that the King Quéene mother had largely satisfied him Forasmuch as it was thought a matter greatly auayling to the enterprise of the lowe countrey to sende certaine shippes into the English Seas that if any ayde should be sent into the lowe Countrey to the Duke of Alua out of Spayne it might so be stopped Strozzi and the Baron de la Garde were appoynted for that purpose to whome the King gaue in commaundemente to rigge forth certayne Shippes of Burdeaux and Rochell well armed and well appoynted and to prouide with al spéede all things néedefull for those Shippes The Ambassadour of Spayne somewhat moued with this preparation made diuers complaintes to the Kings Councell on the behalfe of the King his master and yet neuer receiued any other aunswere but that the King thoughte it not likely and that he woulde sende Commissioners to Burdeaux and to Rochell with letters and commaundemente that there shoulde be no preparation made to the Sea and if any had bene made it should be enquired of What instructions were secretly and closely vnder hande giuen to these two Captaines of that nauie we do not certainely knowe But this no man can doubt of but that they had commission to distresse all such Ships wherein any Spanishe Souldiers should be transported into the lowe countrie and that all this preparation to the sea was ordayned against the Spanishe King and the Duke of of Alua. And moreouer that the Admirall at the same time receiued commaundement from the King to sende Espials vnto Perâ—… an Islande of the newe founde worlde most plentifull of gold aboue all the other nowe béeing in the Spaniardes dominioÌ„ to learne if there were any good enterprise to be attempted or atchieued for the getting of it Which matter was committed to a certaine Gentleman one of the Admiralles trayne who went thyther accompanyed with a certayne Portingall a man most skilfull of those Nauigations whome the Admiral had ioyned with him by the Kings commaundemente and is not yet returned Nowe it cannot be expressed howe many and howe great tokens of most louing minde the King at that time shewed to the Admirall and to the Counte Rochfoucault and to Theligny and to the rest of the chief noblemen of the Religion First all such things as in the former warres had bene taken away in the Townes Fermes and Castles of the Admirall and d'Andelot the Kyng caused to bée sought oute and restored If there were any other whome the Kyng vnderstoode to be
and make shift for themselues and to take no more care for him for he sayde that he was readie with most willing heart to reÌ„der into the handes of God now calling for it againe the spirit that he had lent him to vse for a time and sayde that this violent crueltie was prepared not so much for his destruction as for the dishonoring of Christe and the tormenting of so many Churches the defence of which Churches he had at the petition of all godly men with his many daungers and calamities sustained In the meane time there came vp the staires into the hier part of the house on Benuese a Germaine brought vp in the house of the Duke of Guise and to whome it is sayde that the Cardinall of Loraine had giuen one of his bastard daughters in mariage and with him came Cossin the Gascoine Attin a Picarde a retainer and familiar of the Duke d'Aumal one that a fewe yeres before sought to murder d'Andelot by treason and also one Hamfort an Auernois all weaponed with swordes and targets and armed with shirts of maile When they were broken into the Admiralles chamber Benuese came to him and bending his drawne sworde vpon him said Art not thou the Admirall he with a quiet and constant countenance as we haue since vnderstode by theÌ„selues answered I am so called And then seeing the sworde drawne vpon him he sayde yong man consider my age and the weake case that I am now in But the fellowe after blaspheming God fyrste thrust his sworde into the Admiralles breste and then also stroke him vpoÌ„ the head and Attin shot him through the brest with a pistol WheÌ„ thâ—… Admiral was with this wound not yet throughly deade Benuese gaue him the thirde wounde vpon the thygh and so he fell down for deade When the duke of Guise which stayed in the courte with the other noblemen heard this he cried out alowde hast thou done Benuese he answered I haue done Then said the Duke of Guise our Cheuelier meaning King Henries bastard abouesaide vnlesse he sée it with his eyes will not beléeue it throw him down at the window Then Benuese with the helpe of his fellowes toke vp the Admirals body and threwe it downe through the windowe When by reason of the wound in his head and his face couered with bloud they could not well discerne him the Duke of Guise knéeled down on the ground and wiped him with a napkin and sayde now I know him it is he And therewithal going out at the gate with the rest of the Lordes he cryed out to the multitude in armour saying my companions we haue had a good lucky beginning now let vs go forward to the rest for it is the Kings commaundement which words he did ofte repeat aloud saying Thus the King coÌ„maundeth This is the Kings wil this is his pleasure And then he coÌ„maunded the tokeÌ„ to be giuen by ringing tocksein with the great bel of the palace alarme to be raysed and he caused it to be published that the conspiratours wers in armour and about to kill the king Then a