controuersies of oure aduersaries concerning this matter of the which there are eight in number It is better to abide in the approued opinion and iudgemente of the Catholike Church which is that the very body of God of our Lord Iesus Christ his very bloude also is present and receiued in this Sacrament according as it is sayd This is my bodie The which wordes excepte they be in déede of as great force as they sounde and séeme to be why are they so diligently repeated in like wordes of all the Euangelistes and of the Apostle Paule also Why did not the other three Euangelistes the Apostle Paule which wrote after Mathew writ after that maner that our Sacramentaries would write specially seyng in a matter of lesse waight they doe one of them expounde another and that which one of them setteth forth obscurely another plainely declareth This is the mynde of the Testator which by no maner of meanes ought to be disalowed or violated This is also the iudgement and doctrine of all the ancient writers that not onely the breade is giuen by the Priest but also the very body of Christ really Therefore I imbrace this stable hole some opinion and I doe abhorre with all my hearte the curious opinions and sayings of these newe men which seme so to represent Christe as if they shoulde bring him forthe in a Tragedie or Comedie As thoughe it were not better to retaine and kepe the simple wordes of our Lorde and saâ—…iour than the false imaginations of men seyng that this is most firme and certaine that we are not onely ioyned to Christe by faithe but also by the force and efficacie of the Euchariste beyng rightlye worthily and really receyued yea and to speake more playnelye Substantially Naturally and Corporally And here he alledged many things out of the ancient fathers and plainely reprehended Beza bicause he vsed the words of Austen in his epistle to Dardanus in this matter of the Sacramentes seyng in that epistle he intreated nothing at all of the Sacramentes also bicause he had condemned the opinion of certaine Germaines concerning Consubstantiation contrarye to his owne opinion And then he concluded his oration with these wordes I come yelde sayth he to your opinion of the Sacramente excepte ye thinke that Iesus Christe as touching his fleshe is in this world from the time of his ascention and that more nowe than he was before he toke vpon him our fleshe excepte ye thinke that Christ hath some other bodye than that whiche is visible excepte ye thinke that he is otherwise in the Sacrament than in the preaching of the worde if ye thinke it to be all one to put on Christ in Baptisme and to eate his body and bloude and to be shorte if ye thinkâ—… that he is so in heauen that he is not in earth also and that he is no otherwise in the Supper than he is in the Myer we which are taughte that the Supper is not in heauen but celebrated in earth and which are not so curious that we woulde by ingenius and wise speculations bryng and separate Christe from the Supper â–ª to answere you fullye affirme that we are so far from your opinion as the heauen is hyer from the lowest parte of the earth Let them therefore sée and consider which iudge and examine oure Religion not by Philosophie but by Diuinitie which of vs two doe attribute more to the power of God and to Iesus christ And so praying to God to roote out these daungerous and deadly opinions and not to suffer these controuersies to be in his Churche he exhorted the king and the Quéene that they woulde take vpon them the patrocinie and defence of thys matter and protested in the name of the Prelates of the French Churche that he would liue and die in the defence of this doctrine which he had set forth After this all the Prelates which were present rose vp and came néere vnto the king and in their name the Cardinal of Turnon protested that this was the confessioÌ„ of their faith which they woulde seale with their owne bloude being the vndoubted truth of the holy mother the Church The which the king oughte to imbrace and followe according to the manner and example of his elders But if they whiche had separated themselues from the Churche of Rome would subscribe to that confession then they shoulde be receyued and be heard more fully in other articles in the which they sayde they woulde be satisfyed otherwyse they oughte not to be hearde at all And it is the Kinges parte to banishe them oute of his Realme the which he must earnestly desired him to doe Then Beza vehementlye desired of the King by and by leaue to make answere oute of hande to the oration of the Cardinall of Loraine For the ministers feared that they shoulde haue no more leaue to come together againe fame reporting euery where that the prelates had determined from that day forward to deale with them no more but by excommunications Notwithstanding thoughe the Ministers that day could obtaine no leaue to answere yet obtained they another day the which neuerthelesse by reason of diuers rumors was deferred vntill the day following Bicause of these detractions of times the ministers fearing that the disputation shoulde be ended they determined to offer vnto the King a supplication praying him that for so much as at his commaundement they were come thether from so far countreys quietly to confer with the Prelates for the rooting out of errors which so manye yeares had oppressed the Church they mighte haue leaue to confer together and to declare their cause that he him selfe woulde take vpon him the defence of Religion whiche they sayde was the meane and way to raygne and rule himself and to preserue his kingdome in peace and tranquillitie When they had offered this Supplication oftentymes to the King at the last they obtayned leaue to haue the conference continued not in publique but in priuate place Therefore at the length the assembly was renewed agayne which a long time was broken off a small number of men the King and Quéene the king of Nauarre the Prelates and twelue chosen Ministers and a few others being only present Then the Cardinall of Loraine began to shew that this assembly was gathered togyther that the Ministers might be heard what answere they would make to those things which he had lately expounded Beza therfore in the name of his fellowes began thus saying When we haue called vpon the name of God that he woulde aide and assist vs in a matter of so great waight and would bring to passe that this assemblie might be gathered together to the glory of his name to your dignitie and specially to the peace and tranquillitie of the king and Quéene of the whole Christian common wealth and kingdome we will briefelye answere to that which was lately propounded by the Lorde Cardinall of Loraine concerning
be chosē to the same by lawfull election if so be the same may be had We adde this if bicause sometime as in oure time also when the Church hath bene troubled and persecuted many haue béen constrayned without ordinarie callyng by the motion of Gods holye spirite to take vpon them to repaire the ruinousnesse of the decayed Church notwithstanding howsoeuer the matter be we doe beléeue that this rule ought to be followed that all pastors and ministers maye haue sufficient testimonie of their calling 32 We doe beléeue it to be necessarie that they which are chosen to be the chiefe ouerséers of some one Churche doe diligently waye and consider among them selues by what waye or meanes the whole body of the same Churche may be best gouerned Notwithstanding so that they swerue in no poynt from that which our Lorde Iesus Christ hath appointed And this letteth not but that certaine places maye haue their peculiar and speciall institutions to them appertaining as it shall séeme best 33 And we doe exclude all humane inuentions and lawes whiche vnder the pretence of the worshippe of God doe bynde the consciences of men and we doe onely admit and alow those which tend to the maintaining of concord the keping of euerye one in due obedience in the which thing we thinke it méete to follow that which our Lord sauiour Christ appointed concerning excommunication the which with the circumstances also we allow thinke necessarye 34 We doe beléeue that there are Sacramentes ioyned to the woorde for further confirmations sake as pledges and seales of the grace of God by which our infyrme and weake faith may be stayed and holpen For we confesse these externall signes to be such that God by them worketh with the power of his holy spirit that nothing there might be set before vs in vaine Notwithstāding we doe thinke that al the substance veritie of them resteth in Christ Iesu frō whō if they be separated they are nothing but vayne shadowes 35 We doe confesse that there belong onely two Sacramentes to the whole Church of the which the first is Baptisme giuen vnto vs to testifie our adoption bycause thereby we are grafted into the body of Christ as beyng washed with his bloud and are also renewed to holynesse of life by his spirite This also we affirme that although we are but once baptized yet notwithstanding the fruite of Baptisme doth appertaine to the race of our whole life to the ende that this promise mighte be sealed in vs by a sure and certaine seale namely that Christ will be alway our sanctification righteousnesse and redemption Furthermore althoughe Baptisme be a Sacramente of fayth and repentaunce yet notwithstanding seyng God doth recken and accounte the children wyth the parentes to be of his Church we affirme that infantes borne of holy and godly parents ought by the authoritie of Christ to be baptized 36 We affirme that the holy Supper of the Lord which is the other Sacrament is a testimony vnto vs of our vnion with our Lorde Iesus Christ bicause he did not thinke it sufficient for vs onely to dye and to be raysed agayne the third day for our sinnes but also féedeth vs still ▪ and nourisheth vs with his fleshe and bloude that being made one with him we maye be partakers of life with him For although he be now in heauen and shall abide there vntill he come to iudge the worlde yet notwithstanding we beleue that he doth by the secrete and incomprehensible power of his spirite nouryshe and quicken vs wyth the substance of hys fleshe and bloude apprehended by faithe And we saye that this is done spiritually not that we go about to put fantasie and imagination in steade of efficacie and veritie but bicause this misterie of our vnion and knot made betwene Christ and vs is sodaine and far paste our reache that by no meanes we are able to comprehende it To be shorte séeing it is a thing so diuine and heauenly it can not be by any meanes apprehended but by faith onely 37 We beléeue as it is saide before that the Lord as well in the Supper as in Baptisme doth giue vnto vs in verye déede that is to saye truely and effectually whatsoeuer is therin figured Sacramentally and therfore we ioyne with signes the true possession and fruition of that thing which is so offered vnto vs Therfore we affirme that they which bring a pure fayth as a vessell with them to the holy table of the Lorde doe verily receiue that which the signes doe there testifie for the body and bloude of Iesus Christ is no lesse meate and drinke to the soule than bread and wine is the sustenance of the body 38 In like maner we saye that the element of water although it be corruptible doth truely testifie vnto vs the inward washing of our soule in the bloude of Iesus Christ by the efficacie of the holy Ghost And therefore we reiecte all those fanaticall persons which reiect these outward signes when as our Sauiour Christ him selfe spake these wordes saying This is my Body and This Cup is my Bloud 39 We beléeue that it is Gods will that the world shoulde be ruled and gouerned by lawes and politique gouernement that there may be some meanes by which the immoderate desires of the worlde may be bridled and restrained and that therefore he hath appointed kingdomes common weales and other kindes of dignities whither they come by inheritance or otherwise and not onely that but whatsoeuer pertaineth to right and equitie the author whereof he himselfe woulde be counted Therefore also he hath put the swerde into the hands of Magistrates to punishe offences not onely against the seconde table but also against the first Wherefore we must for his sake which is the author of this order not onely suffer that they may rule whome he hath set ouer vs but also honour and reuerence them as his Ministers appointed by him to take that lawfull and holy office vpon them Therefore we affirme that lawes and statutes ought to be obeyed tribute and taxes payed and all other burthens discharged and voluntary subiection yelded to magistrates yea although they be infidels so that God be not dishonored Therefore we detest all those that denie rule and gouernment and refuse to obey desiring a confusion and to haue all things common and going about to ouerthrow all lawe and good order This therefore was the plaine and simple confession of the faythfull Christians of the reformed Churches of Fraunce and a plaine explication of that Doctrine for the which they were so greatly persecuted by the Popishe Bishops Thus endeth this first Book ¶ The seconde Booke of Commentaries of the state of Religion in the kingdome of Fraunce IT was prouided and appointed as we haue shewed before by the kings Edict that there should be a Parliament by which the great perturbations which at that time all men sawe
