that the Bull doth always Oblige Elizabeth and the Hereticks but not the Catholicks rebus sic stantibus but only then when they should be able publickly to put it in execution And that it might in due time be effectually Executed Missions are made into England to Prepare a Party to adhere to the Spaniard at his coming to invade us Bacon Observ Collect. Consid And the better to conceal and disguise the Practice and make the Queen and her Councel the more secure it is Resolved not to have any Head of the party here But the Emissaries coming dayly over in various Disguised Habits deal particularly Camd. sine Ann. 1580. and so more effectually with the people in their secret Confessions Absolving them particularly in private from Obedience and Fidelity to the Queen Camd. p. 315.348 as the Bull of Pius v. had done in publick but only in general and severally Engaging them in that secret manner as hath been before mentioned so as none could be privy to others engagements And these Doctrines were every where inculcated Camb. fin An. 1581. Thu. l. 74. That Princes not professing the Roman Religion are fallen from their Title and Royal Authority 2. That Princes Excommunicate are not to be Obeyed but thrown out of their Kingdoms and that it is a meritorious work to do it 3. That the Clergy are exempt from the Jurisdiction of Secular Princes and are not bound by their Laws 4. That the Pope of Rome hath the Chief and Full Power and Authority over All throughout the whole world even in Civil matters 5. That the Magistrates of England are not Lawful Magistrates and therefore not to be accounted Magistrates at all 6. That what ever since the Bull of Pius v. was published which some hold to have been dictated by the Holy Ghost hath by the Queens Authority been acted in England is by the Law of God and Man to be reputed altogether void and null These Doctrines thus secretly instilled into mens minds in private were seconded with several pernitious Books in print against the Queen and Princes Excommonicate And as well to deter the rest from Obedience and move them to Expectation of Change and Reconciliation to the Church of Rome as to encourage their own party Camd. an 1580 l. 318. they not only by Rumours but also by printed Books gave out that the Pope and King of Spain had conspired to subdue England and take it for a prey Gollect of the Churches This is true says Sir Fr. Bacon and witnessed by the Confessions of many that almost all the Priests which were sent into this Kingdom from that year 1581. to the year 1588. at what time the Design of the Pope and Spain was put in Execution had in their Instructions besides other parts of their Function to distil and insinuate into the People these Particulars It was impossible things should continue at this stay They should see ere long a great change in this State That the Pope and Catholick Princes were careful for the English if they would not be wanting to themselves Which are almost the very words of Sanders mentioning the considerations upon which these Seminaries were at first founded But notwithstanding this Camd. an 81. Thu. lib 74. Bac. Collect. we are not to think that All the Priests which were sent over were acquainted with the Arcana and Secrets of the Disign but only the Superiours and some of the best qualified for the business who managed and steered the actions of the rest according to their private Instructions 30. Hereupon says Rishton who published and inlarged Sanders his book speaking of these Missions soon after ensued a great change of minds and wonderful encrease of Religion Which that we may know it by its Fruits presently appeared in several desperate attempts and Resolutions to Kill the Queen First by Somervil who being taken and condemned with Hall a Priest and others whom he confessed was three days after found strangled in the prison for fear probably least he should have discovered others Then to pass by the practise of Bern. Mendoza the Spanish Ambassadour Lieger here with Throgmorton and Martins book by William Parry Doctor of Law encouraged thereunto by Ben. Palmius a Jesuite Thn. lib. 79. Ragazonius the Popes Nuncio in France Cardinal Como and the Pope himself who sends him his Benediction Plenary Indulgence and Remission of all his Sins and assures him that besides his Merit which he shall have in Heaven his Holiness will remain his debtor to acknowledge his desert in the best manner he can and after all this very much excited to it by Dr. Allens Book which saith he teacheth that Princes Excommunicate for heresie are to be deprived of their Kingdoms and Lives All which Parry confessed produced the Letter from the Pope written by Cardinal Como and was executed in March 1584 and the Pope soon after in April was called to account in another world Immediately before this in Thuanus precedes the relation of the murther of the Prince of Aurang 10. Jul. by Bal. Gerard confirmed in his resolution by a Jesuite at Treves promising him if he dyed for it he should be happy and be put in the number of Martyrs and also encouraged to it by a Franciscan at Tourney and three other Jesuites at Treves 31. To Gregory succeeded as well in his practises as in that See Sixtus v. chosen Pope the twenty fourth of the same moneth of April and about this time John Savage into whose head the Doctrines that it is meritorious to Kill Excommunicated Princes and Martyrdom to die for so doing being by the Giffords and Hodgeson priests throughly inculcated made a vow to kill the Queen And soon after the same resolution is taken up by Antony Babington a proper young gentleman of a good family upon the same principles in like manner inculcated and somewhat enforced with other hopes if he escaped the danger by Ballard a Jesuite who incited him to it as not only Just and Holy in it self but moreover Honourable and Profitable to him if he should overcome the difficulty For what could be more Just and Holy than with the hazard of his Life to vindicate his Countrey and the Cause of Religion without which Life it self ought to be nothing esteemed of Elizabeth was now long since by the Lawful Successor of Peter cast out of the Communion of the Church from that time she doth not reign in England but by a usurped Power contrary to the Laws exercise a cruel Tyranny against the true Worshippers of God Whoever should kill her doth no more than he that should slay a profane Heathen or some damned accursed creature he should be free from all sin either against God or Man yea would merit a Crown of Glory and if he survived the enterprise should doubtless obtain a great reward under the notion of Reward not obscurely insinuating his marriage with the Queen of Scots Thus
and had cost before ever they set out to sea not so little as 12000000 aurea centies vicies centena millia aureorum as appeared by their books of account as the Spanish Ambassadour informed the French King in the hearing of Thuanus 34. Notwithstanding this defeat of his Military Forces after so great preparations and that with so great expense of his Treasure yet it seems the King of Spain was so well pleased with the proceedings of his Agents the Emissaries here that he thought good to erect another Colledge for them the next year and that they might not be far from his Court at Villadolit Which in short time about two years after sent out a Mission into England the Emissaries coming over in the Disguised Habits of Seamen Merchants Thu. l. 100. Souldiers c. In the mean time Sixtus v. dyed about 27. Aug. 1590. in so great hatred of the people for his intolerable Exactions New Impositions that there was presently in the vacancy a concourse of the people to throw down the Statue which in his life time was erected for him in the Capitol Cicarel in vita ejas At his Election the Cardinals in the Conclave were all first sworn that whoever of them should be chosen Pope among other things for the Benefit of their Religion the Dignity of the Holy See and the Splendour of the Sacred Colledge of Cardinals should to the best of his Power Engage the Catholick Princes to fight against the Turk Hereticks and Schismaticks And how well this man being chosen prosecuted the design of his Oath may be understood in part by what hath been said already and may be further seen in his dealings with our Neighbours in France Whereof an instance or two by the way and a word or two of his quality and manners will not be much beside our purpose He had his Original as himself used to glory from an Illustrious House for for want of Covering it was in all parts illustrated by the Sun-beams being born of poor parents in a pittiful Cottage But his good qualities were must conspicuous after his Election to the Papacy being a most Imperious Proud Ambitious Vain-glorious Gluttonous Covetous Unjust Revengeful Inhumane and rashly severe man the contraries whereof by a special faculty of Dissimulation he had before simulated as he is described by Thuanus and Cicarella in his life He began the exercise of his Authority with a rash and unjust condemnation of a young man of Florence to be hanged Thu. l. 83. Cicarel in vita for only refusing in his Masters house to deliver an Ass to the Popes Officers which was not his in whose name they demanded it but the young mans master's all men pittying the hard case of the poor fellow Nor was this dealing used only with men of inferiour quality for by his command the Cardinal Saluiato at Bononia having summoned Count John Pepulus a man of prime Nobility and of no less Piety and Probity for entertaining certain Gentlemen who were exiles in some places out of the Popes Territories which were anciently granted to him by the Emperor when he pleaded a Prescription of the Emperors Priviledge caused him in the night to be pulled out of his own house and having a Priest ready to confess him presently to be strangled And that we may see how well he could use both swords in the beginning also of his Papacy he sent out his Excommunication against the King of Navarre and the Prince of Conde after a glorious Preface concerning the Authority given to Peter and his Successors far above all the Powers of Earthly Kings and Princes which never swerves from right judgment Declaring them to be Sectaries and publick and manifest Favourers and Defenders of Sectaries guilty of high treason against the Divine Majesty and Enemies of the Catholick Faith to be faln from all Right of Dignity and them and their Successors to be unworthy to succeed in any principality particularly in the Kingdom of France Absolving their Subjects from their Oath of Fidelity and lastly Exhorting the King of France to be mindful of his Oath at his Coronation and to Extirpate all the seeds of the Sectaries And we may suppose that he was true to his Oath and the Interest of his See when he deceived the expectations of the Leaguers in France and their assistants the Spaniard least as Cicarella