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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A01236	A Christian confession of the late moste noble and mightie prince, Friderich of that name the third, Count Palatine by [ye] Rhein, one of the electours of the holy Empire, and Duke in Bauire: wherein constantlie and meekelie he departed out of this world the 26. of October in the yere of our Lord God 1576. Taken word for word out of his last will and testament. Whereunto is added the Lantgraue his answere to the French King; Proclamations. 1620-07-01	Friedrich III, Elector Palatine, 1515-1576.; Johann Casimir, Pfalzgraf bei Rhein, 1543-1592.; Wilhelm IV, Landgrave of Hesse, 1532-1592.	1577 (1577)	STC 11348; ESTC S116026	25,880	96

the Empire for the matter of religion there is with in the same free exercise of them both permitted and he knoweth that the same order is obserued in the kingdome of Polonie In like sort did the Emperour that dead is of most famous memory and so doeth his sonne the Emperour that now is suffer within his territories and in manye townes yea euen in his court at Vienna free exercise of two religions by meanes whereof was maineteyned in al respectes as it is also at this daye verye good peace and concorde in Germany And so in like sort the kingdome of France consisting of many diuers prouinces is in no respect to be cōpared to any one prince or elector of Germany not only because there is no proporcion comparable but also because the said Princes and Electours did neuer make any such solemne promisse to their subiects as his Maiestie hath done to thē whom God hath committed to his gouernement And therefore his excellencie praieth his Maiestie againe that he would not suffer him self to be caried away with this persuasiō that the sufferance of the exercise of the reformed religion should be the cause of those troubles dissensions which haue continued to this day in France for it is no new thing for the Christians and professors of true religiō to be accused and blamed as authours causes of rebellion and sedition for so it fared not onely with the holie Prophetes and Apostles but also with Iesus Christ him self although both hee and they were wrongfully charged therewith and against all truth But that it would please his Maiestie to beleue and assure him selfe rather that the stay and hinderance which some go about to make against the free course of Christian Religion is the onely cause of all the calamities and miseries that haue fallen out heretofore may hereafter in the kingdom of Frāce And therefore his excellencie prayeth coūselleth his Maiest as earnestly as he can that he would haue regarde of his honor of his faith promes of his reputatiō to keepe thē safe vnattainted also to wey aduisedly how much the matter importeth him howe many and great inconueniences depende theron and neuer suffer himself to be persuaded to haue a minde to follow a coūsaile which can neuer be put in execution but it wil be the vtter vndoing of the same the shedding of an infinite deale of bloud is also directlie contrarie to his faith promise word of a Prince which his Maiestie hath giuen to his subiectes but rather that hee would mainteine and confirme the edict of pacificatiō that was last published in all the pointes and articles of the same And in case his Maiest were desirous to make some good accorde in the matter of Religiō which surely were a Princely act and worthy a Christian he were best for the accomplishing of the same to vse not the edge of the sworde but according to the example of his predecessours of worthie memorie Constantine the great Theodocius and others the sharpe sworde of the worde of God by the meanes of a free and nationall counsel for it hath bene proper euē from the beginning at all times for the Churche and so shall it continue to the end that seeing the foundatiō thereof hath bene laide by bloud it shall neuer be rooted out by sheddīg of bloud but the more it is watered with bloud the more it shall increase stretche more large abroade As for the other part of the charge cōmitted to the said L. of Villequier wherein his Maiestie requesteth his excellēcie that he would haue nothing to do with them of the religion nor minister them any aide or fauour against him in case he should be required to the same his excellencie would that his Maiestie should witte and vnderstand that hitherunto he hath medled with other mēs matters as litle as he might and especially neuer gaue occasion either by waye of counsell or otherwise to his subiectes to rise against him and his excellencie hopeth that he shall haue occasion euer hereafter so that it may stande with the safenes of his conscience to continue in this good affection and singular amitie which he beareth to his Maiestie Whom hee prayeth most humblie in this behalf to take in good part all that he hath said before as proceading from a heart that beareth a true affectiō vnto him and respecteth nothing els but his honour and estimation ioyned with his prosperous quiet state and to shewe him selfe herein as becōmeth a King that hath a care to mainteine his honour reputation with all men as his excellencie trusteth God wil giue him the grace to do which shall not only tende to the aduancing of Gods glory but also generally to the whole estate and preseruation both of his persone and all his subiectes and of his whole Realme And this is all that his excellencie could answere to that which the said Lord of Villequier had in charge to deliuer vnto him from his Maiestie Giuen at Cassel the 18. of March. 1577. Signed beneath William Lantgraue of Hessen 1. Reg. 2. 1. Cor. 11. Ioh. 6. 1. Cor. 12.

