her King and elder Brother Henry and conjures them also to loyalty to throw away all private Interests and Factions and conclude in a firm peace and union The Confederates perceiving that they wanted an Head and so a main pretence to countenance their Arms to the people and that whatever they had hitherto gained was more by their dissembling then strength that also the Pope Paul II had censured them if they continued in open wars For King Henry was held an obedient son to the Bishops of Rome for which Calixtus III had sent him formerly an Hat and a consecrated Sword which they use to bless upon Christmas-Eve at night laying them upon the Altar where they say Mass And farther they recollected that upon Henries death Isabella was like to be Queen whereby they could procure no favour or benefit to themselves by opposing her peaceable desires Upon these considerations they consented to an Agreement so Articles are drawn up a Peace concluded on Donna Isabella is declared Princess of the c Las Asturias formerly of a larger extent is now â— little Province between Galicia Leon and Biscay lying upon the Cantabrian sea 'T is twofold Asturia de Oâ—iedo and Astur de Santillana As the Heirs of England are called Princes of Wales and those of France les Dauphins so are those to the Crown of Castile call'd Princes of the Asturias Upon what occasion this â—hort Scheme may shew Alphonso XI had amongst other Children Henry a Bastard Earl of Transâ—amara took the Kingdom from the Tyrant Pedro and stab'd him with his dagger he had John I. who had Henry III. Don Pedro el Cruel had amongst others a bastard call'd Constancia she was marryed to John of Gant Duke of Lancaster son to Edward III King of England Upon the death of Don Pedro sirnamed the Cruel though his bastard-Brother Henry II. seised upon the Crown and was acknowledged for King yet John of Gant Duke of Lancaster pretended the right to lye in him by reason of his Wife Constance and made some bustle about it Henry dying there succeeded his son John I. with whom and Lancaster a peace was concluded Lancaster to renounce all his Title to Castile and King John to marry his son Henry to Lancaster's Daughter Catherine which accordingly was accompish'd so both their pretensions united And for more honour Don Henry the young son was to be call'd Prince of the Asturias since which time the eldest sons of Castile were call'd Princes and the younger are titled Infantas This hapned about the year 1388. And so much by the way concerning the Title of Prince of Asturias yet do I finde Jehan Froissart who lived at this time to tell us that Henry was call'd Prince of Gallicia in his French Edition 1530. vol. 3. fol. 96. and fol. 143. In the old English Edition vol. 2. cap. 154. fol. 170. and cap. 176. fol. 214. Asturias and lawful Heir to the Kingdoms of Castile and Leon with their dependants What troubles hapned in Castile after this treaty being not considerable I shall pass over Donna Isabella now declared Heir several matches were consulted of but she secretly joyned her self with Don Fernando Prince of Girona and the eldest son living to John II King of Arragon At this marriage King Henry was greatly vext as being contrary to his desire and without his knowledge But at the long run the King becomes more pacified and at last a 1474. dying she succeeds as Queen of Castile and Leon although some busled for Joane the supposed Daughter of King Henry but she is generally thrown by as a bastard being begot of his Queen Joane by one Don Bertrand de la Cueva afterwards prefer'd for his kindness being created Earl of Ledesma Master of Santiago and Duke of Albuquerque As for Henry himself he is by all esteem'd as frigid and uncapable of such loves Not long after John II King of Arragon b 1479. dying that Kingdom was united to Castile by the fortunate former marriage of Ferdinand and Isabella Here might I descend into the troubles of Navar and tell how Don Carlos Prince of Viana took up Arms against his Father John King of Navar and Arragon Upon which quarrel began the great Factions of those of Beaumont and Grammont the first adhering to the Prince and the latter to the King and the feuds of these two potent Families was one of the main causes of the loss of Navar to the Spaniard those of Beaumont assisting Don Ferdinand in the conquest against their own King and Country Of which more hereafter In short the Prince being not able to keep the field withdrew himself to Naples for sometime thence returns endeavours new troubles upon which he is taken and secuâ—ed Upon this the Catalonians rebel and though Prince Carlos was set at liberty and c Some say he was poyson'd by his Step mother D. Joane to make way for heâ—â—â—son Ferdinando to the Crown of Arragon dyed presently after yet they continue their Treasons The people of Barcelona publickly declare King John an Enemy to his Country and so they would withdraw themselves from his obedience And the Catalonians sent to Henry IV. of Castile to desire him to take them under his protection they being resolved no more to obey the Crown of Arragon Don Henry accepts them so they set up the Banners of Castile At last after a tedious War they are vanquish'd forced to submit and King John giveth them all freely a pardon But of Spain more in the next Century A CONTINUATION OF THE REBELLIONS AND Treasonablepractices OF THE ROMANISTS Particularly in Spain Scotland and Ireland From the year MD. to MDC BOOK VI. CHAP. I. 1. John and Catherine King and Queen of Navar deprived 2. Pope Julius II. Sect. 1. John and Catherine King and Queen of Navar deprived THe Conquest of Navar being acted suddenly we year 1500 shall make the story of it but very short At the beginning of this Century we finde John d'Albret or