notes if the King of France and his party should have been overcome by the Assistance of Spain the Spaniard might take the advantage of it to enlarge his own Dominions too much Thu. l. 96. which might have proved dangerous to the Holy See But he made them amends for it afterward though without any expense of his Treasure for he sent out his Excommunication against the King of France himself although a man of an irreconcilable hatred against the Protestants and who had been a promoter of the Parisian Massacre unless within ten days he should set at liberty the Cardinal Bourbon whom the Rebels desired to make head of their party This was published in May and the 1. of August after was the King murthered by James Clement a Jacobin who was thus resolved in the Case by the * F. Edm. Burgoin who was afterwards excuted for it drawn in pieces by four horses his quarters burned his ashes scattered in the wind Danita l. 10. p. 857. Prior of his Covent that if he undertook it not out of hatred or desire of private revenge but inflamed with the love of God for Religion and the good of his Country he might not only do it with a safe Conscience but should merit much before God and without doubt if he should die in the act his soul would ascend to the Quires of the Blessed and as some say he was likewise encouraged by F. Commelet and other Jesuites This fact of Clement was highly extolled in France both in Sermons and Printed books and the Leaguers had that opinion of his Martyrdom for he was presently killed in the place and afterward pulled to pieces and his body burned that they came to the place and scraped up the very dust and earth whereon any of his blood lighted as Sacred Relicks and put it into a Vessel in which they came intending to carry it to Paris and there erect a Monument of his Martyrdom ad adorationem but by a vehement wind which suddenly arose both vessel and passengers were all drowned not one escaping and the relicks cast away Nor was the fact less extolled at Rome even by the Pope himself in a Premeditated Speech in the Consistory wherein he not only preferred that wicked wretch before Eleazar and Judith but most impiously and blasphemously compared his fact for the greatness and admirableness of it to the Mystery of the Incarnation and Resurrection of our Lord and Saviour The King had caused the Duke of Guise who was head of the Rebels to be slain and this was one main matter which
incensed the Pope against him Thu. l. 94. For the Pope had agreed with Guise in secret to marry his Niece to the Prince of Jonvil Guise his son and heir and to depose the King thrust him into a Monastery and compel him by the Popes authority to renounce his right to the Kingdom and to set up Guise the father King in his place But how zealous and jealous he was for the Dignity and Authority of the Holy See is worth our further notice in an instance related by a good Catholick the learned Civil Lawyer William Barclay in his book De Potestate Papae dedicated to Pope Clement VIII None of all the writers of the Popes part saith he hath either more dilig ntly collected or more ingeniously proposed or more smartly and subtilely concluded their reasons and arguments for the Popes Authority than the Eminent Divine Bellarmine who although he attributed as much as with honesty he could and indeed more than he ought to have done to the Authority of the Pope in Temporals yet could he not satisfie the Ambition of that most Imperious man Sixtus v. who affirmed that he held a Supreme Power over All Kings and Princes of the whole Earth and all People and Nations delivered to him not by humane but Divine Institution In so much that he was very near by his Papal Censure to have abolished to the great detriment of the Church all the works of that Doctor which at this day oppose heresie with very great success as the Fathers of that Order of which Bellarmine was have seriously told me cap. 13. But enough of Sixtus By whom for example we may guess by these fruits what likelyhood there is that he and such as he whereof there hath been no small number Popes since the tenth Age especially that Seculum Infelix when with a great Eclipse of Learning the Popes of Rome as even Bellarmine noteth degenerated from the Piety of the Ancients were partakers of and directed by that Holy Spirit which God giveth to them that obey him to conduct them in all truth or rather the Spirit of the world the Spirit that worketh in the children of disobedience whose works they have done 35. The three next succeeding Popes Vrban 7. Gregory 14. and Innocent 9. did not all of them live out half three years from the death of this and therefore we cannot expect to hear of any attempts or design of theirs against this Kingdom But after Clement VIII who was elected Pope 3. Feb. 1591 2. was settled in his seat the like practises soon began again wherein those agents whom we have mentioned before Hesket Lopez and Complices his Cullen York and Williams who confessed some others and Squire were imployed to raise rebellion poison or assassinate the Queen Lopez by the King of Spain's Ministers of State not without the privity and consent of himself all the rest incited and encouraged by the Jesuites who for the like practises at the same time against the most Christian King though then become Catholick too Thu. l. 111. were exterminated out of all France and a Pyramid erected for their perpetual Infamy But from all these God still preserved her the Emissaries being discovered taken and Executed Nor did he only preserve her from their attempts but shortly after blessed her with happy successes in an Expedition against the Spaniards then preparing again to Invade England Bacon Observ wherein the King of Spains Navy of 50. tall Ships besides twenty Gallies to attend them were beaten and put to flight and in the end all but two which were taken by the English burned only the twenty Gallies by the benefit of the Shallows escaping the town of Cadiz manned with 4000. foot and 400. horse taken sack'd and burnt but great Clemency used toward the inhabitants Camd. an 1596 and at last the English returning home with honour and great spoils besides the two Gallions and about 100. great brass Guns and great store of ammunition and provisions of war taken in the town and with very small loss and but of one person of quality the Spaniards having lost in all first and last 13. of their best men of war and 44. other Ships of great burden and in Ships great guns and military provisions by the estimate of the most knowing persons above 3000000 ducates And when the King of Spain not long after that he might repair this loss in a heat had from all parts gathered together all the Ships he could and manned even the strangers Ships which were in the Ports of Spain and set out this Navy to Land upon the Coasts either of England or Ireland the Heavens fought for her and so favoured her that by a horrid tempest which arose most of those Ships were either sunk by the waves or broken against the rocks in so much that she sooner heard of the destruction of her enemies than of their setting out to Sea to assault her The year ensuing great preparations were made on both sides but the Heavens not favoring any further proceedings of this kind both the Fleets were so dispersed by storms that neither came within sight of the other And now the King of Spain became well inclined to a peace with England which though proposed by the French he lived not to see brought to effect for he died the 13. of Sept. after 36. But the death of the King of Spain did not dissolve the Combination no more than the deaths of so many several Popes before had done For it still survived in his son Phil. 111. with Clement VIII Only so many former attempts having proved altogether unsuccessful against England there was now with the persons some change also of their Counsels and all their Consultations against England were afterward so directed as to depend for their execution upon the death of the Queen Yet in Ireland there seemed some hopes that something might be effected at present by assisting the Robels there and therefore for their encouragement and assistance the King of Spain by his Agent Don Martin de la Cerda sends them money and Ammunition and the Pope by Mathew de Oviedo whom he designed Archbishop of Dublin Promises of Indulgence with a Phoenix plume to Tir-Oen their General and the year after he sends them his Indulgence it self to this effect That whereas of long time being led on by the Exhortations of his Predecessors and himself and of the Apostolick See for the recovery and defence of their Liberty against the Hereticks they had with Vnited minds and Forces given aid and assistance first to James Fitz-Girald and lastly to Hugh Onel Earl of Tyron Captain General of the Catholick Army in Ireland who with their Souldiers had in process of time performed many brave atchievements fighting manfully against the enemy and for the future are ready to perform the like that they may all the more cheerfully do it and assist against the said Hereticks being willing after the
when the Senate interceded against the promulgation of the Edict a mandate was sent out to them to promulgate it without further delay which being again and again reiterated they at last obeyed The Guises the Constable and others of their party in the mean time leaving the Court contrive to hinder the Execution of it and oppose the Hugonot Faction as they call it not doubting but having by the Arts aforesaid gotten Navarre to their party to obtain their desires And first they endeavour to insinuate into the Lutheran Princes of Germany and if possible to engage them against the Protestants of France who in a point or two wherein Luther and Calvin differed incline rather to Calvins opinion or at least to render them more slack in affording them their assistance Then after a three days secret consultation with the Duke of Witenberg to this purpose at Zabern to which they had invited him and an out ragious violence committed in the way by the Duke of Guise his company upon an Assembly of the Protestants at Vassy met to hear a Sermon whereof sixty men and women were by them slain and above two hundred more wounded the Duke with a great retinue speedily repairs to Paris in an insolent manner without any respect to the King by the way and contrary to the Queens express will and pleasure and not contented to go the nearer way by S. Martins he goes about with his attendants being accompanied by the Constable the Duke of Aumale his brother and the Mareshal of S. Andre and enters by S. Denis gate by which the Kings of France in Royal State are used to make their entrance to that Metropolis of the Kingdom being met by divers of the Magistrates of the City with the acclamations of the Rabble in such sort as is used by the people to their Kings Hereupon the Queen after divers other insolencies of