shippe ingaging their liues and honours neuer to separate themselues for any commaundement pretence excuse The originall of the league in An. 1576 or occasion whatsoeuer Behold the conception of the league which will bring foorth most prodigious effects The Huguenots had wonne their sure for till then they were often accused of rebellion as hauing shaken off the yoake of Soueraigntie beeing separated from that faire and vnexpugnable maxime that the power of the Prince proceedeth from God and that it is not lawfull to resist against it for any excuse cause pretence or reason whatsoeuer Pardon mee I beseech you mightie Princes Prelates Lords and Gentlemen that are Catholicques if I tell you that this fortresse which you builde will bee your ouerthrowe this fire you kindle will burne you these kniues you forge will bee tempered in your entralles and that thereby you will leaue neither of your selues nor your league but a most pittifull and shamefull memorie What thinke you to do O you leaguer for God for the faith and for the king The league is not for God You vndertake armes for God who desireth nothing but peace you publish rebellion hee commaundeth obedience you trouble the rest and quietnesse of a Christian king hee willeth vs to indure at the hands of a Prince although he bee a Pagan You do it for God whose name you call vppon and deny his power you doo it for God that detesteth your actions and knoweth your thoughts and you do it for that God who will confound all those that breed confusion among his people You vndertake warres for religion and nothing hindereth it more then warres you fight for holinesse Nor for religion and your weapons destroy the Churches authorise blasphemers and plant Atheisme impietie and despising of deuotion in all places You march vnder pretence of the Churches cause and you ransome and spoyle the Cleargie by tithes and impositions If it bee for the spiritualtie wherefore do you bring in the Rutters that haue ouerrunne the Priests burned the Churches robbed the relicques Nor for the Church and polluted the Altars You said it is for the king so said the Huguenots at the enterprises of Ammboise of Meaux and of S. Germaine in Laye and you will not beleeue him for the king had disauouched them If it bee for the king where are his commissions If it bee for his seruice where is his commaundement If it be for him wherefore do dou it without him If it bee for his obedience Nor for the King wherefore sweare you to obey the Head of your league Can you bee bound by one oath to two cōtrarieties This new faith promise which you giue is it not to obey a new Lord seeing you cannot serue two Maisters If it be to maintain his kingdome in the Catholicque religion cannot hee doo it without you What shame will you procure vnto him to atribute the honour of the glorie of so happie a conquest vnto your selues and not refer the triumph vnto him What blasphemie reproach do you induce into his honour and reputation both among his owne people and with straungers Will they not say The subiect ought not to bind himselfe by oath of fidelitie to any but to his soueraigne that a great king a wise king with the aduantages of his Maiestie his powers durst not enterprise that which the subiects vndertake to doo Know you not that all leuying of armes is treason without the kings authoritie that the subiects cannot make any league without the Prince that leagues are not made betweeene Subiects or equall persons and that the Courts of Parliament are the foundations of the seueritie of lawes both humane and diuine But let vs heare what your pattents of the league containe The first league made at Peronne without naming the Head For religion For the seruice of the king IN the name of the holy Trinitie Father Sonne and holy Ghost the onely true God bee honour and glorie for euer The association of Princes Lords and Catholicke Gentlemen ought to bee and shall bee made to reestablish the lawe of God in her pristinate estates to retaine and holde the holy seruice thereof according to the forme and manner of the holy Catholicque Apostolicque and Romaine Church abiuring and renouncing all errors to the contrarie Secondly to preserue king HENRY the third of that name by the grace of God and his Predecessors most Christian kings in the estates glorie authoritie dutie seruice and obedience that is due vnto him by his subiects as it is contained in the Articles which shall be presented vnto him in the Councell of estate which at his sacring and coronation he promised and swore to obserue with protestation not to do anything to the preiudice of that which shall bee ordained by the States of his Realme Thirdly to restore vnto the Prouinces of this Realme For the people and Estates thereof the auncient rights preheminences franchises and liberties such as they were in the time of King CLOVIS first Christian King and better and more profitable if they may be any wayes inuented vnder the protection afore said and if in case there happeneth any impeachment opposition or rebellion to the contrary of that which is aforesaid by any man or from what part soeuer it may bee the saide associates shall bee bound and holden therein to imploye all their goods and meanes whatsoeuer yea and their owne persons euen to the death to punish chastice and ouerrunne those that seeke to contradict hinder and resist that all the things aforesaid shall not bee really and effectually put in execution And if in case that any of the associates their subiects friends and confederates shall bee molested oppressed or pursued for the cause aforesaid by whomsoeuer it may bee the said associates shall bee bound to imploy their bodies goods and meanes to bee reuenged on them that shall haue done or caused the said oppressions and molestations bee it by way of iustice or by armes without exception of any man If it happen Against such as appose thēselues against the deuises of the league Against such as shall leaue or abandon the league that any of the associates after that they haue taken their oathes vnto the said associates would withdrawe themselues or depart out of the same vnder what pretence soeuer it shall bee which God forbidde such breakers of their consents shall bee hurt and offended both in their bodies and goods by all meanes possible as enemies to God and rebels and perturbers of publike tranquilities without reuenge to bee taken against the said associates either publikely or priuately The said associates shal sweare all readie and willing obedience and seruice vnto the Head and Geuerall that shall bee appoynted followe and giue counsell comfort and ayde as well to the entertaining and conseruation of the saide association as to the ruines and ouerthrowe of the contradictors thereof without acception or
in disobedience to maintaine religion the easing of the people Nor better nor fairer pretence to open the eies hearts and purses of such men to enterprise warre could not be found At the same time the king had sent vnto the Princes for the restitution of the Towns which they held for the obseruation of the last edict of peace which they were to yeelde vp at the end of 6. yeares But because the king of Nauarre sent word vnto his Maiestie Prolongation of the time of the townes of assurance 1582. that the peace hauing so often been broken by surprises and open warres the termed of 6. yeares was too short a time for the execution of the Edict and abollishing of wars he agreed to the prolongation thereof Wherevpon all the Princes of the league tooke occasion to say that the king fauoured Hereticques and that he would indure heresie and considered not that those Townes were inhabited by Huguenots strong of scituation hard to be won by force When the king of Nauarre perceiued those motions and that some matter was breeding he foresawe the tempest wold light vpon him what pretence soeuer was made therevpon he besought the king to call to minde the intelligences hee had giuen him in Anno. 1576. sent expresly by a Gentleman concerning the treatie and handling of the league in Spaine and Italie that he shuld looke to the profite of the myne seeing it was discouered And perceiuing the enterprise euery day more and more to proceed he began to take care of himselfe sent the Lord of Pardillan to the Queen of England the king of Denmarke and the Princes and Electors of Almaine to renue amitie with them desiring their aydes touching the preuenting of new troubles that began to rise in France against the edict of peace to appoynt a good sum of mony to bee sent vnto some Towne in Allemaine to bee imployed for the leuying of certaine forces against the enemie In the mean time for the aduantage of the league but to the great trouble and mischiefe of all the Realme of France The death of the Duke of Alencon in Iune 1584. Monsieur the kings brother eyther by his riotousnesse in the lowe countries for greefe of the hard successe of his affaires by hazard or by Salcedas means that was executed died at Chasteau Thierry His death awakened the most drousie heads it brake all the bandes that stayed the proceedings of the league and caused it presently to roare at Chaalons Rheims Troye Dyon and Mezieres It had alreadie found credite ynough in all the other Towns specially at Parris wherein they were diswaded from the yoake of the Huguenots and the hope of the king of Nauarre to rule ouer them The first point of the loue to the king was alreadie foundred in her hart she spake not of him but with al kinde of disdaine euery day presented him with the opinions and censures of Pasquils indiscreet ieasts and libels without names wherein corrupt minds alreadie stuffed with the disorders of the Court swallowed vp the poyson of their mutinies vnder what pretence I knowe not speaking of the king as of a Sardanapalus or one that did nothing The kings deuise Manet vltime Coelo Qui dedit ante Duas vnam abstulit alcera nutat Tertia tonsoris nunc facienda manu of a Prince drowned in his pleasures and delights whom alreadie they placed like a Chilperic in a Monastrie and in stead of the third Crown which by his deuise was reserued for him in heauen they promised him one made with a raisor in a Cloyster But hee that would knowe the first conception birth and infancie of the league within Parris hee must beleeue that which Manant saith to Maheustre that speaketh like a wise man and by the propositions and answeres representeth all those that deale therein and for the first hee nameth him that was the secret Minister of the leaguers intent to make it known to three Preachers that tooke seuen or eight Coaintors with them thereby to make a small Councell which was oftentimes holtors within the Colledge of Forteret where they beganne to chuse sixe others of the most faithfull The Colledge of Forteret was the cradle of the league The sixe first confederates of the league to watch at all the sixe quarters to report what was done in those places to sowe this new graine within their heads to sound the affections of the most feruent Catholicques and to dispose them to a resolution against the king the world and death Those sixe Arch-leaguers in the beginning made a faire and great Haruest and as with the number courage increased The principall leaguers were assured that those new confederates would ingender others presently therevppon the two pillers that sustaine and vphold the Prince which are the most faithfull Archers of his Court of guard that is good will and authoritie were thrown downe hatred and despight entering into their places Of those two plagues as of a monsterous blood was conceiued and brought foorth most disloyall rebellion and the despising of the lawe and the authoritie of the Prince mixed with the euill minde which the people bare to their king his Councell and his fauourers hatched this great Erynnis and furious mischiefe in France that hath entered into all the vaines of our bodie But alasse poore people what will you do what example what commandement what iust reason mooueth or assureth you to arme your selues against your king What lawe approoueth the rebellion of the subiect against him whom God hath appoynted your king If there be any imperfection or disorder are you to correct it or can the foote ordaine a lawe for the head It is no more lawfull for you to resist against the faults or imperfections of your Gouernours then to despight God and aske him the cause of the frosts and hailes that beat spoyled your vines Stay you little snayles within your shels come not foorth you torteaux out of the cases vnder them you are assured for you shall no sooner put forth your heads nor stretche out a foote but presently be assayled lie opē to your enemies readie to receiue the first blowe that shal be giuen Assoone as the league perceiued that diuers townes had made great fires for ioy of her birth it was presented to the Pope that he might giue it his blessing auouch it for his and declare it to bee for the Catholicke Apostolike and Romish Church But Gregory the 13. desiring to shewe himselfe to bee the common father of all Christians and Pastor not dispearser of his flocke Pope Gregory would nener consent to this raising of men The answere of the Pope vnto the league considering that the raising of armes against a most Christian and Catholicque king was wholly contrarie to the doctrine of the Gospell the examples of Christ and his Apostles and the lawes of pollicie and state certified the leaguers Deputies that he
of a new king gaue some hope thereof On this report the Frenchmen in diuers sorts suspended their iudgements according to their seuerall affections Those that desired to see a change which came soone after did carefully keepe the Protestants from comming neare the king to shewe him by word of mouth or writing reasons of diuinitie pollicie for which it was not lawfull or conuenient to change his religion on the other side they did daily driue this counsell into his eares that hee must needes espouse the Crowne of France to the Masse and not otherwise These men followed this matter so much that at last they procured diuers learned Prelates to bee assembled which were the Popes subiects in whose presence the state of the reformed religion should bee ouerthrowne heerevpon diuers Archbishoppes Bishoppes and Doctors of Sorbonne were appoynted to meete at Mant the fifteenth of Iuly without any mention made of the protestant Ministers which were before clapt vp The Leaguers deuices against these solicitations The Deputies of the leaguers fearing this blowe deuised a new shift to thwart the kings affaires and to set forward the Spaniards they first complained of these suddaine changes declaring that they could not put any trust therein also that it appertained to the Popes holinesse both first and last to haue his hand therein That the king ought to shew all submission to the sea of Rome and to attend for a declaration from thence if he would be found meete to gouerne the Realme of France That vnderstanding the Popes pleasure they would determine on all things that were reason Moreouer they condemned the voyage made by the Marques of Pisani whom the kings Catholicque Councell had sent toward the Pope thinking it very ill that the king should giue vnto him any charge at all who would beleeue these were their words that they would proceed in an other sort afterward and with more respect to the Popes dignitie and their dutie toward his sea They added moreouer that it was impossible to determine any further with the kings Deputies before that the change of religion which the king was to make was receiued and approoued by the Pope of which matter they pretended to take further counsell as it was requisite for the onely conseruation of the Romaine religion in France They left also in suspence the surcease of armes because of their other troubles Now while the Romaine Cleargie which were appoynted to dispute of their religion in the Kings presence assembled togither and that the states of Parris followed to conferre of their affaires where the principall leaguers especially the Duke de Maine the Popes Legate the Duke of Feria a Spaniard and others still practised for the bringing in of a new king continually standing vpon this poynt to maintaine the warres in France vpon expence of the Indian golde the Parliament of Paris assayed to hinder part of these practises and to driue the Spaniardes home againe Means made by the Parlament of Paris against the League the Spanyard By an act made the twentieth eight of Iune they ordained that declarations should bee made the same day after dinner by the President the Maister assisted with diuers Councellours to the Duke of Maine in presence of other Lords to this effect that no act might bee made to set the Crowne on the heads of any forraine Prince or Princesse ordaining moreouer that the auncient lawes of the Realme should be still kept inuiolate That the decrees giuen by the Court for the declaration of a Cathoclique King a Frenchman borne should bee executed That the Duke de Maine should bee exhorted to imploy his authoritie of Lieftenanshippe to prouide that vnder colour of religion the Crowne should not fall into the handes of straungers contrarie to the lawes and statutes of the Realme And to prouide speedily for the peoples quiet declaring ouer and aboue all manner of acts made or pretended to bee made for the establishing of a forraine Prince or Princesse to bee of no strength force or effect but to bee as deeds preiudiciall to the Salicque lawes and other ancient lawes and prerogatiues of the Realme of France The Duke de Maine beeing extreame wrath at this Edict grew to very hard words with the President who confuted all these houe speeches vsed by him and certaine other of the leaguers which held with him At last after much conference commings and goings letters and answeres The K. changeth his religion from the Deputie on each side the supplications of those which desired that the king would make profession of the Romaine religion preuailed in such sort that the king who since he withdrew himselfe from the Court of France for fifteene yeares before had made open profession of the reformed religion contrarie to the aduice of his Ministers went to see and heare Masse sung in the Cathedrall Church of Saint Dennis the fiue and twentieth Sunday of Iuly where hee was receiued by the Archbishop of Bourges and other Prelates lates with certaine peculiar ceremonies peculier to this receiuing which was incontinent published throughout the Realme with diuers censures as well of the Catholicque Nobilitie as also of those of the religion whereof not one followed this example As for Courtiers there were a very small number or other particulars in seuerall parts of the Realme which shooke at this change but men made not thereof any account for they were all speedily suspected And as for such as went about to gratulate the kings conuersion as they called it their recompence was only to bee mockt and soone after the most part of them perished in miserable sort A generall truce practised The Duke de Maine and his greatest fauourites seeing their intended enterprises preuented by that which was now come to passe and on the other side that the practises of the Spaniardes was still to maintaine the fire of discention by meanes of the election of a newe King which should bee married to the Spanish kings daughter to the ende they might giue some hope to haue at length a day for their turne and to frustrate the Spaniards practises began in Iuly to treat a general truce and after much adoo made therein the articles were agreed vpon the last of Iuly Notwithstanding this truce the chiefe of the league with their estates of Parris gaue not ouer the following of their purposes New deuices made by the Leaguers to hinder the king And as they had before opposed themselues at Rome by the meanes of the Spanish Ambassadour against the suite of the Marques of Pisani and the Cardinall of Gondy Deputies to the Kings Cathonique Councell toward the Pope before the foresaid ceremonie the fiue and twentieth of Iuly also they resolued to hinder the king of whom they spake most odiously from being receiued and to withstand him as much or more then before by the Sermons of seditious Preachers by declarations to the contentment of their adherents by secret