Don Juan de la Brit and Donna Catherina King and Queen of Navar which had boasted it self a Kingdom almost DCCC years Ferdinand II King of Arragon having by his marrying with Isabella Queen of Castile enlarged his Authority and Dominions as also by his banishing the Jews and subduing the Moores to him in Granado made his Government more secure cast many a greedy a Jo. de Bussieres lib. 15. § 16. Spondan an 1512. § 21. thought upon the seising the Kingdom of Navar and then all of Spain Portugal excepted would be his own At last opportunity good enough as he thought offer'd it self which was thus Pope Julius II. a zealous Hotspur falling out with Lewis XII King of France Fernando sides with the Pope and having rais'd an Army not onely demands passage for it through Albrets Territories but the command of his strongest Castles and Fortifications and which was most the possession and custody of Prince Henry eldest son to Navar
a Phil. Briet Annâ—l Spond § 1. signs of poison which some b Andr. Favyn p. 926 935. think was administred by the Covenanting Faction yet at his Funeral the Duke of Guise could c Journal du Hen. III. Mart. 25. shew as troubled and melancholy a Visage as any His death reviveth the hopes of the Guisians for perceiving the King having been about nine years married without any probability of having Children for all the assistance of * Journal 23 Jan. 1579. Spond anno 1583. § 11. hallowed Shirts and Smocks and so the Line of Valois to end with him and though the next related to the Crown was the House of Bourbon yet here they had rais'd a doubt whether the Uncle or the Nephew was to succeed whether Cardinal Bourbon or the King of Navarre were next Heirs and the Guisards made it their business to raise up the Cardinals right by his Interest thinking to secure their own designs for it was his main plot to get Navarre excluded And this might the better be perform'd seeing he as also his Cousin the Prince of Condé the next Heir after Navarre was a Protestant and so it would be an easie matter to get him declar'd incapable of the Crown as an Heretick And as for Charles Cardinal of Bourbon being crasie infirm and none of the wisest and one that was rul'd in all things by Guise was the more fit to make a Property of and if he should come to the Throne Guise did not doubt but to manage his Affairs so well that being already very popular with the Romanists he might secure the Succession to himself having got many to vaunt much of his Pedegree and Relations However things went it was good at the beginning to act under the feeble Cardinal as the first Prince of the Bloud as they call'd him And that the Cardinal look'd upon himself as so is confirm'd by this story which they tell us That a little after the ' foresaid death of the Duke of Anjou King Henry III. asked the Cardinal Journal Sâ—â—t 158â— that supposing himself should die whether he would take upon him the Government and precede the King of Navarre To which the Cardinal reply'd That upon his death the Crown did belong to him and that he was resolv'd not to lose his right At which 't is said the King laught and jeer'd him Yet Guise carry'd on his business so well that he gain'd a multitude of Followers some being Male-contents others that loved trouble and mischief as their Lawyers some led by Interest as their Priests and Jesuits and others persuaded by an holy Zele thinking Religion was now at the last gaâ—p and no way to recover her but by entring into this Holy League and Covenant Yet the designs of the Guisards were not carried so closely but the King had some hints of them which did not a little trouble him However to prevent all danger he had some thoughts of joyning with Navarre yet with a desire that he should turn Romanist for which purpose he sends the Duke of Espernon to him to persuade his Conversion but in this Navarre desired to be excus'd however offers him the Assistance and Forces of the Protestants to be when he pleas'd at his service either to secure him from or to quell the Covenanters The Leaguers inform'd of these Consultations take opportunity thence to bespatter the King calling him Heretick giving out that he design'd the ruine of the Roman Religion that for that end he was joyning himself to the Huguenots and in proof of this they made no small noise of his receiving the Order of Garter from the English Queen Elizabeth by the Earl of * Thes urnâ—l by a mistake saith Warwick Derby whom they calumniated as the worst of all Hereticks And the better to possess the peoples heads with mischief and Sedition they kept in pay divers Priests who daily taught their Flock That Princes ought to be depos'd who do not sufficiently perform their Perefixe Hist Hen. le Grand duty That no Power but what is well order'd is of God That that which passeth its due bounds is not Authority but Usurpation That it is absurd to say any should be King who knoweth not how to govern And we need not question but from these Heads they framed what Interpretations pleas'd them best and of all they themselves must be Judges And so I meet with a Batchelour in Divinity of the Sorbonne who at that time publickly maintain'd in Disputation publish'd and dedicated to the Abbot of Cluny this Position That It was lawful for any man private or otherwise to depose or kill any Ant Colynâ—â— p. 23. King or Prince which were wicked evil men or Hereticks But the mischief fell upon the Disputants head for the King offended at this strange kind of pretended Divinity intended to call him to an account but was prevented by another accident for the Sorbonnist was found shot to death in the Court of the College but by whom I know not yet the story supposeth by some of his friends the Leaguers thereby to prevent his Trial and