certaine Italian of Gonzagues band cut off the Admirals head sent it preserued with spices to Rome to the Pope and the Cardinall of Loreine Other cut off his hands and other his secrete partes Then the common laborers and rascalles thrée days togither dragged the deade bodie thus mangled and berayed with bloude and filth through the streates and afterward drewe it out of the towne to the common gallowes and hanged it vp with a rope by the féete In the meane time those of the noblemens bands brake into all the Chambers of the Admiralles house and such as they found either in their beds or hidden they mangled them with many wounds and so slaughtered them Of that number were two yong children Pages of honorable birth Ther was also the Count Rochfoucault which for the excellent pleasantnesse of his wit and for his valiantnesse was hiely beloued of Kyng Henry and so séemed for the same cause also to be beloued of the king Him was de Nance abouesaide commaunded to kyll but he refusing it for their olde acquaintance and familiaritie one Laberge an Auernois offred himselfe to the King to do it but with this condition that the King shoulde giue him the Captainship of horssemen which Count Rochfoucault had There was also slayne Theligny the Admirals sonne in lawe a yong man of singular towardnesse both of wit and courage to whoÌ„ the King these many yeres had both in words countenance made shew of so gret good wil as that no maÌ„ was thought to be more highly in his fauor He crying out that it was now grieuous to him to liue for that he had euer commended to his father in law the faithfulnesse of the King refused not the death offered him And many other most flourishing yong noblemen and Gentlemen were euery where butcherly murthered in that streat Then the noblemens bandes and Cossins soulders wente ransacking from house to house and the Admiralles house and all the other houses were all sacked and spoyled eueÌ„ in like manner as is vsed to be done by souldiers gréedy of pray in a towne taken by assault and many by this robberie were of beggers sodeinly become rich men For the Duke of Guise the duke of Monpensier the Cheualier king Henries bastard Gonzague Tauaignes the other great Lords did with the reward of the spoyle bootie encourage the multitude to the slaughter and cryed out aloude that this was the Kings will. So al the rest of the day from morning to euening the rascall multitude encouraged by spoyle and robberie ran with their bloudie swordes raging throughout all the towne they spared not the aged nor women nor the verie babes In ioye and tryumph they threw the slaine bodies out at the windowes so as there was not in manner any one streate or lane that séemed not strawed with murthered carcases While these things were thus a doing in the towne the King of Nauarre and the Prince of Conde whome the King had lodged in his owne Castle of the Louure were by the Kings coÌ„maundement sent for and conueyed vnto him But their company their seruitours of their Chambers their friendes retaining to them their scholemasters and those that had the bringing vp of them crying out aloude to the Kings fidelitie for succour were thrust out of the Chambers and by the Kyngs guarde of Switzers hewed in pieces and slaughtered in the Kings owne sight But of that number of persons slayne no mans case was so much lamented of many as Monsieur de Pilles in whome it is harde to expresse whether there were more godly zeale in Religion or prowesse in warre Whereby hauing in the late yeres specially in the defence of the towne of S. Iohn d'Angeli whiche the King then besieged gotten great honour of Cheualrie he was thought very well beloued and highly estéemed of the king Him and Leranne the
amoÌ„g them nowe speaketh thrée wordes without moste filthy blaspheming and horrible execration of god Who can longer beare the vile vnchastities the bawdes and Ruffians of the Court Finally very nature it selfe doth nowe as it were expostulate with God for his so long sufferance and for bearing and the very earth can no longer beare these monsters Nowe as touching the Admirals supposed conspiracie who can thinke it likely that he shoulde enterprise any suche thing within the walles of Paris For in the Court there is continually watching and warding a garrison of the Kings and at the entrie of his Castle the guards of Gascoines Scottes and Switzers are continually attending and the King himselfe both alwayes before and specially at that time by reason of his sisters mariage had a great trayn of Princes great Lords noblemen and Gentlemen about him Moreouer it was well knowne that in Paris within thrée houres space might be assembled and put in armour threescore thousand chosen armed men specially against the Admirall whome no man is ignorant that the Parisians most deadly hated beside that the noble yong men that came thither with the King of Nâ—…uar and the Prince of Conde by reson of the mariage and brought with them their wiues their sisters and their kinswomen thought at that time vpon nothing but vpon triumph and exercises of pastime and gay furniture of apparel and ornaments Finally at whither of these two times can it be likely that the Admirall attempted this conspiracie was it before he was hurt why at that time he founde the King his most louing or at least his most liberall and bountifull good