condemned to be beheaded confessed maintained and affirmed euen vntil his last gaspe that the Cardinal had caused to giue this commission both to him and manie others Al which notwithstanding they bent against the Protestants and although that a moneth or fiue weekes before they had published a sufficient rigorous Edict against the said Protestants yet did the Cardinal now set on a fresh onset of three Edictes in Nouember 1559. In one of the which these wordes were expressed That in the assemblies both by day and night of the Protestants not only the vse of the Romish church was villanously prophaned but also that ther were sundrie vile wordes both infamous and reprochful against the King and such as in deede tended only to the encouraging of the commons to sedition were there also dispersed and spred abroade But al this serued onely to prouoke sundrie persons yea such as were indeede enemies to the religion and to moue them to suspect that there was other matter then religion which in this point as also in manie others serued but for a shadow In the meane time the Guisians raised such a blotte vpon their nephue that although he were no leper yet after those reportes he lost most part of his reputation Hereupon also arose two new accidents which brought the Cardinal againe out of temper the one was because the president Minard one of his slaues of the Parliament of Paris was slaine with a dagge by vnknowen persons another was that one of his good seruants named Iulian Ferme was also killed neere vnto Chambourg where the King was This Ferme was departed to carie manie remembrances to Paris concerning the making of the processes of diuers of the greatest Princes and Lords of the realme togither with manie notable persons fauourers of the religion The Cardinal therefore taking his aduantage of these occasions gaue a new onset with this slaunder aforesaid vpon the Protestants and by letters patents forbiddeth the bearing of armes more straightly then before through such reportes bringing the King into the hatred of the people which neuer was wonte so to be suspected During these affaires namely the three and twentieth day of December the Counsailer du Bourg was put to death togither with sundrie other Protestants in diuers places to the great displeasure and griefe not onlie of sundrie Frenchmen but also of manie forraine Princes Howbeit al this is nothing in respect of such confusions and mishappes as the Guisians did afterward entangle the King and his dominions in For their dealings openly importing tyrannie their vsual threates against the mightiest in the realme their setting backe of the Princes and great Lords their despising of the estates of the realme their corrupting of the chiefest of the iustices who were reduced to the deuotion of these new gouernours the reuenues of the kingdome at their commandement deuided and giuen where they pleased as likewise were al offices and benefices and to be briefe their violent regiment being of it selfe vnlawful had altogether prouoked moued such hatred against thē both of great and smal that thereof proceeded the enterprise wherof la Renaudier was captain in the name vnder the aduow of the second Prince of the blood the handling breaking whereof we wil more largely declare in the title of their behauiours to the nobilitie At this present let vs marke how at that time they mocked the king and his estate A certaine aduocate of Paris named des Auenelles had warned them that there were certaine practises in hand against them wherevpon they vsed the helpe of the Queene mother in calling the lords of Chastillon to the court where by their aduice they framed a new edict in the Kings name in the which they qualified the rigours of such as before stoode in force against the protestants This did they only to the end to breake of the said enterprise minding incontinently after to reuoke the same as by particular letters they certified their bond slaues of tne Parliament of Paris whereas this edict was immediatly published and the qualifications inregistred in the secret register in such wise neuertheles that some counselers so farre forgat themselues as to say that it was but a false trap to catch the protestants in This was their dalying with the Kings faith bringing vpon our Kinges an infamous blot blemish namely to be periurers and vnfaithful In the meane time hauing fresh aduertisements instead of thinking vpon their regimēt or effectually declaring that they ment not to be such mē as hitherto they had bene reported either that they sought to treade downe the Kings authority they now gathered power on al sides gaue money out of the Kings coffers to Auenelles and other spies sent men of warre euery way and kept the king in the middest of them selues procuring during these broyles certaine letters whereby the Duke of Guise was made lieutenant general for the King with al absolute authoritie then was there no talke but of putting al to fire and sworde and slaying of infinite noble men and gentlemen and so blemishing the name honour sight reigne of this yong King with the most horrible cruelties that euer were knowē for the firmament earth sea shal be witnesses of the barbarousnes of these monsters who haue replenished al France with blood the heauēs with witnesses and iudges and the earth with complaintes Their trechery appeared in that they would neuer permit the King to heare as he ought to haue done the iust