dispute on both parts of the principall poyntes of Religion nowe in controuersie â—…bertie was graunted vnto all 〈◊〉 of the reformed Church freely to come to heare 〈◊〉 samâ—… and that vnder safe conduct by the kings 〈◊〉 Certain men were chosen to be of that Councel â–ª 〈◊〉 of the râ—…rmed Churches â–ª being 〈◊〉 conducted at the kingâ—… coÌ„manâ—…ment by his gard from Paris to the towne called Sangeiman â–ª Among whome the principall were these namely Peter 〈◊〉 â—…rofessor of diuinitie in the Tygurâ—… Churche and The â—…tore 〈◊〉 â—…ho were chiefe in this disputation 〈◊〉 of Gods word â—…t Geneua whâ—… were procured to 〈◊〉 thither by the kyng of Nauarre and by the reformed Churches â–ª There were also â—…icolaus Gelaâ—…us Augustinus Marloraâ—…us Iohannes 〈◊〉 â–ª Franciâ—…cus Morellus and Iohannes â–ª Malo wyth whomâ—… also came 〈◊〉 a lesrâ—… man whiche a little before abjuring and forsaking the Popes religion imbraced the doctrine of the Gospell They therfore to begin the matter offer to the king a supplication in the which they desire that this disputation might be begon forthwith by his authoritie and that these might be the conditions to be obserued in the same Firste that those prelates which were of the contrarie opinion might not be set as chiefe Iudges in this disputation but that the king with his Counsellours shoulde by his authoritie moderate and rule the whole matter Secondly that all controuersies should be referred and ended by the word of God only Thirdly that what soeuer should be determined and concluded in that disputation shuld be registred in the kinges publike commentaries by his notaries To the whiche the kyng made answer that he woulde consult of this matter with his councel that if it might be al the matter might by some meanes with the consent of the Prelates quietly be ended But the Prelates complayned and sayd that this libertie of disputing oughte not to be graunted vnto them which were long agoe condemned Whervpon they deferred the matter for certayn dayes béeing busied in the mean time to â—…ynde out the scruples and doubtes of these questions namely concerning the dignitie of Cathedrall Churches Concerning Regulars and their exemptions Concerning Cures and their ordinarie presentation Concerning the excéeding number of inferiour Priestes Concerning the reformation of Monasteries Concerning pluralities of Benefices and such like seeking to helpe the disordered Churche in due time with these inquisitions But this one thyng they specially pretended that they should haue great iniurie if authoritie to iudge were taken from them But nowe it shall not be disagréeing from our purpose to make mention of certayne communication had betwéen the Cardinall of Lorayne and Theodore Beza before the solemne diâ—…putation began Certayne communication betweene the Cardinall of Lorrain and Theodore Beza Minister of Geneua BEza came into the bedchamber of the king of Nauarre being so commaunded by him to the intente he might salute the Quéene And at that tyme there was also the Cardinall of Lorrain Then the Quéen began to talke with Beza concerning his bookes Upon which occasion the Cardinall then sayd to Beza as foloweth Card. Lorrain I haue séene a booke the author wherof you are sayd to bée in the whiche are contayned these wordes Chryst is to be sought in the Supper after the same manner that he was before he toke vpon him our flesh I haue heard also that you haue written another moste absurde saying which is that Christe must be sought for in the Supper as in the myre and dirte At the whiche saying the standers by greatly maruelling Beza answered Beza If the bookes were here I could the better tel whither they were myne or no but concerning the first saying it may séeme very absurde as you repeate it but the place being diligently wayed it shall be founde to be moste true As for the seconde it is blasphemous and wicked neyther shall it bée founde written in myne or in anye of oure bookes Card. Lorrain No doubte I maruell that any man dare affirme that we haue no more than the auncient Fathers had iâ—… the tyme of the lawe and how could they speake of the flesh of Chryste which as yet was not Beza Do ye thinke that there was alwayes a Churche from the first creation of the worlde Do ye thinke that the Church which was from the beginning of the world was called a Churche by him whiche was a Mediator betweene God â—… men And do ye thinke that Iesus Christe was that Mediatâ—…ure Card Lor. It is my opinion Beza Therefore the communion of the faithfull wyth Christ oughte not to be restrained to that tyme when he ioyned his diuinitie in verie déede to our nature â–ª for y which was not as yet by the order of nature was notwithstanding alwayes by the force and efficacie of faithe Is it not sayd that Abraham sawe the day of Christ and reioyced And Paule sayth That the fathers did eate the same spirituall meate and did all drink of the same spiritual drink whereof we haue droonke namely Christe Card. Lor. It is verie true For he is the Lambe that was stain from the beginning of the worlde After this when Beza had brought in manye places concerning the difference betwene the olde and newe Testament there began a newe disputation concerning the presence of the bodie and bloud of Christ in the Supper Card. Lor. We do disagree in the explication of these words This is my bodie Beza We disagrée in very déed for which we ar very sory Car Lo. I teach the children of my dioces wheÌ„ they are demauÌ„ded what the bread in the Supper is to answer that it is the bodie of Christ do ye disalowe this Beza No truly for they are the very wordes of Chrisâ—…e But I demaund how the bread is called the body of Chrisâ—… For all that is is not after one fashion or manner But the Cardinall vrged these wordes The rocke was Christe whiche wordes Beza had cited before agaynst the which he set these wordes of S. Iohn The worde became flâ—…she To the which Beza answered Beza There is great difference betwéen that substantial communion and the Sacramentall communion And this question sayth he doth consâ—…st of foure principall 〈◊〉 The first is of â—…gnes the second of the thing signified the third of the coniunction of signes the thing signified the fourth is of the participation of signes and of the thing by them signiâ—…ied Concerning the first we differ in this that you apoint in the Supper only accidâ—…nts for signes but we for signes put the substaÌ„ce of breaâ—… and wine as the nature of Sacraments doth require and the Scripture vniuersallye teache Heere the Cardinall interrupting Beza in his talke sayde Card. Lor. I thinke truly that I am able to proue desend Transubstantiation but I thinke that the same was not greatly néedefull to be founde oute by the diuines neyther doe I thinke that there oughte to be in the
to be The like words also he hath in his 112. Epistle Also in 37. cha of his second booke against Crescon In like maner S. Cyprian sayth VVe must not haue regarde what this or that man doth before vs but what Christe Iesus hath done who is before all Like vnto this is the rule whiche S. Augustine gaue to Hierome And in an other place also when hée disputeth againste those which woulde vse the Councell of Ariminum Neyther will I saith he alleage the Councell of Nice against you nor shall you alleage the Councell of Ariminum againste me By the authoritie of Scripture lette vs weye matter with matter cause with cause and reason with reason Chrysostome was of the same opynion as may appeare in his 49. Homely vpon Mathew For the Church is founded vpon the foundation of the Prophetes Apostles Therefore to conclude this matter we embrace the holy Scripture for the fâ—…l and perfect declaration of al things which appertayne to our saluation But as touching that which appertaineth to generall councels and to the bookes of the fathers we meane to vse them and we forbid not you to vse them so farre foorth as that which ye shall bring from them be not disagreeing with the worde of god But for Gods sake bring not in their bare authoritie vntill al thinges are examined by the Scriptures For we saye with S. Augustine in his seconde booke De doctrina Christiana the. 6. chapter If there bee any difficultie in the interpretation of Scriptures the holy Ghoste hath so tempered the Scriptures that what soeuer in one place is obscurely spoken in another place is more playnely and euidently reuealed And thus far concerning that Article the whiche I haue prosecuted the more largely to the endâ—… all men maye knowe that we are enimies neither to generall Councels nor yet to the auncienâ—… Fathers There remayne yet to speake of two articles namely concerning the Sacraments and Ecclesiasticall discipline The first truely deserueth a copious and long tractation by reason of the often and great controuersies euen at this day concerning the same but bycause it is not our purpose to dispute but onely to declare the speciaâ—…l pointes of our confession it seemeth enough to me to eâ—…plicate the summe of our faithe We agree as I thinke in the description of the name of the Sacrament namely that Sacramenteâ—… are visible signes by the meanes and helpe whereof the coniunction which we haue with our Lord Iesus Chryst is not only simply signified or figured but is also truely offered vnto God and is confirmed sealed and as it were grauen by the power of the holy Ghost in their mynds which with a true faith apprehend that which is so signified and offered vnto them I vse this word Signified not to weaken or abolishe the Sacramentes but to the ende I might distinguishe the signe from the thing signified Herevpon we confesse that it is alwayes necessarie in Sacramentes that there be a heauenly and supernaturall change for we say not that the water in Baptisme is simply water but a true Sacrament of our regeneration and of the washing of our soules by the bloude of Christe Neither do we say that the breade in the holy Supper of our Lorde Iesus Christe is simply breade but a Sacramente of the precious body of Christe Iesus whiche