against the Priests and Fryers of Parris ayded by their seruants onely with fagget-sticks in their hands or how could hee haue leisure in so short a time or would haue bin so mad with his adherents vnwise onely in this that they trusted the kings word and beleeued not the aduice of those that counselled them not to put themselues into the Lyons clawes that watched for them vnder that great hedge to consult vpon an action so important execrable and of the greatest consequence that possible may bee Besides this after he was wounded the Phisitians and Surgeans had inioyned him silence and all the Councels holden in his chamber tended resolutely to expect iustice to be done vppon those that had hurt him as the King and the Queen-mother had sworne and promised The King of Nauarre and the Prince of Conde were alwaies at those Councels and to conspire against the King was as much as if they had soght to stab thēselues to stain their house with the most detestable ignomie that could bee deuised And to be short it is as much as if they should transforme the Admirall and his friends into brute beasts as to attribute such consultations vnto them in such a time and place and against so many good Frenchmen and againe if he were suspected of such a crime was it not in the kings power seeing so many armed men about his lodging held him inclosed and at the first word could haue seized vpon him to cause him to bee poysoned presently vppon the suspition without daunger of tumult by those of the religion whose weaknesse was well knowne at the time of the massacre The number of those that were termed adherents to the Admirall beeing nothing in comparison of the murtherers and of women maides and yong children cruelly massacred that neither knew where the Admirall lay nor yet what hee said◠holding him prisoner they might without resistance or daunger haue made information and so haue proceeded against him according to the lawes of all Nations ... If there were witnesses they might haue maintained and affirmed their depositions before the Admirall and his adherents which by Pitrac is written to haue beene reported to the king further if it should bee so that the Admirall and his adherents after his hurt did vtter any angrie speeches hauing knowne the cause he might haue contented himselfe with his owne house and familie and not in a tumult and barbarous furie by sound of bell to mooue the people to assemble all the Towne hee ought to haue hindred the massacre of so many Ladies and yong Gentlewomen and of so many Gentlemen wise learned and reuerent olde men of so many little children that conspired not but against their mothers breasts or else to get out of the wombes It may bee asked of the Councellours of this inhumane iustice why so many women great with childe and halfe dead were thrown into the riuer wherin so many thousands of honorable innocent persons were massacred without inquisitiō cōdemnation forme or figure of processe which is more if the Adm. had neuer so litle attempted against the person or life of the K. and his two bretheren who is he that knoweth not that al the Prouinces towns to be short al sorts of people of all estates would speedily haue taken weapon in hand in a moment without difficultie had put the culpable and all his adherents to the swoord with all strange motiōs wold both approoue allow as most expedient and necessarie And touching the king of Nauarre euery man detested the imposture of the declaration Was he not in the Admirals hands for the space of foure yeares did hee not professe the like religion who is ignorant of the humble and sincere respect which the Admirall bare vnto this Prince and the great affection hee shewed vnto the Admirall could those of the religion get any thing by the death of the king of Nauarre was hee not loued as well of the Catholicques as those of the religion Could the Admiral hope for a Prince more fauourable then hee or that could better reuenge the outrage that had been done vnto him Other circumstances touhing the massacre Now let vs returne to other circumstances and the course of our Historie By an other declaration of the 30. day of August the king gaue to vnderstand to the Gouernours of his Prouinces that the Admirall and Gentlemen of the religion that were with him in Parris without expecting the iustice that he had promised to execute vpon the wonder of the Admirall had conspired against his Maiestie his mother his bretheren the king of Nauarre and other the Lords and Princes about them and against the estate yea that some of the chiefest and adherents to the conspiracie acknowledging their fault had confessed it These principall adherent confessors hee nameth not as indeed there were none vnlesse he meanes Bouchauanes of Picardie who vppon Saturday had been present at one of the consultations wherein the Vidame of Chartres the second time with vehement speeches in the pesence of the K. of Nauarre the Prince of Conde and many others had vrged the remooue of the Admiral out of Parris wishing his friends and familiars to follow after as hourely discouering many things that put him in more doubt Hee was in manner the onely man that was of that opinion for the rest they stood vppon it that so they should doo the king wrong in that they should call into question his faith and sincere meaning that it might suffice quietly and modestly to craue iustice at his hands that the matter was yet fresh and therefore it might bee feared least the king should bee offended if they proceeded so hotly Other report could not Bouchananes make in honour or with a safe conscience Concerning Briquemant and Cauagues whom they ment to vse wee will speake heereafter Onely I will heere adde one note taken out of the seuenth booke of the remembrances of Monluc one of the Marshals of France and a sworne enemie to the Protestants He speaking of the murthers saith Albeit I was then Maister onely of my owne house Monlucs testimonie yet the Queene did me that honour to write vnto me and to send me word that they had discouered a great cōspiracie against the king and his estate I wot what I beleeued but it is not good to anger a mans Maister The king neuer forget the chase that the Admirall gaue him from Meaux to Parris swifter then ordinarie Wee forget our selues when wee come to the pinch and neuer thinke that kings haue greater stomacks then wee and withall that they can sooner forget a good peece of seruice then any offence These bee Moulucs words who a little before had said that the Admiral was vnwise to thrust himselfe into Parris to the end to make the world to thinke that he ruled all I wonder how a man so wise polliticke in worldly matters could commit such a grosse ouersight But