finally had indeuoured to kill the king by the meanes of Barriere who was executed at Meleun as hee deposed a little before his death These considerations were cause that the first resolution taken by the Vniuersitie of Paris since the Citties reduction was to require the banishing of the Iesuites To this effect a supplication was presented to the Court of Parliament who hauing a certaine time despised the authoritie thereof in the end constrained by an act made the seuenth of Iuly containing that the indightment which was to be giuen against them should be heard the Monday following in a publicque audience to be iudged in open field they did that day entertaine their Aduocates and men of law in the great chamber before the audience were readie who did declare that to defend the cause on their behalfe he was constrained to say many hard things against diuers that were knowne to bee the kings true seruaunts and for this occasion they requested that the cause might bee pleaded within doores This deuice was made to hinder the people from the cleare knowledge of the corrupt and pernicious purposes of the Iesuites pretending to make all Europe subiect to the Spaniards but for as much as they had obtained their request this inuention had no such successe as they looked for For all their pleadings which were done close within doores was afterward openly published in print where the Aduocates of the vniuersitie men learned and deepely affectioned to the Romaine Church did particularly represent and discouer to the full the horrible wicked and insupportable malice of that sect But the deciding of the matter was suspended Gods prouidence reseruing the same to an othertime which came sooner then many looked for The Spaniards being desirous to continue the fire of discention in France instantly solicited the Duke de Mercoeur Warres in Britaine one of the chiefe of the league and an vsurper of a part of the Duchie of Brittaine alwaies to continue warre His sister Loyse of Vaudemont king Henry the thirds widdow did all shee might to make his peace Certaine troubles hapning in the meane time broke all that was done The Spaniards which were Maisters of Blauet a Fortresse almost inuincible had builded during the Sommer of the yeare 1594. a strong Fort neare vnto Croysil to stoppe◠he enterance to the port of Brest which would haue beene better for them if they had made another right against it and on the other side of the hauen Sir Iohn Norris Captaine Forbisher To hinder them came the Marshall d'Aumont and S. Iohn Norris Generall of the Englishmen to whom was sent a supply by sea vnder the conduct of Captaine Forbisher they soone became Maisters of Quimpercorencin and of the Towne and Castle of Morlay Soone after they assailed the Spaniards new fort and slew foure hundreth souldiers that kept it not without losse of their own men among other the said Forbisher The king on the other side deliberating to make war out of his own realm against the Spaniards agreed with the States of Holland and their confederates to beginne in the Duchie of Luxembourg where the Marshall of Bouillon who married one of the daughters of the deceased Prince of Orange and Earle Philip of Nassau assayed to enter in the moneth of October where they found all the passages shut vp and Earle Charles of Mansfield making head against them especially on the troupes of Holland The king on the other side sought to ouerrunne the frontiers of Picardie and gaue the estates of Artois and Hainaut to vnderstand that if they fauoured him so little to suffer the Spanish forces to molest Cambray and the countries adioyning that hee would then make warre vppon them incontinent This message beeing sent in writing from Amiens by a Trumpetter about the midst of December the estates knew not what to say vnto it and before they would make answere they opened the matter vnto the Arch-duke Ernest the king of Spaines Lieftenant in the lowe Countries whom they intreated that the warre might not continue perceiuing the desolations that were like to follow therevppon and that which had alreadie afflicted them but this Prince who deceased shortly after could neither doo any thing for himselfe nor in their behalfe The seuen and twentieth of December as the king was returning from Picardie to Parris readie booted and spurd within a chamber at Louure hauing about him his cousins the Prince of Countie the Earle of Soissons the Earle of Saint Paul and thirtie or fortie other Lords Gentlemen of his Court there came also in the Lords of Ragne and Montigni who had not as yet taken their leaue of his Maiestie And euen as hee was receiuing them Iohn Chastill attempteth to kil the king hurts him in the mouth and is for the same put to death and in Princely manner kissing them for his farewell a young stripling named Iohn Chastill of a small stature and about eighteene or nineteene yeares of age a Drapers sonne of Parris who was slid into the chamber among the preace drew neare vnto the king before hee was almost perceiued of any bodie and suddainly would haue smote him in the bodie with a knife which hee had in his hand but by reason that his Ma. was verie readie to take vp the Lords which were on their knees before him in his stooping hee strooke him in the face on the vpper iaw on the right side therewithall cutting out one of his teeth Presently this miserable catiue was taken and after hee would haue excused the deed incontinent vppon examination hee confessed the whole trueth voluntarily and without compulcion The king commaunded the Captaine of his guard that had taken him after that hee had throwne his knife to the ground to let him go saying that hee freely forgaue him But afterward vnderstanding that he was a scholler to the Iesuites he said And must it needs be that the Iesuites should bee confounded by my mouth This Parriside beeing brought vnto the Bishops prison freely declared the circumstance of his euill intent discouering many of the Iesuites secret practises Among many other things hee remembred that he heard the fathers of that holy societie say that it was lawfull to kill the king that hee was excommunicate out of the Church that hee was not to bee obeyed nor to be taken for their king vntill such time as he was allowed by the Pope The Court of Parliament cōdemning this Chastil of treason in the highest degree caused him honourably to be brought naked in his shirt before the principal gate of the Cathedrall Church in Parris holding in his hand a taper of waxe lighted of two pound waight and there on his knees to confesse and declare that most wickedly and traiterously hee had attempted this most inhumane and most traiterous parriside hauing hurt the king with a knife in the face That by false and damnable instructions hee had maintained by argument that it was lawfull to
are proceeded within two fingers neare to an infamous and woorthie rebellion The Duke of Guise protesting his innocencie and imputing all those mischiefes not to the will of the king but to the force and violence of his euill Councell saith that hee was extreamly sorrie that the king by his departure out of Parris had made him loose so good and happie an occasion The Duke of Guise his protestation thereby to let him see what his zeale and will was for the seruice of his Maiestie that hee was readie to make proofe thereof in his absence resolued with his life to redeeme the authoritie which his Councell had taken from him with the quietnesse and comfort of the Towne for the suretie whereof hee besought the Queene-mother to bee a meane The election of the prouost for the marchants That done they proceeded to the election of a Prouost of Merchants and Sheriffes in places of those that are lesse affected to the intents of the League then to the aduancement of the kings affaires and their oathes were taken by the Queene-mother against whose will they discharged diuers Collonelles Captaines and Quarter-maisters the litle troupe of zealous Catholicques called the sixteene busied themselues much in those publike actions eyther to shew the excesse of their ouer boyling loue or violent hatred They tooke order for the assistance of the places adioyning to Parris and among others Meux and Melun they aduertised forraine Princes and the good Townes of all that had passed still iustifying themselues they made searches in Parris against all those that were not of their conspiracie the Pollititians good Frenchmen such as foresawe the inconueniences that threatned this Monarchie by the impetuositie of her mutenies were sifted and cast into the ashes of their hatred This monster with sixteene heads that should teare the authoritie of lawes began to cause it selfe to bee feared neuerthelesse the least aduised that knew that Parris without the king is a bodie without strength lamented his departure The Capueins finde the King in their processions They sent the Capucins in procession to Chartres thereby to defend the blows of the kings chollor to put water into the fire that others had kindled to reclaim the tempests of his iust indignatiō And therwith they sent some of the most account of all the Orders in the Cittie to desire him with all humilitie not to remit the innocencie of the Citizens of Parris to the iudgement of their enemies to consider the iust causes that had constrained the people to defend themselues to bannish from his eares all contrary reports and aduises not to deferre his returne to Parris wherein hee should bee receiued with as many applaudings and reioycings as his subiects had greefes when they vnderstood of his departure and where he should finde better seruants then those that had counselled him to destroy them and so to depart The Queen-mother present deputies to the King The Queene-mother was the head of this message and when the Deputies arriued at Chartres shee presented them to the king that heard their Oration wherein they acknowledged their fault And falling downe at his Maiesties feete spake as followeth An Oration of the Deputies of Parris made to the King at Chartres SIr the dutie honour respect feare and obedience that wee owe vnto your Maiestie maketh vs desire not to come before your presence but onely in all humilitie submission to craue the happy continuance of your Graces good fauour without beeing so bolde as once to open our mouthes to vtter any complaint or daring although in a iust cause to hazard the vsing of free speeches that might neuer so litle be offensiue vnto your Maiestie and for this cause those that sent vs had determined that wee intercession for vs and for more dignitie and reuerence to interpose her selfe between vs and your Grace But it hath pleased you to will her to send vs vnto you promising to giue vs peaceable audience which hath caused vs not onely to continue the submissions due vnto your Maiestie but to satisfie your commaundement to appeare before your presence Then one speaking for all saide Sir I will not rehearse the protestations by the Princes made vnto you as well of the honour which they do beare you as of their greefe for your Graces absence neither will I preuent those which the Deputies of Parris heere present will shewe you but onely certifie your Maiestie that wee are the bearers of the memoriall which it hath pleased you to send for chosen to that end not that wee esteeme of our own sufficiencies specially my selfe or for other considerations but onely as being men notoriously exempted from any suspitions of particular passions in that which concerneth the principall poynts of this request Where if in the generall common greefe your Maiestie findeth any proposition somewhat freer and bolder then ordinary wee beseech you most humbly to remember your commaundement the proper interest of your seruice and the sorrowes of your poore subiects your clemencie permitteth vs to shew our greefe and that which most oppresseth vs is the dammage and preiudice that these last accidents among others haue procured to the seruice of your Maiestie in such sort that if wee speake otherwise then becommeth vs wee shall resemble him that hauing beene dumbe all his life beginneth not to speake but when hee seeth the sword drawne to his father and his king For then nature breaketh the obstacles and cryeth out saying Hurt not the king The passion and desire wee haue to your seruice as our father our King our Maister and our Lord causeth vs for that purpose to breake our long silence and to vse the like crie saying Hurt not the king separate him not from his good subiects his Nobilitie the Officers of his Crowne his Princes his Courts soueraigne his treasures not his greatnesse Take not from him the honour of his zeale his pietie his iustice his Clemencie his mildenesse his goodnesse and his humanitie so much renowmed experimented and commmeded For if at any time heeretofore it hath been done surely by this last accident of Parris it was in more daunger then euer it was which causeth vs to speake with much such affection in that it threatned vs with the like daunger And in such manner that if your Maiestie had knowne the sequell thereof you might haue seene sufficient whereby to discerne what cause wee haue to mourne but for that you knowe it not wee are in greater hope your Maiestie wil the better accept the humble petitions of your poore innocent subiects which appeale and inuoke your ayde in this world onely next after God against those who abusing your authoritie wold so shamefully destroy and massacre vs. The thing I haue in charge to present vnto your Maistie in the behalfe of the Princes is so true that they offer to iustifie the same when it pleaseth you to commaund In this concurrence of so many
any man I sent to the Lords of my Court namely to the D. of Guise to the end they should giue me a roll of their domesticall seruaunts and to send the rest away whom I vnderstood to be in great numbers at the least fifteen thousand which I did for the preseruation of my good Town of Parris with sureties of my subiects And therefore I will haue them to acknowledge their faults with greefe and true contrition I knowe well that they are put in minde and made beleeue that hauing offended mee in that sort my indignation is vnreconcileable but I would haue you to let them know that I am not so disposed to loose them and as God whose Image although vnwoorthie I beare heere vppon earth will not the death of a sinner so I desire not their ouerthrow I will trie the gentillest meanes and when they shall confesse their fault and shew by effect what sorrow they haue I will receiue and imbrace them as my subiects shewing my selfe like a father to his children yea a friend to his friend I will haue them to acknowledge mee for their good King and Maister which if they doo not but rather feede me with delayes withdrawing my hands as I can well do I will make them know their offences whereof the memorie shall remaine to all posterities for it beeing the chiefe and principall Towne honoured with the Supreme Court of my Realme and other Courts Priuiledges honours and Vniuersities I can as you know reuoke my Court of Parliament Chambers of accounts aydes and other Courts and vniuersities which would turne to their great decay For that ceasing their trafficques and other commodities would decrease yea and wholly decay as it happened in the yeare 1579. during the great plague by reason of my absence and the discontinuance of the Parliament a great number of my Councellours beeing retired so that the same yeare many of the shippes stood shut vp and the people liued idle spending their time in playing and walking in the streetes I knowe there are many honest men within my Towne of Parris and that of foure three parts are of that number which are greeued for the mischiefe that is happened then let them with speede procure my iust contentment that I be not constrained to vse rigor which to my great greefe I would bee loth to doo You know that patience once mooued turneth into fury and what a king that is displeased may doo For surely I will imploye all my power not leauing any meanes vnsought to reuenge my selfe on them although my minde bee not reuengetiue but I would that they would know that both my hart and courage is as great as any of my predecessors euer was I haue not as yet since my aduancement to the Crowne after my brothers death nor my returne out of Polonia vsed rigor to any man which you both knowe and can well witnesse neither I will that any man should abuse my clemencie and long suffering I am no vsurper I am lawfull king by succession as you all can testifie and of a race that hath alwaies commanded with benignitie It is in vaine to speake of religion I must take another course there is no Prince liuing in the world more Catholicque and desirous of the extirpation of heresies then I am which both mine actions and life hath shewed vnto my people I would it had cost mee an arme that the picture of the last Hereticque were painted here vpon my chamber wall Now you may returne to execute your charges and alwaies be of good courage for you need to feare nothing if I stand by you and I commaund you to let them vnderstand what I haue said Not long