was giuen for vs and that the wine is not simply wine but a Sacrament of his precious bloud which he hath shed for vs Neuerthelesse we deny that there is any change made in substance of the signes but in the ende and vse for the which they are instituted We denie also that the same mutation is made by the efficacie of certaine wordes pronounced neyther by the intention of him that pronounceth them but by his wil only which hath ordeined this heaueÌ„ly and diuine action the institution also wherof ought euidently and playnly to be expounded in the vulgar tongue that all men might vnderstand and receiue the same Thus muche concerning externall signes Nowe to come to that which is shewed and exhibited by those signes We say not that which many do who not well vnderstaÌ„ding our myndes haue supposed that we haue taught namely that in the Lords supper ther is only a coÌ„memoration of the death of our Lord Iesus Christe Neither do we say that we are partakers of the frutes of his death passion onely in that thing but do ioyne the ground it self with the frutes whiche do come fro him to vs affirming with S. Paul â–ª The bread which we breake according to the Lords instiâ—…tion is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say the participatioÌ„ of the bodie of Christ which was crucified for vs The cup which we drinke is the participation of his very bloud which was shed for vs yea â—…ueÌ„ in the verie same substance which he toke in the wombe of the virgin which he caried vp into heauen Behold I pray you can ye fynd any thing in this Sacrament which we séeke find not But me thinks I heare some body make answer For many wold haue vs to confesse the the bread the wine are changed not into the sacraments of the body bloud of our Sauior Iesus Christ but into the very bodie bloud of our lord Other some peradueÌ„ture wil not so vrge vs but wil haue vs coÌ„fesse that the body bloud is really corporally in with or vnder the bread wine But here my Lordes I pray you heare me paciently a little for a time suspend your iudgements If either of these opinions shall be proued vnto vs out of the worde of God to be true we are redy to imbrace it and wholly to reteine it But it séemeth vnto vs according to the measure of oure faith that this Transubstantiation cannot be reuoked or brought to the analogie substance of faith and to sounde doctrine bicause it is wholly repugnant to the nature of Sacramentes in which it is necessarie that there remaine substaÌ„tial signes that they may be true signes of the body blod of Iesu Christ. Furthermore it doth euert and confound the veritie of the humane nature in Christ of his ascentioÌ„ And as my opinioÌ„ is of TraÌ„substantiatioÌ„ eueÌ„ so is it also of ConsubstaÌ„tiatioÌ„ which hath no grouÌ„d in the words of Christe neither is it necessary to this that we be partakers of the Sacraments But if any man demaund of vs if we make Christ to be absent froÌ„ the supper we answer that we do not separate him from the supper But if we haue respect vnto the distaÌ„ce of places as we must of necessitie wheÌ„ we speake of his corporal presence of his humanitie distinctly considered wee affirme that his body is so far absent from the bread wine as the heauen is absent from the earth fâ—…r so much as we the sacraments are in earth but he is so glorified in heaueÌ„
that his glorie as S. August saith hath not takē away the veritie of his bodie but the infirmitie of his bodye If any man herevpon gather that we separate Christ frō the Supper he gathereth amisse For we do bring this honor vnto God that although the body of Iesu Christ be in heauen no where else and we in earth no where else yet notwithstanding we are no lesse partakers of his body bloud by a certaine spirituall maner instrumēt of faith than we truly sée with our eyes the sacramēts touch thē with our hands tast them with our mouthes are nourished sustained in this corporal life with their substance This truely in fewe words is our faith in this point that which we thinke is not repugnant to the words of Christ nor to the Apostle Paule destroyeth not the humane nature of Christ neither the article of the ascention nor the sacramentall institution it giueth no occasion to bring in curious obscure questions it doth by no meanes derogate frō the coniunction which we haue with Christ which is the speciall end of ordaining of sacramēts not to the end that it might be either worshipped laid vp caryed about or to be offered vnto God for a sacrifice to be short excepte we be deceiued it giueth more to the power and to the wordes of the Sonne of God than their opinion which thinke that his body must be really ioyned with signes to the ende we might be partakers of him But concerning the administration of Baptisme we say nothing at all For I beléeue that there is none of you that accounteth vs in the number of Anabaptistes bycause they haue no greater enemies against them thā we As touching certaine other particular questions in this argument of Sacramentes we trust God willing that the speciall articles being brought to some order by this modest and quiet conference the rest shall of themselues easily followe As touching the other fiue Sacraments as ye call them thus wee thinke that vntill we be better taught by the Scriptures they cannot be called by the name of Sacraments but notwithstanding we think that we haue broght in the true cōfirmation which standeth in this that so many as are baptised in their infancie and all others whatsoeuer before they come to the Lordes Supper ▪ maye be instructed in the Cathechisme We teach also true repentance whiche consisteth in the true acknowledging of sinnes and in satisfaction either publiquely or priuately of the parties offended also in absolution whiche we haue in the bloud of Iesus Christ and in amendement of life We do allowe Matrimonie according to S. Paule in all those whiche haue not the gifte of continencie and wée thinke it vnlawfull for any man to bynde himselfe with a perpetual vowe to leade a continent life and neuer to marry and we condemne all fornication lightnesse in word gesture and deede We allowe the degrees of ecclesiasticall offices euen as God hath ordeined them in his house We allowe visitation of sicke persones as the speciall parts of the Ministerie of the Gospell We teach with S. Paule that no man ought to be iudged for choyce in days meats for the kingdome of God doth not consiste in those corruptible and externall thinges The last point to speake of is of external order and gouernement of the ecclesiastical State of the which we think it lawful for vs to say by your leaue that all things are so corrupted that very hardely the notes and printes of that auncient buylding very well ordered appointed by the Apostles can be seene Of the which matter you your selues maye be witnesses whiche toke some paines not long agoe herein But we omitte these matters the whiche we thinke better not to disclose than to vtter And to conclude this Oration we proteste before God and his Angels before your Maiestie moste Christian king and before this honorable assembly that our purpose and meaning is nothing else but to bring the state of the Church to that puritie and perfection in the which it so greatly florished in the Apostles tyme and that so many of those additions as should be found either superstitious or else manifestly against the worde of God might quite be abolished and counted superfluous also that all thinges might be taken awaye whiche experience teaching bring men to superstition But if certaine thinges be founde profitable and necessarie to edification firste consider of them wisely by the auncient Canons and authorities of the Fathers then let them be obserued and kepte as it shall be thought expedient and méete for the times places and persones that so with one consent God maye be worshipped in spirite and truth vnder your obedience O King and the obedience of those whome God hath appointed to your Maiestie to gouerne the Realme For if there be any yet whiche thinke that the doctrine which we professe dothe withdrawe men from their dutifull obedience to Kinges and Magistrates we haue to answere them For this we teach that the firste and principall obedience is due vnto God whiche is King of Kings and Lord of Lordes But if our writings may not suffise to cleare vs of that crime layd to our charge we wil bring forth many examples of principalities of rules and of kingdomes that haue bene reformed by the prescript of our doctrine which may be sufficient witnesses of our innocencie To be short in this point we say with S. Paule Let euery soule submit himself to the authoritie of the higher powers ▪ Yea and Chrisostome writing vpon that place faith Yea let him submit him selfe though he be an Apostle or Euangelist bicause that subiectiō doth not derogate from the glory of God. Wherefore if it shall come to passe hereafter that any man falsely professing oure doctrine shall be found to rebel but against the least of your officers we protest before God and your maiestie O King that such kind of men shall not be of vs neither shal they finde more mortall enimyes against them than we Therfore O king our desire to aduance the glory of God our obediēce loue which we owe to your Maiestie our loue also towards our cuntrey specially to the Church of God haue brought vs into this place trusting that the most mighty God according to his accustomed mercy and goodnesse will blesse you no lesse thā he did the yōg king Iosias that by your most happie gouernmēt O Quéene by your coūsels most honorable Princes coūsellers the ancient memory of the famous Quéene Clotilda shal be renued whose diligence the Lord vsed as a meane to make himself knowne throughout this Realme This is our hope most mightie king for the which we are readie to spende our liues that obeying your maiestie in this so godly a matter we may sée the golden world where oure Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ raigneth with all honour and glory for euer and euer