houses of those of the religion eyther within the Towne or in the fields for 8. myles compasse round about but were all pilled and that by the neare kinsmen of such as had absented themselues Fiue hundreth Harquebusiers beeing appoynted for the guard of the Towne and other places bordering on the same exercised all kindes of cruelties vpon such as stayed behind as some poore people maides and men-seruants and certaine Gentlewomen of account in the Towne and other persons withdrawing themselues into their farmes countrie-houses and with their friends Presently the prisons were filled and by decree a iudiciall place was appoynted that neither kinsmen nor friends should solicite for the prisoners whom they termed rebelles and seditious The Steward saying it was sufficient hauing seene a man to enter into the Temple while the Images were throwing downe or bearing a sword at that time when they held the Towne to condemne him for seditious and a rebell Three witnesses beeing hired and appoynted for the purpose to performe the tragedie one called Chouan a bookeseller the second a Priest called les Anges and Bandoun an Apothecarie so impudent in their occupation that when their wages fayled to bee payd they said openly that they would meddle no more therein Further the accused were not allowed or permitted to refuse any witnesse in such manner that thereby they put two hundreth persons to death both men women and seruants as also foure young children whereof the eldest was not aboue seuenteene yeares of age and two men that were madde Such as were absent had processe made against them and their pictures executed confiscated the goods of those whom they knewe to bee dead in the warres disabled their children of all offices and estates depriuiuing them of all possessions or inhereritances that might by any meanes fall vnto them Not long before the peace they beheaded one called Rolandiere hung a Ioyner and massacred foure others by moone-light and beeing halfe dead threw them into the riuer In the Villages both farre and neare vnto it many murthers both of men women and children were committed to the number of sixe score and vpwards with particular cruelties and such horrible traiterous meanes that I am abashed to remember and ashamed to recite them One named Captaine Champagne hauing a fish-pond behinde his house cast aboue fiftie persons into it and with their bodies nourished Pikes His Lieftenant called Boi-Iourdan seconded him therein for that in two ditches neare vnto his house were found to the number of fiftie or sixtie dead bodies Those of the religion in Anger 's Anger 's beeing become strong within the Towne with the hurt or iniurie of any of their aduersaries about the fift of Aprill and within sixe daies after made an agreement to liue peaceably one with the other vnder the obedience of the King obseruing the edict of Ianuarie But about the 22. of the same moneth a Gentleman comming thither to demaund ayde of men and money for the Prince certaine souldiers that bare him company in the night time brake down the Images in Saint Sansons Church which moued the Priests although the Gentleman much condemned their action and had not any part of the spoyle Wherevppon diuers Gentleman and souldiers of the religion beeing gone to Orleans those of the Romish religion perceiuing themselues to bee strong first blinded their enemies causing the edict of Ianuarie to bee newly published and then beeing well assured of Monsieur de la Fancille that commaunded in the Castle Puygallard a Gascon Captaine sent by the Duke de Montpensier vppon the fift of May at night entered into the Castle followed by diuers souldiers and the next day his watch-word being Sathan did so much that hee ceased vppon part of the Towne and the more to blinde those of the religion and wholly to get them into his possession he graunted them free exercise of the religion and the next day caused the Gates to bee opened that they might go to heare the Sermon made within a house that stood vpon the ditch and to take vp the bodie of one of their Ministers named Charles d'Albiac called du Plesus who the day before had been slaine as he went to saue himselfe by leaping ouer the wall The next day their began a horrible tumult for that vnder pretence of disarming those of the religion they entered into their houses and because two of them among the rest whereof one was the receiuer of the talages had shune their Gates their enemies tooke occasion to ring a bell wherevppon presently those two houses were robbed and spoyled some of the seruants slaine the rest prisoners the kings mony taken and made prise partly by Puygallard and his companions Which done they cast both men and women of the religion and of all sons into prison In a Marchants house they found diuers bookes of the holy Scriptures which were burnt openly in the middle of the Towne and the souldiers of the Monke Richelieu hauing found a guilded Bible stickt it vpon a holbord and issuing from thence went in procession through all the greatest streetes and singing like Priestes said Behold trueth hanged the trueth of the Huguenots the trueth of all the diuelles behold the mightie God beholde the euerlasting God will speake And beeing come to the bridge they cast it into the riuer of Loire and with higher voyce beganne to crie and saie Behold the trueth of all the diuelles drowned Within diuers daies after and till the end of that yeare to the number of eightie persons were executed and put to death A Gentlewoman of the age of seuentie yeares was beaten dead with the stockes of their Pistolles then drawne in a sacke through the dirt and her bodie cast into the water with great ioy and laughter of all the people terming her the mother of the greene diuell that preached to the Huguenots The wife of a Councellour named Sigongue although shee lay bedthred was murthered children rebaptised and women to heare Masse by sound of drumbe some were abused in their bodies many maides violated and among the rest two yong maides rauished in their fathers presence whom those cruel villaines had â—yed at the foote of a bed that he might behold the fact committed About Anger 's diuers Gentlemen and others were massacred The Duke de Monpensier hauing licence to ring a bell and to kill all such as were suspected to bee of the religion which done they fell to pillage vpon whom the Duke de Montpensier most discharged his chollor was vpon Monsier de Marests a valiant Captaine who with twentie or fiue and twentie souldiers hauing taken and kept the Castle of Richefort against the Dukes forces and slaine aboue two hundreth men in the defence thereof in the end beeing betrayed by two of his owne men defending himselfe till hee remained without company and not hauing any more powder yeelded himselfe to Puygaillard who vppon his faith promised him to saue his life but
executing diuers prisoners punishing those that were absent by their piclieres cōfiscating their goods as it pleased thē to appoint Without the town nothing was heard but onely of horrible and cruell murthers and that in the Bourg of the passage there were two young children rosted Duras hearing of those great mischiefes marched towards Lauserte a Towne in Quercy which vppon the fifteenth of August he tooke by force beeing constrained there vnto by the braueries of those that were within it in the Town he slew 567. mē among which were 9. score and 14. Priests Part of those of Agen were within the castle of Roime that Duras had committed vnto the charge of Captain Lyouran where Monluc besieged them battering the place 3. daies togither They within sustaining a furious assault but in the ende the number of souldiers that were therein being but small and Lyouran being slaine the Castle was forced Monluc hauing lost about seauen hundreth men the crueltie he vsed was extreame not sparing old nor young killing young children in their mothers armes and then the mothers They reserued certaine women whereof Burie would haue 2. for his part Monluc behauing himselfe in such fort that I abhorre to write it This happened to those of Agen but that was not all For after the ouerthrowe of the Army of Duras diuers of those that escaped hauing bene taken were brought to Agen a place appointed for the butchery where they had erected a gybbit called the consistory in such sort that from the time that those of the religion left the Towne vntill the Edict of peace there were abone fiue hundreth men executed to death and the Participants of Monluc to fil vp their iniquities banished the women and children out of the Towne after whom they sent the souldiers hanged a Counsellor in his long gowne and square Cap. Not long before