after the K. determined to go to Roane where the Inhabitants receiued him with great ioy shewing so many signes of their great desires to liue in his obedience that their fidelitie and loue mittigated the griefe of the reuolt and murenie of others The king goeth to Roane and not long before the Town of Lyons had expresly sent vnto the king to desire his Maiestie to come thither to acknowledge that their long and continuall fidelitie should appeare so much the firmer as by how much the more it was continually sought to be detected When the Duke of Guise perceiued that Parris in great haste returned vnder the kings obedience from the which it had so suddainely reuolted that the shame to bee without him made the boldest of them holde downe their heads that the violence of rebellion beganne to lessen by meanes of naturall reason that the sonne of the kings authoritie beganne to waxe hotte and that there was not any desperate leaguer but acknowledged that the absence of the Court would bee a hinderance to his purse his shop and his affaires hee determined to winne the kings fauour The Nobles of the league findes the day of the Barricadoes very greeuous thereby not to loose the ayde of those that found the action within Parris to bee ouer hardie All his seruants himself beginning returned to the wearing of their old cloaks of the K. authoritie which by their Barricadoes they had wholly troden vnder foote the third word that issued out of their fained and dissembling mouthes was the seruice of the king the obedience of his Maiestie the preseruation of the The Nobles of the league finds the day of the Barricadoes very greeuous estate there formations of disorders and the reliefe of the people beleeuing that this second enterprise would succeede with as much contentment and impunitie as the first and in steed of maintaining himself in the degree whervnto by so many paines daungers and troubles hee had as then attained he descended of a suddaine and went to finde the Queen-mother and with her to make some euill shapen coate the king reapeth more profit by his enemies then hee looked for Plutarche saith there was one that giuing a thrust with his sword into his enemies bodie by chance pearced an impostume therein which without doubt had killed him shortly after if that new Surgeon had not brokē it And so if the great mutinie of Parris had not suppressed the great aboundance of colde and heauie humours that long rest and pleasure hadde bredde and constrained the king to rise and bestirre himselfe hee had returned to his solitarie life and so most certanly had lost his Crowne before he could perceiue it The boldnesse of this enterprise filled his courage and from that time forward hee determined either to liue like a victorious king The profit which he hath of his enemies ordie vanquished But hee perceiued himselfe to bee reduced into two extremities both very daungerous in the middle whereof there stood a deep and profound pit the anker of his safetie is peace he could not make it both with the league and Huguenots togither if hee turned to the one side hee was assayled by the other if hee stayed in the middle hee was charged by them
Ouerseer of them a Great-maister or Steward of the Hospitall and sixtie two seruants There were religious persons proportionall to that great number first eight Obseruants of Castille 20. Obseruants of Portugall nine and twentie Friers of Castille Their Cleargie men ten Friers of Portugal 9. Augustins of Castille 14. Augustins of Portugall sixe Friers of Portugall of the Order called del Pagna twelue Carmes of Castille nine Carmes of Portugall eight Fryers of the third order of S. Francis in Portugall two and twentie Iacobins fifteene Iesuites of Castille and eight Iesuites of Portugall so that besides the number of fighting men there was almost tenne thousand that had nothing to do with armes An armie how great soeuer it bee and well conducted if it hath not prouisions and amunitions accordingly it receiueth but blasone shame and dishonor but the king of Spaine tooke not that great enterprise in hand without prouiding as great furniture as should bee requisite whereby the Generall had no cause to feare any want to put the armie out of courage Munitions and prouisions For they had eleuen thousand Quintals of Biscat foureteen thousand one hundreth and seuentie Pipes of Wine sixe thousand fiue hundreth Quintals of Bacon three thousand foure hundreth thirtie three Quintalles of cheese eight thousand Quintals of dried fishes of all sorts Rice to furnish euery vessell with three Quintals for sixe moneths six thousand three hundreth and twentie vesselles of beanes and pease eleuen thousand three hundreth ninetie eight roues or measures of oyle twentie three thousand eight hundreth and seuentie roues of vinegre and eleuen thousand eight hundreth and fiftie Pipes of fresh water besides the victuals and the necessaries of houshold that were in great number and of all sorts as platters goblets pots funnels and vessels of wood candlestickes lanterns lampes falots candles of waxe and tallowe plates of lead and Oxe hides to stoppe holes made with great shotte bags of leather canuaffe and buckeram hoopes for pipes and barrels eight thousand sadles of leather fiue thousand paire of common shooes eleuen thousand paire of shooes with strings cords nayles horses waggons wheeles milles apple trees and all whatsoeuer belongeth eyther by water or by land twelue great peeces for batterie and twelue field peeces with bagges of calues skins for powder and bullets The armes reserued for store were seuen thousand caliuers and their furnitures one thousand muskets tenne thousand launces one thousand partisans and halbardes sixe thousand pikes more pickaxes payles Their armes and other instruments then would serue for seuen hundreth pioners With this number and in this manner being prepared the armie departed out of Lisbon vnder the conduct of the Duke de Medina Sidonia assisted with two and twentie Lords of Estate Councell and experience eightie pages and tenne young Gentlemen or knights and seruants in great number But it had scarse entered into the sea sayling towards the Grongnes in Gallicia but there rose a storme with so great force that it was constrained to put to land and there staye till winde and weather serued hauing lost in that storme three Gallies of Portugals and many of them so scattered and brused that they were not seruiceable for that voyage The storme beeing ceased and the winde bettering about the two and twentieth day of the moneth of Iuly the Generall caused them to set sayle so fortunately that in lesse then fiue daies after they discouered the point or end of Cornwall and at the same time they were seene from Plimmouth by the Admiral of England and Sir Francis Drake Viceadmiral that made them turne their faces and gaue them such a skirmish and that so neare that the shippes were in disorder and a great gallion lost wherein was found a part of the treasures that the armie brought with it all the instructions that the Duke of Medina had what hee should do hauing conquered England At the last it got as farre as Calais where it should haue ioyned with the Duke of Parma but the armie of England that sought to impeach it followed it and that so neare that it was forced to leaue her anker-hold and confusedly to flie away Their principal Galleasse among other vesselles was by the streame cast vpon the sands hard by the Hauen of Calais and there with her ordinances was left for the Gouernours of Calais the rest of the shippes were strongly beaten with cannon shot and by the English shippes scattered abroad in such sort that in those skirmishes the armie was lessened of twelue shippes and aboue fiue thousand men Which done it made towards the North seas passing betweene Norway The scattering of the Spanish armie Scotland so towards Ireland where those Northen seas being as the risen according to the time of the year were very tempestious vsed the rest of the army very hardly for it drowned and sunke seuenteene great vesselles vpon the coast of Ireland and spoyled brake and ouerthrew diuers others in such manner that of one hundreth and thirtie shippes there were scarce thirtie that returned into Spaine The coppie of a Letter sent to Deepe touching the encoumer of the English and Spanish armie and howe the Spaniards had wonne the victorie The report of the successe of this Fleet was giuen out cleane contrary to that which happened vnto it or then was trueth and the innocency of diuers men was so great that they assured and affirmed for certaine that the Spaniards had the victorie for the which they made fiers of ioy and printed whole discourses thereby to couer the shamefull flight of the Duke de Medina that could make no other excuse vnto the king his Maister of that ouerthrow but the infidelitie and ignorance of the Sailors and the little experience they had of those Northen Seas the want of ayde from the Prince of Parma and the great stormes and tempests vpon the seas This great ouerthrow abashed not the league that more vnpatiently then euer it did pursued the execution of the Edict of vnion it sawe that the king by words and oaths not common but solemne had sworne in the Cathedrall Church of Roane in presence of the Cleargie Princes and Lords of the Court that hee had sent vnto the Bishoppes touching those affaires that their Priestes in euery Diocesse should cause their parisioners to make profession of their faith that the Huguenots should abiure their errors in open Courts of Parliaments Courts royall and publike places to make them obserue it but not contenting themselues therewith they would haue the Edict christened with the speciall name of a fondamentall lawe and because it could not bee done but by the third estates of France they besought the king to hold Parliament as by the said articles of peace hee had promised De Commines lib. 5. cap. 4. The authoritie which the Senate had among the Romanes the same authoritie hath the Parliament deuised by the first familie of the kings of France
crossed that either I would bee constrained to deferre or wholly to remit it You see neuerthelesse whether I haue had that constant resolution which belongeth to a good king for the generall good of all his subiects which is so surely ankered in my heart that I desire nothing more then the conseruation of the honour of God and you This assembly of the estates is a remedie with the good counsell of the subiects and the holy resolution of the Prince to heale those diseases which tract of time and the negligent obseruation of the lawes and statutes of this Realme haue suffered to enter and to assure the lawfull authoritie of the soueraigntie rather then to shake or diminish it as some euill aduised men and full of enuie disguising truth haue made the world beleeue For that good lawes well established and obserued wholly fortifie and vphold the Scepter of a king assuring his Crowne vpon his head against all such practises whatsoeuer You may then well perceiue by this my resolution that hath resisted and withstood an infinite of impeachments which certain men would haue opposed against it the sinceritie of my intent specially for that this assembly of the estates is that which as much breaketh the euill pretences and purposes of Princes that haue their hearts trauersed with deuises and desirous of no good as mine is and alwaies shall bee most readie prompt and altogither disposed not to desire or seeke for any other thinges then your good which if I doo I beseech God confound mee eternally Seeing then that you see mee so fully bent to procure this peace and common tranquilitie of my estate and that you cannot alleadge any thing to the contrary ingraue it likewise in your mindes and iudge well of mee in regard of those that would haue proceeded in other sort Withall noting that whatsoeuer lintend cannot in any sort bee esteemed or attributed as any wales pretending to authorise my selfe either against lawe or reason for I am your king ordained by God and bee onely that may truly and lawfully challenge that right And therfore I desire not to be accounted other in this Monarchie then as I am not beeing able to wish or desire more honour or authoritie then that I haue alreadie obtained Fauour then I pray you my good subiects this true intent which tendeth onely to the furtherance and aduancement of the honour of God and our wholly Catholicque Apostolike and Romish religion to extirpe heresies in all the Prouinces of this Realm and therin to reestablish all good order gouernment to comfort my poore people so much oppressed and to erect my authoritie vniustly imbased which I desire not so much for mine owne proper interest as for the good that thereby may redound vnto you all Among all kindes of gouernments and commaundements ouer men the Monarchie excelleth all the rest and the profit which you and yours haue reaped vnder the lawfull gouernments of my predecessors forceth you continually to render thankes to God that it hath pleased him to giue you life in such a time and vnder such a Prince who beeing of the same race hath not onely enioyed their royall seate but the same and greater zeale if possible it may be to the augmentation of the glorie of our God and the conseruation of you all as I haue alwaies promised that mine actions should wholly tend therevnto That mischiefe which malice tract of time hath induced into my Prouinces ought not so much to bee atributed vnto mee not that I seeke wholly to excuse my selfe as to the negligence and peraduenture some other faults of those that heeretofore haue been assistant vnto mee wherein I haue already begunne to take order as you may well perceiue but I assure you that from hencefoorth I will bee so circumspect in making choise of those that serue me that my conscience shall bee discharged mine honour inceased and my estate reestablished to the contentment of all good people and thereby constraine those who against all reason haue placed their affections on others and not on mee to acknowledge their errors The testimonies are yet sufficient and manifest and namely by the witnesse of many of you as reaping honour by assisting mee therein both before and since I haue beene your king to shew with what zeale and forwardnesse I haue alwaies proceeded for the extirpation of hereticques and heresies wherein I will more then euer expose my bodie yea euen to a certaine death if neede requireth for the defence and protection of our Catholicque Apostolike and Romane faith the ouerthrow of heresies beeing the most sumptuous tombe wherein my body may be laid not the battel 's only which I haue wonne but that great ouerthrow and abating of the pride of the armie of Rutters wherevnto Cod for the honour of his holy name and of his Church had chosen mee for an instrument are sufficient proofes the triumphs and spoyles whereof are yet extant to be seene Is there any one then so vncapable of the trueth that will suppose more zeale and ardent desire to bee in man for the totall extirpation of such heresies when more certaine signes then mine of such intents cannot bee found And if it should be that the honor of God which to me is dearer thē my life not so much esteemed of by me whose patrimony do the hereticques occupy and disseuer whose reuenues doo they take vp and receiue from whom do they alienate the subiects whose obedience do they despise whose respect authoritie and dignitie doo they violate And should not I then as much or more then any man seeke their destruction open your eyes and iudge particularly what apparance may bee therein The revnion of all my Catholicque subiects by the holy Edict not long since made hath sufficiently testified that nothing hath had more force within me then to see God onely honoured reuerenced and serued within my Realm which I had more proceeded in as god willing I purpose to do euen with the hazard of my life if I had not beene hindered by this diuision moued by the Catholicques to the great aduantage of hereticques staying my voyage into Poitou where I am of opinion that good fortune would no more haue abandoned mine actions then it had done in other places whereby God bee thanked mine estate hath reaped both the necessarie and desired benefit And although I am perswaded you will not omit any one poynt tending to the restoring and reformation of this Realme yet will I make known vnto you by some speciall things how much I am most earnestly bent not onely by this which I will now vtter but by the effects that shall ensue to imbrace all good meanes as I am bound esteeming them most requisite for the necessitie and vrgent vses thereof both for our soules our honours and our estate The extream offence which daily is committed against God by swearing and blaspheming to him so much iniurious and wholly against my desire