this party fearing that under pretext of asserting the Catholick Religion they would usurp the Supreme Power of the Kingdom and get into their hands the King her self and other Children She commends all Dav. l. 3. Thu. l. 29. and the whole Kingdom to the Care of the Prince of Conde the next Prince of the blood and earnestly and frequently importunes his assistance to stop the proceeding of the Confederates But they who upon longer Consultation had made sufficient preparation for what they intended easily prevented him and having exasperated the people with feigned rumours from all the Provinces of the Kingdom of pretended injuries done to the Catholicks by the Protestants an Artifice wherein the Cardinal of Lorain's greatest skill consisted the Duke draws out a party and at Fountain-bleau seiseth upon the King whom with the Queen and Her other Children they carry by force to Paris the King weeping to see himself his mother and brothers carried as it were into Captivity The Queen the same day they were seised renued her importunity to Conde desiring him not to abate his courage or neglect his care for the preservation of the Crown or suffer their enemies to arrogate to themselves the absolute Power in the Government The Confederates on the other side being come to Paris with the young King and the Queen having in the morning by a party led by the Constable fired one of the places without the Gates where the Protestants assembled to Prayers and Sermons and in the afternoon another whereby also the neighbour buildings were consumed and permitted licence to the Rabble to abuse and injure those they suspected for their Religion held frequent Consultations how best to Order their affairs for their own advantage In which Counsels the Duke of Guise openly declared that he thought it most expedient to proceed to a War with the Hugonots so to extinguish the fire before it burst out into a consuming flame and to take away the root of that growing evil Thus was the first Civil War begun the Confederates pretending the Authority of the King and Queen Regent whom they had by force gotten into their power and the Prince alledging the express Authority of the Regent and that the Orders sent out in the Kings Name against him were by the Confederates obtained by force and dures This I have related the more largely because hitherto the Protestants had been onely passive that since now they had engaged in Action as many of them did in this service of the Prince it may the better appear upon what grounds they did Act which was not upon pretense of Religion though no doubt that was a great motive to them but for defence of the Laws and for the Liberty of their Prince and Lawful Governour and against those who did aspire not to the Regency onely but to the Crown and Kingdom it self by a long train of policies and violent Cruelties But this War was rather sharp than long which besides the slaughter of eight thousand men in one battel at Dreux besides great bloodshed and mischief in many other places was in short time the destruction of two of the principal Authors of it Navarre and * He was shot returning from the Camp to his Quarters by Poltret who being taken upon his examination said he was imployed by Colinius and exhorted to it by Beza but being brought to the rack he utterly denyed it and concerning Beza persevered in his denyal to the last but concerning Colinius being brought to execution and with the terrour of his approaching execution being besides himself he one while affirmed and another while denyed it Colinius and Beza calling God to witness utterly denyed it and Colinius wrote to the Queen that before his execution the business might be further examined but he was in few days after executed Thuanus lib. 34. But was it really so Who employed and exhorted Parry not against a Commander of an Army but against his Prince who Lopez who so many more against Queen Elizabeth who James Clement to murther Henry the third of France who Jo. Chastel to murther Henry the fourth To mention no more Guise being both slain and the Constable the only surviving Triumvir being taken Prisoner thereupon an Accomodation followed without difficulty upon these Conditions among others That all free Lords not holding of any but the Crown might within their Jurisdictions freely exercise the Reformed Religion that the other Feudataries might do the same in their own houses for their own families provided they lived not in †So Davila but Thuanus lib. 35. modo ne in pagis aut municipiis habitent quae majori jurisdictioni regia excepta subsunt any City or Town where the Courts resided That in every Province certain Cities should be appointed in the Fauxburg whereof the Protestants might Assemble at their Devotion That in all other Cities and Towns every one should live free in his Conscience without trouble or molestation That all should have full Pardon for all Delinquences committed during or by occasion of the War declaring all to
he learned that Doctrine from them Whereupon their Colledge being searched among the papers of F. John Guignard were found many writings that taught that Doctrine many things against the late King and that praised the murder of him and likewise against the present King that perswaded the killing of him and tending to sedition and parricide that it would be well done to thrust Navar though professing the Catholick Religion into a Monastery there to do penance if without war he cannot be deposed war is to be made against him if war cannot be made he must by any means be taken out of the way c. all which he was convicted to have written with his own hand and was therefore hanged Also John Gueret the ordinary Confessor of Chastel F. Alexander Haye and John Bell all of the same Society were likewise convicted of the like offences but were condemned only to perpetual banishment and confiscation of their goods 57. Thu. l. 37. The Society of the Jesuites to whom the Bishop of Clermont gave his house in Paris called Clermont house from whence they were called the Society of Clermont by those who disliked their ambitious arrogant appropriating to themselves the Title of Jesuites as that which doth belong to all true Christians was by the recommendation of Charles Cardinal of Lorrain the Guisians alwaies highly favouring this new Society first admitted in France in the year 1550. by Henr. 2. of whom was obtained a Charter for them to build and erect a School at Paris but there only and not in other Cities But when this Charter and the Pope's Bull of confirmation of their institution were brought into the Court to be allowed and were read the Parliament referred them both to the consideration of the Bishop of Paris and of the Colledge of Divines Whereupon they gave their Sentence in writing to this effect That this new Society by an insolent Title appropriating to themselves the name of Jesus and so licentiously admitting any persons howsoever illegitimate facinorous and infamous without any respect and which nothing differs from other secular persons in Rites Ceremonies or rule of living whereby the Orders of Monks are distinguished moreover is endowed with so many Priviledges Liberties and Immunities especially in the Administration of the Sacraments to the prejudice of the Prelates and of the Sacred Order and also even of the Princes and Lords and to the great grievance of the people contrary to the Priviledges of the Vniversity of Paris seems to violate the honourableness of the Monastick Order to enervate the studious pious and necessary exercise of Virtue Abstinence Ceremonies and Authority and also to give occasion to others to forsake their Vows to withdraw their due Obedience from the Prelates unjustly deprive the Lords both Ecclesiastical and others of their rights to introduce great disturbance in the Civil Ecclesiastical Government Quarrels Suits Dissentions Contentions Emulations Rebellions and various Scissures that for these causes this Society seems very dangerous in respect of Religion as that which is like to disturb the Peace of the Church to enervate the Monastick Discipline and to tend more to Destruction than to Edification This so startled the Society that they desisted from any further prosecution till the Reign of Francis 2. When the Guisians who highly favoured this new Society carrying all before them they resumed the business again and first the Bishop of Paris Eust Bellaius was required to give his Sentence which he did in writing That that Society as all new Orders was very dangerous and at these times instituted rather to stir up Commotions than to make up the Peace of the Church and after a sharp censure of their arrogant title adding that in the priviledges granted to it by Paul 3. are many things repugnant to the Common Law and prejudicial to the power and authority of the Bishops Curates and Vniversities and therefore it would be more advisable that since they are by the Pope appointed and bound to instruct the Turks and Infidels and publish the Gospel among them yet in places which are near to them they should have their Colledges assigned as heretofore the Knights of Rhodes had in the borders and out skirts of the Christians This and the other sentence being read and considered by the King in Counsel the Court notwithstanding through the instigation of the Cardinal of Lorrain was commanded to publish as well the Pope's as the King's Charter without any regard to the intercession of the Bishop and Colledge of Divines and the Jesuites exhibited a supplication to the Court whereby they subjected themselves to the Common Law and renounced all priviledges contrary to it But the Parliament thought fit rather to remit the whole business to a General Council or to a Convention of the Gallicane Church And at a great meeting of the Bishops at the Conference at Poisy they were admitted to teach but under many conditions to change their name be subject to the Bishop of the Diocess to do nothing to the prejudice of the Bishops Colledges Curates Universities or other Orders or their Jurisdiction and Function but be governed according to the prescript of the Common Law and renounce all contrary priviledges c. Hereupon was opened Clermont School at Paris But when this liberty was interrupted by the whole University of Paris the business was again brought before the Parliament The University having before advised with Carolus Molinaeus his Consultation or opinion and resolution of the Case which was afterwards published was that the University had good cause to declare against them for a Nusance because they had erected a new Colledge contrary to the ancient decrees of Synods the General Council under Innocent 3. the Decrees of the Court c. their Institution was not only to the detriment of the several Orders but to the danger of the whole Kingdom and every wise man might justly fear that they might prove spies and betray the secrets of the Kingdom they seemed to be instituted to lie in wait for the estates of dying people they set up a new School in a University to which they would not obey which was not only monstrous but a kind of sedition c. And it was argued on both sides in full Parliament by Pet. Versorius for the Society highly commending their Original and Institution and by Steph. Pascasius for the University as much condemning both their Institution and their Practice their Institution in respect of their obligation by vow both to their General who is always chosen by the King of Spain and whom they profess to respect as God present upon earth and promise a blind Obedience as they call it to him absolutely in all things and to the Pope to whom because they are so obsequious they ought so much the more to be suspected by the French who indeed acknowledge the Pope as Head and Prince of the Church but so as that he is bound to obey the
