returning backe againe they met with the Prince of Conde who on the other parte went to pursue the enemy And thus for the space of certain monethes the time was spent with skirmishes of horsemen For this was the pollicie of the chiefe Captaines of the Duke of Aniou to deferre ioyning of battaile therby to alaye the force of the Prince of Condes Army that his power being deminished by delay which the Prince of Conde could not easily repaire againe they mighte so at the last oppresse him While these things were thus wroughte in Guian the Duke de Aumall was with another Armye in Loraine mynding there to reseyne the Germanes whyche were loked for to come and aide the Papistes and also to stop the passage of such as should come to ayde the Protestantes as we will declare when we come to the same While the Prince of Conde was at Mirebell there came a Messenger from the Quéene to the Prince of Conde who in the Quéenes name exhorted and perswaded him to peace To this the Prince of Conde made answere before a great multitude that he was coÌ„strained to take the sworde in hande to resist those iniuries offered vnto him and not to enterprise any thing againste the Kings Maiestie I and my friends sayth he séeke onely to inuade the Cardinall of Loraine and hys fellowes from whose tyrannie we will deliuer our consciences our liues and our goods for they are open and sworne enemyes to the King and the Realme All men know how greatly I haue wished sought for peace as of late may appeare by my tractable facillitie But sayth he bicause the king is compassed about beset with his enemies I meane godwilling to make my petitions before the King himself And so with this answere the Messenger was dismist whom fame reported to be sent onely as a Spie to vewe what power he had and also to feede hym wyth the vayne hope of peace that thereby they myghte make hym the more secure Concerninge the prince of Orange wée spake somewhat before Therfore when he had gathered together great bandes of Souldies some oute of Germauie some out of the low Countrey and some out of Fraunce and when Mons. Genly a Noble man had brought vnto hym for ayde a great Army of Frenchmen out of Picardy â—…e passed ouer the ryuer of Mense and came into Belgio otherwise called the lowe Countrey where he taryed certayne monethes and made onely certain small skirmishes with the Duke of Albas souldiers and toke 〈◊〉 oÌ„ the Papistes a fewe small Townes And hauing no occasions offered him to giue any notable attempâ—…e the Duke of Alba hauing the chiefe Townes in possession toward the ende of the Moneth of Nouember he came by Liege to Picardy and so came to Saint Remi and Râ—…bemont with his whole Armye mynding as it was reported to ioyne with the Prince of Conde By reason of the coÌ„ming of the Prince of Orange all the Cities theraboutes were afrayde and Paris it selfe also trembled neyther had they anye hope of ayde and strength the Duke of Aniou beyng in the Region of Poictou and the Aumall in Loraine sufficiently occupied For thys matter the Cardinall of Loraine so prouided that what they coulde not doe by might that they brought to passe by fraude and deceyte and soughte to drawe awaye the myndes of the Germanes by whom the chiefe strength of the Army consisted And they had the better occasion offered them to bring their purpose to passe bycause the myndes of the Germanes were offended by nonpayment of their wages One Schomberg which had accesse to the Prince of Oranges Campe by the meanes of the chiefe Captaine whome they call the Marshall of the Army to whom he was of kinne soughte to bring thys thing to passe Therefore when the Prince of Orange was mynded to March furder into Fraunce the Armies of the Germanes refused required with angry moode to be paied for y time past their wages The captaines made excuse that they made no promyse to the Prince of Orange to come to warre in Fraunce that they could not so doe bycause they were the Kings friendes And thus the myndes of the Captaines beyng distracted the whole armie was dispersed also the Germans saying that they would after so much loste labour returne into their owne countrey The French men also by reason of this distraction went dayly away by heapes And bycause there was no passage into Fraunce by that parte the Prince of Orange with certain French Captaines mynded to returne into Germany againe with the remnant of the armie that he might â—…oyne himself with the Duke of Deuxpons whiche made prouision to ayde the Protestantes The Duke of Alba beinge encouraged wyth this successe pursued and persecuted the remnant of the faithfull throughout all the lowe Countrey and laying new taâ—…es and tributes vppon the people hee prouided also new kindes of torment bringing those forth to execution whom before he had put in prysoÌ„ Euery where horrible and cruel murthering sightes were to be séen but specially at Tornay and Ualencia where fifty Citizens to the terrible feare of all the rest were executed by the common hangman Concerning the Duke D'aumall we haue spoken before and haue shewed for what causes hee was in Lorayne for the papistes to destroy the truth of the Gospel went about to win Germany to take part with them pro mising to the Germanes great rewards of money which is a â—…oble peâ—…swader and can bring mighty thinges to passe Besiâ—…e this also they vsed false perswasions saying that they dâ—…d not warre against religion which the King maintained by his Edicte but rather against Rebelles which without the Kinges commaundemente haue put themselues in armour to trouble the state the people for the most part beinge drawen to mischeuous sedition vnder the prefence of religion On the contrary part the Quéene of Nauar and the Prince of Conde vrged and declared to the Princes that the Gospell was specially assaulted and that with their accustomed guiles they went about to couer their wickednesse and the breaking of the Edict for that all men might sée both by the breaking of the Edict and also by the manyfest denouncinge of warre againste the truth by those laste Edictes published in the moneth of September that they are mere sclaunders of the papistes Therefore Wolphang Duke of Deuxpous knowing and wysely waying the cause of the faithful promised helpe liberally to the Prince of Conde and did so in déede as wee will here after declare In the meane tyme while Duke Daumall wayted for the comming of certain Germanes to serue the king he heard say that there were certain bandes of the faith full in the territory of Strausburg Their Captaine was Monsieur Cochay of Dolpheny a good warrier he had charge of eyght Ensignes of footemen and of certaine troupes of horsmen which he had gathered oute of the remnants of the men of Dolpheny of
we think also that the manifest true knowlege of these thinges is loked for of many meÌ„ of forein nations that the first beginnings of those things in these our Commentaries shal not be read of them without some frute Neither do we dout but that many when they haue gotten peace and tranquilitie after troubles will behold our miseries not as thoughe thei themselues were quite out of danger of the like but being moued with the féeling of our afflictions will truly bewaile our estate For whose sake also we haue writteÌ„ these things in Latin that they by some means at the least may be generally vnderstoode of all those which séeke the glorye of God and the preseruation of his Church â–ª Wherfore we trust if we be accused of rashnes as though we had vnaduisedly set forth these things which should haue bin deferred till more conuenient and better occasions wée haue to answere for our selues and to make vs cleare from that faulte For if in a matter commendable and deseruing praise simple and small diligence ought not to be blamed this may be a iuste defence for vs against learned and indifferent meÌ„ namely to wil is sufficieÌ„t in matters of weight It shal be no reproch or shame to vs at all that there be controllers of a learned perfect story But this is the summe of our whole desire that the very truth of those things which were done in Fraunce for religion might be knowne to all men as what is the goodnesse of the cause of the Faithfull and true churches and what is the iniquitie and iniustice of their aduersaries Let al meÌ„ know for a suretie that the Churches of France are not guiltie of sedition and rebellion but are so called by the enimies of the truth and pure doctrine for defending the libertie of the Gospell Let all men know that many thousandes of faithfull Christians being spoyled of their goodes haue like banished meÌ„ forsaken their houses and countrey let them knowe that by warre and by other meanes they haue become true martyrs and by the fraude and deceyte of the Antichristian Guyses are dayly martyred who violating and breaking the moste strayte lawe and faith of promises haue abused the kings name and authoritie to exercise their tirannie and wickednesse To be shorte let al men know that Fraunce is falne into these ciuil wars through the wickednesse of aliens not through the fault of the faithfull Moreouer gentle Reader whiche desirest to be satisfyed in the truth we testifie and affirme thus muche for our selues that we haue written all things truly simply and vprightly without anye manner of parcialitie not gathering any thing by rumours or reportes but by certaine and vndoubted arguments in so much that we are not afrayde to appeale to those that are yet alyue as too eye witnesses yea and to the very time it selfe Farewell â–ª Edward Grant Schoolemaister of VVestminster to the Booke WHo lists to lern the blustring broyles fraÌ„ticke fumes of France The troublous times in three kings raignes that dolefully did chauÌ„ce May here suruey a perfect platt of pageants plaide in vewe That will enforce eche Christian harte most ruthfully to rue To see and heare the true discourse of superstitious tymes That shattered pure Religion with spytefull cankred crimes VVhere errour blind and ignorance true Christians did suppresse And armed all her lungish loutes the godly to distresse To rage and fume against the Church that lurking lay in feare VVith spitefull hate and infamies of those that did it teare Christes faithfull spouse not suffered through furious foes to shine Through rancour lodgd in Princes heads that did from truth decline Gods chosen sheep and vassals true raisd vp to doe his will In puritie him for to serue proud papistes sought to spill Their throates to cut their heades to poll their corpes in fier to caste That to Gods pure Religion came flocking wondrous faste Some choackt with gibbets gabbet at some murdred spitefully Some stabbed in with goting blades and daggers wilfully And all for hating Romish rytes and Belials bragging broode For cleauing to the Chrrstian church that sore astonyed stoode Among the superstitious troupes of Antichristian foes Starke blinded with the Popes delights behedgd with wailsul woes Starte vp some chosen chieftaines stoute of Christes disperpled band That did defie such beggeries in Fraunce that famous lande â–ª VVhich few at first did more allure vnto their sacred sawes To serue the Lord in Hymnes and songes according to his lawes And secretly to pray and preache to set foorth his dew prayse In corners and in hidden holes for feare his trueth to rayse Vntill the rage of hellish hagges the common blinded crew Dyd spye and spite their godly wayes and many of them slew Accused them as Lutherans before the Peeâ—…es and Kings Of Luther that reuin'd the same with fond inuented things Hereof came sectes and taking partes the people censt with rage By might mayntaynd did spoyle the iust the godly â–ª and the sage Edictes were made to staye such broyles and Parliaments were held To let the faithfull be at rest but yet the enemie sweld And daily raged more and more till faithfull did encrease And this reform'd Religion some noble minds did please VVhom God raisde vp to ayde his flocke his chosen sheep to garde Against th â–ª assault of waspishe wolues when their loud cryes he hard For whose defence rose ciuill warres and many a bloudy day The Popish crewe by force did seeke Christes pacient sheepe too slay To roote out this Religion that planted lurking lay And feared not the skalding threates of th' antichristian route But paciently abyde the crosse of Christ with courage stout Though Antichrist the Popes proud grace did rage and fume his fill And all his cankred Cardinals did ioy their bloud to spill They dread not all the Guisian gardes that fierce and mighty be And perfecutors of the trueth that pyne and poute to fee Such valiaunt Captaynes of Christes bande that doe the truth defend And with the gaging of their bloud their frendly ayd doe lend A princely part here Conde playd a prince replet with grace And all his house trew Souldiours stoode the trueth still to embrace Burgeus suffred losse of lyfe and feared not the fier For Gospels sake and truthes defence a lew of his desire Suruey his lyfe and trayning vp his constant faythfull harte His zeale and stout confession he playd a martyrs parte Chatillon shrinke not here a whit a chieftane of the troupe Of Gods dispersed faithfull flocke that made their foes to stoupe Three tymes for this rife ciuill warr the papistes shewd their spight The true and trustie protestants stood stoutly in the right Their cause they manfully mayntaynd Christ Iesus was their shield Sometimes thei foyld their fretting foes that gainst them rose in field Some Nobles slayn and valiant Knights cast downe before their time And all in fence of Christ his cause accused thus
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
in the same opinion in the whiche they concluded with the Ministers of the reformed Churches that they had made a compacte and agréemente with the Ministers and therefore they were not suffered to conferre or dispute any more after that Therfore the ministers hauing occasion offered sente this explication of that article vnto the chosen men that disputed for the Prelates VVe affirme that no distance of places can let the communicating which wee haue with the body and bloud of Christ bycause the Supper of the Lorde is a heauenly thing And althoughe we receiue in earthe with oure mouthe the breade and wine beyng true signes of his body and bloud yet notwithstanding by faithe and by the operation of the holye Ghost our myndes of which this is oure speciall meate being lyfted vp to heauen doe receine there his bodye and bloude And in this respecte wee saye that the bodye doth truely ioyne it selfe to the breade and the bloude to the wyne and yet notwithstanding no otherwyse than after a Sacramentall manner that is to saye neyther locally nor naturally but bycause they effectually signifie and declare that God doth giue them faithfully and without all doubt to the communicants who do truly and certainely receiue them by faith This therefore is the plaine opinion and iudgement of the reformed Churches concerning the presence of the bodie and bloud of Christ Iesus in the sacrament of the Supper But there were nowe come certaine ministers oute of Germanie by the meanes of Baâ—…duinus as we sayde before But they bewraying the councell and purpose of the Cardinall of Loraine by whose practise these things were spedely brought to passe returned home again with losse of their labour and their expectation being deceiued The purpose and practise of the Cardinall was to bring these ministers and the other into one disputation and contention and so contending and striuing together he might cause the conference to cease and make them to be a laughing stocke to all men The Prelates doubting of the fayth and trust of their men which they had chosen to dispute for them as we said before woulde haue no conference after this with the ministers wherevpon the conference brake vp the â–ª xxv day of Nouember And this was the ende of the Conference of Possiac manye being gathered together for the same the space of thrée monethes â—…fter the whiche there ensued not onely no profyte but also great trouble and motions of warres Thus the conference being ended withoute fruite there was no waye founde for peace and concorde but rather the mindes of both parts beyng exasperated there insued great quarels and discentiens So that great discorde rose dayly betwéene the Papists and the Protestants more and more some complayning and finding fault with the Prelates for their disordered departing from the conference the which in deede sufficiently declared the weakenesse of their cause and other some misliking of the authoritie of the Generall Councell shortly alter to come and of the Churche of Rome Neither were these dissentiâ—…ns onely among the common people but also among the Peeres Nobles of the realme mens mindes being distracted and drawne into manifest factions whiche foreshewed not onely bare contentions of wordes but also greate and mortall warres at hande For the compactes and manifest practises of the Guises of the Constable and of the Marshall of Santandra were well ynough sene Yet notwithstanding their purpose and indeuour was very muche let and hindered at that time by the authoritie of the King of Nauarre whome they thought good to assay by all meanes possible to the entent they myghte drawe him from taking part with the Protestantes In the which matter the Cardinal of Ferrer of whom we spake before being the Popes Legate in Fraunce take verye muche paines promising vnto the king of Nauarre in the Popes name the full possession of the kingdome of Nauarre affyrming that the Pope should easily obtaine this thing of king Phillip for that he already promised to doe the same for the Catholique Churches sake Moreouer the Cardinall of Towers the Bishop of Ansseren and Escarsius also certaine of his houshoulde confirmed him in this matter and vsed dayly persuasions being wicked men and set on for money by the Cardinall of Loraine Among whom also was that Frances Balduine of whome mention was made before as diligent and busie as the best to bring the matter about whereby he thought he shoulde reape no small gaine This man forging a new Gospell caused the king of Nauarre to hate both the doctrine and also the men of the reformed Churches So that now he began to hang betwene diuers opinions to forsake the loue of Religion openlye to shew himselfe an enimie to the reformed Churches to bée more coâ—…uersant and familiar with the Guises to giue him selfe to lightnesse filthy pleasure also to go to the Masse and to the Popishe Churches When the Duke of Guise had deliberated and consulted of the matter with the Constable and the Marshall of Santandre and willing them to gathered vnto them forthwith so great power as they could he departed from them leauing them in Fraunce and came to Imuilla in the moneth of Nouember and after he had taryed there certayne dayes he wente to the Cittie Tabernas whiche bordereâ—…h vpon Germanie to prouide for his businesse and to consult with many of the Princes of Germanie about this matter Notwithstanding the number of the faythfull dayly more and more encreased and was wonderfully confyrmed a great part of the Nobles comming to the reformed Churches Therefore there were assemblies and congregations in great number almost in all the noble Cities of the Realme in the whiche the worde of God was openly preached and the Sacramentes ministred notwithstanding the Edict of Iuly of whiche we spake before Wherevpon notwithstanding there arose oftentymes greate discâ—…ntions and of those seditions ensued great perils For they whiche were grieued and offended at these assemblies of the faythfull made exclamation that Edictes were broken and did so prepare themselues to trouble the faythfull that there séemed to be present occasions of great mischief whiche brake foorthe in many places but specially at Paris For the faithful being gathered togither the. 26. day of December to heare the word of God in Paris in the suburbes of Sanmarcellus a place specially appointed vnto them by the King for the same purpose the Priestes of the Temple of Sanmedardus hard by in the time of the Sermon caused such a noyse to be made with ringing of bels that the voyce of the Preacher coulde by no meanes be vnderstoode Whervpon two of the Congregation men vnarmed and without weapon came to these Popishe Priestes and beséeched them that they woulde not make suche a dynne with ringing their Belles that so greate a companie of menne shoulde be lette from hearing the woorde of God. The Priestes hauing with them diuers other men began to abuse them and
noyse of the great Gonnes In the meane tyme the Guises otherwise peraduēture scarse able to match with the Prince of Conde thought it not best to tarry his comming at Fontaynbleau least they should put their purpose in hazard Therfore they purposed to carry awaye the King from Fontaynbleau which was a place not of strength but of pleasure to a more strong holde Whereuppon they caused the king of Nauar whose authoritie they abused in all things to serue their turne to persuade with the Quéene that it was very necessary for diuers present necessities to departe from Fontaynbleau The Prince of Conde comming to take the king To this the Quéene answered that there was nothing more vnlikely than that his bro ther the Prince of Conde being the Kings kinsmā shuld purpose any such thing against the king his leige Lord and maister and beside this saith she the king will not departe to any other place The Quéene constantly persisting in this mind was agayne prouoked by the king of Nauar who sayde that they must of necessitie departe from thence otherwise the king would be destroyed and excepte shée would graunt hereunto he sayd he would him selfe of his own authoritie and office being the Kinges kéeper and Protectōr transporte the King to another place Then the Quéene began to beséeche the King of Nauar to knowe his intent and why hée should haue these suspicions of the Prince of Conde The King him selfe also sayde that hée would goe to no other place and in his childish vehemence hée declared his griefe with teares But the King of Nauar still affirmed that there was no remedie but that they must néedes departe from thence Therefore hée and the Guises caryed away the King and the Queene his mother his bretheren and his Sister from Fountaynbeleau to a Towne called Mellune The King so soone as hée came thyther was appointed to lodge in the Castell that was therein without any maner of Kinglyke prouision for the same the which Castell afore tyme had bene vsed as a prison to kéepe offenders in and such as had deserued death by their euil demeanor By reason of this expedition and haste of the Guises the Prince of Conde had no way or meane to doe any thing as hée would In so much that now there was a playne gate set wyde to open warres For the Prince of Conde being the Kinges néere kinsman and séeing that his elder Brother dyd not his dutie thought that hée ought not to suffer the safegarde of the King and of the whole realme to come in perill Therefore hée tooke counsell out of hande hée came to Orleans strayt after that hée had sent the Andelot with certayne horsemen and kept the same béeinge a well fenced citie and fit for his purpose gaue commaundement by publiqne Edictes That no man shuld cause any tumult vnder the pretence of Religion and that all men of what Religion so euer they were of should obserue and kéepe the kinges Lawes Edictes He commaunded also the kings Officers and the Magistrates of the Towne to come vnto him Who being come hée straytly charged them to doe their dutie vpon their alleageance and obedience to the king gyuing them to vnderstand that he was not come thyther vnder his owne name but in the name of his soueraygne Lord the king The faythfull according to the prescript of the kings Edict had their Sermons without the Citie The Papistes on the other part fréely vsed their rightes and ceremonies frequented their churches and the morrowe Masse Priestes walked through the citie in their priestly apparell All things were done fréely on both parts the Prince gyuing new commaundements and charge from day to daye that no man should be so hardy as to breake the kings peace This was done in the moneth of March. After this that the Guises were certified that the Prince of Conde was come to Orleans yea and that great rumours were brought dayly vnto them they were fully determined to take no small enterprise in hande Therefore the societie in the which they were lynked before with the Constable and the Martiall of S. Andrew being confirmed now agayn betwene them selues they sayde that it was nowe a more conuenient tyme to proclayme open warre than would be afterwarde by further delay The king of Nauar was woon on their side Paris they enioyed And the king was in their handes But they feared and stoode in doubt of the Quéenes mynd which at that tyme playnely séemed to inclyne to the Prince of Conde Least therefore the Quéene ioyning with the Prince of Conde should go about some new practise first of all they determined to carry the king and the Quéene to the most conuenient place for their purpose that all occasion of feare might be quite taken away And to serue their tourne they vsed diuers pretences and coloures By the king of Nauar they declared vnto the Quéene that it was most necessary in consideracion of those perillouse tymes that the king should be caryed to Paris Beside him the Marchant maister dayly persuaded that it was necessary for the King to come to Paris to stay the hurleyburleys and to quiet the people by his presence They declared therefore to the Quéene that it is fully decréed that the king should be carryed from Melune to Paris notwithstanding that the Queene earnestly requested the contrary First came the Constable with thrée hundred horsemen attending vpon him from Melune to Paris and then began open warre agaynst the faythefull The Constable vnderstanding that Ruzeus a noble Counceller in the common place Court of Paris professed the reformed Religion sent for him and commaunded him to prison And Ruzeus demaunding of him by what authoritie hée did so he aunswered It is authoritie sufficient that the Constable himselfe hath done it After this hée hauing a great multitude of people sollowing him came to those places which were limited to the faythfull by the kinges Edicte for the preaching of the worde and the administration of Sacramentes and there casting all the pewes selles seates and benches on a heape hée set them on fyre The cōmon multitude highly commending him for the same who beeing encouraged by the familiar example of the Constable by and by set the howses belonging to the same on a light fyer and burnt them downe to the ground Then had euery man frée leaue libertie to put him selfe in armour Insomuch that a man might then sée in euery streate and corner of the citie armed men well appoynted to fight and the rash multitude of laboring men hauing weapons in their hands to lay lustely about them committing murther and rapine throughout the citie falling with violence vppon euery on that was said to be a Huguenote Yea a mā might see inordinate sedition in euery place If any man made complaynt to the Constable of any violence or wrong done to him he should for his recompence be threatened to the gallowes The houses