vppon them in the extremitie of their afflictions and then yeelded most hartie thankes vnto his Maiestie who shewing his power ordained from aboue to rule and gouerne this Christian Monarchie with all courtesie and princely inclination hath not refused to bend his royall eares to their most humble petitions to heare their greefes and complaints and withall to shewe a most singular and speciall desire to restore his people to their auncient force to whom as then there rested but the onely libertie of speech and that very weake and feeble to reestablish holy religion in her pristinate estate by the extirpation of all errors and heresies to rule and remit all auncient orders altered by the iniurie and alteration of times vnto their first forme and manner of beeing and to comfort his poore people protesting that therein their most humble and most faithfull seruices should neuer bee wanting euen to the last gaspe which Oration beeing ended the assemblie with a maruellous contentment ended the first day of their meeting The second day of meeting vpon Tuesday the 18. of Octob. 1588. The second day of their meeting beganne vppon the Tuesday after in the same manner as it did vppon the first day and because the King had been mooued by the Archbishop of Ambrun the Counte de Brissac and the Aduocate Bernard Deputies for the three estates to renue his oathes of vnion and perceiuing their pursuite to proceede from the distrust they had in him seeing that hee hauing once sworne it within the Cittie of Roane it was as then needelesse to renue his oath againe hee went neuerthelesse to satisfie the importunitie of the League and so beganne that seconde meeting with the same action The Kings proposition made to the Senate at their meetings Silence beeing commaunded by a Herault his Maiestie saide that at their first meeting hee hadde shewed what great desire and care hee hadde that in his raigne hee might see and beholde his subiects revnited in the true Catholicque Apostolicque and Romane religion vnder the obedience which it hadde pleased GOD for their partes to giue vnto him and for that cause hauing made his Edict in the moneth of Iuly last ordaining it to bee confirmed and holden for a The Edict of vnion made a lawe fondamentall law of his Realm therby to binde both himself and them with all their posterities his meaning was as then to haue it redde openly before them all which done euery man should sweare to obserue it accordingly And with that hee commaunded Monsieur de Beaulieu his principal Secretarie to read it togither with the declaration made vpon the same so to giue it the force and authoritie of a law of his Realme and yet without derogating the liberties and priuiledges of his Nobilite The reading thereof with the declaration beeing ended the king desiring that the woorthinesse of the cause should bee preferred with as much Maiestie as it deserued thereby to mooue the whole assembly better to consider the importance of the contract which as then they were to make with God crauing his horrible and most fearefull vengeance might fall vppon all those that disloyally should falsifie their faiths therevnto giuen as assurances of the obseruation of his said Edict of vnion he commanded the Archbishop of Bourges to make an Oration vnto the states concerning the same The oration of the Archbishop of Bourges touching the Edict of the vnion This learned Prelate saide that seeing it pleased his Maiestie that the instruction of so solemne an oath should bee giuen vnto the people by the mouth of the Prelates hee exhorted all the assembly appoynted for that great and solemne actions to humble themselues vnder the mightie hand of God and to acknowledge his Maiestie togither with the effect and quallitie of the oath which they were as then to receiue considering that God is trueth it selfe and all oathes whatsoeuer which are not grounded vppon that trueth are false and vniust That the cause of the oath as then presented was for the Church the onely spouse of God The Church is visible Vniuersall Catholicque visible heere on earth because it comprehendeth all the faithfull that are the christian communaltie Inuisible in heauen where it is said triumphant vniuersall for that it maketh no distinction of persons nations quallities conditions or sects One without diuision or schisme One for that of Alexandria Ephese Ierusalem Affrica and Aegipt are but one Church and her doctrine is one Romane doctrine not in regard of the walles of the Cittie of Rome but by reason of a speciall nomination and demonstration that is saide of it that therein Saint Peter and after him Saint Clement and others their successors haue preached and announced the word of God witnessing the true christian doctrine and many other Martyrs with the price of their blood which they haue freely shed for the name and honour of God The vnion of the Church That the vnion of this Church is so strong that it cannot bee broken nor separated in it selfe beeing placed vppon the firme rocke which is Iesus Christ so that the gates of hell cannot preuaile against it it is called the Lords vinyard and the Gods sheepfolde vnder one head and shepheard of our soules That to preserue the vnitie of his Church it is conuenenient that all the children thereof should be vnited vnder Christ their Sauiour and vnder the king whose faith hath continued from posteritie to posteritie euen vnto his person and neuer separated it selfe from the vnitie of this holy and christian religion Let vs vnite our selues then said this Prelate let vs vnite our selues togither as true faithfull Catholicques let vs renue this great and solemne oath due vnto God let vs ioyne our vowes and hearts togither and so yeeld them and confirme them vnto God Obedience due to the king Let vs sweare vnto our Prince the obedience submission due vnto him by all lawes diuine and humane let vs imbrace christian charitie let vs abandon hatreds rancors both open and secret with all suspitions and distrusts which hitherto haue troubled and diuided vs and which haue hindered yea and broken so good intents and had it not beene for them France had long since enioyed a happie peace Let vs lift vp our hands to heauen to yeelde vnto that great God the oath wee owe vnto him that it may bee a memorie for euer vnto the world that our posterities may beholde our faiths and constancie in our oathes and not our periurie by the good and holy effects that shall insue And seeing it hath pleased your Maiestie most noble Prince to bee the first that heere in presence of vs all shall performe this oath for an example to all your subiects all wee with one accord will lift vp our hands to heauen and sweare by the liuing God to serue and honour him for euer to maintaine his Catholicque Apostolicque and Romane Church to defend your
in that imbarking he thought not vppon the stormes and tempests how hee might shunne them hee would thinke vppon them but too late when they might not bee auoyded when all the owers would bee broken and the waues strike against his vessell when danger shuld vanquish his art and necessity force his wisdome that of the wind of the peoples fauour which of long time hath bin disposed vnto rebellion and troubles maketh his sayles blow full that furiously he would thrust his pretences into the maine sea that neuerthelesse he oght to consider the vncoÌ„stancie lightnesse of the people who hauing shakeÌ„ off the yoak of the Vulgus infidum bonis Horat. Vnum imperij corpus vnius animo regendum videtur Tacitus kings obedience would do as much vnto a Prince to whom it shall not be bound but as to Proctor of their mutenie That there is nothing more vnconstant nor more disloyall then the common people traiterous to the good and dutifull to the wicked and that rewardeth those that do it good with ropes exiles and publike execration that in the ende after many attempts prooues of all sorts of principallities it wil alwaies return againe vnto the royaltie France not beeing able to indure the gouernment of two kings no more then the body two heads nor a ship two Pilots that France no more then the whole world without a generall consuming cannot indure two sunnes that the people continueth not long in their furie it loseth breath in the first setting forward Si duo soles velis esse pericuâ—um â—e in cendio omnia perdantur Serenus like a reed that beginneth with a long and straight pipe and suddainly it windeth and is crooked loosing the vigor that it shewed in the first part thereof The Duke de Maine beeing as then Maister either of his good fortune or ouerthrow held the conduction of the Leaguers affaires at his disposition and by a good resolution could revnite the Catholicques by his brother led astray but his passion leading him at her pleasure and that it represented vnto him the aduantage hee had to succeed in the fauours credite and authoritie of his brother and by consequent vnto his hopes hee reiected the aduise of good counsell and thinking that they sought his life determined the same day in all haste to depart from Lyons and went to Mascon and from thence to Chalons where hee assured himselfe of the citadell from thence he got to Dyon where he receiued letters from the king by the which the king assured him that hee desired to continue him in his fauour staying the punishment of things past vppon the death of his bretheren whom hee had put to death to saue his life whereof hee had aduertised him The Duke de Maine attributing the clemencie and fauour of the king to an affection languishing feeble and faint and to a feare he had to haue him for enemie or to loose his friendship not beeing able to moderate his chollor nor to incline himselfe vnto a generall and good ende hardened himselfe in his resolution receiued the pestilent breath of those mindes that bad framed themselues to tyrannie feared not the king and made lesse account of him then of the chaine of Tartaria While hee continued at Dyon he gaue out commissions to assure himselfe and to seize vpon diuers places and among the rest one of the Messieur de Rosne and de Saint Paul to commaund in Champaigne and Brye He had no great trouble to constraine them of Dyon to reuolt against the king bridling them by the Castle there was none but the Court of Parliament who perceiuing that they could not shine without the light of the authoritie royal that would not consent to that rebellion therfore the principal officers were driuen from thence the rest imprisoned some poore people fearefull for the discommodities they might reape remained in miserable slauerie vnder the confused and disordered democratie The kings Letters to the Duke de Maine From thence the Duke de Maine went to Troye a Towne long time before spoyled and corrupted by the participants of the Duke of Guise where hee was receiued with honours due vnto a king The king perceiuing that the league caused al the townes beyond the riuer of Loire Chalon sur Saone Dyon Troye Parris and Orleans to rise against him and that if hee sat with armes crossed it would not ease him was constrained to leaue the affaires of the Parliament vnperfect to prouide for the safetie of his person and to remedie the violent intents of his enemies and before the Parliament brake vp vppon the fifteenth and sixteenth daies of Ianuarie he heard the declarations of the Deputies of the third estates wherein may bee found the examples of the disorders which at this time trouble the Realme of France The Oration of the Archbishop of Bourges The Archbishop of Bourges President for the spiritualtie in the Parliament after the death of the Cardinall of Guise made a long discourse of the miseries and calamities that had continued for the space of eight and twentie yeares within the Realm of France touching the causes thereof assuring them that the despising of the name of God is the cause of our euil hauing broken the band that tyeth and vniteth vs vnto God that is religion which is the signer the band and foundation of all Monarches and Common-wealths Difference in religion That the diuision happened in the vnitie of this religion separating the hearts and minds of families and then of communalties hath produced this disorder that thereby they should haue seen nothing but fire and weapons throughout France nourisheth this long ciuill warre which to entertaine hath beene the meanes to seeke out so many prodigious inuentions to ouerthrow and spoyle the people by so many subsidies sale of offices belonging to iustice and treasures with the alienation of the sacred patrimonie of the Church The kings zeale to his religion That the king in his youth being adorned with so many victories obtained against schisme and heresie had giuen to vnderstand that the honour and glory of God and his religion was dearer vnto him then his own life ought not to permit that heresie should oppose it selfe against the true religion of him and his forefathers a new against the true alter and a king against his authoritie royall That hauing reestablished the assurance of the franchises of religion he ought with a care woorthieof a royall name to purge the disorders and the abuses which the corruption of this world hath induced into all estates Abuse in the Church in the house of God in the church in the Nobilitie in armes in Magistrates in iustice and in the people and on the one side shewing the disorders on the other hee applyeth the remedies and because the libertie of these last troubles hath increased them wee will present them like euill vlcers which spoyle this polliticque bodie and that will
quallitie soeuer they bee not to hearken to the poysoning inchantments of such rebellious and seditious persons but to continue the dutie of good and naturall Frenchmen and alwaies keepe and hold the loue and affection due to their king and countrie and not to holde with the deceits of such which vnder pretence of religion would spoyle the estate bring in barbarous Spaniards and other vsurpers Giuing most straight charge and commaundemen vnto all persons whatsoeuer neither to receiue nor keep in their houses or about them the said bull or to publish the same neither to assist or fauour the saide rebelles nor yet to assemble themselues to any Townes or places which might be appoynted or chosen for the foresaid pretended election vpon pain to the Nobilitie to bee disgraded of their honours and to bee proclaimed infamous both they and their posteritie for euer And to the Clargie to bee depriued thrust out of their possessions and benifices and to be punished togither for this their offence as traitors and disturbers of the publicke quiet and royall prerogatiue of their countrie without all hope to obtaine in such a case any fauour or pardon whatsoeuer And the like paine we pronounce to all townes that shall receiue the said rebels and seditious persons for the making of the said assembly or that doth lodge retaine or succour them And the said Court doth further ordaine that the place where the said deliberation shall bee kept togither with the Towne where the said assembly shall bee made shall bee raced and destroyed from the toppe to the bottome without all hope to haue it reedified or builded any more for a perpetuall remembrance to all posterities of their treason disloyaltie and vnfaithfulnesse joyning all persons to assault all those which shall repaire to the saide Cittie to bee present in that assembly And there shall be commission deliuered to the said Atturney generall to informe against all such as haue been the authors and procurers of such monopolies and conspiracies made against the estate and that haue fauoured or assisted them And this present Edict shall bee published by sound of trumpet and publickly proclaimed in all places of this Towne and sent to all places of this precinct there to bee red published and registred by the diligence of the substitudes belonging to the Atturney generall whereof they shall certifie the Court within one moneth on paine to loose their Offices for the contrarie The leaguers despising the kings authoritie flowted at the Edict of this Parliament and called the Deputies from all parts of the Prouinces and confederate Townes to bee present with the estates at Paris As for the chiefe and principall each one had a seuerall purpose beeing desirous to bee seated in their Soueraignes chaire without hauing any minde to bee seruants or fellows in this Anarchie maintained by them with the helpe of the double Pistolles of Spaine It came to passe in the moneth of Nouember that the Lord of Vaugrenan commanding for the king within the Towne of S. Iohn Delaune in Bourgondie ouerthrew seuenteene companies of footemen hard by the Towne of Diion wonne their colours weapons and other furniture Amongst the packets and coffers of the Barron de Tenissé who was a great leaguer and chiefe commaunder of these troupes were found certaine instructions and commissions which were sent from the Duke de Nemours to the said Barron to conferre with the Duke de Maine to this ende that Nemours might bee elected king by the estates of Parris This young Prince aymed at no other thing but soueraigntie and beeing misled by certaine euill Councellours which hee kept planted at Lyon and thereabout the foundations of his loftie purposes for the accomplishing whereof an hundreth yeares would bee farre too little but hauing builded vpon sand in fewe moneths his edefices fell downe wherewith he was confounded Now as the leaguers were promised great thinges by their estates of Parris and the partakers of Spaine held it for a most certaine troth that the Duke of Parma would returne yet the third time with puissant forces to doo some notable exployt thereby to couer the shame of his two former voyages and so to assure the Crowne of France to king Philip or to the Princesse his daughter The death of the Duke of Parma But death cut off the thrid of his life togither with his enterprises the second of December 1592. Many men thought that this blowe would rent those patches wherewith the league was attired But the Duke de Maine beeing deliuered of him of whom hee stood in doubt supposed that now the time presented it selfe wherein hee might bring his long desired purpose to effect heerevpon hee raised his Cornets of horse and did more mischiefe to Paris then before A little before these newes came hee gaue some eare to the conditions of peace which had beene happie for him if some euill counsell had not turned his mind from the same But the decease of him by whom he was ouer awed caused his humour to bee changed imagining that hee should shortly haue the title to bee Lieftenant generall to the King of Spaine in the conquest of France Therefore one of his attempts was to create the Lord de Rosne one of is chiefe familiars Marshall of France and Gouernor of the Isle of France constraining the Presidents and Councellors inclosed in Paris to receiue this Rosne into two offices which appertained to a Lord of a higher blood and estate The Parisians which before spake openly of peace and agreement durst now speake no more thereof except in secret In the feast of Christmas the Duke de Maine caused those decrees which were lately made at Chaalons against the bull of the Popes Legat to bee openly burned vpon the steps of his Pallace the Citie beeing all in armes Also the Dukes of Guise of Maine of Nemours of Sauoye the Marques of Pont wrought diuers slights to bee aduanced in the election The King of Spaine by his Agents did as much on the other side asuring himselfe that as hee had made many of the Leaguers his Pentioners so also knewe hee well that in time hee should finde opportunitie to ouerthrow and bring them all to destruction one after another and to make himselfe the absolute and supreme Lord. During these practises the king was fully resolued to assemble the principall Peeres of his Realme at Chartres to prouide and thinke vpon remedies against those euils which now beganne to present it selfe The warres continued in diuers Prouinces but slowly except in Lorraine where the Marshal de Bouillon tooke by plaine force and by a maruellous incounter the strong Towne of Dun vppon Meuse a little aboue Stenay and droue thence those of Lorraine The Duke de Maine publisheth a proclamation against the king Now for the closing vp of this yeare in the same moneth of December the Duke de Maine published a great writing intituled A declaration for the vniting againe
