Selected quad for the lemma: war_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
war_n	arm_n	great_a	king_n	4,088	5	3.5334	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A05073	The declaration of the Lord de la Noue, vpon his taking armes for the iust defence of the townes of Sedan and Iametz, frontiers of the realme of Fraunce, and vnder the protection of his Maiestie. Truely translated (according to the French copie printed at Verdun) by A.M.; Déclaration de Monsieur de la Noue, sur sa prise des armes. English	La Noue, François de, 1531-1591.; Munday, Anthony, 1553-1633.	1589 (1589)	STC 15213; ESTC S120928	9,684	24

Allemaigns Zwitzers Frenchmen who haue all sacked and burned within the countrey of Lorraine It is not reasonable that this little estate should satisfie for a common domage Ought wee not rather imitate that course that serued for the wrongs doone to the Countie of Mont-belliart to wit a freendly composition which was proposed for feare of the Allemaigns who notwithstanding euermore denied helpe to this ward left desolate in sight of euery one In meane while God will woorke for the oppressed and succour them in time needfull In fine it is in vayne to flatter but rather speake the truth doth it not appeare that this is for the dissipatiō of the realme when they make such shouldering where the one side is perceyued the other masqued What is this but as the Parisians did and as the attempt against Bolongne sometime and on the Marquisate of Saluce not long since Is not this rather to run after a pray then it can any way seeme for the Kings seruice when they pill and poll make such outrage I will auouch that his wisedome is great yet greater is the constraint that one maketh of his will in pressing it to resolue on a war wherein depends the ruine of France especially in one that hath a spirite of sweetnes and peace In this case what ought an honest minded man couragious and a louer of his country doo euen to imitate the auncient Frenchmen braue heads Captaines as the Bastard of Orleaunce the Hire and Poton they seeing King Charles the seuenth to despaire of his affaires being assailed with most puissant enemies in the very entrailes of his Realme whome he quietly suffered as vnable to remedie the same yet would not these for all this let fall their vnconquerable hope but with a feruēt affectiō would venture thēselues in this imminēt dāger to find some meane to exempt the same And as for the apprehension of the present euill some holde it may be that the King enclosed will giue a commaundement to his subiect not to aid his estate now perishing shall this default bee an excuse for the subiect We owe loue obeisance subiection and fidelitie to our King who notwithstanding may die but wee owe so much to our countrey as cannot dye Truely I should be quit of my promise to his Maiestie not to beare Armes against his seruice albeit I must perseuer heerein if I be vsed as an enemy seeing the horrible confusions that are in the estate for all is corrupted force ruleth the lawes are without strength and euen already by some our houses are diuided and our liues prescribed so that we haue no right of the one or other As for the roiall authoritie in what manner is it reuyled despited by the people when butcheries shall be made of the subiects of the Realme Solon said that in a diuision a good Citizen ought not to stand still but to take the better parte in respect of his bond to the commonwealth But our countrey is not onely diuided but ouerthrowne not in perill but already lost And in the middest of so great disorder is it wisedome to sit with our armes crosse folded when reason bids vs throw them abroad Shall I attend the rest of the misfortunes of the Frenchmen to depend on our warres hauing bowed their knees before the angry conqueror or before a straunger to the end that afterward I may receiue what Silla presented to his hoast at Praeneste This cannot bee doone but once vnwoorthy is it to doo it twise But when I consider things to come in how miserable estate we shall be if God should call away our King to whom I wish a long life conioined with a iust peaceable raigne wee should not suffer to rise these factiōs of Burgundie and Orleance which now prepare themselues the one to assaile the other to defend euen that will happen which is publikely spoken and the blind themselues may see that this warre begun is rather for the state then any Religion but from what euill shall we then escape free and of what goodes shall we not be depriued Hatred discord spoyle and these Allarmes Crueltie feare fierce combats these Armes Shall be our pastimes c. But now to escape these daungerous rockes let vs turne our selues to God who sendes these plagues for our incorrigible behauiour Let vs weepe for our countrey and succour her in this generall shipwracke let vs euery one helpe to saue her with our armes and not with our legs according as the Romaine saide who forsooke Caesars part being his benefactour to embrace that of the common good I pray God that in this generall assembly of the Estates some one will craue remedie for our insupportable euils which may bee throughly holpen by ceassing these Armes and remaine incurable by the continuance This is an heretique that speaketh some zealous will say beleeue them not rather account them blasphemers My Lords be not offended at these wordes which may serue you to colour the warre you would prolong Truely I am no heretique for I will liue and die in this excellent and renowned fayth of the Romaine Church a member of the Catholike euen the same that Saint Paul who was the first Bishop thereof instituted as it appeareth by his sacred registers But shall I tell you who he is that wee ought to account an heretique in these times wherin we liue It is the man that desireth not any peace or concord in the estate that wisheth the chāge thereof that strengtheneth himselfe with the enemies of the Realme that expecteth the fall thereof because he might gather the pieces who hath equitie and holines in his mouth and iniustice and hypocrisie in his hart On the contrary the true Catholique is hee that pursueth peace and vnanimitie that suffereth paciently the temporall gouernment established by God ouer him that holdes in suspition those straungers who would procure our ruine that would haue the estate preserued and that sheweth in all his actions how he loueth order iustice and pietie For conclusion I will loue my country which hath brought me vp I will reuerence my Souereigne Lord although he would pursue mee I will defend my libertie goodes and life if any would take them from me I will aid the French shamefully afflicted in as much as I may honestly doo I will garde my warde as the lawes commaund mee and I will oppose my selfe against straungers whatsoeuer particular bond they hold of mee who would against all right possesse themselues with the Towns of the Realme for I am a true Frenchman Inough is said the time requires I should doo it in respect it is followed truely and iustly FINIS

