THE French Kings Edict vpon the reducing of the Citie of PARIS vnder his obedience Published the 28. of March 1594. VVhereto is adioyned The said Kinges Letters Patents for the reestablishment of the Court of Parliament at Paris Also a Decree of the saide Court of Parliament of the 30. of March concerning a reuocation of whatsoeuer hath bene committed in preiudice of the kinges authoritie and the lawes of the land All faithfully translated out of the French copies printed at Paris by Frederick Morell by E.A. LONDON Imprinted by Iohn Windet and are to be sold by Samueâ—â— Shorter at the great North doore of Paules 1594. The Kings edict or declaration HEnry by the grace of God King of Fraunce and Nauarre to all men present and to come greeting Whereas since it pleased God to call vs to this Crowne our principall desire and intent whereat we haue leuelled all our actions hath tended only to the establishment of a good and assured peace within this our Realme to the end that all disorders violence and miseries of warre ceasing God might bee serued according to his holy commandements and the authoritie of our lawes and iustice restored vnder the protection whereof the three estates of our Kingdome might quietly and peaceably enioy such thinges as iustly vnto them doe appertaine For the compassing whereof we haue as it is well knowne imployed whatsoeuer our habilities our bloud yea euen our life nothing regarding death in respect of such reproch and infamie as iustly wee might be charged withall in case we should endure the wrongful vsurpation and dissipation which some men doe presume to make in this our Crowne of Fraunce To the end therfore not to omit any thing coÌ„sisting in the power of a good Prince that may tend to the restoring of the so long expected so necessarie desired vnion peace and tranquilitie among our Subiects we haue with much patience supported and in respect of common commoditie pardoned the offences and rash enterprises of diuers who were it not for this respect haue deserued to be chastised and repressed with most grieuous rigorous and exemplarie punishments In consideration hereof after all our victories we haue pardoned giuen life to those that leuelled at ours And in regard of the great compassion that wee haue taken of the capitall Cittie of our Realme and to the end to eschew the sacke thereof and to saue the bloud of many good Citizens who were no partakers in the cursed driftes of the fauourers of this rebellion wee haue chosen rather to frustrate our selues of that obedience that vnto vs is due then to see the innocent inhabitantes the women and yong children together with so many beautifull buildinges exposed to the violence rage and fury of fire and sworde Wee haue therefore vppon the causes and considerations aforesaid in the moneth of Iuly last agreed and condiscended to a generall truce for three monethes during which time the Deputies of the Faction of our disobedient Subiectes haue giuen vs to vnderstand and assured vs that speedely they would sende to the Pope to haue his good aduice vppon such resolution as they were to take for the conclusion of a good and stedfast Peace and reconciliation of vs who are their King and naturall Prince Wherein also for their partes they haue most expresly promised to imploy themselues with all loyalty and affection for the restoring of the Peace of this Land which made vs the more ready to yeeld to the said Truce albeit wee were sufficiently enformed of such disaduantages as otherwise vnto them might arise also that in matter of armes wee had them farre on the hippe yea and that during the said conference wee had perforce taken the Towne and Castell of Dreux euen in the face of the principall Leaders of their Faction Notwithstanding the assistaunce of the Spanish Protectors as also that we wanted no meanes so to oppresse the saide Cittie of Paris that the want of victuals should in the end haue counselled them to shake off the yoke of those who for many yeares had tyrannized and insolently abused their miserable patience To all the which notwithstanding wee of our authoritie did yeeld the rather in respect of the Pope whome wee wished to be euery way satisfied to be truely enformed of our actions and behauiour to whome also we purposed to haue recourse to lay open our greuances and to craue his aide fauour and assistance and to the same effect had chosen our deere and well beloued Cosen the Duke of Neuers a Prince accomplished with all vertues endewed with wisedome pietie and good desertes who preferring the seruice of God and benefite of this Estate before the discommodities of his health and the daungers and tediousnesse of the way hath cheerefully vndertaken the voyage toward him But as for the Deputies of the said Faction who so assuredly promised with all diligence to send we haue not perceiued that during the saide three monethes of Truce they euer made any accompt to depart Further albeit that since the conclusion of the said Truce of three monethes we haue in all their actions founde in manner no desire to reestablish the publike Peace of this Realme of the spoyle whereof they purpose to clothe themselues and to grow ritch with the goods and bloud of all good and loyall Frenchmen with all that there is come to our handes a certaine Oath taken by the principal of that Faction almost at the very time that they signed the saide Truce and had promised faithfully to