upon all namely I acknowledge that the seven Sacraments be Baptisme Confirmation the Eucharist which is the holy Sacrament of the Altar Penance extreame Vnction Orders and marriage and that of these Baptisme Confirmation and Orders cannot be reiterated without sacriledge That the said Sacraments confer grace and have those effects which the Church hath taught and that the forme and use according to which they are administred to Christians is holy and necessary 5. I further acknowledge that the holy masse is a Sacrifice and oblation of the true body and blood of Iesus Christ under the formes of bread and wine mingled with water whcih bread and wine under the foresaid formes are in the Masse by the words of Consecration there pronounced by the Priest transubstantiated and changed into the said body and blood of Christ albeit the qualities and accidents remaine in the said formes after Consecration and that the Masse is profitable and available both for the liuing and for the dead 6. I acknowledge and confesse the concomitance namely that in receiving the body of Christ under the forme of bread only I then likewise receive the blood of Iesus Christ 7. I confesse that prayer to and intercession of Saints for the living and for the dead is holy good and profitable for Christians and in no sort contrary to the honour of God 8. That prayers made in the Church for the faithfull departed are beneficient for them for the remission of sinss and mitigating of their paines deserved for the same 9. That there is a Purgatory where the soules of such as are detained there are relieved by the prayers of the faithfull 10. I confesse that honour ought to be given to th Saints 〈◊〉 with Christ in heaven that they ought to be prayed to and that they make intercession for us to God and that their reliques ought to be worshipped 11. That the commandements and traditions of the saide church consisting of divine ceremonies are holy and good fastdayes abstinence from meates observation of feastes and other Ecclesiasticall rites and ought to be observed according to the traditions of the Apostles and ancient Fathers continued from the Primitive times and since brought into the Church by the decrées of Councels received thence long agoe or lately Also that I will and ought to obey them as prescribed and authorized by the holy Ghost the ordainer of those things which serve to the upholding of Christian religion and of the holy Catholike and Apostolike Romane Church 12. I likewise beleeve and consent to all the Articles concerning originall sinne and Iustification 13. I also stedfastly believe that the 〈◊〉 or Christ of his holy Mother and of all the Saints ought to be reâ—â—â—â—â—◠〈◊〉 the Church 〈◊〉 the uses of them are very profitable and that they ought to be worshipped 14. I confesse that the power of 〈…〉 and pardons is left to the Church by Jesus Christ and the use of them is greatly aâ—â—â—â—â—le as also I acknowledge the Church of Rome to be the 〈◊〉 Mother of all Churches and that she hath the holy Ghost for her guide and that all private and pretended inspirations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ing the same are of the Devill the 〈…〉 who would rent in sunder the â—â—â—â—â—â—esse Coat of Jesus Christ 15. Lastly I strictly promise to observe and kéepe whatsoever was decréed and ordained by the last Councell of Trent and do promise before God and you never to depart from the Catholike and Apostolike Romane Church And if I shall which God forbid I submit me to the correction and Canons of the said Church made decréed and ordained against them which fall into Apostasse To which abjuration and confession I have subscribed with my hand c. Some of those who for feare abjured afterwards relented others grew more and more hardened insomuch that in going oft to Masse they tooke part with the priests and murtherers as if they had never made any profession at all of the truth Persecution at Boardeaux the third of October 1572. Soone after the massacre at Paris tidings thereof came to Bourdeaux Where it happened on a morning as the Protestants were taking boat to heare a Sermon in a meadow where they were wont to meet being about three miles from Bourdeaux betweene the river of Garonna and the brooke of la Jalla that the Governour Mountferrand commanded them to come backe again He had the shift to cloake the same under a plausble pretence namely that they should not be set upon there by the multitude After their returne they began to set a strong watch and ward at the gates so as none of the religion could have leave to passe forth unlesse he had a passeport from the Governour yet meanes was made for their Ministers escape without being perceived who went to Medoâ— expecting what the event of this businesse at Bourdeaux would be Having intelligence of what was executed there they staid certaine daies and nights hiding themselves in the rocks and marshes untill they had opportunity to take shipping and so saile into England Instantly