foreséen that the office of an Ecclesiasticall person might not be committed to an vnlearned vnapte and ignoraunt person affirming it to be vnlawfull for them to dwell from their flockes in other places at their owne pleasure and so giuing them selues to worldly businesse wholy to neglecte their offices but sayth he it is the Kings duetie to cal them to their office againe And in the ende he made earnest peticion that there might be wayes taken in time to stop the seditions at hande and also that it wold please the king to haue regard consideration to his nobles as his auncetours had done before him When he had thus spoken he put vp a Supplication in the which peticion was made in the name of the nobilitie that temples might be graunted for the vse and seruice of the reformed Religion After this man one Quintinus Heduus who was chosen to be the speaker for the Clergie when he had commended the king and Quéene to their face saying that the kings of Fraunce were specially chosen euē as if they had béen borne and appointed to be defenders of the Churche of Rome and that therefore they had that moste auncient name from all ages as to be called Most Christian Princes he sayde that this assembly of States or court of Parliament was verye well called The causes of the which assemblye saith he is that the complayntes of the people mighte be hearde and holpen and that meanes and remedyes might be prepared for the scarsitie of the kings treasure and substāce But this saith he is the greatest cause of all whiche I speake with great sorrowe and griefe and yet notwithstanding muste néedes speake the same namely that the corruptions and notable faultes of Ecclesiasticall persons myghte bée refourmed and amended For sayth he the matter is nowe come to thys passe that they thē selues which shuld declare this Ecclesiasticall holynesse by their life are more afrayde of the kings Edictes than they are of Gods word and of the Gospell of christ Notwithstanding we muste therefore thinke saith he that the reformatiō of the Church is sought for which hath not erred neither can erre but a correction only of those most greuous faults in those men which were the chiefe gouerners of the Church which correction must procéede from the king but so notwithstanding the king must vse correctiē that he follow the steppes of those kings that haue gone before him who alwayes fauored the Church Adding to this also that those kings his auncetours woulde neuer haue suffered the wicked practises of these newe fellowes which falsely and wickedly of late time take vnto them selues the profession of the Gospell that they mighte therby both refuse all ecclesiastical order and also abolishe if they might al Ciuill power and authoritie For saith he the king ought to this ende specially to exercise his authoritie and draw his swerde to punishe and vtterly to roote out all heretikes giltie of criminall punishments Therefore he desired that Churches might not be graunted to those horrible men for so he termed them and that they also might be counted punished as heretikes which durst offer the supplications of Heretikes to the king This truely saith he hath bene the olde subtill practise of Sathan to bring this libertie to heretikes that they might the more securely and without feare of punishment destroy the Gospell the which subtill practises he hath nowe also in hande and therefore the more diligent héede saith he ought to be taken In like maner also he desired the king that according to the doyngs of his Auucetours and also according to the example of Charles the great whose name he bare he wold constraine all his subiectes to liue according to the Canons rules of the fathers For detestable sayth he is the boldnesse of these new heretikes which scoffing at the authoritie of the fathers and reiecting the doctrines and Canons of the Churche saye that they will haue nothing but the true Gospell onely as thoughe the promise of Christ were vaine and to no effect who promised that he would neuer forsake his Churche and as thoughe that they were wiser than so many Fathers which left so many godly Canons behynde them in writing also as though they alone vnderstoode the word of god Horrible boldnesse reebllion is that sayth he which casteth of the yoake of the Church and what else will they do at the last but murmur and grudge also against the power and authoritie of the Ciuill Magistrate Moreouer he said that the notes badges of the Church were not obscure which these new men wanted as the euerlasting and continuall successiō from the Apostles time and the Canons and rules which the Fathers left behinde them which badges the Church of Rome hath Therefore saith he that they may neuer hereafter abuse the name of the Churche we must plainely pronounce and affirme That the Church of Rome is the Catholique or vniuersall Church But if these newe men take vnto them the name of the Church we will not denie it them but we saye that they are not of the True Catholique Church but of the Malignant Church Also he made petition that they which had fled the Realme for Religions sake might be banished men for euer that they might loose all maner of priuilege and that they mighte be handled euen as if they were forraine enimyes Furthermore he saide that aboue all things that drowning floud which had flowed out of the diches of Geneua was most pernicious and therfore he exhorted the king that he would to the vtmost of his power roote out all such as came from that place and not to holde the yong childe excused if so be he came from thence seyng that God would call him to an accounte for the doing of his duetie And perswaded Queene Katherine also the kings mother by the example of that Katherine of whome Eusebius maketh mention to ouerthrow and roote out these newe Heretikes Therefore he sayde that this was the onely cause of the great mischief at hande that there were so many heretikes in euery place to the destruction of the Realme and all estates Moreouer he desired of the King that Ecclesiasticall persons might be defended and maintayned accordyng to the commaundement of God bycause they are The Lordes Christes or annointed as their badges that is to say their shauē crownes doe declare Also he complayned that the authoritie to chose Prelates was taken from the Clergy and giuen to Kings saying that it was done against Gods word against the holye Canons and againste the approued examples of the Elders and that euer since that tyme namely from the yeare of oure Lorde god M. D. XUII. when the same was first vsurped all things haue had euyll successe For saith he in that very yeare in the which that lawfull right was abrogated from Ecclesiasticall persons began that damnable heresie of Luther whiche afterwarde soke suche rooting
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
whom it pleaseth God to giue the same that the faithfull might haue nothing in them selues to boast of wheÌ„ as rather they are two folde more bound to God than others in that they are preferred before others Also we beleue that faith is giuen to the electe not that they should once onely walke in the right way but rather to coÌ„tinue in the same al the dayes of their lyfe bicause as the beginning is of God so is also the ende 22 We beleue that we which are by nature the seruants of sinne by the same faith are regenerate into a new life For by faith we receiue grace to lyue a holy and godly lyfe wheÌ„ we imbrace that â—…uangelicall promise that the Lorde will giue vnto vs the holy Ghost Therfore faith is so far from taking away the desire to leade a godly life that it doth rather inflame the same in vs from whence good workes necessarily do follow But although God doth regenerate vs to the ende he might fully saue vs notwithstanding we affirme that the good workes which we do by the assistance of Gods holy spirite are not so regarded of God that we shuld be iustified by them or deserue to be counted the sonnes of God bicause we shoulde alwayes doubte and feare if so be that we had not that satisfactioÌ„ by which Christ Jesus hath deliuered vs from all harme 23 We beleue that all the figures of the law are taken away by the comming of Christ although we know that the truth and substaunce of them remaine in him in whoÌ„ they were fulfilled Howbeit we must vse and exercise the Law and the Prophets both for the framing of our life and also that we may be the more confirmed in the promises of the Gospell 24 We beleue that seing Jesus Christ is giuen to vs to be our onely aduocate who also commaundeth that we should boldly come to the Father in his name and seing it is not lawfull for vs to pray in any other order and forme than in that which God him selfe hath appointed in his word what soeuer men haue deuised concerning the intercessioÌ„ of dead Saintes it is nothing else but the deceite and crafte of Sathan to drawe men from the right and true forme of prayer We doe also reiect all those meanes whatsoeuer that men haue inuented to delyuer them selues from the wrath of God for so muche as they doe derogate so much from the death and sacrifyce of Jesus Christ as men gyue and attribute vnto them To coÌ„clude we thinke that Purgatory is a fable brought forth of y same shop froÌ„ wheÌ„ce also came Monastical vows pilgrimages prohibitioÌ„ of Matrimonie the vse of meates the ceremoniall obseruation of certaine dayes Auricular confession Iuduigences and suche like abhominations by which some thinke that they merit grace and saluation All which things we do reiecte not onely for the false opinion conceyued of meriting adioyned vnto them but also bicause they be the inuentions of men and a yoake layde vpon consciences by the authoritie of men 25 We beléeue bicause we can not obtaine Christ but by the Gospell that the holy and inuiolable discipline established by his authoritie in the Churche ought to be obserued and that therefore Pastours ought to be in the Church to whom appertaineth the office of preaching the worde and the ministration of the Sacramentes whom men ought to honor and reuerently heare if they beyng lawfully called discharge their dutie not that God of necessitie néedeth such inferior helpes but rather bycause it thus seemeth good vnto him to rule vs as it were with a bridle And therfore we do detest all those fanaticall persons which so muche as in them lyeth séeke to abolishe the holy ministerye that is to say the preaching of the worde and the administration of Sacraments 26 We beléeue therefore that it is lawfull for no man to withdrawe himselfe from the Congregation and to trust in himselfe but is rather the duetie of all men to defende and kéepe the Unitie of the Churche submitting them selues to the common Institution and yoake of Christe wheresoeuer God hath appointed the true and Ecclesiasticall discipline althoughe the Edictes of Magistrates be against the same from the which order whosoeuer separate them selues they resist the ordinance of God. 27 We beléeue that with great diligence and discretion the true Church must be discerned by the name whereof many are too much abused Therfore we affirme out of the worde of God that the Churche is a company or congregation of the faithfull which do agrée in following the word of God and in imbracing true Religion in the which also they dayly profite and go forward grounding and confirming one another in the feare of God who although they receiue neuer so great profite yet must they daylie of necessitie seeke for remission of sinnes And yet for all this will not denie but that manye hipocrites and reprobates are mixed with the faithfull but yet their wickednesse can not take awaye the name the Church 28 Therfore in beléeuing of this thing we also openly affirme that where the worde of God is not receiued nor no profession of that obedience shewed that belongeth thervnto nor no vse of the Sacraments there to speake properly we can Iudge no Church to be We therfore condemne the Papisticall Church bicause the pure truth of God is banished out of the same in the which the Sacramentes of faith are corrupted falsified or else quite abolished in the which all superstition Idolatry is to be founde And therfore we thinke that all they which do ioyne themselues to such actions and do communicate with them doe separate them selues from the body of christ Nothwithstanding bicause in the Papacy remaineth some Imitacion of the true church and specially the substance of Baptisme the efficacie wherof dependeth not vpon him that ministreth the same we graunt that they which are baptized in the same Popishe Church haue no néede to be baptized againe howbeit bycause of the corruptions with the which Baptime is there mixed no man can offer his childe to be of them baptized but he must pollute him selfe 29 We do beléeue that the true Churche oughte to be gouerned with that discipline which our Lorde Iesus Christ appointed and to haue in the same Pastors Ministers and Deacons that the pure doctrine of the Gospell may be preached vice bridled and poore afflicted persons so far as nede shall require comforted 30 We do beléeue that all true Pastors wheresoeuer they be placed haue power and authoritie all a like vnder that onely head and chiefe vniuersall Bishop Iesus Christ And therfore that it is lawfull for no Church to chalenge vnto it selfe imperie or rule ouer another 31 We do beleue that it is vnlawfull for anye man of his owne authoritie to presume to take vpon him the gouernment of the Church but ought rather to
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
it is done against the pure and sound iudgemeÌ„t of the Churche which hath decréed and appoynted Water and the Worde to be only necessarie in the Sacramente but as for Exorcismes and Prayers not to be necessarie to the Sacrament Furthermore they saye that in Baptisme the wordes of the auncient Catechismes are reteyned still the vse wherof is nowe gone and therfore at this tyme is vsed in vayne in Baptisme Also many do very much misselike that a diseased or infected priest should spit his vncleane spittell into the mouth of the infant wherby some great euill and perill mighte arise All these inconueniences she sayd might be remedied if it might be left in the choyce of al men eyther to vse Exorcismes and prayers in baptizyng their infantes or else purely and simply without any additions to kéepe the substance of Baptisme that is to saye water and the word and to haue the same ministred in the vulgar tong that the people may vnderstand it The whiche libertie were more tollerable than eyther the offence or separation of many men and so no infantes shall be baptized out of the Congregation of the Romishe churche 3 As concerning the holie Comunion many good men do misselyke thrée things in the same Of the which the firste is that it is giuen to communicate only vnder one kynde Whose consciences in this matter can not bée quieted and stayed eyther by the authoritie of the Councell of Constance or by the obseruation of custome receyued not many yeares agoe seing that Iesus Christ playnly sayth Take yee eate ye drinke ye Paule the Apostle also sayth VVho soeuer eateth of this bread and drinketh of this cup. To the which expresse word of God is ioyned also the auncient custome of the Churche constantly obserued for a thousande yeares and more And although for reuerence sake whiche they owe vnto the Church they will not condemne the couÌ„cell of Constance yet notwithstanding seing thorough feare of erring they leane only to plaine testimonies of Scripture and to the auncient custome of the Church it is to be feared that whyle there is controuersie aboute this matter others whiche are weake will easily be broughte to their opinion and so withdrawne from the fellowship of the Churche of Rome For the obiection of the aduersaries séemeth to be of greate force seing they bring bothe the expresse word of God and also euident reasons for that whiche they alleage Maye it please him therefore to consider whether it be not best to giue libertie that the communion may be ministred vnder both kindes although the councell of Constance be against the same 2 The seconde thing they misselyke in the holie Communion is this Manie are afeard to come to the holy communion being ministred in such order as it is in the Romishe Churches that is to say to one or to a few alone vsing no prayers that may be vnderstode of the common people neither yet expounding the vse of the Sacrament the aduersaries on the contrarie part saying and openly shewing in verie deede that they haue restored in this poynte the approued maner of the auncient Church The which matter when diuers reasons and wayes of communicating are alleaged on both sydes can not be tolde howe many of oure countreymen it doth pierce and moue in so much that there is no doubt but that very manie shal be constrayned for this cause to depart from the Church â–ª For when â—…n the one part they sée some one alone or a cerâ—…ain smal numbre without prayers without a sermon without giuing of thanks to 〈◊〉 any part of the sacrament and that in an vâ—…knowne tongue on the other part a congregation of a great number of men together plainly to make confession of their faith publikely to confesse their synnes to giue thankes vnto God to pray vnto God to sing Psalmes in the vulgar tong to come to the Sermon by which they may be instructed to liâ—…e a godly and a chrisâ—…ian lyâ—…e and to prepare themselues alâ—…o to receyue the Sacrament it is harde to say but that they whiche take oure parte onely for a zeale and true desyre of Religion will take these occasions to fall awaye from vs. To remedie this inconuenience let the Pope himselfe consider if it shall not be well doone to suffer the holy câ—…mmunion to be ministred euerye moneth according to the maner of the primitiue Church that the Pastors and Elders of Churches may call all those togither whiche wyll communicate the first Sunday of euery moneth or oftner if they be required and that there in the vulgar tongue Psalme maye be soong and a generall confession of fayth and of sins lykewise to be made publike and coÌ„mon prayers also for the preseruation of Magistrates for the purenesse of the ayre for the frutes of the earth and for suche as are afflicted deuoutly to be sayde And to them thus assembled togither some place either of the Euangelistes or of Paules Epistles whiche concerneth the vse of the Lordes supper may be red and so to be receyued to the coÌ„munion vnder both kynds And although this seemeth to be newe and not customably heretofore to be vsed yet notwithstaÌ„ding seeing the Apostles and they which straight after succeded them did so it can not be sayde that the holy father hath done or appoynted any thing against the coÌ„mandemeÌ„t of God and the maner of the Church And to the end he may vnderstande for what cause they vrge and so earnestly desire this thing it may please him to know that there is nothing that so much troubleth and burdeneth their consciences as the feare of not rightly receiuing the Sacramentes And here the aduersaries triumphe and crie that the commaundement of God is broken and thus by little our ministerie and all our doctrin groweth out of credite insomuch that the shame and reproche hereof will redound to the holie Father himselfe at the length except it be foreséen For the which they thinke that there can not be a better more present remedie founde than if the Lordes Supper be celebrated in that order as is before declared The whyche thyng she hir selfe so muche the more vrgeth and earnestly craueth that he might helpe and remedie so greate troubles in tyme. 3 The thirde speciall poynt of offence is this There are many men of the more learned sort in al the realme which are offended at that rite or feast whiche is commonly called Corpus Christi day at which yearely feast the bodie of the Lorde is caried about the Cities to the which solemnitie they saye they can not with safe consciences come and that for these causes Firste bicause it is against the expresse institution of the Sacrament Take ye eate ye drinke ye Also Doo this in remembraunce of me That is to saye Do yée as I haue doone And therefore they say that there is so great difference betwéen the giuyng of bread to be
séene and the eating of breade in déede euen as if a man shoulde not receyue that wholsom medicine giuen vnto him for his health but should cause it verie sumptuously to be caryed vp and down the chamber They saye also that Paule sayd not Carie this bread about the stretes but VVhosoeuer eateth of this bread and drinketh of this wine Furthermore they say that Christe is in heauen and that therfore there is onely required a spirituall worship Wherevpon they say that great iniâ—…rie is done to him by those corporal and externall worships seing he exalted 〈◊〉 from earth to heauen to the end he might be worshipped and adored with true and spirituall honor And last of all they say that this rite of carying the Lords bodie vp and down was brought in and by little litle established not by any authoritie of Scripture but by the deuotion of some singular man Also that neither Clement nor Gregorie bishops of Rome whiche appointed the same to be a solemne feasâ—…e haue not spoken one worde of that deambulation and that therefore our sacrifiâ—…ing Priests do erre and offende against their will and institution seing that no other day hath such fréedome and libertie to commit all kinde of wickednesse as that hath the whiche truly is not the waye to knowledge and worshippe Christ seeing that he requireth of his disciples purenesse and newnesse of lyfe and in his holy worde vtterly detesteth all sinfull libertie The which things séeme hurtfull not onely to those whiche haue separated themselues from our felowship but also to those which will not leaue the same They doe perceyue that herevpon many things are done amisâ—…e as the pollutiâ—…n of the Sacrament against the word of God and the approued customes of the Church Also that by the occasion of this day many men are aâ—…used and led to commit wicked and horâ—…ible things and that the same day is a verâ—…e prâ—…uocation of most 〈◊〉 sedition as we hitherto to our great griefe haue felt Therefore except this thing be foreseene and a remeâ—… prouiâ—…d for the same at the length experience will shewe that it is better to séeke a more deuoute way to worship God withall than to refeyne kepe this ryte to the hurt and offence of many The Masse also is an other greate cause of offence All men crie out that the Masse is a great offence slumbling block to the Church the same being sold of ignorant dissolute and most vngodly Priests and yet no man seeketh to reforme and amende the same This thing truly hath of late diminished the deuotion of the people very muche yea and many of our felowship do proceed further also â—…o doubt of the Masse both touching the substance and also touching the forme In the subsâ—…aÌ„ce they doe note that the Churchemen afâ—…irme that the priestes do offer Christe and do more esteeme of their owne sacrifice than they dâ—…e of the sacrifice of Christe And that certaine of the Doctours doe saye that the same sacrifiice whiche the Priests offer is onely a monument and signe of the true sacrifice whiche Christe offered for vs once for all but the ignoraÌ„t people are taught by ignorant priests that he ought to be counted for an heretik which thinketh otherwise The which truly seeing it seemeth to be most absurd it giueth great occasion to the aduersarie to speak euil But in the forme of the Masse they note foure principall things First that all things are done in the same in a strange an vnknowne tong the which in déed is vnprofitable and dangerous séeing no fruite commeth thereof vnto the people but are onely fed with certaine outward shewes Wheras on the contrarie part say they it is necessarie that the confession of the faith shoulde be plainly and euidently vnderstode of all men and séeing the Latine tongue muste needes be vsed let the same yet be expounded into the mother tong that it may of all men be vnderstode And seing the prayers which are there made appertaine to the common profit of all the hearers who vnderstanding not what is spoken shall aunswere Amen Furthermore they saye that the consciences of the Clergie doe accuse them and tel them that they doe amisse séeing no part of the vse of their Masse is declared without the which notwithstanding the administration of the Sacramente seemeth to be but vaine Thirdly séeing those things which are spoken in the Masse doe belong to the whole congregation and not to the Priesâ—…es alone and specially those things whiche concerne the Communion and yet neuerthelesse one Priest only communica 〈◊〉 the people sâ—…anding by and looking on it séemeth iusâ—…ly to be verâ—…e farre out oâ—… order and not agréeing to the truthe Wherfore they thiâ—…ke it 〈◊〉 that it shoulde be reduced and brought to the ancient maner of the church agréeing to the first institution â–ª Fourthly they misâ—…yke the order of the diuine seruice In the which is to be coâ—…idered what great profiâ—… the singing of Psalmes and the maâ—…ing of Prayers in the vulgar tong hath brought in tyme paste And truly our aduersaries of late days vsing these meanes haue allured and drawne many vnto them Wherefore let the holy Father consider if it shall not be best to giue libertie to haue the Psalmes soong and Prayâ—…rs also made in the vulgar toung that they maye be 〈◊〉 of all the people These are the principall poyntes whiche they saâ—…e are needfull to be amended â—…en they which haue separated themselues from our felowship which they 〈◊〉 to haue taken in good part seeing they goâ—… not about to violate the Apostoliâ—…ie authoritie of the holy father and 〈◊〉 perâ—…ct in these two things namely that nothing be altered â—…n dâ—…ctrine And also that if the Minisâ—…ers of the Churche doÌ„ offende in any thing the Ministeâ—…e therefore shoulde nâ—…t be taken away but the authoritie thereof alwayes to remain preserued and safe These two things being firmely holden they thinke it no absurditie if diligente inquiâ—…ition be made of other matters which haue neede of reâ—…ormation Therefore she dothe humbly beséeche the holye Father that he woulde prouide for these thinges for that greater inconueniences no dout woulde folowe if so be that there were not remedie prouided in tyme As for other thinges the Quéene promiseth that she hir selfe with the counsell of good men and with hir diligence and iâ—…deuour will looke vnto so muche as she maye both for the peace and quietnesse of the Church and also for the dignitie of the Popes holynesse These thinges haue ben by vs faithfully gathered out of the Copie of hir owne letters ¶ The thirde Booke of Commentaries concerning the state of Religion and or the common vvealth of Fraunce IN the meane season the Prelaâ—…es and Clergée came from all partes of the realme to a towne called 〈◊〉 néere to Sangeiman at the â—…ay appointed in the moneth of August to reason and fréely to
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
you to the end of the world He is with vs and he is not with vs for he hath not forsaken those in respecte of his diuinitie whome he hath forsaken and from whom he is departed in respecte of his humanitie Moreouer he sayth VVhen his fleshe was in earthe it was not truely in heauen but nowe bicause it is in heauen it is not no doubte in earth Againe he sayth The onely sonne of God which was also man is contayned in one place according to the nature of his fleshe And is not contained in any place according to the nature of his Diuinitie Nowe in the meane time while these things were thus a working the Prelates came together and certaine of the Pâ—…pisticall doctours of the Canon lawe beyng made acquainted wyth the matter did deliberate and consults together what answere they were beste to gyue to the refourmed Churches Here it is reported that the Cardinall of Lorayne sayde I would to God that eyther he were dumbe or else wee deafe and coulde not heare The matter beyng diuersely reasoned and considered of on bothe sides at the laste it was concluded that answere shoulde be made to tâ—…o speciall pointes of the oration the firste poynt concerning the Churche and the seconde poynt concernyng the Lordes Supper They did also deliberate whether it were not good to haue a confession made which shoulde be offered to the protestants but if their chosen men which were appointed to dispute for them had denied to imbrate the same that then they should haue the sentence of condemnation proncuÌ„ced against them as heretikes so the disputation shâ—…ld ende But this their deuise was not fully concluded vpoÌ„ for that many of them woulde not agrée vnto the same And when the ministers of the reformed Churches heard of this deuise they complained to the king Queene that the matter was not indifferently handled beseching them that the fruit and profite of the conference might not be hindred by these plat formes and subtill deuises Therfore the conference began againe the sixtene day of September the king Quéene the king of Nauar and the Princes the kings kinsmeÌ„ being preseÌ„t And here the Cardinall of Loraine first of all spake very largely in the behalfe of the Prelates concerning the obedience of his fellowes towards the king the which they acknowledged to owe vnto him by the commaundement of God confessed that they wold gladly giue the same vnto him Notwithstanding that the king ought to haue great care to defend the Church not as heade but as a member of the same and that in those things which appertaine to doctrine he ought to be subiecte to the Church and to the ministers thereof as the expresse testimonies of scripture and the examples of the ancient fathers doe declare Therefore saith he we doe make this the grounde of all our reasons that all obedience ought to be giuen to the king But comming more neere to his matter he declareth that the assembly whose cause he had in hand did consist of Archbishops of Bishops ordinarily made of Priests of Canons of a great nuÌ„ber of others Whose legâ—…te saith he I am this is the sum of my imbassage Wher as many to my great griefe were fallen from the Church not long a go professing the contrary Religion neither submitting theÌ„selues to their owne constitutioÌ„s being within these few dayes called thither by the kings coÌ„maundemeÌ„t had declared some good will to profite if they would come againe into their cuntrey and into the ancient house of the Fathers they shall be receiued and haue nothing that is past cast in their téeth if so be that they wil shew themselues penitent and will become obedient children to the Churche Therefore I will frame my selfe according to their infirmities being glad that they professe with vs the articles of our faith and I hartely wishe that as in words so in iudgement we maye agrée together Therefore I will answere them in the spirite of loue and modestie But I will handle onely two articles bicause it will be to tedious to intreate of euery one of them particularly And the two articles whereof I will speake are concerning the Churche and concerning the Lordes Supper Wherfore concerning the firste it is not true I hat the Church doth consist only of the Elect bicause in the Lords barne the chaffe is mingled with the wheate and yet notwithstanding the Church cannot erre But if some part of the Church shoulde erre the whole body ought to be preferred before one corrupte member if any euill should créepe in then we muste haue recourse to antiquitie and muste haue respecte to the chiefe and principall Churches among which the Church of Rome hath had alwayes the principall place If any thing were founde to be amisse in some perticular place of the Church we must set against the Ignoraunce of a small number of men the decrées of the auncient and of the generall Counsels But if this thing maye not suffice we muste diligently séeke for the iudgements of the approued fathers of the Catholique Churche notwithstanding we must specially giue place to the testimonies of Scripture being expounded by the true voyce and interpretation of the Church least heretikes shoulde bragge and saye that they alone haue the worde of god For the Catholique Churche must giue authoritie to the word of god The which order bicause the Arrians kept not they fell into great mischiefes into which destruction they also are like to fal which seyng not the beame in their owne eyes are very busie to plucke out the moate in other mens eyes As touching the seconde pointe which concerneth the Sacrament of the Lordes Supper I must néedes confesse that I and the whole Clergie are greatly gréeued to sée that the blessed Sacrament of the Euchariste which the Lorde left vnto vs to be a bonde and pledge of peace and vnitie should by curiositie of searching out of déepe matters be after a sort an occasion not onely of infinite controuersies but also of forsaking the truth which maye scarcely be kepte among these controuersies For in the Eucharste we ought to consider foure things The firste is the vnion and concorde which ought to be among the faithfull according to that which the Apostle saith that VVe are one body and partakers of one cup. The second is the vnion with Christ Iesus as it is sayd He which eateth my fleshe and drinketh my bloude abideth in me and I in him The thirde is remission of sinnes which is purchased by the effusion of Christe his bloude The fourth is the hope of euerlasting life according to that which is writteÌ„ He which eateth this btead shall liue for euer But the contrary doth happen in this disputation namely distractions and diuisions in the Church the separation from God the losse of remission of sinnes of the hope of euerlasting life Diuers and sundrye are the
