or purpose to enterprise doe inhabite vnited with them we shall at all times so fiercely and with such courage defend our selues that all the world conspiring our ruine shall not be able to beare vs we neuer fayled them of helpe in their neede and therefore with great reason did they account vs as an arch pillar of their libertie against all that would assault them Neither haue we euer holden any great warres against them except by the policies and instigation of others more politike and lesse valiant then our selues who sundrie times haue fleshed vs each against other to the end to weaken both parts as our Histories doe testifie but now our eyes are open and these policies discouered and blowen vp and I doe certainely beleeue that France and Germany were neuer greater friends then at this day so as we may say that God hath deliuered into our hands that which we ought most feruently to defire namely this great bulwarke against all inuasion and wee may truely say that this so important a matter was our greatest want for the accomplishment of this fortresse God likewise with the eyes of his mercie hath looked vpon these poore Sauoyans that speake our language and are our true fellow Countrey men borne for the most part vnder the lawfull Empire of our Kings Francis the first and Henry the second who at this day do feare nothing so much as to returns vnder the proud dominion of the Piedmontaine whom they hate as much as they honour and loue the most excellent vertues of their true King at whose knees they prostrate themselues that they may not be miserably abandoned sith God hath vouchsafed that he that held them so short hath shrunk from his word from whence may proceede the beginning of their libertie Should wee returne it into his hands we may well thinke how these poore people that were noted to bee so ready to open their gates to his Maiestie shall bee tormented besides that in so doing wee shal neuer find any people willing to acknowledge our king but by extreme force for by that example euery man shall see that in vs there is no hold who make no difficultie to thrust out those to the crueltie of our enemie that haue yeelded thems elues into his Maiesties armes to liue and die his most humb le subiects to whose preseruation by the law of Nations hee is no lesse bound then they to obey his commandements in all fidelitie It is likewise a matter of great import for the Kings seruice with all speede to roote out of the mindes of his subiects in Sauoy al doubt of passing away a Prouince of such importance for so shall you soone see them the more bold and resolute to serue his Maiestie in all sorts But some there are and peraduenture euen among our selues who with their coldnesse and some speeches that slip them doe driue this poore people into despaire as imagining that we doe alreadie deliuer them bound into the hands of the Piedmontaine Well doe I suppose that the procurers of this mischiefe do it not maliciously but some there are both fearefull and too mistrustfull yet must they bee gently admonished to alter their countenance and speech and for their more assurance to cast their eyes vpon the valour and good fortune of their great King and of this mightie Empire as also vpon the ingratitude and trecherie of our enemie and the iustice of this conquest As in truth if among all Nations reprysals be holden for a inft title of Lordship when one of the two Soueraignes is vnwilling to make restitution of things violently vsurped If the equitie of lawfull warre bee another title throughout the world aduowed for iust whereupon the greatest Monarches are also grounded what man considering the enterprises of the House of Sauoy against that of France and the Kings long patience before he would enter into warres but must confesle his conquest to be so iust that his Maiestie hath as good right to Sauoy as to Paris it selfe Likewise if the Prince of Piedmont by his policies and mediators should now rob vs of the fruits of our labors and our good fortune what mā aliue would feare hereafter to inuade vs or to falsifie his faith or word with ful resolution in all extremitie to follow his victorie if hee could obtaine it when he shall bee sure being ouercome alwayes to recouer himselfe through the helpe of some great mediatour whereof France to her great hurt was neuer destitute as our Annales doe testifie which haue beene written principally to admonish nish vs to shunne the like ouersights By the same Histories doe we learne that the Monarch that pardoneth his subiects doth seldome repent it for they be his children euen such as returning to their duties do many times indeuour by notable seruice to make satisfaction for their former defaults and finding the discommodities and incredible hindrances that they incurre by the losse of their Princesfauour they vow and bind themselues for euer to his seruice and vtterly roote out all other conceits or cogitations out of their mindes But it is farre otherwise with the Soueraigne who can neuer forget the griefe of being ouercome or an incredible desire of reuenge and continuall care to recouer