thereupon there arrived at Bourdeaux the Lord of Montpesat from the King who at his first comming fained as if he meant to settle all things in peace Yet he wrought under hand in such wise with the Governour that the massacre was resolved of to which he was sollicited by a Jesuite called Edmund Angier who out of the pulpit used horribly and bitterly to thunder and inveigh against the remisnesse and faint-heartednesse of the said Governour Insomuch as on S. Michaels day as they called it speaking of the Angels by whom God executes his iudgements he cryed out by way of Interrogation Who executed Gods iudgements 〈◊〉 the Hugenots in Paris The Angell of God Who hath executed the like upon other Cities in this Kingdome The Angell of God In a word he never ceased in publique and priâ—ate to sollicite the Papists of Bourdeaux to follow the example of the Parisians And then as a croking Raven day by day he thâ—â—â—ted those of the religion with the approaching of an utter ruine and desolation if they did not betimes returne into the bosome of the Romane Church which offer if they 〈◊〉 refuseâ— they should not be received in when they would Many being terrified with these threates as also by the intreaties of their kindred who set before fore them the imminent danger which hung over Anno 1572. their heads revolted and abjured The said Sieur of Montpasset caused Master William Blanck an Advocate in the Court of Parliament to be called before him who was counsellor to him and to his father in law exhorting and perswading him to returne to the unity of the Romane church Le Blanck answered that he had sufficiently weighed and compared all things together before he tooke upon him the profession of that Religion which he now professed which he said was the true religion acknowledging the same in every respect far to excéed the other Montpessat
of the thing signified Bish As touching the sacraments in the old testament which had their extent only to the comming of Christ and no further we indéed doe hold that the signe beares the name of the thing signified thereby and thus the Paschall Lambe Exod. 12. 43. Cec. 71. 1â— was called the Passeover and Circumcision was called Gods Covenant being but a signe thereof but it is otherwise now in the sacraments of the new Testament which have their continuance unto the end of the world containing in them the thing signified La Grange Your Distinction will be but idle if we come to the sacraments of the new Testament which are onely two howsoever the church of Rome holds seven to wit Baptisme and the Lords supper The scripture calls Baptisme the washing of regeneration because it is a signe thereof yet bearing the name of that whereof it is but a signe Nor among your owne Writers do we finde that the water in Baptisme is changed into the blood of Christ which is notwithstanding the true lover of regeneration Also the cup is called the new Testament because it is a signe thereof Dare you now affirme that the cup is the new Testament But because you séeme to bring in for confirmation of your opinion the ancient Fathers we are content to be tried herein by them even in our cause also and it shall appeare that they are not so contrary to us as you suppose and this will cleare our doctrine from the crime of novelty wherewith yée slander it Afterwards we will come to touch such inconveniences and absurdities as flow from your Doctrine The Bishop answering that hée was content La Grange began as followeth La Grange Gelasius who was an ancient doctor Gelasius a pope of Rome yea and a Pope also said in a Councell held at Rome That the substance and nature of bread and wine remained in the sacrament of the Lords Supper even as the humane nature of our Lord Iesus Christ was united unto his divine essence Chrysostome an ancient doctor in his imperfect Chrisostome worke upon S. Matthew denies that the body of Christ is inclosed under the bread in the sacrament but holds that it is only an outward signe thereof Bish I have as you know before answered that sentence of Gelasius and then I told you that he was not séene in Philosophie and therefore could not dispute substantially of the substance of the bread yea I verily thinke he understood not what this word substance meant but tooke it for that which we call accidents as some times by this word accident wee understand substance witnesse Iulian who takes it in this sence La Grange Sir I cannot conceive that such a learned Father could be so ignorant as not to know what the substance of bread should meane or at least the nature thereof féeling hée ate of it daily S. Augustine hath this saying on the third Augustine Psalme That Christ shewed admirable patience in receiving Iudas to that banquet in which hee instituted and gave to his Disciples the signe of his body and blood Bish I doubt not but many such sentences are to be found in saint Augustine which séeme to favour your opinion as where he saith to Adimantus the Manichée That Iesus Christ did not shun to