the Sacramentes to be manifest testimonies and certaine and visible notes of the vnion of the faithfull first with him and secondly betwéene themselues Therefore it was sayde in the time of the olde Testament Let the man that is vncircumcised be thruste oute from among the people and therefore the maister of euery house was wont thrice euery yeare to present themselues in Hierusalem that they mighte testifie the vnitie of faith and Religion by those sacrifices Afterward the vayle being taken away and the cloase shut gate being broken open the Iewes and the Gentils grewe into one bodye not onelye by the preaching of the worde but also by Baptisme and by the holy Sacrament of the bodye and bloud of Christe And according to this Christ sayd to his Apostles Go and preache to euery creature baptizing in the name of the Father of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost Whereby both the word and Sacraments are noted For that is to be ioyned with baptisme which Paule speaketh of the Supper saying that He gaue that which he receiued of the Lorde And this is also the verye same whiche is saide in another place That the Church is founded vpon the Prophetes and Apostles that is to say vpon Christ Iesus which is the heade corner stone that is to say the matter and substance of the propheticall and Apostolical doctrine And thus the other place of the same Apostle oughte to bée vnderstoode that the Churche is the strength and piller of truth that is to say the word of God and the same truth of God as S. Ihon sayth doth sustayne and holde vp the Church as also Chrisostome interpreteth it These are the true and visible notes of the Churche the which Church bicause it bringeth forthe the faithfull and nourisheth them with the heauenly incorruptible meate is called their mother and Nource But and if the worde be preached and the Sacramentes ministred it must néedes followe that there be pastors and teachers to whom those offices may be committed as the scriptures in diuers places testifieth and the Apostle Paule also Herevpon it commeth to passe that many adde a thirde note namely ordinarie succession from the time of the Apostles To the which we answere that suche succession ought to be greatly estéemed so long as it is rightly considered and applyed euen as the Fathers often times vsed the same against heretikes as it is to be séene in Tertulliā Irenaeus and in Augustine against the Maniches and Donatistes But bycause they set that buckser againste vs as bringers in of newe things it is necessarie that we declare what we thinke of this thing We say that there is one succession of doctrine and another of persons The succession of doctrine we acknowledge for the true and vndoubted marke of the Churche according to those things whereof we haue spoken before For althoughe the doctrine of the Gospell is neuer a whit the more worthy to be beleued for antiquitie although it commeth to passe by the iudgement of God for oure iniquities that the same is counted sometimes so newe vnto men when it shoulde be familiar and knowne yet notwithstanding the auncient continuall succession doth greatly preuaile with men euen to the farther confirming of the authoritie of the same As touching the succession of persons we acknowledge the same but vpon that conditiō that it be ioyned with the succession of the Prophetes Apostles specially in the substantiall and principall points of faith not otherwise But waye and consider that I speake of doctrine not of manners For although the integritie of doctrine of life be here vnto required that a man shoulde be counted for a good and true pastor yet notwithstanding we do not reiecte a pastor for ignorance or the diuersitie of opinions in smal matters of doctrine and for maners if so be that he kepe the foundation Thus are we taught of Christ who sayth So far forth as the Scribes and Pharisies sit vpon Moises chaire doe that which they teach and not as they do The which place S. Augustine writing vpon Ihon saith ought to be vnderstande of hirelings which neuerthelesse retaine sound doctrine not of false pastors of whō Christ speaketh saying Beware of the leuen of the Phariseis Bycause sayth S. Augustine they sit vpon Moises chaire they teache the lawe of God so God speaketh by them but if they will teach their owne doctrines ye shall neither heare nor do that which they teach Therfore to come to the matter bycause false prophetes may succéede true prophets wolues the true shepheards this truely is a sounde and manifest reason wherefore we thinke that personall succession ought not onely not to be receiued but also vtterly to be cōdemned bicause it giueth place to that which is false craftely coloureth the same least the succession of doctrine should be laid for the foundation Furthermore if personall succession should simply be taken for a true note of the Churche we muste bring forth and shew a certaine sure promise of God by which he hath bounde his grace to certaine definite places and Regions the which we thinke can in no wyse be shewed oute of the newe Testament seyng this is rather manifestly declared that there is a certain catholique or vniuersal Church bycause the particular members thereof are dispersed thoroughout the whole world euen as it pleaseth God to shew forth his iudgements vpon those whō he hath vtterly caste off or whō he chastiseth for a time and to shewe his mercy and blessings vpon those whom he preserueth or whom he newly bringeth to the knowledge of him For God shewing his vengeaunce in certaine places séemeth to abolishe atl things in so muche that there is no manner of signe of the Church left as it is come to passe in all Africa Greece in the whole East part of the world But sometime that personal succession doth decay only for a little while as it happened at Antioch in the time of Samosatene at Alexandri in the exile of Athanasius in many other Churches also so long as there were heresies among them And to be short personall succession ceassed in the time of Honorious who was condemned in the yeare of oure Lorde god D. LXXXI for the execrable doctrine of Eutiches and in the time of Iohn the xxii of that name who was condemned of Heresie excepte we shoulde saye that manyfest Heretikes maye be true pastours I omitte to speake of those things which happened in the tyme of that womā Pope IOANE and of the manifolde tumultes of the false vsurping Popes which the histories make mention of These things therfore cōsidered I conclude that if we wil rightly knowe the Churche we muste not haue regarde to personall succession but to the puritie of doctrine to the sincere administration of the Sacraments in so much that we must counte them for the true successors of the Apostles which being rightly
with good will and by due and holesome counsel for the benefite of the whole Realme and standeth not in néede of a Monkes aduise Concerning the Lords Supper â–ª you haue so vâ—…reuerently spoken of the same that you make a playe of it in the which Christ shoulde be the speciall person the which is to childishe ridiculous and prophane And so Beza tournyng hym selfe to Espensius sayde Ye vrge the consente of the Euangelistes in the fourme of woordes in that they haue all sayde Thys is my bodye but remember that the Euangelystes haue also sayde This is my bloud of the newe Testamente And also This Cup is the newe Testamente in my bloud the whiche cannot be vnderstoode without a figure as I haue alreadie shewed that it is a sacramentall kinde of speache as Saint Austine expoundeth it in his Epistle to Bonifacius If Sacrament â–ª sayth he should haue no agreement with those things whereof they are Sacramentes then were they no Sacramentes for this similitude they oftentimes receiue the name of those things which onely they represent As therefore the Sacrament of the body of Christ in some respect is the bodie of Christ and the Sacrament of the bloud of Christ is the bloude of Christe euen so the Sacramente of fayth is sayth â–ª neither can there be a Sacramente withoute the figure Then saide Espensius if the case be so that oure Sacramentes are not withoute the figure they differ not muche from the Sacramentes of the olde Testament which were fâ—…guratiue For they were figures and shadowes of the truth which is now made manifest and fulfilled in Christ Otherwise we must say that they are figures of figures The Ministers denyed this consequence affirming that the Legall Ceremonies which were appointed by God had respect to the truth whereof also the ancient Fathers were partakers before the comming of Christ and we after his comming in which time we are not vnder ceremonies but yet notwithstanding we néede visible signes and sacramentes so long as we shall be in this world and yet for al that it doth not followe that we haue the lesse vnderstanding of the truth although we haue externall Sacramentes After this a certaine Sorbonist demanded of the ministers what the 〈◊〉 This in these wordes This is my bodie signified The Ministers answered That it shewed the bread and signified the body of Christ that it might be vnderstande that the breade was a signe of the bodye which they confirmed by the testimonies of the fathers On the contrarie parte the Popishe Doctors replyed that the Grammer rules would not suffer this woord This to be referred to the bread But the ministers sayd that this was repugnant to the nature of Sacramentes in the which it â—…ught not to be denied but that the signe is ioyned with the thing signified Thus these Rabbines and Sorbonistes making exclamations in all things and a confused noyse spent the day And one among the rest shaking his finger at Beza sayd if we had thée in oure schole At the laste the assembly was dismissed and the conference after this was no more kept in the same order and forme the Cardinall fearing as it was reported least by their disputation in the vulgar and knowne tong the matter might the more plainely appéere to the Princes and nobles that were there Therefore from that day forward the maner of the conference was altered fiue out of eyther part that is to saye fiue of the Prelates and fiue of the Ministers being chosen and appointed for this conference by whome all matters mighte be reasoned and disputed of peaceably and quietly The fiue that were chosen from among the Prelates were these Ianus Monlucius â–ª Bishop of Valentia Vallius Bishop of Seâ—…n Bottillerius an abbot Espensius a Sorbonist The fiue that were appointed out of the reformed Churches were these Peter Martyr Theodore Beza Nicolaus Gallasius Augustine Marlorate and Espensius Then they agréed concerning the order of the disputation the place the time and concerning the Notaries whiche shoulde note receiue the disputation And although it séemed méete and conuenient to all men that the confession of the reformed Churches shoulde by order be handled firste yet notwithstanding they began the disputation concerning the supper bycause they had before propounded the same in that article which concerneth the Lordes presence in the Supper and the matter being diuersely canuassed and handled betwéene them at the length both partes agréed vpon thys article following Forsomuche as Faith maketh things that are promised to be present and doth truely receiue the body and bloud of our Lorde Iesu Christe by the power of the holy Ghoste wee confesse the presence of his body and bloud in the Supper in the which he offereth gyueth and truely exhibiteth â—…nto vs the Substaunce of his bodie and bloud by the operation of the holy Ghoste in whome wee receiue and eate spiritually and by Faith the same body whiche was offered for vs that wee maye bee bone of his bones and fleshe of hys fleshe and maye bee quickened by him and maye also perceyue and vnderstande what so euer doth appartayne to our saluation The fiue disputers for the Prelates shewed this article vnto their fellowes which they wholly mislyked Therfore the daye following another Article was exhibited vnto the Ministers in their name in the which there was somewhat altered for that which the first article attributed vnto faith the seconde attributed to the worde This article for the ambiguitie therof the ministers would not receiue least it should be the cause of greater errors But least the contention myght seme to stand in words they al agréed with one coÌ„sent on both sides to put down the article in this form VVe confesse that Iesus Christ in the Supper offereth gyueth and truely exhibiteth vnto vs the substance of bis body and bloud by the operation of the holy Ghost that we do receiue and eate spiritually by faith the same body which dyed for vs that we might be bone of his bone and fleshe of his fleshe to the ende also we might be quickened by him and may vnderstand al things that appertaine to our saluatioÌ„ And bicause Faith beyng grounded vpon the worde of God maketh things that are promised and of vs vnderstode to be present by this faith we truly and effectually receiue the true and naturall body of Christ Iesus by the power of the holy Ghost In this respecte we confesse the presence of his body and bloud in the Supper These things thus determined the chosen men on both sides went to shewe the matter vnto their fellowes that both partes mighte freely shewe their opinion and iudgement At the first sight therefore many of the Prelates receiued this article But when the matter was communicated and declared to the Sorbonistes they did afterwardes with one consent reiect the same And layde vnto the charge of their chosen men that disputed for them and which continued