the wants in his estate eyther to enter into new leagues and practises to atchieue the victorie in his course whereby the world may be informed as well of his reuenge as of his misfortune The more hee is bound to you the lesse will he remember you such remembrance will lie ouer-heauie and intolerable vpon his mind he wil if he can take you at aduantage seeke by some new quarrel to be freed from such a wonderfull and excessiue fauor What must we then do euen take from our enemie all meanes to hurt vs though he would And this may we now easily doe if we leaue him nothing on this side the Alpes and so crosse all his drifts for Lyons where he shall get small good by planting whole families of his subiects at his owne cost to bee as it were secret colonyes when al is gone on this side the Mounts Without Dourlans Amyens had neuer beenetaken Saint Denys in the end carried away Paris and had we not giuen vp Thurin Carmagnole had neuer beene lost How mightily doe we thinke shall the Citie of Lyons one of the eyes of France yea euen of Europe the ordinarie seate of sundrie Romane Emperours and a place of the greatest trafficke in the world which yet at this day giueth law to all other places increase hereafter in wealth and multitude of Citizens being couered with Bresse and Sauoy whereas before shee seemed rather a Frontier towne then a Citie of the Realme as also in regard of the multitudes that still arriued there from all parts and the vsuall passage of great armies neere to her confines she was alwayes in danger to be surprized to the great losse and incredible ruine of the whole estate Euen this
and losse the same might for euer remaine both to him and his successors would haue altered his purpose and beene of another mind Thus we see how in 62. these foure places were lost onely for Sauillan and 33000. Franckes for a moneths pay for the Souldiours which was no doubt a proper change All the Artillerie was drawen to Carmaegnolle which by this meanes was as well stored as all the rest of the Realme and in this wise was the assurance and pledge of all our rights reduced to two holds Pinerall one of the fiue and Sauillan which was but little worth yet was not the Duke of Sauoy thus content for the pledge howsoeuer small did still remember vs of our rights which he labored to rase out of our minds therfore at the late kings returne whō God pardon out of Poland passing through Sauoy the same were begged in recompence of a collation and the Prince whose onely error rested in his too great goodnesse granted them whereupon the late Duke euer after acknowledged himselfe greatly bound vnto him and good reason His sonne an ambitious Prince as any bred in Europe these fiue hundred yeeres who in imagination hath swallowed the whole Monarchie of all Christendome grounded vpon the decease of his neerest allies without issue which his sorcerers and Magicians doe promise him together with the decease of his Maiestie which God in his mercie forbid seeing the late King in 88. excluded out ofhis chiefe Citie accompting him vndone and contemning the Salicke lawe immediatly perswaded himselfe that he had most apparant right to this crowne or that at the least hee would carrie away one of the best partes of the broken shippe and that the Rhosne should streame vnder his banners And to bee the first at the bootie and to beginne with those places that are allotted to the Kings eldest sonne as a pledge of his future succession in the face of the estates assembled at Bloys during a most secure peace hee inuaded the Marquizate of Saluces by the surprize of Carmagnole and the beating of Rauell Were the losse of such fortresses the sole remainder of the French name beyond the Mounts verie great yet was the losse of the Artillerie no whit inferior thereto for there were laide vp the Canons which vnder the banners of the Flower de Luce had made the proudest rauelins of warlicke Italie to stoop At the beginning of this vsurpation he sought sundrie pretences and sent his Ambassadors expressely to the King to assure him of restitution of the whole into his hands But immediately he disgraced his Maiesties officers of his Ducall authority established others he pulled down brake the Flower de Luces raysed the armes of Sauoy he furnished his towns with part of our Artillery at the same instant to acquaint al the world with the trophees of his victorie he forgeth a proud coyne whereupon he stampeth a Centaure treading vnder his feete a crowne reuersed with this deuise Opportune All such as are acquainted with Histories can testifie that since the establishment of this great Monarchie the most auncient in the world it neuer brooked such an outrage for if iniuries are much the more aggrauated by the consideration of his weaknesse from whom they doe proceede what greater shame what greater reproach to the chiefe Crowne in Christendome to the most sacred King in the world the Prince ouer a Nationa euen borne to Mars his occupation the subduers of Asia and Affrica at the report of whose name euen the fiercest Nations that euer had dominion vpon the earth haue trembled