call it his body albeit he gave but the signe thereof But such kinde of spéeches must be expounded by conferring one place with another La Grange Nay sir we have not onely saint Augustine but also the most part of the ancient Fathers all which you say are against us on our side Bishop Well but come now to the absurdities and inconveniences of our doctrine whereof you spake La Grange Amongst other I will instance in this one by the doctrine which you teach you sever 1. Absurdity and diâ—oyne that which in it self is joyned and united together In the supper of the Lord the Sonne of God gives us his flesh for our meate and his blood for our drinke which are coupled together by outward sacramentall signes bread and wine now according to your doctrine the bread to converted into flesh and the wine into blood and yée separate the flesh from the blood of Christ Bish We separate not the flesh from the blood séeing that by concomitancy the flesh is never without blood nor blood without flesh La Grange If this be so wee should in one 2. Absurdity the same action receive the flesh blood of Christ twice for taking the bread which you say hath blood accompanying it by your Concomitance you receive whole Christ in flesh and then againe in bloud and thus we receive the flesh twice and the bloud twice Bish What inconvenience commeth of receiving the same twice in one action La Grange Christ did not institute his supper to be received twice in one action but saith in the singular number Take eate this is my body he said not in the plurall These are my bodies This only absurdity if there were no more overturnes the Lords institution To this the Bishop made no answer La Grange If we marke Christs words it will appeare that the absurdities in your doctrine do crosse this commandement Eat for what eat you sir I pray you in this sacrament Bish The accidents of bread La Grange Eate you nothing but the accidents It is said Eate this is my body Bish We receive the body and blood La Grange When you eate the body doe you not bruise it with your téeth Bish No for Christs body is insensible so as when we eate or bruise the cake the body is not bruised therewithall but the forme the body is not dismembred but every bit is the body of Christ La Grange Sir you still fall into the former absurdities for making thrée pieces of your cake in the Masse and every piece thereof the whole 3. Absurdity body of Christ it thereupon followes that in taking three pieces you swallow downe three bodies of Christ together Bishop We must not be led thus by humane sense La Grange Sir that which I say is manifest enough and so that which you affirme of your formes cannot stand for Christ saith not Eat the formes but Eate this is my body Now wee cannot eate unlesse we gnaw with our teeth in bruising therewith that we eate If you say that the bread which is flesh as you hold is conveyed under the tongue and gently swallowed then I answer This is not eating but swallowing for Can he be said to eate who being halfe pined with hunger swallowes his bread and meate withou chewing Nay he may rather be said to devoure it Moreover if the bread which as you affirme is flesh bée put into a mans mouth and swallowed then how will you answere that which Christ said in Saint Mathew That whatsoever Mat. 15. 17. enters into the mouth goeth into the belly and is cast out into the draught or backe
returne into their owne countrey againe taking boat about the end of Iune Anno 1560. They were no sooner arrived at Nieuport but two of them to wit Iames and Ieane endeavored to passe on to Honscot leaving Christian to come at his leisure because he was not well at ease having also a fardel of small books of religion The Bailife with some others méting him upon the way asked him whence he came and whither he was going as also what he was Christian framed them such an answer that they could take no advantage against him travelling as hée did upon the way onely they spied about him that fardell of books by occasion whereof they brought him backe into the City and having learned that he came over wish two others the Bailiffe forthwith sent his lievtenant towards Honscot who so wilily handled the matter that in the end he caught them and brought them bound to the City of Furn. Where for a few daies they were prisoners together with the foresaid Christian in which condition they mutually comforted and encouraged one another but their adversaries soone separated them thinking therby to weaken their strength constancy and fortitude Upon the first of their interrogatories which was about the third and fourth of Iuly they asked Iames why he separated from the church of Rome Ans Because it is not the church of Christ Quest How know you that Answer Because it hath neither the Word of God soundly preached the Sacraments duly administred nor the Ecclesiasticall Discipline after a right manner executed Iames gave good and solid reasons hereof shewing that in their Church was taught that soules must bée saved