Spirit for our Principles it will not be difficult to conclude whether these men be the Authors or Propagators of the true Religion for here for their Religion that only is to be taken about which the difference is and for which they contend seeking by these means to maintain and promote it or rather of an abominable innovation and corruption of the true Religion and whether their Church he the true and faithful Church of Christ 2 Thes 2. or rather that mystery of iniquity that abomination of desolation that man of sin and son of perdition who hath set up himself in the Temple of God 9. We may here also behold the Principles from whence all these actions and practices have proceeded V. Foul. l. 1. c. 4. l. 2. c. 1. V. Foul. l. 2. c. 2.5 6. V. Foul. l. 2. c. 3 4. viz. 1. That the Bishops of Rome as successors of St. Peter have a supreme power and authority derived to them from Christ over all Christian Persons and Churches all Nations and Kingdoms all Princes and States 2. That by this power and authority they may lawfully absolve subjects from all duty of Obedience and oath of Fidelity to their otherwise lawful Princes and Governors and deposing them may dispose of their Kingdoms and States to whom they think fit 3. That Princes excommunicate by the Pope are no longer to be obeyed by their Subjects but to be deprived of their Kingdoms and lives 4. That to rise in Arms against such Princes excommunicate or by any means to murder and destroy them is not only lawful but moreover meritorious even in their own subjects and that to die in such an attempt is martyrdom c. And of all this we have here a more effectual evidence than only from the writings or printed Books of some private men viz. in the Bulls and Acts of the Popes themselves of Universities and Colledges of Divines the frequent Sermons of their Preachers and Instructions of Confessors and Practices of their Penitents Note It is here to be noted that besides these Practices and Principles so pernitious and destructive to the Sacred though Civil Right of Princes and States and the peace and quiet of Common wealths there are others no less pernitious and destructive to the Church and to the Salvation of particular persons which because they come not within the compass of this History we take no notice of 10. And here we may see what is the Religion of these men For though there be other points in controversy whereof many little more than meer verbal about words and expressions which are kept up only through heat of contention and might easily be agreed by sober judicious and disinteressed persons and others originally only the private opinions of some men of great authority in their times wherein the substance of Religion is no more concerned than in the speculations of Philosophers though now commonly received and adopted into Religion by the Popes and their Faction whether for secular advantage or to hold up their pretended Infallibility yet these are their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their * V. Sandys Europae speculum of their Head Assertions p. 24. in 4 to fundamental and ruling Principles for which they contend the Principles from whence all these Persecutions Wars Massacres and Murders have proceeded and the Religion quae nunc novo exemplo Martyres facit as †Vindic. Areopag c. 27. p. 124. Del Rio speaks in the case of Garnet whom he and Bellarmine will needs have to be a * To whom we may say with Optatus lib. 3. Si illos videri Martyres vultis probate illos amasse pacem in qua sunt Prima Fundamenta Martyrii aâ—t dilexisse Deo placitam unitatem an t habuisse cum fratribus charitatem Nam omnes Christianos fratres esse probavimus Charitatem illos non habuisse manifestissime constat sine qua nullum vel nominari potest vel esse martyrium saith he to the Donatists p. 99. Martyr whether he will or not But perhaps some may say that this is not the faith or practice of all of that communion Nor do I think it is but that many are better Christians than to be imposed upon by the strength of such delusions such especially who living in such Churches as continue in that communion are not satisfied to separate from their own Church though they clearly perceive and abominate these abuses and heartily desire their reformation and many such I doubt not but there have been and still are among the most sober judicious and pious of the French even of the Clergy And though I am very willing to think charitably of many of our English Romanists yet I see not how they can be excused who separate from the Church of England which is and ought to be their own Church so long as it continues a member of the Church of Christ which an unjust excommunication by an apostate Church cannot hinder to joyn with such a Faction Nor do I see how they can be excused who refuse to take the Oath of Allegiance which I am very confident not a man of the ancient Christians would have refused and it is hard not to think that because they received not the love of the truth offered to them that for this cause God hath sent them strong delusions that they should believe a lie c. But notwithstanding that some who for the reason mentioned continue in that communion may by the mercy and grace of God escape these delusions yet it is apparent that these are the Doctrines of the Pope the Church and Court of Rome and of the Jesuites and the rest are generally so seasoned and levened with such conceits of the Pope's authority as are easily improved into these when ever occasion is offered especially if any thing of private interest intervene as is very observable in the History of France though they of all Papists are least inclined to favour the Papal Usurpations where scarce a City unless restrained by the powerful presence of some of the loyal Nobility or inhabited most by Protestants but did or was ready to revolt to the League at every occasion 11. And here again if we take for our Principles two more of Bellarmine's Notes of the true Church viz. * C. 11. Sanctity of Doctrine containing nothing false as to the Doctrine of Faith nothing unjust as to the Doctrine of Manners and †C. 9. Agreement in Doctrine with the ancient Church we may hence also conclude whether this Church of Rome hath continued a true and faithful Church of Christ or hath indeed made that defection which was foretold should succeed the dissolution of the Roman Empire as the Christians in all ages have unanimously and universally understood that which should be taken away and become the Mother of Harlots and Abominations of the Earth which is expresly said of the mystical Babylon the great City which then reigned over the
POPISH POLICIES and PRACTICES Represented in the HISTORIES OF THE PARISIAN MASSACRE GUN-POWDER TREASON CONSPIRACIES Against Queen ELIZABETH AND PERSECUTIONS OF THE PROTESTANTS in FRANCE Translated and Collected out of the famous THVANVS and other Writers of the Roman Communion WITH A DISCOURSE CONCERNING THE ORIGINAL of the POWDER-PLOT LONDON Printed for John Leigh at the Sign of the Blew-Bell over against the Inner-Temple-Gate in Fleet-street 1674. THE HISTORY OF THE Bloody Massacres OF THE PROTESTANTS IN FRANCE IN THE Year of our LORD 1572. WRITTEN In Latin by the Famous HISTORIAN J A. AVG. THVANVS and faithfully rendred into English LONDON Printed for John Leigh at the Sign of the Blew-Bell by Flying-horse-Court in Fleet-street 1674. A brief Introduction to the History of the MASSACRE THE Lords of the House of Guise whether through the instigation of the Jesuites whom they first introduced into France and highly favoured or through their emulation * V. Discourse sect 40. against the Princes of the Blood who favoured the Reformed Religion or both professing themselves great zealots for the Papal Authority and irreconcilable enemies to the Hugonots as they called them of the Reformed Religion especially after the dissentions grew high between them and the Princes to whom they doubted not but the Protestants would adhere as well upon the account of Religion as of the Right of the Princes having * V. Disc sect 41. by force gotten the young King Charles 9. into their hands endeavoured by all means to raise in his mind as great prejudice and hatred against the Protestants and the chief men of their party as possible The young King thus trained up in prejudice against them and moreover from his youth inured to cruelty and the slaughters of his Subjects even in cold blood whereof by the D. of Guise he had been early made a spectator was scarce out of his minority when he was ivited by the Pope V. Disc sect 42. the K. of Spain and the D. of Savoy to joyn in a holy League for the extirpation of the Hereticks but being by nature of an Italian genius and well instructed by his Mother in the policies of her Country he chose as a more safe and surer way to attempt that rather by secret stratagems and surprize than by open hostility And therefore at an enterview at Bayonne between him with his Mother and his Sister the Queen of Spain accompanied with the D. of Alva having by the way had secret conference at Avignon with some of the Pope's trusty Ministers the Pope having perswaded that meeting and earnestly pressed the King of Spain himself to be present at it it was concluded to cut off the chief heads of the Protestants and then in imitation of the Sicilian Vespers to slaughter all the rest to the last man But the design being discovered to the Prince of Conde Colinius and others of the Nobility when they perceived such preparations made for the execution of it as unless timely prevented they were likely suddenly to be all destroyed V. Disc sect 43. they put themselves into a posture of defence whereupon broke out a Civil War But that being contrary to the design to effect the business by stratagem and surprize it was in few months composed for the present but shortly after when the same design was again perceived to be carried on and the like inevitable danger approached as neer as before was again renewed in the former manner and continued somewhat longer and hotter than before V. Disc sect 45. Whereupon the King perceiving that the greatest difficulty was to beget and confirm in the Protestant Nobility a trust and confidence in himself used all arts imaginable to do that and to that purpose in all solemn manner granting and confirming to the Protestants in France very fair terms of peace and security he at the same time pretended a resolution to make a war with Spain entred into a League with the Queen of England and with the Protestant Princes of Germany and which was the principal part of the policy proposed a match between the Prince of Navar the first Prince of the Blood and chief of the Protestant Party and his Sister Margaret as that which would not only serve his purpose to beget a confidence in the Protestants of his sincerity and good intention but moreover afford him a fair opportunity at the solemnization of the Marriage of effecting his design at last which had been so often and so long disappointed All which having managed with wonderful art and dissimulation he at last obtained what he desired as in the following History is more particularly related THE HISTORY OF THE MASSACRES OF THE Protestants at PARIS and many other places in FRANCE in the Year of our Lord 1572. 