then to see his forts and store-house beyond the mounts carryed away by a pettie Duke of Sauoy Surely no true Frenchman can speake of this insolent brauado without griefe and extreme anguish All words are too base for such an indignitie to say that this great mightie kingdome should beare this reproach and blemish in her forehead for the space of a dozen yeres and that it hath rested onely vpon this vnthankfull person that hee neuer felt the punishment for such an outrage done to the maiestie and glorie of the French name But it was not Gods will who hath hardened his heart that he might receiue the reward of such treason accompanied with the most notable ingratitude that was euer heard of and with a thousand cruelties that haue insued the same For not content with this inuasion he hath since practised all the cruelties that hee could deuise against all such sorts of Frenchmen as hee hath found resolute in the defence of the liberties of their Countries with the price of their bloud or that preferred death before bondage Prouence Dauphine which he assumed to revnite to the Crowne of Sauoy as his predecessors haue done Piedmont Ast Nice Villefranche and many other places to vs appertainiug doe yet groane vnder the anguish of such wounds as his cruell tyrannie hath inflicted vpon them yea such so great and intolerable that euen they that had opened him the gates were forced to driue him out again wheresoeuer their strength would serue Afterward seeing this Realme quiet vnder one of the mightest and most excellent Princes that euer swayed this glorious Scepter a Prince growne vp among the allarmes the nurse-child of legions and in all poynts requisit in a most perfect Captaine most accomplished and withall a mightie King he was not so slender witted but that he well perceiued how very difficult it was for him any long time to hold this Marquizate by force especially considering that by the treatie euerie man was to reenter into like estate as hee enioyed before the warres at the least within one yeere besides that his Holynes had sufficiently giuen to vnderstand that before all things it was requisite fully to restore him that in the time of peace had perforce beene robbed Finding himselfe therefore in these perplexities with the Kings permission whom he had assured euery way to content he came to Paris where he was receiued with al cheerefulnesse and honour that himselfe could desire after long and often treaties hee finally in the month of February promised within the first of lune to yeeld vp the Marquizate in like state as he tooke it or the exchange thereof agreed vpon betweene his Maiestie and him and this was solemnely signed as well by the one as by the other Afterward being returned into Piedmont hee was so farre from certifying the King that his mind was changed that contrariwise from day to day hee entertained him with goodly promises of faithfull performance of all that he had promised So that as ordinarily such men as had rather incurre a thousand deaths then break their word do imagine al others to be like themselues especially where they haue to doe with Princes whose greatnesse and honour shining as well during their liues as after their decease consisteth in the exact obseruation of their fayth the Queene of men the sunshine of this world and the ornament
of all vertues his Maiestie accounted the restitution of his Marquizate as sure as if the Lord of Passage a Gentleman without reproch whom hee had chosen to bee Gouernour had alreadie beene entred with his garrison appoynted to that effect But the Prince of Piedmonts purposes had a farre other drift he sought onely to win moneths weekes and dayes that so the winter comming on might debarre the King from any enterprise for that yeere which was alreadie well spent assuring himselfe that before the Spring he would set so many matters on broach ftir such coles that they should haue other matters inough to thinke vpon rather then the Marquizate of Saluces withal conioyning his extreme confidence that hee reposed in his Witches Sorcerers prickers of waxen Images But God had otherwise appoynted for after forbearance of feuenty daies aboue couenant withall that this Prince had declared that hee would not performe or accomplish that which his Ambassadors and pastors had aduised the King whose wisdome was correspondent to his bountie finding himselfe thus vnworthily intreated in the execution of this accord that had beene made by his predecessor in the inuasion of his inheritance did finally resolue by force of armes to reuenge so many wrongs offred to this Crowne withall to let all the world where the fame of his conquests and victories should be bruted to vnderstand that it was neither want of power in his Kingdome neither feare of danger that forced him to like of the sayd accord in liew of sixe times as large an inheritance by this vnthankfull wretch detained from him but rather for that hee was most religiously bent to obserue the peace of Veruins which since the Prince of Piedmont had on his part broken withal shrunke from his promise so solemnely signed