by saying of Masses long prayers invocation of saints pilgrimages with other such vaine and deceivable hopes yea said the Priest doe you thus judge of those who give to Iesus Christ bread when he is hungry and drinke when he is thirsty and cloath Anno 1563. him being naked c. And so went on with multiplying many words not suffering the said Iames to finish what he was about to have said Others asked him if he could prove that they had not the true administration of Baptisme Answer You have so obscured it with your owne additions that a man can scarce discerne it to be Baptisme Quest What thinke you then of your owne Baptisme Answ Were I now to be baptised I would not receive it from your Church so well it likes me that I have received it from you Being demanded what he said to the Sacrament of the Altar he proved evidently how farre off it was from the first institution of the Lords supper And as concerning the Ecclesiasticall discipline hée uttered more of their corrupting of it then they were willing to heare After this they were examined by two friers who were chosen out for the purpose one of them was Iohn Campo superintendent of the Gray Friers of Dixmude the other was called Peter Pennet Prior of the Carmelites in Ypre These two examined the thrée prisoners first upon the articles of the faith and then if they beléeved that Christ was made of the séed of the woman Iames answered we are all perswaded that Iesus Christ was made of the séed of the woman according as God hath promised Gen. 3. 15. Moreover of the séed of Abraham add of David and Gal. 4. 4. Rom. 1. 3. Heb. 4. 15. that he was in all things made like unto his brethren sinne onely excepted After many other questions upon divers points they were asked whether in the consecration of the Masse the body of Christ was present there or no No said Iames It is nothing like the Lords Supper which Christ gave to them that sate at table with him According to which institution the faithfull being assembled together Acts 2. 42. brake bread c. Nor shall ye find in the Scriptures that one alone receiveth or that the rest stood and looked on And if Saint Paul justly challenged the Corinthians because every oue was forward to eat his owne supper apart 1 Cor. 11. 20. much more are you worthy of their reprehension I doe therefore ranke you amongst those false prophets which our Lord Iesus Christ hath warned Mat. 24 23. us of who will say thus unto us Lo here is Christ and there he is Hereunto the adversaries replyed Doth not Christ in expresse words say This is my body This is my bloud Answer The words must not be taken as they sound in a literall sence for so they shall have no agréement with other like places of Scripture You know the words belonging to the antient Sacraments were expounded by the holy Ghost himselfe Circumcision is called the Covenant and the Lambe is called the Passeover albeit they were but the signes thereof They asked if God were not omnipotent Yes said Iames but yet he will doe nothing against his Word Quest If the bread be not changed why doth 1 Cor. 11. 29. Saint Paul affirme That whosoever eats of this bread unworthily eats judgement to himselfe not discerning the Lords body Wée acknowledge all this said they because a man ought to examine himselfe before he presume to come to that holy banquet for in the Supper we receive not only bread and wine but doe also truly partake of the body and bloud of Christ as Saint Paul teacheth us 1 Cor. 10. 16. Matrimony In the fourth place they were asked if mariage were not a Sacrament No said Iames for sacraments are not things indifferent to Christians as mariage is for Saint Paul saith he that gives 1 Cor. 7. 8. 29. 38. his Virgin in mariage doth well but hee that gives her not in mariage doth better We hâ— wedlocke to be an holy ordinance of God instituted in Paradise from the beginning of the world Gen. 2. Iohn 〈◊〉 Heb. â—3 4. honoured by Iesus Christ with his first miracle yea we adde further that as mariage is honourable among all and the bed undefiled so whoremongers and adulterers God will judge Quest But saint Paul saith it is a great Sacrament Answer Why doe you forbid it then But that place of Paul by you alledged is not to bée understood Ephes 5. 32. of mariage but is meant of that speciall mysticall union and Communion which is betwéen Christ and his Church Quest They asked him if confession were a Confession Sacrament Answer I finde but two Sacraments mentioned in the New Testament If you can finde out any more you shall doe well to shew them But as touching confession it is to God to whom we must confesse our sinnes according to Davids Psal 32. 5. Luke 15. 18. 21. example and of the Prodigall sonne and sundry others who with true repentance acknowledged their offences to God who is faithfull and just to 1 Iohn 1. 9. pardon and forgive them But to confesse them to a priest it is so farre off from being necessary that I hold it altogether unlawfull These Fathers