what she would whom she perswaded in her letters to take the mateer into his owne hand and to defend the same and declared also at that time by her letters that she did vtterly dislike and abhor the Guises Certaine of the which letters according to the very tenor of them which remay ned in the Prince of Conde his handes I thought good here to bring in The coppie wherof is this I Haue receiued welbeloued Cosen the letters which you sent vnto me by the Lord Guardius and I signifie vnto you good Cosen that I am as fully perswaded of those thinges contayned in your letters as I may bee of any thing and am no lesse assured of them than I am of my selfe neither wiil I bee vnmindfull at any time of those things which you do for the King my sonnes sake And because the same messenger retourneth back again for those causes which he shall declare vnto you I will wright no more at this time Onely â—…his I will request at your hands that you beleue me in those things which he shall speake vnto you in my name who wisheth so well vnto you as if she were your owne mother namely your deare Cosen CATHARINE The Coppie of another of her Letters I Haue talked with M. de Iuoy euen as if you your selfe were present of whose fidelitie and trustines I doubt not And whatsoeuer I send backagain I assure my selfe that he will disclose to none sauing to you and that you in like maner for my sake will keepe all secret Only be mindfull to preserue and defend the Children the Mother and the kyngdome as he to whom this thing doth specially appertaine and he namely the kyng will neuer I warrant you be vnmindfull of so great a benefite Burne this letter when you haue red it Your deare and louing Cosen KATHARINE These things I say at that time were wrytten by the Queene In the meane time the King of Nauar folowing the willes of the Guises and his adherents both thought and spake very muche euell of hys brother the Prince of Conde All things daily on both partes waxed worse and worse Newes was brought to Orlians concerninge the slaughter of the men of Sens which greatly inflamed the mindes of men Sens is a noble Citie bordering vpon Burgondy In the which the faithful according to the Edicte of Ianuarye congregated them selues together to hear the word of god And although there were new rumors daily concerning the perturbations and troubles at hand yet notwithstaÌ„ding they continued in their godly exercises Therefore diuers Bands of soldiers well appoynted at the commaundement of the Cardinall of Guise who was Bishop of the same Towne sodenly and vnloked for sette vpon the Congregation and flew many of them and at the last such was their rage that they killed both old and yong yea wythout all pitye or mercy man woman childe The which slaughter coÌ„tinued the space of thrée dayes and had continued longer if so be any store of the professors of the Gospell had ben left aliue to kill Yea and it was reported that diuers women great wyth childe were put to the swerd and the children most horriblely torne out of their wombes Suche was the spoyling of the houses of the faithfull and the shedding of bloude in this Citie that the horrible murther committed by the Guises at Vassi was counted nothing in respecte of thys When newes héereof was brought to the Court it made all that heard the same abashed Yea they them selues that had commauÌ„ded this to be done when they heard of the euent were also abashed Notwythstanding after these presumptuous enterprises and beginnings after the slaughter of Vassi all men were fully bent to Ciuill warre The Prince of Conde complained of this thing to the Quéene by his letters which he wrote the ninth of Aprill to this effect First he sayth that he thought that the fault and blame of the wickednesses afore time com mitted would haue stayed their boldnesse which enuied the peace and tranquilitye of the common wealth and haue taught them at the length to embrace folowe and obey the Kings Edicts But sayth he so hath their malice increased that they can no more restraine and bridle their wickednesse but do violate and breake al law which may moue vs to loke for nothing but the seuerity of Gods iudgement to fall vpon vs. Of thys brutishe boldnesse sayeth he after so many olde examples there is now a newe come in place to be séene in the pitifull slaughter at Sens vppon those that professed the liberty of the Gospell by the benefit of the Kings Edict the description of the which Tragedy he sayeth he sendeth vnto her Not doubting but that shée according to her natural and great goodnesse wil tremble at the hearing of so horrible a butcherly murther wherby shée hath to consider what is to be looked for at their handes which blinde and beguile men with theyr faire and flattering woordes He cannot he sayeth but he must néedes complaine vnto her of so great wickednesses committed and is constrained also to hys great gréefe to say That if these presumptuous and horrible murthers escape vnpunished the crye of the innocent bloud that is shed will so pearce the heauens and enter into the eares of the highest that the ruine and vtter subuersion of this whole realme by the iust iudgement of God is to be feared Therfore he sayth he beséecheth her setting before her eyes the examples of so greate and horrible wickednesses and considering also his patience in forbearing so long time euen vntill that present day for the King and her Maiesties sake that shée would diligently vse her authority to repel and reform them and not to suffer suche manifest contempt of the Kings maiesty to escape vnpunished least violence and rebellion were planted in steade of equitie and iustice In so doing shée should preserue the Kings maiesty and the tranquillity of the Realme Otherwise lamentablâ—… afflictions were like to ensue NotwithstaÌ„ding thys reasonable and godly request of the Prince both the people of Parris at the hearing of the Rumors waxed more outragious daily and also the Guises wyth their Adherentes wholely bent them selues to warre We haue spoken before concerning the league betwéene the Prince of Conde and hys Adherents All things therefore daily growing from ill to worse nothing now was looked for but warre But before the warres began the Prince of Conde and they of hys part set forth another Proclamation in the which they shewe the causes and reasons of their purpose and why they were constrained to lift vp the swearde And after certaine letters sente to the King and Quéene and to the king of Nauar they sent vnto them that Proclamation also which was to this effect folowing Althoughe they whych of their owne authority doe first of all put them selues in Armoure oughte to geue account and reason of their so doing yet notwithstanding the Prince of
moleâ—…eth or troubleth them in their Religion or that doth hinder their Clergie by any maner of meanes And if there were any of vs that would so do or that would behaue our selues otherwise than we ought there are lawes and punishments to punish vs But truely vnder the coullor and pretence of Religion they séeke another thing We denie not but that they hate the truth of the Gospell as they haue of late declared by fyer and sword but this is the speciall thing they séeke for to trap and snare those that before tyme miraculously haue escaped their handes to be reuenged of others whome they haue alwayes hated and to enrich themselues by the spole of others The whicâ—… to bring to passe they care for no Religion And such as go about to resist their practises by which they séeke both the pâ—…rill of our kyng and the destruction of his subiecteâ—… by Ciuill warre they call open enemies to the kyng THese and many other things which time will reueale being wayâ—…d and considered the Prince of Conde testified before the kyng and Quéen these things also following and wished all kyngs Princes Nobles and all others of the Realme of Fraunce and all Christi an Nations â–ª truely to vnderstand these thinges First of all therfore he testifieth that he is not moued by desire of his owne profite but only with loue of the glory of God and of the profite of the whole common wealth to séeke the which he thought him selfe specially bound vnder the Quéenes auethoritie So that for conscience sake to do his dutie and for the loue hée beareth to his Countrey he sayth he is constrayned compelled to séeke all lawfull meanes to set the Quéen and the kinges Sonnes at libertie and to mayntaine and defend the kyngs Edictes and the Edict of Ianuary which was made for the ordering of Religion And he prayeth and beseecheth all the kynges true lawfull subiects waying and considering the matter as is before sayd that they would ayd and assist him in so good and godly a cause And because the king in the beginning of his raigne found him selfe oppressed with a great burthen of debt and hauing but little any maner of waye to discharge the same many of his faithfull subiects gaue vnto him a great summe of money both to discharge the same also to recouer his patrimony but there is no doubt but that they which are the auethors of this Ciuill warre will now laye holde and catch vnto them that sum of money which was giuen to the kyng for those causes and will spend and bestowe the same to oâ—…her vses Whereby both the people shall receiue great hurt and losse and also the hope which the Quéene and the kyng of Nauar had for the paiment and discharge of all the kynges debtes that the people might be brought into the same state in the which they were in the time of kyng Lodowiâ—… the xij that hope I saye by the wasting and consuming of that money should be 〈◊〉 and quight taken awaye For these causes the Prince of Conde affirmeth that they which shall get vn to them that money shal be bound to restore the same againe and at the length shall giue an accompt for the bestowing therof But he testifieth that he and all those that fight vnder his banner shall mayntayne furnish themselues with their owne proper costes and charges And God sayth he will heare from heauen the â—…rie of his poore oppressed people against those which begin warres and refuse all reasonable order which séeke trouble and constrayne vs to defend our selues wyth force of Armes And because all men do vnderstand and knowe that the kyng and Quéene being beset on euery side wyth souldiours and captiued and ruled and that the greater part of the Counsell are so quayled wyth feare that they dare not resist the auâ—…thors of this warre The Prince of Conde would haue all men certefied that hée myndeth and will shew towards the kyng and Quéene all obedience in the which he will giue place to none and that he will not suffer him selfe to be so deceiued mocked vnder the pretence of rescriptes of commaundements and of Letters vnder the kinges name and seale but will warre against them vntill the Kyng and Quéene do recouer their former libertie and authoritie and may declare their willes by their owne méere gouernement Concerninge the kyng of Nauar his brother the Prince of Conde beside the naturall bond of brotherly loue the particuler cause of obedience which he ought and will giue vnto him he testifieth that he doth consider of him according to his worthines and will giue vnto him next vnto the King and Quéene al obâ—…dience And hâ—… trusteth that he wil giue an accompt of his dealing whensoeuer it shal be required at his handes To be short the Prince of Conde and a great multitude of Earles Lordes and Nobles and other estates to declare that they speake simply and in good earnest and that they séeke for nothing more than the glory of God and the excellency and dignitie of their kyng Do earnestly pray and beséech the Queene Mother with all reuerence that setting the feare of men aside whych gard her after a straunge fashion with force of Armes as if she were a captiue that she would according to hir iudgement and mind fréely declare whether part were to be blanted and that she would goe vnto that Citie whererevnto she had most mind that from thence shée might coÌ„maund both parts by the meanest seruant she hath to put of their Armour so they would shew that dew obedience which shoulde become loyall subiectes to shew vnto their soueraigne Lord and would also mo destly answere to their doings according to the lawe The Prince promiseth that he will obey her lawâ—…ull commaundements vppon the condition that others would shew themselues ready to do their duties But if they refuse he testifieth that he with fiftie thousand men more which are of the same mynd will spend their liues And if it please not the Quéene to go to another place to do these thinges then let her first of all seeke that they by whom she is garded and captiued may goe to another place puâ—…tting of their Armour namely the Duke of Guise and his bretherne the Constable and the Marshiall of S. Andrew And although he being a Prince and the kynges néere kinsmen were their superior yet notwithstanding to the inteÌ„t it might apéere that he is in no poynt the cause of trouble and vnquietnâ—…s he promiseth that he and his whole armie will depart euery man home to his owne house vppon those conditions before spoken of Also hee sayth that hee hath a speciall care for this that the Kynges Counsellers may haue their accustomed libertie and that the kyngs lawes and the Edict of January may be obserued and kept vntill the kyng comming vnto his Maioritie may iudge of the matter him selfe and may punish
according to the prescript of the kings Edicts At Orleans they of both Religions liued peaceably and according to the Edict of January the priests openly in their churches vsed their superstitiouse rytes and ceremonies and the faithfull on the contrary part went out of the Citie to heare sermons The which notwithstāding continewed but a short time as shal be declared anon when occasion is offered to speake of the same The Prince of Conde had sent the causes in writing that moued him to warre of the which we haue spoken before to the King and Quéene and to the king of Nauar his brother praying and beséeching them that vpon the conditions which he propounded vnto them the whole matter might be peaceably ended and concerning the same matter also he wrote to the Senate of Paris that his writings and letters might be kept in the publique Commentaries and Register of the Senat for a remēbrance whatsoeuer might chaunce afterward After the which letters the Quéen answered the Prince of Conde the second of May by hir letters agayne In the which shée sayd she was glad that the Prince of Conde shewed himselfe to be desirouse of peace and concorde whereas otherwyse ther was cause why shée should greatly sorrow and lament for that shée being a woman to whom by the common consent of the States the gouernment of the king and realme was committed was nowe in the middest of so great troubles to be ryd out of which shée trusting to the Prince doubted not but that hée would do all that hée could for the good will and obediēce sake which hée did owe vnto the King and for the profite and quietnesse of the whole Realme and would not refuse any reasonable condicion for the establishing of peace and concord Therefore shée sayd that hée should do very well if so be he would come vnto the King and to her out of hand putting of his armour and trusting to the promises of her fayth which should be as sure vn to him as any obligation if so be hée would remember the friendship and loue which shée alwais bare towards him who loueth him as tenderly as the mother loueth her childe Therefore shée sayeth that hée shall doe very well if so be hée come boldly to the Court that hée may ende all matters at once before the King and hir The Senate of Paris also sent letters of aunswer to the Prince of Conde the fiueth day of May to this effect following Wée haue receyued your letters with the forme of your declaration the which we could not reade without our great sorrow and grief Séeing that wée know you to be a Prince and the Kings neere kinsmā of one of the most noble stockes of the kings kynred neyther do wée doubt but that your nature and disposition is agréeable to your offspringe as it is commonly séene in the best Princes if it be not alienated and drawne away wyth euill counsells And although it be our office onely to deale in the principal poyntes of the law yet neuerthelesse seeing you haue made special complaints vnto vs wée thought it not good to let you want all that wée are able to do in that point but fréely and truly to set before you our opinion and iudgemēt wherby you may know how reuerētly according to our duty we estéeme of you We haue considered and do perceyue that your complaintes do consist in two principall poynts The first principall is that it hath bene told you that the kyng Quéene were captiued in the custodie of certaine of the Nobles which attended vpon them and that many of his Connsellers were with threatninges made afeard Wee beséeche you that you would not any more beléeue these reportes séeing it is so manifest and euidently knowne to all men that it cannot be doubted of how that the King of Nauar your Brother a man of great wisedome and such a one as is very carefull for the preseruation of the king and his dignity is with the King and Queene who will not without all doubt suffer any maner of violence or iniury to be offered to the King being both of kyn to the Kyng as well as you also charged with the king by his office Beside this the Cardinall of Borbon is with them who hath no lesse care for the safetie of the king and the Realme than you haue Moreouer there are with him other Princes his kinsmen men of wisedome which are bound both by their office and also by the bond of loue to defende the kyng with a great sort of his Counsell also which if the kyng were so shamefully misused would lay their heades together to remedy the same because if in this poynt they should fayle to do their dutie they might be sure to be euill spoken of among all men In that therfore they do so diligently séeke with one consent the pre seruation of the state and would haue you to be ioyned with them you may thereby certainely perceiue how false those reports haue bene the which reports would greatly haue offended and gréeued the mindes of your bretherne if that they had not here tofore declared their fayth and great good will for if they should so behaue themselues towards the king it wold greatly redownd to their reproch and shame If you will wey and consider these things you shall find that those reporters do vnto you and to them also great iniury séeing that ye are bretherne This also we woulde haue you to vnderstand that we haue none otherwise confirmed letters concerning the libertie of the King and Quéen then the very truth thereof hath caused vs least you should thinke that we had done any thing rashly or through feare We feare no man in the executing of our office in doing whereof we haue only a consideration of the kyng specially in those thinges which do belong to the obediēce of the kyng and to the profite of the Realme being ready for these causes to spend our life and goods Know you also for suertie that all dew reuerence obedience is shewed here to the King and Quéene And because we vnderstand by your declaratiō that you find fault with certaine of vs as though we forsaking the Kinges lawfull Counsell were present at certaine secret Counselles Know you also this for a certaine that none of vs were present at that counsell which was kept here extraordinarily by the aucthoritie of the king of Nauar your brother but only by the slat commaundement of the Cardinal of Borbō your brother also and the kéeper of the Citie neyther did we heare sée or perceyue that anything was done there which did not appertaine to the obedience of the King. The other principall poynt of your complaints concerneth Religion The which truely is no lesse straung and wonderfull vnto vs Of the which we perceyuing that you haue ben otherwise infourmed than it is haue thought good to certifie you of the trueth You knowe that
confesse that I was not the first that toke the sweard in hand and when I did take it after them whych put them selues in Armor againste the King and Quéenes willes I had good occasion so to do For by the Lawe of Nature being a Prince and one of the Kings kinsmen I ought and am bound of duety to defend and maintain the dignity of the King and the peace and tranquillitye of the Realme So soone as I put on Armoure I protested that I woulde put of the same againe vppon suche reasonable conditions as shoulde appertaine to the libertye of the King and Quéene and to the peace and concorde of the Realme Whervpon it must néedes follow that they are the causes authours of troubles which haue refused those conditions and which when they could not abyde the peaceable gouernement of the Quéene and that shée should be the head ouer the Kings subiectes and disdayning at her for that shée looked so straytly vnto theÌ„ least they should defraude the kings creditors of any of their debt put themselues in armour came with a bande of soldiours to the King and beset him about with armed men that hauing the king and Quéene in their owne power they might gouerne the Realme as thei list theÌ„selues they committed horrible murthers vppon the kings subiectes liuing peaceably according to the kings lawes and thus haue brought vpon the whole Realme of France these stormy tempestes of trouble beginning euen a litle before to enioy peace and tranquillitie both partes being contented to liue peaceably so that they might enioye their Religion But and if leauing the present state of things wée will call to mind and consider euery mans actes in time past in good sooth wée shall finde these same men which at this day stirre vp these troubles haue ben also aforetyme the causes of great inconueniences to the Crown and dignitie séeking by the perturbation of this realme to enrich themselues whereas by peace and tranquility they decay And to omit that which king Fraunces a maÌ„ of excellent wisdome and Iudgement sayd of them and to omit also many of their bold and presumptuouse enterprises who knoweth not that they hating publique peace concord were the onely causes and authours of the truce and league breaking betwene king Henry and king Philip of Spaynâ—… to the great dammage and hurte of Fraunce In so much that they brought the same by warres in great perilles and all to haue their will and pleasure by one meanes or other Beside this after S. Laurence slaughter when thei had gotten vnto them the Treasurers office which thei had before gréedily gayed for what detriment or hurt did they not bring vnto the kingdome What did they also to King Henâ—…y who disâ—…king being weary of their violent and cruel dispositioÌ„ mynded to haue sent them away froÌ„ the Court to their howse had he not ben preuented by death But afterward in the dayes of king Fraunces the second being but yong these Straungers and violent Carters agaynstâ—… law and equitie and against the auncient constitutious of the realme of Fraunce vsurped the mere impery and gouernement of the kingdome during which time was the realme voyd of troubles Did they not in the sighte of all men go about to set that yong king being by nature very gentle and full of clemency agaynst his subiects and to haue made him infamouse with the note of cruelty for euer Did they not cause him to be a mortall enemie against his subiectes euen in the middest of his raigne in so much that except GOD in his mercy haâ—… turned away so great calamities and miseries lyke too haue ensewed we all should haue rued the same to remember â—…he which it would cause any Christian harte to tremble And to make an end of so lamentable a Tragedie When kinge Fraunces was dead these boysterouse stormes were blowen ouer the sky was more cleare the gouernement of the Realm being committed to the Quéene and to the king of Nauar vntill such tyme as their ambition hating peace and tranquillitie styred them vp and their fellowes to set heauen and earth togyther and to cause the state to be troublesome as to my great gréefe is to be séene Therefore I leaue the Iudgement of these to all indifferent men to discerne who are the authours of troubles whether they which haue sought peace and concord by all meanes possible or they which haue so mayntayned dissensions always that thei dare at this time to the great hurt of the whole Realme proclayme open warres Besides this there is so little cause for any man to marueile why I should be so busie to deale and so ware and circumspecte in the matter that I shuld be in great falte if I did otherwise For their actes in time paste againste me haue taught me sufficiently to beware how I put my selfe into their handes And it is playne enough to be séene that their purpose is to destroy the greatest part of the Nobilitie and of all estates of men which imbrace the truth of the gospell specially those that attende vpoÌ„ mée The which their meaning may easely be gathered by the talk which the Duke of Guise and the Constable had togyther of late in the Senate of Paris before a great assembly But what obedience they shewe towardes the Quéene it may appeare hereby that contrary to the Quéenes wil which she oftentimes declared they dyd frustrate the kings Edict of Ianuary adding this new exception Let not the Religion be vsed at Paris Who seeth not that they intend nothing else but euen to banish the Gospell out of all partes of the Realme when as also of late proclamation was made at Paris to banish al the new Christians To what purpose shoulde I say that by no other meanes the Inhabitants of Paris can be kept in quiet For we haue séene that the Prince of Rochesuryon and Martial Momorentius hauing about them only twelue soldiers haue kept the people of Paris in quiet without any maner of tumult the space of thrée monethes togyther The which continewed euen vntill that daye on the which the Duke of Guise entred into Paris But this is worthy the remembrance that when the same Martiall Memorency had somewhat increased the number of soldiers to kéepe the ordinary watch wherby the confederacies of certeyne factious persons might be preueÌ„ ted the Marchant maister and certeyne of the Citizens sayd that the people might be kept in peace and quyet with lesse ado a great deale Notwithstanding after the comming of the Guises into the Citie the mindes of the people were so altered that to kéepe them in quiet they were fayne to haue a band of men which they appointed without the knowledge and wil of the Quéene But I knowe it came to passe by the singular prouidence of God that the Duke of Guise and the Constable should disclose the secrets of their harts before so great a multitude that their toong