some further discovery it may be of those who set him on work In these Divisions and divers Interests we may suppose France to be but in a bad condition every Faction pretending and striving to be greatest and amongst the many Lampons that then flew abroad this following was held not amiss wherein as in a Play each party speaketh his own desires and aims LE ROY Je desire la paix la guerre je jure LE DUC DE GUISE Mais si la paix se faict mon Espoir n' est plus rien LE DUC DE MAYENNE Par la guerre nous vient le credit le bien LE CARDINAL DE GUISE Le temps s'offre pour nous avec la couverture LE ROY DE NAVARRE C ' il qui compte sans moy pensant que je l'endure Comptera par deux fois je m' en assure bien LE CARDINAL DE BOURBON Chacun peut bien compter ce qu' il pense estre sien LA ROYNE MERE La dispute ne vaut pendant que mon fils dure LE DUC DE LORRAIN Poursuivons neantmoins la LIGUE ses projects LE DUC DE SAVOYE Le Roy donques perdera la FRANCE ses Subjects LE ROY D' ESPAGNE Si la FRANCE se pert je l'aura tost trouve LA FRANCE Tout beau il ne faut pas tant de chiens pour un os Et ceux la ont bien mal ma puissance esprouvee Qui pour l'Ambition me troublent le repos THE KING Peace I desire all war I ' d have repell'd DUKE OF GUISE But by a peace my hopes and plots are quell'd DUKE OF MAYENNE We 'll make our selves by war gain glory thence CARDINAL OF GUISE And we 've occasion cloak'd with fair pretence KING OF NAVARRE Who plots without me thinking I 'll remain So unconcern'd
enough to oppose his Enemies nor certain where to secure himself fearing if he left Paris it would rise against him and if he stay'd there he might be seiz'd on so zealously bent was that City for the Covenant However he gets a strong Guard about him and sends the Queen-mother to treat with the Confederates And what a grand conceit they had of their enterprise may in part be Gomberville vol 1. p. 648. seen by their Cardinals Letter to the Dutchess of Nevers wherein he tells her How pleas'd he is with the good will which she and her Duke bears to their designs which is onely for the honour of God though others traduce them as Ambitious That they shall shortly have the bravest Army that hath been in France these five hundred years That though the Queen-mother now talk to them of peace yet their demands are so many for Religion that she will not grant them c. Your most humble Uncle to serve you CHARLES Cardinal de Bourbon Chalons 23 May 1585. But in short the Treaty is carried on very cunningly on both sides and at last both Parties growing jealous of their own Force and Guise doubting the Cardinals constancy by reason of his easie nature a Peace was clapt up advantageous enough to the Covenanters for by Agreement 7 July the Huguenots were to be prosecuted several Cities and strong places given to the Guisards strong Horse-guards appointed and paid by the King to wait upon their Chieftains Guise himself is to have one hundred thousand Crowns his Forces paid and all things forgiven c. And for better satisfaction upon this Re-union of his Subjects as they call'd it the King in Parlement must publish an Edict which Perefixe calls a Bloudy one The summe of it was thus HENRY by the grace of God King of France and Poland c. 18 July Edict de Juillet How God and Man knoweth his care and endeavours to have all his Subjects of one Religion i. e. the Roman the want of which hath been the occasions of so many troubles Wherefore with the advice of his Mother and Council he doth ordain and command this unalterable Decree and Edict That in his Dominions there shall be but one viz. the Roman Religion under pain of confiscation of Body and Goods all former Edicts to the contrary notwithstanding That all Huguenot Ministers or Preachers do avoid and depart the Kingdom within one moneth That all his other Subjects who will not change their Religion shall depart within six moneths yet shall have liberty to sell and dispose of their goods That all Huguenots or Hereticks shall be incapable of any Office or Dignity That all * * Courts 〈…〉 in severâ—l plâ—â—ces by former Edicts 1576 1577. wherein half were to be Romanists and half Huguenâ—ts These were restored agâ—in by the Edict of Nantâ—s 1589. with maâ—y other favours to the Hugâ—enots mâ—ny or which have been since null'd and taken away Chambre mi-parties and tri-parties shall be taken away That all those Towns and Places formerly given to the Huguenots for their security shall by them be deliver'd up That what hath hitherto or formerly been done shall be pardon'd on both sides And that for the better preservation of this Edict all Princes Officers Governours Justices Mayors c. shall swear to keep it and their said Oaths to be registred HENRY By the King in his Council Broulart Read and publish'd in Parlement the King present De-Hevez The King of Navarre seeing himself thus aim'd at not only challengeth Guise to single Combat which the Duke answer'd only by Libels but also vindicated himself by an Apologetical Declaration drawn up by Philippe Morney Sieur du Plessis whose Pen and Learning that King used to make much use of as appears by his Memoirs and whose Life was afterwards writ by one of his Amanuenses and in whose commendations you may read a large Ode in Monsieur * Le Paâ—nasse des Poetes Francoises tom 2. fol 69 70 c. D'Espinelle's Collections King Henry III. perceiving that the Leaguers made great noise against him for not prosecuting the war against the Huguenots or rather against the King of Navarre told them his willingness to such a war and therefore desir'd them to put him in a way to have Moneys for the raising and paying the Armies but this they car'd not for being unwilling that he should be either strong or rich yet to stop their clamours he