vowed enemie in thy pretence to this Realme which pertaines not to thee neither canst thou gaine it by thy forces so often vanquished but heerein thou resemblest the bold-faced and shamelesse Woman iudged by Salomon who was contented that the Childe which neuer sprang from her body rather then it shoulde be deliuered to the rightfull Mother should be deuided and cut in halfes according to the discreet iudgement of the King who pronounced that sentence onely to know the true Mother well knowing that she would neuer condiscend to such a crueltie Thou canst not by right obtaine Fraunce wherein remaineth nothing of thine and therefore thou wouldest rather dismember it and giue it as a pray to the Spaniard our greatest enemie then we should enioy our true legittimate successour who shewes himselfe a Father of his Countrey the estate and as one rather desirous to loose then see it ruinate woulde by kindnesse call home the Rebels to repentance Heereto tended his so long siedge against Paris beeing certaine that if hee had not detested the spoyle thereof notwithstanding it was the fordge of all this rebellion hee had long since forced taken and possest it or layd it leuell with the ground in cinders Thys succour of the Spanyards which at at this present are thy Gods yet in the ende thou shalt finde them rauening Woolues is very conformable to thee but if by thy incantations and charmes thou canst call the deade from theyr graues or draw them out of the fire infernall call to thy ayde if thou wilt Don Pedro the first and onely of that name sur-named the cruell hee beeing the fourth King of Castile and the thirtie-fyue of Leon who began his raigne in the yeere one thousand three hundred and fiftie by crueltie and therein continued all his life tyme. In vnhappy houre hee espoused fayre Blanch of Burbon of that royall house which raigneth at this day in despight of thee whose life he shortened by poyson in the pryson of Medina Sidonia and her bodie was afterward taken vp by the French who on this occasion entred into Castile on the behalfe of Don Henry and so was buried at Tudela in Nauarre Rayse vp thys Python rayse vp this monstrous Tyrant if thou canst whose cruelties surpassed all other cruelties addicted to vnlawfull loues to murders massacres persecution of his Lords cruell to his Subiects and his owne proper blood a periured wretch a parricide an impious robber he will serue thee for a goodly guide to thy men of warre Call vp Erithia who vnder collour of Religion and holinesse in the time of the former Kings established and caused to be builded in Spayne a great and magnificent Temple in the I le of Tartessus nowe called Calis or Tarifa whereof she then changed the name caused it to be called Erithia To this Temple was due the tenthes of the pyllages and theeueries of the West parts by perpetual ordinaunce and very long time obserued because those Kinges of Spaine to couer theyr thefts and spoyles gaue part thereof vnto their false Gods Drawe foorth of Hell a most ambicious Cardinall of Spayne called Ximenes no meane enemy to them that were of greatest authoritie in his time for he could scant brooke any companion in the gouernment of Castile and therfore would deuide betweene the King and himselfe the authority royall Call the authours of the tumult of Medina Sidonia and those turbulent fellowes that forced and violenced the Courts of Parliament and Chauncerie in Vailledolid whereupon ensued a rigorous determination yet no more then the rebellious breakers of iustice had deserued Summon the sedicious people of the Cittie of Badaios to the Realme of Castile who reuolted from theyr King Don Sancho and yet neuerthelesse were too cruelly punished for the King hauing giuen thē assurance of their lyues suddainly caused them to be massacred without sparing man woman or child to the number well neere of foure thousand Send for the sedicious of Lisbone of whom I spake before Call for the rigour crueltie of the Spanish Inquisition Ayde thy selfe with the factious of Castile for the Bishop of Siguenca Draw to thee by thy sortiledges the conspyring Vailledolitaines in the yeere foure hundred sixtie foure who rebelled against the King Don Henrie the fourth who were accompanied with certaine of the chiefest personages beeing mooued with a kind of iealousie against Don Bertrand de la Cueua made Maister of the Caualierie of S. Iames because he was the Kings Minion yet defended they themselues with other reasons and made the desire of publique benefite a shadowe for theyr conspiracie Which was not punished when it might haue beene through the negligence and ouer-great compassion in the King who rather loued to shewe himselfe quiet then valiant Hee endured the peremptory speeches of the Byshop of Calorra without being moued and was betrayed on all sides but principallie by Aluaro Gomes whom he putting in trust with hys greatest affayres because from meane degree he had highly aduaunced him yet hee notwithstanding wrought the meanes wherby hys aduersaries warred against him and gyuing no credite to the coūsel was giuen him was betrayed to the Arch-bishop of