the two principall poyntes of our confeâ—…ion namely concerning the Church and the Supper of the Lorde But if we mighte haue had leaue to answere at the first out of hand when those things that were spoken were yet freshe in memory we mighte haue bene able more aptly and distinctly to haue made answere But notwithstanding we will speake as God shall make vs able that it may be vnderstande in what things we agrée and in what also we doe disagree of the which I woulde to God there mighte be made a perfecte vnitie and concorde Therefore concerning the first principall poynt which is of the Church we will declare thrée things First what the Church is Secondly what are the markes of the Churche and thirdlye what is the authoritie of the same There is no doubte but that this name Church was dâ—…riued of the Gréeke worde which signifieth to call from one place to another But in the Scripture there are found two kindes of callings The one conioyned with the efficacie of the holy Ghost of which there is mention made in the Epistle of S. Paule to the Romaines in these words Those whome God hathe iustified he hathe called The other although it be allone with the first as touching the externall matter yet notwithstaÌ„ding it is of no efficacie as touching saluation not that God is to be blamed therefore but thorough mens default which will not heare the word of god Of this thing the Lorde speaketh when he saythe Manye are called but fewe are chosen Herevpon it commeth that the name of the Churche which is a congregation of men gathered together by the voyce of God which calleth them is taken two maner of wayes For if it be taken generally for all those which doe externally professe that they doe answere to Gods calling then there is no doubt but so many reprobates and â—…ipocrites are comprehended And thus truly haue we alwayes both writteÌ„ and taught with one consent seyng that matter is very common in the Scriptures But if this worde or name Churche be taken more properlye and strictlye as oftentimes it is then we saye that it onely comprehendeth those that are predestinate and chosen of god And to the ende men maye perceiue that wee haue not deuised nor inuented this phrase of speache and much lesse this doctrine when it is sayde That the Church is the bodye of the Lorde bones of his bones and fleshe of his fleshe how can the reprobates be comprehended in this number seing they are the members of the Deuill For these two things cannot agrée together To be a member of Christ and a member of the Deuill also the which S. Augustine well vnderstoode This same distinction of the Churche that Author also vsed writing vpon the sixtie foure Psalme when he sayth The Churche fignified by Hieruâ—…alem began at Abel and Babilon at Caine. And yet notwithstaÌ„ding in this first booke of Baptisme against the Donatistes the sixtene chapter taking the name of Churche more generally he saythe He which begat Abel Enoch Noah Abraham the Prophets begat also Cayne Ismael Dathan and such others In fine therfore let vs take that which the same Saint Augustine hath written in the forenamed booke where it is sayde that there are two sortes of men as touching the Churche For sayth he some are the members of Christe and of the true Churche and so of Gods house that they are euen the house of god But other some are in the house of God but are not the house of god For they are as the chaffe with the wheate But hereof there séemeth to aryse a question whether the Churche be inuisible the which séemeth of necessitie to be concluded for so muche as God onely knoweth his electe seing also we confesse that we beléeue the holy Church And that which is beléeued is not séene But hereby maye come great inconuenience if we haue not a more depe consideration of this matter For if the matter be so into what assemblie can we come Where shall then be the waye of our saluation except the Churche be knowne that we may cleaue vnto Christe Iesus seyng that he doth declare his vertue and sauing health in one Churche Therefore wée saye that althoughe the Churche in consideration of those things whereof we spake euen nowe can not be séene of men yet notwithstanding we haue certain notes to know to what Churche we oughte to ioyne oure selues namely the pure worde of God and the sincere administration of Sacramentes The which notes are so plaine and manyâ—…est that wheresoeuer they shall be wée oughte to be oute of all doubte that there is the Churche of God in so muche that by the rule of Charitie we oughte to account all those for the faythfull Children of God which professe the pure Religion excepte God shall reueaâ—…e their hipocrisie And of this matter Saint Paule hathe giuen vnto vs a playne example when he calleth the Corinthians and Galathians Saints attributing also vnto them the name of the Church althoughe there were greate errors among them both in corruptions of doctrine and also of manners The which also he hath shewed in another place when he sayth If anye man build on this foundation Golde Siluer Precious stones Tymber Hay or Stubble c. Thus therefore we speake of the Churche not transformyng the same into fantasticall imaginations neyther yet as it séemeth vnto vs doe wée giue occasion to aâ—…ye man to counte vs in the number of suche as are fantasticall as the Catharistes the Donatistes and those furious Anabaptistes also that were in our time with whome diuers of our brethren oftentimes haue contended Nowe therefore I come to those notes and badges of the Churche the which we must diligently beholde seing out of the same there is no saluation neither anye manner of thing which Sathan our auncient ennme hath not gone about at all times to counterfaite and falsifie I sayde that there were two certaine and vndoubted markes namely the preaching of the word and the sincere administration of Sacramentes There are some also which adde Ecclesiasticall discipline and the fruite of the preaching of Gods worde But bicause our iniquities will not suffer these two notes to appeare therefore let vs contentour selues with those two first That the word of God is a true badge and marke of the Church it may hereby appeare that the word is compared vnto seede Therefore Paule sayth that he had begotten the Corinthians in the Lorde that is to saye by the preaching of the worde And therefore in manye places it is called meate and foode according to the saying of the Lorde My sheepe heare my voyce but they knowe not the voyce of a straunger Also the sacraments are a true note of the Church bicause the Lord would instruct vs not onely by the eares but also by the eyes and other corporall senses in so much that he would haue
maner of kissing one another in going bareheaded in signe of authoritie which is coÌ„trary to the common custome of many people All these things therfore ought to be considered before a custome be established as apostolicall least the Apostolicall authoritie and custome be abused to the disturbing of the churches as it came to passe after the Apostles tyme for the feast of Easter and in the Apostles time for the authoritie of the Church of Hierusalem as appeareth by Luke How then shall we thinke that the Apostles founde oute so many ceremonies in which afterwards was placed remission of sinnes when as plainely they haue testified the contrarie Augustine complained of these things long ago and there is no doubte but that if he had bene in these our dayes he shoulde haue had greater occasione to complaine To be short therfore we wishe that the Scripture which is very plaine in these matters maie Iudge betwene traditions that are good and euil betwéen holy and prophane betwene profitable and hurtful and betwene such as are necessary and those that are super flucus The which being graunted this question may easily be resolued namely VVhether the Church be aboue the scripture The which questioÌ„ semeth so absurde vnto me as if a maÌ„ shuld demaund whether the father were inferior to the sonne or whether the wife were aboue the husband or maÌ„ aboue God. And truly the true Church neuer complaineth and murmureth against God in this matter but alwaies modestly submitteth it self vnto him Neither maketh it any matter that the Church was before the Scriptures For that word which was afterwardes written is more ancient thaÌ„ the Church seing of the same the Church was conceiued begotten brought forth hath also of the same his denominatioÌ„ And to disproue this the saying of S. Austine is brought against vs when he saith I would not beleue the scripture were it not that the authoritie of the church did force me thervnto But we must consider that S. Austine speaketh here in the person of Manichaeus For wheÌ„ two meÌ„ do contend about the truth of some instrument to whom in the end shal they go but to the Scriuener or Notary that hath the first draught or couÌ„terpane of the same Notwithstanding it doth not here vpoÌ„ folow that the authoritie of the instrument doth depend vpoÌ„ the person of the Notary the which should be no lesse firme and strong althoughe the Notarie being aliue woulde refuse to giue testimonie of the same The same answere muste be made to those whiche thinke the authoritie of the Canonicall bookes of scripture to depende vpon the determination of the Church But I will content my selfe to adde vnto that wherof I haue spoken before one only argument confirmed by the authoritie of certaine approued Fathers The argument is this Christe him selfe did so muche estéeme of the doctrine of the Prophet that he sought to confirme hys doctrine by their testimonies After the same maner the Apostle Paule went about to confirme the Thessalonians in his doctrine Peter also the Apostle commendeth vnto vs and alloweth this order of teaching Therefore it is not méete that they which call them selues Christ his vicars and the successors of Paule Peter shuld refuse the same condition Furthermore thus sayth Saint HieroÌ„ The error either of the fathers or of the elders ought not to be followed but the authoritie of Scriptures And Chrisostome sayth He which will knowe which is the â—…ue Church of Christ Howe shall he knowe the same in so great confusion of likenesse but by the Scriptures Also in the same place he sayth Let them whiche are in Iudea flee into the mountaines that is to say They which are in Christianisme let theÌ„ busie themselues in the Scriptures But why would he haue all Christians at that time be occupied in the scriptures Bycause so soone as heresie hadde entered into the Churches there coulde not be had a true probation of Christianisme neither can they which would knowe the truth of faith finde any other refuge than the holy scripture Whosoeuer therefore woulde know the true Church of Christ how shuld he know the same but by the Scriptures In like maner the Lorde knowing that there should come so great confusion in the latter dayes commaundeth Christians which will haue the assurance of true faith to haue no other refuge than the holy Scripture otherwise if that they seeke for other meanes they shall be offended and perishe not vnderstanding what is the true Church and so shal fall headlong into the abhomination of desolation which is placed in the holye place of the Churche Also Basill sayth If whatsoeuer be not of faith be sinne as sayth the Apostle and faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the word of God then whatsoeuer is beside that worde giuen by diuine inspiration is sinne Also in the sermon of the confession of Faith he saith If God be faithfull in all his woordes and if all his commaundementes be firme and certaine for euer framed in truth and righteousnesse it is a forsaking of the faithe and a poynt of arrogancie to retect any part of those things which are written or to bring in any thing not written Thus far O Quéene we haue answered copiouslye according to our knowledge to the first principall point of the Oration made by the Prelates concerning the authoritie of the Churche being readie paciently and quietly to heare whatsoeuer shall be shewed contrary to that which we haue spoken There remaineth yet to be spoken of the Article of our Lords Supper the which if it seeme good vnto your Maiestie I will nowe pretermit both for that I haue heide you and the whole companie ouer long and also bicause we desire to haue this conference hereafter framed in better order NotwithstaÌ„ding if it shal séeme good vnto your Maiestie that wee procéede anye farther we are readie to vtter those things which the Lorde shall put in oure heartes alwayes submitting our selues vnto those things which shall be obiected vnto vs oute of the Scriptures moste humblye praying and beseeching your Maiestie O Queene to be fully persuaded in this one thing that nexte vnto the glorye of oure God wée wishe and desire nothing more vehemently than the dignitie of your Maiestie and the peace tranquillitie of the Realme After that Beza had thus ended his oration then the Cardinall beckning to Claudius Espensius a Sorbonist willed him to make his oration TheÌ„ Espensius beginning to shew that not long agoe he had wished to haue this mutuall conference and that he alwayes vtterly abhorred those cruell punishmentes which were vniustlye vsed againste those which imbraced the ReligioÌ„ he sayd that those things which were alreadie spoken of the Church and of the markes and succession of the same were in his iudgemente verye true adding herevnto that if this way had been taken in hande at the first all controuersies had been by this
time ended But as touching that principall poynte of the Succession of the Churche I haue sayth he oftentimes maruelled with my selfe by whose authorite and by whose calling ye are entered into the Church and haue taken vpon you the office of teaching seing that ye are not come in by the ordinary way nor by such as haue ordinarie authoritie nor haue not receiued of theÌ„ the impositioÌ„ of hands Here vpoÌ„ he gathered that the ministers of the reformed churches were not true lauful pastors for so much as they could not say that they were come in by ordinarie successioÌ„ much lesse by extraordinarie bicause extraordinarie vocatioÌ„ ought to be coÌ„firmed by miracles eueÌ„ as Moises being raised vp of God to deliuer the people was established by extraordinarie miracles or else truly these extraordinarie callings ought to be coÌ„firmed by some expresse testimonie of scripture as the calling of Ihon by the testimonie of Malachy Both the which seing they lacked he coÌ„cluded that their calling ministery was not lawflul As concerning traditions the interpretatioÌ„ of scripture if ther shal happeÌ„ to be any disputatioÌ„ about theÌ„ theÌ„ we must run haue regard to ordinarie successors as to those to whom the holy Ghost is promised who were ordained to that end purpose as it is manisest by the example of the Leuites with whom in time past meÌ„ ought to consult from whose iudgement it was not lawful to decline Many things yea eueÌ„ those that are most certaine farthest from all doubt are retained by traditioÌ„ As the the father is not begotteÌ„ that the sonne is of like substance with the father that infantes ought to be baptized y the virgin Mary was a pure virgin after the birth of Christ so remained such like the which being receiued from the fathers although they be not plainly writteÌ„ in the word of God the is to say in the bookes of the prophets Apostles yet notwithstanding they are not of lesse credit and authoritie Moreouer he said the whatsoeuer was coÌ„cluded determined by generall couÌ„cels were ought to be accounted most certaine true seing the councels coulde not erre in those things that appertained to doctrin For the which saith he you haue alledged out of S. Austin that one couÌ„cell was correâ—… 〈◊〉 proued by another couÌ„cell following neuer came to passe in those things which appertained to ReligioÌ„ For there were only thrée councels in the time of S. Augustine namely the couÌ„cell of Nicene against the ArriaÌ„s the couÌ„cell of Constantinople against the MacedoniaÌ„s the Ephesine councel specially against Nestorius none of the which were afterward reproued ameÌ„ded That which you brought in coÌ„cerning Paphnutius it is neither certainly true nor yet doth it appertaine to the purpose Here vpoÌ„ he repeated that which was spoken coÌ„cerning the Supper disputing a little about the corporall presence he alledged many things out of the books of a certaine author which as he saide the ministers could not refuse meaning Caluine one of whose bookes he brought forth It was said that Espensius at the coÌ„mandemeÌ„t of the Cardinal of Loraine of purpose begaÌ„ to reason concerning the Supper to the intent he might finde conuenient occasion to breake off the conference While Beza was about to make answer to that which EspeÌ„sius had said a certain Sorbonist a white monke whose name was Xainctius being fully bent to dispute rose vp making a long tedious repetitioÌ„ of those things which were spokeÌ„ by Espensius before said that traditions had a more firme foundatioÌ„ than the scripture it self bicause the scripture might be drawen euerye waye by the varietie of interpretations for the which cause he saide that Cyprian contended with many Affricans affyrming that Christ said not I am custome but I am the way the truth the life The which sentence froÌ„ that time forward was many wayes wrested traÌ„sformed To the same effect he cited the testimonie of TertulliaÌ„ in his booke of prescriptions of heretikes said that Beza had spoken very stately sending him to the same place of Tertullian to reade it more diligently Who saythe Quoth the Monke that Heretikes bring in the scriptures and do leade the ignorant into error beyng moued by the authoritie ther of And thus he concluded that the Scriptures ought not to be vsed and that from them simply we ought not to take weapons to conuince heretikes for bicause of thynges so vncertaine the certaine victory of truth cannot be gotten At the last he obscurely sayde that God beside his Councell had giuen vnto vs his doctrine in writing saide that Chrisostome was the author of this saying Here Beza made answere that those long tedious words of the Monke were very impertinent to their conference and nothing helping to that peace and concorde which they wished and directing his oration to the Quéene he did besech hir to prouide that they might neuer afterward swarue fall into perturbations troubles not seruing to the purpose Therefore sayth he that I may answere to the firste doubt of Espensius from whence the Ministers of our Churches had their calling seing they were not called by ordinarie meanes neither had receiued the imposition of handes know ye that Imposition or laying on of handes is not the speciall note of lawfull calling for the principall and substantiall notes are the Inquisition of maners and doctrine and Election from the which two if imposition of handes shall be wanting yet we muste not thinke the calling to be any whyt the lesse lawfull We are elected Ministers and approued of our Churches which with one consent haue allowed our Ministerie But wheras we haue not had imposition of handes nor appointed by those whome ye call Ordinaries that oughte not to séeme straunge seing that in so greate confusion of all things in the Churche of Rome wée would not receiue imposition of hands of those whose vices superstition and false doctrine we disalowe for that they were open enimyes to the truth It is out of all doubte that the Prophetes in olde time had no greater aduersaries than the Priestes whiche reiected sounde doctrine and neglected their office and duetie Did the Prophetes therefore at any time which were raised vp of God to be enimies vnto them desire the confirmation or approbation of their offices vnto the which they were called and appointed of God And yet notwithstanding who will say that they did intrude themselues into those offices which they executed and discharged faithfully with great perill and daunger of their life The which also we ought to do at this time And it ought not to be said that Myracles are necessarily to be required to extraordinarie callings for that which is written concerning the calling of Moyses is not common to all For by what Myracles were the callings of Esayas Daniel and Zacharias confirmed Did the Apostle Paule
Germanie concerning the Lords Supper the whiche he sayde was sent by them to him out of Germanie But herein he played the craftie Foxe to the ende that if they had openly denyed this thing he mighte haue set them and the Ministers of Germanie togither by the eares but if they had imbraced the same that then hee mighte tryumphe ouer them as if they had gotten the victory Beza to auoid this Dilemma and subtill traine answered That he and his fellowes came thyther to defende the confession of their owne Churches whiche they were onelye by them inioyned to doe So that he desired that the order of the disputation might be framed vpon the forme of their confession to the end that they might gather thereby bothe the greater fruit and also come into a more perfect concord For the order of nature doth require that firste of all those things which are more easie shoulde be handled and we must first of all dispute of doctrine bycause the Sacramentes doe depende of Doctrine Notwithstanding the Cardinall did with no lesse vehemencie still vrge the matter Therefore the chosen men of the Churches fearing least by this meanes occasion mighte be taken to breake off the conference and that the blame thereof shoulde be layde vpon them they desired to haue leaue to vewe and consider that writing whereto the Prelates wente aboute to make them to subscribe and so they woulde deliberate together what they were best to doe Then was broughte for the a fourme of the article concerning the Lords Supper written as the Cardinall said oute of the Augustane confession thus VVe doe Confesse that the very body and bloud of Christ Iesus is truely really and Sacramentally in the Supper of the Lorde and is so giuen and receiued of those that doe communicate There were also broughte forthe manye opinions of the Saxone Ministers concerning this matter written in the yeare of oure Lorde 1559. And thus was the assembly dismist vntill another day In the meane time newes was broughte that the writing exhibited by the Cardinall of Loraine was by the industrie of one Frances Balduine sente with letters whiche signifyed that he woulde come verie shortly and bring certaine ministers with him out of Germanie which shoulde dispute and contend with Beza and with the rest of the challengers of the reformed Churches Balduine therfore came to Poossiac in the time of the conference leauing notwithstandyng behynde him those ministers of Germanie making the more haste to the intent he mighte offer vp a certayne Latine booke intituled The office of a godly man among the controuersies of Religion perswading himselfe by this meanes that he shoulde please all men specially the Byshoppes And this Booke he highlye commended and bragged of as a certaine singular meane and waye to worke peace and vnitie the author of the which booke the miserable ambitious man partlye affyrming and partlye denying hymselfe to be by vayne dissimulation the name of Cassander beyng suppressed and quite taken awaye whiche had patched the same together would that all men should haue counted hym to bée the authour thereof perswading hymselfe hereby to wyn greate fame But his expectation for all this was deceyued for he was called of neyther part into the conference for that all men feared his inconstancie and lighte rashenesse whiche he had all his lyfe time shewed by manyfest proofe and shewe of his subtill and false minde But his hatred for this matter was wholly kindled against the Ministers of the reformed Churches whom he thought to be the cause that he was not called to the conference Afterwardes he inueyed againste Caluine and Beza who by theyr answere agayne declared by euident argumentes that he was giltie of a lye of falsehoode and of impietie That is to saye Balduine not long agoe â—…ayned to loue the Gospell and declared the same also by setting forthe of bookes and was conuersaunt in the refourmed Churches whereby among good men he had gotten a good reporte notwithstanding chaunging oftentymes his Religion one while he séemed to imbrace the doctrine of the Gospell going to those places in the whiche the same was publiquely preached another whyle he wente to the Papistes seeming to lyke of their seruice whereby at the last all men iustly Iudged hym to bée of a wycked and vnconstant mind Therefore after he hadde experience and proofe of diuers Religions shyfting oftentymes from one to another the subtill fellowe thought that he had at the last founde oute a certayne vndoubted fourme of Religion and reported abroade that he knewe a sure meane or waye to appease all controuersies for Religion And beyng broughte vnto the King of Nauarre by the practise of the Cardinall of Lorayne hée made hym to haue a wonderfull opinion of him And whilest the King of Nauarre was greatly disturbed with the fayre promyses of the Pope of the whiche wée wyll speake anon thys fellowe dayly called vpon him who also bringing forthe argumentes oute of certayne auncient notes and abbreuiations whiche he sayde hee hadde founde by chaunce he put the Kyng of Nauarre in suche hope to get the Kingdome of Nauarre that his loue and zeale towardes the Gospell waxing colde by little and lyttle at the laste he vtterlye renounced and forsoke the Gospell to the greate detrimente and hurte of the reformed Churches and of the whole Realme of Fraunce in furtheryng whereof before tyme he had notwithstandyng béene very diligent Balduine for brynging these things to passe receiued for his reward a great summe of money and had also committed vnto him the charge to bryng vp the kyng of Nauarres bastard for which he receiued a stipend But nowe againe they come to the Conference so that when they were all assembled togyther and leaue giuen to the Ministers to speake Beza pronounced this Oration before the Quéene We declared of late before your Maiestie noble Quéene according to our skil our opinion concerning the Article propounded vnto vs of the Church and of the markes and authoritie of the same in opening of the which things we haue so followed the word of God that we trust no man hath had iust occasion to complaine of vs But for so muche as those things which haue bene opened by vs ought either to be approued or else to be reprehended by the worde of God it was euen nowe demaunded of vs by what authoritie wée would preach the worde of God and minister the holy Sacramentes in the which demaunde to make our cause to be hated there was lefte nothing vndone We knowe not to what end these things haue bene propouÌ„ded For first of all we came not hyther eyther to preach the word or to minister the Sacraments So that it séemeth superfluous to demaund of vs by what authoritie we would doe this thing If answere be made vnto vs that this was therfore demauÌ„ded that we might giue account of those thinges whiche we haue done afore time it was to be coÌ„sidered that this