to Rome and there to encounter with the adversary of Christ Thither they came and after a few daies two of them behaving themselves modestly did in secret manifest to some there the truth of the Gospell who being betrayed were imprisoned and put to death without any further adoe The third having resolved to act his part in publique gave over himselfe to suffer all the extremities the wit of man could invent It came to passe one day that this man espying the Pope in the middest of his massing devotion stept quickly unto him plucked the consecrated Host out of his hands cast it to the ground trod it under foot uttering invective spéeches against the Masse and Antichrist The people in a rage fell upon the Englishman who being altogether bruised with their fists and féet said you hangman finde out as many forments as you can the hand of the Almighty will shew it self the more gloriously My soule is resolved to vanquish death valiantly He was forthwith bound and set upon an Asse sixe Torches were lighted and from stréet to stréet the erecutioners bare them by him burning therewith his face mouth and tongue first for he had said before to one of the formentors thou hast no power over my soule thou wretch knowest thou not that God understands the voice of my secret thought and complaint When the flames came overthwart his chéekes he was heard to cry Lord forgive these men for they know not what they doe After they had burned all his face put out his eyes scorched and rosted his body in the end they consumed it wholly to ashes The learned author who set forth this History in a notable work of his notes neither the yeare nor the names of these Englishmen It should séeme to be about the time of Pope Clement the eighth in Anno 1595. for in his ample discourse he mentions an old wise man le sage veillard burned at Rome after these English men who before he went to the fire spake with such efficacy to his confessor sent unto him who also left him not till he yéelded up his spirit in the middest of the flames into the hands of Christ that this confessor going the next day into the Pulpit maintained tâ—â—â—rause of the old wise man with such boldnesseâ—nd zeale that all the audience hearing him attentively without any resistance understood his meaning and never accused the Preacher But in Lent following a Capuchin Fryer An admirable Eapuchin preaching before Pope Clement the eighth called him Antichrist and during that Lent ceased not to Preach the truth of the Gospell in the Chaire of postlience under the robe and habit of a Liar c In the same work my author saith our Historian mentions another Italian preacher called Nâ— Montalchin who in describing his History hath these words The Pope perceiving that by executing the Martyrs thus opénly in the sight of the people in stead of terrifying them thereby many were the more encouraged he resolved with himselfe thenceforward to conceale his open violence out of the sight of the Sun and to exercise it rather in the dark and in the night season The inquisitors who had Montalchin in their hands were preparing a way to murther him privâ—ly according to the Popes intention It so fell out that the Iaylour smelling the injustice which these reverend Fathers were devising against the poore prisoner adventured to give him notice of it to the end he making his peace with God might fit himselfe for death This experienced souldier of Iesus Christ plotted a way under hand by a spirituall wile to catch the wise in their craftinesse faining therefore a repentance he called for his judges telling them he was now minded to revoke his errors after they had pronounced sentence against him and would in the hearing of all recant what he had in publike maintained against the truth His Iudges beléeving he had spoken in good earnest promised him his life upon those tearmes Now that they might the rather satisfie their pride they made known to every one the time and place appointed for his abjuration All the city assembled together to take knowledge of this so unexpected a novelty Montalchin was brought and placed on a scaffold for that purpose He stood there in his shirt holding in his hands two torches lighted then silence being obtained he began to speake to the people as followeth Deare brethren and Children I have a long time taught you such a doctrine as hath troubled you I am now brought hither to open my minde unto you Montalchin is a sinfull man and therefore may erre But lend me your attention a while and I will let you sée the difference betwéen both opinions Thrée words seul seule seulement will serve to distinguish betwéene falshood and truth 1 I have taught you that Christ is our only sacrifice our only priest who only was once offered for us But the Doctors teach the contrary to wit that the true body of Christ without bread is offered up for the living and for the dead that the priests ought daily to offer up the naturall body of Christ really in the Masse 2 I have taught that in taking the visible signes in the Sacrament we