principally wee desire them as Christian and godlie Princes magistrates to whom the defence and propagatiō of Gods knowē veritie is by almightie God him selfe verie earnestly imposed and commanded as their chiefest and highest office that they would with all diligence haue a due regarde that the holy and blessed Gospell and the onely trueth of God which is infallible and shal not passe away but remaine for euer may be preached and taught vnto all their subiectes others appertaining vnto them according to the contentes of the Prophetical and Apostolical scriptures purely and vnfalsified that through the blessing of almightie God the same may be stil planted inherited and professed by their successours and posteritie to the intēt they may be partakers of the rich and gratious promise of our Lorde and Sauiour IESUS Christ saying Seeke first the kingdome of God and the righteousnes therof the rest shall fall or be giuen vnto you truely assuredly confirming strengthening them selues with the commandemēt comfort of almightie God which he gaue to his louing true seruant Iosua in these wordes Be strong and of a most valiant courage that thou maiest obserue do all things according to the law which Moyses my seruant hath commaunded thee Turne not from it neither to the right hand nor to the left that thou maiest prosper and proceade wisely in all that thou hast to do And let the booke of the Lawe neuer depart frō thy mouth but meditate vpō it day night that thou maiest do and obserue al thinges according as it is written therein Secondlie for as much as both nowe and alwayes it hath so come to passe that when Gods worde and holie Sacramentes haue bene in any place taught administred purelie clerely and without darkenes or falsehoode and almightie God by his blessed worde hath gathered vnto him a Churche that then immediatlie and forthwith the enemie of Christian faith the raging deuil partlie soweth his weedes amōg it and partly opposeth him self assaulteth it with his whole forces might goeth about by al meanes he can not only to ouerthrow quench it with his outward power but also by stirring vp of diuers diuisions cōtentions false erronious opinions which also in the time of our gouernmēt as is wel knowē vnto all men not without some daūger haue also happened vnto vs especially in the some vnquiet and contentious persons of mere ambition setled hatred whereas they could not publish a better booke of their owne went about and verie earnestly laboured to slaunder cauill the Cathechisme and booke of the orders and reformation of our Church which we caused to be published and to bring the same into suspicion by sondrie simple and well meaning people All which notwithstanding by the helpe and grace of almightie God whilest we suffered our selues not to be caried away frō the right line of Gods worde nor to be made afraide by any respect of outward power but truly and cōstantly follewed our office and calling in the end wonderfully contrarie to all mens expectation with great and apparant benefit both worldly eternall and many other blessings commodities which happened to our people which did at length submitte them selues obediently vnto the manifest trueth we outstoode ouercame them all and out of Gods worde haue stopped the mouthes of such as so opposed and set them selues against our said Christian Cathechisme booke of orders so as to our great comfort the eyes of many haue bene thereby opened and brought to the right vnderstanding of our true Christian religion and confession of pure doctrine We therefore praye admonish and warne our deare childrē also our Counsellours officers ministers subiectes especially our Vniuersitie and Church at Heydelberg that seeing the malice deceipt and subtiltie of the diuell and so the daūgers of true faithfull Christians are like euerie daye more and more to encrease and waxe greater They would in consideratiō of such imminent perils haue a more true diligent and earnest regarde thereto not onely to set forwarde this good worke as they minde to auoyde the heauie anger and displeasure of almightie GOD and his euerlasting and worldlie punishment vpon them and tender the saluation of them selues and their posteritie but also not suffer them selues to bee feared turned awaye or seduced from this knowen and confessed trothe for any contentions alreadie entered into the Churche feare of offending respectes of persones deceiptes and other subtilties of this vayne worlde but rather open their eyes awake take heede do their best endeuours that in such places of our dominions as gods trothe hath alreadie bene taught and receiued may there still and constantly be retained kept and increased And in case the same hitherto through any empechementes of the wicked diuell and other defaultes shall not haue bene perfectly in al places established knowen and rooted in our said subiectes that then in such place or places by the grace and meanes of almightie God Christ Iesus they would procure that the same may be broght in taught planted to the euerlasting and temporall profit and benefit of our said subiectes Especially for the third point we will pray our deare sonnes to beware take heede of all contentious vnquiet ministers in churches scholes which in these times go about to stirre vp in matters of faith religion sondrie euill cōtentions and strifes about words vsing vnprofitable