this ouerthrowe of Duras Memy forsaken of all men thinking to withdraw himselfe into Bearn was taken prisoner and led to Bourdeaux Where by sentence in Court of Parliament he had his head striken off Exployts of Monsieur de Duras tell his ouerthrow We must now speake a word of the exployts done by Monsieur de Duras in Guyenne vntill his ourthrowe Hee hauing receiued charge to raise all the forces he could to ayde the Prince and to march towards Orleans his intents were often times crossed by diuers meanes and hauing begunne to rayse certaine forces hee was put in minde that he might bee a good meanes with them to assure Bourdeaux Which taking no effect hee determined to seise vppon the Countrey betweene the two Seas situate betvveene Gerome and Dordongne there to gather his forces But approching neere Saint Machaire in stead of victualls they shot diuers Muskettes at him whereby some of his men were slaine which caused him to assayle and force the Towne yet much supported by the greate humanitie of Duras whome Burie and Monluc then determined to inuade assuring themselues that hauing dispersed his forces they shoulde easilye accomplishe theyr owne desires through out all Guyenne Which being concluded they ouertooke him hard by Rozan where Monluc hauing the aduantage gaue Duras a charge who recouering a litle wood full of Diches behaued himselfe so well with three hundreth pikes the rest of his troupes hauing forsaken him that hee constrained Monluc to retire with the losse of three hundreth men and Duras about thirtie or more After that hee determined to leaue off his enterprise hauing the conduction of many meane souldiers and men wholely enemies to discipline yet hauing pittie of the Country and hoping that his Souldiers woulde doo better hee reassembled them Procuring others marched towards Agenois and Quercy ayding them of Agen as much as possibly he might But hauing heard what happened therein after the departure of those of the religion hee punished those of Lauserte and from thence comming to Saint Authony hee was strengthened by two companies of footemen led by Marchastel And as he determined to go to Monsieur de Cursol in Languedoc the Counte de la Rorchefoucaut desired him to ioyne with him and with all speed to march towards Orleans To the same end du Bordet a valiant Gentleman with 60. light-horse 200. Argolitiers 2. companies of footmē was sent frō Xaintonge to cōduct Monsieur Duras in the way Du Bordet entered Pons forced S. Satier wherin were slain twelue Priests then entered into la Linde a Towne in Perigort wherein he punished certaine seditious persons that had massacred and cut a poore man of the religion in diuers places of his bodie filling all his wounds with salt and hauing ioyned with Duras and Marchastel hee determined to punnish those of Sarlat that had slaine two Gentlemen and passing by Caussade to go to Montauban to fetch Artillerie and to raise more souldiers certaine Priests that did much mischiefe were set vpon and forced within a steeple and cast headlong out of it vppon the ground and some others of the principall of the Towne authors of the massacre committed in that place vpon those of the religion being committed vnto the Marshall of Guyenne were executed to death they placed good Garrison in Realuille and marching to Montauban leauing the conduction of their troupes to Chaumont Saint Hermine and Pere Longue This was but an vnaduised enterprise of those three Leaders to leaue their forces in that sort seeing Burie and Monluc were not farre of with sixe thousand foote and diuers horse But the wise and happie conduction of Chaumont mended that negligence deliuering a fierce skirmish vnto Monluc who for that day would not fight although Bury was of the contrarie opinion considering their great aduantage The troupes of Duras beeing safely arriued at Montauban vpon the ninth of September foure daies after Bury and Monluc incamped themselues but being dislodged within three times foure and twentie houres after Duras marched towards Xaintongue Ouerthrow of Duras and in the way forced the Castle of Marcues wherein heetooke the Bishoppe of Cahors that had certaine bookes of Magick-art about him and many receipts to winne the loue of women but no bookes of Diuinitie Hee escaped well from beeing hanged as author of the massacre in Cahors in his stead they executed fiue or sixe souldiers From thence all the troupes came before Sarlat vpon the first of October The resistance of the Towne and the enemies armie composed of eight thousand foote diuers horse approching made Duras to dislodge And vpon the eight of October being a rainie day hee entered into a Village named Hedreux his Artillerie and footemenlying at Ver halfe a league further Bury and Monluc hauing by one of their prisoners vnderstood the whole estate of Duras campe beeing about foure or fiue thousand horse and foote went forward But Duras in flead of ioyning his forces togither and to view his enemies supposed them to bee but certaine Curriers and neglecting them still separated his forces But hauing soone perceiued his fault hee
possis and many humaine imbisilities yet tollerable And seeing we must indure that mischief which is not to beeremedied the people ought neuer to haue recourse to armes but to petitions and humble requests as during the excessiue exactions in the time of Paillip de Valois they sued to the estates If dutie reason and loue mooue not your brazen hearts the apprehension of the paines and punishments which god prepareth to discharge against your rebellions Punishments of rebellion Bodin lib. 3. of his Common-wealth ought to restraine you God will neuer leaue those iniuries vnpunished that are done to his annoynted your fathers haue repented it in the other world and you before you die shall pay the vseries besides the principall of your commotions Turne ouer your olde registers and you shall knowe what profite rebellion will procure you enquire of those of Milan Gand Bourdeaux 4. Of kings chap. 25. Qu. Curt. lib. 9. Poli. lib. 10. Liu. dec li. 3. Poictiers and Rochell if they remember it And to the ende you shall not thinke that the paines are new Sedechia because hee seduced the people to reuolt against Nabuchodonosor had his eyes put out and cast into perpetuall prison after that for his last spectacle he had seene his children slaine and murthered at his feete and so lost the vse of their light Looke vppon the great multitude of the Iewes that were made slaues by that meanes Behold what rigor Alexander vsed against the Musicans a people of India And the Romanes against those of Rheggio and of Capoue how the Authors of those mutinies were tyed to a Crosse how the Senators were publikely whipped the Gentlemen solde like flaues Our Kings that let your first rebellion to passe by sufferance haue presently after seene a second And yet would not vse those vengeances that appertaine onely to Barbarians Zonar in the third tomb of his Annals Basil Emperour of Constantinople caused the eyes of fifteene thousand Bulgariens to be put out and left one eie to each of their Captaines that they might leade them Amurat taking the Towne of Dymothicon that had rebelled against him by force caused the Inhabitants to bee bound two and two togither and so threwe them ouer the wall into the riuer that ranne at the foote thereof commaunding the fathers or for default of them the nearest kinsmen of those that had rebelled against him to massacre them in his presence Our Princes coÌ„tented themselues with milder punishments by drowning the paines of a multitude in the blood of the Authours of the euill Sometimes they haue appoynted the defacing of Townes that haue rebelled taken away their