1. THE day of the Nuptials between Henr. Lib. 5. King of Navar and Margaret Sister to the King of France drawing on which was appointed the * August 18th 15th of the Kalends of September the King by Letters solicits Coligni that he should come to Paris having before given in charge to Claudius Marcellus Provost of the Merchants that he should see to it that no disturbance did arise upon Colignie's coming to Paris Likewise Proclamation was published the third of the Nones of July July 5th when he was at Castrum-Bononiae about two miles from the City wherein it was for bidden that any of what condition soever should dare to renew the memory of things past give occasion of new quarrels carry pistols fight duels draw their swords especially in the King's retinue at Paris and in the Suburbs upon pain of death But if any difference should arise among the Nobles concerning their Honour or Reputation they should be bound to bring their plaint to the Duke of Anjou the King's Deputy throughout the whole Kingdom and to pray justice of him if they were of the Commons they should betake themselves to the High Chancellor de l'Hospital if it shall happen among those that shall not be in the Court but in Paris they shall go before the ordinary Magistrate It was also provided by the same Proclamation that those who were not of the Courts of any of the Princes or Nobles or of the Retinue of others or were not detained upon some necessary business but were of uncertain abode and habitation about Paris or the Suburbs should depart from the Court City within 24 hours after the publication of this Edict upon the same pain of death This was published for three days together with the sound of Trumpet in the Court and through the City and it was ordered that the publication should be repeated week by week upon the Sabbath-day Also there was adjoyned to the guards of the King's body for his greater security a guard of 400 choice Souldiers all which Coligni full of confidence and good assurance so interpreted as if the King desirous of the publick Peace did only prepare a contrary strength against
the Guises should immediately depart the City and go every one to his own house that thereby all might take notice that whatsoever had been done at Paris proceeded from their faction But the Queen and Anjou especially who did both of them with an over-weaning affection incline to the party of Guise did intercede seeing the King was at first enraged only against Coligny as not yet forgetting his flight from Meaux drew him on who yet wavered to the slaughter of all the Protestants in the City so that not knowing where he set his foot they brought him by degrees to this pass that he should take the whole blame upon himself and so ease the Guisians who were not able to bear such a burden And to that end Anjou did as it it was laid produce Letters found in Teligny's desk written by the hand of Momorancy in which after the wound given to Coligny he did affirm that he would revenge this injury upon the Authors of it who were not unknown with the same mind as if it had been offered to himself Thereupon the Queen and Anjou took occasion to shew the King That if he persisted in his former dissimulation things were come to that pass that he would endanger the security of the Kingdom his Fortunes Riches and Reputation For the Guisians who do by these Letters and otherwise understand the mind of the Momorancies being men desirous of troubles and seeking grounds of them upon every occasion will never lay down their Arms which they have by the King's command taken up to offer this injury that they will still keep them under pretence of desending their safety which they say is aimed at by the enemy and so that which was thought to have been the end of a most bloudy war will prove to be the beginning of a more dangerous one For the remainders of the Protestants who see their matters distressed will without doubt gather themselves to the Momorancies who are of themselves strong and thence will take new strength and spirits which if it should happen what a face of the Kingdom will appear when the name and authority of the King's Majesty being slighted and trampled upon every one shall take liberty to himself and indulge to private hatred and affections according to his own lust Lastly what will foreign Princes think of the King who suffers himself to be over-ruled by his subjects who cannot keep his subjects in their duty and lastly who knows not how to hold the reins of legal power Therefore there is no other way to prevent so great an evil but for the King to approve by his publick Proclamation of what was done as if it had been done by his command For by this means he should take the arbitrement and power to himself and on the one hand disarm the Guises and on the other hand keep the Momorancies from taking up Arms and lastly should bring it about that the Protestant affairs now already very low should be separated from the cause of the Momorancies That the King ought not to fear the odium of the thing for there is not so much danger in the horridness of a fact the odium whereof may be somewhat allayed by excuse as in the confession of weakness and impotency which doth necessarily bring along with it contempt which is almost destructive to Princes By these reasons they easily perswaded an imperious Prince who less seared hatred than contempt that he might recall the Guisians to obedience and retain the Momorancies in their loyalty to confirm by publick testimony that whatsoever had been done was done by his will and command Therefore in the morning viz. upon the Tuesday he came into the Senate with his Brethren the King of Navar and a great retinue of Nobles after they had heard Mass with great solemnity and sitting down in the Chair of State all the orders of the Court being called together He complained of the grievous injuries that he had from a child received from Gaspar Coligny and wicked men falsly pretending the name of Religion but that he had forgiven them by Edicts made for the publick Peace That Coligny that he might leave nothing to be added to his wickedness had entred into a conspiracy how to take away him his mother his brethren and the King of Navar himself though of his own Religion that he might make young Conde King whom he determined afterwards to slay likewise that the Royal Family being extinct he usurping the Kingdom might make himself King That he when it could not otherwise be did though full sore against his will extinguish one mischief by another and as in extream dangers did use extream remedies that he might extirpate that impure contagion out of the bowels of the Kingdom Therefore that all should take notice that whatsoever had been that day done by way of punishment upon those persons had been done by his special command After he had said these things Christophorus Thuanus chief President in a speech fitted to the time commended the King's prudence who by dissembling so many injuries had timely prevented the wicked conspiracy and the danger that was threatned by it and that that being suppressed he had now setled peace in the Kingdom having well learnt that saying of Lewis XI He that knows not how to dissemble knows not how to reign Then the Court was commanded that diligent enquiry should be made concerning the conspiracy of Coligny and his Associates and that they should give sentence according to form of Law as the heinousness of the fact did require Then lastly Vidus Faber Pibraccius Advocate of the Treasury or Attorney-General stood up and asked the King whether he did will and command that this declaration should be entred into the acts of the Court to the preservation of the memory of it whether the orders of Judges and Civil Magistrates which he had complained were corrupted should be reformed And lastly whether by his command there should be an end put to the slaughters and rapines To these things the King answered that he did command the first that he would take care about the second and that for the third he did give command by publick proclamation through all the streets of the City that they should for the future abstain from all slaughters and rapines Which declaration of the King astonished many and among the rest Thuanus himself who was a man of a merciful nature and altogether averse from bloud and feared that example and the danger that was threatned thereby who also did with great freedom privately reprove the King for that if the conspiracy of Coligny and his company had been true he did not rather proceed against them by Law This is most certain he did always detest St. Bartholomews-day using those verses of Statius Papinius in a different case Excidat illa dies aevo nec postera credant Saecula nos certe taceamus obruta multa Nocte tegi propriae patiamur