doe therein by faith only take the spirituall and heavenly bread of our soules The Doctors say that Christs body is taken flesh and blood into the mouth and belly of the communicant 3 I have preached that Iesus Christ is our only mediator and that by him alone we have accesse unto the Father But the Doctors goe further and will have us to come to the Virgin Mary making her and all the Saints departed our Mediators and Intercessors 4 I have declared that we are justified only by faith in Iesus Christ and that the frée mercy of God is the foundation of our salvation The Doctors would have us to help out faith and grace by good workes as meritorious causes of salvation 5 You have heard me preach that Christ only gives grace and that he alone pardons this They affirm that the Church hath a Coffer or Chest of which the Pope kéeps the keyes whereinto are put the merits of saints which he largely distributed abroad to such as will buy his pardons Anno 1611. with money 6 I have told you that the Canonicall bookes of the old and new Testament are the onely ground of our faith and salvation The Doctors adde thereto their unwritten verities 7 I have taught you that after this life ended there are only two places prepared for them to goe unto who die and depart out of this world One the place of joy and comfort the other of torment The Doctors say there are foure viz. Paradise Hell Limbus and Purgatory 8 I have preached that the Pope is not a god on earth but only a Bishop and that only of one place if he therein behave himselfe as a good Biship ought to doe The Doctors make him Lord of the world and
was adventured to goe downe and opened the same to these tygers who presently stabbed her husband in his bed The midwife séeing them bent to murther the woman also now ready to lie downe instantly intreated them to tarry at least so long till the infant which would be the 20. Childe that God had given her was borne Having contested some while with them they tooke this poore woman halfe dead with feare and thrust her into the sundament with a dagger to the very hilts She finding her selfe mortally wounded and yet desirous to bring forth A barbarous cruelty her fruit fled into a corne-loft whither they pursued her giving her another stabbe into the belly with a dagger and then cast her out of a window next to the stréete upon which fall the childe came forth of her body the head formost gaping or yawning to the great astonishment and confusion of the Papists who were constrained often with detestation to acknowledge and confesse the cruelties of their butchers ¶ Behold here another ONE of the Massacrers having snatched up a Whatiron heart would not have been moved to compassion herewith little childe in his armes the poore baâ—â— began to play with his beard and to smile upon him but in stead of being moved to compassion therewith this barbarous wretch wounded it with his dagger and so cast it all on a gore blood into the river so as it was a good while ere it could recover the own colour againe To procéed on further and fully to relate all the tragicall acts committed in this Massacre at Paris to set downe the thundrings of Guns and Pistols the lamentable voices and outcries of the slaine the roarings and horrible blasphemies belched forth by these Massacrers and devils incarnate were enough to cause the Paper whereon they should be described either to blush or wéepe Not to stay the Reader therefore any longer in this having many things of the like nature to present unto thy view we will passe from the dolorous City of Paris to other cities in France and set before thee as in a glasse a company of horrible and rufull spectacles ¶ Massacres committed upon those of the Religion at Meaux in Brie LEt us begin then with those of Meaux in Brie which is not above a daies journey from Paris The poore Protestants in this City were destinated There was a roulâ— drawne where the massacre should begin continus and end to drinke of this cup of Martyrdome after their brethren and sisters in the aforesaid City of Paris Therefore on the same Sunday the foure and twentieth of August about foure of the clocke in the afternoon a post was sent to Meaux with letters accompanied with a seditious fellow called le Froid Being come thither the Packet was presented to Monsleur Lovis Cosset the This Cosset was then branded for notorious villanies and a misshapenfellow Kings Atturney there Upon the receit whereof this Atturny hasted hither and thither in his own person to advertise such cut-throats as had had their hands in the pillaging and robbing those of the religion in the first second and third troubles with command that they should be ready to come forth of their houses armed at the stroke of seven of the clock and then cause the gates instantly to be shut The time prefixed being come which was about supper time the gates were shut and then they began to execute their cruelties in sundry parts of the City Thus was that night passed not without uprores