belles and reuoked their priuiledges but alwayes the punishment hath beene much lesse then the mischife those great crimes haue alwaies found great clemencie So likewise in that day of your Barricadoes there was nothing that preserued you from the paine due to so terrible rebellion but the bountie and mercie of your king and when I remember your straunge dealing you put mee in doubt whether you be the sonnes of those that so brauely and valiantly exposed themselues for the seruice of their kings and that deliuered Lewis the eight father to Saint Lewis out of the danger wherin the disloyaltie of his enemies had brought him between Parris and Monmartre But let vs seeke for the end of our spindle when those great Phisitians that sought to remedie the sicknesses of this estate perceiued that they had not vsed such medicines as were conuenient for the diseases that their plaisters were too little for the greatnesse of that wound that to bring those humors down they had rather haue applyed Iron fire then any oyntments that to saue the members they had beaten the head they were much abashed to see that bodie without a head that royall authoritie was turned into the distaffe the royaltie into an estate democrature that none but the Qneen mother was present in their assemblies and that the Duke of Guise held the soueraigntie of all affaires The king for remedie of the disorder imployed the Queen his mother a spirit louing trouble seeking disquietnesse vnreconcileable as touching the hatred she bare to the Princes of the blood and carried away with the loue she had to the children of her daughter Duches of Lorraine It suffiseth the king sent a woman with teares and complaints against the armes and brauadoes of a Prince of courage resolute couragious in his resolutions And it was not likely she would vndo that which she had don nor hauing counselled the K. to indure the boldnesse of the league and end those differences by peaceable means that she wold more defire the aduantage and quietnesse of her son then the increasing of the hopes of the Nulla diu faemina pontus habâ—t Proper Marquesse du Pont. I perceiue to what end it will come they will make such an other treatie as was made at Nemours the Elixir of the Queen-mother womeÌ„ should neuer meddle with any thing but onely to knowe their husbands shirt from his dubblet Francis Duke of Brittaine vsed to say following the aduise of an Emperour that it is daungerous to referre the deciding of great affaires vnto the iudgement of a woman that how great experience soeuer they haue they neuer attaine to the soundnesse of a firme wit That fantasticall appetite which maketh them haue more pleasure in coales and sand then in Grayhounds and Partriges that sicke and vnbridled taste which they haue at such time as they are great with childe remaineth continually in their minds their brests are stuffed with subtilties and craft but strength and courage wanteth they haue neither constancie nor steadfastnesse and their counsell is alwaies woorse Plerumque muliebre consilium deterius Tacit. The next day after the kings departure the first Senate of this new commonwealth was holden by the Queene wherein shee that with her eyes could doo what she list lamented the mischiefe of the day of the Barricadoes coniured the most busied heades to shewe their duties promising all the effects of a more peaceable and assured life in the fruites of the religion distribution of offices moderation of taxes tallages suppression of offices and to the contentment of those that dealth therein a vniuersall reformation She exhorted them to leaue their animositie and not mingle their particular reuenges with publike offences for it is a vaine thing to be angrie with the sea and the waues after a man hath past the stormes and shipwrackes thereof shee besought them to preserue that faire and laudable reputation The Queen mother trauelleth to appease the Parrisians which their long and constant fidelitie had gotten them to reconcile themselues to the king that could not be without some boyling motion or feeling to haue seene so suddaine a rising in the Towne that hee most loued and where hee thought to haue most assurance and that his most affectioned subiects the rule and example to others
Oppede whereof he was Lord vnder pretence of religion was become a mortall enemy vnto those of Cabrieres and Merindol where those husbandmen dwelt who in haruest time in despight of Menier reaped the corne which as then they found vpon their ground which hee held from them by force so that as then the execution was pursued And thervpon the Parliament at the instant request of M nier sent an huissier to the Cardinall de Tournon at whose request king Francis the first sent letters pattents to the parliament for the execution of that first sentence and by that meanes in the moneth of Aprill 1545. Menier naming himselfe Lieftenant to Monsieur de Grignan Gouernour of Prouence hauing assembled an armie of theeues and beeing accompanied by Monsieur de la Garde set fier in diuers villages about Merindol sent great numbers of poore Countrie-men into the Gallies and caused a young man to bee openly harquebushed and finding no man within Merindol pilled sacked burnt and rased all the houses and hauing besieged battered and by composition taken the litle Towne of Cabrieres in stead of holding his promise made vnto them he chose out 25. or 30. men such as pleased him that were cut and massaced to peeces in a Medowe that lay vnder the Towne about 40. women wherof most of them were great with childe were burnt within a barne and many beeing found hidden in their Cellors were tyed two and two togither and so ledde into the Hall of the Castle of Cabrieres where they were most cruelly murthered Within the Church many olde women young maides and children that had saued themselues were all put to the sword The number of the slaine and massacred amounting vnto 800. persons and more The Barron de la Garde ledde aboue 800. persons away and put them into the Gallies where the most part of them died in great miserie Many women and maides were deflowred and great numbers ledde prisoners to Marseille Aix and Auignon Diuers villages beeing wholly burnt and consumed by fire whereby the desolation and misery of that countrie was exceeding great But king Francis being sicke for the space of certaine years after that cruell massacre and vrged in conscience with a remorse of that mischiefe whereof hee had partly beene the cause and sorrie before his death hee could not execute open punishment vppon those that abusing his name and authoritie had committed so horrible a mischiefe among his subiects of Prouence expresly charged his sonne Henry not to deferre that punishment saying that if he put it in obliuion God wold bee reuenged thereof against him and that their memorie would remaine in horrour and execration vnto all straungers if the persons that had committed so notable a crime should bee suffered to escape vnpunished This clause expresly set downe within the Kings testament aduanced the discredit on the Cardinall of Tournon and put Grignan and la Garde in great paine but to conclude they had more feare then hurt for the king by his letters patents of the 17. of March 5549. caused the matter to bee heard by the Court of Parliament in Parris where Menier and three others his companions appeared in person the rest of the Councellors by their Atturneyes And there after long proces in stead of punishment one man onely called Guerin a Councellor lesse culpable then the rest was hanged in Parris Menier principal of that massacre escaped and falling out of his wits died beeing ceased with a secret fire within his bodie in the