condēnations censures against other Christian Churches Scholes which neuertheles agree in the principall foundation and chiefe articles of the Christian faith and repose the saluation of their soules vpon the onely Sauiour and redeemer Christ Iesus going about by ambition and peruerse zeale to bring in and erect a pretended iurisdiction of a holy Ghost and euē as in time of blasphemous Poperie seeking both to rule and haue dominion ouer the consciences of magistrates and subiectes and to constitute a newe supremacie whereby not onely diuisions and bitternes of mindes both in temporall and spirituall gouernementes haue followed to the ouerthrowe and ruine of them But also thereby occasion hath bene giuen to the Pope and his followers to persecute our true and Christian religion with fyre and sworde banishmentes and other paines and punishments and thereby to establish and confirme his own tyrannie the more As the more is the pitie manie examples partly already heretofore happened euen in our dayes in some Electours and Princes houses among other straunge nations our neighbours where the holie Gospell a long time hath had a swaye and partly of late tyme sprong vp might be produced to declare sufficiently what miserable diuisiōs calamities and misfortunes haue happened thereby where unto also al Christian magistrates Churches and scholes ought to beholde and looke vnto as in a glasse And therefore we would haue them as much as in them shall lie to beware of such daungerous vnquiet persones enemies of

and before hath deliuered vs from the sorowes and paine of hell So that from henceforth neither hell nor the deuill shal hinder or hurte vs in our saluatiō We beleue also with our heart that the third day he rose again from the dead And we are certainly persuaded first that by his resurrection hee hath ouercome death to the intent hee might make vs partakers of the righteousnes which he hath purchased for vs by his bitter passion and death And secondly that we also now by his power should bee resuscitated quickened to newnes of life And thirdly that the resurrection of Christe is a most certaine assurance vnto vs that as he is first risen vp againe from death so wee also at the last daye shal be raysed vp againe to life euerlasting And further wee also beleeue that Christ our Lorde truely and visiblie with his manifested manhoode which he had takē on him is ascēded vp into heauen there sitteth on the right hande of his heauenly Father that is to saye with heauēly and godly maiestie he sheweth him selfe vnto all the holy Angels and mē to be a head of his whole Church and from thence also truely and visiblie as he ascended vp hee shall againe come downe in the cloudes in the dominion and maiestie of his Father to iudge the liuing and the dead And yet notwithstanding wee confesse and acknowledge that albeit our Lord IESUS Christ true God and man according to his humane nature is now no more in earth but in heauen yet according to his Godhead maiestie grace and spirite hee neuer departeth from vs And wee litle esteeme that which is sayde by some that both the natures were so vnited and confounded in Christe as though his humane nature were in all places as the diuine is For seeing the diuine nature is incomprehensible and alwayes to bee found in all places it followeth necessarilie that it is both without the humane nature which was assumed also personallie vnited to the same euen as the diuine nature neuer left heauen when Christ was cōceaued in the wōbe of the blessed virgin And all this which our Lord Christ hath suffered and done we beleue and cōfesse that it hath bene done for the behoofe and benefit of vs that he thereby hath giuē him self vnto vs as our owne And besides the rest this comforteth vs most that we are assured that our flesh is alreadie in heauen that our Sauiour Christ Iesus sendeth down vnto vs frō thēce his holy ghost as a pledge By the inspiration power of whom we seeke the thinges which are aboue where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God his Father and not things here vpon earth Thirdly wee beleue and confesse that the holy Ghost with God the Father and God the sonne is a true only and eternall God secondly that he is giuē vnto vs to make vs partakers through a true faith in Christ of al his good giftes and benefites and further that he is our comforter and is with vs and will remaine with vs vntill the ende As touching the vniuersall Christian Church we beleue that the sonne of God hath out of all kinreds and generations of men chosen a congregation vnto him selfe for euerlasting life by the holie Ghost his godly word in the vnitie of true faith which frō the beginning of the world he hath gathered yet gathereth together preserueth defēdeth beleue also that we are a liuely member therof and so shall remaine eternally Of the communion of Saints we beleue and confesse that wee with al and euerie true beleuers as members of our Lord Jesus Christ haue a communion and societie in all his treasures and giftes and therefore we acknowledge that wee are debters of all such giftes as he hath imparted vnto vs to bestowe thē willingly and ioyfully to the profit helpe of others our commembers Wee beleeue and confesse also that God the Father for the satisfaction and ful paiment of Christ Iesus hath forgiuen and neuer will call to remembrance our sinnes or sinful inclinations