commaundement for those of the newe opini◅n or those which made practises and deuises for them or those which might haue had intelligence of the sayd conspiracie His Maiestie declareth that he meaneth not of things done and past during the troubles which were before the Edict of Pacification in August 1570. and that there shall be no inquisition thereof and none shall bee troubled in goods or person therfore but for that respect they shal inioy the benefit of the Edict of Pacification but that the sayd wordes extend only to those which be found to be giltie or accessarie to the last conspiracie done against his Maiestie and estate and that other which are imprisoned shall be set at libertie And as touching them which will make profession of their faith and returne to the Catholike Religion his Maiestie desireth that his gouernours and officers shall excyte and conforte them as much as they can too that effect and execution of that good will and that their friendes and kinsfolkes should also bee exhorted too doe the like for their parte And if any should hurt them in goods or body his Maiestie willeth readie and speedie execution too bee done on them And too the intent that they maye followe the fourme which hath bene kept in professing the faith which they doe make that returne to the Apostolike and Romishe Church there is sent herewith a memorie thereof From Paris the. xxij day of September 1572. Signed Charles And beneath Pinart THE FOVRME OF ABIVRATION OF HE resie and confession of faith which they which haue swarued from the faith and pretende to be receyued into the church ought to make THIS IS THE ABIVRATION VVHICH they caused al of the Religiō to make in Fraunce to saue their liues Printed at Paris by Nicolas Roffet dwelling in the new streat of our Ladie at the signe of the Mower with the Kings Priuilege FIrst they whiche haue swarued from the fayth and desire too returne intoo the compasse of our holye mother Church ought too present themselues to their Curates or vicars to bee instructed of that which they ought to doe that done they shal bee sent vnto the reuerend Byshop of the dioces or his Chauncellour or officiall too make the sayd Abiuration and confession in maner and former following IN. borne at c. in the dioces of c. and dwelling c. acknowledging by the grace of God the true faith Catholike and Apostolike from the which I haue through my fault gone astray and separated my self since c. and desirous to returne to the flocke of Christes true shepefold which is the Catholike Apostolike and Romish Church confesse to haue abiured and cursed all the errours and heresie of the Lutherians Caluinistes and Hugonotes and all other heresie whatsoeuer wherwith I haue heretofore bene diffamed or touched and I agree to the fayth of our holy mother the Church and desire you in the name of God of his sonne Iesus Christ and of the glorious Virgin his mother Marie and of all the Sainctes of Paradise that it would please you to receyue me into the flocke and shepefold of Gods people which liue vnder the obedience of the Pope ordayned our Sauiour Iesus Christs vicar in the sayd Church submitting my self paciently to abyde and willingly to do the penance which it shal please you to enioyne me for the absolution of my faults committed whilest I was in the foresayd sectes wherof I aske and require pardon of God and of his sayd Church and of you that be appoynted my pastor by God the Creator absolution with such penance as you shal iudge to be holsome for the satisfaction of my sinnes offences And to the intent you should knowe that I haue and do make this abiuration frō my heart I confesse moreouer before God you that I beleeue that which is contayned in the Simbole or Creede of the Apostles and Athanasius and other confessions of saith made approued by the whole councels of the Catholike Apostolike and Romish church that is I beleeue in one only God the father almightie Creator of Heauen and Earth and of all things visible and inuisible and in one L. our Lord Iesus Christ the only sonne ongendred by God the father before the constitucion of the world God of God Light of Light true God of true God engendred not created Consubstantiall with the Father by whom all things were made who for vs mē and for our saluation descended from heauen c. as in the belief of morning prayer I beleeue likewise acknowledge and confesse al that which is contayned in the bookes as well in the olde as of the newe testament approued by the sayd holye and Apostolike church of Rome according to the sense and interpretation of the holy Doctours receyued by the same reiecting al other interpretation as false and erroneous I acknowledge the seuen Sacramentes of the sayde Catholike Apostolike and Romish church that they were instituted by our L. Iesus Christ and that they be necessarie for the saluation of mankind although that al of them are not of necessitie to be conserred too all that is to saye I confesse that the sayde seuen Sacramentes are these Baptisme Confirmation Eucharist ▪ which is the Sacrament of the altar Pen◅nce extreme vnction Order and Mariage and that the sayde Sacraments confer grace and that of them Baptisme Confirmation Order can not be reiterated without sacrilege That the sayde Sacraments haue the effect which the sayde church teacheth and that the forme and vsage wherwith they be ministred too christians is holye and necessarie I acknowledge also that the holye Masse is a sacrifice and oblation of the verye bodie and bloud of our sauiour Iesus Christ vnder the forme of bread and wyne mingled with water whiche substances of bread and wyne vnder the sayde formes are in the Masse by the wordes whiche serue for consecration sayd and pronounced by the Priest transubstanciated and transformed intoo the substance of the sayde bodye and bloud of Iesus christ Notwithstanding that the qualities and accidentes remayne in the sayde formes after the sayde consecration and that the Masse is holesome and profitable as well for the quicke as the deade I acknowledge and confesse the concomitāce that is to say that in receiuing the body of Iesus Christ vnder the forme of bread alone I likewise receiue the blood of Iesus Christ. I confesse that Prayer and interc◅ssion of Sainctes for the quicke and the dead is holie good and he◅thfull for Christians and is not contrarye for any respect to the glorie of god That prayers made in the Churche for the faythfull which are dead do profit them for the remission of their sinnes and lessening of their paines incurred for the same That there is a Purgatorie where the soules abyding are succoured by the prayers of the faythfull I confesse that we muste honor and call vpon the sainctes which raigne with Iesus Christ and that they make intercession for
spirite in this fayth vnto the ende and that it will please him to graunt me-strength for his mercies sake with my heart and mouth boldly to confesse his holy name both before the faithfull and also before Infidels tyrants and murthering butchers of Antichrist euen to the shedding of the vtmost drop of my bloud All my desire is to liue and dye in this sayth being fully perswaded that the same is grounded vpon the worde of God alone and that all the Saintes Patriarkes Prophetes and Apostles did lyue and dye therein This is the only true knowledge of God in the which the vndoubted and eternall felicitie of men is placed This I saye is the fayth in the which I will both liue and die To this confession I haue subscribed with my owne hande being readye also to seale the same with my bloude for the defence of the doctrine of the sonne of God whom I pray to open the eyes of your heartes that at the length if it be his will ye maye knowe and vnderstande the truth Therefore when he had wholye confirmed that confession and had with his owne mouth plainely testified the same before his Iudges then was there no hope left that Burgaeus shoulde be deliuered For he had great and mightie aduersaries among whome his chiefe and principall enimie was the Cardinall of Loraine who left nothing vndone that might by any maner of meanes hasten his death For he feared least at the length he shoulde bée deliuered by the king For many Noble men as Fredericke Earle of Palatine Prince Elector and others had very earnestly written to the King for him All things therefore being so appoynted as wée haue shewed hys aduersaries thought that they had manye iust reasons by which they might condemne him to dye And therefore on the twentie day of December they pronounce the sentence of death agaynst him namely That Burgaeus being condemned of heresie shoulde be burnt with firé vntill his bodie were consumed to ashes The which sentence Burgaeus heard and receiued cherefully and when he had heard it he gaue thanks vnto God that had suffred him to sée so ioyfull and happie a daye and prayed also vnto God that hée woulde pardon and forgiue his Iudges who had iudged him according to their owne conscience and knowledge but not according to the true knowledge and wisedome of god Many wordes be vttered vnto them at that time which were so rhetoricall weightie and sentencious with vehemencie vttred that it might well appeare the holy ghost rather to speak than he the which his words here to repeare shall be nothing from our purpose Hath sayth he that fraudulent message of hell full of all guile and deceyte and an abhominable lie with deadly hatred still striuing against the truth so preuayled that being accused vnto you falslye for those men which we are not shall so be condemned We I saye are the sonnes of God whome we knowe to be our father with whom there is no respect of persons with whome we are able to doe all thinges and without whome nothing he it is whome you ought to heare speaking nowe vnto you otherwise he threateneth vnto you death and destruction It is trulye the part of great and intollerable boldenesse for men to dare presume so much against the holy and inâ—…tolable commaundement of God. Shall we suffer our redemption and the bloude so plentifullye shed for our sinnes to be troden vnder foote Shall we not obey that our most mightie King who woulde haue vs to defende his cause who séeketh vs who sustaineth vs who is also our â–ª Captaine in fight What shall we do then shall feare make vs vnconstant or driue vs from doing our dutie No we shall rather be strong and valiant séeing we encounter with so weake an enimie But beholde what this wicked generation commaundeth that we suffer God to be blasphemed that we betray the truth of God and such like the which bicause we will not do we are counted execrable and wicked yes we are called seditious Ye are say they rebels to Princes and wherefore bicause we will not offer vnto Baal O good God how long wilt thou suffer the vnbridled lustes and ambitions willes of men to haue their swaye In the meane time most merciful and louing father till it shall please thée to restraine them haue mercy vpon vs leade vs forth and gouerne vs in defending of thy truth to the vtmost of our power Make it to be knowne O Lord that they themselues are rebels in déede to Princes and I for my part while I haue breath will not let to tel them so Is this to play the part of a rebell for a man to giue vnto his Prince both body and goodes and whatsoeuer else to be at his pleasure Is this the part of a traitor and Rebell to praye vnto God for the preseruation and prosperitie of the King and the kingdome and that he and his Ministers Counsellers and Magistrates maye truly and faithfully doe their dutie that all false worship being taken away God