Toledo depriued of courage was afterward disgraded ignominiously in Auila so deposed frō his royall seate But it may be these fellons are not bad enough to receiue thy prest-money because thy present companions surpasse them in villanie and treason for these rehearsed contented thēselues wyth chasing theyr King marie thy companions haue murdered theyrs Then call yet if thou wilt from Plutoes kingdome other worse Spanyards the rebellious Subiects of Phillip de Castro Prince of Arragon whom they kylled in Castile the Granadanes who slew Ioseph the seauenth and Ismaell the fift theyr Kinges The Valentians in the yeere one thousand three hundred and fortie-seauen because of the succession in the Realme of Arragon notwithstanding their rebellions were subdued by the King Don Pedro the fourth who gaue battaile to these rebellious confederates Sarragossa was captiuate and Valentia conquered albeit at the first the Valentians thought to make resistance and many skyrmishes past betweene them and theyr Kings but beeing many times vanquished and repulsed wyth losse they resolued in the end to surrender vp the Citty which the King beeing by nature sharpe and rigorous would haue rased that the plough might passe thereon and then haue sowed salt in the place in hatred of the dishonourable insolencies hee sustained by the Valentians Neuerthelesse he was disswaded from hys angry purpose by his Lordes that then were with him and contented himselfe with the execution of iustice on certain of the conspirators I see thee nod thy head and that yet thou hast neede of other kind of whelpes for these yet rehearsed thou wilt but place among so many Rebels as holding yoke with thee do yet trust to the clemencie of our Alcides wold be submitted to his mercie Then ioyne to all these
all detestation in the end wil set their feet on thy neck before they be swallowed in this depth altogether as already many of the better aduised are who find themselues drawne forth of thys Labyrinth euen as it were by the thredde of Ariadne An aduertisement to the small companie of Noble men that follow the League YOV Gentlemen of honourable minde byrth that make loue to thys deceitfull Courtezane good God! how are you abused Doe yee not behold that in promising she plucks from ye and in giuing she takes away Despoyling ye of your Noblesse renowne and honor See ye not that she cherisheth ye to the end to slack and weaken ye to your King and Countrey by making ye drunk with her vnlawful loue Know ye not the cunning of this withered Geryon that would separate and deuide ye in the end to triumph ouer ye Doe ye not yet discouer her mallice Haue ye yet your eyes sealed vp will ye not purge them of the powder of so many collours and false pretences as are thrown into them that yee might cleerelie discerne your selues to come into a good way The League you reuerence so much is like a Tree secretlie and subtillie planted in the midst of you the fruit whereof at the first beholding seemeth faire yet are they verie bitter and poysonable to poore Fraunce how happens it thē that they are so sweet and sauorie to you whose tastes are so fine delicate Know yee not that such Leagues confederacies and particuler associations of Subiects amongst themselues or with other Princes vnder what-soeuer pretence it be are forbidden by Monarches Yea the King of Spaine himselfe that thus beguiles yee hath by expresse Edicts inhibited his Subiects from thē yet shal this old Reynard by the same meanes spoile destroy you Are ye ignorant my Lords that there was no accusation more great against Lewes of Fraunce Duke of Orleance after he was slaine by the pollicies of the Duke of Burgundie then because he was allied and leagued with the English Duke of Lancaster Nor can yee defende your selues with the authoritie of the late most worthie Prince the Cardinall of Burbon whose integritie and holie zeale to Christian Religion the Maister whom you serue vnder the afore-named pretence of pietie and Religion abused And doubtlesse as much would he doe to this honourable vertuous religious Prince the Cardinall of Burbon his Nephewe if he did not well perceiue that so great a Prince and Prelate by his wisedome and most carefull fore-sight instructed by nature cōfirmed from his yongest tender yeeres by the vertuous documents hee receiued of Mounsieur de Bellozane a sharp sighted good Catholique most faithful Frenchman would discouer his fraude and coniuration and finde readie at his fingers endes what he entended to his King and all other of his blood It was not lawfull for that great Prince the late Cardinall of Burbon of praise worthy memorie so kindly and easily notwithstanding his authoritie to league himselfe or to giue any occasion or couerture of a League because it pertaineth to none but the King to doit or to commaund or consent to Leagues hee hauing the onely soueraigne authoritie But the enemies to the King the estate and his honour very easilie deceiue him vnder the colour of Religion the Weale publique You are capable of reason then conceiue what I say Forsake the error of thys vile kynde of people that are