and affections wherewith wee haue to fight all the dayes of our life but rather will giue and impute vnto vs the righteousnes of Christ Iesus So that wee neede not to bee afraid of the iudgement of God. Of the resurrection of the flesh we beleeue and confesse that not onely our soules when they shall be departed out of our bodies by temporall death are in the same instant takē vp and receiued vnto Christ their head but also that our flesh shal be in the last day vnited againe with our soules and made conformable vnto the glorious bodie of Christ Iesus Of life euerlasting we beleue and confesse that euen as now we feele in our hearts the beginning of an euerlasting ioy so after this life wee shall possesse an eternall blessednes which neither eie hath seene nor eare heard nor any mās heart can conceiue God bee alwayes thāked praised therfore and thereto helpe vs God the Father Sonne and holie Ghost one true and euerlasting god Amen And for asmuch as without cause we haue bene suspected of many as though we helde beleued not in such sort of the holy and blessed Sacraments as became good Christians wee haue thought good immediatly after the former Confessiō of our faith to set down also in writing our plaine Confession of those pointes We therfore beleue and cōfesse both with our mouth hearte and penne that all Sacramentes aswell of the olde as newe Testament were appointed and ordained by God him selfe to this end that they all should signifie and pointe as with a finger vnto the bloudie offering of Christ Iesus once accōplished vpon the crosse as vndoubtedly all the patriarches and faithfull fathers in the olde Testament herewith onely comforted them selues in faith when they killed their lambes other beastes that after the same sorte the seede of the woman the Lord Iesus should be slaine and make a full satisfaction and paiment for the sinnes of the whole worlde And therefore the holie Sacraments as many hundred yeres hitherto in the scholes hath bene taught to youth and yet is are onely Sacrae rei symbola inuisibilis gratiae visibilia signa that is to say visible signes or seales of a holy thing namely of the grace of God in Christ Iesus whereby we are assured and made certain of that which otherwise in Gods worde by God him selfe and his holy Prophets Apostles hath bene promised vnto vs And we beleue and holde stedfastly that the Lorde God thought chieftiest vpon the weaknes and infirmitie of mans nature and as the only knower and searcher of heartes vnderstoode how hard it was for the nature of man to beleue the naked worde of God which is preached and declared in the holy Gospel And therefore he would also represent and set before our eyes such things which we daily vse and are most knowen vnto vs to quicken stirre

art Christ the sonne of the liuing god Out of which confessiō of Peter which he made not alone for him selfe but in the name of all the twelue Apostles it appeareth that hee had vnderstoode and receiued such sufficient instruction out of this sermon at Capernaum that neither he nor the other eleuen had any cause to aske what the lord Iesus meant by such his said institution And therefore wee beleeue and confesse that in the holye supper of our Lord IESUS CHRIST where it shal be kept accordynge to his owne institution to the faythfull for whome this Supper or Communion is onelye ordeyned euen as for his disciples at the firste the trewe offered and crucified bodye of Christe with al his heauenly treasures and benefits which he hath purchased by his death for his people shal be giuen and deliuered by Christ him selfe vnto our hungrie soules for foode his blood which he hath shed for the forgiuenes of sinnes for our drinke And so litle did the distance or espace of the time hinder his disciples at that present namely that although his body was not yet offred and crucified nor his blood yet shed yet his said disciples did eate his very naturall and humane bodye which was borne of the immaculate virgin Marie should be shortely after deliuered vp for them did drinke his true blood which shortly should be shed for them as though it had bene deliuered vp and shed alreadie So also the distance of the place hindreth not vs and other faithfull beleeuers that is that wee also with the holy apostles according to the Lordes institution do eate the same body of Christ drinke his bloud although the Lord Iesus with that his naturall body be now no more vpon earth but sitteth in heauen on the right hād of god his heauenly father from whence he shal come to iudge the liuing and the dead as the article of our Christian faithe teacheth declareth vnto vs And therfore we haue no need of this question whether with his selfe same naturall bodie sensible vppon earth as he was at the last supper with his disciples he can be presēt with vs in our communions But it is inough that we vnderstand out of his word that he with his said bodie wil be neither visible nor inuisible neither comprehensible nor incomprehēsible vpon earth And neuertheles he is as the almightie sonne of God at all times and in al places with his grace and holie spirit with his and chieflye in his holye supper where hee is bothe our hoste and foode And as the minister doth distribute the precious Sacramentes seales and tokens that is the blessed bread and cuppe of the Lorde so doeth the Lord therewith impart vnto the faithfull him