no doubt might runne before their wyt The which thing truly doth sufficiētly declare that those things are true which certeine of their familiar friends and houshold seruaunts haue reported which doth also appere by diuers of their letters that haue ben taken namely that their purpose is to depriue me of that company of men which are here with me to punish them with such punishments as they had already deuised The which in déed the slaughters and spoyling rapine committed by the soldiers of the Constable those things also which were done in diuers places against the mē of the reformed Religion do opeuly declare but specially that horrible murther don by the Guises at Sens. Of the which calamities they are to giue an account and to answer But as touching the cōmaundemēt of the Quéen by which shée hath willed me laying my armour asyde to come vnto the king vpon hir fayth and trust and too make me such assurance in wryting as I shall require I protest truly that I haue a singular desire good will to obey hir commaundements but I vnderstand that these are the subtil practises of my enimies which bring all things to passe as they lust themselues And agayne I sée not how the Quéene can saue me harmlesse so longe as shée is in that state that she is now in For how shall she resist them who putting thēselues in armor against hir wil haue beset hir round about And as like it is that my brother the king of Nauar cānot exercise his power and authoritie as he should whose facilitie sufferance thei haue greatly abused do what they list themselues both against his will and the Quéenes eut̄ as also they haue done oftentimes heretofore when they were put in authoritie to gouerne The which iniuries done to them if they would remember they must néedes think themselues much bound to the prouidence of god which hath safely preserued them from the counsels and practises of the Guises To be short I sée no other way for the safegarde of the king and Queen than for the Guises to depart from the Court home to their howse and for the Quéene hir self to recouer hir former libertie For truly I will not thinke and beléeue that they are to bée trusted so long as they kéepe themselues in armes doo retayne those bandes of men which they haue gathered vnto thē yea I my self am plainly taught to take héedby their promises heretofore For what mischief is it not that they séeke to worke against me and those also that are with me They openly reuile vs as rebelles open enimies to the King and the realme and doe thruste vs out of our offices and also threaten death vnto vs For who knoweth not what false rumors and shamelesse re ports they haue openly bruted abroad against me Who séeth not the preparation of warres which they make against me both within the kings dominions and also without They conspire with foreyne Ambassadours to make warre partly without the Quéenes knoweledge and consent and partly by hir consent which they extorte from hir through feare abusing hir facilitie making hir beléeue that which they intende not They set the King and encourage him agaynst his faythfull subiectes They spende and waste the kings Treasure in warlyke affayres which should be better bestowed to the paying of his debtes So that the same whiche the people gaue to helpe their King withall is nowe tourned to their destruction And to accomplish their wickednesse at the full they mind vtterly to destroye the greatest part of the Nobilitie which mislike of their wicked actes The which certainely is nothing els but to bring the kyng and the Realme into present destruction And in the middest of these their diuelish Counselles am I in safetie For whereas it is sayd that I do séeke my owne priuate commoditie more than the common wealth that certainely cannot be rightly sayde of me but more truly a great deale of them which adde dayly to their olde wickednes new mischiefes being so obstinate and wilful that they had rather bring the kyng and the Realme in to this perill of warre than for common quietnes sake somewhat to relent They say that they will not go home from the Kyng What faythfull Subiecte would denie to obey his soueraine in this To the auoyding the causes of such present and imminent euilles For whereas they obstinately say that it is not méete for them to depart from the Kyng in this his minority they haue no reason for it For the Quéene is sufficient inough to discharge that matter specially whē as great and vrgent cause requireth the same Let them remember that they were aduaunced to their dignities not to do all thinges after their owne mind and contrary to the wils of the kyng and Quéene to bring the Realme into these daungers but to the end they might kéepe the same in peace and concord that is to leaue it in that state in the which it was before thei enterprised to take armoure In putting on of the which dare they say that they haue done according to their office It is lawfull for no man truly in this Realme to put on Armour except it be by the expresse commaundement of the kyng It hath not bene lawfull at any time by the lawes of Fraunce in the dayes of those kynges that haue bene of lawfull age for the kynges naturall bretherne though they retourned from warre to enter armed ▪ into the court And haue they aucthoritie so to do in this time of the Kinges minoritie But if they were the Kynges faithfull subiectes séeing that by their comming in Armour into the Court the whole Realme is in a roare they would for the peace tranquillitie of the Realme depart And séeing this is the only way to bring peace and concord they if they were good and faithfull subiectes woulde shew themselues to haue more regard to the cōmon profite of all men than to themselues Although truly I my selfe am not only as they are an officer to the kyng but also the Kinges néere kinsman and therfore haue more right and authority to be with the king yet notwithstanding I which was not the first that put my self in Armour for the common wealthes sake do protest and promise that I with all that are with me will depart euery man to his house vppon condition that they will do the like To the which condition except they graunt all men may sée that it is not I but they which prefer their owne gaine before the common wealth But and if they cannot be satisfied with these reasons let them also search for examples let them call to mind what hath ben alwayes wont to be done hitherto in these matters and they shall find that the Kynges aforetime of Fraunce haue vsed this meane that when controuersies haue fallen out betwéene their Princes and that both partes had put themselues in Armes by their priuate
his power and authoritye with these exceptions They then saide And now they go about to make that an euerlasting and irreuocable lawe which they thrée themselues haue deuised and decréed Truly we may with better reason and truth conclude that they go about to make the king a captiue and bonâ—…man vnto them not only in this his minoriti but in his maiority also Who séeth not their sondry and contrary deuises Who séeth not that they go aboute not only to haue the king in their handes and to rule him at theyr pleasure but the whole Realme also when as in a mat ter of so great waight and perillouse they dare take vpon them to determine decre what they theÌ„selues list Dyd euer those Triumuiri of Rome namely Augustus Antonius and Lepidus which by their conspiracie peruerted the lawes and the common wealth of Rome any thing more bould and presumptiouse If they had ben moued by the loue of peace as they say and not by the outragiouse heate of sedition if they had ben moued by zeale of Religion and not by the force of ambition they would not haue begon those their counsailes with force and murder they would haue come reuerentlie and modestly they would haue declared the causes whi they could not allow of the Edict of January And they would haue intreated the kinge and quéene to consulte with their CouÌ„sail for the remedeing of those troubles to the glory of God the dignity of the king and the conseruation of the Realme And so they should haue declared that they were moued by zeale of their consciences But while they go about these things they sufficiently declare that they take Religion but for a colloure to the end that they may draw away the Kinges subiectes to take their part that by their help by the help of strauÌ„gers they may bring al things to their rule Can the Princes the kings kinsmen suffer this that strauÌ„gers shal make lawes Edictes to rule the king the whole Realme 4 They require to haue the church of Rome which they call Catholike and Apostolicall to be alone through out the whole Realme and that the vse and administration of the reformed religion should be forbidden Let this be the Edict of the Duke of Guise a straunger of the Constable Momorentius and of the Marshall of saint Andrew the kinges seruauntes Let their willes mindes and decrese be set against the authority of the kinges Edict which the king the quéene the king of Nauar the Princes the kinges kinsmen the kinges Counsel and forty chosen men out of euery court of the realm haue made Let them oppose and set this their Edicte both against the decrées of the nobility and the cominaltye by their supplicatioÌ„ which they offered to the king first at Orleans then at saint German concerning the orderinge of ReligioÌ„ after this maner theÌ„ they must nedes acknowledge and confesse that their Edict will be the cause of ciuil warres and in tyme the destruction of the realme But blinde Ambition carieth them out of the way to bind the king and the Realme to them as they saye by these merits For this I affirme that the Duke of Guise and his brethren can not deny but that while they go about to molest trouble those that are of the reformed Religion what zeale soeuer they pretende they brynge the Realme into greate perill Let them remember what happened of late almost in the same counsel to theÌ„ in Scotland There both sortes of men that is to say both papistes and Protestants liued peaceably obediently vnder the gouernement of the Quéene vntill it was commaunded by the aucthority of the Guises that no other religion should be there receyued then that which is of Rome Then a certen smal nomber of men for this cause being raised and appointed to battaile by the wisdome of the quene and by the help of the Nobility were easely put down again The which thing ought to haue made the Guises sease from their former purpose for feare of greater trroubles whiche would ensue by the meanes of those Edictes But they on the contrary part more obstinately went forwarde with their purpose to hinder the reformed religion writing sharp letters vnto the Quéen because shée shewed hirself so fauourable and perswaded with hir that it was necessary that the principal authours and many of the Noble men should be put to death Therefore to bring that to passe in déed which they vttered in woordes they sent an army of meÌ„ into Scotland with M. Brosseus the Bishop of Atniens At whose comming most seuere Edictes were made coÌ„cerning the obseruation of popish rytes and comming to Masse The Bishop said that he would soone cal those that were gone astray as hée sayd to the obedience of the Church of Rome and monsieur Brosseus said that hée would quickly within few dayes by force of armes put all the rebels to flight And as cruelty hath always couetousnesse ioyned with it they beheld considered the landes and possessions of the noble men and wrot to the Guises that they could both make the people tributary to pay vnto the Frenche king two hundred thousande Crownes and also assigne to a thousand Noble men of France which should continually maintayne warre in Scotland houses and land The Guises hearinge of the which were glad but the Quéene Osellus a noble maÌ„ of Scotland said vnto M. Brosseus that the Scotts could not be so easely coÌ„quered who if they were coÌ„strayned would craue helpe of straungees which imbracinge the same Religion would not desire to haue better occasion to banish the Popes Religion out of Scotland whereby the Kings Royall estate should come in peril But they refusing these admonitions of the Quéene Osellus said that the Quéene with hir facilitie and sufferance would marre all and they called Osellus foole and dastard Ther fore these wise men so wrought that the greatest parte of the nobility gathered vnto them an army of men and within few dayes eyther slewe or put to flight the Papistes and sacrifising priests which if this had not ben might haue liued peaceably And thus thei which before would binde Beares and which triumphed before the victory â–ª did not only dishonour the Duke of Guise but also lost the aucthoritie of the Church of Rome By this example the Guises ought to acknowledge their fault and to leaue of their enterprise also to haue no more in their mouthes these wordes One of those two Religions must be banished the realme and some muste needes giue place to other some These proud words become not subiectes and seruaunts but a king of full and perfect age And whereas they would haue no religion but the Romish religion established within the realme which they go about to defende by force of armes they bring the realme into great perill and daunger And truly it were a great deale better to kéepe both partes in peace and concord and
the euills like to ensue Finally I will and desire that the league whiche I haue made with the Princes Péeres Nobles and with all those that follow me and shall follow me may be established confirmed by this my writing To the which my fellowes I promise and vow that séeing it hath plea sed God to aduaunce me to so great honor as to make me the Captain and principall of that league and to be a deliuerer of the reformed churches liuing vnder the Kings Edictes from the iniuries and violence of the enemies I wil be the first that will spend my lyfe goods to maintayne the pure worship of God to defende the true professours and followers thereof to restore the King to his former libertie and authoritie and his Edictes and the lawes of the Realme to their proper dignitie In like manner I pray and beséeche all my Confederates that they abyde in the same mind courage and constancy that I am of in this so godly and commendable a purpose hauing alwayes respect vnto the vprightnesse of our cause reposing all their trust in the power of God being fully perswaded of this that fighting for the glory of God for the preseruation of his Church and for the conseruation of the King and the Realme God the mighty Lord of hoastes will stretch forth his mighty hand to helpe Whom I most humbly beséeche to take vpon him the patrociny and defence of our cause and to enter into the Throne of his iudgement before whom I shew and reueale the horrible blasphemies which our aduersaries haue breathed out against his Maiestie the cruelties which thei shewed vpon his poore afflicted meÌ„bers the innocent bloud of so many of his seruauntes that hath ben shed and the bloudy and mischeuouse coun sailes against his glory and the lyfe and safetie of hys Saincts so that hée taking his people vnder his protection would shew his power Iustice and wisdome both in destroying his aduersaries and also in blessing those which séeke to defend his people whereby all the world may know that hée is a refuge for the afflicted in time of trouble a deliuerer of his Church and an enemie anâ—… Iudge of his enemies About this time also the Prince of Condes fellowes sent letters to the Emperour Ferdinande to whom they declared their cause and rendered a reason of all theyr dooings and frustrated the rumors of their aduersaries praying him that hee would be carefull to defende thys cause and also that hée would call backe the Germanes that were gone to helpe the Guises And although saye they the reportes of the troubles which were in France were euery where spred abroad and were come also to the Emperours eares by letters sent from both partes yet notwithstandinge the Prince of Conde sent to the Emperoure whom he vnderstoode should come to an honorable assembly the causes of all his actions that the Emperour himselfe might certefie the whole assembly of the same seeing so great and waighty matters were obiected against him by his aduersaries the Prince of Conde thinking that it became him in a matter of so great waight to shewe the causes of all his dooings to all men and to the Emperour himself being of so highe calling that he might leaue to the whole world euident testimony of his innocency To bring the which matter to passe he may be glad that he hath gotten so good occasion to craue helpe to be ayded in this iust cause for the preseruation of the yong King of France being of suche age that the same of itselfe requireth and ought to obtayne helpe It is no new thing neyther wanteth it exaÌ„ples that Kyngs in their minoritie and infancâ—…e haue receyued the Kyngdome of Fraunce as appeareth by the late times of Charles the sixt and the eight and of others In whose time of minoritie we do not read that there was any contention about the gouernement of the Realme because the Princes which were the Kynges kinsmen left alwayes the gouernement of the Realme to thein which were elected and created by the States of the Realme of Fraunce to whom the gouernement of the Realme was committed so long as the King coÌ„tinuing in his minoritie which was vntill he came to the age of fouretéene yeares The which order of gouernement in the Kyngs Neâ—…age hath ben alwayes so approued that Kyngs haue warely prouided in their Testaments that if they should disceace before their Sonnes were come to their perfect age to gouerne the Realme then the States should prouide for the same gouernement The which doth sufficiently declare that this kind of gouernement doth in no poynt deminish the Kynges aucthoritie or power whom whosoeuer resisteth resisteth the ordinaunce of God but is rather necessary to preserue and defend them so long as they are vnméete to take vppon them any such gouernement through the defect and imbecillitie of Nature But when the Kyng shall come to the age of fouretéene yeres that vicary or substituted gouernemeÌ„t doth cease and all things do so retourne to the Kyng that whatsoeuer he shall will or decrée shall be ratified In the dayes of Charles the sixt after he had raigned many yeres and that it pleased GOD for the sinnes of the people to depriue him of his witte and sences and when the time came that the Realme must of necessitie be gouerned there arose a certaine contention among the Princes that were the Kyngs kinsmen about the same gouernement but this was neuer heard of that a forreyne Prince would euer intrude him selfe into the gouernement of the Realme and that against the will ordinance and decrée of the States as doth now the Duke of Guise at the first with force of armes and afterwardes vnder the coullour and name of the Kyng of Nauar corrupting and breaking all Lawes constitutions and customes that by all meanes possible he might satisfie his ambicious minde and get the gouernement of the Realme into his handes And say they most renowmed Emperour you must not thinke that he is moued to do these things for the loue he beareth to any Religion but doth only make Religion a cleake to fulfill his ambicious desire but vnder this pretence he hath drawne a great part of the people vnto him whom he hath so stirred to outrage crueltie promising that they shall escape vnpunished whatsoeuer they do that now the mad and franticke people throughout the whole Realme of Fraunce do nothing els but kill spoyle and shew al maner of violence After the death of Henry the second and Fraunces the second Kynges of Fraunce it was expedient according to the auncient vse of the lawes that the States of FrauÌ„ce should be called together and that in the greater number because Charles our Kyng was of tender yeres Then the States as it was méete made certayne lawes and statutes the which should only stand in force and strength duringe this time of the Kynges minority according to the institution and
handes without aide and succour and that he was so forced by them that he would suffer his authoritie to be abused to the murthering of his poore and innocent people to the besieging and spoyling of his Noble Cities to the breaking of good and wholesome Edictes to the iniury of the Kynges kinsmen and Nobles and to the ruine destruction of the Kynges faithfull seruants beside an infinite number of wickednesses mo and all to satisfie their willes and mindes which determined to breake the Kynges Edictes without punnishment which Edictes were made by thē States of the Realme for the preseruation of peace and tranquillitie and for the safetie of the Kyngs Maiestie When also I perceiued that they went about and had already put in practise to ouerthrowe and destroye the Religion and the professors and followers of the same I thought it good and most necessary for these causes to prouide out of hand a more effectuall and forceable remedy that the authors of these troubles might at the last he constrayned to come to peace and concord vppon reasonable conditions least the whole Kyngdome of Fraunce through the vnbrideled and outragious willes of a fewe should bée brought into so great perill And for these causes I sent some of my Counsayle Ambassadours into Fraunce wise graue and experiensed men and addicted to neyther part that in the extremitie of these matters there might bee a remedy found out whereby their Kyng and soueraigne Lorde might be obeyed and the peace and tranquillitie of the Realme mayntayned Notwithstanding this my labor and good indeuour was not thankfully taken neyther could I haue any answere frō the yong Kyng nor from his Mother the Quéene being made a feard by that part which was the cause of all these troubles Whilest therfore I was carefully busied about these thinges and had no other care than for the profite of the Kyng my welbeloued brother without condemning of either part I was other wise delt withall than I looked for Wherby appeared that their will and minde was which so often times denied the bearing of those things which were propounded by me and mine at my commaundement for peace and concordes sake For al my Marchaunts of London and of other partes of my Realme which came into certaine places of Brittaine only about their Marchandize and were preparing to retourne home againe were taken and robbed and dispoyled of all their goodes and they which sought to defend them selues were cxuelly slayne their shippes Marchandize taken by the Magistratrs of those places whereunto they arriued and that for no other cause but for that they were reported to be Huguenotes By the which woord although it séemed strange to those poore Marchaunts and Marriners who knew not what it ment it sufficiently appeared from whom they receyued commaundement to doe these thinges and what they would do more if time and occasion would suffer This was no small rapine or light spoyle but of great waight it was not done sodenly or marage but by the common Magistrate vpon the commaundement of the Gouernour of those partes and that by great contencion with my subiectes The matter being complayned of to those that should haue reformed the same nothing was done but to make a mendes one of my messengers comming homwards with letters of my Ambassadour was robbed the which also escaped vnpunished without any farther examination Wherby I perceiue that the Kyng or Quéene his Mother or rather the Kyng of Nauar do rather want authoritie than good will. And certainely it is manifest both by this and by an infinite sort of other arguments in what state and condition the young Kyng standeth when as he maye not preserue his people and houshold establish his lawes and Edicts nor giue no iust answere to other Princes and Nations By which and by other wicked deuises practised against me and my Realme it appeareth to all men of sound iudgement how greatly that violence which is now vsed in Fraunce by the Guises and his fellowes doth toutch not only Fraunce but also mée and my whole Realme more than any other Prince Therfore forsomuch as the dignity and authoritie of the Kyng and the Queene his Mother of his Counsellers louers of peace cannot at this time so much preuaile as to haue abillitie and leaue to rule and gouern or to do any thing els appertaining either to their own people or to other Nations or to their owne proper persons séeing also the Kynges tender age and the Quéene his Mother are so circumuented and snared that they must condescend and agrée to whatsoeuer the Guises will haue them as may testifie those great destructions and manifold calamities which the authors of these troubles haue brought in besieging assaulting and sacking the Kynges Cities and Townes and in shedding the innocent bloud of his subiects also séeing they haue caused ciuill warre that they might abolish and extinguish in euery place the reformed Religion do séeke to make mortall warre in euery part of the whole world furthermore séeing they are the authors and fautors of these pitifull and lamentable troubles are noted so to be of all men who if they might haue time and oportunitie would séeke by all meanes possible to violate and diminish the state and dignitie of my Realme and to conclude séeing of late also they haue openly gone about to cōtend with me by force of armes but by the grace and goodnes of God were disapoynted of their purpose and do yet diligently séeke the same also to aduaunce them selues to my incōmoditie shall I suffer and beare with those sworne and mortall enemies to peace and concord Shall I suffer the bloud of my neighbours to be cruelly shed if by any maner of meanes I might let the same Shall I suffer the young Kyng my welbeloued brother to bee besieged and in great perill and not to be counted vnthankful and mercilesse Shall I as vnwise and negligent haue no consideration or regard to my mortal enemies and to their practise Therfore for these iust euident and necessary causes of the Kynges subiects requiring my helpe and aide in these tempestes and calamities I commaunded many of my subiectes to be armed both by Sea and land to deliuer the subiectes of my welbeloued brother the Kyng of Fraunce from tirrany Rapine murther and destruction and to kéepe certaine Cities bordering vpon the sea coast and more néere vnto vs in saftie from those enemies least the peace made betwéene me and my brother the Kyng being broken they might the more easely warre against my Realme To prouide for the which thinges tyme calleth vpon me For I haue the testimony of a good conscience and do protest that I in these thinges do vse such sinceritye and integrity that I séeke and iusue christian peace as I ought and I doubt not but that the protection and defence of innocent bloud is acceptable vnto God wil be taken in verye good parte of my wel