as also that God the great Iudge of both good and badde meanings who giueth victorie to the righteous quarrell hath so prospered our armes that with his help and a little patience we may soone compasse this so important a conquest of Sauoy and Bresse shall we then possibly find any of our owne Nation so carelesse of the glory and safetie of their Countrey as againe to desire the presence of the most mortall and passionate enemie that wee haue in this world on this side the Alpes on this side the Bulwarck of the Gaules and euen in our bowels Nature sayd our elders and in that word we comprehend the power of God hath limited the great Empires with deepe seas with high mountains with mightie and swift riuers perpetuall and vnchangeable bounds farre more sure then any made by mans hand which must alwayes bee repaired The true bounds of the Gaules East-ward are the Alpes what more profitable and withall more honourable can any man imagine then by so iust a warre and so acknowledged throughout Christendome to driue all forraine Dominion ouer the Mounts and to take such order that albeit all Transalpine Gaules fayle vs yet so much as is on this side may conspire the preseruation of the glorie and greatnesse of the Flower de Luce Hereupon especially let vs likewise consider the diuers accidents that may befall this great bodie and remember that when the enemies armies must needes climbe these high Mountaines and crane vp their Canons a verie small resistance will mightily trouble them and contrariwise that the estate wherein wee liued before this happie conquest Dauphine and Prouence lay open to all inuasions If they that liued in former ages had not regarded our safetie as wee are also to take order for our posteritie the fire would dayly haue flamed in Angoulmois in Anieow and in many other parts of this Realme If our former Kings had had no meaning to liue among vs as they doe through the glorie of their great and stately conquests or that they would haue surrendred the inheritance of such as durst presume to trie their forces and what a French armie fighting in the view of their Prince is able to doe vndoubtedly wee should now haue neither seas nor mountaines to bounder this Kingdome Neither is there any person so vnexperienced in worldly affaires as not to know that the Pyrenian limits are not vnto vs of greater vse and commoditie then the Alpes for from them we stand in danger of the assault of one onely Nation which since the creation of the world could neuer alone so fight with the French but that the honour hath rested with vs. Contrariwise by the Alpes wee lie open to all the most fierce proude and most capable of extending their Dominion had the Ottomans prosecuted their progresse through Italy as well as they caught sure footing by the taking of Ottranto which could not be wrested from them vnder eighteene moneths siege after his decease that conquered it euen those against whom we are now to make warres must haue beene the chiefe bulwarke of our fortresse to keepe it such men are they to support such cloudes of innumerable men Let vs not imagine these considerations to be scar-crowes as things vnpossible which I would to God they were for we must confesse that it is not halfe so farre from Mont Senis to Zigeth or into Esclauonia as from thence to Constantinople which Mahomet tooke but in the yeere 1453. Hereby let vs consider in how short a time they may come vpon vs or vpon our children to whose good we are to referre all our labours God of his mercie keepe vs from this miserie yet must we thinke vpon all and that in time holding the Alpes as we doe and vnited to the Switzers in a sure league the greatest power in the world is not able to force vs in a groūd of such aduantage And this may stoppe the mouthes of some that obiect vnto vs the power of Turks to make vs giue ouer whereas contrariwise that is the chiefe matter that should the rather mooue vs to the safe custodie of our principall rampier Here vnto we may adde that whilest we lost Naples Milan and Flanders we did not consider the Turkes great successe in the meane time When the Duke of Sauoy euen of late inuaded the Marquizate and bent all his forces to vsurpe Pronence and Dauphine no man regarded whether the Infidels prospered or not but now that our affayres are at a better stay the case altered by and by they crie out The Turke Beware the Turke by these policies incroching vpon vs when wee haue the worse and lingering and lulling vs asleepe when our fortune smileth vpon vs they haue made vs lose almost as much as wee haue left Thus doe they dandle vs like children but let vs no longer brooke this entertainment rather let vs keepe this naturall and incomparable rampier that shall on that side warrant and secure vs from all sorts of enemies The remainder of this great Realme is bounded with the East and West Seas except toward Germany where our Germaine francke and valiant brethren men deuoyde of all malice