possessed by the Protestantes and so was Rochell In al partes of the realm thoâ—…e was some number or other of Protestantes but they were banished out of the Cities whiche made the army of the Prince of Conde to be the greater The misdemeanour and cruelty of the inhabitantes of Lions made the protestants in other places that wer more mighty in power to aryse Therfore diuers murthers were committed in diuers places and because the Catholiques had burned the churches of the protestants they in lyke manner burned their Churches to requite their crueltie In so much that in all those cities which the protestantes possessed there was not almost a church to be found which thei had not burned spoyled and beaten down to the ground the people crying that all the remnaunts of superstition must bee so taken away that afterward there may be no remembrance or signe thereof to be found While this businesse and garboyle was abroade in diuers places at Paris the papists were very extréeme and cruell agaynst such as they could but suspecte to bée fauourers of the reformed religion All men therefore were set vpon warre and tumult In the meane tyme the prince of Conde wayted for his souldiours at Sandionyse and waxed dayly more strong with new ayde The Constable being verily persuaded that he should oppresse ouercome the prince of Conde marched with all the power he was able to make from Paris takinge with him great gonnes bragging boastinge that the prince of Conde had none such to put him in perill withall but his bragges and boastes had euill successe For after that the Parisians had discharged their great shot and that the battayle began to waxe whote they being not able to abyde the charge of the Prince of Conde and his souldiours though they were the smaller number began at the first to retire and afterwards when their araye was brokeÌ„ to quayle and to flée séeking to recouer the gates of the Citie so fast as they could In this battayle the Constable was sore wounded with a shot his horse also and falling to the grounde was wounded agayne and then was spéedely caryed away by certayn horsmen to Paris after the which within certayn dayes after he dyed This man had liued fiue kinges raignes being of great authoritie in Fraunce many yeres yeâ—… he was the second person in the realme he was also a faythfull and trusty seruaunt to the King being wyse circumspect to auoyde the daunger of his enemies vntill such time as he ioyned himselfe vnto them for the hatred of Religion Concerning the calamitie of the churches of Belgio we spake before After therefore that the people were in good hope by reason of the authoritie and promises of the Noble men that were of the Confederacy they receyued notwithstanding at length the aunswere of the Noble men which séemed to bee of greatest power in these matters That it séemed good vnto them to commit the whole matter to Maximilian the Emperour and the Princes of the Empyre whereby they should be sure to enioye the libertie of the confession of Ausburg But Valence being left destitute of ayde and therefore cruelly spoyled and the whole countrey being desolat that their purpose was frustrate For the protestantes fledd out from all places of the borders of Belgio by heapes also the Ministers chiefe Gouerners of the church of Antwerp yea and the Prince of Orange himselfe leauing his sonne at Louayne fled out of the countrey and that in good tyme as the pitiefull deathes of Counte Egmond and Horne afterwarde declared of the which we will speake anon A great parte of the Protestantes of the low Countrey fled into Englande and part into Germany and into Cleueland the Quene of Enland the princes of Germany but specially the Countye Palatyne graunting vnto them Cities to dwell in God thus prouided for his people who is always a continuall preseruer and vphoulder of his Church the whiche when horrible destruction coÌ„meth he buildeth vp with out the helpe of man. The Duke of Alba therefore came into Belgio otherwyse called the Lowe Countrey where he placed in diuers Cities garrisons of Spayniardes and then proclaimed the Kings Edicte concerninge the establishing of the Inquisition by whiche hée willed and commaunded the reformed religion to be altered and ordered Then also he ordeyned a new senate consisting of twelue men comonly called the Bloudy Counsaile which should sit vppon all matters concerning lyfe and death He displaced also dyuers Magistrates and set others in their roome After this he tooke a great number and cast them into prison hauing no regard or consideration of them what Religion soeuer they professed to such as were fled the countrey he appointed a day for their return and before the day was fully expired he adiudged their goodes to be confiscate Howbeit in the beginning he dissembled this cruelty and made the people beléeue that whatsoeuer had bin done before tyme for religion should be pardoned by the Kings Edict And thus were County Egmond Horne Noble men brought caught in the snare And when sharp lawes wer made concerning the inquisition the inquisitoures were not idle but played their part and cast a great number into pryson Infantes whych had bin baptised before in the reformed Churches were constrained to be rebaptised Women whose husbandes were fled for religion were constrained to be maried agayn to new husbandes and at the commaundement of the Duke de Alba many of them were forced to mary with his soulders Now the Spanish souldier began to pray and spoile in euery City Also when the dissembled clemency of Duke de Alba shewed at the first had drawen a great many home to their houses againe the Bloudy Senate was set a worke some were beheaded some hanged and some had their tungues first of all cutte out of their heades and then a bodkin thrust through their lippes these lamentable sightes were dayly to be sene but specially at Brusselles and at Antwerp Diuers Noblemen also were partakers of these punishmentes as the Battemburges which were Bretheren of a noble house and were cruelly put to death but these had more coÌ„pany for heapes were brought at once to the place of execution And at the same time County Egmond and County Horne noble men and such as afore time had borne great offices and done to their King and Countrey good seruice wer also with this bitter reward of cruel tyranny requited and after they were beheaded their heades were set vp on forkes County Horne all the tyme of his imprisonment and euen in death shewed a singuler zeale of religion It was reported that the Duke of Alba bare towardes both of these an olde grudge but specially towardes the County Egmond for that which he had done in the affaires of France not for religions sake which neyther of them at any tyme had professed These thinges were done in the yeare of our Lord 1568 the which we haue
as might conueniently there shoulde be Councels Synodes or Parlings of those Churches that were not farre oft 4 That there be diligent eye and heede giuen specially to the doctrine and also the maners of Ministers 5 That no Minister vsurpe superioritie or principalitie by any maner of meanes among his fellowe Ministers but that all things bee done indifferently and soberlye among them 6 That all offences and stumbling blocks be taken away 7 That the faithfull be taught their dutie and also instructed in the puritie of the worde and in the chaste rule of discipline ▪ 8 That nothing in this discipline be rashly altered by one man or by one Church without the authoritie of the generall Councell But now when the most excellent and famous Princes Protestantes of Germanie vnderstoode of the great punishments and intollerable afflictions layde vpon the faithfull for the Gospels sake they sent their Ambassadours wyth their charge and letters vnto the King beséeching him that he woulde inhibite and staye those grieuous persecutions of the which their letters this was the effect and summe as followeth When they vnderstoode and weyed with themselues that men in all ages estates and times suffered imprisonment and bondes for professing the doctrine of the Gospell which is contrarie to those superstitions which are of the most part obserued and that for the same cause onely they were extréemely punished both in body and goodes they also knowing themselues to be members of the same heade Christ with them whome they hearde to be so cruelly handled and being perswaded that they were bounde in conscience to helpe them so much as they might they thought good for these causes to sende their Ambassadours vnto the King with those letters And that the King might not thinke that the matter is not throughly considered off of them they signifie vnto him that they knowe for a suretie that those men which were restrained from their libertie did maintaine or defende no seditious opinions nor any thing else that is contrary to the true and Apostolicall articles of the Christian faith And bicause they themselues did take no lesse labour and paine than the King himselfe to roote out and abolishe all those things which were against the glorie of God and did onely desire to defende the true inuocation of his holy name and the syncere doctrine of the Catholike Church contained in the writings of the Prophetes Apostles and Fathers and also did seuerely punishe the maintainers of false doctrine and men of impure and vnhonest lyfe and to be short bicause they themselues did acknowledge and worship one God as the hyest and Lorde of all these were the causes which had moued them to write those letters of intreatie for the releasing of those captiues out of miserie whose doctrine they knewe to be farre from all falshoode heresie and sebitious opinions the which thing might euidently appeare by their confession the which they sent vnto the King to that ende There is no man but he will confesse that many corruptions are crept into the Church and haue preuayled partly by error and partly by couetousnesse to roote out the which saye they that diuers good and godly men haue taken great paine of late and that not long since also certaine vertuous and singular learned men in the vniuersitie of Paris as VVilliam of Paris Gersone VVestelus and others had done the like and also that they themselues haue reformed errours in their dominions for the which they are not a little ioyfull Moreouer that his father king Frances of happie memorie a Prince of singular wisedome and vertue purposed to haue made the like reformation folowing herein the examples of his auncelors the Kings of Fraunce who woulde oftentimes themselues finde out the controuersies that happened in the Church The which waye he ought to followe in ending these matters rather than to suffer the crueltie of manye against their brethren and his subiectes assuring himselfe of this that he shoulde so smallye preuayle in suppressing the doctrine of the Gospell by those sharpe and cruell punishments that contrarywise the bloude which was shed for the same shoulde be the séede more and more dailye to increase the number of christians and furthermore ▪ that by this meanes namely by shedding of bloude he shoulde haue the greatest part of his faithfull subiectes cut from him Eeside all this that God doth threaten to take vengeaunce of the bloude of Innocentes vniustly shedde and will seuerely punishe those which shall reiect the perfect knowledge of his doctryne and truth Moreouer they signifie vnto the King in their letters that they did of late sue vnto him and require the selfe same thing of him that they doe nowe by their letters then and Ambassadours also and were almost perswaded by his aunswere againe that he woulde neuer more suffer the miserable Christians so to be afflicted and appressed with those iniuries Notwithstanding that they vnderstoode that the same affliction by all maner of punishment was as great in his kingdome as euer it had bene before Insomuch that in this poynt they did greatly bewayle so much as Christian Charitie required the state and condition of his good and faythfull subiectes who for this cause were onely afflicted for that they followed that doctrine which they retayned sure and firme in their Churches and in the which they grounded their fayth The which wonderfully grieued them not onely bicause they sawe that it was preiudiciall and hurtfull to them but chiefly bicause they perceyued the glorie of the most mightie God to be defaced and as it were derided And bicause Charitie with the which his subiects were beloued of men did prouoke them also to wishe their peace and tranquilitie and aboue all things to desire that the King might behaue himselfe in that thing which appertained to the glorye of God and soules health that he might not prouoke the wrath of God against him they most hartily beseech hym that he woulde prudentlye expende and weigh all the circumstances of this facte and specially that he woulde consider the causes why his miserable subiectes shoulde be so greatly troubled and that he woulde endeuour himselfe that the Church of God might be pourged from all these corruptions with the which it had bene a long time contaminated and infected in so doing he shoulde satisfie the honest desire of a great number in this poynt And bicause he coulde not come to the knowledge of those things which were of so great weyght without the hearing of the iudgementes of godlye learned men they perswaded him so call vnto hym out of hande men expert in knowledge and desirous of Gods glorie after the ensample of his Elders by whome the matters nowe in controuersie might be vprightlye and peaceably decided and determined by the rule of holye Scripture Also that whyle these thinges were in hande and vntill it were fully concluded of the matters in controuersie his subiectes which followe the doctrine agréeing
by the Churches of Fraunce WE belcue and confesse one God which is the only and simple spirituall essence eternall inuisible immutable infinite incomprehensible vnspeakable omnipotent onely wise good iust and mercifull 2 This onely God shewed himselfe to be such a one vnto men first both in the creation of his works and also in the conseruation gouerning of them secondly in his word that more euidently the which worde in the beginniing he reuealed vnto the fathers by certaine visions and oracles and afterward would haue it to be written in those bookes which we call the bookes of holy Scripture 3 All this holy Scripture is cōprehended in the Canonicall bookes of the olde and newe Testament the cataloge of the which bookes is this First the fiue bookes of Moses namely Genesis Exodus Leuiticus Numeri Deuteronomium then Iosue Iudges Ruth the two bookes of Samuel the two bookes of Kings the two bokes of Chronicles called Paraly pomenon the booke of Esdras Nehemias Esther Iob Psalmes Prouerbs of Salomon Ecclesiastes otherwise called the Preacher the booke of Cāticles otherwise called the Ballets of Salomon the Prophecie of Esaias Ieremias with the lamentations Ezechiel Daniel the twelue lesser Prophetes namely Oseas Ioel Amos Abdias Ionas Micheas Nahū Abacuc Sophonias Aggeus Zacharias Malachias the holy Gospell of Iesu Christ after Mathew after Marke after Luke and after Iohn The Actes of the Apostles Paules Epistle to the Romanes his two Epistles to the Corinthians his Epistle to the Galathians Ephesians Philippians Colossians his two Epistles to the Thessalonians both his Epistles to Timothie his Epistle to Titus to Philemon to the Hebrues Iames Epistle both the Epistles of Peter the thrée Epistles of Iohn the Epistle of Iude ▪ and the Apocalyps or Reuelation of Iohn 4 These bookes we confesse to be Canonicall that is to saye the Rule and stay of our faith the which we haue not onely by the common consent of the Church but also much more by the testimonie and inwarde perswasion of the holy ghost by the instinct and motion whereof we are taught to discerne them from other Ecclesiasticall bookes the which although they be profitable yet notwithstanding they are not such that we should ground any article of our faith vpon them 5 We beléeue that the worde comprehended in these bokes came from God alone from whome onely it hath his authoritie and not from men And séeing this is the summe of all truth contayning whatsoeuer is requisite for the worship of God and our saluation we saye that it is not méete neither for men nor yet for Angels to adde or detract any thing from the same word or to alter any thing in the same And herevpon it followeth that neither antiquitie nor customes nor multitude nor humane wisedome nor Judgements nor Edicts nor decrées nor Counsels nor Uisions nor Miracles ought to be compared or set against that worde of God but rather that all things oughte to be brought and examined according to the prescript rule therof Wherfore also those three Symbols or Creedes as the Apostles Crede the Nicene Crede and Athanasius Crede are allowed of vs bycause they are agreing to that worde of God. 6 This holie Scripture teacheth vs that in that singular and simple diuine essence there are three persons the Father the Sonne and the holye Ghost The Father is the first cause in order the originall of all things The Sonne is his wisedome and eternall word The holy Ghost is the vertue power and efficacie of them both The sonne was begotten of the Father before all worldes The holy Ghost procéeded from the Father and the Sonne frō euerlasting The which thrée persons are not confounded but distinct and yet for al that not separated but coessentiall coeternal and coequall togither To conclude in this mysterie we allow that which those foure ancient Councels did determine and do detest all those sectes and all others what soeuer cōdemned by those auncient holy Fathers namely by Athanasius Hilarius Cyrill Ambrose and others by the worde of God. 7 We beléeue that God the thrée persons working togither by his power wisdome incomprehensible goodnesse made all things that is to say not onely heauē and earth and all things in them contained but also inuisible spirites of which some fell to perpetuall destruction and other some abode still in their obedience The first as they are by their owne wickednesse depraued so are they perpetuall enimies of all goodnesse and therefore of the whole Churche But the other beyng preserued by the méere grace of God are Ministers of his glorye and appoynted for the saluation of the elect 8 We beléeue that God did not onely create all things but also ruleth and gouerneth them and disposeth also and ordereth at his pleasure whatsoeuer is in the worlde Notwithstanding we deme him to be the author of euill or of those things that are done amisse in anye wyse to deserue blame seing that his will is the chiefe and moste certayne marke and rule of righteousnesse and iustice For he hath rather admirable than speakeable reasons by which he so vseth all Diuels and sinfull men as Instrumentes that whatsoeuer they wickedly do the same as he did iustlye ordaine so also he tourneth it to good Therefore when wee confesse that nothing is done without his prouidence and ordynaunce wée do humblye adore the secrete mysteries that are hydden from vs neither doe we curiously inquire and séeke after those things which are aboue our capacitie But doe rather apply that to our vse and profite which the Scripture teacheth for oure quietnesse and tranquilitie Namely that God to whome all things are subiecte doth with fartherly carefulnesse watche for vs in so muche that not one heare of our heade shall fall away without his wil. And as for Sathan and all oure enimyes he hath them in such holde and bonds that except they haue power giuē vnto them from him they can do nothing at all vnto vs. 9 We beléeue that man being created pure and perfecte and according to the Image of God fell throughe his owne faulte from the grace which he had receyued and therefore caste him selfe from God the welspring of all rightcousnesse and goodnesse in so muche that his nature is altogether corrupted and his heart defiled whereby he hath loste all his former integritie without exception For althoughe he hath some discretion of good and euill notwithstanding we affirme that whatsoeuer light he hath in him the same is tourned into darkenesse when he seeketh after God in so muche that no maner of way he can come vnto him by his owne vnderstanding reason Moreouer although he hath a wil by which he is named to doe this or that notwithstanding seing that the same is captiued made subiect vnto sin it hath no libertie at all to will or desire that which is good but onely that which it receiueth by the grace
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
end that ye might not doubt of this what say ye to that which was don by Pope Paule iij. and also by Pope Iulio iij. Of the which matter I my selfe can be a sufficient witnesse and my testimonie the more worthye to be receyued for that I my selfe for bewraying this coloured deceite was constrained to depart from Trent Who knoweth not that here vpon came this prouerbe The holy Ghost is brought from Rome in a Cheste I my selfe was once a Bishop as ye be and that waye bent that ye are vntill I forsoke the Pope and got me to the Church of Christ. The which I count the greatest benefite that euer I receyued But truely those toyes and deceitfull fleightes are appointed now out of tyme in these dayes soing the cléere light of the Gospel so brightly shineth throughout the whole worlde and séeing the deceites of the Pope are so openlyâ—… knowne Is this your generall Counsell from the which we that are the contrary part and for whose cause y same is assembled are excluded Is this I say the order of your generall Councell that the Pope shall commaund Patriarkes Archbishops Bishops and Abbates to be at the Councell shall exhort Kings and Princes also to sende their Clergye and prelates thither which are our aduersaries and seclude vs which ought to make answere before we be condemned And wheras the Pope woulde séeme greatly to desire that Kings and Princes shoulde either they themselues be presente or else their Legates and Ambassadors what a ieste and ridiculous thing is that seing they haue no definitiue voyce in the Councell but are onely lookers on Therefore in your Councels not wisedome not godlynesse not grauitie giue Councell but your Miters This and muche more he wrote which for breuities sake we omit Thus the Pope went aboute to bring to passe to haue a Councell at Trident. And now at this time the Electors and Princes of Germanie which were protestants met togither at Numburgh that they might deliberate and consulte of the Confession made at Augusta and offered to Charles the fifth in the yeare of our Lord god M. D. XXX and that bycause they heard that they were many wayes misreported of before the Emperor Ferdinando And writing letters to the Emperour they declared that they did hold fast embrace with one coÌ„sent that confession made at Ausburgh that they were ready to giue an account of the same confession out of the word of God. While the Princes were thus occupied there came two Legates from the Pope to intreate the Princes of Germanie to come to the generall Councell The which two declared their message as followeth The one of them began thus saying That the most high bishop so soone as he was called to the most holy reuereud office of gouerning the Churche to the end he might do the dutie of a true pastor he had this care aboue al others to correct and amend whatsoeuer was amisse that the Church mighte be quiet that all nations might be of one consent minde and embrace one doctrine To bring the which thing to passe séeing he saw no better way or remedie than an assembly of a generall Councell by due aduise deliberatioÌ„ by his own authoritie also which he hath froÌ„ God hath ordained appointed a councel which shal be holdeÌ„ at the feast of Easter next coÌ„ming And that the Princes might be the more fully certified of this matter to the end they ioyning their indeuor with the Popes carefulnesse might be willing diligent to procure the tranquillitie peace of Germanie they said that his holinesse greatly desiring seking the peace quietnesse of the countrey of Germanie had sent his legates to pray exhort all meÌ„ to come to y holy assembly in the which it should be lawfull for all men to speake what they would Also they intreated those Princes by name that they woulde not by any meanes hinder that godly zeale and peace of the Church the most holy Father being ready to giue vnto all men a most large Charter of the publique faithe and most solemnly to be bound to performe the same his holynesse exhorting al Princes to send their Ambassadors to that holy counsell with their commissions to the ende the controuersies of the Church in the which there are so many opinions as there are heads and so many Gospels as there are teachers maye by their industry and diligence be spéedily ended and that they also giuing that honor which is due to the Church one Faith may be kepte and one God alone adored and worshipped Thus when the first Legate had very copiously vttered his mind the other also begaÌ„ in maner forme following saying that he would not repeate those things whereof his fellow before him had spoken séeing that they had all one charge and commission from the holy Father There is no man sayth he that can be ignorant of the most greuous calamities of the Church and into what miserie the same is cast one euill and mischiefe following another occasioÌ„ being giuen to the enemies of Christes name to calumniate and speake euill of the same Insomuch that of necessitie so great confusion must be prouided for a remedy sought For the dangers do require these things the oportunitie of the time persuadeth to the same and the clemencie and godly zeale of the holy Father allureth men therevnto so that there could neuer be a better consent and a more fitte occasion offered the Christian common welth being pacifyed Gods grace so plentifully being giuen to y most holy father who is not only very careful for Princes but also for souls helth the peace tranquilitie of the church Thus they both made an end of their Oration to whom this answere was gyuen The moste honorable Electors Princes Ambassadors and Counsellers of the moste sacred Empire of Rome make this answere to the proposition of the Legates namely that they doubt not but that a great sorte of learned godly and wyse men of all ages and conditions haue wished a long tyme that the Churche might be in better state praying that at the length the pure doctrine of the Gospell might be restored and that the wicked errors might be takeÌ„ away Of the which matter Byshops of Rome ought to haue a speciall care for that they haue of long tyme attributed to themselues the tytles of Pastors of the Church but say they experience hath hytherto declared that they haue bene rather occupyed in establyshing of their Tyranny and in bringing errors into the Church than in amplyfying and setting foorth the glory of God and in curing the diseases of the Church The which truly is most manyfest by too too many sorrowfull effectes as the best friendes that the Pope hath cannot but confesse if there be any shame in them Also they sayd that they did not a little maruel what moued the Pope and what hope he
that vnder the pain of death confiscation of all their goods which offended herein Also that the knowledge and examination of heresie should be left to Ecclesiasticall persons and that whosoeuer was found guiltie therof should be committed to the secular power and susteine no other punishement than exile All these thinges to continue vntill the determination of a generall or Nationall counsell Pardon and full forgiuenesse of all crimes for religions sake being graunted to those that hadde offended vpon condition that they woulde euer afterwarde liue peaceably and catholikely Besides there was in this Edicte seuere punishments appoynted for false accusers And last of all strayte commaundement that no man shoulde weare armour It was also agréed and concluded in this assemblie that the Prelacie or Clergie shoulde be forthe with gathered togither and also the ministers of the reformed Religion being waranted from the king to come withoute harme in peace to that assemblie The Cardinall of Lorrain bragged that he would confute them by the authoritie of the auncient fathers and so made many men to hope to sée wonders Therefore the Quéene seeking to hasten this triumphe and fearing least the States of the realme woulde once againe make request to haue Temples gaue forthe commaundement that the Clergie of the Churche of Fraunce shoulde be at the towne of Possiac neere to Sangerman the tenth day of August following Fraunce béeyng in the middest of these troubles there was warrâ—… also aboute that tyme occasioned by the meanes of Religion betweene the Duke of Sabaudiâ—… and the Inhabitauntes of the Ualleys of Pedemount of the whiche to make relation béeing occasioned for one and the selfe same cause and in the nexte region it shall not be greately beside our purpose Pedamount néere vnto the mountayne Vesulus is called the valey of Lucern of a little towne called Lucerna néere adioyning to the same To this there is also an other adioyning called Angronia so called of the Riuer Angrone néere to the which the valeys of Perossa and Samnartine doe lye Those valleys haue dwelling in them fiftene thousande inhabitants Of which number the greatest part professe the Gospell also there were some in those places long agoe which abhorring the Pope and his doctrin had some knowledge and taste of true religion But after that the lyght of the truth in our tyme brast forthe and more cléerely appeared than it had done before it began also more cléerely to shine in those valeys Therfore when they were better instructed in the doctrine of the Gospell then did they more vehemently professe the truthe and that specially in two little townes aboue the rest where the same was openly professed These men of the valleys had many noble men appoynted to rule and gouerne them but among the reste they acknowledge the duke of Sabaudia their chiefe Prince and gouernour Therfore these inhabitauntes being hated for religions sake of the noble men that dwelt about them were diuers and sundrie wayes by them vexed And their chiefe Prince the duke of Sabaudia was sore agréeued that Religion began to flourish among them in somuch that he oftentimes coÌ„manded them to forsake the religion and to warne their ministers to receyue the Masse and the auncient religion otherwise he threatned them cruelly to punish them as rebels They being carefull by reason of these new commaundements sende at lengthe their Ambassadour to the Prince with a supplication and confession of their faith protesting that they beléeue all things conteyned in the old and newe Testament the articles of the Christian fayth called Symbolum Apostolorum the Nicene Créede and the Creede of Athanasius also the foure firste Councelles and the doctrine of the auncient Fathers so farre forth as they with the word of god Humbly beseching him to giue them leaue to liue according to the rule of Gods word and not to constraine them to doe any thing against their conscience affirming that they were readie not onelye to giue an account of their Religion but also to acknowledge and confesse their error if they might be brought vnto it by the word of god Adding herevnto that this doctrine had continued a long time among them as they coulde well approue by great testimonyes receiued from their ancetors Desiring him also to inquire how they behaued them selues towards their gouerners and in what order they liued protesting that their only desire was to render vnto him all obedience as vnto their chiefe Lord and Prince and that if they should be founde otherwise to be sharpely and seuerely punished This was the effecte of their ambassage to the Duke but it did nothing at all preuaile For the Duke gaue strait commaundement that no man should come or resort to those sermons which the Ministers of the inhabitantes of the valleys made if any did resorte vnto them their first punishment was the losse or forfeiture of 100. Crownes and the seconde punishment was to be a Gally slaue He commaunded also all the Nobles and Magistrates that had authoritie to punishe seuerely to execute the same againste the offenders Therfore the Noble men began to waxe fierce against the inhabitantes of the valleys in so much that when they had taken certaine of them they burnte them among whome were two preachers of Gods worde All men vsed violence against the meÌ„ of the valleys euen as if they had béen mortall enimyes great damage and hurte was done to them and those which dwelt about them making an armie made hauocke of them and spoyled them The men of the valleys were contented with all this iniurie and by the exhortations of their Ministers and preachers bare these things paciently for a time But at the length being ouerladen and wearied with these troubles they purposed to defend themselues in so much that they flew many of them which came to pray and spoile them Wherevpon the Duke gaue forth a commaundement that they shuld leaue off to spoile them anye more and sent vnto them Ranconensis and Triniâ—…aeus two of his gentlemen to intreate them friendly Notwithstanding they retourned home agayne as they came bycause they woulde haue bounde them to sende away their Ministers and Preaches The Duke beyng angrye wyth this intended to make open warre against them Wherevpon he sente agaynst them Trinitaeus with fiue thousands soulders the greatest parte whereof were gunners and some horsemen commaundyng hym that excepte the men of the valleys woulde doe as they were commaunded he shoulde deale with them as with mortall enimyes to spoile their goods and to put them to fire and sworde First of all therefore Trinitaeus assaulted Agronia with a thousand and a halfe of gunners certayne of the Townsmen to the number of thirtie being slenderly armed wyth flyngs and Crosbowes straighte waye went against them and withstandyng the firste fronte of the Armie were straite way rescued with two hundered oute of the valleys adioyning vnto them and so by and by they put their enimyes to flight