beloued Brother when he shall come vnto that age that he shall be able with equity to Iudge of these matters It wil serue also for the lawful protection and preseruation of me and of my people And to be short by the great goodnes of God it shal be an occasion of more firme and sure peace betwéene me and my well beloued Brother the King of Fraunce that eyther of vs may peaceably vse our libertys And this one thing also I most earnestly say and affirme to my beloued Brother the King of Fraunce to the Quene his mother to the King of Nauar and to all his faithfull Counsaylers and seruantes That I whatsoeuer any mallicious person hereafter shall report will deale in this matter with such sincerity and integritye as both the thing it selfe and the tyme shall require and will vsurpe nothing to my selfe nor offer iniury and violence to any one of his subiectes And this I protest before God his Angelles and before all men in the vniuersall world that my full mind intent is in these extreame and perillouse times to deliuer the subiectes of my brother the Kyng of Fraunce from the destruction lyke to come by these Ciuil warres séeing that I imbrace the peace and concord made betwéene me and my Brother the Kinge I will omitte no occasion to set him in hys former lyberty and to restore peace and tranquilitye to his people The which shall come to passe when it shall please God to giue a better mind to the authors of these troubles and to make them content with that which is their owne that they may both kepe them within the limites of their duty also as good subiectes to be louers of peace The which at this time ought specially to be sought for namely rather peace and concord by the con sent and agrement of the Christian Princes and states than to sturre vp lamentable warre among Christians by fier and swerd About this time there was a certaine writinge of all the Princes of Germany that were protestantes sent to those armies of horsemen and footemen which seruid the Guise vnder the conduct and charge of the Rokendolph to this effect following All the Princes Electores protestants of the sacred Empire will and commaund this thinge to be notified and declared to all the Germaines which serue the Duke of Guise vnder the conducte of the Rokendolph â–ª being by him dereyued which Guise abusing the age and authority of the king of France would abuse your handes and power to be instrumentes to ertyrpe and destroy all those which professe the Gospell And although the horrible murthers cruelties of the Duke of Guise of his Brother the Cardinall and of the rest of his fellowes haue ben openly shewed vppon al Christians louers of the truth yet notwithstaÌ„ding you which we heard of to our great griefe are ready to helpe aide the Duke of Guise And besides this it is euidently knowen to all men that the Rokendolph your Captaine is banished discredited and openly proclaymed a traitour by the publique iudgement and solemne decrée of the Emperour and of al the states of the Empire for his false betraying of the Germanes into the handes of the Turke notwithstandinge ye beinge deceyued by their wonted guiles and subtill wordes haue agréed to go with him into France and at this time also are ready to obey him and to do whatsoeuer he will haue you whereby it is plaine that ye wil forsake al christian faith and charity and loue of vertue and praise for the Duke of Guise and for the Rokendolph your captaines sake such an example gyuen hereby as hath not bin heard of heretofore amoÌ„g the Germanes For these causes we will and commaund you being admonished by this writing and do exhorte earnestly require all and euery of you which haue anie regard to your good name and fame and haue hitherto bin deceiued by the fraud and subtilty of the Rokendolph that ye take héede and haue regard to the great infamie and reproch which you shall sustaine hereafter that you forsake out of hand your Captaine the Rokendolph and the Army of the Duke of Guise whose principal purpose and intent is to roote out and destroy Christians whom we mind to defend with all our might and power And therefore whatsoeuer he be that shal refuse to obey this our commaundement let him be well assured that hée shal haue the same punishment of ignominy and shame that the Rokendolph hath Let all men knowe this for a suertie ¶ These letters greatly troubled the mindes of the Germanes of which the greatest part of the Guises armie consisted but the vnder Captaines and Centurions being corrupted for the most part with money they litle or nothing preuailed Notwithstandinge a fewe vnder the charge and conduct of Countie Waldech forsakinge the Guises armie came to Orleans to the Prince of Conde The Duke of Guise hauing good successe in his busines according to his mind and contrariwise the Prince of Conde comminge daylye more and more into farther extremity many forsoke the prince of Conde amoÌ„g which were many noble men who by the Guises commaundement were peaceably receyued notwithstanding with the reprochful name of Quillebedouius which signifieth a Trayterous coward These startawaies had the Kings letters of warrant giuen to euery one of them in maner and forme as followeth Thomas R. or J. B. or els such a one hath declared vnto vs that he was perswaded to put himself in armour thinking it to be done vpon his allegance and obedience towards vs bicause he was tolde that we the Quene my Mother were captiued and to this end he hath followed those which haue taken many of our Cities And for these causes he is condemned by the sentence of our Iudges to dye and his goods allready brought into our treasury and his house straightly watched and warded to the which he dare not come but by our gratious benefit and helpe the which he moste humbly requireth We therefore vppon consideration of his mind and pur pose which he saith and of the which we are certyfied also shal be to liue euer hereafter in our obedience and also to the end we may gratefie the requestes of certain of our faithfull seruantes For these causes and for dyuers other great and waighty causes also mouinge vs herevnto we haue permitted and grauÌ„ted and by these presentes do permiâ—… and graunt to the sayde T. R. although he hath borne armour and hath contributed money to ayde those which as enemies haue armed themselues in this our Realme against vs and for the establishing of the new Religion or hath otherwyse holpen and furthered seditious persons with their aduise and counsaile and hath gone to besiege Cities without and contrary to my will and pleasure that it may notwithstanding be lawful for him to go home to his house and peaceably to enioy his goodes and for none of all those faultes to be
Kings authoritie and dignitie the safetie and preseruation of the Kings faithfull subiectes the liberty of their consciences and also the peace and tranquillitie of this Realme in the which I was borne And I am fully perswaded that the only demonstration of the which I haue done and will doe shall proue those my aduersaries lyers and sclaunderers shall bring to passe that neuer hereafter any indifferent man shall giue credit to the like First of all euery man may behold and see how I alone in the beginning of this our Kings raigne procured peace and tranquillitie and sought to put away al occasions of seditions and troubles for the which cause I had much ill will and displeasure in the dayes of King Fraunces II. but I haue forgiuen that iniury Since that time hitherto those enemies of God the King and publike peace were offended with the decrées of the States and with the forme of Gouernement which they then perceyued to be contrary to their ambition when as they had determined to peruerte all things to enlarge their power and tyranny to the which end and purpose they conspired with straungers the which conspiracye is more perniciouse and detestable than was the cōspiracie of the Triumuiri of Rome as now appeareth by the lamentable effects thereof but I on the contrary part to quench that burning fyrebrand of troubles haue left nothing vndone that I could doo Neyther dyd I regarde the goodnesse of my cause nor the wickednesse of my aduersaries cause when as they armed them selues of their owne priuate authoritie to ouerthrow the Edicte made by the consent and aduise of the States neyther did I so estéeme of my place and dignitie that I woulde put my selfe in armour without the expresse commandement of the Quéen yet in the beginning I of my own accorde offered to vnarme my selfe agayne so that my enemies would doe the same and that the Edicte so solemly made by the Decrée of the States might be thoroughly kept as may appeare by my writinge concerning this matter The which conditions seemed to all men very indifferent and reasonable sauinge to them selues Furthermore to the ende we might the better and more safely enter into peace and concord I sought diligently that many Christian Princes might be admo nished of this matter and I entreated them by letters and by Ambassadours that they would be meanes to pacefie the same and to take away all occasions of greater dissentions But my aduersaries euen at the same time when al things might haue ben brought to some quietnesse wēt about to take away all hope of concord and sought for the nonce to exasperat and prouoke our mindes to displeasure by new cruelties shewed vpon our bretheren making more carefull prouision to warre against mée and myne than doth the forreyn enemie when hée inuadeth the boundes and limites of the Realme Beside this they suffered not the Ambassadours of the Princes of Germany which were now cōming forwarde in their iourney to doe their office about the pacification but sought to procure the Italian the Spaniard the Switzer to ayde them in their warre and because a certaine Noble man of Fraunce called Gonor did disallowe the comming of forreyne power into the Realme they abused him with iniuriouse wordes openly among the Kinges counsaill Whereby it may appeare to all indifferent men of sound iudgement what I and my aduersaries haue sought for and whether I could in this time of the Kings minoritie deuise more profitable meanes and wayes to auoid these gréeuouse troubles and also whether they can doe more than they haue done to increase the same For they haue gone about to bring in newe harde and violent lawes playne contrary to the Kings Edicte made by the consent of the whole Realme and agréeing with the Spanish Inquisition which is the ruyne and ouerthrow of peace and tranquillitie that thereby they might not onely bring in an infinite heape of troubles but also the confusion of all things The which also I my selfe by publishing a writing contrarye to the same shewed how much it was disagréeing from al reason and indifferency But what soeuer I could shew vnto the Quéene they had her in such bondage and captiuitie by force and subtiltie that they made her an instrument and meane to doe what soeuer they woulde themselues Notwithstanding shée perceyuinge what great inconuenience would come by warre thought she might do much good if she could bring the matter to parley Therefore the Quéene my brother the Kinge of Nauar and I met togither in the midway betwene Paris and Orleans Then I made declaration vnto them of two things which I sayd were the causes of troubles the which causes being taken away the effectes that is to say great troubles shall with them be remoued also To take away the causes I sayd the first was That the Guise the Constable and the Marshal of Santandre who had broken the peace by arming of them selues by their owne priuate authoritie and had forceably dealt with the Kyng and Quéene and also had broken the kyngs Edict of January might go home to their owne houses and might be forbidden to be of the Kynges Counsell during this time of his minoritie And I my selfe though I were of the Kyngs bloud and of much higher degrée than they promised to do the like The second was I sayd that the Edict of January might be fully obserued and that according to the tenor therof the vse of Religion might bee frée for all men throughout the whole Realme To these two ▪ neither the Quéene nor my brother would agrée Affirminge that it was not lawfull for those being the Kynges seruants to depart from the young King being in such extremitie as he was the request they said was neither indifferent nor profitable for the Realme Moreouer they sayd there could not be two Religions together in one Realme and therfore the Edict of January could not bee suffered because they of the Church of Rome were so many in number so sharpe set to mayntaine their Religion ▪ that if they should not haue their willes greated troubles would dayly arise ▪ To this I replied againe saying that it was neyther indifferent nor profitable for the Realme for them to abide with the Kyng which had both abused the Kyngs age and dignitie and also had brought him the whole Realme into great perill and vnhonestly broken the Kyngs Edict And concerning the Edict of January I sayd what could be more vnseemely than for a few priuate men so little to regard the Kynges dignitie that they durst breake the Kynges Edict to obserue kéepe the which they themselues were sworne by the benefite of which Edict not only Paris but also the whole kingdome enioyed peace Also I said it was a very euell example for the people to be armed to breake the kings Edictes and was the ready way to make them euer after more disobedient also that the
dealt withall and felt that peace was more greuous then warres and many of them thorough the cruell gouernment of that president were scatered abrode In the Countie of Venaâ—…s beinge parte of the Popes Dominion a very frutful soile and a coÌ„modious countrey the Protestants by the Popes commaundement were erceding cruelly entreated and the goodes of all them forfaited that did professe the reformed Religion neither could the kings Edict case theÌ„ by anie meanes notwithstanding both the Kinge and the Quéene were â—…iuers tymes sued to by supplâ—…ations Wherefore the greatest part of the Protestantes of Uenais being spoiled of their goodes went to Dolphiney and Orenge where the vse of the reformed Religion was fréelye allowed both by warrant of the Kinges Edict and also through sufferance and fauour of the Prince of Orâ—…nge The vse of the reformed religion was banished out of Paris by especial commaundement of the Edict Not withstandinge the Protestantes of Paris that were retourned home began to deuise and consult among them selues â–ª for the renewing and gathering togyther again of the congregation Wherefore straglinge abrode in sendry companies they enioyed the preaching of Gods word but alwayes there resorted but a small nomber togyther in one company least they should be accused and condemned as breakers and violaters of the kings decrées And yet although the Parliment of Paris was very sore offended and moued against the faithfull and the Guises spies and promouters also were very busie and left nothing that might be done vntried not withstanding through the pollicie and wisdome of the Marshall Momorency who was President there a certaine kind of peace and quietnes was kept which was as it were sauced and entermingles nowe and than with bitter and greuous vexations In Picardie the Prince of Condies Prouince the pro testantes through the faithfull and diligent trauaile of the President liued almost in euery pointe according to the order prescribed in the Edict Heuerthelesse very few congregations were in that countrey both bicause the people of themselues were much giuen to popishe ceremonies and also they were stirred vp againste the protestantes that were there by dyuers of the Noble men Moreouer in Britannie chiefly by the meanes of the Andelot who held a great part of that countrey by hys wyfe which was Heire of the countye of Lauall and in Normaudy there were some Churches that liued quietly and yet many tymes were in great feare Amongst the Gascoignes for at Burdeux the thief City was a famous church the Santones the men of Poictures and other countries of the prouince of Guian wher were very many congregations the protestantes were diuersly molested and wronged by the Liuetenantes Monsieur Monluc Mousieur de Beri Monsieur de Lude and Monsieur de la Taride And yet the Quéene of Nauar hauing the chief rule almost ouer al those countries being a very godly christian woman did what possible she could do that al things ther might be don in peaceable quietnes and according to the order appointed in the Edict She had also in the Dominion of Bearne it is a Countrye on this side the Mountaines Pyranaeis and part of the kingdome of Nauar where she rained in soueraign and princely aucthority graunted frée libertie of the reformed ReligioÌ„ but as then she gouerned her subiectes according to the prescripte order of the French Edict There was to be séene the churches lyue in perfecte peace vnder a good and Godly Princesse In the Countrey of Mets which had bin long before kept by the Kinges Garrison the Church did enioy the benefit of the Edict and many of the Captaines of the Garrison and the Souldiers themselues did frequent the Sermons They had also at that tyme their Leuftenant Monsienr Auancie enclyninge to and fauouringe their procedinges very much The Churches that were in those Cities of Predmont which were holden by the French king and those in the Marquesdome of Salus defended themselues by the warrant of the Edict Thus al the Churches dispersed through the whole kingdome of Franec were in diuers states and condicions and the greatest part of them enioyed the benefite of the peace taken but euill fauoredly and all through default of the common Courtes and of those that were appointed comissioners for the execution of the Edicte and others the Lieftenantes of the prouinces The papists had raised and bruted a rumor abrod that the king beinge in his nonage and enforced by necessitie of the time had made that Edict but for a certaine space but when he attained vnto more ripe and discreet yeares he would vtterly roote out and pluck vp the séedes of that new Religion and bring home againe his Subiectes to an vniformitie of one Religion And this forsooth was the will and pleasure of the King his Mother the Quéene and almost of al other the Péers and Nobles of the Realme and that they of the new religion should eyther consent vnto this order â–ª or els be vtterly destroied by the King or at least be spoiled of theiâ—… Godes and banished out of all partes of the Kingdome So that by the voice of the papistes the faithfull had graunted vnto theÌ„ but as it were the loane of the Edict for a very short space and at their pleasure and that to with many great troubles and iniuries In so much that a man might perceiue very much to be taken from the former Edict made in January and the peace graunted by the benefit therof greatly diminished NotwithstaÌ„ding the rage and troubles of that moste cruell and vnnaturall war being pacified the churches were miraculusly preserued in the tyme of truce and by dispersing of some congregations others wore wonderfully augmented It was easely perceyued how the Guises were enflamed against the protestantes and highly effended that the vse of their religioÌ„ was after a certain fort graunted vnto them in France and that by warrant of the kings Edict but yet there were many thinges which stayed them that they burst not out into open war for the present and vrgent state of thinges that had moued the Quéene to make peace would not suffer anye newe broiles or troubles to be raised againe They perceyued also that they could not frame her mind to their pitch although she were of her selfe froward inough against the protestantes and very fauorable to them and their partes For the Queene greatly feared new tumultes and did therfore faine to be very careful both to maintaine the Edict and also to sée it put in execution for the protestants sake whom she flattered very subtilly and against her stomacke especiallye the Prince of Conde whom of all other she chiefly by all meanes and waies possible desired to win and draw vnto her To these lettes also was added the extreme difficultie and almost impossibilitie of takinge any new matter or exploite in hand so hastely as it wer in the neck of so great wars
long before to talke of the murthering of the Guâ—…se and yet it appeareth by his owne sayinge that I neuer spake vnto him or had any knowledge of him before the time that he brought Monsieur Subize his letters vnto me VVhere vppon I may truly conclude that it is neyther true nor like to be true that I should be the author of that thinge which he long before had conceiued and purposed in his mind Moreouer where as Merae was very nere of kinne to M. Rainold whom the Duke had caused to be slaine it was likely that he was enflamed and stirred vp againste the Guise by some priuate quarell and speciall hatred And as I haue declared beefore euen so of a truth the case standes vvhereby me thinke it is euident and plain that they who perswade themselues that I was the author and procurer of this murther besides that they vse very fonde and childishe reasons to proue the same do not know my nature for if so be I had charged him to doo any more then that I haue before declared I would not feare to confesse it with like franknes and boldnes And truly I would gladly aske this question of them whether they imâ—…gin that there was any other cause why I should cause my other answer to be published then that I desired the matter might be vnderstanded of all men And it there were any thing else why should I dissemble why should I cloake it why should I not confesse it who euer was a more deadly and open enemie vnto mee than the Duke of Guise for what other cause did he besiege Orleans but that he might vtterly destroy and cast awaye mee my wyfe and children and whatsoeuer else I held as deare and precious vnto mee yea there are men of great credite that can and will testifie that he vsed often to bragge and make his vaunts that whensoeuer the Citie were taken he would spare none neyther man woman yong nor old Neyther needeth any man to doubt that amongest all them that were in the battayle at Dreux it was he I sought for and chiefely he with whom I wished to meete And certaine it is that if I myselfe could haue discharged anie shot at him I would ful glad ly haue done it yea truely if I had ben Captain ouer ten thousand gunners I would haue charged them that they should euery one haue leueled and shot at him alone To be short I would haue left no deuise that might stande with the law of armes vntried so that I might by any meanes deliuer my selfe from an enemie so spightfull and deadly against mee and myne all good men And last of all I protest before God and his Aungelles that I commaunded nothing else but that which I haue declared in these my writings If there be any man that desiteth to knowe more let him repaire too mee and I will make him aunswer Whilest these things happened in Fraunce the Popish Prelates sat still at Trent labouring very diligently to prouide and establish the estate of Poperie with a long rable of Decrées the exact rehearsall whereof being at large already set out in a booke for that purpose shall not be néedfull to be brought in here in these oure Commentaries especially for that our onely purpose intent is briefly to shew the estate and condicion of the faithfull in Fraunce and how thei were troubled vexed in the time of Truce and how afterward they were enforced to breake out into open warre The Councell of Trent therefore did very carefully trauell in maintayning and defending the Popes authoritie and dignitie in the kingdome of Fraunce and this matter as a thing of greatest waight and importance was thorowly and most earnestly laboured of all sides And the great and large reuenew that came out of Fraunce whiche thing did chiefely enflame the zeale of those reuerend Fathers and the great daunger and present hazard they were in to loose them if the reformed Religion had preuayled did make them busily to besturre them and to take the matter in hand There was present at the Councell the Cardinall of Lorraine hauing great knowledge and experieÌ„ce in the affaires of Fraunce and a subtill and sleighty old coygner of new fetches and besides that the matter for hys owne cause stood him vppon he was also incensed with an outragious hatred and malice against the men of the reformed religion and chiefly against the trueth it self which he both knew and renounced At his request and setting on they began to consult how they might vtterly deface and roote vpp the reformed Religion out of Fraunce the readiest and fittest waye for that matter that they could deuise was that there should be a league made betwixt the King of Spayne and the King of FraÌ„ce and that the King of Spayne because it was a thing of great difficultie and could not without much a doe bée brought to passe should helpe the French Kinge at all tymes with such ayde as should be néedfull and that all wayes and meanes should be sought to abolish and disannull the Edict wherin was graunted the libertie and vse of the reformed Religion This league which was made for the rooting out of true religion the holy fathers of the Councell of Trent dyd call the Sacred and holye League The Cardinall of Lorayne doth promise all possible diligence and trauaill in this matter and that hée will perswade the King to finish the league and as for the Quéene being of herselfe prone enclining to their parte and the consents of the Nobles he accounted him selfe sure of them As the Cardinall a most bitter enemie to the reformed Religion did what possible he could for the accomplishement of these matters in the Councell at Trent the enemies of the Gospell were not idell at home in Fraunce in defacing and putting downe the Edicte and the Quéene was not onely euery day more wayward disliking of the reformed religion but was also very furiously incensed against it and dyd by all meanes shée could denise goe about to engraffe and so we hatred and malice in the tender mind of the yong King against religion that then he might proclayme perpetuall and euerlasting warre against al the reformed Churches in Fraunce The Constable Momorencie was also very forward in this matter and was very maliciously bent againste the truth bicause he purchased so great infamy and dishonour in the former warres So that the Edict had in France enemies both many in nomber and greate in power and authoritie About this time the Kinge being of the age of xiiii yeres was declared to be of ful lawfull age by the decrées and iudgemente as the maner was of all the high Courtes of parliament and within few dayes after was according to the custome solemly crowned and all such estates as had to do with the administration of the Realme as vicegerents and protectours and such other were displaced very profitablie fitly both