selfe for breade and drinke not of the worldlie bodie as the signes of wine and bread are otherwise trew meate and drinke vnto men but rather a meat and drinke vnto euerlasting life for their hungrie and thirstye soules beaten downe and dismayed by the knoweledge and consideration of their sinnes and of the wrathe of God. Now therefore if this question be made how Christ the Lorde seeing he is with his bodie aboue in heauen and wee here vppon earth can feede vs with his saide bodie we answere with S. Ambrose that albeit we be here with our feet vppon earth yet are we with our head aboue in heauen And with S. Paul We are al baptised by one spirit into one bodie and wee are all made to drinke one spirite And in this our confession wee referre and remitte our selues to the holie and godlye Scriptures of the olde and newe Testaments and confesse herewith frankelye and freelye before the sighte of Almyghtye God whome no man can abuse or deceaue that we vndoubtedly thinke that if wee did beleeue or holde otherwise of the sayde holye Sacramentes wee then should as much as in vs laye ouerthrow the articles of our old trew and christian faith and so should not be able to stand before the iudgement seat of Christ Iesus in the last day For when as in the articles of our vndoubted christian faith wee confesse that there is but one only euerlasting almightie incōprehensible godhead in three persōs which both made gouerneth cōserueth all things then must it needes bee not as some haue giuē out that the humane nature of our lord Iesus but the man Christ by his godlie nature is almightie and in all places working and presēt at once Also the onely begotten sonne of god through the working of the holye Ghost tooke vppon him and retaineth for euer to the great comforte and assurance of our saluation a true and vnfained humane nature like vnto ours in all properties of nature sinne only excepted And so vndoutedly after before his resurrection assension glorie at the right hand of his father according to his said humane nature is and was visible comprehensible and at all times in one place presēt according to his good will and pleasure as he witnesseth of himselfe in the 24 Chapter of the Gospell after S. Luke This Lord Iesus Christ is our onelye Sauiour mediatour hie Priest King and Prophet Lorde and head of his congregation And therfore the ministers of the church cannot baptise vs with the spirit and blood of christ but only with the outwarde elemental water nor feede and drinke vs with the bodie and blood of Christ but with the visible bread and wine And of his spirit bodie blood Christ him self onely maketh vs partakers by faith to the forgiuenes of our sinnes and life euerlasting Yf he truly suffred for vs if he in verye deed were crucified and dead then in the time of his passion his manhood was not in omnipotencie glory like vnto his godhead in all places in heauen and earth but suffred died not without infirmite If also his dead corpes was truely laide into the graue thē was it not before there nor after his burial was it in all places but there for the time onely If it be true that for our benefite hee descended into hell then was hee not at that time as yet set at the right hand of GOD his Father in his heauenly glory and maiestie If it bee trewe that out of the graue he rose vp from death then was the soule before not in the body so the said body was not before out of the graue also afterwards remained not therein If it be true that hee ascended vp into heauen sitteth there as perfect man on the right hand of his Father then according to his humanitie he was not already aboue before and also after his ascension he remained not inuisible belowe or in al places present incomprehensible but sheweth himself there visibly and comprehensibly in the heauenly habitation before the faces and sight of his holye angels and men And therefore hee cannot be without horrible idolatry said to be in the bread of the communion or in

peace and quietnes and neither suffer them selues or anie other vnder them to be persuaded or exasperated by their meanes or diuided among them selues But rather to eschew and auoide them and also whereas no amendemēt can be looked for to suppresse them to the intent that they be not partakers of the detestable and horrible persecutions and shedding of innocent bloud which both in the Empire of Dutchland and other outlandishe nations haue followed by such vnchristian condemnation and censures Euen as we for the most part haue in like maner for the aboue rehersed and other Christian and weightie causes agreed consented and vnited our selues with other Electours and Princes And hereby notwithstanding it is not meant to take from true and godly ministers such punishmentes and censures as appertaine vnto them for the reforming of blasphemies and confuting of errours that may happen according to the word of GOD with Christian decencie which is to be established vsed not to the ouerthrowing but for the edifying of the Church of Christe Iesus c. THE ANSWERE OF the most famous and excellent Prince William Lantgraue of Hessen sent to the Frenche King by the Lord of Villequier Ambassadour from his Maiestie to his excellencie THE most famous and noble Prince William Lantgraue of Hessen hauing receiued the message sent him from the Frenche King by the Lord of Villequier his Highnes Ambassadour rendreth