chambers assembled hath declared and doth declare all acts decrees ordinances and oathes giuen made or readie to bee made since the 29. of December 1588. to the preiudice of the authoritie giuen to our kings and lawes of the Realme to be set and extorted by force and violence and as such we reuoke repeale and disanull them ordaining that they shall remaine abolished and of no force and especially that which hath beene made against the honour of the deceased king Henry the third as well those in his life time as since his death to be nothing forbidding al persons to speake of his memorie otherwise then wel or honourably And further wee ordaine that the detestable murther committed vpon his royall person shall bee informed and proceeded against extraordinarily against all such as shall be found guiltie therein And the saide Court hath reuoked and doth reuoke the power heretofore graunted to the Duke de Maine vnder the title of the Lieftenant generall of the estate and Crowne of France Forbidding al persons of what estate or condition soeuer they be to acknowledge him by that title or to shewe him any obeysance fauour comfort or ayde on paine to bee punished as guiltie of treason in the highest degree And on the same paine inioyneth the said Duke de Maine and other Princes of the house of Lorraine to acknowledge king Henry the fourth of that name King of France and Nauarre for their king and soueraigne Lorde and to giue vnto him such seruice and obedience as to him is due And that all other Princes Lords Townes Communalties and particularities shall giue ouer the pretended part of the League whereof the Duke de Maine was made chiefe and to render vnto the King all obedience and fidelitie on paine to haue the said Princes Lords and Gentlemen to bee disgraded of their Nobilitie and to bee declared outlawes both them and their posteritie with the confiscation of bodie and goodes racing and destroying of their Townes castles and manners which shall bee disobedient to the commandement and pleasure of the king And this Court hath broken and repealed and by this present do breake and repeale all that which hath beene done inacted and ordained by the pretended Deputies of the assembly held in this Citie of Paris vnder the name of the generall estates of this kingdome as of no effect or force beeing made by priuate persons who were for the most part practisers with the factious sort of the Realm and partakers with the Spaniards hauing no lawful power or authoritie Forbidding also the said pretended Deputies from henceforth neuer to take the like vpon them againe and no more to make assemblies either in this Citie or any other on paine to bee punished as disturbers of the publicke peace and guiltie of treason toward his Maiestie And wee enioyne all these pretended Deputies which are at this present within the Citie of Paris to depart each one to his owne house there to liue as subiects vnder the kings lawes and to bee sworne to their fidelitie before the iudges and Magistrates of those parts It is also ordained and by these presents were doo ordaine that all processions and solemnities tollerared during these troubles all occasions of them shall cease and in steade of them the two and twentieth day of March shall bee for euer solemnized on the which day generall processions shall bee made after the accustomed manner assisted by the said Court of Parliament in their scarlet robes in remembrance of the most happy deliuerance of this Cittie on that day from all her miseries and the bringing thereof vnder the kings obedience with thanksgiuing vnto God for the same At the same time the king published a declaration wherein all the shifts and deceits of the Captaines of the league were discouered and his loue and great good will toward the Parisians to whom hee forgaue all matters past restored all their customes and priuiledges obtained new fauors and shewed a most fatherly affection towarde them which was most pleasing to the people which drew many other townes from the league to humble themselues to his highnesse Three weekes after the Rector of the Vniuersitie the Deane and the Doctors of Sorbonne the Deanes and Doctors of other faculties in briefe all the members officers and substitudes of the Vniuersities of their owne minde assembled went all to humble themselues to the king which was then in the Chappell of Bourbon where they all fell prostrate on the ground before him acknowledging him their onely true and naturall Prince shewing with a most heartie affection well witnessing their loue that they were readie to take what oath it pleased him to confirme them to his subiection hee receiued them and with great benignitie sent them away The moneths of April and May were spent in receiuing and answering supplications from the Townes and Commons in diuers Prouinces and in drawing Lordes Gentlemen Captains and other principall members of the league vnder the kings subiection who pardoned all in such sort that the League resembled Isopes Choffe Warre in Picardy against the league There remained some Townes in Picardie which were solde through the meanes of the most factious of that part The king besieged Laon and certaine other Townes which the Spaniards assayed to warrant and keepe But their succours hauing been ouerthrowne in diuers incounters where they lost more then fiue hundreth men at last Laon yeelded to the king and so likewise the others Soissons and Fere excepted which were possest by the Duke of Maine and the Spaniardes who also at the same time became Maisters of Chapelle a little Towne in the Duchie of Thierasche The Duke of Maine ranne to Bruxelles for fresh supplies He receiued a good summe of mony but not sufficient to withstand the kings prosperous proceeding who then receiued into grace and fauour the Duke of Guise and his brother giuing since to the said Duke the gouernment of Prouence The Duke de Maine who could do nothing in Picardie hauing left good garrisons within Soissons hee closely trauelled into the Duchie of Bourgondy that hee might assure those places to himselfe which hee knew yet to hold for the league Now let vs turne againe to Paris where they beganne a new warre The Iesuites hauing in former times stood against sundrie purposes of the Vniuersitie whom they had set out in their colours shewing that this sect is the most execreable of al others by the helpe of such which had to do with those people for the executing of their great and most vnfortunate enterprises And in the end since the day of the Barricadoes had imperiously commaunded within Parris vsed infinit practises to aduance the Spaniards in France kindled the fire of sedition in all the principall towns in the kingdome defaming in their sermons and confessions the memorie of the deceased king and the Maiestie of him now raigning whose fame was by them spotted in the vildest manner they could deuise and
AN HISTORICAL COLLECTION OF THE MOST MEMORABLE ACCIDENTS and Tragicall Massacres of France vnder the Raignes of HENRY 2. FRANCIS 2. CHARLES 9. HENRY 3. HENRY 4. now liuing Conteining all the troubles therein happened during the said Kings times vntill this present yeare 1598. Wherein we may behold the wonderfull and strange alterations of our age Translated out of French into English Imprinted at London by Thomas Creede 1598. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE GEORGE EARLE OF CVMBERLAND BARON OF CLIFFORD LORD OF VVESTMERland Skipton Vipont Bromflet and Vessy Knight of the most honourable Order of the Garter all health and happinesse AMong many that haue taken in hand Right Honourable and my very good Lord to write the Stories of auncient times the warres and woorthie deedes of famous Princes it was my lot thogh vnwoorthie to be called to the translating of these last troubles of France which by the Author was in the French tongue very learnedly and eloquently set downe And sith the matter therein contained meriteth to bee well regarded and duly considered of all noble and honourable personages and the knowledge thereof profitable to be imparted vnto all Christian kingdomes it was thought verie meete and requisite to haue the same turned into our English tongue for the profit and benefit of all such Englishmen as are not skilfull in the other language what sweetnesse of phrase it hath lost being thus stript out of it owne attire I beseech your good Lordship to pardon considering that the French in phrase carrieth a peculiar grace in it self which cannot alwaies in an other speech be exprest Not what I would but what I could I haue done in the translation wishing in my heart for your Lordships sake that my skil could haue stretcht to my good will Neuerthelesse for the saluing of all imperfections therein and the intier affection which I beare to your honourable vertues In all humilitie I commend my Booke to your Lordships patronage that your worthinesse may supply what is wanting in me and shield my booke from the enuie of Satyricall carpers who beholding your Lordship to be a Protector of my simple labour will rather blush at their owne peeuishnesse then proceed any further in their mallice Thus building on hope of your honourable fauour I humbly rest Your Lordships in all dutie TO THE COVRTEOVS AND FRIENDLY READER SVch is the plentie of fine wittes in this our age right gentle and courteous Reader that nothing can passe currant without controll except it be rare in conceit or excellent for Art for my owne part I cannot boast of either yet haue I beene like blinde Bayard bold to deale in the translating of this booke which I confesse might haue well beseemed a man of greater skill notwithstanding beeing called therevnto I haue done my best to satisfie the world submitting my selfe to the correction of the learned Many faults haue escaped heerein some by my owne ouersight some through the Printers negligence which I would desire the skilfull courteously to correct with their penne or friendly to pardon through their courtesie For such as are vsed to the Presse are priuie to this that few bookes goes cleare without an Erata yet thus much I dare presume that to my knowledge no fault heerein committed hath either spoyled the sence or mangled the Storie Therefore in so great a labour as this is thinke not a small fault a great preiudice So shall you bind mee by your courtesie to bee readie heereafter both to correct this and to procure some other thing that may be more to your content Yours in all courtesie THE CONTENTS OF THE MOST PRINCIPAL POYNTS CONTAINED IN THIS HISTORIE HENRY THE SECOND THe raigne of Henry the second containeth the alteration of the Court by the death of Francis the first Warres in Scotland Practises wrought at Rome against the Emperour Reuolt in Guyenne because of exactions made vpon Salt Persecutions against those of the religion War at Bullen The notable actions of Merindol and Cabrieres The reestablishment of Guyenne Occasions of warres renued between the Frenchmen and the Spaniards The beginning of warres beyond the mountaines Preparation for warres in Picardie The kings proceedings against the Pope the Emperour and the Councell of Trent The Edict against the abuses of the Court of Rome Continuance of persecutions against those of the religion Pretences against Lorraine Councels and agreements between the King and the Protestant Princes to crosse the Emperours proceedings in Almaine and elsewhere The taking of Metz an Imperiall Towne brought vnder the King of France his subiection Warres in Luxemburg The Conquest of the Duchie of Bouillon The Emperour agreeth with the Almaines to besiege Metz and ouerrun Picardie The issue of the siege of Metz. The taking and rasing of Terouenne Hesden sacked The ouerthrow and taking of the Duke of Arscot Three royall armies which reuenge the fires made by the Emperours Armie in Picardie The Towne of Bains among others is burnt The encounter at Renty The ouerthrow of the Armie of Frenchmen in Picardie Wars in Piedmont and Sauoy The French Armie conducted by Strossy ouerthrowne and Siene yeelded Warres in Picardie and the Isle of Corsie The Emperour yeeldeth vp his Empire vnto his brother other dominions vnto his son The two kings make truce for fiue yeares which are presently broken and warres renued about Rome The Duke of Guise marcheth with an armie for the king to ayde the Pope who maketh peace with the Spaniard Meane time the Constable looseth the battell of Saint Lawrence Saint Quintin taken by assault and many other places wonne from the Frenchmen in Picardie The king assayeth to recompence his losses and following his intent long practised he recouered Calais and the Countie of Oye after that Theouuille and others On the other side the Earle of Egmont ouerthrew the Marshall de Termes hard by Grauelines A speech of peace in the meane time Charles the fift his sister Elenor and Mary Queene of England died In the end the two Kings agreed togither and the King of France began to persecute those of the religion more then euer he did but while he plaide his part death seized vpon him and laid him on the ground by a blow with a Launce Whereby ensued a maruellous alteration in France FRANCIS THE SECOND THe Court in a moment is wholly altered and chaunged by the practises of the house of Guise that withstood all men executing Anne de Bourg an excellent person vnder the authoritie of a Prince of the blood Information is made against them and the Barron de la Renaudie in the name of a great part of the Nobilitie and third estate vndertaketh the commission to take the Duke of Guise and the Cardinall of Lorraine prisoners What order was holden therein by Monsieur de Renaudie which in the end was discouered whereof ensued diuers bloodie Tragedies at Amboise The Prince of Conde valiantly maintaineth his innocency and sheweth the cowardly tyrannie of his enemies
fatned by the confiscations of the goods of those of the religion and by borrowings neuer to be repayed hauing made offer of all that hee had to the house of Guise was receiued into their band The Constable sent home The Constable perceiuing that the king in open Parliament had declared that his meaning was that from thence foorth al men should haue recourse touching matters of estate the crowne and of his house vnto his two Vncles the Duke of Guise and the Cardinall of Lorraine and that by consequent his mortall enemie entered into his place and doing that which wholly apperteined to his offices of Constable and Great-Maister of France yea and in the presence of the Spaniards and other straungers who before had made so much account of him about eight daies after the kings death went to present himselfe vnto the king deliuering vppe the seales to him committed by King Henry and hauing been certified from the king that the charge of the treasures and other affaires concerning the estate were as then committed to the Cardinall and to the Duke of Guise the commandement of all things that belonged vnto the warres and that for his part the king permitted him leaue to depart and go vnto his house saying hee still retained him of his Councell and that whensoeuer hee would come vnto the Court hee should bee welcome he thāked the king for suffring him so to retire beseeching him that as touching his comming vnto the Councell his Maiestie would excuse him for two causes the one because hee could not serue vnder such men ouer whom he had alwaies commaunded the other for that beeing holden and accounted for an olde and simple man his counsell would not bee necessarie otherwise he offered both life and goods to serue the King Which done he went to see the Queene mother that handled him very rudely reproching him that he in presence of the king with smiling countenance should say that he had neuer a childe that in any thing resembled him but onely his bastard-daughter that married with the Marshall de Montmorency Yet for the loue of her deceased king and husband she said she was content to remit her owne particular quarrell for which if it pleased her she could haue caused him to loose his head yet she exhorted him not altogither to leaue the Court but to come thither sometimes He denied the accusation which she alledged touching her children affirming it to be false desiring her to haue in remembrance the many seruices by him done to her and to the Realme and not to regard the euill report of such as were his enemies that shuld not do him all the mischief which they pretended And so hauing taken his leaue and brought his maister vnto his Tombe he withdrew himselfe vnto his house The Princes of the blood scattered Touching the Princes of the blood the Prince of Conde was sent into Flanders there to confirme the peace to whom was deliuered a thousand Crownes to beare his charges The Prince of la Roche Suryon was sent thither likewise to beare the order of France vnto the king of Spaine and at his returne appointed with the Cardinal of Burbon to cōduct the Princesse Elizabeth into Spain The Parlimēts were appointed at the good pleasure of those of Guise The Cardinal de Turnō an old enimy to the Cōstable to al those of the religiō was repealed from Rome reestablished of the priuy councel The Kings Officers of his house chaunged part of the old officers of the kings house were discharged part sent home vnto their houses with half their pensions to giue place to others And to cōclude there staied not one in the Court that fauoured the Constable The Prouinces of the Realme and the frontier Townes were filled with Guisians and all Gouernours and men of warre commaunded to obey the Duke of Guise as the king himselfe All the Parliaments were aduertised Those of Guise haue charge of all that the Cardinall had the whole ordering and disposing of the treasures and of the estate The Queene Mother aduanced aboue all obtained the monies proceeding of the confirmation of Offices and the priuiledges of Townes and corporations whereof shee gaue a part to whome it pleased her although such summes ought not of right to be exacted vnlesse the Crowne fall into an other braunch First Edicts The first Edicts were made against such as bare Armes namely Pistols and Bastinadoes then against long Cloakes and great Hose It was a common saying in euery mans mouth that the Cardinall was a fearefull man if there were euer any in all the world hauing vnderstood by a certaine Magician in Rome that by enuie and then when he should be most in credit his enemies would cause him to be slaine with a Bastianado for that cause hee had procured that Edict being alwaies in great distrust euen at the time when all men were in most subiection to him Among so many affaires the 14. of Iuly Letters Pattents from the king confirmed the Commission vnto the Iudges appointed to proceed in iudgement against Anne du Bourg Proces against Anne de Bourg and other prisoners and foure other Councellours that were committed to prison Du Bourg stedfast in religion was hotly pursued Bertrand Cardinall and Archbishop of Siens beeing one of the principall wheeles of this criminall Chariot and the Cardinall of Lorraine the leader therof Those of the religion perceiuing themselues to be at the point of a more violent persecution by expresse Letters vnto the Queene besought her by her authoritie to commaund the leauing off to persecute them in such great rigor Shee promised the Prince of Conde Madame de Roy his mother in lawe and to the Admirall to cause the persecutions for to cease so they would leaue their assembling togither The Queen-mother promiseth to doo for those of the religion and that euery man wold liue according to his own conscience secretly and not to the hurt of others Shee had been most earnestly mooued by the letters of one named Villemadon that knew great part of his secrets putting her in minde of her great affection vnto pittie at such time as shee was barren exhorting her not to withdrawe the Princes of the blood from the mannaging of the affaires of the estate thereby to aduance and make Kings the house of Guise Those letters were written the 26. day of August and wrought with so great effect that from thenceforward for a certaine time the Queene seemed to hearken vnto the comfort and ease of those of the religion meane time those of Guise to make their gouernment seeme agreeable to al the people and to leese nothing in the kings name published letters of the reuocation of all alienations made Alienations made by king Henry reuoked as well for life as yeares beeing for recompences of any seruices past except those sales whereof the monies had beene imployed for the kings great vrgent