and strange events On the next day which was Munday about thrée of the clocke in the morning these good Catholikes began to pillage the houses of the Protestants of the best things they had which continued till eight of the clocke their trading liked them so well But the principall of all the spotles were conveyed into the Court and house of this noble Atturney Cosset yet these were only the beginnings of sorrows For after robbing and spotling they fell to shut them up in prisons which being filled the massacrers having Cosset for their Captaine who usually carried in each hand a Pistoll ready to discharge went into the said prison on Tuesday the six and twentieth of August about five or six of the clock at night with swords daggers and butchers knives Nigh to this prison there was a great Court enclosed on every side with walls and a very strong Gate In a corner whereof is a large paire of winding staires containing five and twenty or thirty steppes by which they goe up to the Iudgement Hall to the Seat of Iustice Into this Court were the murderers assembled which done Cosset went up into his seat Then they had a scroule or bill containing the names of the prisoners there imprisoned who were called over one by one to the number of two hundred and upwards as some of the murderers themselves have since reported when as they impudently made their brags of these their horrible impieties and injustices Then the Atturney laughing began to call for the first man named in the bill who being brought forth and séeing naked swords before him falling downe and craving forgivenesse of his sins at the hands of God was suddenly butchered by five or sixe One Quintin Croyer an Eiver of the reformed Church being called forth and séeing many of his companions massacred before his eyes knéeled downe praying God to pardon thesée murderers at which prayer they fell a laughing and not being able with their daggers to pierce a Ierkin of double Busse which he ware and which they were loth to spoile for it was a good booty they cut asunder the points and then gave him five or six ftabs with a dagger into his body and so this good man wounded to death calling upon God rendered up his spirit into the hands of him that gave it Faron Haren a man zealously asserted to religion who had béen Sheriffe of the City in the first troubles having by his endeavours chased the Masse out of Meaux for a time was mortally hated of these seditious Papists and therefore they were not contented simply to kill him but first cut off his nose eares and secret parts then giving him many small thrusts into divers parts of the body they constrained him to and fro among them as if he had gone thorow the pikes But being weakened and not able any longer to hold out in regard of the blood that issued from all the parts of his body he fell with his face to the ground and instantly calling upon the name of the Lord received infinite gashes and wounds after he was dead By this time it grew late therefore these blood-suckers having almost wearied themselves in worrying these poore lambes and shéep of Christ deferred the execution of the rest till after supper as well to take some breathing and refection as also to murther the residue with the greater alacrity For in as much as the blood of the slaine shined yet
upon the swords and armes of the murtherers their sléeves being tucked up which something hindered their procéeding after they had drinke wine their still they meant to returne and make themselves dranke with blood also which that they might shed the more fréely they tooke with them Butchers great axes wherewith they smite downe their Oxen and in the presence of this honest Atturney felled these poore prisoners one after another who called upon God and crying so loud for mercy that all the City in a manner rung thereof This massacre lasted from nine of the Clock at night till it was midnight And for as much as there yet remained many prisoners alive they deferred this their bloody businesse till the next day But this may suffice to have béen said as touching this massacre at Meaux in Brie passe wée on now to the City of Troys in Champaigne and there take notice as it were by the way what cruelties were executed in that place ¶ Persecution of the Faithfull at Troys in Champaigne NEwes comming to Troys of the Massacre executed at Paris the greater part of the Iudges and Officers of the King were sent to the Bailiffe of Troys with commandement diligently to make scarch for all those of the Religion from house to house and to imprison as many as they could méet withall In this city there was a Merchant called Peter Belin a man of a turbulent nature This Belin was at the massacre in Paris on S. Bartholomews day from whence he was sent with Letters from the King dated the eight and twentieth of August to the Maior and Sheriffes of Troys to cause all these persecutions to cease and the prisoners to be set at liberty On the third of September he came to Troys with these two