Lord neither could he hope euer to haue a more fauorable soueraigne in France Was it then after he was hurte as though forsoth he lying sore of two so great woundes aged maimed of both his arms the one whereof the PhisitioÌ„s coÌ„sulted whether it were to be cut off accompanied with thrée hundreth yong men would set vpon thréescore thousande armed men or in so small a time coulde lay the plot for so great and so long and so haynous a facte for he lyued scarce fortie houres after his hurt in which time he was enioyned by the Phisitions to forbeare talke Againe if he had bene detected of any suche crime was he not committed to Cossin and to his kéeping and so enuironed all the wayes beset about him and so in the Kings power that if it had pleased the King he might at all times in a momeÌ„t be caried to pryson why was not orderly enquirie anâ—… iudiciall procéeding vsed according to the custome and lawes and generall right of nations and witnesses produced according to the forme of lawe but be it that the Admirall and a fewe other of his confederates and followers had conspired why yet procéeded the outragious crueltie vpon the reste that were innocent why vpon ancient matrones why vpon noble Ladies yong Gentlewomen and virgins that came thither for the honor of the wedding why were so manye women greate with childe against the lawes of all nations and of nature before their deliuery thrown into the Ryuer why were so many aged persons many that lay sicke in their beds many gownemen many Counsellers Aduocates Proctors Phisitions many singularly learned professors and teachers of good artes and among the rest Petrus Ramus that renoâ—…ed man throughout the worlde many yong students executed without hearing without pleading their cause without sentence of condemnation moreouer if the Admirall had â—…aine the thrée brethren who doubteth but that all couâ—…eys al Cities all Parliaments finally all sortes and degrées of men would haue spéedily taken armour and easily haue destroyed all of the Religion hauing them enclosed within their towns and hauing iust cause to render to all foreine nations fâ—…r their common slaughters and killing of them As to that whiche toucheth the King of 〈◊〉 what caÌ„ be imagined more absurd and vnlikely had not the Admirall him foure yeares in his power â–ª Did not he professe the same Religion that the Admirall did which of those 〈◊〉 the Religion which of them I say as Cassius was wont to reason should haue gained or receyued profit by the killing of the King of Nauarre did not the Catholikes hate him and the Admirall coulde not hope to haue any man more friendly to him nor by any other maÌ„s meanes to haue reueÌ„ge of his iniurie Lastly in their houses that were slaine what armour what weapons were found by which coÌ„iectures iudges vse to be lead to trace out a facte These matters wyse men throughout the towne of Paris commonly muttered But now to retourne to our purpose At such tyme as the Kings prâ—…hibition abouesayd was proclaimed at Paris not only in other townes as at Orleance Angiers Viaron Troys and Auxerre the like butcheries and slaughters were vsed but also in the towne of Paris it selfe in the verye gaoles that are ordeyned for the kéeping of prisoners if anye had escaped the crueltie of the day before they were now tumultuously slayne by the raging and outraging multitude in which number were thrée Gentlemen of greate reputation captaine Monins a man very famous in marciall prowesse Lomen the Kings secretarie a man of greate estimation for his long seruice in the Courte and Chappes a lawyer neare fourscore yeare olde a man of greate renowne in the Courte of Paris And bycause we haue made mention of Angiers we thinke it good not to omitte the case of Masson de Riuers This maÌ„ was a pastor of the church and estéemed a singular man both in vertuousnesse of life and in excellence of wit and learning and was the first that had layd the foundacion of the Churche at Paris As sone as the slaughter was begon at Paris Monsorel a most cruell enimie of the Religion was tente to Angiers in post to preuente al other that might carie tidings of the murdering As sone as he came into the towne he caused himself to be brought to Massons house There he met Massons wife in the entrie and geÌ„tly saluted hir and after the maner of Fraunce specially of the Court he kissed hir and asked hiâ—… where hir husband was she answered that he was walking in the garden and by and by she brought Monsorell to hir husbande who gently embraced Masson and sayde vnto him Canst thou tell why I am come hither it is to kyll thée by the Kings coÌ„maundement at this very instant time for so hath the King commaunded as thou mayste perceiue by these letters and therewith he shewed him his dagge ready charged Masson answered that he was not guiltie of any crime howbeit this one thing only he besought him to giue him space to call to the mercie of God and to commende his spirit into Gods hande Which prayer as soone as he had ended in fewe wordes he méekely receiued the death offered by the other and was shot through with a pellet and dyed Now to returne to Paris â–ª the Admirals