those of the religion whose goods were taken from them was maruellous as well in that Towne as others in Bourgongne as also in other Townes and Prouinces of the Realme The one and twentieth of Iune the house of one of the principall of the Citie was forced and sacked In the moneth ensuing diuers meanes were vsed to cause such as were lest to abiure the religion some remained firme In the beginning of October the Parliament of Dyon assayed to commit some of them prisoners and summoned the rest to appeare and such as appeared at Dyon although innocent were hardly handled others had diuers aduentures and some yet very fewe wounded and slaine So that in Beaune there were not aboue two men and some women of great reputation that made open profession of the religion by the support of their assistance Those of the religion in Mascon vppon the thirteenth of May made themselues the strongest yet without effusion of blood and three daies after Mascon the Images were beaten downe as they had beene at Lyons although the Ministers and auncients were of the contrary aduise Mombrun hauing left Chalon and come downe to Mascon put the Inhabitants in such feare that many of them were of opinion to leaue the Towne Wherevpon Tauanes First siege who not long before had made them many gracious offers came before the Towne minding to enter which the people denyed which caused him to assemble all his forces and vppon the third of Iune besieged the Towne his armie being Bourguignons of the Counte euery man wearing a red scarse which was an occasion that the Towns-men shewed the Kings Councell that it was no reason that they beeing his naturall subiectes desiring to liue peaceably according to his edicts should bee constrained to open their Gates vnto Tauanes beeing accompanied with straungers enemies to the Crowne and for many causes suspected vnto them Wherevppon letters were sent vnto Tauanes who withdrewe himselfe in such sort that not long after hauing receiued an other packet hee sought to cease vppon the Gates vnder the Towne whereof hee sayled hauing receiued a hard repulse And as hee made preparation for a second siege those of Lyons sent Monsieur d'Entrages to ayde the Towne who by his conduction made many sallies and braue skirmishes Second siege which notwithstanding Tauanes caused his trenches vppon the one side of the Towne and the third of Iuly wanne the Subburbes of S. Lawrenre the next day making such a batterie that in lesse then two houres all their defences lay vppon the ground And the same day one Mussy seruant to Tauanes was hanged within the Towne for enterprising to cause the towne to bee surprised Not long after Entrages beeing summoned to yeeld made aunswere that if hee had the Maister in his handes hee would cause him to passe the same way his seruant Mussy had done which set Tauanes in such a rage that besides fifteen or sixteene hundreth shotte made against a Tower they shot diuers hundreth times against the breach whereby diuers men were slaine and maimed But the resolution of the assieged hindred Tauanes from approaching and contenting himselfe to send twelue souldiers to viewe the breach sixe of them were slaine and about eleuen of the clocke at night thirtie souldiers issuing out of the Towne cut the throates of certaine Sentinelles and entered so farre as to the Artillerie to trie if they could stop it which they had done if Tauanes in person had not come thither The next day although the Tower so much beaten and defaced had opened a new breach vnto Tauanes yet hee stirred not but to the contrary making shewe in great haste to returne into Bourgongne suddainly raysed his campe leauing certaine thinges of powder behinde him with an ambuscado if those of the Town had offered to come forth but Entrages beeing a polliticke souldier and one that had not many men to loose suffered not his souldiers to issue Tauanes thereby beeing deceiued lodged his troupes not farre from thence and went vppe againe to Chalon where certaine troupes of Dauphine came to meete him At that time it chanced that two Sheriffes of Mascon hauing by their authoritie in the night time laden certaine boates with the reliques of gold and siluer and other ornaments of the Temple of S. Vincents in Mascon minding to carrie and sell them in Lyons Reliques taken for booty beeing two or three leagues off were discouered by one named Saint Poinct who being ayded by certaine Gentlemen of Dauphine and a good troupe of footemen passed the riuer aboue Belleuille and setting vppon the boates tooke them and became Maisters of all that was within them valewed at the least to the summe of thirtie or fortie thousand frankes The Challices and Images of golde and siluer were broken and parted between S. Poinct and his companions although they termed themselues Romish Catholicques Wherevppon a young Lacquey came to Gascon who hauing falsely charged two Captaines was hanged but the souldiers of those two Captaines beganne to mutin because their leaders had been committed to prison vsing many threatning speeches This beeing appeased Entrages saying he would make a generall muster in a plaine hard by the Towne caused those two companies of mutinous fellowes first to issue forth Belleuille defended by astraunge accident which done he shut the Gates vppon them by which meanes beeing constrained to take the other part they went to Belleuille that held for the religion and arriued therein in good time vppon the 28. of Iuly for that the next morning before the breake of the day S. Poinct with sixe or seuen hundreth foote and two hundreth horse and the Pesants of the countrie besieged the Towne thinking to enter therein without resistance But approaching neare the walles and by chance discouered by the one that rose somewhat early they were so hardly receiued by the souldieis of Mascon that they were cōstrained to retire with shame and great losse to reuenge themselues they draue away the beastes of diuers Farmes and sacked the house of a rich Pesant whom they massacred and cast his bodie into the Soane but his bodie was taken vppe and buried in Belleuille How the Queene mother her Regency Hitherto I haue shewed the estate of the particular Prouinces of France during these first troubles now let vs returne againe vnto the Court The Queene beeing deliuered out of the hands of the Triumuirat to assure her authoritie and to hold the greatest personages in some stay thereby to serue her turne by some of them to checke the rest first shee iuested the young Duke of Guise with the estates and offices of his father and to appease the Parisians much greeued for his death shee deliuered Poltrot vnto them that was executed with as greeuous punishment as if hee had slaine the king himselfe which done something was to bee done for the appeasing of those of the religion that had been spoyled massacred as you haue heard The
And when the Admirall kneeled downe to do his dutie the king protested that in all his life hee had not seene any day more agreeable vnto his minde then that wherein hee assured himselfe to see the end of all the troubles and the beginning of a firme rest and quietnesse in his Realme And among other speeches vsed smiling hee said vnto him Wee haue you now heere with vs you shall not go from hence when you would The Queen-mother the Dukes of Anion and Alancon and almost all the chiefe Courtiers receiued him with greater fauour then hee expected All these courtesies were suddainely seconded by a great liberallitie from the king that caused a hondreth thousand franks to bee giuen him out of his coffers in recompence of the losses he had receiued by the forepassed wars gaue him like wise a yeares reuenues of all the benefices holden by the Cardinall of Chastillon his brother deceased made him a note of his hand to haue full power and authoritie to seeke for the mooueables that had been taken from him at Chastilon sur Loing and to cause them by expresse commaundement to bee deliuered vnto him againe Teligny his sonne in lawe was likewise honoured with certaine fauors Cauagnes Councellour of Toulouse Agent for the Princes touching the obseruation of the Edict of peace was prouided of an office of Maister of Requests Diuers other Lords and Gentlemen of the religion at that time felt the liberallitie of the king wherewith their aduersaries were much displeased specially that the Admirall was restored to bee one of the priuie Councell and that the king priuately asked his counsell in his affaires of importance touching the warres in the lowe Countries which the Admirall affected very much as beeing one of the most assured meanes to holde France in quietnesse alleaging that by iust reason hee might doo that to the Spaniard which vniustly he had done and would doo vnto France War against Spaine consulted vpon which was to trouble him at home to impeach him from spoyling other men hee shewed likewise to the king that fained to like well of that aduice that it would bee good for him to agree with the Qu. of England and the Princes of Almaine the easiler to make the K. of Spaine beleeue by an ample discourse prooued vnto him that the foundations of the warre in the lowe Countries is iust and profitable Pope Pius Quintus beeing dead who in his life time seemed a stay and hinderance to the marriage of the Prince of Nauarre and the kings sister the Cardinall of Lorraine faining to bee in great feare tooke his voyage to Rome about the election of a new Pope although before his setting forward it was done and being in his voyage letters that were sent him by Cardinal Pelue who of a Sculliō in the Colledge of Montague in Parris afterward following his studie varlet to the Cardinall of Lorraine had in few yeares attained the red hat directed to his Maister the contents whereof imported that in regard of the good course that hee see the king the Queen-mother and the Duke of Aniou take hee could not but hope well of all the affaires That at the Admirals returne to Court the king shewed himself so warie as his most inward friends did wonder at it for thereby hee had brought the Admirall out of all suspect so that now the matter that the Cardinal wist of might the better be put in execution That there was much speech of warre against the King of Spaine whereto the king seemed to incline the rather thereby to stay the Admirall that such pollicies were to be practised vntill they might find opportunitie to put in execution the secret counsell That the king of Spaine was sufficiently informed of the whole least he should finde himselfe agreeued at this present prouision for warres which was neuer ment against him Wherevppon hee besought his Maister notwihstanding whatsoeuer packets hee might receiue to assure himselfe that the king would neuer vary from the resolution That the Queene-mother and the Duke of Aniou bent their whole indeuours to that matter Touching the marriage of the Prince of Nauarre that hee hoped the same would shortly be effected that the same was the entrie to the execution and in the meane time the day drew on for deliuerie of the Townes of hostage And although the Admirall had the copies heereof sent him hee made no great account thereof no more then of other aduertisements expresly giuen him both before and after His minde beeing altered by the countenances and words of the king The Admirall trusteth vpō the kings words who in all things seemed to contrarie his brother the Duke of Aniou for whom hee practised the voyage of Polonia that hee might send him to play the Great-maister somewhat farre from France In the Admirall who alwaies shewed to bee wise and diligent in his affaires appeared that wisedome faileth in wise men when it pleaseth the only wise Gouernour of the word to dul the most sharp and excellent wittes and make passage vnto his terrible iudgements as not long after they shewed throughout all France the which euer since that time vntill this present hath felt the waightinesse of his mightie blowes whose hand as yet is stretched foorth readie to strike againe A nationall Synode at Nismes Some men of each faction of a good meaning to the state of France especially some protestants alreadie apprehending the terror of that terrible storme that followed trembled and bending their neckes lay looking for the fatall blowe At Nismes they held a nationall Sinode in the moneth of May. Others of a more stirring spirit after the manner of Frenchmen who doo performe much in prosperitie and neuer feare any aduersitie vntil it commeth would needes bee busie about discipline but they were soone put to silence Many mens consciences beganne alreadie to bee wauering and fewe there were that shewed themselues zealously bent to religion but all both great and small thinking deeply vpon worldly matters built them goodly castles in the ayre The Princes trusting to an assured peace three moneths before the time restored the townes of assurance wherein the king placed his Garrisons satisfying the Princes with letters which hee had sent to all his Courts of Parliaments wherein he declared his great good liking of the good meaning of the Princes in that they did him so much honour as faithfully to relye vppon his Edict which he wished to bee inuiolably obserued The Rochelers whom Strossy Landereau and the Barron de la Garde watched vppon would not accept of any Garrison but stood vpon their priuiledges so that at length for feare of scarring of others they were let alone The Marshall of Montmorency was sent into England to practise a league who returned sooner then hee was looked for but toward the marriage gat him home to his owne house and might hee haue beene beloued the affaires had beene otherwise mannaged then they were At the same
Mauarre that hee should not mooue at those actions but content himselfe with patience the people might perceiue and iudge the pretences of the league and knowe on whom to laye the blame praying him to assure himselfe of his good affection with promise that he would not forget his interest more then his owne and that he would not be vnmindfull of him as being his good brother withall discouering vnto him the iudgement hee had conceiued touching those new troubles which was in these words That hee knewe that those of the league what shewe soeuer they made pretended onely against his person and his Crowne minding to rise and become great at his costs seeking nothing else but the vtter ruine and dssipation of his estate While the flame issued out of this fornace the league made warre against the Huguenots ceasing vppon the best Townes of the Catholicques in all the realme Religion was preached in Guyenne and they went to driue it out of Picardie Marceille taken the 9. of Aprill 1585. by the league but presently againe reduced to the K. obedience the Hugnenots were in Rochel and the leaguers armie marched straight to Parris they are at Montpellier and the league set vppon Marseille which by means of the second Consull of the Towne they tooke who afterward was hanged The taking of it againe out of their hands liked the king so well that as the messenger brought him news thereof into the Hall whereas then he was leauing his companie hee went vnto them and commending their resolution esteemed them for his faithfull and good subiects in that they had hanged the leaguerer Daries saying vnto them My good friends I am cōtent to grant to your request and more if need require assuring you that my liberallitie shal neuer bee wanting to acknowledge your great fidelitie But in the mean time he tooke no order for his affaires he was on foot and the leaguer spake on horsebacke he ware the Penetentiaries sack and they armour on their backes and leauing armes which nature and necessitie presented vnto him The K. zeale to religion cause of the peace in An. 1577. hee had recourse to penne and Inke and made his declaration but in such cold manner that you would say he durst not name his enemies and seemed like a man that complained hee had been beaten but shewed not by whom hee said that both before and since his aduancement to the Crowne hee had sufficiently shewed his zeale and affection towardes the Catholicque religion whereof the onely conseruation was dearer vnto him then his own life or royall Crowne That he had been constrained to make peace when he perceiued that hee wanted meanes to continue the warres Fruits of peace to all estates specially when he knewe and well perceiued that all his Realme was wearied with their continual calamities That peace was the readie remedie to bring his subiects to one religion to establish iustice to correct abuses reforme manners comfort the Cleargie and the people reuiue the qualities and horrors of his Nobilitie in a manner imbased by those diuisions That the peace being well holden and obserued it would procure an entire and ful contentment to al estates And thereby iustice would bee in force by authoritie of the lawes The Cleargie reformed and that in all places there was no other but learned and godly Prelates The Nobilitie reconciled leauing hatred distrust and the people deliuered from the insatiable troubles of warres That diuers