summe besides towardes the maintayning of garrisons of souldiers the fortifying of Cities and other such lyke vses to the great profit and commoditie of the people They made Supplication in like maner that the Edict of Iuly of the which we made mention before and in the which the faithfull were forbydden to assemble themselues together might be taken awaye that also there might be vsed peaceable and quyet meanes in matters of Religion and yet notwithstanding that no Heretikes Libertines Anabaptistes Atheistes and suche lyke seditious persons might be borne withal And that there might be called out of hand a Nationall Councell to reforme the errors of Ecclesiasticall persons Furthermore they requested that the King with his kinsmen the Princes woulde be at the counsell that all men might haue frée libertie vnder the kings warrant to come to that conuocation that they might haue Churches for the administration of their doctrine and Sacramentes graunted vnto them which affirme that they cannot with safe conscience come to the Ceremonies of the Romishe Churche that they mighte openly and plainely professe and maintayne their Religion and put awaye all occasions of slaunder and reproche Last of all they required that all iurisdiction mighte be taken away from Ecclesiasticall persons and restored to the King to whome the same truely appertayned that Ecclesiasticall persons myghte haue no place in the Ciuill assemblyes of Parliamentes and also that Ciuill or temporall persons mighte not haue benefices or spirituall promotions These things were spoken by the orators and speaker for the States according to their commission Moreouer at the length motion was made vnto them â—…o helpe to confirme the couenant made betwéene the Quéene and the king of Nauarre concerning the gouernement of the kingdome To the which they answered that it seemed vnto them verye vnmeete and strange that a woman should rule the Realme of Fraunce which was plaine againste the lawe therof called the lawe Salic After long contention by the earnest persuasion of the king of Nauarre who sought to haue the Queenes fauour and sayd that he did willingly giue place vnto hir the speakers answered that if the king of Nauarre woulde departe from his right and that the king and Quéene could so agrée they would not be against it nor hinder it But it was sayde that those speakers dyd not well in that they swarued from their Commissions and therefore that theyr assente to be voyde and of none effecte neither was the facillitie and myldnesse of the King of Nauarre well lyked of Nowe the Pope feared as we sayde before that Nationall Councell which the king had promysed least it woulde be greatly hurtfull vnto him therfore so muche as he could he made haste to haue a generall Councell And for thys cause he sente the Cardinall of Ferrer to the king Thys Romishe Cardinall called hym selfe the Protector of the Churches of Fraunce for the which names sake manye presents and giftes were giuen to him in Fraunce At the nexte comming together of the States it was concluded that the Pope should neuer afterward haue authoritie to giue anye benefice or spirituall promotion in Fraunce Therefore the Cardinall when he was come woulde haue vsed his accustomed power and authoritie but beyng let by the newe decree of the States or Parliament he rayled vp great controuersies Then the Chauncelor 〈◊〉 affirmed that it was a thing not to be suffered that so newe a decrée of Parliament shoulde be infringed and broken Notwithstanding the matter came to that pasâ—…e by the daylye complayntes of the Cardinall that the king gaue straighte commaundement to the ChauÌ„celor to seale his letters The Chauncelor sayde that it was against lawe and equitie so to doe howbeit he sealed his letters with the kings seale and subscribed these wordes with his owne hande without my consente and will. Then these letters according to custome were sent to the Senate of Paris that they also myght confirme them But when the Senate had read these wordes of the Chauncelor they made this answere They cannot neither oughte they to be receyued Which wordes they alwayes vse when they meane to note any vnlawful or vniust matter Therfore Cardinall Ferrar was without hope of his letters and was very sore agréeued to sée the Popes authoritie so sore diminished and shaken in Fraunce besyde this ballets and rymes were made â—…f hym and hauing his Crosier goyng before hym as the manner is he was deryded of boyes and chyldren that followed him also pretie Libels were set forthe agaynst hym and the image of Pope Alexander his grandfather finely paynted with a liuely description of his wickednesse oute of the wordes of the Poet Pontanus was helde forthe in euerye mannes hande againste him The Cardinall taking this in very euill parte departed out of FrauÌ„ce loking for better occasions to haue his purpose the which in deede he gat afterward But shortlye after thys the Popes authoritie was cut off more and more in Fraunce and all the people almoste euerye where sayde that nowe the authoritie of men must not be wayed but the substantialnesse of reason and truth that the great errors whych long ago were growne were nowe spredde abroade that the Couetousnesse and Luxurie of the Churche men was insatiable that they were more outragious and cruell agaynste those whiche followed the contrarye opinion in Religion All estates and degrées had these and the like communications oftentunes in their mouthes yea and they which as yet were on the Popes side came not so often to their owne Churches as they had wonte but came often to the sermons of the refourmed Churche kepte companye with the faythfull and had often conference with them concerning Religion and sayde that for this cause there ought to aryse no trouble nor breache of friendship or brotherly loue They which more obstinately leaned still to their olde opinions kepte theÌ„selues so cloose within their dores that they scarce durst to come in anye companye Many were dayly alured to the companye of the faythfull in so muche that the alteration of Religion séemed nowe withoute all doubte to be at hande The greatest parte of the Nobilitie also embraced the doctryne of the Gospell And the Queene séemed to prefer Religion verye muche and openly to fauour those of the refourmed Religion whether to please the king of Nauarre or to serue the tyme I knowe not and wrote verie earnestly to Pope Pius the fourth desiring him that he would prouide remedies to stay those troubles And when the time of the parley appointed was rome she wrote very large letters to him the fourth of August to this effect as followeth If sayth she the state of the Kingdome of Fraunce maye be expressely described to the holye Father for so she was wonte to call hym in what and howe manye straites and perills the same was by reason of the diuers opinions of Religion he would prouide with al spéede for it and would helpe to staye these
kepte sylence the King spake in maner and fourme following All men sayth he know well enoughe what and how great perturbations and troubles are in the Realme for the which cause I haue appoynted you to come together at this time that those things which ye knowe haue néede of reformation maye quietly of you be declared without any maner of affection hauing no consideration or care for any thing but for the glorye of God and the peace and quietnesse of consciences The whyche thing I greatlye desire in so much that I haue determined not to suffer you to departe hence before you haue made some ende of all controuersies that at the length all dissentions being taken away mutual peace and concord may be had among all men This thing if ye bring to passe ye shall giue me occasion to maintayne and defende you with no lesse care than those kings my auncestours that haue béene before me haue done Then he commaunded his Chauncelor to declare his minde more at large The Chauncelor therefore began to shew that the kings will was according to the wils of his predecessors that had béene before him in staying the controuersies of Religion the which when those Kings of happie memorie went diligently aboute to bring to passe they had in their labors very small successe in so much that daylie more and more new troubles arose wherfore he would that all men should the more diligently wisely to apply theÌ„ selues to pacifie in time these troubles for the which cause he had caused them to come togither and minded in his royall person to accompany them that disordered matters in Religion which concerned both doctrine and maners might be reformed he vnderstanding that this was the onelye cause of all troubles woulde diligentlye prouide for them as his office required The remedie which nowe he intendeth to vse séemeth to be a present remedie as it was of late deliberated and considered of in the most noble assembly of the Princes CouÌ„cel namely that by this peculiar and particular conference the matters of Religion in controuersie betwéene both parties might be quietly reasoned and disputed of â–ª But to loke or séeke for remedie by a general Councel it is euen as vaine as if a man hauing good and sufficient remedie at home shoulde notwithstanding trauaile to the Indyes to séeke the same For sayth he we our selues shall better prouide remedyes for oure selues than men of strange and forraine countreys can doe which know neither the state of our cause nor the condition of our people of which kinde of strangers notwithstanding the generall Councell shall consiste Greater fruites and profite haue often times come by Nationall Councels than haue come by generall Councels As may appeare by that generall Councell of Ariminum the which Councell openly fauouring and maintaining the secte of the Arrians was reproued and corrected by particular Synodes Also in this our realme of Fraunce Hilary Bishop of Pictauia by his industrye and faithfull dealing in Synodes banished the heresie of the Arrians out of these partes Therfore sayth he there is no doubte but that there shall aryse great profite and commoditie by this assembly specially seing it pleaseth the king to take such paines himselfe who no doubt wil helpe both with his power authoritie Wherfore he wished the disputers on both partes onely to be carefull to doe their duetie both of them ioyntly to seke concorde the greater part not to despise the lesser not to vse curious disputations without profit and to iudge examine al matters by the word of God only which being wel vnderstoode fewe other authours shall serue also that they which say they followe the newe doctrine woulde not counte the prelates of the contrarye parte for their enimyes séeyng by Baptisme they retaine the name of Christians For the king sayth he hath therefore giuen you leaue to come together that men mighte sée what reasons you haue and that the Prelates on the Popes side might séeke by strong arguments to confute theÌ„ that the disputation at the length beyng published abrode all men may euidently sée that they are condemned for iust causes and not by the vaine authoritie of men Therefore take héede in any case that you do nothing ambitiously know ye that ye are not iudges and indeuour yourselues to finde out and manifest the truth So shall you both glorifye God and also profite your countrey and God himselfe shall blisse your indeuours and the moste constant minde of the king in this matter The matter being thus propounded by the Chauncelor the Cardinall of Turnon in the name of the Prelates gaue great thankes to the king to the Quéene and to the Princes that it pleased them to come to this holy assemblye and for that the Châ—…uncelor by the kings commaundement had put forth these matters the which he desired to haue giuen vnto him in writing that they mighte deliberate and consider what was néedefull to be done in these things Then the Chauncelour saide that he woulde not giue the matter in writing seing it was plainely enough declared And thus they coulde get nothing at the handes of the Chauncelor althoughe the Cardinall of Loraine required the same Then the ministers which sat oueragainst them hauing leaue to speake Theodore Beza began thus Seing that all things O king both great small specially those things which belong to the worship of God and which doe far surmounte oure capacitie doe depende vpon the same God we thinke it not troublesome to your maiestie if we begin with prayer vnto god When he had spoken these wordes he falling on his knées with the rest of his fellowes beganne to pray vnto God in that forme of confession of sinnes which is vsed in the refourmed Churches pronouncing the same with a loude voyce and that done straight way he added vnto the same these wordes For so much as O God thou hast bene so fauourable this daye to thy vnworthye seruauntes as to graunt them leaue to professe the knowledge of thy truth before their King and this most honorable assembly we moste humbly beseeche thee O father of lightes that it may please thee according to thy accustomed goodnesse so to illuminate our mindes to gouerne our affections and to make them apt to be taughte so also to direct oure wordes that whatsoeuer knowledge of thy truth thou shalt giue vnto vs according to our capacitie we may both with hearte and mouthe vtter the same to the glorye of thy name to the profit and prosperitie of our King and of all his subiects and specially to the peace and tranquillitie of this Christian common wealth realme WheÌ„ Beza had thus ended his prayer turning his speach to the king he vttered these wordes in manner and forme following They which doe faithfully serue and obey their Princes most noble King doe thinke themselues moste happie in this thing aboue al other if so
I would to God that in stead of our disputations arguments we might with one voice and consent sing a Psalme vnto God and shake handes as friendes as once it came to passe betwéene the Infidels the fielde béeing pitched and bothe armies ready to meete and encounter togyther At which thing truely we might be ashamed if both of vs preaching the doctrine of concorde and peace shoulde easily be deuided and made enemies and hardly reconciled agayne But what néede these wordes These things ought and may be wyshed for of men but it onely belongeth vnto God to bring them to passe the which he will doe when it shall please him with his goodnesse to couer our sinnes and with his light to driue away our darknesse And heere O King to the ende it maye appeare that we simply and plainly meane good soothe we will if it so séeme good and if leaue may be graunted briefly declare the chief and principall pointes of this Conference or Disputation notwithstanding in such order that no man shall haue iuste occasion to be offended There are some whiche thinke and woulde also persuade others that we disagree in matters of small waight and in those thinges which are indifferent not appertayning to the substance of our faith And ther are other some which hauing no knowledge or vnderstanding of those things which we beléeue and defende do thinke nothing lesse but that we agrée with the Iewes and Turkes The purpose and thought of those first sort of mē we trust shall be approued by vs to be no lesse commendable than the other is to be reiected And yet certainly neither of their opinions are firme and true For if we shoulde beléeue the opinion of this last sort the one part could not stand by any meanes without the destruction of the other But if the first opinion be receiued many matters shall be left so raw that occasions of greater troubles will thereof by and by spring and arise Therefore we graunt the whiche we can scarsly do without teares we confesse I say that as we doe agrée in certaine articles of our faithe so in certaine of them we do wholly vary and dissent We confesse that there is one God in one essence infinite and incomprehensible distinguished and deuided in three persons consubstanciall and coequall in all thinges namely into the Father begotten of none into the Sonne begotten of the Father before all worlds and into the holy Ghost procéeding from the Father and the Sonne We confesse that ther is one Iesus Christ perfect God perfect man without confusion of the two natures or separation of the Prophets We confesse that Christ as he is man is not the sonne of Ioseph but conceiued by the secrete power of the holy ghost in the wombe of the virgin Mary a virgin I say both before the byrth and after also We confesse his Natiuitie his life his death his buryal his descending into hell his Resurrection and his assention euen as they are contained in the holy Gospel We beleeue that Christ is now in heauen at the right hand of God from whence he shal come to iudge the quick the dead We beleue in the holy Ghost which doth illuminate comfort and defend vs We beleue that there is one holy Church Catho lique that is to say vniuersall which is the companie fellowship of Saints out of the which ther is no saluatiō We are persuaded of the frée remission of our sinnes in the bloud of Iesus Christ by whose power whē our bodies being raysed vp from deathe shall be ioyned againe to our soules we shall enioy with our God moste happy and euerlasting life What then will some say are not they the articles of our faith In what therfore do we disagree First of all we disagrée in the interpretation of some of these articles Secondly bycause it semeth vnto vs if we erre therin if it can be proued we are ready to acknowledge our error that many things are added vnto those articles as thoughe they were not sufficient so as though the edifice shuld neuer be builded the new inuentions of men haue dayly ben brought in Furthermore we say that whatsoeuer hath ben buylded set vp more was not so far as we can perceiue builded vpon those ancient first foundations therefore they do not only not set forth beautifie the building but also wonderfully defile deforme and disgrace the same yet notwithstanding greater credite and authoritie hath bene giuen vnto those fayned inuentions of men than to the pure woorde of God. This is the summe of those things whiche we beleue and teach But to the end our purpose may be the better vnderstād these things whiche we haue touched generally we will if it may séeme good declare particularly Therfore we do affirme and are persuaded that we may defend with al sobrietie and modestie out of the worde of God that the true God in whome we beléeue is spoyled and robbed of his perfecte righteousnesse if we set against his wrathe and iudgement for sinne any other satisfaction or purgation eyther in this world or in any other worlde than the sounde and perfecte obedience the which can be found in no other sauing in Iesus Chryst only In lyke manner also if we shall saye that God doth forgiue onely parte of our sinnes that we maye bring vnto him the other parte we spoyle hym wholly of his mercy Héerevpon it followeth that when we speake of the manner of saluation we muste stay our selues in the passion and death of Chryst Iesus our Sauiour and redéemer onely or else we must appoint in the place of the true God some straunge and fayned God which is neyther perfectly iuste nor perfectly mercyfull Heerevpon also dependeth another speciall poynte and of great force concerning the office of Iesus Chryst. For except he aboue be wholly our saluation that precious name Iesus that it to say a Sauiour béeing gyuen to him of the Angell dothe not appertayne vnto him In like maner also except he be our only Prophet which hath so fully declared vnto vs the will of his father as should be expedient for our saluation firste by the mouth of his Prophetes then by himselfe with his comming at the fulnesse of tyme and after that by his Apostles except also he alone be the spirituall King of our consciences and except he be our euerlasting Prieste after the order of Melchisidech and by that sacrifice of himselfe only once offered for al and neuer to be offered againe hath reconcyled men vnto God and doth also now alone in heauen make intercessiō for vs to God euen to the end of the world And to be short except we be complete perfect in him that name of Messias or Chryst that is to say Anoynted and appoynted of God the Father for vs to be a Sauiour dothe nothing at all béelong vnto him Therefore if the preaching of his
Thus far Beza procéeded in his oration who with his fellowes fell on their knées and standing vp straight way againe offred vnto the king the confession of the Churches of Fraunce and then he spake thus vnto him We beséeche your Maiestie not to regarde oure rude and barbarous speache but our well wishing mindes wholy consecrated to obedience But bicause the principall pointes of oure doctrine are more plainly and copiously contained in this confession of our faith we beséech your Maiestie to receiue the the same and we trust by the leaue of God it will come to passe that when we haue conferred together with all sobrietie and reuerence we shall come to some agréement But if our iniquities be the cause that we may not obtaine so greate a blessing we doubte not but your Maiestye will consyder of all thinges and prouide for them accordingly without preiudice of any partie And here wée thinke it not good to let one thing passe namely that when Beza intreated of the Lords supper and spake these wordes As touching the distance of places the bodie of Christ is so far from the bread and wine as the heauen is higher than the earth the Prelates were so moued that by and by they began to make disturbance and to murmur but this being somewhat quieted Beza made an ende of his oration After whom the Cardinall of Turnon hauing great indignation and shaking and trembling for very anger began in the name of the Popishe Prelacie of which he was chiefe to declare vnto the king that the Cardinall Bishoppes and the reste of their fellowship by reason of the kings commaundemente gaue their consente that the newe Euangelistes for so he termed the menne of the refourmed Churches shoulde be hearde what they coulde saye but notwithstanding not withoute some offence of their consciences bycause they perceyued that they myghte speake manye things not méete for a Christian Prince to heare which might also and that not withoute cause offende the mindes of many good men â–ª Therfore he sayd that the Prelates suspecting that it woulde so come to passe had giuen hym commaundement to intreate the King that if any suche matters fell oute he woulde not in any wyse beléeue their wordes And that therefore he would reiect both the wordes and sentence of that fellowe that had spoken in the name of those of the new Religion staying and suspending his iudgement vntill the Prelates hadde otherwyse opened the matter the which if it might please him he trusted that both the king and the whole assembly shoulde vnderstand see â–ª what diffenreÌ„ce there was between the truth and a lye He required also that he might haue a daye giuen him to answere Adding that had it not beene for the regarde they hadde vnto the King and to his commaundementes they would not at the hearing of those horrible and abheminable wordes which that other fellowe vttered haue suffered him to haue procéeded any further At the length he beseeched the King that he would follow the faith and footesteps of his auncestors the whiche he prayed all the Saintes in heauen and the Uirgin Mary to graunt To this the Quéene answered that nothing was doone in this matter without due aduice and counsell by the deliberation of the Princes and the priuie Councell and by the iudgement and consent of the Senate of Paris The whiche she sayd was not done to alter any thing in Religion but to quiet the troubles that were rysen through the diueâ—…sitie of opinions in Religion and by these means to bring those that were gone astraye into the way againe Which sayth she you and your fellowes ought to séeke specially at this time by vsing good and strong argumentes Thus the mynds of the Popishe Prelates being galled and very much grieued at the first méeting with the words of Theodore Bâ—…za the daye following he writ vnto the Quéene saying bycause he feared that she was not fully satisfied by reason of certen words wherat the Prelats were offended therfore he earnestly desired of hir that he might haue libertie more plainly largely to discourse that matter which then he could not copiously declare The occasion therfore saith he of those words by me vttered was the opinion of certaine men which not wel vnderstanding our mindes thought that we went about to exclude Christ froÌ„ the Supper the which to doe were manifestly wicked seing we haue the contrary to be found in the word of God namely that that precious Sacrament was therefore ordayned by the sonne of God that he might make vs more and more partakers of the substance of his verye body and bloude whereby we might more straightly be vnited vnto him and mighte growe to euerlasting life And vnlesse it should be so it were not the Supper of Iesu Christ. And therefore it is so far from vs that we should say that Christ is absent from the Supper that none of all others more resiste that blasphemie than we But we saye that there is great difference betwéene these to say that Iesus Christ is in the Supper in that he gyueth truely vnto vs his bodye and bloude and to say and affirme that his bodye bloude is ioyned to the bread That first I haue affirmed bicause it is the principall chiefe the seconde I haue denyed bicause I thinke it to be repugnant to the truth of Christ his nature and to the article of the ascention as it is in Scripture and as the ancient fathers expounde the same This sentence and opinion gyueth more dignitie and authoritie to the worde of God thaÌ„ that which teacheth that Christe is really and corporally ioyned to signes This therefore is the declaration meaning of that which we spake which I desyre may satisfie you being ready to be taught if better be shewed To this also he added certaine testimonies of the Fathers As of S. Augustine writing vpon the. 5. Chapter of S. Iohn where he saith VVhen our Sauiour Christ saide ye shall not haue me alwayes with you he spake of the presence of his bodie For according to his Maiestie prouidence and inuisible grace that which he promised in another place is fulfilled I will be with you to the ende of the world But according to his humane nature which he toke according to that that he was borne of the virgin Mary that he was crucifyed buried and rose againe it is said Me ye shall not haue alwayes VVherfore Bicause according to his body he was conuersant with his disciples fortie dayes and as they wentâ—… wyth him ascended from them into heauen neither is heere any more Also the same Saint Augustine saith writing to Dardanus As he is God he is euery where As he is man he is in heauen And Vigilius whiche wrote againste Eâ—…yches in the yeare of our Lorde God. 500. sayth The sonne of God in respecte of his humanitie is departed from vs but in respect of his diuinitie he saith I am with