What men be these then that seeking to plucke him from his type of glory would fetch him sixe dayes iourneyes backe againe and in one moment defeate him of that great eminent and shining fame which shineth euen into the East atchieued in fiue twenty yeres through his so wonderfull prowesse and famous victories still following his good fortune and proceeding still forward without stumbling or retyre Is it possible for this mighty Prince who was able to conquere his Kingdome with the swordes point now for euer to defraude his memory of the glorie of this increase thatis of such importance to his Crowne In regarde of our selues now liuing whatsoeuer his Maiestie doe ordaine or whatsoeuer he do our perfect obedience yea I will say more our loue and feruent affection shall neuer quaile But what will the posteritie say when they shall heare of so happie a conquest and find the inconuenience of the not keeping of the same such inconueniences as will happen either first or last and those very sharp Let vs not flatter our selues It is hard to take away the sobs the sighs bitter complaints from those that feele the smart Why haue they not spokē why haue they not written of the restitution of 1559 and yet in truth wee were forced thereto by an extreme mishap besides that almost all Europe was conspired against vs. But who forceth vs now what colour what retence shall our historie find what excuse shall ve make to our nephewes for giuing away such an aduantage Surely I see none all things do smile vpon vs and for one that fretteth at our conquest foure are glad of it though they say nothing Such there are that will intreat his Maiestie and exhort him to let go his hold yea make orations vnto him for the same that in heart would be sorie to bee beleeued Here will some man aske whether we must alwayes continue the warres Whome I wil aunswere that France hath many times beene driuen to peace without the recouery of Naples Millan or the soueraigntie of Flanders Why must we then of necessitie for the making of peace restore that which we haue so lawfully conquered sith wee haue so often beene forced to agree without recouerie of our owne Is it because Fraunce is weaker then Piedmont or that we are such dolts as to thinke all things lawfull for others and nothing for our selues Let our enemie beg peace if he list as well as hee drew on and prosecuted the warre but it may please his Maiestie to call to mind that it is were requisite that prosperitie should recompence aduersitie also that he that so playeth that hee may alwayes lose and neuer winne will be soone vndone True it is that they reply that so we shal draw on a greater warre against vs. But hereto we may find a double answere First that it is vnlikely that they that haue so longed after peace a matter to them as necessarie as profitable to vs would now breake it especially vpon so bad and base a title as is the Prince of Piedmonts The second answer is this that sith our cause is good they that we are threatned withall will neuer enter warre against vs vnlesse they haue before resolued vpon it for other causes and motiues farther fetcht and in that case it is far better for vs to keep our aduantage then to lose it and be sorie for it when it is too late Withal that this ground standing fast that our enterprise is iust and consequently the conquest thereof proceeding If we be so timerous as for a threat cowardly to forgoe that which wee haue so lawfully and happily atchieued then farewell all there is no more Frenchman no more Gaule in the world For how can any man imagine that this valiant natiō in former times an actor in all the greatest warres in the world a nation that hath sought them from one end of the earth to another that hath taken the imperiall Citie of Constantinople and forced the mightiest cities in the East and South that feared nothing but the falling of the skie as assured to ouercome all that should withstand should at this day bee so degenerate and so quailed as for a Rodomontade or Spanish brag to abandon that which so iustly to vs doth appertaine that is to say should shew themselues so fearefull and such cowards that through the default of his subiects hearts aforetime the terrour of all nations so great a King should not bee able to keepe his owne conquests But in deed wee are farre from those termes For albeit our lamentable warres haue greatly diminished vs yet shall our experience valour and courage recompence the want of our number besides that our head shall alwaies be counted for twentie thousand hee is the great Lion that guideth the lesser to the battell his soldiers are not counted by their number but by their valour yet if need be and that this Empire must stirre vp her stumps in earnest we shall couer their largest fields with soldiers make the earth to tremble vnder the feet of our horses wee shall drie vp the riuers and of these old French armies bring forth a hundred or two hundred thousand warriors as gallant and couragious as euer were their ancestors euen such as will go to the field with as good courages as others come thence Let no man therefore thinke to terrifie vs with such threates We seeke peace with euerie one but this vngrateful person yet feare we not the warre If any be