dulled and infected with this daungerous poyson defende your selues with this preseruatiue and consider that these Rebels haue their weapons in hande euen against you seeing they menace the estate which you ought and are bounde to maintaine and defende because thereon dependeth your Noblesse goods and liues The enemie hath diuers times receiued shrewd checkes but that your assistance and hostilitie relieued him had we your fidelitie with all the rest of this noble body soone should both the checke and mate be giuen him or rather this Hydra with so many heads shold be ouerthrowne and vtterly vanquished Abandon and giue ouer this Sorcerer vnwrappe your selues out of these snares if you bee wise and knit your selfe in a Gordian knot vnto your King our Hercules who holdes his armes wide open to receiue you courteouslie albeit ye haue so greatly offended Would ye by any badde deede of perfidie loose the name of Frenchmen heeretofore so admyred amonge strangers as that for the auncient Noblenesse of the French it was attributed by the Orientall Greekes before all the Latines and people of the West Can ye endure that the Spanyard who wold commaund euery where shall distaine your names and famous race Will ye let your selues loofe the naturall enfranchise and libertie so long time frequent among the auncient french before it was peece-meale rent by manners and opinions of strangers nowe when yee haue nothing left more deere then your honour and reputation Neuer thinke to make your selues great by that which you ruinate but think what shall become of you yours in such accidents The difficulties and occurrances that happen in an estate troubled with affaires of partialities are the moreful of dangers in that they depend on what may ensue and cannot easilie be referred to anie certain rule so that prouidence must there haue greater place thē knowledge But the humane spirit is so blinded with selfe-loue and dazeled with things present carrying shewe of delight as it imagines such pleasures ought alwaies to endure and little cares for ought may afterward come to passe the next way to vse speciall regard heereof is not to entertaine our thoughts with flattering desseignes or opinions So GOD who to himselfe hath reserued all power destributeth no otherwise his gyftes to men but that often-times hee ouer-throwes their determinations so soone as they are conceiued and some-times fore-seeing the scope of mens drifts conuerteth the enterprise to the ruine of the inuenter Then flatter not your selues concerning the part you take which is directlie against God against the estate and against your King and so cōsequentlie to the extirpation of al the French Nobilitie for the Stranger accompanied with a multitude of base peasants and groomes will loose and betray you to the Switzers If anie one of the wiser sorte that attendes on which side the winde will turne and now are halfe Spanyards nowe on the Kings side according to the occurrences shall say vnto me that I shew my selfe ouer passionate I aunswer him that in generall deuisions a man ought to take one partie for otherwise hee shoulde shewe himselfe to be faultie standing as a Neuter and so deserue the punishment ordained by Solon for such people As for me reason tels me that I faile not in taking and following the part of my King whom God hath lawfully and by the degree of succession giuen vs to gouerne and relieue this poore afflicted kingdome which doth nothing else but stagger beeing so extenuate and weake as if his Maiestie
and remedie by the end and cutting off a Tyrant Likewise that it is more necessary to proceede against the crueltie of Tyrants rather by publique authoritie then by particuler wilfulnes or presuming But if any people haue right to prouide themselues of a King and that by them he is chosen for iust cause the King so established may by the people be supprest or his authoritie taken from him by them that created him King because so tyrannously hee abused the Maiestie royall Now are the people to bee iudged vnfaithfull in forsaking and subiecting thys Tyrant because before hee was neuer Gouernour of himselfe neither carryed that faithfull and honourable minde as is required in the office of a King Thus misleading and misgouerning his people hee deserues not that hys subiects shoulde keepe the promise they made and swore to him So the Romaines chased out of the Kingdome Tarquine the proude whome they had receiued as their King but because of the tyranny of him and his sonne they subiected thēselues to a lesser authoritie namely of Consuls In like case Domitian who succeded the most modest and debonnaire Emperours Vespasian his Father and Titus his brother because hee excercysed tyrannie hee was slaine by the Romaine Senate and by their decree were reuoked and annihillated all such things as he badly had established ordayned against the Romaines For this cause S. Iohn the Euangelist the beloued Disciple of Christ who was sent in exile by Domitian into the I le of Pathmos was recalled from thence and sent by the Senate to Ephesus But if any superiour Gouernour hath right to giue a King to