open sight knowledge of all the countrie of Prouence The rest of the matter vanished as it were in a smoke before the sight of men but God made both the king his Councell all his Realme to know and well perceiue that the blood of so many innocent persons and others that were put to death both before and after that time for the confessiō of the Gospell is most precious in his sight as the things that happened and fell out in the yeares ensuing haue well declared which we must in order set downe as time and place shall serue The death of Margaret Queene of Nauarre The same year in the month of December did Margaret de Orleans Queen of Nauarre sister to king Francis the first a most noble and famous Princesse and of as notable a spirit as any that liued in her time In the beginning of this year the king suppressed and abolished the imposition of salt in the countrie of Guyenne with all the officers that had the execution thereof for the summe of 450000. frankes with the countries of of Poicton Saintonge Angoulmois Perigort high and lowe Limosin and high lowe Marthe should pay vnto him with 25000. frankes to the officers for their charges Touching those of Bourdeaux in the month of October before they had procured and obtained a general pardon vpō condition that they and their successors shuld alwaies keep two ships furnished for the wars readie to put to sea to serue vnder whomsoeuer it should please the king to commaund and to receiue into the Castles of Trompette and du Ha such garrison as the king should send into them and to victuall them with all sorts of victualls which they should yearely furnish and renue taking away the olde And therevpon in the moneth of Ianuarie after the king reestablished the parlement and their Towne was reduced into the former estate they that had beene beaten making the amends Three Presidents in Parris displaced and after reestablished onely Liset At that time three Presidents of Parris not well thought of by the house of Guise as then beeing in great credit were displaced out of their offices but not long after S. Andre Minard hauing promised to become good seruitors were restored againe Liset was made Abbot of S. Victor that an other of lesse iudgement then himselfe might haue his place And so hee tooke vppon him to deale in matters of diuinitie wherein hee sped so hardly and of a good practition hee became so ignoranta sophister that falling in a great laughter hee was suddainly taken with a disease and so died Hee shewed himselfe a sworne and perpetual enemie to those of the religion thinking to aduance himselfe by cruell inuentions but hee was cut off by the way thereby seruing for an example to many better men then himselfe not to bandie against him vho is able to surprise and intrappe the subtillest in their fond inuentions and against whom the wisedome and force of man is nothing but meere beastlinesse and vanitie Remedies for false clipt mony This yeare because that most of the mony in France was found to be clipped by the kings edict al such mony was commaunded to bee cut in peeces and molten and many of that occupation among the which were diuers quoyners executed Bullen restored to the King In the monthes of Februarie and March a peace was agreed vppon betweene the kings of England France wherevpon
brought prisoners from other places The people on the one side desired nothing but blood and spoyle and the Parliament not to spare eyther great or small that sell into their hands taken at the returne of the Princes armie or in any of the Townes of his resort brought thither eyther by appeale or summons Diuers Councellors were sent into certaine Townes to proceed against those of the religion among the which this Towne aforesaid vsed great means and meruellous inuentions to extirp the memorie thereof At Senlis those of the religion had therein but hard entertainment by meanes of Claude Stocq and Guillaume Berthaut Gouernours thereof Senlis who not long after ended their liues in great misery sustained by Terouenne and Fauier Councellours of Parris among others that were put to death by sedition and iniustice one was the wife of Iaques Reuerant the rest Adrian le Clerce Iohn Gouion burnt Louys Chaunin Iohn des Iardins Iohn Greffin Lieftenant particular Messieurs de Moncy S. Eloy de Houdencourt d'Ardres de la Maison Blanche yong Gentlemen Anthony Trappier Maister of a Schoole was be headed at Parris their heads brought to Senlis and set vppon the Gates and other places some were condemned to paye fines to be bodily punished to bee kept in prison and put into the Galles not sparing the simple women In Picardie the first exremitie vsed against those of the religion in Amiens was that the thirteenth of May 1562. their Bibles Amiens new Testaments and Psalmes were sought for and openly burnt then the Ministers Pulpit And from wood and paper the Guisians proceeded to deale with their bodies killing and casting into the water Iaques Berne and Francois Greuin Harquebused Dauid Preuost and N. Marquant slewe two Artificers the one named Robert the other Rondelet and a poore impotent person named Mauguyet and to knit vppe the matter hanged Christ opher Riche a Draper because hee had borne armes Those of Abeuille slewe Robert de S. Delis their Gouernour his brother and Lieftenant with nine Souldiers two Gentlemen and a Page Abeuille as well in the Towne-house as in the Castle in despight of the religion whereof that Gouernour Lord of Haucourt made open profession vppon the 38. of March one thousand fiue hundreth sixtie three named Louys Beliart beeing condemned to paye a fine in the presence of the Iustice and Parliament was drawne along the streets by the feete with his face downe ward and then cast and drowned in the riuer Meaux in Brie At Meaux in Brie those of the religion that therein were strongest continued their exercise vntill the end of the month of Iune when the Images were thrown their Priests peaceably withdrawing themselues for the which cause they and others by order and iudgement giuen in Parris the last of Iune were exposed and giuen to the spoyle of such as could or would vndertake it without further processe Another order giuen by the said Parliament dated the 3. of Iuly against all the Ministers Deacons and other officers could not stay those of Meaux but to the contrary they appeased the edict of Ianuary not permitting that such an order condemning them to death should once be published wherevppon at the instance of those of Parris Lihoux brother to Monlue was sent to Meaux wherein hee entered with a small company and by the consent of those of the religion vppon the 25. of Iuly the next day Masse beganne to bee vsed The sixt of August commaundement was giuen vnto the Inhabitants to bring all their weapons into the Towne-house wherevnto many obeyed others to the number of foure hundreth that were gone vnder the conduct of Captaine Bethune to ioyne with the Prince of Portun but could not and so beeing constrained to separate themselues for the most part were slaine the rest beeing hard by Meaux were handled in the same sort and of all that number there escaped but 4. mē that went to Orleans Monsieur de la Chapelle Aux Vrsins successor to Lihoux vsed those of the religion with more fauour but that continued not long for that Monsieur de Boisy Great-maister of the horse arriuing there vppon the 21. of September caused the walles of the great Market to be throwne downe and the Gates thereof to be broken beeing as then one of the fairest places for the bignesse thereof that was in France And not long after there entered two companies of souldiers led by Captains of Parris named Gantier and Forgeron that committed a thousand iniuries Many