it begged Pardon for his contrary asseveration which he sought to elevate by a forced Interpretation or Equivocation And professing that he would speak the truth ingenuously He answered that he had hitherto so constantly denyed it because he knew that no man living but one he meant Greenwell could accuse him as guilty of the late Fact But now that he saw himself encompassed with such a cloud of witnesses he would no longer dissemble but did confess that above V moneths agone he was acquainted by Greenwell with the whole matter That before that Catesby had in general told him that the Catholicks in England were attempting some great thing as to Religion and asked whether if good men should be involved in the danger this were to be made matter of Conscience But that he who had a contrary command from the Pope that he should not engage in any Conspiracy refused to hear any further of it That he did pour out Prayers for the good success of the great cause and amongst other things used the Hymn that was commonly Sung in the Church but intended nothing else when he did so but only prayed God that in the next Parliament no grievous Lawes might be made against the Recusants so they are called in England who keeping within their own houses have their liberty and refuse to Joyne in worship with the Protestants Garnot being twenty times Examined 12 Feb. and 26 Mar. between the Eids of Febr. and the VII of the Calends of April two dayes after he is arraigned at the Publick Tribunal in London * The reason whereof the Earl of Salisbury declared at his Tryal See the Proceedings Y Guild Hall Here the Crimes are layed to the charge of the Prisoner by Sir John Crook which are afterwards enlarged on in a long Speech by Sir Edward Cook the Kings Attorney General Then after Garnet had said something for himself and especially something concerning Equivocation he was Examined by Cecil and others that sate as Judges in that case And lastly the Earl of Northampton made a long and elaborate discourse against him in which he largely handled the Authority which the Popes arrogate to themselves of deposing Princes and discussed that Chapter of Nos sanctorum the ground as he said of this and such like Conspiracies At length Sentence is passed by the Lord Chief Justice of the Kings Bench that Garnet should be Drawn Hanged and Quartered His Plea for himself was only this that although he did a long time before know of the Conspiracy by common fame and Rumours for Greenwell only informed him of all the particulars but under the Seal of Confession by the Laws of which he was forbidden to discover it to any man living yet that he did admonish Greenwell to desist from the Fact which he did very much disapprove of and to hinder others engaged in Conscience or privity in it Here Cecill severely reproved him For said he if he did disapprove of the Fact why did he afford Greenwell the benefit of Absolution before he had by his penitence given testimony that he did truly and from his heart detest the Fact Furthermore when as he understood the matter from Catesby where there was no Seal of Confession this was sufficient to have made a discovery of the Plot if he had so highly abhorred it as he did pretend But there were other things that lay heavy upon his charge and these chiefly which were amongst his Confessions written with his own hand and sent to the King viz. That Greenwell did acquaint him with this not as with a sin he had to confess but as an Act which he well enough understood and in which he required his advice and counsel That Catesby and Greenwell came to him to require his advice upon the matter and that the whole business might be resolved among them That Tesmund for so he was now called who e're while was Greenwell and he did not long agone consult together in Essex of the Particulars of this Conspiracy Lastly when Greenwell asked who should be Protector of the Kingdom Garnet answered that that answer ought to be deferred till they saw how things should go When these things were brought to his remembrance and did make it appear that he knew of the Conspiracy otherwise then by the way of Confession all that he answered was that whatsoever he had signed with his own hand was true Being brought to Execution the Third of May being Inventio crucis Holy rood day he said he came thither that day to find an end at length of all the crosses that he had born in this life that none were ignorant of the cause of his punishmentâ— that he had sinned against the King in concealing it that he was sorry for it and humbly begged the Kings Pardon that the Plot against the King and Kingdom was bloody and which if it had taken effect he should have detested with all his heart and that so horrid and inhumane a Fact should be attempted by Catholicks was that that grieved him more then his death Then he added many things in defence of Anne Vaux who was held in Prison and lay under great suspition upon his account Being accused that he had while Q. Eliz. was alive received certain Breves from Rome v. Proceedings Q 3. in which he and the Peers inclined to Popery were admonished that when that miserable Woman should happen to die they should admit of no Prince how nearly soever related in blood but such as should not only tolerate the Catholick Faith but by all means promote it he said he had burnt them the King being received for King And when he was again Examined upon the same things he referred Henry Montacute who asked him about it The Recorder of London to his Confessions subscribed by him Being taxed for sending Edmund Bainham to Rome not to return to the City before the Plot should take effect This he thus excused as if he had not sent him upon that account but that he might inform the Pope of the calamitous state of England and consult with him what course the Catholicks should take and therefore referred them again to his Confessions Then he kneeled down upon the Stage to his Prayers and looking about hither and thither did seem to be distressed for the loss of his life and to hope a Pardon would be brought him from the most merciful Prince Montacute admonished him that he should no longer think of life but if he knew of any Treachery against the King or Kingdom that he should as a dying man presently discover it for that it was now no time to Equivocate At which words Garnet being somewhat moved made answer that he knew the time did not admit of Equivocation that how far and when it is lawful to Equivocate he had otherwhere delivered his opinion that now he did not equivocate and that he knew nothing but what he had confessed Then he excused himself that
example of his Predecessors to vouchsafe them some Spiritual Graces and Favours he favourably grants to all and every one who shall joyn with the said Hugh and his Army asserting and fighting for the Catholick Faith or any way aid or assist them if they be truly penitent and have confessed and if it may be received the Sacrament a Plenary Pardon and Remission of All their Sins the same which used to be granted by the Popes of Rome to those who go to war against the Turks 18. April 1600. Camd. p. 750. Foul. p. 651. And the next year again for their further encouragement he sends a particular letter to Tyrone wherein he Commends their Devotion in engaging in a Holy League and their valour and atcheivements Exhorts them to continue unanimous in the same mind and Promises to write effectually to his Sons the Catholick Kings and Princes to give all manner of Assistance to them and their cause and tells him he thinks to send them a peculiar Nuncio who may be helpful to them in all things as occasion shall serve 20. Jan. 1601. Foul. p. 655. The King of Spain likewise sends his Assistance a great fleet who landed at King-Sale 20. Sept. under the conduct of Don John d'Aquila who sets out a Declaration shewing the King of Spain's pretense in the war which he saith is with the Apostolick Authority to be administred by him that they perswade not any to deny due Obedience according to the word of God to their Prince but that all know that for many years since Elizabeth was deprived of her Kingdom and All her Subjects Absolved from their Fidelity by the Pope unto whom he that reigneth in the Heavens the King of Kings hath committed All Power that he should Root up Destroy Plant and Build in such sort that he may punish temporal Kings if it should be good for the Spiritual Building even to their Deposing which thing hath been done in the Kingdoms of England and Ireland by many Popes viz. by Pope Pius v. Gregory XIII and now by Clement VIII as is well known whose Bulls are extant that the Pope and the King of Spain have resolved to send Souldiers Silver Gold and Arms with a most liberal hand that the Pope Christs Vicar on Earth doth command them the Papists in Ireland to take Arms for the defense of their Faith c. Camd. p. 829. Foul. 658. And not long after more Supplies were sent from Spain under Alonso de Ocampo Thu. l. 125. Cam. an 1601. 1602. But it pleased God to make the Queen still Victorious over All and part of them with the Irish Rebels being beaten and routed in the Field the rest are brought to articles upon which they Surrender All and are sent home when more forces were coming from Spain to their recruit The next year most of the other Rebels being defeated and subdued last of all Mac Eggan the Popes Vicar Apostolick with a party of the Rebels which he himself led with his Sword drawn in one hand and his Breviary and Beads in the other was slain by the Queens forces and the Rebels routed in January 1602 3 and so the whole Kingdom Tyrone also submitting to mercy totally subdued Camd. an 1603. Foul. p. 664. 37. And now this Blessed Queen having by an Admirable Providence of Almighty God been Preserved from All these both Secret Conspiracies and Open Invasions through a long Reign of four and forty years compleat and made victorious over All her Enemies as well abroad as at home Out-lived her great and bitter enemy Phil. 11. King of Spain who himself lived to be sensible of the Divine Judgment of the Iniquity of his Actions against her and to desire a Peace with her though he lived not to enjoy it Out-lived four Kings of France eight Popes and the greatest part of the ninth and maugre all the Powers of Hell the Malice and Wicked Machinations of Men of most turbulent and Anti-christian Spirits Defended that Purity of Religion which even at the very beginning of Her Reign she had with Mature Deliberation and a Generous and most Christian Courage and Resolution notwithstanding all Difficulties and Dangers which on every side threatened her undertakings established was by the same at last brought to her Grave in Peace in a Good Old Age. Her very Enemies admiring as well her Worth and Excellence as her Glory and Felicity see the one extolled by Sixtus v. Thu. l. 82. p. 48. and the other by An. Atestina l. 129. and both more largly described by the Noble and Ingenuous Thuanus l. 129. and Sir Francis Bacon in his Collection of her Felicities while her Neighbours who wickedly and barbarously persecuted the Professors of that Reformed Religion for their Religion sake which she with great and Christian Moderation towards the adversaries of it happily established and defended either lived not out half their days or died violent deaths and were murthered by their own Subjects of the same Religion with themselves or were otherwise unhappy in their attempts in that Eminently Remarkable manner as is so far from being impertinent to our subject and design briefly to note that it would be a great fault and unworthy neglect not to do it Certainly who ever shall impartially and without prejudice consider the History of this blessed and happy Queen and with it compare the History of the Times both precedent and subsequent to her reign and especially of her neighbours in France durng her own times must needs acknowledge not only an Admirable Providence over Her in both Preserving and Blessing her in all her Affairs but a Special Distinguishing Providence thus favouring her and at the same time in a very remarkable manner disfavouring Crossing Blasting and Severely Punishing and Revenging the different and contrary Courses and Practises of her Neighbours and others 38. We might here remember the Story of Don Sebastian King of Portugal who in the heat of his youth and devotion to the See of Rome had tendered his service to the Pope and engaged in an Expedition against England and Ireland but having raised a great Army and prepared a great Fleet was by the King of Fesse prevailed with to assist him in the recovery of his Kingdom in Mauritania Where with Stukely who commanded the Italian Forces raised by the Pope and King of Spain for the service against Ireland whom he perswaded to go with him first to the African war he was slain dyed without issue and left his Kingdom a prey to the Spaniard whereby not only the present storm which threatned the Queen was blown over but the Spaniard also for divers years diverted by his wars with Portugal from molesting the Queen in that manner which otherwise 't is likely he would have done and from some such Invasion as though then intended was not actually undertaken till ten years after We might here also remember Don John of Austria in the heat of his eager designs upon England cut off