the people he ought to regarde his dealing to yeeld remedie against the malice and wickednesse of the Tyrant Heereof Archelaus may remaine example who hauing begun to raigne in Iurie in the place of King Herod his father began to imitate him in wickednes and crueltie when the Iewes framed a cōplaint against him before Augustus Caesar then first his authoritie was deminished the name of King taken from him the moitie of his Realme deuided to his two brethren And because by thys meane hee could not bee kept from vsing tyranny Tyberius Caesar sent him in exile to the cittie of Lyons in Fraunce And if it bee not possible to haue humaine succour against a Tyrant let vs make our recourse to God the King ouer all who will help the oppressed in trybulation for it is in the power of God to conuert the heart of a Tyrant into mildnesse according to the words of Salomon Cor Regis in manu Dei quocunque voluerit inclinabit illud The hart of the king is in the hand of God he may turne it whether soeuer he will For he turned into meekenes the crueltie of King Assuerus who prepared to put the Iewes to death Hee likewise conuerted and changed the cruell King Nabuchodonozer that he became a Preacher of the diuine power saying Nowe therefore I Nabuchodonozer praise extoll magnifie the King of heauen whose works are al truth his wayes iudgement and those that walke in pride or arrogancie is he able to humble and abase But as for Tyrants they are reputed by him vnworthie of conuersion he will cut thē off or bring them into base estate according to the words of the Wiseman God destroieth the seates of proud Princes and setteth on them such as are meeke and humble in their sted Hee it is who seeing the affliction of his people in Egypt and hearing the cry of them ouerthrew the Tyrant Pharao with his Armie in the Red-sea It is he that not onely threw from the throne Roall the fore-named Nabuchodonozer who was become verie proude but also depriued him of the company of men and changed him into a beast Hys arme is no whit shortened but hee can and will deliuer his people from Tyrants For he promised to his people by the Prophet Esay that he would giue rest to the trauaile confusion and troublesome seruitude wherein they were before subiected And by Ezechiell hee saith I will deliuer my flocke from the mouthes of such sheepheards as doe nothing but feede themselues But to the ende the people may obtayne this mercifull benefit from God it is necessarie for them to leaue theyr sinne because that in vengeaunce thereof the wicked and vngodly by diuine permission get hold of the principalitie And God saith by the Prophet Osee I will giue thee a King in my furie and in Iob it is written that hee will suffer the hypocrite to raigne because of the sinnes of the people It is requisite thē to take way the fault to the end GOD may cease to punish vs by the meanes of Tyrants Hetherto Thomas Aquinus shewed the errour of such as lifted themselues against Princes albeit they were Tyrants and dyd intreate their Subiects cruelly Sayst thou then vnder this pretence of tyrannie that iustly thou mayst raise thee against the King to kyll him murder him by treason and so to take his estate from him For the first he is no Tyrant and though hee shoulde consent to make any tyrannous Act as therein thou saist most false yet thy wordes fauour of most abhominable errour and are condemned by the counsell of Constance who aboue all things would haue abolished and rased foorth such a pernicious doctrine That it shoulde bee lawfull to kill a Tyrant for any cause what soeuer it be They declared such people to be wicked erronious in fayth and manners reproouing and condemning them as Heretiques or scandalous preparers of the way to fraudes deceites dreames periuries and treasons Thys holy Sinode declared furthermore and ordained that such as obstinatly affirmed and maintained this doctrine were heretiques and ought to be punished according to the holie and Canonicall ordinaunces Then tell me Sorcerer art not thou an heretique hauing murdered not a Tyrant but a iust debonnaire lawfull King Art not thou an heretique to pursue the life and estate of his admirable successour whom thou art enforced to confesse account for a mightie generous and affable Prince gracious euen toward his verie enemies a conseruer of Religion although he make profession of that is contrarie to thee But thou fearest as it seemeth that beeing the heade of his Subiects hee wyll not change his Religion but rather his clemencie into rigour and seuerity thys proceeds but frō the fardle of thy malice As concerning the matter of Religion I haue thereto aunswered thee alreadie but for the alteration of his kinde nature into another more rigorous I am perswaded that he is established by GOD to doe iustice to the wicked Beside he is so soundly acquainted with mercy and gentlenes as hee will neuer from them degenerate but will pardon hys simple Subiects that gaue but consent to rebellion and were not authours or procurers thereof Dooth it then appertaine to thee to iudge thy Prince Men saith the