gave order for the levelling of three Armies to fight Navarre and his Associates Thus were their three several Interests in France at the same time I. The King and his Royalists II. The King of Navarre with his Huguenots in their own defence as a * Andr. Favyn Hist de Navarre p. 936. Davila p. 579. Romanist confesseth III. The Guisians or Covenanters designing the ruine of the two former and to advance themselves And now Pope Gregory XIII dying there succeeded in the Chair Sixtus V. who upon sollicitation of the Guisards thunders out a Bull against the King of Navarre and the Prince of Condé which being too long for this place I shall refer you to the reading of it in other * Pet. Math. Sâ—â—mma Constitut Rom. Pont. p. 901 902 903. Fran. Hoâ—oman â—ulmen Brutum Goldest Monarch Rom. tom 2 3 p. 124 125 126. Authors But because it is in none of the Editions of Cherubinus his Bullarium possibly since that time thinking it not convenient to exaspeâ—â—te that Kingdom as they have either fraudulently or politickly left out some other Bulls take the summe of it as followeth First it telleth us what a fine thing a Pope is that by his right and power can throw down and depose the greatest of Kings Then what favours and kindnesses this Henry hath received from the Pope for Gregory XIII abolished and pardoned his former sins and Heresies and gave him a Dispensation to marry his Queen Margaret and the like done to the Prince of Condé Yet for all this they have adhered to Calvinism opposed the Roman Religion and endeavoured to carry on that which they call A Refâ—rmation for which they have by Arms and Council withstood the Romanists Wherefore according to our duty we draw the sword of vengeance against these two Sons of wrath Henry sometimes King of Navarre and Henry Prince of Condé And therefore declare them and all their posterity deprived of all their Dominions Principalities Titles Places Jurisdictions Offices Goods Rights c. And that both they and their posterity are and shall hereafter be uncapable to succeed in or possess any of the premisses And we also absolve all Nobles Feudatories Vassals Subjects and all other people from their Oaths of Allegeance Fidelity and Duties they owe or promis'd to them And do hereby command and forbid all and every one that they in no wise obey the aforesaid Henries or any of their Laws or Commandments and those that do otherwise we excommunicate with the
make the Peace more sure and durable all former Leagues Plots Actions especially those of the 12th and 13th days of May last at Paris done by the Guisards and their Party are pardon'd and forgot as if they had never been done HENRY At Rouen 15 July 1588. By the King in his Council Publish'd in the Parlement at Paris Publish'd by sound of Trumpet by the Crier Visa * * Afterwaâ—ds better kâ—own by the name of Villeroy De Neufville Du Tillet T. Lauvergnat Thus we see how careful some were to have this Agreement ratified published and confirmed But this was not all for besides this two Armies must be rais'd and paid against the Huguenots one commanded by the King the other by the Duke of Mayenne the Leaguing Lords are to retain for six years the Cities and Fortresses granted them 1585 and that Orleans Dourlans Bourges and Montereau should be added to them the Duke of Guise to command all the Forces in the Kingdom that in October next the States General should be held at Blois and several such like advantages were granted to the Leaguers Upon which Guise waits upon the King and none seem so kind as those two but it was but from the teeth outward of which we are told one story how the King at dinner ask'd the Duke to whom they should drink To whom you please quoth Guise then said the King Let us drink to our Journal Aoâ—st 12. 1588. good friends the Huguenots 'T is well said Sir replied the Duke Yea added the King and to all our good Barricadors at Paris to which Guise yielded a counterfeit smile not well pleas'd that the King should compare the Barricadors with the Huguenots And now behold the greatest wonder that Toute la Cour fut veue habillée à l' Espagnole le long Estoc à la garde Crossée à l' Espagnole les grosse chausses les jartieres houpées le pourpoint collé sur le corps la grande fraize bien godronnée la Monstache la barbe le chappeau à l' Espagnole tout leur parles Espagnol Rodomontades Espagnoles bref vous eussiez dict qu' en ce temps la le François avoit en horreur mispris de parler se dire François qu' on luy faisoit tort de ne l'appeller Espagnol Andre Favin Hist de Navarre p. 940. ever yet happened in France The whisking Monsieur converted to a grave Don all the Court clad after the Spanish garb a long Tuck with a cross-bar'd Hilt great Trunckbreeches tufted Garters strait and close Doublet a great high-set Ruff staring Mustachoes with Beard and Hat after the Castilian mode all they speak is Spanish and that Rodomontadoes too insomuch that one might think that now Monsieur was asham'd or scorn'd to speak his own language or call himself a Frenchman nay would take it in snuff not to be thought a Spaniard Such an esteem and love had the Castilian got amongst the people for his assisting them in their wicked League and Covenant against their King and Soveraign And by this also appeared not onely the Boldness but Authority and Power of the Guisian Faction to whose caprichioes and Interest the Royalists were thus forced to submit and truckle Guise thus having all sway and glory the better to advance his Reputation Pope Sixtus V. sendeth him long Congratulatory Letters giving him many thanks for his Zele and Actions comparing him to the old Maccabees bidding him go on as he had begun and telling him that he would send a Legat into France to assist at the approaching States which Letters were spread abroad by the Leaguers in great triumph to the no small discredit and regret of the King who in these Papal Commendations and Blessings had no share nor taken notice of and such Pontifical Neglects used to be the Forerunner of Laying aside or Cutting off Well the Assembly of the States General meet at Blois the major part 16 Octob. 