Pilles sent out by the Port Matta the same Gentleman whom he vsed afore in the supplye of succoures by whose second diligence the Lord de S. Auban a Gentleman of Daulphine accompanied with xl horsmen enterprised to come to the reliefe and succour of the sayde towne who notwithstandinge was so encountered in the way as hée was forced to retire with the losse of thrée of his people and also the Gentleman his guide The xxix day of Nouember Sebastian Luxenburge counte de Martiques knight of the order Captayne of fifty men at armes and Lieuftenaunte generall to the King in his Dutchie and countrey of Britaine being at the battery was stroken in the head with a harquebushot whereof he dyed to the generall griefe of the Papistes In the beginning of December about ix of the clock in the morninge the Catholiques demaunded to parley with the Lord de Pilles wherevnto he listened with lesse difficulty in respect he was not furnished with munition of warre for one assault more if it had bin offred ney ther had he hope to be so spéedily succoured as his perill required which was the cause that the ii of this month after hée had established extréeme actes and prouisions for the Gard of the said towne he was enforced to render it vppon the couenantes following 1 That the Protestants should depart the town their goodes saued with their horses and armour and banner displayed 2 That they should not beare armes for the generall cause of Religion in foure monethes after 3 That their whole companies as well Straungers as inhabitaunts might retire whither they would in al surety 4 That they should be safe conducted to their place of suerty where so euer it were by the Lorde de Byron according to which composition the morrow after the iii. of this moneth S Iean de Angely was yéelded into the handes of the Lord de Guitiniers The lord de Pilles departing the same day about noone by the Port de Matta with eyght hundreth footmen of all sortes and about C. horsmen ▪ taking his way towardes Angoulesme Not withstanding the conduct and presence of the saide lord de Byron the most part of the footemen were spoiled and dyuerse slaine and the baggage of the horsemen taken against their promysse of faith During this siéege died in the towne about a hundreth Souldiours and certain numbers of labourers of the catholikes side without the towne dyed aswell of the hand of the enemye as by diseases about two thousand amongst which were many great lordes Gentlemen and Captaines slayne as the great maister of the artillery whose office was giuen to the saide lord de Biron the gouernment of the towne was giuen to the lord de Guitiniers and for the garde of it the King bestowed eight companies of footemen The same day the King the Quéene mother the Cardynall of Loraine wyth dyuers great lordes of the Courte entred the towne and visited as wel the forte of the gate Aulnis and the castell as the first breach of the tower on the wall and so returned to their places where they were lodged afore Certaine of the Catholikes immediatly after the towne was giuen ouer wente towardes the yles of Marans and Marennes holden of long by them of the religion from whence they were now withdrawen by speciall commaundemente from Rochell whereby the Catholikes entred and seased vpon them wythoute resistance In this tyme were executed in Fraunce certayne iudgements diffinitiue pronounced afore against those of the reformed Religion whose processes were begon and pursued by the Kinges procurers from the begynning of the warres aswell against such as were out of the Realme as those that maintayned parte with the Princes The first sort forsooke the Realme immediatly after the second peace as being denyed to enter their houses goods contrary to the couenaunts of the same ▪ and lesse able to liue withoute mortall perill to theyr persons in the townes of their proper habitation being filled with garrisons of the contrary factiō as hath bene touched in the beginning of these discourses the other sort forsed estsoones to fal into armes were knit and tyed to the army of the Princes to resist the voluntary infringers of the peace and coniured enemyes to the whole Realme both the one and other were procéeded against by personall adiornements in three shorte dayes and for defaulte of apparance their goods were seased to the Kings vse and gouerned by speciall Commissioners of sequestration many ydle officers busied themselues to effect the execution of their goods in many prouinces the sayde iudgements dyd suspend hang vntill after the battell of Montgontour whē they awarded generall and spéedy processe against all men by defaultes procéeding to execution in Effigie and adiudication of their goods to the King wherein suche was the liberal zeale of the iudges that they executed by Effigie such as were dead long time before It hath bene sayd before that the Lord de Sansac lefte the siege of Uezeley by reason his Cannons miscaryed and now hauing got newe prouision of Artillery to the number of twelue or thirtéene péeces and beyng wythall aduertised by certaine of the Towne of Vezeley that the Lorde de Traues with a great part of the Nobilitie present at the firste siege were departed and lefte the Towne came to besiege it of freshe He battered still the tower of the Port du Barle righte against the watering place soone after he remoued his batterie to that fide of the gray Fryers following with so vehement an assaulte that they came to hande strokes vppon the breaches albeit he was repulsed During thys siege Albert de la Chasse a Bourgeys of the town wrote letters to the Catholikes reuealing the particular state of the Towne He threw his letters ouer the wall into a fielde where the Catholikes came and found them and as he was going to the Wall with a letter readye to conueye to the enemie he was taken with the facte and charging a scholemaister as partie to his treason were both hanged forthwith The batterie was such as thee wer spent aboue thrée thousand and fiue hundreth shottes of canon and al not able to force the Protestantes whiche made the Lorde Sansac raise his siege the. xvii of December 1569. loosing in this siege about xv hundreth men amongst whome the Lord de Foyssy Colonell of his footemen was hurte to death with a shot vppon the trenches Within the Towne amongst others M. Iaques Perrin a Minister was killed with a Canon The warre dyd still aggrauate in diuerse places of the Realme contrary to the opinion of such as thought it should haue ben qualified vtterly quēched by the battaile at Montgontour They of Charyte whereof hathe bene spoken before strēgthened themselues with great numbers of men of warre come with the Lord de Bricquemau and Borry with their retinue they maintayned ordinarie warre against the garrisons of the catholikes thereaboutes making many enterprises and one winning of another
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
beloued and estéemed of the Admirall or to haue attained any speciall honour in the saide late warres those he liberally benefited and rewarded To the Admirall himselfe he commaunded one daye to be giuen a hundred thousand pounds of his owne treasure in recompence of his former losses When his brother the Cardinall ChastillioÌ„ endowed with many great and welthy benefices was departed his life the king gaue him the fruites of one whole yéere Also the king wrote to Philibert Duke of Sauoy that he should do him a moste acceptable pleasure if he did not onely deale more gently with those that in the former warres had ayded those of the Religion but also would vse clemencie and mildnesse toward all other that professed the same Religion within his dominions And for that there was old enmitie betwene the Guisians the Admirall whereby it was to be doubted that perillous coÌ„tentions would arise in the Realme of France the king willed it to be signified to them both in his name that they should for his sake and the common weales giue ouer those displeasures and he prescribed them a certaine fourme of reconciliation and agréement the same whereof the foundations had bin layed almoste sixe yéeres before in the towne of Molins wher the king calling to him the greatest estates of his realme after consultation and deliberation had vpon the matter pronounced the admirall not guiltie of the death of the Duke of Guise wherewith he was charged by the yong Duke of Guise and his kinsmen and so the king by the aduise of his Counsell had ended that controuersie Furthermore the Cardinal of Loraine who as we haue said was the very forger of all the former warres to take away al ielousie of new practises was departed to Rome and tooke with him his familiar friend the late created Cardinall Peluey one reputed a moste subtill and craftie persone vnder pretence of going to the election of a newe Pope in place of the old Pope then lately deceassed But there was none greater and more assured token of publike peace and quietnesse than this that the king purposed to giue his sister Margaret in mariage to the Prince Henry the sonne of the Quéene of Nauarre which Prince had in the last warre defended the cause of the Religion and bin soueraigne of their armie Which mariage the king declared that it shuld be the moste streight bond of ciuill concorde and the most assured testimonie of his good will to those of the Religion Yea and also bicause it was alleaged that the said Prince Henry was restrained in conscience so as he might not marrie the Lady Margaret being of a contrarie Religion a Catholike and giuen to the rites of the Romishe Church the king for answere said that he would discharge hir of the Popes lawes and notwithstanding the crying out of all his courtiers to the contrary he permitted him that without all ceremonies in the porch of the great church of Paris the mariage should be celebrate in such a forme as the ministers of the reformed Churche mislyked not Which thing being by reporte and letters spread throughe the world it â—…n not be expressed how much it made the harts of those of the religion assured and out of care and how it cast out all feare and ielosies out of their minds what a confidence it brought them of the Kings good will toward them Finally how muche it reioyced foreine Princes and states that fauored the same Religion But the Admirals minde was muche more stablished by a letter which about the same time Theligny brought him with the Kings own hand and sealed wherein was conteined that whatsoeuer the Admiral should do for the matter of the intended warre of the lowe countrey the Kyng would allowe and ratifie the same as done by his owne commauÌ„demeÌ„t About that time Lodouic of Nassaw with the Quene of Nauarre a Lady most zelously affected to the Religion came to the Frenche court The league was made betwene King Charles and the Prince of Aurenge and the articles thereof put in writing The mariage was appointed to be holden in the towne of Paris For which cause the Quene of Nauarre during those few dayes repaired thether to prouide things for the solemnitie of the wedding For the same cause the King sente to the Admirall one Cauaignes a man of an excellent sharp witte whome for the Admirals sake the King had aduanced to great honor requiring the Admirall to go before to Paris as well for the saide preparation as also for the matter of the war of the lowe countrey promising that he himselfe woulde within few dayes followe after him assuring him that there was nowe no cause for him to feare the threatnings and mad outrages of the Parisians For in as much as the same towne is aboue all other giuen to superstitions and is with seditious preachings of Monkes and Friers dayly enflamed to crueltie it is harde to expresse howe bitterly they hated the Admirall and the professors of that Religion Whereto was added a griefe of their minde conceiued certaine dayes before by reason of a certaine stone crosse gilted and builte after the manner of a spire stéeple commonly called Gastignes crosse whiche the Admirall with great earnest fute obteyned of the King to be ouerthrowne for he alleaged that being erected in the midst of the rage of the ciuill warre as it were in trumphe to the reproche of one of the Religion it was a monument of ciuill dissention and so a matter offensiue to peace and concorde The King well knowing the deadly hate of the Parisians to the Admirall wrote his letters to Marcell the prouost of the Marchaunts which is the highest dignitie in Paris with sharp thretnings if ther shuld be raised any stir or trouble by reason of the Admirals comming To the same effect also the Duke of Aniow the Kings brother and the Quéene mother wrote to the same Marcell and the rest of the Magistrates of Paris so that nowe there séemed vtterly no occasion lefte for the Admirall to feare or distrust And within few dayes after the King sent Briquemault a man of great vertue and estimation to the Admirall with the same instructions saying that the matter of the low cuntrey could not wel be delt in without his presence The Admirall persuaded by thus many meanes and filled with good hope and courage determined to go to Paris where so soone as he was ariued and had ben honorably and louingly entertained of the King and his brethren and the Quéene mother and consultation entred among them about the preparation for the lowe countrey he declared to the King at large howe the Duke of Alua was in leuying of great power and preparing an armie and that if the King should dissemble his purpose it woulde come to passe that many thereby would shewe themselues slower and slacker to the enterprises and that nowe were offered great meanes to do good whiche if he let slippe he
house and all the names of those of the Religion togither with the place of euery of their lodgings they put in bokes and wyth speede deliuered ouer the same bokes to those of whome they had receyued that commaundemente After noone the Quéene mother led out the King the Duke of Aniow Gonzague Tauaignes the Counte de Rhetz called Gondiâ—… into hir gardens called Tegliers This place bicause it was somewhat farre from resort she thought most fit for this their laste consultation There she shewed them howe those whome they hadde long bene in waite for were nowe sure in hold the Admirall lay in his bed maymed of both his armes and could not stir the King of Nauar and Prince of Conde were fast lodged in the Castle the gates were kept shut all nyghte and watches placed so as they were so snared that they coulde no way escape and the captaines thus taken it was not to be feared that any of the Religion woulde from thenceforth stir any more Now was a notable opportunitie saide she offred to dispatch the matter For all the chiefe Captaines were fast closed vp in Paris and the rest in other townes were all vnarmed and vnprepared and that there were scarcely to be found tenne enimies to a thousande Catholikes that the Parisians were in armour and were able to make thréescore thousande chosen fighting men and that within the space of one houre al the enimiâ—…s may be slayne and the whole name and race of those wicked meÌ„ be vtterly rooted out On the other side saith she if the King do not take the aduantage of the fitnesse of this time it is no doubt but that if the Admiral recouer his health al France will shortly be on fire with the fourth ciuill warre The Quéenes opinion was allowed Howbeit it was thought best partely for his age and partly for the affinities sake that the King of Nauars life should be saued As for the Prince of Conde it was doubted whether it were best to spare him for his age or to put him to death for hatred of his fathers name But herein the opinion of Gonzague toke place that he should with feare of death and torment be drawne from the Religion So that counsell brake vp with appoyntment that the matter should be put in execution the nexte night earely afore day and that the ordering and doing of all shoulde be committed to the Duke of Guise The Admirall being enformed of stirre and noyse of Armour and threatnings hearde euery where throughout the town and preparation of many things perteyning to tumult sent word thereof to the King who answered that there was no cause for the Admirall to feare for all was done by his coÌ„maundement and not euery where but in certayne places and that there were certayne appoynted by him to be in armour least the people shoulde rise and make any stirre in the towne When the Duke of Guise thought all things readie enough he called to him the abouesayde Marcell and charged him that he should a little after midnight assemble togither the masters of the streates whom they call Diziners into the townhouse for he had certaine strange and speciall matters in charge froÌ„ the King which his pleasure was to haue declared vnto them They all assembled bytime Carron the newe Prouost of merchauntes guarded with certaine Guisians and among the rest Entragne and Pnygallard made the declaration He sayde that the Kings meaning was to destroy all the Rebels whiche had in these late yeres borne armes against his Maiestie to roote out the race of those wicked men it was nowe very fitly hapned that the chieftaines and ringleaders of them were fast enclosed within the walles of the towne as in a pryson and that the same night they should first beginne with them and afterwarde for the rest assoone as possibly might be throughout all partes of the Realme the King would take order and the token to set vpon them should be giuen not with a trumpet but with tocksein or ringing of the great bel of the Palace which they knewe to be accustomed onely in great cases and the marke for them to be knowne from other should be a white linnen cloth hanged about their lefte arme and a white câ—…osse pinned vppon their cappes In the meane time the Duke of Guise made priuie therevnto the captains of the Kings guard both Gascoignes Frenchmen and Switzers and bad them be ready to go to it with good courage Shortly after the Duke of Guise and the bastard sonne of King Henry commonly called the Cheuaâ—…ier with a great band of armed men following theÌ„ went to the Admirals house which Cossin kept besieged with Harquebuziers placed in ordeâ—… on both sides of the streat The Admirall aduertised of the stirre and the noyse of the armour although he had scarcely ten persons in his house able to beare harnesse and in his Chamber onely two Surgions one Preacher and one or two seruitors yet could not be made afrayde trusting as he oft rehearsed vpon the â—…ings good wil toward him approued by so many and so great meanes of assuraunce hauing also coÌ„fidence that the câ—…mmonaltie of Paris if they once vnderstode the King to miâ—…ke of their mad furie how much soeuer they wer in ouâ—…rage yet so sone as they saw Cossin warding the gate they woulde be appeased He repeated also the othe for kéeping of the peace so oft openly sworne by the King and his brethren and their mother and entred in publike recordes the league lately made with the Quéene of Englande for the same cause the articles of treatie couenanted with the Prince of Aurenge the Kingâ—… faithe giuen to the Princes of Germanie some townes attempted and some takeÌ„ in the lowe countâ—…ey by the Kings commaundement the mariage of the Kings sisâ—…er solâ—…nized but sixe days before whiche it was not like that he would suffer to be defiled with bloude siually the iudgement of foraine nations and of pasteritie shame and the honor and constancie of a Prince publike faith and the sacred respecte of the lawe of nations all which it seemed monstrous and iucredible that the â—…ing could assâ—…nt to be stained with so outrageous a crueâ—…l déede Cossin when he saw the noblemen drawe neare â–ª knocked at the gate which as is abouesaide he was commaunded by the Duke of Aniâ—w to kéepe Wherevpon many applyed the olde prouerbe A goodly guarde to make the Woolfe keeper of the shéepe When he was entred without in manner any difficultie he caried in with him a great companie of armed men and after those followed the great Lords Such as Cossin found at the entrie of and within the porch of the house he slewe with a partisan that he had in his hand â–ª Which when the Admiral vnderstoode he caused those that were about him to lifte him out of his bâ—d casting on a nightgown vpon him he rose vpright on his feete he bad his friendes and seruants to flee
the same in declaring that he commaunded those murders too bee committed hauing also made protestation before that it is too his greate griefe and done by the outrage and violence of those of Guise against whome he was not able to make speedie resistance in tyme as his Maiestie desired And in this quarell wee the Gentlemen Capitaines and other that make you this answere are readie to trie it by combat man to man or otherwise to maintaine the honour of our King against all those that so p◅ophane holye things and as much as in them lyeth doe by such wordes and titles vilainously defile the excellence of his Maiestie and of the noble Princes of his bloude VVhich wee maye right well coniecture and estimate by the slaughters that are yet in doing as well in the towne of Paris as else where vpon so manye noblemen gentlemen and other men women and children and vpon a greate number of yong scholars the maintenance vnder God of Realmes and common weales in time to come and by many other barbarous vnnaturall and vnmanly actes generally committed VVe think therfore and iudge that herein treason is enterprised against the person of his Mai◅stie and of my Lords his brethren and that the Guisians meane to inuade the Crowne of the Realme as they haue of long tyme practised and how so euer it be we say that his Maiestie is forced by the power that they haue taken vpon them and vsurped by meane of the rebellious stirre of the commons of Paris As for that which they saye that the Admirall and those of the Religion had conspired against the Kings Maiestie and his brethren these be allegations of as greate truth and of as good likelyhoode as their maner of proceeding in Iustice hath bene orderly beginning at execution before examination of the fact But it is now no neede to tarrie for tyme too discouer it for the matter is plain to bee seen with eye and groped with hand and all those of the Romishe Religion that haue remaining any droppe of nature of man doe confesse it and holde downe their heads for shame cursing both with hart and mouth the cruel executers of this abhominable enterprise and the wicked disturbers of common quiet which can yet no more suffer than they hetherto haue done that this poore Realme shoulde long enioye the benefite of that peace which the King alone next vnder God had wisely caused to be made and to bee accordingly obserued whereof this Realme began to feele the good taste to the greate contentement of all persons except the enimies of peace and of this Realme namely the Guisians Finally when his Maiestie being out of their handes and power shall declare what is his pleasure wee will endeuour vs to obey him in all things wherin our consciences which are dedicate to God alone shall not be wounded in which case wee will rather forsake the earth than heauen and our frayle and transitorie houses rather than the heauenly mansions But hetherto the lawe of nature and the duetie that we owe to our naturall Prince to the preseruation of his Crowne and to the safetie of our lyues oure wiues and children doth commaund vs to stand vpon our garde and not to put vs in the mercie of those that haue receyued the same bloudy commission from the Guisians vnder the pretended name of the King to vse vs in the same manner as they haue wickedly tr◅itorously and vnnaturally done to those about his Maiestie and as it were vnder his wings and vnder the skirtes of his robe which the traitors strangers haue stained with the true French bloud without that his Maiestie hath bene able to remedie it nor too staye their cursed at◅emptes so much lesse is he able now so farre off to defend vs as he would which his Maiesties good wil being knowne vnto vs doth arme vs for our defence and for the safegarde of our liues and of the priuileges which he hath giuen vs vntil such tyme as he shall be able by himself to defend vs against his enimies and ours FINIS Iohn Sleidan Iacobs slaughter at Paris Newe deuises to abolishe the Gospell The tumult of Ambaxian The king◅ Edict of pardō Sodeine alteration by the death of king Fraunces The Kings Edict cōmonly called the Edict of Ianuarye The name of Lutheranes Geneua a sanctuarie for the godly Great persecution in the Church of Paris Anno domini ▪ 1557. Wicked slaunders deuised against the faithfull Duke Arscotus a Brabantine An apologie for the faithful captiues The arrogant threatnings of the Constable Anno domini 1558. Certayne examples of Gods vengeance shewed vppon diuers persecutors of the Church Persecution stayed for a time Examples of iniuries done to the faithful 16. leafe The fruites of the sermons of the Papistes The parliament at Paris Foixius The first synode of the Churches of Fraunce The summe of the letters of the Princes of Germanie sent to the King. Annas Burgaeus examined condemned and iudged to dye The death of king Henrie The summe of the confession of Burgens A comparison betvvene the doctrine of the Gospell and the Romishe doctrine 2. Thes. 2. 3. The sentēce of death against Burgaus By the tyrant Phalaris he meaneth the Cardinall of Loraine Great afflictiō of the Church after the death of king Hērie An example of two false brethren Grieuous affliction Margaret Riche The descriptiō of the tumult of Ambaxia Villemongius he Kings ◅rs of par◅n Spirituall ◅ guenotes a Temporall Huguenote The names of Princes did not appertaine to the Guises in the kingdome of Frāce Afflictions after a sort cease A description of the Scotres warre for Religion Calabria a countrie ioyning to Naples The Scripture The worde The three Credes The Trinitie Man. Originall sin ▪ Election Christ. God and man. Two natures in Christ. The death of Christ. The Sacrifice of Christ. Remission of Sinnes Faith. The grace of the holy gost Newnesse of lyfe Good works The figures of the law The doctrine of the law One onely aduocate Intercession of saintes Purgatory Ecclesiasticall discipline The vnitie of the Church What the Church is The Papacy Discipline of the Church The lawful election of mi nisters Excommunication Sacraments Baptisme The Lords Supper Magistrates The supplications of the faithfull deliuered by the Admiral to the King. The sentence of the Bishop of Valentia Bishops of Rome Lawyers Bishop◅ Curates He speaketh to Queenes namely to the Kings mother and the Kings wife The singing of Psalmes The seconde remedie to appease troubles The example of the kings Carolus Magnus and Lodowicke The Gospell of diuers men diuersly receyued With what weapons in time past the Bishops resisted heretikes The oration of the Bishop of Vienna Two pillers of the kingdome The office of a King A Tyrant Religion Why a generall Councell is not to be looked for A Parliament The controuersie betwene Charles the v. and Pope Clement Forewarnings of delolation to come Couetousnes the Babilonicall beast Math.