deale and to consider of the meanes how to conclude a good Peace and to reconcile themselues vnto vs and to that end to send to Rome for the good and wise aduise of the Pope the saide Oath importing that they should neuer treate of any Peace or agreement with vs wherein they suffered themselues to bee so farre carried away with the passions of the King of Spaynes agents that they reserued not so much as the Popes authoritie to whome they promised to send we were therewith grieued and prouoked accordinge to the exigence of the case All which notwithstanding vpon their desire to prolong the Truce for twoo monethes more vz. to the ende of the moneth of December last shewing vs that it was vnpossible vppon our refusall of this delay for their Deputies to come to Rome time inough to be at y e resolution which might be there taken for the revnion of our Subiectes to our obedience we vpon a desire to iustifie whatsoeuer our actions in the presence of the Pope preferring our purposed respect vnto him before our owne profite and the suretie of our affaires which we much hindered and prolonged by reason of the said delayes and prolonginges of the Truce wee yet graunted them the same for the monethes of Nouember and December Howbeit gathering by the small desire that they had to see an ende of the miseries of this Realme together with the authoritie that vniustly they haue
taken to make the Decree which they published and vertuously mainetained in the moneth of Iune last past against such as endeuored to alter and infringe the orders of the lawfull succession of this Realme In consideration whereof we haue taken away and disanulled and do take away and disanull the interdiction made as well by the said King as by vs against the saide Counsellers and other officers at this present in good number resident in this saide towne who after they shall haue taken the oath herein requisite in the handes of our trusty and deere Chauncelor shalbe reestablished and restored to the exercise of their Offices as by these presents we haue restored and reestablished and doe restore and reestablish them to the end after the said oath they may enioy the like honors prerogatiues rightes authorities priuileges and preeminences which afore time they had and did enioy before the said interdictions so as the said Counsellers may do and performe all actes and exercises of iurisdiction and soueraigne Iustice that appertayneth to our Parliament in as ample maner as they did or might haue done in case the saide Interdictions had neuer bene against them declared proceeding to the publication of Edictes admission of Officers soueraigne iudgements and all other expeditions and orders heretofore made in our saide Parliament Wee doe therefore commaund our most trusty and welbeloued Chauncelor the Officers of the Crowne the Dukes and Pieres of France the other Lords of our Counsell and the ordinary Masters of Requestes by vs committed and deputed that they cause these presents to be read published and registred to the ende the contentes of the same may be kept obserued and put in execution according to their forme and tenure For such is our pleasure In witnesse whereof wee haue signed these presentes with our hand and to the same affixed our seale Giuen at Paris the 28. of March the yeare of grace 1594. and of our raigne the fifth Thus signed HENRY And vpon the fould By the King RVZE And sealed with a great seale in yellow waxe The King hath ordained and doth ordaine that vppon the fould of these Letters shalbe set downe Red published and registred in the hearing and at the desire of his Atturney Generall Giuen at Paris in the great Chamber of Parliament the Lord Chauncelor there sitting with the Officers of the Crowne the Dukes and Pieres of Fraunce The Counsellers of his Counsell of Estate and some of the ordinary Masters of Requests of his house the 20. of March 1594 Signed LVILLIER The Decree of the Court of Parliament of Paris of the 30. day of March 1594. Gathered out of the Registers of Parliament THe Court hauing from the xii day of the moneth of Ianuary last sollicited the Duke of Mayenne to acknowledge that King whome God the lawes haue giuen to this Realme and to procure the Peace wherevnto he would neuer condiscend as being inuegled by the pollicies of the Spanyardes and their adherents and God hauing sithence of his infinite goodnesse deliuered this Towne of Paris out of the hands of straungers and reduced the same into the obedience of her naturall and lawfull King Hauing yeelded solemne thankes to God for this happy successe desirous to imploy the authority of the Soueraigne Iustice of this Realme to the end that by preseruing the Romane Religion we might hinder strangers vnder the false pretence thereof from seasing vppon the Estate and call agayne all Princes Prelates Lordes Gentlemen and other Subiectes to the grace and clemency of the King and to a generall reconciliation and to repaire whatsoeuer the licence of the Ciuill warres hath altered in the authority of the Lawes and foundation of the Estate Rights and Honours of the Crowne the matter deliberated vppon in the saide Court all the Chambers assembled Hath declared and doeth declare all Arrestes Decrees Ordinances and Oathes giuen made and taken sithence the nine and twentieth of December Anno 1588. in preiudice of the authority of our kings and Lawes of the Realme to be voyde and wrested by force and