haue declared to obey our soueraigne Princes and Magistrates and beside they know right well by the behauiour of Rebels that the greatest euil in sedition treason as Cornelius Tacitus others haue learnedlie described is That euerie one woulde commaund hauing no other counsel or reason then their owne wil. Moreouer the most factious and turbulent will euer presume on most authoritie by whom the Magistrates and peaceable Cittizens are ordinarily suspected and are in danger to be prescribed robbed killed or banished There is such mixture of defiances as nothing is ingendered but hate suspition and priuie dissembling so that all honestie all Fayth and humilitie is vtterly forgotten and violated and true reconciliation euer-more hindered All things amongst Rebels are very miserable yet if there fall out any thing to their own desire nothing is more miserable then such a successe as not onely makes them to be more arrogant and vntractable but rather entertaines or nourisheth them more more in mischiefe Do ye not behold that of necessitie the Duke De Maine must doe all things by the aduise and will of the Spanyards although by them he pretends to conquer Marie the Duke of Parma he is too fine to serue them as a Seruaunt he rather wold vsurpe for himselfe if he could a cruell and tyrannicall gouernement to maintaine himselfe by force ouer-throw the Noblemen of this Country afterward beate down the people with feare and terrour VVill not you then take aduantage offered against these Rebelles If yee loue your King and Countrey as I thinke ye doe lay hold yet on the vallour of your Auncestors who valiantly repulsed the Spanyard when hee would haue entred Fraunce made a famous slaughter of all his followers Consider the vnfortunate fal ruine of the ancient estate of Greece very latest Empire therof of Carthage Rome Italie and infinite other Common-weales kingdoms and Signories which onely happened by partialities and deuisions Phillip de Commines heereof wrote well and truelie Such dissention and discordes saith he are verie easily sowne amongst rebellious people and they are a true signall of the ruine and destruction of a Countrey or Kingdome when they take roote therin as they haue doone in diuers other Common-weales and Monarchies And to thys purpose if I were not well assured that the mallice and ambitions of the rebellious Leaguers rather thē destenie is the cause of the desolation of thys estate I could say as Salust sometimes saide of Rome I am perswaded seeing all things that had beginning must haue end that then by destinie the ruine of Rome shall approch when the Cittizens fight against the Cittizens and so beeing spent and weakened shall be exposed as a pray to some King or strange people otherwise all the Nations of the world assembled together cannot ouer-throwe this Empire But any man not sinisterlie carried awaie doth euidentlie perceiue that the originall and source of the downe-fall of this estate except God set his hand to in time ariseth frō the rebellion of these Leaguers so long time practised by the Spanyard and his adherents To escape then from so great an euill withdrawe your selues my Lords to this partie reconcile your selues to your King and relieue your Countrey exposed by the Rebels as a pray to the Spanyard who hath no little while beene plotting and practising this deuice for his purpose Demosthenes fore-seeing the ruines of Greece through the vnderminings and policies of Phillip King of Macedon who kept it in deuisions not only Cittie against Cittie but the Cittizens deuided against each other in euery Cittie by corruppting the chiefe Gouernors that were drawne to take part with him imployed all his paines to reconcile the Athenians and other people of Greece from such dangerous factions and to regard the maintenance of their estate For my selfe I haue not the eloquence of Demosthenes wherewith to perswade yee but this I plainely giue you to vnderstand that an other Phillip King of Spayne hath vsed the like deceits in Fraunce wherby to spoile and ruinate the Countrey as Phillip King of Macedon did in Greece to make himselfe Lord thereof Fly my Lordes fly this partialitie cause of so great troubles pernicious to the publique societie and priuate kind of life euermore readie to hurte and which bringeth no meane damage according to the occasion and occurrences of the time your selues do daily behold the effects heereof for the Armie of the Leaguers beeing hemde in with this partiall Monster as well among the French-men as the Spaniards it will come to passe that without any great labour bestowed by the King their owne deuision wyll both frustrate their enterprises and hinder the victorie they liue in hope to haue euen as it happened in the battaile of Cannas where the Romains lost the day thorow the partialitie of the two chiefe Leaders Paulus Aemilius and Terentius Varro I cannot thinke that the Duke De Maine and the Duke of Parma the onely commaunders of the League will agree long time together but that the one must giue place to the other for the Spanyard is too braue arrogant to holde yoke with the French Rebels hauing occasion so fayre and fit for