of coÌ„meÌ„taries The conditions offered by the Prince of Conde at the first par ley The reasoÌ„s that staied the Prince of Con de from going into exile The forme of the gouernement of the Realme in Kinges minoritie The Prince of Conde remoued from Paris to Ioyne to him the EnglishmeÌ„ The Duke of Guise se keth to stay the Prince of Conde froÌ„ ioyninge himselfe with the EnglishmeÌ„ Anno 1572 Decem. 19. If that geâ—… tle Reader thou loke in the printed battailes and descriptions of the skirmishes of the Ciuill warres of Fraunce this shal be much more plaine vnto thee for in them thou shalt haue a liuely vew The first battaile in the which the Consta ble was taken and the Swisers dispersed and slaine The second battaile The third battaile The Prince of Conde taken prisoner The fourth battaile The Kings Edict Nemours winneth Vienna Soubize LiefetenaÌ„t of Lions Nemours deceiued of his purpose The winning of Sanstephen and Nonays Nonay cruelly spoiled The Admi rall goeth into Normandy The siege of Orlean â–ª The Kings letters to win from the Prince the Germanes Pultrotseâ—…t from Lions to the Admirall Pultrot killeth the Guise Pultrot taken Peace takeÌ„ Cane in Normandi wonne The state of the com moÌ„ wealth of the church after peace was taken â–ª The state of the chur ch at Orlcaunce Odet Cardi nall of Cha stillon the state of the church at Lions Petrus Vire â—…us the state of the church in Dolpheny the state of the church in Burgun dy and Pro uance the gouern ment of M. Anuil ouer the Churches in Lan guedoc Albanoys The order of calling vppon god his name in Nemaux The Edict violently corrected by the Anuille Monsieur Anuille coÌ„ maundeth Moton to be hanged the state of the church of Venais The state of the chur ches of Orange The state of the churches of Paris The state of the chur ches of Picardie The churches of Brit tanny and Normandy The Churches of Gas coigne and of al Guian The Churches in the dominion of Bearne The Churches in the Cuntrey of Metz. The Churches of Pie mont The Papists brag of abolishing the Edict an D. 1563. The fetches of the Guises to disturbe the peace The craftie wiâ—… of the Quene the Kings mother The Cardinals sharp accusation against the Admirall The Admirall publisheth a wri ting wher in hee cleareth himselfe The words of Merae Monsieur Granmonâ—… Scoutes Monsieur Tranuie The Marshal Hesse The trauell of the CouÌ„ cell of Trent to hinder and stop religioÌ„ in Fraunce The King being of the age of 14. yeares iâ—… declared to be of ful lawfull agâ—… The suâ—…til and craftie deuises of the aduersariâ—…s against Religion violent and false interpÌ„tations of the Edict set â—…orth by the Kings commaundement New sleights put in practise to entice the Prince of Conde froÌ„ the reformed Religion The spoyle wasting of the congregation at Paniez by d'Anuille The Kings progresse causes therof MontaubaÌ„ MontaubaÌ„ agrements made betwene the King his brother the Duke of Orleans The Prince of Conde eseapeth the papists snares and baytes The death of the prin ces wife The slaugh ters of the faithfull Brother hodes of the papiste Monsieur Cure that famous valeant cap taine is slaine And yet scaped vnpunished Moâ—… interpretations of the Edict The Kings progresse The suÌ„me of all that was don in the time of the Kinges Progresse The Admirall adiudged free of the Dukes murther by the kings own iudgement The Guises and the Chastillon are charged to be reconciled The Kings comminge to Lions and what he did there An enterdiction for Sermones A fortresse built at Lyons Monfieur Saltane remoued froÌ„ the gouern ment of Ly ons mon suer Lossay succeded him The sundry troubles of the church at Lions The declaclaration of Rossillon a great ouerthrow to the Edict Restraine of Sinodes ProtestaÌ„ts coÌ„manded to returne to Monachisme The great slaughter of the faith full at Tours The Prince of Conde complaineth of these iniuries The greâ—…ous iniâ—…ries coÌ„mitted against the Protestantes The Kings letters to the Prince of Conde New proclamatioÌ„s for the obserua tion of the Edict The punnishment appointed for the mur ther done at Tours made frustrate The fond and foolish iorneâ—…s of the Cardynall the bloudy suruay that the Marshial of Burdillo made thorough out all Guian Merindol a place appointed for the reformed religion The kinge commeth to Langue doâ—… an do 1566 〈◊〉 do 1566 The affairs of the low Countrey â–ª The beginning enâ—… of the church of Flaunders King Philip certified of the increase of the protestantes in the lowe countrey aâ—… do 156â—… The supplication of the nobles of the confederacy The Duches of Par me causeth â–ª an assembly of States 〈◊〉 Serâ—…ones Images in Flaunders went to wracke The conference betweene the nobles the Duches of Parme. The Prince of Orange commeth to Antwerpe Valleucia besieged Valence surrendred an do 1567 The last coÌ„ spiracy of the Catholiqnes concerning the ruine of the Church of Fraunce The comming of the spanish army with the Duke of Alba. The King Quene remoue to Paris Letters of the Prince to the king The last pe tition of the Prince of Conde The state of the faith full in the beginning of this second war. The Cities townes that tooke part with the protestantes the slaugh rer of the Parisians at Sandioâ—…yse The CoÌ„sta ble wounded to the death The state of the chur ches of the low countrey after the comming of Duke de Alba. The Prince of Conde marcheth to Lorain The Duke of Aniou marcheth towarde Loraine The Kings Edict against the faithfull A battayle in Auuergne the pro testants ha uing the victory an do 1568 Chartres besieged Peace concluded and the summe of the kings Edict The deceit of the Catholiks by this Edict Greate iniures done to the Protestants VVatch ward at hauens bridges Violation â–ª of the Edict Violations of the Edict Troubles â—…t Lions Troubles at Paris 〈◊〉 Sermones Practise of the Cardinal to take the principall profes sors of the Religion Horrible murthers Cipiere cruelly slaine Ten thousand protestantes slain with in the com passe of three Monethes The prince of Conde remoueth to Noyers The Card â–ª of Lorrain practiseth to take the Prince of Conde The Spye taken 90000. Frankes is in our coin foure score and eightteen thousand and nyne hundred and seuen and thirtye poundes ten shillings Victor Vticensis lib. 3 pers Afric the answer of the faith full The coulered deceit in this oth Rochel coÌ„ maunded to be besie ged Musters of Souldiers Letters of the Catholikes souÌ„d out Amanzi a noble man slaine The Prince of Conde in greate perill Letters of the Prince of Conde sent to the Kyng The Prince of Conde goeth to Noyers The Cardi nall ChastilloÌ„ fleeeth into England The death of Charles sonne to King Philip Anno Domini 1568. in the moneth of Au gust The state and condition of both parts The Kings â–ª Decree The messeÌ„â—…er sent froÌ„ the Prince of Conde 〈◊〉 â–ª Discipline appointed by the Prince of Conde A descripâ—… on of tâ—…e disciplin of warre A practisâ—… to draw away the Prince of Nauar froÌ„ the Prince of Conde Letters of the Quene of Nauar to the Kinge Letters of the Quene of Nauar to the Quene Mother Cities yeelded to the Prince of Conde The Ande lot coÌ„meth to the Prince of Conde with a great Army Boysuerd slayne The Andelot passeth ouer the forde of Loyre The Andelot ioyneth with the Admirall An Edict prohibiting the vse of the reformed religion â–ª The Kinge was xii yeâ—… old when his brothâ—… Frances dyed Letters patâ—…es from the Pope Mouents and his souldiers slaine Lettees of the Quene oâ—… Nauar to the Quene of England England a succour to Fraunce The Prince of Conde seeketh to encounter with Monpensier The Duke of Angâ—…we put to the worse The Duke of Aniou by Pollicy delayeth to loyne battaile Duâ—…e Dau maâ—… in Loraine Prince of Orange in the lowe countrey Prince of Orenge seketh to ioyn with the Prince of Conde Tiranny of the Duke of Alba. The Germaneâ—… take both parts Duke of Deuxpous promiseth to helpe the Prince of Cond Mon sieur Cochao taken many of his men slaine Noyers wonne an D. 1569. the Abbay of Saintflo rent won spoyled Sancer besieged The batail in which the Prince of Conde Was slaine The oathe of the Prince of Nauar. l'Endureau reuoltes Brissac slaine Conte Pâ—… padon slaine The Lord Boccarde dead Charite besieged and taken The Duke de Deux Pons dead Description of the Dukes Campe. description of the princes army Snccours from the Pope â–ª the Quene mother en courageth the Souldiours The Lorde Strossi takeÌ„ Strossies men flame â–ª The death of â—…e lord of Moruill The siege of Niort The Lord pluneau succours it The protes tants request to the king for peace To whom the troubles ought to be imputed Luzig rendered Lordes Captains within poâ—… tyers Poictiâ—… 〈◊〉 â—…esieged Battry against Poytâ—…ers Battery against Poie Three assaults giueÌ„ to the suburbes of Roell Assault of Italians The Edict of peace Concord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Noble men that are 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 Noble men of 〈◊〉 calling The Queene of 〈◊〉 All 〈◊〉 Places 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Kinges Courâ—… â–ª Paris 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â–ª Hospitals and Colleges The good will of the king toward â—…he prince of Conde and the rest The Duke of Sweburge other Princes The Queene of 〈◊〉 Priuiledges of Cities Offices Payments to be indifferent Deliuery of prisoners Raunsomes All vnder the Kings protecon Mouables restored Reuenewes Of houses castles cities Princes of Nassau Writings of Landes Iudgementes Abrogation of Sentences â–ª Obseruaaion of dollitique Lawes Instice equal ly ministred Appeales froÌ„ Parliaments â–ª Refusall of Iudges Foure Citties graunted for Securities sake Concerning this Edict Trafike Punishments for breaking this Edict Disanulling of all former Edictes The othe of Magistrates Solem proclamation of this Edict
which are the Kings neare kinsemen to bée in lesse estimation than Straungers And althoughe the Princes throughe their humanitie and great modestie woulde suffer them selues to bée so abased yet notwithstanding the Nobles woulde not beare it nor abyde the gouernement of Straungers And to confirme this which he had spoken he brought in manye examples that the Guises being Straungers were neyther in the number of Princes nor at anye time so accounted and that therefore it was not lawfull for the Guises to arrogate vnto themselues the titles and authoritie of Princes which onely appertained to the Kings bloude as the auncient custome of the kingdome woulde declare This sayth he to pacifie those of the temporaltie whose doings were the more to bée feared for that the greater part of the Nobilitie was of that side sauing such as were woonne and procured awaye by the Guiles for the Kings money Thus Planchaeus largely and fréely vttered his mynde But all the whyle that he had this talke with the Quéene the Cardinall of Loraine was hydde behinde the Tapistrie clothes that hâ—…ng before the wall of the Closet Who when Planchaeus had leaue of the Quéene to depart came forth and talking with the Quéene appointed that Planchaeus shoulde be called agayne and commaunded to procéede in his former declaration and to shewe who they were that were the authors and Captaynes of she late conspiracie the which except he woulde promise to doe that he might be caried to prison Therefore Planchaeus being called againe began to vtter his minde as fréely as he had done before shewing the parentage and stocke of the Guises and also howe they were Straungers and nothing appertaining to Fraunce adding moreouer that it was very euill done to commit the gouernement of the Realme to Straungers and speciallye to such as did contende ambitiouslye for the Kingdome and thought it shoulde appertayne to them The Quéene being offended with his boldnesse and speciallye séeing he affirmed that he knewe nothing of the conspiracie commaunded that he should be caried to prison All which Planchaeus spake was euen as it were the voyces of the people speaking by the mouth of one man. After this Michael Hospitall the Kings Chauncelour after the death of Oliuarius of whom we spake before a man verye well learned and wyse was sent to the Senate of Paris to consult with them about many matters that belonged to the gouernement of the Realme and among the rest concerning the prouiding such remedies as might take away the tumults alredie begon And thus afflictions waxed more easie than they wers before and remedies were prouided for so generall a mischiefe But the fame and report of the increasing of the multitude of the faithfull daylye was in euery place of the Realme and bicause great troubles séemed to be at hande all men had regarde vnto them more than to the report of the increase of the faithful the most part endeuouring themselues to staye and pacifie these troubles And at this time this was the state of France the Guises sent the same prouision of warre with the which they withstoode the religion in Fraunce into Scotland ouer the sea to the intent they might there deface and put downe the religion newly begon For the Nobles of Scotland with a great multitude of the people beside had cast off the Popes yoke from of their neckes had plucked downe their Images their altars and abolished the ceremonies of the Papisticall seruice causing the Quéene to get hir into a little towne by hirselfe for that she was sore offended at that which they had done Therefore lacking helpe the Guises brought to passe to haue an hoste of men sent out of France to the number of foure thousande Of this bande of men Brossaeus was Generall with whome was ioyned the Bishop of Ambianensis to the ende the one might fight with the sword and the other with Papisticall power Therfore they toke their iourney with these coÌ„mandements namely that they should seuerely punish the Rebels and the chiefe authors of sedition and that they shoulde restore the wonted and vsuall obedience of the Pope Wherfore so sone as they were come into Scotland they made proclamation that euery one should go to Masse detest and forsake the new religion The Bishop wrote vnto the King that he woulde bring all the people within fewe dayes to the catholike faith Brossaeus wrote that he woulde destroy all within sixe moneths which woulde not come to the auncient Religion But it came otherwise to passe For after the death of Marie Quéene of England the Guises made claime and title to the Crowne of Englande for their Néece the Quéene of Scottes as though she had bene the lawfull heire Whereat the moste gracious Quéene Elizabeth hauing great disdaine sent worde to the King of Fraunce of this great iniurie done to hir Grace by the Guises and biddeth battaile Nowe the Scottés to the ende they might abide the forren power of the Frenchmen féeling also that they stoode in néede of helpe and ayde from some other place went to the Quéene of England beséeching hir that although they were hir olde enimies yet that she woulde vouchsafe to ayde them in so iust a cause of Religion saying that they had rather to abide any extremitie than the tyrannie of the Pope To whom the Quéenes maiestie willingly and gladly promised and graunted helpe The Scottes therefore being encouraged by this ayde did so withstande the French power that they made great slaughter of the French men and draue them to such a strayte that except the matter had bene taken vp by peace it shoulde séeme that they had bene all vtterly destroyed Peace therfore was concluded and the reformed Religion there established And so that tumult was turned to the peace and quietnesse of the Church notwithstanding the subtill practises and cruell threatnings of the aduersaries There were also at that time grieuous afflictions layde vpon the Church in another place For in the townes of Sixtus and Guardia in the countrie of Calabria there were manye yea to the number of a thousande which by the Popes commaundement were put to death for Religions sake and many horrible cruelties also committed by the meanes of one Marchion Buciane In the Kingdome of Fraunce also in diuers places as at Paris and Rhoane many of the faythfull were murthered vpon the solemne feast daye of the Bishops deambulation For the faithfull began more and more to assemble themselues togither and exhibited vnto the King a little booke containing the confession of their faith requiring to haue libertie graunted vnto them to declare their cause Wherfore it shall not be disagréeing from our purpose to put downe here the same their confession to the ende we may therby sée what a notable consent and agréement there was in the doctrine of faith among the Churches of Fraunce notwithstanding the â—…oysterous tempestes of the first afflictions A Confession of the Fayth made
114. King of Nauar forsaketh the court in displeasure 137. King of Nauar promiseth to promote the Gospell 139. L. Letters from the Princes of Germanie to King Henrie 28. Letters of Pardon 58. Letters sent to the Prince of Conde taken 107. Letters of the King. 143. Letters of Paulus Verglus to the Byshops of Italy 192. Lodowick the. 12. called the Father of his Countrey Lodowick Faurus caryed to pryson 27. Lutherans a name giuen to the Protestantes 22. Luxurie in Priestes 122. M. Man at the first perfect 66. Magistrates 76. Margaret Ryche Martyr 50. Matrimonie 204. Monsier Vidam apprehended 107 Monsier Vidam dyeth 116. Mongomery slew king Henrie 34 Mongomery of a persecutor became a faithfull Christian. 34. 35. Murther done nere to Sainte Innocentes 21. Murther at a Popishe Sermon 22. Myraculous delyuerance of the faithfull 19. N. Names of reproch 118. Nemerosius sente to dissuade Renaudius from his enterprise 54. Newnesse of life 70. Neuters 167. Nicolaus Durandus called Villegagno 45. Notes too knowe the Churche of Christ by 219. O. Obedience to Magistrates 205. Office of a King. 88. Oration of the Byshoppe of Vienna 87. Oration made by Beza 189. Oration made by the Byshoppe of Valentia 81. Obedience to Magistrates 205. P. Parliament at Paris 24. Parliament 116. Parliament breaketh vp 128. Peace after long persecution 115. Persecution in Spaine 166. Persecution in Prouance 135 Persecution in Paris and Roane 63 Peace betwene Spain Fraūce 24. Persecution stayed for a time 17. Persecutour receiue Gods vengeance 16. Persecution in the Churche of Paris 5. Planchaeus Counsell 59. Planchaeus imprisoned 60. Pope Paulus the thirde 94. Pope summoneth a Councell 128. Pope inuiteth the Princes of Germanie to the Councell 131. Pope renounced by the Princes of Germanie 134. Prince of Conde sente for too the Court. 135. Prince of Conde appealeth to hys Peeres 111. Prince of Conde taken 110. Protestants called Lutherians 21. 4. Purgatorie 71. Q. Queene of Englande aydeth the Scottes 62. Queene falleth out with the King of Nauar. 114. Queene sendeth Letters too the Pope 168. Quintius Hedius speaker for the Clergie 123. Quintius receiueth his Oration 127 Quintins dyeth for sorrowe 127. R. Reall presence 210. Rebaptizing 73. Reconciliation of the Prince of Conde and the Duke of Guise 161. Reconciliation betweene Queene and the King of Nauar. 138. Reformation wished by the Cardinall of Loraine 209. Religion 89. Religions force in mens myndes 117. Remission of sinnes 69. Renaudius Captaine againste the Guises 54. Renaudus slayne 57. Richerius minister of the congregation vnder Villegagno 46. S. Sacraments 201. 75. Sacramentall signes 183. Sagua seruant to the Prince of Cō de apprehended 107. Scottes war for Religion 61. Scriptures 64. Seditious Preachers 20. Sedition defyned 116. Shauen crounes the badges of poperie 126. Singing of Psalmes 20. Singing of Psalmes required of noble women 84. Sclaunders raysed vp againste the faythfull 7. Soule of Picardie 22. Supper of the Lorde 75. Supplication of the faithfull deliuered to the king 79. Succession of the Church 221. Successors of the Apostles 224. Synode at Paris 27. Symoniakes 94. T. Transubstantiation 202. Trent in Italy 128. Trinitie 65. Tributes 98. Truchetus slaine by a Cowhierde 157. Truce betwene the Duke of Sabaudia and the mē of the valleis 166. Tumult of Ambaxia 52. Two Pillers of the Kingdome 88. Tyrantes raigne by force 88. V. Vidam answereth to his letters 108. Vidam dismiste of Sainte Michaels order 109. Vidam dyeth 116. Villers an enimie to the Admyrall 141. Villegagno goeth to the weste Indies to plante the Gospell there 45. Villegagno a fearfull Apostata 46. Villemongius a constant martyr 56 Vnitie of the Church 72. Vocation ordinarie and extraordinarie 224. VV. VVarres betweene the Duke of Sabaudia and the men of the Valleys 125. VVorde of God. 64. VVorde of God a weapon againste Heretiques 86. VVorkes and faith 167. VVorshiping of Images 171. FINIS The seconde parte of Commen taries Conteyning the whole discourse of the ciuill warres of Fraunce vnder the raigne of CHARLES the nynth Translated out of Latin into Englishe by Thomas Tymme Minister Seene and allowed Imprinted at London by Frances Coldock And are to be sold at his shop in Pawles churchyard at the signe of the greene Dragon 1574. To the right woorshipfull Sir Richard Baker Knight Thomas Tymme wisheth health and prosperitie with full perfection of all Christian knowledge and godlynesse PArtly Experience of the former friendly acceptation of my good will right woorshipfull and partly presumption vpon the same agayne twoo bold guides haue moued me to attempt the Dedication of these two other partes of Commentaries to the which also is ioyned an Addition of the horrible and cruell slaughter of the Admirall Chastillon and other Nobles vnto you hoping that as you haue already worshipfully receyued the first part and taken the same to your protectiō so likewyse you will not refuse these other partes set foorth with such diligence as conueniently might be vsed The gyft which is my small labour in the Translation is scarce woorthy the presenting to your worship but the Argument which concerneth the affaires of so noble a kingdome as Fraunce is I boldly presume in the learned Authours name too presente vnto you especially seeing the reading and knowledge therof shall not onely redound to the profyt of our Countrey but also greatly illustrate and set forth the glory of god For whē we shall compare our happy estate with the miserable condicion of the afflicted people in Fraunce when I say wee shall call to mind the happy dayes of peace and concorde and the prosperouse successe in our ciuill gouernement which by the vnspeakable mercy and goodnesse of God wee haue enioyed since the raigne of our gratiouse Soueraigne and contrarywyse the bloudy warres the sore dissentiō and stryfe with the horrible desolation that hath ensued in the realme of France we cannot choose but we must needes be forced too magnifie and extol the great mercies of our God which hath deliuered vs from the lyke destruction no lesse deserued by our sinnes Shall we say that the Frenchmen our neighbours are greater sinners than any other Nation vnder heauen because of the great desolation fallen vppon them No verily but except wee repent wee shall in lyke manner perishe Therefore right woorshipfull by the benefite of this discourse of the ciuill warres we shall not onely be drawne to the knowledge of our selues but also bee prouoked to gyue God moste harty thankes for our quiet peaceableestate which by our Soueraign Prince we enioye These are the frutes which shall ensue to the Christian Reader by these Commentaries the which if they maye reape as no doubt they shall I may account my labour well bestowed Thus hauing boldly craued your worships courtesie in receyuing this base and simple present of myne I cease wyth thankes for your liberalitie shewed towardes me committing you my good Lady your wyfe into the handes of Almighty
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
faithfull held Therfore Monsuer Ioyse tooke shipping and in his shippes great store of Ordinaunce with the which hee so battered the Castell that the kéepers thereof for want of helpe yéelded and deliuered the same into his handes The men of Montpellier in the meane time not know ing of the yéelding vp of Maguelon intended to go with all the power they were able to make out of the Citie to set vpō their enemies camp being busied in the besieging of the Castell Therfore they went out of the Citie to the number of eight hundered horsemen and twelue Ensignes of footemen leauing behind them a Garrison to kéepe the Citie carying with them also certaine fielde péeces And they had not gone farre but they met with the Campe of Monsure Ioyse whether hee was retourned with al his men from the siege of Maguelon and al that day was spent betwéene them only with discharginge shot one at another Monsuer Ioyse woondering at the boldnes and courage of the men of Montpellier And while he was in a certaine Manner Place or ferme sitting at supper with certaine of his Captains and talking of the helpe and aide which he looked for at which time they assured them selues of the victory it came to passe that a certaine pellet which came out of the shot of the Protestants fell vppon the toppe of the house in the which he sate and shaking the house it berayed the whole table at the which he supt with dust made their eares to ring with the cracke and rashing rent of the house Then all of them began to feare and tremble doubting least the house would fall vppon their heades Then Petrus Lapas that spanish théese of whom we spake before being merily disposed cried to Monsuer Joyse in the Spanish tongue saying Behold Mon sure Ioyse the keyes which Montpellier offereth vnto thee deriding hereby his security The same day being the xiii day of September Baron des Adretz came out of Dolpheny with eight hundred well appoynted horsemen to the Protestants Campe of Montpellier by the rumor of whose comming Monsure Ioyse and the rest of his souldiers were not onely greatly afeard but also much offended with the delay of their fellowes Then Monsure des Adretz when he had found out the situation of their Campe minded to besiege them First therfore he got betwéene them and the Marsh or fenne thē did so beset or inclose them on euery side round about with men and ordinance that they could by no meanes escape nor yet by any way attaine to ayy vittailes And the mindes of the Papistes which had conceiued that the Protestants were many mo in num ber than they were as they were in déede were so discouraged and amazed that they durst by no meanes set vppon their enemies nor yet aduenture any waye to escape But now when the souldiers of Montpellier were throughly incouraged by the aide of Adretz to the battaile and that their enemies on the other part were quight discouraged behold Baron de Adretz tolde the Captaines that he must néedes depart from thence that night for so woord was brought vnto him from Lions And entering into the Citie of Montpellier by the break of the day he commaunded the Aldermen of the towne to giue vnto him 15000. Frankes Who for feare of force and sedition gaue vnto him so much money after the receipt wherof he departed out of the Citie minding no doubt to play the false Judas and Apostata which afterward came to passe Thus the siege being broken vp word was brought to Montpellier that Monsure Sommeriue and Monsure de Suze were come with a great Armie and that they went about to make a Bridge to come ouer the Riuer called the Rosne and that on the other part the power of the men of Auuergnoys came to the teritory of Seuenas vnder the charge and conduct of the Graun Prier Word hereof also came to the Campe of Monsure Joyse who when they vnderstoode that they were deliuered from the perill of the siege and that there had happened so soden a change they were excéedingly cōforted and reuiued as commonly it happeneth to men that haue escaped great daunger This rumour therfore dayly increasing more and more the men of Montpellier sawe that it was necessa ry for them to learne and know both what power the enemie of Fraunce had because he was nere and perillous and also how farre which way he minded to go whether there were any way to stop him Therfore by the common aduise of the Captaines Monsure Grill Monsure Bari Monsure Bulargues men very expert in the warre went to Nisines the twentie day of September with fiue hundred horsemen and thrée hundred foote men leauing the rest of their army behind thē to kéepe the Citie Who in the meane time suffered not the enemy which lay néere the citie to be in quiet comming out oftentimes euen to their Camp and skirmishings with them Now Monsieur Bulargues being a man expert and paynfull in warlike affaires was put in trust to vewe the Town of Sangiles whether the enemie minded to come and to sée whether the Towne were sufficiently fortefied to defende it selfe and what garrison it had who cōming thyther saw that the Citie was indifferently fortefied and was certefied by the inhabitants of Sangiles that they had ben summoned by the enemie to yéelde vp the citie and while monsieur Bulargues was there the enemie summoned them agayn with the same commandements saying that monsieur Sommeriue and monsieur de Suze required them to yéeld vp vnto them forthwith the citie vnlesse they would suffer and abyde all manner of extremity and cruelty if the same were wonne by force of battery So monsieur Burlargues leauing twenty of his men at Sangiles they scarse hauing in their own gar rison in the towne so many more good able souldiers and incouraging the townsmen with promise that out of hand they should haue more ayde he returned to Nismes conferring with his fellowes he had charge committed vnto him to conduct to the Towne of Sangilles two hundred Gonners And monsieur Grill and Bars promised that they would follow with the reste of the footemen and horsemen In the meane time word was brought to Sangiles that the enemie was come with a great army contayning six thousand footemen and eight hundred horsemē hauing with them also thrée great Canons that they intended to make a bridge ouer the riuer called the rosne and so besiege the towne of Sangiles The proud boasting Souldiour approched to the walles of the citie who notwithstanding were driuen backe agayne by those the kept the walles with gonnes Then the enemies began to batter the walles with their great Canons and to set ladders to the walles to scale them They of the towne séeing this called vpon their Captaines to make al spéed to defende them for they were gréeued at the proude wordes of