1588. being Covenanters by which Guise was so strengthened that 't is thought that he at least aim'd at the same Authority that the ancient Major-domes had in France whereby the King would be but a mere Cypher whilest the Duke might make himself King when he pleas'd So to gratiate himself with the people and remove all obstacles he proposeth that Taxes and Impositions might be lessened which was thought irrational seeing at the same time he will have the war vigorously carried on against the Huguenots yet he gain'd his desires Then he moveth that the Council of Trent might be received but this is denied by most as contrary to the Liberties of the Gallican Church But which was the main of all he proposeth that the King of Navarre and his Relations as Hereticks shoul'd be declar'd uncapable of Succession which was presently granted him by the Three Estates but it was not so recâ—ived by the King who though he was forc'd to consent to it in dubious and general terms yet told them that he would think further of it and would take care himself to have the Decree drawn up But before this Navarre understanding their designs had at an Assembly at Rocâ—el fram'd a Protestation pronouncing all their Votes and Actions against him and his Right null as being no stubborn Heretick willing to submit to a General Council and to be instructed that the States were not free nor full and that they could not justly condemn him before they heard him Whilest these Proposals were vexing the King news is brought that Charles Emanuel Duke of Savoy had seiz'd on the little Marquessate of Saluzzo towards the head of Po in Italy who had also pretended a right to it end so took advantage at the Kings Expulsion out of Paris and these French Troubles though at this time he pretended a necessity viz. that otherwise the Huguenots from Dauphine would have taken it and Favyn p. 93â— others suppose that he wanted not assurance from the Leaguers However it was the Kings jâ—alousie and anger did daily increase and 't is said that here Guise expresly refus'd though commanded to Ant. Colynet p. 303 304 305 306. swear Allegeance to the King saying He would not and if he offended they might punish him But this is not so bad as a further design plotted by him and his Complices which they say was to take away the Kings life of which 't is said the King had private Information In short the Spond § 18. King considering what Favours the House of Guise had received from the French Crown yet how many Rebellions he had rais'd against him Hist des dâ—râ—iers troubles de France l. 4. fo 142 143 144 152 158. what Combinations he had made against him and the Crown with the very Enemy to both viz. the Spaniard that for all his outward pretensions for Religion yet he had made secret Overtures to joyn with Navarre how he had beaten and driven him from his Royal
fuisse posteri dicere jure possint Quod nos impetraturos ut speramus sicuti sperare certe debemus ita post sanctissimcrum pedum oscula Beatitudinem vestram uti nobis Deus Opt. Max. sic diu incolumem servet summis precibus ab co petimus atque obsecramus Beatitudinis vestrae Humillimi Devotiss Obsequentiss Filii Cives Parisienses pro reliquo Catholicorum Fidelium in Gallia coetu Parisiis 14 Jan. 1589. And now the Covenanters run into all manner of extravagancies against their Soveraign whom they no more call or acknowledge for King terming him only Henry de Valois Heretick Tyrant and what not throw down his Arms and Statues which they break to pieces and drag along the streets nay so mad were they that to have but his * Scâ—lus putabaâ—ur morie plectâ—ndum sâ—uts Henricum Râ—gem apâ—â—â—aâ—et an t taâ—ulâ—m â—us piâ—um dâ—mi 〈◊〉 Jo. de Buss to 4. â— 287. Journal Picture or to call him King was thought crime enough to deserve death yet the Painters set themselves on work to draw him but in the most ridiculous and shameful habits and postures their zealous phansies could invent And their Priests were as wicked as the worst of them thundering from their Pulpits all manner of falsities and accusatious against him accusing him of Magick and Witchcraft persuading their Auditors to fight against that Belial to give no quarter to him nor his friends for the Kingdom was sick and nothing could cure it but a good draught of French bloud Some made little Images of him in Wax which they set on the Altars whilest Mass was saying then mumbling some old Wives Charms prick'd the Images to the heart thinking by that way of Witchery to kill the King Others carried lighted Tapers up and down repeating several superstitious words and putting out their Lights thinking so to hasten his death Others imployed their Wits to render him odious making many De insta Hen. III. abâ—ic â— 4. 