the purpose whereby to gette the maisterie ouer them now or neuer My Lords you that are faithfull Gentlemen and Seruaunts to the King me thinks thys one cause should induce a good accord and vnion among ye for the seruice of his Maiestie that ye shoulde be both iealous and enuious of the charge and honors distributed by his highnes not to haue thē trans-ferred to such as are so farre vnder you in woorthinesse and vnlesse this fire of iealousie kindle the sooner in yee it will redounde to the great disaduantage of the publique affaires and your own proper ruine As for the rest of you my Lordes that side it with the Rebels wrap not your selues in theyr offences loose not your selues altogether in the heape of theyr discords nor yet forget that you but defend their perfidie impietie in so myserable a confusion forsake such part-taking They can talke enough that the publique Lawes and common rights ought to be kept as also the auncient receiued religion of Christian Catholiques the liberty of the estates the comminalty of the Citties the authority of the Princes Officers of the Crown the Magistrats and Parliaments yet notwithstanding they trauaile day and night as by their effects is plainly discerned to trouble all these by disorder and sedition and to thrust the estate into the hande of a stranger who makes himselfe assured therof alreadie except next the helpe of God you ioyne with vs to remedy this danger The Leagues and deuisions that were in Gaule betweene the Sequani and Autini when as Iulius Caesar there arriued was the cause that brought the Gaules vnder the Romaine obedience This League of Rebels is more pernicious dangerous to the estate were it not we
haue a King that wel enough wil preuent them but God especially on our side who hitherto hath ouerthrown the enterprises of the Rebels and theyr Defenders and will confounde the one with the other that in the end we may haue the maisterie ouer them Behold howe the Spanyard woulde reconcile and bring ye into quiet if it were possible for him if so be the King and his fayre forces had their hands bound to gyue leaue to these Rebels and their gracious Deliuerers to vse them at theyr pleasure Doe not yee remember the ciuill warres that endured so long time in the reignes of King Charles the sixt and Charles the seauenth occasioned through the partialities and dissentions betweene the houses of Orleaunce Burgundie when the Burgundians caused the King of England to enter Fraunce The times were then so full of calamity and miserie the French being afflicted with warre famine pestilence so cruelly as the Fieldes were long time fallowed and vnmanured the Cittie 's ransacked the houses and Fortresses ruined destroyed and burned the great Lordes and loyall Officers of the Crowne the most worthy heroyick valiant personages kilde massacred or banished then was iustice prostituted and brought into bastardie merchandise and publique negotiation abolished In breefe all religion and humanitie violated for certaine yeeres was so great a mortalitie in Paris as the Woolues could not be kept out but entred the Cittie and deuoured the dead bodies Are we not now in danger to beholde the like times If the French Rebels get not some whol-some Elleborus and become wise by the remembrannce of passed examples well may they doubt to see farre worse troubles For the violence of this warre so long time closely practised and intended tooke beginning by excesse of treasonable offences and afterward proceeded by murder of the King the progresse and end cannot but presage but to be worse then the warres I haue alreadie alleaged Let vs be aduised by what wee haue seene because the testimonie of sight is more assured and certain then that which we receiue by hearing and we know that there is nothing so diuine humaine holy religious chast nor anie thing so well established and ordained but the rebellion of these Leagues hath troubled spoiled broken violated defaced and ouer-thrown See yee not alreadie a most deplorable estate of all the Leagued and rebellious Citties Semblable to the opinion of Thucidides vvho speaking of the vniuersall dyssention which in his tyme happened in Greece most ellegantlie in these tearmes set downe his minde So soone as anie noueltie or insolence is vnderstoode to be committed in a Cittie there are such as presently practise howe to make it worse prouoked moreouer to enterprise new stratagems eyther to declare themselues more insolent or for their burning desire to be reuenged And what-soeuer euil is doone they haue arteficiall names to disguise it withall which for their excuse they change into contrarie signification as if they were no such matters as they call them For they tearme rashnesse to be hardinesse and magnanimitie so that such sudden fellowes are called valiant defenders of theyr freendes Softnes or temporising they name honest feare modestie couert cowardlines violent rage couragious resolution wise and discreet deliberation cloked dissimulation So by these meanes he that is most vehement and audacious is reputed faithfull and as they say verie zealous and wel affected to