be done to a good end without any offence to the Royal Majesty and all be restored to their places c. And these and the rest were ratified in Counsel by an Edict of Pacification under the Kings own hand and Seal verified in Parliament and Proclaimed by sound of Trumpet in March 1562 3. which had they been honestly and justly observed might by Gods blessing have been a means of much peace and happiness to that Kingdom but we find the contrary as to the Observance and therefore no wonder if the contrary also to so hopeful and happy consequence and issue of it For no sooner was this War concluded upon this Edict of Pacification ratified with all the formalities and solemnities used for the establishing and confirming of Laws in France but the Edict began presently to be violated the Protestants in divers places both disturbed in their Religious Assemblies which this and other Laws allowed them to hold and injured in their Civil Rights and in divers manners frequently and grievously oppressed and that not onely by concourses and assaults of the vulgar and Rabble who having no pretence of Authority were many times with like force repulsed by the others Thu. l. 35 36 37 39. but even by the Presidents of the Provinces and other Magistrates whose duty it was to have seen the Laws justly observed but did the quite contrary and that not only by connivance at the exorbitances of the vulgar but also by their own actual iniquity Thu. l. 37. and that no part or kind of injustice might be wanting both by force and violence and also by fraud by breach of faith by subornation of witnesses Thu. l. 39. by false calumniations By which means and such like arts together with the mediation of their potent friends at Court the passionate young King being before prejudiced by the Arts of the Guisian faction especially the Cardinal of Lorain and further incensed by the Legate of Spain the Pope and Savoy who notwithstanding the late Edict urged him to banish and otherwise punish the Protestants and revoke the Liberty granted by it to them they easily obtained that the Complaints of the Protestants which were dayly brought to the King were anteverted and either totally rejected or cluded and the persons employed to exhibit the same ordinarily so discountenanced and discouraged that they were forced to return without any effect if not imprisoned and for the greatest violences and enormities even murther it self by which as some write not so few as three thousand had perished since the Edict of pacification could obtain no remedy or redress And of all this many plain and notable examples and proofs might be produced out of our Noble Excellent Historian Lib. 35 36 37 39. were it not too long to do it We might instance in that notable practice of the Bishop of Pamiers which gave the first occasion of that very tumult which that smooth Italian Davila mentions and while he exaggerates the actions of the Protestants in it with no little partiality conceals the first and true occasion of it but perhaps being a Courtier he relates it and other such passages as they were then by the Artifices and means above mentioned represented at the Court Nor was the Royal Authority abus'd to concur in this Iniquity and Injustice only by connivence and permission of these things thus done by the Kings Ministers and Officers in fraud and violation of the Agreement of Peace and the Edict made in Confirmation of it but also to give further occasion and countenance to it by divers fraudulent and elusory Interpretations of the Edict By which means whiles it seems it was thought too gross plainly and directly to revoke it they did notwithstanding indirectly elude its effect and the benefit expected by it in such sort that had the Protestants been of those pernitious principles that their adversaries indeed were and endeavoured to represent them to be the most subtile and malitious enemies of that Kingdom could not have devised and promoted a more effectual means and method of its confusion and ruine And the truth is this was it which the principal Authors and Fomenters of those courses the Guises at home and the Spaniards abroad aimed at and by these means in conclusion to make themselves Master of it Which though at that time not so visible to every one yet was afterwards very apparent The Pope also because France stood too much upon their Liberties and Priviledges being a well wisher to their designs especially of Guise though not so much of Spain as not desiring so potent a Neighbour But all these oppressions and Injuries though they provoked some little tumults of the vulgar yet were they not sufficient to produce and necessitate another Civil War which not only the Spaniard desired as well for his own security to divert a War from himself as in order to his further designs but also the Cardinal of Lorain his Nephews now growing up though his brother the Duke was slain and therefore besides these other means were thought on to do that at least if they should fail to make way for their ends by taking off those who most stood in their way And to this purpose besides some lesser Confederacies for an irreconcilable war against the Protestants there was a Conspiracy which was begun indeed by the Duke of Guise in his life time but renued again and carried on by the same faction with the King of Spain for the cutting off of those of the Nobility who favored the Protestant doctrine and particularly for surprising the Queen of Navarre and her Children the next heirs to the Crown of France after the familie of Valois who were all children and in their power already and clapping them into the Spanish Inquisition But this being discovered by the Queen of Spain in receit to her mother the Queen mother of France who easily perceived what was aimed at and by others to the Queen of Navarre and so prevented the Legates of Spain the Pope and Savoy were by the means of the Cardinal of Lorain sent to perswade the King to admit the Councel of Trent in France and to that end to invite him to a Consultation of the Catholick Princes at Nancie in Lorain to enter into a Holy League for the extirpation of the Hereticks but the Queen mother neither liking the admission of the Councel nor to engage so openly against the Protestants the Legates were under some other pretenses dismissed Wherefore the next year the King being declared out of his Minority and with his Mother making a progress through all parts of the Kingdom an Enterview between them and the Queen of Spain accompanied with the Duke of Alva is so ordered that a more secret Consultation is held at Bayonne for the extirpation of the hereticks Jan. 1565. Davila l. 3. Thu. l. 37. and a Holy League made between the two Crowns for mutual assistance to that end and at
need of it did earnestly desire and sollicit the convention of a National Synod to that purpose the French Kings were unhappily so far wrought upon by the arts of Rome as not only ungratefully to reject that benefit offered by the Divine Providence but at last to persecute those who were made the occasions of it And this seems to have been so manifest a cause of the troubles mischiefs and adversities which by the providence of God have befallen that Nation and their Princes since the beginning of that Century that it is strange but that the height of contentions then on foot might perhaps hinder it that neither those prudent considering men did take notice of it in this case nor yet our judicious and can did Author who relates their judgment and had himself observed almost as much in Lewis 12. If it be fit says he for a mortal man to speak his opinion concerning the eternal Counsels of God Lib. 1. I should say that there was no other cause why that most excellent Prince in so many respects commendable and worthy of a better fortune should meet with so many conflicts with adversities than that he had contracted so near alliance with Pope Alexander 6. and cherished the cruelties lusts perfidiousness and fortunes of that impure Father the Pope and of his Son Caesar Borgia a man drowned in all kind of wickedness and then relating the King's calling of a Synod upon his provocations by the next Pope Julius 2. undoubtedly so ordered for the same purpose by the Divine Providence first at Lions and then at Pisa for the reformation of the Church and his medals coined with this Inscription PERDAM BABYLONIS NOMEN and how after all this he renounced the Council at Pisa through the importunities of his wife and subscribed to the Lateran Council to gratifie the next Pope Leo 10. and adding that in the judgment of many he had done more advisedly if he had persevered in his purpose of reforming the Church he concludes These therefore were the causes both of the declination of our Empire and of the adverse fortune of Lewis who after all his other misfortunes died without issue male which he much desired to succeed him And in this King is very observable that as there was in him no want of magnanimity humane prudence or care for himself the glory of his Kingdom and prosperity of his affairs to which his misfortunes could be imputed which makes the judgment of God therein the more apparent so neither could any vice or other fault be noted in him which might be assigned as a cause of that judgment