resolued to set vpon vs we were fooles to shrinke backe wee must pleade for all we must defend all or rather march halfe the way to meet with any that would ioyne with this presumptuous person who in liew of humble reuerence to the Maiestie of so great a neighbour kingdome as nature and wisedome doe teach and all the world do put in practise hath shewed himselfe so presumptuous and desperate rash as to seeke to ouerrun a great Lyon who at one sole lift is able to squeaze him asunder But these be vaine conceits for there is no prince in the world willing to rayse warre against vs vpon so bad a quarrell as is the Prince of Piedmonts Well may euery one intermeddle to agree vs and we will giue them the hearing For in the midst of our weapons we seeke for peace yet in any wise let vs remember two things First that wee brooke no delay whilest our wind bloweth faire as our Kings Lewes the 12. Francis the 1. and Henry the 2. alwayes did Our histories do make mention and our ouersights are noted but when it is too late It is not ynough to be valiant in the field the chiefe point is to be wise circumspect in counsell And in that regard did Homer neuer commend any valiant Captaine for his courage vnlesse withall it were accompanied with wisedome witnesse his speech of Agamemnon In armes valiant and in counsell discreete So wise was Hercules that
for it was no rashnes but perfect valiancie But now sir that he hath graced you with the restitution of your kingdome quiet and in peace also that your Maiestie haue the assistance of so many great Princes and excellent Captains almost all trained vp at your owne hand and of these braue Frēch horsmē so famous so feared throughout the world followed with the great squadrons of thundring legions replenished with yong and gallāt nobilitie who burne with an incredible desire to ioyne ouerthrow your enemies in a pitched field in case they dare stād you or proudly to assault some strong fortresse Seeing your selfe also entred into such and so mightie alliances as neuer any king your predecessor was the like Is it not time sir that the same affection to your subiects that caried you into all these hazards should now make you to reserue your selfe to such as are worthie of your Maiestie If a king said Theophrastus must needes die in the warres let him die like a king that is to say in some fierce and bloodie battell enuironed with all the gallant noble braue men of his estate let him be drowned in some maine sea of his enemies bloud mixed with the bloud of his owne soldiers and neuer be slaine as some meane Captaine at the siege of some towne or in some skirmish For so should his glorie and triumphes bee so farre from increase that they should euen wither and decay witnesse that great couragious Captaine that thought himselfe greatly disgraced in that a quarrel shot out of Samos light neere him wherewith had he beene slaine his armie through his default had stood as a bodie without a head at the enemies mercy to the reproach and ruine of his countrey But as the excellent Archimedes by planting his engines threw more darts shot at the Romanes then all the rest of the Siracusans together euen so your Maiestie beeing the soule infused into the veynes sinewes arteries of this great body and proud preparation for warres and kindling the courages of all his Captaines and souldiers doth alone make all hands to walke all Cannons to rore and all the swords of his armie to cut Assure your selfe therfore Sir that if you wil vouchsafe to yeeld to the feruent supplications teares of all your subiects that prostrate themselues at your feet onely to obtaine this sole request as the fulnesse of their felicitie and so take from them this extreme feare and incomparable terror which onely doth freeze the bloud of all your souldiours you shall reuiue their courages and maruailously cheere vp their forces as knowing that so long as your person are in safetie from so many Cannons leueled at your heart the affayres of your Fraunce euen of your warlike Fraunce will prosper and grow from better to better and contrariwise your enemies that cannot stand and beare vp thēselues but vpon this cowardly cursed hope seeing themselues fallen from the same shall find their destruction and that they are in worse estate then if they had lost tenne battailes Doing this Sir you shall surmount your selfe which is the most difficult gallant and glorious victorie of all other and withall by this great poynt of discretion crowne all your triumphs and trophees whose glorie and fame shall neuer be limited but with the bounds of the earth and all eternitie and besides Sir you shall reserue your anoynted 〈…〉 to infinite Garlands of great victories yet due to your good fortune which it hath pleased God to giue you for a faithful companion to your Heroycall and excellent vertue FINIS * These lands are called Barges Caours Pancalier Ennee Villeneufue de Solier Morel Murel Carignan Monasterol Carde Vigon Villefranche Cauallimours Raconis Moullebrune Carail Someriue Camaraigne Caualerlyon Polongnieres Cazalgras Fortpas Faule Malazan Villefalet Busque