the cause and he that wil not ad-here to thē is held suspicious As for him that brauely executes their enterprises and reuenges he is a wise and able man but much more he that knowes best how to fore-see and discouer the intent of his enemie and prouides that no man on his side shall depart from the faction or stand in feare of the Resister In breefe who most readily out-rageth or offendeth others is praised but especially he that can induce another to execute his determinations Such a faction is farre greater among strangers thē freends or kinred because they are disposed to all enterprises without any excuse euen so conspiracies and assemblies are not doone by authoritie of the Lawes or for the weale publique but for auarice against all reason and the fayth kept among such is not for Religion as they would haue it seeme but to entertaine such contagious euill in the Common-wealth Thucidides declared that such was the valour and courage among these partialists as the one party thought nothing that proceeded frō the contrary faction and altogether tended to no other end then the extermination and destruction the one of the other As for anie appointment or reconciliation made with theyr sollemne oath there was very slender assurance in their words when they had neyther feare or reuerence in an oath because they wold keepe them no longer then while they found occasion to lay hold on theyr aduersaries or some-what returned to their own aduantage These factions proceeded of couetousnes and ambition and they that were the cheefe heereof in the Citties made an honest pretence of euery partialitie Each one in words debated the defence of the Common-wealth but theyr deedes did witnesse the contrary because that without hauing any regarde to the common-good they laboured but to satis-fie their owne greedines making profit of others spoyle executing vengeances as themselues pleased If there were any one that shewed himselfe a newter he was forth-with assailed by both parties where because he was affected to neither side or the enuie of them to see him in quiet he was thrust into the euil which the other suffered In such ciuill diuisions the mishaps are so great that without cōsideration of good turnes and benefites receiued or the vertuous actions of excellent men the people so furiously cast themselues vpon them as they cease not to pursue them euen to death or banishment As it happened in Athens to Themistocles Aristides Demosthenes and Phocion in Rome to Coriolanus Camillus Scipio Affricanus Cicero and others Beholde ye not my Lordes you that should see more cleerely thē the rest euen a like forme of estate among these Leaguers and Rebels Will yee not acknowledge it to be an extreame disorder and insolence See yee not heere tyranny in place of Monarchie which is the most perfect firme and surest fourme of a Common-wealth so highly commended by Homer It is not good saith he that many haue an equal authoritie but one sole King to haue the prehemenence to him hath God giuen a golden scepter therwith to cōmand and well gouerne his Subiects Heere you see in stead of an Aristocratia which is the iust and ciuill administration of certaine vertuous personages who haue all their thoughts and deliberations prouided for the Weale-publique beeing called by the Latines Optimates such as through the will and consent of the soueraigne Prince haue euermore beene ioyned to thys Monarchie to keepe it in a temperate state cōdition is now growen among vs a confused
but by the doctrine proofe and good example which greatly wanteth in your false Apostles I beleeue there is not any Christian Catholique a faythfull member to the Crowne but would earnestly desire that the King enriched with such store of vertues required in so great a Prince as he is shold likewise be a Christian Catholique to the end that as we ought to haue but one King so wee might also haue but one fayth and Religion wherein as in the feare of God our Prince earnestly labours to haue vs liue Heereof not only the Philosophers and Christian Doctors but also Emperours are assured witnesses by many constitutions recited as well in the Ecclesiasticall hystories as also in the bookes of Theodosius Iustinian who greatlie trauailed to maintain the vnion of the Christian Catholique Church When there is vnitie in religiō in an estate who doubts but al things do prosper the better We desire without offending our selues against them that are contrary to our religion that they would louinglie become partakers with vs and not pursued to the death by the animositie wherwith the Rebels follow both them and vs subiect vs together vnder one selfe-same detection or Categorie VVe desire I say that according to the good and holy custome helde of olde the King should be sacred and annointed at his Corronation and take the oath of a Catholique Prince that is to maintaine the Catholique Church all the rights franchises and priuiledges thereof We know well that since the raigne of Clouis Fraunce hath beene constantly maintained in the Catholique Religion which is the same as say the Emperours Gracian Valentinian and