38 wicked and malicious Anagrams of him as HENRI DE VALOIS Anagram Vilain Herodes or Julian Herodes or De hors le Vilain or Ha ruine de Loys HENRYC DE VALOIS Anagram O Crudelis Hyena HENRICUS TERTIUS DE VALLESIO Anagram O Deus vere ille * This it may be was in opposition to that Anagram made formerly of this HENRICVS TERTIVS Anagr. In te vere Christus Antichristus and such like And for Libells and Satyrs they were innumerable the Press and Pen labouring continually with infamous Defamations against their Soveraign And now they consult how to carry on their designs and first they run to the Parlement at Paris seizing on all whom they thought to favour the King clapping them up in the Bastillc the Rump or those who comply'd with the people being about CLX in number chose Barnabé Brisson for their President one of great Learning as his Works testifie but whether his Zele or Fickleness might engage him in this action I know not or whether his fear of the peoples fury should he refuse it and I meet with a Protestation said to be his and by him subscrib'd Journal 1589 22 Jan. declaring his Innocency how he was forc'd to do what he did Be it as 't will the Leaguers were pleas'd to have a man of his Repute Honesty and Learning to seem to espouse their Cause To maintain this war and their designs which they call'd THE HOLY UNION the people contributed with abundance of freedom insomuch that Moneys which had been whoorded up for many years now flew plentifully abroad and the Women or Holy Sisters are never behind in wicked Zele most of the Cities and Provinces revolt from the King and so the war is carried on against one another under divers Titles The Kings Party is sometimes call'd The Covenanting Party is sometimes call'd Royalists Leaguers Minions or Favourites Covenanters Huguenots Catholicks Hereticks Confederates Navarrists Rebels Politicks Holy Union Bearnoises K. of Navarre born in that Territory Lorrainers Les Maâ—eutres or Mad Hacksters now corruptly Hectors Guisards or Gusians Zealots Bandees blanches or Escarpes blanches i. e. White Forces or White Scarfs The Godly Party White was the Colours of the Kings Party especially the King of Navarre always wore it he and those for him wearing white Ribands or white Scarfs the Colour worn by the Leaguers was commonly Green though some in imitation of the Spaniards wore Red. Besides the former long Letter to the Pope they sent others also to several Cardinals in which they renounced all Acknowledgments to the King still calling him in their Letters only The late King of France and the same Complements they afforded the King of Navarre and the better to gain their designs they sent to Rome to agitate their Affairs with the Pope these four active Blades Le Sieur de Dieu Knight and Commander of the Order of Saint John of Jerusalem Mr. Lazare Coquelei Counsellour in the Parlement of Paris Jean de Piles Abbot of Orbais who had formerly been at Rome in behalf of the League 1586 1587. Pierre Frison Dean of Rheims To these they gave several private Instructions 30 in number the summe of them being to this purpose To wait upon the Pope and tell him of their Affairs in France To inform him of the Massacre at Bloys and aggravate them by the circumstances as the Time Place Manner and Breach of promise To justifie all the actions of Guise with the necessity of his former taking up Arms with the willingness of the Leaguers to come in to the King though they were very powerful when he promis'd to fight the Hereticks How the designs of the contrary Party was to ruine the Clergy To satisfie him of the Barricades in Paris as that the King designed to murder the good Catholick people How the Catholiques are very hardly us'd whilest the Favourers of Hereticks are preferr'd which plainly discovereth the heart of the late King i. e. Henry whose abominable wickedness and hypocrisie they must also discover How he hath now joyn'd himself with the Hereticks is no good Romanist hath no reverence for Religion being at Church sometimes with bis Hat on To tell him the Reasons why they chose Mayenne for their Head or Chief That for their parts they will neither spare their lives nor estates in this quarrel and so to desire his assistance to afford them his spiritual and temporal Treasures to pronounce some Decree against this cruel Tyrant not to entertain or hear his Embassadours and Messages To send forth a Jubilee through all Christendom to implore Gods assistance To grant a Croisado that all good Catholicks might help them To excommunicate all that oppose them To send a Legat into their Army that all may know that the Pope undertakes their quarrel To desire that all Catholick Princes would enter into a League in defence of their Religion c. SENAULT 25 May 1589. Nay the Sorbonists were so zealous that some one
how to make themselves Possessors of the Throne of that Kingdom and finding none so much capable by Right Title and Interest as those of the Family of Bourbon to thwart and oppose their designs it was their best policy to procure their ruine to which purpose take this following Narrative but in short of the Guisards against the House of Navarre being the chief of that of Bourbon which though * An 1564. § 8. Spondanus looks upon as a Fable and it may be according to Perefixe that the young Prince of Navarre might be then at Paris yet take the story though possibly with some mistakes upon the credit of Thanus and Gomberville now one of the French Academy and so let him and the present Archbishop of Paris also of the Academy bandy and rectifie it as they please Antoine de Bourbon King of Navarre at the Siege of Rouen being shot year 1562 into the left shoulder with a Musquet bullet of which wound he a little after died those of Guise consulted how to make their best benefit De Gomberville Les Memoires de M. de Nevers v l. 2. p. 579 c. Thuan. lib. 35. Mâ—moires d'Estat vol. 2. ensuite de câ—ux de M. de Villeroy pag. 35 36 c. by the said death Jane the Widow Queen of Navarre lived at Pau the chief Town in the Territory of Bearne adjoyning to the Pyrenean Mountains and with her she had her young Prince Henry afterwards call'd the Great now about 9 years old At this time Philip II. King of Castile having wars with the Africans and Moors his Recruits from Italy and Germany were to rendezvouz at Barcelona in Catalonia Now doth Charles Cardinal of Lorrain and his brother François Duke of