violence and as such hath reuoked cancelled and annihilated them and ordayned that they shall remayne abolished and suppreued And especially hath declared and doeth declare whatsoeuer hath bene done contrary to the Honor of the late King Henry the third aswell during his life as sithens his decease to bee voyde Doeth prohibite all persons to speake of his memory otherwise then with honor and reuerence And moreouer ordayneth that information shall be taken of the detestable parricide committed on his person and extraordinarily proceeded against those that shall be found guilty thereof The sayd Court hath reuoked and doeth reuoke the power heeretofore giuen to the Duke of Mayenne vnder the quallity of Lieftenaunt Generall of the Estate and Crowne of Fraunce It prohibiteth all persons of what estate or condition soeuer to acknowledge him in this calling To yeeld him any obedience fauour comfort or ayde vpon paine to be punished as offendors guilty of high Treason And vppon like payne hath enioyned the sayd Duke of Mayenne and other Princes of the house of Lorrayne to acknowledge King Henry the fourth of that name Kinge of Fraunce for their Kinge and Soueraigne Lord and to yeeld vnto him the obedience and seruice to hym due And to all other Princes Prelates Lordes Gentlemen Townes Comminalties and particular persons to forsake the pretended partye of the Vnion Whereof the Duke of Mayenne hath made himselfe head and to yeeld vnto the Kinge seruice obedience and fidelitie Vppon payne that the sayde Princes Lordes and Gentlemen bee degraded from theyr Nobilitie and declared Peasantes both they and their posteritie with confiscation of body and goods razing and ruinatinge of Townes Castells and places which shall bee infringers of the commandemente and ordinaunce of the Kinge Hath cancelled and reuoked doth cancell and reuoke whatsoeuer hath beene doone decreed and ordayned by the pretended Deputies of the assembly holden in this Towne of Paris vnder the name of the Generall Estates of this Realme as voide and done by priuate persons chosen and wrought for the most parte by the Factious of thys Realme and partakers with the Spanyarde and hauinge no lawfull power at all Doeth prohibite the sayd pretended Deputies to take vppon them this qualitie or to assemble themselues any more in thys Towne or else-where vppon payne to bee punished as disturbers of the common rest and Traytors And doeth enioyne those of the sayd pretended Deputies which yet at this present are in this Towne of Paris to withdraw themselues euery of them in hys house there to lyue vnder the obedience of the King and to take the Oath of fidelitie before the Iudges of the places Hath also ordayned and doeth ordayne that all processions and solemnities ordayned during the troubles and by reason thereof shall cease and in steed thereof the two and twentieth day of March shallbe for euer kept holy and vpon the same day shal be a generall procession according to the accustomed manner Whereat shallbe assistant the sayd Court in red Robes in remembrance and for to giue thankes to God for the happy deliuery and reduction of the sayd Towne to the Kinges obedience And to the end no person pretend cause of ignorance of this present decree hath ordayned and doth ordayne that it shall bee read and published by sound of Trumpet and publike crye throughout all the chiefe quarters of thys Towne of Paris and in all the Courtes of this Iurisdiction and to this end the same shall bee printed and at the diligence of the Kinges Atturney Generall shall be sent to all his Substitutes Whome it enioyneth to see the same executed and thereof to certifie the sayd Courte Done in Parliament the thirtith day of March 1594. Read and Published by sound of Trumpet and Proclamation throughout the principall quarters of this Towne of Paris the next day being the last of the sayd moneth Subscribed De Villoutreys FINIS
Salt taxes imposed vpon the same and all other impositions and leuie of Coyne as wel in the said towne as neere there about all treaties and forraine imposition exacted vpon wares Marchandize Victuals casting of Ordinaunce and Bullets making of Poulder Saltpeter with other instruments of warre coyning of mony practisings leuies of Souldiers conducts and exployts of the same leagues negotiations and treaties either in the Realme or without sale of mooueables selling of woods either vnderwood or Timber amends booties raunsomes or any other acts of hostilitie And generally all other thinges that haue beene done wrought and negotiated after whatsoeuer forme or manner publike or priuate during these present troubles or by occasion of the same So as neither the said inhabitaunts neither any of them shall from henceforth be troubled molested disquieted or sifted in any maner or sort whatsoeuer Willing that to that effect they remaine quit and discharged and in such cases imposing perpetuall silence to all our atturnies general or any other Parsons whatsoeuer Our meaning also is and expresly we doe enioyne them that they giue ouer all Leagues treatise assotiacions practises or intelligences as well within the Realme as without that may any way be repugnant to our authoritie vnder paine to be punished as guiltie of treason Likewise for the auoiding of all occasions of quarell or debate that may arise among our Subiects we haue inhibited and forbidden and by these presents doe inhibit and forbid them any way