it that they were deliuered before their time And out of the Courte of the goale called the Archbyshops pryson the bloude was séene in the broade day light to the great aâ—…orring and feare of many that behelde it runne warme â–ª and smoking into the nexte streats of the town and so down into the Ryuer of Sene. There was in that same Archbyshops pryson an aged man called Francis Collut a Marchaunt of cappes and two yong men his sonnes whome he had euer caused diligently to â—…e taught and instructed in Religion WheÌ„ he saw the butchers come toward him with their Axes he began to exhort his children not to refuse the death offred by Gâ—…d For sayd he it is the perpetual destenie of religioÌ„ that often such sacrâ—…ices do betide in ChristiaÌ„ Churches Christians in al ages haue euer â—…in for euer to the worlds end so shal be as shepe amoÌ„g wolues doues among Hawks sacrifices among priests TheÌ„ the old father embraced hâ—… two yong sonnes lying flat on the ground with theÌ„ crying aloud vpoÌ„ the mercy of God was with mâ—…ny wounds â—…oth he his sonnes slaughtered by those butchers long tyme afterward their thrée bodies hard knit togither yelded a piteous spectacle to many that behelde them In the meane time Mandelot in iest and scorne as it séemed caused to be proclaimed by the cryer that no man should committe any â—…laughter in the town that if any would detecte the doers of any such slaughter he would giue him a huÌ„dreth crowns in reward for his information And froÌ„ that time they ceassed not to kil to rob to spoyle The next day after which was the first of September the greatest part of the deade bodies were thrown into the riuer of Sene and the rest of theÌ„ Mandelot to féede glut his eyes heart with bloud caused to be caried by boat to the other side of the water there to be thrown down vpoÌ„ the grene grasse near vnto the Abbey called Esne There the people of Lions specially the Italians of whome by reason of the Marte there is great store in the towne satisfied their eyes a while did such spites as they could to those heapes of carcases so exercised their crueltie not vpon the lyuing onely but also vpon the deade And there hapned one thing which for the abhominable crueltie is not to be omitted There came to that spectacle certaine Apothecaries amoÌ„g those bodies they perceiued some very fat ones by by they went to the butchers told them that they did vse to make certeÌ„ special medicines of maÌ„s greace that they might make and profit therof Which as sone as the butchers vnderstoode they ran to the heapes chose out the fattest and launced them with their kniues and pulled out the fat and solde it for money to the Apothecaries While these thinges were doing at Lions the King being enformed that diuers of the religion had left their wiues children and were fled out of the other townes and lurked some in the woods and some among their friendes such as toke pitie on them he practised with â—…aire wordes to allure aâ—…d cal them home againe He sent to euery part messaÌ„gers letters affirming that he was highly displesed with those slaughters horrible butcheries that he would that suche crueltie shuld be seuerely punished if the Admiral with a few of his confederates had entred into any secrete practise it was no reason that so many innocents should beare the punishment due to a fewe Many swetely beguiled wyth these wordes of the King and with the letters of the gouernours retired home againe to their dwellings and houses specially they of Rhoan Diepe and Tholouse There were scant two dayes passed when they were againe commaunded to pryson where they were all shutte vp Then were murderers a newe appoynted of the most base and rascall of the people to torment them with all kinde of torture and then to slay them And throughout the whole realme of France for thirtie dayes togither there was no ende of killing slaying and robbing so that at this day there are about a hundreth thousande little babes widowes and children that were wel borne that nowe fatherlesse and motherlesse liue wandering and in beggerie About this time the King caused to be proclaymed that such as had any office or place of charge vnlesse they would spedily return to the Catholike apostolike and Romish Church should giue ouer those their temporall roomes There was no towne nor any so small a village or hamlet wherein all the professors of the Religion were compelled either to goe to Masse or presently to take the sworde into their bosomes and in many places it happened that such as being amazed with the sodainenesse of the matter had abiured their Religion yet notwithstanding were afterwarde slayne And while these things were still in doing yet the King in the meane while sent abroade his letters and messages into all partes and caused to be proclaimed with trumpet that his pleasure was that the Edictes of pacification shuld be obserued and although they coulde not haue fréedome to vse and exercise their Religion in open places yet they should haue libertie permitted them to retaine and professe it within their owne houses and that no man should 〈◊〉 with or disturbe the goodes and possessions of those of the Religion And the same Kyng which but fewe dayes before hadde by letters directed to all the gouernours of his Prouinces signified that his cousin the Admirall was slaine by the Duke of Guise to his great sorrow and that himselfe was in great daunger the same Kyng I say nowe caused it wyth sounde of trumpet to be proclaimed that the traiterous and wicked Admirall was slayne by his