complaints of his subiects whom they so villanously entreated before his eies He oft demanded euen with teares what he had done against his people why they should be so moued against him for these Lords stil blew in his eares that they sought to slaye him and vnder pretence thereof had enuironed him with troupes of armed men gathered from among the worste members of the whole realme whome since they haue continewed to the end to keepe themselues about our Kings whose dignitie they haue thereby conuerted in to I wot not what kinde of Persian pompe or Turkish terrour and said that he would gladly here their complaintes reasons yea sometimes he would say to his good vncles I wot not what these commotions meane I heare say that you be they whō the people is offended withal I would to God you would for a while depart to the end we might be the better certified whether this people be grieued at you or me But as the murderer that helde his enemies father in his armes did by that meanes saue his owne life so the Guisians ioyning them selues as the yuie about the pyramide close to the yong Kings sides did conningly warde these blowes wherewith vndoubtedly they should haue bene pearced through They did therefore reiect al these the Kings wordes assuring him that neither he nor my Lords his brethren should remaine one houre after their departure because say they the house of Burbon through the support of the heretikes
to remit the estates vnto the moneth of May next ensuing which was the thing that the Guises especially sought for neither was the Constable anie whit sorie notwithstanding he had often protested that he was readie to giue vp his accomptes The King of Nauarre being yet somewhat affected vnto the Religion his brother the Prince of Conde and the Chastillons sought to aduance the said Religion and that they might the better do in case for a while they deferred dealing in the other point which shortly after they might neuerthelesse easely enough take in hand againe But they were deceiued through the ambition of the Queene mother the dastardlinesse of the King of Nauarre the practises of the Guisians without the Realme and the driftes of the Constable within the kingdome whom vnder colour of Religion they had separated from his nephues In this meane time the yong King and his brethren were in the Queene mothers handes who onely marked which side would be strongest to the end to the same to commit both her selfe and her children and because she had suffred much at the Guisians hands in the time of Francis the second she could nowe haue wished that the Protestants might haue bene masters being assured that she could more easily haue delt with them for she had alreadie in her hands the Chastillons The King of Nauarre suffred him self to be led euerie way and as for the Prince of Conde in case she withstoode not the amends for such iniuries as he pretended through his imprisonment to haue bene done vnto him she accompted him as hers yea she looked to finde in him a new staffe wherewith to suppresse the Guisians The Cardinal of Lorraine vnderstanding the Prince to be readie to come to the court departed from the same vnder pretence of residence in his Archbishoppricke of Reims leauing behind him his brother as a spie and others to the end to practise according as matters might fall out After that the King had wel receiued the Prince of Condie and that in ful counsel he had iustified him selfe he was permitted to sue out more ample declarations for the same purpose went to Paris Soone after this fell an other controuersie which much molested the Duke of Guise and his partakers yea without the policie of the Queene mother who at this time stoode them in good stead and sought in time to come to aide her selfe they had at the same instant bene quite vnhorsed for the King of Nauarre through the solliciting of some who sawe meetly cleare did complaine to the Queene of the too great authoritie which the Duke of Guise tooke vpon him who at al times had bene her aduersarie also that the said Duke of Guise continuing about the King he could not remaine and therefoâ—â— that it was expedient that either the one or the other departed from the Court after that the Queene had alleaged some excuses tending to the ouerthrowe of this matter the saide controuersie proceeded so farre as that the next morning the King of Nauarre put on his bootes and was readie to depart accompanied with the Princes of the blood the Constable the Lords of Chastillon and manie other great Lords Now the Queene seing that remaining among the Guisians onely the world was at an end both of her selfe and of them also for her owne conseruation fained to procure their coÌ„moditie to the end in case they yet once againe got the masterie they should not harme her She sent therefore to fetch the Constable causing the King to command him not to depart by the compassing whereof al this matter was broken of and the King of Nauarre sent to fetch backe his mulets which alreadie were gone as farre as Melun This controuersie being dispersed raised a voyce that the Queene maintained the Guisians against the Princes of the blood insomuch that the particular estates of Paris proceded and began to touch the chiefe points of the estate not forgetting the article of yelding vp the accompts The Guisians were expressely named with ful determination to seeke al meanes possible to forbid them anie entry into the