Masse of that Holy ghost which appeared to your predecessors at the Councell of Laterane in the visible forme of an Owle goe againe to schoole with your Chaplaines and let vs knowe of you what the Hugonets will dóo all that while or els seeing you haue that power to binde and to loose I pray you binde them hand and foote that we may make quickly an end of them or els euery one will say to the great slaunder of holy Church that Sir Hugh is a great Pazzo for not being able to performe all that he taketh vppon In Italiō a Sot him to doo And of all loue be good to master Francis of Lorrayne deuise some good meanes that when the Crowne is set vpon his head the heauines thereof should not put him to paynes and perhaps breake his necke And then what would the world say beshrew you Sir Hugh for in following your counsell we haue lost a great Captaine and a newe King and then be sure that you will neuer be good after But now to speake in sadnesse by these instructions according to the which all the ciuill warres haue been directed euer since the yeare 1576. vntill the death of the last Duke of Guize we may iudge what wisedome and blessings are to be expected from Sir Hugh and his Chaplaines Whilest these things were at working in Rome the Guizes followed diuers wayes to interrupt the peace but now by the returne of Dauid from Rome with these aforesaide instructions they went to worke substantially and by the collusion of the King they made such meanes as none might be admitted to the States but the professed enemies of the reformed Churches For they caused priuate conuocations to be assembled in the seuerall Prouinces which appoynted such as were farre from peace were of the conspiracie of Guize hauing their secret instructions to be presented at the States without making priuie to their counsels any Townes Cities or Commonalties They spread abroad that the Edict of peace could not bee published nor admitted in Townes and Cities than the which nothing was more desired of all sorts of men except onely them of the conspiracie They caused also infamous Libels to be printed and proposed in their seuerall conuocations being of such men as knowing the reports to bee most false yet were readie to make themselues to be true As that they of the reformed religion requested the exercize of the same not for satisfying or contenting of their consciences but for the maintenance of factious and practizes against the King and to fortifie themselues that vpon opportunitie they might shake off the yoke of obedience due to the King They spread abroad also that they of the reformed religion had surprized Lachorite and many Townes and Forts in Poytow Xainctonge Guyen Languedock and Daulphine and that they had committed sundry murthers and cruelties vppon the Catholikes and therefore in the same assemblies they did denounce warre vnto them of the reformed religion and to all them which would not consent to their vndoing They procured infinite number of iniuries and violences to bee done by their partakers euery where to them of the religion hoping through impatience to cause them to breake the Edict of peace so that the causes being found in them the King arming the Duke of Guize should encrease his secret enemies authoritie and decay his owne Notwithstanding these manifolde iniuries proffered vnto them of the religion and the breaking of the peace they of their part obserued the Edict of pacification without molesting the Catholikes but stoode onely vpon the defensiue The Guizes hasting so much as euer they could their enterprizes by their partakers procured many Townes and Prouinces to rebell and to breake the peace pretending that they of the religion sought the oppression of the Cleargie Besides the practizes afore mentioned these good husbands being loth to leaue any stone vnstirred that happily might any way further their deuised plot did not sticke to attempt euen contrary meanes For in like case they followed the olde tricke of Barcocab they went about closely and vnder hand to drawe into their League them of the reformed religion promising them the exercize of their religion according to the Edict of peace and more if they would They solicited also Iohn Casimier Prince Palsgraue to enter in league with them promising to doo nothing against the reformed religion and to deliuer him Townes in their gouernments for pledges And herein if they could haue effected their desire happily they would not haue pretended so rigorous a course against them of the reformed religion as afterward they did when they perceiued that they of the reformed religion did smell detect and abhorred their treacherous ambition and that they were taken forbeu cozba If they might haue preuailed with the reformed they would haue stoode vppon some plausible Common-wealth For their intent herein was not that they cared or regarded any religion but to bring the King and the Princes of the bloud into hatred and the people into a mistiking of the gouernement And seeing their offers were reiected by the reformed they determined to roote them out assuring themselues generally of the Catholikes vnder colour of zeale of Poperie which they fayned more and more And to begin the Q. Mother according to the Gospell brought from Rome by Dauid as is aboue sayd was sent to bring Monsier her sonne to the States at Bloys which she performed Many fayre words were spent many fayre promises giuen and many sore