Guise consult how to extirpate this Race of Navarre to which purpose they pitch upon one Dimanche to act as Agent for their Interest in those parts of Aquitaine where he had as his Assistants Monluc an experienc'd Souldier d'Escars Viscount d'Ortes with the Captain of Ha Castle adjoyning to Bourdeaux and several others great Favourersand Dependents of Guise But the prosecution of these designs was somewhat cool'd by the death of the Duke of Guise who was shot by Poltrot year 1563 at the Siege of Orleance Upon this though a Peace was struck up between the King and the zealous Huguenots where the later were gainers by the Agreement yet the Cardinal Lorrain carrieth on his former Contrivements against the House of Navarre making his Nephew the young Duke of Guise Head of the Plot. And to give a better colour to all they pretend Religion their Foundation so all Hereticks ought to be rooted out amongst which the young Prince of Navarre and his Mother to which Friends could not be wanting seeing the King of Spain would assist them To this purpose Captain Dimanche is dispatch'd into Spain to the year 1564 Duke of Alva to obtain the assistance of the aforesaid Forces at Barcelona which on a sudden might fall upon Bearne take Pau with the Queen her Son Henry and Daughter Catherine and to prevent any of their Escapes the Friends of Guise would way-lay them on the French side to which end they had several trusty Commanders and Forces conveniently placed thereabouts And the Princes thus taken should be conveyed into Spain put into the Inquisition as Hereticks and then they would be sure enough Thus the Guisards would have their desire and as a persuasive argument to the Castilian they told him that things brought to this pass the dispute for the Kingdom of Navarre would cease the Pretenders to it being thus in his possession Accordingly Dimanche gets into Spain waits upon the Duke of Alva who having heard and approv'd the design orders him to go to the King who was then at Monçon or Monson a Town in Aragon where they used to keep their Parlements or las Cortes for Aragon Valencia and Catalonia For this place Dimanche passing by Madrid he fell dangerously sioâ— of an high Feaver and being but badly accommodated in a poor Inn a Frenchman call'd Anne Vespier one of the Queen of Spains servants took pity on him removed him to his own house where he was better attended on and by the assistance of the Queens Physicians recovered For which kindness and other great favours Dimanche and Vespier enter into a strict Familiarity and Friendship In short Dimanche thinking to make use of him in his absence for some Intelligence discovers his business and the Plot to him Vespier being born at Nerac in Gascogne so a Vassal and Subject to the King of Navarre was guided by so much Loyalty as to resolve to prevent the ruine of his Soveraign for which purpose he had this advantage The present Queen of Spain was Elizabeth daughter to Henry II. King of France and so sister to Charles IX then reigning King of france and thus near related to the House of Navarre Vespier a servant to this Queen Elizabeth thinks upon the most convenient way to inform her of all for which he addresseth himself to the Grand Almoner and Tutor by whose means all is fully discover'd to her who resolveth to write of it to her Brother and Sister the King and Queen of France Notice is also given to Sieur de St. Suplice the French Embassadour then in the Spanish Court at Monçon with a desire to inform the Queen of Navarre at Pau that she might better consult and provide for her own safety Dimanche gets to Monçon opens all to King Philip in the mean time de St. Suplice one well acquainted with State matters and after imployed by the French Court dispatcheth his Secretary Rouleau into France with the Letters and Intelligence whereby the Queen of Navarre had means to secure her self and the Plot was spoiled by this discovery Yet Dimanche having done with Spain hasts to Paris where he is privately lodg'd in the Duke of Guise his house and for some time after at a Monastery belonging to the Friars call'd Bons hommes adjoyning to the Wood of Nostre Dame de Boulogne near St. Cloud not far from Paris And though the Spanish Money and Interest at this time had such a sway in the French Council and Court that Captain Dimanche though it was desired was not suffered to be seised on in his return from Spain whereby they might have discover'd further into the Plot by himself and his Papers yet was Philip and Guise both gull'd and the House of Navarre preserved to sit in the Throne And though the Queen of Navarre complained of this Conspiracy and desired justice of the House of Lorrain yet Catherine de Medicis one not apt to be commended in History the Queen-mother turn'd it off by telling her that it was best to forgive those injuries they could not punish And indeed the Interest of the Guises was then so powerful that it was dangerous to call them to an account Whilest these things were closely carrying on Pope Pius IV. was