Theodosius that was giuen and taught by Saint Peter to the Romaines and vvhich both holy Emperours Bishops and Councels haue euer since followed for which cause it is yet called Apostolique and Romaine We are not ignorant although some call vs heretiques because that acknowledging the Princes authoritie according as God hath commaunded vs we haue withdrawn our selues to his side that many great personages haue shewen as much by authority of the holy Scripture that the ancient Fathers and Doctors of the Church both Greekes and Latines that the Catholique Religion is the onely and true Religion which hath beene from the Apostles vnto this present by continuall succession alwaies taught preserued in the Romaine Church But we are certaine withall that through the vices which haue slipt thereinto by fault of the Pastours the estate of that Church hath much more neede of reformation thē others We know likewise that we are admonished by Iesus Christ and hys Apostles to liue in concord and vnity with God as S. Paule witnesseth in these words The God of patience and of consolation giue you the grace to know one onely thing amongst ye according to Iesus Christ to the ende that with one sole courage and with one mouth you may glorifie God his Father Religion is a constant vertue teaching the true adoration of God which is done with an intire spirit and the vnity thereof is figured by the garment of Christ Iesus wouen without a seame that it was not to be cut or deuided This is in truth a faire assembly of such as are knit in one brotherly vnanimity consent as well in religion as policie whereof the Prophet Dauid singeth beeing assured that to such God wil send blessings and lyfe euerlasting To this effect Plato and Cicero albeit they were both Pagans haue written That there is nothing more agreeable to the highest God that gouerneth the whole world than the assemblies of men that associate and meete together in selfe same will and affection There is but one Catholique Church sayth S. Paule which frameth all Christians of one minde and spirite concerning the doctrine whereof it were in vayne to dispute after so many auncient Doctors of the Church and religious Counsels We desire nothing more then that the King according to the most Christian tytle of hys Predecessors and his people shoulde be vnited in Christian Religion as for preseruing peace in his Kingdome he is declared the Defender and Protector of the Catholique Religion with protestations so oftentimes reitterated so to preserue it as his proper life Nor is he ignorant what Cicero sayth That Religion beeing troubled the whole Common-wealth is troubled because the disquiet and change that happeneth therein dooth nothing else but cloy the spirites of men with disorder and confusion whence proceedeth contempt of Gods true worshippe and hee beeing offended punisheth and afflicteth with diuers woundes and calamities the Countrey that is fallen into such a miserie This therfore his Maiesty wold fore-see by his wisdome desiring that Religion shoulde bee preserued euen as before God the gouernment of the estate is put into his hande God hath giuen vs such a one adorned with so many heroycall vertues as makes him admirable to all Nations of the world Would you then haue vs goe ranging about and vrge a beleefe contrarie to that we doe beleeue Is it possible we should doe so Faith is the gift of God and is not imprinted in mens consciences by stroakes of swordes or any other weapons it is necessary that the spirit of God should be in quiet all the harts of men especially of vs that are his subiects would herein dye and be consumed Of necessitie is it that this grace commeth from aboue and we can do no otherwise but pray to God for his Maiestie and that he will graunt vs to be still mindefull of our dueties hee is our King wee ought to obey him and he ought to preserue maintaine vs according to the Laws statutes of the Countrey as all other Kings hys predecessours haue doone But what shalt thou gaine by desiring the thing thou doost I beleeue that if the King were such a Catholique as thou wouldest haue him and for one Masse he should dispose himselfe euery day to heare two yet the Rebels would say no lesse of him then they did of the late King that he did it for hypocrisie and to be quiet in hys estate What can we else iudge seing their intent is to exterminate his life with all the generous and royall linage of Burbon to follow the seruice of a Stranger But as I haue sayde GOD hath euer-more preserued that race euen for sixe hundred yeeres and more to this present and yet by hys holy will stil continues it for the good quiet of this poore distressed kingdome These Armes that you haue taken against him ô Rebels will turne to your owne ruine and confusion seeing God forbids ye so to doe what-soeuer pretence ye make of Religion Religion should moue ye to pitty and not to rage to compassion and not furie to loue regard of your King and not to rancour or hatred to a naturall French-affection of hys seruice and not to an obstinate will to wound destroy and take his life from him if ye could Now say my Lords