threatnings were vttered either to entice or els to enforce the King of Nauarre and the Prince of Conde to the States at Bloys But they refused their companie knowing well what their meaning was During this time they were very busie to make Leagues and confederacies and to erect euery where fraternities which they called of the holy Ghost by such meanes to fortifie themselues as they pretended against the Heretickes but indeede to conspire the subuersion both of the King and of the Burbons which could not bee done as they thought without the rooting out of the professors of the reformed religion The secret Councell of Rome could not bee kept so close but that the King of Nauarre had intelligences what was passed at Rome and therefore sendeth a Gentleman of his to the King with remembrances to aduertise him of the conspiracie already concluded at Rome against him and his estate Monsieur his brother in like manner informed him that there were things passed at Rome against him his Crowne and state Iohn Casimier Prince palatine out of Germany sendeth in like manner aduertisements vnto the King about the same matter and besides by Praillon giueth him notice of the drifts of the Leaguers which were to let the free holding of the States by corrupting of the Deputies and by letting that none of the Princes of the bloud or any that haue cause of complayning might appeare with free accesse Thus the Guizes furthering their busines by all
bed to doo what he was commanded they sayd vnto him that he doated But after he had told this follie to Pipin the 13. of August 753. he annoynted Pipin King of France and Berte and with his Popish blessing sanctified all the Barons Nobles of France binding them with an oath neuer to choose King of France but of that rase of Pipin Thus goeth the sottish fable of the brainsicke entusiasme Pope Stephen The Guizes fayning to haue descended out of that rase by the helpe of this fable besides the determinations set downe concerning other States of Christendome it was concerning Fraunce thus decreed That the house of Capet which was the house of Valoys and Burbon with the rest of the principall Nobilitie must needes be rooted out and that these lustie buds of Charles the great must haue their turne and for to bring to passe these things the wofull Tragedie must be thus played The Guizes must kindle the fire The Priests Friers and Iesuites shall blowe it with the bellowes of â—ayling and sedition The King shall sit still vntill his brother and the Burbons come to their triall The Pope shall play the Monarcho This Monarcho was of late yeares a franticke Italian well knowne both in Germanie and England who imagined that all the Kings of the earth were his vassals so Sir Hugh Vicar of Rome sitteth a farre off will not drawe nigh the fire and imagineth that all is his wherevpon he condemneth the Valoys and Burbons and the Nobilitie of France to the slaughter The name of the States shall be vsed and waite vppon the Guizes to play the hangman and when all things be in a readines the King all the Princes and Nobilitie shall be cast into the fire there to be consumed and destroyed When all this is happily performed there will be a newe heauen and a newe earth For the Guizes and Sir Hugh bon companion Vicar of Rome and all his bands Ganimedes and Chaplaines shall haue all and may take their pastimes with their Curtizans without any feare or controulment of the Hugonets Here followe the acts of this Tragedie or the summe of the secret Counsell of Rome holden contayning the meanes how to destroy the kingdome of France as they were deliuered by Sir Hugh vnto his stage players First the house of Guize and their partakers shall procure new Commotions in the Realme and intertaine warres They shall also league the Nobilitie with their othes to persecute the Gospell and that they shall not acknowledge any other Captaine and head of the League but onely the Duke of Guize 2 The King shall be counselled to fit still and to take no care for such vprores but to let the Duke of Guize alone for hée knoweth well how to handle the matter 3 The King shall send his mother to Monsier her sonne to perswade him to come to Bloys to the States 4 In the meane time the King shall goe from Paris into a place of sure accesse and voide of suspition where he shall entise by fayre promises by fayre meanes and fayre words the King of Nauarre the Prince of Conde if it may be done whom he shall receiue with as much entertainment and courtesie as he may shewe them So the King was made a foole at Rome by a sort of beggerly Friers and godles rabble But in the meane while that the King shall shewe such fayned courtesies to his brother and the Princes of his bloud the Guizes shall retire from the Court with tokens of discontented minds 5 These things being a working the King shall assemble the States at Bloys and such as bee deuoted to the League shall bee sent to the seuerall Prouinces to picke out such Deputies as may bee well taught and skilfull to play their parts 6 During these stirres the Friers and Iesuites shall mooue vp the people to vprores by seditious Sermons against the Hugonets 7 The Priests in their Parish Churches shall secretly take the names of able men and by appoynted Captaines it shall be ordered what weapons be most fit for them and in their shriuing they shall warne them to prouide such weapons 8 The States holding shall sweare to obserue and obey