women in Christmas time were beaten and drawne to heare Masse many children new christened and diners marriages reconfirmed and because such as had fledde sought to haue gotten the Towne vppon the thirteenth of February 1563 those of the Romish religion beeing mooued thereat that with great crueltie they murthered Gilles Cabeche the kings Atturney Fracre Lambert that had beene Deacon Pierre Champenois called Lorraine Those of the market fled their houses beeing so sacked and spoyled that they tooke away the lockes grates boults windowes and gutters and the place made vnhabitable those that fledde some of them died with hunger and colde The Kings officers and the presidents of the place as Frolo the chiefe President an infamous man and Cosset the kings Atturney were the principall moouers thereof and had their part of the praye Many men women and children were massacred and drowned and among the rest a childe of one Iohn Oliuiers of foure daies olde had the head striken against the walles Denis Piero Iohn Augrant Claude Baillet Mathieu Cantier Pierre Thibaut Guillin Rose Nicolas Bergeron N. Floquet la Biselle a woman of the age of 88. the wiues of Iohn Augrant and Pierre l'Archer and diuers women and maides violated both in the market and about the Towne After that they hanged two men of the religion among the which one was Iohn de la Haye a rich Farmer another Fremin Cauiller one of the Gouernours of the Towne The executioners running into diuers places where they committed an innumerable number of mischiefes In their troupes were diuers Priests among the rest the Curate of Mareuil who with his owne hands slewe certaine men of the religion In Champagne at Chaalons two men of the religion were hanged At Troys they liued friendly and peaceably with each other vntill the beginning of August Chaallons Troys in Champaigne that the Duke de Neuers Nephew to the Prince hauing by Desbordes and Vigenare his seruants beene diswaded from the religion and the Princes part In the month of August the exercise of religion ceased and presently therevpon Desbordes that commaunded in the name of his Maister whom hee killed at Dreux and after he himselfe was slaine in the battell caused diuers Artificers to be cōmitted to prison billes other bookes of diuinitie to be rent torne in peeces and the houses of those of the religion to bee spoyled and robbed with great furie the owners beeing murthered many children
or four thousand men both horse and foote and fixe field peeces where he sustained the siege eight daies togither without losse of any man hauing slaine aboue fourescore of the assaylants constrained the rest to leaue the siege to their no smal confusion in such sort that by the edict of pacification the exercise of the religion remained within la Charite Many small Townes in those quarters were much molested specially in respect of the religion as Bony Cosne Neufui and others Chastillon Sur Loire but most of all Chastillon Sur Loire which hauing withstood many difficulties and spoyled of all her commodities by theeues and rouers beeing but poore keepers of vines to defend themselues against the violences of such as desired the losse and extermination of their liues And hauing fortified their little Towne not hauing any ditches as well as they might vppon the fift of Ianuary they sustained an assault slew seuen or eight hundreth men of the Regiment of Monsieur de Prie Gouernour of Guyen that sought to put him to the sword hurting diuers others the men defending themselues by throwing stones and the women with hotte water which they cast vppon the assaylants In the month of February Monterud Gouernour of Berry besieged them and with cannon shotte beate downe their feeble walles yet could he not enter but by warlike means that vnder pretence of parley he withdrew his battery which lay in such sort that hee could doo little good therewith and hauing placed them in better order he commanded a new bridge to be made and thereat entered by force where no kinde of cruelties was spared neyther vppon women nor children olde nor young no not so much as against women great with childe and readie to bee deliuered The Towne beeing pilled and spoyled of all whatsoeuer it had euen to the boltes lockes barres and glasse-windowes of the houses which notwithstanding assoone as Manteruds armie was departed those of the religion that had escaped returned thither againe and reestablished the exercise of religion Guyen sur Loire The Towne of Guyen Sur Loire maintained it selfe long time in peace during the troubles onely by the meanes of those of the religion being the strongest part within the Towne but the disorder committed by diuers Captaines and souldiers sent thither from Orleans by the Prince to refresh themselues and the taking of Bourges reduced things to such a stay that most of those of the religiō forsooke both their houses their goods to go to Orleans where as thē the plague was very rife The campe of Triumuirat not long after arriued before Guyen and all the places bordering on the same vsing all the cruelties that possible might bee inuented among the which certaine Italians in hatred of the religion hauing cut the bodie of a yong Infant in two peeces cate his lieuer which was verified to bee most true yet iustice for the same could not be had Lastly those of the religion being returned from Orleans with Lanbert Daneau one of their Ministers they met another troupe of their friends that two daies before came from Chastillon sur Loin with the other Ministers called La Vallee and beeing entered into the Towne by vertue of the edict beganne the exercise of the religion Guyen beeing named for the balliage towne in those quarters The Monkes of Fontaine Iohn an Abbey neare adioyning vnto Chastillon sur Loin hauing abandoned their gownes to beare armes to robbe and spoyle the countrie with other souldiers vpon the seuenth of October were all set vppon by Monsieur de Dampierre and seeking to resist were all slaine onely some fewe that were burnt within the Cloyster from whence it was impossible otherwise to get them foorth Montargis belonging to the Ladie Renee daughter to Lois the twelfe Duches Dowager of Ferrare Montargis was the retrait of diuers families of the religion notwithstanding the threatnings of the Duke of Guise sonne in lawe to the sayde Ladie who sent thither one Malicorne a new Knight of the Order to cease vppon the Towne and Castle with foure companies of horse who being entered into the Towne mooued the people against those of the religion in such maner that at that time a poore man was slaine and cast into the water as before that time likewise they had killed a woman and committed certaine outrages and Malicorne continuing in his boldnesse proceeded so farre as to threaten the Ladie with cannon shotte to batter her Castle wherein were diuers of the religion whom hee pretended to ransome but the Princesse made him an answere saying I charge you looke what enterprise you take in hand for that there is not any man whatsoeuer within this Realme that can commaund me but onely the King and if you proceed so farre I will be the first that shal stand within the breach to trie if you once dare bee so bold to kill the daughter of a King and on the other side not so meanely allyed nor yet beloued but that I haue both the meanes and power to reuenge your boldnesse euen to the very infants of your presumptious race Which wordes caused Malicorne like a snaile to pull in his hornes and presently after departed the Duke of Guise beeing slaine as you redde before Those of the Romish Church within the Towne of S. Iohns de Nemours in the mouth of Iune S. Iohn de Nemours did so much that they draue those