will and commaundement He that in fewe dayes before had by new authoritie confirmed the libertie of Religion permitted by his Edicts of pacification the same Kyng did now not onely take from the professors thereof their offices and honours but also prescribed them in precise forme of wordes a forme of abiuring and detesting their Religion Which things least any man should doubt of we shal hereafter set downe the very true copies of the said Letters Edicts Abiurations THE KINGS LETTERS to the Gouernours of Burgundie vvhereby he chargeth those of the house of Guise for the murther committed vpon the Admiralles person and for the sedition vvhich hapned at Paris and commaundeth that the Edicte of Pacification shoulde be kept and reteyned COVSIN YOV HAVE PERCEYued what I wrote vnto you yesterdaye concerning my Cousin the Admiralles wounding and howe readie I was to doe my endeuour to search out the truth of the deed and to punishe it wherin nothing was lefte vndone or forgotten But it happened since that they of the house of Guise and other Lordes and Gentlemen their adherentes whereof there bee no small number in this Citie when they certaynly knewe that the
Admiralles friendes woulde proceede to the reuenge of his hurt and bycause they were suspected to be the authours thereof were so stirred vp this laste nyght that a great and lamentable sedition arose thereof in so muche that the Guarde by mee appoynted for his defence about his house was sette vpon and hee himselfe wyth certaine of his Gentlemen slayne and hauock of other made in diuers places of the Citie whiche was handled wyth suche a rage that I coulde not vse the remedie that I woulde but hadde muche a doe to employ my Guardes and other defence for the safetie of my selfe and my brethren within the Castle of Louure to giue order hereafter for the appeasing of this sedition whiche is at this houre well appeased thankes be to God and came to passe by a particular and priuate quarell of long time fostered betwixte those two houses VVhereof when I foresawe that there woulde succeede some mischieuous purpose I did what I coulde possibly to appease it as all men knowe And yet hereby the Edicte of Pacification is not broken whiche I will to bee kepte as straightly as euer it was as I haue giuen to vnderstande in all places throughout my Realme And bycause it is greatly to be feared that suche an execution might stirre vp my subiectes one against an other and cause greate murthers through the Cities of my Realme whereby I shoulde bee greatly grieued I praye you cause to be published and vnderstoode in all places of your gouernement that euery person abyde and continue in the safegard of his owne house and to take no weapons in bande nor one to hurt an other vpon payne of death commaunding them to kepe and diligently to obserue our Edict of Pacification And to make the offenders and resisters and such as would disobey and breake our will to be punished you shall assemble out of hande as great force as you can as well of your friendes as of them that bee appoynted by me and others aduertising the Captains of Castles and Cities in your gouernement to take heede to the safegarde and preseruation of the sayde places so that no faulte ensue on their behalfe aduertising me also so soone as you can what order you haue giuen herein and how all things haue passed within the circuite of your gouernement Herevpon I pray God to keepe you Cousin in his holy safegard At Paris the. xxiiij of August Signed Charles and vnderneath Brulard ANOTHER LETTER FROM THE KING to the Lorde of Prye his Lieutenant generall in Touraine vpon the same matter that the former Letter was MOnsieur de Prie you haue vnderstoode howe my cousin the Admirall was hurt the last day and in what readinesse I was to do as much as in me lay for the tryall of the fact and to cause so great and spedie iustice to be done as should be an example throughout all my Realme wherin nothing was omitted Since it is so happened that my cousins of the house of Guise and other Lords and Gentlemen their adherents which are no smal partie in this towne as all men know hauing gotten certaine intelligence that the friendes of my sayd cousin the Admirall intended to pursue and execute vpon them the reuenge of this hurte for that they had them in suspicion to be the cause and occasion therof haue made such a stirre this night passed that among them on both partes hath bene raised a greate and lamentable tumulte the Garde that was set about the Lorde Admirals house was distressed himselfe slayne in his house with diuers other Gentlemen as also great slaughter hath bene made of other in sundrie places and quarters of this towne which hath bene done with such furie that it was impossible for me to giue such remedie as was to be wished I hauing enough to do to employe my Garde and other forces to keepe my selfe in safetie in the Castle of Louure to the end to giue order for the appeasing of the whole vproare which at this houre thankes be to God is well quenched for that the same happened by the particular quarrell that hath of long tyme bene betwene those twoo houses whereof alwayes hauing some doubt that some vnhappie effecte woulde ensue I haue as is well knowne to all men before this tyme done all that I coulde for to appease it nothing in this last fact tending too the breache of