abolishing the Edict 10. Petition made by the Prince of Condeâ—… 98. Peace concluded 110. Peace requested by the protestantes 232. Poictiers besieged 242. Pey battered 244. Pâ—…ince of Conde intised from the defence of the Gospell 33. Prince of Conde escapeth the Papistes snares 40. Prince of Conde complayneth of iniuries 54. Prince of Orange commeth to Anwerpe 87. Prince of Conde marcheth to Loraine 105. Prince of Conde flyeth to Noyere pag. 121. 164 Prince of Conde in great peril 131. Prince of Conde seketh to encounter with Mompensier 190 Prince of Orange seeketh to ioyne with the Prince of Conde 195. Preaching forbidden 48. Practise â—…o stcale away the prince of Nauar 167 Proclamations for the obseruation of the Edict 68 Pultrot deareth the Admirall 14 Protestantes commaunded too returne to Monachisme 52 Q Queen of France encourageth the fouldiours 224 R Reconciliation betwene the Guises and the Chastillion 47 Restraint of Synodeâ—… 51 Rochell 〈◊〉 to be besieged 130 S Sanser besieged 202 Sermons 〈◊〉 preached 217 Slaughter of the Parisians at Saint Dionyse 102 Slaughter of the faythfull at Tow ers 53 Slaughter of the â—…thful 41 Slaughter of 10. thouÌ„sande protestants in the space of 3. monthes in the tyme of peace 〈◊〉 Spye sent to vewe Noyers taken pag. 122 State of the common wealth after peace was taken 1 State of the Church of Orleans 1 State of the Church of Lions 2 State of the Church in Dolpheny 3 State of the Churche in Burgondy and Prouance 3 State of the Church of Venais 7 State of the Church of Orange 8 State of the Church of Paris 8 State of the church of Pâ—…eardy 8 State of the Church of Brittayne Normandy 8 State of the Churches of Gascoyne and Guian 9 State of the protestantes in the second warre 100 State of the Churches in the lowe Countrey after the comming of the Duke of Alba. 102 Supplication of the Nobles of the low Conntrey 82 Succour of the Pope 224 Strosius men slayne 224 Suburbes of Rochereul thrise assalted 253 Subtill practises of the papistes against the Gospell 25 T Troubles at Lions 116 Troubles at Paris 117 Tyranny of the Duke of Alba. 196 V Valencia beseeged 89 Valencia surrenuered 91 Violence done to the Protestantes pag. 60 W VVatch and warde at Hauens and Bridges 114 FINIS The vii Booke of Commentaries concerning the state of Religion and of the common wealth of Fraunce vnder the Raigne of Charles the ninth ALTHOVGH that France was now as it wer very desirous to be at rest after so gret broils of that greuous and lameÌ„table warre yet heauy occasions of newe troubles séemed to bée offerd euerie day and the hartes of the Papistes were espied by manifest tokens and talke to wax more spightfull New hauen a town lying on the sea cost of Normandy being receyued againe of the English men part of the Kings army was quight discharged and part of it was chosen to lye in garrison in those Cities which were holden of the Protestantes in the time of warre and for this purpose also were taken some of the Prince of Condies bandes especially those who in the tyme of seruice had forsaken the Prince and gon to the Duke of Guise The state of all the Churches being scatered throughout all the prouinces of the Kingedome was such as here followeth Monsieur Sipier a noble man had again by the kings commaundement the gouernmente of the Church at Orleans and the Citie it selfe was fortified with a very greuous and troublesome garrison Notwithstanding the Church florished there both in great nomber of the faithful and also good plenty of learned men there was a schoole ordeyned for the vse of the reformed Church and beawtyfied with most excellent Doctoures Teachers but amongst the wrongs and verations that they of the Garrisons did dayly woorke the Protestantes of Orleans were greatly encouraged by reason they of ChastilloÌ„ dwelt so neare them the Cardinal Odet Chast illo also very frankly and liberally helping with money the néedes and wantes both of their Church and schole The Marshall de Vielleuille came to Lions and the Protestants at his commaundement forthwith laying a side their armour whilest as he said he went about to put the Edict in execution he fenseth the Citie with a strong Garrison and by force of the Kings letters staieth the building of the Church which the faithfull had begun being thrust out of the Papistes churches which before in the time of warre they had vsed And yet they of Lions were not in worst case for the Protestantes there did both quietly lyue amongst themselues and also enioyed fréely and without restrainte the vse of the reformed religion certaine places being by the Kinges maiesties graunt for that purpose appointed All which time Petrus Uiretuâ—… a Godly and eloquent man togyther with his most excellent fellowlabourers did very profitablye trauaile in that congregation which was greatly frequented and furnished with men of all sorts and degrées so that to the Godly it yelded a ioyful and pleasant spectacle but to the Papistes a heauie and lamentable sight The gouernment of the Countrey of Dolpheny fel into the handes of Monsieur Moâ—…gron and Gordes and garrisons of souldiers were placed in the chiefe townes therof as in Ualence Grenoble Roman Uienne Montillon notwithstanding they did not long beare the wrongfull dealing of the Souldiers especially in that part of the Countrey which was ruled by Monsuer Gordes for they procured vnto themselues his fauour by gyftes and so by that meanes were delyuered from the Garrisons But the congregations in Burgundy were euel entreated by Monsieur Tauennes and the Counsaile of Diion But chiefely towardes the Countrey of Prouance they were very cruelly handled for there the Papistes were so impudently imboldned as it were fleshed through the impunitie and libertie of the spoyles they had committed in the tyme of warre that the Protestantes being vtterly discouraged with the often tydinges of the iniuries and murthers that were there committed durste not once to repaire home to their owne houses although they did not openly practise their Religion But yet at the length by the Kinges commaundement they were suffered to returne home and diuers punishmentes executed vppon such as had bene woorkers of mischiefe there as in place conuenient we wil more at large declare The Constable had procured the gouernment of the Prouince of Languedoc ouer which hee was chiefe ruler to be committed ouer to his Sonne Monsieur Anuille with exceding straight and sharp commission For the men of that Countey had manfully and couragiouslye behaued themselues all the time of the former war. Monsuer Anuille therefore imparting the matter to the counsel of Tholouze and hauing their aduise how to behaue himselfe in the exploit of all his affaires went to the other parts of this Prouince with more stomacke and courage and to those Cities which in the tyme of warre were holden by
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
to chalenge and claymâ—… them for the Spanish king Wherein hée hath both done great iniurie to your maiestie and the wole kingdome and also sought thereby to bring your Grace in feare and to stand in awe of him by reason he is in such fauor and estimation with the king of Spayne to whom he coÌ„municateth all the affaires of this realme There was neuer any deuise inuented or practised neither in the first or second warres whereof Kinge Phillip hath not ben both an authour and fautour whose chief desire is to sée the greatest part of your Nobilitie destroyed that he might the easier conquer your kingdome For surely there is no more effectuall meanes to bring that his purpose to passe then to set vs togither by the eares by sowing of strife and dissention And to what other endâ—…â—…an those Confraternities and brother hoodes as they call them of the Holy Goste bee referred then to this For some of the Noble men which are admitted into that fellowship are so wedded vnto it that they vtterly forget their dutie and doo conspire with them the death of such noble men as professe the reformed religioÌ„ whose desire is to liue quietly with them in the bande of brotherly loue as becometh good subiects vnder one prince and friends alied togither either in kinred or affinitie And who I beséeche your maiestie hath ben the author of these holy brotherhoods but the Cardinall who hath promised to procure your warrant for them notwithstanding your highnesse hath declared them to be hurtefull and preiudiciall to your honour and therefore to be disallowed And what shall we thinke of his sendinge abroad through all the whole kingdome wherin he willed that no maÌ„ should either giue credit to or obey your Maiesties commaundements vnlesse the letters which were sent were signed with speciall signet and surely through this his dooing no commission that euer came out from your grace for the obseruation of the Edicte was in any poinct obeyed and executed so that we may both iustly and truly say that he none but he hath ben auctour of these broyles and tumultes Furthermore who did hinder the publishing of the Edict and who doth stâ—…y the execution of it who emboldened the Parliament of Tolouze to rage so tyrannically as they dyd And who but he and his confederates hath driuen your Maiestie into such streight distresse that you are compelled to violate your publique promise made and solemlie confirmed by othe and thereby to haue your credit and honor crackt amongst all forreyne nations yea we are able to proue how he himselfe wrote letters to your Maiesties mother and had the Aâ—…males hand subscribed vnto them letting hiâ—… to vnderstaÌ„d that he could not staye the conclusion of the peace whereto necessitie drane them notwithstaÌ„ding he would so work that it should neuer be kept By whose meanes is iustice equitie banished out of this realme and most fiâ—…thy and dissolute libertie of factions and seditions brought in with all kinde of trayterous murthering of those that will not yéeld to their tyrannie Who is it that sendeth ruffians and desperat persons euery day yea eueÌ„ home to my owne house to murther both me and the Admirall and this haue two whom I haue taken confessed Who entised certaine Knights of S. Michaels order other Captaines to murther the Admirall who God be thanked had warninge geuen by them that should haue done the deed Who procured Monsieur Sipierre to â—…e slaine and to the number of fiue and thirtie Noble men with him but he For his Brother the Duke of Guise would commonly boaste of it a moneth and more before it was done and being done he himselfe had the first tydings of it Yea who but he or his men flue Monsieur Amanze sitting at his owne doore with his younge daughter in his armes who had offended neyther part but liued quietly with all men of both Religions Neuerthelesse when his Nephew the Duke of Lorayn had aduertised him that it were expedient for him that hée absented himselfe from your Grace because many dyd beare him deadly hatred because he ruling al things at his owne pleasure should be charged as authour and causer of al the troubles and miseries that had or shold endammage the common weale of the kingdome Hée made him aunswere That he ruled not at all and that he made not his aboad with your Maiestie but because he did not knowe any other place wherein hee could bée more safe and frâ—…e from daunger Whereby it is euidâ—…nt that for his â—…uegard onely your highnesse Armie is maintaynâ—… tâ—… your excéeding great charges whiche must néedes bring with it a very daungerous and mischéeuous end For if so be the sauetie and strength of a king doth consist vppon the good will and loue of his â—…ub â—…ectes what cause can be inuented whereby hée shoulde enforce your Maiestie to take armour against those whose onely desire is to shewe the liege and loyall obedience they owe to your maiestie But he thinkes the pretence and shew of your name and aucthoritie sufficient to hide and cloake his mischeuous doinges in so much he spared not of late to saye that your highnesse gaue him this answere That shortly men would haue gathered in their hay and corne and haue made an end of their vinetage that the Riuers would be so highe with showers of raine that men could not passe ouer the sayd Riuers that your treasurie should shortly bee enriched with tributes and that then warre should bée proclaymed against those of the reformed religion but in the meane tyme the chief maintainers thereof were to be dispatcht out of the way Yea such is the impudeÌ„cie of the man that he is not ashamed to bragge that the Quéene hath complayning wise found faulte with him That their purpose of our destructioÌ„ was not brought to effect notwithstaÌ„ding the feast of San Ian was past in which tyme he had promised to rid the greatest parte of vs out of the way And as yet none were dispatched but onely Monsieur Sipierre whereunto hée made answere That he had done the best he could to kéepe promise but all would not serue because the Noble men were alwayes spéedely enformed of al his deuises notwithstanding he was in good hope to compasse the matter and in the meane season it was expedient that your maiestie O Christian king should féed vs with vayne hope and gentle letters till they might spye out fit occasion and oportunitie to accomplishe their desires And what other can your grace conceiue of that suÌ„me of money whiche they procured Ian Baptist to sende to you was not the vsurie beyond all reason to giue a hundreth for an hundreth do they not by this their money shewe what good will and loue they beare your highnesse wherefore can any man say that we of the reformed Religion do without vrgent and great cause assaulte the Cardinall of Loraine howe long shall he with subtill trecheries abuse your
territorie of Bellouac of which he being certified fled and in fléeing was chased by souldiours till he came to the Sea In so much that he was constrayned to leaue the greatest part of his cariage behind him and to take Ship to passe ouer into England It was also commonly reported about this tyme that Charles Sonne to King Philip of Spayne was dead The causes were by diuers men diuersly reported but that which was most credible is That the Inquisitors suspecting him of certain things concerning religion ê“uoked stirred vp the displeasure of the Father against the Sonne that he might depriue himselfe of his onely Sonne and of the lawfull heyre of Spayn Shortly after this also newes was brought concerning the death of Elizabeth wyfe to Philip Kinge of Spayne and Sister to Charles King of Fraunce Furthermore the Duke of Alba dayly more more played the tyrant in Flaunders straining no courtesie at the shedding of innocent bloud wherevpon the prince of Orange being moued partely to discharge his dutie being one of the Princes of the Empire and partely for the loue which hée bare to his Countrey caused a great Army to be in a readinesse that hée might withstand the cruell tyrannie of the said Duke of Alba. He had to ayde him great numbers of horsemen footemen which came out of Germany out of Fraunce and also out of the low CouÌ„trey County Lâ—…dowike also his brother a valeaÌ„t captain came with a great number of good souldiours to ioyne with him COME LORD IESV COME QVICKLY The. ix Booke of Commentaries concerning the state of Religion and of the common wealth of Fraunce vnder the Raigne of Charles the ninth THus beganne the third ciuill war in FrauÌ„ce being more notable than the others goyng before both for the great atteÌ„pts and enterprises and also for the continuance of the same for it troubled the Noble Realme of FrauÌ„ce for the space of two yeres Therefore when newes was brought to the Courte of the departure of the Prince of Conde there was open prouision made on both partes for the warre but both their conditions were not alike For the Papistes had Cities Artillery money and all maner of prouision belonging to warre they had also the Kings name authoritie and power by which they preuailed more than by any other meane But as for the Prince of Conde and the Protestantes they had almost nothing but the goodnesâ—…e of their cause and couragious mindes to defende themâ—…elues who though to the perill of the losse of theyr lyues and goods were almost desperate to defende the same Moreouer they which should haue bene helpers and furtherers of their cause were hemde in and shut â—…p throughout the whole Realme in so muche that it was marueile that the Prince of Conde was able to holde warre and to withstand his enemies in so great extreamitie There were great and vrgent caâ—…ses of newe contention â–ª as the diâ—…pleasure taken for the breaking of the oath solemnlye made the breaking of the Kings promise and common peace and the meâ—…itable necessitie of defending their consciences and liues But the Papistes beyng forward enough of themselues tâ—… destroy the godly were pricked forward by the bloudy â—…uriousnesse of the Cardinall of Loraine Therefore by the Kings commaundâ—…ment for vnder this name the Papistes did what they would the Armies that were dismiâ—…t were nowe called backe againe newe choyse and musteâ—…s of men were had and they were all commaunded to be at Staples the. x. dayâ—… of September The wholâ—… ordering and charge of the warre was committed tâ—… Alexander Duke of Angewe the Kings brother being but a young man notwithstanding he had ioyned with him certaine valiant captaines as we sayde before Then were baytes and â—…nares subtiâ—…ly layde and in the Kinges name the gouernours of the Prouinces published a decrée as thus The Kyng commaundeth that all the men of the reformed Religion be vnder his protection no lesse than anye other of his subiectes that they may haue leaue to complaine of iniuries done to them that they may haue remedies prouided out of hande as it is meete and conuenient for their defence and that all Magistrates should be vigilant to defend them In the meane tyme he that caryed the Prince of Condes letters to the King after the deliuerie of them was taken and committed prisoner to a certaine noble man and no answere made to the letters The Prince of Conde when he had stayed in the house of Rochfoucant certaine dayes wente wyth hys whole retinew to Rochel of whose inhabitantes he was very louingly receiued And thether came vnto him the inhabitantes of Xantonge of Poictou of Perigueux of Engolmoys and a great number of noble men of the Regions thereaboutes which embraced the reformed religion and as for the common sort of people they came vnto him out of all those quarters by beapes The Câ—…ties also called Sainctes Tifauge and Montagu offered themselues vnto him But for all this he sente letters to diuers partes of the Realme requiring ayâ—… of hys fellowes and forsomuch as the Protestantes were expulsed almost euery Citie it seemed good vnto him that they shoulde come with all spéede to hiâ—… to Rochel and then hauing greater power to ioyâ—… battaile wyth the enemie Notwithstanding in many places by the wonderfull prouidence of God there were diuers places of refuge reserued throughout the whole Realme as to the men of Francoys Sanferre and Uezelay to the men of Languedoe Montalban Castrealby and Milliaulde to the men of Dolpheny which at that time were in great perill the Cities of Uiuaretze were reserued as Albenac Priuac and many others But before the Prince of Conde began any warre he published a certaine solemne declaration of the causes of the same In manner and forme as followeth I protest before God and his Angels and before this holy assembly that â—…as I also declared in my last letters which I sent vnto the King my Lord intend to do nothing against his Maiestie which may either hurt his person or dignitie but taking him for my Kinge and supreme Lorde next vnder God by him so appoynted I protest that whatsoeuer I doe is for no other cause but to keepe and defende the liberties of our consciences the free vse of the reformed Religion our lyues honours and goods from the tyrannie and oppression of the Cardinall of Loraine and his fellowes â–ª the whiche tyrannie they haue alwayes hytherto shewed and minde still to vse towards the men of the reformed Religion contrary to our kings will whiche he hath openly declared by publique Edicts and decrees thereby breaking the common peace and tranquiâ—…itie And for this cause to the end I may defend their lyues honours goods and the libertie of their consâ—…ences which professe the reformed religion I affirâ—…e that I wyll spende bothe my lyfe and whatso euer eâ—…se God hath giuen vnto me And bâ—…cause there came souldiers daye by daye vnto
many of the inhabitants of that place because they had destroyed suche as at that time fled through their villages for succour The Prince of Condes bandes wan and spoiled Saint florent a very rich Abbay néer vnto Salmure which was garded with two hundred Souldiours but when they had slaine the souldiours because they stood stoutly in the defence therof they set fire on the Abbay Countie Brissac one of the Duke of Anious Captains and a very expert yong man in the warres goinge out of Salmure came sodenly vpon a troupe of horsemen being in number 100. vnder the conduct of Monsieur Borsauld part wherof he flew and part he put to flight The same also came sodeynly and vnlooked for vppon Countie Momgomery in the village of la Motte in so much that Momgomery was constrayned to flée into a Castle hard by but his brother Corminuille with certain others were taken For want of vittailes the Prince of Condes Armye went from Tuarz and from Montrebell and one Army came to Partenay and the other to Niort Thither came also the Quéene of Nauarre to consult with the Prince of Conde and with other Noble men there concerninge diuers things And among all other this was decreed That for so much as the papists to maintain this war did pluck away and sell the land of Churchmen according to the prescript of the Popes letters patents whether they were Catholiques or protestants the Quéen of Nauar the Prince of Conde also should doo the like in those places which they held and kept To bring this thing to passe letters wer giueÌ„ forth in the names of the prince of Nauarre of the Prince of Conde of the Admirall of the Andelot and of the Rochfoucault By whiche letters certaine meÌ„ were commaunded to sell the land of Ecclesiasticall persones and to assure and warrant the byers in their names quietly to enioy the same By this meanes within a short time they had gotten a great masse of money And on the contrary part the Kinges Edictes of the which we spake before were executed with great rigor against Religion All the moueable goods of the faythfull at the first which were taken in spoyle reserued by the Magistrate were openly sold their landes were made to paye great fynes and subsidies to mainteyne Garrisons and souldiours Garrisons were set to keepe Noble mens housholdes and the landes of the faithful by the commaundement of the Kings letters were appointed to be solde The Prince of Conde gaue an attempt against Lasignan being a very strong Castle being come thyther with the greatest part of his armyes but fayling of his purpose he departed againe from thence Sanser a Citie in Burgundy was besiéeged by the catholiques whose captaine was Martinenge an Italian To this siege came Monsieur Nemours bringing with him thrée thousand footemen at the least and certayne troupes of horsemen all which he broughte out of Prouance to ayde Martinenge in the seige The Generall ouer these was Countie Tende Lieftenant of Prouance Wyth these also there came certayne Armies oute of Dolpheny vnder the charge and conducte of Baron des Adretz whom we sayde before forsooke the faithfull in the first warre The Townsmen valiantly for certain Monethes defended themselues and by diuers eruptions vpon the enemies and skirmishes with them they had slaine manye of them and broken manye of their great gunnes Therefore Martinenge when he had wearyed in vayne his souldiers with the extreme coulde of winter he toke vp his caryage raised the seige and departed away secretly in the nighte Then the warders watchmen of the Citie suspecting that the enemyes fled gaue knowledge thereof to the chiefe Captaynes in the Citie who goyng forth by the breake of the day with certaine souldiers slewe many straglers that lingered behinde the armie without order or raye After this countie de Tende went to the Duke of Aniou and Baron de Adretz taking Nemours with him went to the Duke D'aumall This was about the beginning of Februarie The King was nowe at Mets and before he came thether he had forbidden the Protestants to vse the reformed religion vpon paine of death The power of Duke D'aumall beyng greatlye encreased with newe and freshe ayde he determined to encounter with the bandes of French souldiers which wayted for the Armies of the Duke of Deuxpons and came to Sauerne a towne belonging to the Bishoppe of Strasburge which fauoured him and there he stopped al the passage ouer the ryuer against the enemie But he could not there abide beyng repulsed I put to flighte by the FrenchmeÌ„ his enemyes These French bands that put him to â—…light were such as had fled out of the hither part of Fraunce thither partly which were left of the Armie of the prince of Orange Aboute this time MonsGenly dyed at Bergasiber in the Dominion of Deuxpous and bycause he was generall of those Armyes Mons. de Moy a Noble man and a good Captaine was chosen in his stéede While Duke D'aumall behaued himselfe thus about the borders of Loraine there came to the Duke of Aniou two thousand and two hundred Germane horsemen conducted by the Rheingrane Bassompierre He himselfe when he had payed the rest of the armie their wages went with all his power towarde the Territorye of Engolmoys mynding to wyn Engolesme a verye fayre and copious Citie But bycause the passage to the ryuer of Charente woulde be a necessarie helpe for him be mynded to kepe the bridge And therefore he commauÌ„ded Mons. Riuiere to go and take the Citie the Castell of Iâ—…rnac which bordereth vpon the ryuer of Charente Thys was the occasion of a great and lamentable battaile The Prince of Conde beyng certified of the purpose of the Duke of Aniou came to Niort with his main battaile the first daye of Marche and from thence he came by the Towne of Sanlan Angely the Citie of Saintes The Admirall went with the Uauntgarde to Cognac and the next daye after being the fourth day of Marche he with his brother the Andelot brought all the horsemeÌ„ of the Uauntgarde both with lawnce and shot to larnac and with them two Canons two dimi Canons Then straight way the Admiral beseiged the castell of Iarnac bycause Mons. Riuiere by and by at the discouery of them left the citie and went into the castell But the roaring Canon shot did so shake the castell gates and the walles thereof that Mons. Riuiere desired parley and the next day after vpon condition that he and his sâ—…uldiers shuld escape with theyr lyues he surrendered the Castell Leauing therefore to defende that place the Uicount de Montanmoy with his LegioÌ„ the Admirall and the Andelot dâ—…parted to viewe espie the force of the enemies bicause they were said not to be far of The sixte daye of this moneth the Prince of Conde with the Admirall and the Andelot taking with them all the horsemen of the vauntgarde and maine battaile sauing certaine