of the religion out of their Towne not permitting any of them to enter vntill the peace concluded raysing of extreame impositions vppon their goods that were openly solde for small prices Not long before they had vsed all the meanes they could by counsell of some Traitors to bring certain troupes of souldiers into the towne to massacre the people Monlius in Bourbonois but their enterprise tooke no effect Monsieur de Montare being come to Moulius in Bourbonnois with commission therein to vse all hard and extreame dealing towards those of the religion first without any forme of lawe or processe hee caused two Artificers to be hanged and perceiuing himselfe to be strong of men draue all such as hee any thing doubted out of the Towne which done hee gaue his troupes leaue to issue foorth and to slay all those that by any means were found in the fields vsing al kind of strange dealings and extremities vnto the houses and farmes lying about it Captaine Saint Auban that led certaine troupes out of Languedos to Orleans failed not much to take both Montare and the Towne of Moulius and as he determined to besiege it hee receiued letters that caused him to make haste way At his departure from thence the Townes-men issued vpon his rereward and tooke Monsieur de Foulet a Gentleman dwelling not farre from thence and his Lacquey with a Councellour named Claude Brisson that were all three slaine Not long after foure others were hanged in Moulius And in the month of Iuly after fiue others
the liuing treading vppon the dead they vsed great deligence to bring earth fetherbeddes dung and other things whatsoeuer might serue At the same time that assault was giuen by thirtie Ensignes of foote and a Cornet of horse that followed them where the fight was great and fiue times refreshed till seuen of the clocke at night with such furie that powder fayling on both sides they fell to stones rapiers and other hand-blowes in the end the assaylants were constrained to leaue the breach and to retire with great losse An assault fiue times refreshed Notwithstanding Sommeriue beganne another batterie by which means about euening Senas Mounans and other Captaines within the Towne that had lost many souldiers perceluing themselues destitute of munition had no hope of ayde charged with a great number of poore people little experienced in Marshall affaires and considering the forces mindes and insolencies of the assaylants determined to leaue that feeble place and with al speed to saue that remnant of men that were within it wherevppon they got the straight of the Mountaine whereof I spake beeing the onely place whereby they might escape This conclusion was presently disclosed to Sommeriue A meruellous resolution of the Towne to leaue it by one that comming out of the chamber where they determined vppon it went vnto him but the matter beeing debated by Sommeriues Councell that ment to close that passage one named Cental brake off that determination alleadging so many reasons to the contrarie that it was concluded among them that no man should stirre that night out of the campe although that some of the besieged made shew to saue themselues that way but that in the morning they would determine vppon their affaires About eleuen of the clocke at night the besieged beganne to issue forth in the sight of al their enemies that might easilie discry them from two places which commanded the Towne and by the lights that stood in the windowes of the houses marching in order you may well iudge what noyse was made at that departure among the children sicke hurt and olde people and women great with childe and so with all their carriages followed on the way vppon the Mountain al that night not one of Sōmeriues campe once stirring as if those poore people had beene safely guarded vntill morning that Sommeriue caused certaine horse and foote to passe the riuer and to set vppon the backes of them where they found some poore women that stayed behinde whereof some were slaine others brought prisoners but they followed not long after them as well for the difficultie of the way as the couetous desire they had not to leese the spoyle of the Towne wherein Sommeriue durst not enter fearing some treason before tenne of the clocke in the morning They beeing entered into that desolate Towne slewe three or fource hundreth women and children without any respect of age or religion taking that small bootie which they could finde Sommeriue entereth into Cisteron If the issuing of those of Cisteron was meruellous so was their voyage vppon the Mountaines which continued for the space of three weekes in the which time they escaped an infinit number of dangers vntil the seuē a twentieth of September that they ariued in good safetie at Grenoble singing Psalmes and thansgiuings vnto God for their miraculous deliuerie knowing nothing of what had passed the same day in other places as at Saint Gilles The battell of S. Gilles Scafold of the Prouenceal murthers where there enemies were wholly ouerthowne and almost all slaine as wee shewed in the discourse of Languedoc From Grenoble they were safely conducted vnto Lyons and charitably ayded in their necessities vntill the edict of pacification After the taking of Cisteron and the ouerthrow of the Prouenceals at Saint Gilles Sommeriue continued Maister of the Prouence continuing the battell massacres and great insolencies begunne before and yet without impunitie The principall heads of the horrible confusion that raigned therein vntill and after the edict of peace beeing Carces Mentin and Flassans prouoked by certaine of the Parliament of Aix as Bagarris Chesne Saint Margaret and others that ruled all the rest and that in steede of obeying the edict of pacification durst conclude say that those of the religion should not haue any exercise that such as during the troubles had beene their Leaders or hauing had any office Straunge iniustice absented thēselues should not be receiued nor entertained and that the wars still be followed that there should a stay be made of the punishments of offenders that had committed so great insolencies during the troubles although the womē with childe had bin ript open the yong childrē murthered many buried quicke others hewed in peeces burnt throwne downe headlong their throates cut like sheep drawne through the streetes and then harquebused beaten downe with clubbes and wounded in diuers places In this sort those good iudges executed so manie insolencies that the kings Councell after the edict of pacification was forced to send the President de Morsan with certaine numbers of Councellors from Parris to Prouence which did such execution vppon some boot-hallers and other insolent persons that from thence forward Sound instice done vppon the offenders although their weapons were many times in hand Prouence neuer mutined in such sort as it did during those first troubles Morsan and his companions were determined to haue done iustice without exception but the multitude of offenders the qualities of some of them the credite of others and the maruelous practises of Carces and the Parliament of Aix hindered those Iustices to doo as they pretended In the end by the solicitation of Carces the king released diuers of them whereof their processe was alreadie made and that had well deserued to bee put to cruell death Now must we say something of the Duchie of Bourgongne Bourgongne The Parliament of Dyon did so much that by letters of the first of March 1562. commandement was sent by the king to Monsieur de Tauanes his Lieftenant in the absence of the Duke d'Aumale of the house of Guise not to permit any preaching at Dyon not in the Frontier-townes so that whatsoeuer letters and commissions those of the religion obtained after that would serue to no effect as long as the Court of Parliament resited The eight of May Beaune those of Beaune were wholly bereaued of the exercise of the religion and within foure daies after their three Ministers imprisoned which done the Artificers and others were driuen out of the Towne to the number of seuen or eight hundreth with women and children Ventoux Captaine of the Towne filled their emptie houses with souldiers wherein they vsed great disorders such as were found therin being vilely abused and so much detested that they durst not shewe themselues in the streetes which reduced them to extreame necessities their kinsmen and friendes not daring to relieue them The fines imposed vppon