called do build vpon their foundation and do first of all set forth the word of God in certaine places whether the succession of persons be perpetual or whether it decay or ceasse for a time Wheras on the contrary parte they which either preach not the word of God at all or else preache their owne doctrine in stéede of the Apostles doctrine althoughe they alledge and bring in for them selues a thousande continuall successors are not to be hearde as pastors but to be shunned as wolues according to the expresse commaundement of Christ Iesus and of his Apostles But some man will obiect and say is it lawfull then for euerye man to preache the worde and to minister the Sacramentes No truely it ought not so to bée For al things muste be done in the Churche of God as the Apostle saith in order Who are then true Pastors surely suche as are lawfully called It resteth therefore now to consider what is lawfull calling that this speciall matter also may be vnderstoode We say that there is one forme and maner of ordinary calling and another of extraordinarie calling That is ordinarie calling in the which the order appointed of GOD in the Church is obserued In this order the first thing is The examination of doctrine and maners the seconde lawfull election and the laste imposition of handes These thrée things may be gathered approued by diuers testimonies of Scriptures as by the election of Mathias and of the seuen Deacons in the Actes of the Apostles and also by those things which Paule writeth in his Epistles to Timothie to Tâ—…tus This is the descriptioÌ„ of ordinarie calling Wherby it maye be gathered that the same is an extraordinarie calling in the which although it be lawful by Gods authoritie either one of these two things or both or else all are wanting The which kinde of callings God hath ofteÌ„times vsed as in the Scriptures appeareth For who layd hands on Moyses to dedicate Aaron Who annointed the Prophetes Esayas Daniel Amos and many others Therfore when they which had authoritie abused the power of ordinarie calling then I saye it was necessarie that the Lorde should vse extraordinarie meanes not to bring in confusion but to refourme those which had peruerted and depraued al things in the Church vnder the colour and pretence of ordinarie succession And that the matter standeth thus the writings of the Prophetes which specially inueye against the Priestes do manifestly declare If any man obiecte and say that they had extraordinarie testimonies of their calling confirmed with certaine miracles we answere That this is so far true in some that in other some it is starke false except we shuld speake of those things of the which there is no testimonie And truely I cannot tell whether there be many Prophetes to be found of the progenie of Aaron vpon whome hands were laide after an ordinarie maner If in like maner it be alledged that they contented themselues with the office of reprehending and reprouing and exercised not the office of sacrificing we answere first of all that this is not founde euery where to be true For Samuel which was not of the familie of Aaron but of Chore sacrificed in Mispa And Elias in Carmel Secondly we answere that it ought not to séeme straunge that the prophetes at that time extended not that extraordinarie office to the doing and fulfilling of ceremonies seing that the same office did appertaine by inheritaunce to the kindred and stocke of Leui which at this day is out of vse Thus far therefore concerning these speciall pointes what is the Church what are the markes of the same what is the vocation of Pastors we haue spoken oure iudgement The which things if ye meane to call in question to séeke and trie whether they be in oure Churches or in oure persons we trust by the helpe of God to bring suche certaine reasons that no maÌ„ can doubt that we haue the true Church and that our calling is lawfull Now let vs come to the third principall point which concerneth the authoritie of the Church It is manifest by those things wherof we haue spoken already that we do derogate nor take away none of those precious magnificeÌ„t notes with the which the Church is beautified But we say that it is the body of the Lord that as yet it is a pilgrime in this world loking for the fulnesse of the head that is Christ. This is the house of the Lord which is dayly builded erected by little little which is gouerned by the holy Ghost but as yet fighting against the fleshe it is purified but so that by little little it may be brought to the perfectioÌ„ of that beautie cleannesse in the which there is neither spot nor wrinkle it knoweth God but in part To be shorte we confesse that out of the Church there is no saluation seyng there is life no where else thaÌ„ in Christ Iesus who exerciseth his quickning lyfe in no other than in his members the vinion and coagmentatioÌ„ wherof is called the Church But in this all the whole controuersie consisteth namely whether the Church maye erre in this world whether it be subiect vnto the scripture or the scripture vnto it To the which I answere that it is out of all controuersie doubt that the particular members of the Church may erre do dayly erre both in doctrine in maners according to this place of the Apostle Paule saying VVe know in part And S. Ihon sayth If we say we haue no sinne we deceiue our selues If any man would go about to exempt the ancient fathers from that nuÌ„ber he shall not be offended if we beleue not his words For it were an easie matter sauing y reuerence which we owe vnto theÌ„ to note many blemishes spots eueÌ„ in the greatest most ancient fathers but we wil not stand in repeating of them both for the honour which they worthily deserue also for that the Lord Cardinall if I wel remeÌ„ber his words thinketh not that they ought rashly and indifferently to be receiued This is our opnion concerning the particular meÌ„bers of the church whose perfectioÌ„ notwithstaÌ„ding is no such cause or let but that the Church may consist of them For the faithfull profit by litâ—…le and little both in the knowledge of God and also in the perfection of maners But and if the meÌ„bers of the Church be considered more generally as they be distributed into diocesses prouinces shal we say that they may erre Moreouer if I be not deceiued my Lorde Cardinall thoughte of late that particular Churches and prouinciall councels may erre and haue oftentimes erred And truely this thing is confirmed by so long experience that I thinke not that any man in his right wittes will denie the same It remaineth therfore that we consider the whole Church vniuersally But
in the same opinion in the whiche they concluded with the Ministers of the reformed Churches that they had made a compacte and agréemente with the Ministers and therefore they were not suffered to conferre or dispute any more after that Therfore the ministers hauing occasion offered sente this explication of that article vnto the chosen men that disputed for the Prelates VVe affirme that no distance of places can let the communicating which wee haue with the body and bloud of Christ bycause the Supper of the Lorde is a heauenly thing And althoughe we receiue in earthe with oure mouthe the breade and wine beyng true signes of his body and bloud yet notwithstanding by faithe and by the operation of the holye Ghost our myndes of which this is oure speciall meate being lyfted vp to heauen doe receine there his bodye and bloude And in this respecte wee saye that the bodye doth truely ioyne it selfe to the breade and the bloude to the wyne and yet notwithstanding no otherwyse than after a Sacramentall manner that is to saye neyther locally nor naturally but bycause they effectually signifie and declare that God doth giue them faithfully and without all doubt to the communicants who do truly and certainely receiue them by faith This therefore is the plaine opinion and iudgement of the reformed Churches concerning the presence of the bodie and bloud of Christ Iesus in the sacrament of the Supper But there were nowe come certaine ministers oute of Germanie by the meanes of Baâ—…duinus as we sayde before But they bewraying the councell and purpose of the Cardinall of Loraine by whose practise these things were spedely brought to passe returned home again with losse of their labour and their expectation being deceiued The purpose and practise of the Cardinall was to bring these ministers and the other into one disputation and contention and so contending and striuing together he might cause the conference to cease and make them to be a laughing stocke to all men The Prelates doubting of the fayth and trust of their men which they had chosen to dispute for them as we said before woulde haue no conference after this with the ministers wherevpon the conference brake vp the â–ª xxv day of Nouember And this was the ende of the Conference of Possiac manye being gathered together for the same the space of thrée monethes â—…fter the whiche there ensued not onely no profyte but also great trouble and motions of warres Thus the conference being ended withoute fruite there was no waye founde for peace and concorde but rather the mindes of both parts beyng exasperated there insued great quarels and discentiens So that great discorde rose dayly betwéene the Papists and the Protestants more and more some complayning and finding fault with the Prelates for their disordered departing from the conference the which in deede sufficiently declared the weakenesse of their cause and other some misliking of the authoritie of the Generall Councell shortly alter to come and of the Churche of Rome Neither were these dissentiâ—…ns onely among the common people but also among the Peeres Nobles of the realme mens mindes being distracted and drawne into manifest factions whiche foreshewed not onely bare contentions of wordes but also greate and mortall warres at hande For the compactes and manifest practises of the Guises of the Constable and of the Marshall of Santandra were well ynough sene Yet notwithstanding their purpose and indeuour was very muche let and hindered at that time by the authoritie of the King of Nauarre whome they thought good to assay by all meanes possible to the entent they myghte drawe him from taking part with the Protestantes In the which matter the Cardinal of Ferrer of whom we spake before being the Popes Legate in Fraunce take verye muche paines promising vnto the king of Nauarre in the Popes name the full possession of the kingdome of Nauarre affyrming that the Pope should easily obtaine this thing of king Phillip for that he already promised to doe the same for the Catholique Churches sake Moreouer the Cardinall of Towers the Bishop of Ansseren and Escarsius also certaine of his houshoulde confirmed him in this matter and vsed dayly persuasions being wicked men and set on for money by the Cardinall of Loraine Among whom also was that Frances Balduine of whome mention was made before as diligent and busie as the best to bring the matter about whereby he thought he shoulde reape no small gaine This man forging a new Gospell caused the king of Nauarre to hate both the doctrine and also the men of the reformed Churches So that now he began to hang betwene diuers opinions to forsake the loue of Religion openlye to shew himselfe an enimie to the reformed Churches to bée more coâ—…uersant and familiar with the Guises to giue him selfe to lightnesse filthy pleasure also to go to the Masse and to the Popishe Churches When the Duke of Guise had deliberated and consulted of the matter with the Constable and the Marshall of Santandre and willing them to gathered vnto them forthwith so great power as they could he departed from them leauing them in Fraunce and came to Imuilla in the moneth of Nouember and after he had taryed there certayne dayes he wente to the Cittie Tabernas whiche bordereâ—…h vpon Germanie to prouide for his businesse and to consult with many of the Princes of Germanie about this matter Notwithstanding the number of the faythfull dayly more and more encreased and was wonderfully confyrmed a great part of the Nobles comming to the reformed Churches Therefore there were assemblies and congregations in great number almost in all the noble Cities of the Realme in the whiche the worde of God was openly preached and the Sacramentes ministred notwithstanding the Edict of Iuly of whiche we spake before Wherevpon notwithstanding there arose oftentymes greate discâ—…ntions and of those seditions ensued great perils For they whiche were grieued and offended at these assemblies of the faythfull made exclamation that Edictes were broken and did so prepare themselues to trouble the faythfull that there séemed to be present occasions of great mischief whiche brake foorthe in many places but specially at Paris For the faithful being gathered togither the. 26. day of December to heare the word of God in Paris in the suburbes of Sanmarcellus a place specially appointed vnto them by the King for the same purpose the Priestes of the Temple of Sanmedardus hard by in the time of the Sermon caused such a noyse to be made with ringing of bels that the voyce of the Preacher coulde by no meanes be vnderstoode Whervpon two of the Congregation men vnarmed and without weapon came to these Popishe Priestes and beséeched them that they woulde not make suche a dynne with ringing their Belles that so greate a companie of menne shoulde be lette from hearing the woorde of God. The Priestes hauing with them diuers other men began to abuse them and
by manye of the nobles was not altogether hidden but euidently ynonghe appeared to all men that woulde sée the same FINIS The translator to the Reader THus gentle Reader endeth the firste part of these CoÌ„mentaries faithfully collected and gathered by that singular learned man Petrus Ramus of Fraunce who himselfe bycause he was a zealous professor of the Gospell and an enimie to Antichrist was slaine in this last horrible butcherly murther in the yeare of our Lorde God. 1572. The speciall cause that moued the sayde Petrus Ramus to spende his trauaile in penning these Commentaries in the Latine toung was as you maye perceyue by hys preface in the beginning of this Booke that all Christian Realmes might be certifyed of the true originall and cause of all the warres troubles and sheding of Innocente bloude that haue beene from the yeare of our Lorde God. 1557. vntill this present daye To the ende therefore that his desire might be the better satisfyed when I had considered the worthinesse of his trauaile and what great fruite woulde spring of the same to al that will vouchsafe to spende sometime in reading of this worke for that all men vnderstande not the Latine toung I thought good to translate the same into Englishe that none of our Countreymen might be stayed from the taste of such fruite as will growe thereof And as I haue spente sometime in translating this firste parte so I meane God willing to goe forwarde with the other two partes the seconde beeing nowe in hande and shall bee printed if God permitte against the nexte Terme In the meane tyme I beseech thee right Christian Reader contente thy selfe with this accept my labor and requite my good will with diligent reading of the same Before the which I shall desire thee to correct with thy pen suche faults as I haue here caused to be noted In so doing no one sentence I trust shal seeme obscure vnto thee Faultes escaped in Printing Line 2. Page 9 For it reade he Li. 19. pa. 12. for might defende reade might séeme to defend Line 18. pag. 17. reade acknowledging of the truth Line 16. pag. 40 for other wile reade otherwise Line 22. pag. 43. reade as though it had bene Line 5. pag. 73. read we will not deny Line 8. pag. 73. reade name of the Church Line 4. pag. 76. for is sodaine reade is so highe Line 31. pag. 112. for there reade Then. Line 3. pag. 124. reade must not therefore Line 25. pag. 125. in these words and if that leaue out if Line 23. pag. 164. bring in these words might be solde from them Line 32. pag. 194. for Prophetes reade properties Line 5. pag. 167. for although reade as though Line 1. pag. 239. for only thee reade only thrée Line 18. pag. 235. for they shall reade shall they Line 20. pag. 235. for doth reade doth not NOte here good Reader that these faultes escaped in Printing are not so escaped in al the Bookes of this impression but in some Least therefore they to whome those should happen might be troubled in the reading with obscure sense I thought good to make a generall note of all THE INDEX A. Affliction of the Churche after the death of King Henrie 47. Affliction rysing of false reportes 50 Affliction somewhat ceaseth 61. Agronia assaulted 161. Ambaxian Tumult 2. Andelot put in pryson 23. Andelot answereth 23. Andelot escapeth pryson 110. Andelot in fauour againe 24. Annas Burgeus defendeth the gospell in the Parliament house 26. Annas Burgeus caryed to pryson by Mongomerie 27. Annas Burgeus examined 32. Annas Burgeus condemned 33. 39. Annas Burgeus disgraded 35. Annas Burgeus confession 36. Annas Burgeus taketh his iudgement thankfully 39. Annas Burgeus Oration 4. Annas Burgeus burned 43. Annas Burgeus bringing vp 44. Angell speaker for the Comminaltie 121 Apologie for the faythfull Captiues 9. Arrogant threatnings of the Constable 11. Augusta a cittie in Germanie 131. Authoritie of Godâ—… worde 199. Authoritie of the Church 227. B. Baptisme 75. Beza his prayer 189. Bishoppe of Nauntes author of the Tumult 17. Bishoppes of Rome sowers of discorde 82. Bookes of sclaunder 100. Brosaeus Generall of the Armie that went into Scotlande 61. C. Cardinall of Loraine an enemie to Burgeus 39. Cardinall Poole 95. Cardinall of Loraine seeketh to get fame by keeping Lybelles of reproch 104. Cardinall Ferrer sent from Rome to hinder the Nationall Councell 166. Calabria persecuted 63. Christ our righteousnesse 68. Christ God and Man. 68. Christ hath two natures 69. Christ dyed for sinne 69. Christ our Aduocate 71. Church what it is 72. 217. Churches denyed to them of the reformed Religion 124. Commendation of the protestantes 25 Communion with Christ and the Fathers vnder the law 18â—… Comparison betwene the doctrine of the Gospel and papistrie 37. CoÌ„fession of the french church 63 Confession of Annas Burgaeê° 36. Confession of the church of Flanders offered to king Philip. 166. Confirmation 204. Constable proudly threatneth 11. Constable drawne away from the Prince of Conde 140. Constable misseliketh of the profession oft he Admirall ibidem Controuersie betwene Charles the fifth and Pope Clement 91. Contention betwene the Queene and the king of Nauarre 136. Consubstantiation 203 Couetousnesse the beast of Babylon 93. Couetousnesse of Priestes 122. D. Democharis the inquisitour sitteth vpon Burgaeus 32. Democharis a slanderous inquisitour 50. Denises to abolishe the Gospell 1. Discipline of the Church 73. Disputation at Posiat 179. Doctrine of the lawe 71. Duke Arscotus a Brabantine 8. Duke of Guise an enimie to the Andelot 23. E. Earle Villarius an enemie to the Admirall 141. Ecclesiasticall Disciplne 72 Edict of Castellobrian 24. and. 12. Edict of Iuly 150. Election diuine 67. Election of Ministers 74. Example of two false brethren very notable â–ª 48. Excommunication 74. F. Factious names 118. Faith and good vvorkes 167 Faith coÌ„meth by the holy Ghost 70. Faith attaineth righteousnesse 70. Faithfull sclaundered 7. Figures of the Lawe 71. Forewarnings of desolation 92. Fruites of Popishe Sermons 22. G. Geneua a Sanctuarie for the Godly 4. Generall Councell not looked for 90. Generall Councell a vayne remedie 187. Georgius Gluchus Ambassadour out of Denmarke 139. God omnipotent 65. Gospell hath diuers professors 85. Good workes 71. Guises rule the Realme 50. Guises persecutors of the Gospel 51. Guises no Princes 60. Guises make claime to the crowne of England 62. H. Huguenotes a name giuen to the faithfull 59. I. Iacobes slaughter at Paris 1. Iacobus Sillius speaker for the Nobilitie 122. Ianus Contachus moueth controuersies 45. Ignorance of Priestes 122. Iniuries done to the faithfull 17. Innocencie of the Prince of Conde 147. Inquisitors of Fraunce called Flies 50. Intercession of Saintes 71. K. King Hentie the second set against the Protestantes 26. King Henrie threatneth Burgaeus 27. King Henrie slayne 34. Kinges duetie 100. King of Nauarre and the Prince of Conde sent for to the King. 107. King Fraunces dyeth 112. King of Nauar yeldeth his authoritie to the Queene
God who send you prosperouse successe in al your affaires desired health and the blessed felicitie of Gods Electe in the kingdome of Heauen Your worships humble Oratour Thomas Tymme HIC tibi depingit sparsi monumenta cruoris Sed tamen innocui lector amice liber Aspice Saeua mades tu Gallia cade tuorum Guisius ecce tuus perforat ense tuos Te regit obductus tenebrosis nubibus error Martius erroris Duxque Comesque furor Proh scelus erumpunt districtis agmina telis Armat sanguineos ad scelus omne Satan Concutiuntque suo sanctorum turbine coetus Et duce vesano cuncta furore patrant Horrida pestiferi machinantur bella papistae Perpetrat infandas improba turma neces Coeduntur pereunt lapidantur membra piorum Qui coluêre tuum numen honore Deus Torrescunt rapidis trepidantia corpora flammis Et vexant miseris agmina sacra modis Mactatur trepidus trepida cum coniuge coniux Charaque cum chara filia matre perit Quis furor anguigenae proles Cocytia diri Papicolae miserè pectora vestra premit Carnifices cur vos insontes ensibus agnos Mactatis facinus respice quaeso Deus Contundes rabidos dulciscime Christe papist as Qui iusto spoliant nomen honore tuum Mortua non laus est quamuis tu mortuus ipse Rame tuus viuit te moriente liber Est quoque Timme tibi tua laus tribuenda quòd Anglis Foeda papistarum bellica facta canas Quisque per hoc noscet quam sit tua prona voluntas Et prodesse tuis meruisse decus E. G. To the Christian Reader desirouse to know and to vnderstand the truth IT were to long and peradueÌ„ture to lothsome a thing vnto thee Christian Reader for vs to make rehearsall of those things which not vnaptly came to my minde at the writing out of these Tables of Commentaries And although they should not be vtterly besides the purpose of this present Argument yet if in so small a worke I should wander into any long circuit of preface I see it might bee obiected vnto me that I pretende one thing and do another which is a thing woorthy reprehention as Horas in his verse noteth Currente rota cur vrceus exit â–ª that is The porter purposed to make a wyne measure But in tourning of the wheele is proued a water pitcher Therefore I will let them passe if you be at leysure and may vouchsafe to reade these fewe thinges For nowe I haue here for thee Gentle Reader breefe Commentaries of the whole Ciuill warres of Fraunce wherein I haue followed the order course of the matters rehearsed by vs in the former three bookes of Com mentaries And if I shall begin to excuse my selfe first for that I being a man euen without name haue enterprised to begin the Historie of so waighty matters which had ben a fit Argument for other learned writers I see that strayght way that may be obiected to me which was obiected to Albinus the Romane excusinge himself and asking pardon for writing a history in the Greke tong wherein he was not very skilfull to wit that he had rather aske pardon for his faulte than to be without fault But beit that I am in a faulte whether it be rash nesse or temeritie for I know that this my enterprise shall incurre the iudgements of diuers men yet I truste I shall not be accused of rashnesse before they haue red me except it be of such as by giuing their verdict of an vncertayne and vnknown matter may be accused of temerity themselues And as for the iudgement of those learned moderate men which shall reade these our Commentaries I do not greatly feare it neyther will I thinke my labour wast but rather count it for an excellent gayne vnlooked for if I shall prouoke them to set them forth better for the vtilitie of other meÌ„ But least I should stay loÌ„ger thaÌ„ I promised in the defence of this exteÌ„porall writing not lyke to liue aboue a day lacking his Genius I wâ—…l only sai thus much that if I haue offended for thy sake geÌ„tle reader I haue offended that thou mightest not be destitute altogither of the discourse rehearsall of so great matters committed in Fraunce for religions sake And surely if euer any thing heretofore or in our tyme were worthy to be put in writing these are worthy of the same neither do I doubt but that thou shalt receyue frute by reading them Here then thou mayst behold how many wayes God doth gouerne and preserue his church among the manifolde chaunges of worldly businesse and how maruelously he prouideth entertainment for them in the seates of Monarches The Gospell being spred abroad and planted in Germany Switserland England in other places France remained vtterly without so great a benefite established by publique authoritie of the Magistrates But it is a most delightsome thing to call to mynd by what meanes God did bring the gospel into France by what maner of men and how mightely God did work by weake vessels For first the foundacion being layd by the helpe of poore men which suffered sclaunder proscriptioÌ„ stripes torments burning euery kind of slaughter at the length also when it pleased him he ioyned vnto this Churche men of greater account fame euen noble men Peeres Princes and those great difficulties which could not but hinder the course of the Gospell he toke away layed open a broad entrance to the propagation and enlarging of the same that he might make it known how far his power reacheth and extendeth it self to the preseruation of his Church and that the same is contayned within no limites The cace was so greatly chauÌ„ged that whereas before the maliciouse enemies of the church had the chief rule and the authoritie of the Magistrates was armed against the same now contraywyse those maliciouse enemies were so restrayned holden vnder that thei seemed to be brought on their kneese the fame also of those matters were brought vnto them which fauoured the gospell seemed to haue a speciall care to spread plant the same But the matter fell out far otherwyse for he which seemed to haue most abilitie to promote further the cause of the gospeil reiected the gospel became an vtter enemie to the same so that he seemed most of al men to haue opened a wyde window to the ruyne therof But how trimly did the Lorde disapoint Sathan Antichrist of their purpose yet did he alwayes so mo derate the matter that neither the church when it was expedient might seeme to want mans help neither might seeme wholy to be stayed therevpon Greeuouse warres arose God gaue vnto his seruants strong defences of mans helpe yet least they should depend thervpon he weakned the same also that so greatly that great daungers in diuers places ensued to the church notwithstanding the end fell out for their safety In the middest therefore
of these confusions tumultes God himselfe the Prince of Princes shewed his singular prouidence care which hee hath effectually towardes mankind but especially peculiarly towards his church to preserue and stablish the same mightely in the iniddest of al worldly troubles neither by one meanes only bnt by sundry meanes as it hath seemed good to him in the diuers formes of rule gouernment to assigne vnto his church an abyding place as of old time in the gouerning of the primitiue Church immediatly after the Apostels and in our tyme in Germany Switserland England Scotland and in other places it hath appeared and more of late in these our countrey of Fraunce is euidently seene not that in this varietie we should ascribe any thing to the rule of fortune but that the manifold and maruailouse efficacy of the wisdome of God might be considered which doth singularly wateh ouer the safety of the Church And if it may please thee to consider the second middell causes and reasons of the Instruments which God vsed in the beginning of this worke you shall see how cōtrary they be and how variable On the one side the wicked and vnbridled iustes of men proue to worke mischief doo appeare a colour of religion is pretended to worke the ouerthrowe of Religion the kinges name is vsurped when they go about to suppresse the King himself and in the meane time the gospeil is accused as a common enemy and the subuersion of the same is conspyred On y other side God styrreth vp many men to preserue defend his church in those troubles because the destruction of the same was chiefly desired Ther appeareth in those mē as the history plainly sheweth a desire of the safety of the church of the Kings dignitie authoritie of the publique peace and yet in the ex◅ution of that their laudable desire it appeareth that they were not vtterly faultlesse yet is the Church preserued in the middest of all these misorders that as it is manifest that men cannot be sayd to be the very authors keepers therof so must we nedes confesse that God is the very author preseruer and keeper of the same Therfore the church doth not triumphe as hauing gotten the victory by mans ayde neither doth it lye vtterly prostrat by the violence of worldly tumultes which being fashoned like vnto her head raigning in the middest of hi◅ enemies doth so stryue in continual conflictes in this world because she certainly knoweth that the heauenly Iudge hath prouided ◅ time when they shall fully triumph The church hath heretofore ben exercised in many battails how many are behind God knoweth bycause the time which is appointed for the last victory is vnknown yet the promise of the heauēly reward is most true which that most valiant Chāpion hath pronounced with his own mouth saying That through many tribulations we must enter into the kingdom of heauen If the promise of God as touching y victory of his church were included within the limites of this world surely it should triumphe in this world by the vertue power of the omnipotent euerlasting God but that her triumph is appointed elswher the often greuouse spoyles and calamities of the same declare In the meane time let vs consider these things contemplate wher in what partes of the world the tokens of that Catholike true church do appeare let vs aduaunce the prouidence wisdom bountifulnes and power of God in preseruing gouerning the same least if the blind ignorance of men be reprehended that worthely because they see not God who hath not left himself as saith the Apost◅e without witnesse in this world we also be much more worthy of blame who see not the light before our ◅yes ▪ nor the Sunne beames glistering throughout the whole world neyther do reuerence Iesus Christ diuersely triumphing by the mighty working of the Gospell Truly gentle reader this is my counsaill purpose in writing these Commentaries to giue thee occasion by preseruing the memory of these things to contemplate reuerence the prouidence of God in the gouernment of his church wherof we be members and that we thereby while the whole body is assaulted enduring manfully our own particular conflicts might with all our mind long for the reward of the heauenly victory Moreouer what soeuer in this litle work wherin I haue traueled faithfully belongeth vnto me I dedicate the same wholy liberaly frankly to thee Christian Reader neither shall it greeue mee too beare the censure of diuers iudgements so that thou by reading these s◅iender Cōmen taries mayest be encouraged and prepared to reade a iust history FARE WELL. The Table A ACtes done by M des Adretz in Dolphini in the countie of V◅ ayas 143 Aunswere made by the Prince of Conde to the supplicatiō which was put vp too the King and Queene by the Guises 91 Aunswere made by the Prince of Conde and his friends to the decree of the Senate of Paris 148 Assault giuen too Cesteron by the Papistes a citie in Prouance 181 Auinion a Citie in Prouance yeeldeth to the faithfull 80 Aide commeth from the Princes of Germanie the Protestants to the Prince of Conde to Orleans 214 B Blesa and Towers taken by the Papistes 137 Breach of the Edict of Ianuary cau sed the Ciuill warres 2 Burges besieged by the Papistes 199 C Cane in Normandie woon by the Admirall 259 Ciuill warre caused by the breach of the Edict of Ianuary 2 Ciuill warres begon 124 Complaint made by the faithful of the slaughter at Vassie 14 Comparison made betweene the Princes request and the request of the Guises 110 Conde forsaketh Paris 19 Conde commeth to Orleans 21 Conde enclined to peace 24 Conde perswaded to take the protection of the young King. 26 Conde complaineth too the olde Queene of the murther done a◅ Sens 34 Conde sory for the slaugher of Mot recondrine 085 Conde returneth to Orleans with his armie 173 Conditions of peace offered by the King to the faithfull 124 Conditions offered by the Prince of Conde at the first parley 219 Conspiracies made against the Gos pell by the Guises the Marshall of Saint Andrew and the Constable 4 Craftie pollicies wrought by the cō spiratours to seduce the King of Nauar to take their partes 5 Conspiracie against Languedocke 184 Crueltie vsed at the takinge of Orange 140 Coūsaile holden at Orleans by thē of the reformed Religion 72 D Declaration set forth by the Prince of Conde the second time 56 Decrees made by the Senate of Paris against the men of Orleās 145 E Edicts set forth in the kings name promising peace to them which had and would forsake the Admirall 245. F Foure speciall constitutions in the kings minoritie 168. G Great cruelty vsed by the papistes to the inhabitants of Orange 140. Great slaughter of the papistes 194. Guyses vnder collour of pence seke to dec◅e the prince of Cōde 130. Guyses