my Edict of Pacification which contrarywise I will in all things to bee mainteyned as at any time heretofore as I do giue it to vnderstand thorowout my Realme And forasmuch as it is greatly to be seared that this may stirre vp and cause my subiectes to rise one against another and to commit greate slaughters in the townes of my Realme whereof I would bee maruelously sorie I pray you that immediatly vpon the receyte hereof ye cause to be published and done to vnderstande in all places of your charge that euery man as well in towne as in countrey remaine in reste and suretie in his house and do not take armes one against another on payn of death And that more diligently than at any time hertofore ye cause the last Edict of Pacificatiō to be kepte and carefully mainteyned and obserued To the intent abouesayd and to punish such as shal do to the cōtrary to distresse all such as shal rise dysobey our pleasure ye shal immediatly assemble al the strength that ye are able as well of your friends being of our allowance as others aduertising the gouernors and captaines of townes and Castels within your charge that they take good heed to the suretie and safe keeping of their peeces in such sort as there ensue no default informing me with speede of suche order as you shal take therin and how all things shall proceede within the compasse of your authoritie I haue here with me my brother the King of Nauarre and my cousin the Prince of Conde to take suche hap as my self I pray the creator Monsieur de Prie to holde you in his holy safegarde From Paris this xxiiij of August Thus signed Charles and vnderneth Pinart These letters are all of one argument as the former be and written all in one forme and al one day to Monsieur de Prye the Lieutenant of Touraine THE KINGS LETTERS TO THE OFFI cers of Burges vpon the same matter that the former were OVr louing and faithfull wee doubt not but by this tyme you knowe of the sedition which to our greate griefe happened in Paris afewe dayes sithens wherin my cousin the Admirall and certaine others of his side were slaine and a greate murder committed vpon diuerse in many places of this Citie And least the newes thereof should change the quiet estate wherin Burges hath hitherto bene maintained since the Edict of Pacification if remedie were not foreseene it is the cause that wee writ this letter presently vntoo you wherby wee commaund and expressely ordeyne that euerie one of you according to his
Feare not hardly the iudgement of God although ye be constreyned to tremble thereat They which are condemned of you to die reioyce accounting death to be vnto them life they are nothing abashed or dismayed at your crueltie they regard not the iniuries offered vnto thē and as for death they count it a sléepe according to the Prouerbe The conquerour dieth and he that is conquered lamenteth What should it grieue me to be hanged I know Lorde that if euer any wickednesse deserued punishment and payne the wickednesse of those deserueth it euen to the full which reiect and contemne the benefite of thy sonne Christ. I imbrace O Lorde God that saying which thou hast put into the mouths of certaine of thy Martyrs namely that he is worthy of double punishment which receiueth not the offered redemption of our Sauiour No man shall separate vs from Christ what snares of trappes soeuer are layde for vs and with what paynes soeuer our bodies shall be tormented I knowe that we were appointed long ago as shéepe to the slaughter Let them therefore kill vs let them grinde vs to pouder and ashes yet notwithstanding they which dye to the Lorde liue still and shall so ryse agayne at the resurrection of the iust Whatsoeuer come to passe I am a Christian a Christian will I be Uerye earnestly will I crie that I may be hearde dying for my Lorde and sauiour Iesu christ Since the matter standeth thus why do I stay take me hangman carie me to the gallowes And repeating these wordes againe and that with such vehemencie that he made the teares to come out of the eyes of his aduersaries he spake these words to the Senators which were then present namely that he suffred death bicause he woulde not acknowledge iustification grace sanctification merites intercession satisfaction saluation to be in any other than in Christ that therfore he died for the doctrine of the Gospel And after many other words concerning this matter at y length he concluded with these words Put out put out one day those your flaming fires come vnto the lord in newnesse of life that your sinnes may be done away let the wicked man forsake his ways the wicked cogitations of his heart and then the Lorde will haue mercie In the meane time meditate and consider these thinges in your mindes Beholde I go now vnto the death When he had thus vttered his minde the hangman tied his handes and bounde him to the Cart in the which he was caried to the strete commonly called San-Iani Greuaei aboue foure hundred armed men garding him beside this the whole Citie of Paris as though it bene at the cōming of their enimies was furnished with armed men the wayes that led to the place of execution were stopt vp the frequēted places kept Yet for all this this godly Martyr was nothing abashed but abode couragious and constant When he came to the place of execution he put off his clothes himselfe and being stripte naked fetching great