sicke he was of no lesse councell in matters of consultation than of courage in the execution his estate of the great Maister of the artillerie was giuen to the Lorde Ianlis his sonne in law with his cornet of horsemen And nowe to ouerslip nothing that was executed in this last April ther eis in the mountayns of Daulphyne a Castell nere to Bryanson wherein the King keepes an ordinarie dead pay of certeyn numbers of souldiours A Captein called Colombyn borne in Grenoble vnderstā ding by certain of the borough of Oysans that most part of the sayd dead pay men were issued out of thir charge toke the sayde Castel and finding no resistaunce other than the very captaine of the place who yéelded beyng hurt with a shotte he made him selfe Lord of it where neglecting one first and most necessarie policie in a victor he rather laboured to deface the images thā to furnish place y with conuenient prouision which being not vnmarked of certein euill neighbours purlewing vpō the Castle they forthwith enuironed him with a siege ▪ and so cut off his vittaill whereof they knew the castle had but slender store Their siege continuing about xv dayes enforced him at last to render the place vpon cōposition and onely reseruation of lyfe whiche notwithstanding was not kept for that all his souldiours were cut in péeces and he only led on liue to Grenoble After the generall view and muster of the Princes footemen the Lord de Pilles returned nowe from Gascoygne was sent to sease vpon the I le of Medoc a riche Ile lying betwene Rochell and Bordeaux conteyning in length about xvi or xvii leagues and 4. or 5. leagues in breadth he prouided necessary boates to passe the riuer of Gironde and embarking himselfe with two thousand footemen discended into the sayde I le and tooke hauen without any let he made himselfe maister of the yle vpon the sodaine and vnlooked for finding great foyson of riches wherwith he and his souldiours loaded themselues plentifully By meane of this yle he besieged Bourg a towne in Berdelois but being spéedely called back by the princes he raysed his siege and came agayne to the Campe At this siege died of a shot in his shoulder the Lord Ualphe uiere Lieuetenant to the late Lord d' Andelot of his regiment of footemen whose regiment was translated to the Lord of Rouray a gentleman of Fraunce This was vpon the end of May. The Kinges Brother being now retourned into the countrey of Angoulmois and after he had somwhat reléeued his army on that side to Villebois sent to sommōthe town of Angoulesme by a trompet wherein he was refused and so tooke way towardes Berry to ioyne his force witht the Duke de Aumall being in the sayd countrey the Count Montgomery charged vpon the tayle of his campe and discomfited certen of them The Lady Marquise of Rottelin vnderstāding of the death of the prince of Conde hir sonne in law put her vpon the way to come to Rochell where was the widow princesse her daughter shée passed to S. Iean de Angely so to Thony vpon Boutonne where the said princesse met her and so returned into Fraunce without her daughter whom shée purposed to haue with her But the princes excused her vpon hir children which were then at Rochel whether she also returned it was thought the Lady Marquise came to entreate a peace which was not so because her occasion was onely as is aforesayde ▪ this was in the end of May ▪ 1569. In the firste kindling of these warres the Princes hauing true intelligence of diuers nūbers of strangers entered the Realm for the strength of the Catholiques determined also to fortifie their army by the like mean. And therefore knowing that the prince Wolfgange the Duke de deux Pons had erected great numbers of men of armes as well on foote as on horsebacke the better to defend his owne countreys sent to him with request to yéeld them succours in their so vrgent and extréeme necessitie both with his army presently in poynt also such other powers as he might possibly leuye whervnto the sayd Duke condescended with promise to reléeue them with al his forces which albeit at that tyme were not fully assembled yet he forgot not within short tyme after to put an army in readinesse to come into France whereof the Duke de Aumale lying in Lorayne béeing enformed by speciall Intelligencers dispatched forthwith a Gentleman of his by whom he aduertised the Duke of the common brute that passed of the diligence he vsed in the leuyes of men of warre in Almayne and all to assist the conspiracies of such as arme themselues against the Crowne of Fraunce with displayed warre against the King which for his parte as he neyther had nor woulde beléeue so looking néerer into his magnificence and partes of a Prince he iudged him of no inclination to fauour rebells against their soueraigne maiestie considering withall the auncient respect of amitie so long continued betwéen the house of the electors of the countie Palatines of Rhine the scepter of France Albeit his maiestie desiring to vnderstand an absolute truth gaue him speciall charge to dispatch this speciall Messanger he also hauing authoritie of his Maiestie to withstande the entrie of any straungers to reléeue the enterprise of the said rebelles which he hoped to accomplish or else to leaue his life in the charge The Duke forbare to answere spedily vntyll his army were fully in poynt albeit after that he had receyued hys Riestres he begā to marche towards the county of Burgogne and as he lay vpon the frontiers of France tarrying for his Launceknyghtes hee aunswered the d'Aumales letter which he sent forthwith to the Kinge In the beginning he layd afore him howe in the yéeres afore many Reistermaisters passing through his Duchy without leaue gréeued so his Countrey that the continuall complaintes of his people forced him to draw into companies of armed men as well on horsebacke as on foote to withstand further offence to his people And that nowe in respecte his cousins and dearely beloued Princes of Nauar and Conde haue lamentably imparted with him the vniust quarell vrged vppon them as well to enforce their lyues and goods as to depriue the exercise of their Religion contrary to the Kings fayth and playn proetstation of his Edictes and that not only they but all the Nobilitie and others professinge the same religion haue and doo endure miserable oppressions as estraunged from their owne houses thruste out of their charges and offices their possessions wealths confliked into the Kings hands lastly that there be raised huge companies of men of warr ayded with sundry sortes of straungers to cut them in péeces as in other tymes of open hostilitie in these respects togither with their earnest motion and request for succours and lastly vpon an vpright view and consideration of their present calamitie he could nor ought do no lesse than ayde them
And for their partes the better to auouche their integrities in refusing all attempts aspiring preiudicially to the crown of France as the d' Aumalles letters did smisterly suggest the said princes haue protested by letters which he kéepeth sealed with their own hands that if at his being in France he sée or knowe any inclination in them to conspire in any sorte agaynst the crown that he would not only draw awai his succours but conuert them to the enemie and contrary side the rather to reuenge their disloyaltie whiche makes hym iudge of the princes side beleeue that they are not only far from the slaunderous impositions of their enemies but also of vnfained desire rather to reast quietly in their houses than follow so hard doubtful a warre whereunto they haue ben drawen of force as to defend the violent oppression of their malicious ennemies hée alledged besides that when his Cosin the Duke Casimir erected his army in Almaign in the like cause he was also vntruly informed as of purpose to draw him from succouring the Prince of Conde that it was against the Maiestie royall that the said Prince did conspire which notwithstanding was found otherwayes as appeareth by his maiesties Edictes of peace both first and last approuing alwayes the actions of the said Prince as done for the seruice of his Maiestie And to take awaye all suspicion he declared that besides that his meaninge and purpose was to succoure the saide Princes of Nauarre and Conde his enterpryse in comminge intoo Fraunce stretched also to relieue the little ones of the Religion dispersed into their seuerall miseries to whō of very duty being a Christian Prince he could doe no lesse than offer and lend his hande to leade them to Iesus Christ. And to the end his maiestie may vnfainedly resolue in the integrety of his purpose that he vndertakes not this iorney to spoyl his subiects or make pray of their wealthes or for any other perticular profit he protested that if his maiestie would graunt them a safe vse of their religion with a frée exercise of the same without limitation and distinctiō of persons and places together with assurance of their goods honours charges and estates he would not onely returne and dismisse his armye but also defray the whole charges of the same and the sayde Reistremaisters in their passage amounting in all to aboue a hundred thousand crownes protesting for ende that if in refusing his iuste and reasonable offers the quarell doo aggrauate by his comming into Fraunce to wype his handes in innocencie of al imputations hereafter and the faulte to be layde vppon the authors and chiefe Councellers of the warre beyng about his maiestie The Duke hauing now receiued his Launceknightes entered into Fraunce and passyng by Bourgongue came to Charyte beyng coasted sundrye tymes both behinde and before by the armies of the Dukes d' Aumall and Nemors without attempting any thing vpon hym he arriued without let before Charyte the. xvi of Maye which he battred so vehemently that he enforced forthwith a breache in the meane while the Lorde of Mouy passing ouer Loere a little aboue the sayd towne wyth thrée hundred harquebuziers won the suburbes towards the bridge the same so occupying and amazing thē that were besieged that the Duke entred the breache and put the whole garrison to the sworde this towne was taken in good time bycause that if it had lingred neuer so little the Duke d' Aumall being verye néere wyth succours had endaungered the enterprise The towne was no sooner taken then he was discouered not far of with xviii hundred horsemen who comming to shorte to withstande the Dukes entrie returned in hope to hinder the Duke to ioyne with the Princes Armye by meanes that he mette and assembled with the Kinges brothers power who knit together for this purpose in the countrey of Berry In the ende of May the Princes informed of the approche of the Duke de deux Pons and the taking of Charyte began to marche to ioyne with his armye and leauing the Lorde de la Noue to gouerne in the countreys of Poycton and Sainctonge tooke their waye by Angoulmois directly to Perigueux and as they passed thorowe that countrey the Lord of Chaumontes lyght horsemen with certaine companyes of footemen toke the towne of Noutron belonging to the Quéene of Nauar wherin were killed about foure score men that defended it this was the seuenth of Iune 1569. The morrow after the sayde Princes dispatched the Countie Montgomery into Gasoyne to commaunde ouer the army of the Uicounts who otherwayes would not agrée as not acknowleging one aboue another he toke his way by Solliac where he passed the riuer of Dordone and so beneath Cadenat he passed also ouer Lot came to Montauban without any let They of the town of Perigueux fearing the comming of the Princes army desired the Lord Montluc to sende them succours to whome he dispatched immediatly the knight Montluc his sonne wyth xii Ensignes of footemen wyth the which he entred the towne the fourth of Iune In this meane while the Princes armye kepte the waye drawyng to Lymosyn and the Duke de deux Pons hasted by great iorneys to ioyne with them passyng the ryuer of Viene two leagues aboue Limoges The catholikes had sent thither two C. shot to defend the passage who were all cut in pieces by the Lorde de Mouy the ix of this moneth on which day the princes army arriued at Chalus a towne in Lymosyn departing the nexte day to ioyne with the armye of the Duke de deux Pons in a village within two leagues of Chalus belonging to the Lord de Escars Gouernour of the said countrey The Lord Admirall accompanied with two hundred horsemen went where the duke was to salute him the Duke enduring certayne fittes of an ague not manye dayes afore and not cured as yet dyed the xi of thys moneth 1569. in a village thrée leagues from Lymoges a fore his death he called before hym the chiefe and principals of his army with whō he cōmunicated in many pointes but chiefly in persuasion and request to pursue the purpose of their comming into Fraunce leauing for their generall leader in his place the Countie Wolrard de Mansfeld afore his Lieuetenant Generall his body was caryed to the Towne of Angoulesme to be there huryed In the army of the said late Duke were xxviii cornets of horsemen conteining viii thousand and v. hundreth Reistres whereof were Colonels Hans Bucq Reignold Grac Henry d'Estam and Hans de There 's sixe thousand Launceknightes will armed on foote and for the most part pikemen deuided into xxvii Ensignes wher of were Colonels the Lord de Grauillar and the Lorde Guteryn Gansgorffe baron of Grelezee besides ii M. horsemen and ten Ensignes of foote men of Frenche men whereof was Colonell touching the footemen one of the sonnes of the Lord de Bricquemau There were also in the said army diuers personages
Chastelleraut amongst whom were specially the lord of Boniuets companyes sonne to the Lord of Creuecâ—…ur and of the baron of Numburg a Normande which being knowen to the garrison of the sayde Chastelleraut together with the certaine place where the sayd lord Boniuet was wonte to come the tenth of August two or thrée hundreth horsemen with certaine shot of the Captaine Norman made a sally vpon them and toke the sayde L. Boniuet with his company in a village néere to Liguers â–ª where they entred withoute let as kéeping negligente garde and were founde layde and lodged after the french maner the Lorde Boniuet was prisoner and almost all the rest of his company either killed or taken About the same time the Marquis of Rancon an Italian was takeÌ„ néere to Myrebeau as he bayted and was led prisoner to Nyort The lord of Tarrides gouernour for the King in Quercy maintayned war all this while in Bern a country belonging to the Quéene of Nauar hauing almost brought all the country vnder his authoritie wherfore the countie Montgomery sent as is saide into Gaseoyne assembled the forces of the ii vicountes to apply spéedely to the succours and rescue of the Citie of Nauarre in Bearn besieged by the said Lord of Tarrides he deuided his iorney into such diligence and spéede as about the 7. of August he was very néere Nauarreis at whose so sodaine comming the Lord Tarrides raised his siege and retyred into a towne there ioyning where the Montgomery besieged and toke him with his brother and the lord de S. Colombe and of Negre-pelisse with many other great lordes and knightes of the order and captaines to the number of xxx The Lord of Tarrides lost his artillerie with a great number of his horsemen footemen The countie Montgomery by meane of this discomfeit restored the whole country of Bearn to the obedience of the Quéene of Nauarre Touching the siéege of Poictiers they within were in greate amaze with the breaches made in the Abbottes meade the rather bycause they could not defend them whervpoÌ„ entring into counsail they found it most best and necessarye to stem the ryuer of Clyn to the ende to make it runne ouer his cannell and so drowne the said meade this counsaile was put in spéedy execution and plantinge stakes and pales proper for the purpose beneath the arches of the bridge of Rochereul they daÌ„med the riuer so that in a moment the mead was all ouerflowen with water about thrée cubites high the same so troubling the protestants as it driue them from their determinations notwithstanding after they had considred wel of the subtilty they began as in a couuter polli cye to beate the pales and giue vent to the water and therefore the next morning discharged so many shottes of artillery against the said waterworke as the water retyred and left the meade drye which the catholiques the night following restored and countergarded in this order they cast behind the said damme vnder the arches a very thicke wall fastening certayne fléeces or balles woll to the pales to receyue and dampe the cannon shot which made the water swell and ouerflow more highe than afore Notwithstanding the catholiques were closed very nere and straight yet made they many sallies vpon the Protestantes who skowred them back again euen to the verye posternes of their Citie not without great losse to the one and other side Amongst these sallies they made one of such a sodaine the xii of this moneth that they tooke a cornet of Reistres and caried them without let into the towne In this moneth the town of Orillac in Auuergne â–ª was taken by night by the L. de la Roche and Bessonniere professoures of the religion in that countrey accompanied onely with seuen or eyght score men This was their meane and pollicie there is in the saide Orillac a gate of quarrie in the wall towardes the ryuer which the in habitauntes of the place caused to ramme and wall vp leauinge onely a posterne so straighte that one person could scarcely enter This posterne was cloased with two portes or gates of wood the one within and the other without the town the saide Lord of la Roche and Bessonniere came to the gate without the postern and with a great yron instrument made a hoale or creuish by the which they cast in about a hundreth poundes of cannon pouder betwéen the said two gates and then closing vp theâ—… said hoale or creuish and making vnder the said first gate a train to the same pouder they put fire to it which forthwith flushed with in the saide two gates and blewe them both vp the one caried forty pace of and throwen vppon a house within the towne and the other inforced with the violence and strength of the pouder rushed against a wall without the towne and brake a breach containing his own compasse by which thei entered the town wherein was no other garde than of the inhabitantes whereof they killed a hundreth or sixe score resisting them in armoure The Lord of S. Heraut gouernour of the countrey appeared certaine dayes after afore the towne thinkinge to recouer it but finding such warme resistance hee returned forthwith to S. Floure The longe continuance of this stéege afore Poyctiers brought the Catholiques in a great necessitie and want of vittailes aswell for men as horses and aboue al forrage was so scant with them that thei were driueÌ„ for to turne abroade parte of their horses to the vynes medowes landes and other voyde places of the towne whereof the Princes hauing vnderstanding by certain stragling souldiours issuing out of the towne determined to breake the mylne in the bottome of the medowe néere to the port de Tyson And for this purpose planted ouer ii Canons in that quarter which they discharged against the sayd mylne and after retyred them as beyng discouered and anoyed by the Catholikes who pinched now with an extreme want of vittailes determined to thrust out of the town a great number of vnprofitable persons which as they beganne to execute the. xvi of this moneth so the Protestantes to pine and sterue the towne more driue theÌ„ backe with force to enter the towne againe For want of pouder and bollets the batterie ceased for a time wherof the Princes hauing receyued a new prouision from Rochell renued also the batterie the. xx of August on that side towardes the Abbottes meade where the breach being forced they sent in the euening to surueye it by certaine numbers of Souldiers wherof xvi or xvii entred by y breach into the sayd medow from whence beyng discouered by the watch in S. Peters steple who ronge the alarum bell they were constrained to retire with spéede The night following the protestants builded a bridge vpon Clyn towardes the suburbes of S. Sornyns to passe to the Byshops meade stretching towardes the temples of S. Rudegonde and S. Sulpiee the bridge was made of quarreis of wood hurdles pypes earth and plankes
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
sory that your subiects would not perswade themselues of that securitie and peace which they should receiue from you and that they wold not obey you as it became them Truly I protest that there is nothing more gréeuous vnto me than that I cannot be with you and obey and serue you alone as I haue alwaies wished and do also at this present most earnestly desire But I pray and beséech you consider that if spies be dayly sent vnto me to vew my doinges and my house to sée if they can hurt me by any maner of meanes what peace and securitie should I haue if I were with you when my enemy hath in his owne haÌ„d the ordering of your power and authoritie Therfore if it be certaine as I neither ought nor can doubt that it is your will that your Edicts should be obserued and that the publique peace which you haue graunted and confirmed with an othe should also be of all men imbraced but contrary to your highnes pleasure your subiects are cruelly slaine and murthered throughout your whole kyngdome that fréely without redresse Againe if flat against your Maiesties commaundemeÌ„t Leagues be concluded Societies and Fraternities assembled souldiers mustered armour and harnesse made readie money leuied and all other things that belong to open and manifest warre be prepared if for law and Iustice Rapine and iniustice raigne and your Maiesty with contempt of all estates disobeyed and that which is more compelled to violate and breake your publique promise made to all your subiects vppon whom I say shall al these tormoyles be fathered but vpon the Cardinal of Loraine author mainteiner of al dissentions disorders which do so furiously rage thorow all this Realme And although your Maiestie and all those that are not wedded to the Cardinall do know this matter to be so as I haue said yet because it tendeth to the defacing ouerthrow of your graces honour in maintenance wherof I am more earnest because I perceiue the Cardinall hath long ago purposed to ouerthrow it he doth accuse both me and all other of the reformed religion and would with his wiles charge vs with treason and rebellion whereof hée him selfe is guiltie Wherefore séeing we cannot suffer so great iniurie any longer we are determined to dissemble no further in so great and so waightie matters for our longe and almost incredible patience and sufferance of wronges doth but puffe vp the Cardinall and make him to croe ouer vs And therefore to be short I beséeche yeur highnesse to consider what marke he shot at when he hys familie made claime and title to the Dukedome of Aniou and the Countie of Prouance what he ment so curiously to searche out his petigrée whereby he purposed to proue that he was of the bloud Royall of the lawefull Kings of France and that our Auncetours had wrongefully taken the Crowne from his house and vsurped it â–ª likewise I humbly desâ—…re your Grace to marke for what end and purpose they vsed such outrage and tyraÌ„me in the time of King Fraunces the second to destroy raze out the houses of Burbon Momorencie and Chastillon whose destruction they had sworne and vowed long before with al other the Princes and Noble meÌ„ which they thought would set themselues to withstande their wicked attemptes and that this was their intent their dooinges of late sufficiently proued For as soone as it was talked abroad that the Quéen your highnesse mother was not like to liue here any longer foorthwith they tooke counsel and deuised how to murther the Cardinall of Burbon the Chauncelour the Marshalles and diuers other Noble men of your Counsaill and sente moreouer letters thoroughout the whole kingdome too their friendes to raise vp and gather togither souldiers to destroy all such as did in any respect disallow of their dâ—…inges But because this enâ—…prise could not be done vnder pretence of Religion for with that cloake they vse to hide all their mischiefs because they whose bloud they sought professed the same religion that they dyd they deuised a new snare to entray them in and charge them as earnest fauourers of the protestantes therefore to be expedient yea and necessarie to dispatch them out of the way for so might they with lesse laboure destroy the protestantes them selues Wherefore they terme them Neuters and say that they are worse and more hurtfull then the Huguenotes And if so bee the Cardinall could which God forbid bring his purpose to effect both against the princes and Noble men of the reformed religioÌ„ also against them which professe the Romish religion and yet fauour not their procéedings whom they call Neuters because they loue peace and hate trouble and dissention is there any that eyther would or could defend your maiestie from their cruell handes Is there any that could stay them froÌ„ rending your Crown of your Graces head which they say your progenitours haue vsurped vnlawfully against their auncetours Can your Maiestie require a more liuely representation or sufficient proofe of the Cardinals saucie ambitious boldnesse then that he shewed when hée tooke youÌ„r grace and your highnesse mother the Quéen wéeping and lamenting as captiues prisoners with open force of armes from Fountainblean to Melune from thence in tumultuouse hast to Paris and caused your Maiesties entrance into that famouse Citie to bée as dishonorable to your highnesse as it was wont to bée honorable and glorious to your noble progenitours Which his doinges haue ben the onely and true causes of the former wars other dissentions that haue euer since raged thoroughout your Maiesties Realme And may it not be easely proued how gréeuous your graces authoritie hath ben alwaies to the Cardinall and how continuallie he hath repyned at it and done what possible he could to draw your faithfull and loyall subiectes from their duefifull obedience towards your maiestie as may appeare in that his sute wherein he sought too haue Fraunces Duke of Guyse made one of the Princes of the Empire and got for that purpose a warrant froÌ„ the Emperour which he would haue proclaimed thorough all your Kingdome had not Monsieur Ausant Monsieur Halsede staied him who although they wer of one religion with him yet could they no longer dissemble or see so great inâ—…urie done to youre highnesse as though your maiestie could not protecte and defendea Cardinall as well as other your subiectes vnlesse heâ—… fled to the Emperour for succour by whom or of whom he hath I am sure nothing vnlesse it be a cankred Imperiall and not a true French hart towardes your maiestie whereof he gaue sufficient profe in the Councell of Trent where in stéede that according to his duetie he ought to haue kept and mainteined those prerogatiues that tyme out of mind haue ben giuen and graunted to the Kings of Fraunce your auncetours He I saye in steed of this his loyall duetie called them in doubt and question séeking by all meanes