noyse of the great Gonnes In the meane tyme the Guises otherwise peraduēture scarse able to match with the Prince of Conde thought it not best to tarry his comming at Fontaynbleau least they should put their purpose in hazard Therfore they purposed to carry awaye the King from Fontaynbleau which was a place not of strength but of pleasure to a more strong holde Whereuppon they caused the king of Nauar whose authoritie they abused in all things to serue their turne to persuade with the Quéene that it was very necessary for diuers present necessities to departe from Fontaynbleau The Prince of Conde comming to take the king To this the Quéene answered that there was nothing more vnlikely than that his bro ther the Prince of Conde being the Kings kinsmā shuld purpose any such thing against the king his leige Lord and maister and beside this saith she the king will not departe to any other place The Quéene constantly persisting in this mind was agayne prouoked by the king of Nauar who sayde that they must of necessitie departe from thence otherwise the king would be destroyed and excepte shée would graunt hereunto he sayd he would him selfe of his own authoritie and office being the Kinges kéeper and Protectōr transporte the King to another place Then the Quéene began to beséeche the King of Nauar to knowe his intent and why hée should haue these suspicions of the Prince of Conde The King him selfe also sayde that hée would goe to no other place and in his childish vehemence hée declared his griefe with teares But the King of Nauar still affirmed that there was no remedie but that they must néedes departe from thence Therefore hée and the Guises caryed away the King and the Queene his mother his bretheren and his Sister from Fountaynbeleau to a Towne called Mellune The King so soone as hée came thyther was appointed to lodge in the Castell that was therein without any maner of Kinglyke prouision for the same the which Castell afore tyme had bene vsed as a prison to kéepe offenders in and such as had deserued death by their euil demeanor By reason of this expedition and haste of the Guises the Prince of Conde had no way or meane to doe any thing as hée would In so much that now there was a playne gate set wyde to open warres For the Prince of Conde being the Kinges néere kinsman and séeing that his elder Brother dyd not his dutie thought that hée ought not to suffer the safegarde of the King and of the whole realme to come in perill Therefore hée tooke counsell out of hande hée came to Orleans strayt after that hée had sent the Andelot with certayne horsemen and kept the same béeinge a well fenced citie and fit for his purpose gaue commaundement by publiqne Edictes That no man shuld cause any tumult vnder the pretence of Religion and that all men of what Religion so euer they were of should obserue and kéepe the kinges Lawes Edictes He commaunded also the kings Officers and the Magistrates of the Towne to come vnto him Who being come hée straytly charged them to doe their dutie vpon their alleageance and obedience to the king gyuing them to vnderstand that he was not come thyther vnder his owne name but in the name of his soueraygne Lord the king The faythfull according to the prescript of the kings Edict had their Sermons without the Citie The Papistes on the other part fréely vsed their rightes and ceremonies frequented their churches and the morrowe Masse Priestes walked through the citie in their priestly apparell All things were done fréely on both parts the Prince gyuing new commaundements and charge from day to daye that no man should be so hardy as to breake the kings peace This was done in the moneth of March. After this that the Guises were certified that the Prince of Conde was come to Orleans yea and that great rumours were brought dayly vnto them they were fully determined to take no small enterprise in hande Therefore the societie in the which they were lynked before with the Constable and the Martiall of S. Andrew being confirmed now agayn betwene them selues they sayde that it was nowe a more conuenient tyme to proclayme open warre than would be afterwarde by further delay The king of Nauar was woon on their side Paris they enioyed And the king was in their handes But they feared and stoode in doubt of the Quéenes mynd which at that tyme playnely séemed to inclyne to the Prince of Conde Least therefore the Quéene ioyning with the Prince of Conde should go about some new practise first of all they determined to carry the king and the Quéene to the most conuenient place for their purpose that all occasion of feare might be quite taken away And to serue their tourne they vsed diuers pretences and coloures By the king of Nauar they declared vnto the Quéene that it was most necessary in consideracion of those perillouse tymes that the king should be caryed to Paris Beside him the Marchant maister dayly persuaded that it was necessary for the King to come to Paris to stay the hurleyburleys and to quiet the people by his presence They declared therefore to the Quéene that it is fully decréed that the king should be carryed from Melune to Paris notwithstanding that the Queene earnestly requested the contrary First came the Constable with thrée hundred horsemen attending vpon him from Melune to Paris and then began open warre agaynst the faythefull The Constable vnderstanding that Ruzeus a noble Counceller in the common place Court of Paris professed the reformed Religion sent for him and commaunded him to prison And Ruzeus demaunding of him by what authoritie hée did so he aunswered It is authoritie sufficient that the Constable himselfe hath done it After this hée hauing a great multitude of people sollowing him came to those places which were limited to the faythfull by the kinges Edicte for the preaching of the worde and the administration of Sacramentes and there casting all the pewes selles seates and benches on a heape hée set them on fyre The cōmon multitude highly commending him for the same who beeing encouraged by the familiar example of the Constable by and by set the howses belonging to the same on a light fyer and burnt them downe to the ground Then had euery man frée leaue libertie to put him selfe in armour Insomuch that a man might then sée in euery streate and corner of the citie armed men well appoynted to fight and the rash multitude of laboring men hauing weapons in their hands to lay lustely about them committing murther and rapine throughout the citie falling with violence vppon euery on that was said to be a Huguenote Yea a mā might see inordinate sedition in euery place If any man made complaynt to the Constable of any violence or wrong done to him he should for his recompence be threatened to the gallowes The houses
letters to the Duke of Sabaudia About the same time there was a Synode of the reformed churches of Fraunce at Orleans to the which there came diuers Ministers of Gods word and certaine chosen men also of other churches There was chosen accor ding to custome by the coÌ„mon consent of the whole assemblie to moderate this Synode Antonius Champdâ—…us minister of Gods word in the congregatioÌ„ of Paris a maÌ„ of singular godlynes learning eloquence and modesty This man was borne of a noble house and being but a very yong man be embraced and professed the doctrine of the Gospell in so much that hée was chosen by the church to the ministery of Gods word the same church being but tender and yong and beside that much anoyed with affliction as he was chosen to this office so was he no lesse diligent in the same whereby hée became a most profitable meÌ„ber to the chuche but specially to the coÌ„gregatioÌ„ of Paris of the which he was SuperinteÌ„dent In this Synode there arose a great controuersie concerning ecclesiastiall discipline which certaine light heads at that time began to discusse seeking to maintayne the licentiousnesse of the common people This controuecsy being at this time stayed burst forth afterwarde more vehemently and troubled many churches And because the ciuill warres increased more more the Ministers by a common decrée proclaymed publique prayers to be made in euery congregatioÌ„ to turn away the wrath of God from the Realme who was not without great cause displeased with the same And they sent to euerye congregacion letters to this effect Al meÌ„ euidently sée what great troubles are at hand like to fall vpon the Realme and the whole churche for the which specially this mischief is prouided Sathan his soldiers enuying the propagation and prosperity of the Gospell and the peace which the same hath enioyed by the great goodnesse of God. And do perceyue that the causes of those troubles are the iuste iudgements of God punishing the sinnes of men which reiect so notable a benefite as the glad tydings of the gospel the power of God to saluatioÌ„ or else estéeme not so reuerently of the same as they ought Our sinnes therfore are the very causes of these calami ties so that we must seriously séeke all that wée may too appease the iust wrath of God but specially they who vnder the name of the reformed Religion liued very wickedly But to such as doo truly and from the bottom of their hartes repent them study to liue in newnesse of life the promises of God are effectuall and doo appertayne Séeing therfore the matter is come to this point that all men maye plainly sée that they which raise vp these troubles of warres do séeke the ruine of the Gospel and of the church and therfore do warre and fight against God himself they must pluck vp their spirits be of good courage and certaynly perswaded that God will not fayle his seruaunts whom he vouchsafeth so to aduaunce that whereas thei haue deserued to be seuerely punished for their sinnes they might be afflicted for the truthes sake and for the glory of his name What haue the enemies left vndone by which thei might extinguish the doctrine of the gospell Yet notwithstanding it hath escaped Sathan and the Romish Antichrist â—…etting fuming in vayn Therfore we must make this our cry The Gospell is assaulted the destruction of the church is sought and open warre proclaymed against god Therfore god will fight for him selfe and for his There are also other causes â—… for beside that their deâ—…estable counseil to abolish the Church all men knowe that they goe about to bring most gréenouse troubles vpon the realm to the ende they themselues alone may gouerne They haue arrogantly broken the Edict of Ianuary they haue added cruelty to their impudent boldnesse they haue put the Kings subiects to death in diuers places vsing quietly the benefit of the Kings Edicts and they haue haÌ„dled them more cruelly than euer were any forreyn enimies What mischief hath not their vnbridled crueltye brought to passe They came to the king being but yoÌ„g to the Quéene a woman and not able to resiste armed with a band of men and tooke them and caryed them wil they nil they whether they would And hauing captiued both their bodies and their willes at their owne pleasure they most impudently abused them breakinge the Kings Edictes and violating his dignitie Therefore say they there are great causes why we shuld hope that God the author of humane societie but specially the preseruer of his church will not suffer the vnbrideled force of those violent and cruell counsailes to procéede more outragiously than they doe but will make hys Churche in the middest of all the trouble the conquerer And we haue a new and manifest argument beside those which haue appered heretofore of this his good wil towards his seruants in that hée hath in these dayes of his afflicted church raysed vp the Prince of Conde to be a Patrone and defender of this cause by miracle of hys diuine prouidence For this cause we must gyue harty thanks vnto God the first and principall author of thys benefit we must looke for happy successe of his cause And because hée will vse this meane to preserue his church we for our partes must be diligent faithful cou ragiouse and constant least we omitte good occasion to bring things to passe being offered Wee séeke the coÌ„ser uation of the Gospell and of the church and for the befendinge of the libertie and dignitie of the King of the Realme and the whole common wealth Who will denie that these are iust and lawfull causes to put on Armour and specially for them to whom that authoritie appertaineth It is méete and necessary ther fore say they that you and we to the vtmost of our pow er and to the spending of our liues do aid and assist the Prince of Conde the rest of the kings officers which haue made a sollemne vow for the defence of the King the Realme and the Church and to be very carefull to giue vnto the Prince of Conde for this cause money fourniture and all maner of warlike prouision whensoeuer he shall require the same In so doing they said this thing should be so profitable for them all that nothing can be more necessary the time being considered And as they thought it to be their dutie to admonish them of these things séeing that now the glory of God the safetie of the Church and the preseruation of humane societie was to be sought for euen so saye they you must not delay the matter being of so great waight by any maner of meanes But forsomuch as all mans helpe is wholely vnprofitable and vaine except wée haue first of all the helpe and ayd of God the aucthor reuenger of this cause We must take héede that wée be diligent in calling vpon God and that we professe
his power and authoritye with these exceptions They then saide And now they go about to make that an euerlasting and irreuocable lawe which they thrée themselues haue deuised and decréed Truly we may with better reason and truth conclude that they go about to make the king a captiue and bonâ—…man vnto them not only in this his minoriti but in his maiority also Who séeth not their sondry and contrary deuises Who séeth not that they go aboute not only to haue the king in their handes and to rule him at theyr pleasure but the whole Realme also when as in a mat ter of so great waight and perillouse they dare take vpon them to determine decre what they theÌ„selues list Dyd euer those Triumuiri of Rome namely Augustus Antonius and Lepidus which by their conspiracie peruerted the lawes and the common wealth of Rome any thing more bould and presumptiouse If they had ben moued by the loue of peace as they say and not by the outragiouse heate of sedition if they had ben moued by zeale of Religion and not by the force of ambition they would not haue begon those their counsailes with force and murder they would haue come reuerentlie and modestly they would haue declared the causes whi they could not allow of the Edict of January And they would haue intreated the kinge and quéene to consulte with their CouÌ„sail for the remedeing of those troubles to the glory of God the dignity of the king and the conseruation of the Realme And so they should haue declared that they were moued by zeale of their consciences But while they go about these things they sufficiently declare that they take Religion but for a colloure to the end that they may draw away the Kinges subiectes to take their part that by their help by the help of strauÌ„gers they may bring al things to their rule Can the Princes the kings kinsmen suffer this that strauÌ„gers shal make lawes Edictes to rule the king the whole Realme 4 They require to haue the church of Rome which they call Catholike and Apostolicall to be alone through out the whole Realme and that the vse and administration of the reformed religion should be forbidden Let this be the Edict of the Duke of Guise a straunger of the Constable Momorentius and of the Marshall of saint Andrew the kinges seruauntes Let their willes mindes and decrese be set against the authority of the kinges Edict which the king the quéene the king of Nauar the Princes the kinges kinsmen the kinges Counsel and forty chosen men out of euery court of the realm haue made Let them oppose and set this their Edicte both against the decrées of the nobility and the cominaltye by their supplicatioÌ„ which they offered to the king first at Orleans then at saint German concerning the orderinge of ReligioÌ„ after this maner theÌ„ they must nedes acknowledge and confesse that their Edict will be the cause of ciuil warres and in tyme the destruction of the realme But blinde Ambition carieth them out of the way to bind the king and the Realme to them as they saye by these merits For this I affirme that the Duke of Guise and his brethren can not deny but that while they go about to molest trouble those that are of the reformed Religion what zeale soeuer they pretende they brynge the Realme into greate perill Let them remember what happened of late almost in the same counsel to theÌ„ in Scotland There both sortes of men that is to say both papistes and Protestants liued peaceably obediently vnder the gouernement of the Quéene vntill it was commaunded by the aucthority of the Guises that no other religion should be there receyued then that which is of Rome Then a certen smal nomber of men for this cause being raised and appointed to battaile by the wisdome of the quene and by the help of the Nobility were easely put down again The which thing ought to haue made the Guises sease from their former purpose for feare of greater trroubles whiche would ensue by the meanes of those Edictes But they on the contrary part more obstinately went forwarde with their purpose to hinder the reformed religion writing sharp letters vnto the Quéen because shée shewed hirself so fauourable and perswaded with hir that it was necessary that the principal authours and many of the Noble men should be put to death Therefore to bring that to passe in déed which they vttered in woordes they sent an army of meÌ„ into Scotland with M. Brosseus the Bishop of Atniens At whose comming most seuere Edictes were made coÌ„cerning the obseruation of popish rytes and comming to Masse The Bishop said that he would soone cal those that were gone astray as hée sayd to the obedience of the Church of Rome and monsieur Brosseus said that hée would quickly within few dayes by force of armes put all the rebels to flight And as cruelty hath always couetousnesse ioyned with it they beheld considered the landes and possessions of the noble men and wrot to the Guises that they could both make the people tributary to pay vnto the Frenche king two hundred thousande Crownes and also assigne to a thousand Noble men of France which should continually maintayne warre in Scotland houses and land The Guises hearinge of the which were glad but the Quéene Osellus a noble maÌ„ of Scotland said vnto M. Brosseus that the Scotts could not be so easely coÌ„quered who if they were coÌ„strayned would craue helpe of straungees which imbracinge the same Religion would not desire to haue better occasion to banish the Popes Religion out of Scotland whereby the Kings Royall estate should come in peril But they refusing these admonitions of the Quéene Osellus said that the Quéene with hir facilitie and sufferance would marre all and they called Osellus foole and dastard Ther fore these wise men so wrought that the greatest parte of the nobility gathered vnto them an army of men and within few dayes eyther slewe or put to flight the Papistes and sacrifising priests which if this had not ben might haue liued peaceably And thus thei which before would binde Beares and which triumphed before the victory â–ª did not only dishonour the Duke of Guise but also lost the aucthoritie of the Church of Rome By this example the Guises ought to acknowledge their fault and to leaue of their enterprise also to haue no more in their mouthes these wordes One of those two Religions must be banished the realme and some muste needes giue place to other some These proud words become not subiectes and seruaunts but a king of full and perfect age And whereas they would haue no religion but the Romish religion established within the realme which they go about to defende by force of armes they bring the realme into great perill and daunger And truly it were a great deale better to kéepe both partes in peace and concord and
to vse in stéede of blowes woordes and writings omitting all force warres sheding of blood The which peraduenture will so prouoke God and his vengeance to fal that the papists and priests thēselues which might quietly enioye their offices liuings shal be the first that shal féele the furour and madnesse of the people To be short the protection of the Suppliantes cannot chuse but bring great trouble and garboyle vnto them But when they may be assured of this that they néed not without they will themselues be endāmaged neyther in body office nor goods haue they iust cause to complayne except peraduēture they will say that they were carefull and sory for the losse of our soules But what hath made them so sodenly so carefull when as neyther any one Bishop Curate or popish priest hath laboured or takē any maner of paines to that end Séeing therfore we neuer intended to hurt any of thē what néed was there to bring them into this contention and to pretende the name of the Church Is not this too set one against another and to cause the people whiche before could not abyde those priests to hate thē the more Was there euer a more sorowfull sight séene in thys Realme Can there be any profit benefite or good turn so great that it maye make a sufficient mennes for so great destruction Can the Popes pardones and Indulgences restore the bloud that ▪ is shed for this cause These Suppliantes maye one day say vnto the Kinge that they to defend that which no man gainsayed and to preserue the Romish religion which no man wente about to hinder haue lost or went about to loose the one half of his nobilitie and chiefest of his subiectes Then and that truely it shal be obiected vnto them that as by their fayned and dissembled opinions concerning Religion they had brought the Realme of Scotland into great perill of destruction and caused much bloud too bée shed euen so by the same opinions counsayles and Instruments great discord hath ben sowen in this realm and ▪ both sortes of men set togither as it were by the eares in such sort that they may iustly hereafter amōg all posterities be sayd to be the authours and causes of all mischéeues and calamities which shall happen to the men both of the reformed also of the Romish Religiō And to cause more trouble they would haue all the Kings officers and all Ecclesiasticall persones to professe the confession of their faith and that such as should denie or refuse so to do should be depriued if they were temporall men of their offices if they were priests then to loose their benefices For this is the other Edicte of those thrée Suppliants against the receyued approued lawes of the king For there is no man that can remēber neither hath it ben heard of that any king that hath ben heretofore hathe constrayned hys true Subiectes to receiue any other confession of faith than that which is in the Apostels Créede Let that Lawmaker by whose craftie and subtill witte these their supplications were made bring forth but one only example The which truely he cannot do except hee will bring into this Realme the Inquisition of Spaine the which by the iudgement of all other Nations is counted so wicked that they all reiect the same These are the very same trappes and snares which they layd at Aurelias otherwise called Orleans a little before the death of Kyng Fraunces the second and which cannot chuse but bring the extreame ruine and destruction of the kyngs subiectes For those Suppliants know that there are ten thousand Noble men and a hundered thousand souldiours which neither by authority nor by force will forsake that Religion which they haue receiued and wyll not suffer the preaching of the woord and the administration of the Sacraments according to the forme of Religion which they professe to be taken from them and will defend themselues with the sword against them which abuse the aucthoritie of the Kings name That great number cannot be ouercome and destroyed which God forbid without the anoyance and ruine of those that shall set vppon them And to conclude the matter briefely I saye and affirme in the name of the Noble men Gentlemen and of many others which are here with me that this Decrée is made by thrée priuate men which by their authoritie peruert the kynges Edictes and make no accompt of them and to put their decrée in execution before they made the Kyng and Quéene acquaynted with their doinges they put themselues in armour and tooke them both captiue I say and affirme that the same Decrée is against the lawes of this Realme against all Christian order against the State against the Edict of January which was only made for this cause against the dignitie safetie of many of the kings subiects whose enemies they openly shew themselues to be whose goods and life they séeke to take away and all vnder the pretence of Religion conscience This decrée also taketh away the liberty of going to a Counsaile the which should haue ben considered by that subtill counsayler For if it be decréed that the same confession which they call the confession of the Faith shal be receiued of all the inhabitants of this Realme that is to say if all men be constrained to receiue the Popes doctrine and ceremonies this must néedes be a plaine sentence of condemnation against the reformed church neither is it then lawfull for our Ministers or for the Ministers of forreine Nations imbracing the same doctrine to go vnto a Counsaile when as they being not heard are condem ned But before the Duke of Guise and the Cardinall of Loraine his brother bring forth the decrée concerning the confession of the Romish faith let them renounce denie many speciall poynts of the confession made at Ausburge which when they were at Sauern they said thei imbraced promised to one of the Princes of Germany that they would cause them to be obserued in Fraunce It is néedfull also that the Cardinall of Loraine should declare by open writing whether he do persist in that opinion which sometime he said to the Quéene before a great many witnesses concerning Transubstantiatiō concerning the carying about of the Sacrament concer ning Iustification Inuocation of Saints Purgatory Images and concerning many other speciall points also of which he spake plainely against the iudgment of the Catholique and Apostolique church of Roome 6 ▪ Furthermore in that supplication straight after this they call to mind the throwing downe of Images require that the same Images be repayred and the breakers of them be punished But thervnto I make this answere The punishments wherwith I punish them which brake downe Images first in diuers places at the last in Orleans shall witnesse before God men that this misdemeanor of the rash multitude al wayes displease me both for that it was contrary to the Edict of
those their subtil flightes haue once had good successe and haue bene by them abused to the destruction of many if God had not prouided for the same they wold now put them in prac tise againe although there is not one of those which taketh our part which would not willingly spend bestowe all that he hath his life to in the seruice of the kyng yet notwithstanding they call â—…e Rebelles the kynges enemies There is I say not one of vs which would not most gladly for the preseruation of our king whom we alone singularly loue serue reuerence as the only gift of God spend bestowe his life There is none of vs which hath put him self in armour to requier any thing of the Quéen or of the king of Nauar. We require no other kyng whom we may acknowledge reuerence as our liedge Lord Soueraigne Neither do wee require to haue him and his authoritye in our hands We desire not to haue tributes customes taxes other payments due to him to be made to be eased diminished nay on the contrary part we not only haue not refused to beare any burthen that hath ben layed vp pon vs but do also now of our owne accord promise vnto the king to giue vnto him whatsoeuer he wil require so far forth as our goodes wil extend The Cities which are blamed as Rebelles haue not forsaken or changed their Soueraigne they gladly acknowledge al obedieÌ„ce to the kyng They haue not put themselues in armoure against the King such wickednes be farre from them neither haue they sought by force to make the King and his authoritie subiect vnto them But they we haue put our selues in armour against the Guises the Constable and the Marshiall of S. Andrew that with such discre tion modesty that we séeke neither their bloud goods nor offices Therfore they which shall say that we haue put our selues in Armour against the kyng shall impudently lie or els those Suppliants attribute to them selues the kyngs name dignitie But they which shal counsell perswade the king to giue vnto them his authority souldiers money although warre were enter prised against him shal truly one day make an accoÌ„pt of those their couÌ„selles shall declare who hath caused the king the Realme to contend who also hath spent the kings money contrary to the lawes of the Realme And I trust it will so fall out that the goodes which they haue taken out of the Kings treasury to mayntain warres wil be one day repayed againe out of their substance both to the profite of the Kyng and also to the easing and disburthening of the people 11 Last of all they protest that they are ready to goe home to their owne priuate houses yea to the vtmost partes of the world if néede should require and to the end we should not be ignorant they assigne the time of their departure saying When these thinges are fulfilled and brought to passe that is to say When the Edict of January by their priuate authoritie is openly broken when the reformed Religion is wholy abrogated with the preaching of the word of God and the administration of Sacraments when our consciences shal be subiect to the vexatioÌ„ of straunge doctrine wheÌ„ al they that haue im braced the reformed ReligioÌ„ shal be put to sileÌ„ce made subiect to the furor outragions madnes of their enemies being in dauÌ„ger of their liues if they liue otherwise than they would haue them and to vse their owne wordes if they shall liue without offence that is to say if they will come to Masse and to other popish ceremonies this they call to liue without offence These are the conditions which we may looke for at their handes This is their discréete counsaile ¶ But let vs now procéede a little farther and let my petition be ioyned and compared with theirs which I now make as followeth I require the obseruation of the Edict of January they on the contrary part would haue the same abolished They desire the subuersion ruine of many Noble families and of others also I desire that al the kings subiects of what estte or condition soeuer they be of should be in safty stil inioye their goodes liuinges and to be deliuered from all iniury violence and oppression They goe about to kyll and destroye all those of the reformed Religion I séeke to preserue them vntill the Kyng shall come to ryper age to iudge and determine of the whole matter as shall séeme best vnto him and in the meane time I desire that both parts may liue quietly that the papistes may enioy their liuings reuenewes with safety They séeke to deale by open violence not caryng to begin ciuill warre séeking by forrayne ayd to destroy vs spending the kings treasure to the destruction both of the king and also of the realme wherby we are constrayned to defend our selues I neyther desire warres neither do I spend the kinges treasure neither do I séeke the helpe of straungers nay I re fused them alwais hitherto when they haue offered me their seruice so wil I doe still except I be thereunto greatly constrayned by these authours of warres I desire to haue armour put of on both partes do promise that all those which are of my part shal be obedient and that loue and the reuerence which we owe to the king shal more preuail with vs thaÌ„ force of armes for whose preseruation we are ready to spend all that we haue They desire that we may be counted rebells and open enemies our cause not heard yea they séeke our bloud our offices our goods and our consciences We neyther séeke their bloud their offices their goods nor their consciences This only we séeke for at their hands to whoÌ„ wée will be bound that they and wée will go home euery man to his own house according to the tenor of those conditions which we haue more copiously declared in the Instrument which we sent to the King and Quéene con cerning this matter Neyther can they complayne say that they are hereby dishonored séeing that we submit our selues to the same conditions Our peticion is alike without any manner of inequalitie we desire nothing but that which is indifferent for both partes séeing that they theÌ„selues came otherwise then they ought to haue come to the king and were the causes of these troubles by their vntimely vsurping of armour And they haue violently assaulted so many good men that although our petitions are not alike and so indifferent yet notwithstanding it should be expedient for the peace tranquillitie of the realme to haue rather regard consideration of many men than of a few least the whole kingdome for these causes be brought into peril of ciuill warres But although there be no comparison betwéene these two peticions séeing the one is iust and equal but the other vniust and violent