priuie council before they had giuen vp their aforesaid accompts The Queene mother of the one side greatly reioyced in seeing the Guisians her chiefest enemies by this meanes in danger Againe on the other side she was in some care as concerning her regencie To prouide therefore against al inconueniences she through the aide of the Constable made a new agreement with the King of Nauarre in such wise as the said King was pleased and moued the Duke of Guise to counterfeit humilitie which he now more then vsually did put in practise She sent also for the Prince of Conde to come and seale to this accorde vsed the helpe of the Marshal of Montmorencie in amending and correcting al that had bene concluded in the particular estates of Paris touching the gouernement of the Realme The Cardinal dealt with the Queen mother in al these matters to whom he writ often and notwithstanding eche of them mistrusted other yet had they so long kept householde together that the taking of this path seemed most necessary for both their conseruations And in deede we may wel say that al the policies of the Guisians did neuer stand them in so good stead as did the only wit of the Queen mother who neuerthelesse did mortally hate theÌ„ but this shal be shewed in place more coÌ„uenient Here may we behold our poore king kingdome swimming waiting for present shipwrack for the coÌ„passing wherof the Guisians finding theÌ„selues to weake vnder preteÌ„ce of ReligioÌ„ do ioine to their faction the Constable prouoking him against his nephue the Admiral who openly professed the Gospel so do aide theÌ„selues with al conuenient policies The Marshal of S. Andrewes also herein stood theÌ„ in good stead for he did beat into the Constables head that whatsoeuer the estates had propounded concerning the reuoking of excessiue rewards the Admiral had procured to the end to bridle his vncle the said Constable and so to compel him necessarily to coÌ„sent to the alteration of Religion The Earle of Villars being moued against the Admiral for that he had reproued his euil demeanures in LaÌ„guedoc did also thrust at the same wheele so that notwithstanding whatsoeuer declaratioÌ„s or persuasioÌ„s the Marshal of Montmorency could alleage yet did the Constable ioyne to the Guisians who made their leagues to the inteÌ„t by robbing the King his realme of their faithful seruants to bring al into confusion The Catholikes finding theÌ„ selues through such leagues fortified began to rise therupon through the policies of the Guisians there was a noise raised that the Admiral had endeuoured to expel the Masse to plant the Religion in France without anie adoe The Catholikes therefore of Beauuais a bishoppricke pertaining to the Cardinal of Chastillon began being folowed by the Catholikes of Amiens PoÌ„thoise other places At Paris also were MuÌ„kes such
so wisely already established by so many counselers by the late King Henry his good brother father in law as if the King his brother in law were not of him self capable to administer it or to cōmit it vnto such as he thought good without the intermedling of any other consent or receiuing any lawe at his subiects hands which he ought not to permit wherefore for his part he woulde willingly employ his whole power in the maintenance of the authoritie of him and his ministers although it should cost both the life of him selfe and of fourty thousand men whome he had in a readinesse if any man should attempt the contrary for said he he bare him so great good wil that he woulde declare him selfe the tutor and protectour both of him and his kingdome and also of his affaires the which were to him in no lesse recommendation then his owne Thus may you see how the heredital enemie of the crowne of Frāce was called to the defence of their tirannye Many accounted these letters ful of wonderful presumptiō that a forein prince durst thus openly in the presence of the whole priuie counsel for these letters were read among them al euen before the King of Nauarres face abolish the french liberty and ouerthrowe the auctoritie of the estates But the Guisians had already aduertised him in what estate all thinges stood and in case matters had so fallen out as they began to doe he had had his share among them So at the same instant these the spaniardes letters were as effectual as they desired for presently the King of Nauarre began to cappe them and of his owne accorde to seke al occasiōs wherby to returne to the defence custodie of his coūtry howbeit the better to walk him he together with the Cardinal of Bourbō the Prince of la Roch Suryon who were ioined in his commission were appointed to cōduct the Lady Elizabeth the kings sister who was maried to the spaniard her at the frontiers both of Frāce Spaine to deliuer vp Now therefore peceiuing that the more they sought the hastening of the ouerthrowe of France the more they opened the mouthes of al true Frenchmen they determined to fortifie them selues by alluring the Parliaments the Clergie and the men of warre to their partes The Cardinal supposed the aduancement of religion and multiplication of the professors thereof to be to him a goodly pretence wherewith to intice the Clergie As for the Parliaments in as much as manie of the counsaylers and presidents placed in the same came in at the windowes and were men but of smal consciences they needed no great labour to hasten them forward to the assubiecting of them selues to the house