to iniury reproch offend or prouoke one an other either by deede or word for any thing passed or during these troubles enioyning them to continue themselues and to liue quietly together as good brethren friends and fellow Citizens vnder the obseruation of our Edicts vpon paine to all offenders presently to bee punished without farther forme of law or processe as disturbers of the common quiet 4 Furthermore we will ordaine that all arrests commissions and executions of the same all decrees sentences iudgments contracts and al iudicial acts passed betweene parties of one faction and between all such as voluntarily haue gone to law as well in Soueraigne courtes in the prouostie of Paris in the presidiall Sea and in other courts and iurisdictions of the said towne prouostship and vicomptie during the said troubles shall be good and in force Neither shall there be any enquirie taken vpon executions of death that haue passed by the authoritie of iustice or course of warre and commandement of leaders Also as concerning decrees sentences and iudgments graunted against the absent of contrarie factions whether in criminall courtes or ciuill or in any the Soueraigne courtes of this Realme or the iurisdictions of the same they shall remaine voide and of none effect vpon any cause or occasion whatsoeuer Likewise all iudgements passed against the Countie Brissar in respect of the partie that he followed shal be cancelled and reuoked as also shall bee whatsoeuer giftes by vs or our predicessors of any the goods to him appertaining made or granted that in consideration of the great Loyall and most commendable seruice done to vs to the whole estate of the Realme in reducing of the good towne of Paris vnto our obedience Also as concerning all executions of death passed against any the inhabitants for any matter depending vpon the said troubles our will and meaning is that the saide executions shall be no way preiudicial to the honor or memory of the dead Also that such confiscations as our attournies haue or may pretend vnto shall take no place to the preiudice of their widdowes children and heires 5 We will and our pleasure is that all the said inhabitants that shall performe the said promises submission and Oath shall reenter into the enioying of their goods offices dignities and demaines whatsoeuer situated or being wherein we reuoke all giftes and graunts of any such things that may be preiudiciall to those to whom they did appertaine or to their widdowes and heyres 6 In consideration of seazures heretofore made vpon the goods inhearitances rents and reuenues of the said inhabitants of Paris or elsewhere within the said prouostship or vicoumpt who shall fulfill the said promises and submissions in whatsoeuer place the said goods be situate or remaining they shall remaine voide And we doe graunt to the saide inhabitants ful and perfect recouery of the said seazures and haue acquitted and restored vnto them whatsoeuer may be vnto vs due in respect of the same notwithstanding whatsoeuer graunts that may bee passed which we haue cancelled and reuoked and by these presents doe cancell and reuoke without respect of any promises or bondes not discharged made by the labourers or fermers as well to the graunts as to the Commissaries and Fermers in law which are and shall stand voide Also as concerning Debts or credit due to the said inhabitants our pleasure is that with respect of gifts that therof may haue bene granted al which we haue and doe cancell and reuoke they may compell or cause to bee compelled all such as are to them bound by bond promise Obligation or setting ouer to pay in like forme as they might haue done before the said troubles 7 All prouisions of Offices graunted by the Duke of Mayenne shal remaine voide and of no effect Howbeit such as haue obtained the said prouisions by the death or resignation of such as haue beene of their owne faction except the estate of presidents in our Soueraigne courts shall bee continued in the saide Offices by our letters of prouision which to that end shall be dispatched vnto them without paying any thing as also shall be continued in like forme all new Officers by vs erected in matter of salte that haue purchased their prouisions of the Duke of Mayenne which also shall remaine voide and of no effect 8 Such as by the Duke of Mayenne haue bene promoted to benefices not consistoriall being within the saide Cittie voide by death shall bee continued in the same by taking of vs their dimissories necessarie whereby such as they haue had from the Duke of Mayenne shal rest voide and of no effect 9 In respect of such the inhabitants as were not in the towne at the yeelding of the same wheresoeuer they were or might be they shall enioy the like benefit as others that were presēt in case within one month after the publication of these presents they doe come in and make the said submissions and promise to liue vnder our obedience 10 All such inhabitants as vnder our Pasports shall depart the towne and betake them into any other parts of our obedience bearing them selues modestly and committing nothing repugnant to the fidelitie they owe vnto vs vpon their submissions and promises afore mentioned shall enioy their goods without trouble or molestation 11 For the ease of the saide inhabitants during this present yeare the Debters of set rents shall not be compelled to paie more of their arreareges quarterly then the yearely