whatsoeuer shall be concluded and shall binde themselues and their commonalties to beare the charges of the play 9 But if Monsieur the King of Nauarre the Prince of Conde and others of the house Burbon doo not appeare they shall bee condemned of contumacie and as Rebels And furthermore all other who shall seeme to oppose themselues against the States shall be executed if they can bée taken and if not rewarde to be appoynted to such as shall kill them 10 All these things being thus compassed the States shall be sworne to the Sea of Rome and to obserue the Councell of Trent 11 Request also shall be made to the King by the States that in case any man should resist these procéedings hee shall appoynt the Duke of Guize his Generall to pursue them by all meanes to death 12 Yet the morrowe Masse Priests must come once more vppon the stage and there they shall cause their Captaines to muster them of the conspiracie and to make them readie to march when the assemblie of the States is once begun 13 All these things being so brought to passe the States shall picke out Minos and Rhadamanthus to enquire and iudge of the life and déeds of Monsieur for ioyning himselfe with the Hereticks and to make his processe after the naturall and godly example of the King of Spayne which sacrificed Charles of Austrich his naturall sonne a Prince a Prince of great hope vnto Moloch the Idoll of the Iesuites 14 When Monsieur is condemned the forces secretly gathered shall march to strengthen the execution 15 Then immediatly the conspired Souldiers shall set vpon the Hugonets in all Prouinces without any respect of persons 16 The Duke of Guize that great Captaine y t great Charlamaigne with his power shall destroy all shall take the King and his mother eyther put them in Monkeries or els to rid them out of this world according to the Prouerbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By this wee see that the King long agoe was condemned at Rome either to be a Frier or els to be slaine by a Frier So all these things thus happily done loe the Duke of Guize shall haue all and in so doing the Crowne shall returne to the blessed stocke of Charlamaigne and he and his successors hencefoorth shall holde the Crowne of France of the Apostolike sea and shall abolish the prerogatiues of the French Church Valete plaudite Calliopius recensui Now I pray you good Sir Hugh good master Vicar seeing you haue so wel sped let vs haue a fine Te Deum landamus and a demure solemne Procession and all in your Pontificalibus such as wee had for the noble and famous victorie of the Spanyards against the Englishmen before Calis the 29. of Iuly 1588. And after a sweete
the Sonne of God So the Lord knoweth who are his Herein also appeareth euidently the mercifulnes of God who worketh all things to the best and comfort of his children For when as the Rebels and murtherers supposed that by the Kings death they might easily make an alteration of the state and transferre the Crowne vpon the head of the Duke de Mayne and so disappoynt the Princes of Bourbon of their right of succession the Lord turned al their counsels vpside downe For the Lord mooued the King lying on his death bed when he was in perfect memorie and farthest as the manner in such a case from all manner of affection and parciality to pronounce his sentence and decrée or rather supplying the person of God to proclayme the King of Nauarre right heire and successor of the crowne and by the inuocation of the glorious name of GOD bâ—und the Princes péeres Nobles Captaines and Souldiours to yéeld him dutifull obedience so that God himselfe hath béene the iudge of his cause giuing sentence on his side by him whome he appoynted his officer in that behalfe It will stand Thus much of the vnworthy death of so great a King in whom ended the issue of the noble house of Engolesme according vnto the fatall period of great Noble and mighty families which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wherein we haue to note the whole family excepted onely Francis the first as Henry the second Francis the second Charles the ninth Francis Duke of Aniou and this last King Henry the third 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 per sanguinem ruit and haue died of an vntimely or violent death because they were polluted with that accursed woman Catherine Medicis Pope Clement his sisters brothers daughter And so making an end of the Epitasis of this vnnaturalltragedie played by leaguers we will make an end likewise of this 6. Booke Here endeth the 6. Booke THE SEVENTH BOOKE NOw we will follow the Catastrophe and last act which although it be full of Calamities yet it is like to bee ended with a ioyfull and happie successe The King beeing dead great heauines and sorrowe seazed vppon men of all degrees the Campe was full of sorrow and lamentation the wise saw this to be new seeds of a world of euils which wil worke the vtter subuersion of France On the other side great reioysing was seene among the rebels and traitors authors and procurers of the murther their ioye they shewed diuers waies but speciallie with contumelies and sarcasmes demaunding one of another whether the Friers knife was sharpe enough or not The rebels in Paris certified of the assured death of the King and supposing that the army had béen greatly dismayed replenished with teares and lamentation conceaued a good hope to do some great and notable exploit and