THE DECLARAtion of the Lord de la Noue vpon his taking Armes for the iust defence of the Townes of Sedan and Iametz frontiers of the Realme of Fraunce and vnder the protection of his Maiestie Truely translated according to the French Copie printed at Verdun by A. M. LONDON Imprinted by Iohn Woolfe 1589. THE DECLARATION OF THE LORD DE LA NOVE Vpon his taking Armes for the iust defence of the Townes of Sedan and Iametz frontiers of the Realme of Fraunce and vnder the protection of his Maiestie THE deuoire of a Gentleman making profession of vertue consisteth first of all in so well ordering and digesting his actions that himselfe may receyue in them contentment Afterward hee ought to make such a splendour of them and to iustifie them in such sorte as the well minded may bee satisfied and the ill disposed rayse no suggestion to condemne them And seeing it is so that honour which is the rewarde of the fairest workes proceedeth from such who after they haue examined and finde them worthie will approue them he then that is desirous to be honoured ought to be very carefull that his owne actions if it be possible bee not blemished with any spot or staine and especially such as deale with persons of great and highest qualitie herein stand bound with chiefest regard Admit they should incurre but onely the detection of slaunder which is so cōmon in this vnhappy age when wee see that blamed which is most modestly doone and the contrary to passe with commendation may not this then serue as a liuely touch or feeling to admonish such to render a publique account of the principall carriage of their liues What I haue determined to doo at this present shall be some discourse of mine owne to the ende it may bee truely knowne what causes haue mooued mee after so long rest and euen among the bonds of some particular promises to take these Armes for defence of the Townes of Sedan Iametz auncient frontiers of the Realme against such as haue assayled them To many it is well knowne in what miserable captiuitie I haue beene deteyned the space of fiue yeares and a halfe by those who haue gotten little praise for such rigour wherein happily I had longer continued if they had not prooued the vncertaintie of humane affaires but God is to bee bountifully blessed for this bitter aduersitie wherein I haue learned that which the most sweetest prosperitie would haue made me misconceiue The time beeing nowe come of my deliuerance I was taken foorth of my darke habitation to be brought to the place where I receiued the sentence of my libertie but with conditions no lesse hard then mine imprisonment had beene notwithstanding I accepted them ioyfully in respect they surceased my long heauines I must say then that the first cause of this so desired benefit was the bountie of God who now remembred mine affliction The second the prisoner that I tooke for whome I was exchaunged and who was of greater price then I. And the third the bond of one hundred thousand crownes made by the King of Nauarre on his goods in Flaunders for the assurance of my promises not to beare Armes against the King of Spayne in his countryes This accomplished I was deliuered then I went towards Nancy to make proofe of satisfiyng certaine other points which are couched within mine Articles to vnderstand if my Lord the Duke of Lorraine ouer and beside the aforenamed suretie would be likewise bo●nd for me to the King of Spaine in the said sum of one hundred thousand crownes if he fayled one Prince of Allemaigne or one Canton of the Zwitzers That I should also dēliuer my second Son to be one yeere as an hostage in his Court. Beside that the said Duke my Lord the Duke of Guyse shuld promise by writing a part signed with their hands that I should not beare Armes against the King of Spayne In all these bondes these Spaniards boūd me as if they had receiued occasiō of feare that so slender a Solidiour as my selfe should come soone or late to hinder the course of their victory from which thought I was most furthest off for my desire stretched no otherwise than to gohome to my house there to repose my selfe and giue God thanks for sauing me from the shadow of death and the graue Beeing arriued in Lorrayne I spake with the said Princes to know if they would fauour mee with this bond whereto they very liberally cōdiscended prouided that his most Christian Maiestie agreed thereto To him I went and could not obtaine his consent except I would promise him that I would not enter Armes without his expresse commaundement this I likewise graunted Soone after he wrote to my Lord the Duke of Lorrayne that he might answere for me to the King of Spayne which hee did vnder these conditions that I should bee bound to him in a hundred thousand crownes with all my goodes as a gage of his bond for the satisfaction afterward I should promise not to beare Armes against him nor his estate Like promise I made him also in case it went not against my dutifull obeysance of seruice and fidelitie to the Crowne of Fraunce and to the King my Souereigne Lord. All these matters ended I departed from the saide Princes hauing beene very curteously entertayned by thē and then I went to Geneua where I made my choise of aboade during the time of this miserable warre At the ende of two moneths my Sonne whome I sent for from the King of Nauarre came to me and I sent him in hostage to Nancy here he was gently intreated while he there remayned See heere successiuely the pure truth of all my promises and bonds and the causes of my libertie discouered in due order Which I haue doone to the ende that many who are ouer hastie in censuring the actions of others either by humours ignorance or bad information should be better aduised not to condemne me without they first had heard me as I know diuers already haue doone within more than six moneths at which time with all their vigilancie they could not reprooue me of any speeches that happily might be thought woorthie reprehension But these good censurers doo not in the meane while forethinke themselues howe they rashly attempt in causes against their Souereigne Lord and likewise against their natiue countrey In sooth if I would haue shrunke from my wordes beeing pressed thereto by mine owne particular interests I should haue beene an handsome subiect As for the straunge Armie raysed if I would haue gone therin I could haue had no meane place or authoritie seeing that Monsieur de Buillon and my cheefest frendes who were imploied in the conduct therof called me and would haue deferred more to me then I could well couet or desire But I excused my selfe and would not outgo the limits of my promises because I could not with credit doo it And many Gentlemen yet liuing