repressed by Monsuer Cursol whoÌ„ the King sent for the same purpose and by the helpe of the reformed churches notwithstanding that Monsuer Sommeriue the gouerners Sonne of Prouince and many Noble men and diuers other in authority for bicause of the Guises assisted those lewde persones Neuerthelesse the Gouerner of Prouince Counte de Tende of Sauoy openly maintained the faithfull and being oftentymes assaulted by his Sonne came in great peril of his life Therfore Monsuer Sommeriue so soone as he heard that warrs should begin fortyfied the Cities of greatest trust as Marseile Aiigues and others gathered togither so great an armie as he could and euery where euell intreated the faithfull Thus the matter daily waxing woorse and woorse and both partes being bent to battaile the faithfull also gathered an Armie with no small nomber of soldiers and captained â–ª but they had small store of great goonnes and of cities out of which they were excluded by the subtil practises of the papistes Their Captaines were these Monsuer Cardet Monsuer Bari Monsuer Panard and Monsuer Mouans a very good and expert captaine These marching forth with their armies came to Pertus and beséeged the same and for want of greate goonnes they intended to vndermind the citie Notwith standing when they heard of the comming of their enemies which in dede were mani mo in nomber they raised their séege and came to Cesteron which at that time they themselues possessed But while Monsuer Sommeriue intended to follow and pursue them behold hée got a new occasion to commit great wickednesse There was at Auinion which was a towne belonging to the Popes iurisdiction or territory and of great wealth a certain man called Fabricius Cerbello of Bononia béeing Gouernour of the same towne expert in the warres the Bishop of Romes Nephew and a mortall enimye to the reformed religion This man intreated Monsuer Sommeriue by his letters that for so much as he had already an army prepared he would come out of hand to Orenge which is a Noble citie and the Lordship or seignorie of the house of Nassau to the whiche there came dayly a great multitude of Huguenotes who vnlesse they were oppressed euen at the very first not only Auinion which bordered vpon the same should be endammaged but also all Prouence should thereby receiue great detriment Therefore by this mans aduise and counsel â–ª Mon sieur Sommeriue marched with his armie toward Orenge and had this occasion offered vnto him easely to assault the same Monsieur Parpalia of Auinion Lord chief Iustice of the Parliament of Orenge returning from Lions was taken at Bourg which is a towne in Languedoc néere vn to the riuer called the Rosne the inhabitants of the same towne being sworne enemies to the reformed religioÌ„ Therefore to deliuer and redéeme this Parpalia the inhabitants of Orenge and the borderers thereabouts leauing a small garrison to kéepe the Citie came in battail array to Bourg Whereupon the army of Monsieur Someriue being ayded with many of Dolpheny and AuinioÌ„ whose Captain was Monsieur Suze a notable enemy to the reformed Religion besieged the Citie of Orenge being voyd of men to defend the same battered the walles thereof with ordinance the which being shaken downe they easely obtayned the Citie After the taking wherof the furiouse and outragiouse soldier exercised al maner of crueltie vpon the poore inhabitantes For besyde the accustomed cruelty vsed in warres and at the raysing ouerthrowing of cities as rapines forcing of women the deflowring of virgins they vsed a new kind of torture â–ª as by casting downe the prisoners froÌ„ Turrets other high places the soldiers in the meane time watching the fall that they might receyue them vppon the toppes of their speares and points of their swoords They vsed also to hange vp men with their héeles vpward boaring holes through their féete for the thouges and tye ropes to hold by And after this they burnt and destroyed the chiefest principal buildings in the city The victorie being in this wise gotten the army by and by marched to Cesteron which we saide before the faithfull possessed and determined to giue the assault vppon the Citie Notwithstanding after certayne dayes they hearing of the comming of the army of Monsieur Sorez and Moneâ—…s with other necessary aydes helpes thei raysed their sieg departed without their purpose The losse and destructioÌ„ of the citie of Orenge brought great terrour and feare vpon all that Region and vpon the Inhabitants there abouts but especially to all Dolpheny Monsieur de Suze of whom mencion is made before abyding still also about that Region after the departure of Monsieur Sommeriue with a prepared army playing the mortall enemie and was of great might power both by the helpe of the inhabitants of the same countrey of whom he had gathered togither a great army by his own authoritie and also by the ayde of Monsieur Fabricius gouernour of Auinion Where vppon hée tooke the Cities bordering thereabouts some yéelding vp themselues without assault and some being coÌ„ssrayned thereunto by siege as Pierlot Mornac and diuers other little townes All the villages in that Region are walled round about because of their often and accustomed warres and in the territorie of Auinion whiche men call the Countye of Venais being a very frutefull soyle he wan many little Townes For in that Countye the faithfull held many of them And if hée had marched with his army toward Dolpheny he had woon with litle ado diuers Cities being slenderly fortefied all men quaking for feare and the cities almost being quite voyd of men to defende themselues For at that time the faythefull were gone to winne the citie of Puj in the Region of Vellay Notwithstanding at Lions was M. Adretze at that instaÌ„t gouerner of the city This man by his singular diligence and indeuour hauing gathered together from diuers places an Army of men came from Lions to Montiil a noble Citie of Dolpheny at whose commaundement suldiers came to him froÌ„ diuers places For at that time his name was of such authority throughout all those Regions that he might rule and gouerne as he listed himselfe al those places in the which the faithfull abode as the Prouinces of Lions Dolpheny and Languedos Monsuer de Suze hauing gotten a great Armie went to besiege the City of Vauriac in the Countie of Venais but being the more bold by reason of the successe that he had at Orenge hee was carelesse and rechlesse in his busines Therfore hée incamped him selfe néere vnto the Citie and willed the Citizens to yeeld vp the same vnto him In the meane time the souldiour being carelesse talked of the spoyle and of the pray assuring himselfe of the same and the Captaines euen as if they already had gotten the victory began to deuide the spoyle among them selues Also Monsuer de Suze him selfe sate wholely vnarmed in his tent playing at the Dyce after hee
the euills like to ensue Finally I will and desire that the league whiche I haue made with the Princes Péeres Nobles and with all those that follow me and shall follow me may be established confirmed by this my writing To the which my fellowes I promise and vow that séeing it hath plea sed God to aduaunce me to so great honor as to make me the Captain and principall of that league and to be a deliuerer of the reformed churches liuing vnder the Kings Edictes from the iniuries and violence of the enemies I wil be the first that will spend my lyfe goods to maintayne the pure worship of God to defende the true professours and followers thereof to restore the King to his former libertie and authoritie and his Edictes and the lawes of the Realme to their proper dignitie In like manner I pray and beséeche all my Confederates that they abyde in the same mind courage and constancy that I am of in this so godly and commendable a purpose hauing alwayes respect vnto the vprightnesse of our cause reposing all their trust in the power of God being fully perswaded of this that fighting for the glory of God for the preseruation of his Church and for the conseruation of the King and the Realme God the mighty Lord of hoastes will stretch forth his mighty hand to helpe Whom I most humbly beséeche to take vpon him the patrociny and defence of our cause and to enter into the Throne of his iudgement before whom I shew and reueale the horrible blasphemies which our aduersaries haue breathed out against his Maiestie the cruelties which thei shewed vpon his poore afflicted meÌ„bers the innocent bloud of so many of his seruauntes that hath ben shed and the bloudy and mischeuouse coun sailes against his glory and the lyfe and safetie of hys Saincts so that hée taking his people vnder his protection would shew his power Iustice and wisdome both in destroying his aduersaries and also in blessing those which séeke to defend his people whereby all the world may know that hée is a refuge for the afflicted in time of trouble a deliuerer of his Church and an enemie anâ—… Iudge of his enemies About this time also the Prince of Condes fellowes sent letters to the Emperour Ferdinande to whom they declared their cause and rendered a reason of all theyr dooings and frustrated the rumors of their aduersaries praying him that hee would be carefull to defende thys cause and also that hée would call backe the Germanes that were gone to helpe the Guises And although saye they the reportes of the troubles which were in France were euery where spred abroad and were come also to the Emperours eares by letters sent from both partes yet notwithstandinge the Prince of Conde sent to the Emperoure whom he vnderstoode should come to an honorable assembly the causes of all his actions that the Emperour himselfe might certefie the whole assembly of the same seeing so great and waighty matters were obiected against him by his aduersaries the Prince of Conde thinking that it became him in a matter of so great waight to shewe the causes of all his dooings to all men and to the Emperour himself being of so highe calling that he might leaue to the whole world euident testimony of his innocency To bring the which matter to passe he may be glad that he hath gotten so good occasion to craue helpe to be ayded in this iust cause for the preseruation of the yong King of France being of suche age that the same of itselfe requireth and ought to obtayne helpe It is no new thing neyther wanteth it exaÌ„ples that Kyngs in their minoritie and infancâ—…e haue receyued the Kyngdome of Fraunce as appeareth by the late times of Charles the sixt and the eight and of others In whose time of minoritie we do not read that there was any contention about the gouernement of the Realme because the Princes which were the Kynges kinsmen left alwayes the gouernement of the Realme to thein which were elected and created by the States of the Realme of Fraunce to whom the gouernement of the Realme was committed so long as the King coÌ„tinuing in his minoritie which was vntill he came to the age of fouretéene yeares The which order of gouernement in the Kyngs Neâ—…age hath ben alwayes so approued that Kyngs haue warely prouided in their Testaments that if they should disceace before their Sonnes were come to their perfect age to gouerne the Realme then the States should prouide for the same gouernement The which doth sufficiently declare that this kind of gouernement doth in no poynt deminish the Kynges aucthoritie or power whom whosoeuer resisteth resisteth the ordinaunce of God but is rather necessary to preserue and defend them so long as they are vnméete to take vppon them any such gouernement through the defect and imbecillitie of Nature But when the Kyng shall come to the age of fouretéene yeres that vicary or substituted gouernemeÌ„t doth cease and all things do so retourne to the Kyng that whatsoeuer he shall will or decrée shall be ratified In the dayes of Charles the sixt after he had raigned many yeres and that it pleased GOD for the sinnes of the people to depriue him of his witte and sences and when the time came that the Realme must of necessitie be gouerned there arose a certaine contention among the Princes that were the Kyngs kinsmen about the same gouernement but this was neuer heard of that a forreyne Prince would euer intrude him selfe into the gouernement of the Realme and that against the will ordinance and decrée of the States as doth now the Duke of Guise at the first with force of armes and afterwardes vnder the coullour and name of the Kyng of Nauar corrupting and breaking all Lawes constitutions and customes that by all meanes possible he might satisfie his ambicious minde and get the gouernement of the Realme into his handes And say they most renowmed Emperour you must not thinke that he is moued to do these things for the loue he beareth to any Religion but doth only make Religion a cleake to fulfill his ambicious desire but vnder this pretence he hath drawne a great part of the people vnto him whom he hath so stirred to outrage crueltie promising that they shall escape vnpunished whatsoeuer they do that now the mad and franticke people throughout the whole Realme of Fraunce do nothing els but kill spoyle and shew al maner of violence After the death of Henry the second and Fraunces the second Kynges of Fraunce it was expedient according to the auncient vse of the lawes that the States of FrauÌ„ce should be called together and that in the greater number because Charles our Kyng was of tender yeres Then the States as it was méete made certayne lawes and statutes the which should only stand in force and strength duringe this time of the Kynges minority according to the institution and
that Edict The Ministers of the Gospel after their othe had authoritie giuen them by the Magistrat to preache in all Prouinces they had also places for the preaching of the word and for the administration of Sacraments grauÌ„ted vnto them in the 〈◊〉 of the Cities al things else peaceably and without any â—…umult Our aduersaries enuying that all things went forwarde so well sought daylye newe occasions to moue troubles At the length their Captaynes the Constable and the Marshall of S. Andrew thinking it good to delay the tyme no leager wrote letters to the Duke of Guise to come with ayde and a power of man to the Courtâ—… and hauing gotten the King of Naâ—…ar on their syde there was great hope that they should haue all things at their pleasure Then the Duke of Guise comming with a great Armie of footemen and a troope of horsemen made hast toward the Courte and by the waye as he came hée â—…uelly handeled the reformed Churches which peaceablely vsed the benefite of the Edict at Vassi setting sodenly vpon a great number of the faithful which were gathered togither to heare the word of God he slew maÌ„ woman and child without all pitie or mercy Thus beginning his busines he went forward on his iourney without feare and came to Nâ—…antuil the house of his territory or Lordship whether the Constable and the Marshiall of Santandre came And when they had deliberated of the matter and had opened the causes of their complaynts some of them bewayling the decaye of their aucthoritie and rule which thei had in the daies of Kyng Fraunces the second other some repining that they must make their accompt according to the decrée of the States at the length they determined to arme them selues And thus of their owne priuate authority they put them selues in Armes to mayntaine their ambition and couetousnes which notwithstandinge they couer with the cloake of Religion they came to the Kyng and Quéene with an Army of men and made them subiect to their power and tooke vppon them the gouernement subtillie foreséeing that there was no better way to make the people to take their part than vnder the pretence of Religion and the name of the Kyng so to abolish the Lawes and constitutions of the States and the Edict it selfe Therfore from that time forward hauing gotten Paris into their hand and brought the Kyng captiue thither they left no kind of mortall crueltie vnshewed no one corner of the Realme was frée from the Ciuill warres which they had stirred vp insomuch that the lamentable remembraunce of things past and of the great destruction like to come would make a man to tremble Nothwithstanding the Quéene being certified of these thinges was very carefull to let and stay their purpose and to frustrate their deuises sent for the Prince of Conde to come to Monceaulx and prayed him to resist the violent force and crueltie of these men by force of Armes and for this cause she appoynted him to be Captaine generall and named certaine men vnto him whose helpe and furtherance he might vse But the Prince of Conde delaying the matter for feare of tumults and vproares was preuented with the expedition and hast of his enemies who had so gotten the Kyng and Quéene into their handes that they abused their willes at their owne pleasure deludinge and abusing also the facillitie and sufferance of the king of Nauar they séeke thereby coullers to hide their tirranie The which sufferaunce notwithstanding of the king of Nauar although his full consent were ioyned therwith as it ought not by any meanes to restraine or deceiue the king of his libertie euen so it can be of no force to excuse the vnbrideled ambition and presumption of the Guises For in giuing authority the simple and bare ratefying is not sufficient but the ciuill lawes do shew that it is néedefull to haue expresse commaundement Furthermore the Kyng of Nanar hath not this authoritie to rule and gouerne the Realme without the Quéene and neither of them haue any such authoritie that they can set ouer the same to any other without the consent of the States Moreouer as touching the tractation of warre and artillerie the Quéene her selfe during the time of the Kynges nonage can do nothing as of her owne authoritie séeing this thing pertayneth to the States who notwithstanding haue not decréed and appoynted this warre but the Guises which haue caused the same to be in euery corner of the Realme Is there any man in the whole Realme that can or ought to take vnto him such power and authoritie as to gather Armies of men and to moue warre to the detrement and hurt of the Kyng and the Realme as the Duke of Guise now doth And this is the seruice that the Triumuiri namely the Duke of Guise the Marshiall of Saint Andrew and the Constable do to the Kyng their soueraigne Lord in this his tender age in the which he is subiect to many iniuries that is to say their wicked actes by which they go about to ouerthrowe the Kyng with the kingdome Which are the causes O Emperour that we put our selues in Armour and haue chosen the Prince of Conde to be our Captaine who shewed him selfe willinger to take so notable a matter in hand being moued the runto by no lesse good will toward the King and the realme than we were The Quéene also her selfe both perswaded and commaunded him to take this warre in hand to deliuer her from that iniury which both she and the king sustayned as appeareth by her expresse wordes in letters to be séene the Coppies wherof we haue sent vnto thée O Emperour Notwithstanding al this the Prince of Conde which was the last which put himself in armes and that at the commaundement of the Quéene neuer ceased to séeke peace and concord offering all indiffereÌ„t and reasonable conditions that might be as That hée would put of his Armour depart from the Court and would go also if néede were out of the Realme so that his aduersaries would do the like and that the Edict of Ianuary might be obserued Also he prayed and doth pray and beséeth by his letters al Christian Princes that are in League and amitie with Fraunce to be meanes for the making of peace and concord and with them all Noble Princes of the Empire whose godly and commendable indeuours for peace and concord were notwithstanding hindered by the Guises who in the meane time sought by al meanes possible to be ayded by straungers And it is manifest that the Prince of Conde hath sought so many waies to establish peace and concord as they haue sought by all meanes possible to hinder the same as may appeare by the last Parley betwene the Quéen the prince of Conde at Baugence they séeking by Treason to circumuent the Prince of Conde Wherefore by the demonstration and knowledge of al these thinges both the trueth and equity of our cause and of the
cause which was not perticuler but generally belonging to all men and that I should resist open force and tyrāny and restore libertie of conscience to the men of the reformed Churches by the benefite of the kings Edicte after so great and so longe affliction whereby they sayd I should preserue the authoritie and dignitie of the king and the Estates For these causes the greatest part of Noble men and Gentlemen vppon conscience of their dutie knowing that they were bound hereunto both by diuine and also by mans lawe haue followed me and with these the greatest part of the kings subiectes and his most noble Cities haue voluntarily ioyned themselues with me and rather by diuine than humane reason haue elected and created mée with one voyce and consent for this cause to be their Captayne The which office I being of the kings bloud and naturally bound to the Crowne of Fraunce haue taken vpon mée and haue sworne to maintayne the glory of God the dignity and conseruation of the king the Realme hauing also entered into league with them in respecte whereof I haue bound my selfe vnto them and cannot be discharged of my othe againe without the solemne consent of my fellowes to whom I haue giuē my faith And whereas I offered to the Quéene to become a banished man vpon this condicion If by the departing of vs fewe the common peace and libertie of Religion might bee obtayned it is manifest that my departure shall open a gap to more miserable destruction and therefore there is no cause why I should be bound by that my promise If I should departe the realme I should leaue the King in this his nonage in perill of the ambition and violēce of straungers and the Crowne of the which I am by nature a defender and protector in hasard of lying in the dust Agayne it cannot be that the Kinges subiectes should be in the more securitie through my departure whē this one thing is manifest that the Shepeheard beeing away ▪ the Woulfe maye the more easely destroye the flocke Can I thinke that so great a multitude can be sent out of the realm without their great hurt and without the great destruction of the whole realme Therefore for my duties sake to do the which I am bound both by nature and also by my othe I cannot neyther ought I to depart out of the Realme specially in these perillouse tymes vnlesse I would incurre the faulte of a fugitiue and startaway For as touching the reasons which my aduersaries bring to couer their wickednesse and to diswade me from the defence of so iust a cause they are so weake of so small waight that no man will estéeme them but those which are affectionate vnto them For whereas they say that from that time hitherto the Quéene hath altered her purpose disalowed the Edicte and allowed their bearing of armour and had giuen hir authoritie to the King of Nauarre to rule and order the whole matter it is nothing First bycause it is more probable and agreable to reason that whatsoeuer the King the Quéene and the viceroy determined and decréed when they had full libertie and when the kingdome was in peace is more firme and sure than that which they approue and confirme in these troublesome tymes when they are after a sort constrayned by force of Armes Secondly the Quéene cannot alow the gathering togyther of domesticall and forein Armyes of men and the beginning of warre contrary to the auncient custome of the lawes of Fraunce and the late decrée of the states and that for so euil an end purpose as to breake the Kinges Edicte the decrée aforesaid made solemly by the Quenes cōmandement but she must also ouerthrow the foundation vppon which her authoritie standeth which by that meanes should be of no force Neyther can she of her selfe put ouer to another her authority and power to gouerne bycause it commeth not vnto her by natural right but is giuen vnto her by the benefite and consent of another Moreouer touchinge the king of Nauarre whether hée be Viceroy or Legat he hath no such authority that he may commaund the Guises or any other to gather togyther armies of men and that without the commaundement of the Quene or the kings lawfull Counsaile chosen by the states The which was not obserued when the Quéene gaue them commaundement to put of their armour Neyther is it of greater waight or force that the Quéene since that tyme hath approued the bearing of armour and the musteringe of souldiers bycause in those matters it cānot be sufficient to haue only a bare allowing or approuing in the which a sure and expresse commaundement is required To conclude admit the Kinges Counsaile were such as it ought to be by the decrée of the States and that there were ioyned therwith the authoritie of the Quéene and of the Kinge of Nauar God forbid that any man how great soeuer his authority be in the tyme of the Kinges nonage might gather an army proclayme warre and put the power of the King and the Realme into the hands of a subiect be he neuer so faithfull without the wil and consent of the States first had and specially when the purpose is so euill and that the Kinges ▪ Edict should be broken These thinges of me considered I haue determined not to forsake my king in his young age and my Countrey and Religion all which requyre my helpe Therefore I haue brought my army more neare my enemies my souldiers being very willing and couragious to set vppon the enemy and to ioyne battaile But our enemies which haue so often triumphed ouer vs scorned vs haue found no better way than to packe and steale away secretly in the night Therefore forsaking to ioyn battail with vs thei came to Blais a town without any Garrison vnlooked for besieged the same and when they had won it they shewed al maner of cruelty and since that tyme they haue spoyled as yet do spoile cruelly many of the Cities of this Realme And as for the Quéene though she know the goodnes of our cause and that I haue done nothing but by her commaundement yet neuerthelesse bycause she is more a fraide of the power and subtill practises of our aduersaries than she trusteth to the good successe of oure parte mindeth to giue her selfe wholy vnto them anddoth more openly and vehemently fauour them as may plainly appear by these effectes Therefore shée gaue her selfe wholy to the Cardinal of Lorrayn who at that tyme was with her to be gouerned by him although shée knewe well enough the couetousnes ambition cruell mind which is in him and in the rest of that stocke which haue bin the causes of most greuous troubles in the Realme of Fraunce ▪ since that tyme that they haue borne any rule Therfore the Cardinall left nothing vndone that might hinder peace as may appeare by hys letters which by chaunce came to our handes