imagining that it were easie in this mourning of all men to defeat the Kings forces all that night the Duke de Mayne did muster and prepare a mighty army and early in the morning issuing out of the Suburbs was so receaued by the Kings forces that he was enforced to retire within the Citie with blowes and dishonor That morning being the third of August but by the right calender the 23. of Iuly the King of Nauarre who was appointed the Kings Generall lieutenant by the King after that hee had receaued the wound assembled the Princes Lords Nobility and Captaines to deliberat how to remedy those great euils and to put out that combustion which the rebels had kindled in all partes of the realme First there was a capitulation made and concluded betweene theKing and the said Princes and Nobles Lords gentlemen and souldiers that there should be no innouation made in the Romish religion but the same should stand and be exercised peaceably without any interruption And that the reformed religion should be contained with all liberty in the exercise thereof within the places where it was then at that present time established prouided that the Romish religion should bee there exercised also without any disturbance And that men professing these two religions liuing peaceably like good subiects should be protected by the Kings authoritie in their liues goods liberties and franchizes vntill that by a nationall Councell some good and peaceable order should bee taken for some reconsiliation or vniformitie touching religion Which thing the King promised by the faith of a Prince to kéepe inuiolably and with as much speede as might be to prouide that a Councell and méeting of the learned might be assembled This order being concluded and the obseruation thereof promised by the King all his Princes Nobles Lords Gentlemen and Captaines promised vpon their othes all duetifull fidelitie and obedience vnto the K. and to assist him with their liues goods and meanes as well in the defence of his royall authoritie agaynst all traytors rebels and Leaguers which goe about to vsurpe the state as in the execution of the exemplary punishment vpon them who haue procured or committed that haynous disloyaltie felony and treason vpon the Kings person last deceased and all others who shall be knowne consenting knowing or accessarie to the same This order being taken as the readiest and most expedient to vnite the subiects with the King being promised and sworne the King of Nauarre was saluted declared proclaymed and crowned King of France and Nauarre by the name of King Henry the 4. And whereas in this historie hée had béen discerned from the King of France by the title of King of Nauarre now in the course of this historie following he shall be simply named King without any other addition or title This noble King being proclaymed King is crowned and put in the possession of the Crowne of France due vnto him by right not with triffling childish and Monkish cerimonies with holy oyle holy water holy toyes and holy trashes but after the ancient manner of the Emperours of the Romanes in the Camp by the whole army Princes Péeres Nobles and Captaines of the kingdome Here Christian Reader is to be noted Gods most gracious fauour toward France and prouidence toward this great King for except the Lord had prepared this heroicall Prince to restablish this decayed state which was cast downe headlong into such a depth of miseries by the Leaguers as in mans iudgement it was impossible that it could euer haue been vnited againe but rather reduced into a lamentable desolation But the Lord in his mercie beholding from heauen his holy habitation with his lightfull countenance after so many tempests hath raised vp lead by the hand and placed by his own authoritie and power this great Prince on the Throan of that state whom hee hath endued with wisedome prudence fortitude moderatnes modestie iustice and pietie to bee able to heale the deadly wounds of that sickly state to pacifie the controuersies of religion to lodge therein iustice and iudgement so long exiled out of that common wealth and to restore peace so long wished and desired Againe
the said congregation confessed that for feare of death he had consented to the abominations of Poperie and with many teares very feruently prayed to God to forgiue him exhorted the Church to take heede not to followe his frailtie willing them not to be offended with his fall and with an earnest inuocation of Gods most holy spirit promised euer hereafter by Gods grace constancie and stedfastnes in the confession of the trueth After a long and wofull warre the particular accidents whereof I here omit as hastening to my purpose and referre the reader in that respect to such treatises as are of purpose written concerning those matters at length a peace was concluded about the 27. of Iuly 1576. which was sworne vpon by the King by the King of Nauarre Monsieur the Kings onely brother the Prince of Conde and Casimire other Nobles with the lifting vp of their hands The King to wit Henry the 3. to shew how well pleased he was with this peace willed and commanded that it should bee called his peace because he had graunted it with his owne will and proper motion The King of Nauarre then had not onely a iust cause but also opportunitie to complaine of diuers iniuries done vnto him at and after the murther of Paris and also to demaund amends for his great losses yet he neuer