neuerthelesse both impudent and bolde more hypocrites then religious had taken pleasure to interpret that peace to a secret fauour and loue hee should beare vnto the Huguenots thereby to aduance them a thing which neuer once entered into his mind That the feare of troubles the might arise after his death The disputation of the Princes succession is odious while the Prince liueth was not a sufficient cause to torment trouble him in his life and as it were to condemne him not to bee any more the person that God and nature had ordained him That he neuer fauoured the succession of a king that should be to the disaduantage of the Catholicque religion that it was in a manner to constraine nature time so much to distrust the goodnesse of God as to vndertake a quarrell touching the succession of the Crowne during his life beeing healthfull and strong of bodie his Queen the flower of her age This is spokē for Monsieur de Guise that was Great-maister of France euery man in hope that God would send them issue that the Princes which complained to bee out of his fauour had receiued as great fauour and rather more then euer they deserued hauing honoured them with the greatest and most honourable offices of his Crowne which in times past were not giuē but to the Princes of the blood And in fine hauing promised to restore the Church to her splendure the Nobilitie to their contentment iustice to her authoritie and comfort to the people hee prayed coniured exhorted and commaunded all Ecclesiasticall persons Gentlemen Parliaments and Townes to separate themselues from all such meanes as might impeach the effect of so holy an intent and to leaue all leagues and assosiations vniting themselues vnder his obedience as by nature dutie and their owne welfare they were bound The king of Nauarre who to obey the king had not as yet taken armes let passe all the occasions that might excuse him thought that of all insensible creatures he should bee most insensible The king of Nauarres declaration made at Bergerac the 10. of Iune 1585. presented to the king by Monsieur de Cleremont if hee should bee so simple as not to perceiue the many slaunders raised against him and that if seeing an arme lifted vp readie to strike the king hee would not stay it and shewe the generositie of the house of Bourbon vnder the promise of his Maiestie made a declaration which he presented and sent to all christian Princes and chiefe companies of France to make them capable of his actions Wherein hee fully discouered his religion and manner of faith shewing that hee had been borne during the Schisme and permission of two religions in France that he neither could nor would leaue that wherin he had bin brought vp and instructed if by a lawfull Councell hee were not otherwise conuerted and that still then they could not hold him for an hereticque much lesse as one that had fallē from the church affirming that he had neuer bin hereticque nor contrary to his first opinion and that they thought rather to destroy then instruct him and to ouerthrow then vnite him That euery man knoweth whē he yeelded to heare Masse after Saint Bartholomewes day That both age force and feare made him consent to that which in minde he neuer thought and that assoone as hee was at libertie hee returned to the exercise of his first religion That in all the warres which hee made hee neuer
place the Princes standing still vntill hee commaunded them and his Councell to sit downe There was neuer any assembly made wherin was found more excellent French wittes concerning the resolutions of great affaires the propounding of excellent and rare conceipts and for the reformation of the estate Nor yet for the pronunciation of Orations with more grace eloquence then in this God that is the iust distributer of his fauours to whom it pleaseth him hath ordained that nature should helpe and adorne certaine nations more then others with eloquence of speech but it is a speciall fauour of God to speake well and to the purpose before great assemblies not of a Common-wealth of Venise nor a Councel of three hundreth in the cantons of Swisses but before the estates of a great king yea of the greatest Realme in all Christendome and in the presence of the geatest king of all Europe This eloquence is a gift of God such and so great that Moyses found no other excuse to refuse that notable Ambassage but the rudenesse of his speech as if the first peece of the furniture of him that vndertaketh such things were the grace of speaking well There hath beene diuers great personages that haue buryed and obscured the best and brauest quallities in them for the onely want thereof some haue beene seene in a publike place at a barre and in a Councell that comming in presence of a Prince and of a great assembly became ridiculous to the company with blushing and shamefastnesse and in the assembly some were ashamed to see their bashfulnesse Heraclites the great Sophister was abashed before Seuerus Talthybius and Eurybate before Agamemnon Theophrastes in the Araopage Herod the Athenian before Marcus Anthonius Some stumbled in the beginning of their discourse others omitting the principall matter in the middle of their orations and many making a woorse end then a beginning And whatsoeuer is the cause those that are in such extacies haue no man to supply their places and perceiuing themselues brought into that poynt either shamefully to stand still and say nothing or take a new matter in hand besides the text and so rather doo wrong to their reason and arguments Great personages faile in deliuering their orations then to their speech as Bartholomew Soncin before Pope Alexander the sixt and Francis Barbare Venetian before the Duke of Milan I commend such as take time to prepare themselues and wonder at those who without preparation can so readily acquit their charge Our countrie of France hath seene and heard both of the one and other It heard in this solemne assembly of all the estates of the Monarchie that the Romane eloquence is retired and had withdrawn it selfe into the head of her great king and that France likewise as wel as Rome hath Seuerus Cassiens that speake both well and wisely without premeditation and that cannot indure a troublesome studie that it hath Demosthenes and Pericles that neuer speake without good aduise that it hath a rare and almost vnknowne thing vnto all Monarches which is The signe of the weakening of an estate This is vnderstood of the eloquence of Sophisters that her kings speake without Interpreters but in this poynt I must let you knowe that it is a most assured signe of the weakning of the forces of our estate when euery man taketh more delight in eloquent words then in great effects and is better pleased in saying then dooing well For that eloquence is like a medicine which is onely prepared for sicke persons and eloquence is imployed but in such estates that are like to fall and decay and to mooue and perswade a people that are stayed The multitude of Phisitians in a Towne maketh mee iudge the intemperance of the Inhabitants the great troupes of Councellors and Atturnies that are in all places do sufficiently shew that the corruption of our manners entertaineth quarrelles and there was neuer seene so many Orators in Athens Rhodes and Rome but when they were troubled with ciuill dissentions The League brought with her diuers eloquent fellowes by their babling and deuises to make the people beleeue that white is blacke and trueth falsehood and to constraine them vnder the sweetnesse of their arguments to swallow downe rebellion faithlessenesse and disobedience And who knoweth not that the same day of her birth had been the obsequie of her funeral if in the places where truth ought to triumph vntruth had not beene introduced their sences filled with smokes and sed the ignorant people with deuises and laughters Plutarch Such as sought to winne the people proceeded not all in one kinde of manner in Athens there were some that would drawe them by the eies presenting them with false and deuised things others by the belly in seasts and banquettings diuers by the purse and shining beautie of that mettal The people are taken by the eares which bendeth the most stiffest but the best aduised haue begunne with the eares the beastlinesse and easie introducing of the people not beeing handled but by them all other holdes are vnassured other rules and obseruations can neuer make them tame By it Pompey Caezar Crassus Lucullus Lentulus and Metollus began their tyrannies and ayded themselues better with their tongues then by their lances the French tongue was neuer more adorned inriched nor fairer then at this time and I would to God it serued onely to confound rebellions detest Leagues conuince schismes eleuate the authoritie of the lawe establish and strengthen iustice euaporate the cloudes of errors that trouble our vnderstandings and that the fire of those hotte and liuely speeches that make vs to attempt so high actions and mortifieth colde and moyst humours that make our affections glance against our soueraigne good and that it would in flame the courage of good men against the iniustice of the wicked Corruption of eloquence in holy matters But to the contrary it is imployed to the great disliking of straungers to the infamie of Frenchmen and against a king of France to rent and disseuer his authoritie blame his holy intents to accuse his Councell and to pierce the eares of his subiects therein infusing the dangerous poyson of despising his Maiestie They vse a phrase adorned with rich and magnificall words without choise or consideration to condemne the law to degrade the Magistrate and to praise those that neuer did good but when they minded to doo euill they haue borrowed great words of Architecture Pilastres Corniches Architraues Amphiteatres and Theatres and all for the description of that mischieuous hole or caue of the League and of that miserable populer state built vppon foure gibbets or stakes Against a sort of writers during these troubles But the holy and true eloquence is that which alwaies continued with the iustice of the kings cause all that is induced therein is firmer and more solide the reasons liuelyer and stronger the words more christian French-like and the formes more
causeth mee to put you all in minde not to forget the iust punishments that such blasphemies deserueth which my desire is should bee reformed without fauour or exception either of person or quallitie The inquirie and punishment of simony shall not as it becommeth all good Christians bee forgotten neither yet the order which is requisite touching the sale and multiplicitie of iudicial offices as being pernicious and insupportable to my poore subiects wherein had it not been for the troubles begunne in Anno. 1585 I had of my selfe taken some order but now I expect from you the holy and good meanes therein to bee vsed as in the distribution and prouision of benefices iudiciall and other officices of honour charge estate and dignitie in this Realme there consisteth that which is dearer vnto me then life it selfe mine honour the preseruation and splendure of this estate and the good will of all my subiects towards me to the end that such things may be done with more deliberation I meane from hence forward to appoynt some certaine times which shall bee made knowne vnto you and therein so to distribute them with iust consideration of each mans desert as in dutie I am bound as reason requireth my reputation restraineth mee and as the good I wish to this estate forceth me vnto minding that from this time forward euery man shall hold that good and honour hee hath only from me and for their better meanes to obtaine them at my hands I will take order for their more easie accesse vnto my person according to the times and houres I will imploy to that end I likewise will all my subiects to determine and resolue with themselues to liue as vprightly affectionately and faithfully in such offices as shall bee committed to their charges as shall be requisite for the discharge of my conscience and their owne wherein from hencefoorth I am not determined to indure any defects restraining my selfe by oath neuer to graunt reseruation of any thing whatsoeuer reuoking such as heeretofore haue been graunted and from this time foorth declaring them of no force intending not to obserue them as things that may bee preiudiciall and meanes to mooue men eyther to desire or purchase the deaths of other men and vngodly both in my selfe and in such as seeke to obtaine them I will likewise giue no more suruiuings determining that concerning those alreadie graunted I am minded to referre my selfe therein to your opinions It is most necessary to restraine euocations graunts remissions and abolitions that iustice should bee more prompt and lesse chargeable to the people and that crimes may bee exactly punished You must not likewise forget the inriching of Arts and Sciences the beautifying and repairing of the Townes within my Realme the gouernments and ordering of trade and trafficque of Merchandises as well by land as by sea and the restraining of vsurie with superfluities and excesse of things that are risen to most high prises The restoring and renuing of ancient ordinances touching the authoritie and dignitie of the soueraigne Prince with the reuerence due vnto him and his Magistrates which you shall determine as reason requireth The iust feare that you might haue after my death to fall into the gouernment of an hereticque king if it chance that God should not grant me any heires males is not more considered of by you then by me And I protest before God that I haue not more care of mine owne saluaion then desire to bereaue you of that feare which is one of the principall causes that mooued mee to make my holy Edict of vnion and to abolish that damnable heresie which although I haue most holily and solemnely sworne before him that giueth man constancie inuiolable to holde and obserue all good and holy oathes I am determined the more to establish it that it should bee made one of the fondamentall lawes of our Realme and that vppon the next Tuesday in this place and before the notable assembly of all my estates I will that euery man shall sweare vnto it to the end that none may heereafter pretend any cause of ignorance And our holy desires may not vainly be frustrate for want of meanes I determine to take such order therein by the counsell which you shall giue mee that as the desert shall not consist in mee it may not likewise proceede from the small assistance by you giuen therevnto whereby the effects of our desires may bee in force By my holy Edict of vnion all leagues but such as are made by authoritie from mee ought not to bee suffered and although it did not sufficiently forbidde the same yet neither Cod nor dutie doth permit it as beeing wholly against it for that all leagues associations practises deuises intelligences leuyings of men and mony and receits of the same as well within as without this Realme are actions of a king and in all well gouerned Monarches esteemed high treason if they bee done without the Princes authoritie And although by word of mouth thereby witnessing my accustomed clemencie in that respect to omit all forepassed faultes yet as dutie bindeth mee and you all to conserue the royall estate hauing taken order for the establishing of certaine lawes to bee made by my estates I will by these presents declare and from hencefoorth pronounce as guiltie of high treason all such my subiects as desist not from them or that in any sort dealeth therein without my authoritie and consent graunted vnder the great Seale of France Wherein I am assured that you will not faile to shewe your faiths and fidelities counselling and requiring at my handes to renue and fortifie this faire and auncient law ingrafted within the hearts of all true French men that defend the same which I will shall bee set downe in expresse words I am bound thereby both vnto my selfe and to my Realme and you to mee and to the state of the land which you now represent wherevnto in presence of the Almightie God I summon you all In times past the goodly order and exact pollicie obserued among our souldiers bredde and procured an admiration and terror of my nation togither with a particular and honourable glory to all our French Nobilitie Now therefore weed esire that the same honour wherewith wee haue beene admired aboue all nations may still bee maintained wherein I will spare no paines whatsoeuer and the like I craue of you whereby the wrath of God beeing appeased and that our forces may bee vsed to the preseruation and not to the destruction of our estate thereby procuring so much contentment and comfort to my subiects as that hereafter they may as willingly desire our souldiers both horse and footemen for their gifts as they now feare and abhorre them and that with great reason Lastly I am much greeued that I cannot maintaine my estate and royall dignitie with the necessary charges of this Realme without mony for mine owne particular it is the thing that least greeueth mee but