and déepe sighes he looked vp stedfastly into heauen And at the length vttered these few words only to the people I am not come hither either for theft nor murther but to suffer only for the Gospels sake For he had the libertie of his tongue graūted vnto him which libertie other of the faithfull had not whē they came to suffer hauing their tōgues first cut out of their heads vpō this condition the he should not speak to the people The which he promised to obserue that he might the better praye vnto god Therefore when he had made his prayers to God and shoulde nowe be sacrifised he oftentimes repeated these words with a loude voyce O my God forsake me not least I forsake thee And being strangled he was cast into the fire sealing that with his bloude and death which before he had subscribed with his hande This was the ende of that good and godlye man being of great fame among the learned both for his witte and also his learning and being also of honorable calling and great welth who had no doubt in short time attayned to greater honor and dignitie in this lyfe had not God reserued him by the pure knowledge of his name to this greatest preferment and dignitie of professing his truth which the world counteth reproch For Burgeus came of an honest familie and stocke being borne in Rionssius a towne in Auergne and brought vp in good letters who had so giuen himselfe to the studie of the lawe that he became famous in the profession thereof Afterwardes being chosen to be one of the Senate of Paris he left great fame of wit and learning behinde him among the most noble men Being therefore in the waye to come to greater honor and preferrement beholde God indueth him with more pure knowledge of hys worde whereby he fearing no perils of times ioyned himselfe to the reformed Church and woulde be present at the sermons which were then secretly made and thus dailye he was feruent more and more in godlye zeale Insomuch that he had not bene partaker of the Lordes supper passing once or twise when he spake his mind so fréely before king Henrie in the Senate house in the defence of the Gospell by whose commaundement he was cast in prison and from thence as ye haue hearde caried to execution A singular example of the efficacie and force of the knowledge of God and also of godlye constancie in so worthie a man at the which the godly hereafter shall iustly maruaile His bloude truly was the séede wherby the Church of Christ in Frāce did greatly increase and growe as may plainly appeare by those things which followe Touching the other Counsellers whom we sayd before were taken togither with Burgaeus this was the ende after a while they had diuers iudgementes giuen of them by which they were deliuered And the causes why these so escaped are these namely either the new Iudges who to vnderstande their causes examined them after another maner than the other was examined eyther the diuersitie of times in which chaunced many troubles or else truly the very inconstancie of the captiued Counsellers themselues relenting somewhat to their aduersaries About this time Nicolaus Durandus who altering his name called himselfe Villegagno that is to say a Conquerour of Cities as though he had bene a newe conquering Vlysses obtained of the King a nauie of shippes with men and vittaile accordingly to sayle to the South Indians taking with him many men which professed the reformed religion to the ende as he sayde that the Gospell might to them be preached and there planted And when he was arriued into America he sent to Geneua that Ministers might be sent vnto him from thence the which his desire was graunted insomuch that he obtained two namely Peter Richerius and George Charterius who came vnto him with a great number of those faithfull Protestantes that fled out of Fraunce in the hote time of
persecution These men when they were come began to preach the worde of God and to appoint an order of discipline There was also among the rest a certaine man called Ianus Contachus not long before a Sorbonist or Papist who came thither after Villegagno This man being ambitions desired greatly to be made a Bishop Therefore he thought this a verye good way to obtaine his purpose namely vpon the daye appointed for the ministration of the Lordes supper to mooue certaine questions as whether Copes and Surplesies and such Priest like garments were necessary to be vsed in that ministration also whether vnleauened breade and the mixing of water with winâ—… shoulde not in the same be vsed The which he did in déede Howbeit for all this contention mooued by him the Supper of the Lord was then purely celebrated But the controuersies increasing daily more and more among them it was tolde vnto Villegagno that there was a fame and report in Fraunce that many Lutheranes were come into America by his meanes and guidance At the hearing whereof Durandus Villegagno being made asearde quite altered and chaunged his former minde and purpose concerning the bringing in and establishing of the Gospell in those regions And when as on a time Richerius ministred Baptisme and sayd that all those things which were by the Papistes ioyned to Baptisme after the institution of the Apostles were depraued and corrupted additions Villegagno made open proclamation saying that Richerius lyed and streight way affirmed that he had rather followe the ancient