of Guise for such good men as remained being terrified with the examgles of Anna du Bourg and others laid their handes vpon their mouthes Also the men of warre seing the Princes holde their peaces and perceiuing the Duke of Guise in his armour whilest others both high and lowe were in their shirtes wayting euerie houre for to be slaine toke part with the mightiest And notwithstanding al men one and other were assured by sufficient coniectures that the drift whereunto the house of Guise aspired was farre other then they represented yet they being watered with a certaine vaine hope also to the end to maintaine thē selues in their imagined prosperitie as men vtterly deuoid of vnderstāding did wholy cast them selues headlong into this goulfe The Guisians being thus in fauour and hauing expulsed al such as were not of their bande did determine better to looke to their matters vpon this occasion As King Francis grew so did he more and more reueile an assured iudgement of his euil health Now had they married him to their niece the Queene of Scots and had betimes procured him to taste all worldly delites and bewrapped in his wifes swathing cloutes to the end to yealde him the more supple and delicate to their handling But this Prince being sickely who also in his youth had foreshewed a most dangerous euil disposition by reason he could neither hoake nor spit forth caused that certaine his physitions of the creation of the Guisians secretely warned them to prouide for their owne estates for as much as the King was no man of long continuance Vpon this report the Cardinal hauing alreadie most men bound to his hand to the end to finde out their affections towarde the King woulde sometime bewayle the miserie of the present time also the Kinges vnweldines who shoulde not peraduenture haue leysure said he to punish the heritikes so that al thinges might after his death happilie be turned otherwise Hauing then strooke this stroke and finding that manie did euen halfe wishe that he would inuent some stedfast meanes proceeded on inferring vpon the Kings sicknesse whome malitiously he after a maner taxed of leprosie and that in double consideration First to bring the Frenchmen out of taste in their natural loue which they beare to their Kings because the King was as they made men to beleeue infected with such a contagious disease and so to prepare them against a new change and next to bring the protestants into such hatred whome he pretended to make authours of this bruite with the King that through his commandement they might be vtterly extermined to the end that they being thus made away the Guisians might finde no man to withstand them Following this determination they bruited abroade through their partakers that the King went to Bloys to take physicke for the spottes in his face and when anie man asked the meaning of such speach these spies woulde closely whisper them in the eares saying that assuredly King Francis was infected with leprosie and that to the end to procure his health he must necessarilie be bathed in the blood of manie yong children also that there was alreadie a commission giuen forth for the taking vp of the most beautiful and healthfull from foure yeres olde vnto sixe To be briefe these ruffians which followed the Court being hired by the Cardinal went abroade into the boroughes townes and villages along the riuer of Loyre enquiring of the number of children being presently followed by an other number who inquired whether anie had bene there to take a register of their said children willing them to take heede how they did deliuer them because it was to the end to bathe the King in their blood These voices mightily terrified al the countrey about Loyre and the King after his comming to Bloys heard therof also whereat both he and his mother were greatly moued But the Cardinal cast al the fault vpon the Protestants so persuading the King that he kindeled in him such a hatred as remained printed in his heart vnto his liues end Howbeit one of these villaines who had spred these newes and vnder colour of warning the parents had gathered great store of money being taken nere vnto Loches and found guiltie and so finally
abide that desirous that in France there might shortly appeare as many robberies euen at the Kings his poore peoples costes as there be bridges and passages ouer riuers To be briefe to the end there might be no trafficke letters or purses which thirtene ribbauldes were not sufficient to visite from one place to another thereof to make reporte vnto the said Cardinal we must marke what order he tooke vnder colour said he to keepe the Protestantes from assembling togither to conspire against the Kinge As indeede that was one marke that he shot at together with certaine other more high attempts in case his enterprises against the Prince of Condye and the Admirall had had good successe Howbeit the commissiō which then he procured more manifestly did reueile the iniurie which he did to the King and the realme also his vehement desire to trouble al the estate to the ende to exalt his owne race through his enemies ouerthrowe This therefore was the tenour of the commission made about the time of the edict afore set downe namely in the moneth of Maye 1568. The King hath ordeined captaine N. in the towne of N. there to remaine Captaine and keeper of the bridge and passage to whome shal be deliuered twelue men to assist his person whome he may