may be glorified alone and of all men purely worshipped Is not this rather rebellion to deface Gods glorie and to giue that honor due vnto him to creatures and to followe the deuises and fantasies of men in worshipping him to count it a vertue to rent and teare the name of God with blasphemous othes to suffer brothell houses and common stewes and an infinite number of wickednesses mo I appeale here vnto you ye Senators if ye beare the sworde of the Lorde only to reuenge his cause to the punishment of wickednesse and vice take héede I aduise you what ye doe Will ye giue iudgement and proâ—… condemnation against your selues Weigh and consider I pray you a little with your selues the wickednes that is layde to our charge and first of all iudge whether it be more méete for vs to obey you rather than god Are ye made so drunke with the Cup of the great beast Doe ye after this sorte bring the people from falling into sinne whome ye bring from the true worship of God If you reuerence and feare more the opinions of men than ye do the iudgement of God consider with your selues what the people of forroine nations and kingdomes shall thinke of you when the crueltie of your iudgements shall be spoken of in euery place â–ª yea and that before so famous Princes Howe many wickednesses doe ye commit by the commaundements of that ruddie purpuled Phalaris canst thou O cruel tyrant by the cruel death cease our sobbing sighes who at his owne pleasure for his proper aduauntage and gayne aduanced the authoritie of certaine rulers to the destruction of the King and the whole kingdome At his commaundement ye so racke and torment our bodies that ye your selues are constreyned to pitie the same Howe great is your crueltie But me thinketh I sée teares fall from your eyes Why wéepe you Can you hide the burthen of your consciences
let vs assure our selues that there must néedes follows thereof prosperous successe séeing that God is alwaies present with those which assemble themselues togither in hys feare and name Neither let vs defer the time any more séeing that necessitie doth so vrge vs and séeing spéedie remedie is so greatly required We haue many sorowful and lamentable examples to set before our eyes which are forewarnings vnto vs of great desolation to come as the miserable state and condition of the Churches of the Jewes of the Greekes of the Egyptians and Africans the which in time past florished but at this day they scarsly retain a christian name For these causes I conclude that we must defer the time no lenger to call a Parliament to remedie these things without hauing any consideration or respect to those things which the Pope maye obiect as lettes against the same séeing that both it is lawfull for vs so to doe and also bicause our conseruation safetie is now in hazarde For if any one part of the kingdome were lost it is not in the Popes power to restore the same vnto vs againe Whatsoeuer my happen or befall we must not perish to fulfil the Popes minde but must rather follow at this time specially that rule which God hath giuen vnto vs and which our elders haue so oftentimes folowed But yet truly while this Parliament shall be a preparing I think it shall serue very wel for the purpose if we prouide thre or foure ▪ remedies which may greatly further this our enterprise The first is of the Churches that Prelates maye remaine and abide in their Diocesses and in this point let no man be borne withall And here I think it good to put you in mind of the Italians who enioying and occupying the thirde part of the benefites spirituall promotions of this kingdome draw vnto 〈◊〉 selues great profit like horseleaches suck out our bloude hauing no care at al to dwel vpō their benefices And laughing vs to scrone we are so blinde that we cannot sée it And if we chaūce to espie it we are pacified againe by their flattering words If the King should hire a great multitude of souldiers and giue them wages and if they should abide stil at home haue no care of their martiall affaires in the war had not then think you the King iust occasion to depryue them of their wages to dismisse them And thus truly doe our Prelates behaue themselues who in the troublesome time of the Church when heresies such like wickednesses were in diuers places sowne abrode the which in dede is the greatest warre of the Church being so much greater than the earthly warre as the helth of the soule surpasseth excelleth the helth of the body sate notwithstanding in the midst of their pleasures voyde of all care of their flockes cōmitted to their charge The second remedie is to shew declare by some notable manifest act that we are fully perswaded bent seriously to séeke a reformation least the aduersaries should cauil say that we call a Councel not to reforme the Church but to séeke our owne aduantage to stablishe and confirme our owne prerogatiues priueledges In the which matter nothing séemeth to me more méete conuenient for vs to declare that we haue an earnest care for the reformation of the Church than if we looke diligently about that nothing be done in the Church for money and bribes to the ende that Babilonicall beast Couetousnesse which hath brought so many euils corruptions into the Church may at the length vtterly be ouerthrowne And so we shall finde a more easie waye to controuersies and shall also stop the mouths of those that slaunder backbite vs If any man obiect say that so great a matter cannot be brought to passe by so small a number of men as we are without the determination of the Generall Councell we make vnto thē this answere namely that there is no new or vnwanted thing brought in by vs but we séeke to bring those things to passe which Christ hath plainly commanded Councels determined Kings the executors of Councels confirmed which in our time also they which haue ben the best learned in the Romish Church by their iudgementes haue allowed The authoritie of this voice abideth for euer Freely ye haue receyued Giue freely Spirituall things are giuen fréely therfore it is not lawfull to buye sell them and are in that order that they were giuē to be distributed that is to say freely Herevpon they are called Simoniakes which take vnto themselues that vnlawful and forbidden game of the which simonie or forbidden gaine we haue so many examples both in the scriptures also in the historie of the ancient Church that we shall not néede at this time to make any longer discourse of the same And to say somwhat of the Coūcels how oftentimes was this forbidden namely that not onely corruptions but also suspition of corruption should be taken awaye Inso much that they which distributed gaue the almes were forbidden to giue it in the time of the sacramēts least they should séeme to giue their almes for the receiuing of the sacraments as ye may reade in the Councel of Ancyrane and others In like maner king Lodoicus séeing that confusion créeping by little and little into the Church commaunded that the Clergie shoulde abide and dwell in their Diocesses and that no money euer after should be caried to Rome shewing how greatly this chopping and chaunging did displease him yet there was neuer any man that was counted a greater Catholike than he Also Pope Paulus the third himselfe in our time séeing that many departed forsooke the Church of Rome and fearing that this mischiefe wold grow more more was constrained by the continuall cries of the Protestantes to confesse that there were many errors got into the Church therfore commaunded certain men that were coūted notable in learning to note diligently what things were worthie of reformation swore them to hide nothing thereof from him threatning them that if they did not discharge their office throughly they should incurre the penaltie of excommunication Among the rest to whome this charge was cōmitted were these Contarenus who was made Cardinal in Germanie for his dealing in y notable cōtrouersie cardinal Theatinus who after the same Paule the third was made Pope Cardinall Sadoletus cardinall Poole the Englishman fiue others also which for their great learning were chosen to this office These men whē they had diligētly examined the matter gaue forth their sentence opiniō in publike writing the first article wherof was this Nothing ought to be done for money in the vse and administration of the keyes that is to say in the power of the Church Notwithstanding that Pope Paule the thirde which was so hote in the matter with his thundering
threatnings did nothing at all therein when it came to the pinch Neither would Pope Paule the fourth his successor wheÌ„ he was yet but Cardinal establish that which he thought to be mete necessary I omit that which Bernard other learned fathers haue said only this I say except we aply our minds put our haÌ„ds to the tearing vp of this roote of al euil Jesus Christ will descend from heauen with a whip in his hand to expel vs as buiers sellers out of the temple The third remedie shal be to confesse our faults the which in dede is the first step to helth to make the same manifest by publike generall fastings the which maner was alwayes obserued in the olde Church whensoeuer any great perill or daunger was like to come vpon the Church as plague famine or warre the which thrée euils in these our dayes inuade the realme togither For what greater plague can there be thaÌ„ that which slayeth mens soules What greater famine can therebe than the famine of Gods word Or what warre caÌ„ be more mortall or cruell than the corruption of pure doctrine By which we being drawn froÌ„ God are depriued of the eternal kingdom which Christ by his bloud hath purchased for vs Let vs therfore turn vs vnto those old accustomed remedies as to Câ—…mmon praier to fasting and to wéeping and first of all we must take into our handes the sworde of God that is to say his word the scahard wherof we scarsly retaine neither must we thinke that Myters Croziers Cappes Garments and other ornaments the which in old time were outwardly worne to shewe that which was inwarde that is to say that godly doctrine ought to be ioyned with a godly life can deliuer vs froÌ„ the coÌ„tempt of the people seeing that which is eternall is wanting there onely remaineth an outward shew feined sight Let vs set before our eies this horrible sentence which John the Baptist pronounced against the Jewes saying Nowe is the axe put to the roote of the trees euery tree therefore that bringeth not forth good fruite is â—…ew â—…e downe and cast into the fire The fourth remedie shall be while the Councel is a preparing gathering togither to stay seditious persons so to restraine theÌ„ that they break not by any meanes the coÌ„mon peace tranquilitie let this be kept as a law ratified and inuiolable that it is not lawful for any subiect vpoÌ„ any occasioÌ„ or for any cause to take armes to lift vp the sword without the coÌ„mandement or leaue of the Prince the only moderator gouernor of warres This I speak for the sorowful exaÌ„ples sake which hapned are like to happeÌ„ except we take heds Of the one part we saw the tumult of Ambaxia on y other part there were certain Preachers which stirred vp the people to tumult violently to set theÌ„selues to destroy banish those protestaÌ„ts vnder a pretence of godly seditioÌ„ as though that Religion coulde or ought to be established by sedition And thus there was greate offence committed on both parts insomuch that many were slaine which were thought to be Protestants Moreouer those protestants did greatly offend enterprising many things rashly to put away these iniuries offred vnto theÌ„ taking armes therby violating the law of the magistrate which beloÌ„geth to no priuate persoÌ„ For the end of the law is to liue according vnto Gods wil to hurt