his Maiestie most hartie thākes for the good will it pleaseth him to continue towards him promising that for his part his Highnes shal alwayes finde his excellencie forward and readie to answere him with the like as his Maiestie may cleerly see and vnderstand by all his former actiōs tending to no other marke but to the maintenance of that good amitie and intelligēce which hath of long time bene betweene the crowne of France and the house of Hesse As for the chiefest matter which the said Sir of Villequier had to cōmunicate with the said Prince the Lantgraue in the King his masters name to wit that the King had at the sute and request of the states assembled in his towne of Bloys graunted them that he would from thēce forward suffer no exercise of any other religion in his Realme saue of the Catholique Apostolique and Romish his excellencie is of opinion and thinketh that in truthe there is nothing more greatlie to be desired in this world then that it would please our good God of his infinite boūtie and mercie that the same true Religion which was once published and taught at Rome by the Apostle Paul might through his mercifull sufferance be not onely planted take roote and be mainteined in the kingdome of Frāce but also as purely kept and preserued in all partes of the world as it was in the beginning taught and plāted in Rome as we finde the said Apostle Paul hath left witnessed in his epistle written to the Romaines But it is a matter verie well knowen both to the King himself and to many other good men euē that are professors of the self same Romishe religion that after the Apostles time when the authoritie of the Bishop of Rome became so swollen and puffed vp that it would needes be a topgallant aboue Emperours Kings and all other Monarches of the world that Religion which the Apostle had planted at Rome and wherfore he so highlie cōmended their faith became through many abuses mens tradicions errours and Idolatries altogether defaced falsified A matter greately complained of by many good mē both of hie calling others not onely at this day but long since and many yeres ago desiring no thing so much as to see the church of Christ well reformed But it preuailed not as we maye apparantly see by al histories Which thing caused our Auncestoures and predecessoures of moste worthye memorye and other good men in other countries for the quieting of their consciences and because GOD did so expressely commaunde them to flie from Idolatry to withdraw thēselues from the obedience of the Pope of Rome of thēselues to make a reformatiō according to the writings of the holy Apostles and Prophets because they had no other meanes whereby to obtaine it and being perswaded as the trueth is that it is better to obey God then man. And it is wel knowen that after these lōg and manifold troubles wherwith the kingdome of France hath bene pitifully wasted brought to a very low ebbe there could be no better way possibly deuised vpō to appease former troubles to make an end of those grieuous calamities which haue through so long continuāce brought the whole kingdome to great extremitie almost apparant ruyne then to suffer them which haue withdrawen thēselues from the obedience of the Pope for the reasons before mētioned to liue with freedome of their cōsciences vnder the free exercise of the reformed Religion according to that confession which they presented to the King his brother that dead is Accordingly as was in fine accorded agreed graunted by othe promised by his Maiestie and his Counsaile by the Queene his mother the Princes of his blood and officers of his crowne and other noblemen and gentlemen of his priuie counsell by a perpetual and irreuocable Edict promising that he woulde mainetayne and keepe throughlie and in all poyntes the peace last made published in al parts of his Realme In witnes wherof and of his good intent meaning therein he also sent the same to the said Princes excellencie to many other Princes noblemen of the Empire by letters Ambassages vsing these termes following That he would keepe this edicte of pacification inuiolably for euer as the first earnest penny and pledge of his word giuen to his subiects which he said he had a care to keepe truly and faithfully But his excellēcy seing his maiestie presētly so sodeinly chāged clean contrary to al that he had promised before to suffer him selfe to be so easely caryed away with a fewe of the states assembled at Bloys whose billes were not answerable to the charge that was cōmitted vnto them but as men easie to be wōne suffred thēselues to be framed to the fantasie of the aduerse partie contrarie to all right and reason as they of the reformed religion doe complaine and laye forthe their griefes against them to reuoke that which hee had before so aduisedly and vpō so good ground and counsell solēnely protested to wit that he would suffer the free exercise of the reformed religiō for euer Wherby his maiestie hath renewed the former troubles and disorders of his realme which were hardly with great difficultie quenched appeased coulde not but be grieued at these news not only in respect of his maiesties honor and reputation likewise his state which entred very deeply into his excellency cōsidering what occasiō was offred hereby to all Princes christiā to conceiue of his actiōs otherwise then could wel soūd to his honor credit but also for the