vnto their libertie hee would destroy and ouerthrow all the Catholicque Churches in Italie The feare of this mischiefe caused him to tollerate an euill otherwise vntollerable pernicious necessitie to haue peace is the most straight band of humane commodities thereby to shunne warres that maketh fathers without childen children Orphans women widdowes Churches without exercise of religion or godlinesse and the world without God without lawe or without faith to bannish warres that change a most christian Realm into a Commōwealth of Atheists Frēchmen that are peaceable and tractable into Scithians and Canibals liuing only by blood this bloodie ciuill warre that maketh the earth a hell and men the diuelles it is most iust and reasonable to appease the differences of religion by peace seeing warre cannot effect it That ancient world of the church which in respect of ours beeing of Iron and brasse might iustly be called golden permitteth this libertie Peace accorded such false concords and made good musicke diuers Princes and Estates which at this day flourish in great honour suffer euery man to liue according to his conscience and manner of religion without any alteration of their estates by such discipline Detestation of massacres They consider that the schisme is begunne that the greatest part of Europe is diuided that diuers good Towns in France make profession of this religion there is no more remedie that wee must leaue this conuersion to the prouidence of God They content themselues that their subiects obey them and that they vse their religion according to their mindes they doo not therefore make a barbarous galemawfre of the members of their subiects they massacre them not they kill them not and beleeue that whatsoeuer wee haue done heretofore is not lesse horrible to the minde then cruell to the will the League replyeth and said Trouble not your selfe so much with tying these examples togither they serue for nothing there is no proportion of one Realme with the other in this poynt that which is good for the Frenchmen is not good for others We must not so much stand vpon the consideration of things that are alreadie done as of those wee should doo France neuer had two religions shee could neuer indure them Arians could not dwell therein the Alligers were not tollerated with them and the Lutherians and Caluinists would not long continue among them if the League bee in force Let your Grace remember what a Chrisostome of France said vnto you at the last Parliament holden in Blois and now giue the like authoritie to his arguments that they then had when they made you take armes to purge the heart of Europe of the poyson of heresie France said hee hath beene such that after it had publicquely receiued the Christian faith vnder Clouis it hath alwaies maintained it in one course immutable iuuiolable France neuer indured the peruerse opinions of faith within her brest France while all Christendome was moued by the pernicious diuisions of so diuers opinions and with so many and different sorts of heresies that vntill this time haue raigned hath alwaies continued constant and vpright not once bending it selfe to any false doctrine France hath been the succor and defence of christian faith and the terror of the enemies thereof And to conclude France hath beene like a rocke or vnexprignable sort of christianitie And how much should it now bee fallen from his auncient honour how much reputation should it loose how much should it want of her first fidelitie towards God if changing her firmitie constancie touching faith it should liue long in such diuision and indure before her eyes in times past so iealous of the vnion of christian beleese and libertie but rather an intollerable libertie to liue vnder diuers religions Your Maiestie looking into the memorie of things past may sufficiently perceiue that as long as France hath been vnited vnder one christian religion shee hath made her glorie and renowne spred through all countries shee hath caused her valor in armes to be prooued felt in all places of the world shee hath alwaies beene victorious ouer all the enemies of Catholicque religion and hath done so many honourable actions achieued so great and happy conquests against Insidels that it wanne such glorie among the Asians Africans Indians Persians Tartarians Moores Sarrazins and others that all the christians in Europe are by them called Frenchmen for that because those strange nations haue onely felt the armes of Frenchmen they haue also comprehended all the Latine churches vnder the name of France Frenchmen But since France hath been diuided rent with two religions let vs see how much it hath loft of her auncient renowne shee that commaunded a great part of Europe that conquered countries farre distant from her that at her onely name made diuers warrelike nations to tremble is found since this vnhappy and vnfortunate diuision to bee reduced into such extremitie that in the middle of her brest she hath receiued forraine powers shee hath in a manner receiued the lawe of her neighbours and of her enemies and that cruell turning her sword against her owne intrailes and although shee was inuincible in respect of all other nations she is now her self so imbased vanquished and ouerthrowne which is the fruit that this venemous plant of new opinion hath induced which seemeth to be at the poynt readie to giue more daungerous thrusts if according to the expectation which your obedient people haue conceiued of your wisdome pietie it pleaseth not your Maiestie speedily to take order therein Remember that your Grace beareth the Scepter of the great king Clouis that first ruled this Monarchie vnder the publike profession of this religion which at this present is put in question within this Realme Remember that you are successor to that great Childeberg that being able to indure such persons about him that had any wrong opinion of christian religion made wars vppon the Visigots that were infected with the heresie of the Arrians and in the end constrained them to ioyne and vnite themselues to the holy and Catholicque Church Remember that you beare vpon your head the crowne of that Charles who for the greatnesse and valor of his actions deserued the name of great and by the vertue of his armes aduanced christian religion and defended the authoritie of the Apostolicque sea against such as persecuted the same Remember that you hold the place of that most woorthieking Philip Auguste who with so much zeale affection imployed his armes against Albigeois hereticques that had sequestred themselues from the Catholicque vnion Remember that you sit in the seate of that renowmed Prince Saint Lewis that spared not his treasures his forces nor his own person for his desence and aduancement of the faith of Christ and by his christian actions deserued the crowne and surname of Saint and without prolonging time to rehearse them all Remember that you are Nephew to that great king Francis