no man and to obey the lawe of Armes Therfore the king is the maintainer of Gods law and the moderator of wars the which he may and ought to vse to the authoritie of the lawe and to the punishing of rebelles and traitours To be shorte he counteth him selfe a king who although he be not ordained of God yet of his owne will and authoritie moueth warre And truely herevpon it followeth that he ought to be counted of all men as an enimy and to be punished as a breaker of Gods ordinance and publique power For this cause I thinke it good that commaundement be giuen to inferior Magistrates that they diligently attend vpon their charge and offices least some newe thing happen by their carelesse negligence Hereby therefore it euidently appéereth that the first bonde to preserue the kings estate is so to establishe Religion that no man may abuse y same at his owne pleasure against the authoritie of the law and the ende thereof which is that both God and the king maye be obeyed But now to come to the seconde principall point as concerning the ordering and kéeping of the people in due obedience we thinke this to be the waye namely to heare the complaintes of the subiectes and to vse conuenient remedies for the same Notwithstanding there is great differeÌ„ce betwéene priuate open complaintes for if the complaints be made of priuate persons to priuate persons the diligence of the Judges which are appointed to ordinary gouernemeÌ„t is a spéedie way to remedie and helpe them But when there are generall complaints or when eyther the confirmation or alteration of things commeth in question we must straight way haue recourse to those auncient constitutions and orders by whiche the safetie of the kingdome standeth the which are nothing else than those thrée orders which we call the states That is to saye that those things being made manifest and opened which maye bring any confusioÌ„ and the remedies which were prouided to put away the same being diligently sought for the king for the loues sake that he beareth to his people maye determine and appoint that which is iustly required to the honor of God and the coÌ„mon profyte of all men Of the which thing the good will of the people wholy dependeth that hauing done that duetie which he oweth vnto God he may in lyke maner satisfie the mindes and willes of his subiectes And so he shall not onely kéepe the name of a king the gifts of nature appertaining to a kingly name but also may rule and gouerne by peace seing that gentlenesse may allure them of their owne good wils to do more than force or violence can extorte from them And to the ende it may euidentlye appéere that the complaintes are such that they ought to be heard and examined of the assembly of the States I will shewe vnto you a generall reason namely this The extraordinarie taxes tallages tributes haue so increased that now the subiectes not onely are not able to beare this great burthen but also not able to satisfie discharge those old duties which were before time accustomed to be payde Is not this a complaint to be considered talked of in the assembly of States Seing the greatest part of the people complaineth of the same and are by no maner of meanes any thing disburthened but specially seing that to heare the afflicted oppressed is the beginning of consolation to declare a readinesse and good will to ease theÌ„ is
Quéenes good will. But the Quéene of Nauar persisting in her former purpose sent letters to the King to the Quéene to the Duks of Aniou and to the Cardinall of Borbon In the which because she doth plainly she we the reasons of hir purpose it shall not be amisse to repeate the summe of them When saith she I receyued your letters I was rea dy to take my iorney hearing the rumor of so great alte ration the which notwithstanding was not vnlike to come our aduersaries beeinge so outragious that their madnesse could not but take awaye from vs all hope of peace which was offred vnto vs most Christian king by your Edict of patification the which notwithstaÌ„ding was not only euill obserued kept but plainly broken also by the subtil meanes of the Cardinal of Lorain who notwithstanding your promises which you haue made to your miserable subiectes hath not ceased both by letters to the parliaments and also to all those whose help he thought hee might haue to frustrate and adnihillate the force and effect of the Edict abusing our patience after he had made a way to an infinite sort of murthers he presumed to procéede farther and sought to preuaile against the Princes your neare kinsmen of the which we haue a manifest example in my brother the Prince of Conde who was so furiously assaulted that hee was constrained to craue aide of his kinsmen And bycause my Sonne and I are so neare of bloud vnto him wée could not chuse but offer vnto him that kindnesse which the Law of nature requireth Wée know sufficiently your mind which you haue declared both by woord and writinge which is to haue at our handes obedience the which we are ready to yéeld vnto you euen to â—…heading of the laste drop of our bloud And furthermore we know most Christian king that your naturall goodnes is wholy enclâ—…ned to preserue vs and not to destroy vs Seing therfore wée sée such practises against vs is ther any man which knowing you to be a faithfull and iuste king and séeing notwithstanding such contrary actions so manifest against your promises will not Iudge that these things are done withour your commaundement and that by the cankered malice and spight of the Cardinall of Loraine Therefore I pray and beséech you most ChristiaÌ„ King to take it in good part the I was gone froÌ„ home to serue our God you also which are our King and supreme Lord and of our owne bloud Wée setting our selues as vtter enemies against their practises so much as wée may which presumptuously go aboute to oppresse vs And I pray you to certifie your selfe that wee haue not put oure selues in armour but onely for these thrée causes least they should vtterly destroye vs as they haue gone about As touching mine owe part I say the the Cardinal hath done great iniurie vnto you in that he hath gone about to chaunge his power and authoritie into violence séeking to take away my Sonne from me perforce that he might be brought vnto you as though your onely commaundement could not sufficiently preuayle both with him and me But we saye and affirms O king and beséeche you so to thinke that we are your most louing and obedient seruaunts in so much that whensoeuer it shall please you to trye vs to compare our fayth with the falshood of the Cardinall and his fellowes I beléeue you shall finde more trueth and trust in my déedes than you shall finde faythfulnes in his wordes The which also we will alwayes performe with all willingnesse of mynd But to the Quéene the Kings mother she wrote after this manner I protest sayeth shée O Quéene before God and men that nothing hath ben is nor shal be hereafter more déere to me than the loue of God the King my Countrey and my own bloude The whiche haue ben so effectuall in me that Monsieur la Mott whoÌ„ you sent vnto me with letters founde mée gone from home with full purpose and intent to spend and bestow my life goodes and all that I haue for their sakes But I pâ—…ay you O Quéene if these my letters be ouer tediouse vnto you that you would impute it to the necessitie of the time which hath brought me into such extremities that I cannot choose but be long in repeating of them meaning thereby to declare vnto you my purpose and to set before your eyes my whole mynde in the which you may haue a liuely view of those things the which I know are after a contrary maner layd to my charge But I pray you gyue me leaue to repeate the whole matter from that tyme in the which the Guises shewed themselues to be enemies to the peace and tran quillitie of the whole realme at what time they flattered the King my husband disceased with fayre wordes making him beléeue that he should recouer his kingdoÌ„ You know with what kinde of men he was then beset on euery syde to my great griese and to your grieâ—…e I dare say also for I knew it then of your own mâ—…th I pray you remember how faythfull you haue alwayes found me when as for the coÌ„mon wealth of the realm â–ª I almost forsooke my husband and my children I pray you also remember what talke you haue had with me and what a trust you séemed to haue in me when I departed from you from Fontainbleau From that time I protest that I haue ben the same woman still And I pray you remember how faithfully I obeyed your letters which you sent vnto me when I was at Vendosme Remember what I did after that in GuiaÌ„ to obey your commaundements Then I lost the King my husband that I might be partaker of the common chaunce calamity of widowes I wil not repeate euery particular iniury that hath ben don to me seeing that I meane to speak of them all generally And I protest againe that the desire I haue to obey god the loue which I owe to my kinâ—…olkes and countrey haue so possessed my mind that I haue almost no respect or consideration of my selfâ—… Let me come therfore to the time of the extréeme troubles theÌ„ renued again when the Cardinal of Lorain brought vs into such straites as you al men know In the mean time I by their malice subtill practises aboad vnprofâ—… table in my own dominioÌ„ who sought al that thei could to intangle me And what I theÌ„ did you are so wel certified of y same that I shal not néed to make ani farther rehearsal therof Therefore to come to this my present state at what time I sée the Edicts of my King not only brokeÌ„ but also quight contemned set at naught his au thoritie despised his kingly promises not regarded all which come to passe by the wicked practises of the Cardinal of Loraine whom I can not so well point out O Quéene as he is knowne vnto you And beside the barbarouse cruelty which he
the slaughter of the Admirall and his adherentes was done by the Kings commaundement for so was his maiesties expresse pleasure bicause they had conspired to kil him and his brethren and the Quéene his mother and the Kyng of Nauarre And farther that the King did forbid that from thenceforthe there should be no moe assemblies holden nor preachings vsed of the Religion After the Kinges oratioÌ„ ended Christopher Thuane PresideÌ„t of that ParliameÌ„t a man very notable for his light brain and his cruell heart did with very large wordes congratulate vnto the King that he had now with guile and subtiltie ouercom these his enimies whome he could neuer vanquishe by armes and battell saying that therein the King had most fully veryfied the olde saying of Lewes the eleuenth his progenitor King of Fraunce which was wont to say that he knew neuer a latine sentence but this one Qui nescit dissimulare nescit regnare He that can not skil to dissemble can not skil to be a King. But Pibrace the aduocate of the FinaÌ„ces made a short oration the summe whereof was to this effecte that although the King hadde iust and great cause to be displeased yet he thought it more agréeable with his maiesties clemencie and goodnesse to make an ende of the slaughters and common spoyle and not to suffer such outrages to be any longer committed without iudiciall procéeding in the cause and besought his maiestie that from thenceforth it would please him to vse the lawe which is well knowne to be the onely stablishment of kingdomes and Empires and that there had bene already giuen to the commonaltie too perillous an example to followe An arrest of ParliameÌ„t with the Kings royall assent being made to that effect there were immediately Haroldes and trumpeters sent rouÌ„d about all the towne and an Edict proclaimed in the Kings name that from thenceforth the slaughters