letters which had béen first published in Paris with commandement to deliver them to the foresaid Magistrates to be proclaimed there also But at the first entrance into the City he began to enquire that all might heare him whether they had not executed the Huguenots there as they had done in Parts which was his language thorow the stréets till he came home But even some of the Papists who were not so cruelly minded demanded of Belin the contents of the K. letters whereof they had some inkling before But he like a Bedlam swelling with choler sware that whosoever said they contained any thing tending to varification lyed Hasting therefore to the Bailiffes house at Troys after he had delivered him the packet and buzzed somewhat in his eare he put him on to sée this execution done Now that the same might passe the better for currant the help of the Executioner of Troys was requested whose name was Charles Yet he shewing himself more just and humane than the rest peremptorily refused to have his hand in an act tending to so great cruelty answering that it was contrary to his office to execute any man before sentence of death had first béen pronounced by the Magistrate If they had such sentence to shew against any of the prisoners he was ready to doe justice otherwise he would not presume without a warrant to bereave any man of his life and so with these words he returned home to his house Now albeit this answer procéeding from such a kinde of person whose office and custome it was to shed blood might somewhat have asswaged and taken off the edge of the most barbarous Tyger in the world yet the Bailiffe sleighting it was the further enraged Upon this he sent for one of the Iaylors of the prison who kept those of the religion but he being sicke of a Tertian Ague Martin de Bures was sent to know his pleasure The Bailiffe telling him at large what Belin had signified to him in private as also that on a sudden all the prisoners of the Religion must bée put to death that so the place might be purged of them This he said you must not faile to doe But said the Bailiffe that the blood may not run into the stréets you shall cause a trench to be digged in the middest of the prison and at the two ends thereof set certaine vessels to receive the same But this de Bures for some considerations as namely thinking the Kings Letters whereof he had had some intelligence might be proclauned made no hast to performe his charge acquainting no man with ought that had passed betwéene the Bafliffe and hâ—m no not Perennet the Kéeper who then lay sick in his bed The next day being Tuesday which was the fourth of September the Bailiffe came into the prison about seven or eight of the Clock and calling for Perennet asked of him with a smile Perennet is it done Perennet knowing nothing either more or lesse asked of him what Then saith the Bailiffe Why are not the Prisoners dispatched and thereupon was ready with his dagger to have stabbed him But comming a little better to himselfe he told Perennet what his purpose was and now he was to behave himselfe concerning the execution thereof willing him by all meanes not to forget to make the said Trench At which words this Perennet standing amased though otherwise he was a fellow forward enough of himselfe to commit any outrages against the Protestants certified the Bailiffe that such an inhumane act could not be committed over to him fearing lest in time to come Iustice might be followed against him by the Parents or Allyes of the Prisoners No no said the Bailiffe feare not I will stand betwéene you and all harmes Others of the Iustices have consented thereto besides my selfe and would you have better security than that Within a while after the Iaylor comming into the court of the prison where the prisoners were abroad recreating themselves caused every one to resort to his cabbin or hole because said he the Bailiffe will come by and by to sée whether the Kéepers have done as he commanded them which they did Then began these poore shéep to feare they were destinated to the slaughter and therefore went presently to prayer Perennet instantly called his companions about him reporting to them what the Bailiffe had given him in charge Then they all tooke an oath to execute the same but approaching nigh to the Prisoners they were so surprised with feare and their hearts so failed them that they stood gasing one upon another having no courage to act such a barbarous cruelty and so returned to the Iaylors lodge whence they came without doing any thing But in stead of laying this to heart as an advertisement and warning piece sent them from above as if of set purpose they meant to resist against the checks of their owne consciences and so kick against the prickes they sent to the Taverne for sixtéene pints of the best wine Troys measure with shéepes tongues and other viands and intoxicating their braines with wine they drew a list or Catalogue of all the prisoners which they delivered to Nicholas Martin one of their