sent his letters pattents sealed with the great seale vnto the Inhabitants of Romorantin forbidding them not to administer victualles nor amunition to the company of Monsieur de Souuray and they had expresse commaundement to send vnto him That in presence of the Queene-mother hee had refused his Maiestie to subscribe to the ordinance which hee ment to publish concerning certaine treasons as then practised and pretended That his only intent was in his person as a supposed branch of the house of Charlemaine to reestablish the greatnesse and vsurped authoritie of the ancient Maiors of the Pallace to the ende the king should onely beare the name and that hee might deale with him as Charles Martel did with Chilperic Some that were present at this Councel the more to stirre vp the kings minde by the auncient perill of an vnrecouerable fall from his authoritie to shewe him that his Maiestie was to remember the dreame he had before the League beganne which was that the Lyons and wilde beasts by him nourished in his Castle of the Louure deuoured him The kings dreame or vision and that beeing mooued with this vision hee had caused them to bee killed and among the rest one Lyon being the most furious beast of them all Lastly they put the King in minde of Salcedoes processe which had discouered all the pretence of the Councell holden at Nancy the first article whereof was to cease vpon the Kings person of the Councell of fiue persons holden at Parris in the time of Lent in An. one thousand fiue hundreth eightie seuē wherin the Duke de Maine couertly inuayed against his Maiestie Of the memorials taken about the Aduocate Dauid of the letters sent by the Queene of Denmarke to her sonne the Duke of Lorraine which were found about the Abbot of Billy comming from Rome and withall the attempt of the Barricadoes was not forgotten therewith to end their Councell Considerations that stayed the kings minde But three things caused the kings minde to wauer and to staye long before hee resolued vpon it one the respect of the Pope the second his oath made touching the protection of the states and the third the troubles that this execution would breed by their meanes that fauoureth the Duke of Guise Touching the first it was shewed him that his holinesse beeing aduertised of the Duke of Guise at the erecting of the Barricadoes had ceased vpon the Bastille and Bois de Vincennes hee said vnto the Bishop of Parris that the enterprise was ouer bolde that it touched the estate and that the offence would prooue vnrecouerable That his holinesse had often written vnto his Maiestie that hee should assure himselfe of the estates what meanes soeuer hee made and that in these so apparant daungers there is no remedie whatsoeuer but it may bee vsed that hee needed not to inquire if it were lawfull to be done and that it was for the same cause that his Maiestie had obtained a Confessor by him to bee resolued of all things touching or concerning the holy Sea of Rome That the heads and authors of factions are so odious vnto Princes iealous of the quietnesse of the estate that therein they pardon not their owne blood as king Philip that pardoned not Charles his owne sonne that sought to surprise the low Countries And the Duke of Guise when speeches were vsed touching the disobediences of the Duke of Aniou deceased had alwaies this example of extreame iustice readie to produce It is knowne why the Cardinall of Caraffe was strangeled Pope Sixtus at this day liuing in the first yeare of his pontificates put to death the Counte de Pepoly one of the most famous families in all Italie because hee kept certaine banished persons his kinsmen secretly in his house In this Realme of France Iohn Earle of Harcourt of the blood royal of Scotland Lewis de Luxembourg Constable of France Iaques Counte de la Marche issued from the house of Castille diuers others of as great quallitie and estate as the Duke of Guise haue indured shamefull ends because they practised and made secret leagues with forraine Princes and kings The Pope thoght that the Duke of Guise had borne armes for the religiō but after the Barricadoes once erected hee beleeued it not and although religion were the cause of the warres yet should it not bee lawfull without the kings authoritie The example is both good and memorable in the Historie of the king of Spaine called Leoncilde both an hereticque and an Arrian This Barbarian pursued the Christians and pardoned not his owneson that had bin instructed and conuerted vnto Christian religion by Leander Bishop of Tolede hee banished him out of kingdome This young Prince being mooued at the miseries and persecutions of the Christians in his countrie Qui contra genitorem quamuis hereticum talia cogitarer didtwise raise armes against his father at the first he was ouerthrowne and sent into exile at the second time he was put to death and slaine vpon Easterday S. Gregory Archbishop of Tours in this example noteth the effects of the iudgements of God condemneth the boldnesse of this Prince that The king is not bound by oath nor obligation vnto his subiects rebelled against his father and his king although both an hereticque an Arrian Touching the oath which is the second consideration that stayed his Maiestie and which is neuer broken nor neglected but repentance followeth it was tolde the King that euen as betweene the bond-man and the Lord there is no obligation to bee made that there can bee no strickt promise betweene the subiect and the Prince that the promises made are not to bee obserued that if faith bee not to bee holden with him that cannot iustly bee called an enemie and that hath no authoritie to make warres who by the lawe is termed a theefe or a rouer the Prince is not bound to keepe his promise with a meane subiect who by his rebellion hath first violated his owne faith vnto his Prince Necessitie hath no lawe wee must vse time as occasion serueth that is when necessitie compelleth and when men break their faith and promise In great assemblies great examples of punishing rebelles are done and executed as at the marriage of the Emperour Zeno with the daughter of Ardaburis where the Bridegome was slaine Balisene and the Emperours father in lawe committed prisoners The kings of England and Polonia haue often summoned Parliaments therein to take and surprise the Lords that had rebelled against them Our kings haue arested them beeing at their bankets These great motions haue alwaies some extraordiry event but necessitie and publike vtilitie doth authorise them A league grounded vpon the good will of the people The third obiectiō of this vnresolued resolutiō was the great credit which the Duke of Guise had gotten among the people wherevpon it was shewed the king that as the said Princes part had no other credit but among the multitude
made against Giles Bishop of Reims Didier Archbishop of Vienne the king vsed the helpe of the Bishops of France and had no recourse vnto the Pope Chilperic sent Pretextatus Archbishop of Roane to the Councell holden in Parris to bee iudged by them but with this clause Although that of our owne authoritie wee could deale therein it beeing treason for the which he is accused neuerthelesse Gregorie de Tours Atmon Ado Vincent because it concerneth our own person to the end it shall not bee thought that wee will do otherwise then by iustice and reason wee giue you leaue to deale therein The Emperours themselues neuer remitted the examinatioÌ„ of causes that touched the estate of their Empire vnto the long solemne daies of the Popes Councel The Emperour Zenon condemned and bannished two Bishops the one of Alexandria named Iohn the other of Antioche named Calendion Euagriuâ—s lib. 4. whereat Pope Simplicius was offended and for the same cause wrote vnto the Emperour who made him answere that the execution was not done for any Ecclesiasticall crime neyther yet touching religion but that one of them had lyed in his owne presence and the other fauored Basiliscus his enemie And good Popes neuer sought into that iurisdiction whereby to peruert the order of polliticque lawes Saint Gregory admonished Victor and Iohn C. experientiae ca. sequ 11. q. 1. Bishop of Taurese which as theÌ„ was the Metropolitane Church of Dalmatia founded by Iustinian in the Towne by him called Iustinian after his own name to cause two Bishops that had troubled the state of Aquilee and Millan with a good guard and all speede to bee ledde vnto the Emperour and such was the institution of the fathers assembled in the first general Councels of Constantinople vnder Theodose and in that of Carthage to remit Ecclesiasticall causes to the iudgement of the Cleargie Pauliuus Bishop of Aquilee but the persons to the temporall Magistrate when it is a crime the punishment whereof dependeth not vpon the authoritie of the Ecclesiasticall Iudge is to be otherwise ordered then by Ecclesiastical Canonical censures It is true that the ordinances of France ful of respect reuerence towards the church haue induced the ConcordaÌ„ce of the spirituall the teÌ„poral Iudge when the cause dependeth vpon priuiledge ordaine that the processe should be ioyntly made to the end CoÌ„currance of the spirituall temporal Iurisdiction that if the offender be found guiltie he should be degraded according to the prescript order ordinance of the cannons then sent to the secular power to be coÌ„deÌ„ned to death or other punishmeÌ„t according to his offence but wher it coÌ„cerneth the CoÌ„mon-wealth suretie preseruation of an estate it is not the maner to follow the ordinarie course therby to auoyde a great disorder and the extreame necessitie to prouide things present ought not to bee restrained vnto the long detractions of the Romish Courts The king prouoked by these reasons after he had let the Archbishop rest in prison for the space of fifteene daies with resolution to refuse all the Iudges that should bee sent vnto him but such as were appoynted him from Rome sent the Bishop of Beauuais and Mousieur Ruze his Secretarie to certifie his pleasure vnto him which was that hee should aunswere to the Articles by them to bee propounded vnto him wherein they perswaded him not to deny the King that had not refused to graunt him pardon of his life The Archbishop of Beauuais The Archbishop asked the Bishop of Beauuais in what quallitie he had taken that charge vpon him framing an argument consisting in two points Asking him if he came thither as a Bishop or as a Peere of France It as Bishop he saide hee could not examine him hee in that poynt beeing his superiour If as a Peere of France it was a temporall office and therefore hee could not aunswere nor the Bishop examine saying You haue beene in the Courts of Parliament where you neuer sawe processe framed against a simple Priest without the consent of his superior I thanke God I haue red what authoritie and priuiledge belongeth vnto the Church and cannot beleeue that the King in any wise is minded to infringe it nor yet to beginne with mee and seeing hee hath graunted me my life hee meaneth likewise that my conscience should bee at libertie the honour and respect whereof is dearer vnto mee then a thousand liues The Bishop of Beauuais perceiuing that hee could not effect his charge withdrew himselfe the Archbishop desiring him to acquaint the king with his reasons and to beseech his Maiestie that hee might bee comforted by some religious persons and to haue Masse within his chamber Which the Bishop of Beauuais certified vnto the King who made aunswere that hee would put the Archbishop in such a place where hee should haue both religious persons and Masses as many as hee would desire In the meane time vpon aduise giuen vnto him that the great blow which hee had giuen the league had not in such manner astonished it The rising of Parris but that alreadie diuers of them began to rise and to leuie armes he had recourse vnto his first remedies and to that dangerous maxime by him vsually obserued as neuer doing any thing but by halues And while he sent tongues and not armes therwith to retaine the people so well prepared vnto sedition hee found the towne of Orleans to reuolt both against him and Monsieur d'Antragues Orleans is declared against the Citadel and the Gouernour Gouernour of the Citadell that the Towne of Parris had alreadie shewed the beginning of their mutenie against his Castle of Louure his armes and his seruants But the contentment hee had receiued to see his enemie dead made him so carelesse touching the rest of his affairs that in stead of mounting on horsebacke to shewe himselfe to those of Parris and Orleans and to send for the armie in Poitou therwith to stoppe the passages and forces of the Duke de Maine hee contented himselfe to publish a forgetting and remitting of things past and renued the Edict of vnion thinking that the Catholicques of the League The Kings declaration touching the things past vpon the 23. and 24. of December would lay downe their armes raised against their king to imploy the same against the King of Nauarre In his declaration hee saith that at all times and especially since his Edict made in the month of Iuly last he had assayed by all means possible to vnite all his good Catholicque subiects in peace concord vnder his authoritie by the same vnion and the effects thereof to reape the fruite by him alwaies expected and sought to purge his Realme of heresies therein wholly to establish the faith Catholicque religion foreseeing that by the diuisioÌ„ of his said subiects there could rise nothing but a total desolatioÌ„ of religion ruine of his estate that althogh
resolue on nothing till first he had taken aduice with the king of Spaine for the most expedient meanes to maintaine the Catholicque religion in France Leaguers receiued into grace thorow the mercie of their gracious soueraigne The Duke of Neuers was most royally receiued at Florence at Venice and at Mantoue from whence hee came into France Many memorable things came to passe in the month of Februarie On the one side the King cōstrained those of Milon and the Castle of Thierri to acknowledge him for their soueraigne Lord on the other he receiued into fauour the Cittie of Orleans Lyon Roane Poictiers Bourges Haure de Grace Ponteau de Mer Vernueil at Perche Pontoise Riom in Auuergne Peronne and Mondidier in Picardie agreed that they of Amiens and Abbeuille should remaine newters which shortly after acknowledged him because they would not open their gates to the Duke of Aumale one of the Captaines of the league nor to his troupes The Bishop of Orleans for his better obtaining of the kings pardon for al the Cittie procured that certaine mutinous persons of the league should bee whipt and the rest banished As for the Duke de Maine they tooke a packet of his letters that was sent to the king of Spaine containing a complaint of his miseries Hee sent Zamet his Agent to the king to vndertake his affaires but the kings aunswere was that hee would not deale with the Duke of Maine as with the chiefe of a faction That if he wold craue pardon of his soueraigne Lord he wold receiue him as his kinsman and allie The leaguers townes made their seueral intreats each one vpon their declaration obtained of the K. much more fauour then they looked for as much may be said of all the rest in particular which in great numbers submitted themselues to the king whom he receiued in gracious sort giuing them for the most part authoritie charge and was himselfe most liberall vnto many while his faithfull subiects and seruants of the religion were most hardly vsed and spightfully intreated in diuers Prouinces of the Realme Now resteth the Principall Cittie to bee spoken of that is the faire Cittie of Parris which was brought to the kings obeysance by meanes of the intelligences which they had within with the Lord of Billin their Gouernour the Earle of Brissac and others the two and twentieth of March The Duke de Maine had trust vp his baggage certaine daies before to be packing to Soissons There was once resistance made at the New gate by certaine Lance-knights who were torne in peeces and a Court of guard of the Leaguers toward the Pallace whom the Cittizens soone put to flight The Neapolitans made shewe as if they would proffer fight refusing to agree except it were by the consent of the Duke of Feria and Don Diego d'Euera their Generall They accepted soone after without resistance whatsoeuer it pleased the king to offer them as vnto their Captaines to witte that all of them should enioy their armes and so depart with bagge and baggage out of the Cittie from thence to haue safe conduct out of the Realme toward the borders of Picardie after they had promised the king neuer to beare armes in France against his seruice Heere was a thing woorthie to bee noted that foure thousand men on horse and foote entering armed into this little world of Parris should put the league to silence keepe so well the order prescribed vnto them and be so obedient that no souldier left his rancke to commit any outrage or violence That no Burgeous or Inhabitant was indomaged nor so much as wronged in his reputation person or goods that all the people mingled themselues presently with the men of war and other that entered with the king in such familiaritie as if they had alwaies dwelt togither filling the streetes with ioyful applaudes and maruellous reioycings euen as if they had escaped the hands of the hangman to beholde the face of their deare father or best beloued friend The Kings troupes entered the Cittie about foure of the clocke in the morning and within two houres the shoppes were all set open the Citie appearing so peaceable as if there had neuer been any change The most paine which the kings seruants had was to keepe the people with faire intreaties who required no other thing then to bee medling against the Spaniardes Neapolitans and VVallons who were in number nine hundreth men or thereabout to bee reuenged on them calling to minde the great iniuries which they had receiued by their meanes in times past All their Churches and Temples were filled soone after with praiers and songs of thansgiuing to God according to the order and custome of the same Cittie which was newes most pleasing and agreeable to the Inhabitants As much was done in all other places of the kings obeysance and namely in diuers parts out of France In short time after Bastille was yeelded and hee which commanded there for the league sent away with his souldiers The Cardinal of Plaisance the Popes Legat being sick at Paris had his safe conduct to bee gone who died soone after and so likewise did the Cardinall of Pelue This was the cause that other dispearsed Leaguers and seditious Preachers fled away some heere some there vnder the wings of the king of Spaine or toward the Duke de Maine who was gone to Soissons The most part were confounded with despight and sorrow The other do as yet bite on the bridle in Spaine and the lowe Countries and from one moneth to another followe their companies There were some found that hazarded themselues to enter into Parris but it was to be drawne to the gallowes where they receiued the guerdon due to their villainie The Parliament of Paris beeing established soone after this yeelding published a decree the thirtieth of March in these termes The Court hauing the twelfth day of Ianuarie last required the Duke de Maine to acknowledge the king whom God and the lawes hath giuen to this Realme for the establishing of peace and vnitie whereto hee would giue no eare through the deuises of the Spaniards and their adherents and God hauing since of his infinit goodnesse deliuered this Cittie of Parris from the hands of straungers and brought the same to obedience of her true naturall and lawfull king after solemne thansgiuing to God for this blessed successe would imploy the soueraigne authoritie and iustice of this Realme for the preseruation of the Catholicque Apostolicque and Romaine religion to see that vnder the false colour and pretext of the same straungers do not possesse the estate Calling all Princes Prelates Lords Gentlemen and other subiects to the grace fauour and clemencie of the king and to a generall reconciliation and to repaire that which the libertie of the warres hath altered or taken from the authoritie of the lawes foundation of the royall estate rights and honours of the Crowne These things hauing beene in deliberation all the