rites and customes of the Church made a thousande yeares ago than the new opinions of Caluin and other newfangled persons adding also to this that 〈◊〉 woulde neuer more haue to doe with them At the last after long controuersie it was concluded among them that the articles which were in question shoulde be sent to the Churches of Fraunce and Germanie to iudge of them whose iudgement and opinion they agréed to followe For this cause Charterius was sent into Fraunce But when Villegagno vnderstoode by rumors that great persecution continued still in Fraunce he plainly vttereth his minde and declareth that he would stand to none of all their iudgements and opinions but woulde imbrace the doctrine of the Romishe Church and forbiddeth Richeriâ—…s to preach or â—…o gather togither the congregation to praye any more Thys was the cause why Richerius and Pontanus returned into Fraunce notwithstaÌ„ding the lets and impediments which Villegagno obiected vnto them who in déede went about to bring to passe that so soone as they came into Fraunce they both might be deliuered into the handes of the magistrate Many in like maner of the faithfull which abode in America were very euil intreated for religion some for this cause being drowned left a signe and remembrance to the vtmost partes of the world of their sufferance for the Gospel And this truly was the issue and ende of the rashe and vndiscrete zeale of Villegagno But now let vs here bring in that which we left behind vnspoken concerning the death of king Henrie After that he was buried his funerals celebrated according to custome the new king Frances set in his roome the Guises hauing gotten authoritie and fauour with the King by the meanes of the Quéene of Scottes his wife left nothing vndone to aduaunce them to dignitie séeking all they could to remoue others to whom the gouernement of things appertained but specially in this time of the Kings nonage and at their pleasure placing whome it pleased them to the great detriment losse reproch of those Princes that were the Kings neare kinsemen being of the same familie and lyne that he himselfe was of But this their authoritie power hapned vnto theÌ„ chiefly to the destruction of the Church Therfore that persecutioÌ„ which séemed to end by the wonderfull chauÌ„ce of king Henrie begaÌ„ now to be more vehement thaÌ„ before And the chiefest persecutors were the Guises both for the olde cankred spite they bare to religion and also for the vnbridled and ambitious desire they had to beare rule and to get authoritie the which they saw by no other meanes coulde stande For the Cardinall of Loraine who also ioyned with the Guises was greatlye dismayed and made afearde by newe rumours which were daily brought from forreine Nations namelye that a conspiracie was made against them by manye men whiche coulde not beaâ—… their tirannie And therefore the Guises thought it best to proclaime open warre against the Christians Then was there newe Edicts deuised and set forth more cruell than the other that were before with newe punishmentes added to the same In these it was forbidden so make any secret or priuie assemblies vpon payne of death and also promised to the bewrayets of such as should make the assemblies the one halfe of the confiscation or forfeyture of their goodes beside manye other great rewardes There was also commaundement giuen to the ouerséers and searchers out of such to receyue diligently the accusations brought vnto them to take those that were accused daily to search houses and to certifie the Senate of the Citie what they had done in the premisses Furthermore there was authoritie giuen to the Praetor to hang and drawe at his pleasure that he might giuâ—… sentence of death against such as were before him accused for heresie the benefite of appeale denyed and taken away from such as were condemned The Uâ—…cars and Curates also of euery Parishe were commaunded not to be slacke in excommunicating those whome they knewe to be Lutheranes Besides this there was impunitie and pardon giuen to the accusers if so be it fell out that their accusation were founde false About this time Sathan who séeketâ—… all that he may the destruction of Christes Church to the ende nothing might be left vndone that might by any meanes hurt the same taketh newe wayes in hand as ye shall heare by this which followeth So it was that two false brethren fled from thâ—… Church of Paris One of them was a Goldsmyth by his occupation whome the Lorde had sometime vsed as he doth oftentimes other hypocrites as a meane in bringing many men to the knowledge of him the other was a certaine Painters seruant The first of these two which was the Goldsmith being for his wickednesse and euill life excommunicate from the Church came to Democharis the Inquisitor and tolde him that he knewe many things concerning the Lutheranes and that he for sooke their companie for this cause that he might so much as lay in him worke their destruction And so whatsoeuer he knewe might be hurtful to the faithfull the same he declared to the Inquisitor giuing vnto him the names of such as were chief of the church and burdening them with grieuous crimes To be short he left nothing vntold that might serue any maner of way to be hurtfull vnto them To this fellowe the Inquisitor gaue diligent eare and encouraged him with great commendations to