long before to talke of the murthering of the Guâ—…se and yet it appeareth by his owne sayinge that I neuer spake vnto him or had any knowledge of him before the time that he brought Monsieur Subize his letters vnto me VVhere vppon I may truly conclude that it is neyther true nor like to be true that I should be the author of that thinge which he long before had conceiued and purposed in his mind Moreouer where as Merae was very nere of kinne to M. Rainold whom the Duke had caused to be slaine it was likely that he was enflamed and stirred vp againste the Guise by some priuate quarell and speciall hatred And as I haue declared beefore euen so of a truth the case standes vvhereby me thinke it is euident and plain that they who perswade themselues that I was the author and procurer of this murther besides that they vse very fonde and childishe reasons to proue the same do not know my nature for if so be I had charged him to doo any more then that I haue before declared I would not feare to confesse it with like franknes and boldnes And truly I would gladly aske this question of them whether they imâ—…gin that there was any other cause why I should cause my other answer to be published then that I desired the matter might be vnderstanded of all men And it there were any thing else why should I dissemble why should I cloake it why should I not confesse it who euer was a more deadly and open enemie vnto mee than the Duke of Guise for what other cause did he besiege Orleans but that he might vtterly destroy and cast awaye mee my wyfe and children and whatsoeuer else I held as deare and precious vnto mee yea there are men of great credite that can and will testifie that he vsed often to bragge and make his vaunts that whensoeuer the Citie were taken he would spare none neyther man woman yong nor old Neyther needeth any man to doubt that amongest all them that were in the battayle at Dreux it was he I sought for and chiefely he with whom I wished to meete And certaine it is that if I myselfe could haue discharged anie shot at him I would ful glad ly haue done it yea truely if I had ben Captain ouer ten thousand gunners I would haue charged them that they should euery one haue leueled and shot at him alone To be short I would haue left no deuise that might stande with the law of armes vntried so that I might by any meanes deliuer my selfe from an enemie so spightfull and deadly against mee and myne all good men And last of all I protest before God and his Aungelles that I commaunded nothing else but that which I haue declared in these my writings If there be any man that desiteth to knowe more let him repaire too mee and I will make him aunswer Whilest these things happened in Fraunce the Popish Prelates sat still at Trent labouring very diligently to prouide and establish the estate of Poperie with a long rable of Decrées the exact rehearsall whereof being at large already set out in a booke for that purpose shall not be néedfull to be brought in here in these oure Commentaries especially for that our onely purpose intent is briefly to shew the estate and condicion of the faithfull in Fraunce and how thei were troubled vexed in the time of Truce and how afterward they were enforced to breake out into open warre The Councell of Trent therefore did very carefully trauell in maintayning and defending the Popes authoritie and dignitie in the kingdome of Fraunce and this matter as a thing of greatest waight and importance was thorowly and most earnestly laboured of all sides And the great and large reuenew that came out of Fraunce whiche thing did chiefely enflame the zeale of those reuerend Fathers and the great daunger and present hazard they were in to loose them if the reformed Religion had preuayled did make them busily to besturre them and to take the matter in hand There was present at the Councell the Cardinall of Lorraine hauing great knowledge and experieÌ„ce in the affaires of Fraunce and a subtill and sleighty old coygner of new fetches and besides that the matter for hys owne cause stood him vppon he was also incensed with an outragious hatred and malice against the men of the reformed religion and chiefly against the trueth it self which he both knew and renounced At his request and setting on they began to consult how they might vtterly deface and roote vpp the reformed Religion out of Fraunce the readiest and fittest waye for that matter that they could deuise was that there should be a league made betwixt the King of Spayne and the King of FraÌ„ce and that the King of Spayne because it was a thing of great difficultie and could not without much a doe bée brought to passe should helpe the French Kinge at all tymes with such ayde as should be néedfull and that all wayes and meanes should be sought to abolish and disannull the Edict wherin was graunted the libertie and vse of the reformed Religion This league which was made for the rooting out of true religion the holy fathers of the Councell of Trent dyd call the Sacred and holye League The Cardinall of Lorayne doth promise all possible diligence and trauaill in this matter and that hée will perswade the King to finish the league and as for the Quéene being of herselfe prone enclining to their parte and the consents of the Nobles he accounted him selfe sure of them As the Cardinall a most bitter enemie to the reformed Religion did what possible he could for the accomplishement of these matters in the Councell at Trent the enemies of the Gospell were not idell at home in Fraunce in defacing and putting downe the Edicte and the Quéene was not onely euery day more wayward disliking of the reformed religion but was also very furiously incensed against it and dyd by all meanes shée could denise goe about to engraffe and so we hatred and malice in the tender mind of the yong King against religion that then he might proclayme perpetuall and euerlasting warre against al the reformed Churches in Fraunce The Constable Momorencie was also very forward in this matter and was very maliciously bent againste the truth bicause he purchased so great infamy and dishonour in the former warres So that the Edict had in France enemies both many in nomber and greate in power and authoritie About this time the Kinge being of the age of xiiii yeres was declared to be of ful lawfull age by the decrées and iudgemente as the maner was of all the high Courtes of parliament and within few dayes after was according to the custome solemly crowned and all such estates as had to do with the administration of the Realme as vicegerents and protectours and such other were displaced very profitablie fitly both
also in the laste rising as soone as was offered to the sayd prince and other Lords and gentlemen of his company the reestablishment of the exercise of religion notwithstanding their greate troupes and strength of straungers ioyned with them and vpon the very point to assaulte the towne of Chartres in the view and face of the enemyes campe which was for the most disordered if at the onely sounde and pronouncing of peace made by a Trumpet sent vnder the name of your maiestie the sayde prince did not onely forbeare y assault but also raised forthwith his siege and retired his army reping notwithstanding of so readie obedience but a bloudy peace and promise full of infidelitie if also during the same sturre the morrow after the battaile at Sainct Denys where both the prince had the better and the Constable principall leader of the army was slaine The sayde Prince dispatched to your maiestie the Lord de Theliguy aswell to warne you of the ruine and desolation threatning from the instaunt your Realme if the straungers were suffered to enter houering there vpon the frontiers as also to mediate and sollicite in meanes and remedyes to knit an absolute peace only in the cause of religion if in short your Edicts haue bene alwayes published and the peace accorded at suche tymes as they of the religion if they would haue abused the opinion of your purpose might in respect of their forces persuade and beléeue that aswell in all your parleyes and treaties of peace there was no other mention than of the matter of religion as also that their enemyes haue not bene brought to it but by necessitie being vnable by open force to mayntaine any longer against them in what conscience or with what face or countenance may it be sayd that these troubles moue continue for the matter and cause of religion And yit neuerthelesse the more to choke and conuince the Cardinall of Lorraine and other his adherentes of their lies and slaunderous impositions which they publish daily the said Princes Lordes Knightes gentlemen and others of their companies forgetting the infidelitie and all disloyall attemptes heretofore conspired agaynst them declare and protest this daye both before God and your Maiestie that what so euer hath ben don or offered to them in euill from the beginninge to thys houre thei neither haue nor wil once impute it to your Maiestie as knowing your nature to be nothing touched with such iniust seuerities whereof you haue gyuen so many publique experiences that there is nowe no cause of doubte neyther haue or do they thinke to chaunge or diminish in any respect their duetye and naturall regard which they haue alwayes bent to the true aduauncement of your greatnesse and Royall estate wherein and also in so many effectes aforesaid if it bée both knowne and séene that they entertayne no other purpose nor meaning than vnder the obedience and authoritie of your Edictes to serue God according too his will and as they are instructed by his holy woorde with desire to be maintayned with equall care as your other subiectes in their honours liues and goods they are now ready to giue such further manifest proofe and witnesse as their most enemies shall haue least cause henceforth to doubt them And that neither to enter into any iustification of their actions passed as their innâ—…cencie and iustice of their cause béeing sufficientlye known to your maiestie and all other Kings princes and potentates what straungers so euer they be if they be not of the faction and partie of Spaine much lesse to séeke to capitulate with your maiestie knowing god be praysed what is the dutie of good and faythfull subiectes to their soueraigne Prince and naturall Lorde But Sir in respect of the large peny worthes and coÌ„mon marchandise which heretofore hath bene made of the faith and word of your maiestie which aboue all ought to be holy sacred inuiolable and withall with what vnséeming boldnesse your authoritie and name hath ben abused to the extréeme periâ—… of all your people of the reformed profession it néed not séeme straunge if the said Princes with their consociates doe humbly beséeche you to declare by an Edict solemn perpetual and irreuocable your resolute will in a libertie exercise of their Religion to the ende that by the same suche as heretofore at two seuerall times both rashly and with all impunitie haue infringed and violated your former constitution in that cause may by this thirde be more brideled and restrayned wherein because such as were not able to endure the vnitie and vniuersall rest maintayned amongst your people by the good obseruation of your Edictes haue taken occasion to alter and corrupt them by new constructions and modifications contrary to the true substaÌ„ce of the same and sincere meaning of your maiestie And that also the sayde Princes with the reste of their faction confesse to haue borne a most iust iudgement of God in more sortes of afflictions in tyme of peace than when it was open â–ª warre as in con senting too easely to the treatises of peace whiche haue ben made the same prouiding a generall contentment on all sides that God should be serued onely in certayn places of the Realme and by certain persons as though in a sound conscience there belonged no other thing to the seruice of God. They most humbly beséeche your maiestie to accord and graunt generally to all your subiectes of what qualitie and condicion so euer frée vse of the sayd Religion in all Cities villages and boroughes all other places and corners of your Realm and countreys within your obedience and protection without any exception reseruacion modification or restraint of persons tymes or places and that with suerties necessary in so hyghe a cause and besides to ordeyne and enioyne to make manifest profession of the one or other religion to the ende to cut of hereafter all meanes and occasions to many who abusing such benefite and grace are flipt into Atheisme and carnall libertie and who standing vpon no exercise and profession of religion desire nothing more than to sée an vniuersall confusion in this Realme and all order pollicie and Ecclesiasticall discipline reuersed and abolished a thing so daungerous as not to be tollerated in any Christian state And because Sir wée doubt not at al that those who hetherunto haue pitched the foundation of their deuises vppon slaunderous reproches impudently published to make vs hatefull eueÌ„ to such as God be praysâ—…d be frée from the seruitude tyrannie of Antichrist will not sticke to impose vppon vs an inciuiâ—…e obstinacy rather to defend without reason that we haue once resolued to beléeue touching the Articles of Christian religion than to correct or retract our erroures We declare and protest as herevnto we haue done that if in any pointe of the confession of faith heretofore presented to your maiestie by the reformed Churches of your Realme it may be founde by the word
it that they were deliuered before their time And out of the Courte of the goale called the Archbyshops pryson the bloude was séene in the broade day light to the great aâ—…orring and feare of many that behelde it runne warme â–ª and smoking into the nexte streats of the town and so down into the Ryuer of Sene. There was in that same Archbyshops pryson an aged man called Francis Collut a Marchaunt of cappes and two yong men his sonnes whome he had euer caused diligently to â—…e taught and instructed in Religion WheÌ„ he saw the butchers come toward him with their Axes he began to exhort his children not to refuse the death offred by Gâ—…d For sayd he it is the perpetual destenie of religioÌ„ that often such sacrâ—…ices do betide in ChristiaÌ„ Churches Christians in al ages haue euer â—…in for euer to the worlds end so shal be as shepe amoÌ„g wolues doues among Hawks sacrifices among priests TheÌ„ the old father embraced hâ—… two yong sonnes lying flat on the ground with theÌ„ crying aloud vpoÌ„ the mercy of God was with mâ—…ny wounds â—…oth he his sonnes slaughtered by those butchers long tyme afterward their thrée bodies hard knit togither yelded a piteous spectacle to many that behelde them In the meane time Mandelot in iest and scorne as it séemed caused to be proclaimed by the cryer that no man should committe any â—…laughter in the town that if any would detecte the doers of any such slaughter he would giue him a huÌ„dreth crowns in reward for his information And froÌ„ that time they ceassed not to kil to rob to spoyle The next day after which was the first of September the greatest part of the deade bodies were thrown into the riuer of Sene and the rest of theÌ„ Mandelot to féede glut his eyes heart with bloud caused to be caried by boat to the other side of the water there to be thrown down vpoÌ„ the grene grasse near vnto the Abbey called Esne There the people of Lions specially the Italians of whome by reason of the Marte there is great store in the towne satisfied their eyes a while did such spites as they could to those heapes of carcases so exercised their crueltie not vpon the lyuing onely but also vpon the deade And there hapned one thing which for the abhominable crueltie is not to be omitted There came to that spectacle certaine Apothecaries amoÌ„g those bodies they perceiued some very fat ones by by they went to the butchers told them that they did vse to make certeÌ„ special medicines of maÌ„s greace that they might make and profit therof Which as sone as the butchers vnderstoode they ran to the heapes chose out the fattest and launced them with their kniues and pulled out the fat and solde it for money to the Apothecaries While these thinges were doing at Lions the King being enformed that diuers of the religion had left their wiues children and were fled out of the other townes and lurked some in the woods and some among their friendes such as toke pitie on them he practised with â—…aire wordes to allure aâ—…d cal them home againe He sent to euery part messaÌ„gers letters affirming that he was highly displesed with those slaughters horrible butcheries that he would that suche crueltie shuld be seuerely punished if the Admiral with a few of his confederates had entred into any secrete practise it was no reason that so many innocents should beare the punishment due to a fewe Many swetely beguiled wyth these wordes of the King and with the letters of the gouernours retired home againe to their dwellings and houses specially they of Rhoan Diepe and Tholouse There were scant two dayes passed when they were againe commaunded to pryson where they were all shutte vp Then were murderers a newe appoynted of the most base and rascall of the people to torment them with all kinde of torture and then to slay them And throughout the whole realme of France for thirtie dayes togither there was no ende of killing slaying and robbing so that at this day there are about a hundreth thousande little babes widowes and children that were wel borne that nowe fatherlesse and motherlesse liue wandering and in beggerie About this time the King caused to be proclaymed that such as had any office or place of charge vnlesse they would spedily return to the Catholike apostolike and Romish Church should giue ouer those their temporall roomes There was no towne nor any so small a village or hamlet wherein all the professors of the Religion were compelled either to goe to Masse or presently to take the sworde into their bosomes and in many places it happened that such as being amazed with the sodainenesse of the matter had abiured their Religion yet notwithstanding were afterwarde slayne And while these things were still in doing yet the King in the meane while sent abroade his letters and messages into all partes and caused to be proclaimed with trumpet that his pleasure was that the Edictes of pacification shuld be obserued and although they coulde not haue fréedome to vse and exercise their Religion in open places yet they should haue libertie permitted them to retaine and professe it within their owne houses and that no man should 〈◊〉 with or disturbe the goodes and possessions of those of the Religion And the same Kyng which but fewe dayes before hadde by letters directed to all the gouernours of his Prouinces signified that his cousin the Admirall was slaine by the Duke of Guise to his great sorrow and that himselfe was in great daunger the same Kyng I say nowe caused it wyth sounde of trumpet to be proclaimed that the traiterous and wicked Admirall was slayne by his will and commaundement He that in fewe dayes before had by new authoritie confirmed the libertie of Religion permitted by his Edicts of pacification the same Kyng did now not onely take from the professors thereof their offices and honours but also prescribed them in precise forme of wordes a forme of abiuring and detesting their Religion Which things least any man should doubt of we shal hereafter set downe the very true copies of the said Letters Edicts Abiurations THE KINGS LETTERS to the Gouernours of Burgundie vvhereby he chargeth those of the house of Guise for the murther committed vpon the Admiralles person and for the sedition vvhich hapned at Paris and commaundeth that the Edicte of Pacification shoulde be kept and reteyned COVSIN YOV HAVE PERCEYued what I wrote vnto you yesterdaye concerning my Cousin the Admiralles wounding and howe readie I was to doe my endeuour to search out the truth of the deed and to punishe it wherin nothing was lefte vndone or forgotten But it happened since that they of the house of Guise and other Lordes and Gentlemen their adherentes whereof there bee no small number in this Citie when they certaynly knewe that the
10. Symoniakes Pope Paulus the thirde Contarenus Sadoletus Cardinall Poole Math. 27. The thirde remedie Olde accustomed remedies The fourth remedie The seconde principall point The state of the kingdome which consisteth of these three namely of the nâ—…bilitie clergy and communaâ—…tie Tributes The commeÌ„dation of the generall asseÌ„bly of the States Slaunderous bookes A lesson for Kinges and Queenes Lodouicus xii pater patriae The ende of this oration The senteÌ„ce of the Admirall The sentence of the Duke of Guise The sentence of the Cardinall of Lorain The Cardinall of Loraine hopeth to get honor fame by keeping libels that were scattered abroade The reformation wished for by the Cardinall of Leraine A Nationall counsell is as much to say as a counsell gathered onely cute of the French nation which I gasle we maye call a conuocatioÌ„ of the clergy whereas a generall counsell consisteth of diuers nations A tumulte against the Prince of Conde Letters sent to the Prince of Conde taken Monsier VidaÌ„ apprehended The king of Nauar and the prince of CoÌ„de are sent for to the king A new Edicte against the reformed Religion The king coÌ„meth to Aurelias The prince of Conde taken at Aurelias The death of king Frances the seconde 1 2 3 4 A wonderfull alteration after the death of King Frances the seconde The priuy displeasure of the Queene against the Prince of Nauarre The King of Nauar yeldeth authoritie to the Queene to gouerne the Realme The peace of the Church after long affliction The death of Monsieur Vidame A conuocation of States or of a Parliament in king Charles the. ix days The oration made by the Chauncelour Sedition what it is and wher of it commeth The force of Religion in the 〈◊〉 of men Bellona is the Goddesse of vvarre Factious names The accusatioÌ„ of forreine Princes The oratioÌ„ of the coÌ„menaltie made by Angell The ignoraÌ„ce of prelates Couetousnes The oration for the nobilitye The oratioÌ„ of the Clergy The faultes of persons Ecclesiasticall Churches Euse booke 51. 〈◊〉 the lyfe oâ—… Constantin ShaueÌ„ crowns the badges of Christes anâ—… The death of Quintinus orator for the Clergy The parliameÌ„t breaketh vp Trent in Italy The letters of Paulus virglus to the Bishops of Italy Augusta is â—… citie in Germanie called Ausburgh The Pope iuuiteth the Princes of Germanie to the generall Councell The answere of the Princes of Germany to the Popes Legates Persecutious in Prouince The Prince of Conde sent for to the Court. The contentioÌ„ and â—…lling out beâ—…weene the Queene the king of Nauarâ—…e Deliberationâ—… of the particular assemblie of states at Paris Reconciliation betweene the Queen and the king of Nauar The Constable is drawn away froÌ„ the pâ—…nce of 〈◊〉 and from others oâ—… the reformed Churche The kings Letters The oration of Petrus Robertus the man of law for the Prince The conclusion of the Senate of Paris The decree of the senate con cerning the innocencie of the Prince The complaint of the Cardinal of Lorrayn 1. 2. 3. An Edict called of the Moneth of Iuly The summe of the Edict Warres betwene the duke of Sabaudia and the inhabitants of the valeys The Edict a-against the inhabitants of the valleys Ranconensis Trinitaeus The slaughter of Truchetus The agrement anâ—…â—…uce betweene the Duke of Sabaudia the inhabitants of the valleys Persecution in Spaine He might rather be called Granvillan or greate villane The confessioÌ„ of the Church of Flanders offered to the King. 〈◊〉 Newâ—…rs The reconciliation of the Prince of CoÌ„de the Duke of Guise Certaine Ciuil actes worthy to be noted Cardinal Ferrer sent from Rome to hinder the Nationall Counsell in Fraunce The effect of the Queenes letters sent to Pope Pius the fourth Multitude Qualitie Concorde The increase and force of the faithful Doctrine Diuersitie of rites The remedy The fyrste poynte of offence Worshipping of images Sacraments Baptisme Catechismes The holie communion The custome of the auncient Church The second poynt that is mislâ—…ked The sunâ—…ie râ—…ceiuing of the Sacrament Tymes to reâ—…eiue the coÌ„munion The thirde point that is misselyked Spirituall worship The Masse 〈◊〉 of greate offence In the substaÌ„ce of the Masse In the forme of the Masse A straunge language Singing of Psalmes The begining of the â—…putation at 〈◊〉 Concerning our coâ—…muniion with Christ and of the fathers vnder the lawe Iohn 8. 1. Cor. 10. 1. Corin. 10. Iohn 1. 1. Sacramentall signes 2. The thâ—…ng signâ—…fied 3. The coâ—…nction of signes and the â—…ing signifiâ—…d 4. The participation of the signes of the the thing signified The ministers desire to haue the disputatioÌ„ and obtaine it The first session oâ—…â—…is disputation The proposition of king Charles the ix The proposition of the Chauncelor Generall CouÌ„sell a vaine remedie Ariminum o therwise called Remino an old citie in Flaminia in Italy The exception of Frances Cardinall of Turnon The oratioÌ„ of Beza in the name of the protestantes Beza his prayer â–ª Beza directeth his speache to the king â–ª Howe greate a benefite it is for subiects to be hard sene of their Prince Troubles fo â–ª Religion In what thinges the Papists and Protestants do agree and in what they do disagree In the manner of obtaining Saluation In the matter of faythe and good works Rom. 5. The authoritie Gods word of the Fathers He speaketh to the Prelates 1. Timo. 4. Act. 20. Aust. ad Fortunatus The opinion of the reformed Churches coÌ„cerning the Sacrament Coinonian 1. Cor. 10. Transubstantiation Consubstantiation August ad Dardanum Confirmation Ecclesiasticall discipline Obedience to Magistrates The Queene answereth the Cardinall of Turnon The seconde session The oration of the Cardinal of Loraine Note here the subiection of Papistes The opinioÌ„ of the Cardinall of Loraine concerning the Sacrament 1 2 3 4 The protestation of the Prelates The thirde Session in another order What is the Church Rom. 8. 1. Cor. 12. August contra CrescoÌ„ cap 21. Lib. 7. cap. 51. Question Answere True notes of the Church 1. Cor. 3. 1. Cor. 3. Ephe. 2. Succession in the Church Successors of the Apostles Obiection 1. Cor. 14. Vocation in the Churche ordinarie and extraordinary 1 2 3 Act. 1. Act. 6. 1. Timo. 3. Titus 1. Exod. 28. Esay 6. 9. Dom. 1. 17. Amos. 7. 14. Esay 28. Iere. 7. Ezechiel 22. Soph. 3. 1. Samuel 7. 1. King. 18. Authoritie of the Church Hebt 11. 1. Cor. 14. Ephe. 4. Galathians 5. Ephe. 5. 1. Cor. 13. Whether the Church may erre 1. Cor. 13. 1. hon 1. General counselles Bernar. in lib. de consider in sermone 33 in Cantica in sermo de conuersione Pauli Cayphas prophecied â—…hon 18. Esay 56. Ieremie 6. Ieremie 14. Esay Ezechiel 7. Actes 20. 2. Thes. 4. Aust. lib. 2. de bap coÌ„tra Donat cap. 31. Aust. lib. 2. ca. 4. ad ArrianuÌ„ 1. Cor. â—… 2. Peter 1. Ihon. 5. Ihon. 20. 2. Timo. 3. Act. 15 16. 18 Things indifferent Actes 15. The worde of God more ancient than
the Church Canonicall Bookes Actes 17. 2. Peter 1. Cap. 6. lib. 2. in Hiere Hom. 49 in Math. 24. Basill in noua summa Mora. cap. 22. Espensius iâ—…e Sorbonist Succession ordiniarie and extraordinary Traditions of the Fathers Thre councels in S. August time Traditions couÌ„ ted of a Monk of greater force than the scriptures Tertullian Imposition of handes Signes of laufull calling The coÌ„firmâ—…tion of the ministerie Miracles The Gospell Truth will be truth still The place taken out of Tertullian explaned Titus 3. The place of Chrisostome expounded Cardinall of Lorain moderator of the controuersie Augustane confession The subtill sleighes of one Balduine Balduines inconstancie King of Nauar an Apostata 1. Timo. 3. Titus 1. The braule of the Cardinall with Beza Peter Martyr interrupted by the Cardinall The vnapte compaâ—…son of a Spanisha Monke Aust. ad Bonifacius â–ª How the SacrameÌ„tâ—… vnder the law were Figures Beza is here threatned The article agreed vpoÌ„ betvvene the Papistes and the protestantes concerning the presence The deceite of the Cardinall The end of the conference of Posâ—…cene King Philip by the suffâ—…rance of the Pope had certain yeares inioyed the king dome of Nauar which lyeth at that parte of Spaine that bordereth on the mountains Pyrenaei The sedition of Sanmedard The cause of the Edict of Ianuary The Edict of Ianuary SermoÌ„s without the cities permitted Protection of the protestaÌ„tes Inhibition of armour Synodes and Consistories Contribution of money Poll â—…ike laws to be obserued The oth of the Ministers Bookes of infamie The dutie of Magistrates Luke 13. Anno Domini 1561. The very cause of the Ciuill warres was the breaking of the Edict of Ianuary Momorentius the Constable made a friend to the Guises The conspi racie of the Guises the Constable and the Martiall of S. Andrew against the Gospell Queene of Scotts promised to be giuen in mariage to the king of Nauar. The slaugh ter at Vassi made by the Duke of Guise Complaint of the faiâ—…h full of the flaughter The Guise commeth to Paris against the Queenes commaundement The practi ses of the Guises to expell the Prince of Conde out of Paris The Prince of Conde forsaketh Paris The Guise hauing goâ—… ten Paris seke to geâ—… the King also The Prince of Conde commeth to Orleans The purpose of the Guises con cerning VVarre Ruzeus a professour of the Gos pell commaunded towarde The Prince of Conde specially in clined to peace The league betweene the Prince of Conde and the Nobles of Fraunce Letters of the Queen to the Prince of Condâ—… â–ª The prince of Conde complayneth of the murther Letters of the Prince of Conde sent to the reformed churches Certayne Idols broken down letters sent from the Queene to the Prince of Conde Letters froÌ„ the Senat of Paris to the Prince â–ª of Conde This name Triumuiri signifieth three choseÌ„ officers of equall authoritie The secoÌ„d declaratioÌ„ of the Prince of Conde A Tragedy beginneth merily but endeth sorowfully Letters of the prince of Conde to the Emperoure Letters sent to the prince of Palatine A Synode at Orleans Letters seÌ„t from the Synod Letters to the Countie Pallentine from the Synod Vasconia is Gascoyne the slaugh ther of Tolosa Mont aubon The actes of Narbon in general Nemaux otherwise called Nimes Auinion in Prouince Valentia taken Mottecondrinus slaine Saltanus LiefetenaÌ„t of Lions Saltain LiuetenaÌ„t of Lyon. Lions wonne by the Protestants The Prince of Conde sory for that Moâ—… condrin was slayne A Supplica tion offered in the name of the Tâ—…iumuiti Another supplicatioÌ„ offered to the Kinge by the Guise and his The Aunswer of the Prince of Conde to the Supplications â–ª Communication be twene the Quene the King of Nauar and the Prince of Conde Letters of the Prince of Conde to the Queene The beginning of ciuill warres The conditions of peace offered by the king to the faithfull The petitions of the faythfull Triumuiri are these three Guise the CoÌ„stable and the Marshi all of Saint Andrew The Guises vnder the collour of peace seeke to deceiue the Prince of Conde The Guise go home to their houses the Prince of Conde became pledge The practise of the Guises to take the Prince of Conde They meane the Queene and the Kyng of Nauar. The nobles of the Prince of CoÌ„des side weÌ„t to the Queene The communicatioÌ„ betweene the queene and the Nobles The queen denieth the vse of the reformed Religion The queen woulde haue the Prince of Conde his friends banished The Prince of Conde retourned to his army The Guises remoue their army froÌ„ Bogencia take Blesa and Towers The Prince of Conde returneth to Orleans with his â–ª army Roan besie ged in vain by the Aumale Orenge assaulted takeÌ„ by the papistes The army of Suze in Dolpheny greatly anoyed the faithfull The actes of Monsuer de Adretze in Dolpheny and in the Countie of Venais The Marshiall of S. Andrew winneth Poictiers The Germanes and Swisers aid the Guises The decree of the Senate of Paris against the men of Orleans A greeuous pestilence at Oâ—…leans The Prince of Conde craueth helpe of the queene of England and of the Germane Princes The aunswer of the Prince of Conde his friends to the Decree of the Senat of Paris Of this Edict ther is mencion made in the 4. book going before He dehorteth the Germaines which came vnder the charge of the Rokendolfe and the Rhengraue from bearing armour against the King. By the states ye must vnderstand the Nobilitie the Clergy the Tempo 〈◊〉 The true cause of the first warres Power specâ—…all consti tutions in the Kyngs minority The first The secoÌ„d The third The fourth These things are touched before The assault geuen to Cesteron The Army of Monsuer Monbrun put to flight Great wickednes coÌ„mitted in Prouance against the faithfull The horrible slaughter at MoÌ„briso by Adretz CoÌ„spiracy against LaÌ„guedoc Monsieur Ioyse besie ged Montpellier A Franke is a peece of French coyne in value ij s. ij d. q. This great Prier was brother to the Cardinall of Loraine Chaimaiergon the proper name of Camargua A wonderfull victory gotten by Monsieur Bulargues Great slaughter of the Papistes Letters found Montpellier a towne of Surgery phisike The besieging of Burges in Berâ—…i The besieging of Roan in NormaÌ„dy The death of the king of Nauar. the Queen of Nauar a vertuouse Lady A writing published by the Queene of England concerning the helpe she sent to the Prince of Conde She meaneth â–ª Callice Shee meaneth the Scottish Queene Letters of the Princes of Germany to the Germaynes which wer in the army of the Guises â–ª Quillebedouius The Kings letters patents grauÌ„ted to those that started away from the Prince of Conde and the frutes there of The Guise tetourneth to Paris The Guise coÌ„meth to Paris Ayde commeth from the Princes of Germany to the Prince of Conde Another writing of the Prince of Conde Of this meÌ„ cion was made in the second booke