also 1563. Spondâ—n §. 48. 49 50 51. Davila p. 191. sollicited to use his Authority against the Queen of Navarre which would give a greater color and encouragement for others to attaque her accordingly because she was of the Reformed Religion He falleth to work publisheth a Citation or Monitory against her concluding that if she did not turn a Romanist within six moneths he would deprive her of her Dominions and give them to any that would conquer them At this the French King is not a little troubled looking upon it as a thing of dangerous consequence as the common cases of all other Kings nor did he like that any third party should have any pretence to seize upon those Territories which lay so near to and convenient for Spain whom possibly he might suspect though it is said that Philip complemented Queen Jane with an assurance that he would protect her and her Dominions against any that should assault them Besides this another thing happened which did not a little perplex the King the Council of Trent as they call it being now ended Cardinal de Lorrain desired the Pope to use his Interest with the French King that it should be receiv'd and approv'd of in his Dominions that he would root out the Huguenots that he would break the late Peace made with year 1564 them that he would punish the Accessors to the death of Guise c. And that these Petitions might carry the greater awe an Embassadour is sent as from the Pope the Emperour the King of Spain and the Duke of Savoy to demand them from Charles who is not a little puzled how to behave himself in this case For to refuse the Council of Trent would render him suspect to the Pope to receive it would be against the Liberties of the Gallican Church to make war against the Huguenots would not advantage him as he had found by experience and he did not much care for Forein assistance to extirpate them quite was not probable to be done and if he should he must destroy many of his nearest Relations however so weaken and impoverish the Kingdom that at last it might bâ—come a prey to a third party As for the death of the Duke of Guise Poltrot who shot him was executed for it and though he had accused Admiral Coligny Beza and some others as Instigators of him to it yet they had publickly disown'd it both by Oath and Declarations besides Poltrot did vary in his Accusations and so his Credit not possitively to be stood to However the King by his cunning doubtful Answers and Delays wheedled all these things off to the no small trouble of the Guisians who hoped for a war and troubles that being the only way to raise themselves and carry on their designs Yet was not the House of Navarre free from danger for Pius V. advised 1568 Spoâ—d § 26. the Queen-mother to seise upon their Dominions seeing Queen Jane was an Heretick or if she approv'd not of this that he might by his Papal Authority appoint one of the Family of Valois to be King of those Territories that for his part if neither of these liked her he was resolved to give to the King of Spain that part of the Kingdom which Jane possessed I suppose he did not mean all those Territories in France which for her Son she governed as Queen of Navarre but only that little spot of ground which lieth North of the Pyrenean Mountains in Gascogne which the French do call the lower Navarre having St. Jean-Pied-de-Port St. Pelage and a few other little Towns in it But which of them the Pope meant is no great matter for both of them if gain'd must be won by the Sword which it seems at this time Philip had no mind to whereupon this went no further then a vapour and so I leave it But nothing can more clearly demonstrate the intent and design of the year 1572 Guisards then the Massacre of Paris a slaughter so much the worse because of its long contrivance before the action viz. almost * Davila p. 346 350 355 356 357. two years for so long was it concluded on before where the †Id. p. 370. Duke of Guise was very urgent and earnest that the young King of Navarre and his young Cousin the Prince of Condé the next Heir to the Crown after Navarre should be both slain with the rest but others though cruel enough oppos'd this as not willing to imbrue their hands in the Bloud Royal which would seem so abominable all the world over But whether at this time the Guisards had any design to secure themselves of the French Crown I shall not say any thing though that they had afterwards is apparent and confest by all Historians And thus much by the way though one might enlarge himself on this bloudy story by observing how the King endeavouring a vindication of himself did make the thing worse by his many Contradictions as appears by his * Vid. Ernest Varamund de Furoribus Gallicis Letters and Declarations Sometimes declaring how sorry he was for the death of his Cousin the year 1572 Admiral how the Massacre was acted without his knowledge how it was contriv'd and done only by those of the House of Guise upon some quarrel between them and the Admiral that it was not in his power to hinder it he having enough to do to secure and guard himself his Queen his Brethren the King of Navarre c. in his Palace the Louvre that he is for peace and desires all to keep the Edict of Pacification c. Othertimes he declareth that the Massacre was done by his express will and commandment that it was acted for the security of himself and Friends that the Admiral and Huguenots had plotted and determined to destroy him his Queen his Brethren the King of Navarre c. Now orders all of the Reformed Religion to be turn'd out of their Imployments Places and Estates and then that they shall be * Davila p. 735. massacred after the same manner all France over c. And as a forerunner to all these slaughters happened the sudden death 12 June of Jane the stout Queen of Navarre who being come to Paris upon earnest Invitations about her sons Marriage was as is commonly believed poisoned by order of the King and Queen-mothers private cabal Certain it is though all the rest of her body was dissected and open'd to view yet the King would * Thuan. l. 49. not by any means let her Head be touched he knowing as †p. 364. Davilla saith that the poison of the Perfum'd Gloves prepar'd for her had only wrought upon her Brain But for all this the Marriage went on and was solemniz'd between 18 August the young King of Navarre for now Henry after the death of his Mother took upon him the Title of King being before only call'd Prince and Margaret Daughter to Henry II. of