command whatsoeuer he thinketh meet conuenient for the Kings seruice which twelue men his maiestie shal pay ouer and besides the entertainment alowed to the said captaine He shal first procure to make a drawbridge ouer the sayde passage which he and his twelue men shall daye and night diligentlye and warily watche and keepe not permitting any to passe vnlesse he first knowe whence he commeth whither he goeth what his businesse is and who himselfe is Also seeing any numbers of men approching to the passage ouer the sayd bridge he shall presently cause it to be drawne not suffering the passage to be taken before he be assured of the same do know that they haue no meanes to hurt him Also to the ende that he his twelue men with him may continually remaine at the said bridge with al conuenient commodities he shal immediatly take order for the making of a lodge neere vnto the said bridge whither he and his souldiers may retire lodge and accommodate thē selues in not going from the saide bridge or abandoning the custodie thereof and to the same effect his maiestie hath written to the inhabitants of the same towne that they at their owne cost do make the said lodge and draw-bridge Also forasmuche as it may greatly aduantage the said captaine towarde his sure keeping of the said bridge and prouiding that there be no meanes to surprise the same to haue knowledge of things done in the said quarters he shal endeuour to discouer to his power the actions and intentes of those of the new religion and hearing of any thinge preiudicial to the Kings maiesties seruice he shal looke diligently to his charge and giue warning vnto the Captaine of the next bridge passage or towne and the like shal all other captaines do who haue commission for the keeping of any other bridges or passages til time the King be thereof aduertised so that he may take some order And although the principal cause which moued the King to commit this captaine to the charge of the bridge or passage aforesaid is for the safe custodie thereof yet shal he for his part take diligent heede that the Protestants haue no preachings or other exercises of their religion in any other place then his maiestie hath to them ordeined and established as wel by the contents of his edictes of pacification as also by the rule prescribed since the publication of the last edict He shal hearken and take good hede as much as possibly he may that the protestantes make no enroulings of men of warre no leuyes or collections of coyne no vnlawful assemblies or no motions of warre either where his charge lyeth or in any other place thereabout but shal prouide for faithful men to aduertise him and if neede be to send some of the skilfullest about him and such as haue any vnderstanding or do seme meet to penetrate into the said Protestants affaires to the end they may certifie him of whatsoeuer they can learne out He shal endeuour to knowe whether there be any gentlemen of the Kinges side that be displeased or do shewe anie countenance to fauour or followe the said protestants any whome they haue suborned or motioned to make any practises or drifts tēding to the surprising of any the Kings towns haue not disclosed the same to the end to keepe the said practises or enterprises the more secret farther from suspicion He shal also labour whē the said Protestants do holde their Synodes assemblies thorowly to detect vnderstand the causes of the same together with the conclusions therof He shal finde meanes to get in vnder such pretence as he shall thinke best some wise and trustie person who may know and smel out the ende of their intentes and giue him a good accompt of al that hath bene propounded or agreed vpon in the said assemblies he shal take hede that there be no assemblies made in any towne or place forbidden and defended either any secret exercise of their religion To the end also that his maiestie may be serued as appertaineth with good knowledge among his trusty faithful subiects the said captaine shal often commune with the gouernour who hath the charge of the towne of such matters as may fal out touching his said maiesties seruice the one not to encroche vpon the others authority lest any displeasure or controuersy should breed betweene the said gouernour him He shal curiously enquire who be the superintendēts ouer the protestants affaires in the said country what their pensions are and whether they do send any messengers into forein coūtries to what end He shall also certify the King of al such matters as he hath learned touching any the said matters or other things tending to his maiesties seruice neither shal he faile of sending weekly one or more messengers according as matters shal fal out the same shal he addresse to my Lord the Kings brother and lieutenant general who shal giue him answere And the said captain may certifie the King my said lord his brother of al that he knoweth by sēding his letters to him that shal haue the custody of the next bridge so from hand to hand shal the same be conueied by other captaines hauing like commission vnto the King or my Lord his brother Now may any man hauing wit or discretion consider in this cōmissiō wonderful policies of the Cardinal new preparatiues for warre by the meanes wherof he aduanced him self Also how by these drifts the third ciuil warre was sone kīdled for in lesse thē two moneths after the peace there were aboue ten thousand persons slaine here there in the