but what is here mentioned the neglect of that duty whereunto he was so fairly led and whereof he was so far convinced as that he began to put it in execution In the time of his successor Francis 1. all things seemed to conspire in giving occasion every where to the Reformation of the Church what through the Pope's differences with several Princes which produced the abolition and abrogation of the Papal Authority for some time in Spain and afterward in England what through that abominable imposture of Indulgences and other their gross wickedness and abuses which provoked Martin Luther and other learned men to search into and detect their mystery of iniquity and discover many gross errors and abuses crept into the Church whereupon ensued the Reformation happily begun and promoted by many Protestant Princes and Cities in Germany and other parts But Francis not only neglected the occasion and rejected and made himself unworthy of the common benefit of it but moreover contracted that * He married his Son Henr. 2. to Katharine of Medices daughter to Lawrence D. of Urbin who was Nephew to Leo 10. and Cousin to Clem. 7. alliance with the Popes and at last began those †V. 3. Sect. 39. pag. 56. persecutions the unhappy consequence of both which we are now relating Nor was the King of Spain much more happy in his persecutions of the Protestants in the Low-Countries the consequence whereof was the loss of the best part of them and all he got by the Inquisition in Spain was but the exclusion of light and truth from his people and his own slavery to the strong delusions and infatuations of the Jesuites who precipitated him into divers dishonourable unsuccesful and to his own affairs pernitious undertakings 49. But to return to the effects and consequences of that bloudy act whereof what hath yet been related was but the first fruits of those Counsels from which so much happiness tranquility and glory were so long expected instead whereof was reaped only horror shame and anxiety whereunto succeeded a plentiful harvest of other real troubles For the King and that Faction which prevailed at Court after so many former breaches of publick Faith by this so inhumane cruelty and foul breach of Faith so much the greater by how much the greater arts and deep dissimulation had been used before to raise a trust confidence of their sincerity had now driven those of the Protestants who remained alive to that distrust and jealousie the usual fruits of perfidiousness of what-ever Letters Promises Edicts or other means could be devised to satisfy them that nothing could give them any assurance of their lives and safety but retaining those places which by the last agreement of Peace were left in their possession for their security and were now had the agreement been performed Thu. l. 53 to have been delivered to stand upon their defence And though many of them not only doubting of their strength but making scruple of the justice of the cause now since not only the Princes of the blood to whom the administration of the Kingdom did belong were absent but moreover the King himself was grown a man did dispute against it and from both those grounds urged all the arguments they could yet against the first of these the horror of these slaughters which they had so lately seen and did foresee prevailed and despair made the most timerous couragious And this also made the answer which was returned by others to the latter more satisfactory to the rest that to take up Arms for their just defence not to offer violence to any but only to repel the injury and save themselves from slaughter was neither by the Laws of God or man unlawful that it ought not to be reputed a war against the King but a just defence against their enemies who abused the King's authority to destroy them who if so powerful as to have proceeded so far in the late tumult beyond his consent or privity or prevalent with him as to work his assent to so unjust and foul an action they had the more reason to secure themselves against their power and treachery till justice should be done upon them nor ought they to doubt but in so just a cause upon their serious repentance trust in God and humble supplications to him he would
without exception of times or places c. and Towns for their security till the Articles should be fully and perfectly performed And these Articles were concluded by the Queen-Mother her self in person and confirmed by a publick Edict with all the solemnity that could be the King himself being present in Parliament sitting in his Throne of Justice But these Articles says Davila as soon as they were known to those of the Catholick party exasperated most of their minds in such manner that they not only murmured freely against the King himself and the Queen-Mother but many were disposed to rise and would have taken Arms to disturb the unjustness as they call it of that Peace which was generally by them esteemed shameful and not fit to be kept if within a-while they had not manifestly understood that the King and Queen purposely to recover and draw home the Duke of Alancon had consented to conditions in words which they were resolved not to observe in deeds For as he presently adds having exactly performed all things promised to the Duke of Alancon none of the other Articles were observed either to the Protestants in general or to the King of Navar and Prince of Conde in particular but the King permitting and tacitly consenting to it the Assemblies of the Protestants were every where violently disturbed c. And the Guises who were not slack in laying hold of any opportunity to augment their own greatness and to secure the state of that Religion which was so streightly linked to their interests began upon the conjuncture of so great an occasion secretly to make a league of the Catholicks in all the Provinces of the Kingdom under colour of opposing the progress and establishment of heresy which by the Articles of the Peace was so fully authorized and established And this was the Faith of a Catholick Prince whose Conscience was directed by the religious Jesuites and so great a votary that though a King Thu. l. 61 Busbeq epist 20. he would often make one of the Flagellantes and was believed would have changed his Kingdom for a Cell though Guise had never attempted to force him to it this the obedience and loyalty of his Catholick Subjects But this was nothing to what followed for his was but the beginning of that Holy League which may justly put to silence all clamours and answer all calumnies against the Protestants in France upon occasion of any miscarriages of theirs under so long and grievous oppressions and unjust persecutions and was the pattern and precedent which was followed by that faction here which the Romish Emissaries and Agents partly raised and partly ruled or secretly influenced to promote their own designs as may be perceived by comparing such evidences and testimonies as are to be met with of their mysterious practices in their works of darkness with their Principles laid down to undermine this Church and State extant in printed Books Lib. 6. p. 449. Lib. 8. c. 2. p. 496. Thu. l. 63. The form of the League may be seen in English at large in Davila and Fonlis to this effect The Covenant of the Princes Lords and Gentlemen of the Catholick Religion for the entire restitution of the Law of God and preservation of his holy worship according to the form and rites of the holy Church of Rome abjuring and renouncing all errors contrary to it 2. For the preservation of King Henr. 3. and his Successors in the State Honour Splendor Authority Duty Service and Obedience due to them c. 3. For the restitutton of their ancient rites liberties and priviledges to the Provinces of the Kingdom c. In case there be any opposition against this aforesaid or any of the Covenanters their friends or dependants be molested or questioned for this cause by whomsoever it be all that enter into this Covenant shall be bound to imploy their lives and fortunes to take vengeance upon them either by way of justice or force without any exception of persons what-ever They who depart from this Covenant shall be punished both in body and goods All shall likewise swear to yield ready obedience and faithful service unto that Head which shall be deputed and to give all help counsel and assistance as well for the maintenance of this League as for the ruine of all that shall oppose it without exception of persons and those that fail shall be punished by the authority of the Head c. All the Catholicks of the several Cities Towns and Villages shall be secretly advertised by the particular Governors to enter into this League and concur in providing Men Arms and other necessaries c. Into this League framed with so much art Davila p. 451. that making a shew to obey and maintain the King it took from him all his obedience and authority to confer it upon the head of their Union as Davila notes when many were engaged in France they began secretly to treat at Rome for Protection and in Spain for men and money nor did they find in either place any aversness to their desires Da. p. 461. V. Thu. l. 63. And though they thought it unfit to dispute openly whether the States were superior to the King or no yet while these things were acted in secret without his knowledge or consent they sought cunningly by a kind of cheat to take away his prerogative and with his consent to settle it in a certain number who should have power to conclude and determine all business without contradiction or appeal and to that end * At the Assembly of the States at Blois which consisted most of such who had subscribed to the Catholick League petition the King that for the dispatch of all business with speed and general satisfaction he would be pleased to elect a number of Judges not suspected by the States who together with twelve of the Deputies might hear such motions as from time to time should be proposed by every Order and conclude and resolve upon them with this condition that what-ever was joyntly determined by the Judges and Deputies together should have the form and vigour of a Law without being subject to be altered or revoked which had been in effect to unking him and leave him little more than the title But the King not ignorant of the importance of that demand Thu. l. 63. became sensible of their designs and of his own danger which more manifestly appeared in certain secret instructions to Nic. David with which he was sent to the Pope concerning the deposing of the King and thrusting him into a Monastery and setting up Guise in his place c. which being taken with David in his journey and published by the Protestants were not believed at first till the same being also sent to the King of Spain the French Ambassador there happened to get a copy of them and sent them to his Master as Thuanus relates from his own mouth The King therefore returns them