and common butcherly murtherings should ceasse and that all persons should abstainc from pillage and robberie This being knowne there were diuers speaches vsed of this matter throughout the town and specially of learned meÌ„ The most part sayd that they had read many histories but in all memorie of all ages they neuer heard of any such thing as this They coÌ„pared this case with the horrible doings of King Mithridates which with one messenger and with the aduertisement of one letter caused a hundreth and fiftie thousand Romaines to be slaine Some coÌ„pared it with the doing of Peter of Arragone which slewe eight thousand Frenchmen in Sicile which Isle they had surprised in his absence But yet this difference appeared betwene those cases and this that those Kings had exercised their crueltie vpon foreins and strangers but this King had done his outrage vpon his owne subiectes being yelded not so much to his power as to his faith and credit Those Kings were bound by no promise but such as was giuen to the strangers themselues this King was with newe made league bound to the kings and Princes his neighbors to kepe the peace that he had sworne Those kings vsed no guilefull meanes vnworthie for the maiestie of a King to deceyue this king for a baite and allurement abused the mariage of his owne sister and in a manner besprinkled hir wedding robe with bloud Which dishonor and indignitie no posteritie of all ages can forget Some againe discoursed that though this cruell aduise semed to many Courtiers to haue bene profitable yet not onely the honor of a King but also the estimation and good fame of the whole nation was against that shewe of profit They alleaged how Aristides did openly in the audience of all the people reiect the counsell of Themistocles coÌ„cerning the burning of the Lacedemonians nauie although it must needes haue followed that the power of the Lacedemonians their enimies should therby haue bene vtterly weakened â–ª Fuâ—… Camillus receyued not the children of the chief Lords of the Phalice betrayed to him by their schoolemaister but stripped him naked and deliuered him to be whipped home with rods by the same children Pausanias hath left it reported that the posteritie of Philip of Macedon fell into most great calamities for this cause that he was wont to set light by the reuerend conscience of an oth and his faith giuen in leagues Some cited the lawe of the twelue tables Si patronus clienti fraudem facit sacer esto If the patrone or soueraigne defraude his client or vassall be he out of protection They disputed also that like faith as the vassal oweth to his Lord the Lord oweth also to his vassall and for what causes and for what fellonies the vassal loseth his tenancie for the same causes and fellonies the Lord loseth his seigniorie Some said that the right hand in auncient time was called the pledge of the faith of a King and that this if a King shall despise there is no communion of right with him and he is no more to be accounted a king neither of his owne subiects nor of straungers Kingly vertues in tymes past haue bene reported to be these iustice gentlenesse and clemencie but crueltie and outrage haue euer bene dispraised both in all persons and specially in princes Scipio hath in all ages bene praysed who was wont to say that he had rather saue one citizen than kill a thousand enimies whiche sentence Antoninus the Emperor surnamed Pius the kinde or vertuous did oft repeate It was a most shamefull byworde of yong Tyberius to be called clay tempered with bloud They sayd also that kings haue power of life and death ouer their subiects but not without hearing the cause and iudicial proccding that there cannot be alleaged a greater authoritie than the Dictators had at Rome in whome was the soueraigne power of peace and warre of life and death and without appeale yet was it not lawfull for them to execute a citizen his cause vnheard Only théeues and murderers take away mens liues without order of lawe and hearing their cause Who can doubt said they but that this so great outrage so great sheading of ChristiaÌ„ bloud is the frute of the curssed life of the courtiers For said they now throughout al Fraunce whoredom loose leudnesse of life are so frée vsual the now the most part of the women of Fraunce séeme to be in manner common and â–ª the wicked blasphemies and continuall execrations and dishonorings of Gods most holye name and maiestie are suche as God can not longer beare And true it is though incredible among forein Nations that the Catholikes of France haue prescribed themselues this for a special mark to be knowne from other men that at euery thirde word they blasphemously sweare by the head death bloud and bellie of God and wonderfull it is that the King himselfe is so muche delighted in this custome of swearing and blaspheming and this as it were a pestilent infection is spred abroade and common among the very plowmeÌ„ and peysants so as none
amoÌ„g them nowe speaketh thrée wordes without moste filthy blaspheming and horrible execration of god Who can longer beare the vile vnchastities the bawdes and Ruffians of the Court Finally very nature it selfe doth nowe as it were expostulate with God for his so long sufferance and for bearing and the very earth can no longer beare these monsters Nowe as touching the Admirals supposed conspiracie who can thinke it likely that he shoulde enterprise any suche thing within the walles of Paris For in the Court there is continually watching and warding a garrison of the Kings and at the entrie of his Castle the guards of Gascoines Scottes and Switzers are continually attending and the King himselfe both alwayes before and specially at that time by reason of his sisters mariage had a great trayn of Princes great Lords noblemen and Gentlemen about him Moreouer it was well knowne that in Paris within thrée houres space might be assembled and put in armour threescore thousand chosen armed men specially against the Admirall whome no man is ignorant that the Parisians most deadly hated beside that the noble yong men that came thither with the King of Nâ—…uar and the Prince of Conde by reson of the mariage and brought with them their wiues their sisters and their kinswomen thought at that time vpon nothing but vpon triumph and exercises of pastime and gay furniture of apparel and ornaments Finally at whither of these two times can it be likely that the Admirall attempted this conspiracie was it before he was hurt why at that time he founde the King his most louing or at least his most liberall and bountifull good Lord neither could he hope euer to haue a more fauorable soueraigne in France Was it then after he was hurte as though forsoth he lying sore of two so great woundes aged maimed of both his arms the one whereof the PhisitioÌ„s coÌ„sulted whether it were to be cut off accompanied with thrée hundreth yong men would set vpon thréescore thousande armed men or in so small a time coulde lay the plot for so great and so long and so haynous a facte for he lyued scarce fortie houres after his hurt in which time he was enioyned by the Phisitions to forbeare talke Againe if he had bene detected of any suche crime was he not committed to Cossin and to his kéeping and so enuironed all the wayes beset about him and so in the Kings power that if it had pleased the King he might at all times in a momeÌ„t be caried to pryson why was not orderly enquirie anâ—… iudiciall procéeding vsed according to the custome and lawes and generall right of nations and witnesses produced according to the forme of lawe but be it that the Admirall and a fewe other of his confederates and followers had conspired why yet procéeded the outragious crueltie vpon the reste that were innocent why vpon ancient matrones why vpon noble Ladies yong Gentlewomen and virgins that came thither for the honor of the wedding why were so manye women greate with childe against the lawes of all nations and of nature before their deliuery thrown into the Ryuer why were so many aged persons many that lay sicke in their beds many gownemen many Counsellers Aduocates Proctors Phisitions many singularly learned professors and teachers of good artes and among the rest Petrus Ramus that renoâ—…ed man throughout the worlde many yong students executed without hearing without pleading their cause without sentence of condemnation moreouer if the Admirall had â—…aine the thrée brethren who doubteth but that all couâ—…eys al Cities all Parliaments finally all sortes and degrées of men would haue spéedily taken armour and easily haue destroyed all of the Religion hauing them enclosed within their towns and hauing iust cause to render to all foreine nations fâ—…r their common slaughters and killing of them As to that whiche toucheth the King of 〈◊〉 what caÌ„ be imagined more absurd and vnlikely had not the Admirall him foure yeares in his power â–ª Did not he professe the same Religion that the Admirall did which of those 〈◊〉 the Religion which of them I say as Cassius was wont to reason should haue gained or receyued profit by the killing of the King of Nauarre did not the Catholikes hate him and the Admirall coulde not hope to haue any man more friendly to him nor by any other maÌ„s meanes to haue reueÌ„ge of his iniurie Lastly in their houses that were slaine what armour what weapons were found by which coÌ„iectures iudges vse to be lead to trace out a facte These matters wyse men throughout the towne of Paris commonly muttered But now to retourne to our purpose At such tyme as the Kings prâ—…hibition abouesayd was proclaimed at Paris not only in other townes as at Orleance Angiers Viaron Troys and Auxerre the like butcheries and slaughters were vsed but also in the towne of Paris it selfe in the verye gaoles that are ordeyned for the kéeping of prisoners if anye had escaped the crueltie of the day before they were now tumultuously slayne by the raging and outraging multitude in which number were thrée Gentlemen of greate reputation captaine Monins a man very famous in marciall prowesse Lomen the Kings secretarie a man of greate estimation for his long seruice in the Courte and Chappes a lawyer neare fourscore yeare olde a man of greate renowne in the Courte of Paris And bycause we haue made mention of Angiers we thinke it good not to omitte the case of Masson de Riuers This maÌ„ was a pastor of the church and estéemed a singular man both in vertuousnesse of life and in excellence of wit and learning and was the first that had layd the foundacion of the Churche at Paris As sone as the slaughter was begon at Paris Monsorel a most cruell enimie of the Religion was tente to Angiers in post to preuente al other that might carie tidings of the murdering As sone as he came into the towne he caused himself to be brought to Massons house There he met Massons wife in the entrie and geÌ„tly saluted hir and after the maner of Fraunce specially of the Court he kissed hir and asked hiâ—… where hir husband was she answered that he was walking in the garden and by and by she brought Monsorell to hir husbande who gently embraced Masson and sayde vnto him Canst thou tell why I am come hither it is to kyll thée by the Kings coÌ„maundement at this very instant time for so hath the King commaunded as thou mayste perceiue by these letters and therewith he shewed him his dagge ready charged Masson answered that he was not guiltie of any crime howbeit this one thing only he besought him to giue him space to call to the mercie of God and to commende his spirit into Gods hande Which prayer as soone as he had ended in fewe wordes he méekely receiued the death offered by the other and was shot through with a pellet and dyed Now to returne to Paris â–ª the Admirals