mooued one word least by any priuate commodities of his owne the peace should haue béen hindered By that conclusion of peace the King graunted eight Townes beside them which they held before vnto them of the reformed religion to bee gouerned vnder his obedience by the King of Nauarre for the space of sixe yeares It was agreed also at the request of the reformed religion that the King should call the States of the Realme to confirme this peace and to restore the ancient dignitie of that kingdome These States were so cunningly handled that it did almost fall to the vtter vndoing of them of the religion For the Guizes with the collusion of the King made such meanes as none other might be admitted to the same States than the professed enemies of the Gospell For they caused conuocations to bee assembled in the seuerall Prouinces who appoynted such as were farre from peace with secret instructions to bee presented at the saide States without making the Townes Cities or Commonalties priuie to the same They also caused infamous Libels to be printed and proposed in their seuerall conuocations denouncing open warre vnto them of the reformed religion and vnto all that would not consent to the vndoing of them Furthermore they deuised also the meanes to interrupt that peace which of late concluded by their consent and yet so politickly that the causes should not bee founde in themselues but in the professors of the Gospell For they procured infinite iniuries and violences to be done vnto them of the Religion by their partakers hoping that through dispaire and impatiencie they would breake the peace and so the King would arme the Duke of Guize against them that in the meane time hauing the Kings power in hand he might growe in authoritie and the King decrease Immediatly after the conclusion of peace made the Guizes perceiuing that these three noble Princes had auoyded their clawes for the King of Nauarre was gone into his kingdome the Prince of Conde had auoided into Germanie Monsieur had bin set at libertie without any hope to bring them againe within their reach and that not onely they were a terror but also would be great lets to their drifts and that they were able to cut them out more worke than they would be able to patch as long as they should liue considering the name roome authoritie and power that they were of both in France and with forraine Nations To the ende that at the States appoynted they might oppresse these Princes with the rest of the Nobilitie which would not take part with them to ground a sure foundation vpon a strong Councell then sent they their agent the Bishop of Paris and the aduocate Dauid a worse man did not liue then vpon the earth to Rome the holy Citie to take good aduise and spiritual counsell of their ghostly father The Bishop of Paris and Dauid with him came to Rome the Schoole of all murthers treasons poysonings and slaughters against all the Princes and States of Christendome There assembled all the schoolemasters and teachers of the Sciences aboue saide I meane the Cardinalls among whome Sir Hugh bon companion Vicar of Rome for so was his right name afore he was Pope was the forman There was great complaints framed against the King Monsieur his brother the King of Nauarre the Prince of Conde against all the house of Burbon and the Nobilitie of France The King of Nauarre and the Prince of Conde were heretickes and relapse The King and his brother with a great number of the Nobilitie if they were not heretickes yet were they fauourers of heretickes they caused heresies to grow and to take roote by making peace with heretickes to the vtter ouerthrowe of holy Church of Rome And that it was high time that Sir Hugh Vicar of Rome should prouide for some speedie remedie to preuent the mischiefe There it was shewed to render the King and all the Princes odious how the house of Capet had alwaies withstood the holy Church of Rome and that they had supported in old time the Valdenses and Albigeoys and now that either they are ioyned with the Hugonets or els are fauourers of them But on the contrary side the house of Charles the great which was wrongfully dispossessed of the Crowne by the Papall blessing had a speciall grace giuen them to helpe holy Church and had left yet some lustie buds which are they of the house of Guize in whom is all the hope of holy Church to roote out the hereticks and to restore all things The fable of this Popish blessing heere aboue mentioned is in the Chronicles of Rhegimon a Monke of S. Benet In the time of Pipin father to Charles the great Stephen Pope of Rome being a factious and turbulent man through his ambition did trouble Italy And when Arstulphe King of the Lombards a nation not vsed to bee controulled by Priests went about to chastize him fled into France to stirre Pipin which a fewe yeares before had vsurped the Crowne of France by the helpe of Pope Zachary against the sayd Arstulphe This Pope being at S. Denis nigh Paris fell brainsicke and in his sicknes the diuell deluded him with an entusiasme making him to see in a vision Peter and Paule before the high Altar in their Surplesses by the which as he sayd he knewe them Then came in S. Denis with a leane face hauing a Censor in his hand whom Peter and Paule sent to the sayd Stephen to heale him who charged him to hallowe the sayd Church Pope Stephen could this vision to them which were present there and being about to rise out of his